Quarries of Stone It is divided into 4 Hundreds containing 79 Parishes 6 Market Towns and 2 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 4 viz. Huntington 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire HUNTINGTON SHIRE St. Ives is situate on the same stream with many other pleasant Towns and Villages Here was Born Roger thence Sirnamed St. Ives at Cunington the learned Antiquary Sr. Robert Cotton was Born And indeed this Shire has produced divers famous Men as Gregory of Huntington who Dyed 1610 Henry of Huntington Renowned for his History of England William Whittleseay Arch Deacon of Huntington William Ramsey a famous Poet and others In this County a Lake called Wittlesmeer in the Fairest Weather grows Tempestuous and Rages with Surges like the Sea but in a Storm is much Calmer The whole County is well Watered and boasts of many pleasant Vilages The Seats of the Nobility are Kimbolton-Castle a seat of the Earl of Manchester Hinchingbrook now a seat of the Earl of Sandwich but formerly the seat of Sir Oliver Cromwel Vncle to the late Oliver Cromwel called Protector of England who was a Native of this County Great Gidding a seat of the Lord Rockingham Leyghton a seat of the Earl of Arran There are likewise to be seen the Ruines of many stately Buildings as Castles Monasteries and the like It produces a sort of soft Stone much used in Building in those Parts and in diging for it rusty Armour Arms and Coin have been found denoting some great Battel Fought there in former times The Reign of Harrold Seventeenth Sole Monarch of England c. HArrold Sirnamed Harefoot from his Swiftness in Runing Leaping and Vaulting Succeeded his Father Crowned Anno Dom. 1036 He was Second Son to Canute and upon his coming to the Crown was much opposed by Goodwin Earl of Kent a Person very Powerful and a Politick Intreaguer of those times to make Factions c. But by his liberal Promises and present Renuntiation of Taxes he won the Londoners and Lords on the North side the Thames to his Party and having thus far prevailed he strengthened his Hand by liberally disposing of Gratuities to such as had done him any good offices he promoted the English to Places of Trust and Honour sending away more of the Danes than in doing which he could lay no greater obligation upon them For Time as yet had not worn out the Mortal Hatred between the two Nations He took off likewise a good part of the oppressing Tax called Dane-Gelt which the People not without much discontent had laboured under especially in the Northern Counties many Years And now Goodwin Earl of Kent perceiving his Clandestine Practices too weak to enfeeble the Kings Interest in his Subjects affections like cunning Statesman resolves to struggle no longer against this Tide of Fortune and Success and thereupon to make fair with him entered upon an Inhumane Project viz. To betray into his Hands Edward and Alfride Sons to Ethelred and Emma Born at Islip by Oxford but brought up the greater part of their time in Normandy and so cunningly this Traitor to his Country worked the design as knowing Harrold by any means was desirous to destroy them as being the rightful Heirs of the Saxon Line that by specious pretences of Advancement and Honour and how also herself might much profit by it and always stand high in the Kings favour he so dealt with Queen Emma that won by guilded Flatteries and not perceiving the Mortal Hook covered with the Tempting Bait she was easily perswaded to Write to them on this occasion which being seconded by Goodwin and the King the Innocent Princes were decoy'd over and brought as Lambs to the Slaughter for no sooner had the Dane got them in his power but contrary to his Promise he caused Alfride's Eyes to be put out and yet not so contented his Belly was opened with a Razor and one end of his Bowells being fastened to a Post he was forced about it by the pricking of sharp Ponyards till he had twisted them out and so dyed a miserable death which is held to have struck Goodwin the Author of this Mischief with so great a Remorse that he could neither Rest in the Day nor Sleep in the Night without hideous and fearful Dreams till he contributed to the Escape of Edward the other Brother who luckily got away a small time before he was to be Murthered by the like or other as cruel Torments by which his Brother fell a Sacrifice to Policy of State Harrold supposing he had been defeated of the second Game by the contrivance of Queen Emma for Goodwin Swore himself unknowing of any thing relating to it determined to put her to death but cooling a little on his rash Decree and considering she was near Allyed to a Powerful Prince his Neighbour and had been Wife to two Kings the last of them being his Father he changed the Sentence into one somewhat less severe For first he seized on all her Treasure and Possessions which were very considerable and that not being thought a sufficient Punishment he Banished her in a manner Naked so that under such a disgrace and in that poor condition being ashamed to go into Normandy her own Country she got leave to pass the Seas for Flanders where she was received Honourably by the Earl of that Province and there she continued for the most part till the Danish Succession failed and her Son Edward afterward called the Confessor was Invited over to take upon him the Crown Soon after this Harrold fell Sick at Oxford and there Dyed when he had Reigned Four Years He was the Seventeenth Sole Monarch of England and Second of the Danish Line and Reigned Four Years being first Buried at Westminster and after held to be removed to St. Clements Danes without Temple-Barr Remarks on Herefordshire c. HErefordshire is famed for abundance of Fruit-Trees producing great quantities of Cider and other wholsom Liquors Its Wooll is held to be the finest in England especially from those numerous flocks of Sheep that feed on the pleasant Hills about Lempster It also yields abundance of Cheese Butter Swine and all necessary Provisions for the support of Mans Life and has some considerable Forrests and Woods It is Bounded with Shropshire Worcestershire Glocestershire Monmouthshire Radnorshire and Brecknockshire It gives denomination to a Bishoprick the Diocess containing this County and part of Shropshire It is divided into 11 Hundreds containing 176 Parishes 8 Market-Towns and 13 Rivers and sends 8 Members to Parliament viz. Knights of the Shire 2 Hereford 2 Lempster 2 and Weobley 2. The City of Hereford is noted for its Cathedral of Antiâ—â— but Curious Building it gave Birth to Adaâ—â— D' HEREFORD SHIRE Orleton Bishop of Hereford and Roger of Hereford a learned Astrologian Bradwarden-Castle gave Birth to Thomas D' Bradwardine Arch Bishop of Canterbury also to John Guillim a famous Herald whose Systeme of Heraldry is accounted the best on that subject This County
instead of revenging the Death of Edwin he underwent the same fate being slain in Battel after he had Fought couragiously six Hours and hemmed himself in with Dead Bodies This great Battel was Fought at Oswaltree in Shropshire Nor did the Mercians Cruelty cease after he was slain for he Inhumanly caused his Body to be torn in pieces when he had Reigned Nine Years Oswye the Twelfth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. And though he laboured for Peace yet the greatness of his encroaching Neighbours suffered him to enjoy little quiet however he Encouraged Religion and Trade and made many wholsome Laws and one in particular for the Relief of the Poor and to prevent Robberies and Murthers on the Northern borders and continued his Reign 28 Years Egfride the Thirteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 671 but long he had not enjoyed the Throne before a fierce War broke out between him and Ethelred King of Mercia he first drawing it on his Kingdom whereby his People greatly suffered yet not content with several Defeats or seeing the weakness his Subjects were reduced to he made War on the Irish because some of that Nation had Pirated on his Coast but pursuing them too far among the Mountains and Fastnesses of craggy Rocks he was there slain and most of his Souldiers that escaped the overthrow perished for want of Provision when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Alfrid the Fourteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 686 finding the Kingdom much Impaired in its People and Treasure so that he made it his first endeavour to restore the face of Trade appointing Fairs and Marts allowing them great Priviledges to Invite the Borderers to Trade with him and gave Liberty for as many as would with their Families to setle in his Dominions which caused him to be Envyed by the Saxon Kings his Neighbours yet he pacified them with fair Words and Friendly Offices making a Law That distressed Strangers Travelling about their Lawful Occasions should be Maintained at the Publick Charge So that his Reign continued for the most part Peaceable Religion flourishing under it Twenty Years Osred the Fifteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 706 but led a Life very contrary to his Predecessor giving himselfe up to all manner of Debauchery making it his Business to visit the Nunneries that he might single out the fairest for his Lust which he Commanded to his Bed with great rigour insomuch that some of those Virgins preferring their Chastity before Life suffered Martyrdom rather than they would yeild to his desires so that whilst he held on this course the Kingdom was much distracted with Intestine Broyles his Nobles grew unruly and the poorer sort were Oppressed so that to free the Kingdom from impending Ruine Kenred and Oswick two of his near Kinsmen Conspired against him and Slew him when he had Reigned Nine Years and then Successively Governed the Relm Kenred the Sixteenth King of Northumberland having Conspired with Oswick and Slain Osred caused the Crown to be placed on his Head Anno Dom. 716 yet found a very troublesome Reign his Co-partner in the Conspiracy labouring to supplant him and indeed his Reign was very short continuing only two Years Oswick having made his way to the Throne Anno Dom. 718 laboured to settle himself in the Affections and good liking of the People by giving large Gifts to the Nobles and in distributing Corn to the Poor out of his Granaries in his Second Year when a great Scarcity happened so that in his Eleven Years Reign he kept his People quiet at home and for the most part free from Wars abroad Cealnulf the Eighteenth King of the Northumberian Kingdom began his Reign Anno Dom. 722 devoting himself soon after his coming to the Crown to a Religious Life causing many Abbies and Monasteries to be Builded Endowing them with competent Annuities for the Maintenance of Men and Women qualified to enter into Religious Orders so that a great many resorted to him from beyond the Seas whom he kindly entertained and being much taken with their manner of Living when he had Reigned Eight Years growing weary of an Earthly Diadem he lay'd the weight of Government aside and withdrawing himself to Holy Island took on him the Habit of a Monk where in a little Monastery he had caused to be Built he spent the remainder of his Days In the last Year of his Reign Two Blazing Stars Appeared the one after Sunset and the other a little before its Rising continuing so to do for the space of a Fortnight Terrifying the People by seeming often to dart Firey Launces from their Blazing Tails Egbert the Nineteenth Monarch of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 738 in the beginning of which Fleeces like Wool seemed to drop out of the Clouds covering many large Fields and Plains as if it had been Snow and soon after a terrible Rot happened among Sheep all over England c. He appointed his Nobles to here the Complaints of the Poor and to redress their Wrongs and Grievances studdying to keep his Subjects Quiet at Home by securing Peace Abroad and when he had Reigned Twenty Years following the Example of his Predecessor he was shorn a Monk and Dyed in that state Oswulph the Twentith King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 758 and continued it but one Year for growing Proud and Cruel putting divers undeservedly to Death his own Servants grew into such a hatred of him that attending him in his Progress they found an Opportunity to Murther him at Mickewoughton of which Conspiracy though he was Informed the day before yet Fate consented not to its Prevention Edilwald the One and Twentieth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 759 but being of an easie Temper and somewhat Supine in the Management of his Affairs which after many Troubles that thereupon arose through the Male Administration of the Government by such as he placed under him in Trust and Great Offices gave Alured a Duke and high in Favour with him an opportunity to Conspire against him and Murther him in his Pallace in the Sixth Year of his Reign Alured having Trecherously Slain Edilwald compelled some through fear and won others by large Gifts to Proclaim him King Anno Dom. 765. But using much Cruelty and giving himself up to Riot and Luxury his Subjects grew weary of his Government and by General Consent Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned Nine Years Ethelred upon the Expulsion of Alured was admitted to the Throne Anno Dom. 774. But his Government being distasted by the Nobles because he advanced mean Persons to great Dignities and made them his Favourites two of them Viz. Edibald and Herbert made a Faction and Banished him the Kingdom in the Fifth Year of his Reign but he was afterwards Re-called upon promise of Amendment yet not keeping of his Word in many nice particulars his Subjects rose up in
Casholton Kingston upon Thames Wandsworth and other places but the River Thames which is a great part in this County is the most Remarkable and the little River Mole that runs a great way under Ground and rises again It sends Members to Parliament 14 viz. The Borough of Southwark 2 Rygate 2 Blechenley 2 Gatton 2 Guilford 2 Haslemore 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire SURREY By J. Seller The Seats of Pleasure are Richmond belonging to the Royal Family Albury and Waybridge to the Duke of Norfolk Nonsuch to the Duke of Southampton Rowhampton to the Duke of Devon Byflet to the Duke of St. Albans Flanchford to the Earl of Plymouth Rygate Place to the Lord Mordant Towting Graveny to the Lord North and Grey and the Bishop of Winchesters Place in Southwark called Winchester-House The Reign of HENRY the Fifth commonly called Henry of Monmouth THis Henry the greater part of his Fathers Reign was much lead away by evil Company and was not free from committing in his Frolicks Robberies on the Highway especially on his own Receivers and one of his Gang being taken and about to be Sentenced in the Court of Kings Bench he rushed in and laboured to pull off his Irons in order to set him at Liberty but the Lord Chief Justice commanded him to desist whereupon in a rage he went up to the Bench and Struck him on the Face for which after he had given him some mild Reproofs as that the Bench he sat on was the Kings and that himself in that place represented his Person and what Injury was done to him was done to the King and if he shewed such evil Examples none would Obey him when he came to Reign he sent him to the Kings Bench Prison till the Kings pleasure should be known in the matter The King no sooner heard of it but he commended the Judge for his Courage and Impartiality wishing all his Ministers were like him and though the Prince was Enlarged yet for this he was put from his Presidentship in the Council and his Younger Brother Thomas Duke of Clarence placed therein to his great Grief These and other Irregular Passages of his past Years when he was Crowned by Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury at Westminster he wisely considered and to repair what had been amiss strictly forbid the Leud Companions of his Youth to enter his Court or any where come near his Person till he had some cause to believe they had reformed and mended their Manners yet ordered some of them who had run out their Estates in pursuing his wild Extravagancies small Pensions to Subsist on till they could better provide for themselves Electing none for his Councel nor into Places of Justice or publick Government but such as were of known Integrity Wise Sober and not to be Biased through fear or favour greatly labouring to Reform the Abuses of the Clergy and for the better security of the Marches he caused the Castles and Towns thereabouts to be Repaired and Strongly Garisoned by which means he Awed the Scots and Welsh and kept his People free from their former fears and apprehensions of danger And the better to shew he had no hand in nor was consenting to the Death of King Richard he caused his Body to be brought from Langley to Westminster in much Funeral Pomp and to be Interred by Queen Ann his beloved Wife In the Second Year of his Reign he Assembled a Parliament at Leicester wherein he was Importunately Addressed to supress Religious Houses where they were ill mannaged and in stead of promoting Godly Lives had been made the Nurseries of Gluttony Idleness Pride and all Uncleanness considering they would yield into his Coffers an Annual Rent of 20000 l which might be better Employed for the Support of the Crown and Honour and Safety of the Kingdom in maintaining 15 Earls 1500 Knights and more than 6000 Men at Arms besides a great Number of Almes Houses for the support and relief of the Poor This much startled the Abbots Priors Fryers Monks Nuns c. as fearing to be Vn-Hived and forced to Labour for their Livings which they were little able to do considering they had so long been inured to a habit of Idleness and therefore to turn the Stream another way at their instant Entreaties Henry Chichesly who Succeeded Thomas Arundel in the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury took an opportunity in a very Learned Oration to make the King sensible of his Right to the Crown of France inciting him to Claim it as his proper Inheritance and in the Clergies behalf for the carrying on the Wars he offered a large Sum of Money whereupon the other business was laid aside and nothing now considerably debated or spoken of but how the King might Recover France The People every where shewing a willingness to Embark in the Undertaking And a Noble Embassy was sent to King Charles the Sixth peremptorily to demand the peaceable delivery of the Kingdom together with the Dutchies of Aquitain Normandy Anjou and whatever had formerly appertained to the Crown of England and if the French King without Effusion of Blood would yield to his demands he would take the Lady Catherine the Kings Daughter to Wife and Endow her with all the Dutchies and Provinces and be tractable in every thing tending to the French King's Honour and Estate but upon the Refusal he would attempt the gaining it by the Sword and bring on that Kingdom all the Miseries that are inseparable attendants on a cruel War The unexpected strangeness of this Message so amazed the French King and his Nobles that they could make no ready Answer but promised to send Ambassadors to King Henry who should endeavour to Adjust this weighty Affair yet the Dauphin of France had no sooner notice of the King's Demands but despising his Youth and holding him unfit to attempt a matter of so high a consequence in a scoffing manner sent him a Tun of Racket-Balls to sport with in his Tennis-Court This so Angered him that He Vowed by Gods assistance ere many Months were over he would toss so many Iron Balls within the Kingdom of France that their strongest Rackets should be too weak to turn them And hereupon he Levied a puissant Army so that the Dauphin seeing him in earnest began to repent of his Rashness and governing Affairs under his Father whose Imbecility rendered him not very capable of it he sent Ambassadors to Inform King Henry That if he would desist from his Purpose and Live in Amity with that Nation and take the Lady Catharine his Sister to Wife he should then receive with her a large Sum of Money with some small Territories and Possessions in that Kingdom To this King Henry Replied That unsess with the Lady he might have the Dutchies of Normandy Anjou Aquitain and all the other Signories to him and to his Crown justly appertaining he would not wave his Title to the Crown of France but attempt by all Hostile means to win it
little settled Ferdinand the King's Father-in-Law craved Aid of him against the Moors who infested his Kingdom which he obtained and drove them by that means out of Spain but the War ceasing he sent home the English poor and ill rewarded for their Service which much offended the King and Wars arrising between Pope Julius the Second and Lewis the French King in Italy where the latter seized on the strong Towns of Bologna and La Gasse and became very Formidable King Henry became a friendly Mediator between them But the French King refusing to yeild to Proposals of Peace pursuing his Conquests he required him by his Ambassadors to restore him the Peaceable possession of Guyan and Normandy with his Antient Inheritance of Mayne and Anjou unjustly detained from his Ancestors and himself which being refused he Proclaimed War and for this and Writing a Book in defence of the Roman Pontificate against Martin Luther the Pope on whose account this Quarrel was espoused stiled him Defender of the Faith which Title has ever since been retained by the Kings and Queens of England The King was not slow in raising an Army and King Ferdinand of Spain having notice of his preparations sent to offer his Service if he would Land his Forces in Biscay a part of his Country and from thence March into Guyan which was agreed to and done under the Leading of Thomas Crey Marquess of Dorset But the crafty Spaniard intending nothing but his own advantage by this after the English had suffered many hardships in his Country he joyned them and fell unexpectedly on the Kingdom of Navarre which he seized in a short time the Natives being so amazed at the suddainness of the Invasion that they made little or no resistance But after this success he afforded them no subsistance or any part of the spoil which made the Soldiers Disband of their own accord and come straglingly into England Poor and almost Naked But Sir Edward Howard Youngest Son to the Earl of Surry being Lord Admiral of England many times Landed in the French Territories and greatly endamaged them and at Sea overthrew their Navy in which Fight Sir John Carew of Devonshire in the Regent grapling with a great Carrick of Brest both Ships in the contest fell on Fire and in them on both sides about 800 Men perished This distress on his Coast made the French King augment his Fleet and Fortify his Harbours However the Admiral entered that of Brest with Boats and armed Barges and assailed three great Galleys of Rhodes brought to the assistance of the French King by Prior John these they soon Boarded but the Boats and Barges then returning and leaving them well Manned to be brought off at high Tide by this oversight the French regained them and in the contest the Admiral was born overboard by a Pike and Drowned But in few days his Elder Brother was made Admiral and two Land Armies prepared one under the Leading of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and the other by Charles Somerset Lord Herbert Chamberlain to the King These had not long been Landed but the King leaving the publick mannagement of Affaires to the Queen and directing the Earl of Surry to Guard the North against the Scots Incursion he Sailed to Callice and caused his Army to March to Terwyn which he Besieged and upon the overthrow of the French Army that came to its Relief had it put into his possession which he rased and consumed by Fire except the Cathedral and Bishops Palace During this Siege Maximilian the Emperour with 30 Nobles and Gentlemen repared to King Henry's Camp where to the Honour of England they Enrolled themselves in the King's Pay and were Nobly entertained The next Place that opposed him in his intended Conquest was Tournay which despairing of succour after many fierce Assaults yielded and on condition of their paying 10000 l. the Citizens were received into Henry's Protection and Wolsey his Almoner took an Oath of Allegiance of them to be True to him as his own Subjects However in his Absence the Scots Invaded England with 8000 Men under the Command of the Lord Humes and did great mischief but as they were returning with their Plunder Sir William Bulmer who lay in wait with 1000 Archers put them to the Rout in a sharp Fight slew 500 and took 400 Prisoners and recovered all the Booty so that those who had the luck to Escape returned Poor and Beggarly into Scotland But King James the Fourth to revenge this disgrace raised the Power of his Kingdom and come before the Castle of Norham some Historians say with 100000 Fighting Men which he Took by reason the Captain being prodigal of his Powder too soon spent it But the Earl of Surry Marching against the Scots with 26000 Fighting Men Anno 1513 the fatal Battel of Floden Field was Fought September 9 in which the Victory fell to the English the Scots King 2 Bishops 12 Earls 14 Lords and 12000 others of lesser note being slain For this good Service the Earl of Surry was Created Duke of Norfolk Charles Brandon Viscount Lysle Duke of Suffolk and Woolsey was made Bishop of Lincoln and after some Bickerings with the French on the Coast of Normandy King Lewis stricken much in Years sued for Peace and the better to confirm it Married the Lady Mary Second Sister to King Henry a Young and very Beautiful Lady at whose Wedding and Coronation many brave feats of Chivalry were performed by the English Nobility and Gentry who waited on her But Lewis the 12th Dying three Months after this Marriage she returned again for England and with the King 's private consent was Married to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had a long time been her Lover Woolsey who was a Butchers Son at Ipswich now began to rise a pace for Doctor Bambridge dying he was made Arch-Bishop and after by the Pope Cardinal of York which puffed him up with so much Pride that he undertook to Rule the King and Kingdom doing for a time without controul what he listed placing and displacing Officers and meddling in all Affairs where there was Advantage or Homage to be gained Especially when made Lord Chancelour and Counsellour of State demanding Accounts of the Treasurers Captains and other Officers that had been in the Wars by which he got much Money out of some that were Rich and those that could not furnish him he Punished and Imprisoned Erecting Courts of his own head and by subtilty got himself to be made the Popes Legat and to Build two Colledges by the Popes permission suppressed and seized on the Lands Effects of many Religious Houses which gave an inlet to King Henry's suppressing the rest some time after who concluded if it were not Sacriledge in the Pope but he could alow of it at pleasure it would be none in him However this Cardinal was sent on several Honourable Embassies wherein he behaved himself so Proudly Naming the King but in the Second
into three Ranks 1. Poor by Impotency 2. The Poor by Casualty 3. The Thriftless Poor And soon after this the King fell Sick of a Languishing Disease which began with a Hectick Feaver and by degrees inclined to a Consumption When Northumberland who had gotten the power into his hands was Plotting how if the King Dyed he might get the Crown into his Family and at last concluded to lay his Project with the Duke of Suffolk which was That his Youngest Son Dudley Lord Gilford should Marry the Duke of Suffolk's Eldest Daughter the Lady Jane who was of the Blood Royal and that they would prevail with the King to Disinherit his two Sisters and by his Will appoint her Queen if the Dutchess of Suffolk would be so contented whose Right was before her Daughter And indeed this Northumberland prevailed with the Languishing King to do under a specious pretence of securing the Reformed Religion on which to serve his ends he laid a mighty stress tho' himself was not much concern'd for any as will appear in the next Reign Upon this account divers Marriages were contracted and the Nuptials celebrated viz. The Pious and Virtuous Lady Jane Eldest Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk in a fatal hour was Married to the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son to the Earl of Northumberland for all his other Sons were Matched before Catharine another Daughter of the Earl of Suffolk's was Married to the Earl of Pembrooks eldest Son and Mary a third Daughter some what deformed to Caies the Kings Master Porter and the Duke of Northumberland gave Catharine his youngest Daughter to the Lord Hastings Son to the Earl of Huntington Whilst these things were doing the Kings Sickness much encreased for Northumberland had displaced his Physitians and put him into the hands of a Woman to cure who it is thought hastened him to his Grave for no sooner had they procured him by his Will which was read in the hearing of the Counselors Judges c. And confirmed by their Assents to Disinherit Mary and Elizabeth his Sisters whose Interest as Northumberland said was so closely Joyned that if the Crown fell to either of them it must first come to the Lady Mary who was a professed Papist and not by any entreaties to be brought over to the Reformed Religion and by his said Will to appoint the Lady Jane his Successor but plain Symptoms of Death appeared And not above Three Hours before he Dyed thinking no body had been near he thus Piously Prayed Lord God deliver me out of this Miserable and Wretched Life Take me amongst thy Chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I Commit my Spirit to Thee O Lord thou knowest how Happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosens sake if it be thy will send me Life and Health that I may truly Serve thee O my Lord Bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy Chosen People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Popery and maintain thy True Religion that I and my People may Praise thy Holy Name Amen About three hours afterward he said I faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit and so yielded up the Ghost The Conjectures how this Sickness came upon the King were various among the People some that it was caused by his smelling to an Impoisoned Nosegay presented him for a New-Years-Gift others That Northumberland's Woman purposely destroyed him and such indeed was then that Dukes power that though the King's Physitians shook their Heads as much grieved yet they durst not utter their Minds He was a Prince exceeding Pious and Learned to a Miracle considering his Years in Latin Greek French Italian Spanish Musick Logick c. He Dyed the 6th of July Anno Dom. 1553 in the 7th Year of his Reign and the 16th of his Age having Reigned 6 Years 5 Months and 8 Days and was Buried without any great Solemnity at Westminster In this Kings Reign one George Paris a German was Burnt in Smithfield for Arianisme in denying the Divinity of our Saviour Three Whales and divers Dolphins were taken in the Thames and on the Coast A Woman at Middleton near Oxford brought forth a Monstrous Child with two Heads and two Bodies joyned together of the Female Sex and all other Members proportionable the Bodies being as it were Head and Tail one Head at one end and the other at t'other it Lived 14 Days and was killed at last by Cold in being too often exposed naked to satisfy Peoples curiosity A great blow of Gunpowder was given in a House near the Tower which killed Fifteen Gunpowder-Makers shattered divers Houses and wounded many Persons in them Remarks on the Principallity of Wales THE Principallity of Wales does strictly contain but Twelve Counties and is commonly Divided into North-Wales and South-Wales North-Wales Contains Flimshire Merionethshire Anglesey Montgomeryshire Carnarvanshire Denbeighshire South-Wales Contains Cardiganshire Glamorganshire Pembrookshire Brecknockshire Caermarthenshire Radnorshire Of each of which I shall give you a brief Account Alphabetically 1. ANGLESETY Island called Mam Cimbiae or The Mother of Wales for its Fertility Rich Pastures breeding store of Cattle c. It is divided from Carnarvanshire by the Water or River Mennay the rest incompassed with the Irish Sea It contains 6 Hundreds 74 Parishes 2 Market Towns 4 Rivers 8 Bridges and 2 Chases It sends Members to Parliament 2 viz. Beaumaris 1 and a Knight of the Shire This Town was Built by King Edward the First and stands advantageous for a Passage to Ireland Newborough is a place of Antiquity and once a Court of the British Princes The chief Rivers are Llinnon Guynt Keveny Alow and Brant THE PRINCIPALITY OF WALES By John Seller 3. CARDIGANSHIRE lies on its West part commodious to the Irish Sea and the rest Bounded by Caermardenshire Pembrookshire Brecknockshire Radnorshire Montgomery and Monmouthshire It is very Hilly tho' well Watered with Rivers and has in divers places large Mears and Pools It containes 5 Hundreds 64 Parishes 4 Market Towns and has a Bishop belonging to it It s principal River is Tivy which Waters its South Borders and branches into the County and in it are 13 Bridges and 1 Park It sends Members to Parliament 2 viz. Cardegan 1 and 1 Knight of the Shire Cardigan the Shire Town was Walled about and Fortified with a Castle by Gilbert D' Clare who was Lord of the whole County by the Gift of King Henry the First 4. CARNARVANSHIRE has in it divers Meers and Pools some branching Rivers and a sprinkling of Hills It affords some Corn store of Pasture and a considerable quantity of Cattle It is Bounded on the West by the Irish Sea and the Isle of Anglesey and the South has the Sea flowing to it as likewise the North so that what remaines to the Land-ward is Bounded by Denbighshire and Merionethshire It contains 7 Hundreds 68 Parishes 6 Market Towns 17 Rivers