HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE XXX RR IE MAINTIENDRAI THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND BRITANNIA I Sturt Sculp in ye Old Change THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary In THREE PARTS CONTAINING I. A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Usefull and Curious Remarks II. An Account of the Inhabitants their Original Genius Customs Laws Religion and Government of Their Present Majesties Their Court Power Revenues c. III. A Description of the several Courts of Judicature Viz. the High Court of Parliament Privy Council and all other Courts With a Catalogue of the present Officers in Church and State By G. M. LONDON Printed by H.C. for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1691. To the Most Honourable THOMAS Marquess of CAERMARTHEN Earl of DANBY Viscount LATIMER Baron OSBORN OF KIVETON Lord President of His Majesties Most Honourable PRIVY-COUNCIL And Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter This New State of England is humbly Dedicated by the Author TO THE READER 'T IS the late Revolution that has given birth to this new Piece of Work a New Face of Things required a New State of England And of all the Changes this Kingdom has gone through as this was the most sudden so it is the most wonderfull To see Popery in so few days crowing upon the Throne and groaning under its Ruins but t'other day upon the Pinnacle and now stunned with its sudden Fall is such a Change as may deserve the Admiration of this and future Ages In short such is our present Settlement upon Their Majesties happy Accession to the Crown that the Popish Party may assoon see a Protestant Pope of Rome as a Popish King of England Now to make this Work the more acceptable and usefull to the Publick I have divided it into three several Parts In the First you have a particular Description of ENGLAND in its several Counties of every County-Town with the Distance and the common Road to it from London the Metropolis and of all other Places of note in each County Here you have particularly a List of the Market-Towns in every Shire with the Days pointed when their Markets are kept also an account of most other Remarkable Things either of Nature or Art Besides the Honours or Noblemens Titles from Counties Cities Towns Mannors c. And the Number of Men each City or Borough sends to serve in Parliament I conclude this Part with a particular Description of London Oxford and Camidge London as the Capital City of England the Seat of its Monarchs and the Center of Trade Oxford and Cambridge as being the two famous Vniversities of the Land and the glorious Seats of the Muses The Second Part treats of the INHABITANTS of England their Complexion Temper Genius Language c. Of the English Way of Living Commerce Laws Religion and Government Of the King of England and the Royal Family particularly of the present King WILLIAM and Queen MARY with a brief Relation of their Accession to the Crown and the Vnreasonableness of the Disaffected Party under their Government Of Their Majesties Court Forces and Revenues Of the Queen Dowager the Prince and the Princess of Denmark Of the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty Of the Episcopal Dignify'd and Inferiour Clergy And lastly of Women Children and Servants All of them with their respective Priviledges The Third and last Part is about the COURTS of JUDICATURE Viz. The High Court of Parliament with a large Account of their Proceedings Orders Debates Passing of Bills and Acts c. Of the Privy-Council and there particularly of the Principal Secretaries of State Of the Chancery Kings-Bench Common Pleas Exchequer Dutchy of Lancaster and all other Courts To which is annexed a Catalogue of the chief Persons of the Realm both in Church and State Magistrates and Officers Civil and Military Who being subject to Change though the Offices continue the same I thought it improper to mix Certainties and Vncertainties together Therefore I chose rather to place the Officers together by themselves as I have done here than to have them dispersed where I speak of their Offices And from this Method you will reap this Conveniency that by Interleaving of the Catalogue only you may fill up Vacancies as they become void Thus you have as it were a Scheme of the whole Drift of this Book The Foundation whereof is that Ingenious Piece De Republica Anglorum written in Latin by Sir Thomas Smith Improved as you see and fitted to the present Times The Matter of it self is of a general Vse both for English and Foreiners and the Variety so great that it cannot but be Pleasant and Vsefull to the Reader THE TABLE For the First PART This Table contains the Names of the Towns and Cities Hills Islands Meers and Rivers and other Curiosities mentioned in the first Part of this Book And for such as desire only to know what County any of them lies in the Table it self will give them that Satisfaction without any further Trouble it being so contrived that it is in a manner a Geographical Dictionary for England A ABberforth in Yorks 259 Abbey-holm in Cumb 49 Abbey of Westminster 317 Abbots-bury in Dors 67 Abergavenny in Mon. 148 149 Advantages of England 7 Agmundesham in Buck. 30 Ailesbury in Buck. 30 31 Air of England 13 Alborough in Suffolk 204 208 Aldborough in Yorks 273 Aldermen of London 324 Alford in Lincolns 136 140 Alfreton in Derbysh 57 Alisford in Hampsh 95 Almondbury in Yorks 264 Alnewick in Northumb 168 170 Alney-Isle in Gloc. 87 Alston-Moor in Cumb. 49 Altrincham in Chesh 39 Ambleside in Westm 238 Amersbury in Wilts 246 247 Ampthill in Bedf. 27 28 Andover in Hamps 95 96 Antiquity of Oxf. and Cambr. 350 Appleby in Westm 238 Appledore in Kent 112 Are a Yorks River 256 Arrow a River of Heref. 103 Artillery Company in London 329 Arun a Sussex River 224 Arundel in Sussex 225 227 Ashbourn in Derbysh 57 Ashburton in Devonsh 61 Ashby in Leicest 131 Ashford in Kent 112 Aspley in Bedf. 28 Atherston in Warw. 234 235 Attlebury in Norf. 153 Auburn in Wiltsh 246 Aukland in the Bishoprick of Durham 76 77 Aulcester in Warw. 234 Avon the Name of several Rivers 85 92 c. Axebridge in Somers 192 194 Axholm an Isle in Lincolns 139 Axminster in Dev. 61 B BAkewell in Derbysh 57 Baldock in Hartf 100 Bampton in Oxf. 178 179 Banbury in Oxf. 178 179 Banquetting House at Whitehall 316 Barkin in Essex 81 BARKSHIRE 22 Barnesly in Yorks 259 Barnet in Hartf 100 102 Barnstaple in Dev. 61 63 Barnwel in Linc. 136 Barristers in Lond. 304 Barton in Linc. 136 139 Barwick in Northumb. 168 Basingstoke in Hamps 95 96 Bath in Somers 189 Battel in Sussex 225 228 Battersea in Surrey 221 Bautrey in Yorks 259 Beaconfield in Buck. 30 32 Beckles in Suffolk 204 209 Bedal in Yorks 273 Bedford 26
the Garter 219 Knights Baronets 223 Knights of the Bath 224 Knights Batchelours Ibid. Knights Banerets 229 L. LAnd-Forces 177 Language of the English 12 English Laws 59 Lent-Preachers 171 The Lord Lieutenant's Power 179 Way of Living among the English 31 M. MAritime Power 181 Earl Marshal of England 131 Master of the Horse 161 Master of the Houshold 149 150 Master of the Wardrobe 160 Master of the Robes 162 Master of the Revels 163 Master of the Ceremonies 164 Maundy Thursday the Ceremony of that Day 173 English Measures 53 Merchants 229 Militia 178 Millenarians 70 Mint-Officers 51 N. ENglish Names 21 Nobility of England their Creation and Distinction 210 c Their Priviledges 215 Noble Women 258 O ORder of the Garter 219 Ordination of Priests and Deacons 251 Ordnance its Office and Officers 194 c. Original of the English 1 c. Oxford Regiment 168 P. PArsons 250 Patrons of Churches 252 Pledging the Original of it 43 Post-Office 47 Poverty a description thereof 230 Power of the King by Sea and Land 113 Prebendaries 248 Prerogative of the King 109 Presbyterians 68 President of the Council 129 Prince of Wales 122 Prince George 208 Princess Ann ibid. Privy Purse 162 Privy Seal 129 Proclamation of the King 98 Pursuivants 163 Q. QVakers 70 Sovereign Queen of England 121 Queen Mary's Character 143 Queen Consort 122 Queen Dowager 122 The present Queen Dowager 207 R. ENglish Recreations 39 Recusants 71 Reformation of the Church of England 63 Regency 117 Religion of England 61 Religion alters the Temper of Men 71 Revenues of the King of England 115 Revenues of the present King Queen 199 Revenues of the Clergy 253 Revenues of the Bishops 244 Rural Deans 249 S. SCotlands Union with England 85 c. Sergeants at Arms 163 Servants 266 Act of Settlement 119 Sextons 257 Ship-yards and their Officers 190 Sidesmen 257 Marks of Sovereignty 94 High Steward of England 126 Lord Steward of the King's Houshold 148 Succession to the Crown 118 T. TEmper of the English 4 Tenure in Villenage 268 Title of the King to the Crown of France 89 Tobacco the Benefits of it 38 The great Trade of England 55 Train-Bands see Militia The English way of Travelling 46 The Lord High-Treasurer 128 Treasurer of the King's House 150 V. S. VAlentines Day 45 Vestry 258 Vicars 253 The Vnreasonableness of the present disaffected Party 144 W. WAles its Union with England 84 Wardrobes of the King 160 Weights used in England 52 Women 258 Laws concerning them 260 261 Y. YAchts 186 Yeomen 228 Yeomen of the Gard 167 The Table FOR THE THIRD PART A ALdermen 73 Alienation Office 53 Apprentices Laws concerning them 112 Aâ—â—zes 80 Attachment 95 B. BAyliffs 74 Benefit of the Clergy 58 C. CHancery see Court Circuâ—ts 80 Clerk of the Market 72 Commission of Assize 81 Commission of Nisi-prius ib. Commission of Peace 82 Commission of Oyer Terminer ib. Commission of Gaol-delivery ib. Committees 30 c. Common Pleas see Court Constables 77 Convocation 96 Coroners 71 Privy Council 43 County Court 68 Court of Chancery 49 Court of King's Bench 55 Court of Common Pleas 59 Court of Exchequer 62 Court of Dutchy of Lancaster 66 Court of Admiralty 91 Court of Marshalsea 94 Court of Requests 94 Court Martial 91 215 Court Leet 75 Court Baron 76 Courts of Conscience 94 Prerogative Court 102 Court of Arches 100 Court of Audience 102 Court of Delegates 103 Court of Peculiars 104 Court of the Lord Mayor of London 106 Court of Aldermen at Lond. 107 Court of Common Council 108 Court of Goal-Delivery 110 Court of the London Sheriffs 111 Court of the Chamberlain ib. Court of the Orphans 114 Cursitors Office 52 H. HEadboroughs 77 House of Lords 11 House of Commons 12 Hustings 109 J. GRand Jury 70 L. A List of the Kings Houshold Officers and Servants 135 A List of the Gentlemen of the King's Bedchamber 144 A List of the Genâ—l Pensioners 152 A List of the Yeomen of the Guard Officers 153 A List of the Officers of the four Troops of Horse ib. A List of the Officers of the Oxford Regim 158 A List of the Officers of the Foot-guards 159 A List of the Chappel Royal 161 A List of the Queens Houshold 163 A List of the Nobility 168 A List of the Bishops 174 A List of the House of Commons 175 A List of the Privy Council 191 A List of the Lords Commissioners and Officers of the Court of Chancery 193 A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Kings Bench 19â— A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Common Pleas 200 A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Exchequer 203 A List of the Judges and Officers of the Dutchy of Lancast 206 A List of the Attorney aâ—â— Solicitor General Sergeants and Council at Law ib. A List of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury 208 A List of the Officers of the Custom 209 A List of the Officers of the Excise 210 A List of the Officers of the General Post-Office 211 A List of the Officers of the Mint 212 A List of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty 213 A List of the Admirals 214 A List of the Commissioners other Officers belonging to the Navy ib. A List of the Officers of the Martial Court 215 A List of the Lords Lieutenants 216 A List of the Governours of Foregn Plantations 219 A List of the Consuls in Foreign Parts 220 A List of the Foreign Ministers residing here ibid. A List of the Knights of the Garter 221 A List of the Knights made by K. William 222 A List of the Deans in England Wales 225 A List of the Colledge of Civilians 226 A List of the Colledge of Physicians 230 A List of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London 232 A List of the Lieutenancy of London 234 A List of the Governours of the Charterhouse 236 A List of the Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Heads of Colledges and Halls Proctors Orator and Professors in Oxford University 237 A List of the Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Heads of Colledges and Halls Proctors Orator and Professors in Cambridge 239 M. MAster 's of Chancery 50 Master of the Rolls 51 Mayors 73 P. PAper-Office 47 Parliament of England 1 Pie-powder Court 96 Privy Council 43 Q. QVarter Sessions 70 S. SEcretaries of State 45 Sheriffs 67 Sheriffs Turn 68 Signet-Office 47 Speaker of the House of Lords 10 Speaker of the House of Commons 14 Stewards 75 Subpoena Office 53 Swainmote 95 T. TRial of Malefactors 83 W. WArden of the Fleet 54 ERRATA PART I. Page 4. line 12. read Wiltshire p. 7. l. 10. dele of and l. 12. r. third p. 29. l. 5. r. Lincoln p. 81. in the list 1. Burntwood p. 89. l. 11. r. be p. 116. l. 10. r. Rockingham p. 291. l. 25. r. 1209. p. 302. r. only Grocer's Hall p. 324. l. 6. r. 25. p. 329. l. 13. r. 9000. p. 331. l. 16. r. manner p. 341.
its Course and so severed it self that Men went about 3 Miles together on foot in the bottom of the Channel the Waters swelling up backwards to a great height Bedford the County-Town lies North-west and by North 40 Miles from London thus From London to Barnet 10 10 more to St. Albans 8 from thence to Luton 5 more to Baruâ— Clay thence to Bedford 7. A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks oâ— the River Ouse that parts it into two and over which there is a fair Stone Bridge Called Bedford from the Beds and Lodgings on the Ford built on both sides of the River for the use of Travellers A Town which in procesâ— of time is grown to that bigness as to contain in it 5 Parish Churches whereof 3 on the North and 2 on the South-side of the River Famous in former times for the great Battel fought in the adjoyning Fields Anno 572 in which Cuthwolf the Saxon vanquished thâ— Britains and became Master of the Country But more famous for giving the Title of Duke to John of Lancaster Regent of France for Kinâ— Henry VI and to Jasper of Hatfield Uncle 〈◊〉 Henry VII After whom it was dignified bâ— King Edward VI Anno 1548 with the Title oâ— an Earldom in the Person of the then Lonâ— Admiral John Russel and from him descendeâ— in a right line to the truly Noble and right Honourable William Russel the present Earl of Bedford and Knight of the Order of the Garter Lastly this Town has two Markets a Week on Tuesdays and Saturdays well furnished with all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Tuddington Sat. Potton Sat. Luton Mund. Leighton Tue. Biglesworth Tue. Dunstable Wedn. Ampthill Thur. Woburn Frid. Shefford Frid. Among which Dunstable the chief of all is seated on a Hill in a chalky dry Ground Built by King Henry I. out of the Ruins of the ancient Magiovinium for the better suppressing of one Dun a notorious Robber that used to pester these Parts from whom it came to be called Dunstable It has 4 Streets in it and in each of 'em a Pond fed only with Rain and yet these Ponds are never dry No Springs here to be found without digging a very great depth But as it is seated in the high Road from London to West-Chester formerly known by the Name of Watling-street 't is a well frequented Town and accommodated with several good Inns for Travellers In this Town King Edward I. caused a Cross or Column to be erected adorned with Statues and the Arms of England c. in Memorial of Eleanor his Queen this being the Place where her Corps rested in her Journey from Lincolnshire where she died to Westminster Abbey where she was interred About this Town are caught abundance of Larks which are esteemed the best in England and where they are the best dressed Leighton is seated in the Borders of Buckinghamshire upon a River that runs Northward into the Ouse This is a good large Town having a Bridge over the River which leads to Buckinghamshire And its Market is very considerable especially for all sorts of faâ—â— Cattle Luton a pretty good Town borders upon both the Counties of Hartford and Bucking ham and Potton upon Cambridgeshire Woburn on a rising Ground is much frequented by Passengers in their Journeys from London to Northampton Formerly of some account for its fine Monastery as it is at present foâ— its Free School founded by Francis Earl of Bedford Near this Town is Aspley where the naturâ— of the Soil is such that it petrifies Wood. Anâ— about this Town is digged up excellent Fulleâ—â— Earth in great plenty Biglesworth is pleasantly seated on the Iveâ— over which it has a Stone-bridge This Town formerly but inconsiderable is grown into request since it became a Thorough-fare for Coaches especially between London and York Shefford is situate on the other side of the â—vel West and by South from Biglesworth between two Rivulets which joyn below thâ— Town and fall together in one stream into thâ— Ivel Ampthill 5 Miles South of Bedford is aâ— Honour belonging to the Crown Graced with a fine Seat and Park in its Neighbourhood be longing to the Earl of Alesbury To conclude this County formerly was Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Catieuchlani as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of London Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members to sit in Parliament the Right of Election being in the Town of Bedford Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire or Bucks another Inland County is bounded on the East by Bedford and Hartford Shires and part of Middlesex on the West by Oxfordshire Northward by Northamptonshire and Southward by Barkshire It contains in Length from North to South about 40 Miles in Breadth from East to West 18. The Whole divided into eight Hundreds wherein 185 Parishes and 15 Market Towns A Country blest with a very temperate and healthful Air and with a rich and fertile Soil yielding Grass and Corn in great abundance especially the Vale lying Northwards South-Eastward it rises into Hills called the Chiltern which afford a great deal of Wood. An infinite Number of Sheep is bred especially in the Vales of this Country whose Fleece is much esteemed for its fineness As for Rivers here is Northward the Ouse and a small Stream that runs into it about the middle of the County the Tame and in the South-East Parts the Coln which severs part of this County from that of Middlesex Buckingham the chief Place of it lies Northwest and by West 44 Miles from London Viz. 6 to Acton 9 more to Vxbridge 9 more to Amersham to Wendover 6 more thence 4 to Ailesbury and 10 more to Buckingham A goodly Town seated in a fruitful Soil on the Banks of the River Ouse rising not far from it and over which it has 3 fair Stone Bridges 'T is pretty well frequented and inhabited and its Market which is kept on Saturdays well served with Provisions In times past it was fortified by King Edward the elder The Town-Hall stands in the North Part of the Town and the Chappel founded by Tho. Becket is now converted into a Free School Otherwise not much observable but for those many noble Personages which have had the Title of Earls and Dukes thereof The last Duke was George Villiers who died in the late Reign He was Son to George Viscount Villiers Baron of Whaddon first created Earl of Buckingham by King James the First and afterwards Duke thereof Anno 1623. He was Lord Admiral of England and High Chamberlain and was slain by Felton The other Market Towns are Newport Sat. Ailesbury Sat. Risborough Sat. Marlow Sat. Oulney Mund. Agmundesham Tues Colebrook Wed. Chesham Wed. Winslow Thur. Wendover Thur. Beaconfield Thur. Stony-Stratford Frid. Ivingo Frid. High Wickham Frid. Amongst which Newport Stoney-Stratford and Oulney are all three seated on the Ouse Ailesbury on the Tame Marlow near
Rivers it is almost incompassed It lies about 8 miles from the Sea between two Hills upon one of which stands the Church and upon the other a Castle It s chief Trade is of course broad Cloaths here made And here is a Custom common to most other Market Towns of this County to hire Servants at their Fairs to which end such as want either Service or Servants do resort hither Egremont and Ravenglass are seated not sar from the Sea The first on the Banks of a River over which it has two Bridges Ravenglass betwixt two Rivers which together with the Sea incompass three Parts of it White-Haven is situate on a Creek of the Sea at the North end of a Hill where is a great Rock or Quarrey of hard white Stone which gives name unto it This Harbour is of late much improved in its Buildings being well frequented and inhabited and driving a good Trade to Ireland Scotland Chester Bristol and other Places Whose chief Trade is of Salt and Coals here plentifully digged up for which they bring in exchange several good Commodities Keswick seated in a Valley hemmed in with Hills has been a famous Town for Copper Mines and much frequented by mineral Men who had here many Smelting Houses But now it is gone to decay Not far from this Town is dug up Wadd or Black Lead in great plenty Formerly they reckoned in this County 25 Castles few of which are remaining most of them being decayed and gone to ruin Lastly this County which in the time of the Heptarchy was part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and whose Inhabitants as well as those of most part of the North besides were called Brigantes by the ancient Romans is partly in the Diocese of Carlisle and partly in That of Chester For the South Part of it called Copeland lying betwixt the Rivers Duddon and Darwent is within the Arch. Deaconry of Richmond in Chester-Diocese and all the rest of the County in the Diocese of Carlisle Out of this County besides the two Knights of the Shire there are but four Members chosen to sit in Parliament 2 from Carlisle and 2 from Cockermouth In the North Parts of it is a Tract called Gillesland from whence the Earl of Carlisle intitles himself Baron Dacre of Gillesland and South-Westward near the Sea stands the Barony of Millum In short this County became first an Earldom in the Reign of King Henry VIII who bestowed the Title upon Henry Lord Clifford Anno 1525 in whose Issue it continued till the Year 1642 the last that injoyed it being also a Henry Clifford Of an Earldom it became a Dukedom in the Person of the late Illustrious Prince Rupert second Son of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine and of Elizabeth his Wife the only Daughter of King James the first being Created Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness by King Charles I. his Uncle Anno 1643. He died without Issue at Whitehall Nov. 29. 1682. And the Title of Duke of Cumberland is now in the Person of his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark Of the Isle of Man Isle of Man The Isle of Man lying most of it opposite to Cumberland between this County and the North of Ireland this I think therefore to be the most proper Place to take notice of it This Island runs in Length from North to South about 30 miles and in Breadth where it is broadest 10 miles The Whole divided into two Parts North and South the Inhabitants of the one having affinity with the Scotch and the other with the Irish And in these Parts defended by Two Castles are reckoned 17 Parishes and but 5 Market Towns It is generally an High-land on the Sea-Coast and that well garded with Rocks The middle part of it runs up into high Hills The highest of all called Seafull has this very remarkable in it That from the Top of it on a clear Day one may easily behold three Kingdoms at once viz. England Scotland and Ireland England Eastward Scotland Northward and Ireland Westward The Air of this Island is sharp and subject to high Winds but 't is healthful And as sharp as it is in Winter yet the Frosts are short and the Snow does not ly very long in the Valleys The Soil is pretty fruitful both in Corn and Pasture affording good store of Wheat and other Grain and feeding good Flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattle but none of the biggest size Here are also red Deer abundance of Conies and Fowl of sundry sorts In a little adjacent Island called the Isle of Calf is abundance of Puffins a sort of Sea Fowl that breeds in Cony-holes chiefly used for their Feathers and Oyl made of them But their Flesh being pickled or salted as it has a Fish-like taste so it comes little short of Anchoves And as for Fish both the Sea and Rivers yield great plenty of it It s chief Places are Douglas Laxi and Ramsâ—y on the East Shore Rushin on the South and Peel with its strong Castle on the West Shore 'T was about the Year 1340 that this Island was conquered from the Scots by William Montacute Earl of Salisbury who was thereupon honoured with the Title of King of Man Afterwards it was sold to the Lord Scrope who being convicted of Treason forfeited it to the Crown Henry IV. gave it to Henry Pierce Earl of Northumberland the last that kept it with the Title of King But he proving also false to his Sovereign the King gave it to William Lord Stanley whose Grandchild Thomas Lord Stanley was created Earl of Derby In whose House this Estate has continued hitherto with the Title of Lord of Man though a King in effect For he has here all kind of Civil Power and Jurisdiction over the Inhabitants and the very Nomination of the Bishop of Man but still under the Fief and Sovereignty of the Crown of England And as to the Bishop he must be presented to the King for his Royal Assent then to the Archbishop of York for his Consecration Which is the Reason why the Bishop of Man is no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that Honour but such as hold immediately of the King himself Derbyshire DERBYSHIRE or as some spell it DARBYSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by Nottinghamshire on the West by Cheshire and Staffordshire on the North by Yorkshire and on the South by Leicestershire And it lies so in respect to the rest of ENGLAND that the South Parts of this County are in a manner the Center of it It is in Length from North to South about 34 miles and in Breadth from East to West 16. The Whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 106 Parishes and 10 Market Towns The Temperature of the Air of this County is very wholsom as most of the Inland Counties are Next to the River Trent wherewith the South Parts of it are irrigated that of chief note is Derwent which crossing the Country from North to
South empties it self into the Trent and so divides the County into East and West The Soil in the South and East Parts is very fruitful and yields both good Grass and Corn. But the North and West Parts being both Hilly and Stony with a black and mossy barren Ground are not so fertile Yet they are not without some rich Valleys and on the Hills themselves are bred abundance of very good though not very large Sheep For Fewel it is not beholden to Wood the Woods having been destroyed in a great measure by the Countries Iron-Works Lead-mines and Coal-Delfs But 't is so well stored with Coals that it supplies with this sort of Fewel many neighbouring Counties as Leicester Northampton Rutland and Lincoln Whose Inhabitants frequently bring Barley to sell at Darby and load themselves back with Coals For Buildings it affords not only good Clay for Bricks but also store of Free-Stone or durable Greet Stone and in many parts Lime-stone both useful in Building and for manuring the Ground Here is also Alabaster Crystal black and grey Marble not only very durable but such as polishes well As for Mill-Stones and Whet-stones here 's whole Quarries of 'em in the working whereof a great many hands are imployed before they come to be dispersed over the Nation But the chiefest Commodity of this Country is Lead which for goodness or Plenty yields to no Place in the World Famous for this is the Peak of Derbyshire as well as for its Quarries but particularly for its three wonderful Caves This Peak ly's amongst the Mountains in the North-West Parts and its three Caves of a wonderful vast height length and depth are known by the Names of Devils Arse Elden-hole and Pools hole From the Devils Arse a Water comes which is said to ebb and flow 4 times in an hour as the Well in the Peak Forest and to keep its just Tides Noted besides for the strange Irregularities of the Rocks within the Water Eldenhole is very spacious but wiâ—h a low and narrow entrance The Waters which trickle down from the top thereof do congeal into Stone and hang like Isicles in the root thereof Some are hollow within and grow Taper-wise very white and not unlike to Crystal But the greatest Wonder of all is that of Buxton-Wells Nine Springs arise out of a Rock in the compass of 8 or 9 Yards eight of which are warm and the ninth very cold These Springs run from under a square Building of Free Stone and about 300 foot off receive another hot Spring from a Well inclosed with four flat Stones near unto which another very cold Spring bubbles up These Waters are experimentally found good for the Stomach and Sinews and good to bathe in And now I come to Mineral Waters I cannot but mention Kedlaston Well Quarndon and Stanly Springs The first of which being in Kedlâ—ston Parish is noted for having cured as 't is said the Leprosy and for being singular in the Cure of old Ulcers Quarndon Springs are two Springs about a mile and a half from Derby much of the nature of Tunbridge-Waters in Kent and the Spaws in Yorkshire as strong of the Mineral and as effectual in the Operation As for Stanly-Spring 't is of the same nature but not so strong But about Wirksworth there 's a warm and a cold Spring so near each other that one may put one hand in the cold and the other in the warm Derby the Shire-Town from whence the County it self is denominated bears from London North and by West and is distant therefrom 98 miles thus From London to Leicester 78 as you may see in Leicestershire thence to Lougborough 8 and to Derby 12 more This Town is seated upon the West Bank of Derwent from whence probably the Name of Derby is extracted over which there is a fine Bridge of free Stone and upon the Bridge a Chappel called St. Maries Chappel But besides Derwent which empties it self but 6 miles lower into the Trent this Town has the Conveniency of a Brook rising Westward and running through it under nine several Bridges 'T is a large populous and rich Place few inland Towns equalizing it Here are five Parish Churches of which that of All-Saints is the fairest Whose Tower-Steeple in which are 8 tunable Bells built at the only Charge of the young Men and Maids about the Reign of Q. Mary is equalled for height and beauty by few in the Nation Here is also a fair Hall built not many years since of free Stone at the Counties Charge where the Assizes are constantly kept In short 't is a Place of good Trade and Resort no less famous for good Ale than Banbury for its Cakes and Cheese Here is chiefly a great Vent for Barley which they make into Malt and so sell it again in Cheshire Lancashire and the North of this County It s Market is on Fridays which is very great for Cattel Corn and all Provisions besides small Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays Lastly this Town is dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom now in the person of the Right Honourable William Stanley Earl of Derby and Lord of the Isle of Man Descended to him from his Ancestor Thomas Lord Stanley and of Man created Earl of Derby by King Henry VII Anno 1486. Which Title was first injoy'd by the Earls of Ferrers and Derby and afterwards by several Princes of the Royal Family till it came as I said before to Thomas Lord Stanley by Creation The other Market Towns are Chesterfield Sat. Ashbourn Sat. Alfreton Mund. Bakewell Mund. Wirksworth Tue. Tideswal Wedn. Dronfield Thu. Bolsover Frid. Drawfield Amongst which Chesterfield is pleasantly seated in a good Soil for the most part on the South-side of a little Hill and that between two small Rivers A Town which by the Ruins of it does seem to be of good Antiquity and therefore likely to have had some more ancient Name now buried in its Ruins It was made a free Borough in the time of King John And hard by it was the Battel fought between King Henry III and his Barons in which Robert de Ferrers Earl of Derby being taken Prisoner lost his Estate and Dignity though not his Life But that wherein it has most cause to glory is that from an ordinary Market Town it is become the Seat of an Earldom the Stile and Title of Earl of Chesterfield being conferred by King Charles I. upon Philip Lord Stanhop of Shelford created Earl of Chesterfield Anno 1628. From whom it descended next by Henry his eldest Son to the Right Honourable Philip Lord Stanhop the present Earl of Chesterfield Wirksworth is so called from the Worth of the Lead-Works And 't is the greatest Lead-Market in England This County formerly Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Coritani is now in the Diocese of Lichfield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Parliament Men and these two by
Derby Town But before I leave this County I cannot but observe that of all Parts of England which in general is famous for its Stone-Bridges Derbyshire is of special note upon that very account Witness amongst the rest Burton-Bridge on the River Trent in the Borders of Staffordshire which has no less than 35 large Stone Arches 'T was at this Bridge that Edward II. put to flight Thomas Earl of Lancaster and many of the Barons Here is also Swarkeston Bridge over the same River reputed to be near a mile in length but much of it is rather a Causey than a Bridge To which add Monks-Bridge over the Dove to say nothing more of St. Maries Bridge at Derby Scarsdale a Division or Part of this County wherein stands Chesterfield is a Valley incompassed with Rocks and Mountains as the Name imports Dale in the Saxons Language signifying a Valley and Scaire a craggy Rock Observable only for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Robert Leak the present Earl of Scarsdale Derived to him from his Father Nicholas Son of Francis Leak Lord Deyncourt of Sutton Created Earl of Scarsdale by King Charles I. Anno 1645. Devonshire DEVONSHIRE a Maritime County in the West of England lies open to the Sea both Northward and Southward on the North being bounded with the North Sea otherwise called the Severn Sea or S. George's Channel which parts it from Wales and on the South with the South Sea commonly called the Channel which parts England from France But Eastward it is bounded by Somersetshire and Dorsetshire and Westward by Cornwal It contains in Length from East to West about 52 miles in Breadth from North to South 46. The whole divided into 33 Hundreds wherein 3â—4 Parishes and 32 Market Towns The Air of this County is sharp and wholesom The Soil in some Parts generally beautified with fresh and pleasant Meadows in other Parts shaded with great store of Woods but in few places not so fit for Corn as most other Counties 'T is true good Husbandry supplies that Defect and adds unto it by cost and industry what it wants by Nature Amongst the many Rivers wherewith 't is abundantly watered the Tamer which parts it from Cornwal the Turridge the Taw Ex and Dart are the chiefest In short this County is well provided with Flesh Fish and Fowl And as for Sea-Fish Pilchards and Herrings chiefly are here fished in great abundance Noted besides for its Wools and Clothings the best and finest Kerseys in the Kingdom being here made but chiefly for its Tin and Lead-Mines Exeter the chief Place of it ly's West-South-West from London about 130 miles thus Viz. from London to Salisbury 70 miles as you may see in the Description of Wiltshire From Salisbury to Shaftsbury 15 and to Sherburn 12 more from Sherburn to Crookham 10 thence to Axminster 9 and to Exeter 22 more This City is so called from the River Ex on the East-banks whereof it is seated and over which it has a fair Stone bridge not above 12 or 15 miles from its fall into the Sea 'T is a large and well compacted City and a Place of good Trade But the River is so choaked up that all Vessels are forced to load and unload their Goods at Topsham about 3 miles distance Within its Walls and Suburbs are reckoned besides the Cathedral no less than 15 Parish-Churches It has the Priviledge of two Markets weekly kept on Wednesdays and Fridays Noted besides for giving the Title of Duke Marquess and Earl to several noble Personages Of Duke to John Holland Earl of Huntington made Duke of Exeter by King Richard II and to Tho. Beaufort Earl of Dorset created Duke of Exeter by King Henry V. Next to whom this Title was injoy'd by John and Henry Holland both of them Admirals Afterwards the Title of Marquess of Exeter was by King Henry VIII conferred upon Henry Courtney Earl of Devonshire Succeeded in it by his Son Edward Courtney with whom this Title died But in the Reign of King James I Tho. Cecil Lord Burleigh was by that King created Earl of Exeter Anno 1605. From whom is descended in a right Line the Right Honourable John Cecil the present Earl of Exeter The other Market Towns are Kings-bridge Sat. Plimpton Sat. Totness Sat. Ashburton Sat. Chidley Sat. Merton Sat. Okehampton Sat. Tavestock Sat. Torrington Sat. Holsworthy Sat. South-Molton Sat. Columpton Sat. Crediton Sat. Hâ—rniton Sat. Axminster Sat. Plimouth Mund. Thu. Bediford Tue. Tiverton Tue. Ottery Tue. Dodbrook Wed. Newton-Abbot Wed. Modberry Thu. Culliton Thu. Bow Thu. Chuâ—mleigh Thu. Dartmouth Frid Barnstaple Frid Hatherly Frid Besides Ilfarcomb Combemerton Bradnidge and Sidmouth whose Market-Days I am ignorant of Among which Plimouth and Dartmouth are two noted Harbours in the Channel but the first especially Seated between the Tamer and the Plime at both their falls into the Sea the Plime being but a small River from whence Plimouth however has took its Denomination 'T is one of the best Ports in England having a safe and commodious Haven strongly fortified on both sides A Place of great importance to the Kingdom not only for his Majesty's but for Merchants Ships outward or homeward bound to anchor in upon any Casualty The Conveniency whereof has so improved this Town from a poor fishing Village that it is now grown up to Stateliness Lastly this Place is dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom now in the person of the Right Honourable Other Windsor Earl of Plimouth c. Derived to him from his Grandfather Thomas Created Earl of Plimouth by King Charles II. But the first that injoy'd this Title was Charles Fitz Charles commonly called Don Carlos created Baron of Dartmouth Viscount Totnes and Earl of Plimouth Anno 1675. who soon after died at Tangier Dartmouth so called from its Situation at the Mouth of the River Dart is also a good Port Town having a commodious Haven well frequented and traded unto There 's in it three Parish Churches And it gives the Title of Baron to the Right Honourable George Leg made Baron of Dartmouth by King Charles II. Few miles from Dartmouth to the North-East is the Bay called Torbay of chief note for the Descent here made by his present Majesty and his Land-Forces from Holland upon the fifth of Nov. being Gun-powder Treason Day 1688. From Torbay to the Coast of Dorsetshire there is not a Sea-Town of any note but Sidmouth Which indeed was a good Port Town as well as Seaton and Budley near adjoyning before their Havens were choaked up with Sands Now 't is but a small Fisher-Town On the North Coast you will find Combemerton Ilfarcomb and Hartland all of them but mean Towns But at some distance from that Sea lies Barnstaple a good trading Place seated on the River Yaw over which it has a large Bridge Further Westward you will find Bediford Torrington and Hatherley all three on the Towridge Over which River Bediford has a large Stone-bridge
called Portland Castle built by Henry VIII And almost opposite to it on the Lands side towards Weymouth stands another called Sandford Castle Which two Castles command all Ships that pass into this Road. The whole Peninsule does shew it self from the top of the Rocks in a Flat and is in compass about 7 miles The Ground is very good for Corn and indifferent for Pasture but so destitute of Wood and other Feweâ— that the Inhabitants are fain to dry their Cow-dung and burn it Which Defect iâ— made up another way by its Quarries oâ— excellent free Stone for Building and thaâ— in such plenty that they make use of it foâ— their Fences On the South-East-side stands the only Church in the Isle and that so near the Seaâ— that to fence it from its furious Waves the Church-yard Banks were fain to be walled to an incredible height And here it is that Portland Race shews it self For so they call the Meeting of the two Tides here with so great striving and beating of the Waves that 't is not safe even in the calmest Season for Barks to pass over it This Peninsule has been dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom first in the person of Richard Weston created Earl of Portland by King Charles I. Anno 1632 and continued in his Son Jeremy then in Charles Son and Heir of Jeremy and lastly in Thomas Weston Uncle to Charles the late Earl of Portland But since the late Revolution our present King was pleased to confer this Title upon the Right Honourable William Bentinck the present Earl of Portland and Groom of the Stole to His Majesty East of Portland lies Purbeck an Island or rather a Peninsule that takes up the South-East part of this County about 10 miles in length and 6 in breadth reaching from Luckford Lake to the Channel So that it is surrounded with the Sea North East and South and Westward with Rivers within less than a â—ile In this Compass of Ground are many small Towns whereof Corfe is the chief Seated on the banks of a River running through the middle parts of Purbeck into Luckford Lake and that in a barren Soil betwixt two Hills upon one of which stands a Castle called from â—he Town Corfe-Castle A Castle that had great Priviledges granted to the Lords thereof â—s the free Warren Chase over all the Isle â—ea-wracks Freedom from the Lord Admiral â—f England c. To conclude this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants the ancient Durotriges is now in the Diocese of Bristol Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 18 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Dorchester Pool Lime Weymouth Melcomb Regis Bridport Shaftsbury Warham and Corfe-Castle Of this County there have been both Marquesses and Earls the Title of Marquess first injoy'd by the Beauforts and after them by the Greys the last that possessed it being Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk who was beheaded in the Year 1553. The Title of Earl was conferred by King James I. upon Thomas Sackvil Lord Buckhurst created Earl of Dorset Anno 1603 in whose Line it has continued hitherto the present Earl hereof being the Right Honourable Charles Sackvil Earl of Dorset and Middlesex and Lord High Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold Durham DVRHAM a Maritime County in the North of England is bounded Eastward by the German Ocean Westward by Cumberlanâ— and Westmorland Northward by Northumberland and Southward by the River Tees which parts it from Yorkshire It s Length from East to West is about 3â— miles its Breadth from North to South 30 The Whole divided into four Wakes noâ— Hundreds wherein 118 Parishes and 6 Maâ—ket-Towns Here the Air is pretty sharp and keen noâ— only by reason of the Climate but because 〈◊〉 its Hilliness especially the West Parts of iâ— So true it is that those Northern Counties which are so nearly related to Scotland by their Situation participate likewise of its nature This County is so well watered what with the Sea and what with the Rivers that it is almost incompassed with Water Next to the River Tine which parts it for some miles from Northumberland and the Tees from Yorkshire here is the Ware which runs through Durham and Derwent into the Tine As the Soil of it is different so it is in some Parts fertile in others barren and accordingly inhabited The Eastern Part is Champain and bears plenty of Coal the Southern is the most fertile the Western is hilly and barren and thin of Woods and Towns But it is recompensed by its Store of Coal Lead and Iron Mines Durham the County Town bears from London North by West and is distant therefrom by common Computation 200 miles That is 150 miles to York for the Particulars of which I refer you to Yorkshire and 50 miles more to Durham Viz. from York to Borough-bridge 13 to North-Allerton 13 more 10 from thence to Darlington and 14 more to Durham Whose Situation is upon Hills and Bottoms of Hills all surrounded with Hills but the â—ow Parts watered with the River Ware which incircles the best Part of it and over which there are two Stone-Bridges If what Mr. Bloom says of it in his Britannia was true when it was published the Case is altered I have been often upon the Place but could never find it fair and neatly compacted nor so beautified as he represents it nor its Market-Place so spacious nor its Trade so flourishing On the contrary 't is a good retiring Place free from the noise and hurry of Trade unless it be upon Saturdays on which Day the Market is kept Here indeed one may live plentifuly and breath good Air at an easy rate The greatest Ornament of this Place is the Castle and the Cathedral The Castle where the Bishop makes his Residence is I confess a stately Fabrick raised on the top of a Hill by William the Conquerour with all the Advantages both of a Pallace and a Castle Over against it on the same Hill stands the Cathedral whose Structure has this Defect that it is built of a soft mouldering Stone Between both these is a spacious Place called the Green On one side whereof is the Hall where the Assizes are kept with a handsom publick Library erected and founded by Dr. Cosins the late Bishop of Durham and on the other side a Row of Alms-Houses the standing Fruits of his Charity At Nevils Cross near Durham a bloudy Battel was fought the 20th of Oct. 1346 between the English and the Scots where David Bruce King of Scots was taken Prisoner by one Copland a Man of a mean degree but Knighted for this Action Then was Queen Philip Wife to King Edward III in person in the Field the Battel being managed by the Lords Mowbray Percy and Nevil The Market-Towns besides Durham it self are Darlington Mund. Bernard-Castle Wedn. Bishop Aukland Thu. Sunderland Frid. and Stainthorp Darlington is a good
in which S. Augustine the Monk the first Apostle of that People had a Conference or Consultation with the British Bishops More memorable in the following Times for giving the Title of an Earl to the Illustrious Family surnamed De Clare the addition of an Honour and a goodly Patrimony to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and at this time the Title of Marquess to the Duke of Somerset This Town is seated on the Lea much decay'd by the turning the High-way through Ware and having now but 3 Parish Churches Here however is kept the County Goal and 't is a well frequented Market on Saturdays The other Market-Towns are S. Albans Sat. Rickmansworth Sat. Barnet Mund. Berkhamsted Mund. Buntingford Mund. Watford Tue. Ware Tue. Hitching Tue. Hempsted Thu. Hatfield Thu. Hodsdon Thu. Baldock Thu. Bp. Stretford Thu. Stevenedge Frid. Tringe Frid. â—toudon Frid. Amongst which S. Alhans seated on the River Coln was so called from a famous Monastery here founded by Offa the great King of the Mercians in honour of St. Albans the Protomartyr of Britain a Citizen of Verulamium near adjoyning to it Out of the Ruins whereof decay'd by Age and destroy'd by War arose the present S. Albans the fairest and best traded Town in this County A Town which formerly injoy'd great Priviledges For Divine Worship it has now 3 Parish Churches and in one of 'em ly interred the Bodies of many Nobles slain in two Battels fought here between the Houses of York and Lancaster This Town has been dignifyed with the several Titles of Viscount Earl and Duke With the first Anno 1620 in the Person of Francis Bacon Viscount S. Albans Lord Verulam and Lord High Chancellour of England With the Title of Earl Anno 1628. in the person of Richard de Burgh and continued in his Son Ulick with whom it dyed till revived again Anno 1660. by King Charles II. in the person of Henry Jermin the last Earl of St. Albans Who dying without Issue King Charles advanced his Grace Charles Beauclare Earl of Burford to the Title of Duke by making him Duke of S. Albans Ware Hatfield and Hodsdon are all three seated on the Lea. The first a good Thorough-fare Town much improved since the High-Way was turned from Hartford hither Noted besides for the Channel cut from thence to London where it serves so many hundred Families with the Conveniency of that excellent Water called New River Water To which may be added another Observation the pleasantness and easiness of the Road from Ware up to London which being of a Sandy Soil proves seldom dirty but within a mile of London and is so filled with Towns and Gentlemens Houses from mile to mile that one would think the Suburbs of London on the North side fetch their beginning at Ware So strange is the Influence of this rich and populous City Hatfield is a Place of great Delight and Recreation but of chief note for that stately House called Hatfield House formerly one of the Kings of Englands Pallaces till it came in the possession of the Earls of Salisbury A House which for Situation Prospect Contrivance and Building for Air water and all other Accommodations is inferiour to none in England Not far from Hodsdon but nearer to Waltham Abby in Essex is Theoballs one of the Kings Royal Seats pleasantly situate among delightful Walks Gardens Groves and Springs First built by Sir William Cecil and afterwards beautifyed by his Son Robert both Lord Treasurers of England Barnet or high Barnet is pleasantly seated on a Hill and in the Road within ten miles of London Of some account for its Medicinal Waters but much more memorable for a bloody Battel fought here between the two Houses of York and Lancaster wherein the former prevailed Warford and Rickmansworth are both seated near the Coln And not far from the first Langley Abbey the Birth-place of that proud and high-spirited Pope Adrian IV. first known by Nicholas and surnamed Break-Spear Bishops-Stratford is a great Market Town seated near the River Stowr on the side of a Hill and much resorted unto On the East-side whereof are to be seen the Ruins of a Castle called the Castle of Waymour standing very steep in an Isle upon an artificial Mount with a dark and deep Dungeon in it which denotes some great Priviledges to have belonged unto it in former Times It was ruinated by King John Among the Market-Towns here I might have put in Royston part of which stands in this County but I refer you for it to Cambridgeshire In short this County which formerly was divided betwixt the Kings of Mercia and the East-Saxons and whose Inhabitants were part of the Catieuchlani as the Romans called them stands now divided betwixt the Dioceses of London and Lincoln Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to serve in Parliament 2 by Hartford and 2 by St. Albans CHAP. X. Of Herefordshire Huntingtonshire and Kent Herefordshire HEREFORDSHIRE or the County of Hereford is an Inland County Which has for its Eounds Eastward Glocestershire and Worcestershire Westward Radnockshire and Brecknockshire in Wales Northward Shropshire and Southward Monmouthshire It s Length from North to South is about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West 30. The Whole divided into 11 Hundreds wherein 176 Parishes and but 8 Market-Towns This County was formerly part of Wales before it was by Conquest annexed to this Crown And then it was strengthened with no less than 28 Castles whereof there 's scarce any thing now remaining but their Ruins Here the Air is temperate and healthful and the Soil exceeding rich T is well cloathed with Wood and refreshed with Rivers the principal of which are the Wye Lug Arrow and Frome Two Things this County excels in its plenty of Fruit and the finest Wool in any part of England And amongst all sorts of Fruits the Red-streak Apple which makes the best sort of Cider is that which thrives here to admiration Hereford the chief Place hereof bears West-North-West from London and is distant from it 101 miles thus From London to Glocester 81 miles as you may see in Glocestershire then from Glocester to Ross 10 miles and to Hereford 10 more 'T is seated on the Banks of the River Wye and another that runs into it amongst richâ— Meadows and plentiful Corn-fields Raised out of the Ruins of Ariconium a Place of good account in the time of the Romans It had once a strong and stately Castle built by the Normans which Time has now ruinated And now it is walled about having six Gates for entrance and 15 Watch-Towers for defence 'T was a Bishops See in the time of the Britains and restored to that Dignity by the Saxons Anno 680. Noted besides for giving first the Title of Earl then that of Duke and lastly that of Viscount now in the Person of the Right Honourable Edward D'Evreux Viscount Hereford c. Descended to him from his Ancestor Sir Walter
handsom Town flands pleasantly among fertile Meadows near the Forest of Charwood on the Banks of the River Stowr over which it has a Bridge Lutterworth a goodly Town also beautified with a large and fair Church with a neat and lofty Spire-Steeple is seated in a good Soil on the River Swift which at a small distance from hence falls into the Avon in Warwickshire Of this Town the famous Wicless was Parson an okl Champion against the Corruptions and Errours of the Church of Rome This County now in the Diocese of Lincoln was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia in the Time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants with several of their Neighbours went among the ancient Romans under the Name of Coritani Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members of Parliament chosen by the Town of Leicester Lincolnshire LINCOLNSHIRE a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with the Counties of York Nottingham and Leicester on the North with the River Humber which parts it from Yorkshire on the South with the Counties of Cambridge Northampton and Rutland It contains in Length from North to South almost 60 miles in Breadth from East to West 35. The Whole divided into 3 Parts called Lindsey Kesteven and Holland And these 3 Divisions contain 30 Hundreds wherein 630 Parishes and 35 Market-Towns This Country being Fenny especially in the East and South Parts makes the Air something unhealthful because it is apt to be thick and foggy The Soil in the North and West Parts is exceeding pleasant and fertile stored with Pasturage Arable and Meadow Grounds But the East and South Parts that are full of Fenny Grounds and something brackish by reason of the Salt Waters that come in from the Sea through several Inlets are barren and unfit for Corn. 'T is true in recompence thereof there is such a plenty both of Fowl and Fish that no County in the Kingdom can compare with it And there goes a Story that at one draught with a Net 30â—0 Mallards have been taken besides other sorts How true it is I am as yet to seek but am apt to think there 's one Cypher too much As for Rivers no County in England is better irrigated nor Rivers any where more plentifull of Fish Northward is the Humber which as I said before parts it from Yorkshire and Westward the Trent which severs Part of it from Nottinghamshire Cross the Country you will find the Witham River Southward the Weland and the Nen. That Part of the County which goes by the Name of Lindsey lies to the Northward and is so named from Lindissi the ancient Name of Lincoln according to Beda This Part is so surrounded with Water that it is an Island and its Extent so great in proportion to the rest that it takes up at least one half of the County Noted for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Robert Bertie the present Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Kesteven and Holland take up the South Parts from Lindsey Holland lying towards the Sea and Kesteven West from it Of Holland there has been 3 Earls Henry Robert and Edward Rich. The first created Earl of Holland by King James I. Anno 1624. Robert his Son succeeded not only in this Title but also in that of Earl of Warwick upon the Death of his Cousin-german Charles Rich Earl of Warwick who died without Issue So that both Titles are now injoyd by his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick and Holland Lincoln the principal Place in this Shire and a Bishops See bears from London North by West and is distant from it by common Computation 103 miles thus Viz. from London to Huntington 48 miles for the Particulars whereof I refer you to Huntingtonshire from thence to Stilton 9 to Peterborough 5 more to Market-Deeping 8 to Sleaford 18 more and thence to Lincoln 15. A City seated on the side of a Hill the lower part whereof is watered by the River Witham over which there are several Bridges for the Conveniency of Passengers A Place of great Antiquity whose ancient ruinated Places are still an Argument of its former Greatness In the Time of the Romans 't was a Town of great strength and fame and in the Time of the Normans a Place of great Trading Whose flourishing Condition occasioned the Episcopal See then at Dorchester near Oxon to be removed hither But this City has gone through all the Calamities of Fire Sword and Earth-quake Which has so much weakned and impaired it that of 50 Churches it is said to have had for divine Worship there remains but 15 besides the Cathedral In the Time of the Saxons King Arthur drove away their Forces from this Place The like did Edmund Ironside to the Danes who had made sore havock thereof On the 5th of Sept. 1140. here was a great Battel fought between King Stephen and Maud the Empress in which the King was taken Prisoner and afterwards laid in irons in Bristol On the 19th of May 1217. here was another sore Battel fought betwixt King Henry III. and his disloyal Barons who stood for Lewis the Dauphin of France in which the King got the day But whatever Disasters and Calamities this City has gone through still 't is a large populous and well frequented Place Dignified not only with an Episcopal See whose Diocese to this day is the greatest of any in the Kingdom but also for many Ages with the Title of an Earldom Which having passed through severall Families with frequent Interruptions came at last to be in the possession of Edward Fiennes Lord Clinton who being Lord Admiral in Queen Elizabeth's Time was by her Majesty created Earl of Lincoln Anno 1565. From whom the Title is now devolved in a direct Line to the Right Honourable Edward Clinton the present Earl of Lincoln The Cathedral or Minster as now standing is one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christendom high seated on a Hill and from thence discerned over all the Country In short this City is a County of it self whose Liberties extend about 20 miles in compass and is called the County of the City of Lincoln It s Market kept on Fridays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities The other Market-Towns are Grantham Sat. Kirkton Sat. Thongcaster Sat. Waynfleet Sat. Horn-Castle Sat. Dunington Sat. Burton Sat. Bourn Sat. Spilsby Mun. Salsby Mun. Sleaford Mun. Market-Stanton Mun. Stamford Mund. Frid. Ganesborough Tue. Barton Tue. Market-Rasen Tue. Bullingbrook Tue. Spalding Tue. Alford Tue. Grinsby Wedn. Binbrook Wedn. Lowthe Wed. and Sat. Boston Wed. and Sat. Glamford Thu. Burgh Thu. Market-Deeping Thu. Folkingham Thu. Holbich Thu. Wragby Thu. Naverby Thu. Tatershall Frid. Saltfleet Crowland Barnwell Among which Stamferd in Kesteven Division and the hithermost Town of Lincolnshire is the most considerable Seated on both sides of the
Division stands on both sides of the River Witham within few Miles of its fall into the Sea This is a considerable Town of good Antiquity and a Place of Trade well inhabited and resorted unto Over the River it has a very fair high wooden Bridge It s Market Place is fair and spacious And the Church of special Note for its fine-built Tower exalted to that height as to serve as a Land-mark to Mariners Kirkton is situate on a sandy Ground rising in that flat Country A Town so called from its Church which is a fair Structure built Cathedral like in the form of a Cross with a broad Steeple in the middle Of some note besides for its excellent Pippins But there is another Kirkton in Lindsey Crowland ly's some Miles East of Market-Deeping and upon the same River which is the Weland A Town seated so low among Fenâ— and miry Ground that there is no coming to it but by the North and East side and that by narrow Causeways not admitting oâ— Carts Hence came the Proverb that 〈◊〉 the Carts that come to Crowland are shod wiâ—â— Silver It consists of 3 Streets severed each from other not unlike Venice by Water-Courses running between and on the Banks which are raised up and preserved by Piles are set Willow-Trees Their Cattel are kept a good distance from the Town and when they go to milk their Cows they go in small Skerries or Boats Here they take in the Pools or watery Places a world of Fish and Fowl of which they make good profit In short the Ground about this Town is so very rotten that one may thrust a Pole in to it 30 foot And in a Place called Hollanâ— there it is so wet that as one stands upoâ— it the Earth will shake under his Feet anâ— he will be ready to sink into it Here are alâ— many Quick-sands which have a wonderful force both to draw to them and to holâ— fast whatever they draw Spalding a pretty Town and a Place oâ— good Trade stands also on the Weland buâ— nearer its Influx into the Ocean some mileâ— North of Crowland That is not far from the Washes the neighbouring Sea so calleâ— for its frequent Inundations in these Parts Dunington also situate in a Flat and waterish like Spalding is a considerable Place foâ— the great quantities of Hemp and Provisionâ— here sold To conclude this County which now is in the Diocese of Lincoln was part of the â—ncient Kingdom of Mercia in the Time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants part of the Coritani in the Time of the Romans Out of it are chosen besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parâ—iament Viz. Two out of each of these following Towns Lincoln Stamford Grantham Boston and Grimsby CHAP. XII Of Middlesex Monmouthshire Norfolk and Northamptonshire Middlesex MIDDLESEX a small Inland County is bounded on the East with Essex from which 't is parted by the River Lea on the West with Buckinghamshire from which 't is severed by the Coln and the Shire-Ditch on the North with Hartfordshire and on the South with the Thames which parts it from Surrey and Kent Called Middlesex from its Situation as lying between the East-Angles and the West-Saxons It contains in Length from East to West about 24 miles in Breadth from North to to South 18. The Whole divided into seven Hundreds wherein 203 Parishes and 6 Market-Towns For Sweetness of Air or Fruitfulness of Soil this County may compare with any Shire iâ— England From the Hills that are about it as Hampsted Highgate Harrow-Hill c. thâ— Prospect of the whole is seen in this not unlikâ— to Zoar in Egypt London the chief Place hereof but withal the Metropolis and the Glory of the Kingdom is too great to be crowded here withiâ— the narrow Compass of these short Descriptions Therefore I refer you to the Conclusion of this Part and so proceed to The Market-Towns besides London and Westminster Brentford Tue. Stanes Frid. Vxbridge Thu. Edgeware Thu. Brentford in the Western Road 7 or 8 mileâ— from London is divided into Old and New Brentford both so called from Brent a smalâ— River that falls here into the Thames Oâ— most renown in former times for the gooâ— Success Edmund Ironside King of England haâ— here against the Danes Anno 1016 which comâ— pelled them to raise the Siege of London Noâ— of most note for being the Thorough-fare bâ— twixt London and the Western Countries thâ— Passage up and down by Water for the eaâ— of Travellers and a well frequented Market Once dignify'd with the Title of an Earldoâ— in the person of Patrick Ruthen Earl of Forâ— in Scotland Created Earl of Brentford by Kinâ— Charles I. Anno 1644. Stanes upon the Thames is a large weâ— inhabited and frequented Town It lies oâ— the West Road of England and has a Bridgâ— over the River that leads into Surrey Vxbridge is another good Town that lies North of Stanes on the River Coln which parts as I said before this County from Buckinghamshire And as it is seated in the high Road from London to Oxford so it is well accommodated with Inns and Houses of Intertainment As for Edgeware 't is but a small Town But besides these four Market-Towns the flourishing City of London has such an Influence over all its Neighbourhood that it swarms all over with pretty Towns not only in Middlesex but even in Surrey In Middlesex as Islington Highgate Hampsted Chelsey Kensington Fulham Hamersmith Thistleworth Hounslow c. most of them graced with the Seats of divers Noblemen Gentlemen and Citizens Among which Kensington of late has the honour of injoying some part of the Year Their Majesties Presence as Hamersmith the Queen Dowager's Hounslow famous for its adjoyning Heath and the notable Incampments made there in the late Reign in order to bring in Popery But as Providence was pleased to order it the Thames swallowed the Tiber and the cold Northern Heresy proved too hard for the hot-headed Jesuit Besides Kensington-House here are in this County no less than five Royal Houses viz. Whitehall and S. James in Westminster Hampton-Court Enfield and Hanworth Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons and its Inhabitants part of the Trinobantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of London Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire six Members of Parliament viz. 4 out of London and 2 out of Westminster As for honourary Titles I know not by what popular Errour the Citizens of London reckoned the Lord Mayor elect for Earl of Middlesex But whatever Ground it had now it has none to stand on since that Title was bestowed first on Lionel Lord Cranfield Lord Treasurer of England created Earl of Middlesex by King James I. Anno 1622. Which continued in his Son James and died with Lionel Brother of James But in the Year 1675. it was revived by King Charles II. in the person
is watered Among which the Iddie which empty's it self Northward into the Dun is the most considerable As for the Air 't is counted as good here especially in the sandy Parts as any where else in England Nottingham the Shire-Town from whence the whole County takes its Denomination is 94 miles from London to the North-West Viz. from London to Leicester 78 miles the Particulars whereof you may see in Leicestershire from thence to Loughborow 8 and to Nottingham 8 more 'T is seated about a mile on the North-side of the River Trent upon a Hill which overlooks it Over this River it has a fair Stone-bridge and another over the Lean a small River besides two other Bridges over two Ponds called the Cheney Bridges The Town is large containing 3 Parish Churches for Buildings fair Streets and a spacious Market-Place not yielding to many Cities But of most fame for its Castle which for strength stateliness and prospect did formerly challenge the precedency of most Castles in England Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom at this time injoy'd by the Right Honourable Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham and principal Secretary of State Descended to him from his Father Heneage Finch Lord High Chancellour of England in the Reign of King Charles II and by him created Earl of Nottingham Baron Finch of Daventry c. Which hapned soon after the Death of the Lord Charles Howard who dying without Issue male was the last of that Family which injoy'd that Title In short Nottingham is a Town well inhabited and frequented this being the Place where the County-Goal is and where the Assizes are held and injoy's as good a Trade as most Inland Towns For Provisions it has 3 Markets a Week Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays this last the most considerable The other Market Towns are Southwell Sat. Redford Sat. Tuxford Mund. Newark Wedn. Worksop Wedn Mansfield Thu. Bingham Thu. Blith Thu. Southwell is seated on a Rivulet that falls not far off from hence into the Trent 'T is an ancient Town and has a Collegiate Church Redford is situate on the River Iddel Not far from which is Littleburg on the Trent noted for its Ferry much resorted unto for a Passage into Lincolnshire Tuxford from its Clay-Ground called Tuxford upon Clay has nothing remarkable in it but its Church and Steeple both very neat and pretty though in a dirty Soil For the Conveniency of Travellers this being a Road-Town to and from the North is accommodated with two very good Inns lately built Newark the Place of most note in this County next to Nottingham ly's in the high Road to York on the Banks of the River Trent where it divides it self into two Branches and makes up an Island before the Town This is a good large Town otherwise Inconsiderable but for its Market Place it s Church and Steeple and the Ruins of a stately Castle which are still to be seen 'T is true it gives the Title of Viscount to the Earl of Kingston Mansfield and Worksop are both in the Forest of Sherwood The first a good large Town graced with well-built Houses well inhabited and having a good Trade for Malt and other Provisions The other of chief note for the great store it yields of the best Licorish in all the Northern Parts As for Ringham and Blith they are but indifferent Towns and their Markets accordingly To conclude this County now in the Diocese of York was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Câ—ritani as the Romans called them Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but six Members to serve in Parliament Viz. Two by Nottingham two by Newark and two more by Eastretford Oxfordshire OXFORDSHIRE another Inland County is bounded on the East by Buckinghamshire from which it is divided in part by the Chiltern-Hills on the West by Glocestershire on the North by the Counties of Warwick and Northampton on the South by the Thames which parts it from Parkshire It contains in Length from North to South about 40 Miles in Breadth from East to West 26. The Whole divided into 14 Hundreds 280 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns The Air of this County is mightily commended for its sweetness and temperateness as the Soil is for its fruitfulness Both which make this Country so much inhabited as it is by Gentry And that which adds much to it is the pleasantness of its Hills here well doathed with Wood and stored as well as the Downs with Variety of Game both for the Hawk and Hound Besides the Thames which waters the South Parts of it here 's the Tame and the Isis which make up the Thames the Cherwell the Windrush and the Evenlode So that this County is as well Irrigated as most are in the Kingdom Oxford the principal Place in this Shire from whence it takes its Name bears from London West-North-West and is distant therefrom 47 Miles thus From London to Vxbridge 15 to Beaconfield 7 more thence to High Wickam 5 to Stoken-Church 5 more from thence to Wheatly-Bride 9 and to Oxford 6 more A Place of that Importance especially in relation to the Muses that it deserves a particular Description for which I refer you together with that of London and Cambridge to the Conclusion of this Part. So I proceed to The other Market-Towns of this County Burford Sat. Deddington Sat. Watlington Sat. Woodstock Tame Bampton Wed. Chipping-Norton Wed. Banbury Thu. Henly Thu. Witney Thu. Burcester Frid. Fairford Bistow Coleford Among which Burford seated on an Ascent near the River Windrush in the West of Oxfordshire is a Town of good Antiquity Remarkable heretofore for a great Battle fought near it about the Year 750. between Cuthbert a Tributary King of the West-Saxons and Ethelbald the Mercian King whose insupportable Exactions Cuthbert could not indure In this Fight Cuthbert had the fortune to overthrow the Mercian King and to win his Banner wherein was depicted a golden Dragon The Memory whereof has continued for several Ages in the Custom used here of making a Dragon yearly and carrying it about the Town in great Jollity on Midsummer Eve with the addition of a Giant to it At present Burford is a famons Place for Saddles and something advantaged besides by the neighbouring Downs much resorted unto by the Gentry for Horse races Of late become of further note by giving the Title of Earl to the Duke of St. Albans Woodstock a well-compacted Borough-Town is pleasantly seated near a small River on a rising Ground with a large Park near it surrounded with a Wall and said to be the first inclosed Park In which was once a Royal House called Woodstock Bower built by King Henry I and inlarged by Henry II but demolished in the long Civil Wars In this House was born Edward the black Prince and in the Labyrinth that belonged to it the beautifull Rosamond King Henry the Second's Mistress catched her Death by the poysonous
Ships Horsham a large Borough-Town is situate near S. Leonards Forest It s Market is good for all sorts of Provisions but Fowl especially most of which is bought up by the London Hagglers East-Greenstead near Surrey and not far from Ashdown Forest is a goodly Town graced with a fair Church and the Place where the Assizes are sometimes kept Called East-Greenstead in opposition to another lying West-South-West from it and therefore called West-Greenstead Petworth but a small Town is finely seated near two Parks and not far from the River Arun. Of chief note for its noble House formerly belonging to the Earls of Northumberland and now by Marriage to the Duke of Somerset Arundel stands in a Dale or Valley on the Western Banks of the River Arun from whence it is called Arundel by contraction from Arundale Over the River it has a Wooden Bridge and from the Sea 't is but a small distance This is an ancient Town noted for its Castle once of great fame and strength but far more famous for the Lords and Earls thereof than either for its strength or beauty A Place in this far different from the rest of England the Title of Earl of Arundel being annexed to the Castle and its Lordship and going along with the possession of it Witness the Judgment given in that great Controversy between Sr. John Fiâ—z-Allen being in possession of the Castle against John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk being the right Heir in the nearest degree Thus it passed through several hands viz. the Montgomery's the Albeneys and the Fitz-Allens till Anno 1604 both Castle and Title came to the possession of Thomas-Howard Earl of Arundel and Surrey and Earl Marshal of England From whom is descended in a right Line the present Duke of Norfolk Earl of Arundel c. Rye a Member of the Cinque-Ports stands on the edge of the County towards Kent and at the very fall of the Rother into the Sea where it has a commodious Haven 'T is not a Town of any beauty But as it stands convenient for a ready Passage over Sea to Normandy and particularly to Diepe it is upon that account much frequented in Time of Peace Its Inhabitants are for the most part Fishermen who fish here excellent Herrings Winchelsey stands near the Place where stood another of that Name which in the Year 1250 was swallowed up by the raging Sea being a large strong and beautiful Place in which were numbered 18 Parish Churches Whereas the present Winchelsey consists but of one Parish and that going still to decay insomuch that its Markets are in a manner disused 'T is seated upon an Inlet of the Sea in the Neighbourhood of Rye But its Haven long since so choakt up that the Town suffers much by it Rye having got the advantage of it However it is still a Member of the Cinque-Ports and what it lost in Wealth it has got in Honour being advanced to the Reputation of an Earldom first in the person of Finch Viscount Maidstone created Earl of Winchelsey by King Charles I Anno 1628. The Title from him devolved to his Son Thomas after him to Heneage the late Earl and lately to his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Thomas Finch the present Earl of Winchelsey Battel is seated in a dirty part of the Country some miles West from Winchelsey A noted Place for the Battel fought here Oct. 14. 1066. betwixt King Harold II. and William the Conquerour where Harold lost his Life and William obtained the Crown of England After which the Conquerour built an Abbey here called Battel-Abbey Hastings one of the Cinque-Ports is a Town of good note and antiquity It has two Streets extending from North to South and in each Street a Parish-Church It s Haven is fed by a small River and had once for its Defence a strong Castle seated on a Hill which as ruinous as it is serves in the Night as a Direction to Sailers by the Lights that are there placed But besides the said Market-Towns which are the most considerable Pevensey and Bramber ought to find a place here as giving the Denomination to two of the six Rapes The first commonly pronounced for shortness sake Pensey is the very Harbour where William the Conquerour landed from Normandy with 896 Ships such as they were in those Times Buckhurst a Town in the North-East Parts of this County is of some Note for giving the Title of Earon to the Earl of Dorset To conclude this County now being in the Diocese of Chichester made up with Surrey the Kingdom of the South-Saxons and its Inhabitants were part of the Regni as the Romans called them Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 24 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Chichester Horsham Midhurst Lewes New Shoreham Bramber Skeyning East-Greenstead Arundel besides these three Cinque-Port Towns Hastings Winchelsey and Seaford As for honourary Titles it has been for several Ages dignify'd with that of an Earldom 1. in the House of Albeneys 2. in two Plantagenets 3. in six Ratcliffs 4. in two Savils and now in the Right Honourable Thomas Leonard who upon his Marriage with Anne Fils-Roy eldest Daughter to the Dutchess of Cleveland was by King Charles II. created Earl of Sussex Anno 1674. CHAP. XVI Of Warwickshire Westmorland and Wiltshire Warwickshire WARWICKSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by the Counties of Leicester and Northampton on the West by Worcestershire on the North by Staffordshire on the South by the Counties of Oxford Glocester and Worcester It s Length from North to South is something less than 40 miles its Breadth from East to West about 30. The Whole divided into sive Hundreds wherein 158 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns Here both the Air is wholsom and the Soil rich especially the South Parts of it called Feldon Which affords rich Meadows feeds store of Sheep and Cattle and is exceeding grateful to the Husbandman in its Crops of Corn. The North Parts formerly called Arden and since Woodland from its great plenty of Woods though at this time much wasted by reason of its Iron Mines are not altogether sofruitful as the Southern Parts It is generally well watered with fresh Streams the principal of which is the Avon which with many windings and turnings runneth through the Country and falls at last into the Severn Warwick the Shire-Town from whence the County took its Name bears from London North-West and is distant therefrom 70 miles thus From London to Buckingham 44 miles as you may see in Buckinghamshire from thence to Banbury 10 to Kyneâ—on 8 more and to Warwick 8 more 'T is seated on the Banks of the River Avon over which it has a well compact Stone-Bridge A Town adorned with very fair Houses spacious and well ordered Streets with a fine Market-house of free-Stone sustained by several Pillars It contains two fair Parish-Churches of which S. Maries is the chief Here is also
of the Officers of Arms with a Sergeant at Arms and two Trumpets went before to Temple-Bar where the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs were by this time arrived and had ordered the Gates to be shut The Herald at Arms knocked thereat and the Sheriffs being come to the Gate on Horse-back he acquainted them That he came by Order of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westminster to demand Entrance into that famous City for the Proclaiming of WILLIAM and MART King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and therefore required their speedy Answer Whereupon the said Sheriffs ordered the Gates to be opened Thus the Head-Bayliff Constables and Beadles of Westminster being left without the Bar the rest of the Proceeding entered Where they found the Lord Mayor Aldermen Recorder and Sheriffs all in their Formalities and on Horse-back Except the Lorâ— Mayor who was in his Coach attended by the Sword-bearer and other of his Officers The Proceeding being there joyfully received they made a Stand between the two Temple-Gates and Proclaimed Their Majesties a second time From whence they marched towards Cheapside a Class of the City-Trumpets and the Lord Mayor's Livery-men leading the Way the said Aldermen and Lord Mayor falling into the Proceeding And near Wood-street end the Place where Cheap-side Cross formerly stood they made another stand and Proclaimed Their Majesties a third time At last arriving at the Royal Exchange about two of the Clock they Proclaimed Them a fourth time Each Proclamation was ecchoed with universal Acclamations of Joy by the Multitudes of people which crowded the Streets Windows and Balconies the Streets all the way from Temple-Bar to the Royal Exchange being lined with four Regiments of the City Militia And the Night was concluded with Bonfires Ringing of Bells and all other Expressions of Duty and Affection towards Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY with hearty Wishes for Their long and happy Reign Their Coronation was performed at Westminster in Manner following Apr. 11th 1689. Their Majesties being come about Noon from Whitehall to the Palace at Westminster where the Nobility and others who were to go into the Proceeding were assembled came down in State from the House of Lords to Westminster-Hall then fitted up for this great Solemnity Where being seated on the Throne the Sword of State the Curtana or pointless Sword being an Emblem of Mercy and the two pointed Swords together with the gold Spurs were presented to Their Majesties and laid on a Table before Them Then the Dean and Prebends of Westminster having before brought the Crowns and other Regalia in solemn Procession from the Collegiate Church there came up the Hall and presented them severally to Their Majesties Which being likewise laid on the Table were together with the four Swords and Spurs delivered to the Lords appointed to carry them in the Procession which was thus First marched The Drums and Trumpets The Six Clerks in Chancery two abreast as the rest of the Proceeding went Chaplains having Dignities The Aldermen of London Masters in Chancery Sollicitor and Attorney General Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Judges Then the Children of Westminster and of the King's Chappel The Choir of Westminster Gentlemen of the Chappel Prebend of Westminster Master of the Jewel-House Privy Counsellors not Peers Two Pursuivants The Baronesses Barons Bishops A Pursuivant A Vicountess The Vicounts Two Heralds The Dutchesses The Dukes Two Kings of Arms. The Lord Privy Seal Lord President of the Council Arch-bishop of York The Prince of Denmark Two Persons in Robes of State representing the Dukes of Aquitain and Normandy Next the Lords who bore Their Majesties Regalia with the Sergeants at Arms going on each side of them Viz. The Earl of Manchester carrying S. Edward's Staff and the Lord Grey of Ruthen now Vicount of Longueville the Spurs The Earl of Clare carrying the Queen's Scepter with the Cross and the Earl of Northampton the King's The Earls of Shrewsbury Derby and Pembroke the three Swords Then Garter King Arms between the Vsher of the Black Rod and the Lord Mayor of London The Lord Great Chamberlain single The Earl of Oxford with the Sword of State between the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and the Duke of Ormond Lord High Constable for that Day Next the Earl of Bedford with the Queen's Scepter of the Dove and the Earl of Rutland with the Kings The Duke of Bolton with the Queens Orb and the Duke of Grafton with the Kings The Duke of Somerset with the Queen's Crown and the Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and Lord High Steward of England for that Day with the King's Crown The Bishop of London with the Bible between the Bishop of S. Asaph with the Paten and the Bishop of Rochester with the Chalice The KING and QUEEN followed next under a rich Canopy born by Sixteen Barons of the Cinque-Ports the King assisted by the â—ishop of Winchester and the Queen by the Bishop of Bristol Both Their Majesties array'd in Royal Robes of Crimson Velvet furred with Ermine the King with a Velvet Cap and the Queen with a gold Circlet on her head His Majesties Train born by the Master of the Robes assisted by the Lords Eland Willoughby Lansdowne and Dunblain and Her Majesties by the Dutchess of Somerset assisted by the Ladies Eliz. Pawlet Diana Vere Eliz. Cavendish and Henrietta Hyde The Gentlemen Pensioners marched on each side of the Canopy Next to the King followed a Gentleman and two Grooms of the Bed-Chamber And after the Queen a Lady of the Bed-Chamber and two of Her Majesties Women Who were followed by the Captain of His Majesties Gard between the Captain of the Yeomen of the Gard and the Captain of the Band of Pensioners And these by the Officers and Band of the Yeomen of the Gard who closed the Proceeding Thus Their Majesties with all the Nobility in Crimson-Velvet Robes and their Coronets in their hands and the rest of the Proceeding being richly habited or wearing their proper and peculiar Robes proceeded on foot upon blue Cloth spread from the Steps of the Throne in Westminster-Hall to the Steps of the Theater in the Quire of the Collegiate Church of S. Peter Westminster The whole Passage was Railed in and Garded with Their Majesties Horse and Foot-Gards all the Way and Houses on each side being Crowded with vast Number of Spectators expressing their great Joy and Satisfaction by loud repeated Acclamations Being entred the Church and the Nobility and others all duly placed Their Majesties ascended the Theater Who being seated in their Chairs of State the Bishop of London who performed this great Solemnity began with the Recognition which ended with a mighty Shout Then Their Majesties Offered and the Lords who bore the Regalia presented them at the Altar where they were deposited After that the Litany was sung by two Bishops And after the Epistle Gospel and Nicene Creed the Bishop
Fee-simple make Leases and Grants and sue in her own Name without the King which is not in the power of any other Feme-covert or married Woman to do A Queen Dowager or Widow-Queen is still Respected as a Queen in her Widowhood and keeps a Court accordingly And though she should marry a private Gentleman as did Queen Catharine King Henry the Fifths Widow she does not lose her Dignity By the Sons and Daughters of England I mean the King's Children So called because all the Subjects of England have a special Interest i◠Them though their Education and the Disposing of Them is only in the King The Eldest Son commonly called the Prince of Wales is born Duke of Cornwal and afterwards created Prince of Wales Upon his Birth he is by Law of full Age to sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom as if he were full a Years of Age. But so much of the Lands 〈◊〉 Demesns of it have been Alienated that h◠Revenues are chiefly out of the Tin-Mines i◠Cornwall Which with all other Profits of the Dutchy amount yearly to the Sum of 140◠Pounds and the Prince's whole Revenues to about 20000 l. When King Edward I had compleated the Conquest of Wales He divided it into Seven Shires to which Henry VIII added five more out of the March Lands Over each of the Seven Shires King Edward placed a particular English Lieutenant and over the whole he designed a Vicegerent The Welch being disgusted at this He sent for his Queen then great with Child to Caernarvan where she was delivered of a Son Upon the News whereof the King assembled the Chief Men of that Nation and offered to name them a Governour born in Wales who could not speak one word of English and against whose Life they could take no just exception Such a one when they had all sworn to obey he named his young Son Edward Whereupon He created him Prince of Wales and since that time the Kings of England eldest Sons have been called Princes of Wales Whereas while Normandy was in the Power of the English which lasted till the Reign of King John they were stiled Dukes of Normandy The Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and a Coronet on the Princes Head as a Token of his Principality by delivering into his hand a Verge of Gold the Emblem of Government by putting a Gold Ring on his Finger in token that he must be a Husband to his Country and a Father to her Children and by giving him a Patent to hold the said Principality to Him and his Heirs Kings of England By which Words the Separation of it from the Crown is prohibited and the King keeps to himself an excellent Occasion of obliging unto Him his Son when he pleases In Imitation of which Custom John I King of Castille and Leon made his Son Henry Prince of the Asturias a Country so Craggy and Mountainous that it may not improperly be called the Wales of Spain And all the Spanish Princes ever since have been honoured with that Title The Mantle worn in Parliament by the Prince of Wales has for Distinctions sake one gard more than a Duke's his Coronet of Crosses and Flower de luces and his Cap of State indented His Arms differ from the Kings only by addition of a Label of three points And his peculiar Device is a Coronet beautified with three Ostrich Feathers inscribed with ICH DIEN that is I serve Alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel The Heir while he is a Child differs not from a Servant Which Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohemia serving there under the French King and there slain by Edward the Black Prince Since worn by the Princes of Wales and by the Vulgar called the Princes Arms. In short the King of England's Eldest Son has ever since been stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Flint these Earldoms being conferred upon him by Letters Patent As Eldest Son to the King of Scotland he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth Though he is a Subject yet the Law looks upon his Person as so Sacred that it is high Treason to imagine his Death or violate his Wife The Younger Sons of England depend altogether upon the King's Favour both for Titles of Honour and Revenues sutable to their Birch For they are not born Dukes or Earls but are so created according to the Kings Pleasure Neither have they as in France certain Appanages but only what Revenue the King pleases to bestow upon them They are indeed by Birth-right as well as the Prince of Wales Counsellors of State whereby they may fit themselves to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom The Daughters are called Princesses And to violate them unmarried is High Treason The Title of Royal Highness is common to all the King's Children All Subjects ought to be uncovered in their Presence to kneel when they are admitted to kiss their hands and to be served on the Knee at Table unless the King be present Lastly all Persons of the Royal Bloud being a Lawful Issue have the Precedency of all others in England As for the King 's Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters they are commonly created Dukes and Dutchesses and bear what Surname the King pleases to give them King Henry I. and Charles II. of blessed Memory are noted to have had the most of any CHAP. XII Of the Nine Great Officers of the Crown NEXT to the Royal Family the Great Officers of the Crown come of course to be Inquired into which are Nine in Number Viz. The Lord High Steward The Lord High Chancellor The Lord High Treasurer The Lord President of the Kings Council The Lord Privy Seal The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord High Constable The Lord Earl Marshal The Lord High Admiral The Lord High Steward of England is the highest Officer under the King His Office not unlike that of the Mayre of the Pallace under the ancient Kings of France is to rule and govern the Kingdom under the King in Time of Peace and War during his Reign Which Power being thought too large and exorbitant for a Subject to have this Great Officer has been discontinned ever since Henry of Bullingbrock Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster afterwards King of England under the Name of Henry IV. Only at a Coronation also for the Trial of a Peer or Peeress for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime the King makes a High Steward for that Time Who during his Stewardship is called His Grace and bears a white Staff in his hand which he openly breaks when the Business is over and so ends his Office By virtue of his Office at a Coronation he sits Judicially at the King's Pallace at Westminster Where he receives the Bills and Petitions of all such Noblemen and others who by reason of their Tenure or otherwise
claim to do Services at the King's Coronation and to receive the accustomed Fees and Allowances In the Procession on the Coronation-Day 't is he that carries the King's Crown The Right Honourable the Earl of Devonshire was honoured with this great Office in the last Coronation Upon the Trial of a Peer he sits under a Cloth of State and his Commission is to proceed secundum Legem Consuetudinem Angliae He is not Sworn nor the Lords who are the Tryers of the Peer arraigned and tho he call all the Judges of the Land to assist him yet he is the sole Judge Next to the Lord High Steward is the Lord High Chancellour who in Civil Affairs now there is no High Steward is the highest Person in the Kingdom next to the Royal Family as the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is in Ecclesiastical His Oath is to do Right to all manner of People rich and poor after the Laws and Customs of the Realm truly to counsel the King and keep secret the King's Counsel to stand for the Rights of the Crown c. The Great Seal of England is in his Custody He is the Judge of the Court of Chancery otherwise called the Court of Equity where he is to judge not according to the Rigour and Letter of the Law but with Equity and Conscience He also bestow's all Ecclesiastical Benefices in the King's Gift under 20 l. a Year in the King's Books Since the Reign of Henry VII this great Office has been commonly executed by Lawyers whereas formerly Bishops and other Clergy-men learned in the Civil Laws were usually intrusted with it The Lord High Chancellour holds his Place but durante Regis Beneplacito during the King's Pleasure And his Place is counted to be worth 8000 l. a Year Anciently he had sometimes a Vice-Chancellour commonly called Keeper of the Great Seal But of later Times they differ only in Name For the late Kings have always beflowed the Great Seal either with the Title of Lord Keeper or of Lord Chancellour but still with the same Power and Right of Precedence Only the Lord Chancellour receives a Patent from the King for his Office which the Lord Keeper do's not and by the Title of Chancellour he is lookt upon as in greater favour with the King But his present Majesty since his Accession to the Crown thought fit to have this Office managed by Commissioners and accordingly it has been hitherto managed by three Lords Commissioners The third Great Officer of the Crown is the Lord High Treasurer who has the Charge and Government of all the King's Revenue kept in the Exchequer He has the Gift of all Customers Comptrolers and Searchers in all the Ports of England and the Nomination of all Escheators in every County He has also the Check of all the Officers imploy'd in collecting all the Revenues of the Crown He has power either by himself or with others joyned in Commission with him to let Leases of all the Crown-Lands And it is he that gives Warrants to certain Persons of Quality to have their Wine Custom-free Anciently he received this Office and Dignity by the delivery of the golden Keys of the Treasury which is now done by delivery of a white Staff to him by the King His Oath do's not differ much from that of the Lord Chancellour and he holds his Place as he do's during his Majesties Pleasure His Place is also reckoned to be worth 8000 l. per ann But this great Office is now executed by four Persons called the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Next is the Lord President of the King 's Privy Council an Officer as ancient as King John's Time made by the King's Letters Patent under the Great Seal durante Beneplacito His Office is to manage the Debates in Council to propose Matters from the King and report the Transactions to his Majesty In the late Reigns this Office was often supplied by the Chancellour Next to the Lord President is the Lord Privy Seal whose Office is of great Trust and Skill He is so called from the Privy Seal which is in his custody All Charters and Grants of the King and all Pardon 's signed by the King pass through his hands before they come to the Great Seal of England And hâ—â— ought not to put this Seal to any Grant withâ— out good Warrant under the King 's Privy Signet nor with Warrant if it be againsâ— Law or Custom until the King be first acquainted He manages also divers other Matters of less concernment which do not pass the Great Seal He is by his Place of the King 's Privy Council and takes his Oath accordingly besides a particular Oath as Lord Privy Seal Wheâ— there is a Court of Requests he is the chieâ— Judge of it His Place is also during the King's Pleasure 〈◊〉 and his Salary is 1500 l. per annum The sixth Great Officer of the Crown iâ— the Lord Great Chamberlain of England an Officer of State and of great Antiquity whose chief Business is on the Coronation-Day For it is his Office that Day to bring the King his Shirt Coyf and Wearing Cloaths before his Majesty rises and to carry at the Coronation the Coyf Gloves and Linnen to be used by the King upon that Occasion In the Church where the King is Crowned he undresses and attires his Majesty with Robes Royal and giveâ— Him the Gold which is offered by Him at the Altar Before and after Dinner he serves the King with Water to wash his hands For this Service he has 40 Ells of Criâ—â—son Velver for-his own Robes the King 's Beâ— and all the Furniture of his Bed-Chamber all the King's Night-Apparel and the Basoâ— and Towels used at Dinner for his Fees He has also Livery and Lodging in the King's Court certain â—ees from all Peers of the Realm at their Creation and from each Arch-Bishop or Bishop when they do their Hoâ—â—age or Fealty to the King To him belongs the Care of providing all Things in the House of Lords in Parliament-Time and therefore has an Apartment allowed him near the House of Lords This Office is Hereditary and belongs to the Earls of Lindsey The Lord High Constable is another great Officer but of too great Authority and Power to be continued and therefore is only created for the Solemnity of the King's Coronation The Duke of Ormond was High Constable in the last The next is the Earl Marshal of England an Officer of great Antiquity and anciently of great Power His proper Office is to summon the Nobility to the King's Coronation with such Directions for State and publick Appearance as becomes that Solemnity He also takes Cognizance of Matters of War and Arms out of the reach of the Common Law and in these Matters he is commonly guided by the Civil Law Neither can any obtain a Coat of Arms but he must first apply himself to the Earl Marshal to whom the Heralds Colledge is subordinate The last is the Lord
eldest Son is Frederick the Heir apparent born in the Year 1671 and the two others are Christiern and Carolus The Duke of Glocester is the only Son and Heir of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Denmark He was born July 24th 1689 and on the 27th he was Christened at Hampton-Court by the Lord Bishop of London and named William the King and the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold being Godfathers and the Lady Marchioness of Hallifax Godmother CHAP. XIX Of the Nobility of England THE English Nobility is divided into five Degrees Viz. Duke Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron And they are called the Peerage of England because they are all Peers the Barons as well as the rest They have also all of them the Title of Lord. All these Honours are given by the King who is the sole Fountain of Honour and whatever Title a Subject of England receives from any forein Prince is not only Insignificant here but Unwarrantable by Law All Noblemen at their Creation have two Ensigns which signify two Duties Their Heads are adorned in token that they are to assist their King and Country with good Counsel in time of Peace and they are girt with a Sword as being to support the King and defend the Kingdom with their Lives and Fortunes in time of War A Duke is created by Patent Cincture oâ— Sword Mantle of State Imposition of A Cap and Coronet of gold on his head and a Vergâ— of gold put into his hand A Marquess and aâ— Earl by Cincture of Sword a Mantle of State with a Cap and Coronet put upon him by the King himself and a Patent delivered into his hand Viscounts and Barons are made by Patent and these sometimes by Writ whereby they are called to sit in the House of Lords All the Peers have Coronets but with these Distinctions A Baron has six Pearls upon the Circle a Viscount the Circle of Pearls without number an Earl has the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between a Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height and a Duke Leaves without Pearls Only the Dukes of the Royal Blood bear like the Prince of Wales a Coronet of Crosses and Flower de Luce. Which is the same with the King 's excepting the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown But the greatest Distinction amongst the Nobles is their Parliament Robes in their several Gards on their Mantles and short Cloaks about their Shoulders For a Baron has but two Gards a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Besides that the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermine that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Furr Dukes were at first so called a ducendo being anciently Generals and Leaders of Armies in time of War Marquesses from their Government of Marches and Frontire-Countries Earls in Latine Comites because they had the Government of Counties Viscounts in Latine Vice-Comites as being Assistants or Deputies in the Government of Counties Barons according to Bracton quasi Robur Belli the safety of the King and People in Time of War depending upon their Courage and Skill in Martial Affairs Anciently a Duke was made so for Term of Life then held by Lands and Fees till Dukes came to be Titular and Hereditary In those Times likewise there was no Earl but had a County or Shire for his Earldom who for the support of his State had the third Peny out of the Sheriffs Court issuing out of all Pleas of that County whereof he was Earl Also those Barons only were accounted Peers of the Realm that held of the King per integram Baroniam which consisted of 13 Knights Fees and one third part that is of 400 Marks each Knights Fee being 20 l. And whoever had so much was wont to be summoned to Parliament But then 100 Marks was as much as 2000 pounds at this day as may be guessed by comparing the Prices of Things 'T is true King Henry III after he had with much ado suppressed his Barons called by Writ unto Parliament only such great Men as had continued loyal or were like so to be Which Example being followed by his Successors they only were accounted Peers of the Realm that were so called by the King 's special Writ Till Barons came to be made by Patent as well as by Writ and at last most by Patent which makes it hereditary But there are Barons in England that have noâ— share in the Peerage as such viz. the Barons of the Exchequer and the Barons of the Cinque-Ports Such as these the Earls Palatines and the Eath of England Marches had anciently under them and such there are yet in Cheshire The chieâ— Burgesses of London were also called of oâ— Barons All Dukes Marquesses and Earls at this day have their respective Titles from some Shire or part of a Shire Town or City Castle Park or Village Except two Earls whereof one is Officiary and the other Nominal the first being the Earl Marshal of England and the last the Earl Rivers who takes his Denomination from an Illustrious Family Barons are so denominated from their chief Seat or a Castle belonging to the Family Which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Sons but must descend to the eldest Daughter None of these Honours can be lost but these two Ways Either by want of Issue male except where the Patent extends to Issue female as sometimes it does Or else by some heinous Crime and then it cannot be restored to the Bloud but by Act of Parliament A Duke has the Title of Grace given him and the other Peers that of Lordship on Honour Accordingly we commonly give to these the Epithet of Right Honourable All Dukes and Marquesses Sons are called Lords by the Courtesy of England and the Daughters Ladies I say by the Courtesy of England for the Law makes no such Distinction but looks upon all as Commoners that have no Right to sit in the House of Peers Of an Earl none but the eldest Son is called Lord though all the Daughters be Ladies And as for the Issue of Vicounts and Barons none of their Sons is Lord nor of the Daughters Lady A Dukes eldest Son is called Lord Marquess and the younger Sons by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas c. A Marquesses eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as those of a Duke that is by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas An Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and called Lord of a Place In point of Precedency this is the Rule Af-the Princes of the Bloud the first amongst the Nobility are the Dukes and these are thus followed Viz. Dukes Marquesses Dukes eldest Sons Earls Marquesses eldest Sons Dukes younger Sons Vicounts Earls
eldest Sons Marquesses younger Sons Barons Vicounts eldest Sons Earls younger Sons Barons eldest Sons Vicounts younger Sons Barons younger Sons But 't is to be observed that all Dukes that are not Princes of the Bloud are preceded by these four Great Officers of the Crown though they be but Barons viz. the Lord Chancellour the Lord Treasurer the Lord President of the Privy Council and the Lord Privy Seal I leave out the Lord High Steward of England because none of this Office is continued beyond the present Occasion As for the Lord Great Chamberlain of England the Lord High Constable the Lord Marshal the Lord High Admiral the Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and the Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold they sit above all of their Degree only The Nobility of England have at all times injoyed many considerable Priviledges Though neither Civil nor Common Law allow any Testimony to be valid but what is given upon Oath yet the Testimony of a Peer of England given in upon his Honour without any oath is esteemed valid And whereas the law allows any one of the Commonalty arraigned for Treason or Felony to challenge 35 of his Jury without shewing Cause and others by shewing Cause a Peer of the Realm cannot challenge any of his Jury or put any of them to their Oath the Law presuming that they being Peers of the Realm and judging upon their Honour cannot be guilty of Falshood Favour or Malice In Criminal Causes a Peer cannot be tried but by a Jury of the Peers of the Realm who are not as other Juries to be put to their Oath but their Verdict given in upon their Honour sufficeth All Peers of the Realm being lookt upon as the King 's constant Counsellors their Persons are at all Times priviledged from Arrests except in Criminal Cases Therefore a Peer cannot be Outlawed in any Civil Action and no Attachment lies against him The only Way for satisfaction from a Peer is by Execution taken forth upon his Lands and Goods and not by Attachment or Imprisonment of his Person So tender is the Law of the Honour Credit Reputation and Persons of Noblemen that there is a Statute on purpose called Scandalum Magnatum to punish all such as by false Reports â—ring any scandal upon them They are exempted from all Attendance at Leets or Sheriffs Turns where others are obliged to take the Oath of Allegiance And whereas for the suppressing of Riots the Sheriff may raise the Posse Comitatus yet he cannot command any Peer of the Realm to attend that Service In Civil Causes they are not to be Impanelled upon any Jury or Inquest de facto though in a Matter between two Peers and if a Peer be returned upon any such Jury there lies a special Writ for his Discharge They are upon no Case to be bound to their good Behaviour or put to swear they will not break the Peace but only to promise it upon their Honour which was ever counted so sacred as upon no terms to be violated Every Peer of the Realm summoned to Parliament may constitute in his lawful absence a Proxy to Vote for him which none of the Commons may do And any Peer in a Place of Trust is free to make a Deputy to act in his absence whilst he attends the Person of the King Where a Peer of the Realm is Defendant no Day of Grace is to be granted to the Plaintiff the Law presuming that a Peer of the Realm must always be ready to attend the Person of the King and the Service of the Commonwealth Therefore he ought not to be delayed any longer than the ordinary Use of the Court but tâ— have expedition of Justice In any Civil Trial where a Peer of the Realâ— is Plaintiff or Defendant there must be at leasâ— one Knight returned of the Jury Otherwisâ— the Array may be quashed by Challenge In all Cases wherein the Priviledge of the Clergy is allowed to other Men and in divers Cases where that Priviledge is taken away from them a Peer of the Realm upon his Request shall be for the first time adjudged as a Clerk Convict though he cannot read And that without burning in the Hand loss of Inheritance or Corruption of Bloud In case of Amerciaments of the Peers of the Realm upon Non-Suits or other Judgments a Duke is to be amerced but Ten Pounds and all others under Five This to be done by their Peers according to Magna Charta though it has been often done of late by the King's Justices A Peer of the Realm being sent for by the King to Court Parliament Council or Chancery has the Priviledge passing by the King's Park or Forest both coming and returning to Kill one or two Deer An Earl has 8 Tun of Wine Custom-free and the rest proportionably All Peers of the Realm have a Priviledge of Qualifying a certain Number of Chaplains to hold Plurality of Benefices with Cure of Souls But it must be with a Dispensation first obtained from the Archbishop and the same ratified under the Great Seal of England Thus a Duke may qualify six Chaplains a Marquess and Earl five a Viscount four and a Baron â—hree A Peer of the Realm has also the Priviledge â—f Retaining six Aliens whereas another may â—ot Retain above four These are the chief Priviledges belonging to â—e Nobility of England which are great and â—onsiderable And yet none of them ever had the Priviledge of the Grandees of Spain to be covered in the King's Presence except Henry Ratcliff Earl of Surrey 'T is true the Princes of the Bloud have often had the honour of being covered but then it was by the King 's gracious Command not by virtue of any constant Priviledge Neither are our Noblemen exempted as in France from Tailles and Contributions but always bear a share proportionable And in case of a Poll-Act they are usually thus Rated according to their several Degrees of Honour Viz. Â l. s. d. A Duke 50 00 00 A Marquess 40 00 00 An Earl 30 00 00 A Viscount 25 00 00 A Baron 20 00 00 Those of their Sons which have attained to 16 Years of Age are thus taxed As. Â l. s. d. The Eldest Son of A Duke 30 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Marquess 25 00 00 The Eldest Son of An Earl 20 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Viscount 17 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Baron 15 00 00 A Younger Son of A Duke 25 00 00 A Younger Son of A Marquess 20 00 00 A Younger Son of An Earl 15 00 00 A Younger Son of A Viscount 13 06 00 A Younger Son of A Baron 12 00 00 The Nobles to bear up their Rank have generally great and plentiful Estates some of them beyond those of several Princes beyond Sea And till the Civil Wars in the Reign of Charles I. they lived with suitable splendour and Magnisicence Keeping a plentiful Table and a numerous Attendance with several Officers delighting in
the Letter T. for a Thief or M. for Manslayer Then he is delivered to the Bishops Officer to be kept in the Bishops Prison from whence after a certain time he is delivered by a Jury of Clerks But if he be taken and found Guilty again and his Mark discovered then 't is his Lot to be hanged But he whom the Jury pronounces Not Guilty is Acquitted forthwith and Discharged paying the Jaylor his Fees And as to those Prisoners who stand not Indited but were only sent to Prison upon Suspicion the Way is to Proclaim 'em first in this manner A. B. Prisoner stands here at the Bar If any Man can say any thing against him let him now speak for the Prisoner stands at his Deliverance If upon this no Evidence appears against him he is set free paying the Jaylor his Fees Which Way of Deliverance is called Deliverance by Proclamation CHAP. X. Of the Court Martial and Court of Admiralty THE Court Martial otherwise called Court of Chivalry is the Fountain of Martial Law and is only held in Time of War for Martial Discipline The proper Judges of this Court are the Lord High Constable and the Earl Marshal of England which last is also to see Execution â—tone The Court of Admiralty is about Maritime Concerns and the Judge thereof is commonly 〈◊〉 Dr. of the Civil Law For the Sea being out of the reach of the Common Law the Proceeding of this Court in all Civil Matters is according to the Civil Law And whereas the Sea by its Flux and Reâ—ux advances and runs-back twice a Day which makes the Bounds of the Sea and Land â—ovable every Day It is agreed upon that 〈◊〉 far as the Low-Water Mark is observed is within the Counties Jurisdiction and Causes â—ence arising are Determinable by the Common Law But upon a full Tide the Admiral has â—urisdiction as long as the Sea-flows over â—ll Matters done between the Low-Water Mark and the Land So that here is as Dr. Chamberlain says Divisum Imperium between the Common Law and the Court of Admiralty Besides the Civil Law which this Court proceeds by great Use is made here of the Maritime Laws of Rhodes and Oleron two Islands the former whereof is in the Mediterranean not far from the Continent of Asia the other in the Ocean near the Mouth of the Garonne in the Bay of Aquitain The Rhodian Laws were compiled by the Inhabitants of Rhodes a People anciently very powerful at Sea and whose Maritime Laws were esteemed so just and equitable that the very Romans so skilful in making of good Laws referred all Debates and Controversies in Sea-Affairs to the Judgment of the Rhodian Laws Those of Oleron called le Rolle d' Oleron were made by Order of King Richard I theâ— possessed of Aquitain and being at Oleron Which proved such excellent Laws for Sea-Matters that they came to be almost aâ— much respected and made use of in these Western Parts as the Rhodian Laws in the Levant To which King Edward III added very excellent Constitutions concerning Maritime Affairs still in force In Imitation whereof several other Sea-faring Nations have done the like for their respective Sea-Trade As to Criminal Matters especially about Piracy the Proceeding in this Court of Admiralty was according to the Civil Law till the Reign of Henry VIII When two Statute were made for Criminal Matters to be trieâ— by Witnesses and a Jury by the Kings special Commission to the Lord Admiral where 〈◊〉 some Judges of the Realm are ever Commissioners The Writs and Decrees of this Court run in â—he Name of the Lord High Admiral or Lords commissioners executing that Office and are â—irected to all Vice-Admirals Justices of â—ace Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constablesâ—â—arshals and other Officers and Ministers as â—ell within Liberties as without To this Court belongs a Register and a Marâ—al The Marshal attends the Court and carâ—es a Silver Oar before the Judge whereon â—e the Kings Arms and the Lord High Adâ—irals Here the Lord Admiral has his Advocate â—d Proctor by whom all other Advocates and â—â—octors are presented and admitted by the â—â—dge All the Places and Offices belonging 〈◊〉 this Court are in the Gift of the Lord â—â—igh Admiral and now of the Lords Comâ—issioners The Court is held in the Afternoon in the common Hall at Drs. Commons But the Adâ—iralty-Session for the Trial of Malefators and Crimes committed at Sea is still â—eld at the ancient Place viz. S. Margaret's â—ll in Southwark CAHP. XI Of the Court of Marshalsea the Courts of Conscience the Court of Requests disused the Forest-Courts and Pie-powder Courts THE first is the Court or Seat of the Knight Marshal of the Kings House where he judges of Debts for which the Party has been Arrested within the Kings Verge and sent to the Marshalsea Which iâ— a Prison in Southwark where this Court iâ— kept King Charles I. erected a Court by Letters Parents under the Great Seal by the Name oâ— Curia Hospitij Domini Regis c. which takes Cognizance more at large of all Causes thaâ— the Marshalsea could of which the Knight Marshal or his Deputy are Judges The Courts of Conscience are inferiour Courtâ— established and settled by Parliament in many Parts of the Realm for the Relief of poâ—â— People whose Debt do's not amount to forty Shillings So that by any of these Courts the Creditor may recover his Debt and the Debtor pay it at an easy rate As for the Court of Requests 't was a Court of Equity much of the same nature with the Chancery but inferiour to it Called Court â—f Requests as being principally Instituted for the help of such Petitioners as in conscionable cases dealt by Supplication with the King This Court followed the King and was not â—xt in any Place But in process of time it â—sumed so great a Power and grew so burdenâ—â— and grievous to the Subject that it was â—ken away together with the Star-Chamber 〈◊〉 Statute made in the Reign of Charles I. For the Conservation of the Kings Forests â—â—d to prevent all Abuses therein there are â—ree Courts established one called the Juâ—ice of Eyres Seat another the Swainmote and â—â—e third the Court of Attachment The first is or should be by ancient Cuâ—â—m held every third Year by the Justices Eyre of the Forest journeying up and down 〈◊〉 the purpose aforesaid Swainmote is another Court as incident to a forest as a Pie-powder Court to a Fair. By â—e Charter of the Forest it is held thrice a â—ear before the Verderors as Judges What â—hings are Inquirable in the same you may 〈◊〉 in Cromp. Jurisd fol. 150. The lower Court is called the Attachment because the Verderors of the Forest have thereâ— no other Authority but to receive the Attchments of Offenders against Vert and Veniâ—n taken by the rest of the Officers and to Inrol â—â—em that they may be presented and punishâ—â— at the next Justice-Seat Now the Attachments are made three
of the Back-Stairs Mr. James Worthington Mr. John Jones Mr. Peter van Lewen Mr. Daniel Pulse Mr. Hamlet Kirk Mr. Richard Bradley Grooms of the Great Chamber Mr. Randolph Sparrow Mr. William Snow Mr. John Viccars Mr. Rowland Pierce Mr. John Willson Mr. Matthew Clarke Physician Sir Charles Scarborow Kt. Apothecary Christian Harel Clerk of the Closet William Stanley D. D. Treasurer and Receiver General Richard Earl of Bellomont His Clerk Mr. Edward Godfrey Auditor General Edward Clarke Esq His Clerk Messengers Timothy Goodwin Richard Hancoc Porter of the Back Stairs David Harris Master of the Barges Mr. Christopher Hill Four and Twenty Watermen Officers and Servants of the Stables Master of the Horse Sir Edward Villiers Kt. Ecquerries Charles Goltstein Esq Henry Killigrew Esq Charles May Esq Pages of Honour John Broeckhuysen Esq George Fielding Esq Purveyor Anthony Rowe Esq Yeoman Rider John Lauze Esq Yeomen of the Carriages Mr. Joseph Hough Coachmen Wessel Bosshof Christopher Ronch Herman Vanswell Lender Snellard John Catchlove Grooms Thomas Clarke Thomas Millet Footmen Samuel Clarke John Trantur Benjamin Booth Robert Howe Isaac Grafar Jacob Finke William Causey Herman Bongurs Jacob van Woestine Benjam in Ramsey Chair-men Thomas Chamberlain Benjamin Cotton Oswald Fawne Robert Giddins Bottleman Henry Gardies Groom Farrier Andrew Snape Groom Saddler John Bignell Her Majesties Women Servants Groom of the Stole and Lady of the Robes Elizabeth Countefs of Derby Ladies of the Bed-Chamber Gertrude Marchioness of Hallifax Mary Marchioness of Winchester Mary Countess of Dorset Bridget Countess of Plimouth Frances Countess of Scarborough Maids of Honour Mrs. Eleonora Francklin Mrs. Stewart Walburt Howard Mrs. Mary Villiers Mrs. Mary Compton Mrs. Jane Martha Temple Mrs. Anne Greenvill Women of the Bed-Chamber Mrs. Anna van Goltstein Mrs. Cary Jesson Mrs. Dorothy Cason Mrs. Agnes Uygh Mrs. Rachel Wyndham Mrs. Martha Lockharâ— Laundress Mrs. Elizabeth Worthington Seamstress and Stearcher Mrs. Dorothy Ireland Necessary Women Elizabeth Wiele Anne Dawhurst A List of the present Nobility and Bishops Where you find the Star prefixt the Title was conferred by His present Majesty Princes of the Blood PRince GEORGE of Denmark Duke of Cumberland * William Duke of Glocester his Son Dukes 13. Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal oâ— England Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Henry Cavendish Duke of Newcastle Charles Leons Duke of Richmond Charles Fitz-Roy Duke of Southampton Henry Fitz-Roy Duke of Grafton James Butler Duke of Ormond Henry Somerset Duke of Beaufert George Fitz-Roy Duke of Northumberland Charles Beauclair Duke of S. Albans James Fitz James Duke of Berwick Charles Pawlet Duke of Bolton Charles Schombergh Duke of Schombrgh Marquesses 3. George Savile Marquess of Hallifax William Herbert Marquess of Powis * Thomas Osborne Marquess of Carmarthen Lord President of the Council Earls 71. Aubre de Vere Earl of Oxford Charles Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey Earl of Kent William Stanley Earl of Derby John Manners Earl of Rutland Theophilus Hastings Earl of Huntingdon William Russel Earl of Bedford Thomas Herbert Earl of Pembroke Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln George Howard Earl of Suffolk Charles Sackvile Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Cecill Earl of Salisbury John Cecill Earl of Exeter John Egerton Earl of Bridgwater Philip Sidney Earl of Leicester George Compton Earl of Northampton Edward Rich Earl of Warwick William Cavendish Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the Houshold Basil Fielding Earl of Denbigh John Digby Earl of Bristol John Holles Earl of Clare Pawlet St. John Earl of Bolingbroke Charles Fane Earl of Westmorland Charles Mountague Earl of Manchester Thomas Howard Earl of Berkshire John Sheffield Earl of Mulgrave Thomas Savage Earl Rivers Robert Bertie Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Henry Mordant Earl of Peterborough Thomas Grey Earl of Stamford Charles Finch Earl of Winchelsea Evelyn Pierpoint Earl of Kingston Charles Dormer Earl of Carnarvan Philip Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield Thomas Tufton Earl of Thanet William Wentworth Earl of Strafford Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland Robert Leke Earl of Starsdale Edward Mountague Earl of Sandwich Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon Algernon Capel Earl of Essex Robert Brudenel Earl of Cardigan James Annesley Earl of Anglesey John Granvile Earl of Bath Edward Howard Earl of Carlisle William Craven Earl of Craven Thomas Bruce Earl of Ailesbury Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington Anthony Ashley Cooper Earl of Shaftsbury Edward Henry Lee Earl of Lichfield Thomas Lennard Earl of Sussex Lewis de Duras Earl of Feversham Charles Gerard Earl of Macclesfield Charles-Bodvile Roberts Earl of Radner William Paston Earl of Yarmouth George Berkeley Earl of Berkeley Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester James Bertie Earl of Abingdon Baptist Noel Earl of Gainsborough Coniers D' Accie Earl of Holderness Other Windsor Earl of Plimouth Francis Ratcliff Earl of Derwentwater Henry Howard Earl of Stafford William Bentinck Earl of Portland Thomas Bellassise Earl of Falconberg * Charles Mordant Earl of Monmouth * Ralph Mountague Earl of Mountague * John Churchill Earl of Marlborow * Arthur Herbert Earl of Torrington * Richard Lumley Earl of Scarborough * Henry Booth Earl of Warrington Viscounts 9. Edward Devereux Viscount Hereford Francis Brown Viscount Mountague William Fiennes Viscount Say and Selc Francis Newport Viscount Newport Charles Townesend Viscount Townesend Thomas Thynne Viscount Weymouth Christopher Hatton Viscount Hatton Henry Sidney Viscount Sidney Henry Yelverton Vscount Longueville Barons 66. George Nevill Lord Abergaveny James Touchet Lord Audley Robert Bertie Lord Willoughby of Eresby John West Lord de la Ware Charles Berkely Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Thomas Parker Lord Morley Robert Shirley Lord Ferrers Charles Mildmay Lord Fitzwalter William Stourton Lord Stourton Ralph Eure Lord Eure. Philip Wharton Lord Wharton Thomas Willoughby Lord Willoughby of Parham William Paget Lord Paget Francis Howard Lord Howard of Effingham Charles North Lord North. James Bruges Lord Chandos Robert Carey Lord Hunsden Robert Sidney Lord Sidney of Penshurst Thomas Petre Lord Petre. Charles Gerard Lord Gerard. Henry Arundel Lord Arundel of Wardour Christopher Roper Lord Tenham Foulk Grevil Lord Brook Ford Gray Lord Gray John Lovelace Lord Lovelace John Pawlet Lord Pawlet William Maynard Lord Maynard Thomas Coventry Lord Coventry William Howard Lord Howard of Escrick Charles Mohun Lord Mohun Henry Herbert Lord Herbert of Cherbury Thomas Leigh Lord Leigh Thomas Jermin Lord Jermin William Byron Lord Byron John Vaughan Lord Vaughan Francis Carrington Lord Carrington William Widdrington Lord Widdrington Edward Ward Lord Ward John Culpeper Lord Culpeper Charles Boyle Lord Clifford of Lanesborough Robert Lucas Lord Lucas Henry Bellassise Lord Bellassise Edward Watson Lord Rockingham Robert Sutton Lord Lexington Marmaduke Langdale Lord Langdale John Berkeley Lord Berkeley of Stratton Charles Granvile Lord Granvile Francis Holles Lord Holles Charles Cornwallis Lord Cornwallis Thomas Crew Lord Crew John Arundel Lord Arundell of Trerice Hugh Clifford Lord Clifford of Chudleigh Peregrine Osborn Lord Osborn George
Clayton Kt. Borough of Rygate Sir John Parsons Kt. John Parsons Esq Borough of â—uilford Morgan Randyll Esq Foot Onslow Esq Borough of Gatton Sir John Thompson Bar. Thomas Turgis Esq Borough of Haslemere Geo. Rodeney Bridges Esq Denzill Onslow Esq Susser 20. Sir John Pelham Bar. Sir Will. Thomas Bar. City of Chichester Sir Thomas Miller Kt. Thomas May Esq Borough of Horsham John Machell Esq Thomas White Jun. Gent. Borough of Midhurst Sir William Morley Knight of the Bath John Lewkner Esq Borough of Lewes Thomas Pelham Esq Richard Bridger Esq Borough of Shoreham Sir Edward Hungerford Knight of the Bath John Pery Esq Borough of Bramber Nicholas Barbon Esq Dr. John Radcliffe Borough of Steyning Sir John Fagge Bar. Robert Fagge Esq Borough of East-Greensted The Honourable Thomas Sackvile Esq Sir Thomas Dyke Bar. Borough of Arundel William Morley Esq James Butler Esq Warwickshire 6. William Bromely Esq Andrew Archer Esq City of Coventry Richard Hopkins Esq John Stratford Esq Borough of Warwick The Right Honourable William Lord Digby William Colemore Esq Westmorland 4. The Right Honourable Sir John Lowther of Lowther Bar. Sir Christopher Musgrave of Musgrave Kt. and Bar. Borough of Appleby The Honourable William Cheyne Esq Charles Boyle Esq Wilthshire 34. The Right Honourable Edw. Viscount Cornbury Sir Walter S. John Bar. City of New Sarum Thomas Hoby Esq Thomas Pitt Esq Borough of Wilton Sir Richard Grubham How Kt. and Bar. Thomas Windham Esq Borough of Downton Sir Charles Raleigh Kt. Maurice Bockland Esq Borough of Hindon Robert Hide Esq Thomas Chaffyn Esq Borough of Westbury The Honourable Peregrine Bertie Esq Richard Lewys Esq Borough of Hytesbury William Ash Esq Will. Trenchard Esq Borough of Calne Henry Baynton Esq Henry Chivers Esq Borough of the Devizes Sir Tho. Fowles Kt. Walter Grubb Esq Borough of Chipenham Richard Kent Esq Alexander Popham Esq Borough of Malmesbury The Honourable Goodwin Wharton Esq Sir James Long Bar. Borough of Criclade Edmund Webb Esq Charles Fox Esq Borough of Great Bedwin The Right Honourable Anth. Viscount Falkland Sir Jonath Raymond Kt. Borough of Ludgersale Thomas Neale Esq John Deane Esq Borough of Old Sarum Sir Thomas Mompesson Kt. William Harvey Esq Borough of Wootton-Basset Henry St. John Esq John Wildman Jun. Esq Borough of Marlborough Sir John Ernle Kt. Sir George Willoughby Kt. Worcestershire 9. Sir John Packington Kt. Thomas Foley Esq City of Worcester Sir John Somers Kt. William Bromely Esq Borough of Droitwich The Right Honourableâ— Richard Earl of Bellemont â—hilip Foley Esq Borough of Evesham Sir James Rushout Bar. Edward Rudge Esq Borough of Bewdley Henry Herbert Esq Yorkshire 30. The Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax Sir Joyn Kay Bar. City of York Robert Waller Esq Henry Thompson Esq Town of Kingston upon Hull John Ramsden Esq Charles Osborne Esq Borough of Knaresborough William Stockdale Esq Thomas Fawkes Esq Borough of Scareborough Will. Thompson Esq Francis Thompson Esq Borough of Rippon Sir Edm. Jenings Kt. Sir Jonath Jenings Kt. Borough of Richmond Sir Mark Milbanck Bar. Theodore Bathurst Esq Borough of Heydon Henry Guy Esq Matth. Appleyard Esq Borough of Boroughbrig Sir Henry Goodrick Kt. and Bar. Sir Bryan Stapleton Borough of Malton Sir William Strickland Bar. William Palmes Esq Borough of Thriske Thomas Frankland Esq Richard Staines Esq Borough of Aldborough Sir Mich. Wentworth Kt. Christopher Tancred Esq Borough of Beverly Sir Michael Wharton Kt. William Gee Esq Borough of North-Allerton Sir William Robinson Bar. Thomas Lascells Esq Borough of Pontefract The Honourable Henry Dawney Esq Sir John Bland Bar. BARONS of the Cinque-Ports 16. Port of Hastings The Honourable John Beaumont Esq Peter Gott Esq Town of Winchelsea Sir Robert Austin Bar. Samuel Western Esq Town of Rye Sir John Austen Bar. Sir John Darrel Kt. Port of New Rumney Sir Charles Sidley Kt. John Brewer Esq Port of Hythe Sir Philip Butler Bar. Will. Brockman Esq Port of Dover Thomas Papillon Esq James Chadwick Esq Port of Sandwich John Thurbarne Serjeant at Law Edward Brent Esq Port of Seaford William Campion Esq Henry Pelham Esq WALES 24. Anglesey 2. The Right Honourable Rich. Viscount Bulkely Town of Beaumaris Thomas Bulkely Esq Brecon 2. Sir Rowland Gwyn Kt. Town of Brecon Jeossery Jeffreys Esq Cardigan 2. Sir Carbety Price Bar. Town of Cardigan Hector Philips Esq Carmarthen 2. Sir Rice Rudd Bar. Town of Carmarthen Richard Vaughan Esq Carnarvan 2. Sir Wil. Williams of Vaynal Bar. Town of Carnarvan Sir Robert Owen Kt. Denby 2. Sir Richard Middleton Bar. Town of Denby Edward Brereton Esq Flint 2. Sir Roger Puleston Kt. Town of Flint Thomas Whitley Esq Glamorgan 2. Bussey Mansel Esq Town of Cardiffe Thomas Mansell Esq Merioneth 1. Sir John Wynne Kt. and Bar. Montgomery 2. Edward Vaughan Esq Town of Montgomery Charles Herbert Esq Pembroke 3. Sir Hugh Owen Kt. Town of Haverford-west Sir William Wogan Kt. Town of Pembroke Arthur Owen Esq Radnor 2. Richard Williams Esq Town of New Radnor Robert Harley Esq In all 513. A List of the Lords and others of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council with the Clerks of the Council HIS Royal Highness Prince George Thomas Marquess of Camarthen Lord President Henry Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal Charles Duke of Bolton Robert Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England William Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward Charles Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain Aubrey Earl of Oxford William Earl of Bedford Thomas Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery John Earl of Bath Charles Earl of Macclesfield Daniel Earl of Nottingham Secretary of State William Earl of Portland Thomas Earl of Faulconberg Charles Earl of Monmouth John Earl of Marlborough Richard Earl of Scarborough Henry Earl of Warrington Ralph Earl of Montague Henry Viscount Sidney Henry Lord Bishop of London Francis Lord Newport Marquess of Winchester Lord Chief Justice Holt. Sir Robert Howard Sir Henry Capel Sir Henry Goodrick Sir John Lowther Vice-Chamberlain Richard Hampden Esq Hugh Boscawen Esq Thomas Wharton Esq Comptroller of the King's Houshold Edward Russel Esq William Harbord Esq Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls Lords Commissioners of the Privy Seal William Cheyne Esq Sir John Knatchbull Bar. Sir William Palteney Kt. The Clerks of the Council Sir John Nicholas Kt. Mr. Blathwait Mr. Mountague Mr. Coleing A List of the Lords Commissioners and other Officers of the Court of Chancery The Lords Commissioners Sir John Trevor Knight Sir William Rawlinson Knight Sir Geo. Hutchins Knight Masters of Chancery Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls whose Sâ—cretary is Mr. John Rawlinson Sir William Child Sir John Hoskins Sir John Franklyn Sir Adam Oatley Sir Robert Legar Sir John Edgeburg Sir James Astrey Sir Miles Cook Roger Meredith Esq John Methwyn Esq Samuel Keck Esq The Six Clerks in Chancery Sir Rob. Marsham Kt. Sir W. Perkins Kr. â—hem Bridges Esq Littleton Powel Esq Rich. Garth Esq Basil Herne Esq The Cursitors Mr. Abraham Nelson Principal Mr. Mich. Terry Assistants Mr. Geo. Davies Assistants For Suffolk and
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Goodrick Kt. and Bar. Surveyor John Charleton Esq Clerk of the Ordnance Sir Thomas Littleton Kt. Keeper of the Stores Thomas Gardiner Esq Clerk of the Deliveries Philip Musgrave Esq Assistant Surveyor William Boulter Esq Treasurer or Pay-master Charles Bertie Esq Master Gunner Capt. Richard Leak Principal Engineer Sir Martin Beckman Kt. Keeper of the small Guns Mr. Charles Beaumont The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and of the Admirals The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery The Earl of Carbery Sir Michael Wharton Bat. Sir Thomas Lee Bat. Sir John Chichley Bat. Sir John Lowther Bat. William Sacheveril Esq Admirals Sir Richard Haddock Kt. Henry Killigrew Esq Sir John Ashby Kt. A List of the Commissioners and other Principal Officers belonging to the Navy The Commissioners Sir Richard Haddock Kt. Charles Sergison Esq Sir John Tippet Kt. Sir Richard Beach Kt. The Treasurer Edward Russel Esq Comptroller Sir Richard Haddock Kt. Surveyor Sir John Tippet Kt. Clerk of the Acts Charles Sergison Esq Victuallers of the Navy Thomas Papilion Simon Macne John Agur Humphrey Ayles and James How Esquires Commissioners for Sick and Wounded Seamen and exchange of Prisoners of War Thomas Addison Esq Edward Leigh Esq Anthony Shepherd Esq John Starkey Esq Of the Martial Court THis Court you have too short an Account of in my Third Part Page 91. I therefore beg leave here to inlarge upon it 'T is called the Martial or Military Court or High Court of Chivalry otherwise the Court of Honour and in Latine Curia Militaris The Place anciently appointed for holding thereof was the King's Hall wherein the Constable and Earl Marshal of England sat as Judges Where any Plaintiff in case of Dignities or Matters of Arms or of any other Sute or Controversy concerning Nobility Gentility or Arms might sue the Defendant But now that great Office of Constable of England is hid aside the whole Power is vested in the Earl Marshal And the Present Possessor of that honourable Office is his Grace Henry Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England Who has appointed the Hall in the Colledge of Arms to be the Place for Keeping the said Court. And upon Application made to him by any of the Nobility or Gentry of this Kingdom being abused in Matters of Honour and Arms may there have relief from his Grace Officers belonging to this Court Their Majesties Advocate William Odys Dr. of Laws Register of the Court Robert Plott Dr. of Laws Secretary and Seal-Keeper Francis Negus Esq Deputy-Register Mr. John Cheek Proctors Samuel Francklyn Esq Batchelour of Laws Mr. Ralph Suckley Mr. Everard Exton Batchelour of Laws Mr. John Hill Mr. Francis Nixon Mr. Robert Chapman Mr. Samuel Wiseman Mr. Keate Waller Marshal of the Court. Mr. John Curry A List of the Lords Lieutenants Bedford Earl of Bedford Berks Duke of Norfolk Bucks Earl of Bridgewater Cambr. Earl of Bedford Cheshire Earl of Warrington Cornwal Earl of Bath Cumberland Earl of Carlisle Derbysh Earl of Devon Devonsh Earl of Bath Dorcetsh Earl of Bristol Essex Earl of Oxford Gloc. and Heref. Earl of Maclesfield Hartfordsh Earl of Shrewsbury during the Minority of the Earl of Essex Huntingt Earl of Manchester Kent Earl of Winchelsey Lancashire Earl of Derby Leicestersh Earl of Rutland Lincolnsh Earl of Lindsey Middlesex Earl of Clare Monmouthsh Earl of Maclesfield Norfolk Duke of Norfolk Northampt. Earl of Monmouth Northumb. Earl of Scarborough Nottinghamsh Earl of Kingston Oxon Earl of Abington Salop Lord Visc Newport Somersetsh Lord Visc Fitz-Harding Southampton Duke of Bolton Staffordsh Lord Paget Suffolk Lord Cornwallis Surrey Duke of Norfolk Sussex Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Warwicksh Earl of Northampton Wiltshire Earl of Pembroke Worcestersh Earl of Shrowsbury York East-Riding Earl of Kingston York North Riding Earl of Falconberg York West-Riding Earl of Derby South and North Wales Earl of Maclesfield Governours of Garrisoned Places Barwick Christ Babington Esq Calshot Francis Pawlet Esq Carlisle Jeremiah Bubb Esq Chepstow Chester Sir John Morgan Cinque-Ports Col. John Beaumont Esq Dartmouth Nich. Roope Esq Graves-end William Selwyn Esq Guernsey Lord Hatton Holy Island Hull Marquess of Caermarthen Hurst-Castle Henry Holmes Jersey Lord Jermyn Isle of Wight Sir Robert Holmes Landguard-Fort Henry Killigrew Esq S. Maws Pendennis Earl of Bath Plimouth Earl of Bath Portland Portsmouth John Gibson Esq Scarborough Scilly Islands Sheerness Robert Crawford Esq Tinmouth Sir Edw. Villiers Tower of London Lord Lucas Upner Castle Robert Minors Esq Windfor Castle Duke of Norfolk Governours of Foreign Plantations Of Jamaica Earl of Inchqueen Virginia Lord Effingham New York Col. Sloughter Barbadoes James Kendal Col. Leeward Islands Col. Godrington As for New England the Governor is not yet setled Mary-Land Pensylvania and Carolina are governed by their respective Proprietors who have there their Deputies Their Majesties Embassadors Envoys and Residents Abroad At Vienna Lord Paget At Constantinople Sir William Hussey In Holland Lord Dursley Spain William Stanhop Esq Flanders John Eckart Esq Sweden William Duncomb Esq Denmark Robert Molesworth Esq Brandenburg James Johnston Esq Lunenburg and Brunswick Sir William Dutton Colt Swisserland Thomas Cox Esq Hamburg Sir Paul Rycaut Geneva Philibert Herbert Esq Agent in Germany Hugh Hughes Gent. Consuls in Foreign Parts At Venice Hugh Broughton Esq Cadiz S. Maries Sevil S. Lucar in Spain Wartin Nescomb Robert Godschall Walter Doleman Eâ—â— Alicant Genoua Leghorn Naples in Italy Thomas Kirk Esq Robert Serle Esq Sir George Davis Kt. Argiers in Barbary Thomas Baker Esq Foreign Ministers at present residing in their Majesties Court. Spain Don Pedro de Ronquillo Ambassador in Ordinary Portugal Don Simon de Soza de Magellanes Envoy Extraordinary Sweden Baron Leyonbergh Envoy Denmark Monsieur Alfeldt Envoy Holland The Heer Van Zitters Ambassador in Ordinary Brandenburg Monsieur Dankelman Envoy Lunenburg Baron de Schutz Envoy Extraordinary Savoy The President de la Tour Envoy Extraordinary Vienna Monsieur Hofman Resident A Scheme of the Sovereign and Knights Companions of the most Noble Order of the Garter â—â—e King of Denmark The Sovereign The King of Sweden Prince George of Denmark * Elector of Brandenb Earl of Oxford Earl of Strafford Duke of Beaufort Earl of Bedford Duke of Southampton Earl of Mulgrave Duke of Newcastle Marquis of Caerm  Duke of Richmond Duke of Hamilton Duke of Somerset Duke of Northumb. Duke of Norfolk Earl of Peterborough Earl of Rochester Earl of Feversham Earl of Sunderland Duke of Ormond * Earl of Devonshire  A List of the Knights made by His Present Majesty King William Knights Baronets Hender Moulesworth Esq created Baronet July 19th 1689. Sir John Ramsden of Yorkshire Esq created Baronet Dec. 30. 1689. Sir William Robinson of Newby in Yorkshire Esq created Baronet Febr. 13th 1689. Knights Batchelours Anthony Keck Esq Counsellor at Law Knighted at Whitehall March 5th 1688. William Rawlinson Esq One of the Lords Commissioners of the Chancery Knighted at Whitehall March 5th
l. 13. r. some were afterwards p. 355. l. 11. r. certain it is PART II. p. 66. l. 5. dele but. p. 68. l. 35. r. in p. 99. l. 33. r. us PART III. p. 2. l. 10. r. be p. 79. l. 35. r. assisted p. 63. l. 22. r. sit on p. 71. l. 14. r. whose p. 213. l. 18. dele of p. 180. l. 15. r. John Howe Esq p. 224. l. 17. r. 1689. p. 232. l. 27. r. Sir Edward Clark and Sir Francis Child THE FIRST PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Useful and Curious Remarks London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART I. CHAP. I. Treating of ENGLAND in general and of every County in particular England ENGLAND is the best and largest Part of the greatest Island of Europe An Island anciently called Albion from its white chalky Cliffs but since better known by the Name of Great Britain Great for the vast Extent of â—t reaching as it does in Length from North to South about 600 Miles Britain that is a Country Inhabited by Painted Men as formerly they were wont to be At this time 't is principally divided into three Parts England Scotland and Wales the first two being two distinct Kingdoms the last a Principality but all of them happily united under one Head ENGLAND takes up the South Parts of the Island being parted from Scotland Northward by the River Tweede from Wales Westward in part by the River Dee and from the rest of the World by the Ocean Thus it contains in Length from North to South as from Barwick to Portsmouth 320 miles and in breadth from East to West as from Dover to the Lands End 270. But such is the Variety of its Breadth that in the South Parts which face the Channel 't is three times the Breadth of the North. And all along the Sea-Coast in general there are so many Creeks and Inlets some greater and some lesser that England and indeed the whole Island delineated as it is in Globes and Maps makes but an odd kind of Figure However in this Spot of Ground not exceeding one third Part of France there are reckoned 30 millions of Acres In reference to the Globe it lies between the 50 and 57 Degree of North Latitude the longest Day in the most Northern Parts being 17 hours 30 minutes and the shortest in the most Southern almost eight hours long The name of ENGLAND it took from the Angles an ancient People of Jutland in Denmark who joyning with their Neighbours the Saxons went under their Name in the Conquest of Britain And this Name was given it by a special Edict of Egbert the first sole Monarch of England since the Heptarchy Who being descended from those Angles and having reduced the whole Country from a divided State into one intire Body called it with the Concurrence of the States of the Realm then convened at Winchester Anno 819. by the Name of Engle-lond since turned into ENGLAND From whence the Nation and Language came to be called English When the Romans were possessed of this Country they made but two Parts of it and another of Wales Called Britannia Prima Containing the South of England Britannia Secunda Containing Wales Maxima Caesariensis Containing the North of England Their particular Divisions were not of the Country it self but of the Inhabitants As the Atrebatii Belgae Brigantes Catieuchlani and ten Nations more they reckoned only in England In the time of the Anglo-Saxons England alone was divided into seven Kingdoms Viz. The Kingdom of Kent Containing the County of that Name The Kingdom of South-Saxons Containing Sussex and Surrey The Kingdom of West-Saxons Containing Cornwal Devon Somerset Dorset Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The Kingdom of East-Saxons Containing Middlesex Essex and part of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of East-Angles Containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire The Kingdom of Mercia Containing Glocester Worcester Hereford Shropshire Cheshire Stafford Darby Nottingham Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntington Northampton Warwick Salop Oxon Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of Northumberland Containing York Lancashire Durham Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland and the South Parts of Scotland as far as Edinburg But England's Division into Shires or Counties did not begin till the Reign of Alfred about 800 Years ago Afterwards every Shin was subdivided into Hundreds and Hundred into Tythings a Hundred containing teâ— Tythings and a Tything ten Families The Shires or Counties are either Maritime or Inland in all 40 in number The Maritime Counties I mean such as be watered by the Ocean are these Viz. Cornwal Devonshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Hampshire Sussex Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk Lincolnshire Yorkshire Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancashire Cheshire Whereof the first seven Counties take up the most Southern Parts and lye all along the Channel which parts England from France the next seven run from Kent and Sussex Northward bounded on the East by the German Ocean and the last fourâ—ly North-West bounded by the Irish Seas The Inland Counties are Nottinghamshire Derbyshire Staffordshire Shropshire Worcestershire Herefordshire Monmouthshire Glocestershire Wiltshire Barkshire Buckinghamshire Surrey Middlesex Hartfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Rutland Leicestershire Amongst all which Counties 't is Observable that some of them take their Names from the old Inhabitants as Cumberland from the Cyntbri or ancient Britains Essex and Sussex from the East and South Saxons who setled here after their Conquest Some from their Situation as Northumberland Norfolk Suffolk and Middlesex To which add Kent in Latine Cantium because it lies in a Canton or Corner of the Island Others from their Form or Figure as Cornwal from the figure of a Horn called Kere by the old Britains And indeed this County growing from East to West smaller and smaller is not unlike a Horn besides that in many places it shoots forth into the Sea with little Promontories like unto so many Horns Whereas Devonshire took its Denomination from the British Devinam signifying low Valleys of which this County does very much consist Others again from some Accidents therein As Barkshire from Beroc a certain place wherein grew good store of Box Rutland q. d. Red Land from the Redness of its Soil But the most part from the principal Town of the County as Glocestershire from Glocester Oxfordshire from Oxford Cambridgeshire from Cambridge c. As of all the Counties of England Yorkshire is the biggest beyond all compare so iâ— Rutland the least Out of the first which iâ— counted as big as the Seven United Provinces 70000 Men may be raised for present Service Whereas the Extent of the last is so inconsiderable that one may skip it over in lesâ— than half a day In point of Situation Darbyshire may bâ— look'd upon as the middle Province of thâ— Kingdom Besides the former Division of
is scarce any Country whose Fields are better stored with all sort of Corn the Pastures with Cattel the Woods and Forrests Parks and Warrens with wild Beasts only for Recreation and Food the Air with Birds and Fowls the Seas and Rivers with Fishes and the Mines with Coals and Metals On the other side there is scarce a Country so little troubled with hurtful and ravenous Beasts with venomous Serpents or noisom Flies and Vermine Wolves which of all ravenous Beasts are the most pernicious and destructive of Cattel have been so wonderfully extirpated out of this Land that I cannot omit the History of it I know it has been a Tradition of old Writers that England never had any Wolves at all and that being brought hither from other Places they would not live But History tells us the contrary here being abundance of them till King Edgar commuted for 300 Wolves the yearly Tribute paid him by the Prince of Wales Which made the Welch so industrious and active in Wolf-hunting that the Wolves were in time quite rooted out of the Land the Welch protesting at last they could find no more of ' em Whereby 't is come to pass that whereas in other Countries they are at the Charge and Trouble of guarding their Sheep and housing them by night here they are left feeding in the Fields day and night secure from any Danger unless it be sometimes from Men-Wolves or Sheep-stealers And yet I am credibly informed that in some Places as Warwickshire among the rest some Wolves from time to time have been discovered But as it happens but seldom so upon the least notice the Country rises amain as it were against a common Enemy there being such a hue and cry after the Wolf that it is hard for him to escape the Posse Comitatus CHAP. V. Of the COUNTRY in particular And first of Barkshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire in the Alphabetick Order With an Account of what is most remarkable in each Barkshire BARKSHIRE BERKSHIRE or BERKS is an Inland County 'T is bounded on the North by the Thames and Isis which part it from Oxfordshire On the South by Hampshire Eastward by Surrey and Westward by Wiltshire and Glocestershire It contains in Length from East to West about 45 Miles in Breadth from North to South 25. The whole divided into 20 Hundreds wherein 140 Parishes and 12 Market-Towns The Country is very pleasant the Air sweet and the Soil fruitful Next to the Isis and the Thames which water the North Parts of it the Kennet is the principal River which runs into the Thames at Reading and yields excellent Trouts especially about Hungerford Reading the County-Town lies 32 Miles West from London thus viz. to Colebrook 15 from thence to Maidenhead 7 and 10 more to Reading A Town commodiously seated at the fall of the Kennet into the Thames over which Rivers it has several Bridges and that over the Kennet is the fairest The Town is well inhabited and contains 3 Parish Churches Of great Resort and Trade especially for its Cloth and Malt here made Here the County Assizes are usually kept and its Market is on Saturday The other Market-Towns are Windsor Sat. Vantage Sat. Abington Mund. Frid. Faringdon Tues Ockingham Tues Wallingford Tues Frid. Maidenhead Wed. Hungerford Wed. East-Isley Wed. Newbury Thurs Lainborn Amongst which Wallingford and Abington are two Towns of great Antiquity and such as have flourished in their time but since gone to decay The first being the Guallena of the Ancients and then the chief Town of the Attrebatii was afterwards also among the West Saxons the chief Town of this County A Mile in compass at that time within the Walls fortified with a strong Castle and adorned with 12 Parish Churches But in the Year 1348 so desolated by a Plague that there is now but one Church left hardly Inhabitants enough to keep that in repair and nothing of the Walls left as not much of the Castle but the Tract and Ruins of ' em However as it is seated upon the Thames over which it has a Bridge it makes shift to support it self by its Trade of Maulting and its Commodiousness for Transporting Corn and other Commodities to London And so doth Abington which lies North-West from it at the fall of the Ouse into the Isis Noted for giving the Title of an Earldom to the Right Honourable James Bertie the present Earl of Abington Baron Norreys c. Windsor on the Thames is chiefly remarkable for its Castle the finest Royal Pallace of England and the only Castle of six this County has formerly had which is now remaining Which being seated on a great Eminence with a stately and spacious Terrass before it injoys a pure Air and a delicate Prospect Famous for being the Place where the Ceremony of the Knights of the Garter is solemnized on St. George's Day Newbury and Hungerford are both seated on the River Kennet few Miles distant from each other The first of chief note for the Batteâ— fought here in the long Civil Wars called Newbury Fight where King Charles I. remained victorious And the last for having the best Trouts and Craw-Fish in all England This County formerly a Part of the ancient Kingdom of the West-Saxons the Inhabitants whereof called Attrebatii by the ancient Romans is in the Diocese of Salisbury Dignified with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Thomas Howard the present Earl of Barkshire Viscount Andover c. Devolved to him from his Brother Charles and to Charles from their Father Thomas Howard created Earl of Barkshire Anno 1625. Which Title had been injoyed before him by another Family but in the Person only of Francis Norris created Earl of Barkshire by King James I. Anno 1620 who died few Years after without Issue Male. Out of this County are chosen besides the two Knights of the Shire seven Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 from Reading 2 from Windsor 2 more from Wallingford and 1 from Abington Bedfordshire BEDFORDSHIRE another Inland County is bounded Eastward by Hartfordshire and part of Cambridgeshire Westward by Buckinghamshire Northward by Northampton and Huntington Shires Southward by Middlesex and the South Parts of Buckinghamshire It contains in Length from North to South not above 24 Miles in Breadth but 12 and in Circumference 72. The Whole divided into nine Hundreds wherein 116 Parishes and 10 Market-Towns Here the Air is very temperate the Country for the most part Champion and the Soil ferile especially the North part of it Noted shiefly for yielding the best Barley in Engâ—and Next to the River Ouse which waters the North Parts of it the Ivel is the chief which falls into the Ouse A memorable Thing is recorded of this River Ouse which I am unwilling to pretermit At a Place near Harwood on New Years Day 1399 just before the War began between the Two Houses of York and Lancaster this River suddenly stood still and ceased
the Devil's Ditch Royston stands in the bottom of a Hill partly in this County and partly in Hartfordshire Whose Market is very considerable for Malt especially Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them is now in the Diocess of Ely Out of it are elected besides the 2 Knights of the Shire 4 Members of Parliament viz. 2 by the Town of Cambridge and 2 more by the Vniversity Cheshire CHESHIRE a Maritime County in the North-West Parts of England is bounded on the East by Derbyshire and Staffordshire on the West partly by the Irish Sea partly by Flintshire and Denbighshire two Counties of Wales Northward by Lancashire Southward part by Denbighshire and part by Shropshire and Staffordshire It contains in Length from East to West about 45 Miles in Breadth from North to South 25. The Whole divieled into 7 Hundreds 85 Parishes and 13 Market Towns As flat as this Country is yet it is not without several noted Hills besides the Mountains which divide it from Darby and Stafford Shires It has also several Woods and Forests as namely Delamere and Maclesfield Forests and is so well stored with Parks that almost every Gentleman has one peculiar to himself Heaths and Mosses are frequent here but the first serve to feed Sheep and Horses and Mosses to make Turves of for Fewel As for Rivers this Country is well watered with them the South-west Parts with the Dee the middle with the Weever and the North Parts with the Mersey which divides this County from Lancashire The Dee affords great plenty of Salmon And 't is observable of this River that upon the fall of much Rain it rises but little but if the South Wind beat long upon it it swells â—nd overflows the Grounds adjoyning Here are â—lso many Meres and Pools in all which are aâ—undance of excellent Fish Here the Air for Temperature and the Soil for Fertility is inferiour to none and far exâ—eeding the Neighbouring Counties It s chief Commodities are Corn Cattel Sheep Fish Fowl Salt and Cheese the best â—n all England Chester otherwife called West-Chester by reason of its Western Situation is the chief Place of this County bearing from London North-West and distant therefrom by common Computation 150 Miles thus Viz. from London to St. Albans 20. from thence to Stony-Stratford 24 to Daventry 16 more from Daventry to Coventry 22 thence to Lichfield â—o more to Stone 18 to Nantwich 15 and to Chester 15 more This City was raised from the Fort Ostorius Lieutenant of Britain for the Emperour Clauâ—ius And 't is pleasantly seated on the River Dee about 25 miles from its fall into the Sea the River widening it self all the way to a great breadth But the Channel is so choakt up with Sand for some Miles that all Ships now â—ome to a Place called the New Key about 6 miles distance Over the River it has a fair Stone-bridge â—uilt upon 8 Arches with a Gate at each â—nd from whence issue the Walls of the City â—n a quadrangular form high and strongly â—uilt In this Wall are 4 Gates viz. the East-Gate Bridge-gate Water-gate and North-Gate the first being esteemed one of â—he stateliest Gates in England Besides these â—our principal Gates there are three others of â—ess note called the Posterns and on the Wall are 7 Watch-towers and broad Battlements for Pieces of Ordnance On the South side is a stately strong Castle built in a circular form with a Court-yard about it inclosed with a Wall In the North Part is the Cathedral adjoyning to which is the Bishops Pallace In short this City is beautify'd with divers fair Buildings both publick and private and graced with large and well-ordered Streets which are supplied with fresh Water by Conduit Pipes from a Tower at the Bridge calleâ— Water-Tower 35 yards high and 8 broad Along the chief Streets are Galleries or Rowâ— as they call them with Shops on one side through which Galleries one may walk freâ— from Wet in the greatest Showers As to the Number of Parishes in it I finâ— no less than ten so well frequented this Plaâ—â— is by Gentry and Tradesmen For besides thâ— Assises held here twice a Year Chester being a County Palatine has also its Courts Palatine kept here And as it stands commodiously for Ireland with which it has a greaâ— Intercourse so it is a constant Thorough-farâ— for that Kingdom Of late it has been of particular Note foâ— being the Rendezvous of great part of ouâ— Forces that have been transported for thâ— Reduction of Ireland and Highlake on thâ— North-side of the River's Mouth for being thâ— proper Place for Shipping 'T was in this City of Chester that King Edgaâ— had his Barge rowed by way of Homage bâ— seven Kings of the Scots and Britains from 〈◊〉 Johns Church to his Pallace himself as sâ—preme Lord holding the Helm And 't is observable that the eldest Sons of the Kings 〈◊〉 England whether it be by birth or death 〈◊〉 their elder Brothers are ipso facto Earls of Chester The other Market Towns are Nantwich Sat. Middlewich Sat. Congleton Sat. Knutsford Sat. Malpas Mund. Maxfield Mund. Altrincham Tue. Fordsham Wedn. Sanbich Thu. Northwich Frid. Stopford Frid. Tarvin Frid. Amongst which Nantwich and Fordsham are feated on the Banks of the Weever Stopford on the Mersey Northwich and Congleton on the Dane which runs into the Weeve Middlewich on the Croke near its fall into the Dane Maxfield or Maclesfield on the Bollin Sandbich on the Welock Nantwich Middlewich and Northwich are of chief note for their Salt-pits but the first especially which next to Chester is the greatest and the fairest built Town in the County Here is the best white Salt made and great plenty of it At Congleton they make great store of Points Purses and leather Gloves Sandbich is only famous for its Ale sold at London for 12 pence the bottle which for strength and clearness does equalize Canary Maxfield or Maclesfield is a large and fair Town which drives a great Trade of Buttons But it is of most note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Charles Gerard Earl of Maclesfield c. This County formerly a Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Chester The Earls hereof were anciently accounted Palatines since William the Conquerour gave this Earldom to Hugh Lupus a noble Norman to be holden as freely by his Sword as the King himself held England by his Crown which was the Tenure of all Counts Palatine more like Princes than Subjects And though it be now and has long been reannexed to the Crown yet it still holds the Rights and Priviledges of a County Palatine having for the administration thereof a Chamberlain a Justice for the Common-Pleas of the Crown two Barons of the Exchequer a Sheriff an
Trade for the Stuffs here made and of some note for its excellent Oysters In short 't is the richest fairest and best traded Town in the whole County from whence the Earl Rivers takes his Title of Viscount Yet in regard it stands in the extremity of all the County the Sessions and Assizes are held most commonly at Chelmsford which is almost in the middle of it It s Market is kept on Saturdays and is well served with Provisions The other Market-Towns are Maldon Sat. Harwich Tue. Cogshall Sat. Manytre Tue. Walden Sat. Billerakey Tue. Dunmore Sat. Waltham Abbey Tue. Hatfield Sat. Braintre Wedn. Raleigh Sat. Rumford Wedn. Hornden Sat. Buntwood Thu. Barkin Sat. Epping Thu. and Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Hâ—ulsteed Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Chelmsford Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Thanted Frid. Among which Maldon and Harwich are two noted Harbours The first by the Romans called Camelodunum a Town of great antiquity and the Seat of Cunobelin King of the Trinobantes about the Time of Christ's Birth 'T is seated on the River Chelmer about 7 miles from the Sea between which and the Sea ly two small Isles called Northey and Osey It has one Street about a mile in length and is well inhabited In short 't is one of the chief Places in the whole County particularly noted for giving the Title of Viscount to the Earl of Essex In the Parts adjoyning to this Town are excellent Pastures which feed store of Sheep amongst other Cattel of whose milk they make Cheese And on the utmost Promontory stood an ancient City of the Romans called Ithancester where the Fortenses with their Captain kept their Station or Gard in the Dedination of the Roman Empire for the Security of these Parts against the Saxon Rovers Nothing of which is now remaining but the Ruins of a thick Wall where many Roman Coyns have been found And out of the Ruins of this City was built S. Peters upon the Wall Harwich lies the furthest East of any by the Sea-side and at the mouth of the River Stower So that 3 Parts of it are surrounded with Water The Town is not large but well inhabited and frequented not only for the commodiousness and safety of its Harbour but because it is the readiest Passage for Holland and the Station for the Packet-Boats imploy'd for that purpose But there is a great Inconveniency to the Inhabitants the Brackishness of its Waters Which puts the Inhabitants upon the necessity of being supplied with sweet Water from other Places The Towns of chief note besides are Chelmsford where the Assizes for the County are usually held Burntwood or Brentwood a Place of good Antiquity Rumford a great Thorough-fare and Walden or Saffron-Walden seated on an Ascent among pleasant Fields of Saffron from which the Owners reap good Profit Not far from Walden is one of the Royal Houses called Audley-end a very stately Building built by the Right Honourable Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk then Treasurer of England And upon the Thames over against Gravesend in Kent stands Tilbury Fort which commands that Passage This County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons from whence it came to be called Essex and its Inhabitants together with those of Middlesex known among the ancient Romans by the Name of Trinobantes is now in the Diocese of London Famous among other things for giving the Title of Earl to several Families as the Mandeviles the Bohuns the Bourchiers Thomas Lord Cromwel William Lord Parre and three D'Evreux before it came to the present Family of the Capels And the first Earl of this Name was Arthur Capel the late Earl of Essex advanced to this Title by King Charles II. Anno 1661 afterwards made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and some years after his Return sent to the Tower in order to make him a Sacrifice with the Lord Russel and others to the Popish Faction But his Title is revived in the person of his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Algernon Capel the present Earl of Essex Lastly out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire six Members of Parliament Viz. two from Colchester two from Harwich and two more from Maldon CHAP. IX Of Glocestershire Hampshire and Hartfordshire Glocestershire GLOCESTERSHIRE a large Inland County is bounded on the East by Warwickshire and Oxfordshire on the West by Monmouthshire and part of Herefordshire Northward by Worcestershire Southward by Wiltshire and Somersetshire It contains in Length from North to South 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into 30 Hundreds wherein 280 Parishes and 26 Market Towns This is in general a most pleasant and fruitful Country blessed with a full Course of the River Severn That Part thereof which is beyond the River is overspread with Woods all which included in one Name made the Forest of Dean That part which buts upon Oxfordshire is swelled up with Hills called the Corswold Hills but these are in a manner covered with Sheep which yields a Wool of a notable fineness Whereof great Quantities of Cloth are here made that find vent throughout all England and divers forein Countries Between these two I mean the Forest and the Hills is seated a most fruitful Vale yielding most sorts of Grain to admiration and formerly stock'd with Vines and Vineyards The want of which is now supplied with Cider which they make here in great abundance Next to the Severn which crosses the Country from North to South here 's the Avon which parts it from Somersetshire the Wye which severs it in part from Monmouthshire besides the Stroud and the Isis All which afford great plenty of Fish and the Severn particularly abundance of Salmon The Forest of Dean which ly's in the West-side of the County between the Severn and the Wye is reckoned to be 20 miles long and 10 broad A Place formerly much more woody than it is at present the Iron Mines that are here having consumed a good part of the Wood. Glocester the County Town is 81 miles distant West and by North from London Viz. from London to Colebrook 15 to Maidenhead 7 more and 11 from thence to Nettlebed from Nettebed to Abington 12 to Faringdon 10 more to Perrors Bridge 14 more and 12 from thence to Glocester A City of good Antiquity and first built by the Romans to whom it was known by the Name of Glevum It ly's stretched out in length on the Severn over which it has a fine Bridge and on the Banks thereof a large Key or Wharf very commodious for the Merchandize and Trade of the Place The Streets are generally fair and the Town well built upon an easy Ascent the Streets descending every way from the Cross It has been formerly walled about with a strong Wall except on the Rivers side and some Remains of its Walls are still in many places to be seen which shew what strength they were of The City is not very large but very well inhabited
Breadth from East to West 32. The Whoâ— divided into six Hundreds wherein 61 Parisheâ— and 26 Market-Towns The Number of Parishâ— but small in so large a quantity of Ground but that there are many Chappels of Ease equal to Parishes elsewhere for Multitudes of People Here the Air is sharp thin and piercing seldom troubled with Fogs And the Inhabitants accordingly are healthfull comely strong and long-lived not subject to many Diseases The Soil differs much according to its different nature and situation some Parts being Mountainous and of the Champain Country some very fruitfull some Mossy and the rest Moorish The Champain Country is very good for Wheat and Barley but that which lies at the bottom of the Hills is best for Oats From the Mosses which are not unlike the Irish Bogs some of them many Miles in Compass the common People get Turves for their Firing And sometimes they dig up Trees out of them which serve both for Building and Fewel Cambden seems to be of Opinion that they are subterraneous Trees growing under Ground as some other Plants do The Mountainous Part which lies Eastward is full of stony craggy and barren Hills bare of Wood and the Habitation of Foxes Conies Otters c. Amongst these Hills some are of a prodigious height especially Pendle-Hill on the top whereof grow's a peculiar Plant called Cloudsberry as coming from the Clouds But one thing besides is remarkable in this Hill that whenever the Top of it is covered with a Mist 't is an infallible Sign of Rain The Country in general is well watered with Rivers the chief whereof are the Mersey the Rible and the Lon all three running from East to West into the Irish Sea The Mersey Waters the South Parts and serves for a Boundary betwixt this County and Cheshire the Rible waters the middle and the Lon the North Parts Besides these Rivers and many others of less note here are several great Meers or Lakes as Merton and Winder or Wimander Meer This last divides part of Lancashire from Westmorland reaching about 10 miles in length and 3 or 4 in breadth It has as most Lakes in the North a clear pebbly Bottom whence the Saying that this Lake is all paved with Stone And it breeds great store of Fish particularly Trouts Pikes Pearches Eels and Skellies But there 's one sort of Fish peculiar to it and not to be found elsewhere except in Vlles Water another Lake bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland Charre is the Name of it and 't is a dainty Fish whereof many Pies are yearly sent abroad for Presents In short tho' this Country in general cannot be called a fruitfull Country yet what is good of it yields abundance of good Grass and Corn the fairest Oxen in England and in general all sorts of Provisions Fish and Fowl particularly here 's great plenty of and in the River Lon near Cockerfand Abbey is great store of Salmon To make Linnen here grows a great deal of Flax for Fewel the Country yields not only fat Earth but good Coals and for Building Quarries of good Stone Lancaster the Shâ—re Town bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom by common computation 187 miles thus From London to Stafford 104 for the particulars whereof I refer you to Staffordshire Then from Stafford to Stone 10 to Newcastle 6 more thence to Warington 20 to Wigan 14 more to Preston 14 more then to Garstang 10 and to Lancaster 15 more A Town pleasantly seated in a good Soil on the South-side of the â—iver Lon near its fall into the Sea From which River it came to be called Loncaster since turn'd into Lancaster as from Lancaster the whole County took the Name of Lancashire The Town not very well peopled nor much frequented There are in it several fair and long Streets from the Length whereof this Town I suppose might be called Longovicus by the Emperor Antonine And yet there is but one Parish-Church which indeed is large and fair It stands on the side of a Hill on the top of which is the Castle now made use of for the County Goal both for Debtors and Malefactors and for keeping the Assizes for the County Besides the Church and Castle two of the chief Ornaments of this Town here 's a fair Stone-Bridge over the Lon supported by five Arches To which add the Market-house or Town-hall where the Mayor and his Brethren keep their Courts It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is commonly well furnished with all sorts of Provisions but Fish and among the rest Salmon especially Lastly this Town is of sufficient Fame in the Annals of England for those noble Persons which have successively born the Titles of Earls and Dukes of it the greatest Princes in their time for Revenues of any Subjects in Christendom Of which House there have been four Kings of England all under the Name of Henry viz. Henry the fourth the fifth the sixth and the seventh The last by marrying with Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward IV. of the House of York did happily unite the two Houses of York and Lancaster Whose Competition for the Crown of England under the Names of Red and White Roses had caused more Blood-shed than the Conquest of France by the English The Market-Towns of this County besides Lancaster are Manchester Sat. Leverpool Sat. Clitheroe Sat. Dalton Sat. Blackborn Mund. Poulton Mund. Cartmill Mund. Hornby Mund. Hawkshead Mund. Wigan Mund. Frid. Rochdale Tue. Chorley Tue. Ormskirk Tue. Kirkham Tue. Prescot Tue. Coln Wedn. Haslington Wedn. Warington Wedn. Preston Wedn. Frid. Sat. Bury Thu. Garstang Thu. Vlverston Thu. Besides Leigh and â—reat Eccleston whose Market-days I am ignorant of Manchester is seated upon a stony Hill in the South-East Parts of the County between the Rivers Irk and Irwell both which empty themselves not far off into the Mersey This Town called by Antonine the Emperour Mantunium was a Station of the Romans And it is to this day a Town much beyond Lancaster in beauty and populousness It s chief Ornaments are the Colledge and the Market-Place but above all the Collegiate Church beautified with a small Quire of excellent Workmanship Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Montague the present Earl of Manchester derived to him from his great Grandfather Henry Montague Viscount Mandeville created Earl of Manchester by King Charles I. Anno 1625. being then Lord Treasurer and President of the Council and afterwards Lord Privy Seal And lastly 't is a noted Place for its Linnen and Woollen Cloths as also for its Cottons which are held in great esteem Leverpool is the next Place of chief note in this County T is an excellent Sea-port commodiously seated at the fall of the River Mersey into the Sea where it affords a safe Harbour for Ships and a convenient Passage into Ireland To the immortal Praise of the Family of the Mores of Banck-hall
River Weland so that it stands upon three Counties the chief Part in Lincolnâ—hire another part in Rutland and that Part on this side the River in Northamptonshire Over which River some time since made narigable it has several Bridges A Town of good Antiquity from whence the Roman High-way or high Dike leadeth to the North. â—ut that which gives it most Renown is â—hat upon a Quarrel between the North â—â—d South-Men in the University of Oxford â—he Scholars removed hither in the Reign of Edward III and here held publick Schools of â—ll sorts of Learning Nor did they return â—gain till they were commanded so to do by â—he King's Proclamation with Order that the Scholars in taking their Degrees should make â—ath not to read publickly at Stamford to â—he prejudice of Oxford Nevertheless the Town still flourished in Trade and Merchanâ—ize and the Inhabitants of it to this day â—rive a good Trade of Malt especially whereâ—f great plenty is made here The Houses â—re built of free Stone which they have â—rom Ketton Quarry In short this Town â—onsists of several Streets begirt with a Wall â—nd containing six Parish Churches Digâ—ify'd besides with the Title of an Earldom â—ow in the person of the Right Honourable Thomas Grey of Groby Earl of Stamford â—c Within half a mile of this Town in â—orthamptonshire stands Burgley House 〈◊〉 stately Building the Mansion-House of the Earl of Exeter Grantham situate on the River Witham is a Town of good account and well resorted unto Whose Church-Steeple is so very high that it seems crooked to the Eye of the Beholder Not far from hence towards Leicestershire is Belvoir Castle the Earl of Rutland's Seat so highly elevated though in a Vale that it yields a most admirable Prospect About this Castle is found the Astroit or Star-like Stone pointed with five beams or rays formerly of such an esteem that he thought the Victory infallible on his side that wore one about him Sleaford stands near the head of a River so called which runs into the Witham A large and well inhabited Town formerly strengthened with a Castle whose ruinous Walls are yet standing Market-Deeping is seated not far from Stamford on the Weland but in a fenny Ground Where Richard de Rulos Chamberlain to William the Conqueror for the hindering it Overflowing raised its Banks and built there on divers Tenements so that it became a great Village and is now an indifferent Town Bourn seated at the head of a Spring calleâ— Burnwell-head is a goodly Town of some not for being the Place where King Edmund waâ— crowned Here are still to be seen the Ruiâ— of a good Castle And not far from hence is Swinsted-Abbey one of whose Monks nâ—med Simon poisoned King John Ganesborough or Gainsborough in Lindseâ— Part is seated on the River Trent A largâ— and well-built Town of a considerable Trade Where Sueno the Danish Tyrant was stabbeâ— to death by an unknown hand as a just Reâ—â—ard for his many Outrages committed in the â—ountry Noted besides for giving the Title â—f Earl to the Right Honourable Wriothesly Noel the present Earl of Gainsborough Barton is seated on the River Humber alâ—ost over against Hull in Yorkshire Here 〈◊〉 a considerable Ferry into Yorkshire which â—s no small Advantage to the Town About this Place are abundance of Pewets Godwits Knots and Dotterels the last a simple kind of Bird yet much given to Imitaâ—ing And 't is usually caught by Candleâ—ight in this manner The Fowler stands â—efore the Bird and if he put out an Arm â—he Bird stretches out a Wing if he put a â—eg or his Head forward the Bird does the â—ike Thus he imitates the Fowler 's Gesture â—o long till he drawing nearer and nearer by degrees at length casts his Net over him and takes him Grimsby is situate within half a Mile of the Humber where it falls into the Sea in a flat and marshy Ground This Town has formerly injoyed a good Trade before its Haven was choackt up and then it had two Markets a Week For the security of its Port it had a Castle which is likewise decayed And instead of two Churches it had now it contents it self with one which for largeness gives place to few Cathedrals Burton or Burton Stather is seated on the River Trent near its fall into the Humber On the other side of the Trent is the Isle of Axholm made so by the Trent and Dun with two or three lesser Rivers This Isle is in breadth from North to South 10 miles but in length not half so much and in that Circuit are seated several Towns The lower Part of it is flat and moorish yielding a sweet Shrub called by the Country people Gall. But the middle Part which is a rising Ground is fertile and among other Things does yield great store of Flax. Here is also Alabaster to be found Thongcaster a well-compacted Town stands oâ— the side of a Hill Of note for its ancienâ— Castle so called said to be built by Hengist the Saxon after he had beaten the Picts and Scots in Vortiger's Quarrel Who granted him so much Ground as an Ox-hide cut into Thongs would compass within which he erected the Castle Saltfleet is a Sea-Town much frequented by the Gentry in the Summer Season for the eating of Fish otherwise inconsiderable Alford a goodly Town is seated at the head of a Rivulet few miles from the Sea-side Waynfleet South of Alford is another good Town not far from the Sea but seated in a fenny Ground on a Wash or Dike which falls into the Sea Here is an excellent Freâ— School founded by William of Waynfleet Bishop of Winton who also built Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Bullingbrook or Bolinbrook an ancient Town is seated on a low Ground at the Spring head of a River which falls into the Witham Of note for a Castle built here by William of Romara Earl of Lincoln But much more famous in succeeding Times for being the Birth-place of King Henry IV surnamed according to the fashion of those Times of Bullingbrook And almost ever since his Time it has been one of the Honours as we call it of the Kings of England but never made an honourary Title to any Family till King â—ames conferred it on Sir Oliver St. Johns Who â—possibly might affect to be thence denominated as fetching his Descent from the Lady Margaâ—et Beauchamp Grandmother to King Henry VII the Heir of the Lancastrian Family From him the Title fell to Oliver St. Johns his Grandchild by Pawlet his second Son Oliver Lord St. John the eldest Son being slain at Eâ—ge-hill â—ight And from him to his Son the Right Honourable Paulet St. John the present Earl of â—ullingbrook Not far from Bullingbrook is Eresby which gives the Title of Baron to the Earl of â—indsey Horn-castle and Tatershall are both seated on the River Bane this last near its Influx into the Witham But Horn-castle is the most considerable Boston in Holland
the South with Herefordshire It s Length from North to South is about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West 26. The Whole divided into fifteen Hundreds wherein 170 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns Here the Air is counted very wholesom and the Soil as fruitfull both for Corn and Pasture T is well cloathed with Wood and in the Bowels of the Earth are Mines of Iron and Pitcoal in great plenty But towards the West and South Parts the Country is very hilly and mountainous As for fresh Streams no County is better watered than this For besides the Severn which in its crooked and winding Course cuts the Shire in the midst here are the Roden the Terne Clum Rea and Teme In all which are plenty of fresh-Water Fish And as this County is inferiour to none about it either for delight or penty So for the Number of Towns and Castles standing exceeding thick on every side as having formerly been a Frontier-County towards Wales it is far above ' em Shrewsbury the chief Place hereof bears from London North-West and by West and is distant therefrom 124 miles thus Viz. From London to St. Albans 20 and to Dunstable 10 more thence to Stony-Stratford 14 to Towcester 6 and to Daventry 10 more from thence to Covenrry 14 and to Bermingham 14 more then to Dudley 8 to Bridgenorth 12 more from Bridgenorth to Wenlock 6 and from thence to Shrewsbury 10. 'T is seated in the very midst or Center as it were of the County on a pleasant Ascent and on the Banks of the Severn not far from the Place where stood Vriconium out of whose Ruins 't is said to be raised The Severn do's almost incompass it round and that Part of it which is not fenced with it is fortified with a strong Castle built by Roger de Montgomery the first Earl hereof A Town which for neatness of Buildings both publick and private for variety and fineness of Streets for extent and populousness yields to few Cities in England It contains five Parish-Churches two of which viz. St. Marie's and St. Alchmond's are fair Structures and beautify'd with lofty Spires And here are still to be seen the Remains of a stately Abbey founded by the foresaid Earl of Montgomery Besides the natural Strength of this Place it is fenced about with a strong Wall with a Bulwark ranging from the Castle unto and part along the Severn On the East and West there are three Entrances into the Town by two fair Stone-bridges with Gates Towers and Bars and on the North by a Gate over which stands the Castle once exceeding strong Remarkable besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Charles Talbot the present Earl of Shrewsbury In short 't is a well-traded and frequented Town by all sorts of people both English and Welch whose frequent Intercourse brought them to speak both Speeches The principal Trade they drive here is in Cloths Frizes Welch Cottons and some other Commodities this being the common Mart or Empory between England and Wales And here are Weekly 3 Markets Viz. On Wednesdays for Provisions on Thursdays for Welch Cottons c. here sold in great abundance and thence sent to London on Saturdays for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Bridgenorth Sat. Newport Sat. Ludlow Mund. Great Wenlock Mund. Oswestree Mund. Ellismeer Tue. Shipton Tue. Drayton Wedn. Wem Thu. Wellington Thu. Stretton Thu. Whitechurch Frid. Bishops Castle Frid. Clebury Among which Ludlow seated in the South Parts of the County upon the Banks of the Teme is the most considerable The Town is large and populous beautified with many fair Edifices It is also defended by a Wall and a Castle both built by Earl Roger of Montgomery But it is of chief note for being the Place where the Court for the Marshes of Wales were kept first ordained by King Henry VIII for the Trial of Causes but suppressed in the late Session of Parliament Bridgenorth or the Borough of Bruges is situate upon the Severn over which there 's a fair Stone-bridge 'T is a good large Town divided into two Parts the one called the Upper the other the Lower Town containing two Parish Churches In former time fortified with Walls a Ditch and a stately Castle seated on a Rock now decay'd Drayton on the River Terne where it severs this County from Staffordshire is a Place of some note for a Battel there fought betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster Newport lies South of Drayton on a Plain or Flat adjoyning to Staffordshire Great Wenlock in the Road from Worcester to Shrewsbury Bishops Castle in the South Parts not far from the River Clun Wem on the Roden in the North Parts of the County noted for the Title of Baron it lately gave to the Lord Chancellour Jeffreys Oswestree and Ellismore near the Borders of Wales Whitechurch on the Confines of the County near Cheshire At Wenlock in the Time of Richard the Second was found a rich Copper Mine And at Pitchford in this County is a Well or Spring in a private Man's Yard wherein flow's a thick Scum of liquid Bitumen which being cleared and taken off one day will have the like upon it again the next Alderbury though no Market-Town is famed for being the Birth-place of old Thomas Parre who lived to a great Age and about two years before he died was brought up to London to King Charles I. Where he died and lies buried in Westminster Abbey He was born Anno 1483 died in the Year 1635 lived 152 Years and saw ten â—eigns Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them stands now divided betwixt the Dioceses of Lichfield and Hereford Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Shrewsbury Ludlow Great Wenlock Bridgenorth and Bishops-Castle Somersetshire SOMERSETSHIRE a large Maritime County in the West of England is so called from Somerton once the most famous and most considerable Town in all the County and now but a small Market-Town of little or no credit 'T is bounded on the East by Wiltshire and part of Devonshire on the West by Devonshire Northward by the Severn Sea and part of Glocestershire Southward by the Counties of Devon and Dorset It s Length from East to West is about 55 miles its Breadth from North to South 40. The Whole divided into 42 Hundreds wherein 385 Parishes and 30 Market-Towns The Air of this County in the Summer Season is very agreeable but in Winter-time 't is apt to be too moist and foggy Accordingly the Soil in Winter is wet miry and moorish especially in the midst of the Country which makes the Roads very uneasy to Travellers But in Summer there is no pleasanter Country being garnished as it is with rich Pastures and delightful Meadows Which has given occasion to an usual Proverb here
for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
fortified with a strong Castle wherein a Garrison is kept The Town is not very large but well built and well inhabited and as it has a commodious Key it injoy's a pretty good Trade Several Vessels belong unto this Town imploy'd especially in Herring-Fishing Season which are taken on this Coast in great plenty This Place is also noted for its famous Spaw which is much resorted unto But of late in a more particular manner for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Richard Lumley newly created Earl of Scarborough Between this Town and Whitby to the Northward is Robin Hoods Bay so called from Robin-Hood that noted Robber in the Reign of Richard I. About which is found a sort of Jeat or black Amber Whitby another Sea-Town is commodiously seated on the River Esk at its Influx into the Sea A pretty neat Town with a Bridge over the River and driving a good Trade chiefly for Allum and Butter Here is a Custom-House and great many Vessels belonging to the Town Formerly a Place of note for its Abbey but chiefly for the Abbess thereof S. Hilda so famed in her time for working of Miracles One of which Tradition tells us was her ridding this Part of the Country of Snakes which infected it much and conjuring of them into the Sea by her fervent Prayers Which is backed by those who aver that at the Root of the craggy Rocks that are upon the Shore therely Stones scattered here and there naturally as round as a Bullet In which Stones being broken are found stony Serpents wrapt round but most of them headless Not far from Whitby is Mulgrave an ancient Castle situate near unto the Sea and first built in the Time of Richard II by Peter de Mauley Who being pleased with it called it Mouligrace that is a fine Seat But as it proved a grievous Yoke to the neighbour Inhabitants they nicknamed it and called it Moultgrave since turned into Mulgrave by which Name it go's to this day It continued in this Line for 7 Generations and all of them called Peters too The Issue male failing it passed through several Families till it came to the Sheffields Out of which House Edmund Lord Sheffield of Butterwick Lord President of the North was created Earl of Mulgrave by King Charles I. Anno 1625. To whom succeeded in the Title Edmund his Grand-Son by Sir John Sheffield his second Son Who dying in the Year 1658. left his Title to his Son and Heir the Right Honourable John Sheffield the present Earl of Mulgrave Some miles West from Mulgrave Castle is a small Sea-Town called Skeningrave not to be omitted were it but for the following Account of the Seal-fish Hereabouts near unto Hunt-Cliff at low Water appear Rocks not far from the Shore about which the Seal-fish come in great Sholes and in fair and warm Weather ly sleeping and sunning themselves But as it has been observed while they ly thus asleep one of them is upon the Watch and acts the part of a Sentinel Who upon the appearance of any Danger gives the Signal by flouncing into the Water the Noise whereof awakes the rest and so they make their escape They are not afraid say's my Author of Women but only of Men and therefore they that catch 'em put on Womens Cloaths If when they are chased they find themselves too far from the Water their Way is with their hinder feet to fling Sand and Gravel backward in the Pursuers faces which forces 'em sometimes to quit the Sport Some miles from this Coast to the Southward is a Tract of Land called Cleveland taking that Name as Cambden tells us of the Cliffs or steep Banks which run all along the side thereof and at the foot of which the Country spreads it self into a fine fruitful Plain A Territory besides of a good extent which gave the Title of an Earl to Thomas Lord Wentworth created Earl of Cleveland by King Charles I. But leaving no Issue the Title died with him Anno 1670. King Charles II. conferred the Title of Dutchess of Cleveland upon Barbara Villiers Daughter to the Lord Viscount Grandison who was slain in the Civil Wars the Earl of Castlemain's Wife and Mother of three Dukes viz. the Duke of Southampton the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of Northumberland In this Tract I mean Cleveland is an ancient Castle called Danby seated near unto a large Park and a goodly Chase of the same Name It belonged anciently to the Lord Latimer and was sold with other Lands belonging to that Family to Ralph Nevil Earl of Westmorland who forthwith gave the same to his Son Sir George Nevil And not long after King Henry VI. summoned him to the Parliament by the Name of Lord Latimer Whose Issue male failing in Queen Elizabeths Time the Estate was divided between his two Daughters The Castle with the Lands adjoyning fell to the share of Mary Wife to Sir John Danvers of Wiltshire By whom she got Sir Henry Danvers Created by King James I. Lord Danvers of Danby and by King Charles I. Earl of Danby But he dying without Issue the Title lay dormant till revived by Charles II. By whom the Right Honourable Thomas Osborn now Marquess of Caermarthen was created Baron of Kineton and Viscount Latimer in the Year 1673 and Earl of Danby the next Year Gisborough is pleasantly seated in a Flat between Mulgrave and the River Tees A mean Town to what it was when it had its rich Abbey but of some note however for being the first place where Allum was made in England Not far from which is Roseberry-Topping a Hill Pyramid-like serving to Sailers for a Land-Mark and being to the Country-people a certain Sign of Rain when they see a Cloud over it Almost at the top of it is a Spring of Water coming out of a huge Rock counted good for sore Eyes Stokesley is a Market-Town well watered with fresh Streams Yarum but a mean Town is seated on the Tees which divides this County from the Bishoprick of Durham and over which it has a fair Stone-Bridge North-Allerton a large Borough-Town stands near the Wisk a small Stream that falls into the Swale And Thirsk is a small Borough-Town that had once a very strong Castle Bedal Middleham and Masham are all three in Richmondshire The first seated on the Swale and a small Stream that falls there into it Middleham and Masham on the Youre And not far from Masham is Aldborough an ancient Borough-Town New Malton Pickering Kirby-Moreside and Helmley ly all four Eastward not far distant from each other nor from the Sea The first a Borough-Town is seated on the Banks of the River Derwent over which it has a Stone-bridge and contains 3 Parish Churches being well-inhabited and accommodated with good Inns for Travellers It s Market on Saturdays is counted one of the best in all the County for Horses living Cattle Provisions and most Country-Commodities especially Tools for Husbandry The other
three are all seated on small Rivers which after some small Course joyn together into one Stream and so fall into the Derwent a little below New Malton To conclude this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants Part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of York Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 28 Members of Parliament Viz. Two by each of these following Towns York Kingston upon Hull Knaresborough Scarborough Rippon Richmond Heydon Borough-bridge Malton Thirsk Aldborough Beverly North-Allerton Pomfret And which is remarkable it yields at this time two Dukes and one Dutchess one Marquess and nine Earls The Dukes are of Richmond and Bolton the Dutchess of Cleveland the Marquess of Halifax the Earls of Mulgrave Kingston Strafford Craven Burlington Holderness Derwentwater Faulconberg and Scarborough Thus I have compassed a very difficult Task the Description of forty Counties with so much variety of Matter in so short a Compass The Reader perhaps expects in the next place I should give an Account of the Twelve Counties of Wales as being Incorporated with England at least in point of Government But what Union soever it may have with England 't is but like those remote Cities conquered by the Romans whose Inhabitants were Civitate donati that is made Citizens of Rome England and Wales are naturally so distinct from each other both as to the Country and the Inhabitants that they cannot possibly fall under the same Character And so I lay Wales aside to present you by way of Precapitulation with a Table shewing by distinct Columns the Number of Hundreds Parishes and Market-Towns belonging to every County of England with the Names of the Shire-Towns Only 't is to be observed that instead of Hundreds Durham is divided into Wakes Cumberland Westmorland and Northumberland into Wards Also that some Counties are more generally divided than into Hundreds as Yorkshire first into three Ridings Kent into five Lathes Sussex into six Rapes Linconshire into these three Parts Lindsey Kesteven and Holland The TABLE Shires Hun Par. Shire-Towns Mark T. Barkshire 20. 140. Reading 12. Bedfordshire 9. 116. Bedford 10. Buckinghamsh 8. 185. Buckingham 15. Cambridgeshire 17. 163. Cambridge 8. Cheshire 7. 85. Chester 13. Cornwal 9. 161. Lanceston 21. Cumberland 5. 58. Carlisle 15. Derbyshire 6. 106. Derby 10. Devonshire 33. 394. Exeter 32. Dorseishire 29. 248. Dorchester 19. Durham 4. 118. Durham 6. Essex 20. 415. Colchester 21. Glocestershire 30. 280. Glocester 26. Hampshire 39. 253. Southampton 16. Hartfordshire 8. 120. Hartford 18. Herefordshire 11. 176. Hereford 8. Huntingtonshire 4. 79. Huntington 6. Kent 67. 408. Canterbury 30. Lancashire 6. 61. Lancaster 26. Leicestershire 6. 192. Leicester 12. Lincolnshire 30. 630. Lincoln 35. Middlesex 7. 273. LONDON 6. Monmouthshire 6. 127. Monmouth 7. Norfolk 31. 660. Norwich 28. Northamptonsh 20. 326. Northampton 13. Northumberland 6. 460. Newcastle 6. Nottinghamsh 8. 168. Nottingham 9. Oxfordshire 14. 280. Oxford 15. Rutland 5. 48. Okeham 2. Shropshire 15. 170. Shrewsbury 15. Somersetshire 42. 385. Bath 30. Staffordshire 5. 130. Stafford 18. Suffolk 22. 575. Ipswich 30 Surrey 13. 140. Guilford 8. Sussex 65. 312. Chichester 16. Warwickshire 5. 158. Warwick 15. Westmorland 4. 26. Kendal 8. Wiltshire 29. 304. Salisbury 23. Worcestershire 7. 152. Worcester 11. Yorkshire 26. 563. York 49. CHAP. XVIII Of LONDON and WESTMINSTER I Joyn these two together because contiguous And tho' they be two distinct Cities both by their Foundation and distinct Government yet as they make together one compact Body the City of Westminster under that Notion is generally comprehended under the Name of London and lookt upon as a Part of it In the Description whereof I shall joyn and part them as occasion shall offer My Design is not to make a long Preamble about the uncertain Original of LONDON which as some write was built above eleven hundred Years before the Birth of our Saviour That it is a most ancient City is a thing past all doubt For History tells us that the British King Lud above 60 Years before our Saviours Birth repaired and improved it The Romans in whose Time it was an Archbishop's See gave it the Title of Augusta And Animianus Marcellinus who wrote near 1300 Years ago calls it then an ancient City As for its Name the most probable Conjecture in my Judgment is that of those who derive it from the British Word Llongdin a Town of Ships It s Situation is upon all accounts very advantageous whether we consider the Soil on which it stands the River that waters it the Fruitfulness of the Country about it the Roads that lead into it or its convenient Distance from the Sea The Soil is gravelly and therefore so much the wholsomer And as it stands upon a gentle rising Bank on the North-side of the River this adds much to the healthfulness of the Place the South-side being counted something unhealthy by reason of the Vapours the Sun draws upon it The Thames that waters it I have already described as the chief River of England and an excellent navigable River This City stands where the River is cast into the form of a Crescent and stretches it self in length along the Shore as Cologne does upon the Rhine Which is a great Advantage upon several Accounts especially to a great City First because it ly's the more convenient for the several Uses and Benefits of the River Secondly for the Freeness of the Air which makes it so much the healthfuller lying open to the Fields Northward and to the River Southward Whereas Paris and all other Cities of an orbicular Form ly close together and the middle Parts half choackt for want of Air. To which add another Conveniency in London by its Situation along the River that by the Course of it one may sooner find out any Place than is possible in Paris which is a very Labyrinth in comparison This River besides is full of excellent Fish such as Barbels Trouts Chevins Pearches Smelts Breams Roaches Daces Gudgeons Flounders Shrimps Eels c. And after the Smelt-time is past it yields also sweet Salmons But Carps it is scarce of except upon Land-flouds when they get out of Gentlemens Ponds Great number of Swans are daily seen upon this River Besides a perpetual Motion of Wherries and small Boats above 2000 in Number whereby 3000 Watermen are maintained by carrying Goods and Passengers thereon Not counting those large Tilt-Boats Tide-Boats and Barges which either carry People or bring Provision from most Parts of the neighbouring Counties For Navigation no River more commodious as may appear by a Passage in the Reign of King James I. Who being displeased with the City for refusing to lend him a Sum of Mony he required threatned the Lord Mayor and Aldermen that he would remove his Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another Place with further expressions of his
absence to do whatever almost the Chancellour might do if he were present He keeps Judicial Courts wholly ruled by the Civil Law which all Members of the University are subject to And by Charter of Henry IV it is left to his Choice whether any Member in the University there inhabiting accused for Felony or High Treason shall be tried by the Laws of the Land or by the Laws and Customs of the University Though now where Life or Limb is concerned the Criminal is left to be tried by the Laws of the Land But in all Suits for Debts Accounts Contracts Injuries c. betwixt the Students he is the proper Judge and has Power to determine such Causes to Imprison to give corporal Punishment to excommunicate to suspend and to banish 'T is the Vice-Chancellor's Business to see that Sermons Lectures Disputations and other Exercises be performed that lewd people Hereticks c. be expelled the University and the Converse with Students that the Proctors and other Officers of the University duly perform their Duty that Courts be duly called and Law-Suits determined without delay In a word that whatever is for the Honour and Benefit of the University or may conduce to the Advancement of good Literature may be carefully obtained Next to the Vice-Chancellor are the two Proctors yearly chosen by turns out of the several Colledges These are to assist in the Government of the University more particularly in the business of Scholastick Exercises and taking Degrees in searching after and punishing all Violaters of Statutes or Priviledges of the University all Night-Walkers c. They have also the Oversight of Weights and Measures that Students may not be wronged Next in order is the Publick Orator Whose Charge is to write Letters according to the Orders of the Convocation or Congregation and at the Reception of any Prince or great Person that comes to see the University to make proper Harangues c. Then there is the Custos Archivorum or Keeper of Records Whose Duty is to collect and keep the Charters Priviledges and Records that concern the University to be always ready to produce them before the chief Officers and to plead the Rights and Priviledges of the University Lastly there is a Register of the Univerfity whose Office is to register all Transactions in Convocations Congregations Delegacies c. Besides the foresaid Officers there are certain publick Servants the chief whereof are the six Beadles and the Verger Three of the first are called Squire Beadles who carry large Maces of Silver gilt and the other three Yeomen Beadles whose Maces are of Silver but ungilt Their Office is always to wait on the Vice-Chancellor in publick doing what belongs to his Place and at his Command to seize any Delinquent and carry him to Prison to summon and publish the Calling of Courts or Convocations to conduct Preachers to Church and Lecturers to School c. But upon Solemnities the Verger appears with a Silver Rod in his hand and walking with the other six before the Vice-Chancellor is to observe his Commands and to wait on Grand Compounders c. I have already mentioned several great Priviledges granted by former Kings to this University That of sending two Burgesses to Parliament they hold from King James I. Another that no Victuals be taken by the King's Purveyors within 5 miles of Oxford unless the King himself comes thither is of a much more ancient Date But one of the most considerable is That granted by Charter of King Edward III whereby the Mayor of Oxford is to obey the Orders of the Vice-Chancellor and be in subjection to him Accordingly the Mayor with the chief Burgesses in Oxford and the High-Sheriff of Oxfordshire besides every Year in a solemn manner take an Oath given by the Vice-Chancellor to observe and conserve the Rights Priviledges and Liberties of the University of Oxford And every Year on the tenth of February being the Day of S. Scholastica a certain Number of the principal Burgesses publickly and solemnly do pay to each Colledge a Peny in token of their Submission to the Orders and Rights of the University Thus you have a short Description of Oxford as a City and an University My next Business is the Description of Cambridge Cambridge CAMBRIDGE the chief Town of Cambridgeshire and that from whence the Country is denominated bears from London North by East and is distant therefrom 44 miles thus From London to Waltham 12 to Ware 8 more thence to Puckeridge 5 to Barkway 7 and to Cambridge 12 more 'T is seated at the Confluence of two Rivers the Cam and the Grant which running from thence Northward in one Channel empty themselves in the Ouse 3 miles above Ely By these Rivers it is separated into two but unequal Parts but they have Communication by a Bridge It is a Place of a large Extent numbering 14 Parishes And according to Doctor Fuller's Observation in his Worthies of England 't is a Town within an University whereas Oxford is an University within a Town For in Cambridge the Colledges are not so surrounded with Streets as in Oxford but for the generality seated in the Skirts of the Town which afford them the better and more delightfull Walks and Gardens about them There are in Oxford as I said before 18 Indowed Colledges and 7 Halls In Cambridge there is but 12 Colledges and 4 Halls 'T is true they are all Indowed and generally so large that the Number of Students is commonly little different from that of Oxford The Names of them and of their Founders together with the Time of their Foundation you have in the following Table Colled Halls Founded by Anno. S. Peter's Colledge Hugh de Balsham Bishop of Ely 1284 Clare-Hall Rich. Badow Chanc. of the University 1326 Pembroke-Hall Mary S. Paul 1343 Gonvile Cajus Edmund de Gonvile and Cajus 1348 Trinity-Had Wil. Bateman Bishop of Norwich 1350 Corpus Christi H. of Monmouth D. of Lancaster 1351 King's Colledge King Henry VI. 1441 Queen's Colledge Margaret Wife to King Henry VI. 1448 Catharine Hall Robert Wood Lord Chancellor of the University 1475 Jesus Colledge John Alcock Chanc. of England 1496 Christs Colled S. John's Coll. Margaret Countess of Richmond 1505 Christs Colled S. John's Coll. Margaret Countess of Richmond 1508 Magdalen Coll. Tho. Audley Chanc. of England 1519 Trinity Colledge King Henry VIII 1546 Emanuel Colledge Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellor of the Exchequer 1582 Sidney and Sussex Francis Sidney Chancellor of Sussex 1598 The Degrees at Cambridge are usually taken as at Oxford except in Law and Physick For at Cambridge six Years after one has taken the Degree of Master of Art one may take the Degree of Batchelor and after five Years more that of Doctor The Batchelors of Arts compleat their Degree in Lent beginning at Ash-Wednesday And the first Tuesday of July is always Dies Comitiorum there called the Commencement wherein the Masters of Arts and the Doctors of all Faculties compleat
Democracy for ever all the World know's No Stone was left unturned and what came of it As soon as ever Opportunity served the very Presbyterians themselves joyned with the Royalists to bring in the exiled King and re-establish the ancient Government So soon the Nation grew sick of the Commonwealth and so strong was then the Current for Monarchy that without the shedding of a drop of Bloud the first was in a manner hissed out of the Nation and Monarchy restored with the greatest Pomp and Joy imaginable I set aside the Zeal of our English Clergy for Monarchy and their Influence upon the Laity The great Number alone of our Nobility and Gentry with their proportionable Ascendent upon the People makes me look upon it as a moral Impossibility for Commonwealth-Government ever to prevail here 'T is well known the Genius of Commonwealths is for keeping down the Nobility and extinguishing all those Beams of Royalty Therefore as 't is their Interest so I suppose it will be their Care to stick to Monarchy CHAP. VII Of the KING of ENGLAND And first of his Dominions Titles Arms his Ensigns of Royalty and Marks of Sovereignty THE King of England is otherwise called King of Great-Britain as being the sole Sovereign and supreme Head of this great and famous Island containing the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland besides the Principality of Wales Which Principality was first united by Conquest to the Crown of England Anno 1282 by King Edward I. Who overcame and slew in Battel Llewellen the last Sovereign Prince of Wales of the Race of Cadwallader the last King of the Britains After the Conquest thereof he took all the provident Care imaginable to secure it to the Crown but the Welsh seldom contained themselves within the bounds of true Allegiance till the Reign of Henry VII who was extracted from the Welsh Bloud In whose Successor's Reign Henry VIII they were made by Act of Parliament one Nation with the English subject to the same Laws capable of the same Preferments priviledged with the same Immunities and inabled to send Knights and Burgesses to the English Parliament So that the Name and Language only excepted there is now no Difference between the English and Welsh A very happy Union Scotland was also brought into Subjection by the same King Edward so that he received Homage of its King and Nobility and had there his Chancery and other Courts under a Viceroy But with much strugling they recovered at last their Liberty and set up a King of their own Robert Bruce who had the luck to be confirmed in it by the Defeat given to Edward II one of our unfortunate Kings 'T is true his Son King Edward III a most virtuous and valorous Prince changed the face of Affairs in Scotland and brought again the Scots to Obedience Insomuch that he excluded David the Son of Robert Bruce from the Crown then forced to fly into France and restored the House of Baliol to the Kingdom in the person of Edward Son of King John Baliol. Who upon his coming to the Crown did Homage to this King Edward as his Father had done to King Edward I. But 't was not long before the Scots quitted again their Subjection and Vassalage to the Crown of England the Roll of Ragman being treacherously delivered into their hands by Roger Mortimer Earl of March Which Roll contained a Confession and Acknowledgement of the Estates of Scotland subscribed by all their Hands and Seals whereby they owned the Superiority of the Kings of England not only in regard of such Advantages as the Sword had given them but as of their original and undoubted Right But setting aside this point of Vassalage the Kings of England are Kings of Scotland by a better Title For King James VI of Scotland and the first of England succeeded Q. Elizabeth in the Realm of England as the next Heir to the Crown Anno 1602 being descended by Mary Queen of the Scots his Mother from Margaret the eldest Daughter of Henry the VII King of England and Wife to James IV of Scotland And here the Wisdom and prudent Foresight of Henry is very remarkable Who having two Daughters bestowed the Eldest contrary to the Mind of his Council on the King of Scots and the younger on the French King that if his own Issue Male should fail as it did by the Death of his Grandson King Edward VI and that a Prince of another Nation must inherit England then Scotland as the lesser Kingdom should depend upon England and not England wait on France as upon the greater In which Succession of the Scots to the Crown of England the Prophecy of the fatal Stone received accomplishment I mean the Stone which the Scots lookt upon as their Palladium kept at Scone in Scotland the usual Place for the Coronation of the Scotish Kings upon which they received their Crown till the Removal of it unto Westminster by King Edward I. The Verses of old ingraven upon this Stone run thus Non fallat Fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Translated in old Meeter thus The Scots shall brook that Realm as natif Ground If Weirds fail not where ere this Stone is found Thus the Scots so often quelled and curbed by the English never subdued England but by this blessed Victory Ever since this happy Union Scotland has been deprived of its Kings Residence there who changed the worse Seat for the better But under the King there is a chief Governour appointed by his Majesty the Lord High Commissioner of Scotland who by that Title injoys the ordinary Power and Authority of a Viceroy In this manner Scotland has continued to this day a separate Kingdom governed by its own Laws 'T is true there have been several Attempts made to unite it into one Kingdom with England as Wales was by Henry VIII But hitherto they proved unsuccesfull So far we have cleared in few Words by History the whole Isle of Great Britain to the King of England with the numerous Islands about it the principal of which are the Isles of Shepey Thanet Wight Anglesey and Man The next that offers it self is the Kingdom of Ireland a great Part whereof was Conquered by the English about the Year 1172. in the Reign of Henry II and the Occasion thus Ireland being then divided amongst several â—petty Kings the King of Leinster was by the King of Meath driven out of his Kindom He fled to England for Refuge where applying himself to King Henry Henry resolved to attempt his Restauration which he did effectually and in the doing of it brought the best part of the Island under the English Subjection King John the Younger Son of Henry was the first who was Intituled Lord of Ireland Which Stile was granted him by Pope Urban III and continued to his Successors though in effect Kings thereof till the Year 1542 when Henry VIII was declared in an Irish Parliament King of
Ireland as a Name more sacred and replete with Majesty But the English never made a full and entire Conquest of that Kingdom till the latter end of Queen Elizabeths Reign upon the great Defection of the Irish Which ended in a total Overthrow of the Rebels then under the Conduct of Hugh O Neal Earl of Tiroen and the consequence of it according to the Rule That every Rebellion when 't is suppressed does make the Prince stronger and the Subjects weaker Which I hope will be the effect of the present Rebellion in that Kingdom But besides Great Britain and Ireland the King of England is possessed of Jersey Garnsey Alderney and Sark four Islands of good note especially the two first on the Coast of Normandy in France The same are holden in right of that Dukedom which was Conquered by Henry I of England and continued English till the Days of King John when Philip II of France surnamed Augustus seized on all the Estates the English had in France as Forfeitures Anno 1202. And since the French seized upon Normandy they have often attempted Jersey and Garnsey but always with repulse and loss So affectionate are the People to the English Government and jealous of the Priviledges they injoy under it which they could not hope for from the French In America the King of England is possessed of New-England Virginia Mary-Land New York Pensylvania Carolina and Hudsons-Bay Besides many noted Islands as New-found Land Jamaica Bermudos Barbados and amongst the Leeward Islands Nevis Antego Montserat Anguilla c. In Asia he has the Isle of Bombay near Goa which was Part of the present Queen Dowagers Portion besides Conveniencies for Traffick in India China and the Levant The same he has upon the Coast of Africk The King of England has a Claim besides to the Sovereignty of all the Seas round about Great Britain and Ireland and all the Isles adjacent even to the Shores of all the Neighbouring Nations Therefore all Foreiners Ships have anciently demanded Leave to Fish and to pass in these Seas and to this day lower their Top-Sails to all the Kings Ships of War Our Law faith the Sea is of the Liegeance of the King as well as the Land And accordingly Children born upon our four Seas as sometimes it does happen are accounted natural born Subjects of the King of England without being naturalized The King of England has moreover a Title to the Kingdom of France First Challenged by King Edward III as Son and Heir of Isabel the Daughter of King Philip the Fair and Sister of Lewis IX Philip V and Charles the Fair who reigned successively and died without Issue Male. To prosecute which Title he entred into France with an Army took upon him the Title of King of France and caused the Flower de luces to be quartered with the Lions of England which has been continued ever since amongst all his Successors The French opposing his Title by virtue of a pretended Salique Law disabling Women from the Succession to the Crown he overthrew in two great Battels with a small Force under the Conduct of the incomparable Edward the Black Prince his Son Duke of Aquitain Those were the Battels of Cressy and Poitiers the first being fought Anno 1343 in the Reign of Philip VI surnamed de Valois and that of Poitiers in the Reign of his Son King John who was taken Prisoner with Philip his Son and brought over into England But such is the Vicissitude of Humane Affairs that the English soon after lost all they had got in these Wars Calais excepted For Charles V of France the Son of John proved too hard for Richard II of England one of our unfortunate Kings the next Successor of King Edward III and his Grandson by Edward the Black Prince But Henry V his next Successor but one did so far pursue the Title of France that he won it after he had won the great Battle of Agincourt which happened Anno 1415. The Opportunity was great whether we consider the Weakness and distracted Condition of Charles VI then King of France or the very Distraction of the Kingdom at that time occasioned by the Faction of Burgundy against that of Orleans So that being sought to for Peace he granted it with these Conditions that upon his Marriage with the Lady Catharine Daughter to King Charles he should be made Regent of France during Charles his Life and after the Death of Charles the Crown of France and aâ—â— its Rights should remain to King Henry and his Heirs for ever which was agreed to â—n â—oth sides And though Henry did not live â—o possess the Kingdom yet his Son Henry VI â—ad the fortune to be Crowned King of France in Paris which he held during the life of his Uncle John of Bedford anâ— Humfrey of Gloâ—ester After whose Deaths he not only lost France to the French but England and his Life to the Yorkish Faction Thus Charles VII Son of Charles VI after 〈◊〉 long and bloody War recovered from the English then divided at Home all their Possessions in France except Calais Which last remained under the English till Queen Maries Reign and was taken from her by Henry II of France And ever since Things have remained much in the same Posture the Kings of England with the Title to France and the French Kings with the Possession Nay we have had two Kings of late so passionately inamoured with the present French King that far from attempting to take the least Flower of his Crown from him have promoted his Greatness and encouraged his Rapines and unjust Usurpations The Scope whereof at last appeared to be no less than the Inslaving this Nation with the Assistance of France and far from raising the Glory of the English to make them an Object of Scorn and Contempt to the World But now we are blest with a wise just and magnanimous King three Vertues that have been long absent from the Throne of England we may hope shortly to see France if not Conquered again at least so humbled and weakened that it shall not be in her power to insult and incroach upon her Neighbours as she has in our Time to the Ruin and Desolation of the best Part of Europe 'T was a notable if not Prophetick Answer which an Englishman made to a French Officer who after the English had lost France asked him in a scoffing manner When they would return thither Wheâ— your Sins says he â—â—re greater than ours As baâ— as this Nation 〈◊〉 been 't is apparent the French have far outdone us in their Pride and Lewdness Cruelties and Usurpations So that I hope from the Disposition of the present Affairs of Europe the Time is come for France to give an Account thereof to God and Man I come now to the King of England's Titles which run thus at present joyntly with Queen Mary William and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland
of the Kings of England when all Christendom in the Council of Constance was divided into Nations the English was one of the Principal and not Subaltern having its Voice of equal ballance with the Nations of France or Italy In those General Councils the Emperor of Germany was counted Major Filius Ecclesiae the King of France Minor Filius and the King of England Filius tertius adoptivus Whereas with submission methinks it had been more proper especially in such Assemblies to look upon the King of England as Primogenitus Ecclesiae the Eldest Son of the Church out of respect to the British King Lucius who as I said before was the first King in the World that imbraced Christianity In those Councils the King of France had place next the Emperour on his right hand the King of England next on his left hand and the King of Scotland next before Castille However the King of England acknowledges no Precedence to any Monarch but only to the Emperour and that upon the Score of Antiquity For the Crown of England is free and independent and therefore has been declared in Parliaments long since to be an Imperial Crown CHAP. VIII Of the Solemn Proclamation and Coronation of the King of England THE Kings of England are both Proclaimed and Crowned with so much Solemnity that it won't be improper to describe the Manner of it it being a Solemnity not at all disagreeable to the Design of this Work I begin with the Proclamation which is the first Step to the Crown And being we are upon the New State of England I shall describe the Manner how the present King William and Queen Mary were Proclaimed at Whitehall-Gate within Temple-Bar in Cheap-sideâ— and the Royal Exchange Which happened oâ— the 13th of Febr. Anno 1688 9. The Lords and Commons being then Assembled at Westminster came to the Banquetting-House where they presented the Princâ— and Princess of Orange the Instrument in Writing agreed upon for Declaring Their Highnesse KING and QUEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Teâ—tories thereunto belonging and received Their Consent thereto About 11 of the Clock the said Lords and Commons came down to Whitehall Gate preceded by the Speakers of their respective Housâ—â— viz. the Marquess of Hallifax Speaker 〈…〉 Lords and Henry Powle Esq Speaker of 〈…〉 mons each of them attended by a 〈…〉 Arms in order to see Their Majesties 〈…〉 Being come down to the Gate there they found the Heralds of Arms the Sergeants at Arms the Trumpets and other Officers all in readiness being assembled by Order from the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England And Sr. Thomas S. George Knight Garter Principal King of Arms having received a Proclamation in Writing with an Order from the Lords House to the King's Heralds and Pursuivants of Arms for Publishing or Proclaiming the same forthwith the Persons concerned disposed themselves in Order before the Court-Gate for making the said Proclamation The Trumpets having sounded a Call three several times the last of which was answered by a great Shout of the vast Multitudes of People there assembled the Noise ceasing the said Garter King of Arms read the' Proclaimation by short Sentences or Periods Which was thereupon proclaimed aloud by Robert Devenish Esq York Herald being the Senior Herald in these Words VVHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God in his great Mercy to this Kingdom to vouchsafe as a Miraculous Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Power and that our Preservation is due next unto God to the Resolution and Conduct of His Highness the Prince of Orange whom God has chosen to be the Glorious Instrument of such an Inestimable Happiness to us and our Posterity And being highly sensible and fully persuaded of the Great and Eminent Vertues of her Highness the Princess of Orange whose Zeal for the Protestant Religion will no doubt bring a Blessing along with Her upon the Nation And whereas the Lords and Commons now Assembled at Westminster have made a Declaration and presented the same to the said Prince and Princess of Orange and therein desired Them to Accept the Crown who have Accepted the same accordingly We therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Together with the Lord Mayor and Citizens of London and others of the Commons of this Realm Do with a full Consent Publish and Proclaim according to the said Declaration William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange to be KING and QVEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging Who are accordingly so to be owned deemed accepted and taken by all the People of the aforesaid Realms and Dominions who are henceforward bound to acknowledge and pay unto Theâ— all Faith and true Allegiance Beseeching God by whom Kings Reign to bless KING WILLIAM and QVEEN MARY with long and happy Years to Reign over us God save King William and Queen Mary Jo. Brown Cleric Parliamentorum Which being ended and the Trumpeâ— sounding a Flourish was answered by several repeated Shouts of the People And Direction being given to proclaim the same with in Temple-Bar in Cheap-side and at the Royal-Exchange the Proceeding marched in this manner I. The several Beadles of the Liberties of Westminister II. The Constables of the said Liberties all on foot with the high-Constable on horseback III. The Head-Bayliff of Westminster and his Men all on horseback with white Staves to clear the Way IV. A Class of Trumpets nine in all on horse-back the six first riding two and two and the three last together Followed by the Sergeant-Trumpeter carrying his Mace on the Shoulder V. A Pursuivant of Arms single a Pursui â—ant and a Sergeant at Arms and next an â—ther Pursuivant and 〈◊〉 Sergeant at Arms. The Pursuivants in â—heir rich Coats of the â—oyal Arms and each â—f the Sergeants carryâ—â—g his Mace on his Shoulder all of them on horse-back VI. Four Heralds of Arms one after another each with a Sergeant at Arms on his left hand carrying his Mace on the Shoulder and the Heralds being all in their rich Coats of the Royal Arms. VII Garter King of Arms in his rich Coat of Arms carrying the Proclamation Accompany'd with Sr. Tho. Duppa Kt. Gentleman Vsher of the Black Rod in his Crimson Mantle of the Order of the Garter and his Black Rod of Office likewise on Horseback VIII The Speaker of the House of Lords in his Coach Attended by Sr. Roger Harsnet eldest Sergeant at Arms with his Mace IX The Speaker of the House of Commons in his Coach Attended by John Topham Esq Sergeant at Arms to the said House with his Mace X. The Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and Primier Duke of England in his Coachâ— with his Marshal's Staff in his hand XI The Peers in order in their Coaches XII The Members of the House of Commons in their Coaches In this Order they proceeded towards Temple-Bar And being come as far as the May-pole in the Strand two
High Admiral of England an Office held by Patent and of so great a Trust that it has usually been given to Princes of the Royal Bloud For the Lord High Admiral is Intrusted with no less than the Management of all Maritime Affairs with the Government of the King's Navy with Power of Decision in all Causes Maritime aswell Civil as Criminal of all Things done upon or beyond the Sea in any Part of the World in all Ports and Havens upon the Sea-Coasts and all Rivers below the first Bridge next towards the Sea In short the Admiralty being in a manner a separate Kingdom from the rest the Lord High Admiral may be reputed at least the Viceroy thereof A Multitude of Officers high and low are under him both at Sea and Land some of a Military others of a Civil Capacity some Judicial others Ministerial And under him is held the High Court of Admiralty the Places and Offices whereof are in his Gift The last High Admiral of England was the late King when Duke of York For since he came to the Crown the Office was executed by Seven Lords Commissioners as it is to this day CHAP. XIII Of Their present Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY With a brief Account of Their Accession to the Crown KING WILLIAM our present Monarch is the only Issue of the late Illustrious Prince William of Nassaw Prince of Orange and of the Deceased Princess Royal Mary eldest Daughter to King Charles I who was wedded to the foresaid Prince in the Year 1641. His Majesty was born in Holland Nov. 4th 1650 ten days after his Fathers Death and was Christened by the Names of William Henry William being his Fathers Name and Henry his Grandfathers The House of Nassaw is an Ancient and most Illustrious Family so called from Nassaw a Town and County in Weteravia a Province of Germany That Branch of it from whence the King is descended had their usual Seat at Dillenburg not far from Nassaw before they settled in the Low-Countries whence for Distinctions sake they were named the Earls of Nassaw of the House of Dillenburg Otho of Nassaw who died Anno 1190 was the Founder of the present Family of the Princes of Orange out of which descended Adolph Earl of Nassaw who was chosen Emperour in the Year 1292. By the Marriage of Engelbert the seventh Earl of this House with Mary Daughter and Heir of Philip Lord of Breda in Brabant that Town and Barony with many other fair Estates in the Netherlands was added to the Family And by the Marriage of Henry the tenth Earl of Nassaw Anno 1515. with Claude of Chalons Sister and Heir of Philibert Prince of Orange this Principality bordering upon Provence and Dauphene within the Dominions of France accrued to the Family So much the worse for having so ill an Neighbour as the present French King who has long since rapaciously seized upon it but left however what he could not take away the King 's just Title to it In short our Gracious King William is the 18th Earl of Nassaw beginning with Otho aforesaid and the 7th Prince of Orange of his Family beginning with Rene of Nassaw Son of Henry and Claude who succeeded Philibert his Uncle in the Principality of Orange A Family as much honoured for the personal Merit of the Princes of it as any other in Europe and to which the States of Holland ow the Liberty and Greatness they injoy All the World knows how great a Patron and Assertor of the Belgick Liberties against the Spaniard was the most noble and generous Prince William of Nassaw one of his Majestieâ— Ancestors And to pass by the generous Exploits of his noble Successors till the present King William 't is well known what his Majestly has done to rescue not only his Native Country but the best Part of Europe from its Oppressors It has been of late Years both at home and abroad the Maxim of some Princes to outvy each other in preying upon and destroying not only their Neighbours but their own Protestant Subjects by all Methods of Perfidiousness and Cruelty To establish or maintain their Tyranny they went about to introduce a general Ignorance For where Subjects part with their Reason 't is easy for them to part with their Liberty witness those miserable Inslaved Countries where Popery domineers On the contrary the House of Orange has always appeared against that ravenous and inhumane Principle And as if Providence had appointed them for a Check to Tyranny God has been pleased accordingly to bless their just Indeavours Never the Liberty of England and the Protestant Interest in general lay more at stake than it did in the late Reign 'T is plain there was a general Design to extirpate Herely in a Popish Sense and to inslave all Europe The Plot was laid in the Reign of blessed King Charles who with a shew of Proteslantism made the Way smooth for Popery At last when all Things were finely prepared to the hand of his next Heir King Charles go's off the Stage and his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more Courteous more Obliging or more Promising at first than He was to his new Subjects The Church of England Triumphed in his Exaltation and Addressed Him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelaâ— Angel The People in general look'd upon him as an Incomparable Hero who would quickly make it his Business to pull down the Hector of France and to carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors In short so great were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V the most glorious Monarchs of England were upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles No body dreamed of a Popish Catechism to be the first step to this Glory nor of an Army to be raised for the defence of it Under whose shelter besides a secret League with France the Prerogative began presently to swell above its Banks the Laws to be Overwhelmed the Liberty and Property of the Subject Invaded the Church of England Crushed that had raised the King to the Throne Popery crowing over all the Nation and to crown all their Hopes presto a Prince of Wales In short to speak in terms of War the Miner was fix'd and we must either Surrender or be Stormed This was our Condition when the Prince of Orange our present King undertook our Deliverance and effected it under God in a miraculous manner Upon whose Approach our Mass-Hero fled left us to shift for our selves and the Popish Party to the mercy of the Rabble This hapned Dec. 11th 1688 a fatal Year in this and the foregoing Age to Popery iâ— England In that state of Anarchy what could the Nation do less than provide for a Settlement under the gracious Influences of the Prince Which was accordingly done in as regular 〈◊〉 Way as the present state of Affairs would â—ow King James having thus deserted the
Rate 3 Rate  s. d s. d. s. d. Capt. 15 00 12 00 10 00 Lieut. 03 00 03 00 02 06  4 Rate 5 Rate 6 Rate Capt. 07 06 06 00 05 00 Lieut. 02 06     The Lieutenants of the fifth and sixth Rate Ships are paid by the Month and so are all others belonging to the Ships Now you must know that in the several Rates there is a Proportion greater or lesser of some sort of Officers As in a first Rate Ship 6 Master's Mates and Pilots in a second 4 and in a third 3 in a fourth and fifth 2 in a sixth 1. Quarter-Masters 4 in all Rates except the fifth and sixth which have but 2 each Quarter-Master's Mates 4 in the first and second Rates 2 in the third and fourth 1 in the fifth and sixth Boatswains Mates 2 in the first and but 1 in â—he rest Yeomen of Sheets 4 in the first and second Rates 2 in the third and fourth that is in each of them Gunners Mates 2 in the first and second and but 1 in each of the rest Quarter-Gunners 4 in the first second and third 1 in each of the rest Carpenters-Mates 2 in the first and second 1 in each of the rest Ordinary or Crew 9 in the first 6 in the second 4 in the third 3 in the fourth 1 in each of the fifth and sixth Midshipmen 8 in the first 6 in the second 4 in the third 3 in the fourth 2 in the fifth and 1 in the sixth For the Building Repairing and Cleaning of their Majesties Ships there are six great Yards where they are usually laid up Viz. Chatham Deptsord Woolwich Harwich Sheerness and Portsmouth Fitted with several Docks Wharfs Lanches and Graving places always furnished with great Quantities of Timber and other Materials having convenient Store-houses with vast Quantities of Cables Rigging Sails Blocks and other sorts of Stores with great Rope-Yards to make Cables and all sorts of Cordage for the Navy In those Yards are imployed divers Officers the principal whereof are as follow with their Yearly Salaries Viz.  l. A Clerk of the Checque 245 A Store-Keeper 260 A Master Attendant 124 His Assistant 80 A Master Shipwright 133 His Assistants each 70 Clerk of the Survey 160 Note that the Charges of the Clerks and Inâ—â—ruments are included in their Salaries All these are under the Direction and Management of the Navy Office kept in the Crouched Friars London Where the whole Business concerning the King's Ships is managed by four principal Officers and four Commissioners of the Navy besides other Commissioners for Victualling the Navy The four principal Officers are the Treasurer Câ—mptroller Surveyor and Clerk of the Acts. The Treasurer's Office is to pay the Charges of the Navy out of the Exchequer having first a Warrant for the Mony from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury and for the Payment thereof another Warrant from the principal Officers of the Navy His Allowance is 3000 l. a Year The Comptroller's Office is to attend and comptroll all Payments of Wages He is likewise to know all the Mâ—rket Rates of all Stores for Shipping to audit and examine all Treasurers Victuallers and Store-Keepers Accounts His Salary is 500 l. per Annum and his Assistants 400. The Surveyor's Business is to know the state of all Stores and see their Wants supplied to survey the Hulls Masts and Yards and have their Defects repaired at reasonable rates What Stores the Boatswains and Carpenters receive in order to a Voyage he is to charge them with by Indenture and at their return to state and audit their Accounts His Salary is 400 l. a Year The Clerk of the Acts is to record all Orders Contracts Bills Warrants c. relating to the Navy and his Salary is 500 l. pen Annum Amongst the four Commissioners one's Province is to Comptroll the Victualler's Accounts another's the Accounts of the Store-keepers of the Yards and the two others have the managing of Their Majesties Navy the one at Chatham and the other at Portsmouth The Salary of each is 500 l. Both the principal Officers and Commissioners hold their Places by Patent under the Great Seal of England and have Clerks allowed to each of them with respective Salaries for the Dispatch of Business The Commissioners for Victualling the Navy are commonly four and their Salary is each 400 l. a Year Lastly the Navy-Office is subordinate to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty as they execute the Office of the Lord High Admiral of England of whose Power and great Priviledges I have already spoken amongst the Great Officers of the Crown For transacting of Maritime Affairs they keep a Court called the Court of Admiralty of which in my Third Part. By virtue of their Place they appoint in divers Parts of the Kingdom several Vice-Admirals with their Judges and Marshals by Patent under the Great Seal of the High Court of Admiralty Now there are 17 of these Vice-Admiralties in England besides 2 in Wales Those in England are Chester Parts Cornwal North Parts Cornwal South Parts Devonshire Dorset Durham Northum berland Westworland and Cumberland Essex Glocester Kent Lancaster Lincoln Norfolk Somerset Southampton or Hampshire Suffolk Sussex York In Wales there 's but two Vice-Admiralties one in the North and the other in the South Parts of Wales To reflect upon what is past relating to our Naval Force this I confess was much weakened by the late King Charles his strange Neglect of Shipping and Seamen to the great discredit and damage of this Nation Then and not till then the French grew upon us and grew like a Weed so fast that they have been ever since a great Discouragement and Obstruction to our English Trade To see those Sea-Mushrooms the French dare be so bold as to crow over the English who would not have Imployed them for Swabbers some Years since 't were enough to inrage a sensible Nation But if one may guess at future Events from the present Disposition of Things I am apt to think this prodigious Gallicinium or Crowing of the French King is a Presage of his Fall And without Inquiring into the secret Causes of the late unusual and wonderful Tameness of our Fleet which gave him the satisfaction to rove a while undisturbed in our Seas now such Measures are taken as will in all probability make him lower his Top-sail As for Tourville his Admiral 's Exploit at Tingâ—nouth 't is such as deserves Derision more than a Triumph Tingmouth a small open and obscure Place the Resort of a few Fishermen who had there some Thatched Houses was wonderfully Stormed and irresistibly Burnt by this Victorious Fleet. Which flushed with this great Expedition and its happy Come-off in the Sea-fight sailed few Days after with flying Colours for Brest Brest which expected great Spoils from the British Shore and some Return for Millions expended to make this proud Appearance at Sea wondered to see nothing but their Fleet come
Piety and Sobriety Wardens of Hospitals Physicians Chirurgeons Schoolmasters and Midwives fall particularly under the Care of their Visitation Of the foresaid 26 Bishops there are two called Archbishops the one of Canterbury and the other of York These have a Superintendency over all the Church of England and in some measure over the other Bishops They have each of them his Province or Jurisdiction but that of Canterbury is much the greater of the two For of 26 Dioceses it takes up 22. Whereof 18 in England viz. Canterbury London Winchester Lincoln Exeter Hereford Salisbury Coventry and Lichfield Bath and Wells Oxford Chichester Ely Norwich Carlisle Worcester Glocâ—ster Bristol Peterborough and four in Wales viz. S. Asaph Landaff Bangor and S. Davids Whereas the Province of York has but four Diocesses York Durham Chester and Carlisle besides that of the Isle of Man Each of these Archbishops is called Primate of England and Metropolitan of his Province Yet the first has some kind of Supereminency over the other and has Power to Summon him to a National Synod Next to the two Archbishops are the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester the Order of the rest being by no other Rule than the Priority of their Consecration The Bishop of London has the Precedency of all the other Bishops not only as being Bishop over the Metropolis of England but as Provincial Dean of Canterbury And upon the Vacancy of the Archiepiscopal See the Bishop of London has been usually translated to that See excepting the Case of Dr. William Sandcroft the present Archbishop of Canterbury who from Dean of Paul's was preferred to this Dignity by King Charles II. The Bishop of Durham has been a Count Palatine six or seven hundred Years The common Seal of his Bishoprick has been of a long time an Armed Knight holding in one hand a Naked Sword and in the other a Church He has also at this day the Earldom of Sadberg annexed long ago to this Bishoprick The Bishop of Winchester was anciently reputed Earl of Southampton and so stiled by Henry VIII in the Statutes of the Honourable Order of the Garter But that Earldom was soon after disposed of The Manner of making a Bishop in England is so solemn that it is not to be pretermitted When a Bishops See becomes vacant first the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral give notice of it to the King as the Patron of all the Bishopricks in England and humbly request his Majesty that He will give them Leave to chuse another Whereupon the King grants them his Conge d'eslire that is Leave to elect and withal does usually recommend unto them whom His Majesty thinks fit Then the Dean summons a Chapter that is the Prebendaries of the Cathedral who either elect the Person recommended by the Kings Letters or shew Cause to the contrary The Election being over it is certified to the Party elected Who does modestly refuse it the first and second time if a third time the same is certified to the King who recommends another When the Election is accepted it is certified to the King and the Archbishop of that Province The King thereupon gives his Royal Assent under the Great Seal of England which is exhibited to the Archbishop of that Province with Command to confirm and consecrate him Then the Archbishop subscribes Fiat Confirmatio and gives Commission under his Episcopal Seal to his Vicar General to perform all the Acts thereunto required Then a Citation comes forth from the said Vicar General in the Name of the Archbishop summoning all the People that have any Thing to object against the Party elected to appear at a certain Time and Place to make their Objections Which is done first by Proclamation three several times at Bow-Church and then the Citation is affixt on the Church door for all people to read At the Day and Place assigned for the Opposers Appearance the Vicar General sitting as Judge the Proctor for the Dean and Chapter exhibits the Royal Assent and the Commission of the Archbishop Which being read and accepted by the Vicar General the Proctor exhibits the Proxy from the Dean and Chapter presents the Bishop elect returns the Citation and desires the Opposers to be called in three times This being done accordingly and none appearing they are pronounced Contumacious and a Decree made to proceed to Sentence in the behalf of the Bishop elect Who thereupon takes the Oaths of Supremacy Simony and Canonical Obedience and then the Judge of the Arches reads and subscribes the Sentence After which there is usually an Entertainment made for the Officers and other there present And the Bishop elect being thus Confirmed may act as Bishop even before he is Consecrated Some time after this follows the Consecration For the Bishops are a distinct Order of themselves there being three Orders in the Church of England Bishops Priests and Deacons And as none may be admitted a Deacon without a Dispensation under the Age of 23 Years nor a Priest under 24 so none can be made a Bishop till he be full 30 Years of age And whereas Priests and Deacons when they take their respective Orders are said to be Ordained a Bishop when he takes the Episcopal Order is said to be Consecrated The Consecration is performed by the Archbishop of the Province or some other Bishop Commissioned by him with the Assistance of two other Bishops either in the Chappel of the Archbishop or of any other Bishop And it is done either upon a Sunday or Holy-day after Morning-Service Then the Archbishop or his Deputy begins the Communion-Service And after a certain Prayer appointed for this Occasion one of the Bishops present reads the Epistle 1 Tim. 3 another the Gospel John 21. Which is followed by the Nicene Creed and next to that a Sermon After Sermon the Bishop elect being vested with his Rochet or Linnen-Garment is by two Bishops presented to the Archbishop or his Deputy sitting in his Chair who demands the King's Mandate for the Consecration and causes it to be read That done the Bishop elect takes the Oath of Supremacy and of Canonical Obedience to the Archbishop After which they fall to Prayers Then the Bishop elect does Answer several Interrogatories that are put to him and after his Answers the rest of the Episcopal Habit is put upon him This done they Kneel down to Prayers again Which being ended the Bishop elect being upon his Knees the Archbishop and Bishops there present lay their Hands on his Head and by a pious grave Form of Words they Consecrate him Afterwards the Archbishop delivers a Bible to the Bishop elect with another set Form of Words Then they all proceed to the Communion and having received the Sacrament they depart with the Blessing Then the new Bishop treats at a spelendid Dinner the chief of the Nobility Clergy Judges Privy Counsellours c. Which Dinner with the Fees of Consecration does usually amount to five or six hundred
the King's Court because the Authority thereof originally belongs to the Crown In short this Court first derived from the Sheriffs Turn is ordinarily Kept but twice a Year and that at certain times But there is another Court incident to every Mannor called Court-Baron because in ancient times every Lord of a Mannor was stiled Baron To this Court are all the Tenants Summoned that belong to the Mannor where part of the Tenants being Sworn make a Jury which is not called the Inquest but the Homage Here the Steward sits as Judge and directs the Jury to enquire of such Things as are proper for this Court. And these principally Inquire of Copy-holders and Free-holders that be dead since the last Court and bring in their Heirs and next Successors They likewise Inquire of any Incroachment or Intrusion of Tenants against the Lord or among themselves They also make Orders and Laws amongst themselves with a Penalty annexed for Transgressors payable to the Lord of the Mannor In short these Courts are of great Use for Men that are willing to be ordered by their Neighbours and who prefer their Quiet and Advantage in Husbandry to the Trouble and Charges of Law-Suits Otherwise either Party may procure a Writ out of a higher Court to remove the Plea to Westminster Courts-Baron may be held every three Weeks or at any longer time according to the Lords pleasure I conclude with Constables called in some Places Headboroughs and in others Tithing-men whose Office is only Ministerial These Men says Sir Thomas Smith were formerly called Custodes Pacis or Guardians of the Peace and were in much greater esteem than they be now whose Power and Authority he supposes to have been equal with that of the present Justices of Peace Lambert looks upon this Office as a Stream of that great Dignity lodged in the Lord High Constable of England Out of this high Magistracy says he were drawn those lower Constables which we call Constables of Hundreds and Franchises First ordained by the Statute of Winchester 13 Ed. I. which appoints for the Conservation of the Peace and view of Armour two Constables in every Hundred and Franchise called in Latine Constabularii Capitales in English High Constables And by reason of the Increase both of People and Offences others were made in process of time called Petty Constables which are of like Nature but of inferiour Authority to the other The Office of a Constable is properly to apprehend such as break the Peace and common Malefactors and even Persons suspected of any Crime upon a Charge given them or a Warrant for it from a Justice For a Badge of his Authority he carries a long Staff painted with the King's Arms and for a Surprise sometimes he uses a short Staff which he hides till he thinks it convenient to produce it The Party apprehended he keeps in his Custody till he can bring him before a Justice of Peace who upon a strict Examination of the Fact and hearing of the Evidence commits the Party to Prison if he sees cause in order to his Trial. Upon which the Constable conducts him to Prison and there delivers him to the Goalers Custody with the Committimus directed by the Justice of Peace to the Jayler And the Party mustly in Prison till the Justices of Peace do meet either at their Quarter-Sessions or at their Goal-Delivery when the Prisoners are by Law either condemned or acquitâ—ed When he is upon Duty and about to apprehend one he may call his Neighbours to aid and whoever declines to give him assistance is liable by Law to Punishment In case of Theft Robbery or Murder in a Country Town or Village and the Malefactor be upon flight the Constable having notice of it is to raise the Parish in pursuit of him And this is called Hue and Cry If the Malefactor be not found in the Parish the Constable and his Assistants are to go to the next to get the Hue and Cry raised there by the Constable of it In this manner the Hue and Cry is carried from Parish to Parish till the Criminal be found And that Parish which does not do its Duty but gives way by its Negligence for the Malefactors Escape is not only to pay a Fine to the King but must repay to the Party robbed his Damages When the Malefactor is taken he is presently carried by the Constable or any other by whom he was apprehended to a Justice of Peace Who examines the Malefactor writes the Examination and if he do confess his Confession Then he binds the Party robbed or him that sueth together with the Constable and so many as can give Evidence against the Malefactor to appear at the next Sessions of Goal-Delivery there to give their Evidence for the King He binds them in a Recognizance of 10. 20. 30. 40. or 100. l. more or less according to his Discretion and the quality of the Crime Which being certified under his hand fails not to be levied upon Recognizance if they fail of being there Thus the Constables which formerly had much the same Authority as our modern Justices of Peace are now subservient to them upon all Occasions either to bring the Criminals before them or to carry them by their Command to the common Prison And accordingly this Office does commonly fall into the hands of Tradesmen and Artificers and Men of small experience and ability who hold it for a Year there being commonly two of them to each Parish chosen by the Vestry But the hardest part of their Office in London especially is their Watching a Nights and walking the Rounds in their several Parishes But then they have the chief Command of the Watch and because seldom a greater Power appears abroad at that time therefore a Constable came to be called the King of the Night CHAP. IX Of the Assizes BEsides the publick Justice administred at four times of the Year in Westminster both for Civil and Criminal Causes the Twelve Judges take twice a Year a Progress in the Country and exercise their Judicial Power in the several Counties the King is pleased to appoint them for The Times of the Year fixt for it are presently after the end of Hilary-Term and after the end of Trinity Term that being called the Lent and this the Summer Assizes In relation to which England is divided into Six Parts called Circuits Viz. 1. Home-Circuit Comprehending Essex Hartford Sussex Surrey Kent 2. Norfolk Circuit Comprehending Bucks Bedford Huntington Cambridge Norfolk Suffolk 3. Midland Circuit Comprehending Warwick Leicester Derby Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Northampton 4. Oxford Circuit Comprehending Berks Oxon Glocester Monmouth Hereford Salop Stafford Worcester 5. Western Circuit Comprehending Southampton Wilts Dorset Somerset Cornwal Devon 6. Northern Circuit Comprehending York Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancaster Besides the two Circuits for Wales viz. North and South Wales for each of which two Sergeants at Law are appointed Now these Courts are called Assizes and the Judges
of the Right Honourable Charles Sackvil Lord Buckhurst who was created Earl of Middlesex during the Life of his Father Richard Earl of Dorset Upon whose Death two years after he succeeded in the Earldom of Dorset Neither is it to be omitted that betwixt Brentford and Colebrook is a small Town reckoned as 3 Mannors viz. Arlington Shepston and Dawling From the first of these Mannors Henry Bennet the late Earl of Arlington took his Title Who was created first Baron of Arlington by King Charles the Second Anno 1664 afterwards Viscount Thetford and Earl of Arlington his Birth-place Anno 1672 and sworn Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold in the Year 1674. Monmouthshire MONMOVTHSHIRE formerly a Welch County and now reckoned among the English is bounded on the East by the River Wye which parts it from Glocestershire on the West by two Welch Counties Brecknockshire and Glamorganshire Northward by Herefordshire and Southward by the Mouth of the River Severn It contains in Length from North to South about 25 miles in Breadth from East to West 20. The Whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 127 Parishes and 7 Market Towns It is blest not only with a healthfull and temperate Air but also with a rich Soil And though the Country be both hilly and woody yet all Parts thereof are fruitfull and scarce any barren The Hills are grazed upon by great and small Cattel and the Valleys laden with Corn and Grass It s fertility is much furthered by its being plentifully watered with so many Rivers the principal whereof are the Vske and the Wye the Rumney and the Monnow all which fall into the Severn Among which the first two are full of Salmon and Trouts Monmouth the County-Town bears from London West by North and is distant therefrom 99 miles thus Viz. from London to Glocester 81 miles as in Glocestershire and from Glocester to Monmouth 18. The Situation of it between two Rivers the â—onnow and the Wye is both very pleasant â—nd commodious The Town it self large and â—air well inhabited and frequented having â—he Conveniency of two Bridges one over the â—ye and the other over the Monnow Once â—rtified with a Wall and Ditch and in the â—ldst of the Town with a stately Castle the â—uins whereof are still to be feen In this Castle was born the renowned King Henry V â—he Conquerour of France from hence called â—enry of Monmouth Of some note besides â—r being the Birth-place of Geofry surnamed of Monmouth who wrote the History of Great Britain But of late times especially for being dignify'd with the Title of a Dukedom in the person of James the late Duke of Monmouth and since the late Revolution with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Mordant Earl of Monmouth c. It s Market kept on Saturdays is considerable for Corn and other Provisions The other Market-Towns are Chepstow Sat. Newport Sat. Ponâ— Pool Sat. Vske Mund. and Frid. Abergavenny Tue. Caer-Leon Thu. Chepstow stands upon the side of a Hill on the Banks of the Wye near its fall into the Severn A Town in former times famous and of great resort supposed to be raised out of the Ruins of Venta Silurum 4 miles distant the ancient and chief City of the Silures which flourished in the Days of Antonine the Emperour This Town says Cambden was fortified about with a Wall of a large Circuit and had a very spacious Castle once fronted by a Priory the better part of which being pulled down the rest was converted to a Parish Church At this present time the Town is large and well built well inhabited and frequented having a fair and high Bridge over the Wye And so it needs for here the River rises to a great height In the Year 1606. the Moor or Marsh near Chepstow was very much indamaged by the Severn For that Year at the Change of the Moon in February this River at a Spring-tide was driven back for 3 days together with a South Wind. Which made it swell so high that it came rushing in a main upon this Tract and carried all before it Newport a goodly Town is seated on the Uske over which it has a fair Bridge the Uske discharging it self not far off into the Severn where it has a good Haven bearing the Name of the Town Some miles East from this Haven is the Gold-Cliff so called from the golden Colour of the Stones that lie hereabouts which makes some suspect a Mine to be there And opposite to that Cliff about the midst of the Severn lieth a small Isle called Denny-Island Pont-Pool is but a small Town seated betwixt the Hills Of chief note for its Iron-Mills Vske a good large Town is so called from the River Uske on which it is situate with a Bridge over it 'T is beautified with well built Stone-houses and formerly was fortified with a large and strong Castle now ruinated According to Antonine here stood the little City Burrium But not far from it Northward is Ragland Castle a noble Seat belonging to the Duke of Beaufort Abergavenny by Antonine called Gobanium stands also upon the Uske where a small River Keveny by name empty's it self into it This is a Place of some strength being fortified with Walls and a Castle of great note in former times The Town is large the Houses well built and injoy's a good Trade for Flannels especially Caer-Leon by the Romans called Isca Silurum stands also upon the Uske a little above Newport and has a large wooden Bridge over the River This Town was once a famous and flourishing City in the time of the Romans where lay the second Roman Legion called Augusta to keep the Silures in aw The Ruins of its stately Buildings Palaces Temples Theaters together with the Water-pipes Vaults Hot-Houses Altars and Roman Coyns often digged up here do sufficiently evidence its former Antiquity and Greatness Here King Arthur kept his Court and in this City was a famous School or Colledge to learn Astronomy and other Arts. As for its present State the Town is pretty large and the Houses for the generality built of Stone It has yet the Ruins of a Castle standing To conclude this County formerly the Habitation of the Silures is in the Welch Diocese of Llandaff Besides the two Knights of the Shire there 's but one Member elected to serve in parliament and that 's out of Monmouth Norfolk NORFOLK a Maritime County of a large extent is bounded Eastward and Northward with the German Ocean Westward with the River Ouse which severs it from the County's of Lincoln and Cambridge Southward with the little Ouse and the Waveney which part it from Suffolk Thus Norfolk what with the Sea and what with the Rivers is so incompassed with Waters that it wants very little of being an Islland of it felf It contains in Length from East to West 50 miles in Breadth from North to South about 35. The Whole divided into 31