of the great Magistrates of this Realm the Chancellor aforesaid the Treasurer the President of the Council the Keeper of the Privy Seal the Lord Chamberlain the Lord High Constable the Lord Marshal the Steward of the King's House c. But since I hear that this is design'd by another hand I am so far from offering to forestall it that I 'll willingly without more ado even impart to the Undertaker whatever observations I have already made upon those heads A posthumous Discourse concerning the Etymologie Antiquity and Office of Earl Marshal of England By Mr. Camden SUCH is the uncertainty of Etymologies that Arguments drawn from them are of least force and therefore called by an ancient Grecian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as proofs only which do nothing but set a good face on the matter Nevertheless when as Plato will have them admitted if there be a consonancy and correspondence between the name and the thing named we will produce three Etymologies of this word Marshall wherein the name is or hath been answerable to the Office in some part or other in signification For the word Marescallus is used for a principal officer in the court in the camp for a Ferrar and an Harbinger The Germans from whom the word was first borrowed called him Marescalk the Latins mollifying the same Marescallus the office Marescalcia The French Marescaux and we Marshall All deduced from the German Marescalk which according to the received opinion is compounded of Mare or mark which do both say they signify an Horse and Scalk which doth not signifie skilful as some will but an Officer Servant or Attendant So Godschalck is interpreted God's servant and in the old German nunc dimittas servum this word Servus is translated Scalk So that joyntly the word notifieth an officer and attendant about horses This Etymology is confirmed first ex legibus Allamannorum si quis Marescallus qui 12 equis praeest occidit 4. solidis componat Then out of Choniates who writing the life of Baldwin Emperor of Constantinople saith that this word Marescaldos noteth him whom the Grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to the name doth signifie him which marcheth foremost before the Army To maintain this Etymology they say it may not seem strange that so high an office as it is now should be derived from horses when as all preferment in ancient time as one saith had the first rise from the Stable and such as were there brought up proved most serviceable horsemen and many other names which time hath advanced to high dignity had very mean and small originals But this Etymology lieth open to some objections as that the Marshals now have no command over the horses or stable but certain it is that in divers offices albeit the functions are altered the name remaineth And as Varro writeth Equiso among the Latins doth not only signifie Master and Ruler of the horses but also of all other things committed to his charge so accordingly it is to be supposed this word Marshal not only to signifie an Officer of Horses but also of other Civil and Military matters appropriated to his function It is said also that Mare doth not signifie an Horse in the German tongue but as in ours that which is more ignoble in that kind and that names are to be imposed à potiori And albeit it is most certain out of Pausanias that Mare signified an Horse to the old Gauls as it doth still to our Britains their descendants yet they say it is unfitting to compound one word of two different Languages But Quintilian sheweth the contrary in Epirhedium Anti-cato Biclinium Epitogium being compounded of Greek Latin and other Tongues and to this Etymology do they incline which will have the Marshal to be called in Latin Magister Equitum rather than Tribunus Militum There is also another deduction of Marshal from Maer the Latin word Major and Sala which signifieth a Kings-Court in the High-Dutch for that they were Magistri domus and principal officers for ordering the Court. There is a third derivation of this name from Marke as it signifieth a Marche bound or limit and Scalck which is Minister as we said before From Mark in this sense we have Marchio for a Lord Marcher and Mark-grave in the very same sense and therefore he relieth upon this opinion which calleth the Marshal in Latin Praetor comitatus Augustalis as being the civil Judge within the limits of the Court which we call now the Verse for that the Verge or Rod of the Marshal's authority sretcheth so far and they also which have the Marshal call'd in Latin Designator castrorum for it was incident to his office to be as it were an harbinger and to appoint limits and lodgings both in war and peace Of these Etymologies happily one may be true happily none When this word entred first into England I cannot resolve I do not find that our Saxons used it or any other name equivalent unto it unless it was Stal-here which signifieth Master of the Stable but that may seem rather answerable to the name of Constable yet Esgar who was Stal-here to King Edward the Confessor writeth himself in a donation to Waltham Regiae Procurator aulae whereas William Fitz-Osborne in the Chronicles of Normandy is called the Marshal I believe that William Tailleur the Author spake according to the time he lived in and not according to the time he wrote of Fauchet a learned-man in the French Antiquities saith the name of Marshal was first heard about the time of Lewis le Grosse who was in time equal to our King Henry the first and Stephen of England and from thence doubtless we borrowed that name as many other The first author that used the word in England was Petrus Blesensis Chancellor as he was then called but indeed Secretary to King Henry the second of England who used this word Marescallus for an Harbinger in these words complaining of them Epistolâ 14. Vidi plurimos qui Marescallis manum porrexerunt liberalem hi dum hospitium post longi fatigationem itineris cum plurimo labore quaesissent cum adhuc essent eorum epulae semicrudae aut cum jam fortè sederent in mensâ quandoque etiam cum jam dormirent in stratis Marescalli supervenientes in superbiâ abusione abscissis equorum capistris ejectisque foras sine delectu non sine jactura sarcinalis eos ab hospitiis turpitèr expellebant The first mention that I find of a Marshal in record is in the red book of the Exchequer written in the time of Henry the second which hath reference unto the time of King Henry the first Regis avus that is Henry the first fecffavit Wiganum Marescallum suum de tenementis quae de eo tenuit per servitium Marescalciae suae Rex reddidit ea Radulpho filio Wigani tanquam Marescallo suo What Marshal this was I cannot determine The second mention of
Marshall were complained of it was ordained in these words Marescallus de quolibet Comite Barone integram Baroniam tenente de uno palfrido sit contentus vel de pretio quale antiquitus percipere consuevit ita quod si ad homagium quod fecit palfridum vel pretium in formâ praedictâ ceperit ad militiam suam nihil capiat Et si fortè ad homagium nihil ceperit ad militiam suam capiat De Abbatibus Prioribus integram baroniam tenentibus cum homagium aut fidelitatem pro Baroniis suis fecerunt capiat palfridum vel pretium ut praedictium est Hoc idem de Archiepiscopis Episcopis observandum est De his autem qui partem Baroniae tenent sive sint Religiosi sive Seculares capiat secundum portionem partis Baroniae quam tenent De Religiosis tenentibus in liberam elymosynam non per Baroniam vel partem nihil de caetero exigat Marescallus And about that time were set down all the Droites belonging to the Earl Marshall in a Roll which was laid up in the Wardrobe but that vanished shortly after For as it appeareth by Record in the 18th of Edward the third the Kind directed a brief to the Barons of the Exchequer of the fees and all things else belonging to the office of Earl Marshal and they returned in their certificate annexed to the Brief nothing but certain petty allowances of money wine candles for the Marshal and Magister Marescallus and for the four Marshals for every day qua faciant herbergeriam And out of the red book of the Exchequer they certifie in these words De officio Marescalciae survivit Gilbertus Mareschal Comes de Strigal cujus est officium tumultus sedare in domo Regis liberationes hospitiorum facere ostia aulae Regis custodire Accipit autem de quolibet Barone facto Milite à Rege quolibet Comite eâ die palfredum cum sella And by an inquisition taken about the 11th of Henry the fifth it appeareth that there belongeth to the Earls Marshals disposing the office of the Marshal in the King's-Bench the Marshal of the Exchequer with the office of the Cryer before the Marshal and the Marshal of the Hall of the King's House and some other such places But the greatest encrease of the authority of this Office hath been since there were no Constables for the Kings since that time have referred many matters to them which in former times were proper to the Constable Neither had the Marshal any precedency in respect of his place until King Henry the eighth in the 31st year of his reign by Parliament assigned him place next to the Lord Constable and before the Lord Admiral William Camden The Original and Dignity of the Earl Marshal of England By the same Hand SOme learned men which have discoursed of offices and magistracies in respect of some conveniencies in military matters have thought the office of Marshal in our age to be answerable to that of the Tribuni militum in the ancient Roman Estate and of the Protostrator in the late state of the Greek or Eastern Empire But this name of Marshall now in use which in process of time hath ascended unto so high a dignity began at such time as the Goths Vandals Franks and other Northern people overflowed Europe who setling themselves in the provinces of the Romans liking well their policy and government began not only to imitate the same but also to translate their titles of civil and military dignities into their own tongues so they translated retaining the signification Limitanei Duces into Marche-graffes Scutati into Shield-Knights Praefectus Palatii into Seneschalk Comes Stabuli into Mar-staller Minister Dei into Gods-schalke Praefectus Equitum into Mar-schalk For all they who have lately traced out Etymologies do consent that as Mar and Mark signifie a horse so Schalk signifieth a ruler an officer or Provost But the French mollified this harsh concurrence of consonants and have made of Seneschalk Marschalk c. Senschal and Marshall This name albeit happily the office might be was not in use in this realm in the Saxon government only they had their Staller which by signification and authority of Historians doth seem to be all one with the Constable But as this name came out of Germany with the Franks into France so out of France first arrived here with the Normans and Roger de Montgomery which was Marshall of the Norman army at the Conquest is accounted the first Marshal of England For some years after there is in Histories no mention of this office until in the confusion under King Stephen when as Maud Fitz-Empress for strengthening of her part made Milo Earl of Hereford and Constable of England so he for assuring his faction made Gilbert Clare Earl of Pembroke and Marshal of England with the state of inheritance who in respect of his usual habitation at Stryghall was commonly called Earl of Stryghall in which office his son Richard sirnamed Strongbow succeeded who first opened the way to the English for the conquest of Ireland by whose only daughter and heir it descended to William Marshall who had by her five sons which died all without issue and five daughters the eldest of them named Maud to whom in the partition was assigned the office of Marshal of England with the Mannor of Hempsted Marshal which as it is in old records the Marshals held in Marescaugiâ per virgam Mareschalliae This Maud was married to Hugh Bigot Earl of Norfolk whose son Roger in right of his mother was Marshal of England and after him Roger Bigot his nephew by the brother who incurring the displeasure of King Edward the first by denying to serve him in Guienne practising to hinder the King's expedition into Flanders and dissuading the Commons to pay subsidies imposed by Parliament in that respect for recovery of the King's favour surrendred up to the King for ever both his Earldom of Norfolk and office of Marshal of England which King Edward the second granted to his brother Thomas of Brotherton from whom it came inheritably to Thomas Mowbray Earl of Nottingham whom King Richard the second created Earl Marshal of England whereas in former time they were stiled only Marshals of England and so from the Mowbrayes to Howards late Dukes of Norfolk yet this office hath not so descended without interruption in the aforesaid families but that upon disfavours and attainders it hath been oftentimes conferred upon others as appeareth by this Catalogue of them wherein they are set down successively The Marshals of England Roger de Montgomery Earl of Shrewsbury Walter Giffard Earl of Buckingham Robert Fitz-Ede base son of King Henry the first Gilbert de Clare Earl of Pembroke Richard his son Earl of Pembroke William Marshall the elder Earl of Pembroke William his son Earl of Pembroke Richard his brother Earl of Pembroke Gilbert his brother Earl of Pembroke
breadth of it Stow Sâ—â—â— stands upon the sea-coast the ancient seat of the family of the Grenvills Gâ—â—â— famous for the antiquity and nobility of their pedigree y They are now made Earls of Bathe and the present Earl hath lately built here a very stately house lookt upon to be the finest in the West of England Amongst the rest Richard in the time of William Rufus signaliz'd his courage in the Conquest of Glamorganshire in Wales and lately another of the same Christian-name exceeding the nobility of his birth by his own bravery lost his life gallantly in an engagement with the Spaniard at the Azores 23 As I shall shew more fully in my Annals A clause which is not any Latin Edition I have seen and if they all want it he must have had this intimation from Mr. Camden and so by him might be encourag'd in his Translation Near to this is Stratton a market town noted for gardens and its garlick and next to it Lancells a new seat of the ancient family of the z They are now extinct Chaumonds r â—o The river Tamara now Tamar rising not far from the Northern shore runs swiftly and violently towards the South and after it is encreas'd with many little rivulets passes by Tamara a town mention'd by Ptolemy now Tamerton 24 By Tamar an ancient mannour of the Trevilions to whom by marriages the Inheritance of Walesborough and Ralegh of Netlested descended and at a little distance from it is Lanstuphadon i.e. the Church of Stephen commonly call'd Launston 〈…〉 a pretty little town situate upon a rising which out of two other burrows Dunevet and Newport is now grown into one Town In the beginning of the Normans William Earl of Moriton built a a The moles of this castle upon which the Kepe stands Leland tells us is large and of a terrible height and the Arx of it having three several wards is the highest but not the biggest that ever he saw in any ancient work in England castle here and had a College of Prebendaries as appears by Domesday where it is call'd Launstaveton which name it had doubtless from a College there dedicated to S. Stephen and about the year 1150. converted into a monastery b Leland in his Itinerary says that William Warwist Bishop of Exeter suppressing the Collegiate Church of S. Stephen erected a Priory there and gave best part of the College-lands to it taking the residue himself by Reginald Earl of Cornwall This change the Bishops of Exeter too much hurry'd forward by passion and interest did vehemently oppose fearing it might come to be a Bishop's-See and so lessen their jurisdiction At this day it is most remarkable for the publick Gaol and the Assizes being c At present the Assizes are always kept there often kept there Tamar going from hence has the view of a high mountain stretch'd out a great way in length call'd by Marianus d The Saxon Annals call it more distinctly and truly Hengistes dun Hengesdoun and by him interpreted the mountain of Hengist the name it has at present is Hengston-hill 〈◊〉 â—ll It was formerly pretty rich in veins of tinn 25 So that the Country-people had this by-word of it Hengston down well ywrought Is worth London deer ybought and the place where the Tinners of Cornwall and Devonshire met every seventh or eighth year to concert their common interests At this place also in the year 831 the Danmonian Britains with the assistance of the Danes breaking into Devonshire to drive out the English who had then got possession of it were totally routed by King Egbert and cut off almost to a man 26 Beneath it Tamar leaveth Halton formerly the habitation of the Rouses anciently Lords of Little-Modbery in Devonshire Lower down near Saltesse a little market town as I observ'd before plac'd upon a rising and having a Mayor with certain Privileges Tamar receives the river Liver upon which stands that Town of S. Germans mention'd above With this increase it passes to the sea and makes a haven call'd in the Life of Indractus Tamerworth after it has divided Cornwall from Devonshire For King Athelstan who was the first King of England that entirely subdu'd those parts made this the bound between the Cornish Britains and his own English after he had remov'd the Britains out of Devonshire as we learn by Malmesbury who calls the river Tambra Whereupon Alexander Necham in his Hymns upon the Divine Wisdom Loegriae Tamaris divisor Cornubiaeque Indigenas ditat pinguibus isiciis Cornwall from England Tamar's streams divide Whence with fat Salmon all the land 's supply'd e Of this see Drayton's Polyolbion p. 131. where the story is deliver'd at large â—â—d â—o This place seems to require something concerning Ursula a Virgin of great sanctity born here and those 11000 British Virgins But whilst some hold them to have been drown'd under Gratian the Emperor in the year 383. upon the coast of Germany as they were sailing to Armorica and others tell us that in the year 450. at Cologn upon the Rhine in their return from Rome they suffer'd Martyrdom from Attila the Hunne that instrument of God's vengeance this difference among Authors has made some instead of believing it an historical truth suspect it to be a mere fable But as to that Constantine call'd by Gildas the tyrannous whelp of an unclean Danmonian Lioness and the disforesting of all this County under K. John f That it was so is undoubtedly true for I have seen a Copy of an Instrument to that purpose dated 22. March An. Reg. Joh. 5. which begins thus Johannes Dei gratia Sciatis nos deforestasse totam Cornubiam c. for before that 't is thought to have been a forest of these matters let the Historians give an account for 't is beside my business As to the Earls Candorus call'd by others Cadocus Earls of Cornwall is mention'd by the modern writers as the last Earl of Cornwall of British extraction his Arms as the Heralds tell you were 15 besants 27 Five four three two and one in a field sable The first Earl of Norman descent was Robert Moriton brother to William the Conqueror as son of Herlotta to whom succeeded William his son This William siding with Robert the Norman against Henry 1. King of England was taken prisoner and lost both his liberty and honors 28 And at last turn'd monk at Bermondsey to whose place Henry 2. whilst he was making preparations for war against Stephen advanc'd Reginald natural son to Henry 1. 29 By the daughter of Sir Robert Corbet for that King was so very incontinent that he had no less than 13 bastards Reginald dying without lawful issue male Rob. de Monte 1175. Henry 2. assigning certain lands to the daughters reserv'd this Earldom for his young son John then but nine years of age upon
beneath this Frau or Frome call it which you please dispersing it self maketh a kind of an Island and first visits that ancient town which in the Itinerary of Antoninus is call'd Durnovaria that is the passage over a river Dorchester Ptolemy in some Copies calls it erroneously Durnium in others Dunium This is reckon'd the principal town of the county and yet 't is neither large nor beautiful the walls having been pull'd down by the enrag'd Danes who here and there about the town have thrown up several barrows 6 Whereof one is call'd Maumbury being an acâ—e inditched another Poundbury somewhat greater and the third a mile off as a Camp with five trenches containing some ten acres call'd Maiden-castle Yet it dayly discovers some visible footsteps of Antiquity such are the Roman military or consular way some brass and silver coins of the Roman Emperors 7 Found there and especially at Fordington hard by which the common people call King Dorn's pence whom they fondly conceive in allusion to the name to have been the founder of this town g And a mile off there is a ditch with a Bulwark on the top of an hill pretty large in circumference call'd Maiden-castle Maiden-castle h which one may easily imagine to be the place where the Romans encamp'd in the summer time 8 It Dorchester had anciently a Castle in that place where the Grey-friers built their Convent out of the ruins thereof and hath how but three Parish-churches whereas the compass of the old town seemeth to have been very large But it suffer'd most when Sueno through outragious barbarity renew'd the Danish broils and when Hugh the Norman a man of treacherous principles in whose management were the affairs and government of these parts gave way to all actions of extravagance But what sort of place it was and in what condition in the beginning of the Norman times learn if you please from Domesday book In K. Edward's reign there were 170 houses in Dorchester these defended themselves for all the King's services and paid geld for ten hides but to the work of o Buthsecarles i.e. Classiarii Hovd fol. 257. Huscarls one mark of silver excepting those customs which †Ad firmam noctis were for one night's entertainment There were in it two mint-masters There are now only 82 houses and 100 have been totally demolish'd since Hugh was Sheriff If this language be obscure and unintelligible as Sextus Caecilius said in a case of the like nature it is not to be imputed to the Writer's want of expression but the Reader 's incapacity who cannot come up to the sense of the Author From hence the river Frome runs by Woodford Woodford where formerly Guido de Brient 9 A Baron a martial hero held a small castle where afterwards dwelt 10 Hugh Stafford Hol. But 't is an error Humphrey Stafford of Suthwick p By her it came immediately to Sir Edmund Cheney of Brook and by his daughter to Thomas Strangways which by a coheir of his fell as I have been told to T. Strangwaies Strangwaies a native of Lancashire 11 And brought hither by the first Marquess of Dorset who came to a fair estate in this country whose issue has built a very fine house at Milbery From hence it slows by Byndon call'd by the Saxons Beandun which likewise had its monastery where Kinegilse in the year 614 in a doubtful battel overcame the Britains i q In the reign of Heâ— 8. Some time since 't was the seat of the Lord of Marney now it gives the honorable title of Viscount 12 To the Lord Thomas Howard to Thomas Howard Knight of the Garter whose father nam'd Thomas second son of Thomas Howard the second Duke of Norfolk of that name Queen Elizabeth created Viscount Howard of Byndon Byndon when he r Her name was Elizabeth and that family came to have a Title to the Estate of the Newburrows by her Father John Lord Marney marrying the daughter and heir of Sir Roger Newburrow by marrying the daughter and heir of Baron Marney enter'd upon the great estate of the Newboroughs Newborough in these parts Those who are nam'd de Novoburgo commonly call'd Newborough derive their pedigree from the younger son of Henry Earl of Warwick the first of the Norman line and held here Winfrott with the whole Hundred by the gift of King Henry 1. by service of Chamberlain in chief of our Lord the King as it is in the Inquisition But I have read that in Edward 3's reign Grand Sergeanty it was held by Sergeanty by holding the bason for the King to wash on his Coronation-day Ralph Moien likewise held the next mannour of Owres by service of Sergeanty in the kitchin by the gift also of King Henry 1. Å¿ It is now in the hands of the Lord Stourton as being descended of William de Stourton who in the time of Richard 2. marry'd Elizabeth the daâ—ughter and afterwards heir of Sir John Moigne and R. de Welles the mannour of Welles adjoyning ever since the conquest of England by the service of being Baker But this by the by Where Frome dischargeth it self into that bay upon which Poole is seated about the mouth of it stands Warham Waâ—ham by the Saxons call'd Weareham very secure on all sides but westward being every way else surrounded by the river Trent Frome and the sea In Edward the Confessor's time as it is recorded in Domesday-book it had 148 houses in it and two mint-masters but in William the Conqueror's days there were but 70 houses computed Afterwards it re-flourish'd and was in its greatest prosperity fortify'd having a mint-office with walls quite round being full of inhabitants and a very strong castle which was built by William the Conqueror till Henry 2. came to the Crown 13 Who when he came to challenge the Crown of England in the year 1142. arriv'd here besieg'd and took the Castle which was defended by Robert Laâ—â—y against him in behalf of King Stephen and afterward Robert of Lincoln a man of mighty possessions in those parts defended the same against K. Stephen But c. but from that time suffering much by wars and the casualties of fire together with the sea 's robbing them of the haven it is almost run quite to ruine and the soil that was in the very heart of the ancient town produceth great quantities of garlick k The little river Trent likewise has it's mouth here styl'd so by Asser tho' the inhabitants call it now Piddle from whose northern bank scarce three miles off I saw the ruinous walls of an old Abby call'd Middleton Middleton which King Athelstan founded by way of atonement for taking away both his brother Edwin's life and Crown For when his active and soaring ambition after the government had debauch'd his principle of natural justice he put the poor
educated besides many other learned men William from this town called Malmsburiensis William of Malmesbury to whose learned industry the civil and ecclesiastical History of England are greatly indebted The town entirely supported by the abbey was fortify'd by Roger Bishop of Salisbury who when the War broke out between Henry of Anjou and King Stephen strengthen'd it with walls and a Castle which was once in vain besieg'd by King Henry 2. l A. D. 1152. The Castle indeed made a brave defence but all the Historians say it was taken at last by Duke afterwards King Henry This magnificent Bishop erected buildings here and at Salisbury for space very large for cost very chargeable for shew very beautiful The stones are set in such exact order that the joynts cannot be seen and the whole structure seems to be but one stone But the castle not long after by the permission of King John was rased for the convenience of the Monks that so the abbey might be enlarg'd which daily increas'd in building and revenues till the fatal dissolution of Monasteries Then the lands and riches which had been so many years in gathering were dissipated tho' in ancient times they were thought to be the good works of pious Christians Concil Aquisgran penance for sins and the patrimony of the poor And the Church it self had suffered the same fate had not one Stump a rich clothier by a great deal of intercession and more money recover'd it for the use of the Town 's folks who turn'd it into a Parish-Church and a great part of it is yet remaining f From Malmsbury the Avon runs to Dantesey Dantesey which gave name to the Lords of it Knights once very eminent in these parts from whom it descended to the Easterlings commonly known by the name of Stradlings and from them to the family of Danvers Of which Henry Danvers was lately dignified by the favour of K. James with the title and honour of Baron Danvers of Dantesey g Baron Danvers Six miles from hence the Avon receives from the east a rivulet which runs through Calne Caln an ancient little town on a stony ground adorned with a neat Church where during the contentions between the Monks and secular Priests about the Coelibacy of the Clergy A Synod about the Coelibacy of the Clergy a great Synod was conven'd A. D. 977. But in the midst of the dispute the Convocation-house in which the States of the Kingdom were assembled the beams breaking and the timber-frame bursting asunder suddenly fell to the ground together with the Bishops and Nobility of the Kingdom by which fall most were bruis'd and some kill'd but Dunstan alone President of the Synod and of the Monks party escaped unhurt By which miracle for so it was accounted in those times m Malmesbury indeed makes it a miracle to confirm the cause of the Monks but Huntingdon and Bromton say it was a Judgment upon the Nobility for betraying and murdering their late K. Edward the cause of the Monks was probably very much confirmed From hence the Avon now grown bigger runs to Chippenham Chippenham by the Saxons call'd Cyppanham now only famous for its market from whence it had it's name for Cyppan in the Saxon language signifies to traffick Cyppan what it is and Cypman a Merchant and we yet retain Cheppen and Chappman or as the Germans say Coppman n Of the same original is Cheapside in London In those times it was the Country-house of the Saxon Kings which King Alfred by his Will bequeathed to his younger daughter Now there is nothing worth seeing but the Church built as is evident from their Coats of Arms on the Walls by the Lords Hungerford h Over against this town tho' at some distance from the river lies Cosham Cosham now a small village heretofore honour'd with the Country palace of King Ethelred and the retiring-house of the o The inhabitants still enjoy several privileges granted them by Richard Earl of Cornwall and Edmund Earl of the same place obtain'd a Charter for a weekly market Since the Restoration Margaret Hungerford built here an Alms-house and Free-school Earls of Cornwall From hence one may see Castlecomb Castlecomb an ancient castle famous upon the account of the Walters of Dunstavill Lords of it 6 Men of great renown in their time from whom the Wriothesleys Earls of Southampton derive their pedigree For Petronilla 7 Or Parnel the daughter and heir of the last Walter married Rob. de Montford and had a son named William who sold this castle and the rest of his lands to Bartholomew Badilsmer from whom it came as I have heard to the Scroops who have held it ever since But let us now again follow the course of the river on which lieth Leckham Leckhâ—â— the estate of the noble family of the Bainards where Roman coins are very often found as also Lacock p Leland says that in a field by Lacock much Roman money us'd to be found and it is call'd Silverfield Lacock where that pious matron Ela Countess of Salisbury in her widowhood built as she did likewise at Henton q In the County of Somerset a Monastery A. D. 1232. to the honour of the Blessed Virgin and S. Bernard in which she devoted her self soul and body to the service of God The Avon whose banks are thick set with trees hath not run far beyond Brumham once the seat of the Lord 8 Or truly De S. Amando St. Amand. Afterward of the Bainton from them * De â— Amaâ—â— Samond before it receives a rivulet from the east which riseth near the castle De Vies Devises or the Vies the Divisio of Florentius Wigorn. The Vies Devâ—â—â— The Divisae of Neubrigensis It was once a noble castle strongly fortify'd by art and nature but now ruin'd by the injury of time This was built at the vast expence of Roger Bishop of Sarum that it might excell all the castles in England This man's fortune had advanc'd him from a poor Mass-priest to be the second man in the kingdom But fortune as one saith hath favour'd no man so far as to exempt him from the fear of losing whatever she gave him For K. Stephen being angry with him took from him this castle and that of Shirburn together with all his great riches and so plagu'd the poor old man in prison with hunger and other troubles that between the fear of death and the torments of life he was unwilling to live and knew not how to die About this time it was very much controverted whether it is lawful for Bishops by the Canon-law to hold Castles and if this by permission was allow'd whether in troublesome times they ought not to be at the King's disposal i The Avon conjoyn'd with this rivulet bends it's course toward the west and presently another brook from the south runneth into it
brothers made their escape and got over to the next Province Jutarum See p. 192. where coming to a place that is call'd Ad Lapidem and thinking to secure themselves there from the fury of the conquering Prince they were betray'd and order'd to be put to death Which coming to the ears of a certain Abbot and Priest call'd Cynbreth that at a small distance from thence had a Monastery in a place call'd Reodford i.e. the ford of reeds he came to the King who was then privately in those parts for the cure of his wounds which he had receiv'd in the Isle of Wight and desir'd of him that if those young brothers must be kill'd he would please first to permit them to be baptiz'd This request the King granted upon which the Abbot having instructed them in the word of truth and washed them in the fountain of salvation made them certain of their entrance into the kingdom of heaven And immediately after the Executioner coming to them they joyfully submitted to a temporal death as a sure and certain passage to eternal life And in this order after all the provinces of Britain had receiv'd the Christian faith the Isle of Wight was also converted in which notwithstanding because of the miseries of a foreign yoke no one had the dignity of a Minister or Bishop before Daniel who is now Bishop of the West-Saxons and the Geuissi After this Authors say nothing of the Island till the year 1066. when Tostius brother to K. Harald with some Pirate-ships from Flanders out of ill will to his brother landed here Florence of Worcester and when he had compell'd the inhabitants to pay him a certain Tribute sail'd off A few years after as I find in an ancient book belonging to the Priory of Caeresbroke which was shewn me by Robert Glover Somerset-herald that great oracle in Genealogical Antiquities as William the Bastard conquer'd England so William Fitz-Osborne who was his Mareschal and Earl of Hereford conquer'd the Isle of Wight and was first Lord of it A long time after which the French in the year 1377. by surprize landed and plunder'd the Isle They made another unsuccessful attempt A. D. 1403. being bravely driven back as also within the memory of our fathers in the reign of Hen. 8. when the French Gallies set fire to one or two small Cottages As to the Lords of this Isle Lords of the Isle of Wight William Fitz-Osborn presently after being slain in the wars of Flanders and his son Roger attainted and banish'd it came into the King's hands and Henry 1. K. of England gave it to Richard de Ridvers otherwise call'd Redvers and de Ripariis Earl of Devonshire and with it the Fee of the village of Christ-Church Here this Richard built a Castle as likewise another at Cares-brooke but his son Baldwin in the troublesome reign of K. Stephen when there were as many petty Princes in England as Lords of Castles who all pretended to a right of coining money and other rights of sovereign power was turn'd out of this castle by K. Stephen Yet his posterity recover'd their ancient right whose pedigree I have already drawn down where I treated at large of the Earls of Devonshire At length Isabell widow to William de Fortibus Earl of Albemarle and Holderness sister and heiress of Baldwin the last Earl of Devonshire of this Family was not without difficulty constrain'd by Charter to surrender up her right herein to K. Edw. 1. Since that time the Kings of England have had the possession of this Isle and Henry de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick was by King Henry 6. in whom he had a great interest crown'd King of the Isle of Wight and afterwards entitl'd First Earl of all England But this new and extraordinary Title dy'd with him Afterwards Richard Widevile Earl of Rivers was made Lord of the Isle of Wight by Edward 4. and Reginald Bray receiv'd it ‖ In firmam to farm as the Lawyers call it for the yearly rent of 300 Marks from K. Henr. 7. who had a great affection for him Besides these it has had for it's Lords a noble Family call'd de Insula or Lisle one of whom in the reign of Edw. 2. was summon'd to Parliament under the name of John de Insula Vecta i.e. of the Isle of Wight ADDITIONS to HAMSHIRE Right name of the County a BY what Author this County is call'd Hanteschyr which Mr. Camden says is the Saxon name of it I know not Certain it is that this must have been given it after the coming in of the Normans who brought along with them the custom of placing h after c a manner of writing altogether unknown to the Saxons The ancient Annals call it expresly Hamtunscyre which is by later writers melted into Hamteschyre Hampteshire and Hamshire Florence of Worcester indeed calls it Hantunscyre but it must needs be a mistake of the Librarian for Hamtunscyre since the Saxon-Annals call it so and he transcrib'd from them Which is the more observable because our modern Hants and Hantshire generally us'd as the true names plainly proceed from this mistake in the writing Hantunscyre being naturally melted into Hantshire b After the name we come to the County it self a part whereof our Author observes was that Natanleod Natanleod mention'd by our Histories Tho' the story be very obscure yet one may venture to affirm even against the Annals that this King's name could not be Natanleod but rather Natan or Nata which by the addition of leod i.e. a countrey signifies the tract or country of Natan Besides one of the Copies calls it Natanleag that is the field of Natan which naturally suggests what Mr. Camden could not so well infer from the other viz. some remains of the old name as in Netley and Nutley in this County Ellingham c 'T is possible the Avon as our Author conjectures might be call'd Alaun but Allingham is no proof of it there being no such place near the river unless he means Ellingham the affinity whereof with Ellandune has caus'd an opinion that the battle between Egbert and Bernulf might be in this place and the rather because Higden tells us it was in Hamshire But as the engagement was really * See that County in Wiltshire so Higden's error seems to have been occasion'd by the Monk of Winchester's saying that it was at Elendune which was a mannour belonging to the Priory of Winchester New-forest d East of the river is New-Forest wherein are 9 Walks and to every one a Keeper It has two Raungers a Bow-bearer and a Lord-Warden which office as †Itinerar MS. Vol. 6. Leland says formerly belong'd by right of inheritance to the Earls of Arundel but it is at present in the hands of his Grace the Duke of Bolton Malwood-castle e In this forest is the Castle of Malwood ‖ Aubr MS. the area whereof contains a great many
houses eight were destroy'd for the Castle It was formerly walled about and as may be seen by the tract was a c The ditch of the town says Leland and the creast whereon the wall stood are yet manifestly perceiv'd and begin from the Castle going in compass a good mile or more mile in compass it hath a castle seated upon the river very large and so well fortify'd in former times that the hopes of it's being impregnable hath made some persons over-resolute For when the flames of Civil War had as it were set all England on fire we read that King Stephen ever now and then attempted it by siege but still in vain We much wonder'd at it's greatness and magnificence when we were boys and retir'd thither from Oxford for it is now a retiring place for the Students of Christ-Church at Oxford it being double wall'd and surrounded with d Leland says it has 3 dikes large and deep and well water'd two ditches In the middle stands a tower rais'd upon a very high mount in the steep ascent whereof which you climb by stairs I saw a well of an exceeding depth The Inhabitants believe it was built by the Danes but I should rather judge that something was here erected by the Romans and afterwards demolish'd by the Saxons and Danes when Sueno the Dane harrass'd the Country up and down in these parts At length it recover'd it self under William 1. as plainly appears by Domesday Book where it makes mention of eight ‖ Hagaâ— Houses being pull'd down for the Castle as I observ'd but now Yet William Gemeticensis takes no notice of this Castle when he writes that William the Norman after Harold's defeat immediately led his army to this city for so he terms it and passing the Thames at the ford encamp'd here before he march'd to London Lords of Wallingford At which time Wigod an Englishman was Lord of Wallingford who had one only daughter given in marriage to Robert D'Oily by whom he had Maud his sole heir married first to Miles Crispin and after his death by the favour of K. Henry 1. to Brient †Fillo Comitis Fitz-Count and he being bred a soldier and taking part with Maud the Empress stoutly defended the Castle against King Stephen who had rais'd a Fort over against it at Craumesh till the peace so much wish'd for by England in general was concluded in this place and that terrible quarrel between King Stephen and K. Henry 2. was ended And then the love of God did so prevail upon Brient and his wife that quitting the transitory vanities of this world they wholly devoted themselves to Christ by which means this Honour of Wallingford fell to the Crown Which appears by these words taken out of an old Inquisition in the Exchequer To his well beloved Lords Of the Honour of Wallingford in Tâ—â—â— de Nâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the Exchequer our Lord the King's Justices and the Barons of the Exchequer the Constable of Wallingford Greeting Know ye that I have made diligent Inquisition by the Knights of my Bailywick in pursuance of my Lord the King's precept directed to me by the Sheriff and this is the summe of the inquisition thus taken Wigod of Wallingford held the honour of Wallingford in K. Harold's time and afterwards in the reign of K. William 1. and had by his Wife a certain Daughter whom he gave in marriage to Robert D'Oily This Robert had by her a Daughter named Maud which was his heir Miles Crispin espous'd her and had with her the aforesaid honour of Wallingford After Miles ' s decease our Lord K. Henry 1. bestow'd the aforesaid Maud upon Brient Fitz-Count c. Yet afterwards in the reign of Henry 3. it belong'd to the Earls of Chester and then to Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall who repaired it and to his son Edmond who founded a Collegiate Chapel within the inner Court but he dying issueless it fell again to the Crown and was annexed to the Dukedom of Cornwall since when it hath fallen much to decay More especially about the time when that plague and mortality which follow'd the conjunction of Saturn and Mars in Capricorn A terrible â—â—ague reign'd so hotly through all Europe in the year of our Lord 1343. Then this Wallingford by that great mortality was so exhausted that whereas before it was very well inhabited and had 12 Churches in it now it can shew but one or two But the inhabitants rather lay the cause of this their town's decay upon the bridges built at Abingdon and Dorchester e Just so Wilton the once chief town of Wiltshire began to decay when the road was turn'd through Salisbury and the bridge was built there by which means the High-road is turn'd from thence g From hence Southward the Thames gently glides between very fruitful fields on both sides of it by Moulesford Moulesford which K. Henry 1. gave to Girald Fitz-Walter from whom the noble Family of the Carews are descended A family that hath receiv'd the addition of much honour by it's matches with the noble families of Mohun and Dinham and others in Ireland as well as England Not far from hence is Aldworth where there are certain tombs and statues upon them larger than ordinary much wonder'd at by the common people as if they were the pourtraictures of Giants when indeed they are only those of certain Knights of the family of De la Beche which had a Castle here and is suppos'd to have been extinct for want of male-issue in the reign of Edward 3. And now at length the Thames meets with the Kenet The river â—enet which as I said before watering the south-side of this County at it's first entry after it has left Wiltshire runs beneath Hungerford â—ungerâ—â—rd call'd in ancient times Ingleford Charnam-street a mean town and seated in a moist place which yet gives both name and title to the honourable family of the Barons of Hungerford first advanc'd to it's greatness by f He was son of that Sir Thomas Hungerford who was Speaker to the House of Commons 51 Edw. 3. which was the first Parliament wherein that House had a Speaker Walter Hungerford who was Steward of the King's Houshold under King Henry 5. and had conferr'd upon by that Prince's bounty in consideration of his eminent services in the wars the Castle and Barony of Homet in Normandy to hold to him and his heirs males by homage and service to find the King and his heirs at the Castle of Roan one Lance with a Fox's tail hanging to it â—â—ima pars â—pl Paâ—â— Norâ—n 6 H. 5. which pleasant tenure I thought not amiss to insert here among serious matters The same Walter in the reign of Henry 6. was Lord High Treasurer of England â—rons â—ngerford and created Baron Hungerford and what by his prudent management and his matching with Catherine Peverell descended from the
Robert Earl Moreton half brother by the mother's side to William the Conquerour 15 And then had 56 Burgesses After the attainder of his son William Earl of Moriton it came to K. Henry 1. by Escheat In the composition between Stephen and K. Henry 2. both town and castle with whatsoever Richard de Aquila had of the honour of Pevensey which after his name was called Honor de Aquila and Baronia de Aquila or of the Eagle was assigned to William son to K. Stephen But he surrendred it with Norwich into King Henry 2 â—s hands in the year 1158. when he restor'd to him all such lands as Stephen was seised of before he usurped the Crown of England afterwards to William son to King Stephen who surrender'd it back to King Henry 2. from whom he had receiv'd it as a free gift Treaty between Henry and K. Stephen together with the lands formerly of Richer de Aquila or of the Eagle from whom they had the name of the Honour of the Eagle The honour of the Eagle Long it lay in the crown till K. Henry 3. granted it 16 Which had fallen to the Crown by Escheat for that Gilbert de Aquila had passed into Normandy against the King's good will to Peter Earl of Savoy the Queen's Uncle But he fearing the envy of the English against foreigners relinquish'd it to the King and so at length it came to the Dutchy of Lancaster to the Earls of Richmond of Bretagne from whom it fell to the crown again But now there is nothing remaining of the castle but the walls Some part of this Honour of the Eagle Henry 4. gave afterwards to the family of the Pelhams for their loyalty and good services Haâ—d by stands Herst amongst the woods Herst what it â—â—gnifies which has it's name from it's woody situation For the Saxons call'd a wood Hyrst This was immediately after the first coming in of the Normans the seat of certain Gentlemen who from the place were for some time named De Herst till such time as William son of Walleran de Herst took the name of Monceaux Register of the Monastery of Roberts-bridge from the place perhaps of his birth a thing usual in that age whereupon that name was annex'd to the place call'd ever since from it's Lord Herst Monceaux Herst Monceaux From whose posterity it descended hereditarily to the Fiennes Family of the Fiennes These Fiennes call'd likewise Fenis and Fienles are descended from Ingelram de Fienes who marry'd the heir of Pharamuse of Boloigne Pat. 37. H. 6. 17 About the time of K. Edw. 2. Sir John Fienes married the heir of Monceaux his son William married one of the heirs of the Lord Say his son likewise the heir of Balisford whose son Sir Roger Fienes married the daughter of Holland and in the first year of K. Henry 6. built of brick the large fair uniform and convenient house here Castle-like within a deep moat of whom K. Henry 6. accepted declared and reputed Richard Fenis to be Baron of Dacre And King Edw. 4. chosen honorary Arbitrator between him and Humphrâ—y Dacre An. 13 Ed. 4. Lord Dacre of the south confirm'd it to the said Richard Fenis and to his heirs lawfully begotten because he had married Joan the Cousin and next heir of Thomas Baron Dacre 18 And to have precedence before the L. Dacre of Gilesland heir male of the family sinâ—e which time 19 The heirs lineally descenaing from him being enrich'd by one of the heirs of the Lord Fitz-Hugh his posterity have flourish'd under the dignity of Barons Dacre till George Fiennes Lord Dacre 20 Son to the unfortunate Thomas Lord Dacre died very lately without issue Whose only sister and heir Margaret Sampson Lennard Esquire a person of extraordinary virtue and civility took to wife 21 And by her hath fair issue In whose behalf it was published declared and adjudged by the Lords Commissioners for martial Causes in the 2d year of the Reign of K. James with his privity and assent Royal That the said Margaret ought to bear have and enjoy the name state degree title stile honour place and precedency of the Barâ—ny of Dacre to have and to hold to her and the issue of her body in as full and ample manner as any of her ancestor enjoy'd the same And that her Children may and shall have take and enjoy the place and precedence respectively as the children of her Ancestors Barons Dacre have formerly had and enjoy'd But to return back a little 22 About 3 miles from Pevensey is Beckes-hill a place much frequented by St. Richard Bishop of Chichester and where he died Under this is Bulverhith in an open shore with a roofless Church not so named of a Bulls Hide which cut into Thongs by William the Conqueror reached to Battaile as the fable for it had that name before his coming Put here he arriv'd c. at this Pevensey William the Norman I shall again give you a short account because the place requires it of that which I shall treat of more fully elsewhere arriv'd with his whole navy upon the coast of Britain landed his army and having strongly entrench'd his camp set his ships on fire that their only hope might lye in their courage and resolution their only safety in victory And 23 After two days marched to Hastings quickly after marched to a Plain near Hastings 24 Then to an hill near Nenfield now call'd Standard-Hill because as they say he there pitched his Standard and from thence two miles further where in a plain c. where the Dye as it were was thrown for the Kingdom of England and the English Saxon Empire came to an end For there our Harold notwithstanding his forces by a former fight with the Danes were much diminish'd and fatigued by a long march gave him battel in a place call'd Epiton K. Harold's fight with William the Conqueror on the 14th of October 1066. When the Normans had given the signal of battel the first encounter began with flights of arrows from both armies for some time then setting foot to foot as if they fought man to man they maintain'd the battel a long while But when the English with admirable courage and bravery had receiv'd their fiercest onset the Norman horse furiously charg'd them with full career But when neither of these cou'd break the army they as they had before agreed retreated but kept their ranks in good order The English thinking they fled broke their ranks and without keeping any order press'd hard upon the enemy but they rallying their forces charg'd afresh on every side with the thickest of them and encompassing them round repuls'd them with a mighty slaughter yet the English having gotten the higher ground stood it out a long time till Harold himself was shot thro' with an arrow and fell down dead then they
to reckon up the Earls of Kent in their order omitting Godwin 99 And Leofwin his brother and others under the Saxons who were not hereditary but officiary Earls Odo brother by the mother's side to William the Conqueror is the first Earl of Kent we meet with of Norman extraction He was at the same time Bishop of Baieax and was a person of a wicked factious temper always bent upon sowing sedition in the State Whereupon 1 Whereupon he was committed to prison by a subtil distinction as Earl of Kent and not Bishop of Bayeux in regard of his Holy Orders after a great rebellion he had rais'd his Nephew William Rufus depriv'd him of his whole estate and dignity in England Afterwards when Stephen had usurp'd the Crown of England and endeavour'd to win over persons of courage and conduct to his party he conferr'd that honour upon William of Ipres a Fleming who being as fitz-Fitz-Stephen calls him ‖ Vâ—â— Canâ—â— cubaâ—â— a grievous burthen to Kent was forc'd by King Henry 2. to march off with tears in his eyes 2 And so became a Monk Henry the second 's son likewise whom his father had crown'd King having a design to raise a rebellion against his father did upon the same account give the title of Kent to Philip Earl of Flanders but he was Earl of Kent no farther than by a bare title and promise For as Gervasius Dorobernensis has it Philip Earl of Flanders promis'd his utmost assistance to the young King binding himself to homage by oath In return for his services the King promis'd him revenues of a thousand pound with all Kent as also the Castle of Rochester with the Castle of Dover Not long after Hubert de Burgo who had deserv'd singularly well of this kingdom was for his good service advanc'd to the same honour by K. Henry 3. 3 Who also made him chief Justice of England He was an entire Lover of his Country and amidst the very storms of adversity discharg'd all those duties that it could demand from the best of subjects But he dy'd divested of his honour and this title slept till the reign of Edward the second An. Eâ—â— Edward bestow'd it upon his younger brother Edmund of Woodstock who being tutor to his nephew K. Edward 3. undeservedly fell under the lash of envy and was beheaded The crime was that he openly profess'd his affection to his depos'd brother and after he was murther'd knowing nothing of it endeavour'd to rescue him out of prison 4 Perswaded thereto by such as covertly practis'd his destruction but his two sons Edmund and John 5 Who were restor'd by Parliament to blood and land shortly after And withal it was enacted That no Peer of the Land or other that procur'd the death of the said Earl should be impeach'd therefore than Mortimer Earl of Marsh Sir Simon Beresford John Matravers Baious and John Devoroil had that honour successively and both dying without issue it was carry'd by their sister for her beauty call'd The fair maid of Kent to the family of the Holands Knights For 6 Sir Thomas Thomas Holand her husband was stil'd Earl of Kent 7 And she after marry'd by dispensation to the Black-Prince heir to him King Richard 2. and was succeeded in that honour by 8 Sir Thomas Thomas his son who dy'd in the 20. year of Richard 2. His two sons were successively Earls of this place Thomas who was created Duke of Surrey and presently after raising a rebellion against K. Henry 4. was beheaded 9 Leaving no child and after him Edmund who was Lord High Admiral of England and in the siege of †â—aâ—um Bâ—oâ—i Tho. Walsingham S. Brieu in Little Britain dy'd of a wound in the year 1408 10 Leaving likewise no issue This dignity for want of issue-male in the family being extinct and the estate divided among sisters K. Edward 4. honour'd with the title of Earl of Kent first 11 Sir William William Nevill Lord of Fauconberg and after his death Edmund Grey Lord of Hastings Weisford and Ruthyn who was succeeded by his son George He by his first wife Anne Widevile had Richard Earl of Kent who after he had squander'd away his estate dy'd without issue 12 1523. But by his second wife Catharine daughter of William Herbert Earl of Pembrook he had Henry Grey Knight 13 Of Wrest whose grandchild Reginald by his son Henry was made Earl of Kent by Queen Elizabeth in the year 1572. He dying without issue was succeeded by his brother Henry a person endow'd with all the ornaments of true nobility This County hath 398 Parish-Churches ADDITIONS to KENT THE History of this County having been already publish'd in three just Volumes by Mr. Lambard Mr. Philpot and Mr. Kilbourne beside what has been done by some others one would think that little more could be said upon the subject Mr. Camden too spent some of the latter part of his life in this County which gave him an opportunity of informing himself more particularly concerning it's Antiquities Yet some things there are which have escap'd the diligence both of him and the rest and mistakes have happen'd here as well as in other Counties a Our Author has observ'd that this County was given by Vortigern to Hengist on account of his daughter But the Saxon Chronicle which says nothing of that Rowena shews us that he rather got it by force of arms having worsted Vortigern in two pitch'd battles once at Aylesford and again at Crayford where he kill'd 4000 Britains and put the rest to flight And thus the Kingdom of Kent continu'd under a race of Kings descended from him till Baldred last King of Kent in our Author's account lost it to Egbert King of the West-Saxons He was the last of that race but Egbert's * Caron Sax. An. 830 Chron. Maâ—â—os p. 1. 2. leaving his son Aethelstan that kingdom shows that he was not the very last King of Kent b At the Norman-Conquest our Author tells us these Inhabitants made a Composition for their ancient privileges Which however oppos'd by †Somner Gâ—â—â—lkind l. 2 p. 63. Mr. Somner and others seems to have some remains in their present Constitution For how else come they to retain their custom of Gavelkind which once prevail'd all over Britain as it does still in some parts of Wales and why do the Heirs particularly in Kent succeed to the Inheritance tho' their Father suffer for felony or murder To come now to the Survey of the County it self we will begin in the north part and go along with Mr. Camden c The river Ravensbourn runs into the Thames near Greenwich upon which there yet remains a large fortification the area whereof is enclos'd with treble rampiers and ditches of a vast height and depth near two miles in circuit which must certainly be the work of many hands but of whose
ridge to the north and separate this County of Oxon from that of Bucks at the foot whereof are seated many little towns of which the most remarkable are Watlington a small Market-town belonging formerly to Robert D'oily tt Shirburne Shirburne where was heretofore a small Castle of the Quatremans now a seat of the Chamberlains descended from the Earls of Tankervil who bearing the office of Chamberlain to the Dukes of Normandy their posterity laying aside the old name of Tankervil call'd themselves Chamberlains from the said office which their Ancestors enjoy'd 24 To omit Edgar Algar and other English-Saxons Official Earls of Oxford The title of Earl of Oxford Earls of Oxford has long flourisht in the family of Vere who derive their pedigree from the Earls of Guisnes and their name from the town of Vere in Zealand They owe the beginning of their greatness in England to K. Henry the first who advanced Alberic de Vere for his great prudence and integrity to several places of honour and profit as to be Chamberlain of England and Portreve of the City of London and to his son Henry Duke of Normandy son of the daughter of King Henry and right heir to England and Normandy this was the title he used before his establishment in this kingdom to divert him from King Stephen who had usurpt the Crown and to oblige him to his own party he granted and restor'd the office of Chamberlain which he had lost in those civil wars and offer'd him the choice of these four Earldoms Dorset Wilts Berks and Oxon. And after this Maud the Empress and her son Henry then in possession of the Throne by their several Charters created him Earl of Oxford Of his posterity not to mention every particular person the most eminent were these that follow Robert de Vere who being highly in favour with King Richard the second was by him advanct to the new and unheard of honours of Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland of which he left as one well observes nothing but some gaudy titles to be inscribed upon his tomb and matter of discourse and censure to the world For soon after through the envy of the other Courtiers he was degraded and miserably ended his life in banishment 25 John the first of that name so trusty and true to the House of Lancaster that both he and his son and heir Aubrey lost their heads therefore together in the first year of King Edward 4. John de Vere a man of great ability and experience in the arts of war and as eminent for his constant fidelity to the Lancastrian party fought often in the field against K. Edward the fourth for some time defended St. Michael's mount and was the chief assistant to King Henry the seventh in obtaining the Crown Another John in the reign of Henry the eighth in all parts of his life so temperate devout and honest that he was distinguisht by the name of John the Good He was great Grandfather to the present Earl Henry the eighteenth Earl of this family and Grandfather to the two noble Brothers Francis and Horatio Vere who by their admirable courage and military conduct and their many brave and fortunate exploits in the Low-Countries have added no small lustre to their ancient and honourable family This County contains 280 Parish Churches ADDITIONS to OXFORDSHIRE a THE County of Oxford call'd by the more early Saxons Oxna-ford-scyre and afterwards Oxen-ford-scyre does by its situation particularly the north-east parts of it Otmore and the adjacent places exactly answer the original of * See Camd. at the beginning Glocestershire Dobuni as lying low and level Though most parts of it bear corn very well yet its greatest glory is the abundance of meadows and pastures to which the rivers add both pleasure and convenience For beside the five more considerable ones the Thames Isis Cherwell Evenlode and Windrush †Plot. p. 18. it has at least threescore and ten of an inferiour rank without including the smaller brooks What our Author says of the hills being clad with woods is so much alter'd by the late Civil wars that few places except the Chiltern-country can answer that character at present for fuel is in those parts so scarce that 't is commonly sold by weight not only at Oxford but other towns in the northern parts of the shire b To follow our Author Burford Buâ—ford in Saxon Beorgford not Beorford as it is famous for the battel mention'd by our Author fought probably on the plaâ—e call'd Battle-edge west of the town so also for a Council conven'd there by the Kings Etheldred and Berthwald An. 685. at which among many others Aldhelm Abbot of Malmsbury afterwards Bishop of Shirburne being present was commanded by the Synod to write a Book against the error of the Brittish Churches in the observation of Easter Which I the rather take notice of here because Sir Henry Spelman calls it only Synodus Merciana An. 705. without fixing any certain place or the exact time whereas both are evident from ‖ De Pontif. lib. 5. Malmsbury and the Leiger-book of that Abby There has been a Custom in the town * Plot. p. 349. of making a Dragon yearly and carrying it up and down the streets in a great jollity on Midsummer-eve which is the more remarkable because it seems to bear some relation to what our Author says of Cuthred's taking from the enemy a banner wherein was painted a golden Dragon only to the Towns-men's Dragon there is a Giant added for what reason not known c Next is Ensham Ensham in Saxon Egonesham the eminence whereof in those times is confirm'd by the early mention of it and by Aethelred's Charter mention'd by our Author which terms it Locus celebris Here it was that in the year 1009. the same King Aethelred by the advice of Alphege Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Wulstan Arch-bishop of York held a General Council wherein many Decrees were establisht relating to the government of Church and State it is call'd by †Concil â— â— p. 510. Sir Henry Spelman Aenham c Our next guide is the river Evenlode not far from which near Chastleton is a Fortification which the learned Dr. Plot imagines might be cast up about the year 1016. when Edmund Ironside met Canute the Dane Châ—stâ—eton but if that conjecture be built purely upon its being near the Four-shire-stone which generally goes for the old dceorstan where the battle was fought the place of the battle being ‖ See Aâ—â—â— to Wâ—tshire undeâ— Shâ—râ—â—â— as it probably ought remov'd from this place that opinion is destroy'd d More to the North is the Monument of Roll-rich R ll-rich-stones * Plot. p. â—â— a single Circle of stones without Epistyles or Architraves and of no very regular figure †〈◊〉 Except one or two the rest of them are not above four foot and a half high What the
and rich soil an ancient and famous Manour which is held by the most honourable tenure in this Kingdom the Lawyers call it Grand Serjeanty Grand Serjeanty by which the Lord thereof is bound upon the Coronation-day to present the first Cup to the King of England and for that time to be as it were the Royal Cup-bearer This Honour with respect to the Lordship was enjoyed towards the beginning of the Norman times by a noble family who had the name of Fitz-Tecs Fitz-Tecs from whom it came by a daughter to the Argentons Argentons These derived both their name and pedigree from David de Argenton a Norman Souldier who served in the wars under William the Conquerour in memory whereof they long time gave for their Arms Three Cups Argent in a field Gules But at length upon failure of issue male in the reign of Henry the sixth Elizabeth Argenton who was sole inheritrix brought to her husband Sir William Allington Kt. a very fair estate together with this honour from whom the seventh in the lineal descent is the present 7 Sir Giles Giles Allington a young Gentleman of an obliging and truly generous temper whose many vertues are like to add a new lustre to the ancient reputation of this family Hard by near the high-road between Stevenhaugh and Knebworth the seat of the famous family of the Littons 8 Descended from Litton in Darbyshire I saw certain hills cast up of a considerable bigness which are such as the old Romans were wont to raise for Souldiers slain in battel where the first turf was laid by the General Unless one should rather suppose them to have been placed as limits for it was an ancient custom to raise such little hills to mark out the bounds of places and underneath them to lay ashes coals lime broken potsherds c. as I will shew more at large in another place c †In the County of Northampton Lower but more to the South lyes the head of the river Lea Lea. heretofore by our Ancestors call'd Ligean which with a very gentle stream passeth first by Whethamsted a place very fruitful in wheat from whence also it took its name John of ‖ De loco frumentario Whethamsted Whethamsted there born and thence so named was by his learning a great ornament to it in the days of Henry the sixth From thence it runs by Broket-hall the seat of the Knightly-family of the Brockets and Woodhall Woodhall the seat of the Butlers who being descended from the Barons of Wem by marriage came to enjoy the estate of the Gobions Thence it comes near to Bishops-Hatfield Bishops Hatfield a town seated upon the side of a hill on the upper part whereof standeth a very fair house which now belongs to the King as it did before to the Bishops of Ely which was re-built and much beautified by John Morton Bp. of Ely For K. Edgar gave 40 hides in this place to the Church of Ely d Hence Lea passeth on to Hertford Hertford which in some copies of Bede is written Herudford in that place where he treats of a Synod there holden A. D. 670. which name some will have to signifie the Red Ford others the Ford of Harts e This town in the time of William the Conquerour as we find in Dooms-day book discharg'd it self for ten hides and there were in it 26 Burgesses 9 And at that time Ralph Limsey a noble man built here a Cell for St. Alban's Monks But in our days it is neither well peopled nor much frequented and only considerable for its antiquity for the whole County hath taken its name from it and it still continues the Shire-town It hath a Castle seated upon the river Lea which is thought to have been built by Edward the elder and enlarged first by the family of Clare to whom it belonged For Gislebert de Clare about the time of Henry the second had the title of Earl from this Herudford and Robert Fitz-walter who was of the same house of Clare when King Stephen seized into his hands all the Castles of England confidently told the King himself as we read in Matthew Paris that by ancient right the custody of that Castle belong'd to him Afterward it came to the Crown and King Edward the third granted to his son John of Gaunt then Earl of Richmond afterward Duke of Lancaster this Castle together with the Town and Honour of Hertford that there as the words run in the Grant he might keep a house suitable to his quality and have a decent habitation From hence the river Lea in a short course reacheth Ware Ware so named from a sort of damm anciently made there to stop the current commonly call'd a Weare or a Ware f This Town was from the first very prejudicial to Hertford and now by its populousness hath as it were eclips'd it For in the time of the Barons Wars with King John under the countenance and protection of it's Lord the Baron of Wake it presumed to turn the high-road thither 11 And at that time Ralph Limsey a Nobleman built here a Cell for S. Albans Monks for before that time no wagons could * Inspeximus H. 6. pass thither over the river by reason of a chain drawn cross the bridge the key whereof was always in the custody of the Bailiff of Hertford Much about the same time Gilbert Marshal Earl of Pembroke then the principal Peer of England proclaimed a Tournament at this place under the name of a Fortuny Fortunium designing thereby to affront or at least to elude the force of the King's Proclamation by which Tournaments had been prohibited This drew hither a very great concourse of Nobility and Gentry and when he came himself to make his Career his horse unfortunately broke the bridle and threw him and he was in a miserable manner trampl'd to death These Tournaments Tournaments were publick exercises of Arms practis'd by Noblemen and Gentlemen and were more than meer sports or diversions They were first instituted if we may believe Munster in the year of our Lord 934. and were always managed by their own particular laws which may be seen in the same Author A long time this practice was continued in all parts to that degree of madness and with so great a slaughter of persons of the best quality Neubrigensis l. 5. c. 4. especially here in England where it was first brought in by King Stephen that the Church was forced by several Canons expresly to forbid them Matth. Par. An. 1248. with this penalty annexed That whoever should happen therein to be slain should be denied Christian Burial And under King Henry 3. by advice of Parliament it was also enacted that the Offenders estates should be forfeited and their children be disinherited And yet in contempt of that good law this evil and pernicious custom long prevailed
More inward wee see Wingfield Wingfield with its half ruinated Castle which gave both a name and seat to a large family in those parts famous for their knighthood and ancient nobility And Dunnington which boasts of its Lord John Phelipps Phelipps the father of that William who married the daughter and heir of Baron Bardolph and whose daughter and heir was marry'd to John Viscount Beaumont But now 't is the seat of the ancient family of the Rouses Not far from hence is Huntingfield Huntingfield which in the reign of Edward the third had a noted Baron of that name and near this is Heveningham the seat of the knightly family de Heveningham Henningham which is exceeding ancient at a little distance from whence is Halesworth Halesworth formerly Healsworda an ancient town of the Argentons now of the Alingtons for which Richard Argenton procur'd the Privilege of a Market of King Henry the third That on the north part two little rivers namely Ouse the less and Waveney divide this County from Norfolk we have already observ'd They both rise out of a marshy ground about Lophamford very near one the other and run quite contrary ways with creeks full of shallow fords On this side of the Ouse which goes westward there is nothing memorable k Upon Waveney which is carried eastward first we meet with Hoxon formerly Hegilsdon made famous by the martyrdom of King Edmund Martyrdom of King Edmund For there the most Christian King because he would not renounce Christ was by the most inhuman Danes to use the words of Abbo bound to a tree Hoxon and had his body all over mangl'd with arrows And they to increase the pain and torture with showers of arrows made wound upon wound till the darts gave place to one another And as a middle-age Poet has sung of him Jam loca vulneribus desunt nec dum furiosis Tela sed hyberna grandine plura volant Now wounds repeated left no room for new Yet impious foes still more relentless grew And still like winter-hail their pointed arrows flew In which place was afterwards a very neat seat of the Bishops of Norwich till they exchang'd it not long since for the Monastery of S. Benedict In the neighbourhood at Brome the family of Cornwalleys Cornwalleys Knights have dwelt for a long time of which John was Steward of the Houshold to King Edward the sixth and Thomas his son for his prudence and fidelity was Privy-Councellor to Queen Mary and Lord Controller of her Houshold Below this is Eay Eay that is the Island so call'd because 't is water'd on all sides where are seen the rubbish ruins and the decaying walls of a Monastery dedicated to St. Peter Book of Inquisitions and of an old Castle which belong'd to Robert Mallet a Norman Baron But when he was depriv'd of his dignity under Henry the first for siding with Robert Duke of Normandy against that King he bestow'd this Honour upon Stephen Count of Bologne who afterwards usurping the Crown of England left it to his son William Earl of Waren But after he 18 Having surrendâ—r'd his estate to King Henry 2. had lost his life in the Expedition of Tholose the Kings kept it in their own hands till Richard 1. gave it to Henry 5. of that name Duke of Brabant and Lorain with the grandchild of K. Stephen by a daughter who had been a Nun. A long time after when it return'd to the Kings of England Edward the third as I have heard gave it to Robert de Ufford Earl of Suffolk Nor must we pass by Bedingfield Bedingfield in the neighbourhood which gave name to a famous and ancient family that receiv'd much honour by the heir of Tudenham From thence along by Flixton Flixton for Felixton so nam'd among many others in this County from Foelix the first Bishop the river Waveney runs to Bungey Bungey and almost encompasses it Here Hugh Bigod when the seditious Barons put all England in an uproar fortify'd a Castle to the strength whereof nature very much contributed Of which he was wont to boast as if it were impregnable Were I in my Castle of Bungey Upon the River of Waveney I would ne care for the King of Cockeney Notwithstanding which he was afterwards forc'd to compound for a great sum of money and hostages with Henry the second to save it from being demolisht Next not far from the banks we meet with Mettingham Mettingham where in a plain a square Castle with a College in it was built by the Lord of the place John sirnam'd de Norwich whose daughter and afterward heir of the family was marry'd to Robert de Ufford Earl of Suffolk to whom she brought a fair estate Now the Waveney drawing nearer the Sea while it tries in vain to break a double passage into the Ocean the one along with the river Yare the other through the lake Luthing makes a pretty large Peninsula call'd by some Lovingland but by others more truly Luthingland Luthingland from that long and spatious lake Luthing which beginning at the Sea-side empties it self into the river Yare At the beginning of this Lestoffe Lestoffe a little town hangs as it were over the sea and at the end of it is Gorlston where I saw the tower of a small ruinated religious House which is of some use to the Sea men More inward upon the Yare is Somerley Somerley formerly as I was told the seat of the Fitz-Osberts from whom it came to the knightly and famous family of the Jerneganes A little higher where the Yare and Waveney joyn there flourish'd Cnobersburg i.e. as Bede interprets it the City of Cnoberus Cnoberi Urbs. we call it at this day Burghcastell Which as Bede has it by the vicinity of woods and sea was a very pleasant Castle wherein a Monastery was built by Fursaeus the Scot. By his perswasions Sigebert was induc'd to quit the Throne and betake himself to a Monastick life but afterwards being drawn against his will out of this Monastery to encourage his own men in a battel against the Mercians he was cut off ‖ Una cum suis with all his company Now there is nothing in the place but broken walls almost square built of flints and British brick It is quite overgrown with briars and thorns amongst which they now and then dig up Roman coins so that it seems to have been one of those Forts which the Romans built upon the river Garienis against the Saxon-Piracies or rather indeed the very Garianonum where the Stablesian horse had their station l Suffolk has had Earls and Dukes Dukes and Earls of Suffolk of several Families There are some modern Authors who tell us that the Glanvils were formerly honour'd with that title but since they build upon no sure authority and the mistake is obvious nor does any thing of it appear
which they offer'd their Lands advowsons of Churches tenths of Sheep and other Church-tithes certain measures of wheat a certain number of workmen or masons on the other side the common people as officious with emulation and great devotion offer'd some money some one day's work every month till it should be finish'd some to build whole pillars others pedestals and others certain parts of the walls The Abbot afterwards made a speech commending their great bounty in contributing to so pious a work and by way of requital made every one of them a member of that Monastery and gave them a right to partake with them in all the spiritual blessings of that Church At last having entertain'd them with a plentiful feast he dismiss'd them in great joy But I will not insist upon these things 2 But hereby you may see how by small contributions great works arose From Crowland between the river Welland and the deep marshes there is a Causey with willows set on each side leading to the North on which two miles from Crowland I saw a fragment of a pyramid with this Inscription AIO HANC PETRAM GVTHLACVS HABET SI BI METAM This rock I say is Guthlack's utmost bound Up higher on the same river is Spalding Spalding a town which on every side is enclos'd with rivulets and canals and indeed neater than can be reasonably expected in this County among so many lakes Here Ivo Talbois call'd somewhere in Ingulphus Earl of Anjou granted to the Monks of Anjou an ancient Cell From hence as far as Deeping which is ten miles off Egelrick Abbot of Crowland afterwards Bishop of Durham made a firm Causey for the sake of travellers through the midst of a vast forest and deep marshes as Ingulphus says of wood and gravel which was call'd from his name Elrich-road but at this day 't is not to be seen In the upper Hoiland which lyes more to the north the first place is Kirkton so call'd from the Church which is indeed very fine afterwards where the river Witham enclos'd on both sides with artificial banks runs with a full stream into the sea stands the flourishing town of Boston Boston more truly Botolph's town for it took that name as Bede testifies from Botolph a pious Saxon who had a Monastery at Icanhoe 'T is a famous town and built on both sides the river Witham over which there 's a very high wooden-bridge it has a commodious and well frequented haven a great market a beautiful and large Church the tower of which is very high and does as it were salute travellers at a great distance and direct mariners Robbers under the disguise of Monks It was miserably ruin'd in Edward the first 's reign for in that degenerate age and universal corruption of manners throughout the kingdom certain warlike men whilst a tournament was proclaiming at Fair-time came under the disguise of Monks and Canons set the town on fire in many places broke in upon the Merchants with sudden violence and carry'd away many things but burnt more insomuch that our Historians write as the ancients did of Corinth when it was demolish'd that veins of gold and silver ran mix'd together in one common current Their Ring-leader Robert Chamberlain after he had confessed the fact and detested the crime was hang'd but could not by any means be brought to discover his accomplices However Boston recover'd it self again and a staple for wooll which they call Woolstaple was here settled which very much enrich'd it and drew hither the Merchants of the Hanse-Company who fix'd here their Gild. At this time 't is a fair-built and a trading rich town for the inhabitants apply themselves wholly to merchandise and grazing Near this was the Barony de Croeun or Credon Regist de Freston Barons of Burton Croeune of which family was Alanus de Croeun who founded the Priory of Freston at last Petronilla the heiress of the family being twice married brought no small inheritance first to the Longchamps which came to the Pedwardins secondly to John Vaulx from whom the Barons of Ross are descended This Hoiland reaches scarce six miles farther and was entirely given by William the first to Yvo Talbois of Anjou whose insolences were such that Herward could never endure him an Englishman Herward the Englâ—shman very ambitious fiery and resolute the son of Leofrick Lord of Brane or Burne who seeing his own and his Country's safety now at stake Ingulphus Crâ—wlandenâ—s and having a souldier 's belt put on him by Bran Abbot of Peterborough that was also enrag'd at the Normans broke out into open war against him often conquer'd him and at last took him prisoner and would not suffer him to be ransom'd unless he himself might be received into the King's favour so he liv'd and dy'd in his allegiance And indeed his valour which is a quality we honour in our very enemies deserv'd as much His daughter was married to Hugh Enermeve Lord of Deping and enjoy'd his possessions which afterwards as I have been informed came to the Barons de Wake Barons of Wake a family very much enrich'd by the Estate of the Estotevills very eminent and men of great interest in these parts till Edward the second 's time for then by an heir female their inheritance fell by right of marriage to Edmund of Woodstock Earl of Kent youngest son to King Edward the first From the younger sons the ancient and famous family of the Wakes of Blisworth in Northamptonshire yet remaining is descended d The second part of this County commonly call'd Kesteven Kesteven but by Ethelwerd an ancient author Ceostefnewood e borders upon Hoiland on the west happy in an air much more wholsome and a soil no less fruitful This division is larger than the other and is every where adorn'd with more towns On the borders by the river Welland stand Stanford Stanford in Saxon Steanford ‖ E saxo structili built of free-stone from which it has it's name It is a town of good resort endow'd with divers privileges and wall'd about paying Geld as Domesday-book has it for twelve Hundreds and a half to the army and towards the navy and Danegeld and had in it six Wards When King Edward the Elder fortified the southern banks of the river to hinder the Danish inroads from the north he built also on the south bank over against it a very strong castle Vid. Burghley in Northamptonshire call'd now Stanford Baron as Marianus has it But at this day 't is not to be seen for the common report is and the foundation-plot it self still witnesses that that castle which Stephen fortified in the Civil war against Henry of Anjou stood in the very town Soon after when this Henry was King of England he gave the whole village of Stanford being his Demesne Lib. Inq. in the Exchequer excepting the fees of the Barons and Knights of the
Bredon hills Bredon hills tho' much lesser than those of Malvern rise with a sort of emulation Upon these appears Elmley Elmley-castle a Castle once belonging to Ursus or Urso d'Abtot by whose daughter and heir Emeline it descended to the Beauchamps At the foot of these hills stands Breodun touching whose Monastery Offa King of the Mercians saith I Offa King of the Mercians will give 35 acres of tributary land to the Monastery which is called Breodun in the Province of the Wiccians and to the Church of St. Peter Prince of the Apostles in that place which my grandfather Eanwulf built to the glory and praise of the everliving God Under Bredon hills to the south lies Washborn VVashborn a village or two which gives the sirname to an ancient and gentile family in these parts They lye in a spot of this County quite severed from the main body And divers other like parcels Parcel 〈◊〉 the Shiâ— severed from thâ— rest of tâ— body lie up and down dispersed the reason I know not unless it were this That the Governours of this County in elder times having estates of their own lying near annex'd them to the County which they govern'd q A little higher runs the river Avon in its way to Severn in this County it waters Eovesham â—â—â—ham which the Monkish writers tell us had its name from Eoves swineherd to Egwine Bishop of Worcester being formerly called Eath-home 〈…〉 â—â—â—esham â—â—â—tery 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 1157. and Heath-field a very neat town seated on a gentle ascent from the river Bengworth Castle anciently stood at the bridge-foot as it were in its suburbs which William d'Audeville Abbot recovering from William Beauchamp did utterly demolish and caused the ground to be consecrated for a Churchyard The town is famous for this Monastery which Egwine by the help of King Kenred son of Wolfer King of the Mercians built about the year 700 as also for the Vale of Evesham 〈◊〉 â—â—eâ—ham lying about it and taking its name from the town which for its fruitfulness is justly stiled the Graâ—ary of these parts so liberal is the soil in affording the best corn in great abundance In more ancient times this town was very famous for the overthrow of the Barons and of Simon Mountfort E. 〈…〉 of Leicester our English Cataline He being a person of a very bad temper and extremely perfidious taught us by experience the truth of that saying Favours are esteemed obligations no longer than they can be requited For when King Hen. 3. had with a liberal hand heaped all possible favours upon him and given him his own sister to wife he had no other returns from him than most implacable hatred For he raised a most dangerous war and miserably wasted a great part of England under pretence of redressing grievances and asserting its liberties leaving no method unpractis'd whereby he might depose the King and change the government from a Monarchy to an Oligarchy But after he had prospered a while in his enterprize he with many others of his party fell in this place being subdued in a pitch'd battel by the valour of Prince Edward And instantly as tho' the sink of mischiefs had been cleansed a welcome peace which he had banished every where appeared r â—265 Hard by upon the same river lyeth Charleton â—â—â—on once the estate of a famous Knightly family the Hansacres but now of the Dinlies or Dinglies who being descended of an ancient family of that name in Lancashire came to it by inheritance c The Dinglies continue to this day at Charleton A little lower in the primitive times of our English Church there was another Religious-house then Fleodanbyrig now Fladbury 〈…〉 and near this Pershore in Saxon Periscoran named from the Pear-trees which as that excellent Historian William of Malmesbury informs us Egelward Duke of Dorset a man of a generous spirit and wholly devoted to pious munificence built and finished in K. Edgar's time But alas what vast losses hath it since sustained part the ambition of great men hath seized part is forgotten and lost and a very considerable part of its possessions King Edward and William bestowed on Westminster 5 Then receiveth Avon a riveret from the north upon which stands Hodington a seat of the Winters of which were Robert Winter and his brother Thomas who whenas they were in the Gunpowder Treason c. Dr. Holland having led me to Hadington I cannot pass by Henlip a fair seat of the Abingtons remarkable for the taking of Garnet and Oldcorn two eminent Jesuits concerned in the Powder-Plot who after many days fruitless search were found in a cavity of a wall over a Chimney In the same house was written that obscure Letter to the Lord Mounteagle by Mrs. Abingdon his sister which gave some light into the horrid design The present owner Thomas Abingdon Esquire hath in his hands a large description of Worcestershire written by his grandfather an able and industrious Antiquary the publication whereof hath been impatiently expected from him above these 20 years Hence Avon runs smoothly down by Strensham d Strensham is still enjoyed by the same family a seat of the Russels an ancient family of the degree of Knights and so dischargeth it's waters into Severn Hereabouts in the south part of the Shire lies Oswalds-law-hundred â—â—â—ds 〈◊〉 hunâ—â—ed so called from Oswald Bishop of Worcester who obtained it of Edgar the immunities whereof are thus registred in the Survey of England which William the Conquerour made The Church of St. Mary in Wircester hath a Hundred called Oswalds-low in which lye 300 Hide-land where the Bishop of this Church hath by very long prescription all the Services and customary duties pertaining to the Lords Pourveyance the King's service and his own so that no Sheriff may hold a Court there in any plea or other cause whatsoever This is attested by the whole County s There is a place somewhere in this County but not certainly known called Augustines-ac i.e. Augustine's Oak at which Augustine the Apostle of the English and the British Bishops met and having for some time disputed about the keeping of Easter preaching Gods word to the English A. D. 60â— and administring the Sacrament of Baptism after the rites of the Church of Rome in conclusion both sides went away dissatisfied t This Province after the Norman Conquest had for its first Sheriff Urso d'Abtot Earls of VVorcester D. Abtot to whom and his heirs King William 1. gave large possessions together with that honour Roger his son succeeded him who as William of Malmesbury reports enjoyed his father's possessions and was divested of them falling under the heavy displeasure of King Henry 1. because in a furious passion he had commanded one of the King's Officers to be put to death But this dignity of Sheriff by Emeline Sister to this Roger descended to the family of the Beauchamps for she was married to Walter de Beauchamp whom King Stephen made Constable of England when he displaced Miles Earl of Glocester Within a few years after K. Stephen made
tho' I have long consider'd it Antiquity has so obscur'd all memorials of them that there remain not the least footsteps whereby to trace them So that tho' Justus Lipsius that great Master of polite learning takes me for a competent judge of this controversie I must ingenuously profess my ignorance and that I would rather recommend this task to any one else than assume it to my self However if the Ceangi and Cangi may be allow'd to be the same and I don't know why they may not then 't is probable that they liv'd in this County For while I was reviewing this work I heard from some credible persons that there have been twenty pieces of Lead dug up on this shore of a square oblong form and thus inscribed in the hollow of the upper part IMP. DOMIT. AVG. GER DE CEANG. But in others IMP. VESP. VII T. IMP. V. COSS. Aâ— Câ— Which seems to have been a monument rais'd upon account of some victory over the Cangi And this opinion is confirm'd by the situation of the place upon the Irish Sea An 〈◊〉 for Tacitus in the twelfth Book of his Annals writes That in Nero's time Ostorius led an Army against the Cangi by which the fields were wasted and the spoil every where carried off the enemy not daring to engage but only at an advantage to attack our rear and even then they suffer'd for their attempt They were now advanc'd almost as far as that Sea towards Ireland when a mutiny among the Brigantes brought back the General again But from the former Inscription it seems they were not subdued before Domitian's time and consequently by Chronological computation it must be when Julius Agricola that excellent Souldier was Propraetor here Moreover Ptolemy places the Promontorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on this coast Neither dare I look in any other part beside this Country for the Garrison of the Conganii where Coâ—â—â— towards the decline of the Empire a Band of Vigiles with their Captain under the Dux Britanniae kept watch and ward But I leave every man to his own judgment As for the Earls of Chester Eaâ—â—s â— Cheâ—â—â— to omit the Saxons who held this Earldom barely as an office and not as an inheritance William the Conquerour made Hugh sirnam'd Lupus son to the Viscount de Auranches in Normandy the first hereditary Earl of Chester and Count Palatine giving unto him and his heirs this whole County h See Ordericus Vitalis's Ecclesiastical History l. 4. p. 509. where Chester is given to Reger of Montgomery to hold as freely by his sword as he did England by his crown these are the very words of the Feoffment Baron Chestâ—â— Hereupon the Earl presently substituted these following Barons Nigell now Niel Baron of Haulton whose posterity took the name Lacey from the estate of the Laceys which fell to them and were Earls of Lincoln Robert Baron de Mont-hault Seneschal or Steward of the County of Chester the last of which family dying without children made Isabel Queen of England and John de Eltham Earl of Cornwall his heirs William de Malbedenge Baron of Malbanc whose great grand-daughters transferred this inheritance by their marriages to the Vernons and Bassets Richard Vernon Baron of Sipbroke whose estate for want of heirs male came by the sisters to the Wilburhams Staffords and Littleburys Robert Fitz-Hugh Baron of Malpas who as I have observ'd already seems to have died without issue Hammon de Mascy whose estate descended to the Fittons de Bolin Gilbert Venables Baron of Kinderton whose Posterity remain and flourish in a direct line to this present age N. Baron of Stockport to whom the Warrens of Poynton descended from the noble family of the Earls of Warren and Surrey in right of marriage succeeded And these are all the Barons I could hitherto find belonging to the Earls of Chester Who as 't is set down in an old book had their free Courts for all Pleas and Suits except those belonging to the Earl's sword They were besides to be the Earl's Counsel to attend him and to frequent his Court for the honour and greater grandeur of it and as we find it in an old Parchment they were bound in times of war with the Welsh to find for every Knight's fee one Horse and Furniture or two without Furniture within the Divisions of Cheshire and that their Knights and Freeholders should have Corslets and 〈…〉 Haubergeons and defend their own Fees with their own Bodies 〈…〉 Hugh the first Earl of Chester already spoken of was succeeded by his son Richard who together with William only son of Henry the first with others of the Nobility was cast away between England and Normandy An. 1120. He dying without issue Ranulph de Meschines was the third in this dignity being sister's son to Hugh the first Earl He dying left a son Ranulph sirnam'd de Gernoniis the fourth Earl of Chester a stout Souldier who at the Siege of Lincoln took King Stephen prisoner His son Hugh sirnam'd Kevelioc was the fifth Earl who dy'd An. 1181. leaving his son Ranulph sirnam'd de Blundevill the sixth in that dignity who built Chartley and Beeston-castles founded the Abbey de-la-Cress and died without issue leaving four sisters to inherit Mawd the wife of David Earl of Huntingdon Mabil the wife of William de Albeney Earl of Arundel Agnes wife of William de Ferrars Earl of Derby and lastly Avis wife of Robert de Quincy The next Eâ—rl of this County was John sirnam'd Scotus the son of Earl David by the eldest sister Mawd aforesaid He dying likewise without issue King Henry the third bribed with the prospect of so fair an Inheritance annexed it to the Crown allowing the sisters of John other Revenues for their Fortunes not being willing as he was wont to say that such a vast estate should be parcelled among Distaffs The Kings themselves when this County devolved upon them J. Tillus maintain'd their ancient Palatine Prerogatives and held their Courts as the Kings of France did in the Counties of Champain that the Honour of the Palatinate might not be extinguished by difuse An Honour which afterwards was conferred upon the eldest sons of the Kings of England and first granted to Edward the son of Henry the third who being taken prisoner by the Barons parted with it as ransom for his Liberty to Simon de Montfort Earl of Leicester who being cut off soon after it quickly returned to the Crown and Edward the second made his eldest son Earl of Chester and Flint and under these titles summon'd him when but a Child to Parliament Afterwards Richard the second by Act of Parliament raised this Earldom to a Principality and annexed to it the Castle of Leon with the Territories of Bromfield and Yale and likewise the Castle of Chirk with Chirkland and the Castle of Oswalds-street with the Hundred and eleven Towns appertaining to the said Castle with the Castles of
room William the son of Osbern of Crepon or as the Normans call'd him Fitz-Osbern a person very nearly allied to the Dukes of Normandy He being slain in the 4 Assisting the Earl of Flanders wars in Flanders was succeeded by his son Roger sirnam'd de Bretevill who died 5 Condemn'd to perpetual prison for a Conspiracy against the Conquerour out-law'd Proscriptus leaving no legitimate issue Then King Stephen restor'd to Robert le Bossu Earl of Leicester 6 Who had marry'd Emme or Itta heir of Bretevill son of Emme de Bretevill's heir I speak out of the original it self the Borough of Hereford and the Castle and the whole County of Hereford to descend by inheritance but to no purpose For Maud the Empress who contended with Stephen for the Crown advanced Miles the son of Walter Constable of Glocester to that honour and 7 Also granted to him Constabulariam Curiae suae the Constableship of her Court whereupon his posterity were Constables of England as the Marshalship was granted at the first by the name of Magistratus â—lariscalâ—iae Câ—riae nostrae made him high Constable of England Constables of England Nevertheless King Stephen afterwards divested him of these honours This Miles had five sons Roger Walter Henry William and Mahel all persons of great note and who died untimely deaths after they had all but William succeeded one another in their father's inheritance having none of them any issue King Henry amongst other things gave to Roger The Mote of Hereford with the whole Castle Girald Cambriae Itin. l. 1. c. 2. and the third penny of the revenues of the Pleas of the whole County of Hereford whereof he made him Earl But upon Roger's death if we may credit Robert Montensis the same King kept the Earldom of Hereford to himself Margaret the eldest sister of these was married to Humphrey Bohun the third of that name and his Posterity were High Constables of England viz. Humphrey Bohun the fourth Henry his son 2 Par. Chart. An. 1 Reg. Joan. Matth. Paris Lib Waldensis Lib. Monasterii Lanthony to whom King John granted Twenty pound to be received yearly of the third penny of the County of Hereford whereof he made him Earl This Henry married the sister and heir of William Mandevill Earl of Essex and died in the fourth year of King Henry the third Humphrey the fifth his son who was also Earl of Essex and had Humphrey the sixth who died before his father having first begot Humphrey the seventh upon a daughter and one of the heirs of William Breos Lord of Brecknock His son Humphrey the eighth was slain at Boroughbrigg leaving by Elizabeth his wife daughter of King Edward the first and dowager of the Earl of Holland a numerous issue viz. John Bohun Humphrey the ninth both Earls of Hereford and Essex who dyed issueless and William Earl of Northampton who had by Elizabeth 8 Daughter sister and one of the heirs of Giles Lord Badlesmer Humphrey Bohun the tenth and last of the Bohuns Earl of Hereford Essex and Northampton as also Lord High Constable of England He left two daughters Eleanor the wife of Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Mary married to Henry of Lancaster Earl of Derby Henry 〈◊〉 fourâ—◠〈◊〉 of Eâ—gâ—â—â—â— who was created Duke of Hereford and was afterwards crowned King of England After this the Staffords Dukes of Buckingham had the title of Earls of Hereford who were descended from a daughter of Thomas of Woodstock which daughter was afterwards married to William Bourchier called Earl of Ew But in our memory King Edward the sixth honour'd Walter D'Eureux descended by the Bourchiers from the Bohuns with the title of Viscount Hereford whose grandchild by a son was afterwards created Earl of Essex by Queen Elizabeth This County contains 176 Parishes ADDITIONS to HEREFORDSHIRE a THE County of Hereford being as it were a Frontier in all the wars between the English and Welsh has upon that account been very remarkable for its number of Forts and Castles no fewer than 28. the greatest part whereof have now little to show beside the name Our Author observes it to be a very good Corn-Country but its present peculiar eminence is in Fruits of all sorts which give them an opportunity particularly of making such vast quantities of Syder as not only to serve their own families for 't is their general drink but also to furnish London and other parts of England their Red-streak from a sort of Apple they call so being exrtemely valu'd b Upon the river Wye two miles from Hereford is Eaton-wall Eaton * Aubr MS. a Camp containing about thirty or forty acres The works of it are single except a little on the West-side And about two miles from hence and a mile from Kenchester is Creden-hill upon which is a very great Camp and mighty works the graff here is inwards as well as outwards and the whole contains by estimation about forty acres c Near which is Kenchester Kenchester †Blome where about the year 1669. was found in a wood a great vault with tables of plaster in it The vault it self was pav'd with stone and thereabouts were dug up also many pieces of Roman Coins with large Bones leaden Pipes several Roman Urns with ashes in them and other vessels the use whereof was unknown d A little lower stands its daughter Hereford Hereford in which name our Author would find some remains of the old Ariconium whereas it is of a pure Saxon original implying no more than a ford of the army nor ought the vulgar's pronouncing it Hariford be of any weight when it appears by * See the Glossary and the several places wherein 't is mention'd our most ancient Annals that it was constantly written hereford Which interpretation doth also suit the situation of the place exceeding well the Severn being for many hundreds of years the frontier between two Nations almost always at war e Leland †Itinerar MS. has told us that the Castle by the ruins appear'd to have been one of the fairest largest and strongest in all England The walls were high firm and full of great towers and where the river was not a sufficient defence for it there it was strongly ditch'd It had two wards each of them surrounded with water the dungeon was high and exceeding well fortify'd having in the outward wall or ward ten towers of a semiciâ—cular figure and one great tower in the inner ward As to the building of it the sâ—me Leland has left us what tradition was on foot in his time without taking any notice of our Author's Earl Milo Some think says he that Heraldus â—gan this Castle after that he had conquer'd the rebellion of the Welshmen in King Edward the Confessor's time Some think that the Lacies Earls of Hereford were the great makers of it and the Bohuns Earls of Hereford
Sphaera to be born in it But 't is more remarkable for the c It has in it twelve Chapels subject to the Mother-Church of Halifax two whereof are Parochial unusual extent and largeness of the Parish which has under it eleven Chapels two whereof are Parochial and about twelve thousand men in it So that the Parishioners are wont to say they can reckon more men in their Parish than any kind of animal whatsoever whereas in the most populous and fruitful places of England elsewhere one shall find thousands of sheep but so few men in proportion that one would think they had given place to sheep and oxen or were devour'd by them But of all others nothing is so admirable in this town as the industry of the inhabitants who notwithstanding an unprofitable barren soil not fit to live in have so flourish'd by the Cloath trade which within these seventy years they first fell to that they aâ—e both very rich and have gain'd a reputation for it above their neighbours Which confirms the truth of that old observation That a barren Country is a great whet to the industry of the Natives by which alone we find Norinberg in Germany Venice and Genoua in Italy and lastly Limoges in France notwithstanding their situation on a barren soil have ever flourishing Cities n Six miles from Halifax not fâ—r from the right side of the river Calder and near Almondbury â—ondbuâ—â— a little village there is a very steep hill only accessible by one way from the plain 〈◊〉 where the marks of an old rampire and some ruins of a wall and of a castle well guarded with a triple fortification are plainly visible Some would have it the remains of Olicana but 't is really the ruins of Cambodunum which is by a mistake in Ptolemy call'd Camulodunum and d It is in King Alfred's Paraphrase render'd Donafelda A MS. Bede has it Attamen in Campo dono ubi tunc etiam villa Regia erat c. and so the printed Edition at Lovain An. 1566. whence probably came Stapleton's mistake in translating it Champion call'd Down in his English Version made two words by Bede Campo-dunum as appears by the distance which Antoninus makes between that and Mancunium on the one hand and that and Calcaria on the other In the beginning of the Saxon times it seems to have made a great figure in the world For it was then a Royal Seat and graced with a â—â—â—â—ca Cathedral built by Paulinus the Apostle of these parts and dedicated to St. Alban whence for Albanbury 't is now call'd Almonbury But in those cruel wars that Ceadwall the Britain and Penda the Mercian made upon Edwin the Prince of these Territories it was burnt down which in some measure appears in the colour of the stones to this day Afterwards a Castle was built here which as I have read was confirm'd to Henry Lacy by King Stephen o â—â—ey Not far from this stands Whitley the Seat of the ancient and famous family of the Beaumonts which is different and distinct from that of the Barons and Vicounts Beaumont and flourish'd in England before they came over The Calder having passed by these places runs on to Kirkley â—â—â—ley heretofore a Nunnery thence to Robin Hood's Tomb who was a generous robber and very famous 〈…〉 and so to Deusborrough situated at the foot of a high Hill Whether this name be deriv'd from Dui that local Deity already mention'd I cannot determine the name is not unlike for it resembles Duis Burgh in sound and this town has been considerable from the earliest date of Christianity among the English of this Province For I have been inform'd of a e There is nothing now appears of this Cross and an ancient Minister of those parâ—s a native of the place affirms that his father tho' 30 years Vicar there never had any knowledge of it Cross yet to be seen here with this Inscription PAVLINVS HIC PRAEDICAVIT ET CELEBRAVIT That is Paulinus here preached and celebrated Divine Service That this Paulinus was the first Archbishop of York about the year 626. we are assured by the concurring evidence of our Historians From hence it goes by Thornhill which from a knightly family of that name f It is now in the possession of the Marquiss of Halifax descended to the Savils and so Calder marches to Wakefield Wakefield a town famous for it's Cloath-trade largeness neat buildings great markets and for the bridge upon which King Edward the fourth built a very neat Chapel in memory of those that were cut off in a battel here This town belong'd heretofore to the Earls of Warren and Surâ—y as also Sandal-castle just by built by John Earl of Warren whose mind was never free from the slavish dictates of his own lust for being too familiar with the wife of Thomas Earl of Lancaster his design was to detain her there securely from her husband Below this town when England was embroil'd with civil wars Richard Duke of York and father of Edw. 4 whose temper was rather to provoke fortune than quietly to court and expect it was here slain amongst many others by the Lancastrians The ground hereabouts for a pretty way together is call'd the Lordship of Wakefield and hath always some one or other of the Gentry for its Seneschal or Steward an Office often administer'd by the Savils Savils a very numerous family in these parts and at this day in the hands of Sir J. Savil Knight whose exceeding neat house appears at Howley Howley not far off p About five miles from Wakefield the river Calder loses both its name and waters in the river Are. Upon the confluence stands Medley Medley formerly Medeley so call'd from its situation as edging in between two rivers In the last age this was the Seat of 5 Sir Robert Robert Waterton Master of the Horse to K. Henry the fourth but at present of the famous g In the Church of this place there is a stately Monument for him which acquaints us that he was Ex speciali gratia Regis in proprio Comitatu suo Justiciar Assiz Sir John Savil a most worthy Baron of the Exchequer who must be ingenuously own'd not only to have promoted this work by his great learning but also to have encourag'd the Author of it by his humanity and kindness The river Are issuing from the root of the Mountain Pennigent which is the highest in these parts Are river at first seeming doubtful whether it should run forwards into the Sea or return into its Spring is so winding and crooked that in travelling this way I had it to pass over seven times in half an hour upon a strait road It 's course is calm and quiet so easie that it hardly appears to flow and I am of opinion this has occasion'd its name For I have already observ'd that the British word ara signifies
Earls of Albemarle mention'd by our Authour that title was vacant till upon the Restoration of King Charles the second George Monk who had been chiefly instrumental in it was advanc'd to the Honours of Baron Monk of Potheridge Beauchamp and Tcyes as also Earl of Torrington and Duke of Albemarle July 7. 12 Car. 2. Who departing this Life in 1669. was succeeded in his Estate and Titles by Christopher his son and heir NORTH-RIDING SCarce two miles above the Promontory of Flamburorw the North-part of this Country or the North-riding â—orâ—h-â—â—ding begins which makes the frontier to the other parts From the Sea it extends it self in a very long but narrow tract for threescore miles together as far as Westmorland to the west 'T is bounded on this side with the river Derwent and for some time by the Ure on the other all along by the course of the river Tees which separates it from the Bishoprick of Durham to the North. This Riding may not unfitly be divided into these parts Blackamore Cliveland Northalvertonshire and Richmondshire That which lyeth East and towards the Sea is call'd Blackamore that is a land black and mountainous being with craggs hills and woods up and down it rugged and unsightly The Sea-coast is eminent for Scarborough a very famous Castle formerly call'd Scear-burg i.e. a Bourg upon a steep Rock a Take the description of it from the History of William of Newburgh A rock of wonderful height and bigness and inaccessible by reason of steep craggs almost on every side stands into the Sea which quite surrounds it but in one place where a narrow slip of land gives access to it on the West It has on the top a pleasant plain grassy and spacious of about sixty acres or upwards and a little well of fresh water springing from a rock in it In the very entry which puts one to some pains to get up stands a stately tower and beneath the entry the City begins spreading its two sides South and North and carrying its front Westward where it is fortified with a wall but on the East is fenc'd by that rock where the Castle stands and lastly on both sides by the Sea William sirnam'd le Grosse Earl of Albemarle and Holderness observing this place to be fitly situated for building a Castle on encreased the natural strength of it by a very costly work having enclosed all that plain upon the rock with a wall and built a Tower in the entrance But this being decay'd and falln by the weight of too much age King Henry the second commanded a great and brave Castle to be built upon the same spot For he had now reduc'd the Nobility of England who during the loose reign of King Stephen had impaired the revenues of the Crown but especially this William of Albemarle who Lorded it over all these parts and kept this place as his own It is not to my purpose to relate the desperate boldness of Thomas Stafford who that he might fall from great attempts surpriz'd this Castle in Queen Mary's reign with a very small number of Frenchmen and kept it for two days nor yet that Sherleis a noble Frenchman of the same party was arraign'd for High-Treason altho' he was a foreigner because he had acted contrary to the duty of his Allegiance â— Dier â— there being then a Peace between the Kingdoms of England and France These things are too well known in the world to need a publication here Yet it is worth remarking that those of Holland and Zealand carry on a very plentiful and gainful trade of fishing in the Sea here for herrings call them in Latin Haleces Leucomenidae Chalcides The gainful trade of herring-fishing or what you please whereas by an old Constitution they use to get a Licence first for it from this Castle For the English always granted leave for fishing reserving the Honour to themselves but out of a lazy temper resigning the gain to others For 't is almost incredible what vast gains the Hollanders make by this Fishery on our Coast These herrings pardon me if I digress a little to shew the goodness of God towards us which in the former age swarmed only about Norway now in our time by the bounty of divine providence swim in great shoals towards our coasts About Mid-summer they draw from the main sea towards the coasts of Scotland at which time they are immediately sold off as being then at their best From thence they next arrive on our coasts and from the middle of August to November there is excellent and most plentiful fishing for them all along from Scarborough to the Thames-mouth Afterwards by stormy weather they are carried into the British sea and there caught till Christmas thence having ranged the coast of Ireland on both sides and gone round Britain they convey themselves into the Northern Ocean where they remain till June and after they have cast their spawn return again in great shoals This relation puts me in mind of what I have formerly read in S. Ambrose Fish in prodigious numbers Hexameron l. 5. c. 10. meeting as it were by common consent out of many places from several creeks of the sea in one united body make towards the blasts of the * Aquilo North-east wind and by a kind of natural instinct swim into the northern seas One would think to see them as they climb the main that some tide were approaching they rush on and cut the waves with such violence as they go through the Propentis to the Euxine Sea But now to return From hence the shore is craggy and bendeth inward as far as the river Teise and by its winding in Teise river there is caused a bay about a mile broad which is called Robin-Hoods Bay Robbin Hood's Bay from that famous Out law Robin Hood who flourish'd in the reign of Rich. the first as Jo. Major a Scotchman informs us who stiles him a principal and leading robber and the most kind and obliging robber From hence the shore immediately going back on both sides le ts us see the Bay Dunus sinus mention'd in Ptolemy Dunum upon which is seated the little village Dunesly Dunesley and just by it Whitby Whitby in the Saxon tongue a Streones-heal Streanes-Heale which Bede renders the bay of the Watch-tower I will not dispute this explanation of it though in our language it seems so plainly to intimate the bay of Safety that I should certainly have said it was the Sinus Salutaris if its situation as the Geographer makes it did not perswade me to the contrary b Here are found certain stones Stony-Serpents resembling the wreaths and folds of a serpent the strange frolicks of nature which as one says she forms for diversion after a toilsome application to serious business For one would believe them to have been serpents crusted over with a bark of stone Fame ascribes them to the power
called Balineum as appears from this Inscription which was hence convey'd to Connington to the house of the most famous and learned Sir Robert Cotton Knight DAE .. FORTVNAE Instead of Deae Fortunae VIRIVS LVPVS LEG AVG PR PR BALINEVM VI IGNIS EXVST VM COH I. THR ACVM REST ITVIT CVRANTE VAL. FRON TONE PRAE F EQ ALAE VETTO Here I must correct an errour in those who from a false draught of this Inscription which has it Balingium corruptly for Balineum imagine the place to have been call'd Balingium whereas upon a close inspection it is plainly Balineum in the stone a word used for Balneum by the ancients as the learned know very well who are not ignorant that Baths were as much us'd by the Souldiers as any others both for the sake of health and cleanliness for daily in that age they were wont to wash before they eat and also that Baths both publick and private were built at such a lavish rate every where Seneca See Flintshire that any one thought himself poor and mean that had not the walls of his Bath adorn'd with great and costly * Orbibus Rosses In these men and women washed promiscuously together tho' that was often prohibited both by the Laws of the Emperours and Synodical Decrees In the decline of the Roman Empire a †Numerus Exploratorum Band of the Exploratores with their Praefect under the command of the * Dacis Britanniae Captain of Britain had their station here as is manifest from the Notitia where it is nam'd Lavatres Now seeing these Baths were also call'd Lavacra by the Latins perhaps some Critick or other will imagine that this place was call'd Lavatrae instead of Lavacra yet I should rather derive it from that little river running hard by which I hear is call'd Laver. This modern name Bowes seeing the old Town was burnt to the ground according to a tradition among the Inhabitants seems to me to be deriv'd from that accident For that which is burnt with fire is call'd by the Britains Boeth and so the Suburbs of Chester beyond the Dee call'd by the English Hanbridge is nam'd by the Welsh or Britains from its being burnt down in a Welsh in-road Treboth that is a little town burnt Here begins that mountainous and vast tract always expos'd to winds and rain which from its being rough and stony is call'd by the Inhabitants Stanemore Stanemore for it is quite throughout solitary but for one Inn in the middle of it for the entertainment of Travellers 5 Call'd the Spittle on Stane more Spittle on Stanemore and near this is the remainder of a Cross which we call Rere-cross Rere-cross and the Scots Rei-cross that is a Royal Cross Hector Boetius a Scotchman says this stone was set as a boundary between England and Scotland when William the first gave Cumberland to the Scots upon this condition that they should hold it of him by fealty and attempt nothing that might be to the prejudice of the Crown of England Somewhat lower just by the Roman Military way was a small Roman Fort of a square form which is now call'd Maiden-castle Maiden-castle From hence as I had it from the Borderers this Military Roman way went with many windings to Caer Vorran As the favour of Princes inclin'd there have been several Earls of Richmond Earls of Richmond and of different families of whom with as much accuracy and clearness as I can I will give this following account in their due order 6 The first Earls were out of the house of Little Britain in France whose descent is confusedly intricate amongst their own Writers for that there were two principal Earls at once one of Haulte Britain and another of Base Britain for many years and every one of their children had their part in Gavelkind and were stil'd Earls of Britain without distinction But of these the first Earl of Richmond according to our Writings and Records was Alane sirnam'd Feregaunt that is The Red son of Hoel Earl of Britain descended from Hawise great Aunt to William the Conquerour who gave this Country unto him by name of the Lands of Earl Eadwin in Yorkshire and withal bestowed his daughter upon him by whom he had no issue He built Richmond-castle as is before specified to defend himself from disinherited and out-law'd English men in those parts and dying left Britain to his son Conan le Grosse by a second wife But Alane the Black son of Eudo son of Geffrey Earl of Britain and Hawise aforesaid succeeded in Richmond and he having no child left it to Stephen his brother This Stephen begat Alane sirnam'd Le Sâ—vage his son and successour who assisted King Stephen against Maude the Empress in the battel at Lincoln and married Bertha one of the heirs of Conan le Gross Earl of Hault Britain by whom he had Conan le Perit Earl of both Britains by hereditary right as well as of Richmond He by the assistance of K. Henry the second of England dispossessed Eudo Vicount of Porhoet his father-in-law who usurp'd the title of Britain in right of the said Bertha his wife and ended his life leaving only one daughter Constance by Margaret sister to Malcolme King of the Scots Geffrey third son to King Henry the second of England was advanced by his father to the marriage of the said Constance whereby he was Earl of Britain and Richmond and begat of her Arthur who succeeded him and as the French write was made away by King John his Uncle Alan Rufus Earl of Britain in Armorica Alan Niger to whom William the Conquerour gave this shire Stephen Earl of Britain his brother Alan Earl of Britain About this time Overus de St. Martino is mention'd as Earl of Richmond the son of Stephen Conanus Earl of Britain his son who by the assistance of Henry the second King of England recover'd Britain from his Father-in-law the Sheriff of Porhoet possessed of it Geoffrey Plantagenet son of Henry the second King of England who first married Constantia only daughter of Conanus Arthur his son who is said to have been made away by King John Upon this account John was certainly impeach'd by the French as Duke of Normandy who pass'd Sentence upon him tho' he was absent unheard had made no confession and was not convict Normandâ— taken froâ— the King 〈◊〉 England so they adjudg'd him depriv'd of Normandy and his hereditary Lands in France Whereas he had publickly promis'd to stand to the judgment of Paris and answer to the death of Arthur who as his liege subject had taken an oath of Allegiance to him yet had broken the same raised a rebellion and was taken prisoner in the war In these times the question was bandied Whether the Peers of France could be Judges of a King anointed and by consequence their Superiour seeing every greater dignity as it
of Chester But King Stephen to ingratiate himself with the Scots restor'd it to them to hold of him and his Successors Kings of England But his immediate Successor Henry the second considering what a prejudice this profuse Liberality of Stephen's was both to him and his whole Kingdom demanded back from the Scots Northumberland Cumberland and Westmoreland For the Scotch King as Neubrigensis has it wisely considering that since the King of England had both a better title and was much stronger in those parts tho' he could have alledg'd the oath which was said to have been made to his grandfather David when he was knighted by him very fairly and honestly restor'd the foresaid bounds at the King's demand and in lieu of them had Huntingdonshire which belong'd to him by ancient right Cumberland had no Earls before Henry the eighth's time who created Henry Clifford descended from the Lords de Veteri ponte or Vipont first Earl of Cumberland Earls of Cumberland He by Margaret daughter of Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland had Henry the second Earl who by his first wife daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk had Margaret Countess of Derby and by his second daughter of Baron Dacre of Gillesland two sons George and Francis George the third Earl famous for his great exploits at Sea undaunted and indefatigable dy'd in the year 1505 leaving an only daughter Anne 20 Now Countess of Dorset But his brother Sir Francis c. Francis his brother the fourth Earl succeeded him in whom appears a strong inclination to Virtue worthy the greatness of such honourable Ancestors 21 As for the Wardens of the West-marches against Scotland in this County which were Noblemen of especial trust I need to say nothing when as by the union of both Kingdoms under one head that Office is now determin'd This County has 58. Parish-Churches besides Chapels VALLUM OR The PICTS WALL THat famous Wall which was the bound of the Roman Province call'd by ancient Latin Writers Vallum Barbaricum Praetentura and Clusura i.e. the Barbarous Wall the Breast-work the Fence or Hedge crosses the †The Latins usually call the more Northern tract of a Country Pars Superior Otherwise that through which the Picts-wall here passes is by the Inhabitants of this County more justly call'd the Low-land upper part of Cumberland and is not by any means to be pass'd over in silence 'T is by Dio call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thorough-wall by Herodian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fences the â—ronâ— of the â—â—inces â— call'd â—â—â—rae ab â—â—iendo 〈◊〉 shutâ—â—g out the 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—nturae â—emâ— from 〈◊〉 â—â—cht out â—â—st the â—â—â—y â—â—ithaeâ—â—â—dâ—â—â— c. 14 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 of â—mpire or A vast Ditch by Antoninus Cassiodorus and others Vallum by Bede Murus by the Britains Gual-Sever Gal-Sever and Mur-Sever by the Scots Scottis-waith by the English and those that live about it the Picts-wall or the Pehits-wall also the Keepe-wall and by way of eminence The Wall When by the Providence of God and the assistance of Courage the Roman affairs had succeeded beyond expectation and the ambitious bravery of that people had so enlarg'd their Conquests on all sides that they began to be jealous of their own greatness the Emperours thought it most advisable to set some bounds to their Dominions For like prudent Politicians they observ'd that Greatness ought to have its bounds just as the Heavens keep their exact compass and the Seas toss about within their own limits Now these bounds were either natural as the Sea the larger Rivers Mountains Deserts or artificial viz. Fences contriv'd such are Ditches Castles Towers 〈◊〉 Barricadoes of Trees Walls of Earth or Stone with Garisons planted along them to keep out the Barbarians Whereupon Theodosius's Novels 〈◊〉 3 By the contrivance of our Ancestors whatever is under the power of the Romans is defended against the incursions of Barbarians by a boundary-wall In times of peace the Frontier-garisons lay along the Line in Castles and Cities but when they were apprehensive of the incursions of the neighbours part of them for the defence of their own pitcht their Tents in the Enemies Country Hence we meet with Stationes Agrariae in Vegetius and part made excursions into the Enemies quarters to observe their motions and to engage if they could upon an advantage In this Island particularly when they found that those more remote parts of Britain had nothing agreeable either in the Air or Soil that they were inhabited by that barbarous crew of Caledonians and that the advantages by subduing them could never answer the trouble they did at several times contrive several Fences to bound and secure the Province The first Praetentura The first of that kind seems to have been done by Julius Agricola when he set Garisons along that narrow slip of ground between †Bodotria Glotta Edenborrow-Frith and Dunbritten-Frith aa which was afterwards fortify'd as occasion requir'd Hadrian for whom the God Terminus retreated bb The second Praetentura made the second after he had retir'd about 80 miles either out of envy to the glory of Trajan under whom the Empire was at it's utmost extent or out of fear He says Spartian drew a Wall of eighty miles in length to divide the Barbarians from the Romans which one may gather from what follows in Spartian to have been made in fashion of a ‖ Muralis sepis Some read Militaris Mural hedge of large stakes fixt deep in the ground and fastned together with wattles And this is it we are now speaking of for it runs along for 80 miles together and upon it are the t By the sound one should guess this to be Pont Eland in Northumberland Pons Aelia Classis Aelia Cohors Aelia Ala Sabiniana which took their names from Aelius Hadrianus and Sabina his wife And the Scotch Historian who wrote the Rota Temporum Rota Temporum tells us That Hadrian did first of all draw a Wall of a prodigious bigness made of Turfs of that height that it lookt like a mountain and with a deep ditch before it from the mouth of the Tine to the river Eske i.e. from the German to the Irish Ocean Which Hector Boëtius delivers in the very same words Lollius Urbicus Lieutenant of Britain under Antoninus Pius by his great success remov'd back the bounds to where Julius Agricola had first set them and rais'd a Wall there which was the third Fence or Praetentura The third Praetentura He says Capitolinus conquer'd the Britains and driving back the Barbarians made another Wall of Turf i.e. distinct from that of Hadrian's The honour of Lollius's success in Britain was by Fronto as the Panegyrist has it given entirely to Antoninus the Emperour affirming that tho' he liv'd quietly in his palace at Rome and had only given out a Commission to the Lieutenant yet he had merited all the glory as a Pilot
and his Sister Isabel de Albeny Countess of Arundel Isabel the second Sister was married to Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester she had Richard de Clare Earl of Glocester and the Lady Anise Countess of * Perhaps â—evonia Averna â—â—â—e uxoris who was Mother of Isabel the †Mother of the Lord Robert Brus Earl of Carrick in Scotland afterwards King of that Nation â—is place 〈◊〉 corrupâ—â—d From Eva Brus the third Sister descended Maud the Mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer Mother of the Lady Eva de Cauntelow Mother of the Lady Milsoud de Mohun who was Moâ—â—er to Dame Eleanor Mother to the Earl of Hereford Joan â—arshall the fourth Sister was married to the Lord Guarin of Mount â—hinsey and had Issue Joan de Valens Sybil Countess of Ferâ—â—s the fifth Sister had Issue seven Daughters the eldest call'd â—â—gnes Vescie Mother of the Lord John and the Lord William Vesâ—â—e the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Bohun Wife to the â—ord John Mohun Son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyl â—ohun Wife to the Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus Wife to the Earl of Winchester the sixth * Agatha Agas Mortimer Wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer â—â—e seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Karbry These are all both â—ales and Females the Posterity of the said William Earl Marshal MCCXX. The Translation of S. Thomas of Canterbury The â—â—me year died the Lord Meiler fitz-Fitz-Henry founder of Connal â—nd was buried in the Chapter-House of the said Foundation MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieg'd and the Castle â—f Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Died Roger Pippard and in the year MCCXXVIII â—â—ed William Pippard formerly Lord of the Salmon-leap This â—ear died likewise Henry Londres alias Scorch-Villeyn Archbishop â—f Dublin and was buried in Trinity-church there MCCXXX Henry King of England gave Hubert Burk â—â—e Justiceship and the Third Penny of Kent and â—ade him also Earl of Kent Afterward the same Hubert was â—â—prison'd and great Troubles arose between the King and his â—â—bjects because he adher'd to Strangers more than to his own naâ—â—ral Subjects MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earl Marshal and â—arl of Pembrock departed this life and was buried in the Quire â—f the Friers Predicants in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earl Mareschall Earl of Pembrock and â—rogull was wounded in a Battel in the Plain of Kildare on the â—â—st day before the Ides of April and some few days after died in Kilkeny and there was buried hard by his * Girmanum natural Brother viz. William in the Quire of the Friers Predicants Of whom this was written Cujus sub fossa Kilkennia continet ossa MCCXL Walter Lacy Lord of Meth died this year in Engâ—â—nd leaving two Daughters to inherit his Estate of whom the â—â—rst was married to Sir Theobald Verdon and the second to Gefâ—ery de Genevile MCCXLIII This year died Hugh Lacy Earl of Ulster and â—as buried in Cragsergus in the Convent of the Friers Minors â—eaving a Daughter who was married to Walter Burk Earl of Ulster The same year died Lord Gerald Fitz-Maurice and Lord â—ichard de Burgo MCCXLVI An Earthquake about nine of the Clock over all â—he West MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Geffery came Lord Justiciary into â—reland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long-Espee were â—aken Prisoners with many others by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a Son of Belial was slain in Leys as he deserv'd In the year MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacy was born Upon Christmas-day likewise Alexander King of Scots in the 11th year of his Age was then contracted with Margaret the daughter of the King of England at York MCCLV Alan de la Zouch was made and came Justiciary into Ireland MCCLVII This year died the Lord Maurice Fitz-Gerald MCCLIX Stephen Long-Espee came Justiciary into Ireland The green Castle in Ulster was demolish'd William Dene was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his Son were slain in Desmond by Mac Karthy Item William Dene Justiciary dy'd and Sir Richard Capel put in his room the same year MCCLXII Richard Clare Earl of Glocester died this year as also Martin de Maundevile on the morrow of S. Bennet's day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz-Gerald and Maurice Fitz-Maurice took Prisoners Richard Capel the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David de Barry was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz-Maurice was drown'd The Lord Robert Ufford was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXIX The Castle of Roscoman was begun this year Richard of Exeter was made Justiciary MCCLXX The Lord James de Audley came Justiciary into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the son of the King of Almain was slain in the Court of Rome Plague Famine and Sword rag'd this year particularly in Meth. Nicholas de Verdon and his Brother John were slain Walter de Burgo Earl of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audley Justiciary of England was kill'd by a fall from his Horse in Tothomon and was succeeded in this Office by the Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffery Genevile return'd from the Holy Land and was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the son of King Henry was anointed and crown'd King of England by Robert Kilwarby a Frier-Predicant Archbishop of Canterbury upon S. Magnus the Martyr's day in the Church of Westminster in the presence of all the Nobility and Gentry His Protestation and Oath was in this form I Edward son and heir of King Henry do profess protest and promise before God and his holy Angels from this time forward to maintain without partiality the Law Justice and Peace of the Church of God and the People subject unto me so far as we can devise by the counsel of our liege and legal Ministers as also to exhibit due and canonical Honour to the Bishops of God's Church to preserve unto them inviolably whatsoever has been granted by former Emperors and Kings to the Church of God and to pay due Honour to the Abbots and the Lord's Ministers according to the advice of our Lieges c. so help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. This year died the Lord John Verdon and the Lord Thomas de Clare came into Ireland And William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitallers was taken Prisoner at Glyndelory with many others and more slain MCCLXXV The Castle of Roscoman was built again The same year Modagh was taken Prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter le Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford was made Justiciary of Ireland upon the surrender of Geffery de Genevill MCCLXXVII O Brene slain MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died this year as also the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert d'Ufford went into England and appointed Frier Robert de Fulborne Bishop of Waterford to supply his place In whose time the Mony was chang'd A Round Table was also held at Kenylworth by Roger Lord Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert d'Ufford return'd from England
rich man died this year This Continuation following is took from a Manuscript Chronicle in the Hands of Henry Marleburgh MCCCLXXII SIr Robert Ashton being made Chief Justice came into Ireland MCCCLXXIII A great war between the English of Meth and O-Feroll with much slaughter on both sides Item John Lord Husse Baron of Galtrim John Fitz Richard Sheriff of Meth and William Dalton were in May kill'd by the Irish in Kynaleagh MCCCLXXV Died Thomas Archbishop of Dublin the same year Robert of Wickford was consecrated Archbishop of this see MCCCLXXXI Edmund Mortimer the King's Lieutenant in Ireland Earl of March and Ulster died at Cork MCCCLXXXIII A raging pestilence in Ireland MCCCLXXXV Dublin bridge fell down MCCCXC Died Robert Wikford Archbishop of Dublin Robeâ—t Waldebey Archbishop of Dublin of the order of the Austin Friers was translated also this year MCCCXCVII Died Frier Richard Northalis Archbishop of Dublin of the order of the Carmelites This year Thomas Crauley was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Thomas Lord Burk and Walter Lord Bermingham cut off 600 of the Irish and Mac Con their Captain * Read Roger. Edmund Earl of March Lieutenant of Ireland with the assistance of the Earl of Ormond wasted the Country of O Bryn and knighted Christopher Preston John Bedeleu Edmund Loundris John Loundry William Nugent Walter de la Hide and Rober Cadel at the storming of a strong mannor-house of the said O Bryn MCCCXCVIII Forty English among whom were John Fitz Williams Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn were unfortunately cut off on the Ascension day by the Tothils On S. Margaret's day this year Roger Earl of March the King's Lieutenant was slain with many others by O Bryn and other Irish of Leinster at Kenlys in that province Roger Grey was appointed to succeed him in the office of Chief Justice On the Feast of S. Mark Pope and Confessor the noble Duke of Sutherey came into Ireland being made the King's Deputy Lieutenant thereof accompanied with the Archbishop of Dublin Thomas Crawley MCCCXCIX In the 23d year of King Richard being Sunday the very morrow after S. Petronil or Pernil the Virgin 's day King Richard arriv'd at Waterford with 200 sail At Ford in Kenlys within Kildare on the 6th day of this week two hundred of the Irish were slain by Jenicho and others of the English the next day the people of Dublin made an inroad into the Country of O Bryn cut off 33 of the Irish and took to the number of 80 men and women with their children prisoners The King came to Dublin this year on the fourth before the kalends of July and embark'd in great haste for England upon a report of Henry duke of Lancaster's being arriv'd there MCCCC At Whitsontide in the first year of King Henry IV. the Constable of Dublin-castle and several others engag'd the Scots at Stranford in Ulster which prov'd unfortunate to the English many of them being cut off and drown'd in that encounter MCCCCI In the second year of this reign Sir John Stanley the King's Lieutenant went over into England in May leaving Sir William Stanley to supply his office On Bartholomew-eve this year Stephen Scrope came into Ireland as Deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the King's Lieutenant The same year on the feast of S. Brice Bishop and Confessor Thomas Lord Lancaster the King's son being Viceroy of Ireland arriv'd at Dublin MCCCCII The Church of the Friers Predicants at Dublin was consecrated on the 5th of July by the Archbishop of this City The same day 493 Irish were slain by John Drake Mayor of Dublin assisted with the Citizens and the Country people near Bree where they gain'd a considerable victory In September this year a Parliament was held at Dublin Sir Bartholomew Verdon James White Stephen Gernon and their accomplices kill'd John Dowdal Sheriff of Louith in Urgal during this session MCCCCIII In the fourth year of King Henry IV. Sir Walter Beterley a valiant Knight then steward there with thirty more was kill'd in May. About the feast of S. Martin this year the King's Son Thomas went over into Enlgand leaving Stephen Scroop to officiate as his Deputy who return'd also on the first day of Lent into England after which the Lords of the Kingdom chose the Earl of Ormond Lord Chief Justice of Ireland MCCCCIV In the 5th Year of King Henry's reign died John Cowlton Archbishop of Armagh on the 5th of May and was succeeded by Nicholas Fleming The same year on S. Vitali's day a Parliament was held at Dublin by the Earl of Ormond at that time Chief Justice of the Kingdom where the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin and the Charter of Ireland was confirm'd Patrick Savage was this year treacherously slain in Ulster by Mac Kilmori his brother Richard being also given in hostage was murder'd in prison after he had paid a ransom of 200 marks MCCCCV In the 6th year of King Henry three Scotch Galleys two at Green Castle and one at Dalkey were taken in May with the Captain Thomas Mac Golagh The merchants of Tredagh entred Scotland this year and took hostages and booty The same year Stephen Scroop went into England leaving the Earl of Ormond to officiate as Justice during his absence In June this year the people of Dublin invaded Scotland entering it at S. Ninians where they gallantly behav'd themselves after which they made a descent upon Wales and did great hurt among the Welsh in this expedition they carried the shrine of S. Cubie to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Dublin Item This year on the vigil of the blessed Virgin died James Botiller Earl of Ormond at Baligauran during his office he was much lamented and succeeded by Gerald Earl of Kildare MCCCCVI In the seventh year of King Richard the Dublinians on Corpus Christi day with the assistance of the country people overcame the Irish and kill'd some of them they took three ensigns and carried off several of their heads to Dublin The same year the Prior of Conal in a battle with 200 well-arm'd Irish on the Plain of Kildare vanquish'd them by his great valour killing some and putting the rest to flight The Prior and his party were not above twenty such is the regard of Providence to those that trust in it The same year after the feast of S. Michael Scroop Deputy Justice to Thomas the King's son Viceroy of Ireland arriv'd here The same year died Innocentius VII succeeded in the chair by Gregory The same year on S. Hilaries-day a Parliament was held at Dublin which broke up in Lent at Trym Meiler Bermingham slew Cathol O Conghir in the latter end of February about the same time died Sir Geffery Vaux a valiant Knight of the County of Carlagh MCCCCVII A perfidious base Irishman call'd Mac Adam Mac Gilmori never christen'd and therefore call'd Morbi nay one that had been the ruin of forty Churches took Patrick Savage prisoner forc'd him to pay 2000 marks for ransom
pleasure might we promise our selves from a full meal To see them all rang'd into order of time to have those that are already publisht refin'd by the assistance of Copies and such as lye still in Manuscript rescu'd at last from dust and ashes what a satisfaction would this be to the curious and what an honour to the Nation If it had been done a hundred years ago 't is more than probable that the same hand which gave us the Britannia had furnisht us likewise with a Civil History That he had once set about it Britannia under the title Normans himself has told us and I no way doubt but one of the greatest rubs that discourag'd him was this confusion of our old Historians When they are got together 't is then time enough to think of an Universal History but 't is a little too soon to talk of melting and refining when the best part of the Ore is still under ground The next year gave him an opportunity of paying a publick respect to his great Friend and Acquaintance Sir Robert Cotton by the edition of his Remains It appears by the Original that at first he had design'd to dedicate this Work to Sir Fulk Grevil but the Volume of Historians having already given him an opportunity of making his acknowledgments there he now thought it a piece of duty to show his gratitude to Sir Robert a Person whose Conversation and Library were the main support of his Studies The discovery of the Gunpowder-Plot gave him the next occasion of employing his Pen in the Service of the Publick His Majesty was not content only to appoint a solemn Thanksgiving for that deliverance but also thought it necessary to convince foreign Nations of the justice of his proceedings and to give timely notice to the Reformed Churches abroad to be always upon their guard against those inveterate Enemies of the Protestant Religion Mr. Camden was pitch'd upon as a person best qualified to draw up the whole case in a Latin stile agreeable to the subject It was publish'd in the year 1607. and Index Librorum Prohibitorum Expurgatorum was rank'd among the Books expresly prohibited by the Church of Rome in 1667. The Grammar the Westminster-Monuments the Volume of Historians the Remains and lastly the Proceedings against the Conspirators tho' they are all of them highly useful and very well becoming the Character of Mr. Camden yet they fall far short of his Britannia And no wonder they were only the fruit of his spare hours like so many digressions from his main design and while that was growing seem intended only to convince the world that he was not unmindful of the publick interest The last of these was publisht the same year that he put the last hand to his Britannia so that now he was at liberty to set about in earnest what he had had in his eye for ten years before the Annals of Queen Elizabeth This Work was begun in the year 1597. at the instance of William Lord Burghley who had both an entire Veneration for the Queen and by his constant favours had that interest in Mr. Camden to which few or none could pretend But he dying the very next year and the difficulties of the Work sensibly encreasing Mr. Camden did not prosecute it with so much resolution as formerly but began to have a sort of indifference whether he brought it to any head or not This coolness was encreas'd by the death of the Queen which hapned some years after But when he saw no one that had more strength and leisure would take the task upon him now the care of his Britannia was pretty well over a strong sense of gratitude spurr'd him forward and he could not be wanting to the commands of the best of Patrons nor the memory of the best of Princes So Diary in the year 1608. he fell to digesting his Materials but did not publish before the year 1615. and came no lower than 1589. As it had been long expected and earnestly desir'd by the Learned so did it meet with an agreeable reception from all hands as appears by the several Letters of Thanks from the greatest Persons of that time And a very eminent man of our own Nation scruples not to affirm Seld. Epist praefixa Libro Augustini Vincentii that this and my Lord Bacon's History of Henry the seventh are the only two Lives of the Kings or Queens of England which come up to the dignity of the Subject either in fulness of matter or beauty of composition The pleasure which the first part afforded encreas'd the application of his Friends and made them so much the more importunate with him to consider That the infirmities of old Age were drawing on apace and that he could not better employ the remaining part of his time either to the service of the Publick or the satisfaction of the Curious than by going on as he had begun Especially considering that himself had been an eye-witness of the latter part of her reign and maintain'd an intimate correspondence with some who had bore the greatest share in the Government How little it was Mr. Camden's humour to leave things imperfect let the Britannia witness But the censures he met with in the business of Mary Queen of Scots and the private resentments of some persons who thought him too severe in the character of their Ancestors were enough to have made him stop his course and not venture any farther in such a troublesome road That Historians raise themselves almost as many Enemies as they tell Truths is a just tho' very melancholy observation and the publication of this gave him so large experience of it as to make him peremptorily resolve that the second part should not see the light till after his death He wisely consider'd that mens writings and actions do meet with a more favourable construction after they are once remov'd out of the world but if what he had deliver'd with the utmost sincerity should after all give offence to particular persons that he should however be out of the noise of their clamours and beyond the reach of their disturbance Tho' the whole was finisht in the year 1617. as appears from his Epist 147. 155. Epistles yet he persisted in his resolution against all the importunities of Friends And lest the common fate of posthumous Papers should be urg'd against him he took care that a fair Transcript of it should be Puteani Vit. p. 50. Camd. Epist 247. deposited in the hands of his intimate Friend Petrus Puteanus and kept the Original by him which is now in the Library of Sir John Cotton So the second Tome came not out before the year 1625. Dr. Smith's Life of Camden The Records and Instruments out of which he extracted his Annals are most of them if not all in Cotton's Library By a Manuscript of Dr. Goodman's who was afterwards Bishop of Glocester we learn that He desir'd them of Mr. Camden as a Legacy
dispute it is very evident that though the modern French language is come from and made up for the most part of the Latin and the German yet nevertheless there still remain in it a great many old Gaulish words And I have had it from some who are skilful in both languages that very many of those French words which can be reduced neither to the Latin nor to the German original and therefore may be presumed to be remains of the old Gaulish language do come as near to the British as 't is possible For example The French at this day use the word Guerir the Britains Guerif to heal The French use Guaine the Britains Guain for a Sheath The French Derechef the Britains Derchefu for Moreover The French Camur the Britains Cam for Crooked The French Bateau the Britains Bad for a Boat The French Gourmond for a Glutton the Britains Germod for too much or beyond measure The French Baston the Britains Pastwn for a Staff The French Accabler the Britains Cablu for to oppress The French Havre the Britains Aber for an Haven And Comb is yet in use with both nations for a Valley Many more words there are of this sort by the recital whereof I might perhaps tire and disgust my Reader tho' they are of very great use in this point Now whereas Tacitus tells us that the Aestii a people of Germany used the habits and customs of the Suevians but a language that came nearer to the British it makes nothing against my assertion For those languages that are most of all remote do yet agree in some particulars Thus Augerius Busbequius Epist 4. late Embassador from the Emperor to the Grand-Signior has observed many German and English words in the Taurica Chersonessus From all these instances this conclusion may be justly drawn That the antient Gauls and Britains did certainly speak the same language And from thence also we may infer this other necessary consequence That the original of the Britains is to be referred to the Gauls For it is not to be denied what we have before observed that Gaul as being nearer to Armenia must needs in course have been peopled before Britain Besides as Strabo tells us as Gaul abounded in corn so did it much more in men It is therefore altogether reasonable to imagine that since the Gauls sent Colonies into Italy Spain Germany Thrace and Asia they did the same much rather into Britain a country that lay so much nearer them and as plentiful as any of them all Now it must needs redound much to the glory of the British nation that they drew their original from those antient Gauls who were so famous for their military atchievements and with whom the Romans for many years maintain'd a war not for honour and Empire but purely for self-preservation And these Gauls they were who to use the Poet's words rather than my own per omnem Invecti Europam quasi grando Aquilone vel Austro Importata gravi passim sonuere tumultu Scit Romanus adhuc quam Tarpeia videtis Arx attollentem caput illo in monte superbum Pannones Aemathii norunt scit Delphica rupes On Europe's spacious tracts like winter's hail Urg'd by the North or furious South they fell With furious noise as yet the Roman state Feels the sad blow and mourns her turn of fate Too well Tarpeian towers their force have known And Delphick Rocks and Plains of Macedon And a little after Intravere Asiae fines prope littora Ponti In gentem crevere novam quae tenditur usque Ad juga Pamphilûm Garamantica sydera contra Inter Cappadoces posita Bythinica regna O're running Asia 's bounds their barbarous power Fix'd a new kingdom near the Pontick shore Between Bythinia and Cappadocian lands Far as Pamphilian cliffs and Garamantick strands Nor ought we here to omit the arguments brought by others to prove that the Britains are descended from the Gauls George Buc a man eminent both for his extraction and learning observes out of Mekercus that the Germans call a French-man Wallon And that when the German Saxons first came over hither and heard the Britains speak the Gaulish tongue they call'd them Walli i.e. Gauls i How true soever that may be yet 't is certain that the opinion he advances of Wales having its name from Gaul is altogether false as is prov'd in Cornwall And besides why might not the Welsh and the Gauls both of them have their name upon the sâ—me occasion the latter as being strangers to the Germans and the former to the Saxons Buchanan saith moreover that Walch doth not among the Germans barely signifie a Stranger but most properly a Gaul And withal he observes that the French at this day call that country Galles which we call Wales and that the antient Scots divided all the British Nations into Gaol and Galle that is after his interpretation into the Gallaeci and the Galli But when all is done if our Britains are still resolved to make out their claim to a Trojan original I will not here make it my business to oppose them but yet k Our Author where he discourses of the continuance of the Romans in Britain delivers it as his opinion that the Britains may best claim a relation to the Trojans by their intercourse for so many hundreds of years with the Romans who were certainly descended from them if they will follow my advice they had best ground their pretence to the Trojans upon their descent from the Gauls For it is said by some these are the words of Ammianus that after the destruction of Troy a few that fled thence possess'd themselves of Gaul at that time unpeopl'd And here now while we have these languages under our consideration The Brit sh languagâ— we cannot but much admire and celebrate the divine goodness towards our Britains the posterity of Gomer who though they have been conquer'd and triumph'd over successively by the Romans Saxons and Normans yet hitherto they enjoy the true name of their Ancestors and have preserv'd entire their primitive language although the Normans set themselves to abolish it making express laws to that purpose The reply of that old Gentleman of Wales was not impertinent who being ask'd by Henry the second Giraldus in his Topography of Wales King of England what he thought of the strength of the Welch and of his royal expedition against them made his answer in these words This nation may suffer much and may be in a great measure ruin'd or at least very much weakened Great Sir by your present and other future attempts as well as formerly it hath often been but we assure our selves that it will never be wholly ruined * Propâ—â—r homiâ—as iram by the anger or power of any mortal man unless the anger of Heaven concur to its destruction Nor whatever changes may happen as to the other parts of the world can I believe that any other
this new countrey that the whole body of inhabitants began to fall under it and the tract it self to be called Britannia Armorica and to be stiled by the French Britannia Cismarina Hence J. Scaliger Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca jugo Armorica stout Britain overcame And with her yoke impos'd her ancient name For that they fell upon their friends who had entertained them is manifest among others from the words of Regalis Bishop of * Venetensis Gregor Turon lib. 10. c. g. Vennes concerning himself and friends We are enslaved to the Britains and undergo a hard yoke In after times they courageously defended their lives and liberties against the French at first under the conduct of petty Kings and afterwards under Counts and Dukes though as Glaber Rodolphus has it their whole wealth consisted in being freed from tribute and in having plenty of milk And hence William of Malmesbury who wrote five hundred years ago says thus of them They are a generation of men very needy at home and therefore earn foreign pay in other places by very toilsome methods If they be but well paid they stick not either upon the score of right or kindred at engaging in civil wars but are mercenary and for the side that bids most The BRITAINS of WALES and CORNWALL THE rest of the Britains who were miserably forc'd to seek a Country in their own native one underwent such a weight of calamity as cannot to the full height of it be express'd being not only harrassed by a cruel war carried on far and near against them by the Saxons Picts and Scots but every where oppress'd by the intolerable insolence of wicked Tyrants Who and what these were about the year 500 you shall hear in short from Gildas who liv'd at that time and was himself an eye-witness Constantinus Constantinus among the Damnonii though he had bound himself by an express oath before God and the Saints that he would do the duty of a good Prince yet slew two children of the blood royal and their two Tutors both valiant men in two Churches under the Amphibalus * As an old Glossary interprets it or sacred vestment hary on both sides which the Abbot wore having many years before that put away his lawful wife and defil'd himself with repeated adulteries Aurelius Conanus also called Caninus Aurelius Conanus wallowing in parricides and adulteries and hating the peace of his country was left alone like a tree withering in the open field His father and brothers were carried away with their own wild whimseys and surprised by an untimely death Vortiporius Vortiporius a tyrant of the Dimetâ—â— the unworthy son of a good father in his manners like a Panther being as much spotted with his sins sitting in the throne in his grey hairs full of craft and subtilty and defiled with parricides and adulteries turn'd off his wife committed a rape upon her daughter and then kill'd her Cuneglasus Cuneglasus in Latin Lanio c Otherwise writ furvus fulvus a bear riding upon many and the coachman that drives the chariot which holds the bear a despiser of God and oppressor of the Clergy fighting against God with sins and men with arms turned off his wife industriously sought out holy men to injure them was proud of his own wisdom and confided in the uncertain strength of his riches Maglocunus Maglocunus an Island Dragon who had deprived many tyrants of their Kingdoms and lives would be ever first in at a mischief his strength and malice was generally above that of others he gave largely sinned profusely fought stoutly and excelled all the Commanders of Britain both in extent of Dominions and in the stature and gracefulness of his person In his youth he fell upon his Uncle then a King and his courageous souldiers and destroyed them with fire and sword Afterwards when the fantastick thoughts of reigning in an arbitrary manner were extinguished he fell into such a remorse of conscience that he profess'd himself a monk yet he soon returned to his vomit and breaking his former vows to a monastick life despised his first marriage and fell in love with the wife of his own brothers son then living killing the said brothers son and his own wife after he had lived some time with her and then he married his brothers sons wife on whom he had settled his affections But the relation of these things belongs to Historians who have hitherto falsly made them to succeed one another when at the very same time as appears from Gildas who speaks to them all severally they usurp'd a tyranny in distinct parts of the Island These few remains of the Britains withdrew themselves into the western parts of the Island namely Cornweales Britweales Walsh Welshâ—â— those we call Wales and Cornwall which are fortitified by nature with hills and aestuaries The first of those Countreys was call'd by the Saxons d Britwealas Cornwealas and Galwealas are the true readings Seâ—the b giâ—ning of the â—dditions to Cornwall and Mr. Sommer's Glossary at the end of the X. Scriptores under the tit e Wâ—â—â—a Britweales and the other Cornweales as those in France Galweales For any thing that was exotick and foreign was nam'd by them Walsh and for the same reason the Walloones in Holland and the Vallachi upon the Danube were originally so call'd These Britwales or Welshmen were a warlike people and for many ages maintained their liberty under their petty Kings Although they were shut out from the English by a trench of wonderful make cast by King Offa yet they were ever now and then breaking in and wasting their cities with fire and sword and likewise were repay'd by the Saxons with most grievous outrages At last in the reign of Edw. the first Statutâ—â— Wallâ—a as he writes it of himself The Divine Providence which disposeth all things rightly among other dispensations of his mercy by which he has vouchsafed to adorn us and our Kingdom of England hath now by his mercy subjected the Kingdom of Wales with the inhabitants thereof who held formerly of us wholly and fully without any let or hindrance to our property and dominion having annexed and united the same to the crown of our said Realm as one member of the self same body Notwithstanding in the next age nothing in the world could induce them to endure this servitude no accommodation could be made between them and this spight and hatred upon it between the two nations could never be extinguished till Henry the seventh descended from the Welsh was favourable and easie to them and Hen. VIII admitted them to the same laws and liberties that the English have Since that and some time before the Kings of England have found them to be of untainted loyalty and obedience However the Cornwalli were soon reduced under the dominion of the Saxons in spight of all the
of the Sheriff's Court issuing out of all pleas as an Earl ought to receive from his County in all things And this is the most ancient Creation-Charter I ever saw Likewise Hen. II. King of England created an Earl in these words Know ye that we have made Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk namely of the third penny of Norwie and Norfolk so that no Earl in England shall hold his County more freely Which an ancient Book belonging to Battle-Abbey explains thus It was an ancient custom through all England that the Earls of Counties should have the third penny for their own use from whence they were call'd Comites Earls And another anonymous Author delivers it more distinctly Comitatus is call'd from Comes or else this from the former Now he is Comes an Earl because he enjoys in every County the third part of the profits arising from the Pleas. But yet all Earls do not enjoy them but such only who have them granted by the King hereditarily or personally So that Polidore Virgil as to the custom of the present age delivers this matter right It is a custom in England that titles from Counties shall be disposed of at the pleasure of the Prince even without the possession of such places from whence they derive their title Upon which account the King usually gives to such as have no possessions in the County in lieu of that a certain annual pension out of the Exchequer They were formerly created without any farther ceremony than the bare delivery of the Charter Under Stephen who seiz'd the Crown whilst the Kingdom was embroiled with civil wars there were several who seized the title of Earl whom the History of the Church of Waverly calls * Psâ—udocomites false Earls and imaginary Earls where it tells us how Henry 2. ejected them But King John as far as my observation has carried me was the first that used the girding with a sword Girding with a sword For Roger of Hoveden writes thus King John on his Coronation-day girt William Marshall with the sword of the County of †Penbrochia in other writers Strigulia and Geffry the son of Peter with that of the County of Essex and those tho' they were before that called Earls and had the government of their Counties were not yet girt with the sword of the County but that very day they served at the King's table with their swords on In the following age there was an additional ceremony of putting on a cap with a golden circle which is now changed into a Coronet with rays and a * Trabea honoraria Robe of State Which three namely a sword and a belt a cap with a Coronet and a Robe of State are at this day carried by so many several Earls before him who is to be created and then he is introduced to the King set upon his Throne between two Earls in Robes of State and himself in a †Superâ—unica Surcoat where kneeling up on his knees whilst the Instrument of his Creation is read at these words The same T. we advance create honour prefer to and constitute Earl of S. and accordingly give grant and by the girding of a sword really invest in him the name title state honour authority and dignity of Earl of S. the King puts on him the long robe hangs a sword at his neck puts a Cap with a Coronet upon his head and delivers into his hand the Instrument of his Creation so soon as 't is read But these things do not properly belong to my design But as to a custom now in use that whoever is to be created Earl if he be not a Baron before must first be advanced to the dignity of a Baron it is a new upstart thing and only practised since King Henry the 8th's days Now amongst the Earls or Counts those were by much the most honourable who were called h Of the nature and authority of these Counts Palatine see the additions to Cheshire Counts Palatine Counts Palatine For as the Title of Palatine was a name common to all who had any office in the King's Palace P. Pithaeus so that of Count Palatine was a title of honour conferr'd upon such who were before Palatini with the addition of a Royal authority to judge in their own territory 3 As for the Earl Marshal of England King Richard 2. gave that title first to Thomas Mowbray Earl of Nottingham whereas before they were simply stil'd Marshals of England Pithaeus and after the banishment of Mowbray he granted it to T. Holland Duke of Surrey substituted Earl Marshaâ—â—n his place that he should carry a rod of gold enamelled black at both ends whenas before they used one of wood Hol. After the Earls the VICOUNTS Vicounts follow next in order called in Latin Vice-comites This as to the office is an antient title but as to the dignity but modern for it was never heard of amongst us before Henry the sixth's time 4 Who conferred that title upon J. Lord Beaumont Hol. Amongst the Greater Nobility the BARONS Barons have the next place And here tho' I am not ignorant what the learned write concerning the signification of this word in Cicero yet I am willing to close with the opinion of Isidore and an antient Grammarian who will have Barons to be mercenary Soldiers This that known place of Hirtius in The Alexandrian war seems to make pretty evident It is thus They run to the assistance of Cassius for he always used to have Barons and a good number of Soldiers for sudden occasions with their weapons ready about him Nor is the old Latin and Greek Glossary against us which translates Baro by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man as always in the Laws of the Longobards Baro is used for a man But the etymologies of the name which some have hammered out do not by any means please me The French Heraulds will have Barons to be from Par-hommes in the French that is of equal dignity the English Lawyers as much as to say robora belli the sinews of war some Germans think it is as much as Banner-heirs i.e. Standard-bearers and Isidore to be from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. grave or weighty In hâ—â— Pâ—â—rgâ— Alciatus thinks the name comes from the Berones an antient nation of Spain which he says were formerly stipendiaries but that from the German Bar i.e. a free man pleases me better See Gâ—â—stus pâ—â— The precise time when this name came into our Island I have not discovered the Britains disown it there is not the least mention made of it in the Saxon Laws nor is it reckoned in Alfrick's Saxon Glossary amongst the titles of honour for there Dominus is turned Laford which we have contracted into Lord. Lords And among the Danes the free Lords such as those Barons are at this day were called Thanes and as Andreas Velleius witnesses are still so termed
In Burgundy the use of this name is very antient for we find in Gregory of Tours Abou◠〈◊〉 year 5â— The Barons of Burgundy as well Bishops as those of the Laity The first mention of a Baron with us that I have met withal is in a Fragment of the Laws of Canutus King of England and Denmark and even in that according to different copies it is read Vironis Baronis and Thani But that the Barons are there meant is plain from the Laws of William the Conqueror amongst which are inserted those of Canutus translated into Norman where it is writ Baron Take the whole passage But let the * Hâ—â—iâ—â— or Reâ—â— Exercituals be so moderated as to be tolerable An Earl shall provide those â—hings that are fitting eight horses four saddled and four unsaddled four steel caps and four coats of mail eight javelins and as many shields four swords and two hundred maucae of gold But a King 's Viron or Baron who is next to him shall have four horses two saddled and two unsaddled two swords four javelins and as many shields one steel cap and fifty †Possiâ—â— for â—â—â—usae iâ— 30 pâ—â—â— Many Thâ—â—â—â— Englâ—â— in the Câ—queroâ— time maucae of gold In the beginning also of the Norman times the Valvasors and Thanes were reckoned in dignity next the Earls and Barons and the Greater Valvasors if we may believe those who have writ concerning Feudal-tenures were the same as Barons are now So that Baro may seem to come from that name which time has by little and little made better and smoother But even then it was not so very honourable for in those times there were some Earls who had their Barons under them and I remember I have read in the antient Constitutions of France that there were ten Barons under one Earl and as many * Câ—â—inâ—â— Chieftans under a Baron 'T is likewise certain that there are extant some Charters since the Norman Conquest wherein the Earls write thus To all my Barons as well French as English greeting c. Nay even citizens of the better rank were called Barons so in Domesday-book the citizens of Warwick are stiled Barons and the citizens of London with the Inhabitants of the Cinque Ports enjoyed the same title But a few years after as Senators of Rome were chosen by their estates so those were accounted Barons with us who held their lands by an entire Barony or 13 Knights fees and one third of a Knight's fee every fee as we have it in an antient Book being computed at twenty pounds which in all make 400 Mark For that was the value of one entire Barony and they that had lands and revenues to this value were wont to be summoned to Parliaments It seems to have been a dignity with a jurisdiction which the Court-Barons Court â—â—rons as they call them do in some measure show And the great number of Barons too would persuade us that they were Lords who could give judgment within their own jurisdiction such as those are whom the Germans call Free-heirs especially if they had their castles for then they answered to the definition of Baldus that famous Lawyer who calls him a Baron that had a †Morâ— mixtuâ—â— impeâ—â—â— mere and mixt government in some one Castle by the grant of the Prince And all they as some would have it who held Baronies seem to have claimed that honour so that some of our Lawyers think that Baron and Barony Earl and Earldom Duke and Dukedom King and Kingdom Matth. Parts pag. 1262. were as it were Conjugates 'T is certain in that age K. Henry 3d reckoned 150 Baronies in England Upon which it comes to pass that in the Charters and Histories of that age almost all Noblemen are stil'd Barons a term in those times exceeding honourable â—aâ—onage 〈◊〉 Engâ—and the Baronage of England including in a manner all the prime Orders of the Kingdom Dukes Marquisses Earls and Barons But that name has come to the greatest honour since King Henry 3d out of such a multitude of them which was seditious and turbulent summoned to Parliament by his Writs some of the best only For he the words are taken out of an Author of considerable Antiquity after those great disturbances and enormous vexations between the King himself Simon de Montefort and other Barons were laid appointed and ordained that all such Earls and Barons of the Kingdom of England to whom the King should vouchsafe to direct his Writs of summons should come to his Parliament and no others unless their Lord the King please to direct other Writs to them also But what he begun only a little before his death was strictly observed by Edward the First and his successors From that time those were only looked upon as Barons of the Kingdom â—ummons 〈◊〉 Parliaâ—ent whom the King by such Writs of summons as they term them should call to Parliament 5 And it is noted that the said prudent King Edward I. summoned always those of antient families that were most wise to his Parliaments but omitted their sons after their death If they were not answerable to their Parents in understanding Hol. until Richard the 2d the 10th of October in the eleventh year of his reign created John de Beauchamp of Holt Baron of Kederminster by the delivery of a Diploma From which time the Kings have often conferred that honour by a Diploma or rather honorary Letters and the putting on of a long robe And at this day this way of creating Barons by a Diploma and that other of Writs of summons are in use though they are greeted not under the name of Baron but of Chevalier 6 For the Common Law doth not acknowlege Baron to be a name of dignity Hol. Those that are thus created are call'd Barons of Parliament Barons of the Kingdom and Barons honorary to distinguish them from those which are commonly call'd Barons according to the ancient constitution as those of Burford and Walton and such as were Barons to the Count Palatines of Chester and of Penbroch who were feudal and Barons by tenure Those Parliamentary Barons are not like those of France and Germany call'd barely by that name but are by birth Peers Noblemen Great States and Counsellors of the Kingdom and are summon'd by the King in this form to treat of the weighty affairs of the nation and to deliver their judgment upon them They have their peculiar immunities and privileges as in criminal causes to be judged by their Peers only not to have an oath demanded of them but in such case 't is sufficient if they deliver any thing upon honour not to be called among the Jury of twelve to enquire into matters of fact not to be liable to the Writs Supplicavit Capias Essoins and a great many other privileges which I leave to the Lawyers whose proper business it is to treat of these and things of the like nature Besides
Henry the Bastard and the French in favour of Peter King of Castile John Chandos came to the Prince and delivered into his hands his banner folded with these words My Lord this is my banner may it please you to unfold it that I may this day carry it For I have by the blessing of God sufficient revenues for this The Prince and Peter King of Castile who stood by him took the banner in their hands and restored it unfolded with words to this purpose Sir John as you expect success and glory act with courage and shew what a man you are Having received the banner he returned to his men joyful and holding it up Fellow-souldiers says he behold my banner and yours if you defend it stoutly as your own In after ages whoever was to be dignified with this honour either before a battle to excite their courage or after as a reward to their bravery was brought before the King or his General carrying an oblong Ensign call'd Pennon wherein his Arms were painted and going between two of the senior Knights with Trumpeters and Heralds before him and either the King or General wishing him success commanded the end of the Pennon to be cut off that so the banner instead of an oblong might be made a square Knights of the Bath As for the Milites or Equites Balnei Knights of the Bath I have observed nothing more ancient of them than that this dignity was in use among the old Franks and that Henry the Fourth King of England on the day of his Coronation in the Tower of London conferred Knighthood upon forty six Esquires who had watched all night before and had bathed themselves that he gave to every one of them a green side-coat reaching down to the ancle strait sleev'd and furr'd with minivere and having on the left shoulder two white silk twists hanging loose with †Terulis tassels at them These in the last age were such of the greatest of the Nobility as had not been before Knighted chosen to this honour at the Coronation of the Kings and Queens or at their marriages nay sometimes when their sons were made Princes of Wales created Dukes or made Knights It was then done with a deal of Ceremonies which are now in a great measure left off At present those who are appointed by the King to be thus honour'd I do not intend to give a full account of this Order the day before their Creation put on a gray Hermit habit a hood a linnen Coif and a pair of boots and in that dress go devoutly to divine service to begin their warfare there as principally designed for the honour and service of God They sup together that night each one being attended by two Esquires and a Page after supper they withdraw to their bed-chamber where there is prepared for each of them a little bed with red curtains and the arms of their families upon them with a bathing Vessel close by covered with a linnen cloth where after prayers they wash themselves to put them in mind that they ought to keep their bodies and minds undefiled for ever after Pretty early next morning they are awakened with musick and dress themselves in the same habit Then the High Constable the Earl Marshal and others appointed by the King go to them call them out in order and give them an oath to fear God defend his Church honour the King maintain his prerogative and protect widows virgins orphans and all others as far as they are able from injury and oppression After they have taken this oath they are conducted to morning prayer with the King's musick and the Heralds before them and from thence to their chamber again where they put off their Hermits habit and dress themselves in a mantle of red Taffata bright and shining with that martial colour a white hat adorn'd with a plume of white feathers over their linnen coife with a pair of white gloves hanging at the pendant cordon of their mantle Then they take Horse which are accouter'd with black saddles and other furniture of the same colour specked with white and a cross on their forehead Each of them has his Page on horse-back carrying a sword with a gilded hilt at which there hang golden spurs and the Esquires ride on both sides of them In this state with trumpets blowing before them they march to Court where they are conducted by the two eldest Knights into the Kings presence then the Page delivers the belt and the sword hanging in it to the Lord Chamberlain and he with great reverence gives it to the King who puts it on overthwart the Knight and orders the senior Knights there to put on the spurs These were formerly wont after wishing them joy to kiss the knees of the person to be Knighted After this Creation they us'd heretofore to serve up the dishes at the King's table and afterwards dine together sitting all on the same side of the table each under an Escutcheon of his own Arms. At evening prayer again they repair to the Chapel offer their swords upon the altar then lay down money and redeem them As they return the King's head Cook stands with his knife in his hand exhorting them to shew themselves faithful and worthy Knights or he 'll cut off their spurs with disgrace and infamy At the Coronation they attend the King in this pomp with their swords about them their spurs on and attired in a blue mantle that being the colour of * Câ—â—â— Joâ—â— a clear Sky with a knot of white silk made like a cross and a hood upon the left shoulder But this may very well suffice upon a subject which is not particularly within the compass of my design Knighâ— Now for those Knights simply so called without other addition an Order though lowest at this day yet of greatest antiquity and honour in the first Institution For as the Romans whose habit was a gown gave the same to all that arrived at the years of manhood so our ancestors the Germans presented their youth with arms as soon as they were found of ability to manage them De Mâ—bus Gâ— maâ— All this we may learn from Corn. Tacitus in these words No one by custom was to take arms till the city judged him able to bear them And then in the assembly it self either one of the great men the father or one of the person's relations honoured him with a shield and javelin This is the gown with them this is the first honour conferred upon their youth before this they seem to be only members of a family but from that time of the Commonwealâ—â— Now seeing these military young men were call'd by them in their language Knechts as they are in ours I am of opinion that the original both of the name and institution is to be deriv'd from hence This was the primitive and most plain method of creating Knights that which was in use among the Longobards
modern Glossary A Chancellor is he whose office is to inspect the writings and answer of the Emperor to cancell those that are wrong and sign those that are right Nor is that of Polidore Virgil true namely that William the Conqueror instituted a College of Scribes to write letters-patents and nam'd the head of that society a CHANCELLOR for it is evident that Chancellors were in England before the Conquest How great the honour and authority of Chancellor is at this day is so very well known that I need not enlarge upon it yet it will not be improper to subjoyn a word or two from an old Author to shew of what note it was formerly Robert Fi z-Stephens who liv'd under Hen. 2. The dignity of the Chancellor of England is this he is reputed the second person in the Kingdom and next unto the King with the King's seal whereof he has the keeping he may seal his own injunctions to dispose of the King's Chapel as he pleases to receive and have the custody of all Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbies and Baronies vacant and fallen into the King's hands to be present at the King's Counsels and repair thither without summons to seal all things by the hand of his Clerk who carries the King's seal and that all things be disposed of by his advice Also * Ut jâ—â—â— gaâ—â—â—â— eâ— per 〈◊〉 graâ—â—â—â— vita â—â—ritis â—morâ—â—â—â— nisi â—chiâ—â—â— scepâ—◠〈◊〉 vâ—â—uâ—â—â— that by the grace of God leading a just and upright Life he may if he will himself die Archbishop Whereupon it it is that the CHANCELLORSHIP is not to be bought The manner of creating a Chancellor for that I have a mind to take notice of in King Henry the second 's time was by hanging the Great Seal about the neck of the person chosen for that office Yet in Henry the sixth's reign the method was thus Guâ—â— Mâ—â— as it appears from the Records Upon the death of the Chancellor of England the three great Seals one of gold and the other two of silver which were kept by the Chancellor are immediately after his decease shut up in a wooden chest fast lock'd and seal'd by the Lords there present and so convey'd into the Treasury From thence they are brought to the King who in the presence of many of the Nobility delivers the same into the hands of him that is to be the succeeding Chancellor and undertakes the Charge of that office having first took an oath before him that he will duly administer the same First then he delivers up the great silver seal next that of gold and lastly the other of silver in the presence of great numbers of the Nobility After he has thus receiv'd them he puts them into the chest again and so sends them seal'd home where before certain of the Nobility he causes the King's writs and briefs to be seal'd with them When a Chancellor is displac'd he delivers up those three seals into the King's hands in the presence of many of the Nobility first the seal of Gold then the broad seal of silver and next the other of a less size At this day only one seal is delivered to the Chancellor nor is there any mention to be found of these three seals but in the reign of Henry the sixth In process of time much honour and authority was added to this office of Chancellor by Act of Parliament especially since so much niceness and subtilty has crept in among the Lawyers who have made their pleadings so difficult and ensnaring that a Court of Equity was found necessary which was committed to the Chancellors that he might judge according to the rules of right and equity and moderate the rigour of exact justice which is often down-right injustice and oppression There preside in this Court the Lord Chancellor of England and twelve Masters of Chancery as Assessors to him the chief where of is the Keeper of the Rolls belonging to that Court and thence call'd Magister Rotulorum or Master of the Rolls There are also many other Officers belonging to this Court some of them concern'd about the King's Seal namely the Clerk of the Crown the Clerk of the Hamper A Sealer A Chauff-wax A Comptroller of the Hamper twenty four Cursitors and a Clerk for the Sub-poena-writs Others concerned in the Bills there exhibited are a Prothonotary the Six Clerks or Attorneys of the Court and a Register There are also the three Clerks of the petit bag a Clerk of the Presentations a Clerk of the Faculties a Clerk for examining Letters-Patents a Clerk for Dimissions c. There is another Court also arising from the King 's Privy Council call'd the Court of Requests The Câ—â— of Requests from the addresses of Petitioners deliver'd there where private causes are heard as in Chancery if first presented to the King or his privy Council though sometimes otherwise In this Court business is manag'd by the Masters of the Requests and a Clerk or Register with two or three Attorneys As for those Councils held in the Marches of Wales and in the North I will treat of them God willing in another place The Chief Spiritual Courts Spiâ—â—â—â— Coâ—â—â— are the Synod which is call'd the Convocation and is always held at the same time that a Parliament is and the Provincial Synods in both Provinces After these are the Courts of the Achbishop of Canterbury namely the Court of Arches The Câ—â—â— of Aâ—â—â—â— the judge of which is the Dean of the †He is called DEAN for that he hath jurisdiction in 13 Parishes of London exempt from the Bishop of London which number maketh a DEANERIE Hol. Arches so call'd from St. Mary's Church in London famous for its arch'd steeple All Appeals within the province of Canterbury are made to him There are in this Court 16 Advocates or more as the Archbishop shall think fit all of them Doctors of Law two Registers and ten Proctors Court â—udiâ— The Court of Audience where all complaints causes and appeals in this Province are receiv'd Court â—eroâ—e The Court of Prerogative where the Commissary judges of inheritances whether descended without will or devis'd The Court of Faculties manag'd by a * Câ—urt â—culâ— â—fâ—ctus President who takes cognizance of all grievances represented to him by such as desire that the rigour and severity of the Canon-law may be moderated and a Register to record such dispensations as are granted Court â—eculâ—â— The Court of Peculiars which has jurisdiction in certain parishes exempt from the Bishop of the Diocese where they lye and those Peculiars that belong to the Archbishop with other things of less note I willingly omit For I must confess it was imprudent in me to dip at all in a subject of this nature however Guicciardin encouraged me to it by his example in his description of the Netherlands I intended here to have inserted some few things and those chiefly concerning the antiquity
whom Richard 1. afterwards bestow'd it with other Counties But John coming to the Crown of England his second son Richard had this honour with the Earldom of Poictou conferr'd upon him by his Brother Henry 3. This Richard was a powerful Prince in his time as also a religious man valiant in war and of great conduct behaving himself in Aquitain with wonderful valour and success Going to the Holy Land he forc'd the Saracens to a truce refus'd the kingdom of Apulia when offer'd him by the Pope quieted many tumults in England and being chosen King of the Romans by the 7 Electors of Germany in the year 1257 was crown'd at Aix la Chapelle There is a common verse which intimates that he bought this honour Nummus ait pro me nubit Cornubia Romae Cornwall to Rome Almighty money joyn'd For before he was so famous a mony'd man that a Cotemporary Writer has told us he was able to spend a hundred marks a day for 10 years together But the civil wars breaking out in Germany 30 Among the Competitors of the Empire he quickly return'd to England where he dy'd and was bury'd at the famous Monastery of Hales which himself had built a little after his eldest son Henry in his return from the Holy wars as he was at his devotions in a Church at Viterbium in Italy had been villanously murder'd by Guido de Montefort son of Simon Earl of Leicester in revenge of his father's death For which reason his second son Edmund succeeded in the Earldom of Cornwall who dying without children his large inheritance return'd to the King he as the Lawyers term it being found next a-kin and heir at law The Arms of the Earls of Cornwall Now since Richard and his son Edmund were of the blood Royal of England I have often declar'd my self at a loss to know how they came to bear Arms different from those of the Royal Family viz. in a field argent a Lyon rampant gules crowned or within a border sable garnish'd with bezants And all the reason I can give for it is that they might possibly do it in imitation of the Royal Family of France since this way of bearing Arms came to us from the French For the younger sons of the Kings of France have Arms different from the Crown to this day as one may observe in the Families of the Vermandois Dreux and Courtneys And as Robert Duke of Burgundy Bande d'Or and d'Azur a la bordeure de Gâ—eules brother of Henry 1. King of France took the ancient Shield of the Dukes of Burgundy so this Richard after he had the Earldom of Poictou bestow'd upon him by his brother K. Henry 3. might probably take that Lyon gules crown'd which as the French Authors inform us belong'd to his Predecessors Earls of Poictou Memoriales de Aquitaine and might add that border sable garnish'd with bezants out of the ancient Shield of the Earls of Cornwall For assoon as the younger sons of France began to bear the Royal Arms with some difference we presently follow'd them and Edward 1.'s children were the first instance But where am I rambling to please my self with the niceties of my own profession After Cornwall was united to the Crown Edward 2. who had large possessions given him by his father in those parts conferr'd the title of Earl of Cornwall upon Priece Gaveston a Gascoine who had been the great debaucher of him in his youth But he being seiz'd by the Barons for corrupting the Prince and for other crimes was beheaded and succeeded by John de Eltham younger son of Edw. 2. 31 Advanc'd thereunto by his brother Edward 3. Hol. who being young and dying without issue Edw. 3. Dukes of Cornwall erected Cornwall into a Dukedom and invested Edward his son a most accomplish'd Soldier in the year 1336 with the Dukedom of Cornwall by a wreath on his head a ring upon his finger and a silver verge Since which time g In the 11 of Edw. 3. it was granted Quod primogenitus filius Regis Angliae qui foret haereditabilis regno foret Dux Cornubiae c. So Richard de Bordeaux son to the Black-Prince was not Duke of Cornwall by virtue hereof but was created by Charter Nor was Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edw. 4. Dutchess hereof because 't is limited to the Son Neither was Henry 8. in the life-time of his father after the death of Prince Arthur Duke hereof because he was not eldest son as I shall observe from Record leaving still the judgment of it to the opinion of Lawyers the eldest son of the King of England is born Earl of Cornwall and by a special Act made in that case Oâ—◠〈◊〉 Hâ—â— he is to be presum'd of full age assoon as ever he is born so that he may claim livery and seisin of the said Dukedom the same day he 's born and ought by right to obtain it as if he had fully compleated the age of twenty one He hath also Royalties and Prerogatives in actions the stannaries wrecks customs c. for which and the like he has certain Officers appointed him But these matters are laid open more distinctly and at large by Richard Carew of Anthony a person no less eminent for his honorable Ancestors than his own virtue and learning who hath describ'd this County at large not contenting himself with a narrow draught and whom I cannot but acknowledge to have been my guide There are in this County 161 Parishes ADDITIONS to CORNWALL CORNWALL as by the situation 't is in a manner cut from the rest of England so by its peculiar customs and privileges added to a difference of Language it may seem to be another Kingdom Upon which account it is necessary to give some light into these matters before we enter upon the Survey of the County Privileges of Cornwall To begin with the Privileges In the 21. of Elizabeth it was order'd that all charge of Custom for transporting of Cornish Cloath upon any English-man within the Dutchy of Cornwall should be discharg'd and that for the future no Custom should be paid for it This was first granted them by the Black-Prince and hath always been enjoy'd by them in consideration that they have paid and do still pay 4 s. for the coynage of every hundred of tinn whereas Devonshire pays but 8 d. They have also the freedom to take sand out of the sea and carry it through the whole County to manure their ground withal * R. Chart. de An. 45 Hen. 3. This is a Grant made by Richard Duke of Cornwall which is confirm'd An. 45 Hen. 3. by that King whereupon in the next Reign upon an Inquisition made we find a complaint that Saltash had lately taken yearly 12 s. for each Barge that carry'd Sand up Tamar whereas nothing ought to have been demanded By this it appears that ever since Hen. 3. at least this has been the
affectu divae pietatis inhaerens Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchisedech noster merito Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae religionis opus Publica jura regens celsa palatia servans Unica Pontificum gloria norma fuit Hinc abiens illinc meritorum fulget honore Hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit The two fair tops that lofty Sion grace Cedars of Libanus that all surpass The world 's great lights and the two gates of heav'n Thunder from one from one is light'ning giv'n Among the blest Apostles they excel Peter in honour and in learning Paul One ope's mens hearts and one the starry sphere One guides to heav'n and one receives us there One's doctrine shew's our journey and one's keys One is the way and one the gate of bliss The builder one one the foundation laid By both a temple for kind heav'n is made England be glad and pay just thanks to Rome Eternal health to Glastenbury's come Against our foes two fortresses are shown That all the world the Faith 's great tow'rs shall own Blest Ina faithful servant of his God These lasting gifts upon his realm bestow'd Virtue and goodness all his thoughts possest The Church's old revenues he encreast Our great Melchisedech our prince and priest His equal care of piety and state To Crowns and Mitres an example set In heav'n his works their blest reward receive And here his worthy praise shall ever live In those early times several very devout persons serv'd God here and especially Irish who were maintain'd at the King's charge and instructed the youth in Religion and the liberal sciences For they made choice of a solitary life that they might prosecute their divine studies with more retiredness and inure themselves to a severe course of life to qualifie them for taking up the Cross But at length Dunstan a man of excellent wit and judgment after his reputation of sanctity and learning had given him access to the conversation of Princes instead of these brought in Monks of a newer Order namely Benedictines and was himself first made Abbot over that large body settl'd there and these by the bounty of good and pious Princes got so much wealth as even exceeded that of Kings After they had for about 600 years together as it were reign'd in great abundance for all their neighbours were at their beck they were driven out by Henry 8. and the Monastery which by degrees had grown into a little city 24 Environ'd with a large-wall a mile about and replenish'd with stately buildings demolish'd and laid level with the ground how large and how stately it has been may be gather'd from the ruines I shall be reckon'd among those in our age who are taken with every fable should I speak any thing of the Wallnut-tree 25 In the holy Church-yard here which never buds before the feast of S. Barnabas and on that very feast day shoots out leaves 26 But that is now gone and a young tree in the place or the †Corrâ— Hawthorn-tree 27 In Wirral-park hard by which buds on Christmas-day as if it were in May f and yet if any one may be trusted these things are affirm'd by several credible persons Before I leave this head take in short what Giraldus Cambrensis an eye-witness has deliver'd at large concerning Arthur's Grave in this Church-yard When Henry 2. King of England had learn'd from the songs of the British Bards The we like Artâ— that Arthur the most noble heroe of the Britains whose courage had so often shatter'd the Saxons was bury'd at Glassenbury between two Pyramids he order'd search to be made for the body and they had scarce digged seven foot deep but they light upon a * Cippus cross'd stone or a stone in the back-part whereof was fasten'd a rude leaden Cross something broad This being pull'd out appear'd to have an Inscription upon it and under it almost nine foot deep they found a Coffin made of hollow'd oak wherein were reposited the bones of the famous Arthur As to the Inscription which being taken from the original was formerly writ in the monastery of Glassenbury I thought it proper to give a draught of it because of the Antiquity of it's letters The letters have a sort of barbarous and Gothick appearance and are a plain evidence of the barbarity of the age which was so involv'd in a fatal sort of mist that no one was found to celebrate the name of K. Arthur A subject without all dispute worthy the parts and invention of the most learned who by praising so great a Prince might have procur'd to themselves the reputation of wit For that strong bulwark of the British government may justly reckon this amongst his greatest misfortunes that the age did not afford a Praecoâ—â—m Panegyrist equal to his Virtues But now take a view of the Cross and Inscription Nor will it be improper to subjoyn what our Countryman Josephus Iscanus no mean or ordinary poet has said of Arthur in his Antiocheis 28 Wherein he describ'd the wars of the Christians for recovery of the Holy land and was there present with King Richard 1. speaking of Britain Hinc celebri fato foelici claruit ortu Flos Regum Arthurus cujus cùm facta stupori Non micuere minùs totus quòd in aure voluptas Et populo plaudente favus Quemcunque priorum Inspice Pelaeum commendat fama tyrannum Pagina Caesareos loquitur Romana triumphos Alcidem domitis attollit gloria monstris Sed nec pinetum coryli nec sydera solem Aequant Annales Latios Graiósque revolve Prisca parem nescit aequalem postera nullum Exhibitura dies Reges supereminet omnes Solus praeteritis melior majórque futuris From this blest place immortal Arthur sprung Whose wondrous deeds shall be for ever sung Sweet musick to the ear sweet honey to the tongue Look back turn o're the great records of fame Proud Alexander boasts a mighty name The Roman Annals Caesar's actions load And conquer'd monsters rais'd Alcides to a god But neither shrubs above tall pines appear Nor Phoebus ever fears a rival star So would our Arthur in contest o'recome The mightiest heroes bred in Greece or Rome The only Prince that hears this just applause Greatest that e're shall be and best that ever was But this Heroe to observe it by the way out of Ninnius if it be worth our notice was call'd Mab-Uter i.e. a horrible son because from his childhood he was of a cruel temper and Arthur which signifies in British a horrible bear or an iron hammer to break the †Molae grinders of Lyons Take also if you please some other monuments of this place tho' not altogether so ancient being out of William of Malmsbury What is a mystery to all mankind I would willingly set down if the truth could only be hammer'd out i.e. what those Pyramids mean Pyramids at
had possession of this Monastery 270 years they were turn'd out by the command of King Eadwy and secular Priests put in their room but the Monks were restor'd by King Edgar Bishop Herman would willingly have translated the Bishop's See hither but was prevented in his design by the diligence of the Monks So that the †Monast Angl. T. 1â— p. 97. Abingdon Historiographer is under a mistake when he tells us that the seat of the Bishop of Barkshire and Wiltshire was at Malmsbury and Radulphus de Diceto when he calls Odo Bishop of Ramesbury Bishop of Malmsbury as also Gervasius Tilburiensis when he says that S. Aldhelm had the city of Maidulf that is Scireburn The Abbey here exceeeded all the rest in Wiltshire both in riches and honour the Lord Abbot sitting in Parliament as Peer of the Realm Robert Jenner Esq Goldsmith of London the 1 Car. 1. built an Almshouse here for 8 persons and endow'd it with 40 l. a year g From hence the Avon goes to Dantesey Dantesey of which place Henry Lord Danvers was made by K. Charles 1. Earl of Danby He it was who built the Physick-garden in Oxford and among many other acts of charity founded here an Alms-house and Free-school Upon the attainder of his brother and heir Sir John Danvers the town was given by K. Charles 2. to James then Duke of York whose second son James was created Baron of Dantsey it was afterwards part of the dowry of Queen Mary and since the Revolution belongs to the Earl of Monmouth The Avon bending it's course southward from hence runs near Bradenstoke Bradenstoke without doubt the same town to which Aethelwold carry'd his devastations in the year 905. At which time Bromton says he put to military execution all Brithendune i.e. all in Bradon-forest as far as Brandestok or as Higden more rightly calls it Bradenestoke so that Polydore Virgil Holinshed Speed and our late Historians are very much mistaken in asserting this to be Basingstoke in Hamshire Somewhat lower the Avon receives the Caln Oldbury-hill a little river rising at the bottom of Oldbury-hill * Aubr MS. on which is a large oval camp with double trenches possibly Danish g 2. For the town of Caln Caln 't is probable it arose out of the ruines of the old Roman Colony on the other side of the water near Studley where Roman Coins are frequently found It was one of the Palaces of the West-Saxon Kings and at the time of the Conquest enjoy'd great privileges one whereof was that it never gelded For says Domesday Cauna nunquam geldavit ergo nescitur quot sunt hidae ibidem Not far from Caln is Cummerford Cummerford probably the Cynemaeresford of the Saxon Chronicle call'd by Florence of Worcester Kimeresford where Aethelmund Earl of Mercia making an inroad into the country of the West-Saxons was met by Werstan Earl of Wiltshire between whom was a bloody battle wherein both Commanders lost their lives but the victory fell to the Wiltshire-men Upon second thoughts the circumstances of that action agree more exactly to this place than * Glossar ad Chron. Sax. to Kempsford in Glocestershire for setting aside that the Saxon name is more easily melted into Cummerford Higden tells us it was out of the bounds of Mercia Ethelmundus says he fines suos egressus usque ad vadum Chimeresford and if so it cannot be in Glocestershire If there is as I have been told a large entrenchment near this Cummerford it puts the matter so much the more beyond dispute h The Avon having receiv'd this little river goes forward to Chippenham Chippenham call'd by Bromton Urbs Chipenham one of the chiefest towns in the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and so very often mention'd in the Histories of those times That the Church there was founded by one of the Hungerfords as our Author observes I am afraid is hardly grounded upon any clear authority The Chappel indeed yet call'd Hungerford's Chappel might possibly be founded by Walter Lord Hungerford for 21 Henr. 6. he obtain'd a licence for the founding of a Chantry in the Chappel of our Lady within the Parish-Church of this place Queen Mary in the beginning of her reign granted her Charter to this Corporation which consists of a Bailiff and 12 Burgesses i Next is the Devises Devises call'd by Westminster Visae and by Walter Hemingford Wysae That this town was built by Dunwallo King of the Britains is scarce probable neither is it easie to imagine that it should be inhabited by the Romans tho' on the utmost part of Rund-way hill that overlooks the town there is a square single-trench'd Camp which seems to point out to us the presence of the Romans in those parts The Annotator upon the life of King Alfred has told us upon the authority of Tradition that the Castle here was built by that King but we have ground from the best Historians to believe it was built or at least repair'd by Roger Bishop of Salisbury Speed says It was one of the goodliest Castles in Europe and Holinshed That it was the strongest hold in England Which made Ralph fitz-Fitz-Stephen in the war between King Stephen and Mawd the Empress after he had possess'd himself of this Castle boast that by the assistance of it he would subject all the Country between London and Winchester The government of it was formerly look'd upon to be such an honourable post that it has been accepted by the greatest Lords It was not so much demolish'd but that some shew of fortifications were left till the Civil Wars when it was besieg'd more than once And Sir Ralph Hopton's being enclos'd herein by Sir William Waller occasion'd that memorable battle call'd Rundway-fight from the Down upon which it was fought July 13. 1643. Now all the Fortifications are dismantl'd and the very top of the Keep which Leland calls a work of incredible cost dug up by the Gardiners The town is a very populous Corporation consisting of two great Parishes and is govern'd by a Mayor Recorder c. Not far from hence his Heddington Heddington which without doubt was a Roman town as is evident from the foundations of houses that have been dug up here for a mile together and the finding of silver and copper coins of several Roman Emperors some of which are given by Mr. John Aubrey to the Royal Society and to Ashmole's Musaeum in Oxford These circumstances and the situation of this Heddington on the exact road between Bath and Marlborough made the learned Commentator on â— Alfred's life conclude this to be the Verlucio of Antoninus plac'd by him 15 miles from Aquae Solis and 20 from Cunetio But Heddington not being above 12 from Bath and but 10 from Marleburgh we must †See â—â—â—ward look for Verlucio in some other place South from hence is Steeple-Lavington or East-Lavington commonly call'd Market Lavington Lavingâ—â—â— East from the great
arming victualling and compleat fitting to sea ships of the highest rates It has also Dwelling-houses and ample Accommodations for a Commissioner and all the subordinate Officers and Master-Artizans needful for the constant attending and executing the day and night services of the Navy in this Port both in Peace and War Since our Author's time this place hath given the title of Dutchess to Lovise de Queronalle created Aug. 19. 1673. â—â—neford q North from hence is Warneford on the North-side of whose Church the Inscription quoted by Camden appears to be thus Ade hic de Portu Solis benedicat ab ortu Gens cruce signata per quem sic sum renovata And as by these the Repairer is discover'd so is the Founder of it by three others upon the South-side Fratres orate prece vestra sanctificate Templi factores seniores juniores Wilfrid fundavit bonus Adam sic renovavit All you that come here Bestow a kind prayer On the Church's builders Both youngers and elders What pious Wilfrid rais'd Good Adam increas'd r Towards the northern limit of this County is Basing â—â—g memorable for a battle of Ethelred and Alfred against the Danes in the year 871. wherein the latter were Conquerors s North-west from hence upon the edge of Barkshire * â—br MS. is a square Camp upon Cornhill nigh West-Woodhay five miles from Newbury Continuation of the EARLS Beside the Earls mention'd by our Author since the Conquest we read of some in the Saxon times particularly in the year 860. in the time of King Ethelbert Osric seems to have had this honour by his leading up the Hamshire-men against the Danes along with Ethelwulf and his Berkshire-men tho' by the Saxon-Annals they are both styl'd Ealdor-men Whether in King Edgar's time Aelfhere and afterwards Aelfhelm had the same I dare not be positive As for those of later date after the death of Henry the last Earl mention'd by our Author this honour descended to Thomas Wriothesley his son who upon the Restoration of King Charles 2. was created Knight of the Garter and made Lord High Treasurer of England He was thrice marry'd but left no issue-male behind him nor any to inherit his Title so that in the year 1675. Charles Fitz-Roy eldest son to the Dutchess of Cleaveland had this honour among others conferr'd upon him t A branch of this County is the ISLE OF WIGHT †Chron. Sax. call'd by the Saxons * Wiht and Wihtland not as our Author Wuitland and Wicþ-ea nor as Sir Henry Spelman Wite Witeland Wite-ea That the original of it is the British Guith i.e. a Divorce however plausible is yet an opinion not universally agreed upon For tho' Ninnius a Britain has call'd it so yet 't was after the coming in of that people which our Historians term Jutae the Saxons Jotas and Jutna cynn and at the same time all agree that this Island fell to their share upon the expulsion of the Britains Now Bede expresly names them Vitae which the Saxon idiom on course would pronounce Witae as it changes Vir into Wer. And the Interpreter of Bede calls the Jutes that came over Geatas or Getes which points out to us their first original from the Goths once so very considerable a People in Germany In the ‖ Cap. 35. Laws of Edward the Confessor they are named Guti which as * Glossar in Guti Sir Henry Spelman observ'd by a custom of changing Gu into Wy or Wi becomes the same with Wyti or Witi and the Saxon-Aspiration us'd in hundreds of the like instances brings it to the true writing Wiht and Wihtland If the names may be thus reconciled without straining the reason of the thing makes the conjecture much more probable For what can we imagine more natural than that this people should call their Division after their own name in the same manner as the Saxons and Angles the two other sharers fixt their names upon their respective bounds as any one may observe by the ancient Division of England u The places of most note are New-port New-port which since Mr. Camden's time hath given the title of Earl to Montjoy Blunt created Aug. 3. 4º Car. 1. who was succeeded in the same honour by his son and heir George Blount and he by his brother Henry w Next is Caresbrook-castle Caresbrook castle call'd in Saxon Wihtgaraburh from Wihtgar the Saxon not Whitgar a Castle very eminent in the beginning of the Saxon times and in our age particularly remarkable for the imprisonment of King Charles 1. More rare Plants growing wild in Hamshire Ascyrum supinum villosum palustre C. B. Park Marsh S. Peter's wort with woolly leaves On a rotten moorish ground not far from Southampton abundantly It grows on the like grounds in many places especially of the West-Country Alopecuros maxima Anglica Park altera maxima Anglica paludosa Ger. emac. altera maxima Anglica paludosa seu Gramen Alopecuroides maximum J. B. Lob. Ad. part alt The great English marsh-Fox-tail-grass In the moist pastures of this County near the Salt-works and an ancient house call'd Drayton about two miles from Portsmouth over against the Isle of Wight plentifully Lobel Asphodelus luteus Acorifolius palustris Anglicus Lobelii J. B. Lancastriae verus Ger. emac. descr Pseudo-asphodelus palustris Anglicus C. B. Lancashire-Asphodel or Bastard-Asphodel On a bog in a heath in the mid-way between Sarisbury and Southampton This is very common in bogs and watery places both in the West and North parts of England Bardana minor Ger. Xanthium seu lappa minor J. B. Park Lappa minor Xanthium Dioscoridis C. B. The lesser Burdock I once found it in the road from Portsmouth to London about 3 miles from Portsmouth But it being an annual plant may be lost again there Cissampelos altera Anglica minima Park p. 173. The least English Black Bindweed This grows about Drayton near Portsmouth It differs little from the common black Bindweed but in the smallness of it's parts which may be owing to the barrenness of the soil Dryopteris Penae Lobelii Ger. emac. p. 1135. True Oak-Fern This Mr. Goodyer found in a very wet moor or bog call'd White-row moor where Peat is now digged a mile from Petersfield in Hamshire This is found in many wet and boggy grounds in divers Counties of England It is called by Jo. Bauhine Filix minor non ramosa and by us Fil. minor palustris repens Erica maritima Anglica supina Park English low Sea-heath Found by Lobel about Portsmouth Park p. 1485. This we have found in many places on the Sea-coasts both in Essex and Suffolk Malva arborea marina nostras Park English Sea-Tree-Mallow About Hurst-castle near the Isle of Wight where also grows Crithmum chrysanthemum in great plonty on the miry marsh ground Mercurialis mas foemina J. B. vulgaris mas foemina Park Ger. Merk testiculata sive mas Dioscoridis Plinii spicata sive foemina
Moels and the Courteneys much augmented his estate His son Robert who marry'd the daughter and heir of the Lord Botereaux enrich'd the family more and then Robert his son who had to Wife Eleanor the daughter and heir of William Molines upon which account he was honour'd among the Barons of the Kingdom by the name of Lord Molines and during the Civil Wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster was beheaded at New-castle made great additions to it Thomas his son slain at Salisbury in his father's life-time left Mary an only daughter married to Edward Lord Hastings with whom he had a great estate But Walter brother to the said Thomas begat Edward Hungerford father of that Walter whom Henry 8. created Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury and condemned afterwards for a very heinous crime nevertheless Queen Mary restor'd his children to every thing but the dignity of Barons h Not far from hence towards the South lies Widehay â—idehay long the seat of the Barons of St. Amand â—â—ons of Amand. whose estate by marriage came to Gerard Braybrok and Elizabeth his eldest grand-daughter by his son Gerard transferr'd the estate by marriage to William Beauchamp who being summon'd to Parliament by the name of William Beauchamp of St. Amand â—â—uchamp 〈◊〉 Amand was a Baron as his son Richard also was who had no legitimate issue From thence the river Kenet taking it's course between Hemsted Marshall anciently held * Per virgam Marescalliae by the Rod of the Marshalsea and belonging to the Marshals of England where †Sir Thomas Thomas Parry Treasurer of the Houshold to Queen Elizabeth built a very fine seat and Benham Valence so call'd from it's belonging to William Valence Earl of Pembroke 7 But Queen Elizabeth gave it to John Baptista Castilion a Piemontes of her Privy Chamber for faithful service in her dangers comes to Spinae Spinae the old town mention'd by Antoninus which retaining still it's name is call'd Spene but instead of a town is now a poor little village scarce a mile from Newbury a noted town that had it's rise out of the ruines of it For Newbury Newbury with us is as much as the New Borough that is in regard to Spinae the more ancient place which is quite decay'd but hath left the name in part of Newbury it self still call'd Spinhamlands And if nothing else yet this certainly might prove that Newbury fetcht it's original from Spinae for that the inhabitants of Newbury owns the little village Spene for their mother tho' Newbury compar'd with Spene is for it's buildings and neatness a very considerable town and much enrich'd by cloathing well seated upon a plain and has the river Kenet running through it In the Norman Conquest this town fell to Ernulph de Hesdin Earl of Perch Lib. Inquisitionum whose great grandson Thomas Earl of Perch being slain at the siege of Lincoln the Bishop of Chalons his heir sold it to William Marshall Earl of Pembroke who likewise held the mannour of Hempsted hard by spoken of before as did his successors Marshals of England till Roger Bigod for his obstinacy lost his honour of Earl Marshal and possessions too which notwithstanding by much †precariò intercession he obtain'd again for life i The Kenet continues on his course from hence and receives by the way the little river Lamborn Lamborn which at it's rise imparts the name to a small market-town that in ancient times belong'd to Alfrith K. Alfred's Cousin having been left him by the said King in his Will and afterwards was the Fitzwarin's who obtain'd the privilege of a market of Henry 3. But now it belongs to the Knightly family of Essex which derives it's pedigree from William de Essex Under-Treasurer of England in Edw. 4.'s time and from those of the same sirname in Essex that liv'd in great repute and honour there From thence this little river runs beneath g In the late Civil Wars it was a garrison for the King Dennington Dunnington-castle call'd also Dunnington a little but very neat castle seated on the brow of a woody hill having a fine prospect and windows on all sides very lightsome They say it was built by Sir Richard de Abberbury Knight founder also of God's House beneath it for the relief of the poor Afterwards it was the residence of h It was the house of Jeoffery Chaucer and there under an Oak commonly call'd Chaucer's Oak he is said to have penn'd many of his famous Poems The Oak till within these few years was standing Chaucer then of the De la Poles and within the memory of our fathers of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk And now the Kenet having run a long way passes at last by Aldermaston Aldermaston which Henry 1. gave to Robert Achard from whose posterity by the De la Mares it came at length by right of marriage to the Fosters a Knightly family At last it runs into the Thames having first with it's windings encompass'd a great part of Reading This little city or town of Reading Reading call'd in Saxon * Per virgam Marescalliae Rheadyge of Rhea that is the River or of the British word Redin signifying Fern which grew in great plenty hereabouts for the neatness of it's streets the fineness of it's buildings for it's riches and the reputation it hath gotten for making of cloath goes beyond all the other towns of this county tho' it hath lost it's greatest ornaments the beautiful Church and very ancient Castle k For this as Asserius tells us the Danes kept possession of when they drew a ditch between the Kenet and the Thames and hither they retreated after King Ethelwolph had routed them at Inglefield Inglefield a little village in the neighbourhood which gives name to a noble and ancient family But it was so demolish'd by K. Henry 2. because it was a place of refuge for King Stephen's party that nothing now remains of it but the bare name in the next street Near to this K. Hen. 1. having pull'd down a little Nunnery founded in former times by Queen Alfritha to expiate for some crimes built a most magnificent Abbey for Monks and enrich'd it with great Revenues Which Prince to use the very words of his Charter of Foundation Because three Abbeys in the kingdom of England were formerly for their sins destroy'd that is Reading Chelsea and Leonminstre which were long in Lay-mens hands by the advice of the Bishops founded a new Monastery at Reading and endow'd it with Reading Chelsea and Leonminstre In this Abbey was interr'd the Founder himself King Henry 7 With his wife both veil'd and crown'd for that she had been a Queen and professed Nun. Maud the Empress together with his daughter Maud as appears by the private history of the place tho' some report that she was bury'd at Becc in Normandy Who as well
as that Lacedaemonian Lady Lampido mention'd by Pliny was a King's Daughter a King's Wife and a King's Mother that is Daughter of this Henry 1. King of England Wife of Henry 4. Emperor of Germany and Mother to Henry 2. King of England Concerning which take here a Distich inscrib'd upon her tomb in my judgment ingenious enough Magna ortu majorque viro sed maxima partu Hic jacet Henrici filia sponsa parens Great born match'd greater greatest brought to bed Here Henry's Daughter Wife and Mother 's laid And she might well be counted greatest and most happy in her issue De nugis Curial l. 6. c. 18. For Henry 2. Henry 2. her son as Joannes Sarisburiensis who liv'd in those times hath observ'd was the best King of Britain the most fortunate Duke of Normandy and Aquitain and as well for the greatness of his actions as his excellent virtues above all others How valiant how magnificent how wise and modest he was as I may say from his very infancy envy it self can neither conceal nor dissemble since his actions are still fresh in our memory and conspicuous since he hath extended the monuments of his power from the bounds of Britain to the Marches of Spain And in another place concerning the same Prince Henry 2. the mightiest King that ever was of Britain thunder'd it about Garumna and besieging Tholouse with success did not only strike terror into the inhabitants of Provence as far as the Rhosne and Alpes but also by demolishing their strongholds and subduing the people made the Princes of France and Spain to tremble as if he threatned an universal conquest I will add farther if you please a word or two relating to the same Prince out of Giraldus Cambrensis From the Pyrenaean Mountains unto the western bounds and farthest limits of the northern Ocean this our Alexander of the West hath stretched forth his arm As far therefore as nature in these parts hath enlarged the Land so far hath he extended his victories If the bounds of his Expeditions were sought for sooner wou'd the globe of the earth fail than they end for where there is valour and resolution lands may possibly be wanting but victories can never fail matter for triumphs may be wanting but triumphs themselves never How great an addition to his glories titles and triumphs was Ireland With how great and stupendous a courage did he pierce thro' the very secret and occult places of the Ocean But take here an old verse upon his death which fully expresses in short both all this and also the glories of his son King Richard 1. Mira cano sol occubuit nox nulla secuta est Strange the sun set and yet no night ensu'd Rich. 1. For Richard was so far from bringing night upon this our Nation that by his Victories in Cyprus and Syria he enlighten'd it with brighter beams of glory But this by way of digression Let us now return from persons to places This Monastery wherein King Hen. 1. lies interr'd is now converted i This with the Stables was probably demolish'd in the late Civil Wars for now there is nothing to be seen of them that which remains being a very indifferent house into a Royal Seat adjoyning to which stands a very fine stable stor'd with noble horses of the King 's But concerning this place take these verses of the Poet describing the Thames running by it Hinc videt exiguum Chawsey properatque videre Redingum nitidum texendis nobile pannis Hoc docet Aelfredi nostri victricia signa Begscegi caedem calcata cadavera Dani Utque superfuso maduerunt sanguine campi Principis hic Zephyro Cauroque parentibus orti Cornipedes crebris implent hinnitibus auras Et gyros ducunt gressus glomerantque superbos Dum cupiunt nostri Martis servire lupatis Haeccine sed pietas heu dira piacula primum Neustrius Henricus situs hic inglorius urna Nunc jacet ejectus tumulum novus advena quaerit Frustra nam regi tenues invidit arenas Auri sacra fames Regum metuenda sepulchris Thence little Chawsey sees and hastens on To Reading fam'd for cloth an handsome town Here Aelfred's troops their happy valour show'd On slaughter'd Begsceg and his Pagans trod And drown'd the meadows in a purple flood Here too in state the royal coursers stand Proud to be govern'd by our Mars's hand Full stretch'd for race they take their eager round And neighing fill the air and trampling shake the ground But where poor banish'd Virtue art thou gone Here Henry lies without a single stone Equall'd alas with common dead too soon So fatal avarice to Kings appears It spares their crowns more than their sepulchres Scarce half a mile from Reading amongst fine green Meadows the Kenet joyns the Thames which by the conflux being much enlarg'd spreads it self towards the north running by Sunning Sunning a little village that one would wonder should ever have been the See of eight Bishops who had this County and Wiltshire for their Diocese yet our Histories report as much The same was afterwards translated by Herman to Sherburn and at last to Salisbury to which bishoprick this place still belongs 8 Hereby falleth Ladden a small water into the Thames Not far off stands Laurence Waltham where the foundations of an old fort are to be seen and Roman coins are often digg'd up 9 And next to it Billingsbere the inhabitation of Sir Henry Nevil issued from the Lords Abergevenny Thence the Thames passes by Bistleham contracted now into Bisham Bisham at first a Lordship of the Knights Templers then of the Montacutes 10 And amongst them the first Earl of Salisbury of this family founded a Priory wherein some say he was buried Certes his wife the daughter of the Lord Grandison was buried there and in the Inscription of his tomb it was specified that her Father was descended out of Burgundy Cousin-german to the Emperor of Constantinople the King of Hungary and Duke of Bavaria and brought into England by Edmund Earl of Lancaster who built a little Monastery here afterwards of that noble Knight Sir Edw. Hobey Sir Edw◠Hobey a person to whom I owe a particular respect and whose more than ordinary obligations are so much the subject of my thoughts that I can never possibly forget them The Thames now bidding adieu to Bisham fetches a compass to a little town call'd in former ages Southealington 11 Afterwards Maidenhith now Maidenhead Maiden-head * A 〈◊〉 cap 〈…〉 from I know not what British Maiden's head one of those eleven thousand Virgins who as they returned home from Rome with Ursula their Leader suffer'd Martyrdom near Cologne in Germany from that scourge of God Attila Neither is this town of any great antiquity for no longer ago than our great grandfathers time there was a ferry in a place somewhat higher at Babhams end But after
of his being seized of the Castle Honour and Lordships of Arundel in his own demesn as of Fee in regard of this his possession of the same Castle Honour and Lordships and without any other consideration or creation to be an Earl was Earl of Arundel Parl. 11. H. 6. and the Name State and Honour of the Earl of Arundel c. peaceably enjoy'd as appears by a definitive Judgment in Parliament in favour of John Fitz-Alan challenging the Castle and Title of Arundel 5 By virtue of an entail against John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk the right heir by his mother in the nearest degree From whence we gather That the Name State and Dignity of an Earl was annex'd to the Castle Honour and Lordship of Arundel as may be seen in the Parliament-Rolls An. 27 Hen. 6. out of which I have copy'd these notes word for word Of these Fitz-Alans 6 Edmund second Earl son to Richard marry'd the heir of the Earl of Surrey and was beheaded through the malicious fury of Q. Isabel not lawfully convicted for that he oppos'd himself in King Edw. the 2d's behalf against her wicked practices His son Richard petition'd in Parliament to be restor'd to blood lands and goods for that his father was put to death not try'd by his Peers according to the Law and Great Charter of England Nevertheless whereas the Attainder of him was confirm'd by Parliament he was forc'd to amend his Petition and upon the amendment thereof he was restor'd by the King 's meer grace Richard his son as his grandfather died for his Sovereign 4 Edw. 3. lost his life for banding against his Sovereign K. Richard 2. But Thomas his son more honourably ended his life serving King Henry 5. valorously in France and leaving his sisters his heirs general Sir John of Arundel Lord Maltravers his next Cousin and Heir Male obtain'd of K. Henr. 6. the Earldom of Arundel as we even now declared See before the Earls of Surrey and also was by the said King for his good service created Duke of Touraine Of the succeeding Earls I find nothing memorable the 11th liv'd in our time and dying without issue male was succeeded by Philip Howard his grandson by his daughter who not being able to digest wrongs and hard measure put upon him by the cunning tricks of some invidious persons fell into the snare they had laid for him and being brought into the utmost danger of his life dy'd But his son Thomas a most honourable young Gentleman ennobled with a fervent desire and pursuit after virtue and glory worthy his great birth and of an affable obliging temper was restor'd by King James and had all his father's honours return'd him by Act of Parliament Except the Castle and it's Earls Arundel hath nothing memorable for the College that there flourish'd and had the Earls for it's founders it's revenues being alienated now falls to decay Nevertheless there are some monuments of the Earls in the Church amongst the rest one of Alabaster very fair and noble in which in the middle of the Quire lie Earl Thomas and Beatrix his Wife 2d Daughter of John King of Portugal Neither must I pass by this Inscription very beautifully gilt set up here to the honour of Henry Fitz-Alan the last Earl of this Line since some possibly may be pleas'd with it VIRTUTI ET HONORI SACRUM MAGNANIMUS HEROS CUJUS HIC CERNITUR EFFIGIES CUJUSQUE HIC SUBTER SITA SUNT OSSA HUJUS TERRITORII COMES FUIT SUI GENERIS AB ALANI FILIO COGNOMINATUS A MALATRAVERSO CLUNENSI ET OSWALDESTRENSI HONORIBUS EXIMIIS DOMINUS INSUPER AC BARO NUNCUPATUS GARTERIANI ORDINIS EQUESTRIS SANE NOBILISSIMI SODALIS DUM VIXIT ANTIQUISSIMUS ARUNDELIAE COMITIS GUILIELMI FILIUS UNICUS ET SUCCESSOR OMNIUMQUE VIRTUTUM PARTICEPS QUI HENRICO VIII EDWARDO VI. MARIAE ET ELIZABETHAE ANGLIAE REGIBUS A SECRETIS CONSILIIS VILLAE QUOQUE CALESIAE PRAEFECTURAM GESSIT ET CUM HENRICUS REX BOLONIAM IN MORINIS OBSIDIONE CINXERAT EXERCITUS SUI MARESCALLUS PRIMARIUS DEINDE REGIS FUIT CAMERARIUS EJUSQUE FILIO EDWARDO DUM CORONARETUR MARESCALLI REGNI OFFICIUM GEREBAT EIQUE SICUT ANTEA PATRI CAMERARIUS FACTUS REGNANTE VERO MARIA REGINA CORONATIONIS SOLENNI TEMPORE SUMMUS CONSTITUITUR CONSTABULARIUS DOMUSQUE REGIAE POSTMODUM PRAEFECTUS AC CONSILII PRAESES SICUT ET ELIZABETHAE REGINAE CUJUS SIMILITER HOSPITII SENESCALLUS FUIT ITA VIR ISTE GENERE CLARUS PUBLICIS BENE FUNCTIS MAGISTRATIBUS CLARIOR DOMI AC FORIS CLARISSIMUS HONORE FLORENS LABORE FRACTUS AETATE CONFECTUS POSTQUAM AETATIS SUAE ANNUM LXVIII ATTIGISSET LONDINI XXV DIE FEBRUARII ANNO NOSTRAE SALUTIS A CHRISTO MDLXXIX PIE ET SUAVITER IN DOMINO OBDORMIVIT JOANNES LUMLEY BARO DE LUMLEY GENER PIENTISSIMUS SUPREMAE VOLUNTATIS SUAE VINDEX SOCERO SUAVISSIMO ET PATRONO OPTIMO MAGNIFICENTISSIME FUNERATO NON MEMORIAE QUAM IMMORTALEM SIBI MULTIFARIIS VIRTUTIBUS COMPARAVIT SED CORPORIS MORTALIS ERGO IN SPEM FELICIS RESURRECTIONIS RECONDITI HANC ILLI EX PROPRIIS ARMATURIS STATUAM EQUESTREM PRO MUNERE EXTREMO UBERIBUS CUM LACHRYMIS DEVOTISSIME CONSECRAVIT That is Sacred to Virtue and Honour The Valiant Heroe whose Effigies you here see and whose Bones are buried underneath was Earl of these parts he had his Sirname by being the son of Alan and moreover took the honourable titles of Lord and Baron from Maltravers Clun and Oswaldestre he was Knight of the Garter and liv'd to be the Senior of that Noble Order only Son to William Earl of Arundel and heir both of his Estate and Virtues He was Privy Counsellor to Henry 8. Edward 6. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth Kings and Queens of England Governour of Calais and when Bologne a town of the old Morini was besieg'd by that King Henry was Marshal of the Army He was afterwards Lord Chamberlain to the said King and at the Coronation of his son Edward exercis'd the Office of Marshal of England to which King he was Lord Chamberlain as he had been to his Father Upon Queen Mary's coming to the Crown he was made High-Constable of England for the Coronation afterwards Steward of her Houshold and President of the Council which honour he had under Queen Elizabeth to whom he was likewise Steward of the Houshold Thus this person noble by birth by the honourable discharge of Offices more noble and most of all so by his great Exploits at home and abroad with his honour untainted his body broken and worn out with age in the 68. year of his life dy'd in the Lord devoutly and comfortably at London on the 25. of February in the year of our Lord 1579. John Lumley Baron of Lumley his most dutiful and disconsolate son in Law and Executor with the utmost respect put up this Statue with his own Armour after he had been buried in great pomp for the kindest of Fathers-in-Law and the best of Patrons as the
k The Notitia adds reliquos officiales comprehending all the Under-Officers c. And I no way doubt but it was in imitation of this method of the Romans that our Ancestors set over this coast a Governour or Portreve commonly call'd Warden of the Cinque-ports Warden of the Cinque-ports because as the Count of the Saxon-shore presided over nine so does he over five ports Kent deliver'd to the Saxons But after the Romans had quitted Britain Vortigern who had the command of the greatest part of it set over Kent a Guorong i.e. a Vice-Roy or Freeman without whose knowledge he frankly bestow'd this Country as Ninnius and Malmesbury have it upon Hengist the Saxon on the account of his daughter Rowenna with whom he was passionately in love a. Thus was the first kingdom of the Saxons settled in Britain in the year of Christ 456. call'd by them CantÆ¿ara-ryc i.e. the kingdom of the Kentish-men which after 320 years upon Baldred the last King 's being conquer'd came under the jurisdiction of the West-Saxons and continu'd so till the Norman Conquest For then if we may believe Thomas Spot the Monk no ancient Writer having any thing of it the Kentish men carrying boughs before them 4 And representing afar off a moving wood surrendred themselves to William the Conquerour at Swanescomb a small village where they tell us that Suene the Dane formerly encamp'd upon condition they might have the Customs of their Country preserv'd entire that especially which they call Gavel-kind Gavel kind b By which 5 By which they are not so bound by Copy hold Customary tenures or Tenant-right as in other parts of England but in a manner every man is a Free-holder and hath some part of his own to live upon all lands of that nature are divided among the males by equal portions or upon defect of issue-male among the females By this they enter upon the estate at 15 years of age and have power to make it over to any one either by gift or sale without consent of the Lord. By the same the sons succeed to this sort of lands tho' their parents be condemn'd for theft c. So that what we find in an ancient Book is very true tho' not elegantly written The County of Kent urges that that County ought of right to be exempt from any such burthen because it affirms that this County was never conquer'd as was the rest of England but surrender'd it self to the Conqueror's power upon Articles of agreement provided that they should enjoy all their liberties and free customs which they then had and us'd from the beginning William the Conqueror afterwards to secure Kent which is look'd upon to be the Key of England set a Constable over Dover-castle and constituted the same in imitation of the ancient Roman custom Governour of 5 ports stiling him Warden of the Cinque-ports Lord Warden of the 5 Ports Those are Hastings Dover Hith Rumney and Sandwich to which Winchelsey and Rie are annext as Principals and some other little towns as members only And because they are oblig'd to serve in the wars by sea they enjoy many and large immunities For instance from payment of Subsidies See in Sussex p. 177. from Wardship of their children as to body not to be su'd in any Courts but within their own town and such of their inhabitants as have the name of Barons at the Coronation of the Kings and Queens of England support the Canopy and for that day have their table spread and furnish'd upon the King 's right hand c. And the Lord Warden himself who is always some one of the Nobility of approv'd loyalty has within his jurisdiction in several cases the authority of 6 A Chancellor and c. Admiral and other privileges But now to the places The Thames chief of all the British rivers runs as I observ'd but now along the north part of this County which leaving Surrey and by a winding course almost retiring into it self c. 7 Doth there admit into his chanel into the first limit of this shire Ravensburne a small water and of short course which riseth in Keston-heath hard under the pitching of an ancient Camp strange for the height as double rampiers and depth as double ditches of all that I have seen doubtless the work of many labouring hands Of what capacity it was I could not discover for that the greatest part thereof is now several and overgrown with a thicket but verily great it was as may be gather'd by that which is apparent We may probably conjecture that it was a Roman Camp but I might seem to rove if I should think it that Camp which Julius Caesar pitch'd when the Britains gave him the last battel with their whole forces and then having bad success retir'd themselves and gave him leave to march to the Thames side And yet certes Keston the name of the place seemeth to retain a parcel of Kaesar's name for so the Britains call'd him and not Caesar as we do As for the other small intrenchment not far off by W. Wickham it was cast in fresh memory when old Sir Christopher Heydon a man then of great command in these parts trained the Country people This water having passed by Bromeley a Mansion-house of the Bishops of Rochester when it hath gathered strength the depth of his ford giveth name to Dâ—râ—ford c. first sees Depford Depfoâ—d a most noted Dock where the Royal Navy is built and when shatter'd repair'd there is also settled a famous Store house and a place or incorporation something like a * Hâ—â—naâ—â—â— College for the use of the navy It was formerly call'd West Greenwich and upon the Conquest of England feâ—l to the share of Gislebert de Mamignot a Norman Maâ—igâ— whose grandchild by the son Walkelin it was that defended Dover-castle against King Stephen and he left behind him one only daughter who upon the death of her brother brought by marriage a large estate call'd the Honour of Mamignot into the family of the Says d From hence the Thames goes to Grenovicum Gâ—â—aâ— commonly Greenwich i.e. the green creak for the creak of a river is call'd in German Wic formerly famous for being a harbour of the Danish fleet and for the cruelty that people exercis'd upon Ealpheg Archbishop of Canterbury whom they put to death by most exquisite torments in the year 1012. Whose death and the cause of it Ditmarus Mersepurgius who liv'd about that time has thus describ'd in the eighth book of his Chronicle By the relation of Sewald I came to know a very tragical and therefore memorable act How a treacherous company of * 〈…〉 Dueâ— Northern men whose Captain Thurkil now is seized upon that excellent Archbishop of Canterbury Ealpheg with others and according to their barbarous treatment fetter'd him put him to endure famine and other unspeakable pains He overpower'd by
Dissolution the plate and jewels thereof fill'd two great chests each whereof requir'd eight men to carry them out of the Church Monast Angl. vol. 1. p. 18. So that the name of Christ to whom it was dedicated was almost quite laid aside for that of S. Thomas Nor was it so much fam'd for any other thing as the memory and burial of this man tho' it has some other tombs that may deservedly be boasted of particularly Edward Prince of Wales sirnam'd the Black a heroe for his valour in war a downright miracle and Henry 4. that potent King of England But King Henry 8. dispers'd all this wealth that had been so long in gathering and drove out the Monks in lieu whereof this Christ-Church has a Dean Archdeacon 12 Prebendaries and 6 Preachers whose business it is to sow the word of God in the neighbouring places It had another Church below the city to the East which disputed preeminence with this St. Augustine's commonly St. Austen's known by the name of S. Austin's because S. Austin himself and K. Ethelbert by his advice founded it to the honour of S. Peter and S. Paul for a burying place both to the Kings of Kent and the Archbishops for it was not then lawful to bury in Cities it was richly endow'd and the Abbot there had a Mint granted him and the Privilege of coyning money Now as the greatest part of it lyes in its own ruines and the rest is turn'd into a house for the King any one that beholds it may easily apprehend what it has been Austin himself was bury'd in the Porch of it and as Thomas Spot has told us with this Epitaph Inclytus Anglorum praesul pius decus altum Hic Augustinus requiescit corpore sanctus The Kingdom 's honour and the Church's grace Here Austin England's blest Apostle lays But Bede o Tho' Bede may be otherwise very good authority yet here he certainly fails for the title Archiepiscopus occurring in it is a plain evidence that 't is of later date since that title could not be then in the Western Church nor was it allow'd commonly to Metropolitans as Mabillon and others have observ'd till about the ninth age See Stillingfleet 's Origin Britan. p. 21 22. who is better authority assures us that he had over him this much more ancient Inscription HIC REQVIESCIT DOMINVS AVGVSTINVS DOROVERNENSIS ARCHIEPISCOPVS PRIMVS QVI OLIM HVC A BEATO GREGORIO ROMANAE VRBIS PONTIFICE DIRECTVS ET A DEO OPERATIONE MIRACVLORVM SVFFVLTVS ET ETHELBERTHVM REGEM AC GENTEM ILLIVS AB IDOLORVM CVLTV AD FIDEM CHRISTI PERDVXIT ET COMPLETIS IN PACE DIEBVS OFFICII SVI DEFVNCTVS EST SEPTIMO KALENDAS IVNIAS EODEM REGE REGNANTE That is Here resteth S. Augustine the first Archbishop of Canterbury who being formerly dispatch'd hither by the blessed Gregory Bishop of Rome and supported of God by the working of miracles both drew Ethelberht with his kingdom from the worship of Idols to the faith of Christ and also having fulfill'd the days of his Office dy'd on the 7th of the Kalends of June in the same King's reign With him there were bury'd in the same porch the six Archbishops that immediately succeeded and in honour of the whole seven namely Austin Laurentius Mellitus Justus Honorius Deus-dedit and Theodosius were those verses engraven in marble SEPTEM SUNT ANGLI PRIMATES ET PROTOPATRES SEPTEM RECTORES SEPTEM COELOQVE TRIONES SEPTEM CISTERNAE VITAE SEPTEMQVE LVCERNAE ET SEPTEM PALMAE REGNI SEPTEMQVE CORONAE SEPTEM SVNT STELLAE QUAS HAEC TENET AREA CELLAE Seven Patriarchs of England Primates seven Seven Rectors and seven Labourers in heaven Seven Cisterns pure of life seven Lamps of light Seven Palms and of this Realm seven Crowns full bright Seven Stars are here bestow'd in vault below It will not be very material to take notice of another Church near this which as Bede has it was built by the Romans and dedicated to S. Martin and in which before the coming of Austin Bertha of the blood Royal of the Franks and wife of Ethelbert was us'd to have divine Service celebrated according to the Christian Religion As to the Castle which appears on the south-side of the City with it's decay'd bulwarks since it does not seem to be of any great Antiquity I have nothing memorable to say of it but only that it was built by the Normans Of the dignity of the See of Canterbury which was formerly very great I shall only say thus much that as in former ages under the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome the Archbishops of Canterbury were Primates of all England Legates of the Pope and as Pope Urban 2. express'd it as it were Patriarchs of another world so when the Pope's Authority was thrown off it was decreed by a Synod held in the year 1534. that laying aside that title Primate and Metropolitan of all England they should be stil'd Primates and Metropolitans of all England This dignity was lately possess'd by the most reverend Father in God John Whitgift who having consecrated his whole life to God and his utmost endeavours to the service of the Church dy'd in the year 1604. extremely lamented by all good men He was succeeded by Richard Bancroft a man of singular courage and prudence in matters relating to the establishment of the Church Canterbury is 51 degrees 16 minutes in Latitude and 24 degrees 51 minutes in Longitude xx After Stour has gather'd it's waters into one chanel it runs by Hackington Hackington where Lora Countess of Leicester a very honorable Lady in her time quitting the pleasures of the world sequester'd her self from all commerce with it to have her time entire for the service of God At which time Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury began a Church in this place to the honour of S. Stephen and Thomas of Canterbury but the Authority of the Pope prohibiting it for fear it should tend to the prejudice of the Monks of Canterbury he let his design fall However from that time the place has kept the name of S. Stephens S. Stephens and Sir Roger Manwood Knight Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer a person of great knowledge in our Common Law to whose munificence the poor inhabitants are very much indebted was lately it's greatest ornament nor is his son Sir Peter Manwood Knight of the Bath a less honour to it at this day whom I could not but mention with this respect and deference since he is an encourager of virtue learning and learned men From hence the Stour by Fordich Fordich which in Domesday-book is call'd the little burrough of Forewich famous for it's excellent trouts passes on to Sturemouth 69 Which it hath now forsaken a mile and more yet left and bequeathed his name to it But now by Stoure-mouth runneth a brook which issuing out of S. Eadburgh's Well at Liming where the daughter to K. Ethelbert first of our
of the Mercians adorned it with a noble Church in which her self lyes intomb'd Not long after when the whole County was ravaged by the Danes these sacred Virgins were forc'd to depart and the Danes as Aethelwerd that ancient Author writeth after many turns and changes of war set up their tents at Gleuu-cester Now those ancient Churches having been ruin'd in these calamitous times Aldred Archbishop of York and Bishop of Worcester erected a new one for Monks which is the present Cathedral and hath a Dean and six Prebendaries belonging to it Which Church in former ages receiv'd great additions and ornaments from several Benefactors for J. Hanly and T. Farley Abbots added the V. Mary's Chapel Nicholas Morwent built the western front from the ground very beautiful b Thomas G. Horton Abbot joyned to it the northern cross Isle Abbot c Frowcester Trowcester built the curious neat Cloysters and Abbot Sebrook the great and stately Tower The south Isle was rebuilt with the offerings that devout people made at the shrine of King Edward 2. who lyes here interr'd in an Alabaster tomb And not far from him lyes in the middle of the Quire the unfortunate Robert Curt-hose the eldest son of William the Conqueror Duke of Normandy in a wooden monument 7 Who was bereft of the Kingdom of England for that he was born before his Father was King depriv'd of his two s ns the one by strange death in the N. Forest the other despoiled of the Earldom of Flanders his inheritance and slain he himself dispossessed of the Dukedom of Normandy by his Brother K. Henry 1. his eyes pluck'd out and kept close Prisoner 26 years without contumelious indignities until through extream anguish he ended his life Beyond the Quire in an Arch of the Church there is a wall built with so great artifice in the form of a semicircle with corners that if any one whisper very low at one end and another lay his ear to the other end he may easily hear each distinct syllable k In the reign of William the Conqueror and before the chief trade of the city was forging of Iron for as it is mention'd in Doomsday book there was scace any other tribute requir'd by the King than certain d A Dicar of Iron contain'd to barrs Blunt's Tenures Icres of Iron and Iron bars for the use of the Royal Navy and a few pints of Honey After the coming in of the Normans it suffer'd some calamities when England was all in a flame by the Barons wars being plunder'd by Edward the son of Henry 3. and after almost laid in ashes by a casual fire But now by the blessing of a continued peace it doth prosper and reflourish and having the two adjacent hundreds added to it is made a County of it self and is call'd The County of the City of Glocester l And Henry 8. in the memory of our Fathers augmented the state thereof by erecting an Episcopal See with which dignity as Geoffry of Monmouth saith it was formerly honour'd and I have reason not to question the truth of this assertion m since the Bishop of * Câ—osis Cluve is reckon'd among the British Prelates which name being deriv'd from Clevum or Glow doth in part confirm my conjecture that this is the Glevum mention'd by Antoninus n The river Severne having now left Glocester o and uniting its divided streams 8 Windeth it self by Elmore a Mansion House of the Gises ancient by their own lineal discent being in elder times owners of Apseley-Gise near Brickhill and from the Beauchamps of Holt who acknowledge Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent whom I lately mentioned benâ—ficious to them and testifie the same by their Armories Lower upon the same side Stroud a pretty river slideth into Severne out of Coteswold by Stroud a Market-town sometimes better peopled with Clothiers and not far from Minching-Hampton which anciently had a Nunnery or belonged to Nuns whom our Ancestors named Minchings waxeth broader and deeper by the ebbing and flowing of the tyde it rages like the aestuation of the sea towards which it hastens with frequent turnings and windings But in its course toucheth upon nothing memorable except Cambridge Cambridg a e It has only five or six houses small Country-hamlet where Cam a little river runs into it f Where this action is mention'd by the Saxon-Annals it is said to have been at Cambridge which is prov'd rather to be Bridgnorth in Shropshire See the County under that title at which bridge as Aethelwerd writeth when the Danes passed over by filing off laden with rich spoils the west Saxons and Mercians receiv'd them with a bloody encounter in Woodnesfield in which Healfden Cinuil and Inguar three of their Princes were slain On the same side of the river not much lower standeth Berkley Berkeys in the Saxon tongue Beorkenlau eminent for a strong Castle and its Mayor who is the chief Magistrate as also for the Lords thereof the Barons of Barkley of an ancient and noble family 9 Descended from Robert Fitz-Harding to whom King Henry 2. gave this place and Barkley Hearnes Out of this house descended many Knights and Gentlemen of signal note of which was William Baron of Barkley 10 Who was honoured by King Edward 4. with the style of Viscount Barkley by King Richard the 3. with the Honour of Earl of Nottingham in regard of his mother daughter of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Nottingham and by King Henry 7. with the office of Marshal of England and dingity of Marquess Barkley who in the reign of Henry 7. was made Viscount and Marquess Barkley E. of Nottingham and Marshal of England but because he died without issue those titles ceased with him p If you would know by what stratagem Godwyn Earl of Kent Earl G dwyn's 〈◊〉 a man fit and prepar'd for any wicked design got the possession of this place take this short account of Walter Mapes who lived 400 years since for it is not unworthy the Reader 's perusal Berkley is a village near Severne of the yearly value of 500 l. in which was a Nunnery govern'd by an Abbess that was both noble and beautiful Earl Godwin a notable subtle man not desiring her but hers as he pass'd by left his nephew a young * That this is not the original of the name is plain from the Saxon Bricgstow which plainly points out to us a bridge or passage over the river proper handsom spark as if seized with sickness till he should return back thither and instructed him to counterfeit an indisposition till he had gotten all who came to visit him both Lady Abbess and Nuns with child And to carry on the intreague more plausibly and more effectually to obtain the favour of their visits the Earl furnish'd him with rings and girdles that by those presents he might the more easily corrupt and gain their inclinations There needed
entertain'd a design to depose him For which after he was dead he was attainted of High Treason by Act of Parliament He being thus taken off the same King gave the title of Earl of Glocester to Thomas De-Spencer 38 In the right of his great Grandmother who a little while after met with no better fate than his great Grandfather 39 Sir Hugh Hugh had before him for he was prosecuted by Henry 4 and ignominiously degraded and beheaded at Bristol 40 By the Peoples fury Henry 5. created his brother Humphry the second Duke of Glocester who us'd to stile himself 41 In the first year of King Henry 6. as I have seen in an Instrument of his Humphrey by the Grace of God Son Brother and Uncie to Kings Luke of Glocester Earl of Hainault Holland Zeeland and Pembroke Lord of Friseland Great Chamberlain of the Kingdom of England Protector and Defender of the same Kingdom and Church of England Son Brother and Uncle of Kings Duke of Glocester Earl of Pembroke and Lord high Chamberlain of England He was a great Friend and Patron both of his Country and Learning but by the contrivance 42 Of a Woman of a woman he was taken off at St. Edmunds-Bury The third and last Duke was Richard the third brother to King Edward 4. who having inhumanly murther'd his Nephews usurp'd the Throne which within the space of two years he lost with his life in a pitcht battle and found by sad experience That an unsurped power unjustly gain'd is never lasting Richard 3. Concerning this last Duke of Glocester and his first entrance upon the Crown give me leave to act the part of an Historian for a while which I shall presently lay aside again as not being sufficiently qualify'd for such an undertaking When he was declared Protector of the Kingdom and had his two young nephews Edward 5. King of England and Richard Duke of York in his power he began to aim at the Crown and by a profuse liberality great gravity mixed with singular affability deep wisdom impartial Justice to all people joyned with other subtle devices he procured the affections of all and particularly gained the Lawyers on his side and so managed the matter that there was an humble Petition in the name of the Estates of the realm offer'd him in which they earnestly pray'd him That for the publick good of the Kingdom and safety of the People he would accept the Crown and thereby support his tottering Country and not suffer it to fall into utter ruin which without respect to the laws of Nature and those of the establish'd Government had been harrassed and perplexed with civil wars rapines murders and all other sorts of miseries ever since Edward 4. his brother being enchanted with love potions had contracted that unhappy march with Elizabeth Grey widow without the consent of Nobles or publication of Banns in a clandestine manner and not in the face of the Congregation contrary to the laudable custom of the Church of England And what was worse when he had pre-contracted himself to the Lady Eleanor Butler daughter to the Earl of Shrewsbury from whence it was apparent that his marriage was undoubtedly unlawful and that the issue proceeding thence must be illegitimate and not capable of inheriting the Crown Moreover since George Duke of Clarence second brother of Edward 4. was by Act of Parliament attainted of High Treason and his children excluded from all right of succession none could be ignorant that Richard remained the sole and undoubted heir of the kingdom who being born in England they well knew would seriously consult the good of his native Country and of whose birth and legitimacy there was not the least question or dispute whose wisdom also justice gallantry of mind and warlike exploits valiantly performed for the good of the Nation and the splendor of his noble extract as descended from the royal race of England France and Spain they were very well acquainted with and fully understood Wherefore having seriously considered again and again of these and many other reasons they did freely and voluntarily with an unanimous consent according to their Petition elect him to be their King and with prayers and tears out of the great confidence they had in him humbly besought him to accept of the Kingdom of England France and Ireland which were doubly his both by right of inheritance and election and that for the love which he bore to his native Country he would stretch forth his helping hand to save and protect it from impendent ruin Which if he performed they largely promis'd him all faith duty and allegiance otherwise they were resolv'd to endure the utmost extremity rather than suffer themselves to be brought into the bonds of a disgraceful slavery from which at present they were freed This humble Petition was presented to him before he accepted the Crown afterwards it was also offered in the great Council of the Nation and approved of and by their authority it was enacted and declared in a heap of words as the custom is That by the Laws of God Nature and of England and by a most laudable Custom Richard after a lawful Election Inauguration and Coronation was and is the true and undoubted King of England c. and that the inheritance of these Kingdoms rightfully belongs to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and to use the very words as they are penned in the original Records It was enacted decreed and declar'd by authority of Parliament that all and singular the Contents in the aforesaid Bill are true and undoubted and that the same our Lord the King with the assent of the three Estates of the Realm and the authority aforesaid doth pronounce decree and declare the same to be true and undoubted I have more largely explained these matters that it may be understood how far the power of a Prince pretended godliness subtle arguings of Lawyers flattering hope cowardly fear desire of new changes and specious pretences may prevail against all right and justice even upon the great and wise assembly of the Nation But the same cannot be said of this Richard as was of Galba That he had been thought fit for Empire had he not reigned for he seated in the Empire deceived all mens expectations but this had been most worthy of a Kingdom had he not aspired thereunto by wicked ways and means so that in the opinion of the wise he is to be reckon'd in the number of bad men but of good Princes But I must not forget that I am a Chorographer and so must lay aside the Historian There are in this County 280 Parishes ADDITIONS to GLOCESTERSHIRE a GLocestershire in Saxon Gleaƿceastre-scyre and Gleaƿcestre-scyre is said to be in length 60 miles in breadth 26 and in circumference 190. The Vineyards mention'd by our Author have nothing left in this County but the places nam'd from them one near Tewkesbury at present
into stones The figure of them however rudely drawn I shall here represent to the Readers eye They are irregular and of unequal height and by the decays of time are grown ragged and very much impair'd The highest of them all which lyes out of the ring toward the east they call The King because they fancy he should have been King of England if he could have seen Long-Compton a village within view at three or four steps farther five larger stones which upon one side of the circle touch one another they pretend were Knights or Horsmen and the other common Soldiers But see the draught I should think this monument to have been rais'd in memory of some victory here obtain'd perhaps by Rollo the Dane who afterward possest himself of Normandy For at the same time when he with his Danes and Normans infested England with depredations we read that the Danes and Saxons had a fight at Hokenorton and another engagement at Scier-stane in Huiccia g 'T is at Sherston in Wilts see the Additions to that County p. 101. which I should take for that great boundary stone that stands hard by and divides four Counties or Shires for so the Saxon word Scierstane does plainly intimate 2 Certainly in an Exchequer-book the town adjacent is call'd Rollendrich whereas it is there specified Turstan le Despenser held land by Serjeantry of the King 's dispensary i.e. to be the King's Steward d As to Hochnorton â—cnorâ— the inhabitants were formerly such clowns and churls that it past into a proverb for a rude and ill-bred fellow To be born at Hogs-Norton But this place is chiefly memorable for the fatal slaughter of the English in a fight with the Danes under Edmund the elder e It was afterward a Barony of the D'oily 〈◊〉 of â—ey an honourable and ancient family of Normandy The first of that name who came into England was Robert de Oily D'oily who for his great service in that expedition was rewarded by William the Conquerour with this village and many other lands some of which he gave to his sworn brother h Not John de Eiverio as Leland and after him Dugdale names him Mr. Camden's writing is confirm'd by the MS. Register of Oseney and the Domesday-Inquisition Roger Ivery and this part was afterwards the Barony of St. Walery Barony of St. Walery But this Robert deceasing without issue male his brother Nigel succeeded in his estate whose son Robert the second was Founder of the Monastery of Osney Registry of Osney-Abbey At last an heir female of this family of D'oily was married to Henry Earl of Warwick by whom she had Thomas Earl of Warwick who died without issue in the reign of Henry 3. and Margaret who died likewise without issue though she had two husbands John Mareschal and John de Plessets both Earls of Warwick Upon this as the Charter of Donation runs King Henry 3. granted Hochnorton and Cudlington to John de Plessets or Plessy 37 Hen. 3. which were the inheritance of Henry D'oily and fell into the King's hands upon the death of Margaret Countess of Warwick wife of the foresaid John as an escheat of the Lands of the Normans to have and hold till such time as the Lands of England and Normandy should be made common But of this ancient and honourable Family of D'oily there remains still a branch in this County who have yet the honour of being Knights Evenlode runs by no other place remarkable 3 But la Bruer now Bruern sometime an Abbâ—y of White Monks but after a long course takes in a small brook upon which is seated Woodstock Woodstock in Saxon Wudestoc i.e. a woody place where King Etheldred heretofore held an assembly of the States and enacted several Laws Here was a magnificent palace built by K. Hen. 1. f who adjoyn'd to it a large Park enclos'd with a wall of stone Which John Rous affirms to have been the first Park in England First Park in England though we meet with these words Parca sylvestris bestiarum several times in Doomsday-book But afterwards they encreas'd to so great a number that there were computed more in England than in all the Christian world besides so great delight did our Ancestors take in this noble sport of hunting Our Histories report that King Henry 2. being deeply enamour'd with Rosamund Clifford whose extraordinary beauty and other great accomplishments drove the thoughts of all other women from his heart and made her commonly call'd Rosa mundi the Rose of the world to secure her from the restless jealousie of his Juno Queen built in this place a Labyrinth Labyrinth where the many windings and turnings made an inextricable maze yet at present we see no remains of it The town having now nothing else to be proud of does boast of the honour of being the * Alumnus suus Jâ—ffrey Chaucer birth-place of our English Homer Jeffrey Chaucer To whom and some other of our English Poets I may apply what the learn'd Italian sung of Homer and other Greeks Hic ille est cujus de'gurgite sacro Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores This he to whose immortal spring of wit Each water Poet ows his rivulet For he defying every rival in wit and leaving all our Poetasters at a long distance from him jam monte potitus Ridet anhelantem dura ad fastigâ—a turbam Sits down in triumph on the conquer'd height And smiles to see unequal Rivals sweat The Isis when iâ— has taken in the Evenlode divides its own Châ—nel and cuts out many pretty Islands among which stood Godstow Godstow i.e. The place of God a Nunnery founded by one Ida a rich widow improv'd and annually endow'd by King John to the intent those holy Virgins might according to the devotion of that Age pray for the Souls of King Henry 2. his Father and Rosamund his Concubine who was here buried with this rhyming Epitaph Hac jacet in tumbâ Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet g 4 We read that Hugh Bishop of Line Diocesan of this place coming hithâ—r caused her bones to be remov'd out of the Church as unworthy of Christian burial for her unchaste life Nevertheless the holy sisters there translaâ—ed them again into the Church and laid them up in a perfum'd leather bag enclos'd in lead as was found in her tomb at the dissolution of the house and they erected a Cross there whereby the Passengers were put in mind with two rhiming verses to serve God and pray for her but I remember them not Rose of the world not Rose the fresh pure flow'r Within this Tomb hath taken up her bow'r She senteth now and nothing sweet doth smell Which earst was wont to savour passing well The Isis before it's streams are again united meets with Cherwell which coming out of Northamptonshire flows
which had been for some time buried under ground and was dug up a perfect stone More to the East Tuddington shews it's beautiful house lately built by H. Lord Cheney 12 Made by Queen Elizabeth Baron Cheyney of Tuddington built and shortly after dy'd sans-issue where also formerly Paulinus Pever a Courtier and Sewer to King Henry 3. did as Matth. Paris tells us build a seat with such palace-like grandeur such a Chapel such Lodgings with other houses of stone cover'd with lead and surrounded it with such ‖ Pomoeâ—â— avenues and parks that it rais'd an astonishment in the beholders We have not gone far from this place along by Hockley in the hole a dirty road extreme troublesome to travellers in winter time 13 For the old Englishmen our Progenitors call'd deep mire hock and hocks and through fields wherein are the best beans yielding a pleasant smell but by their fragrancy spoiling the scent of dogs not without the great indignation of the Hunters till we ascend a white hill into Chiltern and presently come to Dunstable Duâ—stabâ—e seated in a chalky ground pretty well inhabited and full of Inns. It has 4 streets answering the 4 quarters of the world and because of the dryness of the soil every one has 4 publick * Lacunâ— ponds which tho' supply'd only with rain-water are yet never dry For springs they can come at none without digging 24 fathom deep In the middle of the town there is a Cross or rather a Pillar having engraven upon it the Arms of England Castile and Pontieu and adorn'd with Statues it was built by K. Edw. 1. in memory of his Queen Eleanor among some others in places through which she was carry'd 14 Out of Lincolnshire in Funeral pomp to Westminster There 's no manner of doubt to be made but that this was the Station which Antoninus the Emperour in his Itinerary mentions under the name of Magioninium Magiovinium Magiovinium and Magintum c Mr. Camden in his second edition 8o. settl'd it at Ashwell in Hertfordshire nor need it be sought in any other place For setting aside that it stands upon the Roman Military way the Swineherds now and then in the neighbouring fields find Coins of the Emperors which they call to this day Madning-money and at a little distance upon the very descent of Chiltern-hills there is a round military fortification such as Strabo has told us the British towns were It contains 9. acres and is call'd Madning-bowre and Madin-bowre a name wherein with a little variation one may easily discover Magintum But after Magintum either by the storms of war or time was destroy'd Henry 1. built another Town here with a Royal seat at Kingsbury and planted a Colony that should be a curb to the insolence of Robbers as the private History of the little Monastery which he founded for an ornament to his Colony does plainly testifie But take the very words of that private History tho' they savour something of the barbarity of that age It is to be observ'd that that * Aâ—ea structure at the meeting of the way of Watling and Ikening d Primitus sartabatur in the folio edition but in the second which was in 8o. we find in the margin primitus succidebantur was first contriv'd by Henry the Elder of that name King of England to prevent the mischiefs of one Dun a famous Robber and his Gang and that from this Dun the place was call'd Dunstable i Our Lord the King built a burrough there and a Royal seat for himself near it The Burgesses were free in every thing as the other Burgesses of the King's Realm The King had in the same village a Fair and Market and afterwards built a Church wherein by the authority of Pope Eugenius 3. he plac'd Canons Regular feoffing the said Religious in the whole Burrough by Charter and granting them several immunities k 15 As for Leighton Buzard on the one side of Dunstable and Luton on the other neither have I read nor seen any thing memorable in them unless I should say that at Luton I saw a fair Church but the Quire then roofless and overgrown with weeds and adjoyning to it an elegant Chapel founded by J. Lord Wenlock and well maintained by the family of Rotheram planted here by Thomas Rotheram Archbishop of York and Chancellour of England in the time of King Edw. 4. Now of the Lords Dukes and Earls of Bedford Dâ—kes Earls and Barons of Bâ—â—â—ord First there were Barons of Bedford of the family of Beauchamp who by right of inheritance were Almoners to the Kings of England on their Coronation-day But the estate being divided by daughters to the Mowbrays Wakes and Fitz-Otes King Edward 3. made Engelram de Coucy Earl of Soissons in France 16 Son to Engelrame Lord of Coucy and his wife daughter to the Duke of Austria to whom he had marry'd a daughter first Earl of Bedford Afterwards Henry 5. erected Bedford into a Dukedom and it had three Dukes the first was John third son of Henry 4. who beat the French in a sea-engagement at the mouth of the Seine and again being made Regent of France 17 Slain in a land-fight at Vernolium He was bury'd at Roan and the Fortune of England as to the French wars was bury'd with him Whose monument while Charles 8. King of France was a viewing and a Nobleman stood by that advis'd him to pull it down Nay says he let him rest in peace now he 's dead whom France dreaded in the field while alive The second Duke of Bedford was George Nevil a young boy son of John Marquess of Montacute both of whom K. Edw 4. degraded by Act of Parliament almost assoon as he had set them up the father for treachery in deserting his party and the son out of revenge to the father Tho' it was indeed urg'd as a pretence that he had not estate enough to bear out the grandeur of a Duke and that great men when they want answerable Fortunes are always a plague and burthen to their neighbours The third was Jasper de Hatfeld Earl of Pembroke honour'd with this title by his * Nepote grandchild Hen. 7. whom he had sav'd out of very great dangers but 18 Some ten years after his creation he tho' he liv'd to a great age dy'd unmarry'd But within the memory of our Fathers it return'd to the title of an Earldom when King Edward 6. created John Russel Earl of Bedford who was succeeded by his son 19 Sir Francis Francis a person of that piety and gentile easiness of temper that whatever I can possibly say in his commendation will fall infinitely short of his Virtues He left Edward his successor and grandchild by his son Francis who is growing up by degrees to the honour of his Ancestors This little County has 116 Parishes ADDITIONS to BEDFORDSHIRE a ON the west-side of
springeth out of a pond vulgarly call'd Brown's-well for Brent-well that is in old English Frog-well passeth down between Hendon which Archbishop Dunstan born for the advancement of Monks purchased for some few gold Bizantines which were imperial pieces of gold coined at Byzantium or Constantinople and gave to the Monks of St. Peter of Westminster And Hampsted-hill from whence you have a most pleasant prospect to the most beautiful City of London and the lovely Country about it Over which the ancient Roman military way led to Verulam or St. Albans by Edgworth and not by High-gate as now which new way was opened by the Bishops of London about some 300 years since But to return Brent into whom all the small rivers of these parts resort runneth on by Brent-street an Hamlet to which it imparted its name watreth Hangerwood Hanwell Oiâ—terley-Park where Sir Thomas Gresham built a fair large house and so near her fall into the Thames giveth name to Brentford a fair thorough-fare and frequent Market Hard by is Brentford Brentford which receiv'd that name from the little river Brent where Edmund Ironside after he had oblig'd the Danes to draw off from the siege of London did so attack them as to force 'em to a disorderly flight wherein he kill'd great numbers of them From Stanes thus far all between the high-road along Hounslow and the Thames was call'd the Forrest or Warren of Stanes till Henry 3. as we read in his Charter deforrested and dewarren'd it Then 8 To the Thames side I saw Fulham Fulham in Saxon Fullonham i.e. a house of fowle which receives its greatest honour from the Bishop of London's Country-house 9 Standing there conveniently not far from the City albeit not so healthfully f And Chelsey Chelsey as if one should say Shelfsey so call'd from a bed of Sands in the river Thames 10 As some suppose but in Records 't is nam'd Chelche-hith adorn'd with stately buildings by Henry 8. William Powlett Marquess of Winchester and others g But amongst these London which is as it were the Epitome of all Britain the Seat of the British Empire and the †Camera Residence of the Kings of England is to use the Poet's comparison as much above the rest as the Cypress is above the little sprig Tacitus Ptolemy and Antoninus call it Londinium and Longidinium Ammianus Lundinum and Augusta Stephanus in his book of Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our British Lundayn the old Saxons Londen-ceaster Londen-byrig Londen-pyc foreigners Londra and Londres our own nation London London the fabulous Writers Troja Nova Dinas Belin i.e. the city of Belin and Caer Lud from one King Luddus whom they affirm to have given it both being and name But as for those new-broach'd names and originals as also Erasmus's conjecture that it came from Lindum a city of Rhodes I leave 'em to those that are inclin'd to admire them For my own part since Caesar and Strabo have told me British Towns that the ancient Britains call'd such woods or groves as they fenc'd with trees they had cut down Cities or Towns and since I have been inform'd that in British they call such places Llhwn I am almost of this opinion that London is by way of eminence simply call'd a City or a City in a wood But if that do not hit give me leave without the charge of inconstancy 11 While I disport in conjecture to guess once more that it might have it's name from the same original that it had it's growth and glory I mean Ships call'd by the British Lhong so that London is as much as a Harbour or City of Ships For the Britains term a City Dinas Dinas which the Latins turn'd into Dinum Upon which account it is call'd in one place Longidinium and in a * Naenia Song of an ancient British Bard Lhongporth i.e. a port or harbour for Ships And by the same word Bologne in France in Ptolemy Gessoriacum Navale is turn'd by the British Glossary Bolung Long. For several cities have had their names from shipping as Naupactus Naustathmos Nauplia Navalia Augusti c. None of which can lay better claim to the name of an harbour than our London For 't is admirably accommodated with both Elements standing in a fruitful soil abounding with every thing seated upon a gentle ascent and upon the river Thames which without trouble or difficulty brings it in the riches of the world For by the convenience of the tide coming in at set hours with the safety and depth of the river which brings up the largest vessels it daily heaps in so much wealth both from East and West that it may at this day dispute the preheminence with all the Mart-towns in Christendom Moreover it is such a sure and complete station for ships that one may term it a grov'd wood so shaded is it with masts and sails h Antiquity has told us nothing of the first Founder as indeed Cities growing up by little and little but seldom know their original Notwithstanding this among others has fabulously deriv'd it self from the Trojans and is persuaded that Brute ‖ Abnepos second Nephew to the famous Aeneas was it's Founder But whoever built it the growth of it may convince 't was begun with a †Vitali genio lucky omen 12 Marked for life and long continuance and Ammianus Marcellinus has taught us to pay it a veneration upon account of it's Antiquity when even in his time which is twelve hundred years ago he calls it an ancient town And agreeably Cornelius Tacitus who flourish'd under Nero 13 1540. years since has told us that then 't was a place exceeding famous for the number of merchants and it's trade Even then nothing was wanting to complete it's glory but that it was not either a ‖ Municipium Free-borough or a Colony Nor indeed would it have been the interest of the Romans that a City of such vast trade should enjoy the privileges of a Colony or Free-borough for which reason I fancy they made it a Praefecture Praefecturae for so they call'd the towns wherein there were * Nundinae Fairs and Courts kept Not that they had Magistrates of their own but had Praefects sent them yearly to do justice who were to act in all publick affairs such as taxes tributes imposts †Militiae the business of the army c. according to the Instructions of the Roman Senate Upon which account it is that London is only term'd Opidum a town by Tacitus by the Panegyrist and by Marcellinus But altho' it had not a more honourable title yet it has been as powerful wealthy and prosperous as any and that almost without interruption under the Roman Saxon and Norman Governments scarce ever falling under any great calamity i In Nero's reign when the Britains under the conduct of Boadicia had unanimously resolv'd
ever born When e're thy lofty towers thy stately wall And all thy glories my glad thoughts recall My ravish'd soul still swells with full delight And still my absent eyes admire the grateful sight Fame that 's all tongue and would if silent dye Of thee her greatest theme nor dares nor needs to lye And another in a Poëtical vein penn'd this Haec Urbs illa potens cui tres tria dona ministrant Bacchus Apollo Ceres pocula carmen ador Haec Urbs illa potens quam Juno Minerva Diana Mercibus arce feris ditat adornat alit A place where Ceres Phoebus Bacchus joyn Their three great gifts Corn Poetry and Wine Which Pallas Juno and chast hunting Maid With buildings goods and beasts adorn enrich and feed But my friend the famous John Jonston of Aberdeen Professor of Divinity in the Royal University of St. Andrew's has manag'd the subject more soberly Urbs Augusta cui coelúmque solúmque salúmque Cuique favent cunctis cuncta elementa bonis Mitius haud usquà m coelum est uberrima Tellus Fundit inexhausti germina laeta soli Et pater Oceanus Tamisino gurgite mistus Convehit immensas totius orbis opes Regali cultu sedes clarissima Regum Gentis praesidium cor anima atque oculus Gens antiqua potens virtute robore belli Artium omnigenûm nobilitata opibus Singula contemplare animo attentúsque tuere Aut Orbem aut Orbis dixeris esse caput Renown'd Augusta that sea earth and sky And all the various elements supply No peaceful climate breaths a softer air No fertile grounds with happier plenty bear Old Ocean with great Thames his eldest son Makes all the riches of the world her own The ever famous seat of Britain's Prince The nation's eye heart spirit and defence The men for ancient valour ever known Nor arts and riches gain them less renown In short when all her glories are survey'd It must with wonder still at last be said She makes a world her self or is the world 's great head But these matters with others of this kind are handl'd more at large and with more accuracy by John Stow a Citizen of London and a famous Chronicler in his Survey of London but lately publisht And so I will take leave of my dear native place after I have observ'd that the Latitude of it is 51 Degrees 34 Minutes b Our modern Mathematicians will only allow it 32 minutes and the Longitude 23 Degrees and 25 Minutes that * Orpheus's â—arp Fidicula of the nature of Venus and Mercury is the Topick Star which glances upon the Horizon but never sets and that the Dragon's-head is lookt upon by Astrologers as the Vertical Radcliff The Thames leaving London waters Redcliff a neat little Town inhabited by Sea-men and so call'd from the red cliff Next after it has took a great winding it receives the river Lea the Eastern bound of this County 69 When it hath collected his divided stream and cherished fruitful Marish-meadows which yet has nothing situate upon it belonging to this shire that 's worth our notice For Aedelmton Edmonton Waltham-Cross has nothing remarkable but the name deriv'd from nobility nor Waltham but a Cross built by King Edward the first for the funeral pomp of Queen Eleanor from which it has part of the name Only there is Enfield Enfield-chase a Royal seat built by Thomas Lovel Knight of the Garter and Privy-Councellor to King Henry the seventh 70 And Durance neighbour thereto a house of the Wrothes of ancient name in this County as one may infer from the Arms. Near which is a place cloath'd with green trees and famous for Deeâ—-hunting Enfield-chace formerly the possession of the Magnavils Earls of Essex then of the Bohuns their Successors but now belongs to the Dutchy of Lancaster ever since Henry the fourth King of England marry'd a Daughter and Co-heir of the last Humfrey Bohun And almost in the middle of this Chace there are still the ruins and rubbish of an ancient house which the common people from tradition affirm to have belong'd to the Magnavils Earls of Essex 71 As for the the title of Middlesex the Kings of England have vouchsafed it to none neither Duke Marquess Earl or Baron Towards the north bounds of Middlesex a Military way of the Romans commonly call'd Watlingstreet enters this County coming straight along from the old Verulam through Hamsted-heath from which one has a curious prospect of a most beautiful City and a most pleasant Country Then not where the Road lies now through Highgate for that as is before observ'd was open'd only obout 300 years ago by permission of the Bishop of London but that more ancient one as appears by the old Charters of Edward the Confessor pass'd along near Edgeworth Edgeworth a place of no great antiquity so on to Hendon Hendon which Archbishop Dunstan a man born for promoting the interest of Monkery purchas'd for a few Bizantine pieces of gold and gave to the Monks of St. Peter's in Westminster These Bizantini aurei were Imperial money coyn'd at Bizantium or Constantinople by the Grecian Emperors but what the value of it was I know not There was also a sort of silver-money call'd simply Bizantii and Bizantini Bizantine Coins which as I have observ'd here and there in ancient Records were valu'd at two shillings But leaving those matters to the search of others I will go forward on the Journey I have begun In this County without the City there are about 73 Parishes within the City Liberties and Suburbs c This must needs be a mistake of the Printer for 121. as we find it in some other Copies But neither will that account be true For excluding the seven Parishes in the Cities and Liberties of Westminster which I suppose are thrown into the County and the our parishes of Middlesex and Surrey which can none of them reasonably be accounted in London there will remain in the City Liberties and Suburbs but 113 Parishes as plainly appears by the Bills of Mortality And in the whole County and City together but 186. 221. ADDITIONS to MIDDLESEX THE Extent of this County being very small and our Author a native of it having already been very nice and copious in its description the Reader must not expect any great advance either in the corrections or additions to it a The first place that admits of further remarks is Uxbridge Uxbridge made more famous since our Author's days by a treaty there held Jan. 30. 1644. temp Car. 1. between the King and Parliament then sitting at Westminster Of which we have a full relation given us by Sir William Dugdale in his View of the late Troubles printed at Oxon 1681. to which I refer the Reader for a more particular account b After Uxbridge Stanes Sâ—â—nes is the next Market-Town that offers it self to our consideration which though
they hanged him upon a tree 39 For in a reverent awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he died excommunicated To him succeeded his 2 sons 40 Geoffrey his son who was restored by Hen. 2. to his father's Honours and Estate for him and his heirs William who by his wife was also Earl of Albemarle Geoffrey and William both taken off without issue Afterwards K. John in consideration of a good sum of money 〈◊〉 Pierz 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—z-â—â—â—re promoted Geoffrey Fitz-Pierz L. Ch. Justice a very prudent and grave man to this dignity He had took to wife Beatrice eldest daughter to William de Say descended from the sister of Geoffrey de Magnavil first Earl of Essex A great mony'd man saith an old Author and very rich who with a round sum of money and many entreaties made his application to the Bishop of Ely the King's Justice and laid claim to this Earldom in right of his wife daughter of William brother to Geoffry de Say eldest son by an hereditary title Who admitted him into full seizin thereof and demanded the promis'd sum which he receiv'd within a little time to put into the King's Exchequer He being thus admitted and confirm'd by the King's Letters Patents held and possess'd this honour and receiv'd the Homage of those that held of him by Knight's service 41 And so was girt with the sword of the Earldom of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geoffrey Fiz-Petre was advanced to the high Estate of Justicer of England by King Richard 1. when he removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that office by the Pope's peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermeddle in secular affairs This place the said Geoffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisdom the Realm from that confusion which it after fell into by King John's unadvised carriage Geoffrey and William the two sons of this Geoffrey Fitz-Piers taking the sirname of Magnavil or Mandevil enjoy'd this honour The former of these 42 By his wife was Earl of Glocester also and c. died young Register of Walden-Abbey being unfortunately kill'd at a publick Tilting The other took part with Prince Lewis of France against King John and died without issue So that the honour now fell to 43 Their sisters son Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Constable of England For thus writes the Chronologer of Walton-Abbey In the year 1228. the 6th of the Ides of January William de Mandevil Earl of Essex died c. In the same year Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford the Constable of England espoused Maud daughter to Geoffrey Earl of Essex and so succeeded in that honour But from the Archives it is evident that Henry de Bohun father to this Humfrey married the said heiress And such a mistake might easily creep in for in the Writers of that age the Christian-names are only marked with great Letters as See the Earls of Hereford H. for Henry or Humfrey G. for Gilbert or Geoffrey c. Of this family the male heirs succeeded in the dignity of Earls of Hereford and Essex for several years whom I have already reckon'd up among the Earls of Hereford because they wrote themselves Earls of Hereford and Essex Eleanor eldest daughter to the last of the Bohuns given in marriage with the honour to Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester had by him one daughter Anne first married to Edmund Earl of Stafford from whom sprang the Dukes of Buckingham and then to 44 Sir William William Bourgchier to whom K. Henry 5. gave the County of Ewe in Normandy This last had by her a son of his own name advanced to the dignity of Earl of Essex by Edw. 4. 45 In regard he had married his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstock He was succeeded by another Henry his son's son who died in his old age by a fall from his horse leaving issue only one daughter Anne who being laid aside King Henry 8. that he might make new additions to his honours and preferments created Thomas Cromwell who had been his main assistant in baffling the Pope's authority at the same time Earl of Essex High Chamberlain of England and Knight of the Garter Before this for his extraordinary prudence he had made him Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Baron Cromwell of Okeham Vicar General to the King in spiritual concerns and Lord Keeper and all this in five years time But after five months enjoyment of his Earldom he like most great favourites in the State concluded his scene of life with a most tragical end losing his head for treason The same King promoted to the Earldom of Essex 46 Sir William William Par to whom he had given in marriage Anne the only daughter and heir of Henry Bourgchier But he too at last dying without issue Walter Devreux Viscount Hereford whose great grandmother was Cicely Bourgchier sister to Henry Bourgchier of whom we spoke but now receiv'd the honour of Earl of Essex by the favour of Queen Elizabeth and left it to his son Robert who being for his excellent natural endowments highly in favour with that admirable Princess sail'd with such a smooth and prosperous gale into honours and preferments as to make it the common hope and expectation of the Kingdom that he would equal if not exceed the greatest characters of his Ancestors But at last being carried away with vain ambition and popularity and endeavouring to get the start of his own hopes he hurried himself into a sad destruction As several persons who condemn slow methods though secure choose sudden ones to their utter ruin But his young son Robert was restor'd to full possession of his father's honour by authority of Parliament through the special favour of our present most Serene Soveraign King James There are reckoned in this County 415 Parish-Churches ADDITIONS to ESSEX a THE County of Essex is so bounded with waters that by the help of the Ocean on one side and Rivers on others it makes a Peninsula As to Viscountile Jurisdiction it seems formerly to have been annext to Hertfordshire for in the 8th of Edward 3. John de Cogshall was Sheriff of them both about which time also one Escheator discharg'd the office in both b Our Author begins with Waltham-forrest Waltham-forrest which might very well be call d as he observes the Forrest of Essex reaching formerly through this County as far as the Sea * Norden's Essex MS. as appeareth by Edward the Confessor's gift to one Randolph Peperkin It still is so large as to thrust it self out into a great many Hundreds c Near the Thames is Leyton Leyton where Mr. Camden is enclin'd to settle the Durolitum Durolitum of Antoninus though he professes himself altogether at a loss for the places mention'd hereabouts by the Ancients And 't is no wonder that
without issue was succeeded by his brother Roger whose son Richard marry'd Amicia daughter and coheir of William Earl of Glocester and in right of her his posterity were Earls of Glocester whom you may find in their proper place But at last upon default of heir-male Leonel third son of Edw. 3. who had marry'd Elizabeth daughter and sole heir of William de Burgo Earl of Ulster by Elizabeth Clare was honour'd by his father with the new title of Duke of Clarence But he having only a daughter call'd Philippa wife of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March King Henry 4. created his younger son Thomas Duke of Clarence Dukes of Clarence who was Governour of Normandy 7 As also Lord High Steward of England and Earl of Albemarle and in the assaults of the Scots and French was slain in Anjou leaving no issue behind him A considerable time after Edward 4. conferr'd this honour upon George his brother whom after bitter quarrels and a most inveterate hatred between them he had receiv'd into favour yet for all that he at length dispatch'd him in prison ordering him to be drown'd as the report commonly goes †In dolio vini Cretici in a butt of Malmesey And thus 't is planted in the nature of man to hate those they fear and those with whom they have had quarrels for life even tho' they be brethren e From Clare the Stour runs by Long-Melford a beautiful Hospital lately built by that excellent person Sir William Cordall Knight Master of the Rolls to Sudbury Sudbury i.e. the Southern burrough which it almost encompasses The common opinion is e For Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction it has still something of preheminence the County being divided into the two Archdeaconries of Suffolk and of Sudbury that this was once the chief town of the County and that it had the name given it with respect to Norwich i.e. the northern village And indeed at this day it has no reason to give place to it's neighbours For 't is populous and thrives exceedingly by the Cloth-trade it 's chief Magistrate also is a Mayor who is annually chosen out of the seven Aldermen Not far from hence is Edwardeston Edwardeston a place of no great repute at present but had formerly Lords and inhabitants of great honour call'd de Monte Canisio and commonly Mont-chensy Barons de Montchensy Of which family Guarin marry'd the daughter and co-heir of that most powerful Earl of Pembroke William Marshal and had by her a daughter Joanna who brought to her husband William de Valentia of the family of Lusigny in France Minor Hist Matth. Par. the title of Earl of Pembroke That Guarin Mont-chensy as he had great honours so likewise had he a very plentiful fortune insomuch that in those times he was call'd the Crassus of England his Will amounting to no less than two hundred thousand marks f 8 No small wealth as the standard was then From a younger brother or cadet of this house of Montchensie issu'd by an heir-general the fâ—â—â—ly of the Waldgraves who having long flourisht in Knightly degree at Smaltbridge nearer to Stour as another family of great account in elder age 〈◊〉 Buers which was thereof sirnamed A few miles from hence the Stour is encreas'd by the little river Breton which within a small compass washes two towns of Antiquity At the head of it we see Bretenham a little inconsiderable town without almost any appearance of a City and yet that it is the Combretonium Combretonium mention'd by Antoninus in those parts is evident both from the affinity and signification of the name For as Bretenham Bretenham in English implies a town or mansion upon the Breton so does Combretonium in Welsh a valley or low place upon the Breton But this place in the Peutegerian Tables is falsly call'd Comvetronum and Ad Covecin A little way from hence to the east is seen Nettlested 9 Whence was Sir Thomas Wentworth whom King Henry 8. honour'd with the title of Baron Wentworth from whence are the Wentworths Baâ—ons Wentworth whom King Henry the eighth honour'd with the dignity of Barons and neighbour to it is Offton i.e. the town of Offa King of the Mercians where upon a chalky hill there lye the ruins of an old Castle which they tell you was built by King Offa after he had villanously cut off Ethelbert King of the East-Angles and seiz'd upon his kingdom 10 But to return to the river Breton on the banks of another brook that is joyn'd thereto stands Lancham a â—air market-town and near it the manour of Burnt-Elleie to which King Henry 3. granted a market at the request of Sir Henry Shelton Lord thereof whose pâ—sterity flourisht here for a long time Below this is Hadley in Saxon headlege famous at this day for making of woollen Cloaths but mention'd by our ancient Historians upon the account of Guthrum or Gormo the Dane's Guthrum or Gormo the Dane being buried here For when Alfred had brought him to such terms as to make him embrace Christianity and be baptiz'd he assign'd him this tract of the East-Angles that he might to use the words of my g Selden has observ'd it to be taken out of Malmesbury Not. MS. Author by a due Allegiance to the King protect those Countries he had before over-run with ravage and plunder From hence the Breton runs 11 Runs swiftly by Higham whence the family of Higham takes its name to Stour c. into the Stour whose united streams flowing not far from Bentley Bentley where the Talmaches a famous and ancient family have a long time flourisht within a few miles run near Arwerton Arwerton formerly the seat of the famous family of the Bacons 12 Who held this manour of Brome by conducting all the Footmen of Suffolk and Norfolk from St. Edmund's-dike in the wars of Wales now of the Parkers who by the father's side are descended from the Barons Morley and by the mother from the Calthrops a very eminent family Then they flow into the Ocean and the river Orwell or Gipping joyning them just at the mouth discharges it self along with them This rises about the very middle of the County out of two Springs one near Wulpett Wulpett the other at a little village call'd Gipping Wulpett is a Market-town and signifies in Latin Luporum fossa i.e. a den of Wolves if we believe Neubrigensis who has patcht up as formal a story about this place as is the * Vera narratio True Narrative of Lucian Namely how two little green boys †Ex Satyrorum genere born of Satyrs after a long tedious wandering through subterraneous Caverns from another world i.e. the Antipodes and the Land of St. Martin came up here If you would have more particulars of the story I refer you to the Author himself ‖ Omnibus rihonibus ridenda prâ—pinabit who
as one expresses it will make you split your sides with laughing I know not whether I should here take notice into what vain groundless hopes of finding gold at Norton Norton hard by King Henry the eighth was drawn by an itching credulous Avarice But the diggings speak for me Between the Gipping and Wulpett upon a high hill are the remains of an old Castle call'd Hawghlee in compass about two acres Some will have this to have been call'd Hagoneth-Castle Hâ—gâ—â—eâ—h which belong'd to Ralph de Broc and was in the year 1173. taken and demolisht by Robert Earl of Leicester 13 During the intestine war between King Henry 2. and his disloyal son Upon the same river are seen Stow and Needham small Market-towns and not far from the bank Hemingston wherein Baldwin le Pettour observe the name held Lands by Serjeanty thus an ancient Book expresses it for which he was oblig'd every Christmas-day to perform before our Lord the King of England A merry Tenure one Saltus one Suffletus and one Bumbulus or as 't is read in another place he held it by a Saltus a Sufflus and Pettus that is if I apprehend it aright he was to dance make a noise with his cheeks puff'd out and to let a fart Such was the plain jolly mirth of those times 'T is also observ'd that the Manour of Langhall belong'd to this Fee Nearer the mouth I saw Ipswich Ipswâ—â— formerly Gippewich a little City lowly seated and as it were the eye of this County It has a pretty commodious harbour has been fortify'd with a ditch and rampire has a great trade and is very populous being adorn'd with fourteen Churches and large stately private buildings g I pass by the four Religious Houses now demolisht and the magnificent College begun by Cardinal Wolsey a butcher's son and born in this place whose vast thoughts were always took up with extravagant projects The Body Politick of it as I have been told consists of 12 Burgesses whom they call Portmen and out of them two Bailiffs are annually chosen for their chief Magistrates and as many Justices out of 24 more As to its Antiquity so far as my observation has carry'd me we hear nothing of its name before the Danish Invasion which it felt sufficiently In the year of our Lord 991. the Danes plunder'd this place and all along the sea-coast with so much cruelty and barbarity that Siricius Archbishop of Canterbury and the Nobility of England thought it most advisable to purchase a Peace of them for ten thousand pound But for all that before nine years were at an end they plunder'd this town a second time whereupon the English presently engaged them with a great deal of resolution but as Henry of Huntingdon has it by the cowardly fear of one single man Turkil our men were put to flight and the victory as it were dropt out of our hands Thus small accidents give a strange turn in the affairs of war In Edward the Confessor's reign as we find it in Domesday-book Queen Edeva had two parts of this town and Earl Guert a third and there were in it 800 Burgesses that paid Custom to the King But when the Normans had possess'd themselves of England they built here a Castle which Hugh Bigod held for some time against Stephen the usurping King of England but at last surrender'd it Now 't is so entirely gone to decay that there is not so much as the rubbish left Some are of opinion that it stood in the adjoyning parish of Westfeld where appear the remains â—f a Castle and tell you that was the site of old Gippwic I fancy it was demolisht when Henry the second levell'd Waleton Waletâ—â— a neighbouring Castle with the ground For this was a harbour for the Rebels and here the three thousand Flemings landed who were invited over by the Nobility to assist them against him when he had fell upon that unlucky design of making his son Henry an equal sharer with him in the Government and when the young man who knew not how to stay at the top without running headlong out of a mad restless desire of reigning declar'd a most unnatural war against his own father Though these Castles are now quite gone yet the shore is very well defended by a vast ridge they call it Langerston Langerston which for about two miles as one observes lays all along out of the Sea not without great danger and terrour to Mariners 'T is however of use to the Fishermen for drying of their fish and does in a manner fence the spacious harbour Orwell And thus much of the south part of this County From hence a crooked shore for all this Eastern part lyes upon the Sea running northward presently opens it self to the little river * Oâ—hers calâ— it â—â—â—aâ—â—â—g Deben It rises near Mendlesham to which the Lord of the place H. Fitz-Otho or the son of Otho †â—â—lpâ—oi◠〈◊〉 the Mint-master procur'd the privilege of a Market and Fair of Edward the first By his heirs a considerable estate came to the Boutetorts Bâ—utâ—tort Lords of Wily in Worcestershire and from them afterwards in the reign of Richard the scond to Frevil 14 Barkley of Stoke Burnel and others From hence the river Deben continues its course and gives name to Debenham a small Market-town which others will have call'd more rightly Depenham because the soil being moist and clayie the roads all round about it are deep and troublesome From thence it runs by Ufford formerly the seat of Robert de Ufford Earl of Suffolk and on the opposite bank is Rendilis-ham Rendilis-ham i.e. as Bede interprets it the home or mansion of Rendilus where Redwald King of the East-Angles commonly kept his Court. He was the first of all that People that was baptiz'd and receiv'd Christianity but afterwards seduc'd by his wife he had as Bede expresses it in the self same Church one Altar for the Religion of Christ and another for the Sacrifices to Devils Suidhelmus also King of the East-Angles was afterwards baptiz'd in this place by Cedda the Bishop From hence the river Deben runs on to Woodbridge a little town beautify'd with neat buildings where at certain set times is the Meeting for the Liberty of S. Etheldred and after the course of a few miles is receiv'd by the Sea at Bawdsey-haven Then the shore steals on by little and little towards the East By others câ—â—â—'d Wincâ—â—â—â— to the mouth of the river Ore which runs by Framlingham Fâ—amlingham formerly a Castle of the Bigods 15 Through the bounty of King Henry 1. and presently upon the west side of it spreads it self into a sort of Lake This is a very beautiful Castle fortify'd with a rampire a ditch and a wall of great thickness with thirteen towers within it has very convenient Lodgings From this place it was that in the year of our Lord
in the publick Records of the kingdom they must excuse me if I suspend my assent till they convince me upon better grounds Not but I own the family of the Glanvils to have made a very great figure in these parts But before Edward the third's time I could never yet find it vouch'd by good authority that any one was honour'd with the title of Earl of this County But that King made Robert de Ufford a person of great exploits both at home and abroad son of Robert Steward of the King's house under Edward the second by Cecilia de Valoniis Lady of Orford Earl of Suffolk To him succeeded his son William whose four sons were snatcht away by an untimely death in his life time and himself just as he was a going to report the opinion of the House of Commons in Parliament fell down dead Robert Willoughby Roger Lord of Scales Inq. 5. Rich. 2. and Henry de Ferrariis of Grooby as next heirs at Law divided the estate Lel. Com. in Cygnaam Cant. Wallingham p. 35â— Regist Mâ—n de Melsa And Richard the second advanc'd Michael de la Pole from a Merchant to this honour and to the dignity of Lord Chancellour of England Who as Tho. Walsingham tells us was better vers'd in merchandize as a Merchant himself and the Son of a Merchant than in martial matters For he was the son of William de la Pole the first Mayor of Kingston upon Hull See Hull in Yorkshire i See Brook's Catalogue p. 305. and Discovery of Errours p. 46. 57 58 59. who upon account of his great wealth had the dignity of a Banerett conferr'd upon him by Edward the third But wanting a spirit fit to receive those crowds of prosperity he was forc'd to quit his Country and dy'd in banishment However his being a Merchant does not by any means detract from his honour for who knows not that even our Noblemen's sons have been Merchants Nor will I deny that he was nobly descended though a Merchant 20 Michael his son being restor'd dy'd at the siege of Harslew and within the space of one month his son Michael was in like manner slain in the battel of Agincourt leaving daughters only Michael his son being restor'd had a son Michael slain in the battel of Agincourt and William whom Henry the sixth from Earl of Suffolk first created Marquiss of Suffolk 21 As also Earl of Pembroke to him and the heirs male of his body and that he and his heirs male on the Coronation-day of the Kings of England carry a golden Verge with a dove on the top of it and such another Verge of Ivory at the Coronation of the Queens of England Afterwards he advanc'd the same person for his great deserts to the honour and title of Duke of Suffolk And indeed he was a man truly great and eminent For when his father and three brothers had lost their life in the service of their Country in the French wars he as we read in the Parliament-Rolls of the 28th of Henry 6. spent thirty whole years in the same war For seventeen years together he never came home once he was taken while but a Knight and paid twenty thousand pound * Nostrae monetae sterling for his ransom Fifteen years he was Privy-Councellor and Knight of the Garter thirty By this means as he gain'd the entire favour of his Prince so did he raise the envy of the people 22 Insomuch that being vehemently accus'd of treason and misprisions and on that account summon'd to appear before the King and Lords in Parliament assembled after having answer'd the Articles objected he referr'd himself to the King's Order Whereupon the Chancellor by his Majesty's special command pronounc'd That whereas the Duke did not put himself on his Peers the King as for what related to the Articles of Treason would remain doubtful and with respect to those of Misprision not as a Judge by advice of the Lords but as a person to whose order the Duke had voluntarily submitted himself did banish him from the Realms and all other his Dominions for five years But he was surpriz'd c. and so for some slight misdemeanours and those too not plainly prov'd upon him he was banish'd and in his passage over into France was intercepted by the enemy and beheaded He left a son John who marry'd Edward the fourth's sister and had by her John Earl of Lincoln This Earl John being declar'd heir apparent to the Crown by Richard the third could not suppress his ambition but presently broke out against King Henry the seventh to his own destruction for he was quickly cut off 23 In the battel at Stoke in the Civil war to his father 's also who dy'd of grief and to the ruine of the whole family which expir'd with him For his brother Edmund styl'd Earl of Suffolk making his escape into Flanders began to raise a Rebellion against King Henry the seventh who better satisfy'd with repentance than punishment had pardon'd him for some heinous Crimes But a little after he was by Philip of Austria Duke of Burgundy against the Laws of Hospitality as they then worded it deliver'd up to Henry who solemnly promis'd him his life but clap'd him in prison Henry the eighth not thinking himself oblig'd to a promise of his father's when he had thoughts of going for France cut him off for fear there might be some insurrections in his absence But Richard his younger brother living under banishment in France made use of the title of Duke of Suffolk who was the last male of the family that I know of and dy'd bravely in the thick of the enemies troops An. 1524. in the battel of Pavie wherein Francis the first King of France was taken prisoner For his singular valour his very enemy the Duke of Bourbon bestow'd upon him a splendid Funeral †Atratúsque interâ—uit and was himself one of the Mourners Afterwards King Henry 8. conferr'd the title of Duke of Suffolk upon 24 Sir Charles Charles Brandon to whom he had given Mary his sister widow of Lewis the 12th King of France in marriage 25 And granted to him all the Hmours and Manours which Edmund Earl of Suffolk had forfeited He was succeeded by his young son Henry and Henry by his brother Charles but both dying of the ‖ Sudore Britannico Sweating-sickness 26 On one day in the year 1551. Edward the sixth dignify'd Henry Grey Marquiss of Dorchester who had marry'd Frances their sister with that title But he did not enjoy it long till he was beheaded by Queen Mary for endeavouring to advance his daughter to the Throne and was the last Duke of Suffolk From that time the title of Suffolk lay dead till of late King James in the first year of his reign created Thomas Lord Howard of Walden second son of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Earl of Suffolk
our Children let us briefly out of the Cambridge History make mention of themselves and their Colleges Colleges consecrated to good literature and their own lasting fame The story goes that Cantaber a Spaniard 375 years before Christ first founded this University and that Sebert K. of the East-Angles restor'd it in the year of our Lord 630. Afterwards it was a long time neglected and lay bury'd in the Danish troubles till all things reviv'd under the Norman Government Soon after d See a List of them in Fuller's Antiquities of this University p. 26. Inns Hostels and Halls were built for Students John Caiâ—â— tho' still without any Endowments But Hugh Balsham Bishop of Ely founded the first College call'd Peter-house in the year 1284. and endow'd it b Whose example was imitated by these following persons Richard Badew with the help of the Lady Elizabeth Clare Countess of Ulster founded Clare-hall in the year 1340 c The Lady Mary St. Paul Countess of Pembroke Pembroke-hall in the year 1347 d the Society of Friers in Corpus-Christi Corpus-Christi call'd also St. Benet's-College in the year 1346 e William Bateman Bishop of Norwich Trinity-hall about the year 1353 f Edmund Gonevil in the year 1348 and John Caius Dr. of Physick in our time Gonevil and Caius-College g Henry the seventh King of England King's College with a Chapel deservedly reckon'd one of the finest buildings in the world in the year 1441 h the Lady Margaret of Anjou his wife Queen's College in the year 1448 i Robert Woodlark Katherine-hall in the year 1459 k John Alcocke Bishop of Ely Jesus-College in the year 1497 l The Lady Margaret 1 Above Caxton before-mention'd is Eltesley where was in elder Ages a Religious House of holy Virgins among whom was celebrated the incertain memory of Saint Pandionia the daughter of a Scottish King as the tradition is â—ut long since they were translatâ—d to Hinchinbroke And again above Eltesley was the Priory of Swasey founded for black â—ents by Alan la Zouch brother to the Vicâ—unt of Rohan in the Lesser Britain and was the common sepulture a long time for the family of Zâ—uch Countess of Richmond and mother to Henry the seventh Christ-College m and St. John's about the year 1506 now fairly enlarg'd with new buildings n Thomas Awdley Lord Chancellor of England Magdalen-College in the year 1542 since enlarg'd and endow'd by Sir Christopher Wrey Lord Chief Justice of England o the high and mighty Prince Henry the eighth Trinity-College in the year 1546 out of three others St. Michael's College built by Hervie of Stanton in Edward the second 's days King's-hall founded by Edward the third and Fishwick's-Hostel That the Students might have a more delightful habitation this College is now repair'd or rather new-built with that splendour and magnificence by the great care of T. Nevill its worthy Master and Dean of Canterbury that it is now for spaciousness for uniformity and beauty in the buildings scarce inferiour to any in Christendom and he himself may be counted truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the judgment even of the greatest Philosopher for neglecting private Interests and laying out such large sums on the publick p I cannot but congratulate our present age and our selves too in respect of ingenuous Learning and in that worthy and prudent man Sir Walter Mildmay one of the Queen 's honourable Privy-Council who has founded a new College dedicated to Emanuel q and in the Lady Frances Sidney Countess of Sussex r who by her last Will gave a Legacy of five thousand pound to the founding of a College to be call'd Sidney-Sussex which is now quite finish'd s I shall say nothing of the Monasteries and Religious Houses since they were but of small note except it be Barnwell-Abby Barnwell which Sir Payne Peverell a famous Soldier and Standard bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the holy-war in Henry the first 's reign remov'd from St. Giles's Church the place of Picot the Sheriff's Institution of Secular Priests to this place and brought in 30 Monks according to the years of his age at that time If you please you may find the reason of its name in the private History of this place Paâ—well Hâ—â—â—ry Payne Peverell obtain'd a grant of Henry 1. for a spot of ground without the Burrough of Cambridge in the midst of it were extraordinary clear fountains or wells in English call'd Barnwell that is the Wells of Children or Barns as they were then call'd for young men and boys met once a year upon St. John's Eve for wrestling and the like youthful exercises according to the customs of the land and also to make merry together with singing and other musick Now by this means the concourse of boys and girls that met here for sport it grew a custom for a great many buyers and sellers to repair hither at the same time e Now it is commonly call'd Midsummer-Fair Tho' Cambridge was consecrated to the Muses yet it has not always escap'd the furies of Mars for when the Danes ravag'd up and down they often took Winter-quarters here and in the year 1010 when Sueno the Dane had with a desperate rage born down all before him neither it 's Fame nor the Muses could protect it tho' we read that Athens met with a better fate from Sylla but it was all barbarously laid in Ashes However at the first coming in of the Normans it was reasonably well peopl'd for we find in William the Conquerour's Domesday-book that the Burough of Grentbridge is divided into ten Wards and contains 387 dwelling-houses but 18 of 'em were pull'd down to build the Castle t when William 1. determin'd to erect Castles in all parts to be a curb to his new-conquer'd English u It likewise suffer'd very much afterwards in the Barons wars by those Out-laws from the Isle of Ely therefore Henry 3. to put a stop to their incursions order'd a deep ditch to be thrown up on the East-side of the town which still goes by the name of f Now there are but very little remains of this Ditch houses being built on both sides of it and the name it self seems clean forgotten among the Inhabitants King's-ditch Here possibly some may secretly expect to hear my opinion concerning the antiquity of this University but I 'll not meddle in the case nor am I willing to make any comparisons between our two flourishing Universities which have none to rival them that I know of I 'm afraid those have built castles in the air that have made Cantaber the founder of this University immediately after the building of Rome and long before Christ's time straining the antiquity beyond all probability This is undeniable let its original be when it will that it began at last to be a Nursery for Learning about the reign of Henry 1. which appears by an old Appendix of Peter Blesensis to Ingulph Joffred made Abbot
a petty Convent founded by the Bigrames A little way hence stands Awkenbury given by King John to David Earl of Huntingdon and by John Scot his son to Stephen Segrave Stephen Segrâ—â—e a person I 'm the more willing to mention because he was one of the Courtiers who have taught us * Nâ—â—â—am potenâ—â—am essâ—â—â—â—â—ntâ—m That no power is powerful With a great deal of pains he rais'd himself to a high post with as much trouble kept it and as suddenly lost it In his young days from a Clerk he was made Knight Matth. Pâ—â—â— and tho' he was but of a mean family yet in his latter days by his bold industry he so enrich'd and advanc'd himself that he was rank'd among the highest of the Nobility made Lord Chief Justice and manag'd almost all the Affairs of the Nation as he pleas'd At length he wholly lost all the King's favour and ended his days in a cloyster and he who out of pride must needs remove from ecclesiastical to secular Affairs was forc'd to reassume his ecclesiastical Office and shaven crown without so much as consulting his Bishop which he had formerly laid aside Not far off stands Leighton Leightâ—n where Sir Gervase Clifton Knight began a noble building h and just by lyes Spaldwick given to the Church of Lincoln by Henry 1. to make some amends for erecting Ely-Bishoprick out of Lincoln-Diocese The river Nen enters this Shire by Elton Elton f It is now the possession of John Proby Esquire the seat of the famous ancient family of the Sapcots where is a private Chapel of singular beauty with curious painted windows built by the Lady Elizabeth Dinham Baron Fitz-Warren's widow who marry'd into this family Higher upon the Nen nigh Walmsford Walmsford stood a little city of greater antiquity than all these call'd Caer Dorm and Dormeceaster by Henry of Huntingdon who says it was utterly ruin'd before his time Undoubtedly this is the Durobrivae Dâ—â—â—briâ—ae of Antonine that is the River-passage and now for the same reason call'd Dornford nigh Chesterton which besides the finding of old Coins has the apparent marks of a ruinous City For a Roman Port-way led directly from hence to Huntingdon and a little above Stilton Stiâ—ton formerly Stichilton it appears with a high bank and in an old Saxon Charter is call'd Erminstreat Ermiâ—gstreat Here it runs through the middle of a square fort defended on the north-side with walls on the rest with ramparts of Earth nigh which they 've lately digg'd up several stone Coffins or Sepulchres in g This Estate is now the joynt Inheritance of Sir John Hewet of Warsly in this County Baronet and John Dryden Esquire descended to them from the sisters of the last Sir Robert Bevile the ground of R. Bevill of an ancient family in this County Some think this city stood upon both banks of the river and others are of opinion Caster 〈◊〉 Nâ—r â—â—â—ptoâ—shâ— e that the little village Caster on the other side was part of it and truly this opinion is well back'd by an ancient history that says there was a place call'd Durmundcaster by Nene where Kinneburga founded a little Nunnery first call'd Kinneburge-caster and afterwards for shortness Caster This Kinneburga the most Christian daughter of the Pagan King Penda and Alfred King of the Northumber's wife chang'd her Soveraign Authority for Christ's service to use the words of an old writer and govern'd her own Nunnery as a mother to those sacred Virgins Which place about 1010 was level'd to the ground by the fury of the Danes A little before this river leaves the County it runs by an ancient House call'd Bottle bridge B â—â—â—â—-bridge for shortness instead of Botolph-bridge which the Draitons and Lovets brought from R. Gimels to the family of the Shirlies by hereditary succession Adjoyning to this lies Overton corruptly called Orton forfeited by Felony and redeem'd of K. John by Neale Lovetoft whose sister and coheir was married to Hubert or Robert de Brounford and their children took upon 'em the name of Lovetoft Earls of Hâ—ntingdon This County at the declining of the English-Saxons had Siward an Earl by office for then there were no hereditary Earls in England but the Governours of Provinces according to the custom of that age were call'd Earls with addition of the title of this or that Province they govern'd as this Siward the time he govern'd here was call'd Earl of Huntingdon but soon after when he govern'd Northumberland he was call'd Earl of Northumberland See â—he Eâ—â—ls â—f Noâ—thamptonshire He had a son call'd Waldeof who under the title of Earl had the government of this County by the favour of William the Conquerour whose niece Judith by his sister on the mother's side he had married This Waldeof's eldest daughter says William Gemeticensis was married to Simon ‖ â—â—vaneâ—â—erâ—◠〈◊〉 uâ—t câ—p â—6 de Senlys or St. Liz she brought him the Earldom of Huntingdon and had a son by him call'd Simon After her husband's decease she was married to David St. Maud the Queen of England's Brother who was afterwards King of Scotland by whom she had a son nam'd Henry Afterwards as Fortune and Princes Favours alter'd this Dignity was enjoy'd sometimes by the Scots and other times by the St. Lizes first Henry the son of David J â—n â—â—rdâ—â— in Scotâ—â—â—â—n co l. 3. â— 3. 6. 〈◊〉 3â— then Simon St. Lizes Simon the first 's son after him Malcolm King of Scotland Earl Henry's brother after his decease Simon St. Liz the third who dying without heirs was succeeded by William King of Scotland and Malcolm's Brother Thus says Ralph de Diceto in the year 1185. when he flourish'd When Simon Earl Simon 's son dy'd without children the King restor'd to William K. of Scotland the County of Huntingdon with all its appurtenances Then his brother David had it Matth. Par. and his son John Scot Earl of Chester who dy'd without heirs and when Alexander the second who marry'd King Henry the third's daughter had held this title a little while and the Wars broke in the Scots lost this honour besides a fair inheritance in England A good while after Edward the third created William Clinton Earl of Huntingdon Richard the second put Guiscard de Angolesme in his place and after his death John Holland He was succeeded by John 4 Who was stil'd Duke of Excester Earl of Huntingdon and Ivory Lord of Sparre Admiral of England and Ireland Lieutenant of Aquitain and Constable of the Tower of London and Henry his sons who were each of them also Dukes of Exeter See Dukes of Exeter pag. 32. Cap. 50. The same Henry Duke of Exeter that Philip Comines as he affirms saw begging bare-foot in the Low Countries whilst he kept firm to the House of Lancaster though he had married Edward the fourth 's own sister Next to him Thomas
contracted marriage being the first of our Kings since the Conquest that married his Subject But thereby he drew upon himself and her relations a world of troubles as may be seen in our Histories The said Richard Widdevil Lord of Rivers Grafton and De la Mote was by Edward the fourth now his Son in law avanc'd these are the very words of the Charter of Creation to be Earl of Rivers Earls Rivers by the cincture of a Sword to have to him and his heirs males with the fee of 20 l. by the hands of the Sheriff of Northampton And soon after he was with great state and solemnity constituted Constable of England 7 Edw. 1. Câ—nstable â—â—gland I speak out of the original Patent To occupy manage and execute the said Office by himself or his sufficient Deputies for term of life receiving yearly 200 pound out of the Exchequer with full power and authority to take cognizance and proceed in causes of and concerning the crime of High Treason or the occasion thereof also to hear examine and in due time determine the causes and business aforesaid with all and singular matters thence arising thereunto incident or therewith conjoyned summarily and from the Bench without noise or formal judgment having only regard to the truth of the fact and with the King's hand or power if it shall be thought convenient in our behalf without all appeal 2 Moreover about that time he was made Lord Treasurer of England But after his having enjoy'd these honours for a good while he was beat in the battel of Edgcote fighting for his Son-in-law and soon after intercepted and beheaded And altho' this family died as it were and ended in his sons Anthony Earl Rivers being beheaded by Richard the third and Richard and his Brothers dying issueless yet from the daughters sprang very fair and noble branches For from them issued the Royal Line of England the Marquisses of Dorset Earls of Essex Earls of Arundel Earls of Worcester Earls of Derby and Barons Stafford b Behind Grafton is Sacy Forest Sacy Forest a place set apart for game More Eastward the villages lye scatter'd thick every where amongst which these are of greatest note Blisworth the seat of the Wakes descended from the famous family of the Barons of Wake and Estoteville Pateshull which gave name formerly to a noted family Greenes-Norton so nam'd of the Greenes persons fam'd in the last age for their wealth call'd before Inq. 44. Edw. 3. if I mistake not b A Manuscript Collection of Tenures by Serjeanty in the hands of Henry Worsley of Lincolns-Inn Esquire puts this service under Ashby in this County Norton Dany and held in Capite of the King by the Service of lifting up the right hand towards the King yearly on Christmas-day in what place soever he then was in England Wardon Wardon a Hundred which had its Lords descended from Guy de Reinbudcourt a Norman whose estate came by the Foliots to Guiscard Leddet whose daughter Christian bare unto her husband Henry de Braibrook a numerous issue But Guiscard the eldest assum'd his mothers sirname Leddet Shortly after this great estate was divided by females between William and John Latimers of Corby brothers From the last the Griffins in this County had their original as from the first the Latimers Barons Barons Latimer of good antiquity in Yorkshire Higher in the Country northward arises the river Aufona or Avon for Avon in the British tongue is a general name of all rivers call'd Nen The river Nen. by the inhabitants and passes from the west-side of this County making many reaches by the winding of its banks in a manner through the midst of this Province to which it is a continual blessing A very noble river it is and if my judgment be worth any thing garison'd in old time by the Romans For when that part of Britain on this side the river was in the Emperour Claudius's time brought under the Roman Government so that the inhabitants thereof were termed Allies to the Romans when the Britains also beyond the river made frequent incursions into this their Country and carried all before them and these Allies themselves more easily bearing the Commands than Vices of the Romans on every turn conspir'd with those beyond the river then P. Ostorius says Tacitus cinctos castris Antonam Aufonas I would read it if I might be so bold Sabrinam cohibere parat That is if I misunderstand not the place he by placing Forts up and down upon these rivers undertakes to restrain the Britains beyond the river and those of this Province from assisting one another against the Romans What river this shou'd be none can tell Lipsius the Apollo of our age hath either dispell'd this mist or I my self am in a cloud He points out Northampton and I am of opinion that Antona has been foisted into Tacitus instead of Aufona upon which Northampton is seated For the very heart or middle of England is counted to be near it where out of one hill spring three rivers running different ways Cherwell to the south Leame to the west which as it hastens to the Severn is receiv'd by another * 〈◊〉 Avon and this Avon or Nen to the east Of which these †Antâ—â—a two Avons so cross England overthwart that whoever comes out of the northern parts of this Island must of necessity pass over one of the two When therefore Ostorius had fortified the Severn and these two Avons he had no cause to fear any danger out of Wales or the north parts of Britain either to his Romans or Allies who at that time had reduced only the nearest parts of this Isle into the form of a Province as Tacitus himself witnesses in another place c Those great fortifications and military fences to be seen at Gildsborough and Dantrey Gâ—â—dsâ—â—roâ—gh Danâ—â—â—y between the springs of the two Avons which run different ways and where only there is passage into the hither part of Britain without any rivers to hinder it may seem to be some of the sorts which Ostorius erected That at Gildsborough is great and large but this other at Dantrey is greater and larger for being four-square upon an high hill from whence all the Country beneath may be seen far and near and having on the east-side a Mount they call it Spelwell it encloses within a cast-up bank two hundred acres or thereabouts Within which the Country people find now and then Coins of the Roman Emperours certain proofs of it's antiquity They are much mistaken therefore who will have it to be a work of the Danes and that the town under it was thence nam'd Dantrey now well known for it's Inns and had formerly a Religious-house of Augustin Fryers which as 't is reported H. de Fawesly sounded At the head of the Avon or Nen to make a step backwards stands Catesby Catesby that gave name to
as unfortunate as could be Catharine of Spain and Mary Queen of Scots lye interr'd finding rest here from all their miseries g 〈◊〉 Penns Beneath Peterborow the Nen by this time remov'd about five and forty miles from its Spring-head and carrying along with it in its chanel all the little streams and land-floods occasion'd by rain divides it self into several branches And by this means finding no certain course for its stream diffuses its waters all abroad the plain Country and overflows it far and near in the winter nay and sometimes the greater part of the year so that it seems to be a vast level Ocean with here and there an Island bearing up and appearing above the surface of the waters The cause the neighbouring people alledge to be this that of the three chanels in which such a vast deal of waters was us'd to be convey'd the first that went to the Ocean by Thorney Abby and thence aside by Clowscross and Crow-land the second also by the cut made by Morton Bishop of Ely call'd the New Leame and then by Wisbich have a long time been neglected and upon this account that the third which bends its course down by Horsey-bridge Wittles-mere Ramsey-mere and Salters-load is not able to receive so much water so that it breaks out with more violence upon the adjoyning Flats And the Country complains of the injury done them as well by those who have neglected the keeping open and clearing the chanels as by others that have diverted the water to their private uses and as the Reatines in Tacitus they say That Nature her self hath well provided for man's use in giving all rivers their issues and courses and their endings as well as their springs But of this enough if not too much In this place the County is narrowest for between the Nen and the river Welland one of the boundaries on the North-side it is scarce five miles over Upon the Welland which Ethelwerd an ancient Writer calls c The Saxon-Annals p. 109. call it Weolud and Florence of Worcester Welund Weolod near its spring stands Braibrooke Castle B. brooke Lords of B. brooke built by Robert May alià s de Braibrok a great favourite of King John's whose son Henry having married Christiana Ledet an heiress of a great estate his eldest son took the sirname of Ledet From one of whose grand daughters by his son as I said before it fell to the Latimers and from them to the Griffins who now enjoy it h Hard by amongst the woods I saw some few remains of a Monastery call'd anciently De Divisis now Pipwell Pâ—pwell founded by William Buttevillein for Cistercian Monks in the reign of Henry the second From thence we have a sight of Rockingham a Castle sometime of the Earls of Albemarle built by King William the Conquerour at which time it was a Waste as we find in Domesday-book Domesday-book fortified with rampires bulwarks and a double range of battlements seated upon the side of an hill in a woody forest thereupon named Rockingham Forest i It runs next by Heringworth the seat formerly of the * De Cantempo Cantlows and now of the Lords Zouch who fetch their original from Eudo a younger son of Alan de la Zouch Lords Zouch of Ashby and have grown up to an honourable family of Barons having been much enobled by matches with one of the heirs of Cantlow and also with another of Baron †De Sancto Mauro Seymour who likewise drew his pedigree from the heir of the Lord Zouch of Ashby and the Lovels Lords of Castle-Cary in Somersetshire k Here also in this Forest I saw Deane belonging anciently to the Deanes afterwards to the Tindals which is worth mentioning if it were but for its being at present a pleasant seat of the Brudenels of which Family Sir Edmund Brudenel Kt. lately deceased was a great lover and admirer of venerable antiquity The family likewise of Engain Barons of Engain which was both ancient and honourable had their seat hard by at Blatherwic where now live the House of Staffords Knights descended from Ralph the first Earl of Stafford and converted their Castle named Hymel into a Monastery call'd Finisheved Their Issue-male fail'd about 200 years ago but of the daughters the eldest was married to Sir John Goldington the second to Sir Lawrence Pabenham and the third to Sir William Bernack Knights of great worth and honour Here also we see Apthorp d It is now the possession of the right honourable the Earl of Westmorland the seat of that worthy Knight Sir Anthony Mildemay whose father Walter Mildemay late Privy Councellor to Queen Elizabeth for his virtue wisdom piety favour to learning and learned men shown by founding Emanuel-College in Cambridg hath worthily deserv'd to be registred among the best men of this age In the neighbourhood stands Thornhaugh Thornhaugh belonging formerly to the family of ‖ De Sancto Medardo Semarc and now to the right honourable William Russel son of Francis Earl of Bedford descended of the same family of Semarc whom King James for his virtues and faithful service in Ireland while he was Lord Deputy there advanced to the dignity of Baron Russel of Thornhaugh Neither is the little Town of Welledon Welledon Bassets of Welledon to be past by considering that anciently it went for a Barony which by Maud daughter and heir of Geoffrey de Ridell who was drown'd with King Henry the first 's son descended to Richard Basset Lord Chief Justice of England in whose race it continued till K. Henry the fourth's time when Male-issue failing it fell by the females to the Knevetts and Alesburies From Heringworth the Welland visits Colliweston where the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond King Henry the seventh's mother built a fine house Beneath Colliweston the neighbouring inhabitants dig great store of Slates Slates for covering Houses for building From hence Wittering-heath a plain runs out a long way Eastward upon which the Inhabitants tell you the Danes receiv'd a memorable overthrow And now Welland arrives at Burghley a most beautiful seat from which that singularly wise and honourable Councellor Sir William Cecil Lord high Treasurer of England the great support of this Nation receiv'd the title of Baron Burghley Burghley Baron Burghley at the hands of Queen Elizabeth This house he adorn'd with the lustre of his own virtues and beautify'd with magnificent buildings laying to it a large Park for that †Parcus word Varro uses encompass'd with a Stone-wall of great circumference l Below this at Berneck lye the old Stone Quarries out of which the Abbies of Peterborow and Ramsey were built Here to use the very words of the History of Ramsey The toiling strength of the Quarriers is often exercis'd yet still there remains work whereon to employ them resting and refreshing them now and then by a cessation And we read in King Edward the
Confessor's Charter In consideration of 4000 Eeles in Lent the Monks of Ramsey shall have out of the Territory of St. Peter so much square stone as they need at Berneck and of rough stone for walls at Burch Beneath Berneck that Roman way which the neighbouring Inhabitants call the Forty-foot way from its breadth cuts this Shire in two between Caster and Stamford and appears in an high Causey especially by the little wood of Berneck where it has a Beacon set upon the very ridge and so runs along by Burghley-Park-wall Some few miles hence the Welland runs down by Maxey-Castle Maxey formerly belonging to the Barons of Wake and by Peag-Kirke Peag-Kirk Ingu phus where in the infancy of Christianity in England Pega a holy woman who gave name to that place sister of St. Guthlac with other devout Virgins by their life and example gave excellent documents of Piety and Chastity and so comes to the Fenns so often mention'd And by reason the bank on the South-side thereof is neglected the river over-flows the adjacent Lands to the great damage of the proprietors and having broken thus out of it's chanel which went formerly by Spalding it falls into the Nen and extreamly overcharges it The lesser Avon which is the other boundary as I said of this Shire northward but serves for a limit only about 5 or 6 miles breaking out of the ground near the springs of the Welland runs westward by 11 Suleby sometimes an Abby of black Monks and by c. Stanford Stanford upon Avon seat of the family of Cave Cave out of which several branches of good note have dispers'd themselves in all the neighbouring Tract also by Lilburne the seat in former ages of the Canvils That this hath been anciently a Roman Station I am persuaded by it's situation upon one of their Military ways by the ancient Trenches there and a little piked Hill cast up which some dug of late days in hopes of finding old hidden treasures but instead of Gold they met with Coals And thus this little river after it 's passing under Dowbridge leaves Northamptonshire and enters Warwickshire Bounds of the Ancients From the digging up of those Coals what if I should give a guess that this Hill was thrown up for a mark or Boundary since Siculus Flaccus tells us that either Ashes or Coals or Potsherds or broken Glasses or Bones half burnt or Lime or Plaister were wont to be put under such marks or limits and St. Augustin writes thus of Coals Lib. de Civ Dei 21. c. 4. Is it not a wonderful thing considering Coals are so brittle that with the least blow they break with the least pressure they are crush'd in pieces yet no time can conquer them insomuch that they that pitch'd Land-marks were wont to throw them underneath to convince any litigious fellow whatsoever that came never so long time after and should affirm that no Land-mark was there made And so much the rather am I inclined to this conjecture because they that have written of limits do inform us that certain Hillocks which they termed Botontines Boton tines Hence perhaps come our Buttings were plac'd in the limits So that I suppose most of these Mounts and round Hillocks which we see all hereabouts 12 And call Burrows were raised for this purpose and that Ashes Coals Potsherds c. might be found under them if they dug deeper into the ground Earls of Northampton The first Earl that this County had at least that I know of was Waldeof son of the warlike Siward who being also Earl of Huntingdon lost his head for treason against William the Conquerour leaving only two daughters behind him which he had by Judith the Conquerour's niece by a sister on the mother's side The Life 〈…〉 Simon * De S. 〈…〉 Sylvaneciensâ—â— Sinlis being scornfully rejected by Judith the mother upon account of being lame in his legs married Maud the eldest daughter and built St. Andrew's Church and the Castle at Northampton After him succeeded his son Simon 2. who was a long time at law about his mother's estate with David King of Scots his mother's second husband and having sided with King Stephen in the year of our Lord 1152. died with this ‖ Elogia elogy A youth full of every thing that was unlawful every thing that was unseemly His son Simon 3. going on with the suit against the Scots for his right to the Earldom of Huntingdon wasted his whole estate but thro' the favour of King Hen. 2. married the daughter and heir of Gilbert de Gant Earl of Lincoln and having at last recover'd the Earldom of Huntingdon and disseis'd the Scots died issueless in the year 1185. Many years after King Edw. 3. created William de Bohun a person of approved valour Earl of Northampton and when his elder brother Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex and High Constable of England was not able in that warlike Age to bear the charge of Constable he made him also High Constable of England After him his son Humfrey succeeding in the Earldom of Northampton as also in the Earldoms of Hereford and Essex upon his Uncle's dying issueless had two daughters the one married to Thomas of Woodstock youngest son to King Edw. 3. the other to Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford afterwards King of England The daughter of Thomas of Woodstock brought by her marriage this her grandfather's title of Northampton together with others into the family of the Staffords But when they had lost their honours King Edw. 6. honour'd William Par Earl of Essex a most accomplish'd Courtier with the title of Marquiss of Northampton who within our memory died issueless And now while I am upon this work our most serene Sovereign King James in the year of our Lord 1603. at one and the same time has advanced Henry Howard Brother of the last Duke of Norfolk a person of excellent wit and fluent eloquence a complete master of Arts and Sciences exceeding prudent and provident to the degree and stile of Baron Howard of Marnehill and the honour of Earl of Northampton There belong to this Shire 326 Parishes ADDITIONS to NORTHAMPTONSHIRE a THE County of Northampton at the time of the Conquerour's Survey was something larger than now it is For all the south part of Rutlandshire must have been taken out of it because in Domesday-book we meet with the towns in this tract under the title of Northamptonshire 'T is a County so plentiful in all things necessary to life that it does not need nor indeed will allow much of manufacture the ground abundantly maintaining and fully employing the Inhabitants * Full Wor. pag. 279. It is said that of Cloathing has been attempted with great application but at last came to nothing The thinness of it's woods observ'd by our Author and it 's distance from the sea so that no Coal can
come by water makes fuel extreme dear b On the west-side of this Shire is Grafton Grafton which was held in capite by John de S. Mauro or Seymour †An. 14 Edw. 3. by the service of keeping one white Bracket of the King 's having red ears This Bracket seems to have been the same with the ancient Bracco which signify'd those lesser sort of dogs that scent out for game The place hath given the title of Duke to Henry Fitz-Roy Baron of Sudbury Viscount Ipswich and Earl of Euston created Duke of Grafton Sept. 11. 1675. which honours Charles of the same name at present enjoys c The river Avon our Author will have to be the Antona of Tacitus but if the sense of the Historian be as a later writer has interpreted it that Ostorius block'd up the Britains between the rivers Antona and Sabrina it is impossible for any one to fix it here since the Avon and Severn are so far from joyning that they take almost a quite contrary course From the whole series of that Action and the thred of the history 't is much more probable it was that Avon which runs into the Severn as is observ'd in the Additions to Wiltshire LEICESTER SHIRE by Robt. Morden The old town * Leâ—â—ltin MS. had within the walls seven Parish-Churches besides two that were in the Suburbs so that it must have been large and populous About the latter end of Hen. 3. †Full. Hist of Cambr. p. 13. it was made choice of by some scholars of the University of Cambridge for a retirement occasion'd by the quarrels that were then on foot Here they met with many Oxford-men who had come away upon the like occasion and so for a while with the King's leave prosecuted their Studies along with them by which means it had some face of an University 'T is possible enough that the place in this town which was call'd the College might be a remain of their presence here But after three years continuance as appears by the King's Letters it was dissolv'd and express orders given that no one should for the future study there as in an University because as the said Letters intimate it was a manifest damage and inconvenience to the ancient University of Oxford e Within the Demesnes of Boughton Boughton ‖ Full. Wor. p. 280. is a spring which incrustateth wood or any thing that falls into it with a stony substance There was preserv'd in Sidney College in Cambridge a skull brought from thence all over stone both within and without it was sent for by King Charles 1. but was safely return'd to the College f At some distance from hence is Naseby Naseby eminent of late years for the bloody battel fought there in the year 1645. between his Majesty King Char. 1. and the Parliament-Army There are now no signs of a fight remaining except some few holes which were the burying-places of the dead men and horses The town is said by some to stand upon the highest ground in England g The History of Peterburrow Peterburrow is so distinctly deliver'd by our Author and since his time so accurately handl'd in a separate Volume that 't is in vain to attempt any farther discoveries about it We shall only observe what is agreeable to our method and design that it has of late years afforded the title of Earl to John Lord Mordant created Mar. 9.3 Car. 1. who in the year 1643. was succeeded in that honour by Henry Lord Mordant his son h South-west from Braybroke is Sibertoste â—â—bertoste which manour Nicholas de Archer in the time of Edw. Edw. 1. 1. held by the Service of carrying the King his bow thro' all the forests in England i Not far from Rockingham is Laxton â—axton wherein there were lands held by the Service of hunting in all the King's forests and parks throughout Oxfordshire 〈◊〉 2 Ed. 2. 〈◊〉 An 4 4. Buckinghamshire Huntingdonshire and this County to destroy all the vermin in each of them And the manour of Hightesley was held upon condition to find dogs for the destruction of wolves foxes c. k Haringworth â—â—â—ingâ—â—orth which in our Author's time belong'd to the Lords Zouch has been since sold to a Gentleman who has a fair seat at Bullick hard by Only where the great house formerly stood there was a Chapel in which the family of the Zouches were bury'd and that with the monuments therein was reserv'd to the said family But now 't is almost quite ruinated the roof fall'n in some of the walls down and the floor rooted up by hogs l But the most stately seat of these parts is Burghley Burghley a noble pile of stone-building rais'd indeed about a hundred years since by William Lord Burghley but adorn'd and beautify'd by the present Earl of Exeter For loftiness of rooms great variety of pictures terrasses conduits fish-ponds fountains c. it may vie with the best in England The painting and carving are so curious that some travellers have affirm'd they have met with nothing either in Italy or France that exceeds them The park is improv'd by planting a multitude of walks of ash elm chesnut and several other sorts of trees Thro' this park passeth the old Roman way mention'd by our Author and so on to Walcote above Berneck and not beneath as he tells us At Wothorpe a little distance from this the Earl of Exeter hath another handsom seat with a little park wall'd about It was built by Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter and tho' not very small for after the Restoration it was large enough to hold the late Duke of Buckingham and his family for some years yet so mean did it seem in comparison of the former that its Founder pleasantly said he built it only to retire to out of the dust while his great house of Burleigh was a-sweeping Continuation of the EARLS Henry Howard the last Earl mention'd by our Author having never marry'd and dying 15. June 1614. this honour in the year 1618. was conferr'd upon William Lord Compton Lord President of Wales who was succeeded first by Spenser his son and heir then by James his grandson son and heir to the said Spenser and at present the honour is enjoy'd by George of the same name son to James aforesaid More rare Plants growing wild in Northamptonshire Eryngium vulgare J. B. vulgare Camerarii C. B. mediterraneum Ger. mediterraneum seu campestre Park Common Eryngo This was sent me by Mr. Thornton who observed it not far from Daventry beside the old Roman way called Watlingstreet near a village named Brookhall Gentiana concava Ger. Saponaria concava Anglica C. B. folio convoluto J. B. Anglica folio convoluto Park Hollow-leaved Gentian or rather Sopewort This was first found by Gerard in a small grove of a wood called the Spinney near Lichbarrow Gnaphalium montanum sive Pes cati Park Mountain-Cudweed or
with its Fairs Richard Harecourt obtain'd from King Edward 1. e The battel was fought at three miles distance from this town but because this was the most remarkable it was therefore said to be at Bosworth-field Mr. Burton Hist of Leicestershire p. 47. has given us several remains of that engagement as pieces of armour arrow-heads c. digg'd up there Near this town within the memory of our grandfathers the right of the Crown of England happen'd to be finally determin'd by a battel For there Henry Earl of Richmond with a small body of men gave battel to Richard the third who in a most wicked manner had usurp'd the Crown and whilst for the liberty of his Country Henry with his party valiantly expos'd himself to death he happily overcame and slew the Tyrant and in the midst of blood and slaughter was with joyful acclamations saluted King having by his valour deliver'd England from the dominion of a tyrant and by his prudence eas'd the nation from the disquiet of civil dissentions d Hereupon Bernardus Andreas a Poet of Tholouse who liv'd in those days in an Ode to Henry 7. alludes thus to the Roses which were the †Insignia Device of that King Ecce nunc omnes posuere venti Murmura praeter Zephyrum tepentem Hic Rosas nutrit nitidósque flores Veris amoeni Now the rough tempests all have breath'd their last All winds are hush't except the gentle west By whose kind gales are blushing Roses blown And happy spring with all its joys comes on Other things worthy our mention near this way we do not meet with unless it be at a greater distance f This place is largely desrib'd by Mr. Burton in his History of Leicestershire p. 16. Ashby de la Zouch Ashby Barons Zouch of Ashby a most pleasant town now belonging to the Earls of Huntingdon formerly to Alan de la Zouch 7 Who descended from Alan Viscount of Rohan in Little-Britain and Constantia his wife daughter to Conan le Grosse Earl of Britain and Maud his wife the natural daughter of Henry the first a Baron who bore for his arms on a Shield Gules 10 Bezants This man having marry'd one of the heiresses of Roger de Quincy Earl of Winchester in her right came to a great estate in this County but having commenced a suit against John Earl of Warren who chose rather to determine the matter by Sword than by Law he was kill'd by him in the King's-hall at Westminster An. 1279. And some few years after the daughters and heirs of his Nephew convey'd this estate by their marriages into the families of Seymour 8 Of Castle Cary. and Holland Hollands 9 Yet their father first bestow'd this Ashby upon Sir Richard Mortimer of Richards-castle his Cousin whose youger issue thereupon took the surname of Zouch and were Lords of Ashby But from Eudo a younger son of Alane who was slain in Westminster-hall the Lords Zouch of Haringworth branch'd out and have been for many descents Barons of the Realm But this town came afterwards to the family of Hastings who have here a very magnificent seat of which family William procured from Henry the sixth the privilege of certain Fairs Nor ought I to pass over in silence Cole-Overton â—â—â—ton the seat of H. de Bellomont or Beaumont 10 Descended from Sir Thomas Beaumont Lord of Bachevill in Normandy brother to the first Viscount Which Sir Thomas as some write was he who was slain manfully fighting at such time as the French recover'd Paris from the English in the time of King Henry the sixth branch'd from that famous family of the Viscounts de Bellomont It hath a name of distinction from Pit-Coles 〈◊〉 Coles being a bituminous earth harden'd by nature and here to the Lord of the Manour's great profit digg'd up in such plenty as to supply the neighbouring Country all about with firing The river Soar as I have already observ'd cuts through the middle of this County which rising not far from the Street-way and encreasing with the addition of many running waters flows gently Northward and in its course passes by the West and North-sides of the principal town of the Shire call'd by Author's g In the Saxon it has several names according to the several Copies Legerceaster Ligoraceaster Lygraceaster Legraceaster Legoraceaster In reading our ancient Histories it ought to be carefully distinguish'd from the British Caerlegion or Caerleon West-Chester which is nam'd Legeceaster Legaceaster and by middle ag'd writers Legacestre See a large description of this place in Mr. Burton's Antiquities of Leicestershire p. 160 c. Lege-cestria Leogora Legeo-cester and Leicester Leicester It is a place that shows great antiquity and no less beauty in its buildings In the year 680 when Sexwulph by King Ethelred's order divided the kingdom of the Mercians into Dioceses he plac'd here a Bishop's seat and became himself the first Bishop of this See But after few years the See being translated to another place that dignity determin'd and the reputation of the town by little and little decay'd till Edelfleda a noble Lady in the year after our Saviour's nativity 914 repair'd and fortify'd the place with new walls so that Matthew Paris in his Lesser History writes thus Legecestria is a most wealthy city and encompast with an indissoluble wall of which if the foundation were strong and good the place would be inferiour to no city whatsoever At the coming in of the Normans it was well peopled and frequented and had many Burgesses Twelve of whom as we find recorded in William the first 's Book were by ancient Tenure to go with the King as often as he went to war But in case he made an expedition by sea then they sent four horses as far as London for the carriage of arms or other necessaries This town paid to the King yearly thirty pounds by tale and twenty in Ore 11 That is by weight and five and twenty h A measure containing our pint and a half or in weight 24 ounces Sextaries of Honey i This as Mr. Burton observes was done by Richard Lucie Lord Chief Justice of England to whom the government of this nation was committed the King then being absent in Ireland A. D. 1173. But in the time of Henry the second it was oppress'd with great miseries and the walls demolisht when Robert sirnam'd Bossu that is Crook-back Earl of Leicester endeavour'd an insurrection against his Prince Which Matthew Paris delivers in these words For the contumacy of Earl Robert in opposing the King the noble city of Leicester was besieged and ruin'd by King Henry and the wall which seem'd indissoluble thrown down to the very foundation quite round Let me add out of the said Lesser History That the walls being faulty in the foundations when they were undermin'd and the props burnt that supported them fell in great pieces which remain
I cannot tell The Saxon Annals call it Lygeanburh except Laud's Copy which calls it Lygeanbyrig and Florence of Worcester confirms the reading when he terms it Liganburh the later writers call it Lienberig Lienberi The placing it at Loughburrow seems to draw Cuthwulf too far out of his road for the next town he took was Ailesbury and 't is strange that in such a great distance he should not make an attempt upon some other The manner of his progress seems to favour Leighton in Bedfordshire See that County That this Loughborrow was that royal Vill in the Saxon tongue calld Lieganburge which Marianus says Cuthulfus took from the Britains in the year of Christ 572 the affinity of the names does in some sort evince At present it is justly esteem'd the second town of all this County next to Leicester as well in respect of its bigness and buildings as the pleasant woods about it For near the side of this town the forest of Charnwood Charnwood Forest or Charley q The forest of Charley is 20 miles in compass Lel. Itin. p 14. See a larger description of it in Burton's Leicestersh pag. 69. spreads it self a long way Within the bounds whereof is Beaumanour Park which the Lords Beaumonts enclos'd as I have heard with a stone-wall 17 These Beaumonts descended from a younger son of John Count of Brene in France who for his high honour and true valour was preferr'd to marry the heir of the kingdom of Jerusalem and with great pomp crown'd King of Jerusalem in the year of our Lord 1248. Hence it is that we see the Arms of Jerusalem so often quarter'd with those of Beaumont in sundry places of England Sir Hâ—n Beaumont was the first that planted himself in England about the year 1308. Which Lords were descended as is commonly believ'd of a French family certain it is that they come from John de Brenne King of Jerusalem and that they first settled in England about the reign of Edw. 1. And by marriage with the daughter of Alexander Comyn Earl of Boghan in Scotland whose mother was one of the heirs of Roger de Quincy Earl of Winchester they got a very plentiful inheritance and became a great family Of which family Viscounts Beaumont in the reign of King Edward 3. Henry was for several years summoned to Parliament by the name of Earl of Boghan and in the reign of Hen. 6. John was for a time Constable of England and the first in England The first honorary Viscount in England that I know of whom the King advanc'd to the honour of a Viscount But when William the last Viscount dy'd without issue his sister became the wife of the Lord Lovel and the whole inheritance which was large was afterwards confiscated for High Treason 18 By attainder of Loved it fell into the hands of King Henry 7. In this north part nothing else occurs worth mentioning unless it be a small Nunnery founded by Roifia de Verdon and call'd Grace-dieu 19 Now belonging to a younger house of the Beaumonts that is God's grace and not far from thence by the stream of Trent Dunnington Dunnington an ancient Castle built by the first Earls of Leicester which afterwards came to John Lacy Earl of Lincoln who procur'd it the privilege of a Market and Fairs from Edw. 1. But when in the proscription of the Barons under Ed. 2. the possessions of the proscribed were sequester'd and alienated the King gave this manour to Hugh le Despenser the younger 20 The hereditaments of Thomas Earl of Lancaster and Alice Lacy his wife were seiz'd into the King's hands and alienated in divers sorts the King enforc'd her to release this manour to Hugh le Dispenser the younger h The east part of this County which is hilly and feedeth a vast number of sheep was heretofore adorned with two principal places of great note Vernometum or Verometum mention'd by Antoninus and Burton-Lazers of great account in former ages Vernometum Vernometum â—â—â—rometâ—â— the name whereof is lost at this day seems to me to have been situated in that place which is now call'd Burrow-hill and Erdburrow for between Verometum and Ratae according to Antoninus were twelve miles and there is almost so much between this place and Leicester The present name also of Burrows which signify'd among the Saxons a fortify'd place comes from Burgh 21 And under it a town call'd Burrough belonging to an old family of Gentlemen so sirnam'd But the most considerable proof is that the ground is a steep hill on all sides but the south-east on the top of which remains the manifest appearance of a town destroy'd a double trench and the track where the walls went which enclosed about 18 acres of land At this day it is * Resâ—â—â— arable ground and noted on this account chiefly that the youth of the neighbouring parts meet here yearly for wrestling and such like exercises i One may conjecture from the name that some great Temple of the Heathen Gods hath formerly stood in this place For in the ancient Language of the Gauls which was the same with that of the Britains Vernometum Vernometum what it signâ—â—â—s in the oâ—d Gâ—ulish signifies a great and spacious Temple as Venantius Fortunatus plainly tells us of Vernometum a town in France in these verses in his first book of Poems Nomine Vernometum voluit vocitare vetustas Quod quasi fanum ingens Gallica lingua sonat The Gauls when Vernomet they call'd the place Did a great Temple by the word express As for Burton call'd for distinction Lazers Burton-lazers from Lazers so they nam'd the Elephantiaci or Lepers it was a rich Hospital to the Master of which all the lesser Lazer-houses in England were in some sort subject as he himself was to the Master of the Lazers of Jerusalem r It was founded about the time of K. Hen. 1. and as Leland saith Tom. 1. p. 69. by the Lord Mowbray for a Master and 8 brethren which did profess the Order of St. Austin See Burton's Leicestersh p. 63. It is said to have been built in the beginning of the Normans by a general collection throughout England but chiefly by the assistance of the Mowbrays About which time the Leprosie Leprosie in England by some call'd Elephantiasis 22 Because the skins of Lepers are like to those of Elephants did run by infection over all England And it is believ'd that the disease did then first come into this Island out of Egypt which more than once had spread it self into Europe first in the days of Pompey the Great afterwards under Heraclius and at other times as may be seen in History 23 Whether by celestial influence or other hidden causes I leave to the learned but never so far as I read did it before that time appear in England Besides these places of greater note and fame we
said village to Richard de Huméz or Humetz who was Constable to our Lord the King to hold of him by homage and other service And afterwards the same was held by William Earl of Warren by the favour of King John f University of Stanford In Edw. 3.'s reign an University for liberal Arts and Sciences was begun here which the inhabitants look upon as their greatest glory for when the hot contests at Oxford broke out between the Students of the north and south a great number of them withdrew and settled here However a little after they return'd to Oxford 3 Upon the King's Proclamation and thus soon put an end to this new University they had so lately began and from thence forward it was provided by an oath that no Oxford-man should profess at Stanford g Notwithstanding trade it self supported the town till in the heat of the Civil war betwixt the houses of Lancaster and York it was took by the Northern Soldiers who utterly destroy'd it with fire and sword Since that it could never perfectly recover and come up to its former glory tho' 't is pretty well at this time It is govern'd by an Alderman and 24 Burgesses h contains about 7 Parish-Churches and a very fair old Hospital founded by William Brown a citizen besides a new one on this side the bridge lately built by that Nestor of Britain 4 Sir William William Cecil Baron of Burghley after he had finish'd that stately house at Burghley of which I have already spoke in Northamptonshire He lyes buried here in a splendid tomb in St. George's Parish-Church i a man to say no more of him that lived long enough to nature and long enough to glory but not long enough to his country k Tho' there are in this place some remains of antiquity and the Roman Highway out of this town into the north clearly shews that there was formerly a Ferry here yet they do not prove that this was that Gausennae which Antoninus places at some small distance from hence High 〈◊〉 Gaâ—â—â—â— But since the little village Brigcasterton Bâ—â—dgcasteâ—â—â— which by its very name appears to be ancient is situated but a mile off where the river Gwash or Wash crosses the highway the nearness of the name Gwash to Gausennae and the distance being not inconsistent makes me apt to believe till time shall bring the truth to light that Gausennae is at present call'd Brigcasterton If I should think Stanford sprang from the ruins of this town and that this part of the County is call'd Kesteven from Gausennae as the other part is nam'd Lindsey from the city Lindum I would have the reader take it as a bare opinion and pass what judgment he thinks fit 'T is the current belief that this Gausennae was demolish'd as Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon relates when the Picts and Scots ravag'd this whole County as far as Stanford where our Hengist and his Saxons with great pains and gallantry stopt their progress and forc'd them to fly in gâ—eat disorder leaving many dead and far more prisoners behind them l But to proceed In the east part of Kesteven which lies towards Hoiland as we travel northwards Depâ—â—g there succeeds in order first Deping that is as Ingulphus says a deep meadow Depâ—â—g fens where Richard de Rulos Chamberlain to William the Conquerour by throwing up of a great bank excluded the river Wailand which us'd often to overflow built on the said bank many houses which in all made a large village This Deping or deep meadow is indeed very properly so call'd for the plain which lies beneath it of many miles in compass is the deepest in all this marshy Country and the rendezvous of many waters and what is very strange the chanel of the river Glen which is pent in by its banks and runs from the west lyes much higher than this plain m Next Burn Burn. remarkable for the Inauguration of King Edmund and a castle of the Wakes who got a grant of King Edw. 1. for this to be a market town n More to the east stands Irnham heretofore the Barony of 5 Sir Andrew Andrew Lutterell And then Sempringham Lutterel now famous for a very fine house built by Edward Baron Clinton afterwards Earl of Lincoln Sempâ—â—ham but heretofore for the holy order of the Gilbertines instituted by one Gilbert Lord of the place For he Fryers â—bertines as they write being a man very much admired and of singular reputation for educating women by the authority of Eugenius the 3d. Pope of Rome in the year of our Lord 1148 altho' contrary to the constitutions of Justinian who forbad all double Monasteries that is of men and women promiscuously introduced an order of men and women which encreased to that degree that he himself founded 13 Convents out of it and liv'd to see in them 700 Gilbertine Fryers and 1100 Sisters but their modesty was not to be bragg'd of if we may believe Nigellus a Satyrist of that age who thus upbraids them Harum sunt quaedam steriles quaedam parientes Virgineoque tamen nomine cuncta tegunt Quae pastoralis baculi dotatur honore Illa quidem meliùs fertiliusque parit Vix etiam quaevis sterilis reperitur in illis Donec eis aetas talia posse neget Some are good breeders here and others fail But all is hid beneath the sacred veil She that with pastoral staff commands the rest As with more zeal so with more fruit is blest Nor any one the courtesie denies Till age steals on and robs them of their joys Next is Folkingham a Barony likewise of the Clintons Lords oâ— Fâ—â—kingham but once of the Gaunts descended from Gilbert de Gandavo or Gaunt ‖ Nâ—pâ—â—â— grandson to Baldwin Earl of Flanders on whom William the Conquerour very liberally bestow'd great possessions for thus an old Manuscript has it Memorandum That there came in with William the Conquerour one Gilbert de Gaunt to whom the said William having dispossest a woman nam'd Dunmock granted the Manour of Folkingham with the appurtenances thereto belonging and the honour annex'd to it The said Gilbert had Walter de Gaunt his son and heir who had Gilbert de Gaunt his son and heir and Robert de Gaunt his younger son and the said Gilbert the son and heir had Alice his daughter and heiress who was married to Earl Simon and gave many tenements to Religious men but dyed without issue by her The Inheritance then descended to the aforesaid Robert de Gaunt her uncle who had Gilbert his son and heir who had another Gilbert his son and heir who had also another Gilbert his son and heir by whom the Manour of Folkingham with its appurtenances was given to Edward the son of Henry King of England This Gilbert â— H. 3. 〈…〉 as it is in the Plea-rolls out of which this Genealogy is prov'd su'd for service against William de Scremby At last the King gave
it to 6 Sir Henry Henry de Bellomonte for nothing is more clear than that he enjoy'd it in Edward the second 's reign 〈◊〉 4. E. 2. â—ckingâ—m Near this is Skrekingham remarkable for the death of Alfric the second Earl of Leicester kill'd by Hubba the Dane Which place 't is very probable Ingulphus speaks of when he writes In Kesteven three Danish petty Kings were slain and they interr'd them in a certain village heretofore call'd Laundon but now Tre-king-ham by reason of the burial of the three Kings More to the east is Hather famous for nothing but the name of the Busseys or Busleys â—â—fy who live here and derive themselves from Roger de Busley cotemporary with the Conquerour â—â—xd And then Sleford a castle of the Bishops of Lincoln erected by Alexander the Bishop where also 7 Sir John John Hussy 〈◊〉 â—â—ly the first and last Baron of that name 8 Created by King Henry 8. built himself a house but lost his head for rashly engaging in the common insurrection in the year 1537 when the feuds and difference about Religion first broke out in England A few miles from hence stands Kime â—me from whence a noble family call'd de Kime had their name but the Umfranvils three of whom were summon'd to sit in the house of Lords by the name of Earls of Angus in Scotland â—s of â—gus became at last possessors of it The sages of the Common Law would not allow the first of these forasmuch as Angus was not within the bounds of the Kingdom of England to be an Earl before he produc'd in open Court the King 's Writ by which he was summon'd to Parliament under the title of Earl of Angus From the Umfravils this came to the Talbois one of which family nam'd Gilbert was by Henry the eighth created Baron of Talbois whose two sons died without issue so that the inheritance went by females to the family of the Dimocks Inglebies and others More to the west stands Temple Bruer â—mple â—er that is as I take it Temple in the Heath it seems to have been a Preceptory of the Templars for there are to be seen the ruinous walls of a demolish'd Church not unlike those of the New Temple in London Near it is Blankeney â—ons â—ncourt once the Barony of the Deincourts who flourish'd in a continu'd succession from the coming in of the Normans to the times of Henry 6. for then their heir male fail'd in one William whose two sisters and heirs were married the one to 9 Sir William William Lovel the other to Ralph Cromwell I have the more readily taken notice of this family because I would willingly answer the request of Edmund Baron Deincourt who was long since so very desirous to preserve the memory of his name having no issue male he petition'd K. Ed. 2. for liberty To make over his Manours and Arms to whomsoever he pleas'd â— 21 H. 6. â— 10 â—w 2. for he imagin'd that both his name and Arms would go to the grave with him and was very sollicitous they should survive and be remembred Accordingly the King complied and he had Letters Patents for that end Yet this sirname so far as my knowledge goes is now quite extinct and would have been drown'd in oblivion if books and learning had not sav'd it In the west part of Kesteven where this County borders on Leicestershire on a very steep and as it seems â—voir or â—erâ—le artificial hill stands Belvoir or Beauvoir-Castle so call'd whatever the name was formerly from its pleasant prospect which with the little Monastery adjoyning was built as 't is given out by Todeneius a Norman from whom by the Albenies Britans and by the Roos's Barons it came to be the inheritance of the Manours Earls of Rutland by the first of whom nam'd Thomas it was as I have heard rebuilt after it had laid in ruins many years For William Lord Hastings in spight to Thomas Lord Roos who sided with Henry 6. almost demolish'd it and upon the attainder of Baron Roos had it granted him by Edward 4. with very large possessions But Edmund Baron Roos the son of Thomas by the bounty of Henry 7. regain'd this his ancestors inheritance o About this castle are found the stones call'd Astroites Astroites which resemble little stars link'd one with another having five rays in every corner and in the middle of every ray a hollow This stone among the Germans had its name from Victory for they think as Georgius Agricola writes in his sixth book of Minerals That whosoever carries this stone about him shall be successful against his enemies But I have not yet had an opportunity to make the experiment whether this stone of ours when put in vinegar will move out of its place and whirl round like that in Germany The Vale beneath this castle commonly call'd from it The Vale of Belver The Vale of Belver is pretty large and exceeding pleasant by reason of the corn-fields and pastures there It lies part in Nottinghamshire part in Leicestershire and part in Lincolnshire If not in this very place yet for certain very near it †See the Additions to Rutlandshire under the title Market-Overton where 't is more conveniently plac'd stood formerly that Margidunum Margidunum which Antoninus makes mention of next to Vernometum and this may sufficiently be prov'd both by its name and distance from Vernometum and the Town Ad Pontem otherwise Paunton for Antoninus places it between them It seems to have taken this ancient name from Marga and the situation of it For Marga among the Britains is a sort of earth with which they manure their grounds and Dunum which signifies a hill is applicable only to high places But I do for all that very much question this etymology seeing there is very little Marle in this place the not searching for it being perhaps the reason except the Britains by the name of Marga understand ‖ Gypsum Plaister-stone which is as I am inform'd dug up not far from hence and was as Pliny declares in his natural history in great request among the Romans who used it in their Plaisterings and * Sigillis Cielings Thro' this part of the Shire runs Witham Riv. Witham a little river but very full of Pikes and the northern parts are bounded by it It s spring head is at a little town of the same name Bitham not far from the ruins of Bitham-Castle which as we find in an old pedigree was by William the first given to Stephen Earl of Albemarle and Holderness to enable him to feed his son as yet a little infant with fine white bread for at that time nought was eaten in Holderness but oat-bread altho' 't is now very little used there This castle nevertheless in the reign of Edward 3. was when
the Saxons died in this City and was here interr'd altho' he left commands to the contrary for he as 't is related by Ninnius Eluodugus's disciple hop'd and was fully perswaded that his Ghost would defend Britain from the Saxons if he should be buried on the Sea-shore But yet the Saxons after they had demolish'd this old Lindum first inhabited the South-side of the hill 11 At the foot whereof they built as it seemeth the gate yet standing compiled of vast stones and fortified it with the ruins of the former town afterwards they went down near the river built in a place call'd Wickanforde and wall'd it on that side where it was not guarded by the water At which time Paulinus as Bede Bede affirms preach'd the word of God in the Province of Lindesey and first of all converted the Governour of the city Lindcolnia whose name was Blecca with his whole family He built in this city a curious Church of stone the roof whereof is either fall'n down for want of repairing or beat down by force of some enemy for the walls are yet to be seen standing Afterwards the Danes won it twice by assault first when those pillaging troops took it from whom Edmund Ironside wrested it by force secondly when Canutus took it from whom 't was retaken by Aetheldred who on his return out of Normandy valiantly drove Canutus out of this town and beyond all expectation recover'd England which was very nigh lost In Edward the Confessor's reign there was in it as 't is set down in Domesday-book one thousand and seventy Inns for entertainment and twelve Lagemen having their Sac and Soc. 'T was indeed in the Norman times as Malmsbury relates one of the most populous cities of England and a mart for all goods coming by land and water for at that time there were taxed in it as 't is in the said Domesday-book Nine hundred Burgesses and many dwelling houses to the number of one hundred sixty and six were destroy'd for the castle with 74 more without the limits of the castle not by the oppression of the Sheriff and his Ministers but by misfortune poverty and fire William the first to strengthen it and to keep the Citizens in awe built a very large and strong castle on the ridge of the hill and about the same time Remigius Bishop of Dorchester to grace it transferr'd hither from Dorchester a little town in the farthest part of his Diocese his Bishop's See And when the Church erected by Paulinus was utterly decay'd The aforesaid Râ—migius bought in the very highest part of the city several houses with the ground thereto belonging near the castle that overtops all as Henry of Huntingdon notes with its mighty towers and built in a strong place a strong and fine Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and endow'd it with 44 Prebends at which the Arch-bishop of York was very angry for he claim'd for himself the property of the ground This Church being disfigur'd by fire was afterwards repair'd as the said Henry mentions with very great art by Alexander that bountiful Bishop of Lincoln of whom the aforesaid William of Malmsbury speaks thus Seeing he was lookt upon as a prodigy by reason of his small body his mind strove to excel and be the more famous in the world and among other things a Poet of that age wrote thus Qui dare festinans gratis ne danda rogentur Quod nondum dederat nondum se credit habere Still with frank gifts preventing each request What is not yet bestow'd he thinks not yet possest And not only these two but Robert Bloet who was predecessor to Alexander and R. de Beaumeis Hugo Burgundus and their successors contributed to advance this work which was too much for one Bishop to its present state and grandeur The whole pile is not only very costly but indeed very beautiful and excellent for its workmanship especially that porch on the West-side which attracts and delights every beholders eye Altho' there be many tombs of Bishops and others in this Church yet the only ones worth our notice are that of brass in which the entrails of the most excellent Queen Eleanor wife to Edward the first 12 Who dy'd at Hardby in this Shire are interr'd and that of 13 Sir Nicholas Nicholas de Cantelupo with one or two belonging to the family of Burghersh also that of Katharine Swinford third wife to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and mother of the Somerset-family with whom lyes buried her daughter Joan second wife to Ralph Nevill the first Earl of Westmorland who had many children by her The Diocese of the Bishops of Lincoln being of a far greater extent than that of the Bishops of Sidnacester who in the primitive Saxon Church presided in this County contain'd under it so many Counties that its greatness was a burden to it and altho' Henry the second took out of it the Diocese of Ely and Henry the eighth those of Peterborough and Oxford yet 't is still counted the largest Bishoprick in England both for jurisdiction and number of shires and contains no less than 1247 Parish-Churches Many excellent Bishops have govern'd this See since Remigius but to be particular in reckoning them is beyond my design And therefore make no mention of Robert Bloet on whom King William Rufus set an amercement of 50000 pounds alledging that the Bishop's title to the city of Lincoln was defective â—â—eden nor of that bountiful Alexander who was ever extravagantly fond of prodigious buildings nor yet of Hugo Burgundus who being canoniz'd had his corps carry'd to the grave as my Author says on the shoulders of King John and his Nobles out of respect and duty to God and the sainted Prelate I must not however omit mentioning two persons 〈◊〉 diâ—d â— â—233 the one Robert Grostest a better Scholar and Linguist than could be expected from the age he liv'd in â—atth Paris â—d an â—nymous â—tâ—rian an awe to the Pope a Monitor to the King a Lover of Truth a Corrector of Prelates a Director of Priests an Instructor of the Clergy a Maintainer of Scholars a Preacher to the People and a diligent Searcher of Scripture a Mallet to the Romanists c. The other is the most reverend Father Thomas Cooper very deserving both from the Common-wealth of Learning and from the Church whom I am bound always to honour for that he was the Master in whose School I must graetfully own I had my education The city it self also flourish'd for a long time being made by Edward the third a Staple â—he Staple as they call it that is a Mart for Wooll Leather Lead c. Tho' it cannot have reason to complain of great misfortunes yet it has been once burnt once besieged and that in vain by King Stephen who was there overthrown and taken prisoner and once taken by Henry the third defended then against him by his rebellious Barons who
had call'd in Lewis of France to take upon him the Government of England however he did not do it much damage Since that 't is incredible how much it hath sunk and decay'd under the weight of time and antiquity for of fifty Churches that were remembred in it by our grandfathers there are scarce now eighteen remaining t 'T is distant that I may also make that remark 53 degrees and 12 minutes from the Equator and 22 degrees and 52 minutes from the farthest point Westward As that Roman high-way leads us directly from Stanford to Lincoln High-dike so from hence it goes Northward in a high and streight but yet here and there discontinued Causey for about 10 miles as far as a little village call'd The Spittle in the street and somewhat farther When I was about three miles from Lincoln I also observ'd another military high-way calld Ouldstreet going very plainly out of this towards the West I suppose 't is that which led to Agelocum the next garrison to Lindum But I will follow the road I am upon The Witham being now past Lindum runs down near Wragbye a part of the Barony call'd Trusbutt Barons of Trusbutt which title was by the Barons of Roos convey'd to the Manours now Earls of Rutland After it passes by the old ruin'd walls of Beardena or Peartaneu commonly call'd Bardney Bardney heretofore a famous Monastery Oswald's Banner here King Oswald was interr'd and had a banner of gold and purple over his tomb as Bede writes The Historians of the foregoing ages did not account it enough to extol this most Christian Hero Oswald unless to his glorious exploits they added ridiculous miracles which I willingly omit But that his hand remain'd here uncorrupted for many hundred years our ancestors have believ'd and a very ancient Poet has thus told us Nullo verme perit nulla putredine tabet Dextra viri nullo constringi frigore nullo Dissolvi fervore potest sed semper eodem Immutata statu persistit mortua vivit Secure from worm and rottenness appears The wondrous hand nor cold nor heat it fears Nor e're dissolv'd with cold or parch'd with heat Lives after death and keeps it 's former state This Monastery as Petrus Blesensis writes Appendix to Ingulphus being sometime burnt down by the fury of the Danes and for many years together not inhabited Gilbert de Gaunt the noble and devout Earl of Lincoln rebuilt it and very bountifully annex'd to it the tithes of all his manours wheresoever in England besides many other possessions Afterwards Witham is encreas'd by the little river Ban which rising in the middle of Lindsey runs first by Hornecastle Horn-castle sometime belonging to Adeliza de Conde but laid even with the ground in King Stephen's reign after that it was a Barony of Gerard de Rodes but now as I have been inform'd of the Bishops of Carlisle u And then by Scrivelby a manour of the Dimocks Dimock Inq. 23 E. 3. who had this by descent from the Marmions by 14 Sir John J. Ludlow King's Champion Fines Mic. An. 1 H. 6. and hold it by service of grand Serjeanty I speak in the Lawyers terms viz. that whensoever any King of England is to be crown'd the Lord of this manour for the time being or some in his name if he should be unable shall come well arm'd for war upon a good war-horse in the presence of our Lord the King on the day of his Coronation and shall cause it to be proclaimed That if any one shall say that our said Lord the King has not a right to his Crown and Kingdom he will be ready and prepar'd to defend with his body the right of the King and Kingdom and the dignity of his Crown against him and all others whatsoever The Ban a little lower at Tatteshall Tatteshall a small town pretty commodiously situated in a marshy Country built for the most part of brick as is also its castle and noted for it's Barons runs into the Witham 'T is related that Eudo and Pinso Norman Noblemen having entred into a kind of mutual brotherly alliance had by the bounty of William 1. many possessions given them in these parts which they so divided that Tatteshall fell to Eudo who held it by Barony from whose posterity it came by Dryby and the Bernakes to 15 Sir Ralph Ralph de Cromwell Cromwell whose son of the same name was Lord Treasurer of England in Henry 6.'s reign and dyed without issue And Eresby Eresby which is not far off fell to Pinso from whose children the inheritance came by the Bekes to the Willoughbies Willoughbies who had very large inheritances by their wives not only from the Uffords Earls of Suffolk but also from the Lords de Welles Lords Welles who brought with them the great estate of the de Engains Lâ—rds Engain an ancient noble family and of great power in this County from the first coming in of the Normans The most eminent man of those Willoughbies was 16 Sir Robert Robert Willoughby in Henry 5.'s reign who for his great courage and bravery was made Earl of Vandosme in France From these by the mother's side descended Peregrine Berty Baron Willoughby of Eresby a man famous for his great soul and warlike gallantry x Witham being now near the sea receives out of the north another nameless little river Lib. Stanlow at the spring-head of which in a very low ground y lies Bollingbroke-Castle Bolling-broke built by William de Romara Earl of Leicester of a brittle sandy stone taken from Alice Lacy by Edward 2. for that she married against his consent 't is famous for the birth of Henry 4. who from it had the name of Henry de Bollingbroke in whose time it began to be counted one of the honorary manours call'd Honors z The Witham having receiv'd this river below Boston aa as we have said discharges it self into the sea From the mouth of Witham as far as Humber-frith the shore lies out with a great bent into the German Ocean chop'd every where so as to admit little arms of the sea It has but few towns by reason there are but few havens in it and many shelves of sand along the shore Yet some of them are remarkable particularly Wainfleet Wainfleet as being the birth-place of William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester founder of Magdalen College in Oxford and a great patron of learning Next is Alford Alford memorable for its market for which it is beholden to Leon Lord Welles Barons Welles who obtain'd it this privilege of Henry 6. This family of the Welles was indeed very ancient and very honourable but the last of them married King Edward 4.'s daughter and was made Viscount Welles by Henry 7. He died without issue so that the inheritance came by females to the Willoughbies Dimoes De la launds Hois c.
I always thought came from the ancient Castilion family of the Earls of St. Paul â— Paul in France but the Coat of Arms of Luxemburgh that they bear is a sign that they came out of France since that Castilion family of St. Paul was by marriage ingrafted into that of Luxemburgh which was about two hundred years ago Above this the Trent the Idell and the Dan as they play along in their several streams thus Frontinus expresses it make a river Island Axelholme in Saxon Eaxelholme which is part of Lincolnshire in length from south to north 10 miles â—â—sholm but not past half so broad The lower part near the rivers is marshy and produces an odoriferous shrub call'd Gall 22 It yieldeth also Pets in the mores and dead roots of fir-wood which in burning give a rank sweet savour There also have been found great and long fir-trees while they digg'd for Pet both within the isle and also without at Laughton upon Trent bank the old habitation of the family of Dalanson now contractly call'd Dalison The middle has a small ascent and is both rich and fruitful yielding flax in great abundance and also Alabaster 〈◊〉 which being not very solid is more proper for lime and plaisterwork than for other uses â—â—â—aster The chief town was formerly call'd Axel now Axey from whence by adding the Saxon word Holme which among them signified a river-island the name without question was compounded It hardly deserves to be call'd a town 't is so thinly inhabited nevertheless there is to be seen a platform of a castle that was demolish'd in the Barons war and belonged to the Mowbrays who at that time had a great part of the island in their possession In the year 1173. Roger de Mowbray as the Author of an old Chronicle has it forsaking his allegiance to the Hâ—â—ry ◠〈◊〉 reâ—â— to his 〈◊〉 be â—â—gâ—r Elder King repair'd a Castle formerly demolish'd in the Isle Axelholme near Kinard ferry which Castle a great number of Lincolnshire-men passing over in boats besieged and compell'd the Constable and all the soldiers to surrender and laid it level with the ground A little higher lies Botterwic the owner whereof 23 Sir Edmund Sheffeld Edmund Sheffeld was the first Baron of that family created by Edward the sixth and lost his life for his Country against the Norfolk rebels having by Anne Vere a daughter of the Earl of Oxford John the second Baron father to Edmund who is now Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter 24 President of the Council establish'd in the north More northward on the other side of Trent is Burton Stather of which I have not as yet read any thing remarkable Since Egga who liv'd in the year 710 and Morcar both Saxons that were only Officiary Earls this County has given the title of Earl to William de Romara a Norman Earls of Lincoln after whose death for this title was never enjoy'd by his son who died before him nor by his grandson King Stephen conferr'd it on Gilbert de Gaunt who succeeded him but he dying Simon de St. Licius the younger son of Earl Simon you have the very words of Robert Montensis who lived about that time when he wanted lands 2 Hen. 2. receiv'd from King Henry 2. his only daughter to wife together with his honour Afterwards Lewis of France who was call'd into England by the rebellious Barons created another Gilbert of the de Gaunts family Earl of Lincoln but as soon as Lewis was forc'd away and he found himself acknowledg'd Earl by no man he quitted the title of his own accord Then Ralph the sixth Earl of Chester had this honour granted him by King Henry 3. and a little before his death gave by Charter to Hawise his sister wife of Robert de Quincy the Earldom of Lincoln so far forth as it appertain'd to him that she might be Countess thereof for so are the veâ—y words of the Charter She in like manner bestow'd it on John de Lacy Constable of Chester and the heirs he should beget on Margaret her daughter This John begat Edmund who dying before his mother left this honour to be enjoy'd by Henry his son the last Earl of this family For when he lost his sons by untimely deaths he contracted his only daughter Alice when but nine years old to Edmund Earl of Lancaster on condition that if he should dye without issue of his body or if they should dye without heirs of their bodies his Castles Lordships L iger-bâ—ok of Stanlow c. should come in the remainder to Edmund Earl of Lancaster and his heirs for ever But this Alice having no children by her husband Thomas who was beheaded lost her reputation by her light behaviour for that she without the K.'s consent was married to 25 Sir Eubul Eubulo Le-Strange Edw. 2. with whom she had been formerly somewhat too intimate for which reason the offended King seiz'd her estate 26 Yet both Sir Eubul Strange and Sir Hugh Frene her third husband are in some Records nam'd Earls of Lincoln But Alice being very old and dying without issue Henry Earl of Lancaster grandchild to Edmund by his second son had this her large patrimony by virtue of the aforesaid conveyance and from this time it became the inheritance of the house of Lancaster Nevertheless the Kings of England have conferr'd on several the title of Earl of Lincoln as Edward 4. on 27 Sir John John De-la-pole and Henry 8. on Henry Brandon who were both sons of the Dukes of Suffolk and died without issue Then Qu. Eliz. promoted to this honour See Dukes of Suffolk Edward Baron Clinton Lord High Admiral of England by whose very honourable son Henry 't is at present enjoy'd There are in this County about 630 Parishes ADDITIONS to LINCOLNSHIRE a THE corner of this County where Mr. Camden begins his survey seems formerly to have been a very inconsiderable or rather no part of it For as he observes from the banks there that the sea must once have come something farther so Mr. Dugdale putting Holland in the same number with Marshland in Norfolk and some other maritime places plainly proves that they have been long ago by great industry gain'd from the sea and were for many ages nothing but a vast and deep fen affording little benefit to the nation besides fish or fowl b As to the original of the name I shall not make the least scruple to joyn this and Holland â—â—lland in the Netherlands together agreeing so exactly in their situation soil and most other circumstances setting aside the difference of improvements which no doubt are much more considerable in one than the other but are nothing to our purpose so long as the primitive state of both was much the same Mr. Butler's conjecture drawn from the Saxon holt a wood and Ingulphus's Hoilandia which has given
sylvestris alba nona Clusâ—i Ger. emac. montana viscosa alba latifolia C. B. Sylv. alba sive Ocimoides minus album Park Polemonium petraeum Gesneri J. B. White wild Catchfly On the walls of Nottingham castle and on the grounds thereabout Verbascum pulverulentum flore luteo parvo J. B. Hoary Mullein with small flowers About Wollerton-hall the seat of my honoured friend Sir Thomas Willughby Baronet DERBYSHIRE ON the West of Nottinghamshire lies the County of Derby in Saxon Deorbi-scyre commonly Derbyshire which is bounded on the south by Leicestershire on the west by Staffordshire on the north by Yorkshire in the form as it were of a triangle but not equilateral For from the south point of it where 't is hardly six miles broad it grows so wide on both sides that towards the north it is about thirty miles in latitude It is divided into two parts by the course of the river Derwent thro' the middle of it which rising in the north edge of it flows with its black waters so colour'd by the soil it runs thro' southward to the Trent For the Trent crosses through the south point I did but now mention The east and south parts are well cultivated pretty fruitful and have many parks in them The west part beyond the Derwent call'd Peake is altogether rocky rough mountainous and consequently barren yet rich in lead iron and coal and pretty convenient for feeding sheep The first thing we meet with remarkable in the South corner is Greisely-castle Greisly-Castle a meer ruin which with the little-Monastery of St. George there was formerly built by the Lords Greisleys The family of the Greisleys who derive their pedigree from William son of Nigell sirnam'd de Greiseley and have continu'd flourishing from the time of the Norman Conquest to this very day in great honour which they did not a little encrease long ago by marrying the daughter and heir of that ancient family De Gasteneys Upon the river Dove which severs this County from Staffordshire till such time as it runs into the Trent there is nothing to be seen but Country-villages and Ashburne a market-town where the family of the Cockains have long flourish'd and Norbury where that noble and particulary ancient family the Fitz-Herberts have long liv'd of whom was Anthony Fitz-Herbert highly deserving for his great knowledge of the Common-Law Not much distant from this place stands Shirley the old estate of that famous family the Shirleys The family of the Shirleys descended from one Fulcher and besides the antiquity of their family much honour'd and enrich'd by marriages with the heirs of the Breoses Bassets of Brailesford Stantons Lovetts c. Here are many places round about which have given both name and seat to famous families namely Longford Bradburne Kniveton from whence the Knivetons of Marcaston and Bradley of whom is S. Lous Kniveton to whose study and diligence I am much indebted also Keidelston where the Cursons as they likewise do at Croxton dwell 1 But whether Sir Robert Curson Knighted by King Henry 7. and created a Baron of the Empire by the Emperour Maximilian A. D. 1500. on the account of his singular valour on whom also King Henry 8. in like manner conferr'd the title of a Baron of England assigning to him a liberal pension were descended from these Cursons I dare not affirm Radburne where John Chandos Kt. to whom this place belongs laid the foundation of a great house from whom by a daughter this estate hereditarily descended to the Poles who live here at this day But I will leave these particulars to one who designs to give us a compleat description of this County Upon the Trent where it receives the Dove stands Repandunum so our Historians call it but the Saxons name it a Hreopandun is the true name Hrepandun and we at this day Repton Repton which from a large town is now dwindl'd into a small village For heretofore it was very famous both for the burial of Aethelbald that excellent King of the Mercians who lost his life by the treachery of his own subjects and the other Mercian Kings and also for the misfortune of b His right name is Burhred Burthred King Burthred the last King of the Mercians who after a reign of 20 years continu'd by the precarious means of solicitation and bribery was here dethron'd by the Danes or rather forc'd from the pompous misery of reigning which may shew us how weak and slippery those high places are that are barely held and supported by mony a After this not far from the Trent stands Melborn Melborn a castle of the King 's now decaying where John Duke of Bourbon taken prisoner in the battel of Agincourt was kept nineteen years in custody of Nicholas Montgomery the younger Scarce five miles from hence to the Northward lies the course of the river Derwent which as I already observ'd rising from Peak-hills in the North-border of this County flows for about thirty miles sometimes rough and dash'd by a stony passage sometimes gliding through green meadows almost in a streight line to the South Yet in all this long course there is nothing entertaining upon it besides Chattesworth Chattesworth a house really large neat and admirable which was begun by Sir William Candish or Cavendish Kt. descended from that noble and ancient family de Gernon in Suffolk and lately finish'd at great expence by his wife Elizabeth a most famous Lady at present Countess of Shrewsbury Now where the Derwent turns its course to the eastward and passes by Little-Chester Little-Chester i.e. a little city where old Roman coins are often dugg up stands Derby Derby in Saxon NorthÆ¿orthig and in Danish as that ancient writer Ethelwerd tells us Deoraby the chief town of this Shire which derives its name from the Derwent upon which it stands and gives it to this County The town is neat pretty large and well inhabited on the east part of it the river Derwent runs very sweetly with a full and brisk stream under a fair stone bridge upon which stands a neat c It is dedicated to S. Mary and in the time of King Charles 2. when he granted Liberty of Conscience it was a little repair'd and made a Meeting-house for some time it is since new-built and converted into a Dye-house Chapel now neglected formerly built by our pious Ancestors The South-part of the town is cross'd by a little clear river which they call Mertenbroke It has five Churches in it the greatest of them dedicated to All-Saints has a steeple particularly famous both for height and workmanship Here the Countess of Shrewsbury before-mention'd distrusting to the affection of her heirs providently built her self a Sepulchre and piously founded an Hospital just by for the maintenance of 12 poor people namely 8 men and four women This place was formerly memorable for being a harbour to the plundering Danes till
and was at last buried But the wiser sort think that this place took its name from Guy de Beauchamp who liv'd much later And certain it is that Richard de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick built and dedicated here a Chapel to S. Margaret and set up the o Eight foot high Gyant-like statue of the famous Guy still remaining l From Warwick the Avon with a fuller body passes by Charlcott Charlcott the seat of the noble and knightly family of the Lucies which long since hereditarily passed to them from the Charlcotts who out of a pious intent built a Religious house p William de Lucy son of Walter de Charlcott first assum'd this name temp Henr. 3. and built the Religious house for the support and entertainment of poor people and strangers at Thellisford For the brook was call'd Thelley which running by Compton Murdack heretofore belonging to the Murdacks now to the family of the Verneys Knights and thence by this Thellisford falls into Avon Which river within a little way salutes Stratford a pretty handsom market-town that owes its ornaments and beauty chiefly to its two natives John de Stratford Stratford upon Avon Archbishop of Canterbury q The South-Isle was built by him but the Qâ—ire by T. Balshal and the North and South Cross by the Executors of Hugh Clopton The Church is Collegiate and the College now standing Regist Wigorn. Lel. Itinerar who founded the Church here and Hugh Clopton sometime Lord Mayor of London who at extraordinary expence built the Stone-bridge here over the Avon consisting of 14 arches He was younger brother of an ancient family which took their name from the adjacent manour of Clopton from the time that Walter Cocksfield stil'd Knight-Marshal fix'd his seat here at Clopton for himself and posterity Their inheritance in our time descended to two sisters coheirs one of them married to Sir George Carew a famous Kt. Vice chamberlain to her most serene Majesty Queen Anne whom K. James created Baron Carew of Clopton Baron Carew of Clopton and whom if for no other reason I cannot omit for the great respect he paid to venerable Antiquity m Avon seeâ— nothing more on its banks besides Bitford a small market-town and some little Country villages before it makes its entry into Worcestershire Now let us take a view of the Woodland Woodland which lying on the Northern-side of Avon extends it self into a much greater compass than the Feldon for the most part cloathed with woods yet not wanting pastures or corn-fields and hath several veins of r No veins of iron were ever yet found in this County In the borders of it viz. Worcestershire and Staffordshire there have Iron As it is now call'd the Woodland so by a more ancient name it was call'd Arden Arden which in my opinion are words importing the same thing For Arden with the ancient Britains and Gauls did denote a Wood. And we know in France a vast wood bears the name of Arden and a town in Flanders situated near another wood is call'd Ardenburg and that celebrated forest of England paring off the first syllable retains the name of Den. Not to mention that Diana Diana which in s See Selden's Polyolbion pag. 229. the old Gallick Inscription was call'd Ardwena Ardwena and Ardoina i.e. if I am not much mistaken Sylvestris or Of the woods and was the same that in the Italick Inscriptions is called Nemorensis or Diana of the Groves From this part Turkiil de Arden who resided here and was in great favour with King Henry 1. assumed that sirname and his Descendants the Ardens famous in succeeding ages were branched out into all parts of England On the Western-side of the Woodland the river Arrow n makes hast by Studly Studley some ages since a castle belonging to John son af Corbutio to joyn the river Avon But whether it be so call'd as Tigris a river of Mesopotamia which in the Persian language signifies an Arrow from the swiftness of its current or from its flow course for that the word Ara among the old Britains and Gauls imports I leave to the search of others 5 Who have better observ'd the nature of this river On the banks of Arrow lies Coughton Coughton the chief seat of the family of the Throckmortons Throckmortons Knights who since they married with the heiress of Speney grew very numerous famous and fruitful of good Wits Not far from hence lies Ouseley memorable for the ancient Lords thereof the Butlers Barons of Wem from whom it hereditarily descended to the Ferrars of Ousley Ousley Whose inheritance in a short time was divided betwixt John Lord of Greistocke and Ralph Nevil A little lower upon Arrow is seated Beauchamp's Court Beauchamps Court so called from Baron Beauchamp of Powicke from whom by the only daughter of Edward Willoughby son of Robert Willoughby Lord Brook it came to Sir Fulk Grevill Grevills Kt a person no less esteem'd for the sweetness of his temper than dignity of his station Whose only son of the same name so entirely devoted himself to the study of real Virtue and Honour that the nobleness of his mind far exceeded that of his birth for whose extraordinary favours tho' I must despair of making suitable returns yet whether speaking or silent I must ever preserve a grateful memory Below Beauchamp's-Court the river Alne or Alenus falls into Arrow which in its course through a woody country passes by Henley Henley a litde market town near which the Montforts a noble family of great name had a Castle that from its delightful situation on a hill amidst the woods was call'd by a French name Bell desert But the castle hath long since been buried in its own ruins They derived their pedigree not from the Almarian family of the Montforts but from Turstan de Bastanberg a Norman Their inheritance at length pass'd away by Daughters to the Barons of Sudley and the Frevils Just at the confluence of the two rivers Arrow and Aulne I saw Aulcester Aulcester by Mathew Paris called Allencester and that more properly The inhabitants because it hath been a place of great note and antiquity will needs have the true name to be Ouldeester This was as we read in an old Inquisition a free Burrough of our Lord Henry 1. which the same King gave to Robert Corbet for his service and when the same Robert died it descended to 6 Sir William William de Botereux and to Peter the son of Herbert And when William de Botereux died his Moiety descended to Reginald de Botereux as heir who now holds it A Bâ—â—â— in the Exâ—â—equer and when Peter the son of Herbert died his Moiety descended to Herbert the son of Peter which Herbert gave it to Robert de Chaundois 7 But now it is decay'd and of a very great town become a small market of
College here A little higher upon Watlingstreet for so this Military way of the Romans is vulgarly call'd where there is a bridge of stone over the river Anker Manduessedum Manduessedum is seated a town of very great antiquity mention'd by Antoninus which having not yet altogether lost its name is call'd Mancester Mancester and in Ninnius's Catalogue Caer Mancegued Which name since a quarry of free-stone lies near it 't is probable was given it from the stone there digg'd and hew'd For in the Glossaries of the British tongue we learn that Main signifies a stone and Fosswad in the Provincial language digging which being joyn'd together seem aptly enough to express the name Manduessedum u But how great or of what note soever it was in those times 't is now a poor little village containing not above fourteen small houses and hath no other monument of Antiquity to shew but an old Fort which they call Old-bury i.e. an old Burrough w Atherston on the one side a well-frequented market where the Church of the 14 Augustine Friers Friers was converted into a Chapel which nevertheless acknowledges that of Mancester to be the Mother Church and Nonn-eaton on the other side have by their nearness reduc'd Mancester to what you see it Neighbour to Atherston is Meri-val Merival i.e. Merry-vale where Robert de Ferrers built and dedicated a Monastery to God and the blessed Virgin in which his body wrapp'd up in an Ox-hide lies interr'd Beyond these Northward lies Pollesworth Pollesworth where Modwena an Irish virgin fam'd for her wonderful piety built a Nunnery which Robert Marmion a Nobleman who had his castle in the neighbourhood at Stippershull repair'd x Hard by also in the Saxon times flourish'd a town of which there appear now but very small remains call'd Secandunum at this time Seckinton Seckinton where Aethelbald King of the Mercians in a civil war was assassinated by Bcornred Chron. Sax. Beared in the year 749 but in a little time he was cut off by King Offa by the same means falling from the throne by which he had impiously got it y To close the whole I must now give you a Catalogue of the Earls of Warwick Earls of Warwick And to pass over Guar Morindus Guy that Echo of England and many more of that stamp which the fruitful wits of those times brought forth at one birth Henry son of Roger de Bellomonte brother of Robert Earl of Mellent was the first Earl of the Norman race who marry'd Margaret daughter of Aernulph de Hesdin Earl of Perch a person of mighty power and authority Of this family there were who bore that honour Roger son of Henry William son of Roger who dy'd in the 30th of King Henry the second Walleran his brother Henry son of Walleranâ— Thomas his son who dy'd without issue in the 26th of Henry the third and his sister Margery surviving was Countess of Warwick and dy'd childless Her two husbands nevertheless first John Mareschal Plaâ—â—â—3 Rot â—34 then John de Plessets in right of their wife and by the favour of their Prince were rais'd to the honour of Earls of Warwick But these dying without any issue by Margery Walleran Margery's uncle by the father succeeded in the honour and he dying without issue Alice his sister came to the Inheritance Afterwards William her son call'd Male-doctus Malduit and Manduit de Hanslap who dy'd also without issue But Isabel his sister being marry'd to William de Bello Campo or Beauchamp Baron of Elmesly carry'd the Earldom into the family of the Beauchamps Who if I am not mistaken because they were descended from a daughter of Ursus de Abtot gave the Bear for their Cognisance and left it to their posterity Of this family there were six Earls and one Duke William the son of Isabel John Guy Thomas Thomas the younger Richard and lastly Henry to whom King Henry the sixth made a Grant without precedent That he should be primier Earl of all England and use this title Henry primier Earl of all England and Earl of Warwick Rot. Parâ— 23 Hen. â— He made him also King of the Isle of Wight afterwards created him Duke of Warwick and by the express words of his Patent granted that he should have place in Parliament and elsewhere next to the Duke of Norfolk and before the Duke of Buckingham He had but one daughter Anne 24 Hâ— who in the Inquisitions was stil'd Countess of Warwick and dy'd in her Infancy She was succeeded by Richard Nevill who had marry'd the daughter of the said Duke of Warwick a person of an invincible spirit but changeable and fickle in his Allegiance the very sport and tennis-ball of fortune Who altho' no King himself was yet superiour to Kings as being the person who depos'd Henry the sixth a most bountiful Prince to him and set up Edward the fourth in his place Afterwards he un-king'd him again re-establisht Henry the sixth in the Throne and involv'd the kingdom in the flames of a civil war which were not extinguisht but with his own blood 15 After his death Anne his wife by Act of Parliament was excluded and debarred from all her lands for ever and his two daughters heirs to him and heirs apparent to their mother being married to George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocester were enabled to enjoy all the said lands in such wise as if the said Anne their mother were naturally dead Whereupon the name stile and title of Earl of Warwick and Sarisbury was granted to George Duke of Clarence who soon after was unnaturally dispatch'd by a sweet death in a Butt of Malvesey by his suspicious brother King Edw. 4. His young son Edward was stil'd Earl of Warwick and being but a very child was beheaded by King Henry 7. to secure himself and his posterity The death of this Edward our Ancestors accounted to be the full period and final end of the long lasting war between the two royal houses of Lancaster and York Wherein as they reckon'd from the 28th year of Henry 6. unto this being the 15th of Henry 7. there were 13 fields fought 3 Kings of England 1 Prince of Wales 12 Dukes 1 Marquis 18 Earls with one Vicount and 23 Barons besides Knights and Gentlemen lost their lives Edward son of one of his daughters by George Duke of Clarence succeeded whom Henry the seventh for neither youth nor innocence could protect him to secure himself and the line put to death The title of this Earldom which was become formidable to Henry the eighth by the great troubles Richard Nevil that scourge of Kings had created lay dormant till Edward the sixth gave it to John Dudley deriving a title from the Beauchamps He as the before mention'd Richard endeavouring to subvert the Government under Queen Mary had his boundless ambition punisht with the loss of his head But his sons first John whilst his father was
river rises near Healy castle built by the Barons of Aldelegh or Audley Barons Audley to whom this place was given by Harvy de Stafford as likewise Aldelegh it self by Theobald de Verdon and from these spring the family of the Stanleys Earls of Derby 8 Strange it is to read what Lands King Henry 3. confirm'd to Henry Audeley which were bestow'd on him through the bounty of the Peers and even of private Gentlemen not only in England but also in Ireland where Hugh Lacy Earl of Ulster gave him Lands together with the Constablish of Ulster so that without doubt he was either a person of singular virtue or a very great Favourite or an able Lawyer or perhaps was endu'd with all these qualifications His posterity were all â—â—d in marriage with the heirs of the Lord Giffard of Brimsfield of Baron Martin Lord of Keimeis and Barstaple as also a younger brother of this house with one of the heirs of the Earl of Glocester who was by King Edward 3. created Earl of Glocester About which time James Lord Aualey acquir'd a very great reputation on the account of his valour and skill in war-like affairs who as it is related by French Historians being dangerously wounded in the battel of Poitiers when the Black Prince with many high commendations had given to him a pension of 400 marks per annum bestow'd it immediately on his four Esquires that always valiantly attended him and satisfy'd the Prince doubting that his gift might be too little for so great service with this answer gratefully acknowledging his bounty These my Esquires sav'd my life amidst my enemies and God be think'd my Ancestors have left me sufficient Revenues to maintain me in your Service Whereupon the Prince approving this prudent Liberality both confirm'd his Donation to his Esquires and besides assign'd to him Lands to the value of 600 marks yearly But by his daughter one of the co-heirs to her brother the title of Lord Audley came afterward to the Touchets and in them continueth but the inheritance and name descended to the Touchetts in whose posterity and name that family is still remaining i I must not go on here without taking notice of that house call'd Gerards Bromley both upon the account of its magnificence and also because 't is the chief seat of Thomas Gerard whom King James in the first of his reign created Baron Gerard of Gerards Bromley The Sow keeps like a parallel line at equal distance from the Trent and runs by Chebsey which formerly belong'd to the Lords Hastings 9 Reckon'd among the principal Noble-men in the time of King Edward the first and then not far from Eccleshal the residence of the Bishop of Lichfield k and Ellenhall which formerly was the seat of the Noels Noel a famous family who founded a Monastery here at Raunton from them it descended hereditarily to the Harcourts who are of an ancient and noble Norman race and flourish'd for a long time in great dignity Of the male-line of these Noels is Andrew Noel of Dalby an eminent Knight and the Noels of Wellesborow in the County of Leicester and others remaining at this day l From hence the Sow runs by Stafford Stafford heretofore Statford and first of all Betheney where Bertelin with the reputation of great sanctity liv'd formerly an Hermite Edward the elder in the year 914. built a Tower upon the North-side of the river here When William the first took his Survey of England as it is said in Domesday-book the King had only eighteen Burgesses here belonging to him and twenty mansion houses of the Honour of the Earl it paid in gross for all customs nine pounds in deniers 10 And had 13 Canons-Prebendaries who held in Frank-Almoin In another place The King commanded a castle to be made there which was lately demolish'd But at that time as it is at this day Stafford was the chief Town of this County which owes its greatest glory to Stafford a castle adjoyning to it 11 Which the Barons of Stafford of whose Progeny were the Dukes of Buckingham built for their own seat who prevail'd with King John to erect it into a Burrough with ample liberties and priviledges caus'd to be partly enclos'd with a wall and founded a Priory of Black-Canons in honour of St. Thomas of Canterbury built by the Barons of Stafford for a seat m Below this the Sow is joyn'd by a little river call'd Penke which gives name to Pennocrucium an ancient town of which we have already made mention Near the confluence of the Sow and the Trent stands Ticks-hall where the family of the Astons dwell which for antiquity and kindred is one of the best families in these parts n With these waters the Trent glides gently through the middle of the County to the Eastward having Chartley Chartley. castle at two miles distance on the left of it which from Ranulph Earl of Chester who built it fell to the Ferrars by Agnes his sister who was married to William de Ferrars Earl of Derby from whom descended and flourish'd the Lords Ferrars of Chartley Lords Ferrars of Chartley. and Anne the daughter of the last of them brought this Honour with her as a portion to Walter D'eureux her husband from whom is Robert D'eureux Earl of Essex and Lord Ferrars of Chartley. On the right side of this river almost at the same distance stands Beaudesert Beaudesert most delicately seated among the woods formerly the house of the Bishops of Lichfield but afterwards of the Barons Pagets Barons Paget For William Paget who for his great prudence and knowledge of the world being eminent both at home and abroad was in great favour with Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth having got a large estate was created Baron Paget of Beaudesert by Edward the sixth 12 He was as it may be collected from his Epitaph Secretary and Privy Counsellor to King Henry 8. and constituted by his Testament Counsellor and Adjutant to King Edward the sixth during his minority to whom he was Chancellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster Comptroller of the Houshold and by him created as I have already intimated Baron and Knight of the Garter as also by Queen Mary Lord Privy-Seal Whose grandson William is now the fourth Baron Pagett His grandson Thomas the fourth Baron flourishes now at this day who by his virtue and progress in the best kinds of learning is a grace and ornament to his whole family and in this respect but justly distinguisht by an honourable mention here From hence the Trent visits Lichfield Lâ—â—hfieâ—d scarce four miles distant from the right side of it Bede calls it Licidfeld which Rous of Warwick renders a field of carcasses and tells us that many Christians suffer'd martyrdom there under Dioclesian The city stands low is pretty large and neat and divided into two parts by a kind of lough or clear water
Isabella and Delaley and other large Possessions which by the Outlawry of Richard Earl of Arundel were then forfeited to the Crown Richard himself was styl'd Princeps Cestriae Prince of Chester But this title was but of small duration no longer than till Henry the fourth repeal'd the Laws of the said Parliament for then it became a County Palatine again and retains that Prerogative to this day which is administred by a Chamberlain 11 Who hath all jurisdiction of a Chancellour within the said County Palatine a Judge Special 12 For matters in Common-Plees and Plees of the Crown to be heard and determin'd in the said County two Barons of the Exchequer three Serjeants at Law a Sheriff an Attorney an Escheator 13 And the Inhabitants of the said County for the enjoying of their Liberties were to pay at the change of every owner of the said Earldom a sum of money about 3000 marks by the name of a Mize as the County of Flint being a parcel thereof about 2000 marks if I have not been misinform'd c. We have now survey'd the Country of the Cornavii who together with the Coritani Dobuni and Catuellani made one entire Kingdom in the Saxon Heptarchy then called by them Myrcna-ric and Mearc-lond but render'd by the Latins Meâ—cia from a Saxon word Mearc which signifies limit for the other Kingdoms border'd upon this This was by far the largest Kingdom of them all begun by Crida the Saxon about the year 586. and enlarg'd on all hands by Penda and a littlâ— after under Peada converted to Christianity But after a duration of 250 years it was too late subjected to the Dominion of the West-Saxons when it had long endured all the outrage and misery that the Danish wars could inflict upon it This County has about 68 Parishes ADDITIONS to CHESHIRE AS the County of Chester exceeds most others in the antiquitâ— and Royalty of it's jurisdiction and multitude of it's ancient Gentry so the famous Colony settled in it under the Roman Government has render'd it very considerable for Antiquities Nor had that Subject wanted a due examination or the remains of Antiquity layn so long undiscover'd if most of it's Historians had not been led away with a chain of groundless stories and extravagant conjectures 'T is true Sir Peter Leicester has made due searches into the Records relating to this County especially to Bucklow-Hundred and reported them with great exactness and fidelity but the Roman affairs he has left so entirely untouch'd that 't is plain he either industriously declin'd them as foreign to his business or wanted experience to carry him through that part of history In like manner Sir John Doderidge a man of great learning in his Treatise concerning this County hath exactly stated the ancient and present revenues thereof but was not so diligent in his enquiries concerning the original of the County Palatine as might from a man of his Profession have been reasonably expected However his defect in this point is in a great measure supply'd by what the learned Mr. Harrington has left upon that subject a Gentleman by whose death Learning in general and particularly the Antiquities of this County which he had design'd to illustrate and improve have suffer'd very much a To begin then with Mr. Camden who first observes that this is a County Palatine County Palatine It may be worth our notice that it had this additional title upon the coming over of the Normans At first indeed William the Conquerour gave this Province to Gherbord a Nobleman of Flanders who had only the same title and power as the Officiary Earls amongst the Saxons had enjoy'd the inheritance the Earldom and grandeur of the Tenure being not yet settl'd Afterwards Hugh Lupus son of the Viscount of Auranches a Nephew of William the Conquerour by his sister receiv'd this Earldom from the Conquerour under the greatest and most honourable Tenure that ever was granted to a Subject Totum hunc dedit Comitatum tenendum sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse Rex tenebat Angliae coronam The vast extent of the Powers convey'd in this Grant carry'd in them Palatine jurisdiction tho' it is certain that neither Hugh Lupus nor any of his successors were in the Grant it self or any ancient Records stil'd Comites Palatini As to the original of Palatinates in general it is clear that anciently in the decline of the Roman Empire the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the name imports were only officers of the Courts of Princes The term in process of time was restrain'd to those who had the final deteâ—mination of Causes under the King or Emperour And those that exercis d this sovereignty of jurisdiction in any Precinct or Province were call'd Comites Palatini and the place where the jurisdiction was us'd Palatinatus a Palatinate Instances of such personal offices in the Court we may still observe in the Palatine of Hungary and examples of such local authority we have in the Palatinates of the Rhine Durham and Lancaster Whether therefore the ancient Palatines were equal to the Praefecti Praetorio the Curopalatae the Grand Maistres in France or the ancient Chief Justices in England we need not dispute since it is clear that the Comites Palatini as all new-erected Officers titles retain'd many of the powers of the ancient but still had many characters of difference as well as some of resemblance By virtue of this Grant Chester enjoy'd all sovereign jurisdiction within its own precincts and that in so high a degree that the ancient Earls had Parliaments consisting of their own Barons and Tenants and were not oblig'd by the English Acts of Parliament These high and unaccountable jurisdictions were thought necessary upon the Marches and Borders of the Kingdom as investing the Governour of the Provinces with Dictatorial power and enabling them more effectually to subdue the common enemies of the Nation But when the same power that was formerly a good bar against Invaders grew formidable to the Kings themselves Henry 8. restrain'd the sovereignty of the Palatinates and made them not only subordinate to but dependent on the Crown of England And yet after that restraining Statute all Pleas of Lands and Tenements all Contracts arising within this County are and ought to be judicially heard and determin'd within this Shire and not elsewhere and if any determination be made out of it it is void and coram non judice except in cases of Error Foreign-Plea and Foreign Voucher And there is no other crime but Treason that can draw an inhabitant of this County to a Tryal elsewhere This jurisdiction tho' held now in other Counties was most anciently claim'd and enjoy'd by this County of Chester The Palatinate of Lancaster which was the Favourite-Province of the Kings of that House was erected under Edw. 1. and granted by him to Henry the first Duke of Lancaster and even in the Act of
IMP. M AURELIO ANTONINO AVC SEVER LVCII FILIO LEC. IIV VG P sic Together with these two fragments Centurio c This was lately in the School-wall at Kaêr Lheion but is now rased out †7. VECILIANA d This is in the Garden-wall at Moin's Court but the first line VIII and this character 7. are not visible See Reines Syntag. Inscr pag. 977. VIII 7. VALER MAXSIMI f Here also about the time of the Saxon Conquest was an Academy of 200 Philosophers who being skill'd in Astronomy and other Sciences observ'd accurately the courses of the Stars as we are informed by Alexander Elsebiensis a very scarce Author out of whom much has been transcrib'd for my use by the learned Thomas James Tho. James of Oxford who may deservedly be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one that is wholly intent upon Books and Learning and is at present God prosper his endeavours out of a desire of promoting the publick good busily employ'd in searching the Libraries of England on a design that is like to be of singular use to the Commonwealth of Learning In the time of K. Henry 2. when Giraldus writ this City seems to have been a place of considerable strength For we find that Yrwith of Kaer Lheion a courageous Britain defended it a long time against the English forces till at last being over-power'd by the King he was dispossest of it But now a fair instance that Cities as well as Men have their vicissitude and fortune that is become an inconsiderable small town which once was of so great extent on each side the river that they affirm St. Gilian's the house of the honourable Sir William Herbert a person no less eminent for wit and judgment than noble extraction to have been in the city and in that place the Church of Julius the Martyr is said to have stood which is now about a mile out of the town From the ruins also of this City Newport Newport had its beginning seated a little lower at the fall of the river Usk. By Giraldus 't is call'd Novus Burgus It is a town of later foundation and of considerable note for a Castle and a convenient harbour where there was formerly some Military-way mention'd by Necham in these verses Intrat auget aquas Sabrini fluminis Osca Praeceps testis erit Julia Strata mihi Increas'd with Usk does Severn rise As Julia Strata testifies That this Julia Strata was a way we have no reason to question and if we may be free to conjecture it seems not absurd to suppose it took its name from Julius Frontinus who conquer'd the Silures Not far from this Newburgh saith Giraldus there glides a small stream call'd Nant Pènkarn passable but at some certain fords not so much for the depth of its water as the hollowness of the chanel and deepness of the mud It had formerly a ford call'd Rhŷd Penkarn now of a long time discontinued Henry 2. King of England having by chance pass'd this ford the Welsh who rely too much upon old prophecies were presently discouraged because their Oracle Merlinus Sylvester had foretold that whenever a strong Prince with a freckled face such as King Henry was should pass that Ford the British Forces should be vanquish'd During the Saxon Heptarchy this County was subject to the Mountain-Welsh call'd by them Dun-settan Dun set who were yet under the government of the West-Saxons as appears by the ancient Laws At the first coming in of the Normans the Lords Marchers grievously plagued and annoy'd them especially the above-mention'd Hamelin Balun Hugh Lacy Walter and Gilbert de Clare 1 Miles of Glocester Robert Chandos Pain Fitz-John Richard Fitz-Punt and c. and Brien of Wallingford To whom the Kings having granted all they could acquire in these parts some of them reduced by degrees the upper part of this County which they call'd Over-Went and others the low lands call'd Nether-Went Parishes in this County 127. ADDITIONS to MONMOVTHSHIRE a MYnydh Kader mention'd by our Author is the name of many Mountains in Wales thus denominated as Kader Arthur Kader Verwin Kader Idris Kader Dhinmael Kader yr Ychen c. which the learned Dr. Davies supposes to have been so call'd not from their resemblance to a Kà dair or Chair but because they have been either fortified places or were look'd upon as naturally impregnable by such as first impos'd those names on them For the British Kader as well as the Irish word Kathair signifying anciently a Fort or Bulwark whence probably the modern word Kaer of the same signification might be corrupted b Lhan Lhan properly signifies a Yard or some small Inclosure as may be observ'd in compound words For we find a Vineyard call'd Gwin-lhan an Orchard Per-lhan a Hay-yard Yd-lhan a Church-yard Korph-lhan a Sheep-fold Kor-lhan c. However as Giraldus observes it denotes separately a Church or Chapel and is of common use in that sense throughout all Wales probably because such Yards or Inclosures might be places of Worship in the time of Heathenism or upon the first planting of Christianity when Churches were scarce c That this Jeffrey of Monmouth as well as most other Writers of the Monkish times abounds with Fables is not deny'd by such as contend for some authority to that History but that those Fables were of his own Invention seems too severe a censure of our Author's and scarce a just accusation since we find most or all of them in that British History he translated whereof an ancient copy may be seen in the Library of Jesus-College at Oxford which concludes to this effect Walter Arch-Deacon of Oxford composed this Book in Latin out of British Records which he afterwards thus render'd into modern British We find also many of the same Fables in Ninnius who writ his Eulogium Britanniae about three hundred years before this Galfridus Arturius compos'd the British History As to the regard due to that History in general the judicious Reader may consult Dr. Powel's Epistle De Britannica Historia rectè intelligenda and Dr. Davies's Preface to his British Lexicon and ballance them with the arguments and authority of those that wholly reject them Near Monmouth stands a noble House built by his Grace Henry Duke of Beaufort call'd Troy the residence of his eldest son Charles Marquiss of Worcester who is owner of it and of the Castle and Manour of Monmouth settled upon him with other large possessions in this County by the Duke his father e The English names of Went-set Wentse◠c. and Wents land have their origin from the British word Gwent whereby almost all this Country and part of Glocestershire and Herefordshire were call'd till Wales was divided into Counties But it seems questionable whether that name Gwent be owing to the City Venta or whether the Romans might not call this City Venta Silurum as well as that of the Iceni and that other of the Belgae
should suppose them so denominated because some of them are not at present directly upright but a little inclining It may be such as take these circular Monuments for Druid-Temples may imagine them so call'd from bowing as having been places of worship For my part I leave every man to his conjecture and shall only add that near Capel King in Caernarvonshire there is a stone pitch'd on end call'd also Maen gŵyr which perhaps is the only Stone now remaining of such a circular Monument as this At leastwise it has such a Kist vaen by it but much less as that we observ'd in the midst of the Monument describ'd in Glamorganshire by the name of Karn Lhechart Of late Carmarthen hath given the title of Marquiss to the right honourable Thomas Osborn Marquiss of Carmarthen Earl of Danby upon whose advancement to the Dukedom of Leeds the honour of Marquiss of Carmarthen is now descended to his eldest son and heir PENBROKSHIRE THE Sea now winding it self to the South and by a vast compass and several Creeks rendring the shore very uneven encroaches on all sides on the County of Penbroke commonly call'd Penbrokshire in ancient Records The Legal County of Penbroke and by some West-Wales except on the East where it is bounded with Caer-mardhin-shire and the North where it borders on Cardiganshire 'T is a fertile Country for Corn affords plenty of Marl and such like things to fatten and enrich the Land as also of Coal for Fuel and is very well stock'd with Cattel This Country saith Giraldus affords plenty of Wheat is well serv'd with Sea-fish and imported Wine and which exceeds all other advantages in regard of its nearness to Ireland enjoys a wholsome Air. First on the Southern Coast Tenbigh â—enâ—â—gh a neat town 1 Well govern'd by a Mayor and strongly wall'd toward the Land strongly wall'd beholds the Sea from the dry shore a place much noted for the Ships that harbour there and for plenty of Fish whence in British it 's call'd Dinbech y Pyskod govern'd by a Mayor and a Bailiff To the West of this place are seen on the shore the ruins of Manober Castle 〈…〉 call'd by Giraldus Pyrrhus's Mansion in whose time as he himself informs us it was adorn'd with stately Towers and Bulwarks having on the West-side a spacious Haven and under the Walls to the North and Northwest an excellent Fish-pond remarkable as well for its neatness as the depth of its water The shore being continu'd some few miles from hence and at length withdrawing it self the Sea on both sides comes far into the Land and makes that Port which the English call Milford-Haven â—â—â—foâ—d-â—â—â—en than which there is none in Europe either more spacious or secure so many Creeks and Harbours hath it on all sides and to use the Poet's words Hic exarmatum terris cingentibus aequor Clauditur placidam discit servare quietem Here circling banks the furious winds controul And peaceful waves with gentle murmurs rowl For it contains sixteen Creeks five Bays and thirteen Roads distinguish'd by their several names Nor is this Haven more celebrated for these advantages than for Henry the Seventh of happy memory landing here who from this place gave England at that time languishing with Civil Wars the Signal of good hopes At the innermost and eastern Bay of this Haven 2 In the most pleasant Country of all Wales standeth Penbroke the Shire-town one direct street upon a long narrow point all rock and a forked arm of Milford-haven ebbing and flowing close to the Town-walls on both sides It hath a Castle but now ruinate and two Parish Churches within the walls and is incorporate of a Mayor Bailiffs and Burgesses But hear Giraldus c. â—â—â—brâ—ke a long Cape saith Giraldus extended from Milver-dike with a forked head shews the principal town of this Province and the Metropolis of Dimetia seated on a rocky oblong Promontory in the most pleasant Country of all Wales call'd by the Britains Penvro which signifies the Cape or Sea-Promontory and thence in English Penbroke Arnulph de Montgomery brother to Robert Earl of Shrewsbury built this Castle in the time of King Henry the first but very meanly with Stakes only and green Turf Which upon his return afterwards into England he deliver'd to Girald of Windsor a prudent man his Constable and Lieutenant General who with a small Garison was presently besieged therein by all the Forces of South-Wales But Giraldus and his party made such resistance tho' more with courage than strength that they were forced to retire without success Afterward this Giraldus fortified both the Town and Castle from whence he annoy'd the neighbouring Countries a great way round And for the better settlement of himself and his friends in this Country he married Nest the sister of Prince Gryffydh by whom he had a noble Off-spring by whose means saith Giraldus who was descended from him not only the Maritime parts of South-Wales were retain'd by the English but also the Walls of Ireland reduced Origin of the Giralds in Ireland For all those noble Families in Ireland call'd Giralds Giraldines and Fitz-Giralds are descended from him In regard of the Tenure of this Castle and Town and the Castle and Town of Tinbigh Rotulus Servitiorum of the Grange of King's-Wood the Commot of Croytarath and Manour of Castle-Martin and Tregoir Reginald Grey at the Coronation of Henry the fourth claim'd the honour of bearing the second Sword but all in vain for 't was answerd that at that time those Castles and Farms were in the King's hands as also at this day the Town of Pembroke which is a Corporation and is govern'd by a Mayor and two Bayliffs On another Bay of this Haven we find Carew-Castle Carew-castle which gave both name and original to the illustrious Family of Carew who affirm themselves to have been call'd at first de Montgomery and that they are descended from that Arnulph de Montgomery already mention'd Two Rivers are discharg'd into this Haven almost in the same Chanel call'd in the British tongue Cledheu Cledheu which in English signifies a Sword whence they call it Aber-dau-Gledheu i.e. the Haven of two Swords Hard by the more easterly of them standeth Slebach once a Commandery of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem which with other Lands Wizo and his son Walter setled upon that holy Order that they might serve as the Champions of Christ in order to recover the Holy-Land That part of the Country which lies beyond the Haven and is water'd only with these two rivers is call'd by the Britains Rhos a name deriv'd from the situation of it for that it is a large green plain This part is inhabited by Flemings Flemings when seated in Wales who settled here by the permission of King Henry the first when as the Sea making breaches in their fences had drown'd a considerable part of the Low-Countreys
They are at this day distinguish'd from the Welsh by their speech and customs and they speak a language so agreeable with the English which indeed has much affinity with Dutch that this small Country of theirs is call'd by the Britains Little England beyond Wales Little England beyond Wales This saith Giraldus is a stout and resolute Nation and very offensive to the Welsh by their frequent skirmishes a people much inured to cloathing and merchandize and ready to increase their stock at any labour or hazard by sea and land A most puissant Nation and equally prepared as time and place shall require either for the sword or plow And that I may add also this one thing a Nation most devoted to the Kings of England and faithful to the English and which in the time of Giraldus understood Soothsaying or the inspection of the Entrails of beasts even to admiration Moreover the Flemings-way which was a work of theirs as they are a Nation exceeding industrious is seen here extended through a long tract of ground The Welsh endeavouring to regain their old country have often set upon these Flemings with all their power and have ravag'd and spoil d their borders but they always with a ready courage defended their lives their fortunes and reputation a Whence William of Malmesbury writes thus of them and of William Rufus William Rufus had generally but ill fortune against the Welsh which one may well wonder at seeing all his attempts elsewhere prov'd successful But I am of opinion that as the unevenness of their country and severity of the weather favour'd their rebellion so it hinder'd his progress But King Henry that now reigns a man of excellent wisdom found out an art to frustrate all their inventions by planting Flemings in their country to curb and continually harass them And again in the fifth book King Henry often endeavour'd to reduce the Welsh who were always prone to rebellion at last very advisedly in order to abate their pride he transplanted thither all the Flemings that liv'd in England For at that time there were many of them come over on account of their relation to his mother by her father's side insomuch that they were burdensome to the Kingdom wherefore he thrust them all into Ros a Province of Wales as into a common shore as well to rid the Kingdom of them as to curb the obstinacy of his enemies On the more westerly of these two rivers call'd Cledheu in a very uneven situation lies Haverford Haverford-west call'd by the Britains Hwlfordh a town of good account as well for it s neatness as number of inhabitants 3 Situate upon an hill side having sâ—arce one even street but is steep one way or other This is a County of it self and is govern'd by a Mayor a Sheriff and two Bayliffs It is reported th t the Earls of Clare fortify'd it on the noâ—th-side with walls and a rampire and we have it râ—corded that Richard Earl of Clare made Richard Fitz-Tankred Governour of this castle Beyond Ros we have a spacious Promontory extended far into the Irish sea call'd by Ptolemy Octopitarum Octopitarum by the Britains Pebidiog and Kantrev Dewi and in English St. David's Land St. David'-land A Land saith Giraldus both rocky and barren neither clad with trees nor distinguish'd with rivers nor adorn'd with meadows but expos'd continually to the winds and storms however the retiring place and nursery of several Saints For Calphurnius a British Priest as some have written I know not how truly begat here in the vale of Rhôs St. Patrick St. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland on his wife Concha sister of St. Martin of Tours And Dewi a most Religious Bishop translated the Archiepiscopal seat from Kaer-Leion to the utmost corner of this place viz. Menew b or Menevia which from him was afterwards call'd by the Britains Ty Dewi i.e. David's House by the Saxons Dauyd-Mynster and by our modern English St. David's St. David's For a long time it had its Archbishops but the plague raging very much in this Country the Pall was translated to Dôll in Little Britain which was the end of this Archiepiscopal dignity Notwithstanding which in the later ages the Britains commenc'd an Action on that account against the Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitan of England and Wales but were cast What kind of place this St. David's was heretofore is hard to guess seeing it has been so often sack'd by Pirates at present it is a very mean city and shews only a fair Church consecrated to St. Andrew and St. David Which having been often demolish'd was built in that form we now see it in the reign of King John by Peter then Bishop thereof and his successors in the Vale as they call it of Rhôs under the town Not far from it is the Bishop's palace and very fair houses of the Chanter who is chief next the Bishop for here is no Dean the Chancellour the Treasurer and four Archdeacons who are of the Canons whereof there are 4 Twenty two twenty one all inclosed with a strong and stately wall 5 Whereupon they call it The Close This Promontory is so far extended westward that in a clear day we may see Ireland and from hence is the shortest passage into it which Pliny erroneously computed to be thirty miles distant from the Country of the Silures for he thought their country had extended thus far But we may gather from these words of Giraldus that this Cape was once extended farther into the sea and that the form of the Promontory has been alter'd At such time as Henry 2. saith he was in Ireland Truâ—iâ—â—â— Stâ—nâ—â— trees 〈◊〉 sea by reason of an extraordinary violence of storms the sandy shores of this coast were laid bare and that face of the land appear'd which had been cover'd for many ages Also the Trunks of trees which had been cut down standing in the midst of the sea with the strokes of the axe as fresh as if they had been yesterday with very black earth and several old blocks like Ebony So that now it did not appear like the sea-shore but rather resembl'd a grove by a miraculous Metamorphosis perhaps ever since the time of the Deluge or else long after at leastwise very anciently as well cut down as consumed and swallowed up by degrees by the violence of the sea continually encroaching upon and washing off the land c And that saying of William Rufus shews that the lands were not here disjoyn'd by any great sea who when he beheld Ireland from these rocks said He could easily make a bridge of ships whereby he might walk from England into that Kingdom There are excellent and noble Falcons Falcons that breed in these rocks which our King Henry 2. as the same Giraldus informs us was wont to prefer to all others For unless I am deceiv'd by some of that neighbourhood they are of that
Welsh Kaer Gwrle into this King Edward 1. retired when the Welsh had surpriz'd his Army near which there are milstones Milstones hewn out of a rock and likewise Mold call'd in British Y Wydhgrig the castle formerly of the Barons of Monthault e both which shew many tokens of antiquity Near Hope whilst I was drawing up these notes a certain Gardener digging somewhat deep discover'd a very ancient work concerning which several have made various conjectures but whoever consults M. Vitruvius Pollio will find it no other than the beginning of a Hypocaust of the Romans who growing luxurious as their wealth increas'd used Baths Baths very much It was five ells long four broad and about half an ell in height encompass'd with walls hewn out of the live-rock The floor was of brick set in mortar the roof was supported with brick pillars and consisted of polish'd tiles which at several places were perforated on these were laid certain brick tubes which carried off the force of the heat and thus as the Poet saith Volvebant hypocausta vaporem Now who can suppose but that they were such Hypocausts which Giraldus so much admired at Kaer Lheion in Monmouthshire when he writ thus of the Roman works there And which seems more particularly remarkable you may see there several stoves contriv'd with admirable skill breathing heat insensibly through small pipes c. Whose work this was appears by this Inscription on some tiles there LEGIO XX. for the twentieth Legion which was stiled Victrix as we have shewn already lay in garrison at Chester scarce six miles hence Near unto this river Alen in a narrow place beset with woods lies Coleshull Câ—â—eshull call'd by Giraldus Collis Carbonarius or a Cole-hill Where when King Henr. 2. had made all diligent preparation to give battel to the Welsh the English by reason of their disorder'd multitude were defeated and the King's standard was forsaken by Henry of Essex who by right of inheritance was standard-bearer to the Kings of England Whereupon being charged with treason and overcome by his adversary in a duel and his estate forfeited to the crown he was so much ashamed of his cowardise that he put on a hood and retir'd into a Monastery There is another small part of this County on this side Dee in a manner wholly divided from the rest call'd English Maelor English Maelor whereof we have taken notice in Cheshire when we gave some account of Bangor f and therefore need not repeat here what we have written already Nor remains there any thing to be mention'd except Han-mere Han-mere seated by a lake or mear whence that ancient and honourable family that dwells there took the name of Hanmer The Earls of Chester Earls of Chester by light skirmishes with the Welsh as occasion and opportunity offer'd were the first Normans that subdued this County Whence in ancient records we read That the County of Flint appertaineth to the dignity of the sword of Chester and the eldest sons of the Kings of England were formerly stiled Earls of Chester and Flint But when it was added to the Crown King Edward 1. Policy of Edw. 1. supposing it very advantageous as well to maintain his own as to bridle the Welsh kept this and all the maritim parts of Wales in his own hands and distributed the inland countreys to his Nobles as he thought convenient imitating herein the policy of Augustus Caesar who himself undertook the charge of the outward and most potent Provinces permitting the rest to the government of Proconsuls by lot And this he did with a shew of defending his Empire but in reality that he might keep the Armies under his own command This County hath only 28 Parishes ADDITIONS to FLINTSHIRE a WHether the ancient Varis was seated at the same place we call Bod Farri I shall not dispute but the name of Moel y Gaer which our Author interprets the City-hill seems but a slender confirmation of it For we cannot doubt but that place receiv'd it's name from the fortification or entrenchments that are yet to be seen there the word Kaer as we have already hinted signifying strictly only a Wall Fortress or Enclosure which being prefix'd to the names of Roman towns because fortified has occasion'd several to suppose the genuine signification of it to be a Town or City We have divers camps on our mountains call'd Kaereu where we have not the least grounds to suspect that ever any Cities were founded and in some places I have observ'd the Churchyard-wall to be call'd Kaer y Vynwent nor does it seem improbable that this Kaer was deriv'd originally from Kai which signifies to shut up or enclose This fortification is exactly round and about 160 paces over we may frame an idea of it by supposing a round hill with the top cut off and so made level All round it the earth is rais'd in manner of a Parapet and almost opposite to the Avenue there is a kind of Tumulus or artificial Mount At this Moel y Gaer Howel Gwynedh 〈◊〉 MS. Oâ—â—r◠〈…〉 ap 〈◊〉 who sided with Owen Glyndwr against King Henry 4. was beheaded He was one who for a long time annoy'd the English of his neighbourhood but being taken at length by his enemies of the town of Flint and beheaded at this place his estate was disposed of to one Saxton Before him one Owen ap Aldud had also opposed the English in these borders who by force of arms kept all Tegaingl under his subjection for about three years until such time as he had obtain'd full pardon I can add nothing in confirmation of our Author's conjecture that the word Varia signified anciently a Passage nor can I perceive on what grounds he first suspected it unless he supposed the Romans might coyn it out of the British Fordh which signifies a way but it seems a little too hard the letter d should be wholly omitted for in such British names as they latiniz'd we find they generally either retain'd the consonants or changed them for letters of the same organ However though I cannot acquiesce in this Etymology of Varis yet I dare not assign any other as not knowing any British word that comes near it except Gwair for 't is a rule confirm'd by at least forty examples that where the Romans use the letter v. the Britains have gw which having no other signification than Hay makes little to our purpose b At Rhudhlan though it be now a mean village we find the manifest signs of a considerable town as of the Abbey and Hospital and of a gate at least half a mile from the village One of the towers in the Castle is call'd Tŵr y Brenin i.e. King's tower and below the hill upon the bank of the river we find another apart from the Castle call'd Tŵr Silod Offa King of Mercia and M'redyth King of Dyved died in the battel fought at Rhudhlan in the year 794.
thought it prudence to engage them with so great an honour when it seem'd most convenient Mary Elizabeth and Edward the children of Henry the eighth although they receiv'd not the Investiture and Patent were yet successively stil'd Princes of Wales For at that time Wales was by Act of Parliament so united and incorporated with England 26 Heâ— that they enjoy'd the same Laws and Privileges 4 Or that you may read it abridg'd out of the Act of Parliament The Kings Country or Dominion of Wales shall stand and continue for ever incorporated united and annex'd to and with the Realm of England and all and singular person and persons born and to be born in the said Principality Country or Dominion of Wales shall have enjoy and inherit all and singular Freedoms Liberties Rights Privileges and Laws within this Realm and other the King's Dominions as other the King's Subjects naturally born within the same have enjoy and inherit and the Laws Ordinances and Statutes of the Realm of England for ever and none other shall be had used practised and executed in the said Country or Dominion of Wales and every part thereof in like manner form and order as they be and shall be in this Realm and in such like manner and form as hereafter shall be fâ—rther establish'd and ordain'd This Act and the calm Command of King Henry 7. preparing way for it effected that in a short time which the violent power of other King's arms and especially of Henry the fourth with extream rigour also of laws could not draw on in many years For ever since the British Nation hath continued as faithful and dutiful in their loyal allegiance to the Crown of England as any other part of the Reâ—lm But now let us return out of Wales into England and proceed to the Country of the Brigantes An INDEX of the Curiosities represented in the TABLE Fig. 1. 2. THE carv'd pillar or monument call'd Maen y Chwyvan in Flintshire Fig. 3. 4. The pillars describ'd in the Hall at Kaer-phyli Castle in Glamorganshire Fig. 5. The Alabaster Statue found near Porth Shini Krân in Monmouthshire Fig. 6. Maen y Morynnion at Gaer near Brecknock Fig. 7. The chequer'd Pavement discover'd Anno 1692. at Kaer Lheion in Monmouthshire Fig. 8. A hollow Brick out of a Roman Hypocaust at KaerhÅ·n in Caernarvonshire Fig. 9. The Phiala or Bowl describ'd at Kaer Lheion in Monmouthshire Fig. 10. One of the leaden Boxes mention'd at Lhan Boydy in Caermardhinshire Fig. 11. 12. The same open'd Fig. 13. A brass-axe found at Moel yr Henhlys in the Parish of Deròwen in Montgomeryshire Fig. 14. Part of one of the brass Daggers if we may so call them found at Karreg Dhiwin in Meirionydhshire with the nails that fasten'd it to the handle Fig. 15. The point of such a Dagger found at the same place Fig. 16. 17. The Roman Fibula describ'd at Kaer Lheion in Monmouthshire Fig. 18. A brass Amulet dug out of a Well somewhere in Denbighshire The other side differ'd not from that which is engraven Fig. 19. A cake of Copper describ'd at Kaer RhÅ·n in Caernarvonshire Fig. 20. A gold Medal of Julius Constantius found at Trevarthin in Anglesey Fig. 21. A British gold coyn such as they used before the Roman Conquest found at Penbryn Parish in Cardiganshire Fig. 22. 23. 24. Other British coyns of gold kept in the Ashmolean Repository at Oxford Fig. 25. 26. The Coyns describ'd at Kaer-Phyli Castle in Glamorganshire Fig. 27. 28. 29. Mock Plants out of a Cole-pit near Neath in Glamorganshire See a description of them in Flintshire On the left-hand of the Table a. An Adder-bead or Glain Neidr of green glass found at Abèr-Fraw in Anglesey b. Another of earth enamell'd with blue found near Dôl Gèlheu in Meirionydhshire c. A third of glass undulated with white red and blue found near Maes y Pandy in the same County d. Represents one end of the same Of these Adder-beads which are supposed to have been Druid-Amulets some account is given in Denbighshire Annot. on Kerig y Drudion Page 697 More rare Plants growing in Wales Acetola Cambro-britannica montana Park rotundifolia repens Eboracensis foliis in medio â—eliquium patientibus Moris hist Mounâ—ain round â—aved Sorrels of Wales On moist high rocks and by rivulâ—â—s about Snowdon in Caernarvonshire almost every where as also by rivulets among the broken rocks of Caderâ—idris is above a certain lake called Llin y cau Argemone lutea Cambro-britannica Park Papaver luteum perenne laciniato folio Cambro britannicum Yellow wild bastard Poppy About a mile from a small village called Abbar and in the midway from Denbigh to Guidar also near a wooden bridge over the river Dee near to a village called Bala also going up the hill that leads to Bangor near to Anglesey Park p. 270. But more certainly to be found on Clogwyn y Garnedh yscolion duon Trigvylche as you ascend the Glydâ—r from Lhanberies and several other places about Snowdon most commonly by rivulets or on moist rocks also beyond Pontvawr very near the bridge among the stones Mr. Lhwyd Alsine myosotis lanuginosa Alpina grandiflora seu Auricula muris villosa flore amplo membranaceo An Caryophyllus holosteus Alpinus angustifolius C. B. prod Hairy mountain Mouse-ear Chickweed with a large flower On the rock called Clogwyn y Garnedh the highest of all Wales near Lhanberys in Caernarvonshire plentifully Adiantum nigrum pinnulis Cicuturiae divisurâ An Ad album tenuifolium Rutae murariae aecedens J. B. Fine-leaved white Mayden-hair divided like bastard Hemlock On Snowdon hill Bistorta minima Alpina foliis imis subrotundis minutissimè ferratis D. Lhwyd Alpina pumila varia Park pumila foliis variis rotundis longis Moris The leaâ—â— mountain Bisbort with round and long leaves In the steep pastures of 〈◊〉 high rock called Grîb Gôch above the lake or pool called Phynon brech near Llanberys Whether this be specifically different from the Westmorland Bistorta minor I leave to others upon comparing the plants to determine Bugula caerulea Alpina Park Consolida media caerulea Alpina C. B. Mountain Bugle or Sicklewort Found oâ— Carnedh Lhewellin in Caernarvonshire by Dr. Johnson Caryophyllata montana purpurea Ger. emac. montana seu palustris purpurea Park aquatica nutante fâ—ore C. B. aquatica flore rubro striato J. B. Purple Mountain-Avens or Water-Avens On Snowdon and other mountains Cirsium Britannicum Glusii repens J. B. aliud Anglicum Park singulari capitulo magno vel incanum alterum C. B. The great English soft or gentle Thistle or â—elancholy Thistle As you ascend the Glyder from Lhanberys and in many other mountainous pastures about Snowdon Cirsium montanum humile Cynoglossi folio polyâ—uthemum An Carduus mollis Helenii folio Park On Clogwyn y Garnedh and most other high rocks in Caerâ—â—â—vonshire about Snowdon Cirsium montanum polyanthemum Salicis folio angusto denticulato By a rivulet
original Charter it self still extant in the Cottonian Library and publisht by Sir Roger Twisden at the end of the Hist Eccles Sim Dunelm abundantly testifie 684 gave with the ground three miles round it to S. Cuthbert by whom it came to the Church of Durham Scarce four miles from hence Sherry-hutton Sherry-hutton a very neat Castle built by 9 Sir Bertrand Bulmer Bertrand de Bulmer and repair'd by Ralph Nevill first Earl of Westmorland is pleasantly seated among the woods near which is †This Castle was a great part of it lately burnt down Hinderskell Hinderskel a Castle built by the Barons of Greystock which others call ‖ Centum fontes Hunderd-skell from the many fountains that spring there Behind the hills to the Westward where the Country falls again into a level and the fields are more fruitful North Alvertonshire lyes Alvertonshire commonly North-Allerton a small territory water'd by the little river Wiske It takes its name from the town of Northalverton formerly Ealfertun which is nothing but a long street yet the most throng Beast-fair upon St. Bartholomew's day that ever I saw King William Rufus gave this place with the fields about it to the Church of Durham to the Bishops whereof it is much obliged For William Comin who forcibly possess'd himself of the See of Durham built the Castle there and gave it to his nephew which is almost decay'd The Bishops likewise his Successors endow'd it with some privileges For in the Book of Durham Cap. 1â— we find that Hugh de Puteaco Bishop of Durham fortified the Town having obtain'd this favour of the King that of all those unlawful Castles which by his order were then destroy'd up and down throughout England this alone should still be permitted to remain entire which notwithstanding the King afterwards commanded to be rased 113â— and laid even with the ground The Bâ— of Staâ—â—ard Near this was fought the battel commonly call d c One part of the History written by Richard Prior of Hexham bears the title De Bello Standardi Pits de Script Angl. p. 259. The Standard wherein David King of Scotland who by his unheaâ—d of cruelty had made this Country a mere desert Hovedâ— was put to flight with such slaughter of his men that the English themselves thought their revenge then at last sufficiently completed For what Ralph the Bishop said in his Exhortation to the English befoâ—e the fight was fully effected A multitude without discipline is a hindrance to it self either to hurt when they conquer or to escape when they are conquer'd This was call'd the Battel of Standard because the English being rang'd into a body about their Standard there receiv'd and bore the onset of the Scots and at last routed them Now this Standard as I have seen it dâ—awn in old books was a huge Chariot upon wheels with a * Maâ—â— mast of great height fix'd in it on the top whereof was a cross and under that hung a banner This was a signal only us'd in the greatest Expeditions and was lookt upon as the sacred Altar being indeed the very same with the Carrocium Carrocâ—â—â— among the Italians which was never to be used but when the very Empire it self lay at stake There is farther remarkable in this division Thresk Thresk commonly Thrusk which had formerly a very strong Castle where Roger de Mowbray began his rebellion and call d in the King of Scots to the destruction of his Country King Henry the second having very unadvisedly digg'd his own grave by taking his son into an equal share of the Government and Royalty But this Sedition was at last as it were quencht with blood and the Castle utterly demolisht so that I could see nothing of it there besides the rampire Another flame of Rebellion likewise broke out here in King Henry the seventh's reign For the lawless Rabble repining most grievously at that time that a small subsidy was laid on them by the Parliament drove away the Collectors of it and forthwith as such madness upon the least success spurs on without end or aim fell here upon Henry Percie Earl of Northumberland who was Lieutenant of this County Earl of Northâ—â—berland slain by 〈◊〉 Rebels and kill'd him then under the conduct of John Egremond their Leader took up Arms against their King and Country Yet it was not long before they were brought to such heavy punishments as were due to them Here hard by stands Soureby and Brakenbak belonging to the truly ancient and famous family of Lascelles Lascellâ—â— and more to the Southward Sezay formerly the estate of the Darells after that of the Dawnies who flourish'd long under the title of Knights The first and only Earl of Yorkshire after William Mallet and one or two Estotevills Earls 〈◊〉 Dukes oâ— York both of Norman extraction whom some would have to have been hereditary Viscounts here was Otho son of Henry Leon Duke of Bavaria and Saxony An. 1 R Hovedâ— by Maud the daughter of Henry the second King of England who was afterwards greeted Emperour by the name of Otho the fourth From whose brother William another son by Maud the Dukes of Brunswick Dukes oâ— Brunsâ—â—â—â— and Lunenburgh in Germany are descended who as an instance of this relation of theirs to the Kings of England us'd the same Arms with the first Kings of England that were of Norman descent namely two Leopards or Lions Or in a Shield Gules Long after this King Richard the second made Edmund of Langley fifth son to King Edward the third Duke of York who by one of the daughters of Peter King of Castile and Leon had two sons Edward the eldest in the life time of his father was first Earl of Cambridge after that Duke of Albemarle and last of all Duke of York who without issue lost his life valiantly in the battel of Agincourt in France Richard the second son was Earl of Cambridge he married Ann sister of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March whose grandmother likewise was the only daughter and heir of Leonel Duke of Clarence and attempting to set the Crown upon the head of his wife's brother Edmund was presently found out and beheaded as if he had been hired by the French to destroy King Henry the fifth Richard his son in the sixteenth year after by the great but unwary generosity of Henry the sixth â— 10 H. was fully restored as son of Richard the brother of Edward Duke of York and Cousin German to Edmund Earl of March. And now being Duke of York Earl of March and Ulster Lord of Wigmore Clare Trim and Conaght he grew to that pitch of boldness that whereas formerly he had sought the Kingdom privately by ill practices complaining of male-administration dispersing seditious rumours and libels entring into secret combinations by raising broils next to wars against the Government at last he claims it publickly
as his right in Parliament against Henry the sixth Rolls â— 6. as being son of Ann Mortimer sister and heir to Edmund Earl of March descended in a right line from Philippa the daughter and sole heir of Leonel Duke of Clarence third son of King Edward the third and therefore in all justice to be preferred in the succession to the Crown before the children of John of Gaunt the fourth son of the said Edward the third When it was answer'd him That the Barons of the Kingdom and the Duke himself had sworn Allegiance to the King that the Kingdom by Act of Parliament was conferr'd and entail'd upon Henry the fourth and his heirs that the Duke deriving his title from the Duke of Clarence never took the Arms of the said Duke and that Henry the fourth was possess'd of the Crown by the right he had from Henry the third All this he easily evaded by replying that the said Oath sworn to the King being barely a human Constitution was not binding because it was inconsistent with truth and justice which are of Divine appointment That there had been no need of an Act of Parliament to settle the Kingdom in the line of Lancaster neither would they have desired it if they could have rely'd upon any just title and as for the Arms of the Duke of Clarence which in right belonged to him he had in prudence declin'd the using them as he had done challenging the Kingdom till that moment and that the title derived from Henry the third was a ridiculous pretext to cloak the injustice and exploded by every body Tho' these things pleaded in favour of the Duke of York shew'd his title to be clear and evident yet by a wise foresight to prevent the dangers that might ensue upon it the matter was so adjusted That Henry the sixth should possess and enjoy the Kingdom for life and that Richard Duke of York should be appointed his heir and successor in the Kingdom 10 He and his heirs to succeed after him with this proviso that neither of them should contrive any thing to the prejudice of the other However this heady Duke was quickly so far transported with ambition that by endeavouring to anticipate his hopes he raised that pernicious war between the Houses of York and Lancaster Wars between the House of York and Lancaster or between the Red-rose and the white distinguish'd by the white and the red Roses Which in a short time prov'd fatal to himself at Wakefield King Henry the sixth was four times taken prisoner and at last deprived of his Kingdom and his Life Edward Earl of March son of Richard then obtain'd the Crown and tho' he was deposed yet he recover'd it thus Fortune inconstant and freakish made her sport with the rise and fall of Princes many of the Blood-royal and of the greatest of the Nobility being cut off those hereditary and rich Provinces of the Kings of England in France being lost Ireland neglected and relapsed to their old wildness the wealth of the Nation wasted and the harass'd people oppress'd with all sorts of misery Edward being now settled in his Throne the fourth King of that name bestow'd the title of Duke of York upon Richard his second son who with the King his brother was destroy'd very young by that Tyrant Richard their Uncle Next Henry the seventh conferr'd it upon his younger son who was afterwards by the name of Henry the eighth crown'd King of England And now very lately King James invested his second son Charles whom he had before in Scotland made Duke of Albany Marquis of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron Ardmanoch 11 A little child not full four years of age tho' but a child Duke of York by girding him with a Sword to use the words of the form putting a Cap and Coronet of Gold upon his head and by delivering him a Verge of Gold after he had the day before according to the usual manner created both him and eleven others of noble families Knights of the Bath There are in this County 459 Parishes with very many Chapels under them which for number of Inhabitants are comparable to great Parishes RICHMONDSHIRE THE rest of this County which lyes towards the North-west and is of large extent is call'd Richmondshire or Richmountshire The name is taken from a Castle built by Alan Earl of Bretagne in Armorica to whom William the Norman Conquerour gave this shire which belong'd to Edwin an English-man by this short Charter I William sirnam'd Bastard King of England do give and grant to you my Nephew Alan Earl of Bretagne and to your heirs for ever all the villages and lands which of late belong'd to Earl Eadwin in Yorkshire with the Knights-fees and other Liberties and Customs as freely and honourably as the same Eadwin held them Dated from our Siege before York With craggy Rocks and vast Mountains this shire lyes almost all high the sides of them here and there yield pretty rank grass the bottoms and valleys are not altogether unfruitful The hills afford great store of Lead Pit-Coal and also Brass Brass Lead and Pit-coal In a Charter of Edward the fourth's there is mention'd a Mineral or Mine of Coper near the very City of Richmond But covetousness which carries men even to Hell has not induced them to sink into these Mountains diverted perhaps by the difficulties of carriage On the tops of these Mountains Stone-cockles as likewise in other places there have sometimes been found stones resembling Sea cokcles and other Water-animals which if they are not the Miracles of Nature I cannot but think with Orosius a Christian Historian tâ—at they are the certain signs of an universal deluge in the times of Noah The Sea as he says being in Noah's time spread over all the earth and a deluge pour'd forth upon it so that this whole world was overfloated and the Sea as heaven surrounded the earth all mankind was destroyed but only those few saved in the ark for their faith to propagate posterity as is evidently taught by the most faithful Writers That this was so they have also been witnesses who knowing neither past times nor the Author of them yet from the signs and import of those stones which we often find on mountains distant from the sea but overspread with cockles and oysters yea oftentimes hollow'd by the water have learn'd it by conjecture and inference k Where this Shire touches upon the County of Lancaster the prospect among the hills is so wild solitary so unsightly and all things so still that the borderers have call'd some brooks that run here Hell becks Hell beâ—ks that is to say Hell or Stygian rivulets especially that at the head of the river Ure which with a bridge over it of one entire stone falls so deep that it strikes a horror upon one to look down to it Here is safe living in this tract for goats deer and stags which
were drowns the lesser and the King of England and Duke of Normandy at that time was the self same person But where am I thus roving After Arthur there succeeded in the Earldom of Richmond Guy Vicount of Thovars second husband of Constantia aforesaid Ranulph the third Earl of Chester third husband to the said Constantia Peter de Dreux descended from the Blood-royal of France who married Alice the only daughter of Constantia by her husband Guy Thovars 7 Then upon dislike of the house of Britain Peter of Savoy c. Peter of Savoy Uncle of Eleanor Consort to King Henry the third who fearing the Nobility and Commons of England that grumbled at that time against foreigners voluntarily renounced this honour John Earl of Britain son of Peter de Dreux John the first Duke of Britain and his son who married Beatrice daughter to Henry the third King of England He had issue Arthur Duke of Britain who according to some Writers was also Earl of Richmond For certain Robert de Arthâ—is wâ— not Earl oâ— Richmâ—â—d as Frâ—â—sardus has â— but of â—â—lomorâ— Lib. Feâ—d Richmâ—â—diae John his younger brother presently after the death of his father enjoy'd this honour who added to the ancient Arms of Dreux with the Canton of Britain the Lions of England in bordure He was ‖ Custoâ— Governour of Scotland under Edward the second where he was kept prisoner three years and at last dy'd without children in the reign of Edward the third and John Duke of Britain his Nephew the son of Arthur succeeded in this Earldom He dying without issue at a time when this Dutchy of Britain was hotly * Between John de Montâ—foâ—â— and Jâ— Clauâ— wife of Charles of Blâ—is contended for 8 Between John Earl of Monfort of the half-blood and Joan his brother's daughter and heir of the whole blood married to Charles of Blâ—ys Edward the 3d to advance his interest in France gave to John Earl of Montford who had sworn fealty to him for the Dutchy of Britain all this Earldom till such time as he should recover his Lands in France he seeming preferable to the daughter of his brother deceas'd 9 To whom the Parliament of France had adjudg'd it both as he was a man as he was nearer ally'd and as he had a better title His lands being at length regain'd by means of the English the same King gave it to John of Gaunt his son who at last restor'd it to the King his father for other Lands in exchange The King forthwith created John Earl of Montford the second Duke of Britain sirnam'd the Valiant to whom he had married his daughter Earl of Richmond that he might oblige him by stronger ties being a warlike man and a bitter enemy to the French Yet by an Act of Parliament in the 14th of King Richard the second he was deprived of this Earldom for adhering to the French against the English However he retain'd the title and left it to his posterity The Earldom it self was given by the King to Joan of Britain his sister widow of Ralph Basset of Draiton After her death first Ralph Nevil Earl of Westmorland by the bounty of Henry the 4th had the Castle and County of Richmond for term of Life and then John Duke of Bedford Afterwards Henry the sixth conferr'd the title of Earl of Richmond upon Edmund de Hadham his brother by the mother's side with this peculiar privilege That he should take place in Parliament next the Dukes To him succeeded Henry his son afterwards King of England by the name of Henry the seventh But whilst he was in exile George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocester had this County bestow'd upon them by King Edward the fourth their brother Last of all Henry natural son to Henry the eight was by his father invested Duke of Richmond Duke of Richmond but in the year of our Lord 1535. he dy'd without issue 10 As for Sir Thomas Grey who was made Baron of Richmond by King Henry the sixth he was not Lord of this Richmond but of a place in Bedfordshire call'd Rugemound and Richmount Greies There are reckon'd in this County 104 great Parishes besides Chapels of Ease ADDITIONS to the North-Riding and Richmondshire a IN the North-riding the first place our Author speaks of is Scarborough â—â—â—â—boâ—â—â—gh which drives a great trade with fish taken in the Sea thereabout wherewith they supply the City of York tho' thirty miles distant Besides Herings which he takes notice of they have Ling Cod-fish Haddock Hake Whiting Makrel with several other sorts in great plenty On the North-east it is fortified with a high and inaccessible rock stretcht out a good way into the Sea and containing at the top about eighteen or twenty acres of good Meadow and not near sixty as Mr. Camden has told us out of Newbrigensis Whether the difference lye in the several measures of Acres or the greater part of it be washt away by the Sea or lastly may have been caus'd through an error of that Historian I shall not dispute since the matter of fact is plain Wittie's â—â—â—ription â—carboâ—â—â—gh â— The Spaw-well is a quick Spring about a quarter of a mile South from the Town at the foot of an exceeding high cliff arising upright out of the Earth like a boyling pot near the level of the Spring-tides with which it is often overflown It is of that sort of Springs which Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the most droughty years are never dry In an hour it affords above 24. gallons of water for the stones through which it flows contain more than 12 gallons and being empty'd every morning will be full within half an hour It 's virtue proceeds from a participation of Vitriol Iron Alum Nitre and Salt to the sight it is very transparent inclining somewhat to a sky-colour it hath a pleasant acid taste from the Vitriol and an inky smell The right honourable Richard Lumley has from this place his title of Earl of Scarborough b Upon the same coast is Whitby â—â—itby not call'd in Saxon Streanes-Heale as our Author has it but Streones HalH as it is in the Saxon Paraphrase of Bede and also the best Latin Copies And therefore Mr. Junius in his Gothick Glossary under the word Alh seems to have hit the true original when he fetches it from the Saxon hael hal or healh call'd by Caedmon alh which as our Northern word Hall still in use signifies any eminent building Hence the Pagan God Woden's Valhol or Valhaul so frequently mention'd in the Edda and other old Cimbrian Writers and Crantzius fetches the name of the City of Upsal from the same original c As for the Serpent-stones â—â—â—pent-â—â—â—â—es Mr. Nicholson who has made large observations upon the Natural Rarities of those parts affirms them to be the same with those the Modern Naturalists call Cornua Ammonis Whether
raised Edmund Crouchback his younger son to whom he had given the estate and honours of Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester of Robert Ferrars Earl of Derby and of John of Monmouth for rebelling against him to the Earldom of Lancaster Eaâ—â—â—â— Lancastâ—â— giving it in these words The Honour Earldom Castle and the Town of Lancaster with the Cow-pastures and Forests of Wiresdale Lownsdale Newcastle under Lime with the Manour Forest and a Castle of Pickering the Manour of Scaleby the Village of Gomecestre and the Rents of the Town of Huntendon c. after he had lost the Kingdom of Sicily with which the Pope by a ring invested him to no purpose and what expos'd the English to the publick scoff and laughter of the world he caus'd pieces of gold to be coyn'd with this Inscription AIMUNDUS REX SICILIAE 〈…〉 having first chous'd and cully'd the credulous King out of much money upon that account The said Edmund his first wife dying without issue who was the daughter and heir of the Earl of Albemarle 10 Of William de Fortibus Earl c. yet by her last Will made him her heir had by his second wife Blanch of Artois of the 〈…〉 Royal Family of France Thomas and Henry and John who dy'd very young Thomas was the second Earl of Lancaster who married Alice the only daughter and heir of Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln she convey'd this and her mother's estate who was of the family of the Long Espee's Earls of Salisbury as likewise her father Henry Lacy had done before with his own Lands in case Alice should dye without issue as indeed it afterwards hapen'd over to the family of Lancaster But this Thomas for his Insolence and disrespect to his Prince Edward the second and for imbroiling the State was at last taken prisoner in the field and beheaded having no issue However his Sentence was afterwards revers'd by Act of Parliament because he was not try'd by his Peers and so his brother Henry succeeded him in his estate and honours He was also enrich'd by his wife Maud daughter and sole heir of Patrick Chaworth and that not only with her own but with great estates in Wales namely of Maurice of London and of Siward from whom she was descended He dying left a son Henry 〈…〉 whom Edward the third rais'd from Earl to a Duke and he was the second of our Nobility that bore the title of Duke But he dy'd without issue-male leaving two daughters Mawd and Blanch between whom the Inheritance was divided Mawd was married to William of Bavaria Earl of Holland Zeland Friseland Hanault and of Leicester too in right of his wife But she dying without issue John of Gaunt so call'd because he was born at Gaunt in Flanders fourth son of Edward the third by marriage with Blanch the other daughter of Henry came to the whole estate And now being equal to many Kings in wealth and created Duke of Lancaster by his father he also obtain'd the Royalties of him The King too advanc'd the County of Lancaster into a Palatinate by this Rescript wherein after he has declar'd the great service he had done his Country both at home and abroad he adds We have granted for us and our heirs to our son aforesaid that he during the term of life shall have within the County of Lancaster his Chancery and his Writs to be issued out under his own Seal belonging to the Office of Chancellor his Justices likewise as well for Pleas of the Crown as for other Pleas relating to Common Law to have cognisance of them and to have power of making all Executions whatsoever by his Writs and Officers And to have all other Liberties and Royalties of what kind soever appertaining to a County Palatine as freely and as fully as the Earl of Chester within the said County is known to have c. Nor was he only Duke of Lancaster but also by marriage with Constantia daughter of Peter King of Castile John of Gaunt K. of Castile for some time bore the title of King of Leon and Castile But by contract he parted with this title and in the 13th of King Richard the second was created by consent of Parliament Duke of Aquitain 11 To have and to hold the same title for term of life of the King of England and Monarch of France but to the general disgust of the inhabitants of the Province of Aquitain who gave it out that their Seigniory was inseparably annext to the Crown of England to the great dissatisfaction of that Country At that time his titles were John son to the King of England Duke of Aquitain and Lancaster Earl of Derby Lincoln and Leicester and high Steward of England After this John Henry de Bullingbroke his son succeeded in the Dutchy of Lancaster 12 Who when he had dispossess'd Richard the second and obtain'd the Kingdom of England he considering that being now King he could not bear the title of Duke of Lancaster and unwilling that the said title should be discontinu'd ordain'd by assent of Parliament that Henry his present son should enjoy the same and be stil'd Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Lancaster and Cornwall and Earl of Chester and also that the Liberties and Franchises of the Dutchy of Lancaster should remain to his said son sever'd from the Crown of England who having deposed Richard the second obtain'd the Crown and conferr'd this honour upon Heny his son K. Henr. 4. afterwards King of England And that he might entail it upon him and his heirs for ever he had an Act of Parliament made in these words We being unwilling that our said inheritance or its liberties by reason of our now assuming the Royal state and dignity should be any ways chang'd transferr'd diminish'd or impair'd but that our said inheritance with its rights and liberties aforesaid should in the same manner and form condition and state wherein they descended and fell to us and also with all and singular liberties franchises and other privileges commodities and profits whatsoever which our Lord and Father in his life time had and held it withal for term of his life by the grant of the late King Richard be wholly and fully preserv'd continu'd and enjoy'd by us and our heirs specified in the said Charters And by the tenure of these presents we do upon our certain knowledge and with the consent of this our present Parliament grant declare decree and ordain for us and our heirs that as well our Dutchy of Lancaster as all and singular Counties Honours Castles Manours Fees Advowsons Possessions Annuities and Seigniories whatsoever descended to us before the Royal Dignity was obtain'd by us how or in what place soever by right of inheritance in possession or in reversion or other way remain to us and our said heirs specified in the Charters abovesaid after the said manner for ever Afterwards King Henry the fifth by Act
of Parliament annex'd a very great estate to this Dutchy which had fall'n to him in right of his mother 13 Dame Mary who was the daughter and coheir of Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford And in this state and condition it remain'd from that time saving that Edward the fourth in the first of his reign when he had attainted Henry the sixth in Parliament for Treason appropriated it as they term it to the Crown that is to say to him and his heirs Kings of England However Henry the seventh soon broke this entail and so at this day it has its particular Officers namely a Chancellor Attorney Receiver Clerk of the Court six Assessors a Messenger two Auditors three and twenty Receivers and three Supervisors There are reckon'd in this Shire besides several Chapels only 36 Parishes but those very populous and such as for number of Parishioners far exceed the greatest Parishes anywhere else ADDITIONS to LANCASHIRE a THo' Lancaster has given the name to this County yet Manchester â—â—â—â—â—eâ—â—er whether one consider Antiquity number of inhabitants or growth seems to be more considerable And yet for all that it is neither a Corporation nor does it send Burgesses to Parliament tho' perhaps of an in-land town it has the best trade of any one in the north of England It is water'd with the rivers Irke and Irwell but there is no such river about it as Spolden upon which the late Historical and Geographical Dictionary has falsly plac'd it as it hath also it's distance from London which is really 147 miles The Fustian-Manufacture call'd Manchester-Cottons still continues there and is of late very much improv'd by some modern inventions of dying and printing and this with the great variety of other manufactures known by the name of Manchester-Wares renders not only the town it self but also the parish about it rich populous and industrious Sixty years ago there were computed near 2 000 Communicants in the town and Parish since which time the inhabitants are much more numerous proportionable to the increase of trade The Collegiate Church which was built in the year 1422. is a very large beautiful and stately edifice and the Quire is particularly remarkable for it's neat and curious carv d work It is likewise beautify'd with three remarkable Foundations a College a Hospital and a Publick School the following account whereof we owe to the worthy Warden of this place The College was first founded A. D. 1421. by Thomas De la Ware at first Rector of the said Parish-Church and brother to the Lord De la Ware whom he succeeded in the estate and honour and then founded a College there consisting of one Master or Keeper eight Fellow-Chaplains four Clerks and six Choristers in honour of St. Mary to whom the said Parish-Church was formerly dedicated St. Dennis of France and St. George of England This foundation was dissolved 1547. in the first year of King Edward 6. the lands and revenues of it taken into the King's hands and by him demised to the Earl of Derby and the College-house and some lands sold to the said Eaâ—l The College was re-founded by Queen Mary who restored most of the lands and revenues only the College it self and some of its revenues remain'd still in the hands of the Earl of Derby It was also founded a-new by Queen Elizabeth A. D. 1578. by the name of Christ's College in Manchester consisting of one Warden four Fellows two Chaplains four Singing-men and four Choristers the number being lessen'd because the revenues were so chieflâ— by the covetousness and false-dealing of Thomas Herle then Warden and his Fellows who sold away or made such long leases of the revenues as could never yet some of them be retrieved It was last of all re-founded by King Charles 1. A. D. 1636 constituting therein one Warden four Fellows two Chaplains four Singing men and four Choiristers and incorporating them by the name of the Warden and Fellows of Christ's College in Manchester the Statutes for the same being drawn up by Archbishop Laud. The Hospital was founded by Humphrey Cheetham Esquire and incorporated by King Charles 2. designed by the said bountiful Benefactor for the maintâ—nance of 40 poor boys out of the Town and Parish of Manchester and some other neighbouring Parishes But since 't is enlarged to the number of 60 by the Governours of the said Hospital to be taken in between the age of 6 and 10 and there maintained with meat drink lodging and cloaths to the age of 14 and then to be bound Apprentices to some honest trade or calling at the charge of the said Hospital For the maintenance of which he endowed the same with the yearly revenue of 420 l. which is since improved by the care and good husbandry of the Feoffees or Governours to the yearly sum of 517 l. 8 s. 4 d. they having laid out in the purchace of lands the sum of 1825 l. which was saved out of the yearly income over and above the maintenance of the poor children and others belonging to the said Hospital wherein there are annually near 70 persons provided for Within the Hospital and by the bounty of the said Founder is also erected a very fair and spacious Library already furnished with a competent stock of choice and valuable books to the number of near 4000 and daily encreasing with the income of 116 l. per an setled upon the same by the said worthy benefactor to buy Books for ever and to afford a competent salary for a Library-keeper Theâ—e is also a large School for the Hospital-boys where they are daily instructed and taught to write and read The Publick School was founded A. D. 1519 by Hugh Oldham D. D. and Bishop of Exeter who bought the Lands on which the School stands and took the Mills there in lease of the Lord De la Ware for 60 years Afterwards with the Bishop's money Hugh Bexwick and Joan his sister purchased of the Lord De la Ware his Lands in Ancoates and the Mills upon lâ—k and left them in Feoffment to the said Free school for ever Which Revenues are of late very much encreas'd by the Feoffees of the School who out of the improvements have as well considerably augmented the Masters salaries as the Exhibitions annually allowed to the maintenance of such scholars at the University as the Warden of the College and the high Master shall think requisite and have besides for some years past added a third Master for whom they have lately erected a new and convenient School at the end of the other Besides these publick Benefactions and Endowments there have been several other considerable sums of money and annual revenues left and bequeathed to the Poor of the said Town who are thereby with the kindness and Charity of the present inhabitants competently provided for without starving at home or being forced to seek relief abroad The Town gives title to an honourable family Henry Mountague being
diffus'd her Charity all over the Country This Castle is washt on the East by the river Eden and on the other sides there are great trenches as if the first builder had intended to draw the water round it But the attempt prov d ineffectual from whence they have an old rhyme hereabouts Let Uter Pendragon do what he he can The river Eden will run where it ran h The Barons of Wharton are still possess'd of Wharton-hall Whaâ—â—-haâ—â— Philip the last Baron mention'd by our Author was succeeded in this Honour by Philip his grandchild son of Sir Thomas his eldest son who dy'd in his father's life time who still enjoys it i Instead of saying with our Author that the Musgraves Musgâ—â—â— were so calld from the towns of that name 't is more probable the towns had their name from the Family For the name of Musgrave is to be reckon'd among those which have been taken from Offices and Civil or Military Honours and is of the like original as Landtgraff Markgraff Burggraff c. among the Germans And indeed this name and Markgraff now turn'd into Marquis are probably the same The signification of both is Dux Limitaneus and anciently Musgrave or Mosgrave was all one as in our later language a Lord Warden of the Marches 'T is therefore no Compliment to this honourable Family to foist the name as some have done into one or two Copies of Battle-Abbey-Roll having enough of true old English honour and not needing to borrow any of its lustre from the Normans Yet even this opinion if it should prevail destroys our Author's that the Family of the Musgraves had their name from these villages k Not far from hence is Brough 〈◊〉 consisting at present of two good villages Upper otherwise Church-Brough where the Church standeth whereof Robert Eglesfield Founder of Queens-College in Oxford was Rector and procur'd the appropriation thereof from King Edward the third to the said College Here also stands the Castle of Brough and a tower call'd Caesar's tower which is probably the Propugnaculum our Author speaks of because the Castle was in his time raz'd to the ground the walls of the Tower only remaining which was lately rebuilt by the Countess of Pembroke before-mention'd Near the bridge there is a Spaw-well lately discover'd by the present Vicar of the place the Reverend Mr. John Harrison The other village is call'd Lower-Brough from its situation and Market-brough from a Market held there every Thursday l The next old town is Apleby Aâ—â—â— which hath several testimonies of its ancient splendour tho' at present it be very much decay'd Henry the first gave them privileges equal to York that City's Charter being granted as 't is said in the fore-noon and this in the afternoon Henry the second granted them another Charter of the like Immunities and Henry the third in whose time there was an Exchequer here call'd Scaccarium de Apleby a third Which were in omnibus sicut Eboracum and confirm'd by the succeeding Kings of England When it was first govern'd by a Mayor does not appear but 't is certain that in the reign of Edward the first they had a Mayor and two Provosts which seem to have been formerly men of principal note i.e. Sheriffs or the same as we now call Bailiffs and sign'd the publick Acts of the Town along with the Mayor * 〈…〉 tho' at present they only attend the body of the Mayor with two Halberds Brompton makes mention of Apleby-schire which should seem to imply that at that time it had Sheriffs of its own as most Citieâ— had though we now call them Bailiffs For in the second year of Edward the first in a confirmation-Charter to Shap-Abbey we find this Subscription Teste Thomâ filio Johannis tunc Vice-Comite de Apelby Unless one should 〈◊〉 that Westmoreland was call'd the County of Apelby or Apelby-schire as indeed Brompton seems to intimate But the Scotch-wars by degrees reduc'd it to a much lower condition †〈…〉 In the 22th of Henry the second it was set on fire by them and again in the 1â—th of Richard the second when of 2200 Burgages by due computation of the Fee-farm-rents there remain'd not above a tenth part as appears by Inquisitions in the Town-chest Since which it never recover'd it self but lay as it were dismember'd and sâ—atter'd one street from another like so many several villages and one could not know but by Records that they belong'd to the same body For which reason it is that Mr. Camden mentions no more than Burgh-gate whereas Bongate Battle-burgh Dungate Scattergate are all of them members of this ancient Town and probably the Burrals also which may be an evidence of its having been wall'd round that word implying Burrow-walls and the rather because at Bath in Somersetshire they call the town walls by the same name of Burrals Concerning the condition and misfortunes of this place take this Inscription placed in the Garden belonging to the School-house amongst many others of Roman antiquity collected by Mr. Bainbrigg of whom our Author makes an honourable mention ABALLABA QVAM C. C. FLVIT ITVNA STATIO FVIT RO. TEM MAVR AVREL. HANC VASTAVIT FF GVIL R. SCOT 1176. HIC PESTISSAEVIT 1598. OPP. DESERT MERCATVS AD GILSHAVGHLIN F. DEVM TIME The CC. in the first line is Circumfluit the F F in the fourth Funditus and the F in the end Fuit So that here we have its situation its Roman Antiquity and the devastations made in it by War and Pestilence together with the remove of the Market to Gilshaughlin four or five miles north-west of the town 'T is said that the present Earl of Thanet whose Ancestors on the mother's side the Viponts and Cliffords have been Lords of this Country and flourish'd at Apelby for above 480. years designs to set up and encourage the Cloath-working-trade in this town m The endowment made to the School by the two persons mention'd in our Author was far short of what has been added since by some modern Benefactors the chief whereof was Dr. Thomas Smith the present Bishop of Carlisle who particularly along with Mr. Rand. Sanderson erected a new dwelling house for the use of the School-master 〈◊〉 castle n From Apleby the river carries us to Buley-Castle which is now set in farm to the Musgraves but was no doubt formerly a seat of the Bishops of Carlisle as our Author observes For it is said to have been erected at several times by two or three Bishops and there is still in being an account of several Ordinations held there 〈…〉 Next Eden runs to Crakenthorp hall a pleasant seat the East-side of it where the chief branch of the Machels a family of good note in this Country ‖ Gâ—illanâ—s Heraldry have always resided from the Conquest downwards to this very day nor do any Records afford an account how much longer they have flourish'd here The present Lord of the
this day call it Bulness â—ess and tho' it is but a very small village yet has it a Fort â—imenâ— and as a testimony of its antiquity besides the tracks of streets and pieces of old walls it has a harbour now choakt up and they tell you that there was a pav'd Cawsey ran all along the shore from hence as far as Elenborrow h A mile beyond this as appears by the Foundations at low water begins the Picts-wall that famous work of the Romans formerly the bound of the Province and built to keep out the Barbarians who in those parts were as one expresses it continually * Circumlatraverunt barking and snarling at the Roman Empire I was amaz'd at first why they should be so careful to fortifie this place when 't is fenc'd by a vast arm of the Sea that comes up some eight miles but now I understand how at low-water 't is so shallow that the Robbers and Plunderers made nothing of fording it That the figure of the Coast hereabouts has been alter'd appears plainly from roots of Trees cover'd over with Sand at a good distance from the shore which are commonly discover'd when the Tide is driven back by the violence of Winds I know not whether it be worth the while to observe what the Inhabitants tell you of Subterraneous Trees without boughs Trees under ground they very commonly dig up discovering them by the Dew 10 In Summer which never lyes upon the ground that covers them Upon the same Friths a little more inward is Drumbough-Castle of late times the possession of the Lords of Dacre but formerly a Station of the Romans Some will have it the Castra Exploratorum but the distances will by no means allow it There was also another Roman Station which by a change of the name is at present call'd e To distinguish it from Burgh under Stane-more in Westmoreland Burgh upon Sands Burgh upon Sands 1307. from whence the neighbouring tract is call'd the Barony of Burgh This by Meschines Lord of Cumberland was bestow'd upon Robert de Trivers from whom it came to the * The Morvils call'd de Burgh super Sabulones Lib. Inq. Morvills the last of whom Hugh left a daughter who by her second husband Thomas de Molton had Thomas Molton Lord of this place and father of that Thomas who by marriage with the heir of Hubert de †Vaulx Vallibus joyn'd Gillesland to his other possessions all which were carry'd by Mawd Molton to Ranulph de Dacre But this little Town is noted for nothing more than the untimely death of King Edward the first Edw. 1. after he had triumph'd over his enemies round about him He was a Prince exceeding famous in whose valiant breast God as it were pitcht his Tent and as by courage and wisdom so also by a gracefulness and stateliness of body rais'd him to the very highest pitch of Majesty Providence exercis'd his youth with constant wars and difficulties of State to fit him for the Government which after he came to it he so manag'd by conquering the Welsh and subduing the Scots that he deserves the Character of one of the greatest Ornaments of Britain i The Inhabitants say that under this Burgh in the very aestuary there was a Sea-fight between the Scotch and English and that ‖ Reverso aestu when the Tide was out it was manag'd by the Horse which seems no less strange than what Pliny relates not without great admiration of such another place in Caramania This aestuary is call'd by both Nations Solway-Frith Solway-Frith from Solway a Town of the Scots that stands upon it But Ptolemy names it more properly Ituna for the Eiden a very considerable river Ituna Eiden river which winds along Westmoreland and the inner parts of this County falls into it with a vast body of waters Hist Mailros still remembring what rubs and stops the carcasses of the Scots gave it in the year 1216. after it had dâ—own'd them with their loads of English spoils and swallow'd up that plundering Crew The Ituna or Eiden assoon as it enters this County receives from the west the river Eimot flowing out of the Lake call'd Ulse or Ulse-water which I mention'd before Near its bank upon the little river Dacor is f Here is a Castle standing which formerly has been a magnificent building and a seat of the family but there are no remains of a Monastery nor does it appear by any Records to have been standing since the Conquest Dacre-Castle Dacre noted in latter ages for giving name to the family of the Barons de Dacre â—arons Dacre and mention'd by Bede for having a Monastery in his time as also by Malmesbury for being the place where Constantine King of the Scots and Eugenius King of Cumberland put themselves and their Kingdoms under the protection of King Athelstan k Somewhat higher at a little distance from the confluence of Eimot and Loder at which is the round trench call'd King Arthur's Table stands Penrith which implies in British a red hill or head for the ground hereabouts and the stone of which it is built are both reddish 'T is commonly call'd Perith Perith. and is a noted little market town fortify'd on the west-side with a Royal Castle which in the reign of Henry 6. g It is now in ruins and was never repair'd out of the ruins of Maburg nor was that ever a Roman Fort but a Danish Temple This is very obvious to a curious eye and will be shewn at large in Mr. Nicolson's History of the Kingdom of Northumberland Part 6. was repair'd out of the ruins of Maburg a Roman Fort hard by It is adorn'd with a pretty handsome Church l has a large Market-place with a Town-house of wood for the convenience of the Market-people which is beautify'd with Bearâ— climbing up a ragged staff the Device of the Earls of Warwick Formerly it belong'd to the Bishops of Durham but when Anthony Becc Bishop of this See was grown haughty and insolent by his great wealth Edward the first as we read in the book of Durham took from him Werk in Tividale Perith and the Church of Simondburne For the benefit of the Town W. Strickland Bishop of Carlisle descended from a famous family in those parts did at his own proper charges draw a Chanel or water-course from h This is a Rill falling from the Peat-Mosses in the Fells about Graystock from whence it has its name Peterill or the Little-river Petre. Upon the bank of this lay Plompton-park very large Call'd oâ—â—â— Haâ—a de Plompten and formerly set apart by the Kings of England for the keeping of Deer but by King Henry 8. with greater prudence planted with houses being almost in the frontiers between England and Scotland m Near this I saw several remains of a demolish'd City which for its nearness to Perith they call Old Perith
King of England who also bestow'd Clavering in Essex upon his son Whereupon at the command of King Edward the first they took the sirname of Clavering Clavering leaving the old fashion of framing sirnames out of the Christian name of their Father for so anciently according to the several names of their Fathers men were call'd Robert * The Son Fitz-Roger Roger Fitz-John c. Part of this Inheritance fell by Fine and Covenant to the Nevils afterwards Earl of Westmoreland and another share of it to a daughter call'd Eve married to Th. Ufford from whose Posterity it afterwards descended hereditarily upon the Fienes Barons of Dacre But from the younger sons branch'd out the Barons of Evers the Evers of Axholme the Claverings of Calaly in this County and others In the Neighbourhood is Morwic Morwick which may also boast of its Lords whose Male-issue was extinct about the year 1258. The Inheritance was convey'd by daughters to the Lumleys Seymours Bulmers and Roscells Then the shore receives the river Alaunus Alaunus which having not yet lost the name whereby 't was known to Ptolemy is still briefly call'd Alne Alne On its banks are Twifford or Double-Ford where a Synod was held under King Egfrid w and z This is still the seat of the same Family William Collingwood Esquire the chief of his name being its present proprietor Eslington the seat of the Collingwoods men of renown in the wars as also Alan-wick Alnewick call'd by the Saxons Ealn-Æ¿ic and now usually Anwick a Town famous for the victory obtain'd by the English wherein our brave Ancestors took William King of Scots and presented him a Prisoner to Henry the second 'T is defended with a goodly Castle which Malcolm the third King of Scotland had so straitned by siege that it was upon the very point of surrender when presently he was slain by a Souldier who stabb'd him with a Spear on the point whereof he pretended to deliver him the Keys of the Castle His son Edward rashly charging upon the Enemy to revenge his father's death was also mortally wounded and dy'd soon after This was formerly a Barony of the Vescies for Henry the second gave it to Eustachius Fitz-John Testa Naviâ—i father of William Vescie in Tenure of twelve Knights Services John Vescie returning from the Holy War first brought Carmelites Carmeâ—â—â—â— into England and built a Covent for them here at Holme a solitary place and not unlike to Mount Carmel in Syria x William the last of the Vescies Hist Dâ—nesm made Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham Trustee of this Castle and the Demesn-lands belonging to it for the use of his natural son the only Child he left behind him But the Bishop basely betraying his trust alienated the Inheritance felling it for ready money to William Percie since whose time it has always been in the possession of the Percies From hence the shore after a great many Indentures passes by y Dunstaburge Dunstaburg a Castle belonging to the Dutchy of Lancaster which some have a Polyd. Virg. lib. 4. p. 80. mistaken for Bebban which stands further North and instead of Bebbanburg is now call'd Bamborrow Bamborâ—â—â— Our Country-man Bede speaking of this Castle 's being besieg'd and burn'd by Penda the Mercian says it had this name from Queen z Bebba Bebba but Florilegus or Matthew of Westminster tells us 't was built by Ida the first King of Northumberland who first fenc'd it with a wooden Empailure and afterwards with a Wall Take Roger Hoveden's description of it Bebba says he is a very strong City not exceeding large as containing about two or three acres of ground It has one hollow entrance into it which is admirably rais'd by steps On the top of a hill stands a fair Church and on the Western point is a Well curiously adorn'd and of sweet and clean water At present it is rather reckon'd a Castle than a City tho' of that extent that it rivals some Cities Nor was it look'd upon as any thing more than a Castle when King William Rufus built the Tower of Male-veisin Tower 〈◊〉 Male-vâ— over against it the better to engage the Rebel Mowbray who lurk'd here and at last stole off and fled A great part of its beauty was afterwards lost in the Civil Wars when Bressie the stout Norman who fought for the House of Lancaster dealt unmercifully with it Since that time it has been in a continual struggle with old Age and the Winds which latter has through its large windows drifted up an incredible quantity of Sea-sand in its several Bulwarks Near this is Emildon sometime the Barony of John le Viscont Viscounâ— but Rametta the heir of the family sold it to Simon de Monfort Earl of Leicester aa In this Barony was born John Duns call'd Scotus Joh. Scotâ— Doctâ—r Sâ—tiles 〈◊〉 A.D. 1â—â—â— because descended from Scotish Parents who was educated in Merton-College in Oxford and became an admirable proficient in Logick and School-Divinity but so critically scrupulous that he darkned all religious Truths He wrote many things with that profound and wondrous subtlety tho' in an obscure and impolish'd stile that he won the name of Doctor Subtilis and had the new Sect of Scotists erected in his name bb He dy'd miserably Paulâ—◠〈◊〉 vius i◠〈◊〉 log Dâ—â—â— being taken with an Apoplectick fit and too hastily buried for dead For Nature having too late wrought through the Distemper he vainly mourn'd for assistance till at last beating his head against the Tomb-stone he dash'd out his brains and so expir'd Whereupon a certain Italian wrote thus of him Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque Sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificante strophâ Quum non ante virum vitâ jugulârit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret What sacred Writings or prophane can show All Truths were Scotus call'd in doubt by you Your Fate was doubtful too Death boasts to be The first that chous'd you with a Fallacy Who lest your subtle Arts your life should save Before she struck secur'd you in the grave That he was born here in England I affirm upon the authority of his own Manuscript Works in the Library of Merton-College in Oxford which conclude thus Explicit Lectura Subtilis c. Here ends the Lecture of John Duns call'd Doctor Subtilis in the University b 'T was an usual thing in those days for the Oxford-Scholars to spend some time at Paris but our English-men as seldom then as they do now reap'd any great advantage by their French Education Hist Antiq. Oxon. Lib. I. an Ann. 1282. of Paris who was born in a certain Hamlet of the Parish of Emildun call'd Dunston in the County of Northumberland belonging to the House of the Scholars of Merton-Hall in
Oxford â—â—ede Upon this shore there is nothing further worth mentioning except Holy-Island of which in its due place till we come to the mouth of Twede which for a long way divides England from Scotland and is call'd the Eastern March Whereupon thus our Country-man Necham 6 Insinuating that the hither part of Scotland was call'd Pict-land Anglos à Pictis sejungit limite certo Flumen quod Tuedam pristina lingua vocat The Picts are sever'd from the English ground By Twede so call'd of old a certain bound This river rises in a large stream out of the Mountains of Scotland and afterwards takes a great many turns among the Moss-Troopers and Drivers to give them no worse name who as one expresses it determine Titles by dint of Sword When it comes near the village of Carram â—â—â—ram being encreas'd with many other waters it begins to distinguish the Confines of the Kingdoms â—k and having pass'd Werk-Castle sometime enjoy'd by the Rosses and now by the Greys who have been long a Family of great valour and frequently assaulted by the Scots is inlarg'd by the river of Till This river has two names For at its rise which is further within the body of this County 't is call'd Bramish â—â—â—mish and on it stands Bramton â—â—â—mton a little obscure and inconsiderable Village cc Hence it runs Northward by Bengely which together with Brampton Bromdum Rodam which gave name to a Family of good note in these parts Edelingham c. was the Barony of Patrick Earl of Dunbar in the reign of Henry the third Doomsday-Book says he was Inborow and Outborow betwixt England and Scotland that is if I understand it right he was here to watch and observe the ingress and egress of all Travellers between the two Kingdoms â—â—â—row â—t For in the old English Language Inborou is an Ingress or Entry More North upon the river stands Chevelingham or Chillingham which was a Castle that belong'd to one Family of the Greys as Horton-Castle did to another dd But those two are now match'd into one Near this is the Barony of Wollover â—llover which King Henry the first gave to Robert de Musco-campo or Muschamp â—â—s of the â—â—â—champs who bare Azure three Butterflyes Argent From him descended another Robert who in the reign of Henry the third was reckon'd the mightiest Baron in all these Northern parts But the Inheritance soon after was divided and shared among women â— 35 H. 3. whereof one was marry'd to the Earl of Strathern in Scotland another to William de Huntercombe and a third to Odonel de Ford ee Soon after Till is encreas'd by the river of Glen which gives the name of Glendale â—â—â—ndale to the Valley through which it runs Of this rivulet Bede gives us the following account c The Saxon Paraphrase gives us a further direction besides what we have from the river Glen for the finding out the place there mention'd by telling us that Tha stowe sindon on Beornica magthe i.e. Those places are in the Country of the Bernicians Which is a full refutation of what Bede is made to say before That King Oswald first brought Christianity into that Kingdom â—2 c. 14. Paulinus coming with the King and Queen to the Royal Manour of Ad-gebrin 't is now call'd Yeverin stay'd there with them six and thirty days â—erin which he spent in the duties of Catechising and Baptizing For from morning till night his whole business was to instruct the Country People that flock'd to him from all places and villages round in the Principles of Christianity and after they were so instructed to baptize them in the neighbouring river of Glen This Manour-house was disus'd by the following Kings and another erected in its stead at Melmin now Melfeld Melfeld Here at Brumford near Brumridge King Athelstan fought a pitch'd Battel against Anlaf the Dane Battel of Brumford See H. Hunting d. Will. Malmesb. and Ingulphus Constantine King of Scots and Eugenius petty King of Cumberland ff wherein he had such success that the Engagement is describ'd by the Historians and Poets of that Age in extraordinary Raptures of Wit and 7 In barbarous Latin Holland It might have been in Heathen-Greek for any thing he knew The whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only in good old English See the Saxon Chron. in the year 938. Bombast In this place the name of Bramish is lost in Till which first passes by Ford-Castle Ford. heretofore the property of the valiant Family of the Herons now of the Carrs and Etal Etal formerly the seat of the Family of d Mr. H. Collingwood of Brankerton has Deeds by him whereby it appears that Etal was in the possession of his Ancestors of the same name in the reign of Edward the sixth Manours or de Maneriis which was long since of a knightly rank and out of which the present Right Honourable Earls of Rutland are descended I wittingly omit many Castles in this Country for 't were endless to recount them all since 't is certain that in the days of Henry the second there were 1115 Castles in England 1115. Castles in England Over against this Ford Westward rises the high Mountain of Floddon 8 Near Bramton Battel of Floddon 1513. famous for the overthrow of James the fourth King of Scots and his Army who while King Henry the eighth lay at the siege of Tournay in France with a great deal of Courage and a greater deal of Hopes for before they began their March they had divided our Towns among them invaded England Here Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey with a good Army bravely receiv'd him The Dispute was obstinate on both sides till the night parted them unable still to determine which way Victory inclin'd But the next day discover'd both the Conquerour and the Vanquish'd and the King of Scots himself being mortally wounded in several places was found among the heaps of the slain Whence a new Addition was given to the Arms of the Howards 9 As I have formerly specified Twede encreas'd by Till runs now in a larger stream by Norham Norham or Northam which was formerly call'd Ubban-ford The Town belongs to the Bishops of Durham For Bishop Egfrid built it and his Successor Ralph erected the Castle on the top of a steep rock and moted it round In the utmost Wall and largest in Circuit are plac'd several Turrets on a Canton towards the river within which there is a second Enclosure much stronger than the former and in the middle of that again rises a high Keep But the well-establish'd Peace of our times has made these Forts to be long neglected notwithstanding that they are placed upon the very Borders gg Under the Castle on a Level Westward lyes the Town and Church wherein was buried Ceolwulph King Ceolwulph King of Northumberland to whom Venerable Bede
dedicated his Books of the Ecclesiastical History of England and who afterwards Rog. Hoveden renouncing the World took upon him the habit of a Monk in the Church of Lindisfern and listed himself a Souldier of the Kingdom of Heaven his body being afterwards translated to the Church of Northam When also the Danes had miserably wasted the Holy Issand wherein S. Cuthbert so much magnified by Bede was Bishop and lay buried some endeavour'd by a religious stealth to convey his body beyond Sea but the winds standing contrary they with all due reverence deposited the sacred Body at * The printed Books have corruptly Bulbeford Will. Malmesb de Gest Pont. lib. 1. Ubbanford whether a Bishop's See or no is uncertain near the river Twede where it lay for many years till the coming of King Ethelred This and other matters were taught me for I shall always own my Instructors by George Carlton born at this place being son to the Keeper of Norham-Castle whom for his excellent Proficiency in Divinity whereof he is Professor and other polite Learning I love and am lov'd by him and I were unworthy of that love if I should not acknowledge his Friendship The old people told us that at Killey Killay a little neighbouring Village below Norham were found within the memory of our Grandfathers the studds of a Knight's Belt A golden Hilt and the hilt of a Sword of massie Gold which were presented to T. Ruthall Bishop of Durham A little lower you have the mouth of Twede on the farther bank whereof stands Berwick Berwick the last Town in England and best fortify'd in all Britain hh Some derive the name of this Town from one Berengarius a Romantick Duke Leland fetches it from Aber the British word for the mouth of a river and so makes Aberwick to signifie a Fort built upon such a mouth But they will best understand the true etymology of it who know what is meant by the word Berwicus in the Charters of our Kings Ingulphus renders Berwicus a Mannour wherein nothing's more common than I give the Townships of C. and D. cum suis Berwicis ii For my part what it should mean I know not unless it be a Hamlet or some such dependency upon a place of better note For in the Grants of Edward the Confessor Totthill is call'd the Berwicus of Westminster Wandlesworth the Berwicus of Patricksey and a thousand of the like But why all this pains 'T is lost labour if as some maintain the Saxons call'd it anciently Beornica-ƿic that is the Town of the Bernicians for that this part of the Country was call'd Bernicia we have already noted and the thing is too well known to be here repeated But whence ever it had its name its situation carries it a good way into the sea so that that and the Twede almost incircle it Being seated betwixt two mighty Kingdoms as Pliny observes of Palmyra in Syria it has always been the first place that both Nations in their wars have had an eye on insomuch that ever since Edward the first wrung it out of the Scotch hands the English have as often retaken it as the Scots have ventur'd to seize it But if the Reader pleases we will here give him a summary abstract of its History The oldest account I find of Berwick is that William King of Scots being taken prisoner by the English pawn'd it for his ransom to our Henry the second redeemable only within such a time kk Whereupon says the Polychronicon of Durham Henry immediately fortify'd it with a Castle But Richard the first restor'd it to the Scots upon their payment of the money Afterwards King John as the History of Melross reports took the Town and Castle of Berwick at the same time that he burnt Werk Roxburgh Mitford and Morpath and with his Rutars wasted all Northumberland because the Barons of that county had done homage to Alexander King of Scots at Feltun A great many years after this when John Baliol King of Scotland had broken his Oath Edward the first reduc'd Berwick in the year of our Lord 1297. But soon after the fortune of war favouring the Scots our men quitted it and they seiz'd it but the English forthwith had it surrender'd to them again Afterwards in the loose reign of Edward the second Peter Spalding surrender'd it to Robert Brus King of Scots who warmly besieg'd it and the English vainly attempted its recovery till our Hector Edward the third bravely carry'd it in the year 1333. In the reign of Richard the second some Scottish Moss-troopers surpriz'd the Castle which within nine days was recover'd by Henry Percie Earl of Northumberland Within seven years after this the Scots regain'd it but by purchace not by their valour Whereupon the said Henry Percie being then Governour of the Town was accus'd of High-treason but he also corrupted the Scots with money and so got it again A long time after this when England was almost spent in civil wars Henry the sixth being already fled into Scotland deliver'd it up to the King of Scots the better to secure himself in that Kingdom Two and twenty years after Thomas Stanley with a great loss of men reduc'd it to the obedience of Edward the fourth Since which time the Kings of England have several times fortify'd it with new works but especially Queen Elizabeth who lately to the terrour of the enemy and security of the Burghers hath drawn it into a less compass than before and surrounded it with a high stone wall of firm Ashler work which is again strengthen'd with a deep ditch bastions and counterscarp so that its fortifications are so strong and regular that no besiegers can hope to carry it hereafter Not to mention the valour of the Garrison and the surprizing plenty of Ammunition and all warlike stores Be it also remember'd that the Governour of this place was alwaies a person of the greatest wisdom and eminence among the English Nobility and was also Warden of these eastern Marches The Mathematicians have plac'd this Town in 21 degrees and 43 minutes of longitude and in 55 and 48 of northern latitude So that the longest day in this climate consists of seventeen hours and 22 minutes and its night has only six hours and 38 minutes Brita has 〈◊〉 of Day So truly has Servius Honoratus written of this Country Britain says he has such plenty of day that she has hardly any room for night Nor is it a wonder that the Souldiers of this Garrison are able to play all night at dice without a candle if we consider their thorow twilight and the truth of Juvenal's expression Minimâ contentos nocte Britannos Britains with shortest nights content Take at parting J. Jonston's Verses upon Berwick Scotorum extremo sub limite Meta furoris Saxonidum gentis par utriusque labor Mille vices rerum quae mille est passa ruinas Mirum quî potuit tot superesse
to him King Aelfred was under a necessity of coming to Terms with them and so he and they divided the Land assign'd it to the Danes who within a few years were thrown out by Athelstane Yet even after this the People made a King of Eilric the Dane who was forthwith expell'd by King Ealdred Henceforward the name of King was no more heard of in this Province but its chief Magistrates were call'd Earls whereof these following are successively reckon'd by our Historians Osulph Oslac Edulph Waldeof the Elder Uchtred Adulph Alred Siward Tostius Edwin Morcà r and Osculph Amongst these Siward was a person of extraordinary valour who as he liv'd so he chose to dye in his Armour Ingulph p. 511. b. An. 1056. His County of York was given to Tostius Brother to Earl Harold and the Counties of Northampton and Huntingdon with his other lands bestow'd on the noble E. Waldeof his son and heir I have here given you the very words of Ingulphus because there are some who deny that he was Earl of Huntingdon To this let me also add what I have met with on the same subject in an old Parchment Manuscript in the Library of John Stow a most worthy Citizen and industrious Antiquary of the City of London Copsi being made Earl of Northumberland by William the Conquerour dispossess'd Osculph who nevertheless soon after slew him Afterwards Osculph himself was stabb'd by a Robber and dy'd of the wound Then Gospatrick bought the County of the Conquerour by whom he was also presently divested of the Honour and was succeeded by Waldeof the son of Siward He lost his head and was succeeded by Walcher Bishop of Durham who as well as his successor Robert Comin was slain in an insurrection of the Rabble mm The title was afterwards conferr'd on Robert Mowbray who destroy'd himself by his own wicked Treason 10 When he devis'd to deprive King William Rufus of his Royal Estate and to advance Stephen Earl of Albemarle a son to the Conqueror's sistâ—r thereunto Then as the Polychronicon of Durham tells us King Stephen made Henry the son of David King of Scots Eâ—rl of Northumberland and his son William who was also himself afterwards King of Scots wrote himself William de Warren Earl of Northumberland for his mother was of the family of the Earls of Warren as appears by the Book of Brinkburn-Abbey Within a few years after Richard the first sold this County to Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for life but when that King was imprison'd by the Emperour in his return from the Holy War and Hugh advanc'd only two thousand pounds in silver towards his ransom Lib. Dunelm the King took this slender contribution so ill knowing that under colour of this ransom he had rais'd vast sums that he depriv'd him of the Earldom At present that Honour is enjoy'd by the family of the Percies Percies descended from Charles the Great who being descended from the Earls of Brabant got the sirname and inheritance of the Percies together which was done by the true Off-spring of Charles the Great by Gerberg daughter to Charles younger brother of Lotharius the last King of France of the Caroline stock Josceline younger son of Godfrey Duke of Brabant who marry'd Agnes daughter and sole heir of William Percie This William's great grandfather call'd also William Percie came into England with William the Conquerour who bestow'd on him lands in Tatcaster Linton Normanby and other places This Agnes covenanted with Josceline that he should take upon him the name of Percie but should still retain the ancient Arms of Brabant which were a Lion Azure chang'd afterwards by the Brabanters in a Field Or. The first of this family that was made Earl of Northumberland was Henry Percie the son of Mary daughter of Henry Earl of Lancaster This Noble-man signaliz'd his valour in the wars under Edward the third and was by him rewarded with large Possessions in Scotland He was very much enrich'd by his second wife Matilda Lucy who oblig'd him to bear the Arms of the Lucies and by Richard the second was created Earl of Northumberland His behaviour was very ungrateful to this his great Benefactor for he deserted him in his straits and help'd Henry the fourth to the Crown He had the Isle of Man bestow'd on him by this King 11 Who also made him Constable of England against whom he also rebell'd being prick'd in Conscience at the unjust deposing of King Richard and vex'd at the close confinement of the undoubted Heir of the Crown Edmund Mortimer Earl of March his kinsman 12 Grievously complaining and charging him King Henry with Perjury That whereas he had solemnly sworn to him and others that he would not challenge the Crown but only his own Inheritance and that King Richard should be govern'd during his life by the good Advice of the Peers of the Realm he to the contrary had by imprisonment and terrour of death enforc'd him to resign his Crown and usurp'd the same by the concurrence of his faction horribly murdering the said King and defrauding Edward Mortimer Earl of March of his lawful right to the Crown whom he had suffer'd to languish long in prison under Owen Glendowr reputing those Traytors who with their own money had procur'd his enlargement Hereupon he first sent some Forces against him under the command of his brother Thomas Earl of Worcester and his own forward son Henry sirnam'd Whot-spur who were both slain in the battel at Shrewsbury Upon this he was attainted of High-Treason but presently receiv'd again into the seeming favour of the King who indeed stood in awe of him He had also his estate and goods restor'd him except only the Isle of Man which the King took back into his own hand Yet not long after the popular and heady man again proclaim'd war against the King as an Usurper having call'd in the Scots to his assistance And now leading on the Rebels in person he was surpriz'd by Thomas Rokesby High-Sheriff of York shire at Barham-moor where in a confused skirmish his Army was routed and himself slain in the year 1408. Eleven years after Henry the fifth by Act of Parliament restor'd the Honour to Henry Percie his Grandchild by his son Henry Whotspurre whose mother was Elizabeth the daughter of Edmund Mortimer the elder Earl of March by Philippa the daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence This Earl stoutly espoused the interest of Henry the sixth against the House of York and was slain in the Battel of St Albans His son Henry the third Earl of Northumberland who married Eleanor the daughter of Richard Baron of Poynings Brian and Fitz-Paine lost his life in the same quarrel at Towton in the year 1461. When the House of Lancaster and with it the Family of the Percies was now under a cloud King Edward the fourth created John Nevis Lord Montacute Earl of Northumberland but he quickly resign'd that Title being made
Marquiss Montacute After which Edward the fourth graciously restor'd to his father's Honours Henry Percie son of the fore-mention'd Henry who in the reign of Henry the seventh was slain by a rabble of the Country People in a Mutiny against the Collectors of a Tax impos'd on them by Act of Parliament To him succeeded Henry Percie the fifth Earl from whom who was himself the son of a Daughter and Co-heiress of Robert Spenser and Eleanor Daughter and Co-heiress of Edmund Beaufort Duke of Somerset descended Henry the sixth Earl He having no Children and his brother Thomas being executed for rebelling against Henry the eighth in the beginning of the Reformation squander'd away a great part of his fair Estate in Largesses upon the King and others as if his Family had now been reduc'd to a final period A few years after John Dudley Earl of Warwick got the Title of Duke of Northumberland Duke â—f Norâ—â—â—berland 13 By the name of John Earl of Warwick Marshal of England Viscount Lisle Baron Somery Basâ—â—t and Ties Lord of Dudley Great Master and Steward of the King's House when in the Non-age of Edward the sixth the Ring-leaders of the several Factions shared the Titles of Honour among themselves and their Abettors This was that Duke of Northumberland who for some time as a Whirlwind troubled the Peace of his Native Countrey by endeavouring to exclude Mary and Elizabeth the Daughters of Henry the eighth from their lawful Right of Succession designing by the countenance of some Lawyers inclinable enough to serve Great men to have settled the Crown on Jane Grey to whom he had married his son Hereupon being convicted of High Treason he lost his head and on the Scaffold openly own'd and profess'd the Popish Religion which either in good earnest or k The account we have of his Speech as to this particular is That he exhorted the people to stand to the Religion of their Ancestors to reject all Novelties and to drive the Preachers out of the Nation and declared he had temperiz'd against his Conscience and that he was always of the Religion of his Forefathers Burnet seemingly and to serve a turn he had for a good while before renounc'd Upon his death Queen Mary restor'd Thomas Percie Nephew to Henry the sixth Earl by his brother Thomas creating him at first Baron Percie and soon after by a new Patent Earl of Northumberland 3 â— Pâ— Maâ— To himself and the Heirs-male of his Body and for want of such to his Brother Henry and his Heirs-male But this Thomas the seventh Earl under pretence of restoring the Romish Religion rebelled against his Prince and Country and so lost both his Life and Honour in the year 1572. Yet by the special bounty of Queen Elizabeth his brother Henry according to the Tenure of Queen Mary's Patent succeeded him as the eighth Earl and dy'd in Prison in the year 1585. He was succeeded by his son Henry the ninth Earl of Northumberland of this Family who was also son of Katharine eldest Daughter and one of the Heirs of J. Nevil Baron Latimer ADDITIONS to NORTH-HVMBER-LAND a HUmphrey Lhuyd places these People about Lothian in Scotland and herein he is not contradicted by Buchanan who never fails of doing it when he can have an opportunity All agree they were Picts and therefore if they did inhabit some part of this County it must have been beyond the Wall Possibly Naeatae is the true reading And then they are more probably placed by our Author near the Wall or Rampire For Naid or Nawd in the old British signifies a Defence or Security And why may not the Transcribers of Dio for he is the only man of Antiquity that mentions these People turn his Naeatae into Maeatae as well as those of Marcellinus have made Attigotti Catacotti and Catiti out of his Attacotti b Our Author observes this Country was divided into Baronies â—â—â—â—nies and very good Baronies they were according to the old and true import of the word For the Civilians define a Barony to be Merum mistúmque Impertum in aliquo Castro Oppidóve concessione Principis Alciat Lib. de Sing Cert cap. 32. Such a Jurisdiction it was requisite the Men of rank should have here on the Borders and upon obtaining the Grant they were properly Barones Regis Regni See the signification of the word at large in Sir Henry Spelman's Gloss voc Baro. All Lords of Manours are also to this day legally nam'd Barons in the Call and Stile of their Courts which are Curiae Baronum c. Selden's Titles of Honour Part 2. cap. 5. But long before King Edward the first 's time the name of Barones was chiefly apply'd to the Peers in Parliament Thus in the famous Contest about the Votes of Bishops in Criminal Matters in the reign of Henry the second A. D. 1163. we have this decision of the Controversie Archiepiscopi Episcopi c. sicut caeteri Barones debent interesse judiciis Curiae Regis cum Baronibus quousque perveniatur ad diminutionem Membrorum vel ad mortem Matth. Par. edit Watsii p. 101. Many like Instances might be given 〈…〉 c Caer-vorran may not improbably be Glanoventa which Mr. Camden imagines to have been somewhere on Wentsbeck For there is a place near it which is still call'd Glen-welt The distance from hence to Walwick will suit well enough with the Itinerary and 't is not the first Elbow which Antonine has made in his Roads through this part of the Country Thus by fetching in Castra Exploratorum he makes it twenty four miles from Blatum Bulgium to Luguvallum whereas the common Road 't is only ten very short ones d Bede's Account of the Roman Wall Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 10. is very likely fair and true For in some places on the Wasts where there has not been any extraordinary Fortifications several fragments come near that height and none exceed it His breadth also at eight foot is accurate enough For whereever you measure it now you will always find it above seven 〈◊〉 e Old-town seems more likely to be the Alone of Antoninus in the Liber Notitiarum Alione than any other place which has hitherto been thought on It answers best the distances both from Galana and Galacum and many Roman Antiquities which have been found there strengthen the conjecture The name of the river also whereon 't is seated argues as strongly for this place as West-Alon can do for Whitley f The huge heaps of small Cobbles are not the only Monuments which these Wasts afford There are also large stones erected at several places in remembrance as is fancied of so many battels or skirmishes either anciently betwixt the Britains and Picts or of later times betwixt the English and Scots Particularly near Ninwick in the Parish of Simondburn four such stand still erected and a fifth lyes fall'n to the ground g Notwithstanding the great encouragement which
luxus non Infula tantum Ornavit diri quae tibi causa mali Glottiadae quantum decorant Te Glascua Musae Quae celsum attollunt clara sub astra caput Glotta decus rerum piscosis nobilis undis Finitimi recreat jugera laeta soli Ast Glottae decus vicinis gloria terris Glascua faecundat flumine cuncta suo Not haughty Prelates e'er adorn'd thee so Nor stately Mitres cause of all thy woe As Cluyd's muses grace thy blest abodes And lift thy head among the deathless gods Cluyd great flood for plenteous fish renown'd And gentle streams that cheer the fruitful ground But happy Glascow Cluyd's chiefest pride Glory of that and all the world beside Spreads round the riches of her noble tide On this side the Cluyd upon its banks lies the Barony of Reinfraw Barons of Renfraw so called from its principal Town which may seem to be Ptolemy's Randvara Randvara on the River Cathcart upon which the antient Baron of Cathcart Barons Cathcart hath his habitation Near adjoyning for this little Province is full of Nobility lies Cruikston Cruikston antiently the seat of the Lords of Darley from whom by right of marriage it came to the Earls of Lenox whence Henry the Father of King James the 6. was call'd Lord Darley Halkead the residence of the Barons of Ros Barons of Roos descended originally of English bloud as deriving their Linage from that Robert Roos of Warke who left England and came under the Allegiance of the King of Scots Paslay Paslay formerly a famous Monastery founded by Alexander the 2d High Steward of Scotland inferior to few for its noble Church and rich furniture * See the Additions But now by the favour of K. James 6. it gives a seat and the title of Baron to Claud Hamilton a younger son of the Duke of Castle-Heralt And Sempill whose Lord is Baron Sempill Barons Sempil and by antient right Sheriff of this Barony But I have read that the title of Baron of Reinfraw by a peculiar right belongs to the Prince of Scotland b LENNOX ALong the other side of the Cluyd above Glascow Levinia or Lennox runs a long way Northward amongst a continued series of hills taking its name from the River Levin Ptolemy's Lelanonius â—â—â—â—noniâ—â— which falleth into the Cluyde out of Logh-lomund â—â—gh â—â—â—â—nd a Lake that dilates it self under the mountains twenty miles long and eight miles broad excellently well stocked with fish especially one sort peculiar to it â—â—e fish they call it Pollac It hath likewise many Islands in it concerning which there use to be many Traditional stories amongst the ordinary sort of people As for the Floating-Island here I shall not call the truth of it in question for what should hinder a body from swimming that 's dry and hollow like a pinace and lighter than ordinary â—â—â—i 〈◊〉 20. Pliny tells us that certain green Islands cover'd with reeds and rushes float up and down in the lake of Vadimon But I leave it to the Neighbours that know the nature of this place to be Judges whether this old Distick of our Nechâ—m be true or no Ditatur fluviis Albania saxea ligna Dat Lomund multa frigiditate potens Scotland's enrich'd with Rivers Timber thrown Into cold Lomund's waters turns to stone There are many Fishermens Cottages round about upon the banks of the Logh but nothing worth our notice except Kilmoronock â—â—â—â—oroâ—â—â—k a fine House of the Earl of Cassil seated upon the East side which hath a delicate prospect into the Logh But at the influx of the Levin out of the Logh into the Cluyde stands Al-Cluyd â—â—cluid so called by the antients Bede observes that it signifies the Rock Cluyde but I know not in what language Ar-Cluid in the British certainly signifies upon Cluid and Cluid in old English signify'd a Rock Succeeding ages call'd it Dunbritton â—â—â—britâ—â—â— that is the Britains Town and corruptly by a transposition of letters â—â—â—â—noâ—â—m Dunbarton because the Britains held it a long time against the Scots Picts and Saxons For both by nature and situation it is the strongest Castle in all Scotland fixt upon a craggy two-headed Rock at the confluence of the Rivers in a green plain Upon one of its heads stands a high Watch-Tower on the other which is somewhat lower many strong Towers It hath but one ascent to it and that on the North-side between the two heads having scarce room enough to pass one by one by steps cut out of the rock crosswise with a world of labour Upon the West-side the Levin upon the South the Cluyde serve instead of ditches Eastward lies a Morass which every Tide is wholly under water Towards the North it is very well secur'd by the steepness of its situation Here some remains of the Britains who as Gildas writes generally retreated for shelter and entrench'd themselves upon the tops of craggy inaccessible mountains in thick Forrests and Rocks upon the Sea shore presuming upon the natural strength of the place and their own Courage defended themselves after the departure of the Romans for 300 years in the very midst of their Enemies For in Bede's time as he himself writes it was the best fortify'd City the Britains had R. Hoveden But in the year 756. Eadbert King of Northumberland and Oeng King of the Picts with their joynt Forces shut it up on every side and drove it to that extremity that it was surrender'd upon Articles Of this place the Territory round about is called the Sheriffdom of Dunbarton and hath long had the Earls of Lennox for Sheriffs by inheritance Now as for the Earls of Lennox The Earls of Lennox not to mention those more antient one Duncan was Earl of Lennox in the Reign of Robert the 2. who died and left two only Daughters behind him One of which was marry'd to Alan Stewart Stewart who was descended from Robert a younger son of Walter the 2. High Steward of Scotland and a Brother of Alexander Stewart the 2. founder of the royal line of Scotland For this illustrious Family took its name from that Honourable Office of High Steward of the Kingdom that is he that had the charge of the Revenues of the Crown This Alan had issue John Earl of Lennox and Robert made Captain of the Scotch Guard du Corps Scotâ—h Guard du Corps in France first rais'd by the French King Charles the 6. in recompence of the good services that nation had done the Crown of France as also Lord of Aubigny in Auvergne by the same King as a reward of his valour John had issue Matthew Earl of Lennox who marry'd the daughter of James Hamilton by Mariona daughter to King James the 2. by whom he had John Earl of Lennox who taking up arms to deliver King James the 5. out of the hands of the Douglasses and Hamiltons was kill'd by
The British Bishops seem no less to have despised riches for they had no subsistence of their own Thus as we find in Sulpitius Severus The British Bishops The Bishops of Britain in the Council holden at Rhimini were maintained by the publick having nothing of their own to live upon The Saxons in that age flock'd hither as to the great mart for learning and this is the reason why we find this so often in our Writers Such a one was sent over into Ireland to be educated o Vide Bed lib. 3. c. 7 27. and this passage in the life of Sulgenus who flourish'd 600 years ago Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi Jvit ad Hibernos Sophia mirabile claros With love of learning and examples fir'd To Ireland fam'd for wisdom he repair'd The Sâ—tâ—ns â—â—em to the borrowed â—â—eir letâ—â—â—s from 〈◊〉 Iâ—â—sh And perhaps our fore-fathers the Saxons took the draught and form of their letters from them their character being the same with that at this day used in Ireland Nor is there any reason to admire that Ireland which for the most part is now rude and barbarous and without the glory of polite literature Religion and learning flourish sometimes in one Country and sometimes in another was so full of pious and great Wits in that age wherein learning was little heeded throughout Christendom when the wisdom of Providence has so ordered it that Religion and Learning shall grow and flourish sometimes in one Nation and sometimes in another to the end that by every transplantation a new growth may shoot up and flourish to his glory and the good of mankind However the outrage of wars by little and little soon put a stop to the pursuits and study of Religion and Learning in this Kingdom For in the year 644 EgfrÃd King of Northumberland with fire and sword spoil'd Ireland which was then a very kind allie to England and for this reason he is most sadly complain'd of by Bede After the Norwegians under the conduct of Turgesius Ireland wast d by the Norwegi wasted this Country in a most dismal manner for the space of 30 years together but he being cut off by an ambush laid for him the inhabitants fell upon the Norwegians and made such an entire defeat of them that hardly so much as one escaped Now these Norwegians were without doubt those Normans who as Rheginus tells us in Charles the Great 's time invaded Ireland an Island of the Scots and were put to flight by them Afterwards Oustmanni those perhaps whom Tac. calls Aestiâ—n s Eginâ—rdâ—s Aitisti the Oustmanni i.e. the East-men came from the sea coasts of Germany into Ireland where under the colour of trade and merchandise being admitted into some cities in a short time they began a very dangerous war Much about this time Edgar the most potent King of the English conquered a great part of Ireland For thus we find it in a certain Charter of his Unto whom God has graciously granted together with the Empire of England the dominion over all the Kingdoms of the Islands with their fierce Kings as far as Norway and the conquest of the greatest part of Ireland with her most noble city Dublin These tempests from foreign parts were soon succeeded by a worse storm of dissention at home which made way for the English Conquest of that Country Henry the second King of England seeing the differences and emulations among the petty Princes of Ireland took this opportunity and in the year 1155 moved the Conquest of Ireland to his Barons for the use of his brother William of Anjou However by advice of his mother Maud Robert de Moâ—te ad annum 1185. De mic the son of Murchard 1167. the Empress this design was deferred and put off to another time Not many years after Dermicius the son of Murchard Dermic Mac Morrog as they call him who governed the east part of Ireland in Latin Lagenia commonly Leinster for his tyranny and extravagant lusts for he had ravished p The wife of O. Rorke daughter of a petty King of Mâ—ath the wise of O. Rorkes petty King of Meath was driven from his Country and obtained aid and forces of King Henry the second to restore him He made this contract also with Richard Earl of Pembroke sirnamed Strongbow Richard Strongbow of the family of Clare that if he would assist him he would ensure the succession of his Kingdom to the Earl and give him his daughter Eva to wife Upon this the Earl forthwith raised a good Army consisting of Welsh and English induced the Fitz-Geralds Fitz-Stephens and other of the English Nobility to assist him and by these powers not only restored Dermicius his Father-in-law but in a few years made such progress in the conquest of Ireland that the King of England began to grow jealous and suspect his power so that he put forth his Proclamation requiring the said Earl and his adherents upon grievous penalties to return out of Ireland declaring that if they did not forthwith obey they should be banished and their goods confiscated Hereupon the Earl by deed and covenant made over to the King all that he had in Ireland either in right of his wife or of his sword and so had the Earldoms of Weisford Ossory Carterlogh and Kildare with some castles bestowed upon him by the King to hold of him After this King Henry the second raised an army sailed over into Ireland in the year 1172 Henr. 2. enters Ireland and obtained the soveraignty of that Island q Câ—â—â—cerning the Coâ—onies sent from England and Wales into Ireland in the time of King Henr. 2. and the Lands granted therein see Ware 's Antiquitat Hâ—bâ—rn p. 232. For the States of Ireland conferred upon him their whole power and authority Girald Cambrens MS. In the hands of Baron Howth namely Rotheric O Conor Dun that is to say the brown King of Ireland Dermot Mac Carty King of Cork Donald O Bren King of Limerick O Carel King of Uriel Mac Shaglin King of Ophaly r O Rorke was not King of Meath O Rorke King of Meath O Neale King of Ulster with all the rest of the Nobility and people by Charters signed delivered and sent to Rome from whence it was confirmed by a Diploma of Pope Hadrian's Synod 1. 2. at Cassil Armagh and by a ring sent him as a token of his Investiture it was also ratified by the authority of certain Provincial Synods Afterwards King Henry the second bestowed the Soveraignty of Ireland upon his son John which was confirmed by a Bull from Pope Urban who to confirm him in it sent him a Crown of Peacocks Feathers embroidered with Gold Authors affirm that when this Prince came to the Crown he granted by his Charter that both Ireland and England should be held of the Church of Rome Hovedun and that he received it
from the Church as a Feudatory and Vicegerent and obliged his Successors to pay three hundred Marks to the Bishop of that See Yet the most eminent 1 Sir Thomas Hol. Thomas Moor who sacrificed his life to the Pope's Prerogative denies this to be true For he says the Romanists can shew no grant and that they have never demanded the said money nor the Kings of England acknowledged it However with submission to this great man the thing is really otherwise as most clearly appears from the Parliament-Rolls which are evidence incontestable For in a Parliament in Edward the third's Reign the Chancellor of England informs the House That the Pope intended to cite the King of England to a tryal at Rome as well for homage as for the tribute due and payable from England and Ireland and to which King John had bound both himself and his Successors and desired their opinion in it The Bishops required a day to consider of this matter apart as likewise did the Lords and Commons The next day they met again and unanimously voted and declared that forasmuch as neither King John nor any other King whatsoever could put the Kingdom under such a servitude but by the consent and agreement of a Parliament which was never had and farther that since whatsoever he had done in that kind was directly contrary to the Oath which he solemnly took before God at his Coronation if the Pope would insist upon it they were resolved to oppose him with their lives and fortunes to the very utmost of their power Such also as were learned in the law made the Charter of King John to be void and insignificant by that clause of reservation in the end saving to us and our heirs all our rights liberties and regalities But this is out of my road From King John's time the Kings of England were stiled Lords of Ireland till within the memory of our fathers Henry the eighth was declared King of Ireland by the States of that Realm assembled in Parliament the title of Lord seeming not so sacred and venerable to some seditious persons as that of King In the year 1555 when Queen Mary offered the subjection of the Kingdom of England by the hands of her Ambassadors to Pope Paul the fourth this name and title of Kingdom of Ireland was confirmed by the Pope in these word To the praise and glory of Almighty God and his most glorious mother the Virgin Mary to the honour of the whole Court of Heaven and the exaltation of the Catholick Faith We at the humble request of King Philip and Queen Mary made unto us by the advice of our brethren and by virtue of our full Apostolical authority do erect the Kingdom of Ireland and do for ever dignifie and exalt it with the title honours powers rights ensigns prerogatives preferments Royal praeeminencies and such like privileges as other Christian Realms have use and enjoy or may have use and enjoy hereafter Having accidentally found a Catalogue of those English Noble men who went in the first invasion of Ireland and with great valor subdued it to the Crown of England lest I should seem to envy them and their posterity the glory of this atchievment I will here give you them from the Chancery of Ireland for so 't is entitled The Names of such as came with Dermic Mac Morrog into Ireland Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke who by Eve the daughter of Morrog the Irish petty King aforesaid had an only daughter who brought to William Mareschall the title of Earl of Pembroke with a fair estate in Ireland and had issue five sons who in order succeeded one another all childless and as many daughters who enriched their husbands Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk Guarin Montchensey Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester William Ferrars Earl of Derby and William Breose with children honours and possessions Robert Fitz-Stephens Harvey de Mont Marish Maurice Prendergest Robert Barr. Meiler Meilerine Maurice Fitz-Girald Redmund nephew to Stephen William Ferrand Miles de Cogan Richard de Cogan Gualter de Ridensford Gualter sons of Maurice Girald Alexander sons of Maurice Girald William Notte Robert Fitz-Bernard Hugh de Lacy. William Fitz-Aldelm William Macarell Hunfrey Bohun Hugh de Gundevill Philip de Hasting Hugh Tirell David Walsh Robert Poer Osbert de Harloter William de Bendenge Adam de Gernez Philip de Breos Griffin Nephew of Stephen Ralph Fitz-Stephen Walter de Barry Philip Walsh Adam de Hereford To whom out of Giraldus Cambrensis may be added John de Curcy Hugh Contilon Redmond Cantimore Edmond Fitz-Hugh Miles of St. Davids and others The Government of the Kingdom of IRELAND SInce Ireland has been subject to the Crown of England the Kings of this Realm have ever sent their Vice-Roys to manage the publick affairs there who at first in their Letters Patents or Commissions Loâ—d Depâ—â—ies of â—â—â—â—and were stilled Keepers of Ireland after that Justices of Ireland or at pleasure Lieutenants and Deputies Their jurisdiction and authority is really large and Royal they make war and peace have power to fill all Magistracies and other Offices except some very few to pardon all crimes but those of high treason and to confer Knighthood c. These Letters Patents when any one enters upon this honourable office are publickly read and after the new Deputy has took a solemn oath of a certain set form for that purpose before the Chancellor the sword which is to be carried before him is delivered into his hands and he is seated in a Chair of state attended by the Chancellor of the Realm the Members of the Privy-Council the Peers and Nobles of the Kingdom the King at Arms a Serjeant at Arms and other Officers of State So that whether we consider his jurisdiction and authority or his train attendance and splendor there is certainly no Vice-roy in Christendom that comes nearer the grandeur and majesty of a King His Council are the Chancellor of the Realm the Treasurer and such others of the Earls Barons and Judges as are of the Privy-Council Orders or degrees iâ— Ireland For Ireland has the same orders and degrees of honour that England has Earls Barons Knights Esquires c. The Courts or Tribunals of IRELAND THE supream Court in Ireland is the Parliament which Parliament at the pleasure of the King of England is either called or dissolved by his Deputy â—as an 〈◊〉 12. and yet in Edward the second 's time it was enacted That Parliaments should be held in Ireland every year 2 Which seemeth yet not to have been effected Here are likewise observed foure Law-terms in the year as in England and five Courts of Justice held 〈◊〉 the a The Court was called The Court of Castle-chamber because it was usually kept in the Castle of Dublin but has never been held since the Court of Star-Chamber was supprest in England Star-Chamber the Chancery King's-Bench Common Pleas and the Exchequer Here are
also Justices of Assize Nisi prius and Oyer and Terminer as in England Justices of Peace in every County to preserve the Peace and the King has his Serjeant at Law his Attorney and his Sollicitor General There are also other Governors besides these to administer justice in the remoter Provinces and that is in Conaugh stilled chief Commissioner is call'd b Since the Country has been well inhabited with English and much more civiliz'd than heretofore the Presidencies of Munster and Conaught were superseded by King Charles II. about the year 1671. President in Munster who have certain of the Gentry and Lawyers to assist them and are all directed by the Lord Deputy As for their Law the Common-law used there is the same with this of ours in England For thus it is in the Records of the Kingdom King Henry the third in the twelfth of his reign sent an order to his Justice in Ireland that he should assemble the Archbishops Bishops Barons and Knights of that Kingdom and make the Charter of King John be read unto them which he did accordingly giving them an oath to observe the laws and customs of England and that they should hold and keep the same 3 Nevertheless the meer Irish did not admit them but retain'd their own Brehon-Laws and lâ—ud Customs And the Kings of England used a connivance therein upon some deep consideration not vouchsafing to communicate the benefit of the English Laws but upon especial grace to especial families or sects namely the O Neales O Conors O Brien O Maloghlins and Mac Murough which were reputed of the blood royal among them So that even the Parliamentary Laws or Statutes of England were of force in Ireland till King Henry the seventh's time For in the tenth year of his reign they were established and confirmed by Act of Parliament in Ireland 4 In the time of Sir Edward Poinings government But since that time they have lived by Acts and Statutes of their own making Besides these civil Magistrates they have also one Military officer named the c There being no War in the Kingdom there is no such Officer Marshal Marshal of Ireland who is serviceable to the State not only in restraining the insolence of soldiers but also in checking the outrage of rebels who are now and then troublesome This office formerly belonged hereditarily to the Lords Morley of England 9 of King John For King John gave them this Office to hold in see of him in these words We have given and granted to John Marshall for his homage and service our Marshalship of Ireland with all appurtenances We have given him likewise for his homage and service the Cantred wherein standeth the town of Kilbunny to have and to hold to him and his heirs of us and our heirs From him it descended in a right line to the Barons of Morley This Marshal has under him * Submaresâ—allum a Provost-Marshal and sometimes more according to the difficulties and exigencies of affairs who exercise their authority by Commission and Instructions under the Great Seal of Ireland But these and all other curiosities of this nature I leave to the diligence of others As for the methods of Justice and Government among the wild Irish I shall take care to insert something in a more proper place when I come to treat of their Mannors and Customs The d See Ware 's Antiquitat Hibern Cap. 3. pag. 11. Division of IRELAND â—â—â—on â—â—â—land IReland from the manners and customs of the Inhabitants is divided into two parts e At present there is no such Div sion or distiâ—ction but the King 's Writ runs through the whole Kingdom and every part of it is now answerable to Law they who reject all Laws and live after a barbarous manner are called the Irishry or wild Irish but those civilized who submit themselves with respect and obedience to the laws are termed the English-Irish and their Country the English Pale for the first English men that came hither set their boundaries in the east and richest part of the Island as taken in for themselves within which compass even at this day some remain uncivilized and pay no deference to the laws whereas some without are as courteous and genteel as one would desire But if we consider it as it was more early this Country from its situation or rather number of its Governors heretofore must be divided into five parts for it was formerly a Pentarchy namely Munster southward Leinster eastward Connaught westward Ulster northward and Meath almost in the middle Which as to civil administration are thus divided into Counties In Munster are the Counties of Kerry f At this day there is no such County as Desmond part of that Territory lying in the County of Kerry and the rest in the County of Cork Desmond Cork Waterford Limerick Tiperary g The County of the Holy-Cross is swallowed up in that of Tiperary with the County of S. Cross in Tiperary In Leinster are the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlough Queen's County King's County Kildare Weishford Dublin In Meath are the Counties of East-Meath West-Meath Longford In Connaught are the Counties of h Instead of this Dr. Holland has put Clare which yet is in the Province of Muâ—ster Twomund Galloway Maio. Slego Letrim Rofcomon In Ulster are the Counties of Louth Cavon Farmanagh Monaghan Armagh Doun Antrim Colran Tir-Oën Tir-Conell or Donegall Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction The Ecclesiastical state of Ireland was antiently managed by the Bishops either consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury or by one another But in the year 1152 as we find it in Philip of Flattesbury Christianus Bishop of Lismore Legat of all Ireland held a very full and honourable Council at Meath where were present the Bishops Abbots Kings Dukes and Elders of Ireland and there by the Apostolical authority with the advice of the Cardinals and the consent of the Bishops Abbots and others met together four Archbishopricks were constituted in Ireland Armagh Dublin Cassil and Tuam The Bishopricks which were under these formerly for some of them have been abolished to feed the greedy humor of ill times others have been confounded or annexed to one another while others again have been translated I do desire to subjoyn here in their true and ancient order from an old Roman Provincial faithfully copied from the Original Under the Archbp. of Armagh Primate of all Ireland are the Bishops of Meath or i Cluanard The Bishop is stiled of Meath Elnamirand Down otherwise Dundalethglass k Clogher Cloghor otherwise Lugundun l Connor is united to Down Conner m Ardagh Ardachad n Rapho Rathbot Rathluc Daln-liguir o Derry or London-Derry Dearrih 4 Holland has added Cloemacniso which ought to be writ Clonmacnois and is now united to Meath as also Dromor and Brefem now Kilmore Under the Archbp. of Dublin are the Bishops of
also by his valour and conduct he so fortunately suppressed that by the self same Victory he both recovered the town surrender'd to him with the Spaniards in it and disarm'd the whole Kingdom of Ireland when with fire and sword they had not only resolved to rebel but were now actually revolting Off from Kinsale on the other side of the river lyes h Called at this day Kyrycurry Kerry-wherry Kerry-wherry a small territory lately belonging to the Earls of Desmond Just before it runs that i At present called Lee. river The river which Ptolemy calls Daurona Dauron and Giraldus Cambrensis by the change of one letter Sauranus and Saveranus which springing from the mountains of Muskerey passes by the principal City of the County grac'd with an Episcopal See whereunto is also now annext the Bishoprick of Clon which Giraldus calls Corcagia in English Cork Cork and among the natives k Corkig This Cork is now mostly inhabited with English who by their industry have so improved their estates trade and city that it far exceeds any city in Ireland Dublin only excepted Corcach It is of an oval form enclos'd with walls and encompass'd with the chanel of the River which also crosses it and is not accessible but by bridges lying along as it were in one direct street with a bridge over it 'T is a populous little trading town and much resorted to but so beset with Rebel-enemies on all sides that they are obliged to keep constant watch as if the town was continually besieged and dare not marry out their daughters into the country but contract one with another among themselves whereby all the Citizens are related in some degree or other They report here that Brioc the Religious person who in that fruitful age of Saints flourished among the Gauls and from whom the Diocese of Sanbrioch in Armorica commonly called St. Brieu S. Brieu takes its name was born and bred in this town Beneath Cork the chanel of the river is divided into 2 branches which uniting again make a large and very pleasant l It is called The Great Island Island over against the chief dwelling house of the Barries an antient and noble family and thereupon is called Barry Court For they are descended from Robert de Barry Barons Barry an Englishman of great worth one who was rather ambitious to be really eminent than to seem so he was the first man that was wounded in the conquest of Ireland G. Camâ—â—â— and that ever mann'd a hawk in that Island His posterity also by their great loyalty and valour have been honoured first with the title of m They are now Earls of Barry-more Baron Barry and afterwards with that of Vicount Butiphant by the Kings of England Vicount Butipcaâ— and from their riches and estates have been called by the people Barry More or Barry the great A little below this the river Saveren near Imokelly formerly the large possession of the Earls of Desmond falls from a creeky mouth into the sea As the Saveren watereth the lower part of this county so n Now commonly called Black-water Broodwater formerly Aven-more that is a great water supplies the upper Upon which is the seat of the noble family de Rupe or Roch Baron Roche transplanted out of England hither where it hath grown and flourished and now enjoys the title of Vicount Fermoy Vicount Fermoâ— In Edward the second 's time they were certainly Barons of Parliament Par. 9 〈◊〉 an 8 Ed. for George Roche was fined 200 Marks for not being present at the Parliament of Dublin as he was summoned As the river Broodwater which by its course for some time is the boundary between this County and Waterford runs into the sea and makes a haven stands Yoghall Yoghall not very large but walled round of an oblong form and divided into two parts the upper which is the greater part stretches Northward having a Church in it and a littley Abby without the wall called North Abby the lower part to the Southward is named the Base-town and has also an Abby called South Abby The convenience of the haven which hath a well fenced Kay in it as also the fruitfulness of the country hereabouts draws Merchants hither so that the town is prety populous and has a Mayor for its chief Magistrate At present the County of Cork reaches only thus far which as I have already observed was heretofore counted a Kingdom Kingdoâ— of Carâ— and was of greater extent containing Desmond also within the bounds of it King Henry 2. gave this Kingdom to 7 Sir Robert Robert Fitz-Stephens and 8 Sir Miles Miles de Cogan in these words Know ye that I have granted the whole Kingdom of Cork except the City and Cantred of Oustmans to hold to them and their heirs of me and my son John by the service of sixty Knights From the heir of this Fitz-Stephen 9 Sir George George Carew now Baron Carew of Clopton is descended in a right line who was not long since Lord President of Mounster and as I most willingly acknowlege has given me great light into the Irish Antiquities The County of WATERFORD ON the East of Ireland between the rivers Broodwater on the West and the Suire on the East the Ocean on the South and the County of Tipperary on the North lyes the County of Waterford a County very fair and delicate both in respect of pleasure and richness Upon Broodwater at its leaving the County of Cork stands Lismor â—â—smor remarkable for its Bishop's See where presided Christian Bâ—â—hop Christian the Bishop and Legat of Ireland about the year 1148. a person very deserving of the Church of Ireland educated at Clarevall in the same Cloister with St. Bernard and Pope Eugenius At present by reason the possessions hereunto belonging have been almost all of them alienated it is annext to the See of Waterford Near the mouth lyes Ardmor Ardmor a small village of which and this river thus heretofore Necham Urbem Lissimor pertransit flumen Avenmor Ardmor cernit ubi concitus aequor adit Avenmor guides his stream through Lismor town Small Ardmor to the ocean sees him run The little adjoyning territory is called Dessee â—â—see the Lord whereof descended from the Desmonds had since our time the honourable title of Vicount Dessee conferred upon him which died soon after with him for want of issue-male Not far from hence stands Dungarvan â—â—â—garâ—â—n upon the sea a town well fortified with a Castle and advantageously situated for a haven King Henry 6. gave this with the Barony of Dungarvan to John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury but afterwards by reason it stood convenient to command that part of Mounster which was to be reduced the Parliament annext it to the Crown of England for ever â—â—ers Baâ—â—â— of Câ—â—raghâ—ore Near this the Poers an
into the Neor upon which stands the third Burrough-town of this County that takes the name Kallan from it and also Inis-Teag Inis-Teag a fourth The family of the Butlers spreads its branches almost all over this Country and has flourish'd in great honour being for their eminent virtues dignified with the title of Earls of Ormond Wiltshire in England and as it is already said of Ossery Besides the Earl of Ormond Viscount Thurles and Knight of the Garter there are of this family the Viscount Mont-Garret the Viscount Tullo the Barons de Dunboyn and Cahyr with many other noble branches The rest that are eminent in these parts are also of English original the Graces the Walshes Levels Foresters Shortels Blanch-felds or Blanchevelstons Drilands Comerfords c. The County of CATERLOGH THE County of Caterlogh by contraction Carlogh bounds upon Kilkenny on the east lying wholly in a manner between these two rivers the Barrow and the Slane The soil is fruitful and well shaded with woods It contains two towns considerable more eminent than the rest both situate upon the west of the Barrow the one Caterlogh about which Leonel Duke of Clarence begun to build a wall and Bellingham that famous and excellent Lord Deputy of Ireland built a strong Castle for the defence of it The other is Leighton in Latin Lechlinia where was formerly a Bishop's See now annex'd to the Bishoprick of Farnes These towns have both of them their Wards and Constables to govern them The greatest part of this County belonged by inheritance to the Howards The Stat. of Absenties Dukes of Norfolk descended by the Earls of Warren from the eldest daughter of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke but King Henry the eight by Act of Parliament had all the lands and possessions granted him either belonging to him and the other Gentry or to the Monasteries here in England b See the County of Waterford the last paragraph because that by their absence and neglect of private affairs there they had endangered the publick interest From hence the Barrow runs through the Barony of Ydron Baron Ydron which belonged to the Carews of Devonshire 13 For Sir John Carew an English Knight died sâ—isâ—d thereof in the time of King Edward 3. ever since Sir N. Carew an English Knight married the daughter of Digo an Irish Baron which has since our memory been recovered after a long usurpation by Peter Carew Upon the river Slane stands Tullo memorable for Theobald Butler brother's son to the Earl of Ormond who was lately honoured with the title of Viscount Tullo by King James The Cavanaughs Cavanaghs are very numerous in these parts descended from Duvenald a younger son or Bastard as some say of Dermot the last King of Leinster warlike men and famous for their good horsemanship and though very poor at this day yet of as much honour and generosity as their forefathers Upon the account of some slaughters which many years ago they committed upon one another they live in a state of war at this day Some of these being trusted by the English to manage their possessions in these parts about King Edward the second 's time usurp'd all to themselves assuming the name of O-More O-Moâ— From 〈◊〉 book oâ— Patricâ— Fingâ—â— and taking the Toles and Brens into their confederacy by which means they dispossess'd the English of all that territory between the Caterlogh and the Irish-Sea Among these the river Neor joins the Barrow and after they have travell'd some miles together in one stream they quit their names and present that with their waters to their eldest sister the Swire which empties it self soon after from a rocky mouth into the sea where on the left there is a little narrow-neck'd promontory upon which stands a high tower built by the merchants of Rosse while they flourished to direct their vessels into the river-mouth Hooktowâ—â— QVEENS-COVNTY TOwards the north-west above Caterlogh lies a woody boggy tract call'd in Irish the Lease Lease in English the Queens-County which Queen Mary by her Minister Thomas Ratcliff Earl of Sussex and Lord Deputy at that time first reduced into a County Hence the chief town is call'd Mary-Burgh Mary-Burgh defended by a garison under the command of a Seneschal who with much ado keeps off the O-mores pretending to be Lords of it as also the Mac-Gilpatricks the O-Dempsies and others a mischievous and unquiet sort of people who are daily conspiring against the English and endeavouring to free themselves from their laws At the first coming of the English into these parts Meilere was sent hither to subdue this wild and hostile part of the country Hugh Lacy Lord Deputy built a castle at Tahmelio for him as also another at Obowy a third upon the river Barrow and a fourth at Norrach Among others also he fortified Donemaws Donemawâ— an ancient castle situate in the most fruitful part of this territory which fell to the Breoses Lords of Brecknock by Eva the youngest daughter of William Mareshall Earl of Pembrook Where also the Barrow rising out of Slew-Blomey-hills westward after a solitary course through the woods sees the old city Rheba Rhebâ— a name it stiâ—l preserves entire in its present one Rheban though instead of a city 't is now only the reliques of one consisting of some few cottages and a fort However it gives the title of Baronet to that noble Gentleman N. of S. Michael commonly called the Baronet of Rheban Baroâ— Rhebâ—â— The KING's-COVNTY AS the Queen's County aforesaid was so named from Queen Mary so the adjacent little County on the north divided by the river Barrow and called heretofore Offalie was term'd in honour of Philip King of Spain her husband the King's County as likewise the head-town in it Philips-town Philips-town where there is a garison a Seneschal and several noble families of the English the Warrens Herberts Colbies Mores and the Leicesters of the Irish the family of O-conor to whom a great part of it formerly belong'd as also of Mac Coghlam and O maily Fox and others who stoutly defend this and the other possessions left them here by their ancestors while the natives complain that the estates of their families are took from them and no other possessions in lieu assigned them to live upon For this reason they break out into rebellion upon every occasion and annoy the English with great outrage and cruelty The County of KILDAR THE County of Kildar lies along like a foreland to the King and Queen's Counties on the east very rich and fruitful Giraldus Cambrensis applies those verses of Virgil to the pastures of it Et quantum longis carpunt armenta diebus Exiguâ tantum gelidus ros nocte reponit What in long days the browzing cattle crop In the short nights the fertil dew makes up The a The Shire-town at this day is Nans near which at Sigginstowne Thomas
a garison-castle is so situate upon the river that no ships can pass to Waterford or Ross but by its permission and therefore they took care to fortifie it in the year 1588 when the Spaniards intended to conquer Ireland From hence to the very mouth of the river a narrow neck of land shoots out upon which stands a high tower built by the citizens of Ross in the time of their prosperity for the direction of mariners into the river's mouth At a little distance from hence upon a winding shore stands Tintern Tintern Monast de Voto where William Marshall Earl of Pembrooke built a famous Monastery and called it De Voto because in a dangerous storm he had made a vow to found one and being here cast upon the shore chose this place Hieron Promontory This very Promontory Ptolemy calls Hieron which signifies sacred and I don't question but it was call'd to the same sense by the inhabitants For the last town in it Byaun in Irish sacred where the English landed when they first invaded this Island is call'd in Irish Banna which signifies holy From this Holy-Promontory the shore turns eastward and winds about again for a long way towards the north over-against which the sea is full of flats and shallows very dangerous and called by the mariners the Grounds The Grounds Here Ptolemy fixes the river Modona The river Modona and the city Menapia standing at the mouth of it names so utterly lost at this day that I plainly despair of giving any light to a thing so very much involved in darkness Yet seeing there is but one river empties it self here and that in a manner parting this country in two called Slane as also The river Slane that upon the mouth where it stagnates there stands a city call'd by a German name Weisford Weisford the head town of this County methinks I could at least conjecture with some confidence that this Slane is that Modona and this Weisford Menapia and the rather because this name is but novel and of a German original having been given it by those Germans whom the Irish call Oustmen This city is none of the greatest but as remarkable as any being the first of this Island that submitted to the English reduced by Fitz-Stephens a valiant Commander and made a Colony of the English Upon this account this shire is very full of English who dress after the old fashion and speak the old language but with some allay and mixture of Irish Dermic who first drew the English hither gave this city and the territory about it to Fitz-Stephen for ever who began a burrough-town hard by at Carricke and with great art improved those advantages wherewith nature had fortified the place But he having surrendred his right to King Henry the second the King made it over to Richard Earl of Pembrook in fee to hold of him and the Kings of England for ever from whom by the Earls Mareschals it fell to the Valences of the family of Lusignian in France and the Hastings it fell to the Greys Lord of Ruthin called always in old Charters Lords of Weisford though in Henry the 6th's time J. Talbot is once mentioned 18 In the Records in the Acts of Parliament by the title of Earl of Shrewsbury and Weisford Concerning the river take this Distick of Necham's such as it is Ditat Eniscortum flumen quod Slana vocatur Hunc cernit Weisford se sociare sibi Enrich'd by Slane does Eniscort appear And Weisford sees him join his stream with her For c Eniscorthy Eniscort a Burrough-town stands upon this river as also more inward upon the same Fernes only famous for its Bishop's See which the Fitz-Giralds formerly fortified with a castle Hard by on the other side the Slane live the Cavenaghs the Donels Montaghs and O-mores Irish families of turbulent and seditious spirits as also the Sinotts the Roches and the Peppards all English On this side those of greatest note are the Viscounts Mont-Garret the first of whom was 19 Richard Edmund Butler a younger son of Peter Earl of Ormond dignified with that title by Edward the 6th and many other of the same name with the Devereux Staffords Chevers Whites Forlongs Fitz-Harrys Brownes Hores Haies Coddes and Mailers of English blood and original as are very many of the common people CAVCI The Cauci THE Cauci who were also a people of Germany seated upon the sea inhabited that part of the country next the Menapii but not at the same distance as those in Germany They lived in that sea-coast country now possess'd by the O-Tools O-Tools and Birns Birns Irish families that live by blood and wickedness ever restless and unquiet confiding in the strength of their forts and garisons they obstinately withstand all law and live in implacable enmity with the English To put a stop to their outrage and to make them conformable to the laws it was debated by very wise men in the year 1578 how those parts might be reduced into a County and at last they were divided into six Baronies and laid within certain limits constituting d This County of Wicklow has besides the town of Wicklow famous for the best ale in Ireland the town of Arklow several pretty Villages and some Noblemen's seats It is so well inhabited with English and by them improved to that degree as to make it inferior to few Counties in this Kingdom the County of Wicklo or Arcklo Arcklo For here is a place of that name which is eminent above the rest and a castle of the Earls of Ormond who among other titles of honour stile themselves Lords of Arcklo Below which that river call'd Ovoca in Ptolemy runs into the sea 20 Making a Creek and as Giraldus Cambrensis says is of that nature that as well when the tide flows as ebbs in this creek it retains its natural taste and freshness preserving it self unmixt and free from any tincture of salt to the very sea The County of DIVELIN or DVBLIN BEyond the Cauci lived the Eblani in that tract which is now the County of Dublin or Divelin bounded on the east by the Irish sea on the west by the County of Kildare on the south by the little territories of the O-Tools and O-Birns and those which they term the Glinnes â—â—e Glinâ—â—â— and lastly on the north by the County of Meath and the river Nanny The soil produces good corn and yields grass and fodder very plentifully and the County is well stock'd with game both for hunting and fowling but so naked for the most part that they generally burn a fat kind of a turf or else coal out of England instead of wood In the south part which is less improved and cultivated there is now and then a hill pretty thick with wood upon the top of it under which lie the low vales call'd Glynnes thick set with woods and
of S. Patrick l. 2. rerum Anglicarum cap 26. and well supplied with fish from the river as it runs into the sea here famous for trade and for those sweet plains oaky woods and fine parks so entertaining about it Thus also William of Newborow Divelin a maritime City is the metropolis of Ireland it enjoys the benefit of a famous harbor and for trade and concourse of merchants rivals London It s situation is particularly pleasant and wholsome having hills on the south plains on the west and sea just the by it on the east and and the river Liffy on the north where ships ride safely Upon the river there are Kaies as we call them or certain works made to break the violence of the water For Caiare among the ancients signified to restrain Ad Auson lib. â— c. 22. check or hinder as the most learned Scaliger has observed Here the City wall well built of free stone begins fortified on the south with rampiers it has six gates which open into large suburbs on all sides The access on the south is by Dammes-gate near which stands the King's castle upon a rising well fortified with ditches and towers and provided with a good Arsenal built by Henry Loundres the Archbishop about the year 1220. In that suburb on the east side near St. Andrew's Church Henry the second King of England as Hoveden says caused a royal palace 22 Or rather banqueting-house to be built of smooth wattles very curious after the manner of this Country and here with the Kings and Princes of Ireland he kept a Chrstmas-day in great solemnity Over against it stands a fine College on the same spot where Alhallows Allhallows Monastery heretofore stood dedicated to the Indivisible and Holy Trinity endow'd with the privileges of an University by Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory Univâ—rsity b gun and foundâ—d in 1591 May 13. S ud n s â—dmiâ—ted in the year 1593. for the education of youth and lately furnished with a good Library which gives no small hopes that Religion and Learning will after a long exile return to Ireland formerly the seat of the Muses to which foreigners resorted as to the great Mart of liberal arts and sciences 1320. L. MS. of Baron Houth In the reign of Edward the second Alexander Bicknor Archbishop of Dublin having obtained from the Pope the privileges of an University for this place and instituted publick Lectures first began to recall them but this laudable design was broken by the turbulent times that followed The north gate opens towards the bridge which is arched and built of * F. vivo Saxo. free stone by King John who joyned Oustman-town to the City For here the Oustmanni which Giraldus says came from Norway and those Northern Islands setled according to our Histories about the year 1050. In this suburbs stood formerly the famous Church of S. Mary de Oustmanby for so 't is call'd in King John's Charter and also a House of Black Friers whither the King's Courts of Judicature were lately transferr'd On the west part of Dublin there are two gates Ormonds-gate and Newgate which is the common Gaol both leading to the longest suburb of this City named St. Thomas where stands also a noble Abbey of the same name called Thomas Court Thomas Court founded and endowed with large revenues by King Henry the second to expiate for the death of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury On the south we enter by S. Paul's gate and that call'd S. Nicholas opening into S. Patrick's suburb where stands the Palace of the Archbishop known by the name of S. Sepulcher with a stately Church dedicated to S. Patrick very fine within for its stone pavements and arch'd roof and without for its high steeple 'T is uncertain when this Church was first built but that Gregory King of Scots about the year 890 came in pilgrimage to it is plain from the Scotch history Afterwards it was much enlarged by King John and made a Church of Prebends by John Comy Archbishop of Dublin which was confirmed by Coelestine the third Bishop of Rome in the year 1191. After that again Henry Loundres his successor in this See of Dublin augmented the dignities of the Parsonages Pâ—rsonatuum as the words of the founder are and made it conformable to the immunities orders and customs of the Church of Salisbury At present it consists of a Dean a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Archdeacons and twenty two Prebendaries Stat. Parl. 18 Hen. 8. c. 15. the only light and lamp not to conceal a very noble Character which a Parliament of this Kingdom gave it of all pious and Ecclesiastical discipline and order in Ireland Here is also another Cathedral Church in the very heart of the City dedicated to the Holy Trinity but commonly call'd Christ's Temple Concerning it's foundation we have this passage in the Archives of that Church Sitric King of Dublin son of Ableb Count of Dublin gave a piece of ground to the Holy Trinity and to Donatus the first Bishop of Dublin to build a Church on in honour of the Holy Trinity and not only that but gold and silver also sufficient for that design and to finish the whole * Curâ—â— Church-yard This was done about the year 1012 at which time Lancarvanensis affirms that Sitric son of Abloie so he calls him flourished The work was begun by Donatus but carry'd on and finish'd by Laurence Archbishop of Dublin Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke commonly call'd Comes Striguliae whose tomb repair'd by 23 Sir Henry Henry Sidney Lord Deputy is to be seen here Robert Fitz-Stephens and Reimond Fitz-Girald On the south side of the Church stands the Town-hall built of square stone and call'd Tolestale Tolâ—stalâ— where Causes are try'd before the Mayor and where sessions and publick meeting of the Citizens are often held The City enjoys many privileges Formerly it was govern'd in chief by a Provost but in the year 1409 King Henry the fourth gave them the privilege of choosing every year a Mayor with two Bailiffs and of carrying a guilt sword before him Afterward King Edward the sixth changed these Bailiffs into Sheriffs There is nothing wanting to the grandeur and happiness of this City but the removal of those heaps of sand that by the flux and reflux of the sea are wash'd up into the mouth of the river Liffy and hinder great ships from coming up but at high water Thus much for Dublin the account whereof I confess to be mostly owing to the diligence and knowledge of James Usher Chancellor of S. Patricks whose variety of Learning and soundness of Judgment are infinitely beyond his years As for Robert Vere earl of Oxford whom Richard the second who was profuse in bestowing titles of honour made Marquiss of Dublin Maâ—qâ—â—â—â— of Dubâ—â—â— and afterwards Duke of Ireland I have took notice of him before and need not report it here
sirnamed Albanach from his birth in Scotland seeing the fair Estate of this family devolved upon Leonell Duke of Clarence by a female was much concerned and drawing together a great body of lewd fellows who are ever to be had in Ireland as well as in other places enter'd by main force upon the estate of the Earls of Munster in this County and from his Grandfather whose reputation and power was then still fresh in remembrance Maâ—â—â—lâ—an 〈◊〉 calâ—â—â— Wiâ—â—â— Eughtâ— call'd himself Mac-William i.e. the son of William His posterity under that title have tyranniz'd in these parts breaking in upon one another with mutual slaughter and oppressing the poor people by their rapine and pillage so that hardly a village is left standing and unrifled by them 33 Sir Richard Richard Bingham Governour of Conaught a sharp man and fit to rule over such a fierce Province thought this was not to be endured wisely perceiving that these practices were the causes of rebellion barbarism and poverty in Ireland and that they corrupted the people so much as to their Allegiance that they hardly knew or acknowledged any other Prince than their own Lords Accordingly he was resolv'd to employ his thoughts and the utmost of his abilities to re-establish the King's power and overthrow the tyranny of this Mac-William and others wherein he persever'd tho' complain'd of both before the Queen and the Lord Deputy The Burks and their dependents who denied the juridiction and authority of all Laws took up arms at last against him drawing to their assistance the Clan-Donells Ioies and others who were apprehensive of their own danger and the diminution of their authority However Bingham easily suppressed them forced their Castles and drove them to the woods and by-places till the Lord Deputy upon their Petition commanded him by his Letters to desist and permit them to live quietly And they who had but now broke the peace were so far from a sense of the miseries of war that they were no sooner restored and had their lives given them but they took up arms again made inroads into all parts of the Country and turn'd all things to confusion saying they would either have their Mac-William to rule over them or send for one out of Spain that they would admit no Sheriffs for the future nor subject themselves to Law so they invited the Scots from the Hebrides to their assistance with promises of great estates The Lord Deputy sent orders to the Governour to suppress this insolent tumult who immediately thereupon offer'd them terms which being rejected he drew an army together and press'd them so closely in the woods and forests that after six or seven weeks grievous famine they were forced to submit At the same time their reinforcement from Scotland was upon their march seeking their way into the County of Maio to joyn them by strange unbeaten roads however their motions were so well watched by the Governour who was night and day upon his march that at length at Ardnary he intercepted them set upon them and defeated them there being in all kill'd or drowned in the river Moin to the number of three thousand This victory was not only famous then but of great consequence to after times as having put an end to that rebellion and the title of Mac-William and cut off Donell Coran and Alexander Carrogh the sons of James Mac-Conell and those Islanders who had ever most sadly infested Ireland These things I have briefly related 34 Out of my Annals though beyond the precise scope of my design the worth of them will entitle them to more room and a fuller account in an Historian The County of SLEGO UP higher the County of Slego very fit for grazing by reason of the excellent grass it produces lyes full upon the Sea bounded on the North by the River Trobis which Ptolemy calls Ravius springing from the Lough Ern in Ulster It is divided from Letrim and Roscoman which border upon it by the rugged Curlew-mountains and the river Succas Somewhere in this County Ptolemy places the City of Nagnata Nagnata but for my part I am not able to discover it The same Authour has likewise the River Libnius Libnius in these parts which has been misplaced by a mistake of transcribers and a little above is reduced to Dublin But the place which Ptolemy points at is now called the Bay of Slego a creeky road for ships just under the town which is the chief in this County adorned with a castle now the seat of the a O-Connor Sligo O-Connors sirnamed de Slego from this place and descended as they say from that Rotheric O-Conor Dun who was so potent that when the English invaded Ireland he acted as Monarch of that Kingdom and would hardly submit to King Henry the second but was often recoiling though he had promised submission And as an anonymous writer of that age says he was wont to exclaim against these words of Pope Adrian in his Diploma to the King of England as injurious to him You may enter into that Island V. Dipl lib. 2. cap. 6. Giral Cambren de Expugnatione p. 787. and do any thing therein that will contribute to God's glory and the well-being of the Country and let the people of that Island receive you and respect you as their Lord. And this he continued to protest against till Pope Alexander the third made another Diploma confirming this right to the Kings of England For then he grew milder and willing to hear of other terms as we shall observe hereafter The greatest families in these parts besides the O-Conors are O-Dono b O-Hara O-Haris c O-Gara O-Ghar and Mac-Donagh The County of LETRIM NExt to Slego on the East lyes Breany â—â—eany the Estate of that ancient family O Rorck descended from Rotherick Monarch of Ireland whom they call Rorck after their way of contracting and enjoy'd by them till Brien O Rorck Lord of Breany and Minterolise was inveigled by Pope Sixtus Quintus and the King of Spain to cast off his allegiance to Queen Elizabeth and take up arms against her Upon which he was presently forc'd to seek refuge in Scotland from whence he was sent into England and there hang'd for his inconsiderate folly The estate being thus forfeited to the Crown this territory was reduced into a County by John Perrott and from the head town in it called Letrim This is a Highland County very rank in grass but not so much as to verifie that of Solinus Grass grows so plentifully in Ireland that the beasts are certainly surfeited if they are not hindered to feed now and then So many herds are kept in this narrow County that it has reckoned above a hundred and twenty thousand head of cattle at one time The Bishoprick of Achonry now united to the See of Elphin lyes in this County as also the spring head of the Shanon and chief river in Ireland which
in a winding chanel sometimes broad and sometimes narrow runs through many Counties as we have already observed The chief families are the O Rorcks O Murreies Mac Lochleims Mac Glanchies and Mac Granells all pure Irish John de Burgo the son of Richard Earl of Clan-Ricard who was made Baron Letrim Baron Letrim by Queen Elizabeth and soon after slain by some malicious rivals took his title as some say from another place and not from this Letrim and I have not certainly discovered the truth of that matter The County of ROSCOMAN BElow Letrim to the south lyes the County of Roscoman first made by Henry Sidney Lord Deputy of great length but very narrow bounded on the west by the river Suc on the east by the Shanon and on the north by the Curlew mountains Curlew-â—ountains This is for the most part a Champian country fertile well stock'd with cattle and ever plentiful in its corn-harvests if assisted with a little good husbandry and tillage Towards the north are the Curlew-mountains steep and unpassable till with much pains and difficulty a way was cut through them by George Bingham and famous for the slaughter of 35 Sir Coniers Clifford Coniers Clifford Governor of Conaught and other brave old soldiers cut off there not very long since by his negligence There are four Baronies in this County first the Barony of Boile Barony of Boile under the Curlew-mountains upon the Shanon where formerly stood a famous monastery founded in the year 1152 together with the Abbey of Beatitude * Mac-Dermot quasi rerum potitur Balin Tober This is the Seigniory of Mac Dermot Next the Barony of Balin Tobar upon the Suc where O Conor Dun has the chief power and interest neighbouring upon the Bishoprick of Elphin Lower down lyes Roscoman Roscoman the Barony of O Conor Roo that is Conor the red wherein stands the head town of this County fortified with a castle built by Robert Ufford Lord Chief Justice of Ireland the houses of the town are all thatch'd More southward lyes Athlone Athlone the Barony of the O-Kellies so called from the principal town in it which has a castle a garison and a fair stone bridge built within the memory of this age by Henry Sidney Lord Deputy at the command of Queen Elizabeth who designed to make this the seat of the Lord Deputy as most convenient to suppress insurrections The Lords of CONAGHT IT appears by the Irish Histories that Turlogh O Mor O Conor formerly reigned over this Country and divided it between his two sons Cahel and Brien But when the English invaded Ireland it was governed by Rotheric under the title of Monarch of Ireland who was so apprehensive of the English power that he submitted himself to King Henry the second without the hazard of a battle Soon after he revolted and thereupon Conaght was first invaded by Milo-Cogan an English man but without success However the King of Conaght was reduced to such straits that he was fain to acknowledge himself a liege-man of the King of England's Rog. Hove ac 1175. p. 312. Claus 7. Joâ—nnis so as to serve him faithfully as his man and pay him yearly for every ten head of cattle one hide vendible c. Yet by the grant of King John he was to have and to hold the third part of Conaght to him and his heirs for 100 marks However this County was first subdued and civilized by William Fitz-Adelme whose posterity is the De Burgo's in Latin or as the Irish call them the Burks and Bourks Robert Muscogros Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester and William de Bermingham William de Burgo or Bourks and his posterity under the title of Lords of Conaght governed this and the County of Ulster for a long time in great peace and enjoyed considerable revenues from them But at last it went out of the family by the only daughter of William de Burgo sole heir to Conaght and Ulster who was married to Leonel Duke of Clarence son to King Edward the third He generally residing in England as well as his successors the Mortimers this estate in Ireland was neglected so that the Bourks The Bourks their relations and stewards here finding their Lords absent and England embroiled at that time confederated with the Irish by leagues and marriages seized upon almost all Conaght as their own and by little and little degenerated into the Irish barbarity Those of them descended from Richard de Burgo are called Clan Ricard others Mac William Oughter i.e. Higher others Mac William Eughter i.e. Lower So those of greatest interest in the County of Maio were simply called Mac William assumed as a title of much honour and authority as descended from William de Burgo already mentiond 36 Under countenance of which name they for a long time tyranniz'd over the poor Inhabitants with most grievous exactions ULSTER ALL that part of the Country beyond the mouth of the river Boyn the County of Meath and Longford and the mouth of the river Ravie on the North make up the fifth part of Ireland called in Latin Ultonia and Ulidia in English Ulster in Irish Cui Guilly i.e. Province of Guilly and in Welsh Ultw In Ptolemy's time it was wholly peopl'd by the Voluntii Darni Robogdii and the Erdini This is a large Province water'd with many considerable loughs shelter'd with huge woods fruitful in some places and barren in others yet very green and sightly in all parts and well stock'd with Cattle But as the soil for want of culture is rough and barren so the Inhabitants for want of education and discipline a This is to be understood of the Irish Inhabitants who are now so routed out and destroyed by their many Rebellions and by the accession of Scots who for the most part inhabit this Province that there are not supposed to be left 10000 Irish able and sit to bear Arms in all Ulster are very wild and barbarous Yet to keep them in subjection and order for neither the bonds of justice modesty nor other duty could restrain them this hither part was formerly divided into three Counties Louth Down and Antrimme and now the rest is divided into these seven Counties Cavon Fermanagh Monaghan Armagh Colran Tir Oen and Donegall or Tirconell by the provident care of 37 Sir John John Perott Lord Deputy Jo. Perot Lord Deputy 1585. a man truly great and famous and thoroughly acquanted with the temper of this Province For being sensible that nothing would more effectually appease the tumults of Ireland than a regulation and settlement of these parts of Ulster he went himself in person thither in that troublesome and dangerous time when the Spanish descent was so much expected there and in England and by his gravity and authority while he took care to punish injurious actions which are ever the great causes of dissention and War gain'd so much respect among
meaning his own body The O-Neals afterwards wrested it out of their hands but they being attainted of treason Sir Thomas Smith Knight and one of Queen Elizabeth's Privy-Council by her permission planted a Colony there an excellent design but very unsuccessful For after great expence his own natural son whom he had set over it was taken by an Ambuscade of the Irish and then thrown to be tore in pieces by the dogs a piece of cruelty for which they afterwards severely suffered being themselves put to death and given to the wolves Above Ardes westward lyes the more southern Clanboy Clanboy the Upper i.e. a Yellow Sept or the family of Hugh the Yellow as they interpret it a woody Country which extends to the bay of Knock-Fergus inhabited by the O-Neals and counted the very utmost part of this County of Down The County of ANTRIM THE next County to Louth northwards is the County of Antrim so called from Antrim a small town only remarkable for giving name to the whole shire which is bounded by the bay of Knock-Fergus Knock Fergus the Lough Eaugh and the river Ban. This bay of Knock-Fergus called Vinderius in Ptolemy took it's name from a town situate upon it which the English term Knock-Fergus the Irish Carig-Fergus that is the rock of Fergus from that famous Fergus drowned there who first brought the Scots out of Ireland into Britain This town is more frequented and famous than any other upon this coast by reason of a commodious haven fortifications though not yet finished a castle standing upon a high rock and has a garison to keep the country in subjection with an ancient palace now converted into a magazine Near this lies Clane-boy the lower Clanboy the Lowâ—â— the habitation likewise of the O-Neals memorable for the death of that lewd rebel Shan or John O-Neal who after many outrages was defeated in one or two skirmishes by 49 Sir Henry Henry Sidney Lord Deputy and reduced to such streights that he was resolved to go and address himself to the Lord Deputy with a halter about his neck for pardon but his Secretary dissuaded him and induced him rather to seek assistance from the Island Scots who under the conduct of Alexander Oge were now encamped here and ravaged the country Accordingly he went to them and was kindly received but put to death soon after with his whole party for the slaughter he had formerly made among their relations The war being thus ended by his death and he attainted with his whole party Queen Elizabeth bestowed this Clane-boy upon Walter D'Evereux Earl of Essex who came hither sent perhaps by means of some Courtiers under pretence of honour for he was made Governor of Ulster and Marshal of Ireland into a Country ever rebellious and ungovernable Where endeavouring with great expence to compose affairs and reduce them to a state of peace and quietness he was at last after many and great difficulties snatch'd away by an untimely death to the loss and trouble of all good men and to the benefit of the O-Neals and Brian Carragh of the family of the Mac-Conells who thereupon got this territory and since that time have been at war with one another for the Lordship of it Near this Knock-Fergus lies a Peninsula joined by a small neck of land to the continent which is call'd the Isle of Magie 〈◊〉 oâ— Maâ—â—â— being four miles in length and one in breadth Here some suppose that the Monastery of Magio so much commended by Bede did stand which I have already mentioned in the County of Maio. Then the Glinnes â—â—â—nnes that is the valleys begin at Older-sleet a bad road for ships and run along a great way by the sea This territory belong'd formerly to the Bissets â—â—â—ts Noblemen of Scotland who for making away Patrick Earl of Athol were banished hither and by the favour of Henry the third King of England were settled in an estate here For John Bisset who died in the beginning of Edw. the first had a great estate in lands here and in Edw. the 2d's reign Hugh Bisset forfeited part of it by rebellion In the last age this was invaded by the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ni â—â—torâ—s 〈…〉 Coâ— Irish Scots from the Cantire and the Hebrides under the conduct of James Mac Conell Lord of Cantire in Scotland who claimed it as descended from the Bissets Shan O-Neal having cut off their Captain soon repelled them Yet they returned and made cruel ravages in these parts fomenting rebellions in the Kingdom till but very lately 50 Sir John John Perrot Lord Deputy first reduced Donall Goran who was slain together with his brother Alexander in Conaught by 51 Sir Richard Richard Bingham and afterwards Agnus Mac Conell the sons of James Mac Conell to that pinch that they submitted themselves to the Queen of England and upon their humble petition received this Country to hold of her by Knight's service on condition to bear arms for none but the Kings of England and to pay a certain number of Cows and Hawks yearly c. Above this as far as the river Bann the Country is called Rowte The Rowte the seat of the Mac Guillies Mac Guâ—lly a family of no small note among the Irish but pent up in this narrow corner by the outrage and continual depredations of the Island-Scots For Surley-Boy Surley boy also Chairly boy that is Charles the yellow brother to James Mac Conell who possessed the Glinnes did in a manner make himself master of this tract till 52 Sir John John Perrot the aforesaid Lord Deputy having took the castle of Donluse Doniuse strongly situated upon a rock hanging out into the sea and severed from the land by a deep ditch drove out him and his party However he recovered it the year following by treachery after he had slain Carie the governor who made a stout defence Upon this the Lord Deputy sent out Meriman an experienced Captain against him who cut off the two sons of James Mac Conell with Alexander the son of this Surley Boy and pressed him so closely driving away his cattle the only riches he had for he was able to make up 50000 Cows of his own stock that he surrender'd Donluse came to Dublin and made an open submission in the Cathedral exhibiting a petition for mercy Being after this admitted into the Governors lodgings as soon as he saw the picture of Queen Elizabeth he threw away his sword once or twice and fell down before it devoting himself entirely to Her Majesty Being received into favour and protection among the other subjects of Ireland hereupon he abjured both in the Chancery Kings-Bench all allegiance to any foreign Prince whatsoever and by the bounty of Queen Elizabeth had four territories or Toughs as they call them from the river Boys to the Ban bestowed upon him namely Donseverig Loghill and Ballamonyn together with the government of Donluse
grew so concerned for blinding his brother that he renounced the Kingdom and with the sign of the cross went in pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he died 1089. As soon as the Nobility of the Island receiv'd the news of Lagman's death they dispatched their Ambassadors to Murecard O-Brien King of Ireland desiring that he would send them some diligent man or other of Royal extraction to rule over them during the minority of Olave the son of Godred The King readily consented and sent one Dopnald the son of Tade with orders and instructions to govern the Kingdom though it belonged not to him with modesty and tenderness But as soon as he was advanced to the throne without any farther heed to the commands his Lord had laid on him he grew grievous to the people by his tyranny and and reigned three years with great cruelty and outrage The Nobility being then no longer able to endure this oppression conspir'd rose up in arms and banish'd him Upon that he fled into Ireland and never returned 1097. One Ingemund was sent by the King of Norway to get the soveraignty of these Islands When he came to the Isle Leod he sent to all the great men of the Islands commanding them to assemble and make him King In the mean while he with his companions did nothing but spoil feast ravish women and virgins giving himself wholly up to such beastly lusts and pleasures As soon as the great men of the Islands were acquainted with these proceedings being now assembled to make him King they were so enraged that they went in all haste towards him and coming to his house in the night set it on fire so that he and his whole retinue were either destroyed by the fire or by the sword An. 1098. was founded the Abby of S. Mary at Cistercium Antioch was taken by the Christians and a Comet appeared The same year was fought a battle between the Inhabitants of the Isle of Man at Santwat those of the north-side got the victory In this engagement were slain Earl Other and Macmaras the two Leaders This same year Magnus King of Norway the son of Olave son of Harald Harfager out of curiosity to know whether the Corps of St. Olave King and Martyr remained uncorrupt commanded his tomb to be open'd This order being opposed by the Bishop and his Clergy the King himself came in person and had it open'd by force And when with the sense of his own eyes and hands he found the body sound and unputrified he fell into great fear and went away in all haste The next night the King and Martyr appear'd to him saying Take thy choice of these two offers either to lose thy life and Kingdom within 30 days or to leave Norway and be content never to see it more As soon as the King awaken'd he called his Nobles and the Elders of his people together and told them what vision he had seen Being frighted at it they gave him this Council That with all haste he should depart from Norway Upon this he prepared a fleet of an hundred and sixty ships and set sail for the Orcades which he soon conquer'd from whence he went on with success and victory through all the Islands till he came to that of Man Being landed there he went to St. Patrick's Isle to see the place where the Islanders had been engaged a little before for many of the dead bodies were as yet unburied This fine Island pleased him so well that he resolved to seat himself in it and to that end built forts and strong holds which retain his name to this day Those of Gallway were so much over-awed by him that at his order they cut down wood and brought it to the shore for him to make his Bulworks withal Next he sailed to Monia an Island of Wales where he found two Hughs both Earls one of them he slew Monia for Anglesey v. Girald Cambrensem in Itinerario Cambria the other he put to flight and conquer'd the Island The Welsh men made many Presents to him so taking his leave of them he returned to Man To Maricard King of Ireland he sent his shoes commanding him to carry them upon his shoulders thro' the middle of his house on Christmas day in sight of his Messengers to signifie his subjection to King Magnus The Irish received this news with great wrath and indignation But the King more advisedly said That he would not only carry but also eat his shoes rather than King Magnus should destroy one Province in Ireland So he complied with this order and honourably entertained his Messengers and sent them back with many presents to him and made a league with him Being returned they gave their Master an account of Ireland describing its situation and pleasantness its fruitfulness and the excellence of its air Magnus hearing this begun to turn his thoughts wholly upon the Conquest of that Count try For this end he gave orders to fit out a good fleet and went before with sixteen ships to take a view of the Country but as he unwarily left his ship he was beset by the Irish and cut off with most of those that were with him His body was buried near St. Patrick's Church in Down He reigned six years After his death the Noblemen of the Island sent for Olave the son of Godred sirnamed Crovan who lived in the Court of Henry King of England the son of King William 1102. Olave the son of Godred Crovan began his reign which continued 40 years He was a peaceable Prince and in league with all the Kings of Ireland and Scotland His wife was Africa the daughter of Fergâ—se of Gallway by whom he had Godred By his Concubines he had also Regnald Lagman and Harald besides many daughters one of whom was married to Summerled Prince of * Argiâ—e Herergaidel to whom the Kingdom of the Isles owe their ruine By her he had four sons Dungall Raignald Engus and Olave 1133. The Sun was so eclipsed on the fourth of the Nones of August that the day was as dark as the night 1134. Olave gave to Yvo Abbot of Furnes part of his lands in Man towards building an Abby in a place called Russin He enricht the estate of the Church with Islands and Revenues and endowed it with great liberties 1142. Godred the son of Olave sailed over to the King of Norway who was called Hinge and did him homage he staid there some time and was honourably received This same year the three sons of Harald the brother of Olave who were bred at Dublin came to Man with a great multitude of men and such as the King had banished demanding one half of the Kingdom of the Isles for their share The King being willing to please them answered That he would take the advice of a Council about it Having agreed upon the time and place for their meeting these base villains began to plot against the King's life At the
family of Man soon did by force of arms For having raised a body of English he drove the Scots out of the Isle with these raw soldiers But having plunged himself into debt by the great expence of this war and become insolvent he was was forced to mortgage the Island to Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem and make over all the profits thereof to him for seven years and quickly after the King gave the Island to the said Anthony for term of life Afterwards King Edw. 2. gave it to his great favourite Peter de Gaveston having made him Earl of Cornwall at the same time He being cut off the King gave it to Henry Beaumont with all the demesn and royal jurisdiction thereunto belonging Soon after this the Scots recovered it again under the conduct of Robert Brus and from that time Thomas Randolph a warlike Scot as also a long time after Alexander Duke of Albany stiled themselves Lords of Man The Arms of the Kings of Man and bore the same Arms that the later Kings of the Island did namely three arm'd legs of a man link'd together and bending in the hams just like the three legs naked which were formerly stamp'd in the coins of Sicily to signifie the three Promontories The old Coat of Arms of Sâ—cily But yet the ancient Arms of the Kings of Man was a * Vâ—lo complicatâ— Ship with the sail hoised with this inscription Rex Manniae Insularum The King of Man and of the Islands as I have seen in the sails they used Afterwards about the year 1340 William Montacute the younger Earl of Salisbury rescued it by force of arms from the Scots and in the year of our Lord 1393 sold Man and the Crown thereof to William Scrope for a great sum of money as Walsingham tells us Scrope being beheaded afterwards and his goods confiscated for treason it fell into Henry the 4th's hands who bestowed it upon Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland then triumphing over William Scrope having himself though only a private person taken and beheaded him for aspiring to the Crown upon this condition That he and his posterity at the Coronation of the Kings of Kings of England should carry the Sword before him which the said Henry wore by his side at his Restoration or return from Exile commonly called Lancaster sword But take the King 's own words as they stand in the Record We of our special grace An. 1. H. 9. Rot. 2. bundle 2. have gâ—ven and granted to Henry Earl of Northumberland the Isle Castle Pile and Lordship of Man with all such Islands and seigniories thereunto belonging as were Sir William Le Scoâ—p 's Kt. now deceased whom in his life we conquered and do declare to be conquered and which by reason of this our conquest fell to us Which very Conquest and Decree as touching the person of the said William and all the lands tâ—nements goods and chattels as well within as without the Kingdom belonging to him are now at the petition of the Communs of our Kingdom and by the consent of the Lords Temporal now assembled in Parliament ratified and confirmed to have and to hold to the said Earl and his heirs c. by service of carrying at every coronation-day of us and our heirs at the lift shoulder of us and our heirs either by himself in person or â—y some sufficient and honourable deputy that sword naked which we wore when we arrived at Hâ—lderness called Luncaster-sword c. However this Henry Percy was banished four years after Annals of Thom. Otterborn an 7. H. 4. and though it was not long before his attainder was took of yet he was deprived of Man which was given first to William Stanley and after that to John Stanley together with the advowson of the Bishoprick c. whose posterity have been honoured with the title of Earls of Derby and commonly called Kings of Man Additions to the ISLE of MAN The Division of the Land THE extent and situation of this Island of Man and the different names under which it is mentioned by the Ancients are faithfully related by Mr. Camden which I shall not here repeat The Island is divided into seventeen parts which are distinguished not by the name of Shires or Counties but of Kirks and are called The seventeen Parish Churches every Church or Parish bearing the additional name of the Saint to whom the Parish-Church or Chapel in old time was dedicated Their names are Kirk Christ of Rushin Kirk Harbery Kirk Melue Kirk Santon Kirk Bradon Kirk Marcom Kirk Concan Kirk Connon Kirk Maughald Kirk Christ of Ayre Kirke Bride Kirk Andrew Jorby or St. Patrick of Jorby Ballough Kirk Michael Kirk Jerman Kirk Patrick of Peel These seventeen Kirks or Parishâ—s are divided into six parts which in the Manks language are called Sheedings every Sheeding comprehending three Kirks or Parishes except one which has only two There are three small Islands which belong to the Isle of Man the biggest of which is called the Calf of Man Calf of Man and lies on the south side thereof pointing westward It is well stored with a fort of sea fowl called Puffins which are of a very unctuous Constitution They breed in the Coney-holes the Coneys leaving their Burrows for that time and are never seen with their young but either very early in the morning or late in the evening nourishing as is conceived their young with oyl which drawn from their own constitution is dropped into their mouths For being open there is found in their crops no other sustenance but a single sorrel leaf which the old give their young for digestion's sake as is conjectured The flesh of these birds is nothing pleasant being of a rank fish-like taste but pickled or salted they may be ranked with Anchâ—vies Caviare or the like They are profitable in their feathers and oyl of which the Inhabitants make great use about theiâ— wooll They have likewise another sort of sowl in this â—ites Island which the Inhabitants call Barnacles commonly said to be the same with the Soland-geese of Scotland but really the Soland-geese in that Kingdom have no affinity to Barnacles being quite of another kind The other little Isle is called St. Michaels Island and lies in the south-east part of Man The third is Peel Island situated on the west side of Man which tho' it be the least yet is it of greatest consequence because of a castle therein The danger of the â—oast for Ships The Island is not only environed with huge rocks round about but likewise at the mouth of every Haven there are a great many rocky stones pointed like a pyramide above water besides a great many rugged stones that lie undiscovered under water So that it is dangerous to enter any of the Havens of this Island without the assistance and conduct of some of the Native Mariners The Haven of Douglass is reckoned the best
at this day Garnsey Garnsey perhaps Granonâ— by transposal of letters which the Notitia mentions in Armorica running from east to west in the form of a harp but much inferior to the Caesarea aforesaid both in extent and fruitfulness for it has only 10 parishes Yet in this respect that nothing venomous will live here 't is to be preferr'd to the other Nature has also fortified it much better being fenced quite round with a ridge of steep rocks among which is found smyris a very hard sharp stone which we call Emeril wherewith Lapidaries polish and shape jewels and Glaziers cut glass This Island has also a better haven and greater concourse of Merchants For almost in the farthest point eastward but on the south side the shore falls in like a half moon and thereby makes a bay capable of receiving very large ships Upon which stands S. Peter a little town consisting of one long and narrow street which has a good magazine and is throng'd with merchants upon the breaking out of any war For by an ancient priviledge of the Kings of England this place enjoys a kind of perpetual truce so that in times of war the French or any others may come hither without danger and trade with their commodities The mouth of the haven which is pretty well set with rocks is defended by a castle on each side on the left by an old castle and on the right by another they call the Cornet standing just opposite upon a high rock and encompassed by the sea when the tide is in This in Queen Mary's time was repaired by Sir Leonard Chamberlan Kt. and Governor of the Island and has been since strengthen'd with new works by Thomas Leighton his successor 5 Under Queen Elizabeth Here lives generally the Governor of the Island with a garison to defend it who suffer neither French-men nor women to enter upon any pretence whatsoever On the north-side joins La Val a Peninsula which had a Priory or Convent in it In the west part near the sea there is a lake of a mile and a half in compass well stored with fish Carp especially which for size and taste are very much commended The Inhabitants are not so industrious in improving their grounds as the people of Jersey but yet they follow navigation and commerce for a more uncertain gain with much toil and application Every man here takes care to till his own land by himself only so that the whole Island is enclosure which is not only of great profit to them but secures them against a common enemy Both Islands are adorned with many gardens and orchards so that they generally use a wine made of * Pyris Apples which some call Sisera we Cydre The Inhabitants of both are originally either Normans or Britains but they speak French Yet they will not suffer themselves to be thought or called French without disdain and willingly hear themselves counted English Both Islands use Uraic for fewel or else sea-coal from England They enjoy great plenty of fish and have both of them the same form of government These with other Islands hereabouts belonged formerly to Normandy but after Henry the first King of England had defeated his brother Robert in the year 1108 he annexed Normandy and these Islands to the Crown of England From that time they have stedfastly adhered to England even at that juncture wherein King John was found guilty of the death of his nephew and by judgment thereupon was deprived of all Normandy which he held of the King of France and the whole Province revolted from him As also after that when King Henry the third sold his title to Normandy for a sum of money From that moment they have to their great honour continued firm in their allegiance to England and are all of William the Conqueror's inheritance and the Dukedom of Normandy that now remains in this Crown and that notwithstanding several attempts made upon them by the French who for this long time have hardly cast their eyes upon them from their own coast without envy 6 Aâ—d verily Evan a Welsh Gâ—ntleman descended from the Princes of Wales and serving the French King surprised Garnsey in the time of K ng Edward the thiâ—â— but soon lost it In Edward the 4th's reign it appears by the Records of the Kingdom that they got possession of Guernsey but were soon beat out again by the valour of Richard Harleston Valect of the Crown as they term'd them in those days for which the King rewarded him with the government of both the Island and the Castle Fâ—anciâ—a 16. Edw 4. Again likewise in the year 1549 the King being in minority and the Kingdom embroiled with civil wars Leo Strozzi commander of the French Galleys invaded this Isle but was repulsed with great loss and so this design vanished As for the Ecclesiastical State here they continued under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Constance in Normandy till within the memory of this age when he refused to abjure the Pope's authority in England as our Bishops had done From that time they were taken from the Diocess of Constance by Queen Elizabeth and laid to the Diocess of Winchester so that the Bishop of Winchester and his successors may exercise all the offices that pertain to an Episcopal Jurisdiction herein Yet their Church Discipline is according to that of Geneva introduced here by the French Ministers As for the Civil Customs of these Islands some of them are to be found in the Records of the Tower namely That King John instituted twelve Coroners upon oath to keep the rights and hold the pleas belonging to the Crown and granted for the security of the Islanders that their Bailiffs hence-forward * Per Visum by advice of the Coroners might plead without writ of Novel Disscisin made within the year without writ of Mordancaster within the year or brief De Dower likewise c. That the Jurors shall not defer their sentence in any cause above a year and that they shall be respected in Customs and other things as subjects born and not as foreigners Cl. 25 E. 3 An. 9. Ed. 3. But I leave these matters to such as may perhaps search more nicely into the detail of them observing only that the Customs of Normandy hold here in most cases Serke a small Island lying between these two Serk and fenced round with steep rocks lay desolate till J. de S. Owen of Jarsey the antiquity of whose family some I know not upon what authority assert to be above the times of S. Owen planted a Colony here upon a commission from Queen Elizabeth and other aims of private profit as the report goes As for Jethow Jethow which serveth the Governor instead of a Park to feed cattle and to keep deer rabbets and pheasants and Arme Arme. which is larger than Jethow and was first a solitary place for Franciscans these I say
being still Justiciary as before His Wife died this year MCCLXXXI Adam Cusak younger kill'd William Barret and many others in Conaught Frier Stephen Fulborn was made Justiciary of Ireland The Lord Robert d'Ufford return'd into England MCCLXXXII This Year Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his Brother were slain at Arclowe on S. Mary Magdalen Eve And Roger Lord Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The City of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfrey of Trinity Church upon the third day before the Nones of January MCCLXXXIV The Castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the petty Kings of Offaly the morrow after S. Barnaby's Day Alphonsus the King's Son twelve years old departed this Life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald le Botiller died on the 6th of the Kalends of October in the Castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the Convent of the Friers Predicants Gerald Fitz Maurice was taken Prisoner by his own Irish Subjects in Ofaly with Richard Petit and S. Deget and many others and at Rathode was a great slaughter MCCLXXXVI Le Norragh and Arstol with other Towns were successively burnt by William Stanton on the 16th of the Kalends of December About this time Eleanor Queen of England mother of King Edward took a religious habit at Ambresbury upon the day of S. Thomas's translation having her dower confirmed by the Pope and assur'd to her for ever Calwagh was taken Prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this Life MCCLXXXVII This year died Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam and was succeeded in the Office of Justiciary for a Time by John Sampford Archbishop of Dublin This year the King of Hungary renounc'd Christianity and turned Apostate and having fraudulently assembled his Nobility under pretence of a Parliament Miramomelius a potent Saracen came upon them with an Army of 20000 men and took the King and all the Christians there away prisoners on S. John Baptist's eve As the Christians were carried along the weather turn'd cloudy and a tempest of Hail fell suddenly and killed many thousands of the Infidels So the Christians return'd to their own homes and the Apostate King went alone with the Saracens The Hungarians crown'd his Son King and continued in the Catholick Faith MCCLXXXIX Tripoly a famous City was demolish'd after great effusion of Christian blood by the Sultan of Babylon Who commanded the Images of the Saints to be dragg'd at the horses tails through the ruinous City in contempt of Christ MCCXC Inclyta stirps Regis sponsis datur ordine legis The issue of the King becomes a Spouse The Lord Gilbert Clare took to Wife the Lady Joan de Acon a daughter of our Lord King Edward in the Abby of Westminster and the marriage was celebrated in May And John the Duke of Brabant's son married Margaret the said King's daughter also in the Church aforesaid in July This year the Lord William Vescie was made Justiciary of Ireland and enter'd upon the Office on S. Martin's day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth was this year slain MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the son of Gilbert and the Lady Joan de Acon was born on the 11th of May betimes in the morning Item there was an army led into Ulster against O Hanlan and other Princes that had broke the Peace by Richard Earl of Ulster and William Vescie Justiciary of Ireland Item The Lady Eleanor formerly Queen of England and mother of King Edward died this year on S. John's day after a laudable life spent four years eleven months and six days in a religious habit as she had desir'd in the Abby of Ambresbury where she was a profess'd Nun. Item the news came to our Lord Pope Martin on the eve of S. Mary Magdalen concerning the city of Acon in the Holy Land which was the only place of refuge for the Christians that it was besieg'd by Mislkadar the Sultan of Babylon with a numerous army He besieg'd it hotly for about forty days viz. from the 8th day before the Ides of April till the 15th before the Kalends of July At last the Wall was pull'd down by the Saracens and they entred the city in great numbers many Christians being slain and some drown'd in the sea for fear Among whom was the Patriarch and his Train The King of Cyprus and Oto de Grandison escap'd in a ship with their followers Item This year the Lord Pope Martin granted our Lord King Edward the tenth of all Ecclesiastical Benefices in Ireland for seven years together as a supply towards a relief for the Holy Land Item the eldest son of the Earl of Clare was born the same year MCCXCII Edward King of England again entred Scotland and was chosen King John Lord Balliol of Gallweya obtain'd the whole Kingdom of Scotland by right of inheritance and did homage to our Lord Edward King of England at Newcastle upon Tine on S. Stephen's day Florentius Earl of Holland Robert Brus Earl of Carrick John Hastings John Comin Patrick de Dunbar John Vescie Nicholas Souls and William Roos who were then at difference in the said Kingdom submitted themselves to the judgment of King Edward Item A fifteenth of all the Goods of Laymen in Ireland was granted to our Lord the King of England to be collected on the Feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died this year Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there dragg'd at the horses tails c. MCCXCIII A general and open war was this year waged at sea with the Normans Item no small number of the Normans was cut off in a sea-engagement by the Barons of the Ports of England and others their coadjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For this a war broke out between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of citation to the King of England to appear in person at his Parliament to answer what the King had to say to him but finding no compliance with this order he forthwith by the counsel of his Parliament declar'd him outlaw'd and condemn'd him Item Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester and his wife came into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montfort in the King's Council holden at Westminster before the King died suddenly He was Dean of S. Paul's in London The Bishops and Clergy who doubted what the King would expect from every one of them had instructed him as a person whom the King would confide in what to signifie from them to him as soon as he return'd to the King and was addressing himself to speak as he had design'd he grew speechless fell down and was carried out by the King's servants in a miserable condition Upon this sight people grew fearful and began to take him for the great procurer of the tenths of ecclesiastical benefices to the King and of the scrutiny and search after the fold of Christ as also of the contributions granted the King afterward Item The city of Bordeaux with the adjacent country of Gascoign was taken
Litanies of the Church there was afterwards inserted From the fury of the Danes Good Lord deliver us They brought the French to such extremities that Carolus Calvus was forc'd to buy a truce of Hasting the commander of the Norman Pirates with the Earldom of Chartres and Carolus Crassus gave Godfrid the Norman part of Neustria with his daughter At last by force of arms they fix'd near the mouth of the Seine in those parts which formerly by a corruption had been call'd Neustria Neustria as being part of Westrasia for so the middle-age writers term it the Germans stil'd it Westenriich i.e. the Western kingdom it contains all between the Loyre and the Seine to the sea-ward They afterwards call'd it Normannia i.e. the Country of the Northern men so soon as Carolus Simplex had made a grant of it in Fee to their Prince Rollo whose Godfather he was and had given him his daughter to wife When Rollo as we are inform'd by an old Manuscript belonging to the Monastery of Angiers had Normandy made over to him by Carolus Stultus with his daughter Gisla he would not submit to kiss Charles's foot And when his friends urg'd him by all means to kiss the King's foot in gratitude for so great a favour he made answer in the English tongue NE SE BY GOD that is No by God Upon which the King and his Courtiers deriding him and corruptly repeating his answer call'd him Bigod Bigod from whence the Normans are to this day term'd Bigodi For the same reason 't is possible the French call hypocrites and your superstitious sort of men Bigods This Rollo who at his Baptism was named Robert is by some thought to have turn'd Christian out of design only but by others not without deliberation and piety These latter add that he was mov'd to it by God in a Dream which tho' Dreams are a thing I do not give much heed to I hope I may relate without the imputation of vanity as I find it attested by the writers of that age The story goes that as he was a sleep in the ship he saw himself deeply infâ—cted with the leprosie but washing in a clear spring at the bottom of a high hill he recover'd and afterwards went up to the hilâ—'s top This he told a Christian captive in the same ship who gave him the following interpretation of it That the Leprâ—sie was the abominable worship of Idols with which he was defiâ—'d the Spring was the holy laver of regeneration wherewith being once cleans'd he might climb the mountain that is attain to great honour and heaven it self Dukes of No mandy This Rollo had a son call'd William but sirnam'd Longa Spata from a long sword he us'd to wear William's son was Richard the first of that name who was succeeded by his son and grand-child both Richards But Richard the third dying without issue his brother Robert came to the Dukedom and had a son by his concubine nam'd William who is commonly called the Conqueror and Bastard All these were Princes very eminent for their atchievements both at home and abroad Whilst William come to man's estate was Duke of Normandy Edward the Holy sirnam'd Confessâ—r King of England and last of the Saxon Line to the great grief of his subjects departed this life He was son of Emma a Cousin of William's as being daughter to Richard the first Duke of Normandy and whilst he liv'd under banishment in Normandy had made William a promise of the next reversion of the Crown of England But Harold the son of Godwin and Steward of the Houshold under Edward got possession of the Crown upon which his brother Tosto on one hand and the Normans Normans on the other lay out their utmost endeavours to dethrone him After he had slain his brother Tosto and Harald King of Norwey whom Tosto had drawn in to his assistance in a set-battle near Stamford-bridge in Yorkshire and so tho' not without great damage had gain'd the victory within less than nine days William sirnam'd Bastard Duke of Normandy building upon the promises of Edward lately deceas'd as also upon his adoption and relation to Edward rais'd a powerful army and landed in England in Sussex Harold presently advanc'd towards him tho' his soldiers were harrass'd and his army very much weaken'd by the late fight Not far from Hastings they engag'd where Harold putting himself forward into the heat of the battle and showing great courage lost his life Abundance of the English were slain tho' it would be almost impossible to find out the exact number William after he had won the day march'd through Walingford with a barbarous army towards London where he was receiv'd and inaugurated Charter of William the Conqueror The kingdom as himself expresses it being by divine Providence design'd for him and granted by the favour of his Lord and Cousin the glorious King Edward And a little after he adds That the bounteous King Edward had by adoption made him heir to the Crown of England Tho' if the history of S. Stephen of Caen may be credited these were the last words he spoke upon his death-bed History of St. Stephen's Monastery at Caen in Normandy The Regal Diadem which none of my Predecessors wore I gain'd not by any hereditary title but by the favour of Almighty God And a little after I name no heir to the crown of England but commend it wholly to the eternal Creator whose I am and in whose hands are all things 'T was not an hereditary right that put me in possession of this honour but by a desperate engagement and much blood-shed I wrested it from that perjur'd King Harold and having slain or put to flight all his abettors made my self Master of it But why am I thus short upon so considerable a revolution of the British State If you can but have the patience to read it take what I drew up 't is possible with little accuracy or thought but however with the exactness of an history when raw and young very unfit for such an undertaking I had a design to write the history of our nation in Latin The Norman Conquest EDward the Confessor's dying without issue put the Nobility and Commonalty into a great distraction about naming the new King Edgar commonly called Aetheling Edmund Ironside's * * Abnâ—pos ex fâ—â—io great great grandchild by his son was the only person left of the Saxon Line and as such had an hereditary title to the Crown But his tender years were thought altogether uncapable of government and besides his temper had in it a mixture of foreign humours as being born in Hungary the son of Agatha daughter to the Emperor Henry the third who was at too great a distance to bear out the young boy either with assistance or advice Upon these accounts he was not much respected by the English who valu'd themselves upon nothing more than to have a
take cognizance of murders felonies trespasses for so they term them and many other misdemeanors Besides the King sends every year into each County two of the Justices of England to give sentence upon Prisoners â—es of â—e and to use the law-term in that cause to make a Gaol-delivery But of these more hereafter when we come to the Courts As to the Ecclesiastical Government after the Bishops of Rome had assigned to each Presbyter his Church and divided the parishes among them Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury â—â—â—â—and â—ed inâ—â—â—â—rishes about the year of our Lord 636. first began to divide England into Parishes as we read in the History of Canterbury Now England has two Provinces and two Archbishops Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and York Under these are 25 Bishops 22 under Canterbury and the rest under York What these Bishopricks are with their Counties or Dioceses which they now contain â—ops are shown us in those words of that excellent person the most reverend Father in God Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury a Patron of Learning and a great Judge of Antiquities In the Province of Canterbury THE Bishoprick of Canterbury along with Rochester contains the County of Kent London has under it Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire Chichester has Sussex Winchester has Hamshire Surrey Isle of Wight with Gernsey and Jersey Islands lying upon the Coast of Normandy Salisbury contains Wiltshire and Berkshire Exeter includes Devonshire and Cornwal Bathe and Wells joyntly have Somersetshire and Glocester Glocestershire Worcester Worcestershire and part of Warwickshire Hereford Herefordshire and part of Shropshire Coventry and Lichfield joyned together Staffordshire Derbyshire and the other part of Warwickshire as also that part of Shropshire which borders upon the River Repil Next Lincoln the largest contains six Counties Lincolnshire Liecestershire Huntingdonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the other part of Hertfordshire Ely Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Norwich Norfolk and Suffolk Oxford Oxfordshire Peterburrow Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire Bristol Dorsetshire To which 18 Dioceses in England must be added those of Wales or Cambria which are both deprived of an Archbishop of their own and also made fewer seven hardly coming entire into four These are â—eâ—e â—sis St. Davids whose seat is at St. Davids Landaff Banchor and Asaph or Elwensis In the Province of York YOrk it self comprehends Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire Chester Cheshire Richmondshire Lancashire with part of Cumberland Flintshire and Denbighshire Durham the Bishoprick of Durham and Northumberland Carlisle part of Cumberland and Westmerland To these may be added the Bishoprick of Sodor in Mona commonly called the Isle of Man Amongst those the Archbishop of Canterbury takes the first place the Archbishop of York the second the Bishop of London the third the Bishop of Durham the fourth and the Bishop of Winchester the fifth The rest take place according to the time of their Consecration But if any of the other Bishops happen to be Secretary to the King he claims the fifth place There are besides in England 26 Deaneries 13 whereof were made in the larger Churches by King Henry VIII upon expulsion of the Monks The Archdeaconries are sixty and the Dignities and Prebends make 544. There are also 9284 Parish-churches under the Bishops of which 3845 are appropriate as is plain from the Catalogue exhibited to King James which I have here subjoyned Now appropriate Churches are such as by the authority of the Pope and the consent of the King and Bishop of the Diocess are upon certain conditions settled upon those Monasteries Bishopricks Colleges and Hospitals whose revenues are but small either because they were built upon their ground or granted by the Lords of the Mannour Such a Settlement is expressed in form of law by being united annext and incorporated for ever But these upon the subversion of the Monasteries were to the great damage of the Church made Feuda Laicalia Lay-fees In the Province of Canterbury Dioceses Parish-Churches Churches appropriate Canterbury 257 140 London 623 189 Winchester 362 131 Coventry and Lichfield 557 250 Salisbury 248 109 Bath and Wells 388 160 Lincoln 1255 577 Peterburrow 293 91 Exeter 604 239 Glocester 267 125 Hereford 313 166 Norwich 1121 385 Ely 141 75 Rochester 98 36 Chichester 250 112 Oxford 195 88 Worcester 241 76 Bristol 236 64 S. Davids 308 120 Bangor 107 36 Llandaff 177 98 S. Asaph 121 19 Peculiars in the Province of Canterbury 57 14 The whole number in the Province of Canterbury 8219 3303 In the Province of York York 581 336 Durham 135 87 Chester 256 101 Carlisle 93 18 The whole number in York 1065 592 The whole number in both Provinces 9284 3845 But in the Book of Thomas Wolsey Cardinal written in the year 1520. there are reckoned in all the Counties 9407 Churches I know not how this difference should happen unless it be that some were demolished in the last age and Chapels which are Parochial be omitted others which are barely Chapels being reckoned up amongst the Parish-churches However I have set down the number of Churches at the end of each County out of this Book of Wolsey's There were also in the Reign of King Henry VIII if it be not a crime to mention them monuments of the piety of our fore-fathers Monasteries built to the honour of God the propagation of the Christian faith and good learning and for the support of the poor Of Religious houses i.e. Monasteries or Abbies and Priories to the number of 645. whereof when 40 had been suppressed by a Grant from Pope Clement the seventh Hen. 5. had before that dissolved 100 Pâ—iories of Monks Aliens obtained by Cardinal Wolsey who had then laid the foundation of two Colleges one at Oxford and another at Ipswich presently about the 36th of Henry VIII a torrent as it were that has thrown down the banks broke in upon the ecclesiastical state of England and to the great surprize of the whole world and oppression of this nation at once threw down the greatest part of the Religious with their curious structures For what the Pope granted to the Cardinal the King took himself by consent of Parliament Whereupon in the year 1536. all religious houses with their revenues which had 200 l. yearly or under that were granted to the King in number 376. And the next year under a specious pretence of rooting out superstition the rest along with the Colleges Chauntries and Hospitals were given up to the King's disposal At which time there were valued or taxed 605 religious houses remaining Colleges besides those in the Universities 96. Hospitals 110. Chauntries and Free-chapels 2374. Most of which in a short time were every where pulled down their revenues squander'd away and the riches which had been consecrated to God by the pious munificence of the English from the time they received Christianity were as it were in a moment dispersed and if I may use the
word without offence profaned The Degrees of ENGLAND AS to the division of our State it consists of a King or Monarch the Nobles Citizens Free-men which we call Yeomen and Tradesmen The KING The King stiled by our Ancestors Coning and Cyning e Either relating to cene which in Saxon signifies stout valiant c. or to cunnan which signifies to know or understand from whence a designing subtle man is called a Cunning man a name under which is coucht both power and wisdom by us contracted into King has in these Kingdoms the supreme power and a meer government nor holds he his Empire by vassalage neither does he receive Investiture from another nor own any superior Bracton l. 1. c. 8. but God And as that Oracle of Law has delivered it Every one is under him and himself under none but only God He has very many Rights of Majesty peculiar to himself which the learned in the law term The Holy of Holies and Individuals because they are inseparable but the common people The King's Prerogative and those they tell us are denoted by the flowers in the King's Crown Some of these the King enjoys by a written Law others by Right of custom which without a law is established by a tacit consent of the whole body and surely he deserves them Seneca since by his watchfulness every man's house by his labour every man's ease by his industry every one's pleasure and by his toil every one's recreation is secured to him But these things are too sublime to belong properly to my business Next the King is his eldest son and as he amongst the Romans that was designed for the Successor The Prince was first called Prince of the youth * Princeps juventutis and as flattery prevail'd afterwards Caesar Noble Caesar and the most noble Caesar so ours was by our Saxon Ancestors termed Aetheling Aetheling i.e. noble and in Latin Clyto Clyto from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famous that age affecting the Greek tongue Upon which that saying concerning Eadgar the last heir male of the English Crown is still kept up Eadgar Eðeling Englands Searling i.e. Eadgar the noble England's darling And in the antient Latin Charters of the Kings we often read Ego E. vel AE Clyto the King's son But the name of Clyto I have observed to be given to the King's children in general After the Norman Conquest he had no standing honorary title nor any other that I know of but barely The King's Son or The King's eldest Son till Edward I. summoned to Parliament his son Edward under the title of Prince of Wales Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester to whom he granted also afterwards the Dukedom of Aquitain And this when he came to be King Edward II. summoned his son Edward to Parliament then scarce ten years old under the title of Earl of Chester and Flint But that Edward coming to the Crown created Edward his son a most accomplisht soldier Duke of Cornwal since which time the King 's eldest son f If he be eldest son but if the first dies the second is not born to the same Title See concerning this in the Notes upon Cornwall p. 15 is born Duke of Cornwall And a little after he honoured the same person with the title of Prince of Wales by a solemn Investiture The Principality of Wales was conferred upon him in these words to be held by him and his heirs Kings of England And as the heirs apparent of the Roman Empire were as I observed but just now called Caesars of the Grecian Despotae Lords those of the Kingdom of France Dauphins and of Spain Infantes so those of England have been since that time stiled Princes of Wales And that title continued till the time of Henry VIII when Wales was entirely united to the Kingdom of England But now the formerly divided Kingdoms of Britain being reduced into one under the government of the most potent King James his eldest son Henry the darling and delight of Britain is called Prince of Great Britain whom as nature has made capable of the greatest things so that God would bless him with the highest virtues and a lasting honour that his success may outdo both our hopes of him as also the atchievements and high character of his forefathers by a long and prosperous Reign is the constant and hearty prayer of all Britain Our Nobles are divided into Greater and Less The Greater Nobles we call Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons who either enjoy these titles by an hereditary claim or have them conferred on them by the King as a reward of their merits A DUKE A Dukâ— is the next title of honour to the Prince At first this was a name of office not of honour About the time of Aelius Verus those who were appointed to guard the Frontiers were first called Dukes and this title in Constantine's time was inferiour to that of a Count. After the destruction of the Roman Empire this title still continued to be the name of an Office and those amongst us who in the Saxon times are stiled Dukes in such great numbers by the antient Charters are in the English tongue only called Ealdormen The same also who are named Dukes are likewise termed Counts for instance most people call William the Conqueror of England Duke of Normandy whereas William of Malmesbury writes him Count of Normandy However that both Duke and Count were names of Office Mar. â—â— Formaâ— is plain from the form of each's creation which we find in Marculph an antient writer The Royal clemency is particularly signalized upon this account that among all the people the good and the watchful are singled out nor is it convenient to commit the judiciary power to any one who has not first approved his loyalty and valour Since weâ—t therefore seem to have sufficiently experienced your fidelity and usefulness we commit to you the power of a Count Duke or Patriciâ—us President in that Lordship which your predecessor governed to act in and rule over it Still upon this condition that you are entirely true to our government and all the people within those limits may live under and be swayed by your government and authority and that you rule justly according to law and their own customs that you zealously protect widows and orphans that you severely punish the crimes of robbers and malefactors so that those who live regularly under your government may be cheerful and undisturbed and that whatever profit arises from such actions to the Exchequer you your self bring yearly into our coffers It began to be an honorary title under Otho the Great â—gâ—ius l. 〈◊〉 Regni â—â—lici about the year 970. For he in order to bind valiant and prudent persons more effectually to his own interest honour'd them with what he call'd Râ—gelia Royalties Those Royalties were either Dignities or Lands in Fee The
Dignities were those of Dukes Marquisses Counts Captains Valvasors and Valvasins An hereditary title came but late into France not before Philip 3. King of France granted that for the future they should be called Dukes of Britain who were before stiled promiscuously Dukes and Counts But in England in the Norman times when the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandy there were none had that honour conferr'd upon them for a long time till Edward 3. created Edward his son Duke of Cornwall by a wreath on his head a ring on his finger and a A gold â—erge afâ—â—â—wards â—â—me into 〈◊〉 and a †silver verge as the Dukes of Normandy were formerly by a sword and a banner delivered to them and afterwards by girding the sword of the Dutchy and by a circlet of gold garnished on the top with little golden roses And the same King Edward 3. â—t Paris â—cernâ— John â—aâ—ed D. Norâ—â—ndy created his two sons Leonel Duke of Clarence and John Duke of Lancaster in Parliament By the putting on a sword setting upon their heads a furr'd cap with a circle of gold set with pearls and by the delivery of a Charter After this he created several and there have been now and then hereditary Dukes made in this Kingdom with such like expressions in the Charter the name title state stile place seat preheminence honour authority and dignity of a Duke we give and grant and do really invest you with them by the putting on a sword setting a cap with a golden circle upon your head and the delivery of a golden verge â—â—rquis A MARQUISS i.e. g From the Saxon mearc a bound and mearcan mearcian to set out mark distinctly c. in the same language according to the import of the word one set to guard the limits is a title of honour the second from a Duke This title we had but late none being invested with it before the time of Richard 2. For he created his darling Robert Vere Earl of Oxford Marquiss of Dublin and that was merely titular For those who were formerly to secure the frontiers were commonly called Lord Marchers and not Marquisses as we now stile them They are created by the King by girding on a sword putting on a Cap of honour and dignity 1 With the Coronet Hol. and delivering a Charter And here I shall take the liberty of relating what I find register'd in the Parliament-rolls â—â—m 4. When John de Beaufort Earl of Somerset was made Marquiss of Dorset by Richard 2. and was deprived of that title by Henry 4. the Commons of England in Parliament made an humble Request to the King that he would restore to him the title of Marquiss but he himself opposed his own cause and openly declared that it was an upstart dignity altogether unknown to our Ancestors and therefore that he did not by any means desire it nay utterly refused it â—â—s The EARLS which hold the third place we seem to have had from our German Ancestors For as Tacitus tells us they had always â—â—mites Earls attending their Princes to furnish them with counsel and to gain them authority But others are of opinion that both the Franks and we received them from the Romans For the Emperors after the Empire was come to its height began to keep about them a sort of domestick Senate which was call'd Caesar's †Comitatus retinue and these by whose counsel they acted in war and peace were called Comites Attendants from whence we find it common in old Inscriptions Comiti Impp. This name in a few years prevailed so much that all Magistrates had the name of Comites * Qui sacrum Comitatum observarunt Parati ad Cod. who gave their attendance at the said Council or had been of it insomuch that it was afterwards extended to all who had the supervisal of any business and Suidas as Cujacius has told us defined Comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Governour of the people From whence also we gather that before Constantine the Great the name of Comes was not used to denote Dignity But he modelling the Roman government by new distinctions and endeavouring to oblige as many as possible by bestowing honours upon them first instituted the title of Comes as barely honorary without any duty nay there were certain rights and privileges annex'd to that title as to accompany the Prince not only when he appeared in publick but also in his palace and private retirements to be admitted to his table and to his secret consultations Upon which we read in Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i.e. Who also had obtained of the King the Dignity of a Count. At length such as had the favour of this title had other honours conferr'd upon them to which some duty was annext and again to those who were before in Offices and were engaged in the affairs of State he added this piece of honour 2 Comes domesticorum Lord Great Master of the Houshold Comes sacrarum largitiâ—num Lord High Treasurer Comes sacrae vestis Master of the Wardrobe Comes Stabuli Master of the Horse Comes Thesauri Tresurer Comes Orientis Lieutenant of the East Comes Britannia Comes Africa c. Hol. Hereupon the name of Count implied both Dignity and Government and being at first but temporary it was afterwards for term of life But when the Roman Government was divided into several Kingdoms this title was still retained and our Saxons call'd those in Latin Comites which in their own tongue were named Ealdormen The same persons were stil'd by the Danes in their language Eorlas i.e. honourable men Eorles at this day Earles P. Pithaeus in his Memorabilia Campania as Ethelwerd tells us and by a little melting of that word we call them at this day Earls And for a long time they were simply so called till at last an addition was made of the place's name over which they had jurisdiction But still this Dignity was not yet hereditary The first hereditary Earls in France by the way were the Earls of Bretagne But when William the Norman and Conqueror had in his hands the Government of this Kingdom the Earls began to be Feudal hereditary and patrimonial and those too as appears from Domesday were stil'd simply Earls without any addition as Earl Hugh Earl Alan Earl Roger c. Afterwards as appears by ancient Records the Earls were created with an addition of the name of the place and had every third penny of the County assigned them For instance Mawd the Empress daughter and heir of King Henry 1. created an Earl by this form of words as is manifest from the very Charter now in my hands I Mawd daughter of K. Henry and Governess of the English do give and grant to Gaufred de Magnavilla for his service and to his heirs after him hereditarily the Earldom of Essex and that he have the third penny out
of the Pipe the Comptroler of the Pipe the five Auditors of the old Revenues the Foreign Opposer Clerk of the Estreats Clerk of the Pleas the Marshal the Clerk of the Summons the Deputy-Chamberlains two Secondaries in the office of the King's Remembrancer two Deputies in the office of the Treasurer's Remembrancer two Secondaries of the Pipe four the other Clerks in several Offices c. In the other part of the Exchequer call'd * Recepta the Receiving-Office two Chamberlains a Vice-treasurer Clerk of the Tallies Clerk of the Pells four Tellers two Joyners of the Tallies two Deputy-Chamberlains the Clerk for Tallies the Keeper of the Treasury four Pursevants ordinary two Scribes c. The Officers likewise of the Tenths and First-fruits belong to this Court. For when the Pope's authority was rejected and an Act pass'd that all Tithes and First-fruits should be paid to the King these Officers were Instituted Besides these three Royal Courts of Judicature Justices Itinerant for the speedy execution of Justice and to ease the subject of much labour and expence Henry the second sent some of these Judges and others every year into each County who were call'd Justices Itinerant or Justices in Eyre These had jurisdiction as well in Pleas of the Crown as in common causes within the Counties to which they were sent For that King as Matthew Paris says by the advice of his son and the Bishops appointed Justices over six parts of the Kingdom to every part three who took an oath to do every man right and justice This institution expir'd at length in Edward the third's time but was in some measure reviv'd by an Act of Parliament soon after For the Counties being divided into so many Circuits two of the King's Justices are to go those Circuits twice every year for the trial of prisoners and Gaol-delivery Hence in Law-latin they are call'd Justiciarii Gaolae deliberandae They are likewise to take cognizance of all Assizes of novel disseisin and some others from which they are call'd Justices of Assize and also to try all issues between party and party in any of the King 's three great Courts by Recognitors of the same Peerage as the custom is Hence they are call'd Justices of Nisi prius from the Writs directed to the Sheriff for these tryals which have the words Nisi prius in them The b This Court is since Mr. Camden's time taken away Star-Chamber The Star-Chamber or rather the Court of the King's Council takes cognizance of all matters criminal perjuries Impostures Cheats Excesses c. This Court if we consider it in respect of standing and dignity is ancient and honourable above all others For it seems to be as early as Appeals from the Subjects to their Sovereign and the very birth and rise of the King's Council The Judges of it are men of the greatest honour and eminence being those of the King 's Privy Council It has had the name of the Star-Chamber ever since this Court was held in the Star-Chamber in Westminster which has now been a long time set a part to that use For in an Act of Parliament in Edward the third's time we find Conseil en le Chambre des Estoielles pres de la receipte al Westminster i.e. The Council in the Star-Chamber near the Receipt at Westminster The authority and jurisdiction of this Court was enlarg'd and confirm'd by an Act of Parliament procur'd by that wise Prince Henry the 7th so that some have falsly ascribed the institution of it to him The Judges of this Court are the Lord Chancellor of England the Lord Treasurer of England the Lord President of the King's Council the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and all those of the King's Council whether persons spiritual or temporal also sâ—n of the Barons of the Realm as the King will â—ppoint with the two Chief Justices or two othâ—â— Judges in their absence The Officers are tâ—â— Clerk of the Council the Clerk of the Writs and â—f the process in the Star-Chamber c. Causes of tâ—â—s Court are not try'd per Pares according to the Common-Law but after the method of the Civil-Law Thâ—â—â—urt oâ— Wards The Court of c The Court of Wards is now taken away Wards and Liveries which is so call'd from Minors whose causes are here try'd was instituted by Henry the 8. whereas before all business of this nature was determined in the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer For by an old Custom derived from Normandy and not as some write instituted by Henry the third when any one dies holding lands of the King in capite by Knight's service both the heir and the whole estate with the revenues of it are in Ward to the King till he has compleated the age of one and twenty and then he may sue out his livery The judge in this Court is the Master-General under him a Supervisor of the Liveries an Attorney-General a Receiver-General an Auditor a Clerk of the Liveries a Clerk of the Court forty Feudaries and a Messenger In after-ages were institued two other Courts for correcting of errors the one for those of the Excheqeur the other for those of the King's Bench. The Judges of the first were the Chancellor and the Treasurer of England taking such of the Judges to their assistance as they should think fit those of the latter were the Judges of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer The Court of Admiralty has jurisdiction in marine affairs The Court of Admiralty and is administred by the Admiral of England his * Locum-tenens Lieutenant a Judge two Clerks a Serjeant of the Court and the Vice-Admirals Now for the Courts of Equity The Court of Chancery The Chancery takes its name from the Chancellor a title of no great honour under the old Roman Emperors as may be learnt from Vopiscus At present it is a name of the greatest dignity and the Chancellors are raised to the highest honours in the State Cassiodorus derives the word it self a cancellis i.e. rails or Balisters because they examine matters †Intra sâ—creta Cancellorum Epist 6. Lib. 11. in a private apartment enclos'd with rails such as the Latins call'd Cancelli Consider says he by what name you are call'd What you do within the rails cannot be a secret your doors are transparent your cloysters lye open and your gates are all windows Hence it plainly appears that the Chancellor sat expos'd to every one 's within the rails or cancels so that his name seems to be deriv'd from them Now it being the business of that Minister who is as it were the mouth the eyes and ears of the Prince to strike or dash out with cross lines * Cancellation lattice-like such writs or judgments as are against law or prejudicial to the state not improperly call'd Cancelling some think the word Chancellor to be deduc'd from it And thus we find it in a
Marshal is in the first of King John and hath also a reference to the time of King Henry the first in this Charter where King John confirmeth the office of Marshal unto William Marshal Earl of Pembroke in these words Johannes Dei gratiâ c. Sciatis nos concessisse presenti nostrâ carta confirmasse dilecto fideli nostro Willielmo Marescallo Com. de Pembroco haeredibus suis Magistratum Marescalciae curiae nostrae quem Magistratum Gilbertus Marescallus Henrici Regis avi Patris nostri Joannes filius ipsius Gilberti disrationaverunt coram praedicto Rege Henrico in Curiâ suâ contra Robertum de Venoiz contra Willielmum de Hastings qui ipsum magistratum calumniabantur hoc judicio quia defecerunt se à recto ad diem quem eis constituerat praedictus Rex Henricus in Curiâ suâ sicut carta ipsius Regis quam vidimus testatur Here is to be noted out of these authentick Records there were Marshals in the time of King Henry the first answerable in time to the first Marshals of France that there were more Marshals than one and that William Marshal Earl of Pembroke had only Magistratum Marescalciae Curiae that is Marshal of the King's House which office was so long invested in that family that it gave them a sirname as also to other families which have been Marshals in great houses And lastly that it was given to William Marshall and his heirs and so it was chalenged by them as hereditary Nevertheless it is certain that the next succeeding King Henry the third took away that office from Richard Marshall the son of the said William for among the grievances of the said Richard he complained as appeareth in the History of Thomas Rudborne that the King in these terms spoliavit me officio Marescalciae quod haereditariò ad me pertinet possedi nec aliquo ad illud me restituere voluit requisitus Happily upon this ground which Rigordus the French Historian writeth in this age of the Marshalship of France Haereditaria successio in talibus officiis locum non habet And after he was dead and his brethren his five sisters and coheirs which as appeareth by the partition had every one a thousand five hundred and twenty pounds yearly rent began to contend about the office of the Marshalship and the Mannor of Hamsted-Marshal in the county of Berkshire belonging to the same but Roger Bigod son of the eldest daughter with great difficulty obtained the same For as Matthew Paris writeth 1246. Multiplicatis intercessionibus concessa est Marescalcia cum officio honore Comiti Rogero Bigod ratione Comitissae filiae Comitis magni Willielmi Marescalli primogenitae matris suae His nephew Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk was enforced to surrender to King Edward the first this office with all his inheritance in England Ireland and Wales for certain insolencies against the King and this Roger or his Unkle Roger was he which first stiled himself as pride is highest when downfall nearest Marescallus Angliae whereas all his Predecessors used no other stiles than the simple addition of Marescallus as Gulielmus Richardus Gilbertus Marescallus Comes Pembrociae And no doubt but as the greatness of William Marshall the elder called the Great Earl which he had gotten in the minority of King Henry the third gave the first greatness to this office so there was a far greater access of dignity thereunto when King Edward the second granted to Thomas of Brotherton his half Brother a Prince of the blood the lands of Bigod and shortly after the office of Marshalship with the rights thereunto belonging and performing the service accordingly After the death of Thomas of Brotherton we find William Montacute Earl of Sarum Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick Henry Lord Piercy John Fitz-Alane Lord Matravers Thomas Holland Earl of Kent and then Thomas Mowbray right heir unto Brotherton had the office of Marshall of England with the name stile title state and honour granted unto him in the 20th year of King Richard the second de assensu Parliamenti sibi haeredibus suis masculis de corpore Yet nevertheless the next year after he being banished it was granted to Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey as amply as it was to him that he might as well bear in the presence and absence of the King a Rod of Gold enameled at both ends with the King's Arms in the upper end and his own in the lower end Afterwards according to the alteration of times sometimes to the Mowbrays and the Howards descended from them sometimes others by interruptions upon sundry occasions enjoyed the same dignity What belonged to that office anciently I have read nothing but that at a coronation of King Richard the first William Marshal Earl of Pembroke carried the Royal Scepter which had the Cross on the top and at the coronation of Queen Eleanor Wife to King Henry the third the Marshal carried a Rod before the King made way both in Church and Court and ordered the Feast as Matthew Paris writeth There is a Treatise carried about the Office of the Earl Marshall in the time of King Henry the second and another of the time of Thomas of Brotherton where I find confusedly what belonged to them in court and camp as in court that at the Coronation the Marshall should have the King's horse and harness and the Queen's palfrey that he should hold the Crown at the Coronation that he should have upon high feasts as the high Usher the tablecloths and cloth of state for that day that he keep the hall in quiet that he should bring offenders within the Verge before the high Steward that he should assign lodgings and when the King passed the sea each man to his ship that he should have for his livery three winter robes at Christmas and three summer robes at Whitsuntide that he should allow but twelve common women to follow the Court in which service I suppose he had Hamo de Gaynton his substitute which was called Marescallus meretricum by which service he held the mannor of Cateshall in the County of Surrey that he should have a Deputy in the Kings-Bench that he should keep Vagabonds from the Court. In Camp that he should lead the forward that the Constable with him should hold courts in camp that he should have certain special forfeitures as armour and weapons of Prisoners to appoint lodgings to be abroad till all be lodged to have fees of armourers and victuallers of the camp to have all the armour and whole cloth of towns taken by composition to have ransom of Prisoners escaped if they be taken again with many such like too long here to be specified and in peace and war the Marshal should execute the Constables commandments in Arrests and Attachments and that appeareth by the process between Grey and Hastings In the second statute of Westminster held 13 Ed. I. when many grievances of the
plain there is a very pleasant prospect on all sides and a curious Index which they call a compass for the use of mariners The town is not very large but its name and reputation is very great among all nations and that not so much for the convenience of the harbour as for the excellence of the Natives 1 In sea-services of all sorts For to mention no others this town gave being to Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake Knight in maritime atchievements without dispute the greatest Captain of our age Who first to repair the losses he had suffer'd from the Spaniards as I have heard himself say as it were block d up the Bay of Mexico for two years together with continual defeats and travell'd over the Straits of Dariena whence having descry'd the South-sea as the Spaniards call it it made such impression on his mind that like Themistocles inflam'd with the trophies of Miltiades he thought he should be wanting to himself his country and his own glory if he did not complete the discovery Therefore in the year 1577. going off from hence and entring that sea by the Straits of Magellan thro' the assistance of God and his own conduct tho' not without great change of fortune he next to Magellanus sail'd quite round the world in two years and ten months time Whereupon a certain Author has thus complemented him Drake pererrati novit quem terminus orbis Quemque semel mundi vidit uterque polus Si taceant homines facient te sydera notum Sol nescit comitis immemor esse sui Drake who in triumph round the world hast gone Whom both the Lines and both the Poles have known Should envious men their just applause deny Thy worth wou'd be the subject of the sky Phoebus himself wou'd sing thy deathless praise And grace his Fellow-trav'ller with his rays But the rest of his exploits and those of others born here that have flourish'd in marine atchievements being not within the compass of my design are left to Historians Nor have I any thing farther to add here but that in the reign of William Rufus Ealphege The Clergy first restrained from marrying in England a learned and a marry'd priest flourish'd in this place for before the year 1102. the Clergy were not prohibited to marry here in England Then Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury first introduced this violence to Scripture and humane nature as our Historians of that age complain and Henry of Huntingdon expresly of Anselm He prohibited the Clergy of England to have wives who before that were not prohibited Some thought it a matter of great purity others of great danger lest affecting cleanness above their power they should sink into horrible uncleanness to the great scandal of the Christian name More inward not far from the river Plim stands Plimpton Plimpton a pretty populous market-town where are still the reliques and deform'd ruins of a castle of which many held by tenure or as our Lawyers call it in Castle garde For this was the chief seat of the Red-versies or Riparii for both are read who were Barons of Plimpton and Earls of Devonshire e These were accounted Caput honoris Comitatus Devon having 89 Knights-fees appendant Afterwards by marriage the Castle mannour and honour of Plimpton together with the Earldom of Devonshire and other large Eâ—tates pass'd into the family of the Courtneys Next to this stood Plimpton S. Mary which lost it's glory not long since when the f Here was a College of a Dean and four Prebendaries that had been founded by some of the Saxon Kings but because they would not part with their wives they were displac'd by Bishop Warlewast and a Priory of Canons-Regular erected here Goodwin's Catal. of Bishops Dugdales's Monastic College of Prebends there was dissolv'd which William Warlewast Bishop of Exeter had formerly built More Eastward appears Modbery Modbery a small town which belongs to the famous and ancient family of the Campernulphs who are also call'd 2 In old Deeds De Campo Arnulphi and by the vulgar Champernouns Champernoun Knights who have had much honour by the heir of the Vautorts f From the Plim's mouth where the South shore of this region begins the Country goes on with a wide and large front as far as g It is in Saxon Steort Stert a promontory Stert 〈…〉 in Hâ—ghdutch as the word it self signifies in Saxon but assoon as the shore winds back again the river Dert rises which flowing from the inner part of the County by dirty and mountainous places thence called Dertmore Dertmâ—â—e where Load-stones have been lately found g falls then very steep and strong washing away with it the sands from the Stannaries which by degrees choak up its channel thro' the forest of Dertmore where David de Sciredun held lands in Sciredun and Siplegh Testa Nevilli for finding two arrows when our Lord the King came to hunt in that forest and then it runs by Dertinton the Barony heretofore of the Martins who were Lords of Keims in Wales as far as Totness Dirintâ—â— Totneâ—s This ancient little town situated from west to east upon the side of a hill was formerly of great note It did not geld according to Domesday but when Exeter gelded and then it yielded 40 pence and was to serve upon any expedition either by land or sea And Toteness Barnestaple and Lidford serv'd as much as Exeter paid King John granted them the power of chusing a Mayor for their chief Magistrate and Edw. 1. endow'd it with many Privileges and afterwards it was fortify'd with a Castle by the Zouches as the Inhabitants believe It was formerly the Estate of Judeal sirnam'd de Totenais afterwards of William Briwer a very noble Gentleman by one of whose daughters it came to the Breoses and from them by a daughter likewise to George de Cantelupo Lord of Abergeuenny whose sister Melicent being marry'd to Eudo de la Zouche brought it to the Barons Zouche and there it continued till John Baron Zouche being banish d for siding with Richard 3. Henry 7. gave it as I have heard to Peter Edgecomb a man both wise and noble h Just by this town stands Bery-Pomery denominated from the Pomeries Pomâ—y one of the noblest families in these parts who somewhat more to the eastward had a very neat Castle a little farther off from the bank They derive their pedigree from Radulph de Pomery who in William the Conqueror's time held Wich Dunwinesdon Brawerdine Pudeford Horewood Toriland Helecom and this Berie c. From Totnes the neighbouring shore was heretofore call'd Totonese and the British History tells us that Brutus the founder of the British nation arriv'd here and Havillanus as a Poet In â—â—â—treâ—â— following the same Authority writes thus Inde dato cursu Brutus comitatus Achate Gallorum spoliis cumulatis navibus aequor Exarat superis auraque faventibus
aforesaid but by suppression of 5 dissolution of 2 and alienation of two more they were reduc'd to this number There were 5 more alienated but 5 others were erected in their stead of which Mr. Camden himself had that of Ilfarcomb for above 30 years aa The other ornaments of this place in short are the Cloyster said by Leland to be the most magnificent in England the Library built by Bishop Jewel with the Chapter-house of a large octagonal figure and sustain'd only by a small marble pillar in the middle as also the College built and endow'd by Bishop Ward for 10 Minister's widows In that part of the Suburbs of Salisbury call'd Harnham stood the College de Vaulx which was built by Giles de Bridport Bishop of this place An. Dom. 1260. for the entertainment of several Scholars who retir'd hither upon account of some disturbances at Oxford Here they study'd University-Learning and having a testimonial from their Chancellour of their progress in Learning frequently went to Oxford and took their Degrees And so they continu'd even till Leland's time who speaking of it has these words That part of these Scholars remain in the College in Saresbyri and have two Chaplains to serve the Church there dedicated to S. Nicholas the residue study at Oxford c. Beyond this is the great Bridge call'd Harnhambridge Harnhambridge which was built by virtue of a privilege that Richard Poor obtain'd of Henry 3. when New-Sarum was incorporated viz. Quod ad emendationem ejusdem civitatis vias pontes ad eam ducentes mutent transferant faciant sicut viderint expedire salvo jure cujuslibet In pursuance of which power Robert Bingham his next successor built this stately Bridge An. 1245. which I the rather take notice of because it made such a considerable alteration in Wilton and this place for by bringing the great Western road this way the first presently decay'd and the latter which by the by ‖ Vid. p. 200. Monast Angl. t. 1. p. 197. Matthew Westminster reckons as a County of it self distinct from Wiltshire dayly improv'd bb The Earldom of this place which was bestow'd upon the Cecils in the reign of James 1. has continu'd in that family ever since and is now possess'd by James of that name Not far from this place is West-Deane West-Dean the seat of Sir John Evelyn Knight of the Surrey-family and now devolv'd to a daughter is in the possession of the Right honorable Evelyn Earl of Kingston cc Going along with the Avon we pass by Langford Langford the stately seat of the honorable Henry Hare Viscount Colerain in Ireland a great admirer of Antiquities then by Clarendon Clarendâ—â— in the Park whereof are the footsteps of two Royal Palaces King-manour and Queen-manour Besides the famous Parliament held here temp Hen. 2. there was another summon'd to meet here by King Edw. 2. Anno 1317. but the differences at that time between the King and the Barons were so high that nothing of any moment was transacted This place was honour'd in the time of Charles 2. by giving the title of Earl to Edward Hide Baron of Hindon Viscount Cornbury and Lord Chancellor of England who dying at Roan in Normandy was succeeded by his eldest son Henry Not far from Clarendon is Farle Farle where Sir Stephen Fox one of their Majesties Commissioners of the Treasury out of a respect to his native place has founded a Hospital for 6 old men and as many old women with a Master who is to teach a Free-school here and to officiate in the Church which he also built from the ground a new in room of an old ruin'd Chappel and made it Parochial Northward of this is Frippsbury Frippsâ—â—â—â— a very great entrenchment of a rude circular form it 's Diameter containing 300 large paces it is single-trench'd but the ditch is deep and the rampire high Only about 80 paces within the outer circumvallation is a deep trench without a rampire It has only two entrances one by east and the other on the west and there is some probability of it's being Saxon. dd About 7 miles north of New-Salisbury is Stone-henge Stone-henge a piece of Antiquity so famous as to have gain'd the admiration of all ages and engag'd the pens of some very considerable Authors 'T is of it self so singular and receives so little light from history that almost every one has advanc'd a new notion To give the several conjectures with some short remarks is as much as the narrow compass of our design will allow But not to hunt after such uncertainties and in the mean time pass over what lays before our eyes we will premise a description of the place as it now stands much more distinct than what Mr. Camden has left us It is situated on a rising ground Stone-henge â—scribâ—e environ'd with a deep trench still appearing and about 30 foot broad From the plain it has had three entrances the most considerable lying north-east at each of which was rais'd on the out-side of the trench two huge stones gate-wise parallel whereunto on the inside were two others of less proportion After one has pass'd this ditch he ascends 35 yards before he comes at the Work it self which consists of 4 Circles of Stones The outward Circle is about 100 foot diameter the stones whereof are very large 4 yards in height 2 in breadth and 1 in thickness Two yards and a half within this great Circle is a range of lesser stones Three yards farther is the principal part of the work call'd by Mr. Jones The Cell of an irregular figure made up of two rows of stones the outer of which consists of great upright stones in height 20 foot in breadth 2 yards and in thickness one yard These are coupl'd at the top by large transome stones like Architraves which are 7 foot long and about three and a half thick Within this was also another range of lesser Pyramidal stones of about 6 foot in height In the inmost part of the Cell Mr. Jones observ'd a stone which is now gone appearing not much above the surface of the earth and lying toward the east 4 foot broad and sixteen foot long which was his suppos'd Altar-stone And so much for the structure and dimensions of the Monument only it may in general be observ'd that the stones are not artificial as Mr. Camden and some others would perswade us but purely natural as Mr. Jones p. 35. has asserted The opinions about it may be reduc'd to these 7 heads 1. That it is a work of the Phoenicians as Mr. Sammes in his Britannia conceits a conjecture that has met with so little approbation that I shall not stay to confute it 2. That it was a Temple of the Druids long before the coming in of the Romans which Mr. John Aubrey Fellow of the Royal Society endeavours to prove in his Manuscript Treatise entitl'd Monumenta
has been a long series of successors no less eminent for wealth and honour than for piety and devotion 5 But among others St. Swithin continues yet of greatest fame not so much for his sanctity as for the rain which usually falls about the feast of his translation in July by reason the Sun then is Cosmically with Praesepe and Aselli noted by ancient writers to be rainy Constellations and not for his weeping or other weeping Saints Margaret the Virgin and Mary Magdalen whose feasts are shortly after as some superstitiously credulous have believed and by a peculiar privilege are Chancellors to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prelates of the Garter Some of these at great expence have beautify'd and enlarg'd this Church particularly Edington and Walkeling but above all Wickham who with incredible cost built the West part of the Church from the Choire a neat and curious piece of work in the middle of which between two pillars is his own monument The Church has been accordingly dedicated to new Patrons Amphibalus Peter Swithin and lastly to the Holy Trinity by which name it is at present call'd Among the Saxons it was in great repute for being honour'd with the Sepulture of some of their Kings whose bones were gathered by Richard Fox Bishop and put into little gilded Coffins which with their several Inscriptions he placed upon a wall that runs along the upper part of the Quire It was formerly call'd h Ealdan-Mynster Chron. Sax. Ealden-mynster i.e. the old Monastery or Minster to distinguish it from the more modern one i Niwan-Mynster Chron. Sax. NeÆ¿an-mynster i.e. New Minster which King Aelfred founded and to build the Offices belonging to it bought of the Bishop a certain peice of ground for every foot whereof he paid one Mark according to the publick Standard This new College as well as the old one was first founded for marry'd Priests who were afterwards expelled by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury upon the miracle of a Cross speaking and condemning the Order and so Monks were brought into their room These two Monasteries had their walls so near one another that when they were singing in one the noise was a disturbance to the other upon which arose some quarrels between the two Societies that afterwards broke out into feuds This reason and another inconvenience of a great confluence of waters which ran down the streets from the West-gate and making a standing pool at this new Monastery did infect the air with unwholsome vapours caus'd the Church 200 years after it's first building to be remov'd into the northern suburbs to a place call'd Hide Hide-Abby where by the licence of Henry 1. the Monks built a large and beautiful Monastery which within a few years by the treachery of Henry of Blois Bishop of Winchester as a private little History of that place tells us was miserably burnt down in which fire was consum'd that famous Cross the gift of Canute the Dane that as some old Records deliver it cost him the yearly revenue of all England But the Monastery was raised again to a noble fabrick as the present ruines testifie and grew by degrees till that fatal period for the destruction of Monks For then this house was demolished and the other of St. Trinity which is the Cathedral Church upon ejection of the Monks had a new foundation of a Dean and 12 Prebendaries At the East-side of the Cathedral stands a spacious k It was built A. D. 1137. by Henry Bishop of Winchester Leiger-Book of St. Cross in the hands of Mr. Worsley palace of the Bishop's call'd Wolvesey fortify'd by several turrets almost surrounded by the river and reaching to the City-walls m In the south suburbs there is a neat College that answers it which William of Wickham Bishop of this See the greatest patron and encourager of Learning that was in England A College bâ—â—â—â— by William of Wickham and whose memory shall be celebrated through all ages in the Monuments of Learning built for a publick school which affords great numbers of learned men both to Church and State In this are maintain'd gentilely a Warden 10 Fellows 2 Masters 70 Scholars l Particularly 3 Chaplains 3 Clerks an Organist 16 Choristers and the statutable servants with some others There are also other eminent buildings in this City most of them consecrated to religious uses which because time has destroy'd I have no mind to mention n tho' I cannot but take notice of that * Partheâ—â—â—m St. Mary's Abby Nunnery or Monastery for Virgins which Aelfwide wife to King Alfred founded it having been so noble a piece of building as the ruines of it still shew and the place out of which Henry 1. Maud wife to Henry 1. took his wife Maud daughter of Malcolm King of Scots by whom the Royal families of the Saxons and Normans were united and by which means that Prince gain'd much on the affections of the English For she was great grand-daughter to Edmund Ironside by his son Edward The banished and a Lady not only endow'd with all the vertues becoming a Queen but more especially eminent for piety and devotion Whereupon this old Tetrastick was made in her commendation Prospera non laetam fecêre nec aspera tristem Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbum Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Nor bless'd rejoyc'd nor when unhappy mourn'd To laughter grief and joy to fear she turn'd Nor beauty made her frail nor sceptres proud Humble tho' great and scarce more fair than good As to Guy Earl of Warwick so famous in story who in a single combat here conquer'd Colbrand that Danish †Typhoëus Giant and Waltheof Earl of Huntingdon beheaded in this place where afterward was the Chapel of St. Giles and as to the famous adjoyning Hospital of St. Cross founded by Henry de Blois Brother of King Stephen and Bishop of this City and farther endow'd by Henry de Beaufort Cardinal I shall say nothing of all these because a full relation is already given of them in our common Histories As to the Earls of Winchester Earls of Winchester to pass by Clito a Saxon who at the coming in of the Normans was depriv'd of this ancient honour King John made Saer Quincy Earl of Winchester The Quincy's Arms. whose Arms were * Baltheus militaris a Fesse with a †Lemniscus label of seven as I learn'd from his seal To him succeeded Roger his son who bore in a field Gules seven ‖ Rhombos Mascles voided Or. But he dying without Issue male the honour was extinct in him for he marry'd the oldest daughter and co-heir by a former wife of Alan Lord of Galloway in Scotland in whose right he was Constable of Scotland But by her he had only 3 daughters of whom the eldest was marry'd to William de Ferrariis Earl of
Derby the second to Alan de la Zouch the youngest to Comine Earl of Buchan in Scotland A long time after this Hugh le Despencer was honour'd with the title during life only by King Edward 2. who made him his most familiar friend and confident but he and his son had too late an experiment how fatal it often proves to be the favourites of a Prince for popular fury put both of them to an ignominious death A pretty while after this by the bounty of King Edward 4. Lewis de Bruges a Belgian Lord of Gruthuse and Prince of Steinhuse who had entertain'd this Prince in Flanders when he fled thither for refuge obtain'd this title with Arms not much differing from those of Roger de Quincy 6 In these words Azur a dix Mascles D'or en orm d'un Canton de nostre propre Armes d'Engleterre cest savour de Goul un Leopard passant d'or armeé d'azur which after the death of K. Edward he surrendred up to K. Henry 7. Within our own memory †Sir William William Powlett Lord Treasurer of England 7 Earl of Wiltshire and Lord St. John of Basing was honour'd by Edward 6. with a new title of Marquess of Winchester 8 A man prudently pliable to times raised not suddenly but by degrees in Court excessive in vast informous buildings temperate in all other things full of years for he lived 97 years and fruitful in his generation for he saw 103 issued from him by Elizabeth his wife daughter to Sir William Capel Knight And now his grandchild William enjoys the said honours which his Posterity now enjoys Winchester stands in the longitude of 22 and the latitude of 51 degrees according to the observation of later ages o From Winchester more Eastward the river Hamble Hamble out at a large mouth runs into the sea Bede calls it Homelea and says it runs through the country of the Jutes and falls into the Solente Solente for so he calls the chanel between Britain and the Isle of Wight into which at certain hours two opposite tides coming up with great violence from the Ocean and meeting here rais'd so great an admiration in our fore fathers that they reckon'd it one of the wonders of Britain Of which take Bede's own words Two tides which flow round the British Island out of the vast northern Ocean do daily meet together and encounter each other beyond the mouth of the river Homelea and when the waves have ended their conflict they retire into the sea from whence they came Into this chanel another small river empties it self which rising near Warnford runs between the forest of Waltham where is a m It was ruin'd in the late Civil Wars stately seat of the Bishops of Winchester and that of Bere 9 Whereby is Wickham a mansion of that ancient family of Vuedal Hol. It is come by marriage to the E. of Carlisle along by Tichfield Tichfield where was formerly a small Monastery built by Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester 10 Where the marriage was solemnized between King Henry 6. and Margaret of Anjou and is now the chief n The Earl of Southampton dying without Issue male this estate came to Edward first Earl of Gainsburrow by marriage with Elizabeth daughter and coheiress of the said Earl whose son dying without issue-male it is now fallen to his two daughters who are at present Minors seat of the Wriotheslys Earls of Southampton Hence the shore turning and winding in the Island call'd Portesey makes a creek at the upper part of which flourish'd formerly Port-peris where tradition says Vespasian first arriv'd Our Ancestors gave it the new name of Portchester not from Porta a Saxon but from portus a harbour For Ptolemy from it's largeness calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. the spacious harbour and so a place in Africa was call'd Portus magnus Portus magnus as we learn from Pliny There is a large Castle still remaining which commands a free prospect of all the harbour below But when the sea retiring from this shore by degrees made the harbour less commodious they remov'd hence to Portsey an adjoyning Island which is about 14 miles round At high tide it is encompass'd with sea-water of which they make salt and is joyn'd to the continent by a bridge which had a small castle to defend it Athelfled wife of King Edgar gave this Island to New-Minster in Winchester and here at the entrance or mouth of the creek our Ancestors built a town which from thence they call'd Portsmouth Portsmouth This in time of war is populous but not so in time of peace and seems more inclin'd to the Arts of Mars and Neptune than of Mercury It has a Church of good ancient work and an Hospital which they call God's-house founded by Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester It was fortify'd with a wall made of timber and well lined with mud with a high mount toward the north-east near the gate and with two sorts of free-stone at the entrance of the harbour which the inhabitants say were begun by K. Edward 4. and finish'd by Henry 7. who they add settled a garrison in this town But within our memory Queen Elizabeth at great expence has so well secured it by new Works that nothing seems now wanting to make it a most complete fortification And of the garrison some keep guard night and day at the Town-gates and others upon the top of the Church-tower where by ringing of a Bell they give notice what Horse and Foot advance toward the Town and by waving of Colours show from what quarter they come p Hence from Portes-bridge upon a little turning of the shore I saw Havant Havant a small market-town and near it Warblington formerly a beautiful seat of the Earls of Salisbury now of the family of Cottons Knights Before these there lie two Islands the larger is call'd Haling the less Thorney from the thorns and each of them has it's Parish-Church In several places along this shore out of sea-water that comes up they make salt which at first is of a sort of pale and green colour but by an art they have 't is afterwards boil'd into a pure white And 't is of this sea-salt not of the other which is made in our English pits British Salt that St. Ambrose is to be understood Let us look upon those things which are common Hexameron lib. 4. cap. 11. and withal full of kindness how water is turned into such firm and solid salt that 't is often cut with instruments of iron which is usual in the British salts that are crusted into a substance as hard and white as marble and are very wholsom At a greater distance from the sea live the Meanvari Meanvari whose Country along with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South-Saxons received from Wlpher King of the Mercians
to Winchester so is there another that passes westward thro' Pamber a thick and woody forest then by some places that are now uninhabited it runs near Litchfield that is the field of carcasses and so to the forest of Chute pleasant for its shady trees and the diversions of hunting where the huntsmen and foresters admire it 's pav'd rising ridge which is plainly visible tho' now and then broken off Now northward in the very limits almost of this County I saw Kings-cleare Kingscleare formerly a seat of the Saxon Kings now a well-frequented market town 11 By it Fremantle in a Park where King John much hunted Sidmanton Sidmanton the seat of the family of Kingsmils Knights and Burgh-cleare Bu gh-cleare that lies under a high hill on the top of which there is a military camp such as our ancestors call'd Burgh surrounded with a large trench and there being a commanding prospect from hence all the country round a Beacon is here fix'd which by fire gives notice to all neighbouring parts of the advance of an enemy These kind of watch-towers we call in our language Beacons from the old word Beacnian i.e. to becken they have been in use here in England for several ages sometimes made of a high pile of wood and sometimes of little barrels fill'd with pitch set on the top of a large pole in places that are most expos'd to view where some always keep watch in the night and formerly also the horsemen call'd Hobelers by our Ancestors were settled in several places to signifie the approach of the enemy by day s This County as well as all the rest we have thus far describ'd belong'd to the West-Saxon Kings and as Marianus tells us when Sigebert was depos'd for his tyrannical oppression of the subject he had this County assign'd him that he might not seem intirely depriv'd of his government But for his repeated crimes they afterward expell'd him out of those parts too and the miserable condition of this depos'd Prince was so far from moving any one's pity that he was forc'd to conceal himself in the wood Anderida and was there killed by a Swine-herd This County has had very few Earls besides those of Winchester which I have before spoken of At the coming in of the Normans one Bogo or Beavose a Saxon had this title who in the battel at Cardiff in Wales fought against the Normans He was a man of great military courage and conduct and while the Monks endeavour'd to extol him by false and legendary tales they have drown'd his valiant exploits in a sort of deep mist From this time we read of no other Earl of this County till the reign of Henry 8. who advanc'd William Fitz-Williams descended from the daughter of the Marquess of Montacute in his elder years to the honours of Earl of Southampton and Lord High Admiral of England But he soon after dying without issue King Edward 6. in the first year of his reign conferr'd that honour upon Thomas Wriotheosley Lord Chancellour of England and his grandson Henry by Henry his son now enjoys that title who in his younger years has arm'd the nobility of his birth with the ornaments of learning and military arts that in his riper age he may employ them in the service of his King and Country There are in this County 253 Parishes and 18 Market Towns ISLE of WIGHT TO this County of Southamton belongs an Island which lies southward in length opposite to it by the Romans formerly call'd Vecta Vectis and Victesis by Ptolemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Britains Guith by the Saxons Wuitland and Wicþ-ea for they call'd an Island Ea we now call it the Isle of Wight and Whight 'T is separated from the Continent of Britain by so small a rapid channel which they formerly call'd Solent that it seems to have been joyn'd to it whence as Ninnius observes the Britains call'd it Guith which signifies a Separation t For the same reason the learned Julius Scaliger is of opinion that Sicily had it's name from the Latin word Seco because it was broken off and as it were dissected from Italy Whence with submission always to the Criticks I would read that passage in the sixth of Seneca's Natural Quaest. Ab Italia Sicilia resecta and not rejecta as 't is commonly read From the nearness of it's situation and the likeness of it's name we may guess this Vecta to be that Icta which as Diodorus Siculus has it at every tide seem'd to be an Island but at the time of the ebb the ground between this Island and the Continent was so dry that the old Britains us'd to carry their tinn over thither in Carts in order to transport it into France But I cannot think this to be Pliny's Mictis tho' Vecta come very near the name for in that Island there was white lead whereas in this there is not any one vein of metal that I know of This Island from east to west is like a Lentil or of an oval form in length 20 miles and in the middle where 't is broadest 12 miles over the sides lying north and south To say nothing of the abundance of fish in this sea the soil is very fruitful and answers the husbandman's expectation even so far as to yield him corn to export There is every where plenty of rabbets hares partridge and pheasants and it has besides a forest and two parks which are well stock'd with deer for the pleasures of hunting Through the middle of the Island runs a long ridge of hills where is plenty of pasture for sheep whose wool next to that of Lemster and Cotteswold is reckon'd the best and is in so much request with the Clothiers that the inhabitants make a great advantage of it In the northern part there is very good pasturage meadow-ground and wood the southern part is in a manner all a corn country enclos'd with ditches and hedges At each end the sea does so insinuate and thrust in it self from the north that it makes almost two Islands which indeed are call'd so by the inhabitants that on the west side Fresh-water Isle the other on the east Binbridge Isle Bede reckon'd in it in his time 1200 families now it has 36 towns villages and castles and as to its Ecclesiastical Government is under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester but as to it 's Civil under the County of South-hamton The inhabitants facetiously boast how much happier they are than other people since they never had either p 'T is strange why they should add Monks since S. Mary's in Caresbrooke particularly was a Cell of Black Monks belonging first to Lyra in Normandy afterwards to the Abbey of Montgrace in Yorkshire and then to the Cistercians of Sheen Besides this there were in the Island three Priories * Cu 〈…〉 tos 〈◊〉 câ—â—os Newpoâ—â— Monks Lawyers or Foxes The places of greatest note are these Newport
name of a Thunderbolt and the son with Pyrrhus that of an Eagle Here also dy'd Anne Wife of K. Richard 2. Sister to Wenzelay the Emperour and Daughter to the Emperour Charles 4. she first taught the English women that way of riding on horseback which is now in use whereas formerly their custom was tho' a very unbecoming one to ride astride as well as men Her husband took her death out so ill and mourn'd so immoderately that he altogether neglected and even abhorr'd the very house But King Henry 5. beautify'd it with new buildings â—ne and in Shene an adjoyning little village built a Monastery of Carthusians which he call'd Bethlehem In Henry 7.'s time this royal seat was quite burnt down by a lamentable fire but like a Phoenix sprung again out of it 's own ashes with greater beauty by the assistance of the same Henry and took the new name of Richmond from that Country whereof he had been Earl whilst a private person This Henry 7. had scarce put a finishing hand to his new structure but he ended his days here by whose care industry counsel and quick-sighted prudence the kingdom of England has stood hitherto unshaken â—â—een Eliâ—â—â—â—â—h's 〈◊〉 1603. From hence it was also that 90 years after his Niece the most Serene Queen Elizabeth after she had as it were glutted nature with length of days for she was about 70 years of age was call'd and receiv'd by Almighty God into the sacred and heavenly Quire A Princess exceeding her sex both in courage and conduct who as in her face so in her disposition shew'd the true image of her grandfather she was the love of the world and the delight of Britain And so far was she tho' but a woman from coming short of the lasting and renown'd virtue of her ancestors that if she did not exceed she at least abundantly equall'd them Let posterity believe this and give their assent to so favourable a truth for I do not corrupt venerable Truth with flatteries that a Virgin for 44 years together did so manage the government as to be belov'd by her subjects fear'd by her enemies and admir'd by all a pattern that no Age hitherto can produce the like Her death put England under such a general grief that it had lain in despair and desolation without the least prospect of comfort but that immediately upon her departure out of this life the most Serene James the true and undoubted heir mark'd out by all hearts and eyes for her successor shed forth his august beams and possessed all with the hopes of a lasting joy When we look upon him we scarce can believe her dead Tho' why should we talk of her dying whose immortal virtues still live and her sacred memory will ever be preserv'd in the minds of men and the Annals of Time 〈◊〉 far 〈◊〉 Tide â—es up the â—ames As far as this place the Thames receives the tide about 60 Italian miles from the mouth And there 's no other river in Europe that I know of where the tide comes up so many miles to the great advantage of those that live by it 〈◊〉 goes 〈◊〉 far Whether it be that from this place there are hardly any crookings but 't is carry'd eastward in a more direct channel generally fenc'd with higher banks and opens a wider mouth than other rivers to let in the sea which as I thought long since f Scaliger de Subtilit Exercitat 52. Selden in Polyolb p. 208. by the rapid circulation of the orbs from east to west is carry'd the same way I leave to the enquiry of Philosophers to whose judgments I willingly submit in these and the like matters However concerning these places and this subject take some few verses if you can relish them out of The wedding of Tame and Isis A dextra nobis Richmondia Shena vetustis Celsa nitet sapiens namque hanc Richmondia dici Henricus voluit sibi quod retulisset honorem Et titulos Comitis Richmondia jure paterno Hectoris Edwardi sed deflet funera nostri Proh dolor hic illi regi mens libera cessit Corpore contempto sedes abitura supernas Quem si non subito rapuissent ferrea fata Aut te Valesiis rapuisset Gallia victor Aut tibi Valesios Now stately Richmond to the right is seen Richmond whose name wise Henry chang'd from Sheen Who Richmond's Earl had by his father been Long this our Hector Edward's fate hath mourn'd Who 's godlike soul from hence to heav'n return'd And left the mortal fetters that it scorn'd Ah! thee had the blest powers not call'd too soon Or Valois had resign'd the Gallick crown Or that had Valois lost And a few verses after Tamisis alternum sentit reditumque fugamque Huc reflui pelagi quoties vaga Cynthia pronos Octavâ librat coeli statione jugales Aut tenet oppositam varianti lumine plagam Plenior increscit celeremque recurrit in aestum Atque superbus ait Concedant flumina nobis Nulla per Europae dotatas nomine terras Flumina tam longè sic certis legibus undas Alternas renovant nisi fratres Scaldis Albis Here Thame's great current with alternate course Maintains its rise and fall at constant hours When Phoebe rests at our Meridian line Or i' th' Horizon-point does faintly shine In hasty waves the rushing waters joyn While the proud river thus his worth proclaims ' Great you that Europe boasts her noblest streams ' Yield all to me for such an ebb and flow ' No rival flood but Scheld and Elb can show More inward at about four miles distance from the Thames None-such None-such a retiring seat of the Kings eclipses all the neighbour buildings It was erected by King Henry the 8th in a very wholsome air called before Cuddington Cuddington and design'd by him for his pleasure and diversion 'T is so magnificent and withall so neat as even to arrive at the highest pitch of ostentation and one would think that the whole art of Architecture were crowded into this single work So many images to the life are there upon all sides of it so many wonders of an accomplish'd workmanship as may even vie with the remains of Roman Antiquity so that it may lay a just claim to the name and is able to support it None-such being in Latin Nulla ejusmodi or as Leland expresses it in verse Hanc quia non habeant similem laudare Britanni Saepe solent Nullique parem cognomine dicunt Beyond the rest the English this extol And None-such do by eminency call And the house too is so surrounded with parks full of deer delicate orchards and gardens groves adorn'd with arbours little garden-beds and walks shaded with trees that * Amoenitas cum Salubritate Pleasure and Wholsomness seem to have made choice of this place wherein to live together But Queen Mary exchang'd it with Henry Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel for other
presently turn'd their backs and betook themselves every man to flight The Norman proud and haughty with this victory in memory of the battel Battel erected an Abbey and dedicated it to St. Martin which he call'd ‖ Battel-Abbey in that very place where Harold after many wounds died amongst the thickest of his enemies that it might be as it were an eternal monument of the Norman victory 25 And therein he offer'd his Sword and Royal Robe which he ware the day of his Coronation These the Monks kept until their suppression as also a Table of the Normans Gentry which entred with the Conqueror but so corruptly in later times that they inserted therein the names of such as were their Benefactors and whosoever the favour of fortune or virtue had advanc'd to any eminency in the subsequent ages About this Abby there grew up afterwards a town of the same name or to use the words of the private History As the Abbey encreas'd there were built about the compass of the same 115 houses of which the town of Battel was made Wherein there is a place in French call'd Sangue-lac from the blood there shed which after a shower of rain from the nature of the earth seems to look reddish whereupon Guilielmus Neubrigensis wrote but with little of truth The place in which there was a very great slaughter of the English fighting for their Country if it happen to be wetted with a small showre sweats out real blood and as it were fresh as if the very evidence thereof did plainly declare that the voice of so much Christian blood doth still cry from the earth to the Lord. But King William granted many and great privileges to this Abbey And amongst others to use the very words of the Charter If any thief or murderer or person guilty of any other crime fly for fear of death and come to this Church let him have no harm but be freely dismissed Be it lawful also for the Abbot of the same Church to deliver from the Gallows any thief or robber wheresoever if he chance to come by at the execution Henry 1. A marke on Sunâ—â—y likewise to give you the very words of his Charter instituted a market to be there kept on the Lord's Day free from all Toll and other duty whatsoever But Anthony Viscount Mountague who not long since built a fine house there obtain'd of late by authority of Parliament to have the market chang'd to another day And as for the privileges of Sanctuary in those more heinous and grievous crimes they are here and every where else quite abolish'd by Act of Parliament For they perceiv'd well that the fear of punishment being once remov'd outragiousness and an inclination to commit wickedness grew still to a greater head and that hope of impunity was the greatest motive of ill doing Neither here nor in the neighbourhood saw I any thing worth relating Ashburnham but only Esuburnham that has given name to a family of as great antiquity as any in all this tract g Hastings Hastings before spoken of call'd in Saxon Hastinga-ceaster lies somewhat higher upon the same shore Some there are that ridiculously derive it from Haste in our tongue because as Matthew Paris writes At Hastings William the Conquerour hastily set up a fortress of timber But it may rather seem to have taken this new name k William the Norman speaks of this Hasting in Henry Huntingd. Hist 7. f. 211. a from Hasting a Danish Pirate who where he landed with design to ravage and raise booty built sometimes little fortresses as we read in Asserius Menevensis of Beamflote-Castle built by him in Essex and others at Apledor and Middleton in Kent 25 The tradition is That the old Town of Hastings is swallow'd up of the sea That which standeth now as I observ'd is couched between a high cliff sea-ward and as high an hill landward having two streets extended in length from N. to S and in each of them a Parish Church The Haven such as it is being fed but with a poor small Rill is at the south end of the town and hath had a great Castle upon the hill which over-commanded it now there are only ruines thereof and on the said hill light-houses to direct Sailers in the night time Here in the reign of K. Athelstan was a Mint It is the chief of the Cinque-ports Cinque-â—orts which with it's members Winchelsea Rye c. was bound to find 21 ships for war at sea If you have a mind to know in what form both this and the rest also were bound to serve the King in his wars at sea for those most ample immunities they enjoy here take it in the very same words wherein this was anciently recorded in the King's Exchequer Hastings with it's members ought to find 21 ships at the King's summons And there ought to be in every ship 21 men able fitly qualified well arm'd and well furnish'd for the King's service Yet so as that summons be made thereof on the King's behalf 40 days before And when the aforesaid ships and men therein are come to the place of rendezvous whereunto they were summon'd they shall abide there in the King's service for 15 days at their own proper costs and charges And if the King shall have further need of their service after the 15 days aforesaid or will have them stay there any longer those ships with the men therein while they remain there shall be in the King's service at the King's costs and charges so long as the King pleases The Master of each ship shall have sixpence a day and the Constable sixpence a day and every one of the rest three pence a day 26 Thus Hastings flourish'd long inhabited with a warlike people and skilful sailors well stor'd with Barks and Craies and gained much by fishing which is plentiful along the shore But after that the Peer made of timber was at length violently carry'd away by extream rage of the sea it hath decay'd and the fishing less used by the reason of the dangerous landing for they are enforced to work their vessels to land by a Capstall or Crain In which respect for the bettering of the town Q. Elizabeth granted a contribution toward the making of a new harbour which was begun but the contribution was quickly converted into private purses and the publick good neglected Nevertheless both Court the Country and City of London is serv'd with much fish from thence The whole Rape of Hastings together with the Honour â—â—mites â—â—enses â—go de â—gi Earls 〈◊〉 Ew was held by the Earls of Ew in Normandy descended from a Natural son of Richard 1. Duke of Normandy till Henry 3's time when Ralph de Issodun in France marry'd Alice whose posterity lost a noble estate in England because as the Lawyers then deliver'd it they were under the King of France 's Allegiance 27 When K. Henry
the Church is roof'd with lofty Arches of square work †Pari commissura the joints answering one another but on both sides it is enclos'd with a double Arch of stones firmly cemented and knit together Moreover the Cross of the Church made to encompass the middle Quire of the ‖ Canentium Domino Singers and by its double supporter on each side to bear up the lofty top of the middle tower first rises singly with a low and strong arch then mounts higher with several winding stairs artificially ascending and last of all with a single wall reaches to the wooden roof well cover'd with lead But 160 years after Henry the third demolish'd this Fabrick of Edward's and erected a new one of curious workmanship supported by several rows of marble Pillars and leaded over which was fifty years in building This the Abbots very much enlarg'd towards the west and Henry the seventh for the burial of himself and * Suorum his children added to the east part of it a Chapel of a most neat and admirable contrivance call'd by Leland the miracle of the world for you 'd say that all the Art in the world is crowded into this one work wherein is to be seen his own most splendid and magnificent Monument made of solid brass q After the expulsion of the Monks it had several revolutions first it had a Dean and Prebendaâ—ies next one single Bishop Thomas Thurlbey who after he had squander'd away the revenues of the Church gave it up and surrender'd it 42 Surrender'd it to the spoil of Courtiers to the Dean Presently after the Monks and their Abbot were restor'd by Queen Mary but they being quickly ejected by Authority of Parliament Queen Elizabeth converted it into a Collegiate Church nay I may say a Nursery of the Church For she settl'd twelve Prebendaries as many old Souldiers past service forty Scholars calld King's Scholars sent successively to the Universities and thence transplanted into Church and State c. Over all these she constituted a Dean 43 Over these she plac'd Dr. Bill Dean whose Successor was which dignity not long since was honourably bore by Dr. Gabriel Goodman a person of singular worth and integrity and a particular Patron both to me and my studies There were bury'd in this Church to run over those likewise in order Princes bury'd in Westminster-Abbey and according to their Dignity and the time when they dy'd Sebert first 44 And first Christian King of the East-Angles Harold bastard-son of Canutus the Dane King of England St. Edward King and Confessor with his Queen Editha Maud wife to King Henry the first and daughter to Malcolm King of Scots Henry the third Edward the first his son with Eleanor his wife daughter to Ferdinand third King of Castile and Leon. King Edward the third and Philippa of Hanault his wife Richard the second and Anne his wife sister of the Emperour Wenzelaus Henry the fifth with his wife Catharine daughter of Charles the sixth King of France Anne wife of Richard the third and daughter of Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick Henry the seventh with his wife Elizabeth 45 Daughter to King Edward 4. and his mother Margaret Countess of Richmond K. Edward the sixth Anne of Cleve fourth wife to K. Henry 8. Queen Mary and one not to be mention'd without the highest expressions both of respect and sorrow I mean our late most serene Lady Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory the darling of England a Princess endow'd with heroick Vertues Wisdom and a greatness of Mind much beyond her Sex and incomparably skill'd both in Things and Languages Here she lyes bury'd in a stately Monument erected for her out of a pious veneration by King James But alas how inconsiderable is that Monument in comparison of the noble qualities of so great a Lady She her self is her own Monument and a more magnificent and sumptuous one too than any other For let those noble actions recommend her to the praise and admiration of Posterity RELIGION REFORM'D PEACE ESTABLISHT MONEY REDUC'T TO ITS TRUE VALUE A MOST COMPLEAT FLEET BUILT NAVAL GLORY RESTOR'D REBELLION SUPPRESS'D ENGLAND FOR XLIIII YEARS TOGETHER MOST PRUDENTLY GOVERN'D ENRICHT AND STRENGTHEN'D SCOTLAND FREED FROM THE FRENCH FRANCE IT SELF RELIEV'D THE NETHERLANDS SUPPORTED SPAIN AW'D IRELAND QUIETED AND THE WHOLE WORLD TWICE SAIL'D ROUND The Dukes and Lords that have been bury'd here are Edmund Earl of Lancaster younger son to King Hen. 3. Avelina de Fortibus Countess of Albemarle his wife William and Audomar de Valentia of the family of Lusignia Earls of Pembroke Alphonse John and other Children of K. Edward 1. John de Eltham Earl of Cornwall son of K. Edward 2. Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester youngest son of Edw. 3. with others of his children Eleanor daughter and heir of Humfrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex wife to Thomas de Woodstock the young daughters of Edw. 4. and Hen. 7. Henry young son of Hen. 8. who dy'd at 2 months old Sophia daughter of K. James 1. who dy'd ‖ Primo aetatis diluculo almost assoon as born Philippa Dutchess of York Lewis Viscount Robsert of Hanault in right of his wife Lord Bourchier Anne the young daughter and heir of John Moubray D. of Norfolk betroth'd to Rich. D. of York younger son to K. Edw. 4. 46 Sir Giles Daubeney Giles Daubeney Lord Chamberlain to K. Hen. 7. and his wife of the family of the Arundels in Cornwall Viscount Welles Frances Brandon Dutchess of Suffolk Mary her daughter Margaret Douglas Countess of Lenox grand-mother to James K. of Great Britain with Charles her son Winefrid Bruges Marchioness of Winchester Anne Stanhop Dutchess of Somerset and Jane her daughter Anne Cecil Countess of Oxford daughter of Baron Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England with her mother Mildred Burghley Elizabeth Berkley Countess of Ormond Frances Sidney Countess of Sussex 47 James Butler instead of Thomas Butler Thomas Butler Viscount Thurles son and heir of the Earl of Ormond Besides Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell another 48 Sir Humfrey Bourchier Humfrey Bourchier son and heir of the Lord Berners both slain in Barnet-fight 49 Sir Nicholas Carew Baron Carew instead of Nicholas Baron Carew Nicholas Baron Carew the Baroness of Powis Thomas Baron Wentworth Thomas Baron Wharton John Lord Russel Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellour of England Douglasia 50 H. Howard Howard daughter and heir of Viscount Bindon wife of 51 Sir Arthur Gorges Arthur Gorge Elizabeth daughter and heir of Edward Earl of Rutland wife of William Cecil 52 Sir John Puckering John Puckering Keeper of the Great Seal of England Frances Howard Countess of Hertford Henry and George Cary father and son Barons of Hunsdon and Lord Chamberlains to Q. Elizabeth the heart of Anne Sophia the young daughter of Christopher Harley Count de Beaumont Embassador in England from
1173. when the rebellious son of King Henry the second took up Arms against his father Robert Earl of Leicester with his Stipendiaries from Flanders harrass'd the Country all round And here also it was that in the year 1553. Queen Mary enter'd upon the government notwithstanding the violent opposition of Dudley Earl of Northumberland against King Henry the eight's daughters The river goes next to Parrham Parrham a little town whose Lord William Willoughby Barons Willâ—ugâ—by of Parrham had the dignity of a Baron conferr'd upon him by King Edward the sixth and from thence running by Glemham which has given name to an ancient and famous family 16 Descended from the Bacons and Brandons to Oreford Oreford that takes its name from it it falls into the Sea This was once a large and populous town fortify'd with a Castle of reddish stone which formerly belong'd to the Valoinies and afterward to the Willoughbeys But now it complains of the Sea's ingratitude which withdraws it self by little and little and begins to envy it the advantage of a harbour And this is all I have to say of Oreford unless you please to run over this short passage of Ralph de Coggeshall an ancient Writer In the time of Henry the first when Bartholomew de Glanvile was Governour of the Castle of Oreford some fishermen hapen'd to catch a wild man in their nets All the parts of his body resembl'd those of a man he had hair on his head a long * Pineatam picked beard and about the breast was exceeding hairy and rough But at length he made his escape privately into the Sea and was never seen more So that what the common People affirm may be very true Whatever is produc'd in any part of nature is in the sea and not at all fabulous what Pliny has wrote about the Triton on the coasts of Portugal Tritons and Sea-monsters and the Sea-man in the Straits of Gibralter Not much higher in a safe and pleasant situation within the Vale of Slaughden where the Sea beats upon it on the east and the River on the west lyes Aldburgh Aldburgh which signifies an ancient Burrough or as others will have it a burrough upon the river Ald. 'T is a harbour very commodious for mariners and fishermen by which means the place is populous and is much favour'd by the Sea which is a little unkind to other towns upon this coast Hard by when in the year 1555. all the corn throughout England was choakt in the ear by unseasonable weather the inhabitants tell you that in the beginning of Autumn there grew Pease miraculously among the rocks Pease growing out of the rocks without any earth about them and that they reliev'd the dearth in those parts But the more thinking people affirm that Pulse cast upon the shore by shipwrack h At the south part of the Meer-shingle says Blome there still comes up yearly certain coarse grey Peas and very good Coleworts out of the stony-heaps us'd to grow there now and then and so quite exclude the miracle But that such as these grew every year among the pebbles on the coasts of Kent we have observ'd before From hence keeping along the shore at ten miles distance we meet with Dunwich Dunwich in Saxon Dunmoc mention'd by Bede Here it was that Foelix the Burgundian who reduc'd the East-Angles then falling from the Faith to Christianity fixt an Episcopal Seat in the year 630. and his Successors for many years presided over the whole kingdom of the East-Angles But Bisus the fourth from Foelix when by reason of old age and a broken constitution he found himself altogether unable to manage so large a Province divided it into two Sees One he kept in this place and fixt the other at a little town call'd North-Elmham In the reign of William the first it had 236 Burgesses and 100 Poor it was valued at fifty pound and sixty thousand †Allectum for halecum herrings by gift So we read in Domesday-book In the last age it was very populous and famous for a Mint and in the reign of Henry the second it was as William of Newburrow has told us a famous village well stor'd with riches of all sorts At which time when the peace of England was disturb'd with fresh commotions it was fortify'd on purpose to awe Robert Earl of Leicester who over-run all those parts far and near But now by a private pique of Nature which has set no fixt bounds to the incursions of the Sea the greatest part of it is swept away by the violence of the waves and the Bishops having many years ago transferr'd their Seat to another place it lyes now in solitude and desolation h A little higher the river Blith unloads it self into the Sea upon whose bank I saw a little town call'd Blithborow Blithborrow memorable only for the burying place of the Christian King Anna whom Penda the Mercian slew in a pitcht battel The Church was made eminent for a College of Prebendaries by Henry the first who granted it to the Canons of St. Osith It has a Market by the favour of John Lord Clavering to whom King Edward the second granted this Privilege along with a Fair. He was possess'd of a very large estate in those parts Regist Monast de Sibton as descended from the daughter and heir of William de Cassineto or Cheney who held the Barony of Horsford in the County of Norfolk and built a small Monastery at Sibton i Here the Promontory Easton-nesse Easton-nesse shoots it self a great way into the Sea Eastward Extensio Promont so that 't is lookt upon to be the farthest east of any part of Britain By Ptolemy it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Extensio extension and to put it beyond all doubt that this is the same with our Easton know that Eysteney is the same in British that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Greek and Extensio in the Latin though indeed this name might as probably be deriv'd from our own language because of the easterly situation of the place 17 On the farthest part of the same Promontory stands Easton a village of fishermen almost entirely swallow'd up of the sea and on the southern side thereof Southwold c. In the south part of this Promontory Southwold lyes in a plain low and open expos'd to the Sea which the convenience of the harbour made by the river Blith's unlading it self there has render'd a pretty populous town At high water it is so encompast with the Sea that you 'd take it for an Island and wonder that 't is not all overflow'd Which brings to my mind that passage of Cicero Lib. 3. De Nat. Deor. What shall we say of the Tides in Spain and Britain and their ebbing and flowing at set times without a God they cannot be who hath set bounds to the sea
house but Hugh Hare brother to Nicholas was he who so much improv'd the estate and dying without marriage left above 40000 pound between 2 nephews Not far from hence lies West-Dereham West-Dâ—â—eham famous for the birth of Hubert Walter who being bred up under the famous Lord Chief Justice Glanville became Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellour under K. Rich. 1. Legate to Pope Celestine 4. and Lord Chief Justice of all England The respect he had for the place oblig'd him to build a Religious-house there wherein as a piece of gratitude for the many favours he had receiv'd he order'd that they should constantly pray for the soul of his great patron Ralph de Glanvilla CAMBRIDGE SHIRE At a little more distance from the sea is Congham Congham honour'd with the birth of Sir Henry Spelman that great Oracle of Law Patron of the Church and glory of England More inwards is Rougham Rougham the seat of the Yelvertons of whom William under Hen. 6. Christopher under Qu. Elizabeth and Henry under K. Charles 1. were Lord Chief Justices of England Next is Babbingley Babbingley whither Felix the Apostle of the East-Angles coming about the year 630. converted the inhabitants to Christianity and built the first Church in those parts whereof succeeding ages made S. Felix the patron Some remains of this passage are still found in the adjoyning mountains call'd Christian-hills and in Flitcham Fâ—itâ—ham a neighbouring place which imports as much as the village or dwelling-place of Felix bb Removing from the sea-coast towards the south-east Narburgh Narburgh lies in our way the termination whereof seems to suggest something of Antiquity and the place it self answers the name For there is an old Fortification and from hence to Oxburgh has been a military foss tho' it be now levell'd in some places But what puts it beyond dispute is that Sir Clement Spelman contriving an Orchard at the foot of the hill digg'd up the bones of men in great abundance and likewise old pieces of armour cc Upon the north-side of the Hier stands Elmham Eâ—â—ham which till within these two ages was never under the jurisdiction of any secular Lord. For under the Heathens 't is said to have been the habitation of a Flamin and after their conversion to Christianity by Felix it came into the possession of the Bishops The See was first at Dunwich but when it was thought too great for the management of one it was divided into two Dioceses the one to reside at Dunwich for Suffolk and the other at Elmham for Norfolk dd Directly south is East-Dereham East Dereham call'd also Market-Dereham which having been almost all burnt to the ground is now rebuilt into a fair town and Hingham another market town not far from it hath had both the same disease and cure ee About 4 miles from Ic-burrough lies Weeting Weeting near Brandon-ferry wherein is an old wasted castle moated about and at a mile's distance eastward is a hill with certain small trenches or ancient fortifications call'd Gimes-graves of which name the inhabitants can give no account On the west-side of this place from the edge of the Fen arises a bank and ditch which running on for some miles parts that bound of Weeting from Wilton and Feltwell and is call'd the Foss In the fields of Weeting is a fine green way call'd Walsingham-way being the road for the pilgrims to the Lady of Walsingham And about a mile from the town north is another like it from Hockwold and Wilton upon which are two stump crosses of stone supposed to be set there for direction to the pilgrims Continuation of the EARLS and DUKES By the Attainder of the last Thomas the title of Duke of Norfolk being taken away Philip his eldest son was call'd only Earl of Arundel by descent from his mother and he being attainted of High-Treason for favouring the Popish party had the sentence of death pass'd upon him but his execution being forborn he dy'd in the Tower An. 1595. His son and only child Thomas was created Earl of Norfolk Jun. 6. 20 Car. 1. and dy'd at Padua An. 1646. leaving two sons Henry and Thomas whereof Henry succeeded his father and he likewise was succeeded by Thomas his eldest son in his Titles of Earls of Arundel Surrey and Norfolk who at the humble petition of several of the Nobility was May 8. 13 Car. 2. restor'd to the title of Duke of Norfolk Which is now among others enjoy'd by Henry Howard Earl Marshal of England More rare Plants growing wild in Norfokl Atriplex maritima nostras Ocimi minoris folio Sea-Orrache with small Basil leaves Found by Dr. Plukenet near Kings-Lynne Acorus verus sive Calamus Officinarum Park The sweet-smelling Flag or Calamus Observed by Sir Thomas Brown in the river Y are near Norwich See the Synonymes in Surrey Lychnis viscosa flore muscoso C. B. Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum Ger. Muscipula Salamantica major Park Muscipula muscoso flore seu Ocymoides Belliforme J. B. Spanish Catchfly By the way-sides all along as you travel from Barton mills to Thetford plentifully Spongia ramosa fluviatilis Branched river-sponge In the river Y are near Norwich Turritis Ger. vulgatior J. B. Park Brassica sylvestris foliis integris hispidis C. B. Tower-mustard In the hedges about the mid-way between Norwich and Yarmouth Verbascum pulverulentum flore luteo parvo J. B. an mas foliis angustioribus floribus pallidis C. B. Hoary Mullein About the walls of Norwich Vermicularis frutex minor Ger. Shrub Stonecrop This was shew'd us by Sir Thomas Brown of Norwich who had it from the sea-coast of Norfolk See the Synonymes in Glocestershire Urtica Romana Ger. Park Roman Nettle At Yarmouth by the lanes sides not far from the Key N. Travelling from Lynne to Norwich I observed by the way side not far from Norwich the Medica sylvestris J. B. which is usually with a yellow flower and therefore called by Clusius Medica frutescens flavo flore to vary in the colour of the flower and to become purplish like the Burgundy Trefoil or Sainct-foin CAMBRIDGESHIRE MORE into the Country lies the County of Cambridge by the Saxons call'd a Grantâ—bryegscyr Grentbrigg-scyre and by the common people Cambridge-shire stretch'd lengthways to the north It borders upon Norfolk and Suffolk on the east Essex and Hertfordshire on the south Bedford and Huntingdon Shires on the west and Lincolnshire on the north the river Ouse running from west to east crosses and divides it into two parts The south and lower part is more improv'd better planted and consequently more rich and fertil sufficiently plain but not quite level chiefly or indeed wholly setting aside that part which plentifully produces Saffron consisting of Corn-fields abundantly stor'd with the best Barley of which they make great quantities of Byne or Malt Byne Malt. by steeping it till it sprout again then drying it over a Kiln
Catsfoot On Bernake heath not far from Stamford Pulsatilla Anglica purpurea Park parad flore clauso caeruleo J. B. Common Pasque-flower On the same heath in great plenty See the Synonymes in Cambridgeshire Millefolium palustre flore luteo galericulato Hooded Water-Milfoil In the ditches by the rivers-side as you go from Peterborough to Thorp LEICESTERSHIRE NORTH of Northamptonshire lies the County of Leicester In the Survey-Book which William the Norman made of England it is call'd Ledecesterscyre but now commonly Leicestershire It is all a champain country rich in corn and grain but the greatest part of it deficient in woods It is encompass'd on the east with Rutland and Lincolnshire on the north with Nottingham and Derbyshire on the west with Warwickshire from which it is parted by the Military-way of the old Romans call'd Watlingstreet which runs along the west skirts of this County and on the south as I observ'd before it is limited by Northamptonshire The river Soar passeth through the middle of this County to the Trent but in the east parts there gently runs a small stream call'd the Wreke which at last falls into the Soar On the South-side where the County is bounded on one hand with the river Avon the less and on the other with the Welland nothing worthy of note presents it self unless it be near the head and first rising of the Welland the town of Haverburg commonly call'd a Burton's Leicestershire p. 127. Harborrow Harborrow famous for its Fair for Cattle and not far distant from thence b Ibid. p. 67. Carleton Carleton Curleu that is the town of Husbandmen I know not whether it be worth relating but most of the natives of this town either from some peculiar quality of the soil or water or other unknown cause in nature have a harsh and ungrateful manner of speech with a guttural and difficult pronunciation and a strange * Rhotacismus wharling in the utterance of their words a Watling-street The Roman way before-mention'd whose cawsey being in other places worn away here shews it self very plainly runs north almost in a direct line along the west-side of this County You may perhaps laugh at my expensive diligence as vainly curious but I have follow'd the tract of this way very intently from the Thames into Wales for the discovery of places of Antiquity b nor could I expect to meet with any other more faithful guide 1 For the finding out of those said Towns which Antonine the Emperour specifieth in his Itinerary for that purpose This Way having past Dowbridge where it leaves Northamptonshire is first interrupted by the river Swift which is but a slow stream tho' the name imports the contrary but to that it answers only in the winter-time The bridge over which this road was heretofore continu'd they call Bransford-bridge and Bensford it was a long time broken down and that occasion'd this famous way to be for many years little frequented but now it is repair'd at the charge of the publick Adjoyning on the one hand westward lyes Cester-Over Cester-over but in Warwickshire a place worthy of note were it only for the Lord thereof Sir c He was created a Baron of this kingdom in the 18th year of King James 1. by the title of Lord Brook of Beauchamp's Court in the County of Warwick Fulk Grevill Kt. a person of extraordinary merit and yet the name speaks it a place of antiquity for our Ancestors never gave the name of Cester but only to ancient Cities or Castles On the other hand eastward on this side of Swift 2 Which springeth near Knaptoft the seat of the Turpins a knightly house descended from an heir of the Gobions lyes Misterton belonging to the famous and ancient family of the Poultneys 3 Who took that name of Poulteney a place now decay'd within the said Lordship and beyond the river Lutterworth a small market-town formerly as report says the possession of the Verdons 4 Which only sheweth a fair Church which hath been encreas'd by the Feldings of Knights Degree and ancient Gentry in this Shire A petrifying well Near which is a spring of water so very cold that in a little time it converts straws and sticks into stone Rector of this Church heretofore was the famous John Wickliff John Wickliff dy'd 1387. a man of a close subtil wit and very well verst in the sacred Scriptures who having sharpen'd his pen against the Pope's authority and the Roman Church 5 And Religious men was not only grievously persecuted in his life time but one and forty years after his death by command of the Council of Sienna his body was in a barbarous manner taken out of his grave and burnt From Bensford-bridge the Old-way goes up to High-cross so call'd because formerly a cross was erected in that high place instead of which there is now a high post set up with props to support it The neighbouring Inhabitants told me that the two principal ways of England did here cross and that in this place stood once a most flourishing city call d Cley-cester Cleycester which had a Senate of it 's own and that Cley-brook Cleybrook near a mile distant from hence was part of the old Cleycester They say also that on both sides of this way great foundations of squar'd-stone have been discover'd under ground and Roman coins frequently cast up by the plow However above ground as the Poet says Etiam ipsae periere ruinae The very ruins are decay'd and lost These things consider'd with its distance from Banaventa or Wedon which agrees exactly and that bridge call'd Bensford are inducements to believe that the Bennones Bennones or Venones which mansion Antoninus places next after Bannaventa were seated here And the rather because Antoninus tells us that the way here parted into two branches which also is the vulgar observation For North-east-ward the Fosse-way leads to Lincoln by Ratae and Vernometum of which places more hereafter and to the North-west Watlingstreet goes directly into Wales by Manvessedum of which in its proper place when I come to Warwickshire c More above on the side of the foresaid way stands Hinckley Hinckley formerly belonging to the Lord Hugh Grant-maisnill 6 A Norman High-steward or Seneschal of England in the reigns of William Rufus and Henry 1. He had two daughters Petronilla or Parnel marry'd to Robert Blanchemaines so call'd from the whiteness of his hands Earl of Leicester with whom he had the Stewardship of England and Alice married to Roger Bigot At the East-end of this Church are to be seen trenches and rampires cast up to a great height which the Inhabitants say was Hugh's-castle Three miles from hence lyes Bosworth Bosworth an ancient market-town d For distinction from another of the same name in the Hundred of Gartery it is call'd commonly Market-Bosworth Burton p. 47. which liberty
before the See was remov'd to Lincoln It was rebuilt by Remigius the first Bishop of Lincoln and in Stow-park a little mile from the Church there was an Abby re-edified by the same Bishop but the Monks were soon remov'd from it by Robert Bloett the second Bishop of Lincoln to the Abbey of Eynsham near Oxford It was afterwards made a Bishop's seat but there is little of the ancient ruins now to be seen In the parish of Stow is a village call'd Stretton from the old causey running that way as if one should say the Street-town and in a field belonging to that place are a great many Ophites or stones roll'd up like serpents ee From hence we come to Gainesburrow Gainesborrow wherein as * Itin. p. 24. Leland says upon the south part of the town is an old chapel of stone in which 't is reported by the inhabitants that many Danes were bury'd that there is also the remains of another chapel of wood on the side of Trent now quite demolish'd At present the right honourable Baptist Noel has his title of Earl from this place A little above Gainesburrow through the end of a Country town call'd Marton Marton Mr. Foxcroft has observ'd that a Roman way goes into this County It comes from Danum i.e. Doncaster to Agelocum now Littleburrow from whence it goes to Lindum Lincoln 'T is a great road for pack-horses which travel from the west of Yorkshire to Lincoln Lyn and Norwich The ferry upon the river Trent is one side in Nottinghamshire and the other in Lincolnshire A quarter of a mile from Marton abovemention'd there are yet remaining two or three considerable pieces of Roman pavement or Causeway which may be easily observ'd by travellers of ordinary curiosity ff In this part of the County it is that Mr. Camden has in general settl'd the ancient Sidnacester but without determining it to any particular place If one should take the liberty of a conjecture and settle it at Stow there would not want several probabilities to warrant it That the See now at Lincoln was once at Dorchester near Oxford is agreed upon by all that likewise Eadhed was made Bishop of Sidnacester in the year 678. and that he was succeeded by several other Bishops under the same title is as plain But after Eadulf's death when it had been vacant about 80 years it was by Leofwin united to Dorchester as that of Leicester had been before it The sixth from Leofwin was Eadnoth who as the intermediate Bishops had done enjoy'd the title of Dorchester and under that of Sidnacester and Leicester This was that Eadnoth who built the Church of our Lady in Stow and died An. 1050. Now where can we imagine a Bishop of Sidnacester should so probably build a Church as at Sidnacester And whence would he sooner take his pattern or platform than from his own Cathedral of Dorchester But it appears by the enquiries of an ingenious Gentleman in those parts that there is a very near resemblance between the two Churches of Dorchester and Stow. And if they have been since rebuilt we may probably conclude that the same form notwithstanding was still kept The See of Legecester or Leicester is concluded to have been where St. Margaret's now stands and as that is a Peculiar a Prebend and I think an Archdeaconry so is Stow too Besides the present Privileges of this place are greater than any hereabouts except Lincoln and they have formerly exceeded even that For that it was famous before Lincoln was a Bishop's See is beyond dispute and 't is a common notion in those parts both of learned and unlearned that Stow was anciently the mother-Church to Lincoln The steeple of the Church tho' large has been much greater than it is and Alfrick Puttock Archbishop of York An. 1023. when he gave two great Bells to Beverley-steeple which he had built and two others of the same mold to Southwell bestow'd two upon this Stow. Here is likewise a place call'd yet by the name of Gallow-dale suppos'd to have been the place of execution for malefactors which among other marks of antiquity tho' it have no relation to the affairs of the Church is yet a testimony to the eminence of the place But there is one thing still lies in our way for in the * Anglâ—â— Sacra Pâ— 2. p. 411 Lives of the Bishops of Lincoln written by Giraldus we meet with these words Remigius sedem suam Cathedralem à loco nimis incongruo obscuro ad urbem praeclaram locum competentem sc Lincolniam transferre curavit nec non hoc quoque quod Lyndeseiam totam ab Humbro marino ad Withemam fluvium qui Lincolniam permeat penetrat per tanta terrarum spatia contra adversarium tantum tamque potentem Metropolitanum sc Eboracensem innata quadam prudentiâ praeditus gratia quoque desuper divinitus adjutus tam provinciae Cantuariensi quam Dioecesi Lincolniensi stabiliter aeque potenter adjecit Now if all Lindsey belong'd to the Archbishop of York till Remigius's time who liv'd since the Conquest the old Sidnacester united afterwards to Dorchester perhaps can hardly be plac'd reasonably within the compass of that Division NOTTINGHAM SHIRE by Robt. Morden Continuation of the EARLS After Henry Fiennes son of Edward Lord High Admiral of England the title of Earl of Lincoln was successively enjoy'd by Thomas and Theophilus of the same name The latter of these was succeeded by Edward Lord Clinton his grandchild by his eldest son Edward At present the right honourable Henry Clinton is in possession of this title More rare Plants growing wild in Lincolnshire Atriplex maritima Halimus dicta humilis erecta semine folliculis membranaceis bivalvibus in latitudinem expansis utrinque recurvis longo pediculo insidentibus clauso Near Sairbeck a village about a mile distant from Boston plentifully Dr. Plukenet Alsine Polygonoides tenuifolia flosculis ad longitudinem caulis velut in spicam dispositis Polygonum angustissimo gramineo folio erectum Bot. Monsp Chickweed-Knottgrass with very narrow leaves and flowers set along the stalks as it were in spikes Carum vulgare Park Caraways In the marshes and fenny grounds plentifully Cannabis spuria flore amplo labio purpureo Fair-flower'd Nettle-Hemp About Spalding plentifully Cochlearia major rotundifolia Garden Scurvy-grass In the marshes in Holland and in many other places near the sea-side Oenanthe Staphylini folio aliquatenus accedens J. B. In the marsh ditches and slow streams of water in the parish of Quaplod near Spalding Lapathum folio acuto flore aureo C. B. Golden Dock About Crowland and in other places of the Fens Pneumonanthe Ger. Gentianella Autumnalis Pneumonanthe dicta Park Gentiana palustris angustifolia C. B. Gentianae species Calathina quibusdam radice perpetua seu palustris J. B. Marsh Gentian or Calathian Violet In a Park at Tattershall and on the heathy grounds thereabout also on a
of the Graves of the great family of Mansfield in Germany who assert the Antiquity of the family of Mansfeld in Germany and that the first Earl of Mansfeld was at the Celebration of the round Table with our Arthur and that he was born here Our Kings were formerly wont to retire hither for the sake of hunting and that you may have it in the very words of an old Inquisition Henry Fauconberge held the manour of Cukeney in this County by Serjeanty for shooing the King's horse when he came to Mansfeld 9 And the hereditary Foresters or Keepers of this Forest of Shirewood were men in their times of high estimation viz. Sir Gerard de Normanvile in the time of the Conquest the Cauzes and Birkins by whose heir it came to the Everinghams Of which family Sir Adam Everingham was summon'd to Parliaments in the reigns of King Edw. 2. and King Edw. 3. At which time they were seated at Laxton anciently call'd Lexinton where also fleurish'd a great family so sirnam'd whose heirs were marry'd into the houses of Sutton of Averham and Markham Many small rivers spring out of this wood and run towards the Trent the chief of them is Idle â—dle upon which near Idleton in the year 616 the great success and fortune of Ethered a most potent King of the Northumbrians stopp'd and fail'd him For whereas he had formerly always fought with great success here his fortune vary'd and he was cut off being defeated by Redwald King of the East Angles who set Edwin excluded then and depriv'd of the throne of his Ancestors over Northumberland The course of this little river lyes at no great distance from Markham â—â—rkham a small village but yet it has given name to the Markhams a family very famous heretofore both for antiquity and virtue 10 Being descended from one of the heirs of Cressy and formerly from an heir of Lexinton as I lately shew'd the greatest ornament of which was J. Markham who was Lord Chief Justice of England and temper'd his Judgments with so much equity as you may read in the Histories of England that the glory of him will never perish in after ages i He dy'd as appears from an inscription in Markham-Church of S. Silvester's day An. D. 1409. Six miles from hence to the westward stands Workensop â—â— kensop known for its great produce of liquorice â—â—qâ—orice and famous for the Earl of Shrewsbury's house there built in this age by George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury with magnificence becoming the state of so great an Earl and yet not to contract envy To the Talbots it came with a great inheritance from the Lovetofts first Lords of it in the Norman times by the Furnivals and Nevils Of these Lovetofts G. Lovetoft in Henry the first 's time built a Monastery here the ruins of which are still to be seen among very pleasant meadows on the East-side of the town but the West-part of the Church is yet remaining with two towers very fair and beautiful i A little higher upon the same river I saw Blithe â—â—â—the a noted market-town which was fortify'd with a castle as I was inform'd by Bulley or Busly a Nobleman of Norman extract but at this day hardly the ruins of it are visible so destructive is age to every thing But the little Monastery there was built by Roger Busly and Foulk de Lisieurs and this is almost the last town of Nottinghamshire to the Northward unless it be Scroby â—â—roby a little town belonging to the Arch-Bishop of York seated in the very edge of it William sirnam'd the Conquerour Lords and Earls of Nottingham Lib. M. Linton Matth. Paris p. 126. See the Earls of Derby Matth. Paris p. 204. Hoveden p. 373. b. Inq. 6 Ric. 2. made his natural son William Peverell ruler of this County not by the title of Earl but Lord of Nottingham who had a son that dy'd during the life of his father and he likewise a son of the same name depriv'd of his estate by Henry the second for preparing a dose of poyson for Ranulph Earl of Chester About the same time Robert de Ferrariis who plunder'd Nottingham us'd this title in the gift he made to the Church of Tuttesbury Robert the younger Earl of Nottingham But afterwards King Richard the first gave and confirm'd to his brother John the County and Castle of Nottingham with the whole Honour of Peverell Long after that Richard the second honour'd John de Mowbray with this title who dying young and without issue his brother Thomas succeeded him who by Richard the second was created Earl Marshal and Duke of Norfolk and being banish't immediately after he begat Thomas Earl Marshal beheaded by Henry the fourth and John Mowbray who as also his son and grandson was Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Nottingham But the issue male of this family failing and Richard the infant-son of Edward the fourth Duke of York having enjoy'd this title among others 11 By his wife the heir of the Mowbraies for a small time Richard the third honour'd William Marquess of Barkley and Henry the eighth grac'd Henry Fitz-Roy his natural son 12 When he created him Duke of Richmond who both dy'd without issue with this title of Earl of Nottingham And lately in 1597. Queen Elizabeth solemnly invested Charles Howard High Admiral of England who is descended from the Mowbrays with this honour for his service as the Charter of his creation has it so stoutly and faithfully perform'd by Sea against the Spaniard in the year 1588. and his taking of Cadiz in the year 1596. he then commanding by Sea as the Earl of Essex did by Land There are 168 Parish-Churches in this County ADDITIONS to NOTTINGHAMSHIRE THE Antiquities of this County were publish'd An. 1677. by Robert Thoroton Doctor of Physick a native of it with great accuracy and exactness But keeping close to the descent of families and possessions of estates in which he has shown a great curiosity Mr. Camden and he have carry'd on two very different designs Had he given himself the liberty of making digressions upon British Roman and Saxon Antiquities as Mr. Burton in his history of Leicestershire has done his curiosity must needs have discover'd a great many things of that nature which might have been of considerable use towards the improvement of Camden Since then he has confin'd himself to the business of possessions for those matters I refer the Reader thither where he may have ample satisfaction and will go along with our Author in that part of Antiquity which he has principally touch'd upon a Going out of Leicestershire the Foss-way Foss-way which is the best if not the only direction for what we principally look after leads us into the South-part of this County and carrys us along the East of it into Lincolnshire And because Mr. Camden has taken no notice of it the best service that
saith he so call'd from the famous Monastery that was once there lyes situate in Maelor Seising or Bromfield not far from Kaer Lheion or West-chester Both Town and Monastery hath so felt the injuries of time that at this day there are hardly any ruins of them remaining For we find now only a small Village of the name and no footsteps of the old City except the rubbish of the two principal Gates Porth Kleis and Porth Wgan the former looking towards England and the latter towards Wales They are about a mile distant from each other whence we may conjecture the extent of the City which lay between these two Gates the river Dee running through the midst of it The old British Triades tell us that in the time of the British Kings there were in the Monastery of Bangor 2400 Monks who in their turns viz. a hundred each hour of the 24 read Prayers and sung Psalms continually so that Divine Service was perform'd day and night without intermission c. ¶ It remains now that we make some mention of that remarkable Monument or carv'd Pillar on Mostyn-mountain Maen y Chwyvan represented in the Plate by the first and second figures It stands on the evenest part of the mountain and is in height eleven foot and three inches above the Pedestal two foot and four inches broad and eleven inches thick The Pedestal is five foot long four and a half in breadth and about fourteen inches thick and the Monument being let thorow it reaches about five inches below the bottom so that the whole length of it is about thirteen foot The first figure represents the East-side and that edge which looks to the South and the second the Western-side with the North-edge tho' the Sculptures on these edges are grav'd as if they were no part of the stone When this Monument was erected or by what Nation I must leave to farther enquiry however I thought it not amiss to publish these draughts of it as supposing there may be more of the same kind in some parts of Britain or Ireland or else in other Countries which being compar'd with this it might perhaps appear what Nations used them and upon what occasions Dr. Plot in his History of Staffordshire gives us the draughts of a Monument or two which agree very well with it in the chequer'd carving and might therefore possibly belong to the same Nation ‖ Plot 's Nat. Hist of Staffordshire p. 404. 432. Those he concludes to have been erected by the Danes for that there is another very like them at Beau-Castle in Cumberland inscrib'd with Runick Characters which is presum'd to have been a Funeral Monument * Phil. Transact Num. 178. But the Characters on the East-side of ours seem nothing like the Runic or any other letters I have seen but resemble rather the numeral figures 1221. tho' I confess I am so little satisfied with the meaning of them that I know not whether they were ever intended to be significative Within a furlong or less of this Monument there is an artificial Mount or Barrow whereof there are also about twenty more in this neighbourhood call'd y Gorsedheu where there have been formerly a great many carcases and skulls discover'd some of which were cut and one or two particularly had round holes in them as if pierced with an arrow upon which account this pillar has been suspected for a Monument of some signal victory and the rather for that upon digging five or six foot under it no bones were discover'd nor any thing else that might give occasion to suspect it Sepulchral This monumental Pillar is call'd Maen y Chwyvan a name no less obscure than the History of it for tho' the former word signifies a Stone yet no man understands the meaning of Chwyvan Were it Gwyvan I should conclude it corrupted from Gwŷdhvaen i.e. the high Pillar but seeing 't is written Maen y Chufan in an old Deed bearing date 1388. which scarce differs in pronunciation from Chwyvan I dare not acquiesce in that Etymology tho' at present I can think of none more probable PRINCES of WALES AS for the ancient Princes of Wales of British extraction I refer the Reader to the Annals of Wales already publish'd but for the later Princes of the Royal line of England it seems pertinent to our design that we add here a short account of them Edward the first to whom during his minority his father Henry the third had granted the Principality of Wales having when Lhewelyn ap Grufydh the last Prince of the British blood was slain cut off in a manner the sinews of the Government or sovereignty of that Nation united the same to the Kingdom of England in the 12th year of his reign and the whole Province swore fealty and allegiance to his son Edward of Caernarvon whom he constituted Prince of Wales But this Edward the second conferr'd not the title of Prince of Wales on his son Edward but only the honour of Earl of Chester and Flint as far as I could yet learn out of the records of the Kingdom 1 And by that title summon'd him to Parliament being then nine years old Edward the third first solemnly invested his son Edward sirnam'd the Black with this title 2 With a Cap of Estate and a Coronet set on his head a gold Ring put upon his finger and a ‖ Afterward a golden Verge was used silver Verge deliver'd into his hand with the assent of Parliament who in the very height of grandeur died an untimely death After that he conferr'd the same on his son Richard of Bourdeaux heir to the crown who being depriv'd of his Kingdom by K. Hen. 4. died miserably leaving no issue The same Henry the fourth 3 At the formal request of the Lords and Commons conferr'd the Principality of Wales on his eldest son who was that renowned Prince Henry the fifth His son Henry the sixth whose father died whilst he was an infant conferr'd that honour which he never receiv'd himself on his young son Edward who being taken in the battel of Tewkesbury had his brains dash'd out cruelly by the York-Party Not long after K. Edward the fourth being settl'd in the throne created his young son Edward afterwards Edward the fifth Prince of Wales And soon after his Uncle Richard having dispatch'd him away substituted in his place his own son Edward created Earl of Salisbury before by Edward the fourth but died soon after which I have but lately discover'd Afterwards Henry the seventh constituted first his son Arthur Prince of Wales and after his decease Henry famous afterwards under the title of Henry the 8. On all these the Principality of Wales was conferr'd by solemn Investiture and a Patent deliver'd them in these words Tenendus sibi haeredibus Regibus Angliae c. For in those times the Kings would not deprive themselves of so fair an opportunity of obliging their eldest sons but
Sheafield Sheafiâ—ld the Staple-town for Knives and has been so these three hundred years Witness that Verse of Chaucer's A Sheffield whittle bare he in his hose Many of the Talbots Earls of Shrewsbury are here interr'd particularly George the first of that name and title who dy'd the 26th of July 1538. and his grandson of the same name to whose custody Mary Q. of Scots was committed the date of whose death is now inserted upon the Tomb xviii Novembris anno redemptionis Christi MDLXXXX which is the more worthy our observation because it was deficient in that part when Sir William Dugdale publish'd his * Vol. 1. p. 334. Baronage His son Gilbert likewise interr'd here gave 200 l. per An. to the poor of Sheafield where his great grandson erected a stately Hospital with this Inscription The Hospital of the Right Honourable Gilbert Eâ—rl of Shrewsbury erected and setled by the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Norwich Earl Marshal of England Great grand child of the aforesaid Earl in pursuance of his last Will and Testament Anno Dom. 1673. The Manour of Sheafield is descended from the said Earl Marshal to the present Duke of Norfolk The Castle mention'd by our Author was built of stone in the time of Henr. 3. and was demolisht when other Castles also were order'd to be ras'd after the death of King Charles the first Here it was or in the Manour-house in the Park that Mary Queen of Scots was detain'd Prisoner in the custody of George Duke of Shrewsbury between sixteen and seventeen years Concerning the vast Oak tree growing in this Park I refer the Reader to Mr. Evelyn's account of it Before the river Don comes to Rotheram it passes close by a fair Roman fortification call'd Temple-Brough Temple-Brough The North-east corner of it is worn away by the river the area is about 200 paces long and 120 broad besides the agger and without it is a very large Trench â—37 paces deep from the middle of the Rampire to the bottom On the outside of it is another large bench upon which are huge trees and upon the side of the bench of the high-way there grew a Chesnut-tree that had scarce any bark upon it but only upon some top-branches which bore leaves It was not tall but the Bole could scarcely be fathom'd by three men On the North-side of the river over aginst Temple-brough is a high Hill call'd Winco-bank Wâ—â—â—â—-bâ—â—â— from which a large bank is continu'd without interruption almost five miles being in one place call'd Danes-bank And about a quarter of a mile South from Kemp-bank over which this Bank runs there is another agger which runs parallel with that from a place call'd Birchwood running towards Mexburgh and terminating within half a mile of its West-end as Kemp-bank runs by Swinton to Mexburg more North. d Below upon the same river lyes Rotheram 〈…〉 famous as for the birth of Thomas Rotheram so also for that of the learned and judicious Dr. Robert Sanderson late Bishop of Lincoln Near which is Thribergh the Seat of Sir William Reresby 〈◊〉 Baronet e Not far from hence is Connisborough Câ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Wâ—â—â—â— the birth-place of Richard Plantagene Duke of York grandson to King Edward 3. and grandfather to King Edw 4. who tampering too soon for the Crown was beheaded by King Henry 5. The Castle here hath been a large strong built Pile whereof the out-walls are staâ—ding situate on a pleasant ascent fâ—om the river but mâ—ch over-topp'd by a high hill on which the town stands Before the gate is an agger by tradition said to be the burying place of Hengist In the Church-yard under the wall lyes a very ancient stone of blue marble with antique figures upon it one representing a man with a target encountâ—ing a vast winged Serpent with a man bearing a target behind him It is ridg'd like a Coffin on which is engraven a man on horseback curiously cut but very ancient f Nigh this town is Carhouse Caâ—â—â—â—â—â— the Seat of John Gill Esq High-Sheriff of the County A. D. 1692. and above three miles off is Aston Aâ—â—â—â— the ancient Seat of the Lord D' Arcys now Earls of Holderness g Going along with the river 〈◊〉 we come to Doncaster where in St. George's Church the only one in the town is interr'd Thomas Ellis five times Mayor and a Benefactor founder of an Hospital call'd St. Thomas the Apostle and one Byrks that gave Rossington-wood to the publick with this uncouth Inscription upon his Tomb. Howe Howe Who is heare I Robin of Doncastere and Margaret my feare that I spent that I had that I gave that I have that I left that I lost A. D. 1579. Quoth Robertus Byrkes who in this world did reign threescore years and seven and yet lived not one This place since our Author's time hath afforded the title of Viscount to James Hay Baron of Sauley created 16 Jac. 1. and afterwards in the 20th year of the same King made Earl of Carlisle and was succeeded in his estate and titles by James his son who dy'd without issue Whereupon in the 15th of Car. 2. James Fitz-Roy Baron of Tindale was created Earl of Doncaster and Duke of Monmouth h Thence Done runneth by Whâ—atley Wâ—â—â— the Seat of Sir George Cook Baronet whose uncle Bryan Coâ—k Eâ—â— gave by Will A. 1660. the whole Rectory of Arkâ—â—y to five Trustees for the payment of so much to the Vicar there as with his ancient stipend of 12 l. 13 s. 4 d. will amount to 100 l. per Ann. He gave also 40 l. per An. to a School-master to instruct the poor of the Parish and 60 l. for the building of a Hospital for twelve of the ancientest poor which receive each 5 l. per An. His brother Sir George Cook Baronet gave by Will 1683. 200 l. and two Cottages for building of a fair School-house Scarce two miles from Arksey Aâ—â—â—â— lyes Adwick in the street memorable on this account that Mrs. Anne Savill a Virgin Benefactor yet living daughter of John Savill of Medley Esq purchas'd the Rectory thereof for which she gave about 900 l. and has settl'd it in the hands of Trustees for the use of the Church for ever and this from a generous and pious principle upon the reading of Sir Henry Spelman's noted Treatise De non temerandis Ecclesiis Mr. Joshua Brook the present Incumbent has erected this Inscription over the door of the Parsonage-house built from the foundation at his own charge Rectoria de Adwick accessit Clero ex donatione Dnae Annae Savile ex prosapiâ Savillorum de Mâ—thley oriundae i The next place of note is Hatfield-chace where Cadwallin King of the Britains the 〈…〉 printed Bede calls him Carduella but Ceadwalla seems to be the right as it is in a MS. Bede now in the hands of Mr. Thoresby of Leeds with Penda Pagan King of Mercia in
it good For this reason Robert Mowbray Earl of Northumberland chose it for his chief hold when he rebell'd against King William Rufin but as is usual matters succeeded not well with this Rebel who being here brought into distress by his besiegers retir'd to the adjoyning Monastery which had the esteem of an holy and inviolable sanctuary Nevâ—rtheless he was thence carry'd off and afterwards in along and noisom durance justly suffer'd for his treason I must now coast it along the shore Behind the Promontory whereon Tunnocellum or Tinmouth is seated near Seton Seton part of the Barony De la-vall in the reign of Henry the third stands Seghill Seghill call'd Segedunum Segedunum the station of the t The Fourth says Dr. Gale's edition of the Notitiae third Cohort of the Lergi on the Wall or Rampier and indeed Segedunum in the British tongue signifies the same thing as Seghill in the English A few miles from hence the shore is out by the river Blithe which having pass'd by Belsey the ancient inheritance of the Middletons and Ogle-Castle belonging to the Barons of Ogle Barons of Ogle does here together with the river Pont empty it self into the sea These Ogles were honour'd with the title of Barons from the very beginning of Edward the fouâ—th's reign having enrich'd themselves by marrying the heirs of Berthram de Bothal Alan Heton and Alexander Kirkby The male issue of these Barons was lately extinct in Cuthbert the seventh Baron who had two daughters Joan marry'd to Edward Talbot a younger son of George Earl of Shrewsbury and Catherine marry'd to Sir Charles Cavendish Knight A little higher the river Wents-beck Wentsbeck falls into the sea It runs by Mitford Barony of Mitford which was fir'd by King John and his Rutars when they miserably wasted this Country u That age call'd those foreign Auxiliaries and Free booters Rutarii Rutarii or Ruptarii who were brought out of the Low-countries and other places to King John's assistance by Falques * Or de Breant de Brent and Walter Buc. Brent being a u Homo efferatus is our Author's expression Our Historians call him Praedo nequissimus and a thousand more hard names because he us'd to make a little free with the Monasteries and their treasures as they lay in his way crack-brain'd fellow was afterwards banish'd the Kingdom but Buc a person of more sobriety having done the King good service had conferr'd on him by his Royal Bounty Lands in Yorkshire and Northamptonshire where his Posterity flourish'd down to John Buck who was attainted under Henry the seventh Great grandson to this John is that person of excellent learning Sir George Buc Knight Master of the Revels who for I love to own my Benefactors has remark'd many things in our Histories and courteously communicated his observations This was formerly the Barony of William Berthram whose line soon fail'd in w This Roger I suppose is the same whereof Mart. Paris in the year 1242. makes such honourable mention In partibus Borealibus Rogerus Bertram cum aliis quibusdam nobilibus ab hâc luce migravit Sir John Bertram was several times Sheriff of Northumberland in the reign of Henry 6. The Christian name of Bertram out of which as our Author notes in his Remains some think the Spaniards have made their Ferdinando is still very common in these northern parts Roger his grandson the three co-heiresses being marry'd to Norman Darcy T. Penbury and William de Elmeley After this Wentsbeck runs through the famous little Town of Morpeth Morpeth for the body of the Town is seated on the northern bank of the river and the Church on the southern Near to which stands also on a shady hill the Castle which together with the Town came from Roger de Merlac or Merley whose Barony it was to the Lords of Greystock and from them to the Barons Dacre of Gillesland I meet with nothing anciently recorded of this place save only that in the year of our Lord 1215. the Towns-men themselves burnt it Hist Malros in pure spight to King John uu From hence Wentsbeck runs by Bothal Castle anciently the Barony of Richard Berthram from whose Posterity it descended upon the Barons of Ogle Upon the bank of this river I have x This in all probability had not been very long fancy'd For in some former Editions of this work Bainbrigg in Yorkshire is supposed to bid as fair as any place for the old name of Glanoventa But Caervorran as has been already noted is as likely as either that or this long fancied whether upon good grounds or pure conjecture I know not was the seat of Glanoventa Glanoventa where the Romans plac'd a Garison of the first Cohort of the Morini for the defence of the Marshes This the very situation of the place seems to argue and the name of the river with its signification may further evidence For 't is ad Lineam Valli upon the range of the Wall or Rampire as the Liber Notitiarum places that Fort. And the river is call'd Wents-beck Now Glanoventa in the British tongue signifies the shore or bank of Went whence also Glanon a Maritime Town in France mention'd by Mela may probably have had its name Not far hence to omit other less considerable Turrets stands on the shore the old Castle of Withrington Withrington or Woderington in the Saxon Language Widringtun which gave name to the eminent and knightly family of the Withringtons who have frequently signaliz'd their valour in the Scotish wars Near this the river Coqued or Coquet Coquet falls into the Sea which rising among the Rocks of Cheviot-hills near its Head has Billesdun from whence are sprung the worshipful family of the Selbies lower to the South Harbottle Harbottle in the Saxon Herbottle i.e. the Armie's station whence the Family of the y From the reign of Henry the fourth down to Richard the third there were several of this name Sheriffs of Northumberland The Saxon Termination of botl which is of the like import with by ham and tun is not only to be observ'd in the name of this Village but in Larbottle Shilbottle and others of less note in this County Harbottles of good note in the last Age. Here was formerly a Castle which was demolish'd by the Scots in the year 1314. Hard by stands Halyston Hâ—lyston or Holy-stone where in the primitive English Church Paulinus is said to have baptized many thousands Upon the very mouth of Coquet the shore is guarded by the fair Castle of Warkworth Warkworth belonging to the Percies wherein is a Chapel admirably cut out of a Rock and fully finished without Beams or Rafters This King Edward the third gave to Henry Percy Parl. Rolls 5 Edw. 3. together with the Manour of Rochbury It was formerly the Barony of Roger Fitz-Richard given him by Henry the second
the river Dea mentioned by Ptolemy which yet keeps its name being call Dee is Kircowbright â—â—â—cowâ—â—â—ght the most convenient haven of this Coast and one of the Stewartries of Scotland which belongs to the Maxwells Then Cardines a Fort upon the river Fleet built upon a craggy and high rock and fortify'd with strong Walls Hard by the river Ken by Ptolemy Jena but corruptly falls into the Sea Next Wigton a Port with a very narrow entrance between the two streams Baiidnoo and Crea reckoned among the Sheriffdoms over which * Agnew ex Insula Agnew of the Isle presides It formerly had for its Earl Archibald Douglas famous in the French War and now hath by the favour of King James John Fleming who derives his pedigree from the ancient Earls of Wigton Earls of Wigton Near this Ptolemy fixes the City Leucopibia Leutopibia which I know not really where to look for Yet by the place it should seem to be that Episcopal See of Ninian which Bede calls Candida Casa and the English and Scots in the same sence a It is in Saxon Hwit-erne the latter part erne in Saxon signifying any sort of vessel and so our English word Ink-horn called by our Northern men Inkern originally implies no more than a vessel in general for ink Whit-herne What then if Ptolemy as he did usually translate Candida Casa Candida Casa which was the name the Britains gave it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek that is white Houses instead of which the Transcribers have obtruded Leucopibia upon us In this place Ninia or Ninian St. Ninian the Britain a holy man the first that instructed the Southern Picts in the Christian Faith in the reign of Theodosius the Younger had his residence and built a Church dedicated to St. Martin the form whereof as Bede observes was contrary to the British buildings The same Author tells us that the English in his time held this Country and when the number of the Faithful encreased an Episcopal See was erected at this Candida Casa A little higher there is a Peninsula with the Sea insinuating it self on both sides which by a narrow neck is joyned to the main land This is properly call'd Novantum Chersonessus and Promontorium Novantum Promontorium commonly the Mull of Galloway Beyond this Northward is an open Bay full of Islands and of a mighty compass into which abundance of rivers on all sides have their influx But first of all from the very point of the Promontory Abravanus which being a little misplac'd is so termed by Ptolemy for Aber-ruanus that is the mouth of the river Ruan For at this time 't is call'd the river Rian and the Lake out of which it runs Lough-Rian admirably well stockt with herrings and a sort of * Saxatiles pisces Gudgeons This Galloway had its own Princes and Lords Lâ—rds of Galloway in ancient times of whom the first recorded in Chronicle was Fergusius in the reign of Henry the first of England who gave for his Arms A Lion Rampant Argent crowned Or in a Shield Azure After many Troubles he had raised he was driven to such streights by King Malcolm as to give his Son Uchtred for an hostage and being grown weary of the world to take upon himself the habit of a Canon at Holyrood House at Edenborough As for Uchtred Gilbert his younger brother took him Prisoner in a fight and after he had cut out his Tongue and pulled out his Eyes most miserably deprived him both of life and estate But within some few years after Gilbert was dead Roland the Son of Uchtred recovered his father's inheritance who of a sister of William Morvill Constable of Scotland begat Alan Lord Galloway and Constable of Scotland Alan by Margaret the eldest daughter of David Earl of Huntingdon had Dervogilda the wife of John Balliol and mother of John Balliol King of Scotland who contended with Robert Brus for that Kingdom and by a former Wife as it seems he had Helen married to Roger Quincy an English man Earl of Winchester who upon that account was Constable of Scotland as was likewise William Ferrers of Groby grand-son of the said Roger by a daughter and coheir But these English soon lost their inheritance in Scotland as also the dignity of Constable which the Commins Earls of Bughuan had Now Gâ—â—loway is an Earâ—dom in the Faâ—â—ly of tâ—â— Stewarâ—â— descended likewise of a daughter of Roger Quincy untill it was transferred unto the Earls of Arrol But b 'T is now an Earldom in the Family of the Stewarts the title of Lord of Galloway fell afterwards to the Family of Douglass a CARRICT CArrict follows next a Country fruitful in pastures and abundantly furnished with commodities both by land and sea Here Ptolemy places both c Probably the same with the bay of Glenluce Rerigonium a creek and Rerigonium a Town For which in a very ancien Copy of Ptolemy printed at Rome in 1480 we have Berigonium Berigonium So that I cannot chuse but think it was that which is now called Bargeny Bargeny A Lord it hath of the Family of the Kennedyes The Kennedyes which came out of Ireland in the reign of Robert Brus noble numerous and powerful in this tract The head of it is Earl of Cassils Earls of Cassils the name of a Castle upon the River Dun which is his seat upon whose banks he hath another call'd Dunnur Castle he is likewise hereditary Bailiff of this Province â—aily of Carrict For this with Kyle and Cunningham are the three Baileries of Scotland because they that govern these with ordinary power and jurisdiction are called Bailiffs a term coin'd in the middle age and signifies amongst the Greeks Sicilians and French a Conservator or Keeper Earls oâ— Carricâ— Lib. Mâ— ros But Carrict in former times had its Earls Not to mention Gilbert of Galloway's Son to whom King William gave Carrict entire to be possessed for ever we read that Adam of Kilconath about 1270 was Earl Carrict and died in the Holy War whose only Daughter Martha fell deeply in love with Robert Brus a beautiful young Gentleman as she saw him a hunting made him her Husband brought him the title and estate of Earl of Carrict and bore him Robert Brus that famous King of Scotland the founder of the royal Line But the title of Earl of Carrict being for some time left to the younger Sons of the Family of Brus afterwards became an addition to the other Honors of the Princes of Scotland KYLE KYle is next lying more inwardly upon the Bay a plentiful Country and well inhabited An. 750. In Bede's Auctarium or Supplement it is called Campus Cyel and Coil where it is recorded that Eadbert King of the Northumbers added this with other Territories to his Kingdom In Ptolemy's time d Now possibly called Loch-Rian Vidogara Nidogara was a
his Uncle the Earl of Arran This John had issue Matthew Earl of Lennox who after many troubles in France and Scotland found fortune more agreeable in England by the favour of K. Henry the 8. when he bestow'd upon him his sister's daughter in marriage with a large estate The issue of this happy match were Henry and Charles Henry by Mary Queen of Scots had James the 6. King of Great Britain James K. of Great Britain born by the propitious favour of heaven at a most lucky juncture to unite in one Imperial Body the British World divided before as well in it self as from the rest of mankind and as we hope and pray to lay a sure foundation of everlasting security for childrens children for ever As for Charles he had issue one only daughter Arabella a Lady that made so great progress in learning above the usual capacity of her sex as led her to true virtue with the highest praise and commendation and made her fit to be compar'd with the Ladies of antient times When Charles was dead after the Earldom of Lennox whereof he stood enfeoffed was by authority of Parliament revoked in the year 579. and his Uncle Robert Bishop of Cathness had bore this title for some time in lieu whereof he had of the King the honour of Earl of March King James conferr'd the title of Duke of Lennox upon Esme Stuart son of John Lord D'Aubigny the second Brother of Matthew Earl of Lennox aforesaid which his son 2 Lodowick Esme Hol. Lodowick or Lewis enjoys at this day For since the reign of Charles the 6. there were of this line Lords of Aubigny Lords of Aubigny in France the said Robert before-named and Bernard or Eberard under Charles the 8. and Lewis the 12. transmitted to posterity by Paulus Jovius with much commendation for his valiant performances in the War of Naples He was a most faithful companion of Henry the 7. when he came for England and used for his Device a Lion * Inter fâ—bulas between buckles with this motto Distantia Jungit because by his means the Kingdom of France and Scotland so far distant Paradinâ—â— were joyned together by a strict league of Friendship As likewise Robert Stewart Lord D'Aubigny of the same family a Marescal of France under Lewis XI who for the same reason us'd the Royal Arms of France with Buckles Or in a Bordure Gules which have been ever since born 3 Quarterly with the Arms of Steward Hol. by the Earls and Dukes of Lennox c STERLING Sheriffdom STerlingshire borders to the North-east upon Lennox so named from its principal Town for the fruitfulness of its soil and the great resort of Gentry outdone by no County in Scotland Here is that narrow neck of Land by which Glotta and Bodotria or to use the language of these times Dunbritton Frith and Edenborough Frith Arms of different seas coming a great way up are kept from joyning Which Julius Agricola who went thus far and farther first observ'd and fortified this streight with Garisons by which means all Britain on this side was then in the Romans possession and their Enemies removed as it were into another Island so that Tacitus was right in his judgment that there was no other bound of Britain to be sought for Neither indeed in after times did either the Valour of their Armies or the Glory of the Roman name which could scarce be stopped push on the limits of their Empire farther in these parts although they harrassed them ever now and then with inrodes But then after this glorious expedition Agricola was recall'd and Britain as Tacitus says lay neglected nor was possession of it kept thus far For the Caledonian Britains drove the Romans back as far as the River Tine insomuch that Hadrian that came into Britain about 40 years after and reformed many things in it made no farther progress but commanded that the God Terminus The God Terminus who was wont to give ground to none should yield to Hadrian and retire backwards out of this place as he had done in the East on this side Euphrates Whence that of St. Augustine The God Terminus Aug. de Civ Dei l. 4. c. 29. which gave not place to Jove yielded to the will of Hadrian yielded to the rashness of Julian yielded to the necessity of Jovian So that Hadrian thought it enough to make a Turf-Wall between the rivers Tine and Esk and 100 miles southward on this side Edenborough-Frith But Antoninus Pius who being adopted by Hadrian bore his name stiled Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius under the conduct of Lollius Urbicus whom he had sent his Lieutenant repelled again the Barbarians to beyond Edenborough Frith and built another Turf-Wall besides that of Hadrian according to Capitolinus To prove which wall to have been made in this very place we are now treating of and not by Severus as commonly believed I will produce no other Witnesses than two antient Inscriptions dug up here one of which is fixed in the wall of a house at Cadir Antoninus Pius's wall and informs us that the Legio Secunda Augusta built the wall for three miles and more the other is in the Earl Marshal's House at Dunotyr which hints that a party of the Legio Vicesima Victrix made it for three miles more But take them here as Servatius Rihelius a Silesian Gentleman who made curious observations upon these Countries copied them out for me IMP. CAESARI T. AELIO HADRI ANO ANTONINO AVG. PIO P. P. VEXILLATIO LEG XX. VAL. VIC F. PER MIL. P. III. IMP CAES. TIT. IO AELIO HADRIANO ANTON AVG. PIO P. P. LEG II. AVG. PER. M. P. III. D. CIXVIS At Cadir where this latter Inscription is extant there is another stone to be seen wherein within a Laurel Garland supported by two little Victories one reads thus LEG II. AVG. FEC And in a Village called Miniabruch this inscription was removed out of a Minister's house into a Gentleman's then in building D. M. C. JVLI MARCELLINI PRAEF COH I. HAMIOR Cohors ma Haorum But when in the Reign of Commodus the barbarous nations had pass'd over the wall and had much harrass'd the country Severus as I have already said repaired the Wall of Hadrian But afterwards the Romans again brought under their subjection all the country lying between For as Ninius has told us Carausius under Dioclesian strengthned this wall anew and fortified it with seven castles Lastly the Romans fenc'd this place in the Reign of Theodosius the younger under the conduct of Gallio of Ravenna Now saith Bede they made a Turf-wall to no purpose building it not so much with stones as with turfs as having no artificer that understood so great a work between two Friths or arms of the sea for many miles together that where the fence of water was wanting there by the help of a wall they might defend their Marches from the enemies
between Fife and Strathern with old barbarous verses upon it and had a certain privilege of a Sanctuary that any Homicide ally'd to Mac-duff Earl of Fife within the ninth degree if he came to this cross and gave nine cows with a * Colpindaâ—h Heifer he should be acquitted of the manslaughter When his Posterity lost this title I cannot yet learn but it appears by the Records of that Kingdom that King David 2. gave this Earldom to William Ramsay with all and every the immunities and the law which is called Clan Mac-duff And it is lookt upon as undeniable that the families of Weimes and Douglas and that great Clan Clan-Hatan whose head is Mac-Intoskech descended from them I find also by the learned J. Skene Clerk Register of Scotland in his Significations of words that Isabella daughter and heir to Duncan Earl of Fife granted upon certain conditions to Robert King of Scotland in trust for Robert Steward Earl of Menteith the Earldom of Fife who being afterwards Duke of Albany and eagerly affecting the Crown put David the King 's eldest son to one of the most miserable deaths that of hunger But his son Murdac suffered a punishment due to the wickedness both of his father and his own sons being put to death by King James the first 7 For their violent oppressions when a decree passed That the Earldom of Fife should for ever be united to the Crown But the authority of Sheriff of Fife belongs by inheritance to the Earl of Rothes Earl of Rothes m Vid. Hect. Boeth lib. 12. c STRATHERN â—â—â—â—h-ern â—â—â—attry AS far as the River Tay which bounds Fife on the North side Julius Agricola the best of all the Propraetors of Britain under Domitian the worst of the Emperors carried his victories in the third year of his Expedition having so far wasted the Kingdom Into this aestuarie falls the noted River Ern â—â—e River 〈◊〉 which rising out of a Logh of the same name bestows it on the Country it runs through for it is called Straith-ern which in the antient British signifies a Valley upon Ern. The Banks of this Ern are adorned with Drimein-Castle â—â—â—â—ein belonging to the family of the Barons of Dromond â—â—â—â—ns â—â—â—mond who have risen to great honours since King Robert Steward the 3. married a wife out of this family For the Women of that family for charming beauty and complexion are beyond all others insomuch that they have been most delighted in by the Kings 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—â—râ—â— And upon the same bank Tulibardin-Castle shews it self aloft and that with more honour since by the favour of K. James 6. John Murray Baron of Tulibardin was advanced to the title and dignity of Earl of Tulibardin Upon the other bank lower stands Duplin-Castle Duplin the seat of the Barons Oliphant Baron Oliphant and still remembers how great an overthrow not to be equalled in former Ages the English that came to assist King Edward Balliol gave the Scots there insomuch that the English writers of that time attribute the victory wholly to God's power and not to any valour of man and the Scots report that there fell of the family of Lindsay 80 persons and that the name of Hays had been quite extinct had not the head of the family left his Wife big with child at home Not far off stands Innermeth Lords of Innermeth well known for its Lords the Stewards of the family of Lorn 8 Inch-chafra i.e. in the old Scottish tongue the Isle of Masses hereby may be remembred whenas it was a most famous Abbey of the Order of St. Augustin founded by the Earl of Strathern about the year 1200. But after the conflux of the Ern and the Tay by which the latter more expatiates it self he looks up upon Aberneth Abernethy standing upon his banks antiently the Royal Seat of the Picts and a populous city which as we read in an old fragment Nectanus K. of the Picts gave to God and S. Brigid until the day of judgment together with the bounds thereof which lie from a stone in Abertrent to a stone near Carful that is Loghfol and from thence as far as Ethan But a long time after it fell into the possession of the Douglasses Earls of Angus who are called Lords of Aberneth and are some of them there interred The first Earl of Strathern Earls of Strathern that I read of was 9 Malisse who in the time of K. Henry 3. of England marry'd one of the heirs of Robert Muschamp a potent Baron of England Long afterward c. Robert Stewart in the year 1380. then David a younger son of K. Robert 2. whose only daughter being given in marriage to Patrick Graham was mother of Mailise or Melisse Graham from whom K. James 1. took the Earldom after he had found by the Records of the Kingdom that it had been given to his * Avo paterno Mother's Grandfather and his Heirs Male This Territory as also Menteith adjoyning is under the government of the Barons Dromond hereditary Stewards of it Menteith Menteith Stewartry as they say hath its name from the River Teith called also Taich and thence in Latin they name this little Territory Taichia Upon the bank of which lies the Bishoprick of Dunblain Dunblain erected by K. David the first of that name * See the Additionâ— Kird-bird At Kirk-Bird that is St. Brigid's Church the Earls of Menteith have their principal residence as also the Earls of Montross l. Montross is now a Marquisate of the same family not far off at Kin-kardin This Menteith as I have heard reaches to the Mountains that enclose the East side of Logh-lomond The antient Earls of Menteith were of the family of Cumen anciently the most numerous and potent in all Scotland but ruin'd by its own greatness The later Earls are of the House of Graham Earls of Menteâ—th ever since Mailise Graham attain'd to the honour of Earl d ARGATHELIA or ARGILE BEyond Logh-Lomond and the western part of Lennox near Dunbritton-Forth Argile lays out it self call'd in Latin Argathelia and Arogadia commonly Argile but more truly Argathel and Ar-Gwithil that is near to the Irish or as some old Records have it the brink or edge of Ireland for it lies towards Ireland whose inhabitants the Britains call'd Gwithil and Gaothel A Countrey much running out in length and breadth all mangled with Lakes well stock'd with fish and rising in some places into mountains very commodious for feeding of cattle wherein also wild Cows and Deer range up and down But along the coast what with rocks and what with blackish barren mountains it makes a horrid appearance In this tract as Bede observes Britain received after the Britons and Picts a 3d Nation the Scots into the Picts territories who coming out of Ireland with Reuda their Leader got either by force or friendship the habitation
towards the Ocean there were anciently seated the Taizali Some derive this later name from Boves Oxen whereas the ground is fitter to feed sheep whose wooll is highly commended Notwithstanding the Rivers in this Coast every where breed abundance of Salmon yet they never enter into the River Ratra Thâ— Râ—ver Raâ—ra as Buchanan hath told us Neither let it prove to my disadvantage if I cite his Testimony although his books were prohibited by authority of Parliament in the year 1584. because many passages in them were fit to be dash'd out He there reports also That on the bank of Ratra there is a Cave near Stany 's Castle whose nature seems worth our taking notice of A strange â—â—â—er The water distilling by drops out of a natural vault is presently turned into pyramidal stones and if people did not take the pains to clear the cave now and then the whole space in a little time would be fill'd up to the top of the vault Now the stone thus made is of a middle nature betwixt Ice and hard stone for it is friable and never arrives to the solidity of Marble It is hardly worth my while to mention the Clayks Câ—ayks a 〈◊〉 of Gâ—ese a sort of Geese believed by some with great admiration to grow upon trees here in this coast and in other places and when they are ripe to fall down into the sea because neither their nests nor eggs cou'd ever any where be found But those that have seen the ship in which Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world laid up in the river Thames can testifie that little birds breed in the old rotten keels of ships since a great number of such without life and feathers stuck close to the outside of the keel of this ship Yet I should think that the generation of these birds was not from the logs of wood but from the sea term'd by the Poets the Parent of all things a Hector Boetius first spread this errour but that it is such â—ppend 〈◊〉 Librum â— Part 3. â—â—atiae Ilâ—â—â—atae Dr. Sibbalds has largely proved in his Scotia Illustrata only he is now convinced that thâ—y are not informis mâ—ssa carnosa as he there câ—lls them And a Discourse concerning the late worthy Sir Andrew Balfour to be prefixt to the Catalogue of his Books will in a short time give further light into it A mighty mass likewise of Amber Amber as big as the body of a Horse was not many years since thrown up upon this shore This the learned call Succinum Glessum and Chryso-electrum and Sotacus was of opinion that it was a juice which amongst the Britains distill'd from trees ran into the sea and was there hardned Tacitus had the same sentiments of it in this passage of his I should believe De moribus Germanorum that as there are trees in the secret parts of the east which sweat out frankincense and balm so in the Islands and other countreys of the west there are woods of a more fatty substance which melting by the hot beams of the near-approaching sun run into the sea hard by and being driven by tempestuous weather float to the opposite shores But Serapio and the modern Philosophers will have it to work out of a bituminous sort of earth under the sea and by the sea-side that the waves in stormy weather cast part of it upon the shore and that part of it is devoured by the fish But I have digressed too far and will return into my way hoping my ingenuous confession will purchase me a pardon In the reign of Alexander the 2d Alexander Comin had conferr'd upon him the honour of Earl of Buquhan Earls of Baquhan who married a daughter and one of the heirs of Roger de Quircy Earl of Winchester in England and his grand child by a son brought the same title to Henry Beaumorâ— her husband For he in the reign of Edw. the 3d sat in the Parliament of England under the name of Earl of Buquhan Afterwards Alexander Stewart son to King Robert the 4th was Earl of this place succeeded by John a younger son of Robert Duke of Albany who being sent for into France with 7000 Auxiliary Scots by the French King Charles the 7th did extraordinary good service against the English and had so great a reputation there that after he had killed Thomas Duke of Clarence K. Henry the 5th's brother at Baugy and got as great a victory over the English as ever was obtained he was made Constable of France But 3 years after when the fortune of the war turned he with other valiant Commanders The valour of the Scots in the Wars of France Archibald Douglas Earl of Wigton and Duke of Tours c. was routed at Vernoil by the English and there slain Whom yet as the Poet said Aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos Those grateful France shall ever call her own Who owe to her their graves and their renown The French cannot but confess that they owe the preservation of France and recovery of Aquitain by thrusting out the English in the reigns of Charles the 6th and 7th in a great measure to the fidelity and valour of the Scots But afterwards K. James the first out of pity to Geo. of Dunbar whom by authority of Parliament he had before divested of the Earldom of March for his father's crimes gave him the Earldom of Buquhan And not long after James son of James Stewart of Lorn sirnamed the Black Knight 14 Whom he had by Queen Joan sister to the Duke of Somerset and widow to King James I. c. whom he had by Joan of Somerset obtained this honour and left it to his posterity but not long since for default of heirs male it went by a daughter to Douglas a younger brother of the House of Lochlevin Beyond Buchan in the bending back of the shore northwards lies Boen Boen and a Now a Barony in the family of Ogilby Bamff a small Sheriffdom * See the Additions and Ainza a little tract of less consideration as also Rothamy Castle the seat of the Barons of Salton Barons Salton sirnamed b Now Frazer Abernethy Beneath these lies Strath-bolgy Strath-bolgy that is the Valley upon the Bolgy formerly the seat of the Earls of Athol sirnamed from thence but now the chief residence of the Marquess of Huntley c Now from the Marquisate of Huntley rais'd to the Dukedom of Gordon Marquess of Huntley For this title K. James the 6th conferred upon Geo. Gordon Earl of Huntley Lord Gordon and Badzenoth eminent for his ancient nobility and his many followers and dependants Whose ancestors are descended from the Setons and by authority of Parliament took upon them the name of Gordon upon Alexander Seton's marrying the daughter of Sir John Gordon with whom he had a very noble estate and received
Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland erected a large and magnificent Pile and designed to make it the seat of his Family principal and head town of this County is Kildar Kildar eminent in the first ages of the Irish Church for Brigid â— Brigid a virgin of great esteem for her devotion and chastity not she who about 240 years since instituted the Order of the Nuns of S. Brigid namely that within one Monastery both Men and Women should live together in their several apartments without seeing one another but one more ancient who lived about a thousand years ago was a disciple of S. Patrick and very famous both in Ireland Scotland and England Her miracles and the fire which never goes out being preserved and cherished in the * Adytis â—â—â—traliâ—â—â— inner sanctuary like that of Vesta by the sacred Virgins and still burns without any addition or increase of ashes are related by some Authors This town has the honour of being a Bishops See formerly stil'd in the Pope's Letters Episcopatus Darensis 14 And after the entrance of the English into Ireland was c. and was first the habitation of Richard Earl of Pembrook afterwards of William Marshall Earl of Pembrook his son in law by whose fourth daughter Sibill it came to William Ferrars Earl of Derby and by a daughter of his by her likewise to William Vescy whose son 15 William Lord Vescy William Vescy Lord Chief Justice of Ireland being out of favour with King Edward the first upon a quarrel between him and John the son of Thomas Fitz-Girald and having lost his only legitimate son gave Kildare and other lands of his in Ireland Aâ—chivâ—â—â—geta to the King upon condition he should infeoff his natural son sirnamed de Kildare with all his other lands in England A little after that the said John son to Thomas Fitz-Girald whose ancestors descended from Girald Windesor Castellan of Pembrook by their great valour did much service in the conquest of Ireland had the castle and town of Kildare together with the title and name of Earl of Kildare Earls of Kildar bestow'd upon him by King Edward the second These Fitz-Giralds or Geraldins as they now call them were very great men and particularly eminent for their brave actions who of themselves as one says preserved the sea-coasts of Wales and conquered Ireland And this family of Kildare flourished with their honour and reputation unsullied for a long time having never any hand in rebellions till Thomas Fitz-Girald son of Girald-Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in Henry the eighth's time upon the news that his father who was sent for into England and charg'd with male-administration was executed was so far transported by the heat of youth upon this false rumour that he rashly took up arms against his King and Country invited Charles the 5th to take possession of Ireland wasted the Country with fire and sword besieged Dublin and put the Archbishop thereof to death for which outrage he was soon after hang'd with five of his uncles his father being dead before of grief and trouble at these proceedings However this family was restored by Queen Mary to its ancient grandeur who promoted Girald brother of the said Thomas to the Earldom of Kildare and the Barony of Offaly 16 He ended this life about the year 1558. His eldest Son Girald died before his father leaving only one daughter married to Sir Robert Digby Henry his second son succeeded who when he had by his wife Lady Frances daughter to Charles Earl of Nottingham only two daughters William the third son succeeded to the Earldom who was drowned in passing into Ireland in the year 1599 having no issue And then the title of Earl of Kildare came to Girald Fiâ—z Girald son to Edward their uncle who wan restored to his blood in lineage to make title by descent lineal or collateral from his father and brother and all his ancestors any attainder or corruption of blood to the contrary notwithstanding his two sons Henry and William having both succeeded him without issue male the title of Earl fell to Girald Fitz-Girald their Cousin-german 17 With a fair patrimony seduced by the Religious pretext into Rebellion Other eminent towns in this county are Naas a market town Athie situate upon the river Barrow Mainoth a castle of the Earls of Kildare and endowed with the priviledge of a market and a fair by King Edw. the first in favour of Girald Fitz-Moris Castle-Martin the chief seat of the family of the Fitz-Eustaces descended from the Poers in the County of Waterford of whom Rowland Fitz-Eustace Barons Fitz Eustace for his great worth was made a Baron of Parliament by Edward the fourth and had the manour of Portlester bestow'd upon him as also the title of Vicount Baltinglas by Henry the eighth Pat. 2. Ed. 4. Viscounts Baltinglas all which dignities Rowland Fitz-Eustace lost 7 being banish'd in Q. Elizabeth's time for his treachery The more considerable families here besides the Fitz-Giralds are all likewise English the Ougans De-la-Hides Ailmers Walshes Boisels Whites Suttons c. As for the Gyant 's dance which Merlin by art magick transferred as they say out of this territory to Salisbury-plain as also the bloody battle to be fought hereafter between the English and the Irish at Molleaghmast I leave them for the credulous and such as doat upon the fabulous part of antiquity and vainly admire prophesies For it is not answerable to my design to dilate upon stories of this nature These are the midland Counties of Leinster now for those upon the sea coast The County of WEISFORD BElow that mouth from which the three sister-rivers the Barrow the Neore and the Swire empty themselves into the sea upon a Promontory eastward where the shore is rounding lies the County of Weisford or Wexford in Irish County a Which signifies Coarse or rough Reogh where the Menapii Menapii are placed by Ptolemy That these Menapii were the off-spring of the Menapii that peopled the sea-coast in the Lower Germany the name it self seems to intimate But whether that Carausius Carausius who put up for Emperor and held Britain against Dioclesian were of this or that nation Published by Sâ—hottus I leave to the discovery of others For * Aurelius Victor calls him a citizen of Menapia and the city Menapia is in Ireland and not in the Low-Countreys of Germany according to Geographers Upon the river Barrow in this County formerly flourished Ross a large b Now a burrough city of good trade and well inhabited fortified with a wall of great compass by Isabel the daughter of Earl Richard Strongbow which is the only remains of it at this day For the dissention between the citizens and the religious here has long since ruined the town and reduced it to little or nothing More eastward Duncanon Duncanon
24 Yet will I note thus much which I have since hapned upon in the Records When as King Richard aforesaid had advanced that Robert Vere Earl of Oxford to be Marquiss of Dublin and had given to him the Seigniory of Iâ—eland during his life Pr. pat an 9. Ric. 2. m. 1. he desirous to augment his honour by more ennoblishing him with honourable Arms granted also that as long as he should live and hold the said Seigniory he should bear these Arms Azure 3 Crowns Or in a border in his Standards Pennons Coat-armors and other things werein Arms are to be shewed in all Marshal matters and eâ—sewhere at his pleasure But this grant was soon after recalled and those Arms abolished Where the river Liffy runs into the sea stands Houth almost encompassed by the salt water Baroâ—â— Hoâ—â— S. â—aâ—reâ—ce which gives the title of Barons to the noble family of S. Lâ—urence who have lived there so happy that in a long series of successors for they derive their pedigree as low as Henry the seventh's time no one of them as 't is said has ever been attainted of treason or left in minority A little distance from hence is Malchid Maâ—châ—â— eminent for its Lords the Talbots an English family More to the north inward stands b Fingall Fâ—ngaâ— which is an Irish word and signifies a nation of Foreigners for they call the English Gall i.e. Strangers and Saissâ—nes as it were Saxons a small territory well cultivated and the granary in a manner of this Kingdom it yields such plentiful crops of corn every year Here the earth strives as it were to be grateful to the husband-man which in other parts of this Island is so neglected that for want of tillage it seems to reproach the sloth and idleness of the Inhabitants Here are scatter'd up and down this Country many eminent families of the English besides those but now mentioned the Plunkets the Barnwells the Russâ—lls the Talbots Dillons Nettervills Holywoods Lutterels Burnells Fitz-Williams Goldings Ushers Cadleys Finglases Sarfelds Blackneys Cruces Baths c. Thus much as briefly as I could of Leinster which formerly went no farther I cannot tell whether it would best deserve laughter or penning that Thomas Stukely Thomâ—â— Stuâ—â—â— when he had lost his reputation and fortune both in England and Ireland and escap'd the danger of the Law by his fair promises and ostentation insinuated himself so much into the favour of Pope Gregory the thirteenth that he conferr'd upon him the titles of Marquiss of Leinster Earl of Weisford and Caterlagh Vicount of Murrough and Baron of Ross and Ydron Thus big with the vanity of these titles intending to invade Ireland he turn'd into Africa and along with three Kings that were slain in one battle ended the scene of his life honourably enough d This is a Barony in the County of Dublin METH THE remaining part of the Country of the Eblani was formerly a Kingdom and the fifth part of Ireland call'd in Irish Mijh in English Methe by Giraldus Midia and Media because perhaps it lay in the middle of the Island For they say that Kil-lair a Castle in these parts which seems to be that called by Ptolemy Laberus Labeâ—us as the name it self intimates is as it were the Navel of Ireland For Lair in Irish signifies a Navel a This Description of Meath comprehends also West-Meath and Longford This Meth lyes extended from the Irish Sea as far as the river Shanon The soil of which as Barthol Anglicus tells us yeilds good corn and makes good pasture which is well stockt with cattle the County is also well furnished with fish and flesh and other victuals as butter cheese and milk and well watered with rivers The situation is pleasant and the air wholsom By reason of woods and marshes in the borders of it the entrance or access is difficult so that for the great number of inhabitants and the strength of its towns and castles it is commonly by reason of the peace it enjoys called the Chamber of Ireland Within the memory of our fathers when the Country was too large to be governed by one Sheriff for the more easie administration of Justice it was divided into two by Act of Parliament in the 38th of Hen. 8. the County of Meth and the County of West Meth. The County of METH THE County of Meth on the South bounds upon the County of Kildare on the East upon the County of Dublin and the Sea on the North upon the territory of Louth and on the West upon the County of West-Meth The whole is subdivided into 18 Baronies Dueleke Scrine Slane Margallen Navan Kenles the moiety of the Barony of Fower near Kenles Killalou Demore Clove Moylagh Loghern Old-castle Luyn Moyfeuraraghe Deese Rathtouth and Dunboyn The Boyn R. Boâ—n in Ptolemy Buvinda in Giraldus Boandus a noble river rising in the North side of the King's County runs through the middle of this shire In the hither part on this side the Boyn the places memorable are Galtrim â—â—â—trim where the Family of the Huseys have long dwelt â—â—in Killin-Castle built by Hugh Lacy Keeper of Ireland in Henry the second 's time and Dunsany â—â—â—sany which has its Barons of Parliament eminent for their antient and noble family descended from the Plonkets others derive them from the Danes but their Arms are the same only in different colours with Allan Plonket of Kilpeck in England â—â—â—kett who was also a Baron in Edward the first 's time These Plonkets in Ireland have been eminent ever since 25 Sir Christopher Christopher Plonket a man of great wisdom and gallantry who was Deputy as they call it to Richard Duke of York Viceroy in Henry the sixth's time enjoy'd the Barony of Killin which fell to him by his wife as heir to the Family of the Cusakes and his second son had the title of Baron of Dunsany â—â—â—â—n â—â—â—sany conferr'd upon him for his great worth and virtue Beyond the Boyn 〈◊〉 â—ramletâ—â—â—â—n stands Trimletstoun which is a Barony belonging to one of the Family of the Barnwells 〈◊〉 â—nwell For 26 Sir Robert Barnwell John Barnwell was made a Baron of Parliament by Edward the fourth Then Gormanston which has its Vicounts â—â—counts â—â—rmanâ—â—on men of great worth descended from the Prestons of Lancashire as 't is thought and Slane â—â—ons â—oâ— which has also its Barons of the Family of the Flemings and b The name is Athboy Abâ—y a populous Market-town Upon the Boyn after it has passed Glan-Iores i.e. the land of the sons of George who was of the Family of the Birminghams whose heir by marriage brought a fair inheritance with the Castle of Carbray Carbray to the Prestons it arrives at Trim Trim. an eminent Market-town where William Pepard built a Castle This was an antient Barony of the Lacyes which afterwards became one of
the * Dynastas petty Kings here that they willingly suffered their Seigniories to be reduced into Counties and admitted Sheriffs to govern them But being quickly recalled and aspiring after greater honours some envious persons that were too mighty for him together with the licentiousness of his own tongue for he had bolted out some words against his Sovereign who is not to be violated by word or thought brought him unawares to ruine The County of LOVTH THE County of Louth in old books call'd Luna and Luda Triel in Latin Urgalia in Irish Iriel or Uriel if that is not rather a part of this county lies beyond the County of Meath and the mouth of the river Boine toward the Irish Sea upon a winding and uneven shore running northwards full of forrage and so fertile that it easily gratifies the Industrious husbandman Near the mouth of the Boine stands Drogheda or Droghda in English Tredah Tredah a neat and populous town denominated from the a From whence Sir James Ware always calls it Pontana bridge and divided in the middle by the Boine King Edward the second endowed it with the privilege of a Market and Fair at the instance of Theobald Verdon and several great Liberties have been granted it by the Kings of England particularly the privilege of a Mint Near this stands Mellefont-Abbey founded by Donald King of Uriel Mellifont Monastery and commended by S. Bernard lately given by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward Moor Knight b Whose heir is now Earl of Drogheda a Kentish man born very deserving for his wise conduct both at home and abroad the Monks having been turned out some time before Seven miles from hence stands c Ardâ—e Ardeth a mid-land town pretty emiment and higher in the Country Dundalk Dundalk which has the benefit of a good haven and was formerly fortified with strong walls It was burnt by Edward Brus brother to the King of Scots who had proclaimed himself King of Ireland and was soon after cut off with 8200 of his men hard by Within the memory of our age it was besieged by Shan O Neal who was soon forced to raise the siege with dishonour Eight miles from hence stands Carlingford Carlingâ—â—â—d a pretty famous harbor And these are all the places that I know of memorable in this County Bermingâ—am who 〈◊〉 also caâ—led Briâ—â—tham â—arl of â—â—gh This Louth has given the title of Earl to 38 Sir John John Bermingham an English man conferr'd upon him by King Edward the second as a reward to his great valour after he had defeated and slain Edward Brus that momentary King of Ireland aforesaid who had ravag'd the country with great cruelty and slaughter for some time giving him the said Earldom to have and to hold to him and the heirs males of his body as also the Barony of Athenry But as the honour had its first life and being in this Gentleman so it expir'd with him for after he had come off safe from the Conquest of his enemies he was overcome and slain here in a popular insurrection with many others of the same name leaving no issue behind him This County likewise within the memory of our fathers Barons of Louth has given the title of Baron to Oliver Plonket conferr'd upon him by King Henry the eighth Families now remaining in this County are the Verdons Tates Clintons Bellews or de Bella Aqua Dowdalls Gernons Hadsors Wottons Brandons Mores Warrens Chamberlains and many others of English original of Irish are the Mac-Mahons c. The County of CAVON NExt to this on the west lyes the County of Cavon 〈◊〉 Breaâ—â— Reiley formerly called East Breany Here lives the Family of the O Reileys who derive themselves from the Ridleys of England though their manners and course of life is mere Irish Not long ago this family was eminent for their Cavalry which are now weakened by the wise conduct of 39 Sir Henry Henry Sidney who divided this territory of theirs into seven Baronies The Lords of it all of this family hold immediately by Knights-service of the Crown of England Their way of living is not usualy in towns but in castles they have a Bishoprick among them Bishopric of Kilmore Poor Bishâ—ps but very mean and inconsiderable the See whereof is at Kilmore However this Bishop is not so poor neither as those Irish Bishops who had no other revenues or subsistance than three Milk-cows with this favourable custom that if they went dry the Parish was to give others in exchange for them as Adam Bremensis relates from the information of some of them returning out of Italy by Germany The County of FERMANAGH ON the west and north beyond Cavon lyes Fermanagh formerly inhabited by the Erdini a Country well wooded and full of bogs In the very middle of it lyes the greatest and most famous Lake in this Kingdom call'd Lough Erne 〈◊〉 Erne extended at least forty miles shaded with thick woods and full of inhabited Islands some of which contain no less than two or three hundred acres a piece And withal so well stor'd with Pike Trout Salmon and other fish that the Fishermen oftner complain of too great plenty and the breaking of their nets than of any want This lake does not stretch from east to west as the Maps describe it as I am inform'd by those who have took a full survey of it it begins at Bal-tarbet â—â—â—arbet which is the utmost village in the County of Cavon northward and reaches from south to north fourteen miles in length and four in breadth Before it has gone very far it contracts it self as narrow as the chanel of an ordinary river and so continues for six miles together Upon the lough in this narrow place stands a This is the famous Town of Iniskilling so often mentioned in the accounts of the late wars and of the rebellion in 1641. Iniskilling the best Fort of these parts defended in the year 1593 by the rebels and taken by Dowdall a gallant Captain From hence as it turns westward it is at its full bigness being as far as Belek Belek for twenty miles together at least ten miles broad and within a little of that it has a great fall or Cataract which they call the Salmons leap Here is a current report among the people living hereabouts that this Lough was formerly firm ground well cultivated and full of inhabitants and that it was suddenly overwhelmed and turned into a lake to extinguish the abominable crime of buggery then among them God Almighty says Giraldus the author of Nature condemned this land as guilty of those filthy and unnatural acts which rendered it not only unfit for the first Inhabitants but any other that might come after The Irish Annals lay this to the charge of certain Scotch-Refugees that were driven from the Hebrides and took up here The most noble and powerful
acclamations of the common people nay with a clap of thunder in a clear sun-shiny day set out from London towards the end of March and after a troublesome voyage arrived in Ireland Having received the sword according to the custom he took his march upon the persuasion of some of the Council who had too much regard to their own private interests against some petty Rebels in Munster without heeding the Earl which was quite contrary to his instructions having taken Cahir a Castle of Edward Butler Baron of Cahir which was encompassed by the river Swire and possessed by the Rebels and made great booty of their cattle he made himself terrible to the whole Country so that the Rebels dispersed themselves into the woods and forests In the mean time he received no small loss by the cowardise of some soldiers under 35 Sir Henry H. Harrington for which he punished them with great severity He returned towards the end of July his army being sadly harassed with toil and sickness and incredibly diminished Finding the Queen very angry at this unfortunate expedition when she had expresly urg'd him to march directly into Ulster against the Earl he writ an excuse to her Majesty laying the fault upon her Counsel in Ireland that advised him whom he could not but comply with in respect to their experience in the state affairs of that Kingdom promising that he would now forthwith march into Ulster He had scarce delivered these letters out of his hands when he was forced to send another dispatch that now he was diverted and obliged to march into Ophaly near Dublin against the O-Conors and the O-Moils who had broke out into rebellion and whom he soon vanquished with good success in some few skirmishes Upon a review of his army after this expedition he found himself so much weakned that he writ the Queen word and got the hands of the Privy-Councellors to his letter that it was necessary to reinforce his army with a thousand soldiers before he went into Ulster Being now resolved to employ his whole power against that Province he ordered 36 Sir Coniers Coigniers Clifford Governor of Conaught to march toward Belik with a body of light horse that the Earls forces might be distracted when he should attack him on the other side Clifford set out accordingly with 1500. men and notwithstanding the toil of a long march and scarcity of powder would not halt till he had passed the Curlew-mountains When most of his men had passed the Rebels set upon them unawares under the conduct of O-Rork Being easily repelled ours still continued their march but the enemy perceiving the want of powder among them renewed the charge and put them quickly to flight being already sore fatigued with their journey killing Clifford himself and Sir Henry Radcliff of Ordsall Knight In the mean while the supply which the Lord Deputy had desired was raised in England and transported But within some few days after he sent the Queen word he could do nothing more this year than march to the frontiers of Ulster with 1300 foot and 300 horse where he arrived about the thirteenth of September The Earl shewed himself from the hills for two days together and at length sent Hagan to the Lord Deputy for a parley His Lordship refused it answering That if the Earl had any thing to say to him he might find him next morning at the head of his army The next morning after some light skirmishes a trooper rid out from the Earl's Army and told them in a loud voice that the Earl did not intend to engage but to parly with the Lord Lieutenant yet not now between the armies in battalia As the Lord Deputy was advancing the next day Hagan came up to him declaring that the Earl desired that the Queen's pardon and a peace might be allowed him and withall that he might have an audience of his Lordship if this favour was granted him he would be ready to receive him at the ford of the river hard by called Balla Clinch This ford is not far from Louth the head town of the County and near the Castle of Gerard Fleming The Lord Deputy sent some before hand to discover the place who found the Earl there according to the appointment he told them that the river was risen but that a man might be still very easily heard from the one side of the ford to the other Whereupon his Lordship having lodged a troop of horse upon the next hill went down to him alone The Earl riding his horse up to the belly in the ford saluted him with great respect and so after about an hour's discourse between themselves they withdrew to their respective armies Con a bastard son of the Earl's was sent to the Lord Deputy to desire another conference before a select number on both sides The Lord Deputy granted this likewise provided the number did not exceed six The Earl taking his brother Cormac Mac Gennys Mac Guir Evar Mac Cowley Henry Ovington and O-Quin returned forthwith to the same ford and the Lord Deputy came down to him accompanied with the Earl of Southampton Sir George Bourgchier Sir Warham S. Leger Sir Henry Danvers Sir Edward Wingfeld and Sir William Constable The Earl saluted them singly with great respect and after some few words it was concluded that Commissioners should be appointed the day following to treat of a peace who agreed upon a cessation from that very day from six weeks to six weeks 8. Sept. 1599. till the first of May yet so that it should be free for both sides to renew the war after fourteen days warning and that if any Confederate of the Earl's did not agree to it the Earl should leave him to be pursued at the discretion of the Lord Deputy In the mean while the letters of the Lord Deputy already mentioned were delivered to the Queen by Henry Cuff a great Scholar but an unfortunate man As soon as she perceived that her Lieutenant had done nothing at all in so long a time with so great an army and so much to her expence nor could for that year she was much offended and writ back to him and her Council there 38 That his proceeding answered neither her direction nor the world's expectation That she could not but wonder what the Lord Deputy meant by prolonging the war at this rate and missing those excellent opportunities he had had of carrying it on against the Earl himself considering that this was his constant advice in England and he had often promised her in his Letters he would take that course she asked him why he had made those impertinent expeditions into Munster and Ophaly even against his own judgment and without giving her notice before hand that so she might have countermanded them If his army was now broken and weak how comes it that he did not force the enemy when it was intire strong and compleat If the spring was not a
at Fereal and give him battle But the Earl prevented him by his speedy march having some information of the design for it is certain that some even of the Queen's Council were well-wishers to the Earl and his proceedings As soon as the Lord Deputy got back to Dublin he employ'd himself wholly in reviewing his troops and choosing out a detachment of old soldiers to be transported to Logh-Foil and Bala-Shannon near the mouth of the Lough Erne that by his garisons there he might annoy the enemy both in the flank and in the rear and also to reinforce his garisons in Lease and Ophaly a matter of no small danger and difficulty by reason of the enemy on all sides In the beginning of May the Lord Deputy took his march towards Ulster to divert the enemy on that side while 43 Sir Henry Henry Docwra might have opportunity to plant a garison at Logh-Foil and 44 Sir Matthew Morgan another at Bala-Shannon The Earl was so well diverted by the Lord Deputy who was daily engaging him in some little skirmish or other with good success that 45 Sir Henry Docwra and the other easily compassed their design and the Earl himself grew sensible of a change of fortune and that he would be beat back to his own corners The Lord Deputy having planted these garisons returned about the middle of June and sent into England for a supply of troops and provision that he might plant another garison at Armach on this side to straiten the Rebels In the mean time he made an expedition into Lease which was the refuge of all the rebels in Leinster and therein cut off Ony-Mac-Rory-Og chief of the family of O-More a most bloody desperate young fellow who had lately raised the commotions in Munster with many other such profligates and then having wasted their Country drove them into their woods and boggs in such consternation that they never made head again in those parts The supplies from England being now arrived though his Lordship laboured under the want both of money and provision and though the Equinox was past and winter begun already in this climate yet he set out again towards the passage of the Moyery three miles beyond Dundalk This passage is by nature the most difficult in Ireland but besides the Rebels had with great art and industry block'd it up with pallisadoes stakes hurdles stones and clots of earth as it lyes along between the hills woods and boggs on both sides and had also lin'd it with soldiers to secure it Moreover the weather was bad and the great fall of rain that had happened for some days together made the rivers impassable As soon as the waters fell the English opened their way through this passage with great courage and notwithstanding all these difficulties to incumber them beat back the enemy and marched forwards towards Armach which was quite devoured by the Rebels so that the Lord Deputy planted his garison eight miles from the town and in memory of 46 Sir John John Norris under whom his Lordship had first learned the rudiments of war called it Mount Norris committing it to the charge of E. Blany a man of great diligence and valor who gall'd the enemy sore on this side as 47 Sir Henry Henry Docwra did on the other and kept them in great awe Not to mention the particular skirmishes that daily happened in his return in the straits near Carlingford which the Rebels had blocked up he gave them a memorable defeat Some few days after though it was now mid winter the Lord Deputy to make the most of his time went into the 48 A secure Receptacle of Rebels Glynnes or the vallies of Leinster that had continued hitherto untouched having wasted the Country he forced Donel Spamoh Phelim Mac Feogh and the seditious race of the O-Tools to give hostages and submit After this he went on as far as Fereal and drove Tirell the best commander among the Rebels out of his strong hold or Fastnesses as they call them being boggy places beset with thick bushes into Ulster whither he pursued them with his victorious army by an indirect march In the first place he laid wast the territory of Ferney with the slaughter of the two sons of Evar Mac Cowly and did the like to Fues by a detachment under the command of 49 Sir Richard Richard Morison At the same time he sent 50 Sir Oliver Oliver Lambard to plant a garison in Breany and then turned towards Drogheda where he received such of the principal Rebels into his protection as submitted themselves namely Turlogh Mac Henry a Seignior in Fues Ever Mac Cowly O-Hanlon who has the honour to be Standard-bearer to the Kings of Ulster by inheritance and many of the Mac Mahons and O-Realies who gave up their dearest friends as hostages As soon as the spring came on the Lord Deputy before his forces were got together marched again to the Moyery cut down the woods that the way might be passable and erected a fort In this expedition he drove the Mac Genisses out of Lecal which they had usurped and reduc'd all the castles of the enemy as far as Armagh in which he also planted a garison Nay he advanced so far that the Earl who was well encamped upon Black water was obliged to remove and the Deputy design'd to erect a sort somewhat lower but received many letters of advice that the Spaniards were certainly landed in Munster as he had heard by flying reports before Upon this he was forced to desist for he was not now to defend Ireland from a civil war but from a foreign invasion However to secure what he had already gain'd he reinforced his garisons and set forward at the head of one or two 〈◊〉 troops of horse in great hast for Munster commanding his foot to follow him For while the Lord Deputy was imploy'd in Ulster the Earl and those of his party in Munster had by their agents viz. a certain Spaniard made Archbishop of Dublin by the Pope the Bishop of Clonfort the Bishop of Killalo and one Archer a Jesuit induced the King of Spain by their earnest prayers and intreaty to send a reinforcement to the Rebels in Munster under the conduct of John de D'Aquila with hopes that the whole Province would presently revolt and the titular Earl of Desmond as also Florens Mac-Carty would joyn them But the President 51 Sir George George Carew had took care to intercept and transport them into England D'Aquila landed at Kingsale in Munster with two thousand veterane Spaniards and some Irish fugitives on the last of October and forthwith published his Manifesto wherein he stiled himself Master General and Captain of His Catholick Majesty in the war of God for preserving the faith in Ireland perswading them that Queen Elizabeth was deprived of her Kingdom by the sentence of several Popes and all her subjects absolv'd from their allegiance
petty Kings or Princes therein The possession of this Island did without any interruption continue in the name and family of the Stanleys for 246 years the Grant thereof together with the Patronage of the Bishoprick having been given by Henry the fourth by Letters Patents to Sir John Stanley and his Heirs in the year 1403. And during our late Civil Wars in the year 1649. the Lord Fairfax Captain General of the Parliament's Forces obtained a Grant of the said Island from the Parliament of England the then Earl of Derby's estate being confiscate for bearing Arms for the King against the Parliament and himself beheaded at Bolton But it was afterwards restored to the Family of Derby who are the present Lords of that Island The supream and principal Officers in this Island The prinâ—â—pal Officers in the â—â—and are only five in number and they constitute the Lord's Privy Council They are the Governour of the Island the two Deemsters the Controller and the Receiver General They all of them hold their Offices durante bene placito and are obliged to be constantly resident in Castletown that they may be ready to advise and consult with the Lord upon any emergent occasion The Governour has the whole command of the Island under the Lord. The Deemsters are their Judges both in civil and criminal Cases They are always chosen out of the Natives by the Lord it being necessary they should understand and speak the Manks Language that they may give sentences in Courts and understand the Pleadings of the Plaintiffs and Defendants before them They are only two in number and divide the Island betwixt them the one having jurisdiction over the North part the other over the South The Controller's Office is to call the Receiver General to an account once every Quarter he is also Clerk of the Rolls and has the Pension belonging thereto The Receiver General is by his place to receive all the Rents due to the Lord of the Island from the inferiour Collectors To these are subordinate some other Officers The subordinate Officers as the 24 Keys of the Island a Water-Bailiff the Lord's Attorney-General the Coroners and the Moors The Water-Bailiff is as it were Admiral of the Island his office is to seize on all wrecks at sea for the Lord's use and to take care of all business relating to the Herring-Fishing The Attorney-General is to plead all the Causes in which the Lord of the Island is concerned and all the Causes of Widows and Infants The Keys of the Island are so called because they are to lay open and discover the true antient Laws and Customs of the Island They are chosen by the Lord himself out of the natives and though they together with the Deemsters hold their Offices but durante bene-placito yet are they seldom turned out during their lives They are always assisting to the Deemsters in the determining of Cases of great difficulty and from the Sentence of these there is commonly no Appeal No new Law can be made or Custom introduced or abolished but by the consent of the Deemsters and the 24 Keys of the Island These Keys write down all the Customs and Statutes of the Island for the help of their memory that thoy may be the better enabled to give Sentence when called to consult of any of these matters As to the number of the Keys Mr. Camden has been misinformed for he says they are only 12. whereas they are 24 in number 'T is true that since the time of the antient Orrys they have not been constantly this number that depending on the pleasure of the Lord of the Island but there is no ground to believe they were ever so few as twelve and they have been for the most part 24. The Coroners or Crowners in Man who in the Manks language are called Annos are the same as our Sheriff's in England and each of them has under him another Officer who is as it were Under-Sheriff and is called a Lockman The number of the Coroners is according to the number of the Sheedings which are six every Sheeding hath its Coroner The Moors are the Lord's Bailiffs to gather up his Rents in that Sheeding where they reside and to pay the same to the Receiver General It is customary in this Island Some peculiar customs of this Island and that from all antiquity that some of the Clergy be present and assist at the Court of Gaol-delivery the Bishop himself being present there when in the Island The Evidence against Delinquents is first to be taken by spiritual Officers and by them testified to the temporal Court But they are obliged to remove when any Sentence of death is to be pronounced No person guilty of Man-slaughter is allowed the Benefit of Clergy nor can be saved but by the Lord of the Island 's Pardon No Execution of any Malefactor is to be in the Passion-week No Merchant can transport money out of the Island without Licence neither without Licence can any Native go out of the Island If any one do force or ravish a woman if she be married he is to suffer death but if a maid or single-woman the Deemster gives her a Rope a Sword and a Ring and she has it put in her choice either to hang him with the rope or to cut off his head with the sword or to marry him with the ring In former times Women-Malefactors were to be put in a sack and sowed up and so flung from a rock into the sea as Mr. Camden says but now the women are hanged as the men only Witches are burnt If any man have a child by a woman and within two years after marries the woman the child is legitimated by the customary Laws If a woman bring forth a dead child the child is not to be buried in the Church-yard except the Mother take her oath that she has received the Sacrament since the quickening of the child All the Swine of what age soever belonging to Felons are the Lord's and all their Goats do belong to the Queen of Man No Act of Parliament made in England doth bind the King's Subjects in the Isle of Man unless the said Island be therein expresly named The Isle of Man being within the Fee of the King of England the Manksmen are adjudged to be the King 's natural Subjects born and are capable of inheriting Lands in England Thâ—ir Relig on The Religion professed in this Island is exactly the same with the Church of England The Manksmen are generally very respectful to their Clergy and pay their Tithes without the least grudging They own St. Patrick for their Apostle and hold him in greatest veneration Next to him they honour the memory of St. Maughald one of their Bishops whose Feast they never fail to celebrate twice a year The Bible was translated into the Manks tongue by Dr. Philips Bishop of Man but by reason of his death it never came to the Press so
word of his own country because it grows plentifully upon those turfs which they call Britten In his Vâ—cabulary the â—erb Britten of which they raise dikes to keep the Ocean from breaking in upon them there seems to be no absurdity if one should reduce this Huis de Britten to the same original and suppose it so called because it was fenced with banks of turf or Britten against the incursions of the sea and that it might be overthrown by the sea upon a breach made in these banks But without more ado I leave the determination of this controversie to them that are better acquainted with the nature of the word and the situation of the place and beg their pardon for trespassing thus far where I had no right On this coast lie also the Isles of Zealand Zeland surrounded by the rivers Scaldi Maese and with the Ocean I have only this to say of them that the name Valachria Toliapis Caunus Câ—nvey Shapey this is the chief came from the Welsh as Lemnius Levinus conjectures Over-against Zealand lies the mouth of the Thames the noblest river in Britain here Ptolemy places Toliapis and Cauna or Convenâ—â—s For Toliapis which I take to be Shepey see in Kent and of Convennor in Essex Without the mouth of the Thames eastward before the Isle of Tenet lies a long shell of quick sands very dangerous call'd the Goodwin-Sands Godwin-Sands where in the year 1097 an Island that belonged to Earl Goodwin was swallowed up according to our Annals a A particular account of these Sands viz. how they happened at first why so called c. see in Mr. Somner's Forts and Ports in Kent published by Mr. James Brome John Twine writes thus of it This Isle was fruitful and had good pastures situated lower than Tenet from which there was a passage for about three or four miles by boat This Island in an unusual storm of wind and rain and in a very high sea sunk down and was covered with heaps of sand and so irrecoverably converted into an amphibious nature between land and sea I know very well what I say for sometimes it floats and sometimes one may walk up it This is perhaps Toliapis unless one had rather read Thanatis for Toliapis which is writ Toliatis in some copies but we have already spoke of this in Kent Here this great body of waters is pent within so small a chanel The Bâ—â—tish Sea that between Britain and the Continent of Europe the Ocean is not above thirty miles broad This narrow Fretum some call'd the British others the French Sea This is the boundary of the British Ocean which by little and little inlarges the space between the two shoars which were in a manner united and by cutting off the land a-like on both sides makes it self room to flow from east to west between Britain and France Here the British sea begins The first Island we meet with in it or rather Peninsula is Selsy in Saxon Seolsea that is according to Bede's explanation an Isle of Seals Seals Pag. But this has been already handled Above this lies the Isle Vecta in Welsh Guith Vecta The Isle oâ— Wight 〈◊〉 Southam in Saxon Wuit-land and WicÆ¿-ea for Ea signifies an Island by us call'd the Isle of Wight and Whight which we have described already As for Portland which is not now an Isle Portland v. Dorset but joined to the Continent it has likewise been already described in Dorsetshire But now to cross over to the opposite coast of France which from Beerfleet in Normandy the Mariners think to be lined with rocks and crags as far as the very middle of the chanel Among these William the son of Henry the first and heir apparent to the crowns of England and Normandy was cast away with his sister a bastard brother and others of the greatest of the Nobility that accompanied him in the year 1120 as he was sailing from Normandy to England Hence a Poet of that age Abstulit hunc terrae matri maris unda noverca Proh dolor occubuit Sol Anglicus Anglia plora Quaeque prius fueras gemino radiata nitore Extincto nato vivas contenta parente Funus plangendum privat lapis aequoris unus Et ratis una suo principe regna duo He from 's dear mother earth was snatch'd away By 's cruel step-mother the barbarous sea Weep weep the light that is for ever gone Weep England that could'st boast a double sun But sadly now must be content with one Sad fate one rock beneath deceitful waves Two helpless Kingdoms of their Prince bereaves Another of the same age writes thus upon this occasion Dum Normannigenae Gallis claris superatis Anglica regna petunt obstitit ipse Deus Aspera nam fragili dum sulcant aequora cymba Intulit excito nubila densa mari Dumque vagi caeco rapiuntur tramite nautae Ruperunt imas abdita saxa rates Sic mare dum superans tabulata per ultima serpit Mersit rege satos occidit orbis honos While Norman Victors o're the waves were born A fiercer foe oppos'd their wish'd return Now homeward the triumphant vessel stood When sudden tempests rouz'd the sudden flood The trembling Pilots fearful of delay Thro' unknown shallows cut their fatal way And fell on secret rocks an heedless prey And conqu'ring billows now by sad degrees Above the Prince's cabbin proudly rise Ner'e could the Ocean boast a nobler prize More westward we may discern some Islands just over-against France yet belonging to the crown of England The first is that by Normandy or upon the coast of Lexobii whom our Welsh call Lettaw as much as to say Coasters hard by is Alderney Alderney term'd in the records of the tower Aurney Aureney and Aurigney so that one would take it for the Arica Arica which Antoninus according to a manuscript that the King of Spain has reckons among the Islands of the British Sea Others suppose it Ebodia Ebodia or Evodia which P. Diaconus and he only who was but little acquainted with these parts takes notice of and places at thirty miles distant from the shore of Sein and tells us of a roaring noise of waters that may be heard afar off This Alderney 2 This Aldeerney lieth in the chief trade of all shipping passing from the Eastern parts to the West three leagues distant from the coast of Normandy thirty from the nearest part of England extended from South East to the North West and containeth about eight miles in circuit the South shore consisting of high cliffs The air is healthful the soil sufficiently rich full of fresh pastures and corn-fields yet the inhabitants poâ—â— through a custom of parting their lands into small parcels by Gavelkind The town is situate well near in the midst of the Isle having a Parish Church and about 80 families with an harbour called Crabbic some miles off On the East
so strongly inspir'd that they can raise the sea or the winds with their enchantments can transform themselves into what Animal they please cure those distempers that are beyond the skil of others and both know and foretel what is to come c. Under these there lie other Islands called Isles aux Mottons near Pen-Marc that is the Horse-head Gleran over against old Blavia now Blavet Grois and the Belle-Isle which Pliny calls Veneticae For they lie over against the Veneti in little Brittain Veneti Insulae Veneticae and might perhaps take that name as being Fishermen For so Venna seems to signifie in the language of the old Gauls Strabo takes these to have been the Forefathers of the Venetians in Italy and says also that they design'd to engage Caesar by sea when he made his expedition to Britain Some from Dionysius Afer call these Insulae Veneticae Nesides Nâ—sides Vannes Venna Caroli 1. pâ—â—catio Caroli as Helgardus says Samnitus whereas in a Greek Copy we find it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a tract of Islands Of which Priscian writes thus out of him Nec spatio distant Nessidum littora longè In quibus uxores * Amnitum Bacchica sacra Concelebrant hederae foliis tectaeque corymbis Non sic Bistonides Absinthi ad flumina Thraces Exertis celebrant clamoribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here the Nessides shew their neighbouring shore Where Samnite wives at sacred Orgies roar With Ivy-leaves and berries cover'd o'er Not with such cries the wild Bistonian dames Near fair Absinthus fill the Thracian streams This is also express'd in Festus Avienus Hinc spumosus item ponti liquor explicat aestum Et brevis è pelago vortex subit hic chorus ingens Faeminei coetus pulchri colit Orgia Bacchi Producit noctem ludus sacer aera pulsant Vocibus crebris latè sola calcibus urgent Non sic Absynthi propè flumina Thraces almae Bistomdes non quà celeri ruit agmine Ganges Indorum populi stata curant festa Lyoeo Hence constant tides the foaming deep supplies And noisy whirlpools on the surface rise Here a great quire of dames by custom meet And Bacchus Orgies every year repeat And spend in sacred rites the joyful night Through all the air their tuneful voices sound Their nimble feet salute the trembling ground Not in such troops Bistonian matrons croud To the great Feast at fam'd Absinthus flood Nor so the Indians praise their drunken God Now that Belle-Isle is one of the said Nessidae Strabo's authority grounded upon the relations of others is sufficient assurance For it lies before the mouth of the river Loire and Ptolemy places the Samnites on the coast of France just over against it For thus Strabo They say there is a small Island in the Ocean that lies not very far in neither but just over against the mouth of the Loir 'T is inhabited by the wives of the Samnites that are inspir'd by Bacchus and adore him by ceremonies and sacrifices No men are suffer'd to come here but the women take boat and after they have layn with their husbands return 'T is also a custom here to take off the roof of their Temple every year and cover it again the same day before sun-set every one of the women being obliged to bring in a burden to it whoever lets her burden fall is tore in pieces by the rest They are not to give â—ver gathering the pieces dropt in carrying before their fit of madness is over It always happens that one or other is thus tore to pieces for letting their burden fall Thus the Ancients in treating of the remoter part of the world were very much given to insert such fabulous stories But he tells us farther that as for those things which are said of Ceres and Proserpine they are somewhat more probable For the report is that in an Island near Britain they sacrifice to these Goddesses after the same manner that those in Samothrace do 8 Hitherto have I extended the British sea both upon the credit of Pomponius Mela who stretcheth it to the coast of Spain and upon the authority of the Lord Great Admiral of England which extendeth so far For the Kings of England were and are rightful Lords of all the North and W st sea-coasts of France to say nothing of the whole kingdom and crown of France as who to follow the tract of the sea coast wan the counties the only heir thereof In like manner most certain heirs to the Dutchy of Normandy by King William the Conqueror and thereby superior Lords of little Britain dependant thereof undoubted heirs of the counties of Anjou Tourain and Maine from King Henry the second whose patrimony they were likewise of the county of Poictou and Dutchy of Aquitaine or Guyenne by Eleanor the true heir of them wife to the said Henry the second â—â—â—nut the counties of Tholouse March the homage of Avergne c. Of all which the French by their arrests of pretended forfeitures and confiscaâ—â—ns have a sseized the crown of England and annexed them to the Crown of France taking advantages of our most unhappy civil dissentions whâ—reas in former ages the French Kings were so fore-closed by these territoreis as they had no access at all to the Ocean Since Mela who was himself a Spaniard makes the British sea to reach as far as the Coast of Spain and the Pyrenees Lib. 2. it falls within the scope of my design to mention Normonstier L'isle de Dieu and the L'isle de Rey likewise which are famous for their store of bay salt yet the bare mention is sufficient since they are not taken notice of by the old Geographers The next Island to this Oleron Ultarus now known by the name of Oleron but called Uliarus in Pliny lies as he says in the bay of Aquitain at the mouth of the river Charonton now Charente endow'd with many privileges by the Kings of England when Dukes of Aquitain In those times it was so eminent for shipping and marine affairs that Laws were made in this Island for the regulation of these seas in the year 1266. as they were in Rhodes heretofore for the government of the Mediterranean Nothing remains now having carry'd on this discourse through so many shallows of the ocean and the rugged rocks as it were of Antiquity but that like the Mariners of old who use to dedicate their tatter'd sails or a votive plank to Neptune I also consecrate something to the Almighty and to Venerable Antiquity A Vow which I most willingly make and which by the blessing of God I hope to discharge in due time d He hints here to the History-Lecture which he afterwards settled in Oxford whereof see his Life In the mean time let me desire of the Reader to consider that through this whole work I have been strugling with devouring Time of which the Greek Poet has this admirable passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and many Christians cut off MCLXXXVII On the Kalends or first of July the Abby of Ynes in Ulster was founded MCLXXXIX Henry Fitz Empress departed this life was succeeded by his son Richard and buried in Font Evrard This same year was founded the Abby De Colle Victoriae i.e. Cnokmoy MCXC. King Richard and King Philip made a Voyage to the Holy Land MCXCI. In the Monastery of Clareval the translation of Malachy Bishop of Armagh was celebrated with great solemnity MCXCII The City of Dublin was burnt MCXCIII Richard King of England in his return from the Holy Land was taken Prisoner by the Duke of Austria and paid to the Emperor 100000 Marks for Ransom besides 30000 to the Empress and 20000 to the Duke upon an Obligation he had made to them for Henry Duke of Saxony He was detain'd in Prison by the Emperor a year six months and three days all the Chalices in a manner throughout England were sold to raise this Sum. This year was founded the Abby De Jugo Dei. MCXCIV The Reliques of S. Malachy Bishop of Clareval were brought into Ireland and receiv'd with great honour into the Monastery of Millifont and other Monasteries of the Cistercians MCXCV. Matthew Archbishop of Cassil Legat of Ireland and John Archbishop of Dublin got the Corps of Hugh Lacy that conquered Meth from the Irish and interr'd them with great solemnity in the Monastery of Blessedness or Becty but the Head of the said Hugh was laid in S. Thomas 's Monastery in Dublin MCXCVIII The Order of the Friers Predicants was begun about Tolouse founded by Dominick II. MCXCIX Died Richard King of England succeeded by his Brother John who was Lord of Ireland and Earl of Moriton Arthur the lawful Heir Son of Geffrey his whole Brother was slain by him The death of Richard was after this manner When King Richard besieg'd the Castle of Chaluz in Little Bretagn he receiv'd his mortal Wound by an Arrow shot at him by one of those in the Castle nam'd Bertram de Gourdon As soon as the King found there was no hopes of Life he committed his Kingdom of England and all his other Possessions to the Custody of his Brother All his Jewels and the fourth part of his Treasure he bequeath'd to his Nephew Otho Another fourth part of his Treasure he left to be distributed among his Servants and the poor People When Bertram was taken and brought before the King he ask'd him for what harm he had kill'd him Bertram without any fear told him That he had kill'd his Father and two of his Brethren with his own Hand and then intended to do the same with him That he might take what Revenge he pleas'd but he should not care since he was to die too that had done so much mischief in the World Notwithstanding the King pardon'd him and order'd him to be set at liberty and to have a 100 Shillings Sterling given him Yet after the King's death some of the King's Officers flea'd him and hung him up The King died on the eighteenth of the Ides of April which happen'd to be the fourth * Feria day before Palm-sunday and the eleventh day after he was wounded He was buried at Font Eberard at the feet of his Father A certain Versificator writ this Distich upon his death Istius in morte perimit Formica Leonem Proh dolor in tanto funere mundus obit An Ant a Lyon slew when Richard fell And his must be the World 's great Funeral His Corps were divided into three Parts Whence this of another Viscera Carceolum Corpus Fons servat Ebrardi Et cor Rothomagum magne Richarde tuum Great Richard's Body 's at Fontevrault shown His Bowels at Chalons his Head at Roan After the death of King Richard his Brother John was begirt by the Archbishop of Roan with the Sword of the Dukedom of Normandy upon the 7th of the Kalends of May next following The Archbishop also set a Crown adorn'd with golden Roses upon his Head Afterwards upon the 6th of the Kalends of June he was anointed and crown'd King of England in S. Peter's Church Westminster upon Ascension-day attended with all the Nobility of England Afterwards he was summon'd to Parliament in France to answer for the death of his Nephew Arthur and depriv'd of Normandy because he came not accordingly This same Year was founded the Abby of Commerer MCC Cathol Cronerg King of Conaught founder of the Abby De Colle Victoriae was expell'd Conaught This year the Monastery De Voto was founded that is to say Tyntern Monastery by William Marshall Earl Marshal and Pembroch who was Lord of Leinster viz. of Wrisford Ossory Caterlagh and Kildare in right of his Wife who married the daughter of Richard Earl of Stroghul and of Eve the daughter of Dermic Murcard This William Earl Marshal being in great danger of Shipwreck a night and a day made a Vow That if he escap'd and came to Land he would found a Monastery and dedicate it to Christ and his Mother Mary So as soon as he arriv'd at Weysford he founded this Monastery of Tynterne according to his Vow and it is nam'd De Voto This year also was founded the Monastery de Flumine Dei MCCII. Cathol Cronirg or Crorobdyr King of Conaught was restor'd to his Kingdom The same year was founded the house of Canons of S. Marie of Connal by Sir Meiler Fitz-Henry MCCIII The Abby of S. Saviour i.e. Dawisky which was before founded was this Year and the next following finish'd MCCIV. A Battle was fought between John Courcy first Earl of Ulster and Hugh Lacie at Doune with great slaughter on both sides Yet John Curcy had the Victory Afterwards upon the 6th day of the Week being Good Friday as the said John was unarm'd and going in Pilgrimage barefoot and in a linnen Vestment to the Churches after the common manner he was treacherously taken Prisoner by his own People for a sum of Mony part in hand and part promis'd to be paid afterwards and so he was deliver'd to Hugh Lacy who brought him to the King of England and receiv'd the Earldom of Ulster and the Seigniory of Connaught upon that account both belonging to John Curcy Hugh Lacy now being made Earl rewarded the said Traytors with Gold and Silver some more some less but hung them up as soon as he had done and took away all their Goods by these means Hugh Lacy ruleth in Ulster and John Curcie is condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment for his former Rebellion against King John refusing to do him homage and accusing him for the death of Arthur the lawful and right Heir to the Crown While the Earl was in Prison and in great Poverty having but a small allowance of Provisions and the same mean and course he expostulated with God why he dealt thus with him who had built and repair'd so many Monasteries for him and his Saints After many Expostulations of this kind he fell asleep and the Holy
of Crowland 1109. Abbot Joffred sent over to his manour of Cotenham nigh Cambridge Gislebert his fellow-Monk and Divinity-Professor with three other Monks who follow'd him into England well furnish'd with Philosophical Theorems and other primitive Sciences and daily repair'd to Cambridge there they hir'd a publick barn made open profession of their Sciences and in a little time drew a great number of scholars together In less than two years time their number increas'd so much from the country as well as town that there was never a House Barn or Church big enough to hold them all Upon which they dispers'd themselves in several parts of the town imitating the University of Orleans For soon in the morning Frier Odo an excellent Grammarian and Satyrick-Poet read Grammar to the boys and younger sort according to the Doctrine of Priscian and Remigius upon him At one of clock Terricus a subtile Sophister read Aristotle 's Logick to the elder sort according to Porphyry's and Averroe 's Introductions and Comments At three of clock Frier William read Lectures in Tully's Rhetorick and Quintilian's Flores and Gislebert the principal Master preach'd to the people upon all Sundays and Holy-days Thus from this small fountain we see large flowing streams making glad the City of God and enriching the whole kingdom by many Masters and Teachers coming out of Cambridge as from the holy Paradice c. Concerning the time when it was first made an University Robert of Remington shall speak for me †The learned Selden MSS. Notes has observ'd that in Pat. 52. Hen. 3. memb 25. it is call'd Universitas Scolarium In the reign of Edward 1. Grantbridge from a School was made an University like Oxford by the Court of Rome But why do I so inconsiderately run into the lists where two such learned old men have formerly encounter'd to whom I freely deliver up my arms and pay all the respect and honour I am able to such venerable persons Cambridge Meridian is 23 degr and 25 min. from the west g According to later computation about 52 degr and about 17 minutes and the Arch of the same Meridian between the Equator and Vertical point is 52 degr and 11 min. w 2 Cam from Cambridge continuing his course by Waterbeach an ancient seat of Nuns which Lady Mary S. Paul translated from thence to Denny somewhat higher but nothing healthfuller when in a low ground he hath spread a Mere associateth himself with the river Ouse Hard by Cambridge to the South-East are certain high hills by the Students call'd Gogmagog-hills Gogmagog Hills by Henry of Huntingdon the most pleasant hills of Balsham from a village at the foot of them where as he says the Danes committed all the Barbarities imaginable On the top of all I saw there a fort A Fort. of considerable bigness strengthned with a threefold trench and impregnable in those days according to the opinion of several judicious warriors were it not for its want of water and some believe it was a Summer retreat either of the Romans or the Danes This seems to be the place that Gervase of Tilbury calls Vandelbiria Below Cambridge says he Wandlesbury there was a place call'd Vandelbiria because the Vandals when they ruin'd some parts of Britain and cruelly destroy'd the Christians did there encamp themselves pitching their tents upon the top of a little hill where lyes a plain surrounded with trenches with only one entrance and that like a gate As for his Martial Ghosts walking here which he mentions I shall say nothing of them because it looks like a foolish idle story of the fantastick Mob It 's none of our business as one says to tickle mens ears with plausible stories x In a valley nigh these hills lyes Salston Salston which fell to Sir John Nevill Marquess of Mont-acute from the Burghs of Burgh-green by Walter de la Pole and the Ingalthorps and by his daughter the sole heiress to the Huddlestons who liv'd here in great credit More Eastward we meet with Hildersham belonging formerly to the Bustlers but now by marriage to the Parises and next to the Woods stands Horsheath Horsheath which is known for many Descents to belong to the ancient and noble families of the Argentons and Arlingtons which I g See in Suffolk under the title Halesworth and in Hertford shire under the title Wimondley mention'd in another place and is now the seat of the latter Next this lies Castle-camps Castle-camps the ancient seat of the Veres Earls of Oxford held by Hugh Vere says the old Inquisition records that he might be Chamberlain to the King However 't is most certain that Hen. 1. granted this Office to Aubry de Vere Cameraria Angliae Lord gâ—eat Chamberlain in these words Chief Chamberlain of England in fee and hereditarily with all the powers privileges and honours belonging thereto with as much freedom and worship as ever Robert Mallet held it c. However the Kings at their own pleasure have appointed sometimes one and sometimes another to execute this Office 3 The Earls of Oxford also that I may note it incidently by the heir of R Sandford held the manours of Fingrey and Wâ—lfelmeston by Serjeanty of Chambâ—rlainship to the Queens at the Coronation of their Kings Not far off there are the remains of those great and large Ditches which were undoubtedly thrown up by the East-Angles to prevent the incursions of the Mercians who frequently ruin'd all before them Flems-dyke and others The first begins at Hingeston and runs eastward by Hildersham towards Horsheath for 5 miles together The second next to it call'd Brent-Ditch runs from Melborne by Fulmer But 't is now time to return and leave these and the like frontier-fences to be spoke of in their proper places Sturbridge-Fair Nigh Cambridge to the east by a small brook call'd Sture yearly in September there is the most famous Fair kept in all the Kingdom both for resort of people and quantity of goods Just by it where the ways were exceeding troublesome and almost impassable that worthy right-honest Gentleman h i.e. Gabriel Hâ—rvy but the Causey was made by Henry Hâ—rvy Doctor of Law who was Master of Trinity-hall which Gabriel never was See Wood's Fasti of the 1. vol. of Athenae Oxen. under the year 1585. G. Hervy Doctor of Laws and Master of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge with vast charge out of a pious and laudable design has lately made a very fair rais'd Causey for about 3 miles long leading to New-market At the end of this Causey there is a third Ditch Ditches thrown up in old time beginning at the east side of the Cam which runs by Fenn-Ditton or rather Ditchton from the foremention'd Ditch between great Wilberham and Fulburn as far as Balsham At present it is commonly call'd Seven-mile-Dyke because it lies seven miles from New-market formerly call'd Fleam-Dyke Fleam-ditch as much
Parliament that separates that Dutchy from the Crown of England King Hen. 4. grants Quascunque alias libertates jura Regalia ad Comitatum Palatinum pertinentia adeo liberè integrè sicut Comes Cestriae infrà eundem Comitatum Cestriae dignoscitur obtinere Which ancient reference proves plainly that the County of Chester was esteem'd the most ancient and best setled Palatinate in this Kingdom And although the Bishop of Durham doth in ancient Plea lay claim to Royal jurisdiction in his Province à tempore conquestûs anteà yet it is evident that not Durham it self much less Ely Hexamshire or Pembroke was erected into a County Palatine before Chester And as this is the most ancient so is it the most famous and remarkable Palatinate in England insomuch that a late Author Bâ—cman who usually mistakes in English affairs says of Cheshire Comitatui singulare est quòd Titulum Palatinatus gerat solis Germanis alià s notum b Having premis'd thus much concerning the nature of Palatinates let us enter upon the County it self wherein the river Dee first leads us to Banchor Banâ—hâ—â— famous for the Monastery there But before we go any farther it will be necessary to arm the reader against a mistake in * Mâ—â— i◠〈…〉 Poâ—â—â—â—â— Malmesbury who confounds this with the Episcopal seat in Caernarvonshire call'd Bangor whereas as Mr. Burton observes the latter was like a Colony drawn out of the former That Gildas the most ancient of our British writers was a member of this place we have the authority of Leland but upon what grounds he thinks so is not certain †Bâ—â— Eâ—â—â—â— lib. â— As for Dinothus he was undoubtedly Abbot there and sent for to meet Austin at the Synod which he call'd here in this Island Whether Pelagius the Heretick beiong'd also to this place as Camden intimates is not so certain Ranulphus Cestrensis tells us in his time it was thought so by some people ‖ Pâ—â—câ—◠〈◊〉 c. 3 Tradunt nonnulli c. and John of Tinmouth in the life of St. Alban expresly says that he was Abbot here But this man's relation to the place is not like to derive much honour upon it the remains of Roman and British Antiquity that have been discover'd there by the Plough-men for now the place is all corn-fields are a much greater testimony of it's ancient glory * Lâ—â—â— Such are the bones of Monks and vestures squar d stones Roman coyns and the like c From hence the river Dee runs to Chester the various names whereof are all fetch'd from the affairs of the Romans the British from the Legion and the Saxon Ceaster from the Fortifications made in that place upon account of the Legion being there quarter'd That the Legio xx was there is agreed on all hands but by what name it was call'd or when it came over are points not so certain but they may admit of some dispute For the first it is generally call'd Legio Vicesima Victrix and Camden assents to it but that seems to be defective if we may depend upon the authority of an old Inscription upon an Altar digg'd up in Chester A. D. 1653. and compar'd with what Dio has said of this Legion The Inscription is this I. O. M. TANARO T. ELVPIVS GALER PRAESENS GWTA PRI·LEG·XXW COMMODO · ET LATERANO COS. V. S. L. M. Which I read thus Jovi Optimo Maximo Tanaro Titus Elupius Galerius Praesens Gubernator Principibus Legionis Vicesimae Victricis Valeriae Commodo Laterano Consulibus Votum solvit lubens merito For if that Legion was call'd simply Vicesima Victrix what occasion was there for doubling the V To make it Vigesima quinta would be a conjecture altogether groundless and yet if the first V denote Victrix the second must signifie something more 'T is true Mr. Camden never saw this Altar yet another he had seen which was digg'd up at Crowdundal-waith in Westmorland should have oblig'd him not to be too positive that those who thought it might be call'd Valens Victrix or Valentia Victrix were necessarily in an errour VARONIV ......... ECTVS LEG XX. V. V. c. Here also we see the V. is doubl'd Whether the latter signifie Valeria will best appear out of Dio that great Historian who in his recital of the Roman Legions preserv'd under Augustus hath these words concerning the 20th Legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 20th Legion saith Dio which is also call'd Valeria and Victrix is now in Upper-Britain which Augustus preserv'd together with the other Legion that hath the name of Vicesima and hath it's winter-quarters in Lower-Germany and neither now is nor then was usually and properly call'd Valeria Mr. Burton is induc'd by the Westmorland-monument to make an addition to Victrix and sets down Valens but why this passage should not have induc'd him rather to make choice of Valeria I confess I perceive no â—eason For first the distinction he makes between the Vicesima in Britain and that in Germany is plain not only from the natural constâ—uction of the words but likewise because Dio's 19 Legions which were kept entire by Augustus cannot otherwise be made up Next supposing this distinction 't is very evident that he positively applies the name Valeria to the first and as plainly denies that the second ever had that title And why should not we as well allow the name of Valeria to this as we do to other Legions the additional titles of Ulpia Flavia Claudia Trajana Antoniana The second head When this Legion came over or when they were here settl'd cannot be precisely determin'd That this was a Colony settl'd by Julius Caesar as Malmesbury seems to affirm implies what never any one dreamt of that Julius Caesar was in those territories Giving an account of the name Caerlegion he lays down this reason of it quod ibi emeriti Legionum Julianarum resedere The learned 4 Selden would excuse the Monk by reading Militarium for Julianarum 〈◊〉 ad 〈…〉 but that his own ancient Manuscript would not allow To bring him off the other way by referring Julianarum not to Caesar but Agricola who in Vespasian's time had the sole charge of the British affairs seems much more plausible Before that time we find this Legion mention'd by Tacitus in the Lower-Germany and their boisterous behaviour there And in Nero's time the same Author acquaints us with their good services in that memorable defeat which Suetonius Paulinus gave to Queen Boadicia So that whenever they might settle at Chester to repel the incursions of the active Britains it plainly appears they came over before Galba's time from the reign of which Emperour notwithstanding Mr. Camden dates their landing here Another Altar was found at Chester with this Inscription It was discover'd by the Architect in digging for a Cellar in the house of Mr. Heath and was view'd and delineated by Mr. Henry Prescott a curious Gentleman of that city to whom we are
oâ—â—e Barons of Dacre the last whereof some years ago dy'd young and his Uncle Leonard chosing rather to contend with his Prince in War than with his Nieces in Law about the estate seis'd upon the Castle and got together a company of Rebels in opposition to his Prince But the Lord Hunsdon with the garrison of Berwick easily defeated them put a great many to the sword and the rest amongst whom was Leonard himself to flight x 19 But of him more in my Annals Nearer the Wall beyond the river Irthing was lately found this fair votive Altar erected to the Goddess Nymphe of the Brigantes for the health of the Empress Plautilla Wife to M. Aurelius Antoninus Severus and the whole Imperial family by M. Cocceius Nigrinus a Treasurer to the Emperour when Laetus was second time Consul with intricate connexion of letters which I read thus DEAE NYMPHAE BRIGantum QUOD VOVERAT PRO SALUTE PAUTILIAE COnjugis INVICTAE DOMini NOSTRI INVICTI IMP. M. AURELii SEVERI ANTONINI PII. FELicis CAESaris AUGusti TOTIUSQUE DO MUS DIVINAE EJUS M. COCCEIUS NIGRINUS Questor AUGusti Numini DEVOTUS LIBENS SUSCEPTUM Solvit LAETO II. Nearer the Wall stood the Priory of Lanercost founded by R. de Vallibus Lord of Gillesland y and upon the wall is Burd-Oswald Below this where the Picts-Wall pass'd the river Irthing by an arch'd bridge at a place now call'd Willoford was the Station of the †See the Additions to Ambleside in Westmorland If we are to settle the Amboglana here the many rivulets in those parts which carry the name of Glen oâ— Glynn afford us a probable original of the name Cohors prima Aelia Dacorum as appears by the Notitia and several Altars erected by that Cohort and inscrib'd to Jupiter Optimus Maximus Some of them I think proper to give you tho' they 're much defac'd and worn with age Jovi optimo Maximo * I. O. M. COH I. AEL DAC CVI PRAE IG I. O. M. CoH. I. AEL DAC C. P. STATV LoN GINUS TRIB I. O. M. OH I. AEL DA C. C. A. GETA IRELSAVRNES PRO SALVTE D. N MAXiMIANO †Fortissimo Caesari FOR CAE VA OAED L E G. VI. V I C. P. F. F. I. O M. COH I AEL DAC TETRICIANO RO C. P. P. LVTIC V. S. DESIG NATVS TRIB I. O. M. COH I. AEL DAC GORD ANA. C. P EST. I. O. M. H. I. AEL DAC C. PRAEESI FLIUS FA S TRIB PETVO COS. The first Lord of Gillesland that I read of Lords of Gillâ—sâ—â—â— Out oâ—â— old Mâ—â— R. Câ—â— Clarenceux 〈◊〉 him Raâ—â— as also 〈◊〉 MSS. of Fountaâ—â— and Hiâ—â— Abbâ—â— was William Meschines brother of Ralph Lord of Cumberland not that William who was brother of Ranulph Earl of Chester from whom sprang Ranulph de Ruelent but the brother of Ralph but he was not able to get it out of the hands of the Scots for Gill the son of Bueth Å¿ This was but for a short time for the father was banish'd into Scotland in Earl Randolph's time and the son Gillesbueth as he was call'd was slain by Robert de Vallibus at a â—eeting for Arbitration of all differences so that that family seems never to have claim'd after The murther was barbarous and Robert to atone for it built the Abbey of Lanercost and gave to it the Lands that had caus'd the quarrel held the greatest part of it by force of Arms. After his death King Henry the second bestow'd it upon Hubert de Vallibus or Vaulx whose Coat Armour was Chequey Argent and Gules His son Robert founded and endow'd the Priory of Lanercost But the estate within a few years came by marriage to the Moltons and from them by a daughter to Ranulph Lord Dacre whose posterity flourish'd in great honour down to our time z Having thus took a Survey of the Sea-coast and inner parts of Cumberland we must pass to the East of it a lean hungry desolate sort of Country which affords nothing remarkable besides the head of South-Tine in a wet spungy ground and an ancient Roman stone Cawsey * 8 Ulnaâ— above ten yards broad 'T is call'd the Maiden-way Maiden-way leading out of Westmoreland and at the confluence of the little river Alon and the Tine we spoke of on the side of a gentle ascent there are the remains of a large old Town which to the North has been fortify'd with a fourfold Rampire and to the West †Sileâ—â— with one and a half The place is now call'd Whitley-castle and as a testimony of it's Antiquity has this imperfect Inscription ‖ Compâ—â— of a scriâ—â— ratioâ—◠〈◊〉 risimâ—leâ— compendiously written with the Letters link'd one in another from which we learn that the third Cohort of the Nervii built a * Aedemâ— Temple there to Antoninus the Emperour son of Severus IMP. CAES. Lucii Septimi Severi AraBICI ADIABENICI PARTHICI MAX. FIL. DIVI ANTONINI Pii Germanici SARMA NEP. DIVI ANTONINI PII PRON. DIVI HADRIANI ABN DIVI TRAIANI PARTH ET DIVI NERVAE ADNEPOTI M. AVRELIO ANTONINO PIO FEL AVG. GERMANICO PONT MAX. TR. POT X IMP. COS. IIII. P. p. PRO PIETATE AEDE VOTO COMMVNI CURANTE LEGATO AVG. PR COH III. NERVIO RVM G. R. POS. Now seeing the third Cohort of the Nervii was quarter'd in this place seeing also the Notitia sets them at Alione as Antoninus does at Alone and a little river running under it is call'd Alne if I should think this to be the very Alone I could not indeed deliver it for a positive truth because the injuries of time and the violence of wars have long since put these things out of the reach of human knowledge but it would at least seem probable Upon the decay of the Roman power in Britain tho' this Country was cruelly harrass'd by the Scots and Picts yet did it longest keep its original Inhabitants the Britains and fell late under the power of the Saxons But when the Danish wars had well nigh broke the Saxon government it had its petty Kings â—â—gs of â—â—mberâ—â—â—d stil'd Kings of Cumberland to the year of our Lord 946. At which time as Florilegus tells us King Edmund by the assistance of Leolin King of South-Wales spoil'd Cumberland of all its riches and having put out the eyes of the two sons of Dummail King of that County granted that Kingdom to Malcolm King of Scots to hold of him and to protect the North-parts of England both by Sea and Land against the incursions of the Enemy After which the eldest sons of the Kings of Scotland as well under the Saxons as Danes were stil'd â—mbriâ—e 〈◊〉 Governours of Cumberland But when England had yielded to the Normans this County submitted among the rest and fell to the share of Ralph de Meschines whose eldest son Ranulph was Lord of Cumberland and at the same time in right of his mother and by the favour of his Prince Earl