once was a City of Truth a holy Mountain in regard of the Doctrine of truth and holinesse preached therein then certainly London may Insomuch that Foraigners Hungarians Germans Batavians others learn our Language and come over to this City that they may hear our Preachers and read our English Divines London-Bridge is an admirable Workmanship of stone hewen out of the Quarry upon nineteen Arches besides the Draw-bridge and is furnished on both sides with passing fair houses joyning one to another in manner of a street that for bignesse and beauty it may worthily carry away the prize from all the Bridges in Europe The whole City is divided into six and twenty Wards and the Councel of the City consisted of as many ancient men named of their age in our tongue Aldermen as one would say Senatours who each one have the over-seeing and rule of his several Ward The chief Magistrate is the Lord Maior and two Sheriffs whereof the one is called the Kings the other the Cities Sheriff In Henry the Sixths Reign Godfrey Bolein was Lord Maior of London being the Ancestor of two renowned and virtuous Queens of England Anne second wife to King Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth their Daughter through whose great vigilancy and providence the City stood so well guarded that the Kings peace was dutifully kept notwithstanding the great Lords of both the Factions Yorkists and Lancastrians were with so great Troops of followers lodged within and about the same In Edward the Thirds Reign Henry Picard Maior of London in one day sumptuously feasted four Kings Edward the Third King of England John King of France the King of Cyprus then arrived in England David King of Scots See the courage and piety of a Lord Maior in King James his time in Wilsons History of Great-Britain p. 106. The Merchants meeting place standing upon Pillars which the common people call the Burse and Queen Elizabeth with a solemn Ceremony named The Royal Exchange was set up by Sir Thomas Gresham Citizen and Knight a magnificent work whether you respect the Model of the building the resort of Merchants from all Nations thither or the store of wares there Which Sir Thomas Gresham being withall an exceeding great lover of Learning consecrated a most spacious house his own habitation to the furtherance of Learning and instituted the Professours of Divinity Law Physick Astronomy Geometry and Musick with liberal Salaries and Stipends to the end that London might be a place not only furnished with all kind of Traffick but also with the Liberal Arts and Sciences There is also a fair and goodly Library in Sion-Colledge containing an hundred twenty and one foot in length and above five and twenty foot in breadth In the Reign of King James Robert Earl of Salisbury caused to be erected a stately building in the Strand which upon Tuesday the tenth of April in the yeer 1609. was begun to be richly furnished with Wares and the next day after the King the Queen and Prince with many great Lords and Ladies came to see and then the King gave it the name of Britains Burse Westminster was called in times past Thorney of Thorns now Westminster of the West situation and the Monastery A City of it self having its peculiar Magistrates and Priviledges It is renowned for the Abbey Church the Hall of Justice and the Kings Palace This Church is famous especially by reason of the Inauguration and Sepulture of the Kings of England William the Conquerour and Matilda his wife were first crowned at Westminster and since them all other Kings and Queens of this Realm have been there crowned Stows Surveigh of London It is a Church of very fair Workmanship supported with sundry rows of Marble Pillars a peece of work that cost fifty yeers labour in building It was founded by King Edward the Confessour King Henry the Seventh for the Burial of himself and his children adjoyned thereto in the East end a Chappel of admirable elegancy Leland calleth it The wonder of the world all the curious and exquisite work that can be devised is there compacted It is reported That the Chappel cost ten thousand pound or as others say fourteen thousand pound There is a Collegiate Church and famous School Forty Scholars in their due time are preferred to the Universities Here are buried the Prince of English Poets Geffrey Chaucer as also he that for pregnant wit and an excellent gift in Poetry of all English Poets came neerest unto him Edmund Spenser Isaac Casaubone William Camden Clarenceux King of Arms Westminster-Hall is the greatest Hall in England and the very Praetorium or Hall of Justice In this are the Judicial Courts the Upper-Bench the Common-Pleas and the Chancery and in places neer thereabout the Starre-Chamber the Exchequer Court of Wards and Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster In which at certain set times we call them Terms Causes are yeerly heard and tried This Judgement Hall King Richard the Second built out of the ground as appeareth by his Arms engraven in the stone-work and many arched beams There are a hundred twenty and one Churches more than Rome it self can shew Redcliff so called of the Red cliff a pretty fine Town and dwelling place of Sailers Enfield-Chase a place much renowned for hunting In this County without the City of London are reckoned Parishes much about seventy three with the City Liberties and Suburbs an hundred twenty and one Monmouthshire IT is enclosed on the North-side with the River Munow that separateth it from Herefordshire on the East-side with Wye running between it and Glocestershire on the West with the River Remmey which severeth it from Glamorganshire and on the South with the Severn The East part is full of Grasse and Woods the West is somewhat hilly and stony yet not unthankfull to the Husbandman Monmouth the chief Town of the Shire Munow and Wye at their confluence do compasse it almost round about and give it the name On the North-side where it is not defended with the Rivers it was fortified with a wall and ditch In the midst of the Town hard by the Mercat place standeth a Castle which as it is thought John Baron of Monmouth built It was the Birth place of Henry the Fifth that triumpher over France and the second Ornament of the English Nation It glorieth also that Geffrey Ap Arthur or of Munmouth Compiler of the British History was born and bred there a man well skilled in Antiquities but as it seemeth not of antique credit so many toyes and tales he every where enterlaceth out of his owne brain as he was charged while he lived Chepstow a famous Town and of good resort situate upon the side of an Hill rising from the very River fortified round about with a Wall of a large circuit which includes within it both Fields and Orchards It hath a very spacious Castle situate over the River Strighall Castle it belongs to the
and Commonwealth there ariseth a most plentifull increase of right learned men In this Colledge one Warden ten Fellows two Schoolmasters threescore and ten Scholars with divers others are plentifully maintained Potesmouth that is the mouth of the Haven A place always in time of warre well frequented It is fortified with a Wall made of Timber and the same well covered over with thick Banks of earth There is nothing wanting that a man would require in a most strong and fenced place Of the Garison Souldiers some keep watch and ward both night and day at the Gates Others upon the Tower of the Church who by the ringing or sound of a Bell give warning how many Horse or Foot are coming and by putting forth a Banner shew from what Quarter they come Basing stoke a Mercat Town well frequented Basing is near it the Seat of the Marquesses of Winchester Odiam a Borough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester William Lilie the great Grammarian was born here He was the first Master of Pauls School There are in this Shire two hundred and fifty three Parishes eighteen Market Towns and forty Hundreds To this County of Southampton belongeth the Isle of Wight Vecta or Vectis Insula This Isle between East and West in an old form stretcheth out twenty miles in length and spreadeth in the midst which is broadest twelve miles So Camden Leland saith it is ten miles broad The Ground to say nothing of the Sea full of Fish consisteth of a very fruitfull soil it breeds every where store of Coneys Hares Partridges and Pheasants It hath one little Forest and two Parks replenished with Deer for game and hunting pleasure Through the midst thereof runnes a long tract of Hils yeelding plenty of Pasture and Forrage for Sheep The Wooll of which next unto that of Lemster and Cotteswold is esteemed best and in special request with Clothiers whereby there groweth to the Inhabitants much gaine and profit There are thirty six Towns Villages and Castles which for Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction belonged to the Bishop of Winchester and for Civil Government to the County of South-hanton It armeth four thousand men exercised by their Captains The Inhabitants of this Isle were wont merrily to make their boast That their case was happier than all others because they had neither hooded Monks nor cavilling Lawyers nor yet crafty Foxes Newport is the principal Mercat Town of the whole Isle Caresbrook an old Castle is in the very heart and midst of the Isle Brading a Mercat Town Newton and Yarmouth have their Maiors and send Burgesses to the Parliament Sauham-Castle The Inhabitants of the Isle being naturally most warlike bold and adventurous are through the diligence and care of the Captain of the Isle confirmed so by continual exercise in strength and military Discipline that they exactly know before-hand with their Peeces to shoot point-blank and not misse the Mark to keep their ranks to march orderly and in ray to cast their squadrons if need be close into a ring to display and spread the same at large to take pains to runne and ride to endure both Sunne and dust and fully to performe whatsoever warfare doth require Of these Souldiers thus trained the Isle it self is able to bring forth into the field four thousand and at the instant for all assayes appointed there are three thousand more of most expert and practised Souldiers out of Hantshire and two thousand beside out of Wiltshire to be ever prest and in readinesse for the defence of the Isle That all hostile Forces whatsoever might be withstood more speedily and with greater facility the whole Countrey is divided into eleven parts and every of them hath their several Centoner or Centurion their Vinton also Leaders as it were of twenty their great peeces of Ordnance their Sentinels and Warders who keep Watch and Ward at the Beacons standing on the higher grounds their Posts also or Runners whom by an old name grown almost out of use they terme still Hoblers who presently give intelligence of all occurrents to the Captain and Governour of the Isle Vespasian was the first that brought it into subjection whiles he served as a private person under Claudius Caesar This Isle had a noble Family named De Insula or Lisle out of which in the Reign of King Edward the Second one was summoned unto the Parliament by the name of Sir John Lisle of the Isle of Wight Herefordshire THis County lieth round in compasse as it were a Circle it is bounded on the East-side with Worcester and Glocestershire on the South with Monmouthshire on the West-side with Radnoc and Brecknotshire and on the North with Shropshire For three W. W. W. Wheat Wooll and Water * it yeeldeth to no Shire of England This Countrey is reputed the Orchard of England From the greatest persons to the poorest cottager all habitations are encompassed with Orchards and Gardens and in most places the hedges are enriched with rows of Fruit-trees Pears or Apples Gennet-moyles or Crab-trees Worcestershire is more proper for Pears and Cherries Herefordshire for Apples Herefordshire Orchards a Patern for all England By J. B. Bradwardin-Castle gave both original and name to that famous Thomas Bradwardin Archbishop of Canterbury who for his variety of knowledge and profound Learning was in that age termed The profound Doctor Hereford is the chief City of the Shire it is seated among most pleasant Medows and as plentifull Corn-fields compassed almost round about with Rivers On the North-side and the West with one that hath no name on the South-side with Wye which hasteneth hither out of Wales Lemster upon the River Lug. The greatest name and fame that it hath at this day is of the Wooll in the Territories round about it Lemster Ore they call it which setting aside that of Apulia and Tarentum all Europe counteth to be the very best Where lives the man so dull on Britains furthest shore To whom did never sound the name of Lemster Ore That with the Silk-worms web for smalnesse doth compare Wherein the winder shews his workmanship so rare As doth the Fleece excell and mocks her looser clew As neatly bottom'd up as Nature forth it drew Of each in high'st accompt and reckoned here as fine As there th' Appulian Fleece or dainty Tarentyne Draytons Polyolbion 7th Song In Apulia and the upper Calabria of Italy the Wool hath been famous for finest excellence insomuch that for preserving it from the injury of earth bushes and weather the Shepherds used to clothe their Sheep with skins and indeed was so chargeable in these and other kind of pains about it that it scarce requites the cost Seld. Illustrat of Drayt. Polyolb Brameyard upon the River Frome Ledbury under Malvern-Hils It is also so renowned for Wheat and Bread of the finest Flour that Lemster Bread and Weabley Ale are grown unto a common Proverb By reason of these Commodities the Mercates at Lemster were
and the strongest hold in all Britain It is well neer compassed about with the Sea and Twede together Upon the West parts of Northumberland the Picts-Wall is in some of the waste ground the Wall is to be seen of great height and almost whole The Roman Britains being continually molested by the often incursions of the barbarous people called Picts The Emperour Severus built a Wall of stone with great wisdome and industry to strengthen the Northern parts of Britain against the many inrodes of the Picts At every miles end of this Wall was a Tower and in the Wall a Pipe of Mettal betwixt the Tower or Sentinel-houses that so soon as a man had set his mouth to this Pipe they might hear through all the Sentinels where the enemy was and so in a short time giving warning from one end of the Wall to the other There are about fourty six Parishes in Northumberland Oxfordshire ON the West-side it joyneth upon Glocestershire on the South which way it runneth out farthest in breadth it is dissevered from Barkshire by the River Isis or Tamis Eastward it bordereth upon Buckinghamshire and Northward where it endeth pointed in manner of a Cone or Pineapple hath Northamtonshire of one side and Warwickshire on the otherside confining with it It is a fertile Countrey and plentifull wherein the plains are garnished with Corn-fields and Medows the Hils beset with Woods stored in every place not only with Corn and Fruits but also with all kind of Game for Hound or Hawk and well watered with fish-full Rivers Hoch-Norton for the rustical behaviour of the Inhabitants in the age afore-going it grew to be a Proverb when folk would say of one rudely demeaning himself and unmannerly after an Hoggish kind That he was born at Hocknorton Woodstock a woody place Here is one of the Kings Houses full of state and magnificence built by King Henry the First who adjoyned also thereunto a very large Park compassed round about with a stone wall which John Rosse writeth to have been the first Park in England Our Historians report that King Henry the Second being enamoured upon Rosamond Clifford a Damsel so fair so comely and well-favoured without comparison that her beauty did put all other women out of the Princes mind insomuch as she was termed Rosa mundi the Rose of the world and to hide her out of the sight of his jealous Juno the Queen he built a Labyrinth in this House with many inextricable windings backward and forward which notwithstanding is no where to be seen at this day She was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph in Rhyme Hic jacet in tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet The Town it self having nothing at all to shew glorieth yet in this that Jeffrey Chaucer our English Homer was there bred and brought up Banbury a fair large Town It is famous for Cheese and Cakes Hanwell where the Family of Cope hath flourished many yeers in great and good esteem Broughton the seat of my Lord Say and Sele Islip the native place of that King Edward whom for his religious piety and continency our Ancestours and the Popes vouchsafed the name of Edward the Confessor Oxford a fair and goodly City whether a man respect the seemly beauty of private houses or the stately magnificence of publick buildings together with the wholsome site or pleasant prospect thereof It was from its situation in ancient times called Bello situm Isidis vadum Saxonice Ouseford Ousenford corrupte Oxford Historia circumfertur adfirmans hanc urbem olim ab amaenitate sitûs Bellositum dictum fuisse Joannes Rossus hinc edoctus hoc idem affirmat Let. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Oxoniensis Universitas Schola secunda Ecclesiae imo Ecclesiae fundamentum Matthew Paris Hist. Angl. pag. 945. In the Councel of Vienna it was ordained that there should be erected Schools for the Hebrew Greek Arabick and Chaldaean Tongues in the studies of Paris Oxford Bonony and Salamanca as the most famous of all others to the end that the knowledge of these Tongues might by effectual instruction be throughly learned Here are 17 Colledges and 7 Hals Dorchester a Town known in times past to the Romans Vide Lel. Commentin Cygn. Cant. Henley upon Tamis The Inhabitants of it for the most part are watermen This County containeth two hundred and eighty Parish Churches Richmondshire IT takes the name from a Castle Most of it lieth very high with ragged Rocks and swelling Mountains whose sloping sides in some places bear good Grasse the bottom and Valleys are not altogether unfruitfull The Hils themselves within are stored with Lead Pit-coal and Copper Nappa an house built with Turrets and the chief seat of the Medcalfs thought to be not long since the greatest Family for multitude of the same name in all England For I have heard that Sir Christopher Medcalf Knight and the top of this kindred being of late High-Sheriff of the Shire accompanied with three hundred men of the same House all on Horse-back and in a Livery met and received the Justices of Assizes and so brought them to York So Camden Bolton-Castle a stately Castle Richmond the chief Town of the Countrey well peopled and frequented Hourby-Castle There are contained in this Shire an hundred and four Parishes besides Chappels Rutlandshire IT is the least County of all England Lying in form almost round like a circle it is in compasse so farre about as a Light-horsman will ride in one day It was called Rutland as one would say Red-land the Earth in this Shire is every where red and so red that even the Sheeps fleeces are thereby coloured red the English-Saxons called Red in their tongue Roet and Rud. Uppingham a place upon an high ascent whence that name was imposed a well frequented Mercat Town The Vale of Catmose a field full of Woods Okeham is in the midst of it so called from Oaks This small Shire hath Parish Churches fourty eight Shropshire ON the East-side it hath Staffordshire on the West Mongomeryshire and Denbighshire on the South-side Worcester Hereford and Radnorshires and on the North Cheshire It is replenished with Towns and Castles standing thick on every side in regard of repelling and repressing the Welshmen in the Marches bordering hereupon Whence our Ancestours by an ancient word named the Confines of this Shire toward Wales the Marches because they were Bounds and Limits between the Welsh and English and divers Noblemen in this Tract were called Barons of the March and Lords Marchers who had every one in their Territory a certain peculiar jurisdiction and in their own Courts ministred Law unto the Inhabitants with sundry Priviledges and Immunities Bishops-Castle so called because it belonged to the Bishops of Hereford whose Diocesse and Jurisdiction was large in this Shire Clun-Castle so called from the River Clun Ludlow it standeth upon an Hill a Town
this Nation subsist upon Mines and Cole others upon Manefacture Some upon Corn others upon the Profits of Cattle London and the Sea-Ports upon Exportation and Importation M. Wrens Monarchy asserted chap. 8. Wileboord an Englishman was the first Bishop of Utrect he is called the Apostle of Zeland for having there preacht and planted the Christian Faith as also in the Provinces next adjoyning Verstegans Etymologies of our Saxon Proper Names Willebrodus Britannus fuit Frisiosque primus Christianae Religionis initiis imbuit Bertius in Tab. Geog. Contract I shall detain thee no longer but subscribe my self Thy hearty Well-willer Edward Leigh PROLEGOMENA EUrope the least of the four parts of the World yet the most populous and eminent for Arts and Armes is divided into several Nations and Countreys Albion or Great-Britain Spain France Germany Rhetia Vindelicia Italy Sardinia Sicily Sarmatia Dacia Maesia and Greece Britain or Britanny which also is Albion the most famous Island without comparison of the whole world It is seated as well for air as soil in a right fruitfull and most milde place The air so kinde and temperate that not only the Summers be not excessive hot by reason of continual gentle windes that abate their heat which as they refresh the fruits of the earth so they yeeld a most wholsom and pleasing contentment both to man and beast but the Winters also are passing milde for therein falling often with still showers to say nothing of the Air it self somewhat thick and grosse dissolveth the rigour of the cold so and withall the Sea which compasseth it with moderate warmth doth comfort the Land in such wise as that the cold with us is much more remisse than in some parts of France and Italy It is now called England in Latine Anglia in French Angle-terre Of the several Etymologies of which word see Histoire d' Angle-terre Par Du Chesne l. 6. p. 195. And Munsters Universal Gosmography l. 2. Britanniam lasciviae Culparier justè negas Tamen fateri cogeris Quòd insula est non continens Hugenii Epig. l. 6. Great Britain consisting of England and Scotland contains one thousand eight hundred thirty six miles in compasse This Island as Camden Twine Verstegan imagine was broken off from the Continent of France See Twine De Rebus Britannicis The Bodies of the Inhabitants are of an excellent Constitution their Demeanour right courteous their Natures gentle and their Courage most hardy and valiant whose Manhood by exploits atchieved both at home and abroad is famously renowned thorow the whole world King Edward the third and his Sonne did bear their victorious Arms thoroughout all France King Henry the Sixth was crowned King of France at Paris Our famous Kings Henry the Fifth Edw. 3. and K. Henry the Eight were the most worthiest Warriers that our Nation ever had Sir Roger Williams his brief Discourse of Warre pag. 37. See pag. 8 9. 58. Phil. de Commines Hist. l. 6. c. 2 3. Sir Francis and Sir Horatio Vere Sir Thomas Morgan Sir John Norris by their singular knowledge in military affairs and exploits most valiantly and fortunately atchieved in the Low-Countreys have added exceeding much honour and glory to themselves See Dr. Dillinghams Veres Commentaries Sir Roger Williams also was a famous Commander John Lord Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury marched four and twenty years together with victorious arms over a great part of France Camden cals him Englands Achilles See Froissarts Chron. c. 130. of the victory of the English at the great battel of Cressy The Duke of Bedford was Regent of France and being slain in a battel on Land before Veronil was buried in Roan and together with him all the English mens good fortune in France Whose Monument when Charles the Eighth King of France came to see and a Nobleman standing by advised him to rase it Nay answered he let him rest in peace now being dead of whom in warre whiles he lived all France had dread Marshal Biron said He liked not the English March being beaten by the Drumme it was so slow Sir Roger Williams answer'd him That yet it had gone through all France See the Discourse of the National Excellencies of England Part 1. Chap. 1. Of the Warres of the Britains and their Courage Chap. 3. Of the Danish Invasion Chap. 4. Of the Norman Conquest Chap. 5. Of Warres with Spain Chap. 6. Of Warres with France Chap. 7. Of Warres with the seventeen Provinces Chap. 8 9. Of Warres with Scotland Part 2. Chap. 2. Of the English Courage Our wooden Walls the Ships are a great safety to this Nation The English Navy is the strongest in the world What service did our Ships do us in 88 Sir Francis Drake and after him Thomas Candish Esquire within the space of three yeers and three moneths travelled about the Globe of the whole Earth This Isle hath prescribed in all ages for the Dominion * of the Seas that incompasse it Vide Seldeni Mare clausum lib. 2. c. 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 24 30 31 32. Sir Richard Grenvile in a Ship of Queen Elizabeths fought against a great Navy of Spaniards This single vessel was fought with in turns by fifteen other great Ships whereof the great St. Philip of 1500 Tuns Prince of the twelve Sea-Apostles was one It sunk two of their best Ships and killed a thousand men It was sunk at last having first to the full answered its name Without vanity our Nation may assume to it self the praise considering the narrow limits of the Island to have produced as many Scholars admirable in all degrees of knowledge as any Countrey on this side the Alpes Beda Bradwardine Scotus Wicliffe Ockam Baconthorp Joannes de sacro Bosco Cuthbert Tunstall Pool Colet Lilie Linacer Pacaeus Fisher More Stapleton Leland Camden Juel Whitaker Rainolds Sir Philip Sidney a man of excellent parts learned and valiant Our English mens pronunciation of the Latine tongue is condemned much by Outlandishmen A Herald brought a Letter of Defiance from the King of England in very good language and so excellently well penned that I am perswaded it was never of English mans doing Phil. de Comin in his History lib. 4. ch. 5. They write good Latine though Car hath written an Oration De Scriptorum Britannicorum paucitate In Edward the Thirds time there was a Letter directed to the Pope in justification of making it Treason to bring in Papal provisions which was so excellently penn'd as did not only move admiration but astonishment Cito post Rex direxit Papae illam famosam Epistolam pro libertate Ecclesiae contuenda quam praesentibus duximus inserendam Walsing. Hist. Angl. Edw. 3. p. 161. There are sundry opinions whence this word Britain had the original derivation Camden dislikes that from Brutus Some say It is most probably derived from Brit which in the ancient British signifies
painted and the word Tain signifying a Nation the Britains used to discolour and paint their bodies that they might seem more terrible in the eyes of their enemies Camden in his Britannia p. 26 27. seems rather to incline to this Etymology Brith signifieth blew-coloured sc. with woad hence Britons The Greeks gave to this Isle the name Albion for difference sake Seeing they have in fabulous wise named Italy Hesperia of Hesperus the sonne of Atlas France Gallatia of a sonne of Polyphemus I cannot otherwise believe but in the same vein also of fabling they called this Island Albion of Albion Neptunes sonne which thing Perottus and Lilius Giraldus have put down in writing Unlesse a man would derive it rather of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which as Festus witnesseth in Greek signifieth white whence the Alpes also have their appellation for it is environed with white Rocks England is called Albion ab albis rupibus whereby it is specially conspicuous So was an Isle in the Indian-Sea called Leucas white Seld. on Drayt. Polyolb Song first This Etymology is disliked by Lhoyd but defended by Sir John Price in his Defence of the British History England bears a great sway in the affairs of Europe Speed in his Chronicle saith The great affairs of Europe mainly depended upon the Directions of Queen Elizabeth who sitting at the Helm of the Ship arbitrated and guided their estates both in Peace and Warre See more there to this purpose in his 9th Book chap. 24. p. 880. The English have been very helpfull to the Netherlands in their warres and atchievers of the greatest exploits amongst them Heinsius in his Oration made after the taking of the Busse saith Anglorum sanguine stat haec respublica This Commonwealth stands by the bloud of the English The first of all Provinces this Island of Britain by common consent received the Christian Faith The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ saith Gildas Albanius surnamed the Wise the most ancient of our British Historians which first appeared to the world in the later time of Tiberius Caesar did even then spread his bright beams upon this frozen Island of Britain And it is generally received for a truth that Joseph of Arimathea laid the foundation of our faith at Glastenbury He that hath written of Honour Military and Civil lib. 4. cap. 19. saith The chief place of Honour and Precedency in Europe appertaineth to the Kings of England And one of the reasons he gives is Because the King and people of England received the Gospel and Christian Faith before France or Spain There have been more Kings and Princes of the Bloud Royal Confessors and Martyrs in England than in any one Province in Europe Fasciculus temporis See Gainsfords Glory of England Chap. 21. 27. concerning our famous Kings here and of famous Kings and Princes that came hither Claudia Rufina of the British Nation is celebrated by the Apostle Paul and also by Martial It is apparent that this Island had the first Christian King in the world and clearly in Europe If priority of time swayed it and not custome derived from a communicable attribute given by the Popes that name of Most Christian should better fit our Sovereigns than the French Vide Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hist. l. 2. p. 41. We had also the first Christian Emperour Constantine The first King that ever renounced the Popes Supremacy was King Henry the Eighth The first King that ever wrote against the Pope to prove him to be the Antichrist was King James England hath been an Asylum for the distressed Protestants of other Countreys The Armes of England are three Lions passant gold in a field gewls The Lion signifies fortitude and generosity Three Flour-delices were since that time annexed thereto by Edward the Third by reason of his claime to the Crown of France The State is Monarchical A Kingdom of a perfect and happy composition wherein the King hath his full Prerogative the Nobles all due respects and the People amongst other blessings perfect in this that they are masters of their own purposes and have a strong hand in the making of their own Laws Of all Seniories in the world that I know the Realme of England is the Countrey where the Commonwealth is best governed the People least oppressed and the fewest buildings and houses destroyed in Civil Warre and the lot of misfortune falleth upon them that be authours of the Warre Phil. de Commin Hist. l. 5. c. 18. England is not subject to Imperial and Romane Lawes as other Kingdoms are but retaineth her ancient Laws It is governed by the Municipal or Common Law a Law proper to the Nation The Commonalty of England is the best Commonalty in the world and the best Infantry or Foot-souldiers in whom the principal strength of an Army consists It was once the saying That the Husbandry and Yeomandry of England were the freest men in the world The Merchant of England surpasseth all other Nations See Gainsfords Glory of England ch. 26. England aboundeth with all sorts of Cattel except Asses Mules Camels and Elephants No Countrey yeeldeth such plenty of Beeves and Sheep A Countrey alwayes most temperate The Air is thick and so it is much subject to winds clouds and rain and therefore in regard of the thicknesse of the Air it is neither opprest with too much heat or too much cold It is somewhat cloudy Gundamore being here bid the Spanish Post when he came to Spain commend him to the Sunne for he had not seen him a great while and in Spain he should be sure to find him The Ocean which beateth upon the Coast of this Island aboundeth with all manner of Fish There are no where in all the world either more dainty Oisters or greater store The soil is fruitfull in Mines of Lead Iron Tin and other Minerals especially it abounds in Coal a necessary and rich Commodity It is replenished also with all sorts of Grain with Medows and Pastures in which innumerable flocks of Cattel feed Cardan exhorted Edward the Sixth to plant Olives and was fully perswaded they would prosper in this Island Many places in Glocestershire and elsewhere in England are called Vineyards seeing it hath afforded Wine and surely it may seem to proceed rather from the Inhabitants idlenesse than any distemperature and indisposition of the Aire that it yeeldeth none at this day Camd. Brit. in Glocestershire In Hantshire he saith We had Vines in Britain since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit The People are tall of stature well-favoured and fair countenanced for the most part gray-eyed The women most fair and beautifull do go very decently and comely attired We feed mostwhat on flesh The drink which we use and do make of malt is in deed very good wholsome and pleasant There are more Parks Forests Chases in England than are found in all Christendom
dwelleth whom we call in Latine Vicecomitem as one would say the Deputy of the Comes or Earl and in our tongue Sheriff It is his duty to gather the common moneys of the Prince in his County to collect and bring into the Exchequer all fines imposed even by distreining to be attendant upon the Judges and to execute their commandments to assemble and empanel the twelve men which in causes do enquire of the Fact and make relation thereof and give in their Verdict to the Judges for Judges with us sit upon the right onely of a cause and not upon the fact to see condemned persons executèd and to examine and determine certain smaller actions OF THE Several Counties IN ENGLAND CAmden begins with Cornwall and ends with Northumberland I shall mention the Counties of England rather according to the Letters of the Alphabet Barkshire IT is called in Latine Berkeria It is bounded upon the East with Surrey upon the North with the River of Thames from Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire upon the West with Wiltshire and upon the South with Hantshire Abbendune or Abington so called of the Abbay rather than of one Abben an Irish Eremite of the Abby there See Monasticon Anglicanum pag. 97. Farendon famous now for a Mercate there kept Wadley It is situate in a vale though not so fertile a soil as some vales afford yet a most commodious site wholsome in a delicious air a rich and pleasant seat Newbury as much as the Newburgh a fair Town well seated in a Champion plain Reading of the Brittish word Redin which signifieth Fearn that growing here plentifully excelleth all other Towns of this Shire in fair streets and goodly houses for wealth also of the Townsmen and their name in making of Cloath There is a very great Market Maidenhead so named of the superstitious worshipping of I wot not what British Maidens-Head Camd. Brit. Maidenhead or Maidenhith Hith in the old Saxon did signifie a Wharf Haven or Landing-place It had its name from the Wharf or Ferry belonging at that time to some neighbouring Nunnery or to some private Maidens dwelling thereabout who then received the profits of it So Queen-Hith in London took that appellation because the profits of the Wharf were anciently accounted for to the Queens of England Dr. Heylins Animadvers on the Church Hist. of Brit. lib. 1. p. 20. See Camden of Maiden-bradly in Wiltshire fol. 243. Windesore A Royal Castle and House of the Kings with the Town adjoyning A Princes Seat cannot have a more pleasant situation For from a high Hill that riseth with a gentle ascent it enjoyeth a most delightfull Prospect round about With the pleasantnesse of this place Princes were allured very often to retire themselves hither and here was Edward the Third that most puissant King borne who here built new out of the ground a most strong Castle in bignesse equal to a pretty City fortified with Ditches and Bulwarks made of stone and forthwith after he had subdued the French and Scots held at one and the self same time John King of France and David King of Scotland prisoners together in the same In this place King Edward the Third for to adorn Martial Prowesse with Honours the Guerdon of Vertue ordained the most Noble Order and Society of Knights whom he called Knights of the Garter who wear on their left Legge somewhat under the knee a Blew Garter with these golden Letters in French HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENS'E Shame to him that evil thinks and fasten the same with a Buckle of Gold as with the Band of a most inward Society in token of Concord and Unity that there might be among them a certain Consociation and Communion of Vertues Some attribute the original of it unto the Garter of the Queen or rather Joan Countesse of Salisbury a Lady of incomparable beauty which fell from her as she danced and the King took up from the floor for when a number of Nobles and Gentlemen standing by laughed thereat he made answer again That shortly it would come to passe that Garter should be in high honour and estimation This is the most common and most received report There is a Book entituled Catechismus ordinis Equitum Perifcelidis written long since by Belvaleti the Popes Nuncio here and published in the year 1631. by Bosquierus wherein the Authour makes an Allegory on the whole habit of the Order the Matter Colour Fashion Wearing to the very Girdle Dr. Heylins Antidotum Lincolniense Sect. 3. ch. 10. The mightiest Princes in Christendome reputed it amongst their greatest honour to be chosen and admitted into this Company and since the first Institution thereof there have been already received and enrolled into this Order which consisteth of six and twenty Knights two and twenty Kings or thereabout besides our Kings of England who are named Sovereigns thereof to speak nothing of Dukes and others of most high calling very many The Founders of the Order which in those dayes for stout courage and warlike Prowesse had few or no Peers and were in that regard advanced to that honour Edward the Third King of England Edward his eldest Sonne and Prince of Wales Henry Duke of Lancaster Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick Peter Copit de la Bouche Ralph Earl of Stafford William de Montacute Earl of Sarisbury Roger Mortimer Earl of March John Lord Lisle Sir Bartholomew de Burgherst Sir John Beauchamp John Lord Mohun of Dunstere Sir Hugh Courtne Sir Thomas and Sir Otho Holland Sir John Gray of Codnor Sir Richard Fitz Simon Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Thomas Walle Sir Hugh Wrothesly Sir Neel Lorenge Sir John Chandos Sir James Audley Sir Henry Eswi◠Sir Sanchio Dampredicourt Sir Walter Pavely There is an honourable Family of Barons surnamed of Windsore Eaton is hereto adjoyned by a wooden Bridge over the Thames and in it a fair Colledge and a famous School of good literature founded and built by King Henry the Sixth wherein besides the Provost eight Fellows and the singing Choristers there are threescore Scholars instructed in Grammar and in due time preferred to the University of Cambridge It containeth twenty Hundreds twelve Market Towns and an hundred and forty Parishes Bedfordshire BEdford is the principal Town whereof the Shire also taketh name A Town to be commended more for the pleasant situation and antiquity thereof then for beauty or largenesse although a man may tell five Churches in it Hockley in the Hole so named of the miry way in Winter time very troublesome to travellers for the old Englishmen our Progenitors called deep mire Hock and Hocks Dunstable This Town seated in a Chalky ground well inhabited and full of Innes hath four streets answering to the four quarters of the world in every one of which there is a large Pond of standing water for the publique use of the Inhabitants It contains ten Market Towns an hundred and sixteen
Parishes Buckinghamshire IT brings forth Beech-trees plentitifully which the English Saxons in elder times called Bucken whence Buckingham the chief Town and so the whole Shire took the name from Beech-trees The Countrey generally is of a rich plentifull soil and passing full of inhabitants who chiefly imploy themselves in grazing of Cattel there is store of Mutton and Beef Chiltern got that name according to the very nature of the soile of Chalkie Marle which the ancient Englishmen termed Cylt or Chilt Marlow a pretty Town of no mean credit taking name of the said Chalk commonly termed Marle which being spread upon Corn-ground eaten out of heart with long tillage doth quicken the same again so as that after one yeers rest it never lieth fallow but yeeldeth again to the Husbandman his seed in plentifull measure High Wickham or Wicombe rather from the turning of the River Thames the Germane Saxons term any winding reach of River and Sea a Wick and Comb a low valle This Town for largenesse and fair building is equal to the greatest Town in this Shire and in that it hath a Maior for the Head Magistrate Colbroke-Pontes is parted into four chanels over which stand as many Bridges for the commodity of passengers whence it tooke its name Hamden gave name to an ancient and well spread Family in these parts Some say one of that name was High-Sheriff when William the Conquerour came into England There is part of the House at great Hamden yet standing which hath been built ever since the time of William the Conquerour They have ancient Records one of which runs thus Osbert Hamden Lord of Great Hamden one of the Commissioners for expulsion of the Danes Ailesbury a fair Market Town compassed about with many most pleasant green Medows and Pastures of which the whole Vale is termed the Vale of Ailesbury Ascot the principal mansion house of the Dormers from whence descended the Dutches of Feria in Spain and others of noble note Stony Stratford named so of Stones the Streetway and a Fourd The houses are built of a certain rough stone which is digged forth in great abundance at Caversham hard by and it standeth upon the publick street commonly called Watling-street which was a military high-way made by the Romans and is evidently to be seen yet beyond the Town with the Bank or Causey thereof and hath a ford but now hardly passable Newport-Painel so called of Sir Fulcod Painel the Lord thereof Here are an eleven Market Towns and an hundred and eighty five Parishes Cambridgeshire CAmbridgeshire is famous for fish and fowl Cambridge a most famous Mart and Store-house of good Literature and Godlinesse standeth upon the River Cam which turning into the East divideth it into two parts and hath a Bridge over it whence arose the name Cambridge Neither is there wanting any thing here that a man may require in a most flourishing University were it not that the Air is somewhat unhealthfull arising as it doth out of a fenny ground hard by There are sixteen Colledges in it Saint Ides is one of the famousest Markets of England it serves several Counties The Isle of Ely There are several Etymologies of it given by Camden Ely a Bishops See * the City hath an unwholsome Air by reason of the fens round about although it be seated somewhat higher Hard under Cambridge Eastward neer unto Sture a little brook is kept every yeer in the Moneth of September the greatest Fair of all England whether you respect the multitude of buyers and sellers resorting thither or the store of Commodities there to be vented Neer unto Cambridge on the South-East side there appear aloft certain high Hils called Gogmagog On the top of them is a very large Fort entrenched strengthened with a three-fold Rampire Wisbich amongst Fennes and waters It hath eight Market Towns and an hundred and sixty three Parishes Cheshire IT is very pleasant and plenteous in all things needfull for mans use and therefore had the name of the Vale Royal of England from Edward the First The Grasse and Fodder there is of that goodnesse and vertue that Cheeses are made there in great number of a most pleasing and delicate taste such as all England again affordeth not the like no though the best dayriwomen otherwise and skilfullest in Chees-making be had from hence This Region hath alwayes bred more Gentry than the other Countreys in England For you have not in all England again any one Province beside that in old time either brought more valorous Gentlemen into the field or had more families in it of Knights degree The Breretons Manwarings and Venables are the most noble Families in that County On the South-side it is hemmed in with Shropshire on the East-side with Staffordshire and Darbyshire on the North with Lancashire and on the West with Denbigh and Flintshire The River Dee called in Latine Deva breeding very great plenty of Salmons ariseth out of two fountains in Wales and thereof men think it took the name for Dwy in their tongue signifieth two This River no sooner is entered into Cheshire but it passeth by Banchor a famous Monastery It fostered and brought up as some write the most wicked Arch-heretique Pelagius who injuriously derogating from the grace of God troubled a long time the west Church with his pestiferous Doctrine Prosper Aquitanus in this Verse of his termeth him the British Adder Pestifero vomuit coluber sermone Britannus A British Snake with venemous tongue Hath vomited his poison strong Chester * or West-Chester of the West situation Cestria de castris nomen quasi castria sumpsit This City built in form of a quadrant four square is enclosed with a wall that taketh up more then two miles in compasse and hath eleven Parishes Neer unto the River standeth the Castle upon a rocky Hill built by the Earls where the Courts Palatine and the Assizes as they call them are kept twice a year The Houses are very fair built and along the chief streets are Galleries or Walking-places they call them Rows having shops on both sides through which a man may walk dry from one end to another It is called the County Palatine of Chester because the Earls thereof had Royalties and Princely priviledges belonging to them and all the Inhabitants owed Allegiance and Fealty to them as they did to the King One Hugh Wolf was made Earl of Chester by William the First and the County given him in Fee Tenendum sibi Haeredibus it a vere ad Gladium sicut ipse Rex tenebat Angliam ad Coronam And as the King so he for his Heirs had their Barons by that name specially known King Edgar in magnificent manner triumphed over the British Princes For sitting himself in a Barge at the fore-deck Kennadie King of the Scots Malcoline King of Cumberland Macon King of Mann and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales
brought to do homage and like Watermen working at the Oar rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant shew to his great glory and joy of the beholders King Henry the Seventh made it a County by it self incorporate Bunbury contractly so called or Boniface-Bury Boniface was the Patron Saint there Beeston-Castle hath a wall of a great circuit Here are very famous Salt-pits or Salt-wiches five or six miles distant asunder where brine or salt water is drawn out of pits which they boile over the fire to make salt thereof These were known unto the Romanes and from hence was usually paid the Custome for salt called Salarium Nantwich Middle-wich Nortwich Nantwich which the River Wever first visiteth is reputed the greatest and fairest built Town of all this Shire after Chester It is called the White-wich or Salt-pit because the whitest salt is there boiled North-wich is called the Black-salt pit Congleton a Mercat Town famous for Gloves Purses and Points of Leather Kinderton the old seat of the ancient race of the Venables who ever since the first coming in of the Normans have been of name and reputation here and commonly are called Barons of Kinderton Brereton hath given Name to the worshipfull ancient and numerous Family of the Breretons Knights Before any Heir of this House of the Breretons dieth there are seen in a Pool adjoyning bodies of trees swimming for certaine dayes together so Camden but some deny this Middle-wich there are two Wels of salt water parted one from the other by a small brook Maclesfield one of the fairest Towns of this County Lee from whence there is a Family bearing the same surname that is not only of gentle bloud and of especial note but also farre and fairly propagated into a number of branches Camd Britan. High Leigh in Cheshire I think gave Names to all the renowned Races of that Name in this County Two distinct Descents of the same Name have their seats in the same place and there have continued in a long succession of their Ancestors Knights and Esquires of much worth one is Thomas Leigh the other is Peter Leigh Esquires King of Cheshire Lime in Cheshire a great Family of the Name of the Leighs of whom there have been many famous Knights Sir Peter now the Possessor thereof King of Cheshire Nor thou magnanimous Leigh must not be left In darkness for thy rare fidelity To save thy faith content to lose thy head That reverent head of good men honored Daniels Second Book of Civil Warres Cholmundeston or Cholmeston anciently the Lands of the Leighs of Rushall in Staffordshire King of Cheshire pag. 74. It containeth thirteen Market Towns and sixty eight Parishes Cornwall IT extends in length to about seventy miles the breadth in the largest place passeth not thirty Carews Surveigh of Cornwall Speed computes the length sixty miles and the breadth forty It is called by later Writers Cornubia in Latine of all Britain it doth bear most Westward because it waxeth smaller and smaller in manner of an Horn and runneth forth into the Sea with little promontories as if they were Horns on every side Others would have it so called of one Corin and do call it Corinea Camd. Brit. There is digged here wonderfull store of Tin yeelding exceeding much profit and commodity whereof are made houshold Pewter vessels which are used thorowout many parts of Europe in service of the Table and for their glittering brightnesse compared with silver-plate Terra admodum sterilis fructum magis ex cultorum industria quam ex sua bonitate praebet sed fert uberius plumbum nigrum album hoc est stannum in quo effodiendo maximè consistit vita incolarum Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hist. l. 1. The Kings of England and Dukes of Cornwall in their times have reserved to themselves a praeemption of Tinne by the opinion of the learned in the Law as well in regard of the Propriety as being chief Lords and Proprietaries as of their Royal Prerogative Not only Tin is here found but therewith also Gold and Silver yea and Dyamonds shaped and pointed angle-wise smoothed also by Nature it self whereof some are as big as Wall-nuts and inferiour to the orient Dyamonds in blacknesse and hardnesse only So plentifull is this Countrey of grain although not without great toil of the Husbandman that it hath not only sufficient to maintain it self but also affordeth often times great store of Corn into Spain Besides a most rich Revenue and Commodity they have by those little Fishes that they call Pilchards which swarming as one would say in mighty great skuls about the shores from July unto November are there taken garbaged falted hanged in the smoke laid up pressed and by infinite numbers carried over into France Spain and Italy unto which Countreys they be very good chaffer and right welcome merchandize and are there named Fumados Michael a Cornish Poet and of Rhymers in his time the chies hath these Verses of Cornwall Non opus est ut opes numerem quibus est opulenta Et per quas inopes sustentat non opulenta Piscibus stanno nusquam tam fertilis ora The people thre are civil valiant hardy well pitcht in stature brawny and strong limbed such as for wrestling to speak nothing of that manly exercise and feat of hurling the Ball which they use so farre excell that for slight and clean strength together they justly winne the prize and praise from other Nations in that behalf Godolphin-Hill right famous for plentifull veins of Tin but much more renowned in regard of the Lords thereof bearing the same name who with their vertues have equalled the ancientnesse of that House and Linage That name in the Cornish Language came of a white Eagle and this Family hath anciently born for their Arms in a Shield Gules an Aegle displayed Argent between three Flower-deluces of the same Shield Falemouth-Haven is as noble as Brundusium it self in Italy of exceeding great capacity for it is able to receive an hundred Ships which may ride therein so apart by themselves that out of never an one of them the top of anothers Mast can be seen and most safe withall under the wind by reason that it is enclosed on every side with brims of high rising banks The Gullet on either hand as well for the defence and safety of the place as for terrour to enemies is fortified with Block-houses to wit the Castle of Maudit Eastward and toward the West the Fort Pendinaes both built by King Henry the Eighth Foy a Town most renowned in former ages for Sea fights which the very Arms of the Town do witnesse as being compounded of the Cinque-ports Arms Padstow a pretty Market Town so called short for Petrockstow of one Petroch a Britan canonized a Saint by the people who spent his dayes here in the service of God Edward the Third erected Cornwall into a Dukedome and invested Edward his Sonne
of it they say is healthfull but not so wealthy the middle they account both healthfull and plentifull the lower they hold to be wealthy but not healthy as which for a great part thereof is very moist It is every where almost full of Medows Pastures and Corn-fields abounding wonderfully in Apple-trees and Cherry-trees also the Trees are planted after a direct manner one against another by square most pleasant to behold It hath Villages and Towns exceeding thick and well peopled safe Rodes and sure Harbours for Ships with some veins of Iron and Marle but the Air is somewhat thick and somewhere foggy by reason of vapours arising out of the waters The Revenues of the Inhabitants are greater both by the fertility of the soil and also by the neighbourhood of a great City of a great River and the main Sea This County is enriched with two Cities and Bishops Seas strengthened with twenty seven Castles graced with four of the Kings Houses traded with four and twenty Market Towns and beautified with many stately Buildings Camden in Kent pag. 324. saith The Kentishmen had priviledge to leade the Van in all Battels for their valour shewed against the Danes Amongst our old English the Kentishmen had the honour due to them alwayes of being in the Vant-guard and those of Wiltshire with Cornwall and Devonshire in the Rere which they all might challenge by the continuall worth of their performance Mr. Seldens Preface to his Titles of Honour The Sueuians had anciently prerogative In omni expeditione Regis Teutonici exercitum praecedere primi committere Id. ib. The meaning of that common Proverb Kent and Christendome was that it was famous as Kent and famous as Christendom This was the first of the Kingdoms of the Heptarchy and no one County of England had a King of it self but this They are the most civilized people of the Nation It is plentifull of Fowl and Fish of all sorts Fertile Lands Fruit Grain Wood When William the Conquerour came in the Yeomanry of Kent at Suaves-comb carrying before them in their hands every one a great green Bough representing afarre off a moving Wood yeelded them unto William the Conquerour upon this condition that they might retain their ancient Customs unviolated and especially that which they call Gavelkind that is Give all kinne by which they are not so bound by Copy-hold Customarytenures or Tenant-right as in other parts of England but in manner every man is a Free-holder and hath some part of his own to live upon For Lands of this nature are equally divided among the Male children or if there be no Sonnes among the Daughters By vertue of this also they are at full age and enter upon their Inheritance when they come to be fifteen years old and it is lawfull for them to alienate and make it over to any one either by Gift or by Sale without the Lords consent By this likewise the Sonne though their Parents were condemned for Felony or Murder succeeds them neverthelesse in such kind of Lands After this William the Conquerour that he might more firmly assure to himself Kent which is the very Key of England placed a Constable over Dover-Castle the most important Castle of England and according to the ancient order of the Romans made him also Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports These be they Hastings Dover Hith Rumney and Sandwich unto which Winchelsey and Rie are joyned as principal Ports and other small Towns as Members Which because they are bound to serve in the Warres by Sea enjoy many great immunities they are free from paiment of Subsidies and from Wardship of their children as touching the body they are not sued in any Court but within their own Towns and of the Inhabitants therein such as they call Barons at the Coronation of Kings and Queens support the Canopies over them yea and have a Table by themselves that day spread and furnished on the Kings right hand And the Lord Warden himself who is alwayes one of the Nobility of most approved trust hath within his Jurisdiction the Authority of Chancellour and Admirall in very many cases and enjoyeth other rights besides Depe-ford a most famous Ship-dock where the Kings Ships are built and such as are decayed repaired there is also a good Store-house and an Incorporation ordained for the use of the Navy Green-wich that is the Green-Creek for the Creek of a River in the old English tongue was called Wic A place of very great name by reason of the Kings House there and because Queen Elizabeth was here borne Barclay the Scot in his Icon animorum commends Green-wich Tower for one of the best Prospects in Europe to see London on the one side the Thames Ships and pleasant Medows on the other Eltham a retiring place likewise of the Kings but unwholsome by reason of the Moor Seven-oke so called as men say of seven exceeding great Oaks now cut down Which commendeth Sir William Sevenok an Alderman of London who being a foundling and brought up here and therefore so named built herein gratefull remembrance an Hospital and a School Dartford upon the River Darent a great Mercat Town well frequented and well watered Graves-end so called as the Gereves-end that is the limit of the Gereve or Reve. A Town as well known as any other in England for the usual passage by water between it and London Henry the Eight raised two Block-houses here and two other opposite on Essex-side Tunbridge the Town of Bridges Maidstone the Shire Town a large fair sweet and populous Town Rochester may glory in her impregnable Fortification by the Navy Royal. Rochester signifies as much as Castrum in rupe the Camp or Station on the Rock All places ending in Chester arise from the ruines of the old Romane Castra Burt. Comment on Antoninus Itin. through Brit. The Island Shepey or the Isle of Sheep It feedeth mighty great Floks of Sheep it is plentifull in Corn but scarce of Woods containeth twenty one miles in compasse Queen-Borough-Castle King Edward the Third built it and so named it in honour of his Queen Tenham the Parent as it were of all the choise fruit Gardens and Orards of Kent and the most large and delightsome of them Thirty Parishes thereabout are replenished with Cherry-gardens and Orchards beautifully disposed in direct lines As for Orchards of Apples and Gardens of Cheries and those of most delicious and exquisite kinds that can be no part of the Realm that I know hath them either in such quantity and number or with such art and industry set and planted Lamb Perambulat of Kent Amongst these is Feversham very commodiously situate Reculver of name for the salt savoury Oisters there dregged and for a Minster The Oisters here do as farre surpasse those of Whitstaple as these do the rest of this Shire in savoury saltnesse Lamb Perambul of Kent Canterbury * the chief City of this County ancient and
crooked limit from Essex on the East with the River Lea from Surrey and Kent on the South by the Thames It is a small Shire in length not twenty miles in circuit not above seventy miles yet for the fertility thereof it may compare with any other Shire for the soil is excellent fat fertile and full of profit Nordens Speculum Britaniae For Air passing temperate and for soyl fertile with sumptuous houses and pretty Towns on all sides pleasantly beautified and every where offereth to the view many things memorable Uxbridge full of Innes it stretcheth out in length Harrow-hill the highest Hill of all this Country under which Southward there lie for a long way together exceeding rich and fruitfull fields especially about Heston a small Village that yeeldeth so fine flour for manchet that a long time it hath served for the Kings mouth Hampton-Court a Royal Palace of the Kings a work of admirable magnificence built out of the ground by Thomas Wolsey Cardinal in ostentation of his riches It was enlarged and finished by King Henry the Eighth so amply as it containeth within it five several inner Courts passing large environed with very fair buildings wrought right curiously and goodly to behold The neatest pile of all the Kings houses Godwins Annal. It is called Hampton-Court Hampton of the Parish of Hampton which standeth not farre thence Court in regard of the Majesty and princely beauty There are two Parks the one of Deer the other of Hares Nordens Speculum Britaniae Thistleworth or Isleworth Brentford a fair thorow-fare and frequent Mercat Fulham the place of Fowls where the Bishop of Londons house was Chelsey a place garnished with fair and stately houses London * the Epitome or Breviary of all Britain the seat of the British Empire and the King of Englands chamber King Luds re-edifying Troinovant first built by Brute and from thence leaving the name of Caer Lud afterwards turned as they say into London is not unknown scarce to any that hathbut lookt on Ludgates inner Frontispiece Seld. Illustrat of the eighth Song of Drayt. Polyolb Georgius Braun or Bruin in his Theatrum Praecipuarum totius mundi urbium in three great Volumes in Folio mentions London in the first place of his first Volume Sir Robert Dallington in his view of France comparing the City of Paris with London saith That Paris is the greater the fairer built and the better situate London is the richer the more populous the more ancient Howell in his Londinopolis makes a parallel of it with the other great Cities of the world and so doth Gainsford in his Glory of England lib. 2. ch. 17. For the space of above one thousand five hundred fourscore and six years it hath flourished more for the statelinesse and magnificence of her goodly buildings for the large extent of her bounds and jurisdiction for the Religion and civility of her Inhabitants for the Wisdome and Honour of her Magistrates for the profession of Arms all good Letters and Arts not to speak of her Traffique and Commerce with all Countreys and Ports of the known world more than any other knowne City whatsoever throughout all Christendom Burtons Comment on Antonin his Itin. through Britain pag. 154 155. See more there and 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164. See also M. Calamy and M. Hardie his Sermon preacht before the Londoners Caput atque Metropolis totius insulae Trinovantum sive Londinium sive Londinum urbs potens amaena quam fluviorum Rex Thamesis pererrat Adolphi a Dans vita Elizabethae Quicquid habet miri Memphis pretiive Corinthus Illion antiquum Graecia magnificum Roma ecquid sanctum Campania deliciarum Subtile Hetrusci splendidulum Hesperii Quicquid opum Venetis doctrinae quicquid Athenis Metropolis Britonum dicat id omne suum Stradlingi Epig. l. 1. p. 1. Tacitus Ptolomee and Antonine call it Londinium Ammianus Lundinum and Augusta the Inhabitants London It is situate in a rich and fertile soyl abounding with plentifull store of all things and on the gentle ascent and rising of an Hill hard by the Thames side which by his safe and deep chanel able to entertain the greatest Ships that be daily bringeth in so great riches from all parts that it striveth at this day with the Mart Towns of Christendom for the second prize and affordeth a most sure and beautifull rode for shipping King James being displeased with the City because she would not lend him such a Summe of Money he told the Lord Maior and Aldermen one day That he would remove his own Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another place with further expressions of his Indignation The Lord Maior calmly heard all and at last answered Your Majesty hath power to do what you please and your City of London will obey accordingly but she humbly desires that when your Majesty shall remove your Courts you would be pleased to leave the Thames behind you It is for Antiquity honourable Ammianus Marcellinus called it in his times and that was twelve hundred yeers ago an old Town and Cornelius Tacitus in like manner who lived in Nero his dayes 1540. years since reported it to have been a place very famous for fresh trade concourse of Merchants and great store of victuals and all things necessary The Tower of London a most famous and goodly Citadel encompassed round about with thick and strong Wals full of lofty and stately Turrets fenced with a broad and deep ditch furnished also with an Armoury or Magazine of warlike Munition and other buildings besides so as it resembleth a big Town The Tower containeth a Kings Palace a Kings Prison a Kings Armoury a Kings Mint a Kings Wardrobe a Kings Artillery Gainsford In the yeer 1235. Frederick the Emperour sent to Henry the Third three Leopards in token of his Regal Shield of Arms wherein three Leopards were pictures since which time those Lions and others have been kept in a part of this Bulwark now called the Lions Tower and their Keeper there lodged Stows Survey of London There are twelve chief Companies out of which the Lord Maior is to be annually chosen Twelve Innes ordained for Students of our Common Law whereof four being very fair and large belong to the Judicial Courts the rest unto the Chancery Herein such a number of young Gentlemen do so painfully ply their Books and study the Law that for frequency of Students it is not inferiour either to Angiers Cane or Orleans it self as Sir John Fortescue in his small Treatise of the Laws of England doth witnesse The said four principal Houses are the Inner-Temple the Middle-Temple Grayes-Inne and Lincolns-Inne John Leland the famous Antiquary was born in London Bishop Andrews Mr. Gataker M. Calamy Sir Thomas More Chaucer Edmund Spenser the famous English Poets were born in London If any City in the world may at this day be called as Jerusalem
pingues pecudes in macellis veniunt ut non modo universum Cantium hujus locis commoda sentiat verum etiam civitas Londinum non nihil emolumenti inde percipiat Twini Comment. De Rebus Britan. l. 1. p. 31. Priests-Town Or Loncaster from the River Lone Carlton-Curlew They cannot prenounce the letter R. Camd. Brit. And Burtons descript. of Leicestershire Bishop Latimer was also born at Thurcaston in Leicestershire It was so called of the Zouches sometimes Lords thereof Burtons descript. of Leicestershire The largest next Yorkshire It is well stored with all kind of provision it abounds with fish and fowl The roof of the Church is richly guilt Mr John Fox the Authour of the Acts and Monuments was born here There are so many steps in the steeple from the bottom to the top as there are dayes in the years At the George there is one of the fairest Inns of England Lincolnia The greatest Bell of England He was great with Henry the 6th he built a Free-School at Wainflet his name was Patten of the worshipfull family of which he was descended * More than in Yorkshire The chiefest at this day of all the Kings houses A City rather in shew then the Palace of a Prince and for stately port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe Weavers Monum. * It is most sweetly situate upon the Thames served with all kind of necessaries most commodiously The air health full it is populous rich and beautifull Nordens Speculum Britanniae It is convenient for situation hath a noble Bridge navigable River 2. Strictly governed 3. Opulent hath abundance of all kinds of provision 4. Ancient and enjoyeth many Immunities Of St Pauls Cathedral See Mr Dugdales History and of the Bishops of Pauls Londinum copia negotiatorum commeatu valde celebre Tacitus The Inner-Temple is the mother and most ancient of all the other houses of Court Burtons descript. of Leicestershire Dr Reynolds Sions praises This work viz. the Arches Chappel and stone-bridge over the Thames was thirty three yeers in building Stow. Speeds Chron. Stows and Speeds Chron. in Edw. the 3d. Thomas Greshamus Cives Londinensis Mercator Regius ex ordine Equestri qui patriae ornamento Mercatorum usui Perystillium pulcherrimum Excambiam Regium Elizabetha nominavit Londini extruxit aedes quas in urbe habuit amplissimas bonarum literarum professioni dicavit constitutis in iisdem Sacrae Theologiae Juris Civilis Medicinae Astronomiae Geometriae Rhetoricae praelectionibus cum honestis salariis Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. pars â—â— p. 286. Vide etiam pag. 189. The new Ex change Monasterium Westmonasteriense Regum angliae inauguratione sepultura Insignium Regalium custodia celeberrimam Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. par 1o p. 60. Vide plura ibid. Monasticon Anglicanum p 55 c. L. Herb. Henry the 8th Neer hereunto are the two Houses of Parliament Ex infima plebe non pauci reperiuntur quin si nihil litium sit lites tamen ex ipsis Juris apicibus serere calleant Camdenus There are three Churches Vrbs nunc ampla est nobilis florens celebris civitatum omnium secundum Londinum universi Regni Emporium multo maxima augustissimaque Nevilli Norvicus No one Shire of England hath three such Towns as Norwich Linn and Yarmouth Speed There is the earliest Park of England The King was wont to have venison thence before he had it out of his own Parks * Of that and the other famous wayes in England see Burtons Commen on Antoninus his Itinerary through Britain * He was brought up in New-Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law Petriburgus or Petropolis Ab arborum proceritate in frequentia veprium Lympida Sylva noto satis nomine dicitur Twini Comment. The Nobility and Gentry of the North are of great antiquity and can produce more ancient Families then any other part of England many of them Gentry before the Conquest the rest came in with William the Conquerour * Axelodunum * So called because Robert de Curtois Son of William the Conquerour built there a new Castle out of the ground against the neighbouring Scots Alnevicum In Dunston a little village within the Parish of Emildon Berwicus An hundred miles long Wedgenock Park in Warwickshire is one of the most ancient Parks in England Nunc autem conficiendo Caseo notissimum So Camden Dr Holland englisheth that thus Now the fame of this Town is for Zeal Cheese and Cakes Though that is but an unhandsome conjunction and there is no ground for it in Camden yet in Mr Wheatlyes time to my knowledge it was famous for zeal and I hope is so now Oxonia or Oxonium Quodcunque habuit ab initio nomen pulcherrimum saluberrimum habet situm regionemque omnia necessaria affatim ministrantem bonarumque litterarum celeberrimam scholam ut omnes qui alias Europae Academias adierunt facilè agnoscunt Lhyd. Com. Brit. Descrip Fragment Rutlan-Castle in Wales is so named being built on a shore of red earth Commitatus Salopiensis Salop in Latine Salopia It hath a fair Library and School-house and Brew-house So called from Oswald King of the Northumbers Asserius an ancient Writer calleth this Countrey alwayes Somertunensis that is Somertunshire * Used about Cloath Glastonia Monasterium viderint parentes nostri amplitudine ac magnitudine perpaucis in universa Europa quantum autumo postponendum Godwinus De Conversione Britanniae ad Christianam Religionem Vide plura ibid. Et Monasticon Anglicanum p. 1 2 c. Of Ogo a British word which betokeneth Den Fontanensis Ecclesia Fountain Church Bathonia Vrbs non mode antiqua verum etiam celebris Romanorum Monumentis multis liquidò in muris comparet qua itur à porta meridionali ad borealem Lelandi Comment in Cygneam Cantionem Vide Johnsonum De urbe Thermis Bathonicis A Bishops See and famous Port. In Henry the 7th his time Stephen Gennings Maior of London founded a free Grammar-School there where he was born There is a Corporation So called from Tame the River running beside it Cadaverum Campus The field of dead bodies a number of Christians was there martyred under the Emperour Dieclesian A small Countrey bare and cold it keepeth snow lying upon it a good while A Market Town Dr Lightfoot was born there Southfolk or people in respect of Norfolk Here Bishop Steven Gardiner was born Godw. de Praesul Ang. Comment Stoke Clare the Dukes of Clarence * A large sweet well watered Town a Town in Orchards Here was born Cardinal Wolsey of whom see a pithy description in Herberts Henry the 8th pag. 314 315. See more in Camdens Britania there The Kings Town Regio-dunum Tamesinam sic dictum quod ad Tamesini fluvii ripam situm sit Lel. Kings Kingston upon the Thames so called to distinguish it from Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire Quanta illic Romanae antiquitaris aemulatio Quantum speciosae picturae Quantum auri Quantum denique omnia genera ornamentorum Diceres Coelum esse stellis interpolatum Lel. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Battersega Nomen loco inditum ut ego conjicio ex cymbis Leland Comment. in Cygn. Cant. A low or clayish rode or hide The Southwork or building because it standeth South ove against London the Suburbs whèreof it may seem in some sort to be In Latine Cicestria Called Seals It is the Shire Town Ripa Baron Buckhurst Sanders Glover and manyother Martyrs suffered in Warwickshire It stands South of Lichfield Coventria quasi Coventus trium a Covent of three sorts of Monks Or rather of an Elephant being not so little as a yard in length Speed See Mr Dugdales Antiq. of Warwickshire illustrated Westmaria Westmorlandia There were Lords also of Kendale From the River Lone Aballaba The Sessions and Assizes are there kept Wiltonia of Wilton sometime the chief Town and of the River Willy Crecolada non insignis olim ut vulgus indoctum somniat Grecanicis scholis Lel. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Vide Burtoni Graec. Ling. hist. p. 52. Et Godwin de Praesul Ang. Comment de Theodoro Archiepisc Cant. p. 61. Cyppanus in the Saxon tongue is to buy and Cyppen a buyer as with us Cheapen and Chapman Sarisburia Roger of Salisbury built this stately Church also The Cathedral was longer in building than the Jews Temple for it was above fifty years in building and do you not think the Founders did intend by proportioning the Doors to the Moneths and the Windows to the Dayes and the Pillars to the Hours of the Year that you should learn this instruction Not a Moneth nay not a Day nay not an Hour should be let passe without something of Religion Mr Annesley on 1 Chron. 12. 32. It had also Bishop Abbot and Davenant Our old Historians termed it for the greatnesse Chorea Gigantum the Gyants dance Our Country-men reckon this for one of our miracles Leporarium Of Marga marle which we use in stead of dung to manure our grounds It lieth near a chaulkie-hill which our Ancestours before they borrowed this name Chaulk of the Latine word Calx named Marle Wigorniensis Comitatus Vnum est satis mirabile quia aqua illa per medium annum est salsa scilicet à nativitate Domini usque ad festum sancti Johannis Baptistae per aliud verò medium temporis est dulcis Sed quod mirabilius est pro illo tempore quo est sali necessaria si non hauritur superfluit per aliud verò temporis vix semper excrescit Gervas in lib. de Ociis imperialibus citatâ—…r Pet. Bechor Reduct Moral l. 13. c. 3. De Anglia Vigornia and Wignornia Some say it is as big as the twelve Counties in Wales The Scots call it Don-Castle from the River Don. Holy-hair The Englishmen dwelling beyond Trent called the hair of the Head Fax There is also a Family in this Countrey of Gentlemen named Fairfax of the fair bush of their Hair Pontefract A French name brought in by the Lacies Normans for the English word of broken bridge Lelands Itinerary * Eboracum Eburacum is derived from the River Vré by Vre or a long the side of Vre See Burtons Comment on Anton. his Itin. p. 60 61. why it is called Eboracum The Kings-Town built by King Edward the First There are also high and low Burton houses Or the North-part of this Countrey