for that among other matters hee had consulted with a Wizard about succession of the Crowne was beheaded a noble man exceeding much missed and lamented of good men Which when the Emperour Charles the fifth heard he said as it is written in his life That a Butchers dogge had devoured the fairest Bucke in all England alluding to the name Buckingham and the said Cardinall who was a Butchers sonne Ever since which time the splendour of this most noble family hath so decaied and faded that there remaineth to their posterity the bare title onely of Barons of Stafford whereas they were stiled before Dukes of Buckingham Earles of Stafford Hereford Northampton and Perth Lords of Brecknock Kimbalton and Tunbridge There are reckoned in this small Shire Parishes 185. BEDFORD Comitatus olim pars CATHIFVCLANORVM BEDFORD-SHIRE BEDFORD-SHIRE is one of the three Counties which we said the Cattieuchlani inhabited On the East-side and the South it joyneth to Cambridge-shire and Hertford-shire on the West to Buckingham-shire and on the North to Northamton-shire and Huntingdon-shire and by the river OVSE crossing over it is divided into two parts The North-side thereof is the more fruitâ—ull of the twaine and more woody the other toward the South which is the greater standeth upon a leaner soile but not altogether unfertile For it yeeldeth foorth aboundantly full white and bigge Barley In the mids it is somewhat thicke of woods but Eastward more drie ground and bare of wood Ouse where it entereth into this shire first visiteth Turvy the Lord Mordants house who are beholden to King Henry the Eighth for their Barony For he created Iohn Mordant a wise and prudent man who had wedded the daughter and one of the coheires of H. Vere of Addington Baron Mordant then runneth it by Harwood a Village in old time called Hareleswood where Sampson surnamed Fortis founded a Nunnery and where in the yeere of our redemption 1399. a little before those troubles and civill broiles wherewith England a long time was rent in peeces this river stood still and by reason that the waters gave backe on both sides men might passe on foote within the very chanell for three miles together not without wondering of all that saw it who tooke it as a plaine presage of the division ensuing Afterward it passeth by Odill or Woodhill sometimes Wahull which had his Lords surnamed also De Wahul men of ancient Nobility whose Barony consisted of thirty knights fees in divers countries and had here their Castle which is now hereditarily descended to Sir R. Chetwood knight as the inheritance of the Chetwoods came formerly to the Wahuls From hence Ouse no lesse full of crooked crankes and windings than Maeander it selfe goeth by Bletnesho commonly called Bletso the residence in times past of the Pateshuls after of the Beauchamps and now of the Honourable family of S. Iohn which long since by their valour attained unto very large and goodly possessions in Glamorgan-shire and in our daies through the favor of Q. Elizabeth of happy memory unto the dignity of Barons when she created Sir Oliver the second Baron of her creation Lord S. Iohn of Bletnesho unto whom it came by Margaret Beauchamp an inheritrice wedded first to Sir Oliver S. Iohn from whose these Barons derive their pedigree and secondly to Iohn Duke of Somerset unto whom she bare the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond a Lady most vertuous and alwaies to be remembred with praises from whose loines the late Kings and Queenes of England are descended From hence Ouse hastneth by Brumham a seat of the Dives of very ancient parentage in these parts to Bedford in the Saxon-tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principall towne and whereof the Shire also taketh name and cutteth it so through the middest that it might seeme to be two severall townes but that a stone bridge joyneth them together A towne to be commended more for the pleasant situation and ancientry thereof then for beauty or largenesse although a man may tell five Churches in it That it was Antonines LACTODORVM I dare not as others doe affirme considering that it standeth not upon the Romans Military road way which is the most certaine marke to finde out the station and Mansions mentioned by Antonine neither are there heere any peeces of Romane money ever digged up as far as I can learne I have read that in the Brittish tongue it was named Liswidur or Lettidur but it may seeme to have been translated so out of the English name For Lettuy in the British language signifieth Common Innes and so Lettidur Innes upon a river like Bedford in English Beds or Innes at a fourd Cuthwulf the Saxon about the yeere of our salvation 572. beneath this towne so vanquished the Britans in an open pitch field that then presently upon it finding themselves over-matched yeelded up many townes into his hands Neither should it seeme that the Saxons neglected it For Offa the most puissant King of the Mercians choose heere as we read in Florilegus for himselfe a place of sepulture whose tombe the river Ouse swelling upon a time and carrying a more violent and swifter streame than ordinary in a floud swouped cleane away Afterwards also when it was rased downe and lay along by occasion of the Danish depredations K. Edward the Elder repaired it and laid unto it upon the South-side of the river a prety townlet which in that age as we finde in the best copy of Hovedon was called Mikesgat In the time of King Edward the Confessor as we read in that booke which King William the Conqueror caused to be written when he tooke the survey of England It defended it selfe for halfe an Hundred in wars expeditions and shipping The land belonging to this towne was never bided After this it suffered far more grievous calamities under the Normans For when Pain de Beauchamp the third Baron of Bedford had built heere a Castle there arose not any storme of civill war but it thundred upon it so long as it stood Stephen when with breach of his oath he intercepted to himselfe the Kingdome of England first forced this Castle and with very great slaughter of men won it afterwards when the Barons had taken armes against King Iohn William de Beauchamp Lord thereof and one of the Captaines of their side surrendred it unto their hands But a yeere or two after Falco de Breaut laid siege thereto and forthwith the Barons yeelded and the King in free gift bestowed it upon him Yet the unthankefull man raised up a world of warre againe upon King Henry the third He pulled downe Churches to strengthen this Castle and exceedingly damnified the territory adjoyning untill the King besieged it and when after threescore daies he had quelled the stubborne stomackes of these rebels brought this nest and nourse of sedition into his owne hands It will not be I hope distastfull to the reader if I set
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
to take any thing that pertained to the Warren without the licence and good will of Henry himselfe and his Successours Which was counted in that age for a speciall favour and I note it once for all that we may see what Free Warren was But the male issue of this Family in the right line ended in Henry Kigheley of Inskip Howbeit the daughters and heires were wedded to William Cavendish now Baron Cavendish of Hardwick and to Thomas Worseley of Boothes From hence Are passeth beside Kirkstall an Abbay in times past of no small reckoning founded by Henry Lacy in the yeere 1147. and at length visiteth Leedes in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which became a house of the Kings when CAMBODUNUM was by the enemy burnt to the ground now a rich Towne by reason of clothing where Oswy king of Northumberland put to flight Penda the Mercian And as Bede saith this was to the great profit of both Nations for he both delivered his owne people from the hostile spoiling of the miscreants and also converted the Mercians themselves to the grace of Christian Faith The very place wherein they joyned battaile the writers call Winwidfield which name I suppose was given it of the Victory like as a place in Westphalia where Quintilius Varus with his legions was slaine is in the Dutch tongue called Winfield that is The fields of victory as that most learned man and my very good friend Abraham Ortelius hath observed The little Region or Territory about it was in times past by an old name called Elmet which Eadwin king of Northumberland the sonne of AElla after hee had expelled Cereticus a British king conquered in the yeere of Christ 620. Herein is digged limestone every where which is burnt at Brotherton and Knottingley and at certaine set times as it were at Faires a mighty quantity thereof is conveied to Wakefield Sandall and Stanbridge and so is sold unto this Westerne Country which is hilly and somewhat cold for to manure and enrich their Corne fields But let us leave these things to Husbandmen as for my selfe I professe my ignorance therein and will goe forward as I beganne At length Are entertaineth Calder aforesaid with his water as his Guest where neere unto the meeting of both Rivers standeth Castleford a little Village Marianus nameth it Casterford who reporteth that the Citizens of Yorke slew many of king Ethelreds Army there whom in their pursuite they set upon and charged heere and there at advantages what time as hee invaded and overranne this Country for breaking the allegeance they had sworne unto him But in Antonine this place is called by a more ancient name LEGEOLIUM and LAGETIUM Wherein beside expresse and notable tokens of Antiquity a mighty number of Roman peeces of money the common people there tearme them Sarasins head were found at Beanfield a place so called now of Beanes hard by the Church The distance also from DAN and YORKE betweene which he placed it doth most cleerely confirme as much to say nothing of the situation thereof hard by the Romanes High Street and last of all for that Roger Hoveden in plaine tearmes calleth it A City From hence Are being now bigger after it hath received Calder unto it leaveth on the left hand Brotherton a little Towne in which Queene Margaret turning thither out of the way as she road on hunting was delivered of childe and brought forth unto her Husband king Edward the First Thomas de Brotherton so named of the place who was afterward Earle of Norfolke and Mareshall of England And not farre beneath Are after it hath received into it Dan looseth himselfe in Ouse On the right hand where a yellower kinde of marke is found which being cast and spred upon the fields maketh them beare Corne for many yeeres together he passeth by Ponttract commonly called Pontfret situate not farre from the river banke which Towne gat life as it were by the death of old Legeolium In the Saxons time it was called Kirkby but the Normans of a broken Bridge named it in French Pontfract Upon this occasion it is commonly thought that the wooden Bridge over Are hard by was broken when a mighty multitude of people accompanied William Archibishop a great number fell into the River and yet by reason that the Archbishop shed many a teare at this accident and called upon God for helpe there was not one of them that perished Seated it is in a very pleasant place that bringeth forth Liquirice and skirworts in great plenty adorned also with faire buildings and hath to shew a stately Castle as a man shall see situate upon a rocke no lesse goodly to the eye than safe for the defence well fortified with ditches and bulwarkes Hildebert Lacy a Norman unto whom king William the First after that Alricke the Saxon was thrust out had given this Towne with the land about it first built this Castle But Henry Lacy his nephew came into the field at the battaile of Trenchbrey I speake out of the Pleas against King Henry the First wherefore hee was disseised of the Barony of Pontfract and the King gave the Honour to Wido de Lavall who held it untill King Stephens dayes at which time the said Henry made an entry into the Barony and by mediation of the King compounded with Wido for an hundred and fifty pounds This Henry had a sonne named Robert who having no issue left Albreda Lizours his sister by the mothers side and not by the father to bee his heire because hee had none other so neere in bloud unto him whereby shee after Roberts death kept both inheritances in her hand namely of her brother Lacies and her father Lizours And these be the very words of the booke of the Monastery of Stanlow This Albreda was marryed to Richard Fitz Eustach Constable of Chester whose Heires assumed unto them the name of Lacies and flourished under the title of Earles of Lincolne By a daughter of the last of these Lacies this goodly inheritance by a deede of conveyance was devolved in the end to the Earles of Lancaster who enlarged the Castle very much and Queene Elizabeth likewise bestowed great cost in repairing it and beganne to build a faire Chappell This place hath beene infamous for the murder and bloudshed of Princes For Thomas Earle of Lancaster the first of Lancastrian House that in right of his wife possessed it stained and embrewed the same with his owne bloud For King Edward the Second to free himselfe from rebellion and contempt shewed upon him a good example of wholsome severity and beheaded him heere Whom notwithstanding standing the common people enrolled in the Beadroll of Saints Heere also was that Richard the Second King of England whom King Henry the Fourth deposed from his Kingdome with hunger cold and strange kindes of torments most wickedly made away And heere King Richard the
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
called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Cerdics Grandfather who first erected this Kingdome Whence they were termed Gevissi and by others also Visi-Saxones from their West situation like as the Westerne Gothes are named Visi-Gothi These at the length in the best and flourishing time of the Empire reduced the English Heptarchie into the Saxons Monarchie which notwithstanding afterward through the lither cowardise of their Kings quickly aged and soone vanished So that herein that may bee verified which we daily see The race or issue of the most valiant men and noblest Families like as the of-spring of plants hath their springing up their flowring and maturitie and in the end begin to fade and by little and little to die utterly REGNI NExt unto the Attrebatii Eastward called the people in Latine REGNI by Ptolomee PHrNOI inhabited those Regions which we at this day doe commonly terme Surry and South-sex with the Sea-coast of Hantshire As touching the Etymologie of this named I will passe over my conceits in silence because per adventure they would carry no more truth with them than if I should thinke they were by Ptolomey PHrNOI for that it was Regnum that is a Kingdome and the Romans permitted the people thereof to remaine under a regall government For in this tract it was that as Tacitus writeth certaine Cities according to an old Custome of the people of Rome were given to Cogidunus a British King that they might have even Kings also as instruments to draw others into bondage and servitude But this conjecture seemeth to my selfe not probable and haply to others absurd I utterly reject and willingly embrace the Saxon original of these latter names to wit that South-sex taketh denomination of the South-Saxons and Suthrey of the South situation upon the River for no man may denie that Suth-rey importeth so much considering that Over-rhey in the old English tongue signifieth Over or beyond the river SVTH-REY SVRRIA which Bede nameth Suthriona commonly called Suthrey and Surrey and by the Saxons of bordering South upon the river 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them betokeneth the South and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a river or floud from the West boundeth partly upon Barkshire and Hantshire from the South upon Sussex and from the East on Kent toward the North it is watered with the River Tamis and by it divided from Middlesex A country it is not very large yet wealthy enough where it beareth upon Tamis and lieth as a plaine and champion country it yieldeth corne meetely wel and forrage abundantly especially towards the South where a continuall valley falling lowe by little and little called in times past Holmesdale of the woods therein runneth downe very pleasant to behold by reason of the delectable variety of groves fields and medowes On each side there be prety hills rising up a great way along in the country parkes every where replenished with Deere rivers also full of fish whereby it affordeth for pleasure faire game of hunting and as delightsome fishing Likened it is by some unto a course freeze garment with a green guard or to a cloath of a great spinning and thin woven with a greene list about it for that the inner part is but baraine the outward edge or skirt more fertill In my perambulation through this shire I will follow the Tamis and the rivers running into it as guides of my journey so shall I be sure to omit no memorable thing seeing that the places which are of greater marke and antiquitie doe all a-butte upon these rivers SVRREY Olim Sedes REGNORVAL Wey beeing passed from hence with a long course Northward sheweth nothing memorable besides Sutton the residence of the Westons an ancient family of Knights degree bettered by an heire of T. Camel Oking where King Henry the seventh repaired and enlarged the Manour house beeing the inheritance of the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmont his mother who lived there in her later time Newark sometime a small Priory invironed with divided streames Pyriford where in our remembrance Edward Earle of Lincolne Lord Clinton and Admirall of England built him an house and Ockham hard by where that great Philosopher and father of the Nominals William de Ockham was borne and whereof hee tooke that name as of the next village Ripley G. de Ripley a ring leader of our Alchimists and a mysticall impostor But where this Wey is discharged into Tamis at a double mouth Otelands a proper house of the Kings offereth it selfe to bee seene within a parke neere unto which Caesar passed over Tamis into the borders of Cassivelannus For this was the onely place where a man might in times past goe over the Tamis on foote and that hardly too which the Britaines themselves improvidently bewraied unto Caesar. For on the other side of the river there was a great power of the Britaine 's well appointed and in readinesse and the very banke it selfe was fenced with sharpe stakes fastned affront against the enemie and others of the same sort pitched downe in the channell stucke covered with the river The tokens whereof saith Beda Are seene this day and it seemeth to the beholders that every one of them carrying the thicknesse of a mans thigh and covered over with lead stucke unmoveable as being driven hard into the bottome of the river But the Romans entred the river with such force when the water reached up to their verie chinnes that the Britaine 's could not abide their violence but left the banke and betooke themselves to flight In this thing I cannot bee deceived considering that the river heere is scarce sixe foote deepe the place at this day of those stakes is called Coway-stakes and Caesar maketh the borders of Cassivelanus where hee setteth downe his passage over the river to be about fourescore Italian miles from the sea which beateth upon the East-coast of Kent where he landed and at the very same distance is this passage of ours Within some few miles from thence the river Mole having from the South side passed through the whole country hasteneth to joyne with the Tamis but at length beeing letted by overthwart hils maketh himselfe a way under the ground in manner of mouldwarpe like unto that famous river Anas in Spaine whereof it may seeme it tooke name seeing that creature living within the ground is called also in English a Mole But upon this river there is not any thing of note save onely a good way off from the spring and head of it and neere unto an old port way of the Romans making which men call Stanystreet there stands the towne Aclea commonly Ockley so-named of Okes where Ethelwolph the sonne of Egbert who having beene professeed in the holy Orders and released by the Popes authority when hee had possession of his fathers kingdome by right of inheritance joyned battaile with the Danes
Chamberlaine to King Richard the Third attainted by King Henry the Seventh and slaine in the battaile at Stoke in the quarrell of Lambert that Counterfeit Prince whose sister Fridiswid was Grandmother to Henry the first Lord Norris Hence Windrush hodling on his course watereth Whitney an ancient Towne and before the Normans daies belonging to the Bishops of Winchester to which adjoyneth Coges the chiefe place of the Barony of Arsic the Lords whereof branched out of the family of the Earles of Oxford are utterly extinguished many yeeres agoe Neere unto this the Forest of Witchwood beareth a great breadth and in time past spread farre wider For King Richard the Third disforested the great Territory of Witchwood betweene Woodstocke and Brightstow which Edward the Fourth made to be a Forest as Iohn Rosse of Warwicke witnesseth Isis having received Windrush passeth downe to Einsham in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Manour in times past of the Kings seated among most pleasant medowes which Cuthwulfe the Saxon was the first that tooke from the Britans whom he had hereabout vanquished and long after Aethelmar a Nobleman beautified it with an Abbay the which Aethelred King of England in the yeere of Salvation 1005. confirmed to the Benedictine Monkes and in his confirmation signed the priviledge of the liberty thereof I speake out of the very originall grant as it was written with the signe of the sacred Crosse but now is turned into a private dwelling house and acknowledgeth the Earle of Derby Lord thereof Beneath this Evenlode a little river arising likewise out of Cotteswald speedeth him into Isis which riveret in the very border of the Shire passeth by an ancient Monument standing not farre from his banke to wit certaine huge stones placed in a round circle the common people usually call them Rolle-rich-stones and dreameth that they were sometimes men by a wonderfull Metamorphosis turned into hard stones The draught of them such as it is portrayed long since heere I represent unto your view For without all forme and shape they bee unequall and by long continuance of time much impaired The highest of them all which without the circle looketh into the earth they use to call The King because hee should have beene King of England forsooth if hee had once seene Long Compton a little Towne so called lying beneath and which a man if he goe some few paces forward may see other five standing at the other side touching as it were one another they imagine to have been knights mounted on horse backe and the rest the Army But loe the foresaid Portraiture These would I verily thinke to have beene the Monument of some Victory and haply erected by Rollo the Dane who afterwards conquered Normandie For what time as he with his Danes and Normans troubled England with depredations we read that the Danes joined battaile with the English thereby at Hoche Norton and afterwards fought a second time at Scier stane in Huiccia which also I would deeme to be that Mere-stone standing hard by for a land Marke and parting foure shires For so much doth that Saxon word Scier-stane most plainly import Certainly in an Exchequer booke the Towne adjacent is called Rollen-drich where as it is there specified Turstan le Dispenser held land by Serjeanty of the Kings Dispensary that is to be the Kings Steward As for that Hoch-Norton which I spake of before for the rusticall behaviour of the Inhabitants in the age afore going it grew to be a proverbe when folke would say of one rudely demeaning himselfe and unmaneâ—ly after an Hoggish kinde that hee was borne at Hocknorton This place for no one thing was more famous in old time than for the woefull slaughter of the Englishmen in a foughten field against the Danes under the Raigne of King Edward the Elder Afterwards it became the seat of the Barony of the D' Oilies an honourable and ancient Family of the Norman race of whom the first that came into England was Robert de Oily who for his good and valiant service received of William Conquerour this Towne and many faire possessions whereof hee gave certaine to his sworne brother Roger Ivery which were called the Barony of Saint Valeric But when the said Robert departed this life without issue male his brother Niele succeeded him therein whose sonne Robert the second was founder of Osney Abbay But at length the daughter and heire generall of this house D' Oily was married to Henry Earle of Warwicke and she bare unto him Thomas Earle of Warwicke who dyed without issue in the Raigne of Henry the Third and Margaret who deceased likewise without children abeit shee had two husbands John Marescall and John de Plessetis both of them Earles of Warwicke But then that I may speake in the very words of the Charter of the Grant King Henry the Third granted Hoch-norton and Cudlington unto John de Plessetis which were in times past the possessions of Henry D'Oily and which after the decease of Margaret wife sometime to the foresaid John Earle of Warwicke fell into the kings hand as an Escheat of Normans lands To have and to hold untill the lands of England and Normandy were common Howbeit out of this ancient and famous stocke there remaineth at this day a family of D' Oilies in this shire Evenlode passeth by no memorable thing else but La Bruer now Bruern sometime an Abbay of white Monks and after he hath runne a good long course taketh to him a Brooke neere unto which standeth Woodstocke in the English Saxon language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A woody place where King Etheldred in times past held an assembly of the States of the Kingdome and enacted Lawes Heere is one of the Kings houses full of State and magnificence built by King Henry the First who adjoyned also thereunto a very large Parke compassed round about with a stone wall which John Rosse writeth to have beene the first Parke in England although we read once or twise even in Doomesday Booke these words Parcus silvestris bestiarum in other places In which sense old Varro useth the word Parcus which some thinke to be but a new word But since that Parkes are growne to such a number that there bee more of them in England than are to be found in all Christendome beside so much were our Ancestours ravished with an extraordinary delight of hunting Our Historians report that King Henry the Second being enamoured upon Rosamund Clifford a Damosell so faire so comely and well favoured without comparison that her beauty did put all other women out of the Princes minde in so much as now shee was termed Rosa mundi that is The Rose of the World and for to hide her out of the sight of his jealous Juno the Queene he built a Labyrinth in this house with many inexplicable windings backward and forward Which notwithstanding is no where to be seene at this day The Towne
Lancaster second son of K. Henry the third and his wife Aveline de fortibus Countesse of Albemarle William and Audomar of Valence of the family of Lusignian Earles of Pembroch Alphonsus Iohn and other children of King Edward the First Iohn of Eltham Earle of Cornwall son to K. Edward the second Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester the yongest son of K. Edward the third with other of his children Aeleanor daughter and heire of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and of Essex wife to Thomas of Woodstocke the yong daughter of Edward the fourth and K. Henry the seventh Henry a childe two months old son of K. Henry the eight Sophia the daughter of K. Iames who died as it were in the very first day-dawning of her age Phillippa Mohun Dutches of Yorke Lewis Vicount Robsert of Henault in right of his wife Lord Bourchier Anne the yong daughter and heire of Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke promised in marriage unto Richard Duke of Yorke yonger son to K. Edward the fourth Sir Giles Daubency Lord Chamberlaine to king Henry the Seventh and his wife of the house of the Arundels in Cornwall I. Vicount Wells Francis Brandon Dutches of Suffolke Mary her daughter Margaret Douglasse Countesse of Lennox grandmother to Iames King of Britaine with Charles her son Winifrid Bruges Marchionesse of Winchester Anne Stanhop Dutches of Somerset and Iane her daughter Anne Cecill Countesse of Oxford daughter to the L. Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England with Mildred Burghley her mother Elizabeth Berkeley Countesse of Ormund Francis Sidney Countesse of Sussex Iames Butler Vicount Thurles son and heire to the Earle of Ormond Besides these Humfrey Lord Bourchier of Cromwall Sir Humfrey Bourchier son and heire to the Lord Bourchier of Berners both slaine at Bernet field Sir Nicholas Carew Baron Carew Baronesse Powisse T. Lord Wentworth Thomas Lord Wharton Iohn Lord Russell Sir T. Bromley Lord Chancellour of England Douglas Howard daughter and heire generall of H. Vicount Howard of Bindon wife to Sir Arthur Gorges Elizabeth daughter and heire of Edward Earle of Rutland wife to William Cecill Sir Iohn Puckering Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England Francis Howard Countesse of Hertford Henrie and George Cary the father and sonne Barons of Hunsdon both Lords Chamberlaines to Queene Elizabeth the heart of Anne Sophia the tender daughter of Christopher Harley Count Beaumont Embassadour from the king of France in England bestowed within a small guilt Urne over a Pyramid Sir Charles Blunt Earle of Devonshire Lord Lieutenant Generall of Ireland And whom in no wise wee must forget the Prince of English Poets Geoffry Chauer as also he that for pregnant wit and an excellent gift in Poetry of all English Poets came neerest unto him Edmund Spencer Beside many others of the Clergy and Gentlemen of quality There was also another College or Free-chapell hard by consisting of a Deane and twelve Chanons dedicated to Saint Stephen which King Edward the Third in his princely Magnificence repaired with curious workmanship and endowed with faire possessions so as he may seeme to have built it new what time as he had with his victories overrun and subdued al France recalling to minde as we read the Charter of the foundation and pondering in a due weight of devout consideration the exceeding benefits of Christ whereby of his owne sweet mercy and pity he preventeth us in all occasions delivering us although without all desert from sundry perils and defending us gloriously with his powerfull right hand against the violent assaults of our adversaries with victorious successes and in other tribulations and perplexities wherein wee have exceeding much beene encombred by comforting us and by applying and in-powering remedies upon us beyond all hope and expectation There was adjoyning hereto a Palace the ancient habitation of the Kings of England from the time of King Edward the Confessor which in the Raigne of king Henry the Eighth was burnt by casuall fire to the ground A very large stately and sumptuous Palace this was and in that age for building incomparable with a vawmurâ— and bulwarks for defence The remaines whereof are the Chamber wherein the King the Nobles with the Counsellers and Officers of State doe assemble at the high Court of Parliament and the next unto it wherein anciently they were wont to beginne the Parliaments knowne by the name of Saint Edwards painted chamber because the tradition holdeth that the said king Edward therein dyed But how sinfull an Act how bloudy how foule how hainous horrible hideous and odious both to God and man certaine brute and savage beasts in mens shape enterprised of late by the device of that Arch Traitour Robert Catesby with undermining and placing a mighty deale of gunpowder under these Edifices against their Prince their Country and all the States of the Kingdome and that under an abominable pretence of Religion my very heart quaketh to remember and mention nay amazed it is and astonied but to thinke onely into what inevitable darknesse confusion and wofull miseries they had suddenly in the twinckling of an eye plunged this most flourishing Realme and Common wealth But that which an ancient Poet in a smaller matter wrote we may in this with griefe of minde utter Excidat illa dies aevo nè postera credant Secula nos certè taceamus obruta multa Nocte tegi propriae patiamur crimina gentis That cursed day forgotten be no future age beleeve That this was true let us also at least wise now that live Conceale the same and suffer such Designes of our owne Nation Hidden to be and buried quite in darknesse of oblivion Adjoyning unto this is the Whitehall wherein at this day the Court of Requests is kept Beneath this is that Hall which of all other is the greatest and the very Praetorium or Hall of Justice for all England In this are the Judiciall Courts namely The Kings Bench the Common Pleas and The Chancery And in places neere thereabout The Star-Chamber the Exchequer Court of Ward and Court of the Dâ—teby of Lancaster c. In which at certaine set times wee call them Tearmes yearely causes are heard and tryed whereas before king Henry the Third his dayes the Court of common Law and principall Justice was unsetled and alwaies followed the kings Court But he in the Magna Charta made a law in these words Let not the Common Pleas folâ—ow our Court but bee holden in some certaine place Which notwithstanding some expound thus That the Common Pleas from thenceforth bee handled in a Court of the owne by it selfe a part and not in the Kings Bench as before This Judgement Hall which we now have king Richard the Second built out of the ground as appeareth by his Armes engraven in the stone-worke and many arched beames when he had plucked downe the former old Hall that king William Rufus in the same place had built before and made it his
memory I will briefly runne them over Neere to Linne upon an high hill standeth Rising-castle almost marchable to the Castle of Norwich the seat in times past of the Albineys afterwards of Robert de Monthault by one of the sisters and coheires of Hugh Albiney Earle of Arundell and at last the mansion place of the Mowbrays who as I have learned came out of the same house that the Albineys did But now after long languishings as it were by reason of old age the said Castle hath given up the ghost Below it is Castle-acre where was sometimes the habitation of the Earles of Warren in a Castle now halfe downe on a little Rivers side which carrying no name ariseth not farre from Godwicke a lucky good name where there stands a small house but greatly graced by the Lord thereof Sir Edward Coke Knight a man of rare endowments of nature and as in the Common lawes much practised so of deepe insight therein which all England both tooke knowledge of whiles hee discharged the function of Atturney Generall many yeares most learnedly and now acknowledgeth whiles being Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas he administreth justice as uprightly and judiciously Neither is he lesse to be remembred for that he loveth learning and hath well deserved of the present and succeeding ages by his learned labours This Riveret or brooke with a small streame and shallow water runneth Westward to Linne by Neirford that gave name to the Family of the Neirfords famous in times past and by Neirborrough where neere unto the house of the Spilmans knights upon a very high hill is to be seene a warlike Fort of passing great strength and of ancient worke so situated as it hath a very faire prospect into the Country about it After upon the said Brooke is seated Penteney a prety Abbay the ordinary buriall place in ancient time of the Noblemen and Gentlemen in this Tract Neere unto it lieth Wormegay commonly Wrongey which Reginald de Warren brother of William de Warren the second Earle of Surry had with his wife of whom as I have read the said Earle had the donation or Maritagium as they use to speake in the law phrase and by his sonnes daughter streightwayes it was transferred to the Bardolphs who being Barons of great nobility flourished a long time in honorable state and bare for their Armes Three Cinque-foiles or in a Shield Azâ—r The greatest part of whose Inheritance together with the Title came to Sir William Phellips and by his daughter passed away to the Vicount Beaumont More Eastward are seated Swaffham a Mercat Towne of good note sometime the Possession of the Earle of Richmond Ashele Manour by Tenure whereof the Hastings and Greies Lords of Ruthin had the charge of table clothes and linnen used at the solemne Coronation of the Kings of England North Elmham the Bishops See for a good time when as this Province was divided into two Dioceses Dereham wherein Withburga King Annas daughter was buried whom because shee was piously affected farre from all riotous excesse and wanton lightnesse our Ancestours accounted for a Saint Next unto which is Greshenhall and adjoyning thereto Elsing the possessions in ancient time of the Folliots men of great worth and Dignity which in right of dowry came by a daughter of Richard Folliot to Sir Hugh de Hastings descended out of the Family of Abergevenny and at length by the daughters and heires of Hastings the last Greshenhall aforesaid fell unto Sir Hamon le Strange of Hunstanton and Elsing unto William Browne the brother of Sir Antonie Browne the first Vicount Mount-acute In this quarter also is Ick-borrough which Talbot supposeth to have beene that ICIANI whereof Antonine speaketh Neither have I cause to write any more of these places And now I thinke it is good time to set downe the Earles and Dukes of Northfolke that I may proceed to Cambridgeshire William the Conquerour made one Raulph Governour of East-England that is to say of Norfolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire who forthwith gaping as I said after an alteration and change in the State was dispossessed of that place After certaine yeares in the Raigne of Stephen Hugh Bigod was Earle of Norfolke For when peace was concluded betweene Stephen and Henry Duke of Anjou who became afterwards King Henry the second by expresse words it was provided that William King Stephens sonne should have the whole Earledome of Norfolke excepting among other things The third peny of that County whereof Hugh Bigod was Earle Whom notwithstanding King Henry the Second created Earle againe of the third peny of Norfolke and Norwich Who dying about the 27. yeare of Henry the Second Roger his sonne succeeded who for what cause I know not obtained at the hands of King Richard the first a new Charter of his creation Him succeeded his sonne Hugh who tooke to his wife Mawde the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Marescall Earle of Pembroch By whom he had issue one sonne named Roger Earle of Norfolke and Marescall of England who at Tournament having his bones put out of joint died without issue and another called Hugh Bigod Lord chiefe Justice of England slaine in the battaile of Lewis whose sonne Roger succeeded his Uncle in the Earldome of Norfolke and dignity of Marescall but having incurred through his insolent contumacy the high displeasure of King Edward the First was compelled to passe away his honors and well neere his whole inheritance into the Kings hands to the use of Thomas of Brâ—therton the Kings son whom he had begotten of his second wife Margaret sister to Philip the Faire King of France For thus reporteth the History out of the Library of Saint Austens in Canterbury In the yeare 1301. Roger Bigod Earle of Norfolke ordained King Edward to bee his heire and hee delivered into his hands the rod of the Marshals Office with this condition that if his wife brought him any children he should without all contradiction receive againe all from the King and hold it peaceably as before and the King gave unto him a 1000. pounds in money and a thousand pound land during his life together with the Marshalship and the Earldome But when he was departed this life without issue King Edward the Second honoured the said Thomas of Brotherton his brother according to the conveiance aforesaid with the Titles of Marshall and Earle of Norfolke Whose daughter Margaret called Marshallesse and Countesse of Norfolke wife to Iohn Lord Segrave king Richard the Second created in her absence Dutchesse of Norfolke for terme of life and the same day created Thomas Mowbray the daughters sonne of the said Margaret then Earle of Notingham the first Duke of Norfolke To him and his heires males unto whom he had likewise granted before the State and stile of Earle Marshall of England This is hee that before the king was challenged and accused by Henry of Lancaster Duke
of England erected Kings Colledge in the yeere 1441. whereunto he joyned a Chappell which may rightly be counted one of the fairest buildings of the whole world His wife Margaret of Anjou in the yeere 1443. built Queenes Colledge Robert Woodlarke Professor of Divinity in the yeere 1459. S. Katharines Hall Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeere 1497. was the founder of Iesus Colledge Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to King Henry the Seaventh about the yeere 1506. erected Christs Colledge and S. Iohns enlarged now in goodly manner with new buildings Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England in the yeere 1542. built Maudlen Colledge which Sir Christopher Wray Lord chiefe Justice of England hath lately bewtified with new buildings and endowed with great possessions And that most puissant King Henry the Eight in the yeere of our salvation 1546. made Trinity Colledge of three others to wit of S. Michaels House or Colledge which Herveie Stanton in the reigne of Edward the Second built of Kings Hall founded by King Edward the Third and of Fishwicks Hostell Which Colledge that the Students might inhabite more pleasantly is now repaired nay rather new built with that magnificence by the carefull direction of Thomas Nevill Doctor of Divinity Master of the said Colledge and Deane of Canterbury that it is become a Colledge for stately greatnesse for uniforme building and beauty of the roomes scarce inferiour to any other in Christendome and he himselfe may bee accounted in the judgement even of the greatest Philosopher Truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for bestowing so great cost in publike and not in his owne private uses Also wherein I congratulate our Age and our selves in the behalfe of good learning that honourable and prudent man Sir Walter Mildmay knight one of the Privy Counsell to Queene Elizabeth who founded a new Colledge in the honour of Emanuel and Lady Francis Sidneie Countesse of Sussex in her last will gave a Legacy of 5000. pounds to the building of a Colledge that should be called Sidney-Sussex which is now fully finished I let passe here litle Monasteries and Religious houses because they were of small note unlesse it were Barnewell Abbey which Sir Paine Peverell a worthy and valiant warriour Standard-bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the holy War against Infidels translated in the reigne of Henry the first from S. Giles Church where Picot the Sheriffe had ordained secular Priests unto this place and brought into it thirty Monkes for that himselfe at that time was thirty yeeres of Age. The reason of that name Barnewell you may read if it please you out of the private History of that place in these words Sir Payne Peverell obtained of King Henry the First a certaine plot of ground without the Burgh of Cambridge Out of the very midst of that place there sprung up certaine Fountaines very pure and lively which in English they called Barnewell in those daies as one would say the wels of Barnes that is Children For that Boyes and Youthes meeting once a yeare there on the Even of Saint Iohn Baptists Nativity after the English manner exercised themselves in wrestling and other sports and pastimes befitting their age yea and merrily applauded one another with songs and minstralsie Whence it came that for the number of Boyes and Girles running thither and there playing grew to be a custome that on the suddaine a multitude of buyers and sellers repaired thither Neither was Cambridge albeit it was consecrated to the Muses altogether free from the furies of Mars For when the Danes robbed and spoyled up and downe many times they wintered here and in the yeere of Redemption 1010. when Sueno the Dane by most cruell and terrible tyranny bare downe all before him they spared not the honour of the place nor the Muses which we read that Sylla yet did at Athens but pittifully burnt and defaced it all Neverthelesse at the first comming in of the Normans it was sufficiently peopled For thus we read in the Domesday booke of King William the Conquerour The Burrough of Grentbridge is divided into tenne Wards and hath 387. Mansion houses But eighteene houses were destroyed for building of the Castle what time as the said King William the First determined to over-awe the English every where whom lately hee had conquered with Castles as it were with bridles of servitude Afterwards in the Barons warre it sustained great losse by the out-lawed Barons out of the Isle of Ely therefore Henry the Third to represse their outrages caused a deepe ditch to be cast on the East side which is still called Kings ditch Here happily there is a secret expectation of some that I should give mine opinion as touching the antiquity of this University But I will bee no dealer in this case For I meane not to make comparison betweene these two most flourishing Universities of ours to whom I know none equall Howbeit I feare me they have builded Castles in the Ayre and thrust upon us devices of their owne braines who extolling the antiquity thereof farre above any probability of truth have written that this Cantaber of Spaine streight after Rome was built and many yeeres before the Nativity of Christ erected this University True and certaine it is that whensoever it was first ordained it was a seat of learning about the time of King Henry the First For thus wee read in an old Additament of Peter Blessensis unto Ingulph Abbot Ioffred sent ouer to his Manour of Cotenham neere Cambridge Gislebert his fellow Monke and professour of Divinity with three other Monkes who following him into England being throughly furnished with Philosophicall Theoremes and other primitive sciences repaired dayly to Cambridge and having hired a certaine publike Barne made open profession of their sciences and in short space of time drew together a great number of Schollers But in the second yeere after their comming the number of their Scholars grew so great as well from out of the whole Country as the Towne that the biggest house and barne that was or any Church whatsoever sufficed not to receive them all Whereupon sorting themselves apart in severall places and taking the Vniversity of Orleance for their paterne earely in the morning Monke Odo a singular Grammarian and Satyricall Poet read Grammer unto Boyes and those of the younger sort assigned unto him according to the Doctrine of Priscian and of Remigius upon him At one of the clocke Terricus a most witty and subtile Sophister taught the elder sort of young men Aristotles Logicke after the Introductions of Porphyrie and the Comments of Averroes At three of the clocke Monke William read a Lecture in Tullies Rhetoricke and Quintilians Flores But the great Master Gislebert upon every Sunday and Holy-dayes preached GODS Word unto the People And thus out of this little Fountaine which grew to bee a great River wee see how the Citty of GOD now is become enriched and
Romanists But this See few yeeres after was removed againe to Lichfield yet so as that one and the selfe same Bishop carried the name both of Lichfield and of Coventry The first Lord of this City so farre as I can learne was this Leofricke who being very much offended and angry with the Citizens oppressed them with most heavie tributes which he would remit upon no other condition at the earnest suite of his wife Godiva unlesse she would herselfe ride on horse-backe naked through the greatest and most inhabited street of the City which she did in deed and was so covered with her faire long haire that if we may beleeve the common sort shee was seene of no body and thus shee did set free her Citizens of Coventry from many payments for ever From Leofricke it came into the hands of the Earles of Chester by Lucie his sonne Algars daughter for shee had beene married to Ranulph the first of that name and the third Earle of Chester out of this line who granted unto Coventrey the same liberties that Lincolne had and gave a great part of the City unto the Monkes the rest and Chilmore which is the Lords Manour hard by the City hee reserved to himselfe and to his heires After whose death when for want of issue male the inheritance was divided betweene the sisters Coventry came at length mediately by the Earles of Arundell unto Roger Mont-hault whose grand sonne Robert passed over all his right for default of issue male of his body begotten unto Queene Isabel mother to King Edward the Third To have and to hold during the whole life of the Queene herselfe and after her decease to remaine unto Iohn of Eltham the said Kings brother and to the heires of his body begotten and for default the remainder to Edward King of England c. For thus is it to be seene in the Fine in the second yeere of King Edward the Third Now the said John of Eltham was afterwards created Earle of Cornwall and this place became annexed to the Earldome of Cornwall From which time it hath flourished in great state Kings have bestowed sundry immunities upon it and King Edward the Third especially who permitted them to chuse a Major and two Bailiffes and to build and embattle a Wall about it also king Henry the Sixth who laying unto it certaine small Townes adjoyning granted That it should bee an entire County corporate by it selfe the very words of the Charter runne in that sort in deed and name and distinct from the County of Warwicke At which time in lieu of Bailiffes he ordained two Sheriffes and the Citizens beganne to fortifie their City with a most strong Wall wherein are beautifull Gates and at one of them called Gosford Gate there hangeth to bee seene a mighty great Shield bone of a wilde Bore which any man would thinke that either Guy of Warwicke or else Diana of the Forest Arden slew in hunting when he had turned up with his snout that great pit or pond which at this day is called Swansewell but Swinsewell in times past as the authority of ancient Charters doe proove As touching the Longitude of this City it is 25. Degrees and 52. Scruples and for the Latitude it is 52. Degrees and 25. Scruples Thus much of Coventrey yet have you not all this of me but willingly to acknowledge by whom I have profited of Henry Ferrars of Baddesley a man both for parentage and for knowledge of antiquity very commendable and my especiall friend who both in this place and also elsewhere hath at all times courteously shewed me the right way when I was out and from his candle as it were hath lightned mine Neere unto Coventrey North-west ward are placed Ausley Castle the habitation in times past of the Hastings who were Lords of Abergavenney and Brand the dwelling place in old time of the Verdons Eastward standeth Caloughdon commonly Caledon the ancient seat of the Lords Segrave from whom it descended to the Barons of Berkley by one of the daughters of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke These Segraves since the time that Stephen was Lord chiefe Justice of England flourished in the honorable estate of Barons became possessed of the Chaucombes Inheritance whose Armes also they bare viz. A Lion rampant Argent crowned Or in a Shield Sable But John the last of them married Margaret Dutchesse of Northfolke Daughter of Thomas Brotherton and begat Elizabeth a daughter who brought into the Family of the Mowbraies the Dignity of Marshall of England and Title of Duke of Norfolke Brinklâ— also is not farre from hence where stood an ancient Castle of the Mowbraies to which many possessions and faire lands thereabout belonged But the very rubbish of this Castle time hath quite consumed as Combe Abbay is scant now apparent which the Camvills and Mowbraies endowed with possessions and out of the ruines and reliques whereof a faire house of the Lord Haringtons in this very place is now raised As you goe East-ward you meet anon with Cester-Over whereof I spake incidently before belonging to the Grevills neere unto which the High port-way Watling-street dividing this shire Northward from Leicester-shire runneth on forward by High-crosse whereof also I have already written neere unto Nun-Eaton which in ancient time was named Eaton But when Amice wife to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester as Henry Knighton writeth had founded a Monastery of Nunnes wherein her selfe also became professed it began of those Nunnes to be called Nun-Eaton And famous it was in the former ages by reason of those religious Virgines holinesse who devoting themselves continually to prayers gave example of good life A little from this there flourished sometimes Astley-Castle the principall seate of the Familie of Astley out of which flourished Barons in the time of King Edward the First Second and Third the heire whereof in the end was the second wedded Wife of Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin from whom came the Greies Marquesses of Dorset some of whom were enterred in a most fine and faire Collegiat Church which Thomas Lord Astley founded with a Deane and Secular Chanons Somewhat higher hard by Watling street for so with the common people wee call the High-way made by the Romanes where as the riuer Anker hath a stone bridge over it stood MANDVESSEDUM a very ancient towne mentioned by Antonine the Emperour which being not altogether deprived of that name is now called Mancester and in Ninnius his Catalogue Caer Mancegued Which name considering there is a stone-quarry hard by I may ghesse was imposed upon it of the stones digged forth and hewed out of it For out of the Glossaries of the British tongue we finde that Main in the British language signified a Stone and Fosswad in the Provinciall tongue to digge out which being joyned together may seeme very expressely to import that ancient name MANDVESSEDUM But what how great or how faire soever it hath been
Shrop-shire adjoyning and held that I may note so much by the way the Hamelet of Lanton in chiefe as of the Honour of Montgomery by the service of giving to the King a barbdheaded Arrow whensoever he commeth into those parts to hunt in Cornedon Chace Lugg hasteneth now to Wy first by Hampton where that worthy Knight Sir Rouland Lenthal who being Maister of the Wardrobe unto King Henry the Fourth had married one of the heires of Thomas Earle of Arundell built a passing faire house which the Coningsberes men of good worship and great name in this tract have now a good long time inhabited then by Marden and Southton or Sutton of which twaine Sutton sheweth some small remaines of King Offaes Palace so infamous for the murdering of Ethelbert and Marden is counted famous for the Tombe of the said Ethelbert who had lien heere a long time without any glorious memoriall before that he was translated to Hereford Neere unto the place where Lugg and Wy meete together Eastward a hill which they call Marcley hill in the yeere of our redemption 1571. as though it had wakened upon the suddaine out of a deepe sleepe roused it selfe up and for the space of three daies together mooving and shewing it selfe as mighty and huge an heape as it was with roring noise in a fearefull sort and overturning all things that stood in the way advanced it selfe forward to the wonderous astonishment of the beholders by that kinde of Earthquake which as I deeme naturall Philosophers call Brasmatias And not farre from this hill toward the East also under Malvern hills which in this place bound the East part of this shire standeth Ledbury upon the River Ledden a Towne well knowne which Edwin the Saxon a man of great power gave unto the Church of Hereford being assuredly perswaded that by Saint Ethelberts intercession he was delivered from the Palsey Touching the Military fort on the next hill I need not to speake seeing that in this tract which was in the Marches and the ordinary fighting ground plot first betweene the Romanes and Britans afterwards betweene the Britains and the English such holds and entrenchments are to be seene in many places But Wy now carrying a full streame after it hath entertained Lugg runneth downe with more bendings and bowings first by Holm Lacy the feate of the ancient and noble Family of Scudamore unto which accrewed much more worship by marriage with an heire out of the race of Ewias in this shire and Huntercombe c. else where From hence passeth Wy downe betweene Rosse made a free Burrough by King Henry the Third now well knowne by reason of iron Smiths and Wilton over against it a most ancient Castle of the Greis whence so many worthy Barons of that name have drawne their originall This was built as men say by Hugh de Long-champ but upon publique and certaine credit of Records it appeareth that King John gave Wilton with the Castle to H. de Longchamp and that by marriage it fell to William Fitz-Hugh and likewise not long after to Reinold Grey in the daies of King Edward the first Now when Wy hath a little beneath saluted Goderick Castle which King John gave unto William Earle Mareschall and was afterward for a time the principall seate of the Talbots hee speedeth himselfe to Monmouth-shire and bids Hereford-shire farewell When the state of the English-Saxons was now more than declining to the downe-fall Ralph sonne to Walter Medantinus by Goda King Edward the Confessoursâ— sister governed this Countie as an Official Earle but the infamous for base cowardise was by William the Conquerour remooved and William Fitz-Osbern of Crepon a martiall Norman who had subdued the Isle of Wight and was neere allied to the Dukes of Normandy was substituted in his place When he was slaine in assistance of the Earle of Flanders his sonne Roger surnamed De Bretevill succeeded and soone after for conspiracie against the Conquerour was condemned to perpetuall prison and therein died leaving no lawfull issue Then King Stephen granted to Robert Le Bossu Earle of Leicester who had married Emme or Itta as some call her heire of Bretevill to use the words of the Graunt the Burrough of Hereford with the Castle and the whole County of Hereford but all in vaine For Maude the Empresse who contended with King Stephen for the Crowne advanced Miles the sonne of Walter Constable of Glocester unto this Honour and also graunted to him Constabulariam Curiae suae i. The Constableship of her Court whereupon his posteritie were Constables of England as the Marshalship was graunted at the first by the name of Magistratus Marescalsiae Curiaenostrae Howbeit Stephen afterwards stript him out of these Honours which he had received from her This Miles had five sonnes Roger Walter Henry William and Mahel men of especiall note who were cut off every one issuelesse by untimely death after they had all but William succeeded one another in their Fathers inheritance Unto Roger King Henry the Second among other things gave The Mote of Hereford with the whole Castle and the third peny issuing out of the revenewes of Plees of the whole County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle But after Roger was deceased the same King if wee may beleeve Robert Abbot De Monte kept the Earledome of Hereford to himselfe The eldest sister of these named Margaret was married to Humfrey Bohun the third of that name and his heires were high Constables of England namely Humfrey Bohun the Fourth Henry his sonne unto whom King Iohn graunted twenty pounds yeerely to be received out of the third penny of the County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle This Henry married the sister and heire of William Mandevill Earle of Essex and died in the fourth yeere of Henry the Third his reigne Humfrey the Fifth his sonne who was also Earle of Essex whose sonne Humfrey the Sixth of that forename died before his Father having first begotten Humfrey the Seventh by a daughter and one of the heires of William Breos Lord of Brecknock His sonne Humfrey the Eighth was slaine at Burrowbrig leaving by Elizabeth his wife daughter unto King Edward the First and the Earle of Hollands widow among other children namely Iohn Bohun Humfrey the Ninth both Earles of Hereford and Essex and dying without issue and William Earle of Northampton unto whom Elizabeth a daughter and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badlesmer bare Humfrey Bohun the Tenth and last of the Bohuns who was Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton Constable besides of England who left two Daughters Aeleonor the Wife of Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Mary wedded to Henry of Lancaster Earle of Darby who was created Duke of Hereford and afterwards Crowned King of England But after this Edward Stafford last Duke of Buckingham was stiled Earle of Hereford for that hee descended from Thomas
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
shooteth into the deepe sea and is to bee seene a farre off Hard by South Eske voideth it selfe into the Ocean which river flowing amaine out of a lake passeth by Finnevim Castle well knowne by reason of the Lindeseies Earles of Crawford keeping residence there of whom I have alreadie written Then upon the said river standeth Brechin which King David the first adorned with a Bishops See and at the very mouth thereof Mont-rose as one would say the Mount of Roses a towne in times past called Celurca risen by the fall of another towne bearing the same name which is seated betweene the two Eskes and imparteth the title of Earle to the family of the Grahams Concerning which towne Ionston hath these verses CELURCA five MONS ROSARUM Aureolis urbs picta rosis mons molliter urbi Imminet hinc urbi nomina facta canunt At veteres perhibent quondam dixisse Celurcam Nomine sic prisco nobilitata novo est Et prisca atque nova insignis virtute virumque Ingeniis patriae qui perperere decus MONT-ROSE With Roses gay the towne is deckt an easie Mount withall Stands neere the same and hence they say MONT-ROSE folke did it call In former times by ancient name Celurca men it knew Ennobled thus you see it is by name both old and new Both old and new renowne it hath for prowesse and for wit Of men that have their countrey grac'd and honour won to it Not farre from hence is Boschain belonging to the Barons of Ogiluy of very ancient nobilitie lineally descended from Alexander Sheriffe of Angus who was slaine in the bloodie battaile at Harley against the Mac Donald of the out Isles As touching the Earles of Angus Gilchrist of Angus renowned for his brave exploits under King Malcolm the fourth was the first Earle of Angus that I read of About the yeere 1242. Iohn Comin was Earle of Angus who died in France and his widow haply inheritrice to the Earldome was married to Sir Gilbert Umfranvill an Englishman For both hee and his heires successively after him were summoned to the Parliaments in England untill the third yeere of King Richard the second by the title of Earles of Angus Howbeit the Lawyers of England refused in their Brieves and instruments to acknowledge him Earle for that Angus was not within the kingdome of England untill hee had brought forth openly in the face of the Court the Kings writ and warrant wherein he was summoned to the Parliament by the name of Earle of Angus In the reigne of David Brus Thomas Stewart was Earle of Angus who by a suddaine surprise won Barwicke and streightwaies lost it yea and within a while after died miserably in prison at Dunbritton But the Douglasses men of haughtie mindes and invincible hearts from the time of King Robert the third have beene Earles of Angus after that George Douglasse had taken to wife the Kings daughter reputed the chiefe and principall Earles of Scotland and to whom this office belongeth to carrie the regall Crown before the Kings at all the solemne assemblies of the kingdome The sixth Earle of Angus out of this stocke was Archebald who espoused Margaret daughter to Henrie the seventh K. of England and mother to James the fifth King of Scots by whom he had issue Margaret wife to Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox who after her brothers decease that died childlesse willingly resigned up her right and interest in this Earldome unto Sir David Douglasse of Peteindreich her unkles sonne by the fathers side and that with the consent of her husband and sonnes to the end that she might binde the surer unto her selfe by the linke also of a beneficiall demerite that family which otherwise in bloud was most neere what time as Henrie her son went about to wed Marie the Queen by which marriage King JAMES our Soveraigne the mightie Monarch of great Britaine was happily borne to the good of all Britaine MERNIS THese regions were in Ptolomees time inhabited by the VERNICONES the same perhaps that the VECTURIONES mentioned by Marcellinus But this their name is now quite gone unlesse wee would imagine some little peece thereof to remaine in Mernis For many times in common speech of the British tongue V. turneth into M. This small province Mernis abutting upon the German Ocean and of a rich and battle soile lieth very well as a plaine and levell Champion But the most memorable place therein is Dunnotyr a Castle advanced upon an high and unaccessible rocke whence it looketh downe to the underflowing sea well fensed with strong walls and turrets which hath beene a long time the habitation of the Keiths of an ancient and verie noble stock who by the guidance of their vertue became hereditarie Earles Mareschals of the kingdome of Scotland and Sheriffes of this province In a porch or gallerie here is to bee seene that ancient inscription which I mentioned even now of a companie belonging to the twentieth legion the letters whereof the right noble and honourable Earle now living a great lover of antiquitie caused to be guilded Somewhat farther from the sea standeth Fordon graced in some sort and commendable in regard of John de Fordon who being borne here diligently and with great paines compiled Scoti Chronicon that is The Scottish Chronicle unto whose laborious studies the Scottish Historiographers are very much indebted but more glorious and renowned in old time for the reliques of St. Palladius bestowed and shrined sometime as is verily thought in this place who in the yeere 431. was by Pope Caelestinas appointed the Apostle of the Scottish nation MARRIA or MAR. FRom the sea in the mediterranean or inland parts above Mernis MAR enlargeth it selfe and runneth forward threescore miles or thereabout where it lieth broadest Westwards it swelleth up with mountaines unlesse it bee where the rivers Dee which Ptolomee calleth DIVA and Done make way for themselves and enfertile the fields Upon the bank of Done Kildrummy standeth as a faire ornament to the countrey being the ancient seat of the Earles of Marre and not farre distant from it the habitation of the Barons Forbois who being issued from a noble and ancient stocke assumed this surname whereas before time they were called Bois after that the heire of that family had manfully killed a savage and cruell Beare But at the very mouth of this river there be two townes that give greater ornament which of the said mouth that in the British tongue they call Aber borrowing one name are divided asunder by one little field lying betweene the hithermore of them which standeth neerer to Dee mouth is much ennobled by an Episcopall dignitie which King David the first translated hither from Murthlake a little village by faire houses of the Canons an Hospitall for poore people and a free Grammar schoole which William Elphinston Bishop of the place in the yeere 1480. consecrated to the training up
at the hands of King Henry the sixth the title and honour of Earle of Wiltshire to him and to the heires of his body who being Lord Deputy of Ireland as divers others of this race and Lord Treasurer of England standing attainted by King Edward the fourth was straight waies apprehended and beheaded but his brethren John and Thomas likewise proclaimed traytors kept themselves close out of the way John died at Jerusalem without issue Thomas through the speciall favour of King Henry the seventh was in the end restored to his blood who departed this life in the yeere 1515. leaving behinde him two daughters Anne married to Sir Iames de sancto Leodegano called commonly Sellenger and Margaret unto Sir William Bollein who bare unto him Sir Tho. Bollein whom King Henry the eighth created first Viscount Rochfort afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and of Ormond and afterward took Anne Bollein his daughter to wife who brought forth for England Queene Elizabeth a Prince of most happy memory and with all thankfulnesse to be alwaies remembred by the English and Irish. When Thomas Bollein was dead leaving no issue male Sir Pierce Butler a man of great power in Ireland descended of the Earles race whom Henry the eighth had before time created Earle of Osserie attained also to the title of Ormond and left the same unto his sonne James who had issue by the daughter and heire of James Earle of Desmond a sonne named Thomas Earle of Ormond now living whose faith and loyaltie hath been passing well tried and approved in many troubles and dangerous affaires who also hath joined in marriage his only daughter unto Theobald Butler his brothers son whom King James hath advanced lately to the title of Vicount Tullo Whereas some of the Irish and such as would be thought worthy of credit doe affirme that certaine men in this tract are yeerely turned into Wolves surely I suppose it be a meere fable unlesse haply through that malicious humour of predominant unkind Melancholy they be possessed with the malady that the Physicians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which raiseth and engendereth such like phantasies as that they imagine themselves to bee transformed into Wolves Neither dare I otherwise affirme of those metamorphosed Lycaones in Liveland concerning whom many Writers deliver many and marvellous reports Thus farre as touching the Province of Mounster for the government whereof Queene Elizabeth when shee bethought herselfe most wisely politickly and princely which way she might procure the good and wealth of Ireland ordained a Lord President to be the reformer and punisher of inconsiderate rashnesse the director also and moderator of duty together with one Assistant two learned Lawyers and a Secretary and the first President that shee made was Sir Warham S. Leger Knight a man of great experience in Irish affaires LAGENIA or LEINSTER THe second part of Ireland which the inhabitants call Leighnigh the Britans Lein the English Leinster and Latine writers Lagenia and in the ancient lives of the Saints Lagen lieth all of it on the Sea-side Eastward bounded toward Mounster with the river Neor which notwithstanding in many places it passeth beyond on Connaght side for a good space with Shanon and toward Meath with the peculiar knowne limits The Countrey is fertile and fruitfull the aire most milde and temperate and the people there inhabiting come neerest of all other to the gentle disposition and civill conversation of England their neighbour Iland from whence they are for the most part descended In Ptolomees dayes therein were seated the BRIGANTES MENAPII CAUCI and BLANI and peradventure from these Blani are derived and contracted these later and moderne names Lein Leinigh and Leinster But now it is divided into the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlogh Queenes County Kings County Kildare Weisford and Dublin to say nothing of Wicklo and Fernes which either be already or else are to be laid thereto BRIGANTES or BIRGANTES THe BRIGANTES seeme to have planted themselves betweene the mouth of the river and the confluence of Neor and Barrow which in Ptolomee is called BRIGUS Now because there was an ancient City of the Brigantes in Spaine named BRIGANTIA Florianus del Campo laboureth tooth and naile to fetch these BRIGANTES out of his owne countrey Spaine But if such a conjecture may take place others might with as great probality derive them from the Brigantes of Britaine a nation both neere and also exceeding populous But if that be true which I finde in certaine copies that this people were called BIRGANTES both hee and the other have missed the marke For that these tooke their denomination of the river BIRGUS about which they doe inhabite the very name is almost sufficient to perswade us These BRIGANTES or BIRGANTES whether you will dwelt in the Counties of Kilkenny Ossery and Caterlogh watered all with the river BIRGUS THE COUNTIE OF KILKENNY THe Countie of Kilkenny is bounded West with the countie of Tipperary East with the counties of Weisford and Caterlogh South with the countie of Waterford North with Queenes Countie and Northwest with upper Osserie A countrey that with townes and castles on every side maketh a very goodly shew and for plenty of all things surpasseth the rest Neere unto Osserie the mighty and huge mountaines Sleiew Bloemy which Giraldus calleth Bladinae Montes with their rising toppes mount up to a wonderfull heigth out of the bowels whereof as from their mothers wombe issue the rivers Shour aforenamed Neor and Barrow which running downe in severall chanels before they enter into the Ocean joine hand in hand all together whereupon they in old time tearmed them The three sisters The Neor commonly called also Neure runneth in manner through the midst of Kilkenny county and when it is passed with a forward course by the upper Osserie the first Baron whereof was Barnabas Fitz-Patrick promoted to that honor by King Edward the sixth and hath watered many fortresses on both sides floweth beside Kilkenny which is as much to say as the Cell or Church of Canic which for the sanctimony of his solitary life in this country was highly renowned a proper faire and wealthy Burrough towne this is and far excelling all other midland Boroughs in this Iland divided into the Irish towne and the English towne The Irish towne is as it were the Suburbs and hath in it the said Canicks Church which both gave name unto it and now also affordeth a See unto the Bishop of Osserie But the English towne is nothing so ancient built as I have read by Ranulph the third Earle of Chester and fortified with a wall on the West side by Robert Talbot a Nobleman and with a castle by the Butlers And sure it is that in the division of lands between the daughters of William Mareschal Earle of Penbroch it fell unto the third daughter whom Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester married Somewhat beneath the same Neore standeth a little walled towne named in English Thomas Towne
the Dukes of York and so to the Kings domain or Crowne for Peter de Genevile sonne to that Maud begat Ioan espoused to Roger Mortimer Earle of March and the other part by Margaret wife to John Lord Verdon and by his heires who were Constables of Ireland was devolved at length upon divers families in England as Furnivall Burghersh Crophul c. THE COUNTY OF LONGFORD UNto West Meath on the North side joyneth the County of LONGFORD reduced into this ranke of Countries a few yeeres since by the provident policy of Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy called before time Anale inhabited by a numerous Sept of the O-Pharols of which house there be two great men and Potentates one ruleth in the South part named O-Pharoll Boy that is The yellow the other in the North called O-Pharoll Ban that is The white And very few Englishmen are there among them and those planted there but of late Along the side of this County passeth Shannon the noblest river of all Ireland which as I have said runneth between Meth and Conaught Ptolomee nameth it SENUS Orosius SENA and some copies SACANA Giraldus Flumen Senense but the people dwelling there by call it Shanon that is as some expound it The ancient river He springeth out of Thern hils in the county Le Trim and forthwith cutting through the lands Southward one while overfloweth the bankes and enlargeth himselfe into open Pooles and other whiles drawes backe againe into narrow straights and after he hath run abroad into one or two Lakes gathering himselfe within his bankes valeth bonnet to MACOLICUM now called MALC as the most learned Geographer Gerard Mercator hath observed whereof Ptolomee hath made mention and then by and by is entertained by another broad Mere they call it Lough Regith the name and situation whereof doth after a sort imply that the City RIGIA which Ptolomee placeth there stood not farre from hence But when hee hath once gotten beyond this Poole and draweth himselfe to a narrower channell within the bankes there standeth hard upon him the towne Athlon of which I will write in place convenient From thence Shannon having gotten over the Water-fall at Killolo whereof I must speake anon being now able to beare the biggest ships that are in a divided channell as it were with two armes claspeth about the city Limirick whereof I have spoken already From hence Shannon passing on directly for threescore miles or thereabout in length bearing a great bredth and making many an Iland by the way speedeth himselfe Westward and in what place soever he becommeth shallow and affordeth fords at an ebbe or low water there were planted little forts with wards such was the carefull providence of our forefathers to restraine the inrodes of preytaking robbers And so at length he runneth and voideth out at an huge mouth into the West Ocean beyond Knoc Patric that is Patricks hill for so Necham termeth that place in these his verses of Shannon Fluminibus magnis laetatur Hibernia Sineus Inter Connatiam Momomiamque fluit Transit per muros Limirici Knoc Patric illum Oceani clausum sub ditione videt Ireland takes joy in rivers great and Shannon them among Betwixt Connaught and Munster both holds on his course along He runneth hard by Limrick wayes Knoc Patric then at last Within the gulfe of th' Ocean doth see him lodged fast CONNACHTIA OR CONAGHT THe fourth part of Ireland which beareth Westward closed in with the river Shannon the out-let of the Lake or Lough Erne which some call Trovis others Bana and with the maine Western sea is named by Giraldus Cambrensis Conachtia and Conacia in English Conaght and in Irish Conaughty In ancient times as we may see in Ptolomee it was inhabited by the GANGANI who are also named CONCANI AUTERI and NAGNATAE Those CONCANI or GANGANI like as the LUCENI their next neighbours that came from the Lucensii in Spaine may seeme by the affinity of name and also by the vicinity of place to have beene derived from the CONCANI in Spaine who in Strabo are according to the diversity of reading named CONIACI and CONISCI whom Silius testifieth in these verses following to have beene at the first Scythians and to have usually drunke horses blood a thing even of later daies nothing strange among the wild Irish. Et qui Massagetem monstrans feritate parentem Cornipedis fusa satiaris Concane vena And Concane though in savagenesse that now resembling still Thy parents old the Massagets of horse-blood drinkst thy â—â—ll And beside him Horace Et letum equino sanguine Concanum And Concaine who thinks it so good To make his drinke of horses blood Unlesse a man would suppose this Irish name Conaughty to be compounded of CONCANI and NAGNATAE Well this Province as it is in some place fresh and fruitfull so by reason of certaine moist places yet covered over with grasse which of their softnesse they usually tearme Boghes like as all the Iland besides every where is dangerous and thicke set with many and those very shady woods As for the sea coast lying commodious as it doth with many baies creekes and navigable rivers after a sort it inviteth and provoketh inhabitants to navigation but the sweetnesse of inbred idlenesse doth so hang upon their lazie limbes that they had rather get their living from doore to doore than by their honest labours keepe themselves from beggery Conaught is at this day divided into these counties Twomond or Clare Galway Maio Slego Letrim and Roscoman The ancient CONCANI abovesaid held in old time the more Southerly part of this Conaught where now lye Twomond or Clare the county Galway Clan-Richards country and the Barony of Atterith TWOMOND OR THE COUNTIE CLARE TWomon or Twomond which Giraldus calleth Thuetmonia the Irish Twowoun that is The North-Mounster which although it lye beyond the river Shannon yet was counted in times past part of Mounster untill Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy laid it unto Conaught shooteth out into the sea with a very great Promontory growing by little and little thin and narrow On the East and South sides it is so enclosed with the winding course of the river Shannon which waxeth bigger and bigger like as on the West part with the open maine sea and on the North side confineth so close upon the county Galway that there is no comming unto it by land but through the Clan-Ricards territory This is a country wherein a man would wish for nothing more either from sea or soile were but the industry of the inhabitants correspondent to the rest which industry Sir Robert Muscegros an English Nobleman Richard Clare and Thomas Clare younger brethren of the stock of the Earles of Glocester unto whom King Edward the first had granted this country stirred up long since by building townes and castles and by alluring them to the fellowship of a civill conversation of whose name the chiefe towne Clare now the
with Gylly Cavinelagh Obugill and Mac-Derley King of Oresgael with the principall men of Kineoil Conail And many of the army of the said Justice were drowned as they passed over the water of Fin Northward and among them in the rescuing of a prey there were slaine Atarmanudaboge Sir W. Brit Sherif of Conacth and the young knight his brother And afterward the said army spoiled the country and left the Seigniorie of Kineoil Conail to Rory O-Coner for that time There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tirconnell and great spoiles made and O-Canamayu was expelled out of Kenoilgain he left the territory of Kenail Conail with Gorry Mac-Donald O-Donnel There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tireogaine against O-Neale but he gave pledges for the preservation of his countrey There was another expedition by the said Justice in Leinster against the Irishry whom he pitifully outraged and spoiled their land In another expedition also the said Justice destroied Kenoilgain and all Ulster in despite of O-Neale tarrying three nights at Tullaghoge MCCXLIII Hugh Lacy Earle of Ulster died and is buried at Crag-fergous in the covent of the Friers Minours leaving a daughter his heire whom Walter Burk who was Earle of Ulster espoused In the same yeere died Lord Girald Fitz-Moris and Richard Burk MCCXLVI An earthquake over all the West about 9. of the clocke MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Gefferey knight came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long Espee with many other are taken prisoners by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a sonne of Beliol was slaine in Leys as he well deserved MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacie was borne Likewise upon Christmas day Alexander King of Scotland a childe eleven yeeres old espoused at Yorke Margaret the King of Englands daughter MCCLV Alan de la Zouch is made Lord Justice and commeth into Ireland MCCLVII The Lord Moris or Maurice Fitz-Gerald deceaseth MCCLIX Stephen Long Espee commeth Lord Justice of Ireland The Greene castle in Ulster is throwne downe Likewise William Dene is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his son are slaine in Desmund by Mac-Karthy likewise William Dene Lord Justice of Ireland dejected after whom succeeded in the same yeere Sir Richard Capell MCCLXII Richard Clare Earle of Glocester died Item Martin Maundevile left this life the morrow after Saint Bennets day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz Gerald and Maurice Fitz Maurice took prisoners Rich. Capell the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David Barrie is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz Maurice is drowned Item Lord Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXIX The castle of Roscomon is founded Richard of Excester is made Lord Justice MCCLXX The Lord James Audeley came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the Kings sonne of Almain is slaine in the Court of Rome The same yeere reigned the plague famine and the sword and most in Meth. Item Nicholas de Verdon and his brother John are slain Walter Burk or de Burgo Earle of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audeley Justice of Ireland was killed with a fall from his horse in Twomond after whom succeeded Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice in the office of chiefe Justice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffrey Genevile returned out of the holy land and is made Justice of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the sonne of King Henrie by the hands of Robert Kelwarby a Frier of the order of Preaching Friers and Archbishop of Canterburie upon S. Magnus the Martyrs day in the Church of Westminster was anointed K. of England and crowned in the presence of the Lords and Nobles of all England whose protestation and oath was in this forme I Edward son and heire to King Henrie professe protest and promise before God and his Angels from this time forward to keep without respect the law justice and peace unto the holy Church of God and the people subject unto me so far forth as we can devise by the counsell of our liege and loiall ministers also to exhibite condigne and canonicall honour unto the Bishops of Gods Church to preserve inviolably whatsoever hath bin bestowed by Emperors and Kings upon the Church committed unto them and to yeeld due honour unto Abbats the Lords vessels according to the advise of our lieges c. So help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. In the same yeer died the Lord Iohn Verdon likewise the Lord Thomas Clare came into Ireland Item William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitalers with many others are taken prisoners at Glyndelory and more there slaine MCCLXXV The castle of Roscoman is erected againe In the same yeere Moydagh was taken prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland the second time Geffrey Genevile gave place and departed MCCLXXVII O-Brene is slaine MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died Likewise the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert Ufford entred into England and appointed in his roome Frier Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford in whose time the money was changed likewise the Round table was holden at Kenilworth by the Lord Roger Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert Ufford returned out of England Lord Justice as before Also the wife of Robert Ufford deceased MCCLXXXI Adam Cusack the younger slew William Barret and many others in Connaght Item Frier Stephen Fulborne is made Justice of Ireland Item the Lord Robert Ufford returned into England MCCLXXXII Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his brother are slaine at Arclowe on the Even of Saint Marie Maudlen Likewise the Lord Roger Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The citie of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfray of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin the third day before the Nones of Januarie MCCLXXXIIII The castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the Potentates or Lords of Offaly the morrow after Saint Barnabe the Apostle his day Alphonsus the Kings sonne twelve yeeres old changed his life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald Botiller died the sixth day before the Kalends of October in the castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the covent of the Friers preachers Item Girald Fitz-Maurice was taken prisoner by his own Irish in Offalie and Richard Petit and Saint Doget with many other and a great overthrow was given at Rathode with much slaughter MCCLXXXVI Norragh and Arstoll with other townes were one after another continually burnt by Philip Stanton the 16. day before the Calends of December In these daies Alianor Queen of England mother of King Edward tooke the mantle and the ring at Ambresburie upon the day of Saint Thomas his translation having her dower in the kingdome of England confirmed by the Pope to be possessed for ever Likewise Calwagh is taken prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this life MCCLXXXVII Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam died after whom there succeeded in the office of Lord chiefe Justice for a time John
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 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
death of the said Justice of Ireland the Lord Roger Darcy with the assent of the Kings Ministers and others of the same land is placed in the office of Justice for the time Also the castles of Ley and Kylmehede are taken by the Irish and burnt in the moneth of April Item Lord Iohn Moris commeth chiefe Justice of Ireland the fifteenth day of May. Also the Irish of Ulster gave a great overthrow unto the English of Urgale wherin were slaine three hundred at the least in the moneth of June Also the said Lord Iohn Moris Justice of Ireland is discharged by the King of England from that office of Justiceship and the Lord Walter Bermingham set in the same office by the foresaid King and a little after the foresaid slaughter committed entreth with Commission into Ireland in the month of June Item unto the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond the maintenance of peace for a certain time is granted by the King of England Which being granted upon the Vigill of the exaltation of the holy Crosse hee together with his wife and two sonnes take sea at the haven of Yoghal and crosseth over into England where he followeth the law hard and requireth instantly to have justice for the wrongs done unto him by Raulph Ufford late Lord Justice of Ireland above named Item unto the said Earle by commandement and order from the Lord King of England there are granted from his entrance into England twenty shillings a day and so day by day still is allowed for his expences Also the Lord Walter Bermingham Justice of Ireland and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare rose up in armes against O-Merda and his complices who burnt the Castle of Ley and Kilmehed and they with their forces valiantly set upon and invade him and his complices spoiling killing and burning in so much as the said O-Morda and his complices although at the first they had manfully and resolutely made resistance there with many thousands of the Irish after many wounds and a great slaughter committed were constrained in the end to yeeld and so they submitted to the Kings grace and mercy and betake themselves full and whole unto the said Earles devotion MCCCXLVII The Earle of Kildare with his Barons and Knights goeth unto the King of England in the moneth of May to aide him lying then at the siege of Caleys Also the towne of Caleys was by the inhabitants upon the fourth day of June rendred up into the King of Englands hands Item Walter Bonevile William Calfe William Welesley and many other noble Gentlemen and valiant Knights as well of England as of Ireland died of the sicknesse in Caleys Also Mac-Murgh to wit Donald Mac-Murgh the sonne of Donald Art Mac-Murgh King of Leinster upon the fifth day of June is treacherously slain by his own people More Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare is by the King of England made Knight Also the towne called Monaghan with all the territorie adjoining is by the Irish burnt on the feast day of S. Stephen Martyr Item Dame Joane Fitz-Leoues sometime wife to the Lord Simon Genevile departed this life and is buried in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Trim the second day of Aprill MCCCXLVIII And in the 22. yeere of King Edward the third reigned the first pestilence and most of all in Ireland which had begunne afore in other Countries Item in this yeere Walter Lord Bermingham Lord Justice of Ireland came into England and left Iohn Archer Prior of Kylmainon his Lievtenant in his roome And he returneth againe in the same yeere Justice as before and the King conferred upon the same Walter the Barony of Kenlys which is in Osserie because he led a great army against the Earle of Desmond with Raulfe Ufford as before is said which Barony belonged in times past unto the Lord Eustace Pover who was attainted and hanged at the castle of the Isle MCCCXLIX Lord Walter Bermingham the best Justice of Ireland that ever was gave up his office of Justiceship after whom succeeded the Lord Carew Knight and Baron both MCCCL. And in the 25. yeere of the foresaid King Edward Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight was made Lord Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham Knight Lord Bermingham that right good Justice sometime of Ireland died in the Even of S. Margaret Virgin in England MCCCLI Kenwrick Sherman sometime Maior of the Citie of Dublin died and was buried under the Belfray of the preaching Friers of the same City which Belfray and Steeple himselfe erected and glazed a window at the head of the Quire and caused the roofe of the Church to be made with many more good deeds In the same Covent he departed I say the sixth day of March and at his end he made his Will or Testament amounting to the value of three thousand Marks and bequeathed many good Legacies unto the Priests of the Church both religious and secular that were within twenty miles about the City MCCCLII Sir Robert Savage Knight began in Ulster to build new castles in divers places and upon his owne Manours who while he was a building said unto his sonne and heire Sir Henry Savage let us make strong walls about us lest happily the Irish come and take away our place destroy our kinred and people and so we shall be reproached of all Nations Then answered his sonne where ever there shall be valiant men there is a Castle and Fortresse too according to that saying The sonnes encamped that is to say valiant men are ordained for warre and therefore will I be among such hardy men and so shall I be in a castle and therewith said in his vulgar speech A castle of Bones is better than a castle of Stones Then his father in a fume and chafe gave over his worke and swore an oath that he would never build with stone and morter but keepe a good house and a very great family and retinew of servants about him but he prophesied withall that hereafter his sonnes and posterity should grieve and waile for it which indeed came to passe for the Irish destroyed all that country for default of castles MCCCLV And in the thirty yeere of the same King Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight went out of his office of Justice the sixe and twenty day of July after whom succeeded Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmund and continued in the office untill his death Item on the day of Saint Pauls conversion the same Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas died Justice of Ireland in the castle of Dublin not without great sorrow of his friends and kinsfolke and no lesse feare and trembling of all other Irish that loved peace First he was buried in the quire of the preaching Friers of Dublin and at last enterred in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Traly This man was a righteous Justicer in that hee stucke not to hang up those of his owne blood for theft and rapine and misdemeanours even as soone as strangers