Sampford archbishop of Dublin In the same yeer the King of Hungary forsaking the Christian faith became an Apostata and when hee had called fraudulently as it were to a Parliament the mightier potentates of his land Miramomelius a puissant Saracene came upon them with 20000. souldiers carrying away with him the King with all the Christians there assembled on the even of Saint John Baptists day as the Christians therefore journied the weather that was cleere and faire turned to be cloudie and suddenly a tempest of haile killed many thousands of the Infidels together The Christians returned to their owne homes and the Apostata King alone went with the Saracenes The Hungarians therefore crowning his sonne King continued in the Catholike faith MCCLXXXIX Tripolis a famous citie was laied even with the ground not without much effusion of Christian blood and that by the Soldan of Babylon who commanded the images of the Saints to bee drawne and dragged at horses tailes in contempt of the name of Christ through the citie newly destroyed MCCXC Inclyta Stirps Regis Sponsis datur ordine legis In lawfull guise by hand and ring Espoused is the Kings off-spring The Lord Gilbert Clare tooke to wife the Ladie Joan a daughter of the Lord King Edward in the Abbey or Covent Church of Westminster and the marriage was solemnely celebrated in the Moneth of May and John the Duke of Brabant his sonne married Margaret the said Kings daughter also in the Church aforesaid in the moneth of July The same yeere the Lord William Vescie was made Justice of Ireland entring upon the office on Saint Martins day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth is slaine MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the sonne of Gilbert and of the Ladie Joan of Acres was borne the 11. day of May in the morning betimes Item there was an armie led into Ulster against O-Hanlon and other Princes hindering the peace by Richard Earle of Ulster and William Vescie Justice of Ireland Item the Ladie Eleanor sometime Queene of England and mother of King Edward died in the feast of St. Iohn Baptist who in the religious habite which she desired led a laudable life for the space of foure yeeres eleven moneths and sixe dayes within the Abbey of Ambresby where she was a professed Nun. Item there resounded certaine rumours in the eares of the Lord Pope Martin on the even of St. Mary Maudlen as touching the Citie Acon in the holy land which was the only refuge of the Christians namely that it was besieged by Milkador the Soldan of Babylon an infinite number of his souldiers and that it had been most fiercely assaulted about fortie daies to wit from the eighth day before the Ides of April unto the fifteene Calends of July At length the wall was plucked down by the Saracens that assaulted it and an infinite number of them entred the Citie many Christians being slaine and some for feare drowned in the sea The Patriarch also with his traine perished in the sea The King of Cypres and Otes Grandison with their companies pitifully escaped by a ship Item granted there was unto the Lord Edward King of England by the Lord Pope Martin the tenth part of all the profits of Ecclesiasticall benefices for seven yeeres in Ireland toward the reliefe of the holy land Item the eldest sonne of the Earle of Clare was borne MCCXCII Edward King of England eftsoones entred Scotland and was elected King of Scotland Lord John Balliol of Galwey obtained the whole kingdome of Scotland in right of inheritance and did homage unto the Lord Edward King of England at New-castle upon Tine on S. Stephens day Florentius Earle of Holland Robert Brus Earle of Carrick John Hastings John Comyn Patrick Dunbar John Vescie Nicolas Soules and William Roos who all of them in that kingdome submitted themselves to the judgement of the Lord King Edward Item a fifteene of all secular mens goods in Ireland was granted unto the soveraign Lord King of England the same to be collected at the feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there at horses tailes drawne c. MCCXCIII A generall and open war there was at sea against the Normans Item no small number of the Normans by fight at sea was slain by the Barons of the Ports of England and other their co-adjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For which cause there arose war between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of credence unto the King of England that he should make personall appearance at his Parliament to answer unto Questions which the same King would propose unto him whose mandate in this behalf being not fulfilled straightwaies the King of France declaring by the counsell of the French the King of England to be outlawed condemned him Item Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester entred with his wife into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montefort in the Kings counsell holden at Westminster before the King died sodainly which William was the Dean of S. Pauls in London in whose mouth the Prelates Bishops and Cleargy putting their words which he was to utter and doubting how much the King affected and desired to have of every one of them and willing by him to be certified in whom also the King reposed most trust being returned to the King and making hast before the King to deliver expresly a speech that he had conceived became speechlesse on a sodain and fell downe to the ground and was carried forth by the Kings servants in their armes in piteous manner In regard of which sight that thus happened men strucken with feare gave out these speeches Surely this man hath beene the Agent and Procurator that the Tenths of Ecclesiasticall benefices should bee paied to the King and another author and procurer of a scrutinie made into the fold and flocke of Christ as also of a contribution granted afterward to the King crying against William Item the Citie of Burdeaux with the land of Gascoigne adjoining was occupied or held by the ministers of the King of France conditionally but unjustly and perfidiously detained by the King of France for which cause John Archbishop of Dublin and certaine other Lords of the Nobilitie were sent into Almaine to the King thereof and after they had their dispatch and answer in Tordran the Lord Archbishop being returned into England ended his life upon S. Leodegaries day The bones of which John Sampford were enterred in the Church of Saint Patrick in Dublin the tenth day before the Calends of March. The same yeere there arose debate betweene Lord William Vescy Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being and the Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the said Lord Williliam Vescy crossed the seas into England left Sir William Hay in his stead Justice of Ireland but when both of them were come before the King to fight a combat under an Appeal for treason the foresaid
Christendome flourished with the best In so much as Englishmen were picked forth to guard the person of the Emperours of Constantinople For John the son of Alexius Comenus as our writer of Malmesburie reporteth having their fidelitie in great esteeme applied himselfe especially to their familiaritie commending their love unto his son after him and a long time since they were the Yeomen of the said Emperours guard called by Nicetes Choniata Inglini Bipenniferj that is English Halberdiers or Bill men and by Curopalata Barangi These attended upon the Emperour in every place carrying Polaxes or Halberds upon their shoulders which they tooke up and held upright whensoever the Emperour shewed himselfe from out his Closet and knocking then their Halberds one against another to make a clattering noise they in the English tongue praied for his long life As for that blot wherewith Chalcondilas hath besmutted our nation for having wives in common the truth it selfe washeth it cleane away and represseth the overlashing vanitie of the Grecian For as saith that most learned man and my singular good friend Ortelius in this very matter those things be not alwaies true which by every one are given out of all whatsoever Well these are the nations that seated themselves in Britaine whereof remaine the Britans Saxons or English men and Normans intermingled with them the Scots also in the North whereupon came the two Kingdomes in this Island to wit England and Scotland long time divided but most happily now in the most mightie Prince King Iames under one Imperiall Diademe conjoyned and united Touching the Flemings which flocked hither foure hundred yeares since and by permission of the Kings received a place in Wales to inhabit it is not requisite to speake of them now elsewhere I will treat of that matter But let us conclude this argument with Seneca By these it is manifest that nothing hath continued in the same place wherein it had the first beginning There is a daily stirring and mooving to and fro of mankind some change or other there is every day in so great a revolution of this world New foundations of Cities are laid New names of nations spring up whereas the old are either growne out of use or altered by the comming in of a mightier And considering that all these nations which have broken into Britaine were Northern as all the rest which about the same time over-ranne all Europe and afterwards Asia most truely from the authoritie of holy Scripture wrote Nicephorus Like as terrors oftentimes are sent from heaven by God upon men as lightning fire and tempestuous showers oftentimes from the earth as open gapings of the ground and Earthquakes often from the aire as whirlewinds and extraordinarie stormes so these terrours of the Northerne and Hyporborean parts God keepeth by him in store to send them forth for some punishment when and among whom it pleaseth him in his divine providence THE DIVISION OF BRITAINE NOw let us addresse our selves to the Division of Britaine Countries are divided by Geographers either Naturally according to the course of rivers and interpose of mountaines or Nationally according as the people inhabite them or Diversly and Civilly according to the wils and jurisdiction of Princes But forasmuch as wee shall treat here and there throughout the whole worke of the first and second kinds that third which is civill and politike seemeth properly pertinent to this place Which yet is overcast with so darke a mist through the iniquitie of former times that much easier it is in this case to confute what is false than to find out the truth Our Historiographers will needs have that division of Britaine to be most ancient whereby they divide it into Loegria Cambria and Albania that is to speake more plainely into England Wales and Scotland But I would think this division to be of a newer and later edition both because it is threefold for it seemeth to have risen of those three sorts of people English Welch and Scotish which last of all parted the Island among themselves and also for that such a partition is no where extant in approved Authors before our Geffery of Monmouth For the fable as the Criticks of our age doe thinke could not hang well together unlesse he the said Geffrey had devised three sonnes of Brutus to wit Locrine Camber and Albanact because so many Nations flourished heere when he lived Neither make they doubt but hee would have found out more children of Brutus if there had beene more nations distinct at the same time in Britaine The most ancient division of Britaine in the opinion of many learned men is that which is found in Ptolomee in the second booke of Mathematicall Construction where he threatneth the Parallels namely into Britaine the GREAT and the LESSE But by their leave as great learned men as they be they themselves shal see if it please them to examine throughly and exactly in that place the proportion of distance from the Aequator and compare the same with his Geographicall Descriptions that hee calleth this our Island there Britaine the GREAT and Ireland Britaine the LESSE Howbeit some of our later writers named the hither part of this Island toward the South GREAT and that farther part Northward the LESSE the Inhabitants whereof in times past were distinguished into MAIATAE and CALEDONII that is to say into the habitation of the Champian or Plaines and the Mountainers as now the Scots are divided into Hechtlandmen and Lawlandmen But for as much as the Romans cared not for that farther tract because as Appian saith it could not be profitable for them nor fruitfull having set downe their bounds not farre from Edenburgh at the first they made this hither part reduced already into a Province two-fold to wit the LOVVER and the HIGHER as it is gathered out of Dio. For the hither or neerer part of England together with Wales he termeth the HIGHER the farther and Northern part the LOVVER Which thing the very seats and abiding places of the Legions in Dio do prove The second Legion Augusta ich kept at Caerleon in Wales and the twentieth surnamed Victrix which remained at Chester or Deva he placeth in the Higher Britaine but the Sixth Legion Victrix that was resident at Yorke served as he writeth in the Lower Britaine This division I would suppose was made by the Emperour Severus because Herodian reporteth that hee after hee had vanquished Albinus Generall of the British forces who had usurped the Empire and therewith reformed and set in order the State of Britain divided the government of the Province in two parts betweene two Prefects or Governours After this the Romans did set out the Province of Britaine into three parts as is to be seen out of a manuscript of Sextus Rufus namely into MAXIMA CAESARIENSIS BRITANNIA PRIMA and BRITANNIA SECVNDA Which I take it I have found out by the Bishops and their ancient
was built by the Danes but I should rather judge that something was here erected by the Romans and afterwards rased by Saxons and Danes what time as Sueno the Dane ranging and roving this way spoiled and harried the countrey That it was at length reedified under King William the first we know assuredly by Domesday book seeing that it yeeldeth record as even now I noted of eight Hages or Houses destroyed for the Castle Yet William Gemeticensis makes no mention of this Castle when he writeth that William of Normandie having defeited Harold led his armie forthwith to this citie so he termeth it and after he had passed over the Tamis at the ford pitched his tents heere before hee came to London At which time Wigod an Englishman was Lord of Wallengford who had one onely daughter given in marriage to Robert D'Oyley of whom he begat Mawd his sole heire first wedded to Miles Crispin and after his death through the goodnesse and favour of K. Henrie the first married unto Brient called Fitz Count Who being brought up in warlike feates and taking part with Mawde the Empresse most manfully defended this Castle against King Stephen who had raised a fort just over against it at Craumesh and he made it good untill that peace so much wished of all England was concluded in this place and that most grievous dissention about the Crowne betweene K. Stephen and Henrie the Second ended For then the love of God tooke such place in the hearts of the said Brient and his wife that they cast of this fraile and transitorie world and devoted themselves in religious life unto Christ so was this Honour of Wallengford escheated into the Kings hand Which appeareth out of an old Inquisition in the Exchequer by these words To his most beloved Lords the King our soveraigne Lord his Iustices and Barons of the Exchequer the Constable of Wallengford sendeth greeting Know ye that I have made diligent enquiry by the Knights of my Bayliwicke according to a commandement of my Lord the King directed unto me by the Sheriffe and of the Inquisition thus made this is the summe Wigod of Wallengford held the honour of Wallengford in King Harolds time and afterwards in the daies of King William the First He had by his wife a certaine daughter whom he gave in marriage to Robert D'Oyly This Robert begat of her a daughter named Mawd who was his heire Miles Crispin espoused her and had with her the honour aforesaid of Wallengford After the decease of Miles our soveraigne Lord King Henrie the first bestowed the aforesaid Mawd upon Brient Fitz Count who both tooke themselves to a religious life and King Henrie the Second seized the honour into his hand c. Yet afterwards in the time of King Henrie the Third it belonged to the Earles of Chester and then to Richard King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall who repaired it and unto his sonne Edmond who within the inner Court founded a Collegiate Chappell who dying without issue it fell againe to the Crowne and was annexed to the Dukedome of Cornwall since which time it hath by little and little decaied And verily about the time when that most mortall Plague which followed the conjunction of Saturne and Mars in Capricorne reigned hotely throughout all Europe in the yeare of our Lord 1348. This towne was so dispeopled by reason of continuall mortalitie there that whereas before time it was passing well Inhabited and had twelve Churches in it it can shew now no more than one or two But the cause of this desolation the Inhabitants lay rather upon the bridges of Abbindon and Dorchester whereby London portway was turned from thence From hence Southward the Tamis passeth most mildly betweene very rich and fertile fields on both sides by Moules-ford which K. Henrie the first gave unto Girald Fitz-Walter from whence the Noble family of the Carewes is descended To this house much lands honour and reputation accrewed in Ireland by descent and in England by matching in marriage with right noble families of the Mohuns Dinhams and others Not farre from hence is Aldworth where be certaine tombes and portraictures bigger than the ordinary proportion of men which thereupon the unlearned multitude keepes a wondering at as if they had been Giants whereas indeed they were but of certaine Knights of the Family de la Beche which heere had a Castle and is thought in the raigne of King Edward the Third to have beene extinguished for default of issue male And now at length Tamis meeteth with Kenet which River as I said ere-while watering the South part of this shire at his first entry when he hath left Wiltshire behind him runneth under Hungerford named in old time Ingleford Charnam-street a very small towne and seated in a moist place howbeit it hath given name and title to the honorable family of the Barons of Hungerford which was first raised to greatnesse by Walter Hungerford who under King Henrie the Fifth being Seneschall or Steward of the Kings house was for his warlike prowesse liberally rewarded by the said king and infeoffed in the Castle and Barony of Homet in Normandie To have and to hold unto him and his heires males by homage and service to find the Kings and his heires at the Castle of Roan one Launce with a Fox taile hanging downe thereat which pleasant conceit I thought not a misse to insert here among serious matters The same Walter in the raigne of Henrie the Sixth being high Treasurer of England and created withall Baron Hungerford as well by his singular wisedome as his marriage mith Katherine Peverell descended from the Moels and Courtneys mightily augmented his state His sonne Robert who wedded the daughter and heire of the Lord Botereaux enriched the same house verie much Sir Robert likewise his sonne who matched with Eleanor the daughter and heire of William Molines whereupon he was summoned among the Barons of the Realme by the name of Lord Molines and during the civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke was beheaded at Newcastle advanced the name not a little His sonne Thomas slaine at Salisbury while his father was living left his onely daughter named Marie whom Edward Lord Hastings tooke to wife with a great and rich Inheritance But Walter brother to the said Thomas begat Edward Hungerford father of that Walter whom King Henrie the Eighth created Baron Hungerford of Heitesbury and condemned him afterwards for a crime not to be spoken of howbeit Queene Marie restored his children unto all his estate save onely the name and title of Barons Not farre from hence Southward is Widehay the seat for a long time of the Baron Saint Amand whose inheritance Gerard Braybrooke entred upon in right of his wife whose eldest Niece by his sonne Gerard named Elizabeth by her marriage brought the same unto William de Beauchamp who being summoned to
money and Title by his wife Beatrice the eldest daughter of William de Say who was the sisters sonne of that great Geffrey de Magnavill the first Earle of Essex This Fitz-Petre a man as an old Authour writeth Passing well monied had formerly dealt with the Bishop of Ely the Kings chiefe Justicer for a great peece of money presently paid and by intreaty beside and then claimed and demanded the Earledome in his wives right as being the daughter of William Say eldest brother to Geffrey Say Who gave him full Seisin thereof against Geffrey Say and required the money that hee promised which within a short time hee received of him every penny well and truely paid for to bee brought into the Kings coffers Thus being admitted and confirmed by the Kings Letters Patent hee held and possessed it taking Homage of all that held of him in Knights service And so was girt with the sword of the Earledome of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geffrey Fitz-Petre was advanced to the high estate of Justicer of England by King Richard the First when hee removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that Office by the Popes peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermedle in secular affaires This Place the said Geffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisedome the Realme from that confusion which it after fell into by King Johns unadvised carriage His two Sonnes Geffrey and William assumed unto them the sirname of Magnavill or Mandevill and enjoyed this honour successively As for Geffrey hee by his wife was Earle of Glocester also and being a young man lost his life at a Turneament William tooke part with Lewis of France against King John and departed out of this World without issue These being thus dead childelesse their sisters sonne Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and high Constable of England succeeded in their roome Of this mans Posterity male there succeeded many yeares together one after another Earles of Hâ—reford and of Essex of whom I will speake among the Earles of Hereford seeing that they wrote themselves Earles of Hereford and of Essex Aeleonor the eldest daughter of the last of these Bohuns being given in marriage together with the Title of Essex unto Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester bare unto him a daughter named Anne who had for her first Husband Edmund Earle of Stafford from whom came the Dukes of Buckingham and for her second Sir William Bourchier unto whom King Henry the Fifth gave the Earledome of Ew in Normandie This William of her body begat Henry Bourchier whom King Edward the fourth invested in the Dignity of the Earledome of Essex in regard hee had marryed his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstocke Hee had to succeede him another Henry his Grand-childe who being cast out of the sadle by a flinging horse lost his life leaving behinde him one onely daughter Anne who being then little respected King Henry the Eighth presently and all at once made Thomas Cromwell whom hee had used as his Instrument to suppresse and abolish the Popes authority Earle of Essex Lord Great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Order of Saint George whom before for his reaching politique head hee had made Baron Cromwell of Okâ—ham The Kings Vicar generall in Spirituall matters and Lord of the Privie Seale and all these honours were heaped upon him within the compasse of five yeares But in the fifth moneth after hee was Earle hee lost his head and so had the enterlude of his life a bloudy Catastrophe as most of these have who are busie managers of the greatest affaires And then the same King thought Sir William Parr upon whom hee had bestowed in marriage Anne the onely daughter and heire of the foresaid Henry Bourâ—â—ier worthy also to be entituled Earle of Essex But at the last after Parr was dead without issue Walter D'Eureux Vicount Hereford whose great Grandmother was Cecilie Bourgchier Sister to Henrie Bourgchier whom I named right now through the gracious favour of Queene Elizabeth received this dignitie of the Earledome of Essex and left it to his Sonne Robert Who being adorned with singular gifts of nature and supported besides with the speciall favour of his most gracious Prince grew so fast unto such honour that all England conceived good hope hee would have fully equalled yea and farre surpassed the greatest vertues and praises of all his Progenitours But alas whiles he was carried away with popularity and made hast to out goe his hopes hee cast himselfe headlong into destruction as many more have done who despising that which might come by patience with securitie have made choise to hasten thereto before time with their finall overthrow But our most gracious Soveraigne King Iames of his Royall benignitie hath restored his sonne Robert to his bloud and honours by Parliament authority There be counted in this County Parish Churches 415. ICENI THe Region next unto the Trinobantes which afterwards was called East-England and containeth Suffolke Norfolke and Cambridge-shire with Huntingdon-shire was inhabited in times past by the ICENI called elsewhere amisse TIGENI and in Ptolomee more corruptly SIMENI whom also I have thought heeâ—etofore to have been in Caesar by a confused name termed CENIMAGNI and so to thinke induced I was partly by that most neere affinity betweene these names ICENI and CENI-MAGNI and in part by the consent of Caesar and Tacitus together For Caesar writeth that the Cenimagni yeelded themselves unto the Romans which Tacitus recordeth that the Iceni likewise did in these words They willingly joyned in amity with us But that which maketh most to the cleering of this poynt in a Manuscript old booke for CENIMAGNI we finde written with the word divided in twaine CENIAGNI For which if I might not be thought somewhat too bould a Criticke I would reade instead thereof ICENI REGNI Neither verily can you finde the Cenimagni elsewhere in all Britain if they be a diverse people from the Iceni and Regni But of this name ICENI there remaine in this tract very many footings if I may so tearme them as Ikensworth Ikenthorpe Ikbortow Iken Ikining Ichlingham Eike c. Yea and that high street-way which went from hence the Historians of the former age every where doe name Ichenild-Street as one would say the Icenes street What should be the reason of this name so love me Truth I dare not guesse unlesse one would fetch it from the Wedge-like-forme of the country and say it lieth Wedgwise vpon the Sea For the Britans in their language call a Wedge Iken and for the same cause a place in Wales by the Lake or Meere Lhintegid is of that forme named Lhan-yken as Welsh-Britans enformed me and in the very same sense a little country in Spaine as Strabo writeth is cleped SPHEN that is The wedge and yet the same seemeth not to resemble a wedge so neere as this of
of the lands was fallen there was great competition for the title of Abergevenny argued in the High Court of Parliament in the second yeere of King James and their severall claimes debated seven severall daies by the learned Counsell of both parts before the Lords of the Parliament Yet when as the question of precise right in law was not sufficiently cleered but both of them in regard of the nobility and honor of their family were thought of every one right worthy of honorable title and whereas it appeared evidently by most certaine proofes that the title as well of the Barony of Abergevenny as of Le Despenser appertained hereditarily to this Family The Lords humbly and earnestly besought the King that both parties might be ennobled by way of restitution who graciously assented thereunto Hereupon the Lord Chancellour proposed unto the Lords first whether the heire male should have the title of Abergevenny or the heire female and the most voices carried it that the title of the Barony of Abergevenny should bee restored unto the heire male And when he propounded secondly whether the title of the Barony Le Despenser should bee restored unto the female they all with one accord gave their full consent Which being declared unto the King he confirmed their determination with his gracious approbation and royall assent Then was Edward Nevill by the Kings Writ called unto the Parliament by the name of Baron Abergavenney and in his Parliament Robes betweene two Barons as the manner is brought into the house and placed in his seat above the Baron Audley And at the very same time were the letters Patents read whereby the King restored erected preferred c. Mary Fane to the state degree title stile name honour and dignity of Baronesse Le-Despenser To have and to hold the foresaid state and unto the above named Mary and her heires and that her heires successively should bee Barons Le-Despenser c. And upon a new question mooved unto whether the Barony of Abergavenney or the Barony Le-Despenser the priority of place was due The Lords referred this point to the Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Mareschall of England who after mature deliberation and weighing of the matter gave definitive sentence for the Barony Le-Despenser set downe under their hands and signed with their seales which was read before the Lords of the Parliament and by order from them entered into the Journall Booke out of which I have summarily thus much exemplified John Hastings for I have no reason to passe it over in silence held this Castle by homage Wardship and marriage when it hapned as wee reade in the Inquisition and if there should chance any warre betweene the King of England and the Prince of Wales hee was to keepe the Country of Over-went at his owne charges in the best manner he can for his owne commodity the Kings behoofe and the Realme of Englands defense The second little City which Antonine named BURRIUM and setteth downe twelve miles from Gobannium standeth where the River Birthin and Uske meete in one streame The Britans at this day by transposing of the letters call it Brunebegy for Burenbegy and Caer Uske Giraldus tearmeth it Castrum Oscae that is The Castle of Uske and we Englishmen Uske At this day it can shew nothing but the ruines of a large and strong Castle situate most pleasantly betweene the River Uske and Oilwy a Riveret which beneath it runneth from the East by Ragland a faire house of the Earle of Worcesters built Castle-like The third City which Antonine nameth ISCA and LEGIO SECUNDA is on the other side of Uske twelve Italian miles just distant from BURRIUM as hee hath put it downe The Britans call it Caer Leon and Caer LEON ar Uske that is The City of the Legion upon Uske of the second Legion Augusta which also is called Britannica Secunda This Legion being ordained by the Emperour Augustus and translated by Claudius out of Germany into Britaine under the conduct of Vespasian being ready at his command when he aspired to bee Emperour and which procured the Legions in Britaine to take his part was heere at last placed in Garison by Julius Frontinus as it seemeth against the Silures How great this ISCA was in those dayes listen unto our Girald out of his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae who thus describeth it out of the ruines It was an ancient and Authenticke City excellently well built in old time by the Romanes with bricke Walles Heere may a man see many footings of the antique nobility and dignity it had mighty and huge Palaces with golden pinacles in times past resembling the proud statelinesse of the Romanes for that it had beene found first by Romane Princes and beautified with goodly buildings There may you behold a giant-like Towre notable and brave baines the remaines of Temples and Theatres all compassed in with faire walles which are partly yet standing There may one finde in every place as well within the circuit of the Wall as without houses under ground water pipes and Vaults within the earth and that which you will count among all the rest worth observation you may see every where hoâ—e houses made wondrous artificially breathing forth heate very closely at certaine narrow Tunnels in the sides Heere lye enterred two noble Protomartyrs of greater Britaine and next after Alban and Amphibalus the very principall heere crowned with Martyrdome namely Julius and Aaron and both of them had in this City a goodly Church dedicated unto them For in antient times there had beene three passing faire Churches in this City One of Julius the Martyr beautified with a chaire of Nunnes devoted to the service of God A second founded in the name of blessed Aaron his companion and ennobled with an excellent Order of Chanons Amphibalus also the Teacher of Saint Alban and a faithfull informer of him unto faith was borne heere The site of the City is excellent upon the River Oske able to beare a prety Vessell at an high water from the Sea and the City is fairely furnished with woods and medowes heere it was that the Romane Embassadours repaired unto the famous Court of that great King Arthur Where Dubritius also resigned the Archiepiscopall honour unto David of Menevia when the Metropolitane See was translated from hence to Menevia Thus much out of Giraldus But for the avouching and confirming of the Antiquity of this place I thinke it not impertinent to adjoyne heere those antique Inscriptions lately digged forth of the ground which the right reverend Father in God Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaffe a passing great lover of venerable Antiquity and of all good Literature hath of his courtesie imparted unto me In the yeere 1602. in a medow adjoyning there was found by ditchers a certaine image of a personage girt and short trussed bearing a quiver but head hands and feet were broken off upon a pavement of square tile in checker
head Yet others are of opinion that this name arrived in this Island with the English out of Angloen in Denmarke the ancient seat of the English nation for there is a towne called Flemsburg and that the Englishmen from hence called it so like as the Gaules as Livie witnesseth tearmed Mediolanum that is Millan in Italiâ— after the name of Mediolanum in Gaule which they had left behinde them For there is a little village in this Promontory named Flamborrough where an other notable house of the Constables had anciently their seat which some doe derive from the Lacies Constables of Chester Beeing in these parts I could learne nothing for all the enquirie that I made as touching the bournes commonly called Vipseys which as Walter of Heminburgh hath recorded flow every other yeere out of blinde springs and runne with a forcible and violent streame toward the sea nere unto this Promontory Yet take here with you that which William Newbrigensis who was borne neare that place writeth of them Those famous waters which commonly are called Vipseys rise out of the earth from many sources not continually but every second yeere and being growne unto a great bourn runne downe by the lower grounds into the sea Which when they are dry it is a good signe for their breaking out and flowing is said to bee an infallible token portending some dearth to ensue From thence the shore is drawne in whereby there runneth forth into the sea a certaine shelfe or slang like unto an out-thrust tongue such as Englishmen in old time termed a File whereupon the little village there Filey tooke name and more within the land you see Flixton where in King Athelstanes time was built an Hospitall for the defence thus word for word it is recorded of way-faring people passing that way from Wolves least they should be devoured Whereby it appeareth for certaine that in those daies Wolves made foule worke in this Tract which now are no where to be seene in England no not in the very marches toward Scotland and yet within Scotland there be numbers of them in most places This little territory or Seigniory of Holdernesse King William the First gave to Drugh Buerer a Fleming upon whom also he had bestowed his Niece in marriage whom when hee had made away by poison and thereupon fled to save himselfe hee had to succeed him Stephen the sonne of Odo Lord of Aulbemarle in Normandy who was descended from the Earles of Champaigne whom King William the First because hee was his Nephew by the halfe sister of the mothers side as they write made Earle of Aulbemarle whose posterity in England retained the Title although Aulbemarle be a place in Normandy His successour was William sirnamed Le Grosse whose onely daughter Avis was marryed to three husbands one after another namely to William Magnavill Earle of Essex to Baldwine De Beton and William Forts or de Fortibus by this last husband onely shee had issue William who also had a sonne named William His onely daughter Avelin being the wedded wife of Edmund Crouchbacke Earle of Lancaster dyed without children And so as wee reade in the booke of Meaux Abbay for default of heires the Earldome of Aulbemarle and honour of Holdernesse were seized into the Kings hands Howbeit in the ages ensuing King Richard the Second created Thomas of Woodstocke his Unkle and afterwards Edward Plantagenet Earle of Rutland the Duke of Yorkes sonne Duke of Aulbemarle in his fathers life time likewise King Henry the Fourth made his owne sonne Thomas Duke of Clarence and Earle of Aulbemarle which Title King Henry the Sixth afterward added unto the stile of Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke for the greater augmentation of his honour EBORACENSIS Comiâ—aâ—us pars Septentrionalis vulgo NORTH RIDING NORTH-RIDING SCarce two miles above Flamborrough-head beginneth the NORTH-RIDING or the North part of this Country which affronting the other parts and beginning at the Sea is stretched out Westward and carrieth a very long Tract with it though not so broad for threescore miles together even as farre as to Westmorland limited on the one side with Derwent and for a while with the River Ure on the other side with Tees running all along it which on the North Coast separateth it from the Bishopricke of Durrham And very fitly may this part bee divided into Blackamore Cliveland Northallverton-shire and Richmond-shire That which lyeth East and bendeth toward the Sea is called Blackamore that is The blacke moorish land For it is mountanous and craggy The Sea coast thereof hath Scarborrough Castle for the greatest ornament a very goodly and famous thing in old time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A Burgh upon the Scar or steepe Rocke The description whereof have heere out of William of Newburgh his History A Rocke of a wonderfull height and bignesse which by reason of steepe cragges and cliffes almost on every side is unaccessible beareth into the Sea wherewith it is all compassed about save onely a certaine streight in manner of a gullet which yeeldeth accesse and openeth into the West having in the toppe a very faire greene and large Plaine containing about threescore acres of ground or rather more a little Well also of fresh water springing out of a stony Rocke In the foresaid gullet or passage which a man shall have much adoe to ascend up unto standeth a stately and Princelike Towre and beneath the said passage beginneth the City or Towre spreading two sides South and North but having the sore part Westward and verily it is fensed afront with a wall of the owne but on the East fortified with the rocke of the Castle and both the sides thereof are watered with the Sea This place William Le Grosse Earle of Aulbemarle and Holdernesse viewing well and seeing it to bee a convenient plot for to build a Castle upon helping Nature forward with a very costly worke closed the whole plaine of the Rocke with a Wall and built a Towre in the very streight of the passage which being in processe of time fallen downe King Henry the Second caused to bee built in the same place a great and goodly Castle after hee had now brought under the Nobles of England who during the loose government of King Stephen had consumed the lands of the Crowne but especially amongst others that William abovesaid of Aulbemarle who had in this Tract ruled and reigned like a King and possessed himselfe of this place as his owne Touching the most project boldnesse of Thomas Stafford who to the end hee might overthrow himselfe with great attempts with a few Frenchmen surprised this Castle of a sudden in Queene Maries Raigne and held it for two daies together I neede not to speake ne yet of Sherleis a Gentleman of France who having accompanied him was judicially endited and convict of high treason albeit he was a forrainer because hee had done against
his owne hopes and so hee raised that deadly Warre betweene the Houses of Yorke and Lancaster distinguished by the white and red Rose wherein himselfe soone after lost his life at Wakefield King Henry the Sixth was foure times taken Prisoner and in the end despoiled both of his Kingdome and life Edward Earle of March sonne to the said Richard obtained the Crowne and being deposed from the same recovered it againe thus inconstant fortune disported herselfe lifting up and throwing downe Princes at her pleasure many Princes of the royall bloud and a number of the Nobility lost their lives those hereditary and rich Provinces in France belonging to the Kings of England were lost the wealth of the Realme wholly wasted and the poore people thereof overwhelmed with all manner of misery Edward now being established in his royall Throne and in the ranke of Kings carrying the name of Edward the Fourth gave unto Richard his second sonne the Title of Duke of Yorke who together with king Edward the Fifth his brother was by their Unkle Richard the Third murdered Then king Henry the Seventh granted the same Title unto his younger sonne who afterwards was crowned king of England by the name of Henry the Eight And even now of late King James invested Charles his second sonne whom before hee had created in Scotland Duke of Albany Marquesse of Ormond Earle of Rosse and Baron of Ardmanoch a childe not full foure yeeres of age Duke of Yorke by cincture of a sword imposition of a Cap and Coronet of gold upon his head and by delivering unto him a verge of gold after he had according to the order with due complements made the day before both him and eleven more of Noble Parentage Knights of the Bath Reckoned there are in this County Parishes 459. under which he very many Chappels for number of Inhabitants equall unto great Parishes RICHMOND-SHIRE THE rest of this Country which lyeth toward the North-West and carryeth a great compasse is called Richmond-shire or Richmount-shire taking the name from a Castle which Alan Earle of little Britaine had built unto whom William the Conquerour gave this Shire which before time belonged to Eadwin an Englishman by these short letters Patents as it is set downe in the booke of Richmond Fees I William sirnamed Bastard King of England doe give and grant unto thee my Nephew Alane Earle of Britaine and to thine heires for ever all and every the Manour houses and lands which late belonged to Earle Eadwin in Yorke-shire with the Knights fees and other liberties and customes as freely and in as honourable wise as the said Eadwin held the same Given at our Leaguer before the City of Yorke This Shire most of it lieth very high with ragged rockes and swelling mountaines whose sloping sides in some places beare good grasse the bottomes and vallies are not altogether unfruitfull The hilles themselves within are stored with lead pit-coale and Coper For in a Charter of king Edward the Fourth there is mention made of a Mine or Delfe of Copper neere unto the very towne of Richmond But covetousnesse which driveth men even as farre as to hell hath not yet pierced into these hilles affrighted perchance with the difficulty of carriage whereas there have beene found in the tops of these mountaines as also in other places stones like unto sea winkles or cockles and other sea fish if they be not the wonders of nature I will with Orosius a Christian Historiographer deeme them to be undoubted tokens of the generall deluge that surrounded the face of the whole earth in Noahs time When the Sea saith he in Noahs daies overflowed all the earth and brought a generall floud so that the whole Globe thereof being therewith surrounded and covered there was one face as of the Firmament so also of the Sea The soundest Writers most evidently teach That all mankinde perished a few persons excepted who by vertue of their faith were reserved alive for offspring and propagation Howbeit even they also have witnessed that some there had beene who although they were ignorant of the times past and knew not the Authour himselfe of times yet gathered conjecturally as much by giving a guesse by those rough stones which wee are wont to finde on hilles remote from the Sea resembling Cocles and Oisters yea and oftentimes eaten in hollow with the waters Where this Country bordereth upon Lancashire amongst the mountaines it is in most places so waste solitary unpleasant and unsightly so mute and still also that the borderers dwelling thereby have called certaine Riverets creeping this way Hell-beckes But especially that about the head of the River Ure which having a Bridge over it of one entire stone falleth downe such a depth that it striketh in a certaine horror to as many as looke downe And in this Tract there be safe harbors for Goates and Deere as well red as fallow which for their huge bignesse with their ragged and branching hornes are most sightly The River Ure which wee have often spoken of before hath his fall heere out of the Westerne Mountaines and first of all cutting through the middest of the Vale called Wentsedale whiles it is yet but small as being neere unto his Spring-head where great flockes of Sheepe doe pasture and which in some places beareth Lead stones plentifully is encreased by a little River comming out of the South called Baint which with a great noise streameth out of the Poole Semer. At the very place where these Rivers meete and where there stand a few small Cotages which of the first Bridge made over Ure they call Baintbrig there lay in old time a Garison of the Romanes whereof the very Reliques are at this day remaining For on the toppe of an hill which of a Fort or Burge they now call Burgh appeare the ground workes of an ancient Hold containing about five acres of ground in compasse and beneath it Eastward many tokens of some old habitation and dwelling places Where amongst many other signes of Roman Antiquity I have seene of late this fragment of an antique Inscription in a very faire letter with Winged Victory supporting the same IMP CAES. L. SEPTIMIO PIO PERTINACI AUGU IMP CAESARI M. AURELIO APIO FELICI AUGUSTO BRACCHIO CAEMENTICIUM VI NER VIORUM SUB CURALA SENECINON AMPLISSIMIO PERIL VISPIUS PRAELEGIO By this we may guesse that the said hold at Burgh was in times past named BRACCHIUM which before time had been made of turfe but now built with stone and the same layed with good morter Also that the sixth Cohort of the Nervians lay there in Garison who may seeme to have had also their place of Summer aboade in that high hill hard by fensed with a banke and trench about it which now they tearme Ethelbury And not long since there was digged up the Statue of Aurelius Commodus the Emperour who as Lampridius writeth was sirnamed by his flattering
or Band of the Exploratores with their Captaine kept their station heere under the dispose of the Generall of Britaine as appeareth for certaine out of the NOTICE of Provinces where it is named LAVATRES But whereas such Bathes as these were called also in Latine Lavacra some Criticke no doubt will pronounce that this place was named LAVATRAE in stead of LAVACRA yet would I rather have it take the name of a little river running neere by which as I heare say is called Laver. As for the later name Bowes considering the old Towne was heere burnt downe to the ground as the inhabitants with one voice doe report I would thinke it grew upon that occasion For that which is burnt with fire the Britans still at this day doe terme Boeth and by the same word the Suburbes of Chester beyond the River Dee which the Englishmen call Hanbridge the Britans or Welshmen name Treboeth that is The burnt Towne because in a tumult of the Welshmen it was consumed with fire Heere beginneth to rise that high hilly and solitary Country exposed to winde and raine which because it is stony is called in our native language Stane more All heere round about is nothing but a wilde Desert unlesse it bee an homely Hostelry or Inne in the very middest thereof called The Spitle on Stane more for to entertaine waifaring persons and neere to it is a fragment of a Crosse which wee call Rerecrosse the Scots Reicrosse as one would say The Kings Crosse. Which Crosse Hector Boetius the Scottish Writer recordeth to have beene erected as a meere stone confining England and Scotland what time as King William the Conquerour granted Cumberland unto the Scots on this condition that they should hold it of him as his Tenants and not attempt any thing prejudiciall or hurtfull to the Crowne of England And a little lower upon the Romanes high street there stood a little Fort of the Romans built foure square which at this day they call Maiden-Castle From whence as the borderers reported the said High way went with many windings in and out as farre as to Caer Vorran in Northumberland There have beene divers Earles of Richmond according as the Princes favour enclined and those out of divers families whom I will notwithstanding set downe as exactly and truely as I can in their right order The first Earles were out of the house of little Britaine in France whose descent is confusedly intricate amongst their owne Writers for that there were two principall Earles at once one of Haulte Britaine and another of Base Britaine for many yeeres and every one of their children had their part in Gavell kinde and were stiled Earles of Britaine without distinction But of these the first Earle of Richmond according to our Writers and Records was Alane sirnamed Feregaunt that is The Red sonne of Hoel Earle of Britaine descended from Hawise great Aunt to William Conquerour who gave this Country unto him by name of the lands of Earle Eadwin in Yorke-shire and withall bestowed his daughter upon him by whom he had no issue He built Richmond Castle as is before specified to defend himselfe from disinherited and outlawed Englishmen in those parts and dying left Britaine to his sonne Conan Le Grosse by a second wife But Alane the Blacke sonne of Eudo sonne of Geffrey Earle of Britaine and Hawise aforesaid succeeded in Richmond and he having no childe lest it to Stephen his brother This Stephen begat Alan sirnamed Le Savage his sonne and successour who assisted king Stephen against Maude the Empresse in the battaile at Lincolne and married Bertha one of the heires of Conan Le Grosse Earle of Hault Britaine by whom hee had Conan Le Petit Earle of both Britaine 's by hereditary right as well as of Richmond Hee by the assistance of King Henrie the Second of England dispossessed Endo Vicount of Porhoet his Father in Lawe who usurped the Title of Britaine in right of the said Bertha his Wife and ended his life leaving onely one daughter Constance by Margaret sister to Malcolne king of the Scots Geffrey third Sonne to King Henry the Second of England was advanced by his Father to the marriage of the said Constance whereby hee was Earle of Britaine and Richmond and begat of her Arthur who succeeded him and as the French write was made away by King Iohn his Unkle True it is indeed that for this cause the French called King Iohn into question as Duke of Normandy And notwithstanding he was absent and not heard once to plead neither confessing ought nor convicted yet by a definitive sentence they condemned him and awarded from him Normandy and his hereditary possessions in France Albeit himselfe had promised under safe conduct to appeare in personally at Paris there to make answere as touching the death of Arthur who as a Liege subject had bound himselfe by oath to bee true and loyall unto him and yet started backe from his allegeance raised a rebellion and was taken prisoner in battaile At which time this question was debated whether the Peeres of France might give judgement of a King annointed and therefore superiour considering that a greater dignity drowneth the lesser and now one and the same person was both King of England and Duke of Normandy But whither doe I digresse After Arthur these succeeded orderly in the Earldome of Richmond Guy Vicount of Thovars unto whom the foresaid Constance was secondly married Ranulph the third Earle of Chester the third husband of the said Constance Peter of Dreux descended from the bloud royall of France who wedded Alice the onely daughter of Constance by her husband abovenamed Guy Then upon dislike of the house of Britaine Peter of Savoy Unkle by the mothers side unto Eleonor the wife of king Henry the Third was made Earle of Richmond who for feare of the Nobles and Commons of England that murmured against strangers preferred to honours in England voluntarily surrendred up this Honour which was restored to Iohn Earle of Britaine sonne to Peter of Dreux After whom succeeded Iohn his sonne the first Duke of Britaine who wedded Beatrice daughter to Henry the Third King of England Whose sonne Arthur was Duke of Britaine and as some write Earle of Richmond Certes John of Britaine his younger brother immediately after the fathers death bare this honourable Title And he added unto the ancient Armes of Drewx with the Canton of Britaine the Lions of England in Bordeur Hee was Guardian of Scotland under King Edward the Second and there taken and detained prisoner for three yeeres space and dyed at length without issue in the Raigne of Edward the Third And John Duke of Britaine his nephew the sonne of Arthur succeeded in this Earledome After his decease without children when there was hote contention about the Dutchy of Britaine betweene John Earle of Montfort of the halfe bloud and Joane his brothers daughter and heire
powreth forth into it a mighty masse of water having not yet forgotten what adoe it had to passe away struggling and wrestling as it did among the carcasses of free-butters lying dead in it on heapes in the yeere of salvation 1216. when it swallowed them up loaden with booties out of England and so buried that rabble of robbers under his waves This river Eden when it is entred into this shire receiveth from the West the river Eimot flowing out of Ulse a great lake heretofore mentioned neer unto the bank whereof hard by the riveret Dacor standeth Dacre Castle of signall note for that it hath given sirname to the honourable family of the Barons Dacre and mentioned anciently by Bede for that it had a monastery in those dayes as also by William of Malmesbury in regard that Constantine King of Scots and Eugenius or Ewain King of Cumberland yeelded themselves there together with their kingdomes unto Athelstane King of England upon condition to be protected by him Not much higher and not farre from the confluence of Eimot and Loder where is seene that round trench of earth which the countrey people tearme Arthurs Table stands Penrith which is if you interpret it out of the British language The Red head or hill for the soile and the stones there are of a reddish colour but commonly called Perith a little towne and of indifferent trade fortified on the West side with a castle of the Kings which in the reigne of King Henry the sixth was repaired out of the ruines of a Romane fort thereby called Maburg adorned with a proper Church and the mercate place is large with an edifice of timber therein for the use of those that resort thither to mercate garnished with Beares at a ragged staffe which was the devise of the Earles of Warwicke It belonged in times past unto the Bishops of Durham but when Antony Bec the Bishop overweening himselfe with over much wealth waxed proud and insolent King Edward the first as wee finde in Durham book took from him Werk in Tividale Perith and the Church of Simondburne But for the commodious use of this Towne William Stricland Bishop of Carlile descended from a worshipfull Family in this tract at his owne charges caused a channell for a water-course to be made out of Petter-rill that is the little Petter which neer unto the bank had Plumpton park a very large plot of ground which the Kings of England allotted in old time for wild beasts but King Henry the eighth disparked it and wisely appointed it for habitation of men as being in the very merches well neere where the Realmes of England and Scotland confine one upon the other Just by this place I saw many remaines of a decayed towne which they there for the vicinity thereof doe now call Old Perith I for my part would deeme it to be PETRIANAE For the fragment of an antique inscription erected by ULPIUS TRAIANUS EMERITUS an old discharged and pensionary souldier of the Petreian wing doth convince and prove that the wing Petriana made abode here But behold both it and others which wee copied out here GADUNO ULP TRAI EM AL. PET MARTIUS F P. C. D M. AICETU OS MATER VIXIT A XXXXV ET LATTIO FIL. VIX A XII LIMISIUS CONJU ET FILIAE PIENTISSIMIS POSUIT D M FL. MARITO SEN IN C. CARVETIOR QUESTORIO VIXIT AN XXXXV MARTIOLA FILIA ET HERES PONEN CURAVIT D M. CROTILO GERMANUS VIX ANIS XXVI GRECA VIX ANIS IIII. VINDICIANUS FRA. ET FIL. TIT. PO. After that Eden hath now given Eimot entertainment hee turneth his course Northward by both the Salkelds watering as hee goes obscure small villages and fortresses Amongst which at the lesse Salkeld there bee erected in manner of a circle seventy seven stones every one ten foot high and a speciall one by it selfe before them at the very entrance riseth fifteene foot in height This stone the common people thereby dwelling name Long Megge like as the rest her daughters And within that ring or circle are heapes of stones under which they say lye covered the bodies of men slaine And verily there is reason to thinke that this was a monument of some victory there atchieved for no man would deeme that they were erected in vaine From thence passeth Eden by Kirk-Oswald consecrated to Saint Oswald the possession in old time of that Sir Hugh Morvill who with his associates slew Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in memoriall of this fact the sword which hee then used was kept here a long time and so goeth on by Armanthwayte a Castle of the Skeltons by Corby Castle belonging to the worthy and ancient family of the Salkelds well advanced by marriage with the heire of Rosgill by Wetherall sometime a little Abbey or Cell which acknowledged the Abbey of Saint Mary in Yorke for her mother where within a rocke are to bee seene certaine little habitations or cabbins hewed hollow for a place of sure refuge in this dangerous countrey Thence by Warwic VIROSIDUM as I supposed where the sixt Cohort of the Nervians in old time held their station within the limit of that Wall against the Picts and Scots and there in the latter age was built a very strong bridge of stone at the charges of the Salkelds and Richmonds by Linstock castle also belonging to the Bishop of Carlile in the Barony of Crosby which Waldeof the sonne of Earle Gospatrick Lord of Allerdale granted unto the church of Carlile And now by this time Eden being ready to lodge himselfe in his owne arme of the sea taketh in two rivers at once namely Peterill Caud which keeping an equall distance asunder march along from the South and hold as it were a parallel pace just together By Peterill beside PETRIANAE which I spake of standeth Greistock a castle belonging not long since to an honorable house which derived their first descent from one Ranulph Fitz-Walter of which line William called de Greistock wedded Mary a daughter and one of the coheires of Sir Roger Merley Lord of Morpath and hee had a sonne named John who being childlesse by licence of King Edward the first conveighed his inheritance to Ralph Granthorpe the sonne of William and his Aunts sonne by the fathers side whose male progeny flourished a long time in honor with the title of Lord Greistock but about King Henry the seventh his dayes expired and came to an end and so the inheritance came by marriage unto the Barons of Dacre and the female heires generall of the last Baron Dacre were married unto Philip Earle of Arundell and Lord William Howard sonnes of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolke Upon Caud beside the coper mines neere unto Caudbeck standeth Highgate a castle of the Richmonds of ancient descent and a proper fine castle of the Bishops of Carlile called the Rose castle it seemeth also that
and Westward with one and an halfe the name of the place is now Whiteley Castle and for to testifie the antiquity thereof there remaineth this imperfect inscription with letters inserted one in another after a short and compendious manner of writing whereby wee learne that the third Cohort of the Nervians erected there a Temple unto the Emperour Antonine sonne of Severus IMP. CAES. Lucii Septimi Severi AraBICI ADIABENICI PARTHICI MAX. FIL. DIVI ANTONINI Pii Germanici SARMA NEP. DIVIANTONINI PII PRON. DIVI HADRIANI ABN DIVI TRAIANI PARTH ET DIVI NERVAE ADNEPOTI M. AURELIO ANTONINO PIO FEL AUG GERMANICO PONT MAX. TR. POT X IMP. COS. IIII. P. p. PRO PIETATE AEDE VOTO COMMUNI CURANTE LEGATO AUG PR COH III. NERVIO RVM G. R.POS Whereas therefore the third Cohort of the Nervii served in this place which Cohort the booke of Notices in a latter time placeth at ALIONE or as Antonine nameth it ALONE and the little river running underneath is named Alne if I should thinke this were ALONE it might seeme rather probable than true considering the injury of devouring time and the fury of enemies have long agoe outworne these matters out of all remembrance Albeit when the State of the Romane Empire decaied most in Britain this country had been most grievously harried and spoiled by the Scots and Picts yet it preserved and kept long the ancient and naturall inhabitants the Britans and late it was ere it became subject to the English Saxons But when againe the English Saxons state sore shaken by Danish warres ran to ruine it had peculiar Governors called Kings of Cumberland unto the yeere of our Lord 946. at what time as the Floure-gatherer of Westminster saith King Edmund by the helpe of Leoline Prince of South-wales wasted and spoiled all Cumberland and having put out the eyes of both the sonnes of Dunmail King of the same Province hee granted that kingdome unto Malcolme King of Scots to be holden of him that he might defend the North parts of England by land and sea from the inrodes and invasions of the common enemies Whereupon the eldest sons of the Kings of Scotland were for a while under the English Saxons and Danes both called the Prefects or Deputy Rulers of Cumberland But when England had yeelded it selfe into the hands of the Normans this part also became subject unto them and fell unto the lot of Ralph de Meschines whose eldest sonne Ranulph was Lord of Cumberland and partly in his mothers right and partly by his Princes favour together Earle also of Chester But King Stephen to purchase favour with the Scots restored it unto them againe that they should hold it of him and the Kings of England Howbeit K. Henry the second who succeeded after him perceiving that this over great liberality of Stephen was prejudiciall both to himself and his realme demanded againe of the Scot Northumberland Cumberland and Westmorland And the K. of Scots as Newbrigensis writeth wisely considering that the King of England had in those parts both the better right and also greater power although he might have pretended the oath which he was said to have made unto his grandfather David what time hee was knighted by him yet restored he the foresaid marches according to his demand fully and wholly and received of him againe the Earledome of Huntingdon which by ancient right appertained to him As for Earles of Cumberland there were none before the time of King Henry the eighth who created Henry Lord Clifford who derived his pedigree from the Lords Vipont the first Earle of Cumberland who of Margaret the daughter of Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland begat Henry the second Earle hee by his first wife daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk had issue Margaret Countesse of Derby and by a second wife the daughter of Lord Dacre of Gillesland two sonnes George and Francis George the third Earle renowned for sea-service armed with an able body to endure travaile and a valorous minde to undertake dangers died in the yeere 1605. leaving one onely daughter the Lady Anne now Countesse of Dorset But his brother Sir Francis Clifford succeeded in the Earledome a man whose ardent and honorable affection to vertue is answerable in all points to his honourable parentage As for the Wardens of the West-marches against Scotland in this County which were Noblemen of especiall trust I need to say nothing when as by the union of both kingdomes under one head that office is now determined This shire reckoneth beside chappels 58. Parish Churches VALLUM SIVE MURUS PICTICUS That is THE PICTS VVALL THrough the high part of Cumberland shooteth that most famous Wall in no case to be passed over in silence the limit of the Roman Province the Barbarian Rampier the Forefence and Enclosure for so the ancient writers termed it being called in Dion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a crosse Wall in Herodian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Trench or Fosse cast up by Antonine Cassiodore and others VALLUM that is the Rampier by Bede MURUS that is the Wall by the Britans Gual-Sever Gal-Sever Bal Val and Mur-Sever by the Scottish Scottishwaith by the English and those that dwell thereabout the Picts Wall or the Pehits Wall the Keepe Wall and simply by way of excellencie The Wall When the ambitious and valiant Romans finding by the guidance of God and assistance of vertue their successe in all their affaires above their wishes had enlarged their Empire every way so as that the very unwealdinesse thereof began now to be of it selfe fearefully suspected their Emperours thought it their best and safest policie to limit and containe the same within certaine bounds for in wisedome they saw That in all greatnesse there ought to be a meane like as the heaven in selfe reacheth not beyond the limited compasse and the seas are tossed to and fro within their owne precincts Now those limits or bounds according to the natures of the places were either naturall as the sea greater rivers mountaines wasts and desart grounds or artificiall as frontier-fenses namely trenches or dikes castles keeps or fortresses wards mounds and baricadoes by trees cut downe and plashed bankes rampiers and walls along which were planted garrisons of souldiers against the barbarous nations confining Whence it is that we read thus in the Novellae of Theodosius the Emperour Whatsoever lieth included within the power and regiment of the Romans is by the appointment and dispose of our Ancestors defended from the incursions of Barbarians with the rampier of a Limit Along these limits or borders souldiers lay garrisoned in time of peace within frontier-castles and cities but when there was any feare of waste and spoile from bordering nations some of them had their field-stations within the Barbarian ground for defence of the lands others made out-rodes into the enemies marches to discover how the enemies stirred yea and
Barons of Northumberland had done homage at Felton to Alexander King of Scots Many yeeres after when Iohn Balioll King of Scots had broken his oath King Edward the first in the yeere of salvation 1297. brought Berwick under his subjection yet within a little while after when the fortune of warre began to smile upon the Scots they surprised it standing for-let and neglected but straightwayes it was yeelded up and the English became Masters of it Afterward in that loose reigne of King Edward the second Peter Spalding betraied it unto Robert Bruâ— King of the Scots who hotly assaulted it and the English laid siege unto it in vaine untill that our Hector King Edward the third in the yeere of Christ 1333. setting valiantly upon it wonne it as happily Howbeit in the reigne of Richard the second certaine Scottish robbers upon a sudden surprised the Castle but within nine dayes Henry Pearcy Earle of Northumberland regained it Scarce seven yeeres were overpassed when the Scots recovered it againe not by force but by money For which cause the said Henry Percy Governour of the place was accused of high treason but he with money likewise corrupted both their faith and fortitude and streightway got it in his hands againe A great while after when England was even pining by reason of civill warre King Henry the sixth being now fled the Realme into Scotland surrendred it up into the hands of the Scot for to be secured of his life and safety in Scotland But after twenty two yeeres were expired Sir Thomas Stanley not without losse of his men reduced it under the command of King Edward the Fourth Since which time our Kings have at divers times fortified and fenced it with new works but especially Queen Elizabeth who of late to the terrour of the enemy and safeguard of her state enclosed it about in a narrower compasse within the old wall with an high wall of stone most strangely compacted together which shee hath so forewarded againe with a counterscarfe a banke round about with mounts of earth cast up by mans hand and open terraces above head that either the forme of these munitions or strength thereof may justly cut off all hope of winning it To say nothing all this while of the valour of the garison souldiers the store of great Ordnance and furniture of warre which was wonderfull He that was wont to be chiefe Governour of this towne that I may note thus much also was alwaies one of the wisest and most approved of the Nobility of England and withall Warden of these East marches against Scotland The Longitude of this towne as our Mathematicians have observed is 21. degrees and 43. minutes the Latitude 55. degrees and 48. minutes And by this inclination and position of the heaven the longest day is 17. houres and 22. minutes and the night but sixe houres and 38. minutes so that that there was no untruth in Serviâ—â— Honoratus when he wrote thus Britanni lucis dives c. that is Britain is so plentifull of day light that it affordeth scarce any time for the nights Neither is it any marvaile that souldiers without other light doe play here all night long at Dice considering the side light that the sunne beames cast all night long and therefore this verse of Iuvenall is true Minimá contentos nocte Britannos The Britaines who with least night stand content Concerning Berwicke have here now for an Overdeale these verses of Master I. Ionston Scotorum extremo sub limite meta furoris Saxonidum gentis par utriusque labor Mille vices rerum quae mille est passa ruinas Mirum quî potuit tot superesse malis Quin superest quin extremis exhausta ruinis Funere sic crevit firmior usque suo Oppida ut exaequet jam munitissima Civis Militis censum munia Martis obit Postquà m servitio durisque est functa periclis Effert laetitiae signa serena suae Et nunc antiquo felix sejactat honore Cum reddit Domino debita jura suo Cujus ab auspiciis unita Britannia tandem Excelsum tollit libera in astra caput Afront the bound of Scottish ground where staid the furious broile Of English warres and Nations both were put to equall toile Now won then lost a thousand turnes it felt of fortunes will After so many miseries wonder it standeth still And still it stands although laid wast it were and desolate Yet alwaies after every fall it rose to firmer state So that for strength best fenced townes it matcheth at this day The Citizens were souldiers all and serv'd in warres for pay But after service long performed and hard adventures past Of joy and mirth the gladsome signes it putteth forth at last And now her ancient honour she doth vaunt in happy plight When to her Soveraigne Lord she yeelds all service due by right Whose blessed Crowne united hath great Britain now at last Whereby her head she lifts on high since quarrels all be past That which Aeneas Sylvius or Pope Pius the second who when hee was a private person was Embassadour into Scotland about the yeere 1448. hath reported in his owne life by himselfe penned and published under the name of another touching the borderers that dwelt there round about I thinke good here to put downe considering that as yet they have nothing degenerated There is a river saith he which spreading broad from out of an high hill confineth both the lands This river when Aeneas had ferried over and turned aside into a great village about sun setting where he supped in a country-mans house with the Priest of the place and his hoast many sorts of gruels and pottage hens and geese were set on the board but no wine nor bread at all and all the men women of the village came running thither as it were to see some strange sight and as our countreymen are wont to wonder at Blacka-Moors or men of Inde so they stood gasing gaping as astonied at Aeneas asking of the Priest what countreyman he was upon what busines he came and whether he were a Christian or no Now Aeneas having bin enformed before what scarcity of victuals he should finde in those parts had received at a certaine Abbey some loaves of white bread and a rundlet of red wine which when they had brought forth the people made a greater wonder than before as who had never seen either wine or white bread There approached unto the table great bellied women and their husbands who handling the bread smelling to the wine craved some part thereof and there was no remedy but to deale and give all away among them Now when we had sitten at sâ—pper untill it was two houres within night the Priest and our Hoast together with the children and all the men left Aeneas and made haste away for they said they were to flye for feare of the Scots unto a certaine pile that stood a great way off
processe of time this Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government was established in Scotland Two Archbishops one of Saint Andrews the other of Glasco whereof the former is counted Primate of all Scotland under whom there be eight Bishoprickes Dunkeld Aberdon Murray Dunblan Brechin Rosse Cathanes Orkney Under the Archbishop of Glasco there be onely three Candida Casa or Galloway Lismore or Argile The Iles. THE STATES OR DEGREES OF SCOTLAND THe Republicke or Commonwealth of the Scots like as that of Englishmen consisteth of a King the Nobility or Gentry and Commons The King that I may use the words of their owne Record is Directus totius Dominus that is The direct Lord of the whole Domain or Dominion and hath royall authority and jurisdiction over all the States and degrees as well Ecclesiasticall as Lay or Temporall Next unto the King is his eldest sonne who is called PRINCE OF SCOTLAND and by a peculiar right Duke of Rothsay and Seneschall or Steward of Scotland But all the rest of the Kings children are named simply Princes Among the Nobles the greatest and most honourable were in old time The Thanes that is those who if my judgement be ought were ennobled onely by the office which they administred For the word in the ancient English Saxon tongue signifieth The Kings Minister Of these they of the superior place were called Abthanes the inferior Under Thanes But these names by little and little grew out of use ever since that King Malcolm the third conferred the titles of Earles and Barons after the manner received from the English upon Noble men of good desert Since when in processe of time new titles of honours were much taken up and Scotland as well as England hath had Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons As for the title of Duke the first that brought it into Scotland was King Robert the third about the yeere of Salvation 1400. like as the honourable titles of Marquesse and Vicount were first brought in by our most gracious Soveraigne King James the sixth These are counted Nobles of the higher degree and have both place and voice in the Parliaments and by a speciall name are called Lords like as also the Bishops Among the Nobles of a lower degree in the first place are ranged Knights who verily are dubbed with greater solemnity than in any other place throughout all Europe by taking of an oath and are proclaimed by the publike voice of an Herald Of a second sort are they who are tearmed Lairds and Barons among whom none were reckoned in old time but such as held immediatly from the King lands in Chef and had jus furcarum that is power to hang c. In the third place are all such as being descended from worshipfull houses and not honoured with any especiall dignitie be termed Gentlemen All the rest as Citizens Merchants Artisans c. are reputed among the Commons THE JUDICATORIES OR COURTS OF JUSTICE THe supreme Court as well for dignitie as authoritie is accounted the Assembly of the States of the Kingdome which is called by the very same name as it is in England A Parliament hath the same verie power as absolute It consisteth of three States of Lords Spirituall namely Bishops Abbots and Priors and of Lords Temporall to wit Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons and Commissioners for Cities Burghs Unto whom were adjoined not long since for everie Countie also two Commissioners It is appointed and solemnly called by the King at his pleasure at a certain set time before it be holden When these States abovesaid are assembled and the causes of their assembly delivered by the King or the Chancellour the Lords Spirituall chuse out apart by themselves eight of the Lords Temporall Semblably the Lords Temporall make choise of as many out of the Lords Spirituall then the same all jointly together nominate 8. of the Commissioners for the counties as many of the Commissioners for the free Burghs regall which make up in all the number of 32. And then these Lords of the Articles so they are termed together with the Chancellor Treasurer Keeper of the Privie Seale Kings Secretarie c. do admit or reject everie bill proposed unto the States after they have bin first imparted unto the King Being allowed by the whole assembly of the States they are throughly weighed and examined and such of them as passe by the greater number of voices are exhibited unto the King who by touching them with his Scepter pronounceth that hee either ratifieth and approveth them or disableth and maketh the same voide But if any thing disliketh the King it is razed out before The Second Court or next unto the Parliament is the Colledge of Iustice or as they call it The Session which King James the fifth 1532. instituted after the forme of the Parliament of Paris consisting of a President 14. Senatours seven of the Cleargie and as many of the Laitie unto whom was adjoined afterward the Chancellor who hath the chiefe place and five other Senatours three principall Scribes or Clerks and as many Advocates as the Senatours shall thinke good These sit and minister justice not according to the rigour of law but with reason and equitie every day save onely on the Lords day and Monday from the first of November to the fifteenth of March and from Trinitie Sunday unto the Calends of August All the space betweene as being the times of sowing and harvest is vacation and intermission of all suites and law matters They give judgement according to the Parliament Statutes and Municipall Lawes and where they are defective they have recourse to the Imperiall Civill Law There are besides in everie Countie inferiour civill Judicatories or Courts kept wherein the Sheriffe of the shire or his deputie decideth the controversies of the inhabitants about violent ejections intrusions dammages debts c. From which Courts and Judges in regard of hard and unequall dealing or else of alliance and partialitie they appeale sometime to the Session These Sheriffes are all for the most part hereditarie For the Kings of Scots like as of England also to oblige more surely unto them the better sort of Gentlemen by their benefits and favours made in old time these Sheriffes hereditarie and perpetuall But the English Kings soone perceiving the inconveniences thereby ensuing of purpose changed this order and appointed them from yeere to yeere There be civill Courts also in everie regalitie holden by their Bailiffes to whom the Kings have graciously granted royalties as also in free Burroughs by the Magistrates thereof There are likewise Judicatories which they call Commissariats the highest whereof is kept at Edenburgh in which before foure Judges actions are pleaded concerning Wills and Testaments the right of Ecclesiasticall benefices Tithes Divorces and such other Ecclesiasticall causes In every other severall part almost throughout the Kingdome there sitteth but one Judge alone in a place about these
the Lords Humes so called for their firmnesse and strength thereof at the Promontory of the said Saint Ebbe who being the daughter of Edilfria King of Northumberland when her Father was taken prisoner got hold of a boat in Humber and passing along the raging Ocean landed here in safety became renowned for her sanctimony and left her name unto the place But this Merch is mentioned in the Historiographers a great deale more for the Earles thereof than for any places therein who for martiall prowesse were highly renowned and descended from Gospatricke Earle of Northumberland whom after he was fled from William Conqueror of England Malcom Canmor that is With the great head King of Scotland entertained enriched him with the castle of Dunbar and honoured with the Earldome of Merch. Whose posterity besides other goodly and faire lands in Scotland held as appeareth plainly in an old Inquisition the Barony of Bengeley in Northumberland that they should be Inborow and Utborow betweene England and Scotland What the meaning should be of these tearmes let others ghesse what my conjecture is I have said already In the reigne of King James the first George de Dunbar Earle of Merch by authority of Parliament for his Fathers rebellion lost the Propriety and possession of the Earledome of Merch and the Seignorie of Dunbar And when as hee proved by good evidences and writings brought forth that his father had beene pardoned for that fault by the Regents of the Kingdome he was answered againe that it was not in the Regents power to pardon an offence against the State and that it was expressely provided by the Lawes that children should undergoe punishment for their fathers transgressions to the end that being thus heires to their fathers rashnesse as they are to their goods and lands they should not at any time in the haughty pride of their owne power plot any treason against Prince or country This title of Earle of March among other honourable titles was given afterward to Alexander Duke of Albany and by him forfaited And in our remembrance this title of honour was revived againe in Robert the third brother of Mathew Earle of Lennox who being of a Bishop of Cathanes made Earle of Lennox resigned up that title soone after unto his nephew then created Duke of Lennox and he himselfe in lieu thereof received of the King the name and stile of the Earle of Merch. LAUDEN or LOTHIEN LOTHIEN which is also called Lauden named in times past of the Picts Pictland shooteth out along from Merch unto the Scottish sea or the Forth having many hils in it and little wood but for fruitfull corn-fields for courtesie also and civility of manners commended above all other countries of Scotland About the yeere of our salvation 873. Eadgar King of England betweene whom and Keneth the third King of Scots there was a great knot of alliance against the Danes common enemies to them both resigned up his right unto him in this Lothien as Matthew the Flour-gatherer witnesseth and to winne his heart the more unto him He gave unto him many mansions in the way wherein both he and his successours in their comming unto the Kings of England and in returne homeward might be lodged which unto the time of K. Henry the second continued in the hands of the Kings of Scotland In this Lothien the first place that offereth it selfe unto our sight upon the sea side is Dunbar a passing strong castle in old time and the seat of the Earles of Merch aforesaid who thereupon on were called Earles of Dunbar A Peece many a time wonne by English and as often recovered by the Scottish But in the yeere 1567. by authority of the States in Parliament it was demolished because it should not be an hold and place of refuge for rebels But James King of great Britain conferred the title and honour of Earle of Dunbar upon Sir George Hume for his approved fidelity whom he had created before Baron Hume of Barwick to him his heires and assignes Hard by Tine a little river after it hath runne a short course falleth into the sea neere unto the spring-head whereof standeth Zeister which hath his Baron out of the family of the Haies Earles of Aroll who also is by inheritance Sheriffe of the little territory of Twedall or Peblis By the same riveret some few miles higher is seated Hadington or Hadina in a wide and broad plaine which towne the English fortified with a deepe and large ditch with a mure or rampire also without foure square and with foure bulwarkes at the corners and with as many other at the inner wall and Sir Iames Wilford an Englishman valiantly defended it against Dessie the Frenchman who with ten thousand French and Dutch together fiercely assaulted it untill that by reason of the plague which grew hot among the garrison souldiers Henry Earle of Rutland comming with a royall army raised the siege removed the French and having laid the munitions levell conducted the English home And now of late King James the sixth hath ranged Sir Iohn Ramsey among the Nobles of Scotland with title and honour of Vicount Hadington for his faithfull valour as whose RIGHT HAND was the DEFENDER OF PRINCE AND COUNTREY in that most wicked conspiracy of the Gowries against the Kings person Touching this Hadington thus hath Master I. Ionston versified Planities praetensa jacet prope flumina Tinae Fluminiâ— arguti clauditur ista sinu Vulcani Martis quae passa incendia fati Ingemit alterno vulnere fracta vices Nunc tandem sapit icta Dei praecepta secuta Praesidio gaudet jam potiore Poli. Before it lies a spacious plaine the Tine his streame hard by In bosome of that river shrill this towne enclos'd doth lie Which having suffered grievous smart of fire and sword by turnes Grones under these misfortunes much and for her losses mournes But now at length selfe-harmes have made it wise and by Gods lore Directed helpe it hath from heaven which steedeth it much more Within a little of Hadington standeth Athelstanford so called of Athelstane a chiefe leader of the English slaine there with his men about the yeere 815. But that he should be that warlike Athelstane which was King of the West-Saxons both the account of the times and his owne death doe manifestly controlle it Above the mouth of this Tine in the very bending of the shore standeth Tantallon Castle from whence Archibald Douglas Earle of Angus wrought James the fifth King of Scots much teene and trouble Here by retiring backe of the shores on both sides is roome made for a most noble arme of the sea and the same well furnished with Ilands which by reason of many rivers encountring it by the way and the tides of the surging sea together spreadeth exceeding broad Ptolomee calleth it BODERIA Tacitus BODOTRIA of the depth as I guesse the Scots The Forth and Frith we Edenburgh Frith others
of the river Annan which lost all the glorie and beautie it had by the English warre in the reigne of Edward the sixth In this territorie the Ionstons are men of greatest name a kinred even bred to warre betweene whom and the Maxwels there hath beene professed an open enmitie over long even to deadly feud and blood-shed which Maxwels by right from their ancestours have the rule of this Seneschalsie for so it is accounted This vale Eadgar King of Scots after hee was restored to his kingdome by auxiliarie forces out of England gave in consideration and reward of good service unto Robert Bruse or Brus Lord of Cliveland in Yorke-shire who with the good favour of the King bestowed it upon Robert his younger sonne when himselfe would not serve the King of Scots in his warres From him flowered the Bruses Lords of Annandale of whom Robert Brus married Isabel the daughter of William King of Scots by the daughter of Robert Avenall his sonne likewise Robert the third of the name wedded the daughter of David Earle of Huntington and of Gariosh whose sonne Robert surname The Noble when the issue of Alexander the third King of Scots sailed challenged in his mothers right the Kingdome of Scotland before Edward the first King of England as the direct and superiour Lord of the Kingdome of Scotland so the English give it out or an honourable Arbitratour for to say the Scots as being neerer in proximitie in degree and blood to King Alexander the third and Margaret daughter to the King of Norway although bee were the sonne by a second sister who soon after resigning up his own right granted and gave over to his son Robert Brus Earle of Carrick and to his heires I speak out of the verie originall all the right and claime which he had or might have to the Kingdome of Scotland But the action and suit went with John Balliol who sued for his right us descended of the eldest sister although in a degree farther off and sentence was given in these words For that the person more remote in the second degree descending in the first line is to bee preferred before a nâ—â—erer in a second line in the succession of an inheritance that cannot be parted How beit the said Robert sonne to the Earle of Carrick by his own vertue at length recovered the Kingdome unto himself and established it to his posteritie A Prince who as he flourished notably in regard of the glorious ornaments of his noble acts so he triumphed as happily with invincible fortitude and courage over fortune that so often crossed him NIDISDALL CLose unto Annandale on the West side lyeth NIDISDALE suficiently with corne-fields and pastures so named of the river Nid which in Ptolomee is wrongly written NOBIUS for NODIUS or NIDIUS of which name there bee other rivers in Britaine full of shallow foords and muddie shelves like as this NID is also It springeth out of the Lake Logh-Cure by which flourished CORDA a towne of the Selgova He taketh his course first by Sauqhuera Castle of the Creightons who a long time kept a great port as enjoying the dignitie of the Barons of Sauqhuer and the authoritie besides of hereditarie Sheriffs of Nidisdale then by Morton which gave title of Earle to some of the family of Douglas out of which others of that surname have their mansion and abiding at Drumlanrig by the same river neere unto the mouth whereof standeth Danfreys betweene two hills the most flourishing towne of this tract which hath to shew also an old Castle in it famous for making of woollen clothes and remarkable for the murder of John Commin the mightiest man for manred and retinew in all Scotland whom Roberts Brus for feare he should foreclose his way to the kingdome ranne quite through with his sword in the Church and soon obtained his pardon from the Pope for committing that murder in a sacred place Neerer unto the mouth Solway a little village retaineth still somewhat of the old name of Selgova Upon the verie mouth is situate Caer Laverock which Prolomee I supposed called CARBANTORIGUM accounted an imprenable sort when King Edward the first accompanied with the floure of English Nobilitie besieged and hardly wonne it but now it is a weake dwelling house of the Barons of Maxwell who being men of an ancient and noble linage were a long time Wardens of these West matches and of late advanced by marriage with the daughter one of the heires of the Earle of Morton whereby John Lord Maxwell was declared Earle of Morson as also by the daughter and heire of Hereis Lord Toricles whom I a younger sonne took to wife and obtained by the title of Baron Hereis Moreover in this vale by the Lake side lyeth Glencarn whence the Cunninghams of whom I am to write more in place convenient bare a long time the title of Earle This Nidisdale together with Annandale nourisheth a warlike kind of men who have beene infamous for robberies and depredations for they dwell upon Solway Frish a fourdable arme of the sea at low waters through which they made many times outrodes into England for to fetch in booties and in which the inhabitants thereabout on both sides with pleasant pastime and delightfull sight on horse-backe with speares hunt Salmons whereof there is abundance What manner of cattailestealers these be that inhabite these vales in the marches of both kingdomes John Lesley himselfe a Scottish man and Bishop of Rosse will tell you in these words They go forth in the night by troops out of there own borders through desart by-waies and many winding crankes All the day time they refresh their burses and recreate their owne strength in lurking places appointed before band until they be come thither as length in the dark night where they would be When they have laid hold of a bootie back again they returne home likewise by night through blinde waies onely and fetching many a compasse about The more skilfull any leader or guide is to passe through those wild desarts crooked turnings and steep downe-falls in the thickest mists and deepest darknesse hee is held in greaâ—â—ter reputation as one of an excelling wit And so craftie and 〈◊〉 these are that seldome or never they forgo their bootie and suffer it to be taken out of their hands unlesse it happen otherwhiles that they be caught by their adversaries following continually after and tracing them directly by their footing according as quick-senting Slugh-bounds doe lead them But say they be taken so faire spoken they are and eloquen so manie sugred words they have at will sweetly to plead for them that they are able to move the Iudges and adversaries both he they never so austere and severe if not to mercie yet to admiration amd some commiseration withall NOVANTES GALLOWAY FRom Nidisdale as you goe on Westward the NOVANTES inhabited in the vales all that tract which
world for fishfull streame renown'd Refresheth all the neighbour fields that lye about it round But Glascow beautie is to Cluyd and grace to countries nye And by the streames that flow from thence all places fructifie Along the hithermore banke of Cluid yeth the Baronie of Reinfraw so called of the principall towne which may seeme to bee RANDVARA in Ptolomee by the river Cathcart that hath the Baron of Cathcart dwelling upon it carrying the same surname and of ancient nobilitie neere unto which for this little province can shew a goodly breed of nobilitie there border Cruikston the seat in times past of the Lords of Darley from whom by right of marriage it came to the Earles of Lennox whence Henrie the Father of King James the sixth was called Lord Darly Halkead the habitation of the Barons of Ros descended originally from English blood as who fetch their pedegree from that Robert Ros of Warke who long since left England and came under the alleageance of the King of Scots Pasley sometimes a famous Monasterie founded by Alexander the second of that name high Steward of Scotland which for a gorgeous Church and rich furniture was inferiour to few but now by the beneficiall favour of King James the sixth it yeeldeth both dwelling place and title of Baron to Lord Claud Hamilton a younger sonne of Duke Chasteu Herald and Sempill the Lord whereof Baron Sempill by ancient right is Sheriffe of this Baronie But the title of Baron of Reinfraw by a peculiar priviledge doth appertaine unto the Prince of Scotland LENNOX ALong the other banke of Cluyd above Glascow runneth forth Levinia or LENNOX Northward among a number of hills close couched one by another having that name of the river Levin which Ptolomee calleth LELANONIUS and runneth into Cluyd out of Logh Lomund which spreadeth it selfe here under the mountaines twenty miles long and eight miles broad passing well stored with varietie of fish but most especially with a peculiar fish that is to be found no where else they call it Pollac as also with Ilands concerning which manie fables have beene forged and those riâ—e among the common people As touching an Iland here that floateth and waveth too and fro I list not to make question thereof For what should let but that a lighter bodie and spongeous withall in manner of a pumice stone may swimme above the water and Plinie writeth how in the Lake Vadimon there be Ilands full of grasse and covered over with rushes and reeds that float up and downe But I leave it unto them that dwell neerer unto this place and better know the nature of this Lake whether this old Distichon of our Necham be true or no Ditatur fluviis Albania saxea ligna Dat Lomund multa frigiditate potens With rivers Scotland is enrich'd and Lomund there a Lake So cold of nature is that stickes it quickly stones doth make Round about the edge of this Lake there bee fishers cottages but nothing else memorable unlesse it be Kilmoronoc a proper fine house of the Earles of Cassiles on the East side of it which hath a most pleasant prospect into the said Lake But at the confluence where Levin emptieth it selfe out of the Lake into Cluyd standeth the old Citie called Al-Cluyd Bede noteth that it signified in whose language I know not as much as The rocke Cluyd True it is that Ar-Cluyd signifieth in the British tongue upon Cluyd or upon the rocke and Cluyd in ancient English sounded the same that a Rocke The succeeding posteritie called this place Dunbritton that is The Britans towne and corruptly by a certaine transposition of letters Dunbarton because the Britans held it longest against the Scots Picts and Saxons For it is the strongest of all the castles in Scotland by naturall situation towring upon a rough craggie and two-headed rocke at the verie meeting of the rivers in a greene plaine In one of the tops or heads abovesaid there standeth up a loftie watch-tower or Keep on the other which is the lower there are sundrie strong bulwarks Betweene these two tops on the North side it hath one onely ascent by which hardly one by one can passe up and that with a labour by grees or steps cut out aslope travers the rocke In steed of ditches on the West side serveth the river Levin on the South Cluyd and on the East a boggie flat which at everie tide is wholly covered over with waters and on the North side the verie upright steepenesse of the place is a most sufficient defence Certain remaines of the Britans presuming of the naturall strength of this place and their owne manhood who as Gildas writeth gat themselves a place of refuge in high mountaines and hills steep and naturally fensed as it were with rampires and ditches in most thick woods and forrests in rockes also of the sea stood out and defended themselves here after the Romans departure for three hundred yeeres in the midst of their enemies For in Bedes time as himself writeth it was the best fortified citie of the Britans But in the yeere 756. Eadbert King of Northumberland and Oeng King of the Picts with their joint forces enclosed it round about by siege and brought it to such a desperate extremitie that it was rendred unto them by composition Of this place the territorie round about it is called the Sherifdome of Dunbarton and hath had the Earles of Lennox this long time for their Sheriffes by birth-right and inheritance As touching the Earles of Lennox themselves to omit those of more ancient and obscure times there was one Duncane Earle of Lennox in the reigne of Robert the second who died and left none but daughters behinde him Of whom one was married to Alan Steward descended from Robert a younger sonne of Walter the second of that name High Steward of Scotland and brother likewise to Alexander Steward the second from whom the noblest and royall race of Scotland hath beene propagated This surname Steward was given unto that most noble family in regard of the honourable office of the Stewardshippe of the kingdome as who had the charge of the Kings revenues The said Alan had issue John Earle of Lennox and Robert Captain of that companie of Scottishmen at Armes which Charles the sixth K. of France first instituted in lieu of some recompence unto the Scottish nation which by their valour had deserved passing well of the kingdom of France who also by the same Prince for his vertues sake was endowed with the Seigniorie of Aubigny in Auvergne John had a sonne named Matthew Earle of Lennox who wedded the daughter of James Hamilton by Marion daughter to King James the second on whom he begat John Earle of Lennox hee taking armes to deliver King James the fifth out of the hands of the Douglasses and the Hamiltons was slaine by the Earle of Arran his Unkle on the mothers side This John was
extended it selfe in old time farre and wide everie way in these parts As for the places herein they are of no great account but the Earles thereof are very memorable Thomas a younger sonne of Rolland of Galloway was in his wives right Earle of Athol whose sonne Patricke was by the Bissets his concurrents murdered in feud at Hadington in his bed-chamber and forthwith the whole house wherein hee lodged burnt that it might be supposed he perished by casualtie of fire In the Earldome there succeeded David Hastings who had married the aunt by the mothers side of Patricke whose sonne that David surnamed of Strathbogie may seeme to be who a little after in the reigne of Henrie the third King of England being Earle of Athol married one of the daughters and heires of Richard base sonne to John King of England and had with her a verie goodly inheritance in England She bare unto him two sonnes John Earle of Athol who being of a variable disposition and untrustie was hanged up aloft on a gallowes fiftie foot high and David Earle of Athol unto whom by marriage with one of the daughters and heires of John Comin of Badzenoth by one of the heires of Aumar de Valence Earle of Penbroch there fell great lands and possessions His sonne David who under King Edward the second was otherwhiles amongst English Earles summoned to the Parliaments in England and under King Edward Balliol made Lord Lievtenant Generall of Scotland was vanquished by the valerous prowesse of Andrew de Murray and slaine in battaile within the Forrest of Kelblen in the yeere of our Lord 1335. And his sonne David left two young daughters only Elizabeth wedded unto Sir Thomas Percie from whom the Barons of Burrough are descended and Philip married to Sir Thomas Halsham an English Knight Then fell the title of Athol unto that Walter Stewart sonne to King Robert the second who cruelly murdered James the first King of Scotland and for this execrable crueltie suffered most condigne punishment accordingly in so much as Aeneas Sylvius Embassadour at that time in Scotland from Pope Eugenius the fourth gave out this speech That hee could not tell whether hee should give them greater commendations that revenged the Kings death or brand them with sharper censure of condemnation that distained themselves with so hainous a parricide After some few yeeres passed betweene this honour was granted unto John Stewart of the family of Lorne the sonne of James surnamed The Black Knight by Joan the widow of King James the first daughter to John Earle of Somerset and Niece to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster whose posteritie at this day enjoy the same Tau bearing now a bigger streame by receiving Almund unto him holdeth on his course to Dunkelden adorned by King David with an Episcopall See Most writers grounding upon the signification of that word suppose it to be a towne of the Caledonians and interpret it The Mount or hill of Hazeles as who would have that name given unto it of the Hazel trees in the wood Caledonia From hence the Tau goeth forward by the carkasse of Berth a little desolate Citie remembring well enough what a great losse and calamitie hee brought upon it in times past when with an extraordinarie swelling flood hee surrounded all the fields layed the goodly standing corne along on the ground and carried headlong away with him this poore Citie with the Kings childe and infant in his cradle and the inhabitants therein In steed whereof in a more commodious place King William builded Perth which straightwaies became so wealthy that Necham who lived in that age versified of it in this manner Transis ample Tai per rura per oppida per Perth Regnum sustentant istius urbis opes By villages by townes by Perth thou runn'st great Tay amaine The riches of this Citie Perth doth all the realme sustaine But the posteritie ensuing called it of a Church founded in honour of Saint John Saint Iohns towne and the English whiles the warres were hot betweene the Bruses and the Balliols fortified it with great bulwarks which the Scots afterwards for the most part overthrew and dismantled it themselves Howbeit it is a proper pretie Citie pleasantly seated betweene two Greenes and for all that some of the Churches be destroyed yet a goodly shew it maketh ranged and set out in such an uniforme maner that in everie severall street almost there dwell severall artificers by themselves and the river Tau bringeth up with the tide sea commodities by lighters whereupon J. Jonston so often now by me cited writeth thus PERTHUM Propter aquas Tai liquidas amoena vineta Obtinet in medio regna superba solo Nobilium quondam regum clarissima sedes Pulchra situ pinguis germine dives agri Finitimis dat jura locis moremque modumque Huic dare laus illis haec meruisse dari Sola inter patrias incincta est moenibus urbes Hostibus assiduis ne vaga praeda foret Quanta virûm virtus dextrae quae praemia nôrunt Cimber Saxo ferox genus Hectoridum Felix laude novâ felix quoque laude vetustâ Perge recens priscum perpetuare decus PERTH Neere to the waters cleere of Tay and pleasant plaines all greene In middle ground betweene them stands Perth proudly like a Queene Of noble Kings the stately seat and palace once it was Faire for the site and rich with all for spring of corne and grasse To neighbour places all it doth lawes customes fashions give Her praise to give theirs to deserve the same for to receive Of all the Cities in these parts walled alone is she Lest she to foes continuall a scambling prey might be What Knights she bred and what rewards they won to knighthood due Danes Saxons fierce bold Britans eke the Trojans off-spring knew Happie for praises old happie for praises new of late New as thou art thine honour old strive to perpetuate And now of late King James the sixth hath erected it to the title of an Earldome having created James Baron Dromund Earle of Perth Unto Perth these places are neere neighbours Methven which Margaret an English Ladie widow unto King James the fourth purchased with readie money for her third husband Henrie Steward descended of the royall blood and for his heires and withall obtained of her sonne King James the fifth for him the dignitie of a Baron More beneath is Rethuen a castle of the Rethuens whose name is of damned memorie considering that the three states of the kingdome hath ordained that whosoever were of that name should forgoe the same and take unto them a new after that the Rethuens brethren in a most cursed and horrible conspiracie had complotted to murder their soveraigne King James the sixth who had created William their father Earle of Gourie and afterward beheaded him being lawfully convicted when he would insolently prescribe lawes to his soveraigne But of men
his Kingdome divers authors affirme to have granted by his Charter or Patent Ireland and England both unto the Church of Rome to be held of it ever after in fee and to have received it againe from the Church as a Feudatarie also to have bound his successours to pay three hundred Markes unto the Bishop of Rome But that most worthie and famous Sir Thomas Moore who tooke the Popes part even unto death affirmeth this to be false For hee writeth that the Romanists can shew no such grant that they never demanded the foresaid money and that the Kings of England never acknowledged it But by his leave as great a man as hee was the case stood otherwise as evidently appeareth by the Parliament Records the credit whereof cannot bee impugned For in an assembly of all the States of the Realme in the reigne of Edward the third the Lord Chancellour of England proposed and related that the Pope would judicially sue the King of England as well for the Homage as the tribute which was to be yeelded for England and Ireland to the performance whereof King Iohn in times past had obliged himselfe and his successours and of this point which hee put to question required their opinion The Bishops desired to have a day by them selves for to consult about this matter the Nobles likewise and the people or Communaltie The day after they all met and with one generall accord ordained and enacted That for asmuch as neither King Iohn nor any other King whatsoever could impose such servitude upon the Kingdome but with the common consent and assent of a Parliament which was not done and whatsoever he had passed was against his oath at his coronation by him in expresse words religiously taken before God Therefore in case the Pope should urge this matter they were most readie to the uttermost of their power to resist him resolutely with their bodies and goods They also who are skilfull in scanning and sifting everie pricke and tittle of the lawes cry out with one voice That the said Grant or Charter of King Iohn was voide in Law by that clause and reservation in the end thereof Saving unto us and our heires all our Rights Liberties and Regalities But this may seeme beside my text Ever since King Johns time the Kings of England were stiled Lords of Ireland untill that King Henrie the eighth in the memorie of our fathers was in a Parliament of Ireland by the States thereof declared King of Ireland because the name of Lord seemed in the judgement of certaine seditious persons nothing so sacred and full of majestie as the name of King This name and title of the Kingdome of Ireland were by the Popes authoritie what time as Queene Marie in the yeere 1555. had by her Embassadours in the name of the Kingdom of England tendred obedience unto the Pope Paul the fourth confirmed in these words To the laud and glorie of almightie God and his most glorious mother the Virgin Mary to the honour also of the whole Court of heaven and the exaltation of the Catholike faith as the humble request and suite made unto us by King Philip and Queen Marie about this matter wee with the advice of our brethren and of plenarie power Apostolicall by our Apostolicall authoritie erect for ever Ireland to bee a Kingdome and endow dignifie and exalt with the title dignitie honour faculties rights ensignes prerogatives preferments preeminencies royall and such as other Realmes of Christians have use and enjoy and may have use and enjoy for the times to come And seeing that I have hapned upon those Noblemens names who first of all English gave the attempt upon Ireland and most valiantly subdued it under the imperiall crowne of England lest I might seeme upon envie to deprive both them and their posteritie of this due and deserved glorie I will set them downe here out of the Chancerie of Ireland according as the title doth purport The names of them that came with Dermot Mac Morrog into Ireland Richard Strongbow Earle of Pembroch who by Eve the daughter of Morrog the Irish pettie King aforesaid had one only daughter and she brought unto William Mareschall the title of the Earldome of Pembroch with faire lands in Ireland and a goodly issue five sonnes who succeeded one another in a row all childlesse and as many daughters which enriched their husbands Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke Guarin Montchensey Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester William Ferrars Earle of Derby and William Breose with children honours and possessions Robert Fitz-Stephen Harvey de Mont-Marish Maurice Prendergest Robert Barr. Meiler Meilerine Maurice Fitz-Girald Redmund nephew of Fitz-Stephen William Ferrand Miles de Cogan Richard de Cogan Gualter de Ridensford Gualter and sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald Alexander sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald William Notte Robert Fitz-Bernard Hugh Lacie William Fitz-Aldelm William Maccarell Humfrey Bohun Hugh de Gundevill Philip de Hasting Hugh Tirell David Walsh Robert Poer Osbert de Herloter William de Bendenges Adam de Gernez Philip de Breos Griffin nephew of Fitz-Stephen Raulfe Fitz-Stephen Walter de Barry Philip Walsh Adam de Hereford To whom may be added out of Giraldus Cambrensis Iohn Curcy Hugh Contilon Redmund Cantimore Redmund Fitz-Hugh Miles of S. Davids and others The Government of the Kingdome of Ireland EVer since that Ireland became subject unto England the Kings of England have sent over thither to manage the state of the Realme their Regents or Vice-gerents whom they tearmed in those writings or letters Patents of theirs whereby authoritie and jurisdiction is committed unto them first Keepers of Ireland then afterwards according as it pleased them Iustices of Ireland Lievtenants and Deputies Which authoritie and jurisdiction of theirs is very large ample and royall whereby they have power to make warre to conclude peace to bestow all Magistracies and Offices except a very few to pardon all crimes unlesse they be some of high treason to dub Knights c. These letters Patents when any one entreth upon this honourable place of government are publikely read and after a solemne oath taken in a set forme of words before the Chancellour the sword is delivered into his hands which is to be borne before him he is placed in a chaire of estate having standing by him the Chancellour of the Realme those of the Privie Councell the Peeres and Nobles of the kingdome with a King of Armes a Serjeant of Armes and other Officers of State And verily there is not looke throughout all Christendome againe any other Vice-Roy that commeth neerer unto the majestie of a King whether you respect his jurisdiction and authoritie or his traine furniture and provision There bee assistant unto him in counsell the Lord Chancellour of the Realm the Treasurer of the Kingdome and others of the Earles Bishops Barons and Judges which are of the Privie Councell For Ireland hath the very same degrees of States that England hath namely Earles Barons Knights
William Vescy fled into France and would not fight Then the King of England gave all the Seigniories and Lordships which were the Lord William Vescies unto Sir John Fitz-Thomas to wit Kildare Rathemgan and many others The same yeere Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester returned out of Ireland into England likewise Richard Earle of Ulster soon after the feast of S. Nicholas was taâ—en prisoner by Sir John Fitz-Thomas and kept in ward within the Castle of Ley unto the feast of Saint Gregorie the Pope whose enlargement was then made by the counsell of the Lord the King in a Parliament at Kilkenny for the taking of whom the foresaid Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas gave all his lands to wit Slygah with the pertenances which he had in Connaght Item the Castle of Kildare was won Kildare and the country round about it is spoiled by the English and Irish. Caluagh burnt all the Rolls and Tallies of the said Earle Great dearth and pestilence there was throughout Ireland this yeere and the two next ensuing Item Lord William Odyngzele is made Justice of Ireland MCCXCV Edward King of England built the Castle de Bello-Marisco that is Beaumaris in Venedocia which is called mother of Cambria and of the common sort Anglesey entring unto the said Anglesey straight after Easter and subduing the Venodotes that is the able men of Anglesey under his dominion and soone after this time namely after the feast of St. Margaret Madock at that time the elect Prince of Wales submitting himselfe to the Kings grace and favour was brought by Iohn Haverings to London and there shut up prisoner in the towre expecting the Kings grace and benevolence This yeere died Lord William Odingzele Justice of Ireland the morrow after S. Mary of Aegypt whom succeeded Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice in the Justiceship Item about the same time the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster burning New-castle with other townes Item Thomas Torbevile a traitor of the King and the realm being convicted was drawne through the middest of London lying along prostrate guarded with foure tormentors disguised under vizzards taunting and reviling him and thus in the end was hanged upon a jibbet in chaines so as his carcase might not be committed to sepulture but kites carrion crowes and ravens celebrated his funerals This Thomas was one of them which at the siege of the Castle of Rions were taken prisoners and brought to Paris Who spake unto the Peeres of France and said that he would betray the King of England into their hands and leaving there his two sonnes for hostages returned from the parts beyond-sea joining himself unto the King of England and his counsell relating unto them all how craftily he escaped out of prison and when hee had gotten intelligence of the Kings designement and the ordering of the kingdome hee put all in writing and directed the same unto the Provost of Paris For which being in the end convicted he received the sentence of judgement aforesaid Item about the same time the Scots having broken the bond of peace which they had covenanted with the Lord Edward King of England made a new league with the King of France and conspiring together rose up in armes against their owne soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Balliol and enclosed him within the inland parts of Scotland in a castle environed and fensed round about with mountaines They elected unto themselves after the manner of France twelve Peeres to wit foure Bishops foure Earles and foure Lords of the Nobilitie by whose will and direction all the affaires of the kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite and to disgrace the King of England for that against the will and consent of the Scots the said John was by the King of England set over them to be their Soveraigne Item the King of England brought an armie againe toward Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancie and presumption of the Scots against their owne father and King Item Sir Iohn Wogan was made Justice of Ireland and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Maurice gave place unto him Item the said John Wogan Justice of Ireland made peace and truce to last for two yeeres betweene the Earle of Ulster and Iohn Fitz-Thomas and the Geraldines Item in these dayes about the feast of Christ his Nativitie Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester finished this life Item the King of England sendeth his brother Edmund with an armie into Gascoigne MCCXCVI The Lord Edward King of England the third day before the Calends of Aprill to wit upon Friday that fell out then to be in Easter weeke wonne Berwicke wherein were slaine about 7000. Scots and of the English one onely Knight to wit Sir Richard Cornwall with seven footmen and no more Item shortly after namely upon the fourth of May he entred the Castle of Dunbar and tooke prisoners of the enemies about fortie men alive who all submitted themselves to the Kings grace and mercie having before defeated the whole armie of the Scots that is to say slaine seven hundred men of armes neither were there slaine of the English men in that service as well of horsemen as of footmen but ... footmen onely Item upon the day of Saint John before Port-Latin no small number of Welshmen even about fifteene thousand by commandement of the King went into Scotland to invade and conquer it And the same time the great Lords of Ireland to wit Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Theobald Butler and Iohn Fitz-Thomas with others came to aide and sailed over sea into Scotland The King of England also entertaining them upon the third day before the Ides of May to wit on Whitsunday made a great and solemne feast in the Castle of Rokesburgh to them and other Knights of England Item upon the next Wednesday before the feast of Saint Barnabe the Apostle hee entred the towne of Edeâ—burgh and wonne the Castle before the feast of Saint John Baptist and shortly after even in the same summer were all the Castles within the compasse of Scotland rendred up into his hands Item the same Lord John Balliol King of Scotland came though unwilling upon the Sunday next after the feast of the translation of Saint Thomas the Archbishop to the King of England with Earles Bishops and a great number of Knights beside and submitted themselves unto the Kings grace and will saving life and limbe and the Lord John Balliol resigned up all his right of Scotland into the King of England his hand whom the Lord the King sent toward the parts about London under safe conduct Item Edmund the King of Englands brother died in Gascoigne MCCXCVII Lord Edward King of England sailed over into Flanders with a power of armed men against the King of France for the warre that was raised betweene them where after great expences and much altercation a certaine forme of peace was concluded betweene them with this condition that they should submit themselves unto the ordinance of
the Lord the Pope From the one side and the other were sent certaine messengers to the Court of Rome but whiles King Edward abode in Flanders William Walleis by the common counsell of the Scots came with a great armie to the bridge of Strivelin and gave battle unto John Earle Warren in which battell on both sides many were slaine and many drowned But the Englishmen were discomfited and defeated Upon which exploit all the Scots at once arose and made an insurrection as well Earls as Barons against the King of England And there fell discord betweene the King of England and Roger Bigod Earle Mareschall but soone after they were agreed And Saint Lewis a Frier minor sonne of the King of Sicily and Archbishop of Colein died Also the sonne and heire of the King de Maliagro that is of the Majoricke Ilands instituted the order of the Friers minors at the information of Saint Lewis who said Goe and doe so Item in Ireland Leghlin with other townes was burnt by the Irish of Slemergi Item Calwagh O-Hanlan and Yneg Mac-Mahon are slaine in Urgale MCCXCVIII Pope Boniface the fourth the morrow after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul after all tumults were appeased ordained and confirmed a peace betweene the King of England and the King of France with certaine conditions that after followed Item Edward King of England set forth with an armie againe into Scotland for to subdue the Scots under his dominion Item there were slaine in the same expedition about the feast of Saint Marie Maudlen many thousands of the Scots at Fawkirk The sunne the same day appeared as red as bloud over all Ireland so long as the battell continued at Fawkirke aforesaid Item about the same time the Lord King of England feoffed his Knights in the Earldomes and Baronies of the Scots that were slaine More in Ireland peace and concord was concluded between the Earle of Ulster and Lord John Fitz-Thomas about the feast of the Apostles Simon and Iude. Also on the morrow after the feast of the 7. Saints sleepers the sun-beames were changed almost into the colour of bloud even from the morning so that all men that saw it wondred thereat Moreover there died Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice Knight and Sir Robert Bigod sometime Lord chiefe Justice of the Bench. Item in the Citie Artha as also in Reathe in the parts of Italie whiles Pope Boniface abode there at the same time there happened so great an Earthquake that towres and palaces fell downe to the ground The Pope also with his Cardinals fled from the Citie much affrighted Item upon the feast of the Epiphany that is Twelfe day there was an earthquake though not so violent in England from Canterburie as farre as to Hampton MCCXCIX Lord Theobald Botiller the younger departed this life in the Manour de Turby the second day before the Ides of May whose corps was conveied toward Weydeney that is Weney in the countie of Limeric the sixth day before the Calends of June Item Edward King of England tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sister to the noble King of France in the Church of the holy Trinitie in Canterburie about the feast of the holy Trinitie Item the Soldan of Babylon was defeated with a great armie of Saracens by Cassian King of the Tartars MCCXCIX The day after the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie there was an infinite number of the Saracens horsemen slaine besides the footmen who were likewise innumerable Item in the same yeere there was a battell or fight of dogges in Burgundie at Genelon castle and the number of the dogges was 3000. and everie one killed another so that no dogge escaped alive but one alone Item the same yeere many Irishmen came to trouble and molest the Lord Theobald Verdon to the Castle of Roch before the feast of the Annuntiation MCCC The Pollard money is forbidden in England and Ireland Also in the Autumne Edward King of England entred Scotland with a power of armed men but at the commandement of Pope Boniface hee was stayed and he sent solemne messengers unto the Court of Rome excusing himself of doing any injurie Item Thomas the Kings sonne of England was the last day of May born at Brotherton of Margaret sister to the King of France Item Edward Earle of Cornwall died without leaving behind an heire of his owne bodie and was enterred in the Abbey of Hales MCCCI. Edward King of England entred into Scotland with an armie unto whom failed over sea Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland and Sir John Fitz-Thomas Peter Bermingham and many others to aide the King of England Also a great part of the Citie Dublin was burnt together with the Church of Saint Warburga on S. Columbs day at night More Sir Geffrey Genevil espoused the daughter of Sir John Montefort and Sir John Mortimer espoused the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Genevil And the Lord Theobald Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Roger Mortimer At the same time the men of Leinster made warre in winter burning the towne of Wykynlo and Rathdon with others but they escaped not unpunished because the more part of their sustenance was burnt up and their cattell lost by depredation and the same Irish had beene utterly almost consumed but that the seditious dissention of certaine Englishmen was an hinderance thereto Item a defeature and slaughter was made by the Toolans upon a small companie assembled of the Brenies in which were slaine almost three hundred robbers Item Walter Power wasted a great part of Mounster burning many ferme houses MCCCII There died the ladie Margaret wife to Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland the third day before the Ides of April and in the week following Maud Lacy wife to Sir Geffery Genevil died also Edward Botiller recovered the manour de S. Bosco with the pertenances from Sir Richard Ferenges Archbishop of Dublin by a concord made between them in the Kings bench after the feast of S. Hilarie Item the Flemings gave an overthrow at Courteray in Flanders unto the army of the French the Wednesday after the feast of the Translation of S. Thomas wherein were slaine the Earle of Arthois the Earle of Aumarle the Earle of Hue Ralph Neel Constable of France Guy Nevil Mareschal of France the sonne of the Earle of Hennaund Godfrey Brabant with his sonne William Fenys and his son Iames S. Paul lost his hand and fortie Baronets lost their lives that day with Knights Esquires and others sans number Item the tenths of all Ecclesiasticall benefices in England and Ireland were exacted by Boniface the Pope for 3. yeeres as a Subsidie to the Church of Rome against the King of Aragon Also upon the day of the Circumcision Sir Hugh Lacie raised booties from Hugh Vernail In the same yeere Robert Brus then Earle of Carrick espoused the daughter of Sir Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Item Edward Botiller espoused the daughter of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas also
the Citie of Burdeaux with other Cities lying round about it which by the sedition of the Frenchmen had been at any time alienated from Edward King of England were restored unto him againe upon St. Andrewes even by the industrie of the L. Hastings MCCCIII The Earle of Ulster to wit Richard Bourk and Sir Eustace Pover entred Scotland with a puissant armie but after that the Earle himselfe had first made thirtie three Knights in the Castle of Dublin hee passed over into Scotland to aide the King of England Item Gerald the sonne and heire of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas departed out of this world In the same yeere Pope Boniface excommunicated the King and Queene of France and their children Hee renewed also all the priviledges granted at any time unto the Universitie of Paris and straight after the Pope was taken prisoner and kept as it were in prison three whole daies And soone after the Pope died likewise the Countesse of Ulster deceased Also Wulfrane Wellesly and Sir Robert Percivell were slaine the 11. day before the Calends of November MCCCIIII A great part of Dublin was burnt to wit the Bridge street with a good part of the Key and the Church of the Friers Preachers and the Church of the Monks with no small part of the Monasterie about the Ides of June to wit on the Feast day of S. Medard Also the first stone of the Friers Preachers Quire in Dublin was laid by Eustace Lord Pover on the Feast of S. Agatha Virgin Likewise after the Feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie the King of France invaded Flanders againe in proper person with a puissant armie Then bare he himselfe bravely in the war and fought manfully so long untill two or three horses of service were slaine under him but at last he lost his cap that under his helmet was put upon his head which the Flemings taking up carried by way of scornfull derision upon a lance as a banner and in all the famous Faires of Flanders put it out at the high window of some place or stately house like the signe of an Inne or Taverne and shewed it in token of victorie MCCCV Jordan Comyn with his complices slew Moritagh O-Conghir King of Offalie and Calwagh his whole brother and certain others in the Court of Sir Piers Brymgeham at Carrick in Carbrey likewise Sir Gilbert Sutton Seneschal of Weisford was slaine by the Irish neere unto a village or House of Haymund Grace which Haymund verily in the said skirmish manfully carried himselfe but stoutly escaped Item in Scotland the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke forgetting his oath made to the King of England slew Sir John Rede Comyn within the cloisture of the Friers Minors of Dunfrese and soone after caused himselfe to be crowned King of Scotland by the hands of two Bishops to wit of S. Andrewes and of Glasco in the towne of Scone to the confusion of himselfe and of many others MCCCVI A great discomfiture was made in Offaly neere unto the Castle of Gesbill on the Ides of Aprill upon O-Conghor by O-Dympcies in which was slaine O-Dympcey Leader of the Regans with a great traine accompanying him Also O-Brene King of Towmond died Item Donald Oge Mac Carthy slew Donald Ruff that is the Red King of Desmund Item a lamentable defeature fell upon the part of Piers Brymegham the fourth day before the Calends of May in the Marches of Meth. Item Balymore in Leinster was burnt by the Irish where at the same time Henry Calfe was slaine and there arose war betweene the English and the Irish in Leinster for which cause there was assembled a great armie from divers parts of Ireland to bridle the malice of the Irish in Leinster in which expedition Sir Tho. Mandevil Knight and a brave warriour had a great conflict with the Irish neere to Clenfell in which conflict he behaved himselfe valiantly untill his horse of service was slaine and won much praise and honour by saving many a man and himselfe also Item M. Thomas Cantock Chancellour of Ireland was consecrated Bishop of Ymelasen in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin with great honour at whose consecration were present the Elders of all Ireland where there was so sumptuous and so great a feast made first unto the rich and afterwards to the poore as the like had never been heard of before in Ireland Item Richard Feringes Archbishop of Dublindied in the Vigile of Saint Luke after whom succeeded Master Richard Haverings who occupied the Archbishoprick almost five yeeres by Apostolicall dispensation Who also resigned up his Archbishoprick after whom succeeded John Leth. The occasion and cause of his giving over as the Arch-deacon of Dublin of good memorie his Nephew hath reported was this for that one night hee dreamed that a certaine Monster heavier than the whole world stood eminently aloft upon his brest from the weight whereof he chose rather to be delivered than alone to have all the goods of the world but when he wakened hee thought with himselfe this was nothing else but the Church of Dublin the fruits whereof hee received and tooke no paines for the same As soone as hee could therefore he came unto the Lord the Pope of whom hee was much beloved and there renounced and gave over the Archbishopricke For hee had as the same Archdeacon avouched fatter benefices and livings than the Archbishopricke came unto Item Edward King of England in the feast of Pentecost that is Whitsontide made Edward his son Knight in London at which feast were dubbed about 400. Knights and the said Edward of Caernarvan newly knighted made threescore Knights of those abovesaid and kept his feast in London at the New Temple and his father gave unto him the Dutchy of Aquitaine Item the same yeere in the feast of Saint Potentiana the Bishop of Winchester and the Bishop of Worcester by commandement from the Lord the Pope excommunicated Robert Brus the pretended King of Scotland and his confederates for the death of Iohn Rede Comyn In the same yeere upon S. Boniface his day Aumarde Valence Earle of Pembroch and Lord Guy Earle ............ slew many Scots and the Lord Robert Brus was defeated without the town of S. Iohns And the same yeere about the feast of the Nativitie of St. Iohn Baptist King Edward went toward Scotland by water from Newarke to Lincolne Item the same yeere the Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell and the Countesse of Carricke the pretended Queene of Scotland daughter of the Earle of Ulster were taken prisoners The Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell were first torne and mangled As for the Countesse she remained with the King in great honour but the rest died miserably in Scotland Item about the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie two brethren of Robert Brus professing pyracie went out of their gallies a land to prey and were taken with sixteen Scots besides and those two themselves
seas into England out of Ireland the Earle of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas Item Sir Theohald Verdon died MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Piers Gaveston tooke their journey toward Scotland to fight against Robert Bruâ— Item in the said yeere great dearth there was of corn in Ireland an eranc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings and above Also the Bakers of Dublin for their false waight of bread suffered a new kinde of torment which was never seen there before for that on S. Sampson the Bishops day they were drawne upon hurdles through the streets of the Citie at horse-tailes More in the Abbey of S. Thomas Martyr at Dublin died Sir Neile Bruin Knight Escheator to the Lord the King in Ireland whose bodie was committed to the earth at the Friers minors with so great a pompe of tapers and waxe lights as the like was never seene before in Ireland The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Kildare where Sir Arnold Pover was acquit for the death of the Lord Bonevile because he had done this deed in his owne defence Likewise on S. Patricks day by assent of the Chapter M. Alexander Bickenore was elected Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Roger Mortimer returned into Ireland within the Octaves of the Nativitie of the blessed Virgin Marie Also the same yeere the Lord Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne died MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie there was a wonderfull and miraculous discomfiture given by the Lord Richard Clare unto the side of the Earle of Ulster Which Lord Richard aforesaid tooke prisoner in the field the Lord William Burke and John the sonne of the Lord Walter Lacie and many others In which battaile verily there were slaine a great number as well of the English as the Irish the 13. day before the Galends of June Item Taslagard and Rathcante were invaded by the robbers to wit the O-Brines and O-Tothiles the morrow after the Nativitie of S. John Baptist. Whereupon soon after in Autumne there was a great armie assembled in Leinster to make head and fight against the said robbers lurking in Glindelory and in other places full of woods Also a Parliament was holden at London in August betweene the King and the Barons to treat about the State of the kingdome and of the Kings houshold according to the ordinance of sixe Bishops sixe Earles and sixe Barons as they might best provide for the good of the Realme Item on the second day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare slew sixe hundred of Galegalaghes More on All-Saints day next going before Piers Gaveston was banished the Realme of England by the Earles and Barons and many good Statutes necessarie for the commonwealth were by the same Lords made Which Piers abjured the Realme of England about the Feast of All-Saints and entred into Flanders foure moneths after the said Piers returned presently upon the Epiphanie and by stealth entred into England keeping close unto the Kings side so that the Barons could not easily come neere unto him And hee went with the King to Yorke making his abode there in the Lent whereupon the Bishops Earles and Barons of England came to London for to treat about the State of the kingdome for feare lest by occasion of Piers his returne the Common wealth should bee troubled with commotions Item Sir John Cogan Sir Walter Faunt and Sir John Fitz-Rerie Knights died and were buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin Item John Mac-Goghedan is slaine by O-molmoy Item William Roch died at Dublin with the shot of an arrow by an Irish mountainer Item Sir Eustace Power Knight died Item in the Vigill of Saint Peters Chaire began a riot in Urgaly by Robert Verdon Item Donat O-Brene is traiterously slaine by his owne men in Tothomon MCCCXII Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston entred the castle of Scardeburgh resisting the Barons But soone after the Calends of June hee yeelded himselfe unto Sir Aumare Valence who had besieged him yet upon certaine conditions named before hand who brought him toward London But by the way he was taken prisoner at Dedington by the Earle of Warwicke and brought to Warwicke whereupon after counsell taken by the Earles and Barons he lost his head the thirteenth day before the Calends of July whose bodie lieth buried in the coventuall Church of the Friers Preachers at Langley Item John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland led forth an armie to bridle the malice of Robert Verdon and his abettors which was miserably defeated the sixth day before the Ides of July in which fight were slain Nicolas Avenel Patrick Roch and many others For this fact the said Robert Verdon and many of his complices yeelded themselves unto the Kings prison at Dublin in expectance of favour and pardon Also on Thursday the morrow after Saint Lucie Virgin in the sixth yeere of King Edward the Moone was wonderfully seene of divers colours on which day determined it was that the order of Templars should be abolished for ever More in Ireland Lord Edmund Botiller was made the Lievtenant of Lord John Wogan Justice of Ireland which Edmund in the Lent following besieged the O-Brynnes in Glindelorie and compelled them to yeeld yea and brought them almost to confusion unlesse they had returned the sooner unto the peace of the Lord the King Item the same yeere on the morrow after Saint Dominickes day Lord Maurice Fitz-Thomas espoused Katherin daughter of the Earle of Ulster at Green-castle And Thomas Fitz-Iohn espoused another daughter of the same Earle the morrow after the Assumption in the same place Also the Sunday after the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse the daughter of the Earle of Glocester wife to the Lord Iohn Burke was delivered of a sonne MCCCXIII Frier Roland Joce Primate of Ardmach arrived at the Iland of Houth the morrow after the annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Marie and rising in the night by stealth tooke up his Crosier and advanced it as farre as to the Priorie of Grace Dieu whom there encountred certaine of the Archbishop of Dublins servants debasing and putting downe that Crosier and the Primate himselfe of Ardmagh they chaced with disgrace and confusion out of Leinster Item a Parliament was holden at London wherein little or nothing was done as touching Peace from which Parliament the King departed and tooke his journey into France at the mandate of the King of France and the King of England with many of his Nobles tooke the badge of the Crosse. Also the Lord John Fitz-Thomas knighted Nicolas Fitz-Maurice and Robert Clonhull at Adare in Mounster More on the last day of May Robert Brus sent certaine Gallies to the parts of Ulster with his rovers to make spoile whom the men of Ulster resisted and manfully chased away It is said that the same Robert arrived with the licence of the Earle to take truce Item in the same summer Master John Decer a Citizen of Dublin caused a necessarie bridge to
the said Earle having an oath tendered unto him swore upon the Sacrament that hee would never worke or procure by himselfe or by any of his friends and followers harme or grievance upon the occasion of his apprehension unto the Citizens of Dublin but that which himselfe might by order of law obtaine or get against the offenders or transgressours in that behalfe and thereupon hee had time and day untill the feast of the Nativitie of S. John Baptist at which day he came not Also in the same yeere Corne and other victuals were exceeding deere A Cranok of wheat was sold for three and twenty shillings and wine for eight denires and the whole land in maner was wasted by the Scots and Ulster-men yea many house-holders and such as had sustained and relieved a number of folk were driven to begge and a number were famished So great also was the death and dearth together that the poore were pined with famine and many died At the same time came messengers to Dublin out of England with grants of pardon which they had at their will and pleasure but before their comming the foresaid Earle was delivered And at the feast of Pentecost Mortimer the Lord chiefe Justice took his journy towards Tredagh and from thence to Trim and sent his letters for the Lacies to repaire unto him who contemptuously refused to come And afterwards Sir Hugh Crofts Knight was sent unto the Lacies to treat about a peace who by them was slain the more the pity And after that Mortimer L. Justice assembled his army against the Lacies who seized upon their goods cattell and treasure and brought them to finall destruction slew many of their men and chased them into the parts of Connaght And it was said that Sir Walter Lacie went forth as farre as to Ulster to seeke Brus. Item in the towne of St. Cinere in Flanders about the feast of Pentecost the Lord Aumar Valence and his sonne were taken prisoners and conveied into Almaini And the same yeere on Munday after the feast of the nativitie of S. John Baptist the Potentates of Ireland assembled themselves to the Parliament at Dublin and there was the Earle of Ulster enlarged who tooke his oath and found mainprisers or sureties to answer the writs of law and to pursue the Kings enemies both Irish and Scots Item upon the day of the Saints Pnocesse and Martinian Sir Iohn Atly encountred at sea Thomas Dover a right strong thiefe and took him and about forty of his men well armed he slew and his head he brought with him to Dublin Also upon the day of the translation of S. Thomas Sir Nicholas Bolscot came out of England with newes that two Cardinals were come from the Court of Rome into England to treat concerning a peace and they brought a Bull to excommunicate all the troublers of the peace of the Lord the King of England Likewise the Thursday next before the feast of St. Margaret Hugh and Walter Lacie were proclaimed seducers and felons to the King because they had advanced their banner against the peace of the Lord King of England More on the sunday following the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland took his journey to Tredagh with all his souldiers At the same time the Ulster-men raised a bootie neere unto Tredagh and the men of Tredagh went out and fetched the bootie backe againe where was slaine Miles Cogan with his brother and sixe other great Lords of Ulster were taken prisoners and brought to the castle of Dublin And afterwards Mortimer the Lord Justice assembled his army against O-Fervill and commanded the Mal-passe to be cut downe and destroied all his houses and afterwards the said O-Fervil rendred himselfe to the peace and put in hostages Also the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice tooke his journey toward Clony and made an inquisition or inquest as touching Sir Iohn Blound to wit White of Rathregan which inquest accused the said Iohn whereupon he was of necessity to fine for two hundred marks and afterward on sunday after the feast of the nativity of blessed Marie the said Mortimer with a great power marched against the Irish of O-Mayl and came to Glinsely where many were slaine both of Irish and English but the Irish went away with the worst and soone after came O-brynn and rendred himselfe to the peace of the King And Roger Mortimer with his company came to the castle of Dublin And upon the day of Simon and Jude the Apostles the Archbales had peace by mainprise of the Earle of Kildare And at the feast of Saint Hilary following there was a Parliament holden at Lincolne about a treaty of peace betweene the Lord King of England and the Earle of Lancaster and between the Scots and the Scots continued in peace and by reason of that Parliament the Archbishop of Dublin and the Earle of Ulster staied in England by the Kings commandement And about the feast of the Epiphany there came newes to Dublin that Sir Hugh Canon the Kings Justice in his bench was slaine by Andrew Bermingham between Naas and Castle-Martin Item at the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary there came the Popes Buls so that Alexander de Bicknor was confirmed and consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and those Buls were read and published in the Church of the holy Trinity And at the same time was read another Bull that the Lord Pope ordained peace between the Lord King of England and the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland for two yeeres to which time the said Brus refused to condescend and agree These things passed about the feast of St. Valentine Item the sunday following came the Lord Roger Mortimer to Dublin and dubbed Iohn Mortimer Knight with foure of his fellowes and the same day Mortimer kept a great feast in the castle of Dublin Item at the same time a great slaughter was made of Irishmen in Conaght through a quarrell betweene two Lords of Princes there and slaine there were of both sides about foure thousand men and afterwards there was taken great revenge upon the men of Ulster who in the time that the Scots spoiled and preaded in Ireland had done much harme and eate flesh in Lent not of necessity therefore much tribulation came upon them insomuch that they did eat one another so that often thousand there remained about 300. and no more who escaped in maner all for to be punished And here appeared the vengeance of God Item it was reported of a truth that some of the foresaid evill doers were so hunger-starved that in Church-yards they tooke the bodies out of their graves and in their skuls boiled the flesh and fed thereupon yea and women did eat their owne children for starke hunger MCCCXVIII In the Quindene of Easter newes out of England arrived in Ireland that the towne of Berwicke was betraied and taken by the Scots and afterwards in the same yeere Master Walter Islep the Kings Treasurer in Ireland landed and
brought letters to the Lord Roger Mortimer that he should addresse himselfe to repaire unto the King who did so and substituted the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Custos of Ireland who at one and the same time was Lord Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellour and Archbishop And afterward at the three weekes end after Easter there came newes to Dublin that the Lord Richard Clare was slaine and with him foure Knights namely Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Cannon and Sir John Caunton also Adam Apilgard with 80. other men by O-Brene and Mac-Carthy on the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus And it was reported that the said Lord Richard his body was in despightfull malice cut into small pieces but his reliques were enterred in Limerick among the Friers Minors Item on sunday in Mense Paschae that is a moneth after Easter Iohn Lacy was led forth of the castle of Dublin and brought to Trim for to be arraigned and to heare and receive his judgment there who was adjudged to be strait dieted and so he died in prison Item the sunday before the Lords Ascension Lord Roger Mortimer sailed over into England but paied nothing for his victuals that he had taken up in Dublin and elsewhere which amounted to the value of one thousand pounds Also the same yeere about the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the great grace and mercy of God was shewed in that wheat which before was sold for 15. shillings was now not worth above seven shillings and oates were bought for five shillings great plentie there was of wine salt and fish and that in such sort that about St. Iames day there was new bread to be had of new corne a thing that never or seldome had been seen afore in Ireland and this was a signe of Gods tender mercy and all through the praier of the poore and other faithfull folke Item the Sunday after the feast of Saint Michael newes came to Dublin that Lord Alexander Bykenore then the Kings Justice in Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arrived at Yoghall On S. Denis day he came to Dublin and with great procession and honourable pompe of the religious persons and of others as well of the Clergy as the Laity he was received Item on Saturday falling out to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a field was fought betweene the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from the towne of Dundalk to which battell came of the Scots part the Lord Edward Brus who named himselfe King of Ireland the Lord Philip Mowbray the Lord Walter Soules the Lord Alan Stewart with his three brethren also Sir Walter Lacy Sir Robert and Sir Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White and about 3000. others Against whom came into the field of the English side the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir Iohn Cusack Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who assoiled them all Sir Walter Larpulk and certain came from Tredagh to the number of twenty well appointed and choice souldiers whom John Maupas accompanied and so they joined the said battell The English were the first that entred with great vigour upon the front and vaward where the said John Maupas manfully and with much honour in this conflict slew the Lord Edward Brus which John also was found slaine upon the body of the said Edward and all the Scots in manner were killed up even to the number of two thousand or thereabout whereby few of the Scots escaped beside the Lord Philip Mowbray who also was wounded to death and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy with some few others that were with them made shift hardly to save themselves This fortuned between Dundalk and Faghird Now the head of the foresaid Edward the said Lord John Bermingham brought unto the said Lord King of England upon whom the King bestowed at the same time the Earledome of Louth to him and to his heires males and the Barony of Aterith And one quarter with the hands and heart of the foresaid Edward were carried to Dublin and the other quarters divided and sent to other places MCCCXIX The Lord Roger Mortimer returned out of England and is eftsoones made Lord Justice of Ireland The same yeere at the feast of All-Saints came a Bull from the Pope to excommunicate Robert Brus King of Scotland at every Masse Also the towne of Athisell and a great part of the country was burnt by the Lord John Fitz-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas In this yeere the foresaid Iohn Bermingham was created Earle of Louth Also the Stone bridge of Kil-Coleyn was built by Master Moris Iacke Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of Pope John the 22. and of the Lord Edward sonne to King Edward which Edward after the comming of Saint Austin into England was the 25. King also under Alexander Bicknore then Archbishop of Dublin beganne the Universitie of the said Citie of Dublin The first that proceeded Master in the same Universitie was Frier William Hardite of the order of preaching Friers which William under the said Archbishop solemnly commenced Doctor in Divinity The second Master that proceeded in the same faculty was Frier Henry Cogry of the order of the Friers Minors the third Master that went forth was William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin who solemnly commenced Doctor in the Canon law And this William was made the first Chancellour of the said University The fourth Master in sacred Theologie or Divinity that went out was Frier Edmund Kermerdin Item Roger Mortimer Lord Justice of Ireland returned into England leaving in his place the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare Item the Lord Edmund Botiller entred into England and so came to Saint James Also the bridge of the towne of Leghelyn was built by Master Moris Iack Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXXI A very great overthrow with much slaughter of the O-Conghors was given at Balibogan the ninth day of May by the men of Leinster and of Meth. Item the Lord Edmund Botiller died in London and lieth buried at Balygaveran in Ireland Also Iohn Bermingham Earle of Louth is made Lord Justice in Ireland Likewise Iohn Wogan departed this life MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicolas de La-Lond Knight and many others are slaine by O-Nalan on St. Michaels day MCCCXXIII A truce is taken betweene the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland for 14. yeeres Also Iohn Darcie came chiefe Justice of Ireland Item John the first begotten sonne of the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare in the ninth yeere of his age ended this life MCCCXXIV Nicolas Genevile sonne and heire to the Lord Simon Genevile departed out of this world and was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers of Trym Item there hapned a great wind on twelfe day at night Item a generall murrain
with their fellowes of the Counsell treat upon this point In the same yeere before Lent the Irish of Leinster gathered themselves together and set up a certain King namely Donald the sonne of Arte Mac-Murgh Who being made King determined to set up his banner two miles from Dublin and afterwards to passe through all the lands of Ireland Whose pride and malice God seeing suffered him to fall into the hands of the Lord Henry Traharn who brought him to the Salmons leaps had of him 200. pound for his lives ransome then led him to Dublin to wait there untill the Kings Counsell could provide and take order what to doe with him and after his taking many infortunities lighted upon the Irish of Leinster to wit the Lord John Wellesley took David O-Thothiel prisoner and many of the Irish were slaine The same yeere Adam Duff the sonne of Walter Duff of Leinster and of the kinred of the O-Tothiles was convicted for that against the Catholike faith hee denied the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and held that there could not bee three persons and one God and hee affirmed that the most blessed Virgin Mary mother of our Lord was an harlot hee denied also the resurrection of the dead and avouched that the sacred Scriptures were fables and nothing else and he imputed falsitie upon the sacred Apostolicall See For which and for every of these articles the same Adam Duff was pronounced an hereticke and blasphemer whereupon the same Adam by a decree of the Church was on the Munday after the Outas of Easter the yeere 1328. burnt at Hoggis Greene by Dublin MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter week Thomas Fitz-John Earle of Kildare and Justice of Ireland died after whom succeeded in the office of Justice Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynok The same yeere David O-Tothil a strong thiefe and enemy to the King a burner of Churches and destroier of people was brought forth of the Castle of Dublin to the Tolstale of the Citie before Nicolas Fastoll and Elias Ashbourne Justices in the Kings bench which Justices gave him his judgement that he should first be drawne at horses tailes through the midst of the Citie unto the gallowes and afterward be hanged upon a jebbit which was done accordingly Item in the same yeere the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas raised a great army to destroy the Bourkeins and the Poers The same yeere also the Lord William Bourk was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave unto him his Seignory Also in the same yeere Iames Botiller in England espoused the daughter of the Earle of Hereford and was created Earle of Ormund who before was called Earle of Tiperary The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Northampton where many of the Lords and Nobles of England assembled and a peace was renewed betweene Scotland England and Ireland by marriages between them and it was ordained that the Earle of Ulster with many Nobles of England should goe to Barwick upon Tweed to the espousals and assurance making The same yeere after the said espousals and contract made at Barwicke the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland and the Lord William Burk Earle of Ulster the Earle of Meneteth and many of the Scottish nobility arrived at Cragfergus peaceably and sent unto the Justices of Ireland and to the Counsell that they would come to Green Castle to treat about a peace of Scotland and Ireland Now because the said Justices of Counsell failed to come as the said King desired he took his leave of the Earle of Ulster and returned into his owne country after the feast of the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary And the Earle of Ulster came to Dublin unto the Parliament and there stayed sixe dayes and made a great feast and after this went into Connaght The same yeere about the feast of Saint Katherin Virgin the Bishop of Osserie certified the Kings Counsell there that Sir Arnald Pover was convicted before him upon divers articles of perverse heresie Whereupon at the suit of the said Bishop the said Sir Arnald by vertue of the Kings writ was arrested and layed up in the Castle of Dublin and a day was given unto the Bishop for to come unto Dublin to follow the foresaid suit and action against the foresaid Lord Arnald who made his excuse that hee could not then come because his enemies lay in wait for his life in the way whereupon the Kings Counsell knew not how to make an end of this businesse and so the Lord Arnald was kept in duresse within the Castle of Dublin untill the Parliament following which was in Mid-lent where all the Nobles of Ireland were present In the same yeere Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of the Hospitall of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellour of Ireland was disfamed by the said Bishop and slandered to bee a favourer of heresie a Counsellour also and a better of the said Lord Arnold in his hereticall naughtinesse And because his person was thus villanously delamed the said Prior went to the Counsell of the King and put up a petition that hee might purge himselfe Whereupon they of the Kings Counsell tooke advice and upon consultation had granted unto him that he might make his purgation And they caused it to be proclaimed for three dayes That if there were any person who would follow suit and give information against the said Frier Roger he might come in and put in his pursuit But no man was found to follow the matter Whereupon at the procurement of Sir Roger the Frier there went out the Kings writ to summon the Elders of Ireland to wit Bishops Abbots Priors and foure Maiors of foure Cities namely Dublin Corke Limerick and Waterford and of Tredagh also the Sheriffes and Seneschals yea and the Knights of the shire with the Free-holders of the countie that were of the better sort for to repaire unto Dublin And there were chosen sixe examiners in the said cause to wit M. William Rodyard Deane of the Cathedrall Church of St. Patrick in Dublin the Abbat of Saint Thomas the Abbat of St. Maries the Prior of holy Trinitie Church in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and M. Peter Willebey These Inquisitours convented those that were cited and they examined every one severally by himselfe which examinats all upon their oathes deposed that he was honest and faithfull a zealous embracer of the faith and readie to die for the faith and in regard of this great solemnity of his purgation the said Frier Roger made a royall feast to all that would come Also the same yeere in Lent died the said L. Arnald Pover in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the preaching Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nobles of Ireland came unto the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earle of Ulster the Lord Thomas Fitz-Moris the Earle of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Lords and
Comet or blazing star appeared The same yeere there was a field fought between those of the Isle of Man at Sâ—antwas and the Northren men got the victorie In which battell were slaine Earle Oiher and Mac-Moras Generals of both the sides In the same yeere Magnus King of Norway the son of Olave son of Harald Harfager desirous to try whether the corps of S. Olave King and Martyr remained uncorrupt commanded that his tombe should be opened and notwithstanding the Bishop and Clergy withstood it the King himselfe came boldly thither and by force that he brought with him caused the coffin to be opened Now when he had both seene and handled the body uncorrupt and nothing perished sodainly there was a great feare fell upon him and in all haste he departed thence The next night following Olave King and Martyr appeared unto him in a dreame saying thus Chuse thou one of these two things either to lose thy life and kingdome both within thirty daies or to depart from Norway and never see it againe When the King awakened he called unto him his Princes and Elders and declared unto them his dreame and vision and they being sore affraid gave him this counsell to depart with all speed out of Norway He without delay caused a fleet to be rigged and put in readinesse of an hundred and threescore saile and cutteth over to the Isles of Orkney which he forthwith subdued making way by dint of sword thorowout all the Iles and bringing them to his subjection went forward still as far as to Man and when he was arrived and landed he came unto St. Patrickes Isle to see the place wherein the field had beene fought a little before betweene the Manksmen because as yet many of their bodies that were slaine lay there unburied Now when he saw this most goodly and beautifull Iland it pleased his eye and he chose it to seat himselfe therein built fortresses in it which unto this day carry his name And those of Galway he held in so great awe that he compelled them to cut downe wood for timber and to bring it unto the shore that therewith he might build his Forts and Bulwarkes To Anglesey then called Mona an Iland in Wales hee sailed and found in it two Earles by the name of Hughes the one he slew the other he put to flight and subdued the Iland But the Welshmen presented him with many gifts and so he bad them farwell and returned unto Man Unto Murcard King of Ireland he sent his shooes and commanded him to carry them on his shoulders through the middest of his house on Christmas day that he might thereby understand he was subject unto King Magnus Which the Irishmen as soone as they heard of it took grievously and disdained exceeding much But the King following a wiser course I had rather saith he not onely carry his shooes but also eat them than King Magnus should destroy one Province in Ireland Hee fulfilled therefore his commandement and honourably entreated his messengers Many presents also hee sent over by them unto King Magnus and entred into league with him These messengers being returned unto their Lord related unto him many things touching the situation of Ireland the pleasantnesse thereof the abundance of corne and wholsomnesse of aire When Magnus heard this straightwaies he thought of nothing else but to conquer Ireland and bring it wholly under his dominion He commanded therefore his men to prepare a navie and himselfe in person setting forward with sixteene ships desirous to take a view of the countrey as he unwarily departed aside from his shipping was suddenly compassed about by the Irish and so lost his life together with all those in manner that were with him And he was buried hard by S. Patricks Church in Doun Hee reigned sixe yeeres after whose death the Princes of the Ilands sent for Olave the son of Godred surnamed Crovan who lived in the Court of Henry King of England son of King William MCII. Olave the sonne of Godred Crovan aforesaid beganne his reigne and reigned forty yeeres a peaceable Prince having all the Kings of Ireland and Scotland to be his confederates Hee tooke to wife Affrica the daughter of Ferguse of Gallway of whom he begat Gadred By his concubines he had Regnald Lagman and Harald beside many daughters whereof one was wedded to Summerled Prince of Herergaidel who was the cause of the ruine of the whole Kings of the Ilands On her he begat foure sonnes Dulgall Raignald Engus and Olave MCXXXIII There hapned so great an Eclipse of the Sun upon the fourth Nones of August that the day was turned into night MCXXXIV Olave gave unto Yuo Abbat of Furnes a plot of his land in Man to build an Abbay in a place called Russin and both enriched with revenues and endowed with priviledges the estate of the Church in the Ilands MCXLII Godred Olaves son saileth over sea to the King of Norway whose name was Hinge and did his homage unto him and staied there being honourably entertained of him The same yeere three sonnes of Harald Olaves brother who had been brought up in Dublin raising a great number of men together and all those who were fled from the King came to Man demanding of the same King to have the one moity of the whole kingdome of the Ilands to bee given unto them But the King when he had heard their demand being willing to pacifie them answered That hee would take counsell of the matter Now when they had appointed the time and place where the counsell should bee held in the meane while those most leud and wicked villaines complotted among themselves the Kings death At the day appointed both parts met at the haven which is called Ramsa and sat in order by rowes the King with his counsell on the one side and they together with their company on the other and Reginald who was to dispatch him was in the midst between and stood talking apart with one of the Peeres of the land But when the King had called him and he was come unto him he turned toward the King as though hee would salute him and therewith lifting up a glittering axe a great height at one blow cut off the Kings head And forthwith as soone as they had committed such a bloody murder they divided the land among themselves and after some few daies having gathered a navie together failed over to Galway desirous to bring it also under their subjection But those of Galway sticking close and round together gave a faire onset and joined battell with them They by and by turning their backes fled in great disorder to Man And as for all the Galwaymen that dwelt therein some of them they slew others they expelled MCXLIII Godred Olaves son returning out of Norway was created King of Man and to avenge his fathers death he caused two of Haralds sons to have their eies pulled out and slew the third MCXLIV Godred begun his reigne
Isle Lodhus So obtained Olave the kindgome of the Isles MCCXXXVII On the twelfth Calends of June died Olave the sonne of Godred King of Man in S. Patricks Iland and was buried in the Abbey of Russin He reigned eleven yeeres two by his brothers life and nine after his death Harold his sonne succeeded him being 14. yeeres of age and reigned 12. yeeres In the first yeere of his reigne he made a journey to the Ilands and appointed Loglen his cousin Custos of Man In the Autumne following Harald sent three sonnes of Nell namely Dufgald Thorquill Mormore and his friend Ioseph to Man for to consult about affaires On the 25. day therefore they meet at Tingull and by occasion of a certaine envious quarrell that arose between the sonnes of Nell and Loglen there was a sore fight on both sides wherein were slaine Dufgald Mormore and the foresaid Joseph In the spring ensuing King Harald came to the Isle of Man and Loglen as he fled toward Wales perished by Shipwracke with Godred Olaves sonne his foster child and pupill with 40. others MCCXXXVIII Gospatricke and Gillescrist the sonne of Mac-Kerthac came from the King of Norway into Man who by force kept Harald out of Man and tooke tributes to the Kings behoofe of Norway because he refused to come unto the King of Norwaies Court. MCCXL Gospatric died and is buried in the Abbey of Russin MCCXXXIX Harald went unto the King of Norway who after two yeeres confirmed unto him his heires and successours under his seale all the Ilands which his predecessours had possessed MCCXLII Harald returned out of Norway to Man and being by the inhabitants honourably received had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland Harald like as his father before him was by the King of England dubbed Knight and after he had been rewarded with many gifts returned home The same yeere he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his daughter And in the yeere 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife and Laurence King elect of Man and many other Nobles and Gentlemen he was drowned in a tempest neere unto the coasts of Radland MCCXLIX Reginald the sonne of Olave and brother to Harald began his reigne the day before the Nones of May and on the thirtieth day thereof was slaine by one Yvar a Knight and his company in a medow neere unto the Holy Trinity Church on the South side and lieth buried in the Church of Saint Mary of Russin At that time Alexander King of Scots rigged and brought together many ships meaning to subdue the Iland and in the I le Kerwaray he died of an ague Harald the sonne of Godred Don usurped the name of King in the Ilands all the Nobles of Harald King Olaves sonne hee banished and placed in their stead all the Princes and Peeres that were fled from the said Harald MCCL. Harald the sonne of Godred Don being by missives sent for went unto the King of Norway who kept him in prison because he had unjustly intruded himselfe into the kingdome The same yeere there arrived at Roghalwaght Magnus the son of Olave and John the sonne of Dugald who named himselfe King but the people of Man taking it to the heart that Magnus was not nominated would not suffer them to land there many of them therefore were cast away and perished by shipwracke MCCLII Magnus the sonne of Olave came to Man and was made King The next yeere he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeere MCCLIV Haco King of Norway ordained Magnus Olaves sonne King of the Isles and confirmed the same unto him and his heires and by name unto his brother Harald MCCLVI. Magnus King of Man went into England and was knighted by the King of England MCCLVII The church of S. Maries of Russin was dedicated by Richard of Sodore MCCLX Haco King of Norway came unto the parts of Scotland and without any exploit done turned to the Orkneys where at Kirwas he ended his daies and lyeth enterred at Bergh MCCLXV Magnus Olaves sonne King of Man and of the Ilands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buried in the Church of S. Mary de Russin MCCLXVI The kingdome of the Ilands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots That which followeth was written in another hand and of a later character MCCLXX The seventh day of October a navy set out by Alexander King of Scots arrived at Roghalwath and the next morrow before sun rising a battaile was fought between the people of Man and the Scots in which were slain of the Manksmen 537. whereupon a certaine versifier played thus upon the number L. decies X. ter penta duo cecidere Mannica gens de te damna futura cave L. Ten times told X. thrice with five beside and twaine Ware future harmes I reed of thy folke Man were slaine MCCCXIII Robert King of Scots besieged the Castle of Russin which Dingawy Dowyll held against him but in the end the King won the castle MCCCXVI On the Ascension day Richard le Mandevile and his brethren with other Potentates of Ireland arrived at Ramaldwath requesting to be furnished with victuals and silver for that they had been robbed by the enemies warring upon them continually Now when the commonality of the country had made answer that they would not give them any they advanced forward against those of Man with two troops or squadrons untill they were come as far as to the side of Warthfell hill in a field wherein John Mandevile remained and there in a fought battell the Irish vanquished the Manksmen spoiled the Iland and rifled the Abbey of Russin and after they had continued in the Iland one whole moneth they returned home with their ships fraught with pillage Thus endeth the Chronicle of the K.K. of Man The Processe or course of the Historie following I will now continue summarily out of other Writers WHen Alexander the third King of Scots had gotten into his hands the Westerne Ilands partly by way of conquest and in part for ready money paid unto the King of Norway hee attempted the I le of Man also as one of that number and through the valiant prowesse of Alexander Stewart brought it under his dominion yea and placed there a petty King or Prince with this condition that hee should be ready alwaies at his command to serve with ten ships in his warres at sea Howbeit Mary the daughter of Reginald King of Man who was become the Liege-man of John King of England entred her suit for the Iland before the King of England but answer was made unto her that shee should demand it of the King of Scots for that he then held it in possession And yet her grand-child John Waldebeof for the said Mary married into the house of Waldebeofe sued for his ancient right in Parliament holden in the 33. yeere of King Edward the first before the K. of England as the superiour
BRITAIN OR A CHOROGRAPHICALL DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST flourishing Kingdomes ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND and the Islands adjoyning out of the depth of ANTIQVITIE BEAVTIFIED WITH MAPPES OF THE severall Shires of ENGLAND VVritten first in Latine by William Camden CLARENCEUX K. of A. Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland Doctour in Physick Finally revised amended and enlarged with sundry Additions by the said Author LONDON Printed by F. K. R. Y. and I. L. for GEORGE LATHAM 1637. BRITANNIA SI jactare licet mà gnorum munera diuûm Sibique veris fas placere dotibus Cur mihi non videar fortunatissima tellus Digna est malis bona quae parùm novit sua Vltima lanigeris animosa est India lucis Suis superbus est Arabs odoribus Thuriferis gaudet Panchaia dives arenis Ibera flumen terra jactat aureum Aegypto faciunt animos septem ostia Nili Laudata Rheni vina tollunt accolaâ— Laeta nec uberibus sibi displicet Africa glebis Haec portubus superbit illa mercibus At mihi nec fontes nec ditia flumina desunt Sulcive pingues prata nec ridentia Foeta viris foecunda feris foecunda metallis Ne glorier quòd ambiens largas opes Porrigit Oceanus neu quòd nec amicius ullâ Coelum nec aura dulcius spirat plagâ Serus in occiduas mihi Phoebus conditur undas Sororque noctes blanda ducit lucidas Possem ego laudati contemnere vellera Baetis Vbi villus albis mollior bidentibus Et tua non nequeam miracula temnere Memphi Verùm illa mà jor justiorque gloria Quòd Latiis quòd sum celebrata Britannia Grails Orbem vetustas quòd vocarit alterum For the easier reading of the English-Saxon words in this Booke I thought good to prefixe heere the Characters of the English Saxon Alphabet A a b b c c d d E E e e f f g g h h i i l l m m n n o o p p q q r r S S s s t t u u Æ¿ w X X x x y y AE AE ae ae à Th ð th þ th and ê§ that PVELIVS OVIDIVS NASO Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit immemores non sinit esse sui BRITAIN OR A CHOROGRAPHICALL DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST flourishing Kingdomes ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND and the Islands adjoyning out of the depth of ANTIQVITIE BEAVTIFIED WITH MAPPES OF THE severall Shires of ENGLAND VVritten first in Latine by William Camden CLARENCEUX K. of A. Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland Doctour in Physick Finally revised amended and enlarged with sundry Additions by the said Author LONDON Printed by F. K. R. Y. and I. L. for GEORGE LATHAM 1637. SERENISSIMO POTENTISSIMOQVE PRINCIPI IACOBO BRITANNIAE MAGNAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI FIDEI PROPVGNATORI AD AETERNITATEM BRITANNICI NOMINIS IMPERIIQVE NATO PERPETVAE PACIS FVNDATORI PVBLICAE SECVRITATIS AVTHORI GVILIELMVS CAMDENVS MAIESTATI EIVS DEVOTISSIMVS D. D. CONSECRATQVE THE AVTHOR TO The Reader I Hope it shall be to no discredite if I now use againe by way of Preface the same words with a few more that I used twentie foure yeares since in the first edition of this worke Abraham Ortelius the worthy restorer of Ancient Geographic arriving heere in England about thirtie foure yeares past dealt earnestly with mee that I would illustrate this Isle of BRITAINE or as he said that I would restore antiquitie to Britaine and Britaine to his antiquitie which was as I understood that I would renew ancientrie enlighten obscuritie cleare doubts and recall home Veritie by way of recovery which the negligence of writers and credulity of the common sort had in a manner prescribed and utterly banished from amongst us A painfull matter I assure you and more than difficult wherein what toyle is to be taken as no man thinketh so no man believeth but hee that hath made the triall Neverthelesse how much the difficultie discouraged mee from it so much the glory of my country encouraged me to undertake it So while at one and the same time I was fearefull to undergoe the burthen and yet desirous to doe some service to my Country I found two different affections Feare and Boldnesse I know not how conjoyned in me Notwithstanding by the most gracious direction of the ALMIGHTY taking INDVSTRY for my consort I adventured upon it and with all my studie care cogitation continuall meditation paine and travaile I imploied my selfe thereunto when I had any spare time I made search after the Etymologie of Britain the first Inhabitants timorously neither in so doubtfull a matter have I affirmed ought confidently For I am not ignorant that the first originals of nations are obscure by reason of their profound antiquitie as things which are seene very deepe and far remote like as the courses the reaches the confluencies the out-lets of great rivers are wel knowne yet their first fountaines and heads lie commonly unknown I have succinctly run over the Romans government in Britain and the inundation of forraigne people thereinto what they were and from whence they came I have traced out the ancient divisions of these Kingdomes I have summarily specified the states and judiciall Courts of the same In the severall Counties I have compendiously set downe the limits and yet not exactly by pearch and pole to breed questions what is the nature of the soile which were places of greatest antiquitie who have beene the Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts Barons and some of the most signall and ancient families therein for who can particulate all What I have performed I leave to men of judgement But time the most sound and sincere witnes will give the truest information when envy which persecuteth the living shall have her mouth stopped Thus much give me leave to say that I have in no wise neglected such things as are most materiall to search and sift out the Truth I have attained to some skill of the most ancient British and English-Saxon tongues I have travailed over all England for the most part I have conferred with most skilfull observers in each country I have studiously read over our owne country writers old and new all Greeke and Latine authors which have once made mention of Britaine I have had conference with learned men in other parts of Christendome I have been diligent in the Records of this Realme I have looked into most Libraries Registers and memorials of Churches Cities and Corporations I have pored upon many an old Rowle and Evidence and produced their testimonie as beyond all exception when the cause required in their very own words although barbarous they be that the honour of veritie might in no wise be impeached For all this I may be censured unadvised and scant modest who being but of the lowest fourme in the schoole of Antiquitie where I might well have lurked in obscuritie have adventured as a scribler upon the stage in this learned age amidst the diversities of
farre remote from all memory are over-cast with such mists and darkenesse that the truth seemes rather to bee wished than hoped for yet for all that will I doe my best to trace out the truth and declare as briefly as I can what my judgement is not minding to put downe ought prejudiciall to any man but most willing if any one shall bring more probable matter to welcome and embrace the same For I affect and love the truth not in my selfe more than in another and in whom soever I shall see it I will most willingly and gladly entertaine it First by the Readers good leave I will take this for granted and proved that ancient Nations in the beginning had names of their owne and that afterwards from these the Greeks and Latines by wresting them to the analogie or proportion of their speech imposed names upon regions and countreys to speake more plainely That people were knowne by their names before regions and places and that the said regions had their denominations of the people Who can deny that the names of the Jewes Medes Persians Scythians Almans French or Gauls Betulians Saxons Englishmen Scots c. were before Jewry Media Persia Scythia Alamaine France or Gaule Betulia Saxonie England Scotland c. And who sees not that these words sprang out of the other Of the Samâ—ites Insubres and Belgae we reade that Livie and Caesar first named the countreys themselves Samnitium Insubrium and Belgium Of the Franci in the time of Constantinus Maximus as is to be seene in his coines the place where they were seated took the name of Francia first from the Burgundi Sidonius Appolinaris first framed Burgundie In the same sort we must of necessitie think that this our Island Britaine tooke denomination from the Inhabitants or from the Gaules their neighbours That these first Inhabitants were called Brit or Brith some things induce me to thinke First and formost that verse which goeth about under the name of Sybilla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Twixt Brits and Gaules their neighbours rich in gold that much abound The roaring Ocean Sea with bloud full filled shall resound Moreover the authoritie of Martial Juvenal and Ausonius Procopius also who nameth this Isle BRITTA In like manner the old Inscriptions set up by the Britaines themselves wherein are read BRITO BRITONES BRITTUS COH BRITTON ORDINIS BRITTON and at Rome in the Church of Saint Mary the round NATIONE BRITTO as also in this which is seene at Amerbachium in Germanie which I will put downe here underneath because it maketh mention of Triputium a place in Britaine not knowne NVMPHISO NO BRITTON TRIPVTIENO SVB CVRA MO VLPI MALCHI 7. LEG XXII PO PO FO The Saxons also themselves called the Britans in their language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Witichindas the Saxon every where namedth the Britans Britae so that the word BRIT is doubtlesse the primitive from whence Brito is derived and from whence the first glympse of light leading to the word Britaine seemeth to appeare Considering now that Nations devised their names of that wherein they either excelled others or were knowne from others whether in regard of their first founders honour as the Iönes of Javan the Israelites of Israël the Chananites of Chanaan the sonne of Cham or whether in respect of their nature conditions and inclinations as the Iberi after the Hebrew Etymologie because they were miners the Heneti for that they were straglers the Nomades because they gave themselves to the breeding and feeding of Cattell the Alemans or Germanes for that they were esteemed valiant men the French or Frankners for beeing free the Pannonians for wearing coats with cloth-sleeves as Dio conceiteth it the Ethiopians of their black hue and the Albanes because they were borne with white haire whereupon marke I pray you as Solinus saith The colour of the haire upon the head gave name unto a people Seeing also that our countrey men who were by a name common to them and their neighbours called Cimbri and Cumeri had no marke whereby they might bee distinguished and knowne from the borderers better than by that manner of theirs to paint their bodies for the most sufficient Authors that be as Caesar Mela Plinie and the rest doe shew that the Britaines coloured themselves with woade called in Latine Glastum and Glass at this day with them signifieth Blew What if I should conjecture that they were called Britans of their depainted bodies For whatsoever is thus painted and coloured in their ancient countrey speech they call Brith Neither is there cause why any man should thinke this Etymologie of Britaines to be harsh and absurd seeing the very words sound alike and the name also as an expresse image representeth the thing which in Etymologies are chiefly required For Brith and Brit doe passing well accord and that word Brith among the Britans implieth that which the Britans were indeed to wit painted depainted died and coloured as the Latine Poets describe them and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is having their backs pide or medly coloured as Oppianus termeth them Neither will it be impertinent as small a matter as it is to note here that as I have observed in the names of well neere all the most ancient Britaines there appeareth some signification of a colour which no doubt arose from this kind of painting The red colour is of the Britaine 's called Coch and Goch which in my judgement lieth couched in these names Cogidunus Argentocoxus and Segonax The same Britaines call the blacke colour Dû which after a sort sheweth it selfe in Mandubratius Cartimandua Togodumnus Bunduica Cogidunus The white colour is with them named Gwin the very prints as it were and expresse tokens of which word me thinkes I see in Venutius and Immanuentius Gwellw among them signifieth that which Color aqueuâ— among the Latines doth that is to say a wan or waterish colour and this appeareth evidently in the names of Vellocatus Caruillius and Suella Glass in the British tongue is as much as Blew which is seene in the name of King Cuniglasus For Gildas interpreteth it to be all one with Fulvus or as some copies have Furvus Laniâ— that is a Lion tawnie or coale blacke Butcher Aure which betokeneth a faire yellow or golden colour bewraieth it selfe in Cungetorius and Arviragus A lively and gallant colour is with them called Teg which maketh some little shew in Prasutagus and Carattacus But if we be perswaded that the Britans borrowed the names of mingled colours together with the very simple colours themselves of the Romans for certaine it is that they tooke from the Romans Werith for Viridis that is Greene Melin for Melinus that is a Quince yellow colour then if I thinke that there lyeth close some note of the colour Prasinus that is Leeke-blade greene in Prasutagus and of the red vermillon or Sinopre colour called of
dominion These are the people of Germanie that planted themselves in Britaine who that they became one nation and were called by one generall name one while Saxons another while Englishmen and English-Saxons for difference of those that are in Germanie may be gathered most truly out of Gildas Beda Saint Boniface Paulus Diaconus and others but most commonly in Latine Angli Gens Anglica and in their tongue to the same sence Engla theod About the time when they were admitted into Britaine by Vortigern writers doe not agree but to omit others Bede and those that follow him make this computation of those most confused times In the one and thirtieth yeere of Theodosius the younger and of Christ 430. The Britans pitiously crave aid but in vaine of Aetius the third time Consul for that they were sore oppressed by the Picts and Scots Under Valentinian the third Saint German once or twice came into Britaine against the Pelagians and after he had powred out his praiers unto God led an armie of Britans against the Picts and Saxons and gained the victorie In the first yeere of Martianus and the yeere of our Lord 449 the nation of the English-Saxons arrive in Britaine But seeing it appeareth for certaine by the Kalender of the Consuls that the third Consulship of Aetius fell out to be in the 39. yeere of the said Theodosius and after the birth of Christ 446. as also by the best and most approoved authors that Saint German died in the yeere of Grace 435 justly wee may suspect that those numbers in Beda were corrupted and that the Saxons had footing given them here before the yeere of our Lord 449. For otherwise how could it be that S. German who departed this life An. Do. 435 should conduct the Britans against the Saxons when as they were not yet come Ninnius also writeth that Saint German returned out of Britaine into his owne country after the death of Vortigern who received the Saxons into Britaine so that of necessitie their comming in was before the yeere of our Lord 435 which was the yeere wherein Saint German ended his life In like manner in the second yeere after that Leo Magnus was created Bishop of Rome which was in the yeere of Christ 443 Prosper Tyro who then lived writeth that Britaine after sundry overthrowes was brought in subjection to the Saxons so that they doubtlesse must needs come in before that time namely the yeere of Christ 449. But to take away all scruples and cleere all doubts in this point this one note of computation adjoyned unto some copies of Ninnius which is unto me in stead of all may suffice From the Consulship of the two Gemini Rufus and Rubellius unto Stilico the Consul are reckoned 373. yeeres Item from Stilico unto Valentinian the son of Placidia and to the raigne of Vortigern be 28. yeeres From the raigne of Vortigern unto the discord of Guitolin and Ambrose are 12. yeeres Which battell is Guoloppum that is Cathguoloph Now Vortigern held the Kingdome of Britaine when Theodosius and Valentinian were Consuls and in the fourth yeere of his raign the Saxons came into Britaine and were entertained by Vortigern when Foelix and Taurus were Consuls From the yeere wherein the Saxons came into Britaine and were received by Vortigern unto Decius Valerianus are 69. yeeres By casting therefore the account thus the comming in of the English Saxons into Britaine was in the 21. yeere of Theodosius the younger and this commeth neerest to the computation of Bede in the yeere of our salvation 428. For then Foelix and Taurus bare their Consulship and so all circumstances of persons and times doe well cohere This moreover I thinke good to tell you of although I will not take upon me to be a Criticke that in most copies of Gildas whence Beda had that note of Etius we read Agitio 111. Consuli in others without adjection of number Aegitio and in one Aequitio Cos. But to this day never could I see in the Register and Kalender of Consuls any Consul of that name unlesse we might thinke that he was some Consul extraordinarie Well what time soever it was that they came in they made good proofe of their singular valour and wisedome with all For in a short space their State for number for good customes and ordinances for lands and territories grew to that heighth that it became most wealthy and puissant yea and their conquest in some sort full and absolute For all the conquered except some few whom in the Westerne tract the roughnesse of the countrey defended and kept safe became one nation used the same lawes tooke their name and spake one and the selfe same language with the conquerours For besides England it selfe a great part of Scotland being possessed by the English Saxons and still to this day the wilde and naturall Scots indeed terme them Sassones useth the same tongue that we do varying a little in the Dialect onely Which tongue we and they together for the space now of 1150. yeeres have kept after a sort uncorrupt and with the possession also of the Land So that now it is proved vaine and false as other prophesies of that kind which the Saxon Prophets foretold when as they spred their sailes for this Iland That they should inhabit here 300. yeeres and no more and for one hundred and fiftie of them often times waste and spoile the countrey Now the matter it selfe and the place seeme to require that somewhat should bee added as touching the ancient manners and demeanour of our Forefathers the Saxons and surely annex I will what I have observed in this behalfe This nation of the Saxons was generally most warlike and martiall For courage of minde strength of bodie enduring of labour and travell reputed of all the Germans most valiant as saith Zosimus Most feared of the Romanes because their invasions were sudden as Marcellinus reporteth Terrible for hardinesse and agilitie as saith Orosius Saxony is a region by reason of Marishes inaccessible and environed with combersome countreys and unpassable Which things although they may make them more secure for war and although it selfe also was led captive oftentimes to set out the Roman triumphs yet have they the name to bee a most valorous kind of men excelling all other in piracie howbeit trusting in their swift pinnaces and flibotes not in fine force provided rather for flight than fight as Egysippus recordeth of them In imitation of whom Isidorus writeth thus The Nation of the Saxons seated upon the coasts of the Ocean sea and among unpassable Marishes is for valour and nimblenesse meet for service and thereupon they tooke their name as being a kinde of people stout hardy and most valiant yea and redoubted above all other for piracie Men they are for their tall stature the good feature of their limbs and framing of their lineaments conspicuous and notable
how hard it was for a new Prince and an usurper to maintaine his royall place and dignitie without an opinion of pietie and vertue for to blot out that his offence given and to establish his Scepter did all he possibly could for the promoting of religion and preferment of Churchmen and to beautifie and adorne Monasteries and religious houses Edgar Aetheling Earle of Oxford and all the nobles he entertained with all love and favour the people he eased of theire tributes he gave bountifully a great largesse of mony to poore people and in one word with faire speech and affable language with mild hearing of causes and equitie in deciding the same he wonn to himselfe singular love and no lesse authoritie and reputation So soone as William Duke of Normandie was truly advertised of these newes he seemed to take the death of King Edward very heavily whiles in the meane time he was vexed at the heart that England which hee had in conceit and hope already swallowed and devoured was thus caught away out of his very chawes Forthwith therefore by advice of his counsell and friends he dispatcheth Embassadors to Harold with instructions to put him in mind of the promises and stipulation past but withall in his name to make claime to the Crowne Harold after some pause and deliberation upon the point returneth this answer As touching the promises of King Edward William was to understand that the Realme of England could not be given by promise neither ought he to bee tied unto the said promise seeing the kingdome was fallen unto him by election and not by right of Inheritance And as for his owne stipulation extorted and wrung it was from him then a prisoner by force and by guile in feare of perpetuall imprisonment to the hinderance of the English common-wealth and prejudice of the State and therefore void which neither ought hee if he could nor might if he would make good since it was done without the Kings privitie and consent of the people And a very hard and unreasonable demand it was of his that hee should renounce and surrender unto a Norman Prince a meere stranger and of forrein linage that kingdome wherein hee was invested with so great assent of all sorts With this answere William was not well pleased and he thought that Harold thereby sought starting holes for to hide his perjurie Others therefore he sent out of hand in Embassage about the same matter who should admonish him how religiously hee had bound himselfe by oath and that forsworne persons should be sure of finall perdition at Gods hands and reproachfull shame among men But when as now the daughter of William affianced unto Harold in the covenant the very strength and knot of the foresaid stipulation was by Gods appoinment taken away by death the Embassadours were with lesse courtesie entertained and received none other answere than before So that now by this time there was nothing like to follow but open warre Harold riggeth and prepareth his navie mâ—sters and presseth souldiers and placeth strong garrisons along the sea coasts in convenient places and provideth all things in readinesse which were thought needefull and meet for to beat backe the Normans forces Howbeit the first tempest of warre beside the expectation of all men arose from Tosto the brother in whole bloud of Harold He being a man of a proud hautie and fell heart ruled in great authority a good while over Northumberland but growing outragious in cruelty to his inferiors in pride towards his Soveraigne and in hatred to his brethren was outlawed by Edward the Confessor and so withdrew himselfe into France and now by the advice of Baldwine Earle of Flanders and perswasion of William Duke of Normandie as it seemeth probable For Tosto and William married two daughters of Baldwine Earle of Flanders beginneth to trouble his brother with open warre whom a long time he deadly hated From Flanders hee tooke sea with a fleet of 60. rovers-ships wasteth the Isle of Wight and annoyeth the sea-coast of Kent but terrified at the comming of the Kings navie hee set up saile and directing his course toward the more remote parts of England landeth in Lincolneshire and there harrieth the Countrey where Edwin and Morcar give him battell but beeing discomfited and put to flight into Scotland hee goes from thence to renew his forces and so to warre afresh Now were all mens minds held in suspense with the expectation of a twofold warre of the one side out of Scotland of the other out of Normandie and so much the more because at the feast of Easter there was seene about a sevennight together a blazing starre of an hideous and fearefull forme which turned mens minds already troubled and perplexed as it falleth out in a turbulent time to the forefeeling of some unluckie events But Harold carried an heedfull eie to all parts of his kingdome and the south coast hee fortified with garrisons Lesse feare hee had from Scotland and Tosto because Malcolme King of the Scots was more disquieted with civill dissensions Meane while William much busted in his mind about England casting about what course to take ever and anon communicated with his Captaines about the point whom hee saw cheerefull and full of forward hopes But all the difficulty was how to make money for defraying the charges of so great a warre For when in a publike assembly of all the states of Normandie it was propounded as touching a subsidie answere was made That in the former warre against the French their wealth was so much empaired that if a new warre should come upon them they were hardly able to hold and defend their owne That they were to looke rather unto the defence of their proper possessions than to invade the territories of others and this warre intended just though it were yet seemed it not so necessary but exceeding dangerous beside the Normans were not by their allegeance bound to military service in forain parts Neither could they by any meanes be brought to grant a levie of money although William Fitzosbern a man in high favour with the Duke and as gracious among the people endeavoured what he could to effect it yea and to drawe others by his owne example promised to set out fortie tall ships of his owne proper charges towards this warre Duke William then seeing he could not bring this about in a publike meeting goeth another way to worke The wealthiest men that were he sendeth for severally one by one to repaire unto him he speaks them faire and requireth them to contribute somewhat toward this warre They then as if they had strived avie who should helpe their Prince most promise largely and when that which they promised was presently registred in a booke there was a huge masse of money quickly raised and more than men would ever have thought These matters thus dispatched he craveth aid and helpe of the Princes his neighbours to wit the
see And on the other Hoc Anglis signo Regem fatearis eundem By this a King to Englishmen acknowledge him to be Moreover as William of Malmesburie doth report In imitation of Caesars policy who expelled the Germans lying hidden within that huge forrest Ardenna and by many asallie from thence annoying his armie not by the helpe of his owne Romans but by the Gaules his confederates to this end that whiles strangers and aliens killed one another himselfe might triumph with their bloud-shed the very same course I say did William take with the English men For against certaine of them who upon the first battell of that infortunate man Harold were fled into Denmarke and Ireland and returned with a puissant armie in the third yeere after he opposed meere English forces and an English generall permitting the Normans to sit still and keepe holiday foreseeing heereby and providing for his owne great easement whether of them soever should have the better Neither was he in this point frustrate of his purpose For the English having thus a prettie while skuffeled and skirmished one with another in the end rendred up the entire Victorie to the King without his paines taking And in another place Having undermined and quite overthrowne the power of the Laimen he provided by a sure and irrevocable edict to suffer no Monke or Clerke of the English Nation to endevour for to get any dignitie much disagreeing herein from the clemencie and gentlenesse of King Cnuto in times past who gave unto those that he conquered all their honours entire And hence it came to passe that when hee was once dead the naturall Inhabitants of the countrey upon light occasions fell to driving out of strangers and recovered unto themselves their ancient right and freedome When he had brought this to passe above all things hee laboured to turne away the storme of the Danish wars that hung over his head and to purchase peace though it were with round sums of mony Wherein he used Adelbert Archbishop of Hamburgh as his Instrument For Adam Bremensis writeth thus Betweene Suen and the Bastard there was continuall strife about England although our Bishop being greased in the hand with Williams bribes would have concluded a firme peace betwixt the Kings Which may seeme also to have beene established for since that time England was never any whit afraid of the Danes And William verily betooke himselfe wholly to the defence and maintenance of his Imperiall dignitie and to governe the state by excellent lawes For as Gervase of Tilburie writeth When the renowned Conqueror of England King William had subdued the farther coasts of this Island under his dominion and throughly tamed the stomacks and hearts of rebels by terrible examples lest that from thenceforth they should licentiously run into errour and commit trespasse he determined to reduce his subjects under the obedience of positive and written Lawes Having therefore all the lawes of England laid before him according to the Tripartite Division whereby they were distinguished that is to say Merchenlag Denelag and Westsex-enlag when hee had rejected some of them and allowed of others he adjoyned thereto those Lawes of Neustria beyond the seas which seemed most effectuall to preserve the peace of his Kingdome Afterwards as mine Author Ingulphus saith who flourished in those daies He commanded every Inhabitant of England to doe him homage and to sweare fealtie to him against all men He tooke the survey and description of the whole Land neither was there an Hide of England through but he knew both the value and the owner thereof there was neither plash nor place but set it was in the Kings Roll and the rent revenue and profit thereof the very tenure of possession and possessour himselfe was made knowne to the King according to the credit and true relation of certaine Taxers who being chosen out of every country did put downe in writing the territorie properly belonging thereto And this Roll was called the Roll of Winchester and by the Englishmen for the generalitie thereof because it contained fully and exactly all the tenements of the whole Land named Domesday I have beene more willing to make mention of this booke because it is to be cited alleaged often times hereafter which booke also it pleaseth me to name Gulielmi librum Censualem that is The Tax-booke of William Angliae Notitiam that is The Notice of England Angliae commentarios Censuales that is The Taxe Register or Sessing booke of England and Angliae Lustrum that is the Survey of England But whereas Polydore Virgill writeth how William that Conqueror first brought in the Triall or Iudgement of twelve men there is nothing more untrue For most certaine it is and apparant by the lawes of Etheldred that it was in use many yeares before Neither hath he any cause to terme it a terrible Iudgement For these 12. free-borne and lawfull men are duely by order empannelled and called forth of the Neighbourhood these are bound by oath to pronounce and deliver up their Verdict de facto they heare the counsell pleading in courts on both sides before the Bench or Tribunall and the disposition of witnesses then taking with them the evidences of both parties they are shut up together and kept from meat drinke and fire unlesse haply some one of them be in danger of death thereby so long untill they be all agreed of the fact which when they have pronounced before the Judge hee according to right and law giveth his definitive sentence For this manner of triall our most sage and wise Ancestours have thought the best to finde out the truth to avoid corruption and cut off all partialitie and affections Now as touching martiall prowesse how much the Normans excelled therein let others tell this may suffice for me to have said thus much that being planted among most warlike nations they alwaies saved themseves not by obsequious basenesse but by force of armes and founded most noble Kingdomes in England and Sicilie For Tancrede nephew unto Richard the second of that name Duke of Normandie and his posteritie atchieved brave exploits in Italie and having compelled the Sarazens to flie out of Sicilie erected a Kingdome there Whereupon the Sicilian Historiographer doth freely acknowledge that the Sicilians are beholden unto the Normans for that themselves remaine still in their native soile live in freedome and continue Christians Likewise in the holy Land their martiall prowesse hath been seen with singular commendation Hence it is also that Roger Hoveden writeth in these termes Bold France having made triall once of the Normans warfare durst not peepe out Fierce England being conquered yielded as captive unto them Rich Apulia falling to the lot of their possession flourished a fresh Famous Ierusalem and renowned Antioch were both subdued by them And ever since their comming England as well for martiall honour as civill behaviour hath among the most flourishing Kingdomes of
that the knowledge of those tongues might by effectuall instruction be throughly learned And that Catholicke men having sufficient knowledge in those tongues should bee chosen twaine skilfull in every of those tongues For those who were to bee Professours in Oxford The same Councell ordained That the Prelats of England Scotland Ireland and Wales the Monasteries also the Chapters the Covents the Colledges exempt and not exempt and Persons of Churches should provide competent stipends Out of these words may bee observed both that Oxford was the chiefe place of Studies in England Scotland Ireland and Wales and also that those Schooles which we now adayes doe call Academies and Universities were aptly in old time named Studies as S. Hierom tearmed the Schooles of Gaul Studia Florentissima that is most flourishing Studies And as for the name of Vniversity it was taken up about the time of King Henry the Third for a Publike Schoole and if I bee not deceived in mine owne observations it was then in use not for the place but for the very body and society of Students as we reade in bookes of that age Vniversitas Magistrorum Oxoniae Vniversitas Magistrorum Cantabrigiae that is The Vniversity of Masters of Oxford c. But happily this may seeme beside my Text. Now by this time good and bountifull Patrons began to furnish the Citty within and the Suburbs without with most stately Colledges Halls and Schools and to endow them also with large Revenewes For the greatest part of the Vniversity was beforetime in the Suburbs without the North-gate In the reigne of King Henry the third Iohn Balliol of Barnards Castle in the Bishopricke of Durham who died in the yeere 1269. the father of Balliol King of Scots founded Balliol Colledge and so named it and streight after Walter Merton Bishop of Rochester translated the Colledge which hee had built in Surrey to Oxford in the yeere 1274. enriched it with Lands and Possessions naming it The house of Schollers of Merton but now it is called Merton Colledge And these two were the first endowed Colledges for Students in Christendome William Archdeacon of Durham repaired and enlarged with new building that worke of King Aelfred which now they call Vniversity Colledge At which time the Students for that they entertained somewhat coursely Otto the Popes Legate or Horse-leach rather sent out to sucke the English Clergies blood were excommunicate and with all indignities shamefully handled And in those dayes as Armachanus writeth there were counted here thirty thousand Students Under King Edward the Second Walter Stapledon Bishop of Exceter founded Exceter Colledge and Hart Hall and the King himselfe in imitation of him built the Colledge commonly called Oriall and S. Mary Hall At which time a convert Jew read an Hebrew Lecture here unto whom for a Stipend every one of the Clergy of Oxford for every Marke of his Ecclesiasticall living contributed a penny Afterward Queene Philip wife to King Edward the Third built Queenes Colledge and Simon Islip Archbishop of Canterbury Canterbury Colledge The Students then having the world at will and all things falling out to their hearts desire became insolent and being divided into factions under the names of Northren and Southren men strucke up the Alarum to intestine and unreasonable tumults among themselves Whereupon the Northren faction went their wayes to Stanford and beganne there to set up Schooles But some few yeeres after when Gods favour shining more lightsomely had scattered away the clouds of contention they returned from Stanford recalled by Proclamation directed to the High-sheriffe of Lincolneshire upon penalty to forfeit their bookes and the Kings displeasure And then it was ordained that no Oxford man should professe at Stanford to any prejudice or hinderance of Oxford Shortly after William Wickham Bishop of Winchester founded a magnificent Colledge which they call New-Colledge into which out of another Colledge of his at Winchester the best wits are yeerely transplanted And hee about the same by the tract of the Citty wall built a faire high wall embatled and turrited Also Richard Angervill Bishop of Durham surnamed Philobiblos that is Love booke furnished a Library for the publike use of Students His Successour Thomas Hatfield laied the foundation of Durham Colledge for Durham Monkes and Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincolne founded likewise Lincolne Colledge Also at the same time the Monkes of the order of Saint Bennet by a Chapter held among them laid their monies together and encreased Glocester Hall built before by I. Lord Gifford of Brimsfield for Monkes of Glocester wherein one or two Monkes out of every Covent of Benedictine Monkes were maintained at study who afterwards should professe good letters in their Abbaies unto which Glocester Hall Nicholas Wadham of Merifeld in the County of Somerset hath assigned a faire portion of lands and mony for the propagation of Religion and Learning which I note incidently by way of congratulation to our Age that there are yet some who graciously respect the advancement of good Learning About that time not to speake of the Chanons of Saint Frideswide and Osney or the Cistertian Monkes of Reilew there were erected fower faire Frieries and other religious houses where flourished also many profound Learned men In the age ensuing when Henry the Fifth reigned Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury built two and those very faire Colledges the one dedicated to the memory of All Soules and the other to Saint Bernard And there passed not many yeeres betweene when William Wainflet Bishop of Winchester founded Mary Magdalen Colledge for building rare and excellent for sight commodious and for walkes passing pleasant And at the very same time was built the Divinity Schoole so fine a peece of elegant worke that this of Xeuxis may justly bee ingraven upon it Invisurum facilius aliquem quà m imitaturum that is Sooner will one envy mee then set such another by me And Humfrey that good Duke of Glocester a singular Patron and a respective lover of learning encreased the Library over it with an hundred twenty nine most select Manuscript bookes which at his great charges he procured out of Italy But such was the private avarice of some in the giddy time of K. Edward the Sixt that they for small gaine envied the use thereof to Posterity Yet now againe God blesse and prosper it Sir Thomas Bodley a right worshipfull knight and a most worthy Nource-son of this Vniversity furnished richly in the same place a new Library with the best books of exquisite choice from all parts with great charges and studious care never sufficiently commended Whereby the Vniversity may once againe have a publike Store-house of knowledge and learning and himselfe deserveth the Glory that may flourish freshly in the memory of all Eternity And whereas by an ancient custome of the wisest men those were wont to be dedicated within such Libraries in gold silver or brasse by whose care they were
and the Monastery Most renowned it is for that Church the Hall of Iustice and the Kings Palace This Church is famous especially by reason of the Inauguration and Sepulture of the Kings of England Sulcard writeth that there stood sometimes a Temple of Apollo in that place and that in the dayes of Antoninus Pius Emperor of Rome it fell downe with an Earth-quake Out of the remaines whereof Sebert King of the East-Saxons erected another to Saint Peter which beeing by the Danes overthrowne Bishoppe Dunstane reedified and granted it to some few Monkes But afterwards King Edward surnamed the Confessour with the tenth penny of all his revenewes built it new for to be his owne sepulture and a Monastery for Benedictine Monkes endowing it with Livings and Lands lying dispersed in diverse parts of England But listen what an Historian faith who then lived The devout King destined unto God that place both for that it was nere unto the famous and wealthy Citty of London and also had a pleasant situation amongst fruitfull fields and greene grounds lying round about it and withall the principall River running hard by bringing in from all parts of the world great variety of Wares and Merchandize of all sorts to the Citty adjoyning But chiefly for the love of the chiefe Apostle whom he reverenced with a speciall and singular affection He made choise to have a place there for his owne Sepulchre and thereupon commanded that of the tenths of all his Rents the worke of a noble edifice should bee gone in hand with such as might beseeme the Prince of the Apostles To the end that he might procure the propitious favour of the Lord after he should finish the course of this transitory Life both in regard of his devout Piety and also of his free oblation of Lands and Ornaments wherewith hee purposed to endow and enrich the same According therefore to the Kings commandement the worke nobly beganne and happily proceeded forward neither the charges already disbursed or to bee disbursed are weighed and regarded so that it may bee presented in the end unto God and Saint Peter worth their acceptation The forme of that ancient building read if you please out of an old Manuscript booke The principall plot or ground-worke of the building supported with most lofty Arches is cast round with a foure square worke and semblable joynts But the compasse of the whole with a double Arch of stone on both sides is enclosed with joynd-worke firmely knit and united together every way Moreover the Crosse of the Church which was to compasse the midde Quire of those that chaunted unto the Lord and with a two-fold supportance that it had on either side to uphold and beare the lofty toppe of the Tower in the midst simply riseth at first with a low and strong Arch then mounteth it higher with many winding Staires artificially ascending with a number of steps But afterward with a single wall it reacheth up to the roofe of Timber well and surely covered with Lead But after an hundred and threescore yeeres King Henry the Third subverted this fabricke of King Edwards and built from the very foundation a new Church of very faire workemanship supported with sundry rowes of Marble pillars and the Rowfe covered over with sheets of Lead a peece of worke that cost fifty yeeres labour in building which Church the Abbots enlarged very much toward the West end and King Henry the Seventh for the buriall of himselfe and his children adjoyned thereto in the East end a Chappell of admirable artificiall elegancy The wonder of the World Leland calleth it for a man would say that all the curious and exquisite worke that can bee devised is there compacted wherein is to bee seene his owne most stately magnificall Monument all of solide and massie Copper This Church when the Monkes were driven thence from time to time was altered to and fro with sundry changes First of all it had a Deane and Prebendaries soone after one Bishop and no more namely T. Thurlebey who having wasted the Church Patrimony surrendred it to the spoile of Courtiers and shortly after were the Monks with their Abbot set in possession againe by Queene Mary and when they also within a while after were by authority of Parliament cast out the most gracious Prince Queene Elizabeth converted it into a Collegiat Church or rather into a Seminary and nurse-garden of the Church appointed twelve Prebendaries there and as many old Soldiers past service for Almes-men fourty Scholers who in their due time are preferred to the Universities and from thence sent foorth into the Church and Common-weale c. Over these she placed D. Bill Deane whose successour was D. Gabriel Goodman a right good man indeede and of singular integrity an especiall Patron of my studies Within this Church are entombed that I may note them also according to their dignity and time wherein they died Sebert the first of that name and first Christian King of the East-Saxons Harold the bastard son of Canutus the Dane King of England S. Edward King and Confessour with his wife Edith Maud wife to King Henry the First the daughter of Malcolme King of Scots King Henry the Third and his son King Edward the First with Aeleonor his wife daughter to Ferdinandâ— the first King of Castile and of Leon. King Edward the Third and Philippa of Henault his wife King Richard the Second and his wife Anne sister to Wenzelaus the Emperor King Henry the Fifth with Catharine his wife daughter to Charles the Sixt king of France Anne wife to king Richard the Third daughter to Richard Nevill Earle of Warwicke king Henry the Seventh with his wife Elizabeth daughter to king Edward the Fourth and his mother Margaret Countesse of Richmond king Edward the Sixth Anne of Cleve the fourth wife of king Henry the Eighth Queene Mary And whom we are not to speake of without praise The Love and Joy of England Queene ELIZABETH of Sacred memory our late Soveraigne and most gratious Lady a Prince matchlesse for her heroicke Vertues Wiâ—edome and Magnanimity above that Sexe rare knowledge and skill in the Tongues is here intombed in a sumptuous and stately Monument which king Iames of a pious minde erected to her memory But alas how litle is that Monument in regard of so Noble and worthy a Lady Who of her selfe is her owne Monument and that right magnificent For how great SHE was RELIGION REFORMED PEACE WELL GROUNDED MONEY REDUCED TO THE TRUE VALUE A NAVY PASSING WELL FURNISHED IN READINES HONOUR AT SEA RESTORED REBELLION EXTINGVISHED ENGLAND FOR THE SPACE OF XLIIII YEERS MOST WISELY GOVERNED ENRICHED AND FORTIFIED SCOTLAND FREED FROM THE FRENCH FRANCE RELIEVED NETHERLANDS SUPPORTED SPAINE AWED IRELAND QUIETED AND THE WHOLE GLOBE OF THE EARTH TWICE SAYLED ROUND ABOUT may with praise and admiraration testifie one day unto all Posterity and succeeding ages Of Dukes and Earles degree there ly here buried Edmund Earle of
our Historians call Kings-delfe not farre from that great Lake Wittlesmere And as this Abbay did adorne the East side of the Shire so the middle thereof was beautified by Salâ—rie which the second Simon de Sancto Lizio Earle of Huntingdon built From which not farre is Cunnington holden anciently of the Honour of Huntingdon where within a foure square Trench are to be seene expresse remaines of an ancient Castle which as also Saltrie was by the gift of Canutus the seat of Turkill that Dane who abode heere among the East English and sent for Sueno King of Denmarke to make spoile of England After whose departure Waldeof the sonne of Siward Earle of Northumberland enjoyed it who married Judith Niece to William the Conquerour by his sister on the mothers side by whose eldest daughter it came to the royall family of Scotland For she by a second marriage matched with David Earle of Huntingdon who afterwards obtained the Kingdome of Scotland being the younger sonne of Malcolm Can-mor King of Scots and of Margaret his wife descended of the royall line of the English-Saxons For shee was Niece to King Edmund Iron-side by his sonne Edward sirnamed The Banished David had a sonne named Henry and Henry had another named David Earle of Huntingdon by one of whose daughters Isabel Cunnington and other lands by right of marriage descended to Sir Robert Bruse from whose eldest sonne Robert sirnamed the Noble James King of Great Britaine lineally deriveth his Descent and from Bernard his younger sonne unto whom this Cunnington with Exton fell Sir Robert Cotton Knight is lineally descended who over and beside other vertues being a singular lover and searcher of Antiquities having gathered with great charges from all places the Monuments of venerable Antiquity hath heere begunne a famous Cabinet whence of his singular courtesie hee hath oftentimes given me great light in these darksome obscurities But these Quarters considering the ground lying so low and for many moneths in the yeare surrounded and drowned in some places also floting as it were and hoven up with the waters are not free from the offensive noisomnesse of Meres and the unwholesome aire of the Fennes Here for sixe miles in length and three in breadth that cleare deepe and fishfull Mere named Wittles-mere spreadeth it selfe which as other Meres in this Tract doth sometimes in Calmes and faire weather sodainly rise tempestuously as it were into violent water-quakes to the danger of the poore fishermen by reason as some thinke of evaporations breaking violently out of the bowels of the earth As for the unhealthinesse of the place whereunto onely strangers and not the natives there are subject who live long and healthfully there is amends made as they account it by the commodity of fishing the plentifull feeding and the abundance of turfe gotten for fewell For King Cnut gave commandement by Turkill the Dane of whom ere while I spake That to every Village standing about the Fennes there should bee set out a severall Marsh who so divided the ground that each Village by it selfe should have in proper use and occupation so much of the very maine Marsh as the firme ground of every such Village touched the Marsh lying just against it And be ordained that no Village might either digge or mow in the Marsh of another without licence but that the pasture therein should lye all in common that is Horne under horne for the preservation of peace and concord among them But thus much of this matter When the sonnes and servants of the said King Cnut sent for from Peterborough to Ramsey were in passing over that Lake There fell upon them as they were cheerefull under saile and lifting up their voices with joyfull shoutings most untoward and unhappy windes wherewith a turbulent and tempestuous storme arose that enclosed them on every side so that laying aside all hope they were in utter despaire of their life security or any helpe at all But such was the mercifull clemency of Almighty God that it forsooke them not wholy nor suffered the most cruell Gulfe of the waters to swallow them up all quite but by his providence some of them he delivered mercifully out of those furious and raging waves but others againe according to his just and secret judgement he permitted amiddest those billowes to passe out of this fraile and mortall life And when the fame of so fearefull a danger was noised abroad and come to the Kings eares there fell a mighty trembling and quaking upon him but being comforted and releeved by the counsaile of his Nobles and freinds for to prevent in time to come all future mishaps by occasion of that outragious monster hee ordained that his souldiers and servants with their swords and skeins should set out and marke a certaine Ditch in the Marishes lying thereby betweene Ramsey and Whittlesey and afterwards that workemen and labourers should skoure and clense them whereupon as I have learned of ancient predecessours of good credite the said Ditch by some of the neighbour Inhabitants tooke the name Swerdesdelfe upon that marking out by swords and some would have it to bee termed Cnouts-delfe according to the name of the same King Yet commonly at this day they call it Steeds dike and it is counted the limit and bound between this County and Cambridge-shire In the East side of this Shire Kinnibantum Castle now called Kimbolton the habitation in times past of the Mandevilles afterwards of the Boâ—uns and Staffords and at this day of the Wingfields doth make a faire shew Under which was Stoneley a prety Abbay founded by the Bigrames A little from hence is Awkenbury which King John gave to David Earle of Huntingdon and John sirnamed the Scot his sonne unto Sir Stephen Segrave of whom I am the more willing to make mention for that he was one of those Courtiers who hath taught us That there is no power alwaies powerfull Hardly and with much adoe hee climbed to an eminent and high estate with great thought and care hee kept it and as sodainely hee was dejected from it For in his youth of a Clerke he became a Knight and albeit hee was but of meane parentage yet through his industry toward his later dayes so enriched and advanced that being ranged with the great Peeres of the Realme hee was reputed chiefe Justice of England and managed at his pleasure after a sort all the affaires of State But in the end he lost the Kings favour quite and to his dying day lay close in a Cloyster and who before time from a Clerkship betooke himselfe through arrogancy to secular service returning againe to the office of a Clerke resumed the shaven crowne which hee had forsaken without the counsell and advise of the Bishop Not farre from hence is Leighton where Sir Gervase Clifton knight lately made Baron Clifton beganne to build a goodly house and close to it lyeth Spaldwicke
but a rude heape of rubbish For in the yeere 1217. the Inhabitants of the Towne when after a long Siege they had wonne it rased it downe to the very ground as being the Devils nest and a Den of theeves robbers and rebels Somwhat higher on the other side of the River standeth Barrow where is digged lime commended above all other for the strong binding thereof After some few miles from thence Soar while hee seeketh Trent leaveth Leicester-shire a little above Cotes now the habitation of the Family of Skipwith originally descended out of York-shire and enriched many yeeres since with faire Possessions in Lincoln-shire by an heire of Ormesbie On the opposite banke of Soar standeth Lough-borrough a Mercate Towne which adorned one onely man with the name of Baron to witte Sir Edward Hastings and that in the Raigne of Queene Mary But when shee of whom he was most dearely loved departed this life hee taking a loathing to the World was not willing to live any longer to the World but wholy desirous to apply himselfe to Gods Service retired into that Hospitall which hee had erected at Stoke Pogeis in Buckingham-shire where with poore people hee lived to God and among them finished the course of his life devoutly in Christ. That this Lough-borrow is that Towne of the Kings named in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Marianus saith Cuthwulph tooke from the Britans in the yeere of Christ 572. the neere affinity of the name may yeeld some proofe But now among all the Townes of this Shire it rightfully chalengeth the second place next unto Leicester whether a man either regard the bignesse or building thereof or the pleasant Woods about it For within very little of it the Forest of Charnwood or Charley stretcheth it selfe out a great way wherein is seene Beaumanour Parke which the Lords of Beaumont as I have heard fensed round about with a stone Wall These Beaumonts descended from a younger sonne of John County of Brene in France who for his high honour and true valour was preferred to marry the heire of the Kingdome of Jerusalem and with great pompe crowned King of Jerusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1248. Hence it is that wee see the Armes of Jerusalem so often quartered with those of Beaumont in sundry places of England Sir Henry Beaumont was the first that planted himselfe in England about the yeere 1308. who advanced to the marriage of an heire of Alexander Comine Earle of Boghan in Scotland whose mother was one of the heires of Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester entred upon a very goodly and faire inheritance and so a great Family was propagated from him Hee in the Raigne of Edward the Third for certaine yeeres was summoned to the Parliament by the name of Earle of Boghan and John Lord Beamont in the Raigne of Henry the Sixth was for a time Constable of England and the first to my knowledge that in England received at the Kings hands the state and Title of a Vicount But when William the last Vicount was dead without issue his sister was wedded to the Lord Lovell and the whole inheritance afterwards which was rich and great by attainder of Lovell fell into the hands of King Henry the Seventh In this North part we meete with nothing at all worth the naming unlesse it be a little religious house which Roise Verdon founded for Nunnes and called it Grace-Dieu now belonging to a younger house of the Beaumonts and where the Trent runneth hard by is Dunnington an ancient Castle built by the first Earles of Leicester which afterwards came to John Lacy Earle of Lincolne who procured unto it from King Edward the First the priviledge of keeping a Mercate and Faire But when as in that great proscription of the Barons under King Edward the Second the hereditaments of Thomas Earle of Lancaster and Alice Lacy his Wife were seised into the Kings hands and alienated in divers sorts the King enforced her to release this Manour unto Hugh Le Despenser the younger The East part of this Shire which is hilly and feedeth great numbers of Sheepe was adorned with two places of especiall note VERNOMETUM or VEROMETUM whereof Antonine the Emperour hath made mention and Burton-Lazers both in the ages fore-going of very great name and reputation VERNOMETUM which now hath lost the name seemeth to have stood for I dare not affirme it in that place which at this day men call Burrowhill and Erd-burrow For betweene VEROMETUM and RATAE according to Antonine his reckoning are twelve Italian miles and so many well neere there be from Leicester to this place The name Burrow also that it hath at this day came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Saxon Tongue signifieth a place fortified and under it a Towne called Burrough belonging to an old Family of Gentlemen so sirnamed But that which maketh most for proofe in that very place there riseth up an hill with a steepe and upright ascent on every side but South Eastward in the top whereof appeare the expresse tokens of a Towne destroyed a duple Trench and the very Tract where the Wals went which enclosed about eighteene Acres of ground within At this day it is arable ground and is nothing so famous as in this that the youth dwelling round about were wont yeerely to exercise themselves in wrestling and other games in this place And out of the very name a man may conjecture that there stood there some great Temple of the Heathen Gods For VERNOMETUM in the ancient Gauls language which was the same that the old Britans tongue soundeth as much as A great Temple as Venantius Fortunatus in the first booke of his Songs plainly sheweth writing of Vernometum a Towne of Gaule in these Verses Nomine Vernometum voluit vocitare vetustas Quod quasi fanum ingens Gallica lingua sonat In elder time this place they term'd by name of VERNOMET Which sounds in language of the Gauls as much as Temple Great As for Burton sirnamed Lazers of Lazers for so they used to terme folke infected with the Elephantiasie or Leprosie was a rich Spittle-house or Hospitall under the Master whereof were in some sort all other small Spittles or Lazer-houses in England like as himselfe also was under the Master of the Lazers in Hierusalem It was founded in the first age of the Normans by a common contribution over all England and the Mowbraies especially did set to their helping hands At which time the Leprosie which the learned terme Elephantiasis because the skins of Lepres are like to that of Elephants in grievous manner by way of contagion ranne over all England For it is verily thought that this disease did then first creepe out of Aegypt into this Island which eft-once had spread it selfe into Europe first of all in Pompeius Magnus his dayes afterwards under Heraclius and at other times as
in the yeere 1588. leaving the fame onely of his greatnesse behinde him Within this Shire are 200. Parish Churches RVTLANDIAE Omnium in Anglia Comitatu um minimus Pars olim CORITANORVM RUTLAND-SHIRE RUTLAND in the old English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is environed within Leicester-shire unlesse it be on the South-side where it lieth upon the river Welland and on the East-side where it butteth upon Lincoln-shire A Country nothing inferiour to Leicester-shire either in fruitfull qualitie of soile or pleasantnesse but in quantitie onely as being the least County of all England For lying in forme almost round like a circle it is in compasse so farre about as a light horseman will ride in one day Whence it is that the Inhabitants tell a tale of I wote not what king who should give to one Rut so much land as he could ride about in one day and that he forsooth rode about this shire within the time appointed and so had it given him and named it by his owne name Rutland But let such fables bee packing I would not have the trueth prejudiced with an extravagant tale And where as the earth in this shire is every where red and so red that even the sheepes fleeces are thereby coloured red whereas also the English-Saxons called Red in their tongue Roet and Rud may we not suppose that this Countrey was named Rutland as one would say a Redland For as saith the Poet. Conveniunt rebus nomina saepè suis. The names as often times we see With things themselves full well agree Now that places in all Nations have had their names of rednesse Rutlan Castle in Wales built on a shore of red earth Redbay Redhill Redland The Red Promontory The Red-Sea also betwixt Aegypt and Arabia Erytheia in Ionia and a number besides may proove most evidently So that there is no cause why we should give credit to fables in this behalfe As for this little County it may seeme to have beene ordained a Shire or County but of late daies For in King Edward the Confessors time it was counted a part of Northampton-shire and our Historiographers who wrote three hundred yeeres agoe and upward reckoned it not in the number of Shires Wash or Guash a little river which runneth from the West Eastward through the middle of it divideth it in twaine In the hithermore or South part riseth Uppingham upon an high ascent whence that name was imposed not memorable for any thing else but because it is counted a well frequented Mercat towne and hath for to shew a proper Schoole which together with another at Okeham R. Ihonson a Minister of Gods word in a good and laudable intent for the training up of children in good literature lately erected with the money he had gotten together by way of collection Under this standeth Drystoke which in no wise is to be passed over with silence considering it hath been the habitation from old time of a right ancient race of the Digbyes which I grieve to utter it but all men know it hath now caught a deepe steine by Sir Everard Digby drawne into that cursed crew who most horribly complotted with one divelish flash of hellish Gun-pouder to blow up both Prince and Country More Eastward upon the river Welland I saw nothing remarkeable unlesse it be Berohdon now Barodon which Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke held with South Leffingham now South Luffenham and other Hamelets by service to be the Kings Chamberlaine in the Exchequer On the further part beyond the river among the hils there spreadeth below a very pleasant and fruitfull vale named at this day The vale of Catmose happily of Coet maes which signifieth in the Brittish tongue a field full of woods In the middest whereof Okeham sheweth it selfe which by the like reason may seeme to have taken the name from Okes where hard by the Church which is large and faire remaine the crackt and decaying walls of an old Castle which Walkelin de Ferrariâ—s built in the first times of the Norman Kings And that it hath been the dwelling place of the Ferrars besides the credit of writers and generall report the great horse shoes which in times past that family gave in their armes fastned upon the gate and in the hall may sufficiently proove Afterwards it belonged to the Lords of Tatteshall But when King Richard the second had promoted Edward the Duke of Yorkes sonne to the Earledome of Rutland he gave unto him this Castle also But within our Fathers remembrance it befell unto Thomas Cromwel and was reputed the seat of his Baronie whom King Henry the Eighth advanced to the highest pitch of dignity and streightwaies when by his plotting and attempting of many matters he had cast himselfe into the tempestuous stormes of envy and displeasure bereft him on a sudden both of life and dignity Over against it Eastward there standeth Burley most daintily seated and overlooking the vale A stately and sumptuous house now of the Haringtons who by marrying the daughter and heire of Colepeper became Lords of so faire an inheritance that ever since they have flourished in these parts like as before time the Colepepers had done unto whom by N. Green the wealthy and goodly Livelod of the Bruses in part had descended As for those Bruses being men of the chiefe Nobility in England they were engraffed into the Roiall stocke and family of Scotland out of whom by Robert the eldest brother the race Roiall of Scotland are sprung-like as by Bernard the younger brother the Cottons of Connington in Huntingdon-shire of whom I have written already and these Haringtons In which regard and gracious respect King James advanced Sir Iohn Harington branched from that stem that the ancient Lords Harington to the title of Baron Harington of Exton a towne adjacent where he hath also an other faire house Moreover on the East side by the river Guash stands Brigcasterton whereof I will say more afterward and Rihall where when superstition had so bewitched our ancestours that the multitude of their pety Saints had well neere taken quite away the true God one Tibba a pety Saint or Goddesse reputed to bee the tutelar patronesse of Hauking was of Foulers and Faulkoners worshipped as a second Diana Essendon also is neere adjoyning the Lord whereof Sir Robert Cecil a good sonne of a right good father the strength and stay of our Common-wealth in his time was by King James created Baron Cecil of Essendon in the first yeere of his reigne This little County King Edward the Confessor by his last Will and Testament bequeathed unto his wife Eadith yet with this condition that after her death it should come to S. Peter of Westminster For these be the very words of the said Testament I will that after the death of Queene Eadith my wife ROTELAND with all the appertenances thereto be given to my Monastery of the most blessed
Pagans for the propagation of Christs true religion built heere a Church and ordeined Duina the first Bishop whose successors found such favour at their Princes hand that they had not onely the preheminence among all the Bishops of the Mercians and the greatest possessions given unto them for their use as Cankwood or Canock a very great wood and other faire lands and Lordships but also this Church had an Archbishop that sat in it namely Eadulph unto whom Pope Adrian granted an Archiepiscopall Pall and subjected under him all the Bishops of the Mercians and East Angles mooved thereunto with golden reasons by Offa King of the Mercians to spite Lambert the Archbishop of Canterbury who had promised to aide Charles the Great if he would invade England But this Archiepiscopall dignity died together with Offa and Eadulph But among all the Bishops of this See Chadd was of greatest fame and canonized a Saint for his holinesse who as Bede saith when riotous excesse had not yet possessed the hearts of Bishops made himselfe a mansion house standing not farre remote from the Church wherein he was wont secretly to pray and reade together with a few that is to say seven or eight religious men as oft as he had any vacant time from painefull preaching and ministery of the word unto the people In those daies Lichfield was a small towne farre short of the frequency of Cities the Country about it full of woods and a little river runneth hard by it The Church was seated in a narrow roome evidently shewing the meane estate and abstinence of our ancestours When as in the Synode holden in the yeere of our Lord 1075. it was forbidden that Bishops Sees should lie obscure in meane and small Townes Peter Bishop of Lichfield translated his See to Chester but Robert Linsey his successour remooued the same unto Coventry A little after Roger Clinton brought it backe againe to Lichfield and beganne to build in the yeere of Christ 1148. this most beautifull Church in the honour of the blessed virgin Mary at Saint Ceda or Chad and repaired the Castle which now is utterly vanished As for the towne it was made first an Incorporation in our Fathers remembrance by King Edward the Sixth by the name of Bailiffs and Burgesses It seeth the Pole Artick elevated two and fifty degrees and two and forty minutes and from the farthest point of the West counteth one and twenty degrees and twenty minutes This Poole of Lichfield being by and by kept and restreined within bankes and spreading broader the second time but gathering againe into a chanell is quickly swallowed into Trent who continueth his course East-ward untill he meeteth with the river of Tame from the South with whom Trent being now coupled turneth aside his streame Northward through places that yeeld great store of Alabaster that he might the sooner entertaine Dow and so almost insulateth or encompasseth Burton a Towne in times past of name by reason of workers in Alabaster a Castle of the Ferrars built in the Conquerors time an ancient Abbay founded by Ulfrick Spot Earle of Mercia and the retyring place of Modwen that holy Irish woman who there dedicated her selfe first to the service of God Concerning which Abbay the Leger-booke of Abingdon recordeth thus A certaine servitour of King Aetheldred named Ulfrick Spot built the Abbay of Burton and gave unto it all the inheritance that came by his Father esteemed worth seven hundred pounds and that this his donation might stand good and sure he gave unto King Aetheldred three hundred Mankus of gold for his confirmation and to every Bishop five Mankus and beside to Alfrick Archbishop of Canterbury the Towne Dumbleton Whereby wee may understand that there was a golden world then and that gold swaied much yea in Church matters and among Church-men In this abbay the said Modwen whose holinesse was much celebrated in this tract lay buried and upon her Tombe were engraven for an Epitaph these verses Ortum Modwennae dat Hibernia Scotia finem Anglia dat tumulum dat Deus astra poli Prima dedit vitam sed mortem terra secunda Et terram terrae tertia dedit Auffert Lanfortin quam terra Conallea profert Foelix Burtonium virginis ossa tenet In Ireland Modwen who began in Scotland tooke her end England on her a Tombe bestow'd to Heaven God did her send The first of these lands gave her life the second wrought her death And earth to earth in decent sort the third land did bequeath Lanfortin taketh that away which once Tir-Connell gave And Burton blest whose hap it is this virgines bones to have Neere unto Burton betwixt these three rivers Dove Trent and Blith the which watereth and nameth Blithfield a faire house of the ancient and worthy Family of the Bagots Needwood a very large wood and full of parkes spreadeth it selfe Wherein the Nobility and Gentlemen dwelling thereabout take their jolly pleasure and disport themselves in hunting Thus much of the places in the midle part of this shire The North part riseth up and swelleth somewhat mountainous with moores and hilles but of no great bignesse which beginning here runs like as Apennine doth in Italie through the middest of England with a continued ridge rising more and more with divers tops and cliffs one after another even as far as to Scotland although oftentimes they change their name For heere they are called Mooreland after a while the Peak Blackstone edge then Craven anon as they goe further Stanmore and at length being parted diversly as it were into hornes Cheviot This Mooreland so called for that it riseth higher into hils and mountaines and is withall lesse fruitfull which kind of places we call in our language Moores is a small country verily so hard so comfortlesse bare and cold that it keepeth snow lying upon it a long while in so much as that of a little country village named Wotton lying here under Woverhill the neighbor inhabitants have this rime rise in their mouth as if God forsooth had never visited that place Wotton under Wever Where God came never Yet in so hard a soile it breedeth and feedeth beasts of large bulke and faire spread The people heere dwelling observe that when the winde sitteth West it is alwaies raine but the East and Southwinde which in other places brew and broach raine bring faire weather unlesse the winde turne from West into the South and this they ascribe unto the vicinity of the Irish Sea Out of these Moores most rivers in this shire doe spring but the chiefe are Dove Hanse Churnet Teyn Blith and Trent himselfe who receiveth every one of them and conveieth them all to the Sea Dow or Dove whose bankes are reared out of solid hard lime stone which they burne and use for compast to manure and enrich their fields with all doth swiftly runne along the most part of the East side of this Country
Temple of Bellona by the errour of a rusticall Augur or Soothsaying Priest At which time the Tribunal or Justice Haul of this City was in this respect most happy because therein sat to minister justice that Oracle of the law Aemelius Paulus Papinianus as Forcatulus witnesseth And from this place it was for certaine that Severus and Antoninus Emperours being consulted in a case or question of Right gave forth their Imperiall constitution De rei Vindicatione An hundred yeeres or thereabout after the death of Severus Fl. Valerius Constantius sirnamed Chlorus an Emperour surpassing in all vertue and Christian piety who came hether When the Gods as the Panegyrist saith called him now to the inmost entry and doore of the earth ended his life also in this City and was deified as we may see by ancient Coines And albeit Florilegus recordeth that his Tombe was found in Wales as I have said yet men of credite have enformed me that in our fathers remembrance when Abbaies were suppressed and pulled downe in a certaine Vault or crowdes or a little Chappell under the ground wherein Constantius was supposed to have beene buried there was found a Lampe burning for Lazius writeth that in ancient time they preserved light in Sepulchres by resolving gold artificially into a liquid and fatty substance which should continue burning a long time and for many ages together This Emperor begat of his former wife Helena CONSTANTINE THE GREAT THE DELIVERER OF ROME CITY as ancient inscriptions give testimony THE FOUNDER OF PEACE AND THE REPAIRER OF THE COMMON VVEALTH Who was present in Yorke at his fathers last gaspe and forthwith proclaimed Emperour The souldiers as the Panegyricall Oratour saith regarding rather the good of the State than private affections cast the purple robe upon him whiles hee wept and put spurs to his horse to avoid the importunity of the Army attempting and requiring so instantly to make him Emperour But the happinesse of the State overcame his modestie Whence it is that the Author of the Panegyricall oration crieth out in these words O fortunate Britaine and now blessed above all lands which first sawest Constantine Emperor Hence it may be gathered in what and how great estimation Yorke was in those daies seeing the Romane Emperours Court was there held For our owne Country Writers record that this City was by Constantius adorned and graced with an Episcopall See But yet that Taâ—rinus the Martyr Bishop of Eureux sat heere and governed I will not say as others doe For Vincentius out of whom they sucked this errour would by his owne words convince me of untruth But when the Romanes were departed and had left Britaine for a prey to barbarous Nations this City sore afflicted with many calamities suffered her part also of miseries and was little or nothing better about the end of the Scottish or Saxons Warres than a poore small shadow of a great name For when Paulinus preached Christian Religion to the English Saxons in this Country it lay so desolate that there remained not so much as a Chappell in it for King Edwin to bee baptized in Who in the yeere after Christs Birth 627. built a little Oratory of wood and when as afterward he went in hand with building a greater Church of stone scarce had he laid the foundation thereof when he was prevented by death and left it to be finished by his Successour Oswald Ever since that time the Ecclesiasticall Dignity in this Church encreased and by a Pall sent unto it from Honorius the Pope became a Metropolitane City which beside twelve Bishoprickes in England exercised the power of a Primate over all the Bishops of Scotland But many yeeres since Scotland withdrew it selfe from this her Metropolitane and the Metropolitane City it selfe hath so devoured other Bishoprickes adjoyning being but little to say truth and of small account that it hath now but foure within the owne Dioecese namely the Bishoprickes of Durrham of Chester of Carlile and of Man or Sodorensis in the Isle of Man And the Archbishop Egbert who flourished about the yeere of our Salvation 740. erected at Yorke A most famous Library the Cabinet as I may so terme it these be the words of William of Malmesbury and Closet of all liberall Arts. Touching which Library Alcwin of Yorke Schoolemaster to Charles the Great first Founder of the University of Paris and the onely Honour of this City in an Epistle to the said Charles wrote thus Give mee the bookes of deeper and more exquisite scholasticall learning such as I had in mine owne Country by the good and most devout industry of the Archbishop Egbert And if it please your wisedome I will send backe some of your owne servants who may exemplifie out of them all those things that be necessary and bring the floures of Britaine into France that there may not be a Garden of learning enclosed onely within Yorke walles but that streames of Paradise may be also at Towres Then also it was that Princes bestowed many and great livings and lands upon the Church of Yorke especially Ulphus the sonne of Toral I note so much out of an old booke that there may plainly appeare a custome of our ancestour in endowing Churches with livings This Ulphus aforesaid ruled in the West part of Deira and by reason of the debate that was like to arise betweene his sonnes the elder and the younger about their Lordships and Signiories after his death forthwith hee made them all alike For without delay hee went to Yorke tooke the horne with him out of which hee was wont to drinke filled it with wine and before the Altar of God and blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles kneeling upon his knees he dranke and thereby enfeoffed them in all his lands and revenewes Which horne was there kept as a monument as I have heard untill our fathers daies I might seeme to speake in derogation of the Clergy if I should report what secret heart-burnings or rather open enmities flashed out betweene the Archbishops of Yorke and of Canterbury upon worldly ambition whiles with great wast of their wealth but more losse of their credite and reputation they bickered most eagerly about the Primacy For the Church of Yorke as he writeth inferiour though it were unto that of Canterbury in riches yet being equall in dignity albeit of later time founded and advanced on high with the same power that Canterbury hath confirmed also with the like authority of Apostolicall Priviledges tooke it ill to bee subject unto that of Canterbury by vertue of a Decree of Alexander of Rome who ordained That the Church of Yorke ought to be subject unto Canterbury and in all things to obey the constitutions of the Archbishop thereof as Primate of all Britaine in such matters as appertaine to Christian Religion Concerning the Archbishops of Yorke it is no part verily of my purpose to write any thing heere although there bee very many of
Romane high-way goeth straight into the West by Whinfield a large Parke shaded with trees hard by BROVONIACUM standing twentie Italian miles or seventeene English miles from VERTERAE as Antonine hath set it who also hath called it Brovocum like as the book of Notices Broconiacum which specifieth that a companie or band of Defensors had here their abode The beautie and buildings of this towne although time hath consumed yet the name remaineth almost untouched for we call it Brogham Here the river Eimot flowing out of a great lake for a good space dividing this shire from Cumberland receiveth the river Loder into it neere unto the spring head whereof hard by Shape in times past Hepe a little monasterie built by Thomas the sonne of Gospatrick sonne of Orms there is a Well or Fountaine which after the manner of Euripus ebbeth and floweth many times in a day also there be huge stones in forme of Pyramides some 9. foot high and fourteene foot thick ranged directly as it were in a row for a mile in length with equall distance almost betweene which may seeme to have beene pitched and erected for to continue the memoriall of some act there atchieved but what the same was by the injurie of time it is quite forgotten Hard by Loder there is a place bearing the same name which like as Stricland neere unto it hath imparted their names to families of ancient gentrie and worship Somewhat above where Loder and Eimot meet in one chanell in the yeere of our Lord 1602. there was a stone gotten out of the ground erected in the honour of Constantine the Great with these words IMP. C. VAL. CONSTANTINO PIENT AUG When Eimot hath served a good while for a limit betweene this shire and Cumberland neere unto Isan-parles a rocke full well knowne unto the neighbour inhabitants whereunto nature hath left difficult passage and there framed sundry caves and thosefull of winding crankes a place of safe refuge in time of danger hee lodgeth himselfe after some few miles both with his owne streame and with the waters of other rivers also in Eden so soone as he hath entertained Blencarne a brook that boundeth this county on Cumberland side Neere unto which I have heard there be the strange ruines of an old Castle the people call them the hanging walls of Marcantoniby that is of Marke Antony as they would have it As for such as have borne the title of Westmorland the first Lord to my knowledge was Robert de Vipont who bare Guels sixe Annulets Or in his coat armour For King John gave unto him the balliwicke and revenues of Westmorland by the service of foure Knights whereupon the Cliffords his successors untill our daies held the office of the Sherifdome of Westmorland For Robert de Vipont the last of that name left behind him only two daughters Isabel wife to Roger Lord Clifford and Idonea married unto Sir Roger Leybourne Long time after K. Richard the second created Ralph Nevill of Raby the first Earle of Westmorland a man of the greatest and most ancient birth of English nobility as descended from Ucthred Earl of Northumberland whose heires successively by his former wife Margaret daughter to the Earle of Stafford flourished in that honour untill that Charles by his wilfull stomack and wicked conspiracy casting off his allegeance to Q. Elizabeth and covering treason under the mantle of religion most shamefully dishonoured that most noble house and foully steined his owne reputation by actuall rebellion in the yeere 1599. Whereupon hee fled into the Low countries led a miserable life and died as miserably The said first Earle to note so much incidently by his second wife Catharine daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster had so faire issue and the name of Nevill thereby so greatly multiplied that almost at one and the same time there flourished out beside the Earle of Westmorland an Earle of Salisbury an Earle of Warwicke an Earle of Kent Marquesse Montacute a Duke of Bedford Lord Latimer and Lord Abergevenny all Nevils In this shire are conteined Parishes 26. CVMBRIA Sive CVMBERLANDIA Quae olim pars Brigantum CUMBER-LAND WEstward Northward from Westmorland lieth CUMBERLAND the utmost region this way of the realme of England as that which on the North side boundeth upon Scotland on the South side and the West the Irish sea beateth upon it and Eastward above Westmorland it butteth upon Northumberland It tooke the name of the inhabitants who were the true and naturall Britans and called themselves in their owne language Kumbri and Kambri For the Histories testifie that the Britans remained here a long time maugre the English Saxons howsoever they stormed thereat yea and Marianus himselfe recordeth as much who tearmed this countrey Cumbrorum terram that is Thâ— land of the Cumbri or Britans to say nothing of the places that everie where here beare British names as Caer-Luel Caer-dronoc Pen-rith Pen-rodoc c. which most evidently declare the same and as cleerly prove mine assertion The country although it be somewhat with the coldest as lying farre North and seemeth as rough by reason of hills yet for the varietie thereof it smileth upon the beholders and giveth contentment to as many as travaile it For after the rockes bunching out the mountaines standing thicke together rich of metall mines and betweene them great meeres stored with all kindes of wilde foule you come to prettie hills good for pastorage and well replenished with flockes of sheepe beneath which againe you meet with goodly plaines spreading out a great way yeelding come sufficiently Besides all this the Ocean driving and dashing upon the shore affoordeth plentie of excellent good fish and upbraideth as it were the inhabitants thereabouts with their negligence for that they practise fishing no more than they doe The South part of this shire is called Copeland and Coupland for that it beareth up the head aloft with sharpe edged and pointed hills which the Britans tearme Copa or as others would have it named Copeland as one would say Coperland of rich mines of copper therein In this part at the very mouth of the river Duden whereby it is severed apart from Lancashire standeth Millum Castle belonging to the ancient house of the Hodlestones from whence as the shore fetcheth about with a bent Northward two rivers very commodiously enclose within them Ravenglasse a station or roade for ships where also as I have learned were to be â—eene Roman inscriptions some will have it called in old time Aven-glasse as one would say the blew river and they talke much of King Eueling that here had his Court and royall palace One of these rivers named Eske springeth up at the foot of Hard-knot an high steepe mountaine in the top whereof were discovered of late huge stones and foundations of a castle not without great wonder considering it is so steep and upright that one can hardly ascend up to it
here in Gordian the Emperours time as appeareth evidently by these inscriptions which I saw hard by I O M. ALA AUG OB RTUT APPEL CUI PRAEEST TIB. CL. TIB. F. P IN G N JUSTINUS PRAEF FUSCIANO II SILANO II COS. DM MABLI NIVSSEC VNDVS EQUIS ALE AUG STE STIP This votive altar also of a rude stone was erected for the happie health of the Emperour Gordian the third and his wife Furia Sabina Tranquilla and their whole family by the troup of horsemen surnamed Augusta Gordiana when Aemilius Chrispinus a native of Africa governed the same under Nonnius Philippus Lievtenant generall of Britaine in the yeere of Christ 243. as appeareth by the Consuls therein specified I O M PRO SALUTE IMPERATORIS M. ANTONI GORDIANI P. F. INVICTI AUG ET SABINIAE TUR IAE TRANQUILE CONJUGI EJUS TO TA QUE DOMU DIVIN EORUM A LA AUG GORDIA OB VIRTUTEM APPELLATA POSUIT CUI PRAEEST AEMILIUS CRISPINUS PRAEF EQQ. NATUS IN PRO AFRICA DE TUIDRO SUB CUR NONNII PH LIPPI LEG AUG PROPRETO ATTICO ET PRETEXTATO COSS. From hence also were altars brought which are erected in the high way by Wigton in the sides whereof are to bee seene a drinking cup or mazar a footlesse pot a mallet a boll c. all vessels appertaining to sacrifice But time hath so worn out the letters that nothing can be read And not farre from hence just by the high street way there was digged up a long rude stone in manner of a columne which we saw at Thoresby with this inscription to the honour of Philip the Emperour and his sonne who flourished about the yeere of our Lord 248. IMP CAES. M. JUL PHILIPPO PIO FELI CI AUG ET M. JUL. PHI LIPPO NOBILIS SIMO CAES TR. P. COS This also with others Oswald Dikes a learned minister of Gods word copied out for me and now is to be seene in the house of T. Dikes Gentleman at Wardal DEO SANCTO BELA TUCADRO AURELIUS DIATOVA ARAE X VOTO POSUIT LL. MM. Likewise another such like altar to a private tutelar God of the place was there found with this unperfect inscription DEO CE AIIO AUR M RTI. ET MS ERURACIO PRO SE ET SUIS V.S. LL. M. Besides an infinite number of pety images statues of horsemen Aegles Lions Ganimedes and many other monuments of antiquity which are daily discovered Something higher a little promontory shooteth out and a great frith or arme of the Sea lieth under it being now the common limit confining England and Scotland serving in times past to make a separation betweene the Romane Province and the Picts Upon this standeth that ancient town BLATUM-BULGIUM happily of Butch a Britaine word that signifieth a separation from which as from the most remote place and the limit of the Roman province Antonine the Emperour beginneth his journies through Britaine The inhabitants at this day call it Bulnesse and as small a village as it is yet hath it a pile and in token of the antiquity thereof besides the tracts of streets ruinous walls and an haven now stopped up with mud there led a paved high-way from hence along the sea-shore as farre as to Elen Borrough if we may relie upon the report of the by-dwellers Beyond this a mile as is to bee seene by the foundations at a nepe tide beganne that WALL the most renowned worke of the Romanes which was the bound in times past of the Romane province raised of purpose to seclude and keepe out the barbarous nations that in this tract were evermore barking and baying as an ancient writer saith about the Roman Empire I marvailed at first why they built here so great fortifications considering that for eight miles or thereabout there lieth opposite a very great frith and arme of the sea but now I understand that at every ebbe the water is so low that the borderers and beast-stealers may easily wade over That the form of these shores hath bin changed it doth evidently appeare by the tree roots covered over with sand a good way off from the shore which oftentimes at a low ebbe are discovered with the windes I know not whether I may relate here which the inhabitants reported concerning trees without boughes under the ground oftentimes found out here in the mosses by the direction of dew in summer for they have observed that the dew never standeth on that ground under which they lye By the same Frith more within the land standeth Drumbough Castle belonging of later time to the Lords of Dacre a station in times past of the Romans Some will have it to have beene EXPLORATORUM CASTRA notwithstanding the distance utterly controuleth it There was also another station of the Romans beside it which now being changed into a new name is called Burgh upon Sands whence the territory adjoyning is named the Barony of Burgh the which R. Meschines Lord of Cumberland gave unto Robert de Trivers but from him it came to the Morvils the last of which house named Hugh left behind him a daughter who by her second husband Thomas de Molton had issue Thomas Molton Lord of this place whose sonne Thomas by marriage with the heire of Hubert de Vaulx adjoyned Gilles-land to his possessions which in the end were devolved all unto Ranulph Dacre who married M. the heire of Moulton But for no one thing was this little Burgh upon Sands more famous than that King Edward the first that triumphant Conquerour of his enemies was here taken out of this world by untimely death A right noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned most princely presence and personage as a right worthy seat to entertaine so heroicall a minde For hee not onely in regard of fortitude and wisedome but also for a beautifull and a personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of royall majesty whom fortune also in the very prime and flowre of his age inured to many a warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the State whiles she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Britain which he being once crowned King managed and governed in such wise that having subdued the Welsh and vanquished the Scots hee may most justly bee counted the second ornament of Great Britaine Under this Burgh within the very Frith where the salt water ebbeth and floweth the Englishmen and Scotish by report of the inhabitants fought with their fleets at full Sea and also with their horsemen and footmen at the ebbe A thing which may seeme no lesse marvellous than that which Plinie hath reported not without wonder of the like place in Caramania This arme of the sea both nations call Solway Frith of Solway a towne in Scotland standing upon it But Ptolomee more truely tearmeth it ITUNA For Eden that notable river which wandreth through Westmorland and the inner parts of this shire
it was in old time it passeth my wit to find out seeing that amongst all the stations mentioned along the range of the Wall there is not one commeth neere to it in name neither have wee any light out of inscriptions to lead us thereunto What ever it was sure the wall thereby was both strongest and highest by farre for scarce a furlong or two from hence upon a good high hill there remaineth as yet some of it to be seene fifteen foot high and nine foot thicke built on both sides with foure square ashler stone although Bede reporteth it was not above twelve foot in heighth From hence the wall goeth forward more aslope by Iuerton Forsten and Chester in the Wall neere to Busie-Gap a place infamous for theeving and robbing where stood some Castles Chesters they call them as I have heard but I could not with safetie take the full survey of it for the ranke-robbers thereabout As for Chester the neighbours told us that it was a very great building so that we may well think it to have been that second station of the Dalmatians which is called in the old booke of Notice MAGNA where this inscriptions was found upon an ancient altar PRO SALUTE DESIDIENI AE LIANI PRAE ET SUA S. POSUIT VOT AO SOLVIT LIBE NS TUSCO ET BAS SO COSS. This broken and imperfect altar likewise brought from thence wee read at Melkrig where now women beat their buckes on it DEAE SURI AE SUB CALP UR NIO AG ICOLA LEG AUG PR PR A. LICINIUS LEMENS PRAEF III. A. IOR Which if I were able to read thus would I willingly read it and the draught of the letters maketh well for it Deae Suriae sub Calphurnio Agricola Legato Augusti Propraetore Licinius Clemens Praefectus that is Unto the goddesse Suria under Calphurnius Agricola Lievtenant of Augustus and Propraetor Licinius Clemens the Captaine This Calphurnius Agricola was sent by Antoninus Philosophus against the Britans what time as there was likely to be warre in Britain about the yeere of Christ 170. At which time some Cohort under his command erected this Altar unto THE GODDESSE SURIA whom with a turreted crown on her head and a Tabber in her hand was set in a coach drawn with Lions as Lucian sheweth at large in his Narration of the goddesse Suria Which goddesse also Nero albeit he contemned all religion especially worshipped for a time and soone after so aviled and despised that he defiled her with his urine From hence wee saw Willyâ—otes-wicke the seat of a respected family of the Ridleyes and hard by it the river Alon tunning with a surging streame and rise of waters into Tine namely when both the Alons are met together in one channell By the Easterne of the two Alons there is to bee seene a towne now called Old-towne but what the old name was will not easily be found Now to the wall againe The next station upon the wall beyond Busie-gap is called Seaven-shale the name whereof if any man would thinke with mee to come from the wing Saviniana or Sabiniana I might the more confidently say that it was that HUNNUM where the Notice of Provinces reporteth the wing Sabiniana kept watch and ward Then beyond Carraw and Walton stands Walwick which some conjecturally would have to be GALLANA in Antonine in all which places there be evident remaines of old fortifications Here there runneth through the wall North Tine which being now come downe amaine out of the mountaines in the marches of England and Scotland first as hee passeth Eastward watereth Tindale a place taking the name of him and in the end receiving into his bosome the river Rhead which springing out of Readsquire a steep mountaine where oftentimes was the True-place that is a place of parley and conference for the East marches for the LL. Wardens of the East marches to both Kingdomes were wont here to decide matters and controversies betweene the borderers giveth his owne name to a dale too too voide of inhabitants by reason of depredations Both these dales breed notable light horse-men and both of them have their hils hard by so boggy and standing with water in the top that no horsemen are able to ride through them whereupon and that is wonderfull there be many very great heapes of stone called Lawes which the neighbour inhabitants be verily perswaded were in old time cast up and layd together in remembrance of some there slaine In both of them also there bee many ruinous remaines of old Castles In Tindale are Whitchester Delaley Tarset sometimes belonging to the Comins In Rheadsdale are Rochester Green-chester Rutchester and some others whose ancient names are abolished and lost by the injury of long time But seeing that at Rochester which standeth neerer into the head of Rhead in the brow of a rocky high mountaine that overlooketh the countrey underneath a great way whence it seemeth to have taken this new name there hath beene found an antique altar among the rubbish of an old castle with this inscription D. R. S. DVPL N. EXPLOR BREMEN ARAM. INSITVERVNT N EIVS C CAEP CHARITINO TRIB VSLM May wee not hence ghesse that BREMENIUM for which there hath beene made so long and great search was here whereof Ptolomee hath made mention in this very siâ—e and position of the country and from which Antonine the Emperor beginneth the first journey of Britaine as from the utmost limit of the Romane Province in Britaine at that time And the limits or bounds of a Dominion were seas great rivers Mountaines Desert lands and unpassable such as be in this tract Trenches also with their rampires walls mounds of trees cut downe or plashed and Castles especially built in places more suspected and dangerous than others to all which there are to bee seene remaines here every where about Certes when the Barbarous nations after they had broken through the wall of Antoninus Pius in Scotland harried all over the countrey and laid all wast before them and the wall of Hadrian lay neglected unto the time of Severus wee may well thinke that even here was set downe the limit of the Romane Empire and that from hence the old Itinerary which goes about under the name of Antoninus began thus A limite that is From the Bound As for that which is set to it id est A vallo that is From the wall or rampier may seeme a glosse put downe by the transcribers considering that BREMENIUM is foureteene miles Northward distant from the said wall unlesse it may seeme to have been one of those out Field-stations which as I said even now were placed within the Barbarians ground beyond the Wall Scarce five miles from old BREMENIUM Southward standeth Otterburne where there was a field most valiantly fought betweene the Scottish and English in which the victory waved alternatively too and fro three or foure times and fell
bigge and large as that it may seeme to match with a city Neither went it for any other but a castle when King William Rufus having raised over against it a tower called Mal-voisin gave assault continually to Mowbray while hee rebelled and lurked there who at length privily stole away escaped by flight The greatest part of the beauty therof was lost long time after in the civill warre when Bressie the Norman redoubted souldier who sided with the house of Lancaster exercised his rage against it very outragiously Since then it hath beene sore beaten with time and the windes together which have blowne by drifts an incredible deale of sand of the sea into the fortresses Hereto adjoyneth Emildon sometime the Barony of John Le Viscont but Rametta the heire of that house sold away the possessions to Simon de Montfort Earle of Leicester In this was borne John Duns called Scotus because hee was descended of Scotish bloud who being brought up in Merton Colledge at Oxford became wonderfull well learned in Logicke and in that crabbed and intricate Divinity of those dayes yet as one still doubtfull and unresolved he did overcast the truth of religion with mists of obscurity And with so profound and admirable subtlety in a darke and rude stile hee wrote many workes that hee deserved the title of the Subtile Doctor and after his owne name erected a new sect of the Scotists But hee died pitifully being taken with an Apoplexy and overhastily buried for dead whiles upon returne of life nature though too late was about to discusse the violence of the disease and hee making meanes in vaine by a lamentable noise to call for helpe after he had a long time knocked his head against the grave stone dashed out his owne braines and at last yeelded up his vitall breath 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 jugularit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret All learning taught in humane books and couch'd in holy writ Dan Scotus darke and doubtfull made by subtlety of wit No marvaile that to doubtfull termes of life himselfe was brought Whiles with like wile and subtle tricke death on his body wrought When as her stroke to kill outright she would not him vouchsafe Untill the man a piteous case was buried quicke in grave That he was borne here in England I avouch it out of his owne manuscript works in the Library of Merton Colledge in Oxford and upon their faithfull testimony which conclude in this maner Explicit Lectura c. that is Thus endeth the Lecture of the subtle Doctor in the University of Paris Iohn Duns borne in a certaine little village or hamlet within the Parish of Emildon called Dunston in the county of Northumberland pertaining to the house of the scholars of Merton Hall in Oxford On this shore forward there is nothing to be seene worth relation but the Holy Island whereof I will write in due place untill a man come to the mouth of Twede which parteth England and Scotland a great way asunder and is called the East limit and thereupon our Necham thus writeth insinuating that the hither part of Scotland was called Pict-land Anglos à Pictis sejungit limite certo Flumen quod Tuedam pristina lingua vocat The river Twede a certaine bound Divides * Pict-land from English ground This river breaking forth at a number of Springs out of the mountaines of Scotland wandereth a great while with many a crooked winding in and out among the ranke-riders and borderers to give them no worse tearme whose manner is as one saith to try their right by the swords point But when hee is come hard to a village called Carram waxing a great deale bigger by reason of many waters fallen unto him hee begins to distinguish the Confines of the Kingdomes And when hee hath watered Werke a Castle often assaulted by the Scottish belonging in times past to the Rosses and now to the Graies who by feats of armes have wonne much honour hee is encreased more with the streame of Till a river that hath two names For at the head which is in the innermore part of this country it is called Bramish and upon it standeth Bramton a little village very obscure and almost of no reckoning from whence it goeth Northward by Bengeley which together with Brampton it selfe with Broundum Rodam which hath given name to a stock in this tract of good note Edelingham c. was in King Henry the third his time the Barony of Patricke Earle of Dunbar who also as we read in the book of Inquisitions was Inborow and Outborow betweene England and Scotland that is to say if I mistake it not he was to allow and observe in this part the ingresse and egresse of those that travailed too and fro betweene both Realmes For Englishmen in ancient time called in their language an Entry and fore Court or Gatehouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Higher somewhat standeth Chevelingham now called Chillingham hard by the river which like as Horton not farre distant from it had their Castles belonging to the Greies ever since that those two families of the Greies were conjoyned in one by marriage There lyeth neere unto it Wollover a Barony which King Henry the first gave to Robert Muschampe who bare Azure three Butterflies or Papilions Argent of whose race descended Robert who in Henry the third his reigne was reputed the mightiest Baron in these North parts But the inheritance was quickly dismembred and parted among the females one of whom was married unto the Earle of Stratherne in Scotland a second to Sir William de Huntercombe and a third to Odonell Ford. Then the river of Glen from out of the West augmenteth Till with his waters and nameth the vale that he runneth thorow Glendale Touching this little river Bede writeth thus Paulinus comming with the King and Queen into a Manour or house of the Kings called Ad-Gebrin at this day Yeverin abode with them 36. daies there emploied wholly in the catechizing and baptising during all which time he did nothing from morning but instruct the people resorting to him in the saving word of Christ and being thus instructed he baptised them to the forgivenesse of their sinnes in the river of Glen which was hard by This house was in the time of the succeeding Kings neglected and another made for it in a place called Melmin but at this day Melfeld Here within a little of Brum-ridge by Brumeford K. Athelstan fought a pitched field with Aulase the Dane Constantine K. of Scots and Eugenius or Owein Prince of Cumberland with so fortunate successe that this battaile was most famous farre
as also admonition of that Grecian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Art thou a stranger be no medler And verily I should play an unadvised part if I would insist long in that wherein I am but little conversant But yet seeing Scotland also joyeth in the name of BRITAIN let it bee lawfull for me reserving the due honour to the Scottish according to my purpose having boldly undertaken to illustrate BRITAIN to proceed with their good favour leave and licence and by drawing aside in some sort the curtaine of obscure antiquity to point out with my finger if I shall be able some places of ancient note and memory Certes I assure my selfe that I shall bee easily pardoned in this point the people themselves are so courteous and well meaning and the happinesse of these daies so rare and admirable since that by a divine and heavenly oportunity is now fallen into our laps which we hardly ever hoped our Ancestors so often and so earnestly wished namely that Britaine so many ages dis-joined in it selfe and unsociable should all throughout like one uniform City under one most sacred and happy Monarch the founder of perpetuall peace by a blessed Union be conjoyned in one entire body Who being through the propitious goodnesse of Almighty God elected borne and preserved to the good of both nations as he is a Prince of singular wisdome and providence and fatherly affected to all his subjects doth so cut off all causes and occasions of feare of hope of revenge complaint and quarrell that the dismall DISCORD which hath set these nations otherwise invincible so long at debate might be stifled and crushed for ever and sweet CONCORD triumph joyously with endlesse comfort when as one sometimes sung this tenour Jam cunctigens una sumus that is Wee all one Nation are this day whereunto as a Chorus both nations resound Et simus in aevum that is God grant we may be so for aye But before my pen commeth to Scotland thus much I thinke it good to advertise the Reader aforehand that I leave the first originall of the Scottish nation to their owne Historians also the primitive derivation of their name to the learned among them banishing all conjectures whatsoever of others which either hasty credulity or carelesse negligence hath forged as well in the late foregoing age as in these our dayes And according to the same order which I kept before in England I will premise some few lines touching the division of Scotland the States of the Kingdome and the Tribunals or Courts of Iustice then will I briefly touch the situations and Commodities of the soile in every severall Region what places there be of greater fame and name and what Families more noble and notable than the rest have most flourished with the title and honour of Earles and Barons of the Parliament so far forth as hitherto I could find by reading or enquiry And that so circumspectly with such an honest desire and sincere affection to truth that I hope I shall not give offence to the malicious and with so compendious brevity that I will not prevent their curious diligence who are in hand to set out these matters with a fuller pensill and to polish the same with more lively and lasting colours THE DIVISION OF SCOTLAND THe North part of the Island of Britaine was of old time inhabited throughout by the Picts who were divided into two Nations the DICALIDONII and VECTURIONES of whom I have spoken already out of Ammianus Marcellinus But when the Scots became Lords and Rulers over all this part it was shared into seven parts among seven Princes as we finde in a little ancient pamphlet touching the division of Scotland in these words and old name The first part contained Enegus and Maern The second Atheodl and Goverin The third Stradeern and Meneted The fourth was Forthever The fift Mar with Buchen The sixth Muref and Ros. The seventh Cathanes which Mound a mountaine in the midst divideth running on forward from the West sea to the East Then afterwards the same Author reporteth according to the relation of Andrew Bishop of Cathanes that the whole Kingdome was divided likewise into seven territories The first from Frith in the British tongue called by the Romans Worid now Scotwade to the river Tae The second to Hilef according as the sea fetcheth a compasse to a mountain in the North-east part of Strivelin named Athran The third from Hilef to Dee The fourth from Dee to the river Spe. The fifth from Spe to the mountaine Brunalban The sixth Mures and Ros. The seventh the kingdome Argathel as it were the border and skirt of the Scots who were so called of Gathelgas their Captaine Also according to the habitation of the people Scotland is now divided into Highland-men and Lawland-men These being more civill use the English language and apparrell the other which are rude and unruly speak Irish and goe apparelled Irish-like as I have already said Out of this division I exclude the Borderers because by reason of peace shining now upon them on every side by a blessed and happy Union they are to bee ranged and reckoned in the very heart and midst of the British Empire as who begin to be weary of wars and to acquaint themselves with the delightfull benefits of peace Moreover according to the situation and position of the places the whole Kingdome is divided into two parts the South on this side the river Tay and the North beyond Tay besides a number of Islands lying round about In the South part these countries are more remarkable than the rest Teifidale Merch. Lauden Liddesdale Eskedale Annandale Nâ—ddesdale Galloway Carrick Kyle Cunningham Arran Cluydesdale Lennox Stirling Fife Strathern Menteith Argile Cantire Lorn In the North part are reckoned these Countries Loquabrea Braidalbin Perth Athol Anguish Mern Marr. Buquhan Murray Rosse Sutherland Cathanes Strathnavern These are subdivided againe according to their civill government into counties which they call Sherifdomes Seneschalfies commonly Stewarties and Bailiwicks or Bailerries Counties or Sheriffedomes Edenburgh Linlythquo Selkirk Roxburgh Peblis Berwick Lanark Renfrew Dunfreis Wightou Aire Bute Argyle and Tarbet Dunbarton Perth Clackmannan Kinros Fife Kincardin Forfaire Aberdâ—ne Bamff Elgin Forres Narne Innerness Cromartie Orknay and Shetland Seneschalsies or Stewarties Menteith Strathern Kircudbricht Annandale Bailiwickes or Baileries Kile Carick Cunningham Hadingtona Constablery As touching the administration of that divine City and commonwealth which we tearme the Church like as the Bishops in all the world besides had no certain dioeceses before that Dionisius Bishop of Rome about the yeere 268. did set out dioeceses for Bishops so the Bishops of Scotland executed their Episcopall functions in what place soever they came indifferently and without distinction untill the time of King Malcolm the third that is about the yeere of our redemption 1070 at which time the dioeceses were confined within their bounds and limits Afterwards in
the Fresian sea and the Scottish sea and the Eulogium Morwiridh Upon this after you be past Tantallon are seated first North-Berwick a famous place sometime for an house there of religious Virgins and then Dyrlton which belonged in times past to the notable family of the Haliburtous and now to S. Tho. Ereskin Captain of the guard whom James K. of great Britain for his happy valour in preserving him against the traiterous attempts of Gowrye first created Baron of Dirlton and afterward advanced him to the honourable title of Vicount Felton making him the first Vicount that ever was in Scotland Against these places there lyeth in the sea not far from the shore the Iland Bas which riseth up as it were all one craggy rocke and the same upright and steep on every side yet hath it a Block-house belonging to it a fountaine also and pastures but it is so hollowed with the waves working upon it that it is almost pierced thorough What a multitude of sea-foules and especially of those geese which they call Scouts and Soland geese flocke hither at their times for by report their number is such that in a cleere day they take away the sunnes light what a sort of fishes they bring for as the speech goeth a hundred garrison souldiers that here lay for defence of the place fed upon no other meat but the fresh fish that they brought in what a quantity of stickes and little twigges they get together for the building of their nests so that by their meanes the inhabitants are abundantly provided of fewell for their fire what a mighty gaine groweth by their feathers and oyle the report thereof is so incredible that no man scarcely would beleeve it but he that had seene it Then as the shore draweth backe Seton sheweth it selfe which seemeth to have taken that name of the situation by the sea side and to have imparted the same unto a right noble house of the Setons branched out of an English family and from the daughter of King Robert Brus out of which the Marquesse Huntley Robert Earle of Wentoun Alexander Earle of Dunfirmling advanced to honors by K. James the sixth are propagated After this the river Eske dischargeth it selfe into this Frith when it hath runne by Borthwic which hath Barons surnamed according to that name and those deriving their pedegree out of Hungary by Newbottle that is The new building sometimes a faire monasterie now the Barony of Sir Mark Ker by Dalkeith a very pleasant habitation of the late Earles of Morton and Musselborrow hard under which in the yeere of our Lord 1547. when Sir Edward Seimor Duke of Somerset with an army royall had entred Scotland to claime and challenge the keeping of a covenant made concerning a marriage betweene Marie Queene of Scotland and Edward the sixth King of England there happened the heaviest day that ever fell to the adventurous youth of the most noble families in all Scotland who there lost their lives Here I must not over-passe in silence this Inscription which John Napier a learned man hath in his Commentaries upon the Apocalyps recorded to have beene here digged up and which the right learned Knight Sir Peter Young teacher and trainer of King James the sixth in his youth hath in this wise more truely copied forth APOLLINI GRANNO Q. LUSIUS SABINIA NUS PROC AUG V. S.S.L.V.M Who this Apollo Granus might bee and whence hee should have this name not one to my knowledge of our grave Senate of Antiquaries hitherto could ever tell But if I might be allowed from out of the lowest bench to speak what I think I would say that Apollo Granus amongst the Romans was the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Apollo with long haire amongst the Greekes for Isidor calleth the long haire of the Gothes Grannos But here I may seem to wander out of my way and therefore will returne to it Lower yet and neere unto the Scotish Forth is seated EDENBUROUGH which the Irish Scots call Dun Eaden that is the towne Eaden or Eden Hill and which no doubt is the very same that Ptolomee named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Winged Castle for Adain in the British tongue signifieth a wing and Edenborrow a word compounded out of the British and Saxon language is nothing else but The Burgh with wings From Wings therefore wee must fetch the reason of the name and fetched it may be if you thinke good either from the Companies of Horsemen which are called Wings or else from those Wings in Architecture which the great Master builders tearme Pâ—eromaâ—â— that is as Vetruvius sheweth two Wallâ— so rising up in heigth as that they resemble a shew of Wings which for that a certaine City of Cyprus wanted it was called in old time as wee read in the Geographers Aptera that is Without Wings But if any man beleeve that the name was derived from Ebrâ—â—k a Britaine or from Heth a Picâ— good leave have he for me I will not confront them with this my conjecture This Citie in regard of the high situation of the holsome are and plentifull soile and many Noble mens towred houses built round about it watered also with cleere springing fountaines reaching from East to West a mile out in length and carrying halfe as much in bredth is worthily counted the chiefe Citie of the whole Kingdome strongly walled adorned with houses as well publike as private well peopled and frequented by reason of the opportunity from the sea which the neighbour haven at Leth affordeth And as it is the seat of the Kings so is it the oracle also or closet of the Lawes and the very Palace of Justice For the high Courts of Parliament are here for the most part holden for the enacting or repealing of Lawes also the Session and the Court of the Kings Justice and of the Commissariat whereof I have spoken already are here settled and kept On the East side hard unto the Monastery of Saint Crosse or Holy ruide is the Kings palace which King David the first built over which within a Parke stored with game riseth an hill with two heads called of Arthur the Britaine Arthurs Chaire On the West side a most steepe rocke mounteth up aloft to a stately heigth every way save onely where it looketh toward the City on which is placed a Castle with many a towre in it so strong that it is counted impregnable which the Britans called Castle Myned Agneâ— the Scots The Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle of certaine young maidens of the Picts royall blood who were kept there in old time and which may seeme in truth to have beene that Castrum Alatum or Castle with AVVING abovesaid How Edenborrow in the alternative fortune of warres was subject one while to the Scots and another while to the English who inhabited this East part of Scotland untill
it became wholly under the Scots dominion about the yeere of our salvation 960. what time the English Empire sore shaken with the Danish wars lay as it were gasping and dying How also as an old booke Of the division of Scotland in the Library of the right honourable Lord Burghley late high Treasurer of England sheweth Whiles Indulph reigned the town of Eden was voided and abandoned to the Scots unto this present day as what variable changes of reciprocall fortune it hath felt from time to time the Historiographers doe relate and out of them ye are to be enformed Meane while read if you please these verses of that most worthy man Master I. Jonston in praise of Edenborrow Monte sub acclivi Zephyri procurrit in auras Hinc arx celsa illinc Regia clara nitet Inter utramque patet sublimibus ardua tectis Urbs armis animis clara frequensque viris Nobile Scotorum caput pars maxima regni Penè etiam gentis integra regna suae Rarae artes opes quod mens optaverit aut hîc Invenias aut non Scotia tota dabit Compositum hîc populum videas sanctum que Senatum Sanctáque cum puro lumine jura Dei An quisquam Arctoi extremo in limite mundi Aut haec aut paria his cernere posse putet Dic hospes postquà m externas lustraveris urbes Haec cernens oculis credis an ipse tuis Under the rising of an hill Westward there shoots one way A castle high on th' other side the Kings house gorgeous gay Betweene them both the citie stands tall buildings shew it well For armes for courage much renown'd much people therein dwell The Scots head citie large and faire the kingdomes greatest part Nay even the nations kingdome whole well neere by just desart Rare arts and riches what ones minde can wish is therein found Or else it will not gotten be throughout all Scottish ground A civill people here a man may see a Senate grave Gods holy lawes with purest light of Preachers here ye have In parts remote of Northren clime would any person weene That ever these or such like things might possibly be seene Say Travailer now after that thou forraine towne hast knowne Beholding this beleevest thou these eyes that are thine owne A mile from hence lyeth Leth a most commodious haven hard upon the river Leth which when Dessey the Frenchman for the securitie of Edenborrow had fortified by reason of manie men repairing thither within a short time from a meane village it grew to be a bigge towne Againe when Francis the second King of France had taken to wife Marie the Queene of Scots the Frenchmen who in hope and conceit had already devoured Scotland and began now to gape for England in the yeere 1560. strengthened it with more fortifications But Elizabeth Queene of England solicited by the Nobles of Scotland that embraced the reformed religion to side with them by her puissance and wisdome effected that both they returned into France and these their fortifications were laied levell with the ground and Scotland ever since hath been freed from the French Where this Forth groweth more and more narrow it had in the middest of it the citie Caer-Guidi as Bede noteth which now may seeme to be the Island named Inch-Keith Whether this were that VICTORIA which Ptolomee mentioneth I will not stand to prove although a man may beleeve that the Romans turned this Guidh into Victoria as well as the Isle Guith or Wight into Victesis or Vecta certes seeing both these Islands bee dissevered from the shore the same reason of the name will hold well in both languages For Ninius hath taught us that Guith in the British tongue betokeneth a separation More within upon the same Forth is situate Abercorn in Bedes time a famous Monasterie which now by the gracious favour of King James the sixth giveth unto James Hamilton the title of the Earle of Abercorn And fast beside it standeth Blacknesse Castle and beneath it Southward the ancient citie LINDUM whereof Ptolomee maketh mention which the better learned as yet call Linlithquo commonly Lithquo beautified and set out with a verie faire house of the Kings a goodly Church and a fishfull lake of which lake it may seeme to have assumed that name for Lin as I have already shewed in the British tongue soundeth as much as a Lake A Sheriffe it had in times past by inheritance out of the family of the Hamiltons of Peyle and now in our dayes it hath for the first Earle Sir Alexander Levingston whom King James the sixth raised from the dignitie of a Baron wherein his Ancestours had flourished a long time to the honour of an Earle like as within a while after he promoted Mark Ker Baron of Newbottle aforesaid to the title of Earle of Lothien SELGOVAE BEneath the GADENI toward the South and West where now are the small territories of Lidesdale Eusdale Eskdale Annandale and Nidesdale so called of little rivers running through them which all lose themselves in Solway Frith dwelt in ancient times the SELGOVAE the reliques of whose name seeme unto mee whether unto others I know not to remaine in that name Solway In Lidesdale there riseth aloft Armitage so called because it was in times past dedicated to a solitarie life now it is a very strong Castle which belonged to the Hepburns who draw their originall from a certaine Englishman a prisoner whom the Earle of March for delivering him out of a danger greatly enriched These were Earles of Bothwell and a long time by the right of inheritance Admirals of Scotland But by a filter of James Earle of Bothwel the last of the Hepburns married unto John Prior of Coldingham base sonne to King James the fifth who begat too too many bastards the title and inheritance both came unto his son Hard by is Brakensey the habitation of the warlike family of Baclugh surnamed Scot beside many little piles or sorts of militarie men everie where In Eusdale I would deeme by the affinite of the name that old UZBLLUM mentioned by Ptolomee stood by the river Euse. In Eskdale some are of opinion that the HORESTI dwelt into whose borders Iulius Agricola when he had subdued the Britans inhabiting this tract brought the Roman armie especially if we read Horesci in stead of Horesti For Ar-Esc in the British tongue betokeneth a place by the river Eske As for Aesica in Eskdale I have spoken of it before in England and there is no cause wherefore I should iterate the same ANNANDALE UNto this on the West side adjoyneth ANNANDALE that is The vale by the river Annan into which the accesse by land is very difficult The places of greater note herein are these a castle by Lough-Mahan three parts whereof are environed with water and strongly walled and the towne Annandale at the very mouth almost
father to Matthew Earle of Lennox who having sustained sundrie troubles in France and Scotland found fortune more friendly to him in England through the favour of King Henrie the eighth considering that hee bestowed upon him in marriage his Neice with faire lands By the meanes of this happie marriage were brought into the world Henrie and Charles Henrie by Marie Queene of Scots had issue JAMES the sixth King of Britain by the propitious grace of the eternall God borne in a most auspicate and lucky houre to knit and unite in one bodie of an Empire the whole Island of Britaine divided as well in it selfe as it was heretofore from the rest of the world and as we hope and pray to lay a most sure foundation of an everlasting securitie for our heires and the posteritie As for Charles he had issue one onely daughter Arbella who above her sexe hath so embraced the studies of the best literature that therein shee hath profited and proceeded with singular commendation and is comparable with the excellent Ladies of old time When Charles was dead after that the Earledome of Lennox whereof he stood enfeoffed was revoked by Parliamentarie authoritie in the yeere of our Lord 1579. and his Unkle by the fathers side Robert Bishop of Cathanes had some while enjoyed this title in lieu whereof he received at the Kings hands the honour of the Earle of March King James the sixth conferred the honourable title of Duke of Lennox upon Esme Steward sonne to John Lord D'Aubigny younger brother to Mathew aforesaid Earle of Lennox which Lodowic Esme his son at this day honourably enjoieth For since the time of Charles the sixth there were of this line Lords of Aubigny in France the said Robert before named and Bernard or Eberard under Charles the eighth Lewis the twelfth who is commended with great praise unto posteritie by P. Iovius for his noble acts most valerously exploited in the warre of Naples a most firme and trustie companion of King Henrie the seventh when he entred into England Who used for his Emprese or devise a Lion betweene buckles with this Mot DISTANTIA JUNGIT for that by his meanes the Kingdomes of France and of Scotland severed and dis-joined so farre in distance were by a straighter league of friendship conjoyned like as Robert Steward Lord D'Aubigny of the same race who was Marshall of France under King Lewis the eleventh for the same cause used the royall Armes of France with buckles Or in a border Gueules which the Earles and Dukes of Lennox have ever since borne quarterly with the Armes of Steward STIRLING Sheriffdome UPon Lennox North-eastward bordereth the territorie of STERLING so named of the principall towne therein for fruitfull soile and numbers of Gentlemen in it second to no province of Scotland Here is that narrow land or streight by which Dunbritton Frith and Edenborrough Frith that I may use the termes of this our age piercing farre into the land out of the West and East Seas are divided asunder that they meet not the one with the other Which thing Iulius Agricola who marched hitherto and beyond first observed and fortified this space betweene with garrisons so as all the part of Britaine in this side was then in possession of the Romans and the enemies removed and driven as it were into another Island in so much as Tacitus judged right truely There was no other bound or limit of Britaine to bee sought for Neither verily in the time ensuing did either the VALOUR of Armies or the GLORIE of the Romane name which scarcely could be stayed set out the marches of the Empire in this part of the world farther although with inâ—odes they other whiles molested and endammaged them But after this glorious expedition of Agricola when himselfe was called backe Britaine as faith Tacitus became for-let neither was the possession kept still thus farre for the Caledonian Britans drave the Romans backe as farre as to the river Tine in so much as Hadrian who came into Britaine in person about the fortieth yeere after and reformed many things in it went no farther forward but gave commandement that the GOD TERMINUS which was wont to give ground unto none should retire backward out of this place like as in the East on this side Euphrates Hence it is that S. Augustine wrote in this wise God TERMINUS who gave not place to Iupiter yeelded unto the will of Hadrianus yeelded to the rashnesse of Iulian yeelded to the necessitie of Iovian In so much as Hadrian had enough to doe for to make a wall of turfe between the rivers Tine and Esk well neere an hundred miles Southward on this side Edenborrough Frith But Antoninus Pius who being adopted by Hadrian bare his name stiled thereupon TITUS AELIUS HADRIANUS ANTONINUS PIUS under the conduct of Lollius Urbicus whom he had sent hither Lievtenant repelled the Northern enemies backe againe beyond BODOTRIA or Edenborrough Forth and that by raising another wall of turfe namely besides that of Hadrianus as Capitolinus writeth Which wall that it was reared in this verie place whereof I now speake and not by Severus as it is commonly thought I will produce no other witnesses than two ancient Inscriptions digged up here of which the one fastned in the wall of an house at Cader sheweth how the second Legion Augusta set up the wall for the space of three miles and more the other now in the house of the Earle Marshall at Dunotyr which implieth that a band of the twentieth Legion Victrix raised the said wall three miles long But see here the verie inscriptions themselves as Servatius Riheley a Gentleman of Silesia who curiously travailed these countries copied them out for mee IMP. CAESARI T. AELIO HADRIANO ANTONINO AUG PIO P. P. VEXILLATIO LEG XX. VAL. VIC F. PER. MIL. P. III. IMP. CAES. TIT. IO AELIO HADRIANO ANTON AUG PIO PP LEG II. AUG PER. M. P. III. D. CIXVIS At Cadir where this latter inscription is extant there is another stone also erected by the second Legion Augusta wherein within a Laurell garland supported by two little images resembling victorie are these letters LEG II AVG. FEC And in a village called Miniabruch out of a Ministers house there was removed this inscription into a Gentlemans house which is there new built out of the ground D. M. C. JULI MARCELLINI PRAEF COH I. HAMIOR But when the Northerne nations in the reigne of Commodus having passed once over this wall had made much wast and spoile in the countrey the Emperour Severus as I have alreadie said repaired this wall of Hadrian Howbeit afterwards the Romans brought eftsoones the countrey lying betweene under their subjection For Ninius hath recorded that Carausius under Diocletian strengthened this wall another time and fortified it with seven castles Lastly the Romanes fensed this place when Theodosius the younger was Emperour under the conduct of Gallio of Ravenna Now saith Bede they
and doe still enjoy the same honour STRATH-NANERN THe utmost and farthest coast of all Britaine which with the front of the shore looketh full against the North point and hath the midst of the greater Beares taile which as Cardan was of opinion causeth translations of Empires just over head was inhabited as wee may see in Ptolomee by the CORNABII among whom he placeth the river NABEUS which names are of so neere affinitie that the nation may seeme to have drawne their denomination from the river that they dwelt by neither doth the moderne name Strath-Navera which signifieth the Valley by Navern jarre altogether in sound from them The country it selfe is for the soile nothing fertile and by reason of the sharpe and cold aire lesse inhabited and thereupon sore haunted and annoied with most cruell wolves Which in such violent rage not only set upon cattell to the exceeding great dammage of the inhabitants but also assaile men with great danger and not in this tract onely but in many other parts likewise of Scotland in so much as by vertue of an act of Parliament the Sheriffes and inhabitants in every countrey are commanded to goe forth thrice a yeere a hunting for to destroy the wolves and their whelpes But if in this so Northerly a countrey this be any comfort to speak of it hath of all Britain again the shortest night and the longest day For by reason of the position of heaven here distant from the Aequinoctiall line 59. degrees and fortie minutes the longest day containeth 18. houres and 25. scruples and the shortest night not above five houres and 45. scruples So that the Panegyrist is not true in this who made report in times past That the sunne in manner setteth not at all but passeth by and lightly glanceth upon the Horizon haply relying upon this authoritie of Tacitus for that the extreme points and plaine levels of the earth with their shade so low raised up no darknesse at all But more truely Plinie according to true reason where hee treateth of the longest dayes according to the inclination of the sunnes circle to the Horison The longest daies saith he in Italy are 15. houres in Britaine 17. where the light nights doe prove that undoubtedly by experience which reason forceth credibly that in Midsummer daies when the sunne approacheth neer to the Pole of the world the places of the earth under the Pole have day 6. months though the light having but a narrow compasse the night contrariwise when he is farre remote in middle winter In this utmost tract which Ptolomee extendeth out farre East whereas indeed it beareth full North for which Roger Bacon in his Geography taxed him long since where Tacitus said That an huge and enorme space of ground running still forward to the farthest point groweth narrow like a wedge There run out three Promontories mentioned by the old writers namely BERUBIUM now called Urdehead neere to Bernswale a village VIRVEDRUM now Dunsby otherwise named Duncansby which is thought to be the most remote promontorie of Britain ORCAS now named Howburn which Ptolomee setteth over against the Islands Orcades as the utmost of them all this also in Ptolomee is called TARVEDRUM and TARVISIUM and so named if my conjecture faile me not because it is the farthest end of Britaine for Tarvus in the British tongue hath a certaine signification of ending With which I accordingly will end this booke purposing to speake of the out-Isles Orcades Hebudes or Hebrides and of Shetland in their due place THus have I briefly run over Scotland and verily more briefly than the worth of so great a kingdom requireth neither doubt I but that some one or other will set it forth more at large and depaint it as I said with a more flourishing pensill in greater certainty and upon better knowledge when as our most mighty Monarch now openeth those remote places hitherto fore-closed from us Meane while if I have at any time dropt asleepe for the most watchfull may sometimes bee taken napping or if some errour in this unknowne tract hath misled mee from the truth as nothing is more rife and easie than errour I hope the courteous Reader will pardon it upon my acknowledgment and of his kindnesse recalling me from errour direct me in the right way to the truth HIBERNIAE IRELAND Anglis YVERDON BRITANNIS ERIN inâ—elis IERNA Orphaeo Arist. IRIS Diodoro Siculo IVVERNA Iuuelalj IOYERNIA Ptol. IRELAND AND THE SMALLER ILANDS IN THE BRITISH OCEAN THE BRITISH OCEAN NOw have I rather passed over than throughly surveied all BRITAIN namely those two most flourishing Kingdomes ENGLAND and SCOTLAND And whereas I am now to crosse the seas for IRELAND and the rest of the Isles if I premise some few lines touching the British sea I hope it shal not seem a crooked course or an extravagaÌ„t digression BRITAIN is encompassed round about with the vast open and main Ocean which ebbeth and floweth so violently with main tides that as Pytheas of Marsiles hath reported it swelleth 80. cubits about Britaine and St. Basile hath tearmed it Mare Magnum c. The great sea and dreadfull to Sailers yea and S. Ambrose wrote thus of it The great sea not adventured on by sailers nor attempted by Mariners is that which with a roaring and surging current environeth Britaine and reacheth into far remote parts and so hidden out of sight as that the fables have not yet come hither Certes this sea sometimes overfloweth the fields adjoining otherwhiles again it retireth leaveth all bare and that I may use the words of Plinie by reason of this open largenesse it feeleth more effectually the force and influence of the Moone exercising her power thereupon without impeachment and it floweth alwaies up within the land with such violence that it doth not onely drive back the streames of rivers but also either overtaketh and surpriseth beasts of the land or else leaveth behind it those of the sea For there have bin seen in everie age to the great astonishment of the beholders so many and so huge Seamonsters left on dry land on our shore that Horace sang this note not without good cause Belluosus qui remotis Obstrepit Oceanus Britannis The Ocean of sea-monsters fraight with store Upon the Britans farre remote doth roare And Juvenal in the like tune Quanto Delphino Balaena Britannica major As much as Whales full huge that use to breed In British Sea the Dolphins doe exceed And so great an adventure and exploit it was thought but to crosse only this our sea that Libanius the Grecian sophister in a Panegyâ—icall oration unto Constantinus Chlorus cried out in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This voiage into Britain seemed comparable to the greatest triumph And Julius Firmicus not that famous Astrologer but another that was a Christian in a little treatise of the errour of profane religions written unto the Emperours
namely the Warrens Her-berts Colbies Mores and Leicesters amongst the Irish septs of O-Conor unto whom a great part hereof in old time belonged Mac-Coghlan O-Maily Fox and others stand stoutly in defence of the lands wonne by their ancestors and left unto them Now these naturall Irish inhabitants grumble and complaine that their livings and patrimonies have beene taken from them and no other lands assigned and set out for them to live in Hence it is that taking hold of every occasion to make uprores they put the English dwelling among them to much trouble ever and anon yea and oftentimes in revengefull minds festered and poisoned with hostile hatred they breake out furiously into open and actuall rebellions THE COUNTY OF KILDAR OVer against these all along Eastward affronteth the county of Kildar a most rich and plentifull country concerning the pastures whereof Giraldus Cambrensis useth these verses of Virgill Et quantum longis carpunt armenta diebus Exiguâ tantâ—m gelidus ros nocte reponit And looke how much when daies are long the beasts by grasing eat So much cold dewes make good againe by night when 't is not great The chiefe and head towne of the shire is Kildar much honoured and graced in the first infancy of the Irish Church by reason of Saint Brigid a Virgin right venerable and highly esteemed of for her devotion and virginity I meane not that Brigid which about 240. yeeres agoe erected that order of the sisters or Nunnes of Saint Brigid namely that within one Monastery both Monkes and Maidens should live divided asunder by walls and suffered onely one to see another but another Brigid of greater antiquity by farre as who was a Disciple of Saint Patricke of great fame and renowne throughout Ireland England and Scotland Whose miracles and fire never going out but kept by Nunnes as it were in that secret Sanctuary of Vesta and of the ashes that never encrease are mentioned by writers This Kildar is adorned with an Episcopall See named in the Popes letters in old time Episcopatus Darensis After the entrance of the English into Ireland it was the habitation of Richard Earle of Pembroch then of William Mareschall his sonne in law that married his daughter Earle of Penbroch likewise by whose fourth daughter Sibyll it came to William Ferrars Earle of Derby and by his daughter likewise begotten of her unto William Lord Vescy whose sonne William Vescy Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland standing in termes of disfavour and disgrace with King Edward the First for certain quarrels arising between him and John the sonne of Thomas Fitz-Girald and being bereft of his only sonne lawfully begotten granted and surrendred Kildare and other his lands in Ireland unto the King so that he might enfeoffe his base sonne surnamed De Kildare in his other lands in England And a little while after the said John sonne of Thomas Fitz-Girald whose ancesters descended from Girald Windesor Castellan of Pembroch had with passing great valour performed most painefull service in the conquest of this Iland was by Edward the second King of England endowed with the castle and towne of Kildar together with the title and name of Earle of Kildar These Fitz-Giralds or as they now tearme them the Giraldines are a right noble family and for their exploits highly renowned by whose valour as one said The Englishmen both kept the sea coasts of Wales and also forced and won the walls of Ireland And verily this house of Kildare flourished a long time without taint of honour and name as which never bare armes against their Prince untill that Thomas Fitz-Girald the sonne of Girald Fitz-Girald Earle of Kildare and Lord Deputy of Ireland under King Henry the eighth hearing that his father sent for into England and accused for misgoverning Ireland was put to death upon this light and false rumour unadvisedly and rashly carried away with the heat of youth put himselfe into armes against Prince and countrey solicited the Emperour Charles the fifth to enter and seize upon Ireland wasted the land farre and neere with fire and sword laid siege to Dublin and killed the Archbishop thereof For which outrages shortly after he with five of his unkles were hanged when his father for very sorrow was dead before Howbeit Queene Mary restored the family unto their blood and full estate when shee advanced Girald brother unto the aforesaid Thomas to bee Earle of Kildare and Baron of Offaly He ended this life about the yeere 1558. His eldest son Girald died before his father leaving one onely daughter married to Sir Robert Digby Henry his second sonne succeeded who when he had by his wife L. Francis daughter to Charles Earle of Nottingham only two daughters William the third son succeeded in the Earledome who was drowned in passing into Ireland in the yeere 1599. having no issue And then the title of Earle of Kildare came to Girald Fitz-Girald sonne to Edward their Unkle who was restored to his blood in linage to make title by descent lineall or collaterall from his father and brother and all his ancestours any attaindour or corruption of blood to the contrary notwithstanding There be also in this County these places of better note than the rest Naas a mercate towne Athie upon the river Barrow Mainoth a castle belonging to the Earles of Kildare and a towne unto which King Edward the first in favour of Girald Fitz-Moris granted a mercate and Faire Castle Martin the chiefe seat of the family of Fitz-Eustace which descending from the Poers in the County of Waterford for their valour received the honour of a Parliament-Barons bestowed upon Rowland Fitz-Eustace by King Edward the fourth together with the Manour of Port-lester and the title of Vicount Baltinglas at the hands of King Henry the eighth which dignities with a faire patrimony Rowland Fitz-Eustace seduced by the religious pretext unto rebellion and flying his countrey lost by attaindour under Queene Elizabeth The families here remaining besides the Giraldines that be of higher birth above others fetch their descent also out of England namely the Ougans De-la Hides Ailmers Washes Boisels Whites Suttons c. As for the Giants dance which they talke of that Merlin by art magick translated out of this territorie unto Salisbury plaine as also of that most bloody battell which shall be one day betweene the English and the Irish at Molleaghmast I willingly leave unto the credulous lovers of fabulous antiquity and the vaine beleevers of prophesies For my purpose is not to give fond tales the telling These bee the midland counties of Leinster now are we to goe unto those by the sea side THE COUNTY OF WEISFORD BEneath that mouth at which Barrow Neore and Shoure the sister-like rivers having embraced one another and joyned hands are laid up in the Ocean there sheweth it selfe Eastward in a Promontorie where the shore fetcheth a compasse round the County of Weisford or Wexford In Irish County Reogh where Ptolomee in
bee made from without the towne of Batiboght unto the Causey of the Mil-poole of Clontarf whereas before time the passengers that way were much endangered But after he had defraied great charges thereabout by reason of a mightie inundation and floud the bridge with the arches fell downe Also Master John Leeks Achbishop of Dublin in the feast of St. Laurence ended this mortall life Then in a schisme and division of sides were elected for to bee Archbishop of Dublin Master Walter Thornbury the Kings Chancellor in Ireland and Master Alexander Bicknore Treasurer of Ireland but Walter Thornbury was drowned and many others to wit about one hundred fiftie and sixe took the sea and the night following were all drowned At the time of the foresaid Walters death Alexander Bicknore expected at home the Popes favour The same Alexander was made Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Miles Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Richard Excester Item the same yeere the Lord Robert Brus overthrew the Castle of Man and vanquished the Lord Donegan O-Dowill on S. Barnabes day And the Lord John Burck heire unto Richard Earle of Ulster died at Galwey on the feast of St. Marcellus and Marcellianus Also the Lord Edmund Botiller dubbed thirtie Knights in Dublin Castle on Sunday and St. Michaels day MCCCXIV The Knights Hospitallers had the lands given unto them of the Templars in Ireland Item Sir John Parice is slaine at Pount Also Lord Theobald Verdon came Lord Justice of Ireland on Saint Sylvesters day Item Sir Gefferey Genevile a Frier died the twelfth day before the Calends of November and was buried in his owne order of the Friers Preachers of Trym who was Lord also of the libertie of Meth. More in the same yeere and upon S. Matthew the Apostles day Loghseudy was burnt and on the friday following the Lord Edmund Botiller received his Commission to be Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCXV On St. John Baptists day the Earle of Glocester had his deaths wound given him and died when many others as it were without number were slaine in Scotland and more taken prisoners by the Scots For which cause the Scots became bold and carried their heads aloft and gat good land and tributes out of Northumberland Item shortly after this came the Scots and besieged the towne of Carlile where James Douglas was squized to death by misfortune of a certaine wall falling upon him The same yeere the Scots not contented with their owne land arrived in the North part of Ireland at Clondonne with sixe thousand fighting men and expert warriours to wit Edward Brus whole brother to Robert King of Scots and with him the Earl of Morreff John Meneteth John Steward the Lord John Cambel Thomas Randolfe Fergus Andressan John Bosco and John Bisset who seized Ulster into their hands and drave the Lord Thomas Mandevile and other liege men out of their owne possessions The Scots entred Ireland first on St. Augustines day that was the Englishmens Apostle in the moneth of May neere unto Crag-fergus in Ulster betweene whom and the English the first conflict was neere unto Banne in which the Earle of Ulster was put to flight there were taken prisoners William Burk John Stanton and many others and the Scots having slaine a number of the English prevailed and had the day The second conflict was at Kintys in Meth wherein Roger Mortimer with his followers was put to flight The third conflict was at Sketheris hard by Arstoll the morrow after the conversion of S. Paul wherein the Englishmen were chaced and the Scots had the better hand And the foresaid Edward Brus soone after the feast of Philip and Jacob caused himselfe to be crowned King of Ireland and they tooke Greene Castle and left their men there whom the Dublinians quickly after expelled and recovered the said Castle to the Kings behoof and finding Sir Robert Coulragh the Keeper of the Castle there brought him with them to Dublin who being imprisoned and put to short diet ended his dayes Item upon Peter and Paul the Apostles day came the Scots before Dundalk and won the towne spoiled and burnt it killing as many as made resistance and a great part of Urgale was burnt by the Scots The Church of the blessed Virgin Mary in Atterith being full of men women and little children was burnt by the Scots and Irish. In the same yeere the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland about the feast of S. Mary Maudlen assembled together a mightie power out of Mounster Leinster and other parts and the Earle of Ulster on the contrarie side as it were comming from the parts of Connaght with an infinite army met all together about Dundalk and consulted among themselves to kill the Scots but how it is not knowne the Scots fled otherwise as hope was they had been taken prisoners Which done the Earle of Ulster with the foresaid Justice and other great Lords tooke in hand after they had slaine the Scots to bring the Lord Edward le Brus quicke or dead to Dublin which Earle followed them in chase as far as to the water of Branne and afterwards the said Earle retired backe toward Coyners which the said Brus perceiving warily passed over the said water and followed him whom with some other of the Earles side hee put to flight having wounded George Roch and slaine others namely Sir John Stanton and Roger de sancto Bosco that is Holy-wood likewise on the part of Brus many were slaine and the Lord Wiliam Burk was taken prisoner the tenth day of the moneth of September and the Earle was defeated neere unto Coyners and then the Irish of Connaght and Meth rose up in armes against the King and against the Earle of Ulster and burnt the Castle of Atholon and of Raudon and many other Castles in the said war of Coyners The Baron of Donell bare himselfe there right valiantly but he lost much goods there and the said Scots manfully chased them as far as to Cragfergus and there on the Earls side they fled and some entred the Castle and valiantly kept it and afterwards came mariners from the havens and Port townes of England and on a night surprised the Scots and slew fortie of them and had away their tents and many things else And the morrow after the exaltation of the holy Crosse the Earle of Morreff passed the seas into Scotland and took the Lord William Brus with him seeking for more warlike and armed men with foure Pirats ships full of the goods of Ireland whereof one was sunke all which time the said Brus laid siege to the Castle of Cragfergus At the same time Cathill Roge razed three Castles of the Earles of Ulster in Connaught and many townes in the same Connaught he burnt and sacked And at the same time the said mariners went to the said Castle and the Lords there skirmished and in the meane time slew many Scots at which time Richard Lan de O-ferivill was by a certaine Irishman
were slaine about foure hundred whose heads were sent to Dublin and wonders were afterwards seene there The dead as it were arose and fought one with another and cried out Fennokabo which was their signal And afterward about the feast of the translation of S. Thomas there were rigged and made ready eight ships and set out from Tredagh to Crag-fergus with victuals Which were by the Earle of Ulster much troubled for the delivery of William Burk who had been taken with the Scots and the Saturday following there were made friends and united at Dublin the Earle of Ulster and the Lord John Fitz-Thomas and many of the Nobles sworne and confederate to live and die for the maintenance of the peace of Ireland The same yeere newes came out of Connaght that O-Conghir slew many of the English to wit Lord Stephen of Excester Miles Cogan and many of the Barries and of the Lawlies about fourescore Item the weeke after Saint Laurence feast there arose in Connaght foure Irish Princes to make warre against the English against whom came the Lord William Burk the Lord Richard Bermingham the Lord of Anry with his retinue of the country and of the same Irish about eleven thousand fell upon the edge of the sword neere unto Anry which town was walled afterwards with the mony raised of armor and spoile gotten from the Irish because every one of the English that had double armours of the Irish gave the one halfe deale toward the walls of the towne Anry Slaine were there Fidelmic O-Conghir a petty King or Prince of Connaght O-Kelley and many other Princes or Potentates John Husee a butcher of Anry fought there who the same night at the request of his Lord of Anry stood among the dead to seek out and discover O-Kelley which O-Kelley with his Costrell or esquire rose out of their lurking holes and cried unto the foresaid man to wit Husee come with mee and I will make thee a great Lord in my countrey And Husee answered I will not goe with thee but thou shalt goe to my Lord Richard Bermingham Then said O-Kelley Thou hast but one servant with thee and I have a doughtie esquire therefore come with mee that thou maist bee safe unto whom his owne man also said Agree and goe away with O-Kelley that wee may be saved and inriched because they are stronger than we But the said John Husee first killed his owne servant and O-Kelley and his Esquire and cut off all their three heads and carried them to his Lord Richard Bermingham and that Bermingham gave unto the said John Hussee faire lands and dubbed him Knight as he well deserved The same yeere about the feast of S. Laurence came O-Hanlan to Dundalk for to destreine and the Dundalkers with their men killed a number Item on Monday next before the feast of the nativitie of Saint Mary came David O-Tothill with foure more and hid himselfe secretly all night long in Coleyn wood which the Dublinians and Sir William Comyn perceiving went forth and manfully pursued them for sixe leagues and slew of them about seventeen and wounded many to death Also there ran rumors to Dublin that the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland entred Ireland to aid Edward Brus his brother and the Castle of Crag-fergus in Ulster was besieged by the foresaid Scots The Monasteries of St. Patrick of Dune and of Seball and many other houses as well of Monkes as of regular preaching Friers and Minors were spoiled in Ulster by the Scots Item the Lord William Burk leaving his son for an hostage in Scotland is set free The Church of Brught in Ulster being in manner full of folke of both sexes is burnt by the Scots and Irish of Ulster At the same time newes came from Crag-fergus that those which kept the Castle for default of victuals did eat hides and leather yea and eight Scots who before were taken prisoners great pity and griefe that no man relieved such And the Friday following newes were brought that Thomas the sonne of the Earle of Ulster was dead Also the Sunday following the feast of the nativitie of the blessed Virgin died Lord Iohn Fitz-Thomas at Laraghbrine neere unto Mayneth and he was buried at Kildare among the Friers Minors Of which Lord John Fitz-Thomas it is said that a little before his death he was created Earle of Kildare after whom succeeded his sonne and heire the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn a prudent and wise personage And afterwards newes came that the Castle of Crag-fergus was rendred to the Scots and granted there was to the keepers of it life and limbe Also upon the day of the exaltation of the holy Crosse Conghar and Mac-keley were slaine with five hundred of the Irish by the Lord William Burke and Richard Bermingham in Connaght Item on Munday before Holloughmas happened a great slaughter of the Scots in Ulster by John Loggan and Hugh Bisset to wit one hundred with double armour and two hundred with single armour The number of those men of armes that were slaine in all was three hundred beside footmen And afterward in the Vigill of Saint Edmund King there fell a great tempest of winde and raine which overthrew many houses and the Steeple of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin and did much harme on land and sea Also in the Vigill of S. Nicholas Sir Alan Stewart taken prisoner in Ulster by John Loggan and Sir John Sandale was brought unto the Castle of Dublin In the same yeere newes arrived out of England that the Lord King of England and the Earle of Lancaster were at variance and that they were desirous one to surprize the other for which cause the whole land was in great trouble Item in the same yeere about the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle sent there were to the Court of Rome the Lord Hugh Despencer the Lord Bartholmew Baldesmere the Bishop of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely about important affaires of the Lord King of England for Scotland who returned into England about the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Also after the said feast the Lacies came to Dublin and procured an inquisition to prove that the Scots by their meanes came not into Ireland which inquisition acquitted them Whereupon they had a charter of the Lord the King of peace and upon the Sacrament given unto them they tooke an oath to keepe the peace of the Lord King of England and to their power to destroy the Scots And afterwards even in the same yeere after the feast of Shrovetide the Scots came secretly as farre as to Slane with twenty thousand armed men and the armie of Ulster joyned with them who spoiled the whole countrey before them And after this on munday next before the feast of S. Matthias the Apostle the Earle of Ulster was taken in the Abbey of St. Mary by the Maior of the Citie of Dublin to wit Robert Notingham and brought to the castle of Dublin where
Bartholomew Verdon James White Stephen Gernon and their complices slew John Dowdal Sheriffe of Louth MCCCCIII In the fourth yeere of King Henry the fourth and in the moneth of May was killed Sir Walter Beterley a valiant Knight then Sheriffe there and with him thirty men In the same yeere about the feast of S. Martin there passed over into England Thomas the Kings sonne leaving Stephen Scroop his Deputy who also himself upon the first day of Lent returned into England and then the Lords of the land chose the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCIV In the fifth yeere of King Henry died Iohn Cowlton Archbishop of Armagh the fifth of May whom Nicholas Fleming succeeded The same yeere on S. Vitalis day began a Parliament at Dublin before the Earle of Ormond then Lord Justice of Ireland wherein where confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin also the charter of Ireland In the same yeere Patrick Savage in Ulster was treacherously slaine by Mac-Kilmori and Richard his brother given for an hostage who likewise was murdred in prison after he had payed two hundred Marks MCCCCV In the sixth yeere of King Henry and in the month of May were taken three Scottish Galions or Barkes two at Green-castle and one at Dalkey with the captaine Thomas Mac-Golagh The same yeere the merchants of Tredaght entred Scotland tooke pledges and preies The same yeere Stephen Scroope crossed the seas into England leaving the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland And the same yeere in the month of June the Dublinians entred Scotland at Saint Ninians and there behaved themselves manfully then landed they in Wales and did much hurt to the Welshmen there yea and carried away the Shrine of S. Cubie unto the Church of the holy Trinitie in Dublin Also the same yeere on the Vigill of the blessed Virgin died James Botiller Earle of Ormond whiles he was Lord Justice to the griefe of many at Baligauran unto whom there succeeded in the office of Lord Justice Gerald Earle of Kildare MCCCCVI And in the seventh yeere of King Henry on Corpus Christi day the Dublinians with the people of the Countrey about them manfully overcame the Irish and killed some of them they tooke three ensignes and carried away divers of their heads to Dublin The same yeere the Prior of Conall fought valiantly in the plaine of Kildare and vanquished two hundred Irish well armed killing some and putting others to flight there were in the Priors company not above twenty English and thus God regardeth those that repose trust in him In the same yeere after the feast of S. Michael Sir Stephen Scroop Deputy Justice under the Lord Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland entred into Ireland The same yeere died Pope Innocentius the seventh after whom succeeded Pope Gregory The same yeere beganne a Parliament at Dublin on Saint Hilaries day which ended at Trym in Lent and Meiler Bermingham slew Cathol O-Conghir in the end of February and Sir Gefferey Vaulx a noble Knight in the countie of Carlagh died MCCCCVII A certaine Irishman a most false villaine named Mac-Adam Mac-Gilmori who caused fortie Churches to be destroied one that was never christened and therefore termed Corbi tooke Patricke Savage prisoner and received of him for his ransome two thousand Marks and yet killed him afterwards with his brother Richard The same yeere in the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Crosse Stephen Scroop Deputy under Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland accompanied with the Earles of Ormond and Desmond and the Prior of Kylmaynon with many out of Meth set forth from Dublin and in hostile manner invaded the land of Mac-Murgh where the Irish had the better of the field in the forepart of the day but afterwards they were manfully by the said Captaines repulsed where O-Nolam with his sonne and others were taken prisoners But hearing then and there that the Burkeins and O-Keroll in the countie of Kilkenny had for two daies together done much mischiefe sodainly the said Captaines rode in all haste with bridle on horse necke unto the towne of Callan and there meeting with the said enemies manfully put them to flight O-Keroll and to the number of eight hundred they killed in the place The same yeere Stephen Scroop sailed over into England and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond was by the country chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCVIII The said L. Justice held a Parliament at Dublin in which Parliament were confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin and a Charter granted under the great seale of England against Purveyouris The same yeere the morrow after S. Peters day ad Vincula the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived as Lievtenant of Ireland at Cartingford and in the weeke following came to Dublin and arrested the Earle of Kildare as he came unto him with three of his house and all his goods he lost by the servants of the said Lievtenant and in the castle of Dublin he imprisoned him untill he made paiment of 300. Marks for a fine The same yeere on Saint Marcellus day died the Lord Stephen Scroop at Tristel-Dermot The same yeere the said Thomas of Lancaster was wounded at Kylmainon and hardly escaped death and afterwards caused Proclamation to be made that whosoever by his tenures owed service to the King should appeare at Rosse And after Saint Hilaries feast he held a Parliament at Kilkenny for to have a tallage granted And afterwards upon the third day before the Ides of March he passed over into England leaving the Prior of Kylmainon his Deputy in Ireland In this yeere Hugh Mac-Gilmory was slaine at Cragfergus within the Oratory or Church of the Friers Minors which Church he before had destroyed and broken the glasse windowes thereof for to have the iron barres therein at which his enemies to wit the Savages entred MCCCCIX In the tenth yeere of King Henry and in the month of June Ianico of Artoys with the English slew fourescore of the Irish in Ulster MCCCCX On the thirteenth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and continued three weeks the Prior of Kylmainon sitting as Lord Justice The same yeere on the tenth day of July the same Justice beganne the castle of Mibracly in O-Feroll and built De la Mare and a great dearth there was of corne In the same yeere the Justice entred the land of O-brin with a thousand and five hundred kernes of whom eight hundred departed unto the Irish and had not the Dublinians beene there there would have beene wailing and many a woe and yet Iohn Derpatrick lost his life there MCCCCXII About the feast of Tiburce and Valerian O-Conghir did much harm to the Irish in Meth and tooke prisoner 160. men The same yeere O-Doles a knight and Thomas Fitz-Moris Sheriffe of Limerik killed one another In the same yeere the ninth of June died Robert Monteyn Bishop of Meth after whom succeeded Edward Dandisey sometime Archdeacon of
and to cover it again the very same day before the sunne setteth every one of the women bringing their burden and look which of them letteth her burden fall she is by the others torne in pieces and that they gathering together the pieces as they goe unto the temple make not an end before they be out of this furious fit and that it alwaies usually happeneth that one of them by falling downe of her burthen is thus torne peecemeale Thus old Authors writing of the utmost parts of the world took pleasure to insert pretty lyes and frivolous fables But what things are reported of Ceres and Proserpine they carry with them saith he more probability For the report goeth of an Iland neere unto Britaine where they sacrifice to these Goddesses after the same manner that they doe in Samothrace Then follow the Isles aux Mottouns Gleran Grois Belle-isle upon the coast of little Britaine Niermoustier and L'isle de Dieu upon the coast of Poictou and Lisle de Re Islands full well knowne and much frequented for the plenty that they yeeld of bay salt but for as much as they are not once mentioned by the ancient Geographers it may be sufficient for me that I have named them Onely the next Island at this day knowne by the name of Oleron was knowne to Pliny by the name of ULIARUS which lieth as he saith in the Bay of Aquitaine at the mouth of the river Charonton now Charent and had many immunities granted from the Kings of England then Dukes of Aquitain At which time it so flourished for marine discipline and glory that these seas were governed by the lawes enacted in this Iland in the yeere 1266. no lesse than in old time the Mediterranean sea by the lawes of Rhodes Hitherto have I extended the British sea both upon the credit of Pomponius Mela who stretcheth it to the coast of Spaine and upon the authority of the Lord Great Admirall of England which extendeth so far For the Kings of England were and are rightfull Lords of all the North and West sea-coasts of France to say nothing of the whole kingdome and crowne of France as who to follow the tract of the sea-coast wan the county of Guines Merk and Oye by the sword were true heires to the county of Porithieu and Monstrevil by Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first the onely heire thereof In like maner most certain heires to the Dutchy of Normandy by King William the Conquerour and thereby superiour Lords of Little Britaine dependant thereof undoubted heires of the countries 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 heire of them wife to the said Henry the second to omit the counties of Tholouse March the homage of Avergne c. Of all which the French by their arrests of pretended forfaitures and confiscations have disseized the crowne of England and annexed them to the Crowne of France taking advantage of our most unhappy civill dissentions whereas in former ages the French Kings were so fore-closed by these territories as they had no accesse at all to the Ocean Nothing remaineth now seeing my pen hath with much labour struggled and sailed at length out of so many blind shelves and shallowes of the Ocean and craggy rocks of antiquity save onely this that as sea-men were wont in old time to present Neptune with their torn sails or some saved planks according to their vow so I also should consecrate some monument unto the ALMIGHTY and MOST GRACIOUS GOD and to VENERABLE ANTIQUITY which now right willingly and of duty I vow and God willing in covenient time I will performe and make good my vow Meane while I would have the Reader to remember that I have in this worke wrastled with that envious and ravenous enemy TIME of which the Greeke Poet sung very aptly in this note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hore-headed TIME full slowly creeps but as he slye doth walke The voices he as slyely steales of people as they talke Unseene himselfe those that be seene he hides farre out of sight And such againe as are not seene he bringeth forth to light But I for my part am wont ever and anon to comfort my selfe with this Distichon of Mimnermus which I know to be most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heart take thine ease Men hard to please Thou haply maist offend Though one speake ill Of thee some will Say better there an end SOLI DEO GLORIA PHILEMON HOLLAND THE TRANSLATOUR TO THE READER IT is now almost thirty yeeres agone since I enterprised the translation of this Master Cambdens worke entituled Britannia and it is full twenty sixe yeeres since it was printed in English In which former Impression I being farre absent from the Presse I know not by what unhappy and disastrous meanes there passed beside ordinary and literall Errata many grosse and absurd mistakings and alterations of my translation which was done precisely and faithfully according to the Authors Originall VVhereof to give you but a touch or taste Page 23. line 11. the Latine is quà m Cambrica i. Britannicagens is printed Than the British Britain without all sense for Than the Welch that is the British Nation Page 38 line 15. Purple Tapestry remove for Purple Tapistry ridde as it ought to bee Page 200. line 14. of Saint Nicholas for Saint Michael as it ought to be according to the Latin Page 266. line 10. the Latine is Aerem insalubrem is crept in Wholesome aire for Unwholesome aire as it should bee Besides whole Verses and Lines left out and eftsoones other VVords and Sentences foisted in Substantives used for Adjectives Adjectives for Substantives Passive words used for Active Actives for Passive and so divers other passages against the Law of Priscian and Rules of Grammar Moreover that Hiatus and want of number in some Verses in other some Hypermeter all by mee translated with full feet and musicall measure and in some places for Sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or down right nonsense and such like stuffe in above a hundred places All which now by my means and command of the higher Powers care of some of the Partner-Printers of this second Impression and not without the industry and helpe of my onely Son H. H. a member of the Society of STACIONERS are rectified supplied and amended to the better illustration of the work contentment and solace of the future diligent Readers and perusers of the said VVorke Vale. 85. Aetat suae Anno Dom. 1636. Φ. THE SHIRES OF ENGLAND BArke-shire 279 Bedford-shire 399 Buckingham-shire 393 Cambridge-shire 485 Ches-shire 601 Cornewall 183 Cumberland 765 Darby-shire 553 Devon-shire 199 Dorset-shire 110 Durham 735 Essex 439 Glocester-shire 357 Hant-shire 258 Hereford shire 617 Hertford-shire
family 450 d Bowes or Bough a worshipfull family 731 c. 737 a. why so called 732 e Bowland forest 750 b Bowtetorts a family 465 b Boxley 332 c Brachae 19 Bradenham 393. e Brance 19 Briti ibid. Bridburn a place and family 553 Bradford 244 f Bradewardin a place 6â—8 c Bradwardin the profound Doctor 618 c Bradstons Ancestors of Vicount Montacute and Barons Wentworth 364 a Braibrooke castle 1513 e Braibrookes Barons ibid. e Brackley 505 d Braibrook 329 c Brakenbake 724 e Brackenburies a family of good note 737 c Brambles 274 c Brampton 783 a Bramton 815 b Bramton Brian castle 619 c Bramish a river 815 b Bancaster 408 a Brian de Brampton 619 c Brand 568 e Brandons a family Suffolke 465 e Branspeth castle 739 Branonium 575 a Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke 470 c Brannodunum 480 a Bransford or Bensford-bridge 517 e Brasen weapons 188 Brasen nose Colledge in Oxford 383 a Brasmatias a kinde of Earthquake 620 c Bray 286 d. Lord Bray 297 b. The breach by Greenwich 328 a Nicolas Breakspeare That is Pope Adrian the forth 414 f Breakspeare a place and family 419 b Brechanius his 24. daughters all Saints 627 a Breden forest 224 a Breedon hils 577 e Breedon a village ibid. Breertons a family 608 f. their death foreshewed 609 b Breerton a place 609 Brechnockshire 627 Brechnock towne 628 a Brechnock meere ibid. Brechnock Lords ibid. Brechnock made a shire 677 e Bremenium 803 Brember castle 313 c Bremetonacum 753 c Bremicham or Bermingham a town and familie 567 Bren what it signifieth 677 Bremin what it is 33 Brennus 677 Brennus a renowmed King 33 Bretenham 463 b Breton a river ibid. Brent a river 421 Brent See Falkes de Brent Brentmarsh 230 e Brentford 421 Brentwood 442 a Brentwell or Brounswell 421 Broses Barons 113 c. 201 f Breoses a family 553 d Will. de Breos or Braus a strong Rebell 629 b Breoses Lords of Brechnock 623 Bretons a family 556 b Bretts 128 f Breusais 138 f Brian who so called 117 Bridlington 714 d Iohn of Bridlington ibid. Brewood 583 a Bricols 400 e Bridge Casterton 534 b Bridgford by Nottingham 548 Brig for Glansford 543 a Brigantes in Britaine rebelled 43 Brigantes 685. whereof they took name ibid. Brill for Burihill 395 b Breint Fitz Conty 282 a Brients 202 c d Brients Barons 215 d Brinlo 568 f Brienston 215 e Brimsfeild 365 f Bridgewater 225 a Earle of Bridgewater 225 c Bridkirk 768 b Briewer Baron 222 e Bristoll or Bristow a Citie 237 a the reason of the name ibid. b Bret the Primitive of the Britains 26 Brit or Brith the first name of the Britains 25 Brith what it signifieth 26 Britaine or Britannie whence it tooke name 27. why late discovered and knowne 33. mentioned by Lucretius first of any Latin writer ib. twice Schoole-Mistres to France 138 Britaine the great that is England 155 Britaine the lesse that is Scotland ibid. Britaine how divided 154.155 Britaine what names it hath 1. the site thereof 1. the forme of it ibid. why called another world 24. the division and compasse of it 2.4 Britaine hath sundry names 23 the position thereof in respect of the Heavens 4. how fruitfull and commodious 3. her first inhabitants 4. the name 5 Britaine under what signe or Planet 182 Britain portracted in womans habite 24. the Roman world 45 discovered to be an Iland 61 a province Presidial 62. How it was governed under and after Constantine the Great 62 76. how it became subject to the Romans 62. infected by Barbarians 79. brought to civilitie 63. called Romania and Romaine Ile 88 Britains ruin and downfall 107 Britaine and France whether ever conjoyned 346 a Britains came first out of Gaule 11.12 Britans in Religion language and maners agree with the Gauls 13.14.15.16.17 Britans emploied by Caesar in base services 38 Britans generally rebell 49. their grievances ibid. Britains cast off the Romans yoke 86 Britains how they may derive their descent from the Troians 88 Britans in Armorica 110 Britans of Wales and Cornewale 112.113 Britans send Embassadours to the Saxons 128 Britans retaine their ancient language 23 Britans long lived 555 b Britans painted themselves blue with wood 20 Britans maners and customes out of Iulius Caesar 29. out of Strabo ibid. out of Diodorus Siculus 29. out of Pomponius Mela ibid. out of Cernelius Tacitus 30. out of Dio Nicaus ibid. out of Herodian ibid. out of Pliny 3â— out of Solinus ibid. Britaine Burse 428 d Britannica the herbe See Scorby or Scurvigrasse Britanniciani what they were 111 Briten huis 40 Brithin a kind of drinke 5 British tongue full of Greeke words 28 British States submit to Caesar 37 British Iles mentiond by Polibius 33 Of British Perle a brestplate 38 British names import colours 26 British townes what they were 29 Britwales or Welshmen 113 Briva what it signifieth 414 Brockets knights 406 f Brocovum 762 d Broge 19 Brokes by a place 522 f. a family 523 a Brome 467 f Bromesgrave 574 â— Bromefield 677 a Wolter Bronscorn Bishop of Excester 190 Brookes a family of ancient descent 611 a Brooke L. Cobham 329 c Barons Brooke 244 c Bronholme 478 e Brougham 762 d Brotherton 695 b Sir Anthonie Browne first Vicount Montacute 482 b Sir Ant. Browne Marquesse Montacute 222 d Broughton 376 e Broughton in Hantshire 262 c Brundenels a family 514 b Bruges Baron Chandos 365 b Bruin a family 442 b Burg-morfe or Bridg-North 591 b Robert Brus the noble 500 e Baron Brus of Skelton 720 c Bruses a noble family 526 b Brutus 5. why so called 8 Bucken that is Beech trees 393 George Buck 22 d Buchonia and Buckenham 393 a Buckinghamshire 393 Buers a family 463 b Walter Buc and his race 812 b Buckingham town 396 c. Earles 397 d Buckhurst Baron 320 Buelth 627 e Bugden 497 d Bulchobaudes 79 Buldewas or Bildas 593 e Bulkley a towne and family 607 Anne Bullen or Bollen Marchianesse of Penbroch 655 e Bullen or Bollen Earle of Wiltshire 256 e Bullen or Bollogne in France the same that Gessoriacum and Bonoia 348 d Th. Bullen Earle of Wiltshire died for sorrow 257 Bulleum Silurum 627 e Bulley or Busley a noble Norman 551 a Bulverith 316 e Buly castle 76â— c Bulnesse 775 c Bumsted Helion 452 a Bungey 468 b Burdos or Burdelois 473 a Burford in Shropshire 590 f Burnt Elly 463 d Burgesses 177 Burgh under Stanemore 760 Burgh castle 468 e Burgh Clere 72 c Burgi what they were 760 f Burly a faire place 526 b Burons an ancient family Burrium 636 c S. Buriens in Cornwal 188. why so called ibid. Burnel Baron 330 c Burcester 337 b Burdet 566 c Bunbury for Boniface burry 607 Burghersh alias Burgwash 320 Bartholomew Burgwash a Baron 320 b Burghley 514 â— Burgh 727 f Burghsted 442 e Burgh or Burrow Barons 543 f Burne a Barony ibid. Burnels a family 591 f Burrowes what they are 515 e Burrow banke 452 e Burrow hill
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
Lord of the kingdome of Scotland But none other answer could he have than this if I may speake the words out of the very authenticall Records Sequatur coram Iustitiariis de Banco Regis c. that is Let him sue before the Iustices of the K. Bench let him be heard and let justice be done But that which he could not obtaine by right Sir William Montacute his kinsman for come he was of the race of the Kings of Man wonne by his sword For with a band of English mustered up in hast he drave all the Scots out of the Iland But being by this warre plunged deeply in debt and not having wherewith to make some paiment thereof he mortgaged it for seven yeeres to Antonie Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem and made over the profits and revenues thereof unto him yea and soone after the King granted it unto the said Antonie for tearme of life Afterwards King Edward the second passed a grant thereof unto his minion Piers Gaveston what time as he created him Earle of Cornwall and when the said Piers was rid out of the way hee gave it unto Henry Beaumont with all the domaine and regall jurisdiction thereto belonging But shortly after the Scots under Robert Brus recovered it and Robert Randulph that right warlike Scot like as a long time after Alexander Duke of Albany used to stile themselves Lords of Man and bare the same coat of Armes as did the later Kings of Man namely three armed legges of a man linked together and bending in the hammes such for all the world as the Isle Sicilia gave the three legges naked in like forme in her coines of money in old time to signifie three Promontories Notwithstanding before time the Kings of Man used for their armes as we have seene in their Seales a ship with the saile hoised up with this title in the circumference Rex Manniae insularum that is King of Man and of the Islands Afterward about the yeere 1340. William Montacute the younger Earle of Salisbury wrested it by strong hand and force of armes from the Scottish who in the yeere of our Lord 1393. as Thomas Walsingham saith sold for a great summe of money Man with the crowne thereof unto William Scrope Who being for high treason beheaded and his goods confiscate it came unto the hands of Henry the fourth King of England who granted this Iland unto Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland as a conqueror triumphing over William Scrope whom he as yet a private person had intercepted and beheaded when he aspired to the crowne with this condition that himselfe and his heires should when the Kings of England were enstalled and crowned carry before them that sword which the said Henry wore by his side what time he came backe againe out of exile into England commonly called Lancaster sword But I think it good to set this down out of the Record in the very words of the K. himself De nostra gratia speciali dedimus that is Of our speciall grace we have given and granted unto Henry Earle of Northumberland the Isle Castle Pile and Seigniory of Man and all the Ilands and Lordships to the said Isle belonging which were Sir William le Scropes Knight now deceased whom in his life time we conquered and have decreed him so to be conquered and which by reason of our conquest of him we tooke into our hand as conquered which conquest verily and decree in our present Parliament with the assent of the Lords Temporall in the same Parliament being as touching the person of the foresaid William and all the lands tenements goods and chattels of his as well within our kingdome as without at the petition of the Communalty of our kingdome stand confirmed c. To have and to hold unto the said Earle and his heires c. by service of carrying at the daies of our coronation and of our heires at the left shoulder and the left shoulder of our heires either by himself or a sufficient and honourable Deputy of his that sword naked which we ware and were girt with when we arrived in the parts of Holdernesse called Lancaster sword c. But in the fifth yeere following the said Henry Percie entred into open rebellion and the King sent Sir Iohn Stanley and William Stanley to seize the Isle and castle of Man the inheritance whereof he granted afterward to Sir Iohn Stanley and his heires by letters Patents with the patronage of the Bishopricke c. And so his heires and successours who were honoured with the title of Earles of Derby were commonly called Kings of Man From Man untill we come to the Mull of Gallaway we meet with none but very small Ilands But after we be once past it in the salt water of GLOTTA or Dunbritton Frith appeareth the Iland GLOTTA whereof Antoninus maketh mention which the Scots now call Arran whereof the Earles of Arran in Scotland were stiled and neighbouring unto it is that which was in times past named Rothesia now Buthe of a sacred Cell which Brendan erected for so they terme a little Cell in Scottish thence come we to Hellan in times past called Hellan Leneaw that is as Iohn Fordon interpreteth it The Isle of Saints and to Hellan Tinoc that is The Isle of Swine and these Ilands are seen in the same Frith or Forth But of these I have spoken before Without this Bay or Frith lye a number of Ilands very thicke together which the Scots themselves that inhabite them call Inch-Gall that is haply The Isles of the Gallicians the English and the rest of the Scots The Western Isles the writers of the former age HEBRIDES but the ancient Ethnickes Bettoricae and Giraldus other where Inchades and Leucades Pliny Solinus and Ptolomee name them EBUDAS HEBUDAS and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which names have some consonant affinity with Epidium the promontory of Britain opposite unto them and an Isle among these so named The reason of the name I cannot picke out unlesse I should thinke they were so called because there groweth here no corne or graine For Solinus writeth that the inhabitants of these Ilands are not acquainted with corne and live onely upon fish and milke and Eb eid in British soundeth as much as without corne The inhabitants as saith the same Solinus have no skill or knowledge of corne they live of fish and milke onely They all have but one King For how many soever they be they are severed one from another by a narrow enterflow of the Sea betweene The King hath nothing that hee may say is his owne all things are common to them all and held hee is to equity by certaine lawes and lest hee should for covetousnesse swarve aside from the truth by his poore estate he learneth justice as who hath no house furniture and provision of his owne but all his maintenance is from the common coffer No woman is he allowed to have in