and Caer Vember in the British language and that I wote not what Vortigerns and Memprices built it But what ever it was in the Britans time the English Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and altogether in the same signification that the Grecians terme their Bosphori and the Germans their Ochen-furt upon Odera to wit of the fourd of Oxen in which sense it is named of our Britans in Wales at this day Rhyd-ychen And yet Leland grounding upon a probable conjecture deriveth the name from the River Ouse called in Latine Isis and supposeth that it hath beene named Ousford considering that the River Eights or Islands which Isis scattereth hereabout bee called Ousney Sage antiquity as wee read in our Chronicles consecrated this Citty even in the British age unto the Muses whom from Greeke-lad which is a small Towne at this day in Wilt-shire they translated hither as unto a more fruitefull Plant-plot For thus writeth Alexander Necham The skill of Civill Law Italy challengeth to it selfe but for Heavenly Writ or Holy Scripture the liberall Sciences also do prove that the Citty of Paris is to bee preferred before all others Moreover according to the Prophesie of Merline Wisedome and Learning flourished at Oxford which in due time was to passe over into the parts of Ireland But when during the English Saxons age next ensuing there was nothing but continuall wasting and rasing of Townes and Citties according to the sway and current of those dayes it sustained in part the common calamity of that time and for a great while was frequented onely for the reliques of Frideswide who for the chastity and integrity of her life was canonized a Saint upon this occasion especially for that by a solemne vow shee had wholly devoted her selfe unto the Service of GOD and Prince Algar whiles he came a wooing unto her was miraculously as writers say stricken blinde This Frideswide as wee reade in William of Malmesbury triumphing for her virginity erected here a Monastery into which when certaine Danes adjudged to die in King Etheldreds time fled for refuge as to a Sanctuary they were all burned with the buildings such was the unsatiable anger of the Englishmen against them But soone after when the King repented this Act the Sanctuary was cleansed the Monastery reedified the old Lands restored new Possessions added and at length the place was given by Roger Bishop of Salisbury unto a Chanon excellently well learned who there presented unto GOD many such Chanons who should live regularly in their Order But leaving these matters let us returne unto the University When the tempestuous Danish stormes were meetely well blowne ouer Aelfred that most devout and Godly King recalled the long banished Muses unto their owne Sacred Chancells and built three Colledges one for Grammarians a second for Philosophers and a third for Divines But this you may more plainely understand out of these words in old Annales of the new Abbey of Winchester In the yeare of Christs Incarnation * 806. and in the second yeare of Saint Grimbald his comming into England was the Vniversity of OXFORD begunne The first Regents in the same and Readers in the Divinity Schoole were Saint Neoth an Abbat and besides a worthy Teacher in Divinity and holy Grimbald a right excellent Professour of the most sweete written Word of Holy Scripture But in Grammar and Rhetoricke the Regent was Asserius a Monke in the skill of Literature passing well learned In Logicke Musicke and Arithmeticke the Reader was John a Monke of the Church of Saint Davids In Geometry and Astronomy reade John a Monke also and Companion of Saint Grimbald a Man of a passing quicke witte and right learned every way At which Lectures was present that most glorious and invincible King Aelfred whose memoriall in every Mans mouth shall bee as sweete as honie But presently after as wee reade in a very good manuscript coppy of the sayd Asserius who at the same time professed learning here There arose a most dangerous and pernicious dissention at Oxford betweene Grimbald and these great Clerkes whom hee brought thither with him on the one side and those old Schoole-men whom hee there found on the other side who upon his comming refused altogether to embrace the Rules Orders and Formes of reading prescribed and begunne by him For three yeares space the variance and discord betweene them was not great howbeit there lurked a secret hatred fostered and festered among them which brake out afterwards in most grievous and bitter manner and was most evident For the appeasing whereof that most Invincible King Aelfred being by a message and complaint from Grimbald certified of that discord went to OXFORD to determine and end this controversie Where also himselfe in Person tooke exceeding great paines in giving Audience to the quarrels and complaints of both sides Now the maine substance of all the contention stood upon this point Those old Schoole-men hotly avouched that before Grimbalds comming to OXFORD Learning generally flourished there although the Schollers and Students were fewer then in number than in former times by reason that the most of them through the cruelty and tyranny of Painims were expelled Moreover they proved and declared and that by the undoubted testimony of old Chronicles that the Orders and Ordinances of that place were made and established by certaine Godly and learned men as namely Gildas of holy memory Melkin Ninnius Kentigern and others who all of them studied and followed their books there untill they were aged persons managing and governing all things there in happy peace and concord also that S. German came to Oxford and abode there halfe a yeare what time as he travelled through Britan with a purpose to preach against the Pelagian heresies who wonderous well allowed of their former Orders and Ordinances This Noble King with incredible and unexampled humility heard both parts most diligently exhorting them in earnest wise enterlacing godly and wholsome admonitions to keepe mutuall society and concord one with another And so the King departed with this minde hoping they would all of both sides obey his counsell and embrace his orders But Grymbald taking this unkindely and to the heart forthwith went his wayes to Winchester Abbay newly founded by Aelfred Shortly after hee caused his owne Tombe to be translated to Winchester wherein he purposed after hee had runne his race in this life that his bones should bee bestowed in an arched Vault made under the Chancell of Saint Peters Church in Oxford Which Church verily the same Grymbald had built from the very foundation out of the ground with stone most curiously wrought and polished Within some years after this new revived felicity there ensued divers disturbances from the Danes and afterward followed one or two calamities For the Danes in the reigne of Etheldred by way of robbery and foule worke and havocke there and streight after Herald surnamed Light foote raged against it with such barbarous
ceciderunt lumina saevo Thousands of torments when he had endur'd for Christ his sake At length he dyed by dome thus given his head away to take The Tortor proudly did the feat but cleere he went not quite That holy Martyr lost his head this cruell wretch his sight In reproch of this Martyr and for the terrour of Christians as wee finde in an old Agon of his the Citizens of Verulam engraved his Martyrdome in a Marble stone and inserted the same in their walles But afterwards when the bloud of Martyrs had conquered Tyrants cruelty the Christians built a Church as Bede saith of wondrous workmanship in memoriall of him and Verulam carried with it so great an opinion of Religion that there in was holden a Synode or Councell in the yeere of the worlds Redemption 429. when as the Pelagian Heresie by meanes of Agricola sonne to the Bishop Severianus had budded forth a fresh into this Island and polluted the British Churches so as that to averre and maintaine the truth they sent for German Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troies out of France who by refuting this heresie gained unto themselves a reverend account among the Britans but chiefly German who hath thorowout this Island many Churches dedicated to his memory And nere unto the ruined wals of this rased city there remaineth yet a Chappell bearing S. Germans name still although it be put to a prophane use in which place he openly out of the Pulpit preached Gods word as the ancient records of S. Albans church do testifie Which German as Constantius flourishing in that time writeth in his life commanded the Sepulchre of Saint Albane to bee opened and therein bestowed certaine Reliques of Saints that whom one heaven had received should also in one Sepulchre bee together lodged Thus much I note by the way that yee may observe and consider the fashions of that age Not long after the English Saxons wonne it but Uther the Britan firnamed for his serpentine wisedome Pendragon by a sore siege and a long recovered it After whose death it fell againe into their hands For we may easily gather out of Gildas words that the Saxons in his daies were possessed of this City God saith hee hath lighted unto us the most cleere Lamps of holy Saints the Sepulchres of whose bodies and places of their Martyrdome at this day were they not taken away by the woefull disseverance which the barbarous enemy hath wrought amongst us for our many grievous sinnes might kindle no small heat of divine charity in the mindes of the beholders Saint Albane of Verulam I meane c. When Verulam by these warres was utterly decaied Offa the most mighty King of the Mercians built just over against it about the yeere of our Lord 795. in a place which they called Holmehurst a very goodly and large Monastery in memory of Saint Alban or as wee reade in the very Charter thereof Unto our Lord Iesus Christ and S. Alban Martyr whose Reliques Gods grace hath revealed in hope of present prosperity and future happinesse and forthwith with the Monastery there rose a Towne which of him they call Saint Albans This King Offa and the succeeding Kings of England assigned unto it very faire and large possessions and obtained for it at the hands of the Bishops of Rome as ample priviledges which I will relate out of our Florilegus that yee may see the profuse liberality of Princes toward the Church Thus therefore writeth he Offa the most puissant King gave unto Saint Alban the Protomartyr that Towne of his ancient Demesne which standeth almost twenty miles from Verulam and is named Uneslaw with as much round about as the Kings written Deedes at this day doe witnesse that are to bee seene in the foresaid Monastery which Monastery is priviledged with so great liberty that it alone is quite from paying that Apostolicall custome and rent which is called Rom-scot whereas neither King nor Archbishop Bishop Abbat Prior nor any one in the Kingdome is freed from the payment thereof The Abbat also or monke appointed Archdeacon under him hath pontificall Jurisdiction over the Priests and Lay-men of all the possessions belonging to this Church so as he yeeldeth subjection to no Archbishop Bishop or Legate save only to the Pope of Rome This likewise is to be knowne that Offa the Magnificent King granted out of his Kingdome a set rent or imposition called Rom-scot to Saint Peters Vicar the Bishop of Rome and himselfe obtained of the said Bishop of Rome that the Church of Saint Alban the Protomartyr of the English nation might faithfully collect and being so collected reserve to their proper use the same Rom-scot throughout all the Province of Hertford in which the said Church standeth Whence it is that as the Church it selfe hath from the King all royall priviledges so the Abbot of that place for the time being hath all Pontificall ornaments Pope Hadrian also the fourth who was borne hard by Verulam granted this indulgence unto the Abbats of this Monasterie I speake the very words out of the Priviledge that as Saint Alban is distinctly knowne to be the Protomartyr of the English nation so the Abbat of this Monastery should at all times among other Abbats of England in degree of dignitie be reputed first and principall Neither left the Abbats ought undone that might serve either for use or ornament who filled up with earth a mighty large poole under Verulam which I spake of The name whereof yet remaineth still heere in a certaine street of the towne named Fish-poole-streete Neere unto which streete because certaine ankers were in our remembrance digged up divers have verily thought induced thereunto by a corrupt place in Gildas that the river Tamis sometimes had his course and chanell this way But of this Meere or Fish-poole have heere what an old Historian hath written Abbot Alfrike for a great peece of money purchased a large and deepe pond an evill neighbour and hurtfull to Saint Albans Church which was called Fish-poole appertaining to the Kings And the Kings officers and fishers molested the Abbay and burdened the Monkes thereby Out of which poole he the said Abbot in the end drained and derived the water and made it dry ground If I were disposed upon the report of the common people to reckon up what great store of Romane peeces of coine how many cast images of gold and silver how many vessels what a sort of modules or Chapiters of pillars and how many wonderfull things of antique worke have been digged up my words would not carry credit The thing is so incredible Yet take with you some few particulars thereof upon the credite of an ancient Historiographer Ealred the Abbot in the reigne of King Eadgar having searched for the ancient vaults under ground at Verulam overthrew all About the yeere of Christ 960. and stopped up all the waies with passages under ground which were strongly and
Picot Sheriffe of this Shire and of the Peverels from whom by one of the daughters this and other Possessions came unto Sir Gilbert Pech the last of whose house after he had otherwise advanced his children by his second wife ordained King Edward the First to be his Heire For in those dayes the Noble men of England brought into use againe the custome of the Romanes under their Emperours which was to nominate them their heires if they were in any disfavour with their Soveraignes But in the Barons warre in King Henrie the Third his dayes this Castle was burnt downe being set on fire by Ribald L' Isle At which time Walter de Cottenham a respective person was hanged for Rebellion By what name writers termed this River it is a question some call it Granta others Camus And unto these I rather incline both for that the course thereof is somewhat crooked for so much doth Cam in the British tongue signifie whence a certaine crooked river in Cornwall is named Camel and also because that ancient towne CAMBORITUM which Antonine the Emperour mentioneth in his third journey of Britaine stood upon this river as I am well neere induced to beleeve by the distance by the name and also by the peeces of Romane mony found here nigh unto the bridge in great store For CAMBORITUM signifieth A Fourd at Camus or a Fourd with crooked windings For Rith in our British or Welsh tongue betokeneth A Fourd which I note to this end that the Frenchmen may more easily perceive and see what is the meaning of Augustoritum Darioritum Rithomagus and other such like in France Howbeit the Saxons chuse rather to call our Camboritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which name it keepeth still but whence it was derived I cannot yet see If I should fetch it from Gron a Saxon word that signifieth a Fenny place I might perhaps goe wide And yet Asserius termed once or twice certaine fennish and marish grounds in Somersetshire by a mungrell name halfe Saxon and halfe Latine Gronnas paludosissimas and very well knowne it is that a City in West Frisland which is situate in such a ground is named Groningen But let other hunt after the derivation of this name About the yeere of Christ 700. this was a little desolate Citty as saith Bede whiles hee reporteth that neere unto the walles there was found a little trough or coffin very cunningly and finely wrought of Marble and covered most fitly with a lidde of the like stone But now a small Village it is one part whereof Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne gave unto his base sonne Henry with this condition that his sonnes and their posterity which a good while since be cleane worne out should have no other Christian name but Henry the other part Henry the Sixth King of England comming out of the house of Lancaster into whose hands the Patrimony of Earle Lacie fell graunted unto the Kings Colledge in Cambridge which was either a part or else a plant of that ancient Camboritum so neere it commeth unto it both in situation and name Neither can I easily beleeve that Grant was turned into Cam for this might seeme a deflexion some what too hardly streined wherein all the letters but one are quite swallowed up I would rather thinke that the common people reteined the terme of the ancient name of Camboritum or of the river Cam although writers used more often the Saxon name Grantbridge This Citty which being the other University of England the other eye the other strong-stay as it were thereof and a most famous Mart and store-house of good Literature and Godlines standeth upon the river Cam which after it hath in sporting wise besprinkled the West side thereof with many Islets turning into the East divideth it into two parts and hath a Bridge over it whence arose this latter name Cambridge Beyond the bridge is seene a large and ancient Castle which seemeth now to have lived out his full time nigh Maudlen Colledge On this side the Bridge where standeth the greatest part by farre of the City you have a pleasant sight every where to the eye what of fair streets orderly raunged what of a number of Churches and of sixteene Colledges sacred mansions of the Muses wherein a number of great learned men are maintained and wherein the knowledge of the best Arts and the skill in tongues so flourish that they may be rightly counted the fountaines of Literature Religion and all Knowledge whatsoever who right sweetly bedew and sprinkle with most holesom waters the gardens of the Church and Common-wealth through England Neither is there wanting any thing here that a man may require in a most flourishing Vniversity were it not that the ayre is somewhat unhealthfull arising as it doth out of a fenny ground hard by And yet peradventure they that first founded an University in that place allowed of Platoes judgement For he being of a very excellent and strong constitution of body chose out the Academia an unwholsome place of Attica for to study in that so the superfluous ranknesse of body which might overlay the minde might be kept under by the distemperature of the place Neverthelesse for all this our forefathers men of singular wisedome dedicated this place and not without divine direction unto learned Studies and beautified it with notable workes and buildings And least we should seeme in the worst-kinde unthankefull to those singular Patrons of learning or rather that I may use the words of Eumenius toward the Parents of our Children let us summarily rehearse both themselves and the Colledges also which they founded and consecrated to good Literature to their honourable memory and that out of the Cambridge Story The report goeth that Cantaber a Spaniard 375. yeeres before the Nativity of Christ first began and founded this University Also that Sebert King of the East-Angles restored it againe in the yeere after Christs birth 630. Afterwards being other whiles overthrowne and destroyed with the Danish stormes it lay a long time forlorne and of no account untill all began to revive under the Normans governement And not long after Innes Hostels and Halles were built for Scholers howbeit endowed with no possessions But Hugh Balsham Bishop of Ely in the yeere 1284. built the first Colledge called Peter-house and endowed it with Lands whose example these ensuing did imitate and follow Richard Badew with the good helpe and furtherance of Lady Elizabeth Clare Countesse of Vlster in the yeere 1340. founded Clare Hall Lady Mary S. Paul Countesse of Pembroch in the yeere 1347. Pembroch Hall The Guild or Society of Corpus Christi Brethren Corpus Christi Colledge which is called also S. Bennet Colledge William Bateman Bishop of Norwich about the yeere 1353. Trinity Hall Edmund Gonevil in the yeere 1348. and Iohn Caius Doctor of Physicke in our time Gonevil and Caius Colledge Henry the Sixth King
last Baron of this race made it over as I have said already to Isabell Queene of England wife to King Edward the Second Howbeit the possession of the Castle was transferred afterward to the Stanleys now Earles of Darby Through the South part of this Shire lying beneath these places above named wandereth Aleâ— a little River neere unto which in an hill hard by Kilken a small village there is a Well The water whereof at certaine set times riseth and falleth after the manner of the Sea-tides Upon this Alen standeth Hope Castle in Welsh Caer-Gurle in which King Edward the First retired himselfe when the Welshmen had upon the sudden set upon his souldiers being out of array and where good milstones are wrought out of the rocke also Mold in Welsh Guid Cruc a Castle belonging in ancient time to the Barons of Monthault both which places shew many tokens of Antiquity Neere unto Hope a certaine Gardiner when I was first writing this worke digging somewhat deepe into the ground happened upon a very ancient peece of worke concerning which there grew many divers opinions of sundry men But hee that will with any diligence reade M. Vitruvius Pollio shall very well perceive it was nothing else but a Stouph or hote house begunne by the Romanes who as their riotous excesse grew together with their wealth used Bathes exceeding much In length it was five elns in breadth foure and about halfe an eln deepe enclosed with Walles of hard stone the paving layed with bricke pargetted with lime morter the arched roofe over it supported with small pillars made of bricke which roofe was of tiles pargetted over likewise very smoothe having holes heere and there through it wherein were placed certaine earthen pipes of Potters worke by which the heate was conveyed and so as hee saith Volvebant hypocausta vaporem that is the Stuples did send away a waulming hote vapour And who would not thinke this was one of these kindes of worke which Giraldus wondered at especially in Isca writing thus as he did of the Romanes workes That saith hee which a man would judge among other things notable there may you see on every side Stouphs made with marveilous great skill breathing out heate closely at certaine holes in the sides and narrow tunnels Whose worke this was the tiles there did declare being imprinted with these words LEGIO XX. that is The twentieth Legion which as I have shewed already before abode at Chester scarce sixe miles a side from hence Neere unto this River Alen in a certaine streight set about with woods standeth Coles-hull Giraldus tearmeth it Carbonarium collem that is Coles Hill where when King Henry the Second had made preparation with as great care as ever any did to give Battaile unto the Welsh the English by reason of their disordered multitude drawing out their Battalions in their rankes and not ranged close in good array lost the Field and were defeited yea and the very Kings standerd was forsaken by Henry of Essex who in right of inheritance was Standerd-bearer to the Kings of England For which cause he being afterwards charged with treason and by his challenger overcome in combate had his goods confiscate and seized into the Kings hands and he displeased with himselfe for his cowardise put on a coule and became a Monke Another little parcell there is of this Shire on this side the River Dee dismembred as it were from this which the English call English Mailor Of this I treated in the County of Chester whiles I spake of Bangor and there is no reason to iterate the same heere which hath beene already spoken of before Neither doth it afford any thing in it worth the reporting unlesse it be Han-meere by ae Meres side whereof a right ancient and worshipfull Family there dwelling tooke their sirname The Earles of Chester as they skirmished by occasions and advantage of opportunity with the Welsh were the first Normans that brought this Country under their subjection whereupon wee reade in ancient Records The County of Flint appertaineth to the Dignity of the sword of Chester and the eldest sonnes of the K.K. of England were in old time stiled by the Title of Earles of Chester and of Flint But notwithstanding King Edward the First supposing it would bee very commodious both for the maintenance of his owne power and also to keepe under the Welsh held in his owne hands both this and all the sea Coast of Wales As for the in-land Countries he gave them to his Nobles as he thought good following herein the policie of the Emperour Augustus who undertooke himselfe to governe the Provinces that were strongest and lay outmost but permitted Proconsuls by lot to rule the rest Which he did in shew to defend the Empire but in very deed to have all the armes and martiall men under his owne command In this County of Flint there be Parishes in all 28. PRINCES OF WALES AS concerning the Princes of Wales of British bloud in ancient times you may reade in the Historie of Wales published in print For my part I thinke it requisite and pertinent to my intended purpose to set downe summarily those of latter daies descended from the Roiall line of England King Edward the First unto whom his Father King Henry the Third had graunted the Principalitie of Wales when hee had obtained the Crowne and Lhewellin Ap. Gryffith the last Prince of the British race was slaine and thereby the sinnewes as it were of the Principalitie were cut in the twelfth yeere of his Reigne united the same unto the Kingdome of England And the whole Province sware fealty and allegeance unto Edward of Caernarvon his Sonne whom he made Prince of Wales But King Edward the Second conferred not upon his Sonne Edward the title of Prince of Wales but onely the name of Earle of Chester and of Flint so farre as I ever could learne out of the Records and by that title summoned him to Parliament being then nine yeeres old King Edward the Third first Created his eldest Sonne Edward surnamed the Blacke Prince the Mirour of Chivalry being then Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester Prince of Wales by solemne investure with a cap of estate and Coronet set on his head a gold ring put upon his finger and a silver vierge delivered into his hand with the assent of the Parliament who in the very floure of his martiall glory was taken away by untimely death too too soone to the universall griefe of all England Afterwards King Edward the Third invested with the said honour Richard of Burdeaux the said Princes Sonne as heire apparent to the Crowne who was deposed from his Kingdome by King Henry the Fourth and having no issue was cruelly dispatched by violent death The said King Henry the Fourth at the formall request of the Lords and Commons bestowed this Principalitie with the title of Chester and Flint with
Trojane King Priams sonne was the founder of the French Nation Hence they collect that when our country-men heard once how the French-men their neighbours drew their line from the Trojanes they thought it a foule dishonour that those should out-goe them in nobilitie of Stocke whom they matched every way in manhood and proesse Therfore that Geffrey Ap Arthur of Monmouth foure hundred yeares ago was the first as they thinke that to gratifie our Britans produced unto them this Brutus descended from the gods by birth also a Trojane to bee the author of the British Nation And before that time verily not one man as they say made any mention at all of the said Brutus They adde thus much moreover that about the same time the Scotish writers falsely devised Scota the Egyptian Pharaoes daughter to bee the Foundresse of their nation Then also it was that some misspending their wit and time yea and offring violent abuse unto the truth forged out of their owne braines for the Irish their Hiberus for the Danes their Danus for the Brabanders their Brabo for the Goths their Gothus and for the Saxons their Saxo as it were the Stock-fathers of the said nations But seeing that in this our age which hath escaped out of those darke mists of fatall ignorance the French have renounced their Francio as a counterfeit Progenitor Whereas the Frenchmen quoth Turnibus a right learned man stand highly upon their descent from the Trojanes they doe it in emulation of the Romans whom they seeing to beare themselves proud of that Pedigree and noble stocke would needs take unto themselves also the like reputation And for that the Scots such as be of the wiser sort have cast off their Scota and truth it selfe hath chased away Hiberus Danus Brabo and the rest of these counterfeit Demi-gods and Worthies of the same stampe Why the Britans should so much sticke unto their Brutus as the name-giver of their Island and to the Trojane originall they greatly wonder as who would say before the destruction of Troy which happened in the thousand yeare or there about after Noahs floud there had beene no Britaines heere and as if there had not lived many valorous men before Agamemnon Furthermore they avouch that very many out of the grave Senate of great Clerks by name Boccace Vives Hadr. Jâ—nius Polydore Buchanan Vigneier Genebrard Molinaeus Bodine and other men of deepe judgement agree joyntly in one verdict and denie that ever there was any such in the world as this Brutus also that learned men of our owne country as many acknowledge him not but reject him as a meere counterfet Among whom they produce first John of Weathamsted Abbat of S. Albanes a most judicious man who in his Granarie wrote of this point long since in this manner According to other histories which in the judgment of some are of more credit the whole Discourse of this Brutus is rather Poeticall than historicall and for divers reasons built upon opinion more than truth indeede First because their is no where mention made in the Roman stories either of killing the father or of the said birth or yet of putting away the sonne Secondly for that after sundry authors Ascanius begat no such sonne who had for his proper name Sylvius for according unto them he begat but one onely sonne and that was Iulus from whom the house of Iulii afterwards tooke their beginning c. And thirdly Sylvius Posthumus whom perhaps Geffrey meaneth was the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Lavinia and hee begetting his sonne Aeneas in the eight and thirtieeh yeare of his reigne ended the course of his life by naturall death The Kingdome therefore now called England was not heeretofore as many will have it named Britaine of Brutus the sonne of Sylvius Wherefore it is in their opinion a vaine peice of worke and ridiculous enough to challenge noble bloud and yet to want a probable ground of their challenge For it is not manhood only that ennobleth a nation the mind it is also with perfect understanding and nothing else that gaineth gentilitie to a man And therefore Seneca writeth thus in his Epistles out of Plato That there is no King but hee came from slaves and no slave but hee descended of Kings Wherefore to conclude let this suffice the Britaines from the beginning of their Nobilitie that they bee couragious and valiant in fight that they subdue their enemies on every side and that they utterly refuse the yoke of servitude In a second rancke they place William of Newborough a writer of much greater authoritie who too too sharply charged Geffrey the Compiler of the British history for his untruth so soone as ever it came forth in these words A certaine writer quoth he in these our daies hath risen up who deviseth foolish fictions and tales of the Britaines and in a vaine humour of his owne extolleth them farre above the valorous Macedonians and Romans both he hath to name Geffrey and is surnamed Arthurius for that the tales of Arthur taken out of the Britaines old fables and augmented by inventions of his owne with a new colour of Latine speech laid over them hee hath invested into the goodly title of an Historie who also hath adventured farther and divulged under the name of authentike prophesies grounded upon an undoubted truth the deceitfull conjectures and foredeemings of one Merline whereunto hee added verily a great deale of his owne whiles hee did the same into Latine And a little after Moreover in his booke which he entituleth The Britans Historie how malapertly and shamelesly hee doth in manner nothing but lie there is no man that readeth the said booke can doubt unlesse hee have no knowledge at all of ancient histories For hee that hath not learned the truth of things indeede admitteth without discretion and judgement the vanitie of fables I forbeare to speake what great matter thaâ— fellow hath forged of the Britans acts before the Empire and comming in of Julius Caesar or else being by others invented hath put them downe as authentike In somuch as Giraldus Cambrensis who both lived and wrote at the same time made no doubt to terme it The fabulous story of Geffrey Others there bee who in this narration of Brutus laugh at the foolish Topographie set downe by this Geffrey as also how falsly hee hath produced Homer as a witnesse yea and they would perswade us that it is wholly patched up of untunable discords and jarring absurdities They note besides that his writings together with his Merlins prophesies are among other books prohibited forbidden by the church of Rome to be published Some againe doe observe thus much how these thaâ— most of all admire Brutus are very doubtfull and waver to and fro about their 〈◊〉 He say they that taketh upon him the name and person of Gildas and 〈…〉 briefe glosâ—es to Ninius deviseth first that this Brutus was a Consul of Rome then that hee was
warre At this time died Vespasian unto whom for these victories of the leaders and his owne vertue under Claudius Valerius Flaccus before his Poeme thus speaketh Tuque ô pelagi cui major aperti Fama Caledonius post quam tua carbasa vexit Oceanus Phrygios prius indignatus Iulos And thou for seas discovery whose fame did more appeare Since time thy ships with sailes full spred in Northerne Ocean were Which of the Trojan Julii erst did scorne the sailes to beare But when that Noble Titus THE LOVELY Deareling AND JOY OF THE WORLD succeeded his father Agricola when summer was once come assembling his armie together those souldiers of his who in marching behaved themselves in modest sort hee commended the loose and dissolute straglers he checked The places for pitching the campe hee designed himselfe the friths he sounded and the thickets he proved first in his owne person not suffering in the meane season any corner in the enemies country to be quiet but wasting and spoiling with sudden excursions and roads But when he had throughly terrified them then would he againe spare and forbeare alluring thereby their minds to friendship and peace Vpon which kind of proceeding many states that stood upon termes of equalitie before that day gave hostages and meekely submitted themselves receiving garrison and permitting to fortifie which he so wisely and with such great foresight and reason performed that nothing was ever attempted against them whereas before no new fortified place in all Britanny escaped unassailed The winter ensuing was spent in most profitable and politicke devises For whereas the Britaines were rude and dispersed and therefore prone upon every occasion to warre hee to induce them by pleasures unto quietnesse and rest exhorted them in private and helpt them in common to build temples houses and places of publique resort commending the forward and checking the slow imposing thereby a kind of necessitie upon them whiles each man contended to gaine honour and reputation thereby And now by this time the Noble mens sonnes he tooke and instructed in the liberall sciences preferring the wits of the Britaine 's before the students of France as being now curious to attaine the eloquence of the Roman language whereas they lately rejected their speech After that our attire grew to be in account and the Gowne much used among them Sâ— by little and little they fell to these provocations of vices to sumptuous galleries bathes yea and exquisite banquettings which things the ignorant termed civility being indeed a part of their bondage In the third yeare of his wars he discovered new countries wasting along till he came to the firth of Taus Which thing so terrified the enemies that although the armie was toiled out with cruell tempests yet durst they not assaile them and the Romans moreover had leasure space to fortifie there They which were skilfull that way observed that never any Captine did more advisedly chuse his places No Castle planted by Agricola ever was either forced by strength or upon conditions surrendred or as not defensible forsaken Many times they issued forth for against a long siege they were stored with a whole yeares provision So they wintered there without feare every garrison guarding it selfe and needing no helpe of their neighbours the enemies assaulting sometimes but in vaine without successe and driven thereupon to despaire For the losses of Summer they were commonly wont before to repaire with winter events but now summer and winter alike they went to the worse In all these actions Agricola never sought to draw unto himselfe the glory of any exploit done by another but were it Centurion or of other degree hee would faithfully witnesse the fact and yield him alwaies his due commendation By some hee is said to have beene somewhat bitter in checks and rebukes and indeed the man was as toward the good of a most sweet disposition so to the bad and lewd persons unpleasant and sower enough But this choler passed away with his words closenesse in him and silence you needed not to feare hee esteemed it more honest to offend then to hate The fourth summer was spent in perusing and ordering that which he had over-run And if the valiant minds of the armies and glory of the Roman name could have permitted or accepted it so they needed not to have sought other limit of Britaine For Glotta and Bodotria two armes of two contrary seas shooting a mightie way into the land are onely divided a sunder by a narrow partition of ground which passage was guarded and fortified then with garrison and castle so that the Romans were absolute Lords of all on this side having cast out the enemie as it were into another Island The fifth yeare of the warre Agricola first taking sea there went over and subdued with many and prosperous conflicts nations before that time unknowne and he furnished with forces that part of Britannie which lieth against Ireland more in hope than for feare For Ireland if it might have beene wonne lying between Britannie and Spaine and fitly also for the French sea would aptly have united to the great advantage of the one and the other these strongest members of the Empire together In bignesse it is inferiour to Britannie howbeit bigger than the Islands of our sea The soile and temperature of the aire the nature and fashions differ not much from the British The ports and places of accesse are better knowne by reason of more commerce and frequenting of merchants Agricola had received before a Prince of that country driven out by civill dissention whom under colour of courtesie and friendship he retained till occasion should serve I have heard him oftentimes say that with one Legion and some few Aides Ireland might bee wonne and possessed that it were also a strength for our British affaires If the Roman forces were planted each-where and libertie banisht as it were quite out of sight About this time died Titus who for these valiant Acts exploited by Agricola was the fifteenth â—ime named Imperator as Xiphilinus writeth and an ancient piece of coine witnesseth with him Then Agricola under Domitian in the summer which began the sixth yeare of his office because a generall rising in armes of all the farther Nations beyond Bodotria was feared passages were all beset with a power of the enemies manned a fleet to search the Creeks and Harboroughes of that ample region which lieth beyond it Which being by Agricola then first taken and emploied as a part of his strength followed after a long and made a goodly brave shew while at one time warre both by sea and land went forward And oft it so chanced that the horseman footman and sea-souldier met and made merrie in the same campe one with another extolling and magnifying each their owne prowesse and adventures making their vaunts comparisons souldier-like the one of the woods high mountaines the other of dangerous tempests and
they were seated in the nocke hole of the world after much satyricall sharpnesse came out with these round rhymes Non opus est ut opes numerem quibus est opulenta Et per quas inopes sustentat non ope lenta Piscibus stanno nusquam tam fertilis ora I need not here report the wealth wherewith enrich'd it is And whereby alwaies to sustaine poore folke it doth not misse No coast elsewhere for fish and tinne so plentious ywis And yet is Cornwall nothing happier in regard of the soile than it is for the people who as they were endued and adorned with all civilitie even in those ancient times For by reason of their acquaintance with merchants sailing thither for tin as Diodorus Siculus reporteth they were more courteous toward strangers so they are valiant hardie wel pitcht in stature brawny strong limmed such as for wrastling to speak nothing of that manly exercise fear of hurling the Ball which they use so farre excell that for slight and cleane strength together they justly win the prize and praise from other nations in that behalfe Moreover that Poet Michael when as in the excessive commendation of his country men hee had with gigging rimes resounded how Arthur in his battels gave them the honour to give the first charge he thus couragiously concludeth in rime Quid nos deterret si firmiter in pede stemus Fraus ninos superet nihil est quod non superemus What frighteth us if footing sure we have on steady ground Barre crafty sleights there is no force but we can it confound And hereof peradventure ariseth the report so generally received that Giants in times past Inhabited this countrey For Havillan the Poet who lived foure hundred yeares since in describing of certaine British Giants wrote pleasantly of Britaine and the Cornish Giants in this wise Titanibus illa Sed paucis famulosa domus quibus uda ferarum Terga dabant vestes cruor haustus pocula trunci Antra Lares Dumeta thoros coenacula rupes Praeda cibos raptus venerem spectacula caedes Imperium vires animos furor impetus arma Mortem pugna sepulchra rubus monstrisque gemebat Monticolis tellus sed eorum plurima tractus Pars erat occidui terror majorque premebat Te furor extremum Zephyri Cornubia limen A lodge it was to Giants fell though few of Titans brood Enthralled whose garments were raw hides of beasts full wood Their bloud they dranke but cups they made of hollow blocks and stocks Caves serv'd for cabins bushes for beds for chambers craggie rocks Prey slak'd their hunger rape their lust in murder tooke they Joy Force gave them rule and furie heart wrath weapons to annoy Fight brought theÌ„ death grieves were their graves thus groan'd the ground againe With mountain-Monsters Howbeit of them the number maine Did pester most the westerne tract more feare made thee agast O Cornwall utmost dore that art to let in Zephirus blast Now whether this firme and wel compact constitution of the Cornish-men which proceedeth from the temperature of heat and moisture is to bee referred unto the breeding-west wind and the Westerne situation thereof like as wee see that in Germanie the Batavians in France the Gascoines who be farthest Westward are the ablest and most valiant or rather to some peculiar and speciall reason of aire and soile it is not my purpose to search curiously Now let us treat of the Promontories Cities and Rivers whereof ancient writers have made mention For this is my principall project beginning at the furthest point and so surveying first the Southerne shore then the Northern and lastly the course of the river Tamara which severeth this countie from Devonshire The utmost Promontorie which lieth upon the Western Ocean and is distant 17. degrees and no more in the globe or surface of the earth from the Ilands called Azores is called by Ptolomee Bolerium and by Diodorus Belerium perhaps of the British word Pell which signifieth a thing most remote or farthest off by Ptolomee also the same is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ANTIVESTAEVM by the Britans I meane their Bardie onely or Poets Penringuâ—ed that is the Promontorie of Bloud For the Welsh Historians name it Penwith that is the Promontorie on the left hand The Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Steort with them betokeneth a peece of land shooting into the Sea and hereupon all that Hundred of Penwith at this day is called by borderers in their language Pen voâ— las that is the end of the land and in the same sence we in English name it The lands end because it is the utmost part of the Iland toward the West And if this Promontorie were sometimes called Helenum as Volaterran and the late writers affirme it came not of Helenus K. Priams sonne but of Pen-Elin which â—ignifieth in the British tongue an Elbow as Ancon doth in Greeke And seeing that crooked and bending shores be termed of the Greekes Ancâ—nes as Elbows for so Plinie witnesseth of Ancona in Italie no absurditie is it at all that this crooked and bowing shore should by the Britans in the same sence be called Pen-elin and thereof that Latin name Helenum be derived But as touching this name Antivestaeum I was wont now and then to doubt whether it savoured not of some Greek originall For seeing it was a common and usuall thing with the Greeks to impose names upon places taken from the names of such as were opposite unto them not only in Greece it selfe where they have Rhium and Antirrhium but also in the Arabian gulfe where there is Bacchium and Antibacchium as also upon the gulf of Venice Antibarrium because it looketh towards Barrium lying over against it in Italie I searched diligently whether any place named Vestaeum lay opposite unto this our Antivestâ—um but finding no such thing I betooke my selfe againe to the British tongue neither yet can I here resolve my self But the Inhabitants doe suppose that this Promontorie heretofore ran further into the Sea and by the rubbish which is drawne out from thence the Mariners affirme the â—ame yea and the neighbor Inhabitants avouch out of I wote not what fable that the earth now covered there all over with the in-breaking of the Sea was called Lionesse In the utmost rocks of this Promontorie when at a low water they be bare there appeare veines of tin and copper and the people there dwelling report that there stood a watch-Tower upon it from whence by the light of burning fire there was a signe given unto Sailers no doubt ad speculam Hispaniae according as Orofius hath put downe in writing That the most high watch-towre of Brigantia in Gallicia a rare and admirable peece of worke was erected ad speculam Britannia that is if I well understand him either for the use of Mariners sailing out of Britaine toward Spaine or else over
Temporall man Certainely whencesoever the name came it is ancient and they have worshipfully matched and not long since with one of the daughters of Arthur Plantagenet Vicount Lisley naturall sonne to King Edward the Fourth Hence Towridge hastneth to Tourington which it giveth name unto standing over it in a great length upon the brow of a little hill by Bediford also a towne of right good name for the frequent resort of people and number of Inhabitants as also for a goodly stone bridge with arched worke where straight waies it windeth it selfe into the Taw. This Taw breaking forth out of the very midst and hart of the shire first runneth downe by Chimligh a little market towne not far from Chettlehampton a small Village where Hyertha canonized a Shee-Saint lay interred from thence having passed by Tawton where Werstane and Putta the first Bishops of Denshire had their See about the yeare of our Lord 906. and Tawstoke over against it now the seate of the right honourable Earle of Bathe it maketh haste to Berstaple Reputed this is a very ancient Towne and for elegant building and frequencie of people held chiefe in all this coast scituate amidst hilles in forme of a semicircle upon the river being as it were a diameter Which River at every change and full of the Moone by the swelling of the Ocean overfloweth the fields so as the very Towne it selfe seemeth to be a demie Island but when as one saith the sea reengorgeth it selfe backe againe into the sea it is so shallow creeping betweene sands and shelves as it hardly beareth smaller vessels On the south side it hath a stately bridge built by one Stamford a Citizen of London In the North part where North Ewe a little river or brooke runneth are seene the reliques of a Castle which by the common report King Athelstane but as others say Iudaël of Totenais built for the keeping and defence whereof certaine Lands adjoyning thereabout are held in Castle-guard It had sometimes a wall about it but now there remaine scarce any small tokens thereof The said Iudaël of Totenais received it in free gift in fee of King William the First after him the Tracies held it for a long time then the Martins after whom in the raigne of King Richard the Second it came to Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon who afterwards was Duke of Excester and last of all it fell to the Crowne But Queene Mary gave the Mannour to Thomas Marrow whose son sold it away In K. William the First his daies as we find in Domesday booke It had within the Burgh fortie Burgesses and nine without King Henrie the First endowed it with many priviledges and King John with more A Major and two Bailiffes for a long time it had but Queene Mary ordained there a Major two Aldermen and a Counsell of twentie and foure The Inhabitants for the most part are Merchants who in France and Spaine trade and traffique much Neither must this be passed over with silence that out of this Towns-Schoole their issued two right learned men and most renowned Divines John Jewell Bishop of Sarisbury and Thomas Harding the publike professour in Lovain who most hotly contended and wrote learnedly one against the other concerning the truth of Religion From hence the river Taâ— saluting as it were Ralegh which in times past had noble Lords of that name but now is the possession of a right worshipfull house surnamed Chichester and afterwards encreased by Towbridge water falleth into the Severne Sea but it meeâ—eth nor with Kinwith Castle whereof Asserius maketh mention For here abouâ— such a Castle there was of that name for scite of the ground about it very safe on every side save onely on the East quarter at the which in the yeare of Christ â—70 Hubba the Dane who with many slaughters and overthrowes had harried the English Nation was with many other Danes slaine And thereupon the place afterwards was called by our Historiographers Hubbestow And then it was that the Englishmen wan the Danes banner called Reafan Which I note therefore the rather because it may be gathered out of a pretty tale in Asserius Menevenâ—is who hath delivered these things in writing that the Danes bare in their Ensigne a Raven wrought by report in needle-worke by the daughters of Lothbrooke that is Leather-breech the Dane with such an opinion of good lucke as they thought that it never should be wonne After this nothing there is to bee seene upon this coast but Ilfarcomb a good and sure rode for ships and Comb-Marton bordering hard upon it under which old mines of lead not without veines of silver have of late beene discovered As for this word Comb to observe so much once for all which is an usuall adjection to names of places in this tract it signifieth a low scituation or a Vale and derived it may seeme to be of Kum a British word that betokeneth the same and the French men in their tongue retaine it still in the very same sense from the ancient Gallique language the same with old British More South-East from hence and neere unto Somersetshire Bampton sometimes Baentun sheweth it selfe which under William the Conquerour befell unto Walter de Doway with other right large and faire lands else-where of whose posteritie Iuliana an Inheritrix married to William Paganell commonly Paynell bare Fulk de Bampton and he begat William and Christian the wife of Cogan of Ireland whose posteritie succeeded in the possession thereof for that the issue of the said William died without children But from the Cogans the possession descended at length hereditarily unto the Bourchiers now Earles of Bathe by an heire of Hancford who had married likewise an heire of the Lord Fitz-warin In the prime and infancie of the Normans Empire to say nothing of Hugh the Norman whom Queene Emnia had before time made Ruler over this countrey King William the First ordained one Baldwine to be the hereditarie Sheriffe or Vicount of Denshire and Baron of Okchampton after whom succeeded in that honour Richard his sonne who died without issue male Then King Henrie the First bestowed upon Richard de Redveriis First Tiverton and afterwards the honour of Plimpton with other places appurtaining thereto and consequently created him Earle of Denshire by granting unto him the third penie of the yearely revenues growing out of the same Countie Now the revenue of the Countie which in those daies was due to the King was not above thirtie marks out of which the said Earle tooke unto him for his part ten markes yearely After this hee obtained of the said King the Isle of Wight whereupon stiled hee was Earle of Denshire and Lord of the Isle Hee had a Sonne named Baldwin who siding with Maude the Empresse against King Stephen was banished the Realme Howbeit Richard his Sonne recovered this honour of his Fathers and hee
service of Chamberlaine in Chef from our soveraigne Lord the King But under Edward the Third I have read that this was held by Sergeantie namely by holding the Laver or Ewre for the King his Soveraigne Lord to wash upon his Coronation day Also Raulph Moien held the Mannour of Owres neere adjoyning by service of Serjeantie in the Kitchin of the gift likewise of King Henry the First and R. de Welles the Mannour of Welles heereabout since the Conquest of England by the service of the Kings Baker Which I note onely by the way Where Frome maketh his issue into that Bay whereupon Poole is scituate hard by the very mouth is planted Warham in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a towne strongly seated on every side but Westward as being fenced on all parts beside with the rivers Trent Frome and the Sea together In King Edward the Confessors time it had two Mint maisters but whiles William the Conquerour raigned it could not reckon above seven dwelling houses in it Yet afterwards it flourished againe fortified with the wall furnished with a mint house a great number of Inhabitants and a most strong Castle which that King William the First built it continued in a most flourishing state untill the daies of King Henry the Second who when hee came to challenge the Crowne of England in the yeare 1142 hee arrived heere besieged and tooke the Castle which was defended by Robert Lacy against him in behalfe of King Stephen and afterward Robert of Lincolne a man of mightie possessions in these parts defended the same against King Stephen But from that time by occasion partly of warres and partly of sudden casualtie by fires by reason also that the sea by little and little which draweth the commoditie of an haven it is almost run to ruine and in the very heart of the old towne it bringeth forth store of garlick At this mouth likewise is discharged another small river with Frome Asserius calleth it Trent but now the Inhabitants thereby name it Piddle From the North banke whereof scarce three miles off I saw the ruins of Middleton Abbey which King Athelstane founded as a satisfaction to appease the ghost and soule of his brother Edwine whom hee had deprived both of his Kingdome and life For when that solicitous desire of raigning had caused him quite to forget all Justice hee put the young Prince heire apparant to the Crowne with one page into a little whirrey without any tackling or furniture thereto to the end he might impute his wickednesse to the waves And so the young Prince overcome with griefe of heart and unable to master his owne passions cast himselfe headlong into the sea Under this Middleton there is voided also another river which runneth hard by Bere a little mercate towne where for a long time that ancient and famous family de Turbida villa commonly Turbervill had their chief habitation whereof as some were famous so Hugh Turburvill in the time of King Edward the First was infamous for his traiterous practises with the French But to goe backe againe to the West part of the shire At the spring head of Frome where the soile is most fruitfull the forrest of Blackmore sometimes thicke and full of trees but now thinner growne yeildeth plentifull game for hunting This by a more common and better knowne name is called The Forrest of white hart The reason of which name the Inhabitants by tradition from their forefathers report to be thus When King Henry the Third came hither to hunt and had taken other Deere he spared a most beautifull and goodly White-Hart which afterwards T. de la-Lynde a gentleman of this countrey with others in his company tooke and killed but how perillous a matter it was to bee twitching as they say of a lion they soone found and felt For the King conceived great indignation and high displeasure against them put them to a grievous fine of money for it and the very lands which they held pay even to this day every yeare by way of amercement a piece of money into the Exchequer which is called White hart silver There joyneth neere to this forrest Shirburne towne named also Shirburne Castle in old time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by interpretation is Fons Limpidus or as it is else where writen Fons clarus that is Pure fountaine or cleare well scited on the hanging of an hill a pleasant and proper seate as William of Malmesburie saith as well for the frequent number of Inhabitants as the scituation and now it is the most populous and best haunted towne of all this country and gaineth exceeding much by clothing In the yeare of our redemption 704 an Episcopall seat was heere erected and Aldelme the first Bishop there consecrated afterwards also in the raigne of Etheldred Herman the Bishop of Sunning having obtained this Bishoprick translated his Episcopall see hither and joyned the said Bishoprick of Sunning unto this which under William Conqueror the same Bishop translated to Sarisburie and reserved Shirburne to bee a retiring place for his Successors unto whom it belongeth as yet And one of them namely Roger built a strong Castle in the East-part thereof under which lay sometime a wide meere and many fish pooles and now being filled up are converted into most pleasant and rich medow ground As for the Cathedrall Church presently upon the translation of the See it became a monasterie againe and beareth shew of great antiquitie although not many became a monasterie againe and beareth shew of great antiquitie although not many yeares past in a broile betweene the townesmen and the Monks it was fired which the burnt and scorched colour upon the stones doth as yet most evidently shew Under this the river Iuell whereof I will speake some where else winding in and out with many curving reaches runneth Westward to Chiston the seate sometime of the linage de Maulbauch from which it descended hereditarily unto the family of the Horsâ—ies Knights where it entreth into Sommersetshire More toward the East the most famous river Stoure passing full of tenches and Eeles especially arising in Wiltshire out of six fountaines commeth downe to Stourton the honor and seat of the Barons of Stourton So soone as it entred in this Shire it passeth through Gillingham forrest in which Edmund surnamed Iron-side in a memorable battell put the Danes to flight and three miles from thence saluteth Shaftsbury standing upon an hill top very defective of water sometimes called by the Britaines as it is commonly but falsely thought Caer Paladur and in Latine by later writers Septonia by the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps of the Churches Spire steeple such as they tearmed Scheafts A little before the Normans time it had in it 104. houses and three Mint masters as we read in that booke so often by me alleadged And afterwards it flourished the more by reason of a Nunnerie
gently runneth which breaking forth almost in the North limit of this shire keepeth his course southward and as Aethelward noteth was sometime the bound betweene the Kingdoms of the West-Saxons and the Mercians upon which many great battels from time to time were fought whiles it is but small he slideth under Malmesbury hill and receiving another streame well neare encloseth the place A very proper towne this is and hath a great name for clothing which as wee read in the Eulogie of Histories Cunwallow Mulmutius King of the Britaines built together with Lacok and Tetburie two Castles and named it Caer Baldon which being at length by heat of warres destroyed out of the ruines thereof there arose as writers record a Castle which our Ancestors in their tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at which time the Saxon petie Kings had their royall palace at Caerdurburge now Brokenbridge a little village scarce a mile off Neither verily was this towne for a long time knowne by any other name than Ingelborne untill one Maidulph an Irish Scot a man of great learning and singular holinesse of life taking delight to a pleasant grove that grew up heere under the hill lived for a time a solitary Heremite there and afterwards teaching a Schoole and with his schollers betaking himselfe to a monasticall life built him a little monasterie or Cell From this time of that Maidulph the towne began to bee called Maidulfesburge for Ingleborne termed by Beda Maidulphi Vrbs that is Maidulps Citie and afterwards short Malmesburies and in some of our Histories and ancient Donations made unto this place Meldunum Malduburie and Maldunsburg Among the Disciples of this Maidulph flourished chiefely Aldelme who being elected his successour by the helpe of Eleutherius Bishop of the West-Saxons unto whom the place of right belonged built there a very faire Monasterie and was himselfe the first Abbat thereof of whom also in a certaine manuscript this towne is called Aldelmesbirig But this name soone perished yet the memorie of the man continueth still for canonized he was a Saint and on his festivall day there was heere kept a great Faire at which usuall there is a band of armed men appointed to keepe the peace among so many strangers resorting thither And right worthy is he that his memorie should remaine fresh for ever in regard not onely of his Holinesse but of his learning also as those times were For the first he was of the English nation who wrote in Latine and the first that taught Englishmen the way how to make a Latine verse the which in these verses hee both promised of himselfe and performed Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas I will be first God lending life that into country mine From Aon top at my returne shall bring the Muses nine This Adelme after his death Athelstane that Noble Prince chose to be his peculiar protector and tutelar Saint and for that cause bestowed very great immunities upon this towne and enriched the monasterie with a large and ample endowments In which he made choise to bee buried and his monument the Inhabitants shew to this day After Athelstane this Monasterie flourished long in continuall wealth and among other famous Clerks and great Scholars brought forth William surnamed thereof Malmesburiensis unto whom for his learned industry the Histories of England both Civill and Ecclesiasticall are deepely indebted The towne also maintained and upholden as it were by the meanes of the Monasterie was likewise fortified by Roger Bishop of Salisburie who in the beginning of the warres betweene Henrie of Anjou and King Stephen strengthned it with walls and a Castle which being once besieged by King Henrie the Second defended it selfe Moreover that magnificent Bishop both here and at Salisburie built houses for receit very large for cost as sumptuous and for shew right beautifull so even and orderly were the stones couched and laid together that the joynts could not be seene and the whole wall throughout seemed to the eie one entire stone But the Castle not many yeares after by K. Iohns permission was pulled downe to the use of the Monkes for enlarging their monasterie who encreased it still continually both in buildings livings and revenue untill that fatall thunder-clap overthrew all the Monasteries of England Then their lands rents and riches that had beene so many yeares in gathering and heaping up together which were as our Forefathers reputed them The vowes of the faithfull the ransome and redemption of sinnes and the patrimonies of poore people were quite scattered and the very Minster it selfe should have sped no better than the rest but beene demolished had not T. Stumpes a wealthy clothier by much suit but with a greater piece of money redeemed and bought it for the townesmen his neighbours by whom it was converted to a Parish-Church and for a great part is yet standing at this day From this Maiduphus Citie or Malmesburie as Avon runneth it commeth to Dantesey that gave name unto the possessions thereof worshipfull Knights of old time in this tract from whom by the Easterlings commonly called Stradlings it came unto the family of the Danvers Out of which Henry Danvers through the favor of King Iames obtained of late the title and honour of Baron Danvers of Dantesey Sixe miles from hence Avon taketh unto him from the East a Brooke which runneth through Calne an old little towne scituate upon a stony ground having in it a faire Church to commend it at which place when great adoe there was betweene the Monkes and Priests about single life a frequent Provinciall Councell or Synod was holden in the yeare of our redemption 977. But behold whiles they were debating the matter the Convocation house wherein the States sat by breaking of the maine timber-worke and falling asunder of the floore fell suddenly downe together with the Prelates Nobles and Gentlemen there assembled with the fall whereof many were hurt and more slaine outright onely Dunstane President of the said Counsell and held with the Monkes escaped without harme which miracle for so that age took it is thought wonderfully to have credited the profession of Monkerie and weakened the cause of married Priests From hence Avon now growne greater Chippenham in Saxon Cyppanham of note at this day for the market there kept whereof it tooke the name For Cyppan in the Saxon tongue is as much to say as to buy and Cyppman a buyer like as with us Cheapen and Chapman and among the Germans Coppman But in those daies it was the Kings manour and by King Elfred in his testament bequeathed to a younger daughter of his Nothing is there now worth the sight but the Church built by the Barons Hungerford as appeareth every where by their coats of Armes set up thereon Directly over against this but somewhat farther from the banke lieth Cosham
Alice his onely daughter being wedded unto Richard Nevill augmented his honour with the title of Earle of Salisburie who siding with the house of Yorke was in the battell fought at Wakefield taken prisoner and beheaded leaving to succeede him Richard his sonne Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie who delighting in dangers and troubles enwrapped his native countrey within new broiles of Civill warre wherein himselfe also left his life The one of his daughters named Isabell was married unto George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth and shee bare him a sonne called Edward Earle of Warwicke who being a very child and innocent was by King Henrie the Seventh beheaded like as his sister Margaret suffered the same death under King Henrie the Eighth An usuall pollicie and practise among suspicious Princes For the securitie of their own persons and their posteritie by one occasion or other that evermore are soone offered and as quickly pickt to make away or keepe under the next of their bloud Anne the other daughter of Richard Nevill Earle of Warwick and Salisburie became wife to Richard Duke of Glocester brother to King Edward the Fourth and brought him a sonne whom his uncle King Edward in the 17. of his reigne created Earle of Salisburie and Richard his father usurping the kingdome made Prince of Wales But he departed this life in his tender yeares about that time that his mother also died not without suspition of poison King Henry the Eighth afterward about the fifth yeare of his raigne in a full Parliament restored and enabled in bloud Margaret daughter to George Duke of Clarence to the name stile title honour and dignitie of Countesse of Salisburie as sister and heire to Edward late Earle of Warwick and Salisburie And about the 31. yeare of the said King she was attainted in Parliament with divers others and beheaded when she was 70. yeares old Since which time that title of honour was discontinued untill in the yeare of our Lord 1605. our Soveraigne Lord King Iames honored therewith S. Robert Cecill second sonne of that Nestor of ours William Cecill upon whom for his singular wisedome great employments in the affaires of State to the good of Prince and Countrey he had bestowed the honorable titles of Baron Cecill of Essendon and Vicount Cranburn Thus much of the Earles of Salisburie Lower still and not far from this Citie is scituate upon Avon Dunctone or Donketon a burrough as they say of great antiquitie and well knowne by reason of the house therein of Beavois of Southampton whom the people have enrolled in the number of their brave worthies for his valour commended so much in rhyme to posteritie This Salisburie is environed round about with open fields and plaines unlesse it be Eastward where lieth hard unto it Clarindon a very large and goodly parke passing fit for the keeping and feeding of wild beasts and adorned in times past with an house of the Kings Of which parke and of the twentie groves inclosed therein Master Michael Maschert Doctor of the Civill lawes hath prettily versified in this wise Nobilis est lucus cervis clausura saronam Propter a claro vertice nomen habet Viginti hinc nemorum partito limite boscis Ambitus est passus mille cuique suus A famous Parke for Stag and Hind neere Salisbury doth lie The name it hath of one faire downe or hill that mounts on hie Within the same stand xx groves enclos'd with severall bound Of which in compasse every one a mile containes in ground Famous is this Clarindon for that heere in the yeare 1164. was made a certaine recognition and record of the customes and liberties of the Kings of England before the Prelates and Peeres of the Kingdome for the avoiding discentions betweene the Clergie Iudges and Barons of the Realme which were called The Constitutions of Clarnidon Of the which so many as the Pope approved have beene set downe in the Tomes of the Councels the rest omitted albeit Thomas Becket then Archbishop of Canterburie and the rest of the Bishops approved them all Heereby is Jvy Church sometime a small Priory where as tradition runneth in our grandfathers remembrance was found a grave and therein a corps of twelve foote and not farre of a stocke of wood hollowed and the concave lined with lead with a booke therein of very thicke parchment all written with Capitall Roman letters But it had lien so long that when the leaves were touched they fouldred to dust S. Thomas Eliot who saw it judged it to be an Historie No doubt hee that so carefully laied it up hoped it should be found and discover somethings memorable to posteritie Toward the North about sixe miles from Salisburie in these plaines before named is to bee seeene a huge and monstrous piece of worke such as Cicero termeth Insanam substructionem For within the circuit of a Ditch there are erected in manner of a Crowne in three rankes or courses one within another certaine mightie and unwrought stones whereof some are 28. foote high and seven foote broad upon the heads of which others like overthwart pieces doe beare and rest crosse-wise with a small tenents and mortescis so as 〈◊〉 le frame seemeth to hang whereof wee call it Stonehenge like as our old 〈◊〉 â—â—rmed it for the greatnesse Chorea Gigantum The Giants Daunce The 〈…〉 whereof such as it is because it could not be so fitly expressed in 〈…〉 caused by the gravers helpe to bee portraied heere underneath as it 〈…〉 weatherbeaten and decaied A. Stones called Corsestones Weighing 12. tunne carrying in height 24. foote in breadth 7. foote in compasse 16. B. Stones named Cronetts of 6. or 7. tunne weight C. A place where mens bones are digged up Our countrie-men reckon this for one of our wonders and miracles And much they marvaile from whence such huge stones were brought considering that in all those quarters bordering thereupon there is hardly to be found any common stone at all for building as also by what meanes they were set up For mine owne part about these points I am not curiously to argue and dispute but rather to lament with much griefe that the Authors of so notable a monument are thus buried in oblivion Yet some there are that thinke them to bee no naturall stones hewne out of the rocke but artificially made of pure sand and by some glewie and unctuous matter knit and incorporate together like as those ancient Trophies or monuments of victorie which I have seene in Yorkshire And what marvaile Read we nor I pray you in Plinie that the sand or dust of Puteoli being covered over with water becommeth forthwith a very stone that the cesternes in Rome of sand digged out of the ground and the strongest kind of lime wrought together grow so hard that they seeme stones indeed and that Statues and images of marble chippings and small grit grow together so compact and firme
name of Sir Iohn Lisle of the Isle of Wight ATTREBATII AS in France so also in Britaine next adjoyning unto the Belgae are ATTREBATII which name being now altogether out of use the place which they inhabite is commonly called Barkshire For let this stand as granted seeing Cesar writeth the forrainers comming out of Gallia Belgica inhabited the sea coasts of Britaine and retained still the names of their countries that these our ATTREBATII ATTREBATES of Gaule who as Ptolomee recordeth held the maritime part of Gaule lying upon the river Sein and namely that very countrey which after a sort lieth full opposite and over against our Attrebatii It was not therefore without good cause if Cesar wrote that Comius Attrebatensis was of great authority in these countries namely among his owne countrimen and that after hee was by Cesar vanquished he fled hither what time as Frontinus writeth whiles his ships were grounded upon a shelfe he commanded his sailes to be hoised up and so disappointed Cesar who pursued him of his purpose who kenning a-farre-of his full sailes and supposing that with a good gale of forewind he sailed away gave over further pursuit Whence these Attrebatii were so called it resteth doubtfull For whereas some fetch the originall from Attrech which in the old Gauls tongue they would have to signifie a land of Bread I neither approve nor disprove their opinion Sufficient it may be for us to have shewed from whence they came into Britaine as for the derivation of their name let others search into it COMITATUS Bercheriâ— vulgo Barkshyre qui olim sedes ATREBATVM BARKSHIRE THat countrie which we call Barkshire the late Latine writers terme Bercheria and was somtime by the English Saxons named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which name Asserius Menevensis deriveth from a certaine wood called Berroc where grew good store of box others from a naked or bare oake for so much the name Beroke it selfe importeh unto which the Inhabitants in dangers and troublesome times of the commonwealth were wont in old time to resort there to consult about their publike affaires The North part hereof the river Isis which afterwards is called Tamisis that is the Tamis running with a winding channell full of reaches but carrying a very gentle streame doth pleasantly water it and first severeth it from Oxfordshire afterwards from Buckinghamshire The South side where it beareth toward Hantshire the river Kenet cutteth through untill it runnes into the Tamis In the West where it bordereth upon Wiltshire and carrieth the greatest breadth as also in the middle part rich it is of it selfe and full of commodities yeelding corne in plenty especially where it falleth lower to a valley which I wotte not from what shape of a white horse imagined to appeare in a whitish chalky hill they terme The vale of Whitehorse As for the East part that confineth with Surrie it groweth very barraine or at least wise the soile is lesse fertile as standing upon forrests and woods that take up a great ground in length and breadth In the West march thereof neere unto Isis standeth Farendon seated high famous now for a mercate there kept but in times past for a certaine Fort which Robert Earle of Glocester built against King Stephen who notwithstanding wonne it with bloudy assaults and laid it so levell with the ground that now it is not to bee seene But the plot of ground whereon it stood as we finde in the Chronicle of Waverley Abbay King Iohn in the yeere of our Lord 1202. prevented by divine inspiration granted with all the appurtenances to the building of an Abbay for the Cistercians order From hence the river having with a great turning compasse after much wrestling gotten out towards the North passeth a long hard by many villages of small reckoning till at length with a returne and disporting it selfe with winding branches and divisions he commeth to Abbendon a proper towne and populous called at first by the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Abbandune no doubt of the Abbay rather then of one Abben I wote not what Irish Eremite as some have written A place this was as we finde in an old booke of Abbendon upon the plaine of an hill very faire and delectable to see too a little beyond the town which now is called Suniggewelle betweene two most pleasant rivelets which enclosing within them the place it selfe as it were a certaine nooke yeeld a delightsome sight to the beholders and a meete succour to the Inhabitants The very same was in times past called Sheovesham a Citie famous goodly to behold full of riches compassed about with most plentuous fields with greene medowes â—patious pastures and flockes of cattell spinning forth milke abundantly Hâ—ere was the Kings seat hither resorted and assembled the people when soever there was any treaty about the chiefe and highest affaires of the kingdome But so soone as Cissa King of the West Saxons had built the Abbay it beganne by little and little to lay downe the old name and to be called Abbendon and Abbington that is Abbay-towne This Abbay had not long flourished when all of a sodaine in a tempestuous fury of the Danes it was subverted Yet soone after it was reared againe through the bounty of King Edgar and afterwards by the meanes travaile of the Norman Abbats grew by little and little to such magnificence that among all the Abbaies of Britaine for riches and statelinesse it would hardly give place to any Which the very rubble and ruines at this day doe testifie As for the towne albeit along time it had a great stay of the Abbay yet since the yeere of our salvation 1416. in which King Henrie the Fifth built Bridges over the River Isis or Ouse as witnesseth a verse written in a window of Saint Helens Church there and turned the Kings high way hither for to make a shorter passage it beganne to bee frequented and traded so that among all the townes of this shire it goes for the chiefe hath a Major in it and maketh great gaine by that steeped barly sprouting and chitting againe which the Greekes terme Byne and wee Malt sand besides hath a Crosse of singular workemanship in the mids of their mercate place which by report in the reigne of King Henrie the sixth the Brotherhood of Saint Crosse instituted by him did erect As Cissa founded this monasterie for Monkes so Cilla out of an old booke I speake the sister of King Cedwalla built the Nunnerie at Helnestowe neere the Tamis where her selfe was Ladie Abbasse over the Virgins who afterwards were translated to Witham And whiles the warre grew hote betweene Offa and Kinulphe when a Castle was there built the Nunnes retired themselves out of the way For after that Kinulph was overthrowne whatsoever lay under his jurisdiction from the towne of Wallengford in the South part from Ichenildstreete unto Essebury and
slaughter of them when at Lapis Tituli for so is that place named in Ninnius which we now call Stouar almost in the same sense and haven certainely it was hee put them to flight and forced them with all the speed they might to take their Pinnaces In which place also he gave commandement saith he that himselfe should bee buried to represse thereby as he thought the furious outrages of the English Saxons in like sort as Scipio Africanus did who commanded that his tombe should bee so set as that it might looke toward Africa supposing that his verie tombe would be a terror to the Carthaginians Here also at VVipped fleet so called of VVipped the Saxon there slaine Hengest discomfited the Britaines and put them to flight after hee had sore tired them with sundry conflicts S. Austine our Apostle as they call him many yeares after landed in this Isle unto whose blessing the credulous Clergie ascribed the plentifull fertility of the country and the Monke Gotceline cried out in this manner O the land of Tenet happy by reason of her fertilitie but most happy for receiving and entertaining so many Divine in-commers bringing God with them or rather so many heavenly citizens Egbert the third King of the Kentishmen to pacifie dame Domneva a devout Lady whom before time he had exceedingly much wronged granted here a faire piece of land wherein she errected a Monastery for 70. veiled virgins the prioresse whereof was Mildred for her holinesse canonized a Saint and the Kings of Kent bestowed many faire possessions upon it but Withred especially who that I may note the antiquitie and manner of livery of Seisin in that age out of the very forme of his owne Donation For the full complement of his confirmation thereof laied upon the holy altar a turfe of that ground which he gave at Humantun Heere afterward sundry times arrived the Danes who piteously empoverished this Island by robbings and pillages and also polluted this Monasterie of Domneva with all kind of cruelty that it flourished not againe before the Normans government Heere also landed Lewis of France who called in by the tumultuous Barons of England against King Iohn published by their instigation a pretended right to the Crowne of England For that whereas King Iohn for his notorious treason against King Richard his brother absent in the Holy-land was by his Peeres lawfully condemned and therefore after the death of King Richard the right of the Crowne was devolved to the Queene of Castile sister to the said King Richard and that shee and her heires had conveied over their right to the said Lewis and his wife her daughter Also that King Iohn had forfeited his Kingdome both by the murther of his Nephew Arthur whereof he was found guilty by his Peeres in France and also by subjecting his Kingdomes which were alwaies free to the Pope as much as in him lay contrary to his oath at his Coronation and that without the consent of the Peeres of the Realme c. Which I leave to Historians with the successe of his expedition least I might seeme to digresse extraordinarily Neither must I passe over heere in silence that which maketh for the singular praise of the inhabitants of Tenet those especially which dwell by the roads or harbours of Margate Ramsgate and Brodstear For they are passing industrious and as if they were Amphibii that is both land creatures and sea creatures get their living both by sea and land as one would say with both these elements they be Fisher-men and Plough-men as well Husband-men as Mariners and they that hold the plough-taile in earing the ground the same hold the helme in steering the ship According to the season of the yeare they knit nets they fish for Cods Herrings Mackarels c. they saile and carry forth Merchandise The same againe dung and mannure their grounds Plough Sow harrow reape their Corne and they inne it Men most ready and well appointed both for sea and land and thus goe they round and keepe a circle in these their labours Futhermore whereas that otherwhiles there happen shipwrackes heere for there lie full against the shore those dangerous flats shallowes shelves and sands so much feared of Sailers which they use to call The Goodwinsands The Brakes The four-foots The whitdick c. these men are wont to bestir themselves lustily in recovering both ships men and Merchandize endangered At the mouth of Wantsum Southward which men thinke hath changed his channell over against the Isle stood a City which Ptolomee calleth RHVTVPIAN Tacitus PORTVS TRVTVLENSIS for Rhutupensis if Beatus Renanus conjectureth truely Antonine RHITVPIS PORTVS Ammianus Marcellinus RHVTVPIAH STATIO that is the Road of Rhutupiae Orosius THE HAVEN and City of Rhutubus the old English-Saxons as Beda witnesseth Reptacesler others Ruptimuth Alfred of Beverly nameth it Richberge we at this day Richborow Thus hath time sported in varying of one and the same name Whence this name should arise it is not for certaine knowen But seeing the places neere unto it as Sandwich and Sandiby have their denomination of Sandi I considering also that Rhyd Tufith in the British-tongue betokeneth a sandy fourd I would willingly if I durst derive it from thence This City seemed to have beene seated on the descent of an hill the Castle there stood overlooking from an higher place the Ocean which is now so farre excluded by reason of sandy residence inbealched with the tides that it comes hardly within a mile of it Right famous and of great name was this City while the Romans ruled here From hence was the usual passing out of Britan to France and the Neatherlands at it the Roman fleets arrived here it was that Lupicinus sent by Constantius the Emperour into Britaine for to represse the rodes and invasions of Scots and Picts both landed the Heruli and Batavians and Maesian regiments Heere also Theodosius the father of Theodosius the Emperour to whom as Symmachus witnesseth the Senate decreed for pacifying Britan armed Statues on horse-backe arrived with his Herculij Iovij Victores Fidentes for these were names of Roman regiments Afterwards when the Saxon Pirates impeached entercourse of merchants and infested our coasts with continuall piracies the Second Legion Augusta which being remooved by the Emperour Claudius out of Germany had remained many yeares in Garrison at Isea Silurum in Wales was translattd hither and had a Provost of their owne heere under the great Lieutenant and Count of the Saxon shore Which Provostship happily that Clemens Maximus bare who being heere in Britan by the soldiers saluted Emperour slew Gratian the lawfull Emperour and was afterwards himselfe slaine by Theodosius at Aquileia For this Maximus it was whom Ausonius in the verses of Aquileia called the Rhutupine robber Maximus armigeri quondam sub nomine lixae Faelix quae tanti spectatrix laeta triumphi Fudisti Ausonio Rhutupinum Marte latronem
The same Poet also in his Poem Parentalia preserved the memory of Flavius Sanctus another President or Governour of Rhutupiae concerning whom thus hee wrote Militiam nullo qui turbine sedulus egit Praeside laetatus quo Rhutupinus ager His martiall service who discharg'd with care without all stirre And Rutupin rejoyce in him who was their governour Ausonius likewise in a lamentable funerall verse setteth forth the praise of Claudius Contentus his Vncle who being overtaken with death left behind him unto strangers a mighty stock of money which hee had put out to usury among the Britaines and encreased by interest and was heere also enterred Et patruos Elegia meos reminiscere cantus Contentum tellus quem Rhutupina tegit My dolefull Muse now call to minde the songs of Vnkle mine Contentus who enterred lies within mould Rhutupine This Rhutupiae flourished also after the comming in of the English Saxons For writers record that it was the Royall Palace of Ethelbert King of Kent and Bede gave it the name of a City But ever since it beganne to decay neither is the name of it read in any place afterward as farre as I know but in Alfred of Beverley who hath put downe in writing that Alcher with a power of Kentish-men at this towne then called Richberge foiled and defeated the Danes encombered with the spoiles they had before gotten Now hath time razed out all the footings and tractes thereof and to teach us that Cities as well as men have their fatall periods it is a verie field at this daie wherein when the corne is come uppe a man may see the draughts of streetes crossing one another For wheresoever the streetes went there the corne is thinne which the common people terme Saint Augustins Crosse. And there remaine onely certaine walles of a Castle of rough flinte and long Britan brickes in forme of a quadrant and the same cemented with lime and a most stiffe binding sand mightily strengthened by tract of time so that the cement is as hard as the stone Over the entrie whereof is fixed a head of a personage engraven in stone some say it was Queene Berthas head but I take it to bee a Romane worke a man would deeme this to have beene the Citadell or keepe of the City it stands on such a height over-looking the low grounds in Tenet which the Ocean by little and little shrinking away hath now left Moreover the plot whereon the Citie stood being now plowed up doth oftentimes discover peeces of Romane coines as well gold as silver evident tokens of the antiquity thereof and a little beneath shee sheweth a daughter of hers which the English Saxons of sand called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee Sandwich This beeing one of the Cinque-ports as they terme them is on the North and West side fortified with walles and on other parts fenced with a rampier river and ditch The haven by reason of sand choaking it and a great shippe of burden belonging to Pope Paule the Fourth which was accidentallie sunke in the verie channell thereof is not deepe enough to beare any tall vessells In ancient times it sundrie times felt the furious forces of the Danes afterward King Canutus the Dane when hee had gained the Crowne of England bestowed it upon Christs-Church in Canterburie with the royaltie of the water on each side so farre forth as a shippe beeing a floate a man might cast a Danish hatchet out of the vessell to the banke In the Norman raigne it was reckoned one of the Cinque ports and to finde five shippes In the yeare 1217. Lewis of France of whom wee spake lately burned it King Edward the first for a time placed heere the staple and King Edward the Third by exchange reunited it to the Crowne About which time there flourished heere a familie surnamed De Sandwico which had matched with one of the heires of Creveâ—cur and Dauranches Lord of Folkesto and deserved well of this place In the time of King Henrie the Sixth it was burned by the French In our daies Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of the Exchequer native of this place built and endowed heere a free-schoole and the Netherlanders have bettered the towne by making and trading of Baies and other commodities Beneath Rhutupiae Ptolomee placeth the Promontorie CANTIVM as the utmost cape of this Angle which in some copies is corruptly written NVCANTIVM and ACANTIVM Diodorus as corruptly calleth it CARION and we at this day the Foreland of Kent Now all these shores on every side are of this Rhutupiae by the Poets termed Rhutupina littora Hence it is that Iuvenall satyrically inveighing against Curtius Montanus a dainty and delicious glutton speaking of oysters carried from this shore to Rome hath these verses nulli major fuit usus edendi Tempestate meâ Circaeis nata forent an Lucrinum ad saxum Rhutupinòve aedita fundo Ostrea callebat primo deprendere morsu None in my time had more use of his tooth Whence oisters came where they were bred full well He knew at Circeie cape at Lucrine rock forsooth Or Rhutup coast at first bit he could tell And Lucan the Poet. Aut vaga cùm Thetis Rhutupináque littora fervent Or when unconstant waving sea and British shores doe rage From this fore-land aforesaid the shore runneth on Southward for certaine miles together indented with a continued raunge of many hilles mounting up But when it is come as farre as Sandon that is to say the Downe of Sand and to Deale and Walmer three Neighbour Castles which King Henrie the Eighth within the remembrance of our Fathers built it setleth low and in a flat and open plaine lieth full against the sea At this Deale or Dole as Ninnius calleth it and that truely in mine opinion For our Britains at this day doe so terme a plaine lying low and open upon sea or river the constant report goes that Iulius Caesar did arrive and Ninnius avoucheth as much who in barbarous Latine wrote thus Caesar ad Dole bellum pugnavit that is At Dole Caesar fought a battaile A Table likewise set up in Dover Castle confirmeth the same yea and Caesar himselfe verifieth it who reporteth that he landed upon an open and plaine shore and that the Britaine 's welcommed and received him with a hote and dangerous encounter Whereupon our Countrey man Leland in his Swans song Iactat Dela novas celebris arces Notus Caesareis locus trophaeis Deale famed much vuants of new turrets hie A place well knowne by Caesars victorie For hee give mee leave I pray you to digresse awhile out of my course having as Pomponius Sabinus reporteth out of Seneca wonne all that was to bee gotten by sea and land cast his eie to the Ocean and as if the Romane world would not suffice him bethought him selfe upon another world and with a fleete of a thousand saile for so writeth Athenaeus out of
seeing that it answereth backe againe with the encrease of an hundred fold that which is sowne Here may you see the high wayes and common lanes clad with apple-trees and peare-trees not set nor graffed by the industry of mans hand but growing naturally of their owne accord The ground of it selfe is enclined to beare fruits and those both in taste and beautie farre exceeding others whereof some will last a whole yeare and not wither and rivell so that they are serviceable untill new come againe for supply There is no countrey in all England so thicke set as this Province with Vine-yards so plentifull in encrease and so pleasant in taste The very wines thereof made affect not their mouthes that drinke of them with any unpleasing tartnesse as being little inferiour in sweetnesse and odour to the French wines The houses in it are almost innumerable the Churches passing faire and the townes standing very thicke But that which addeth unto all these good gifts a speciall glory is the river Severne than which there is not any one in this land for channell broader for streame swifter for fish better stored There is in it a daily rage and fury of the waters which I know not whether I may call a gulfe or whirle poole of waves and the same raising up the sands from the bothome winding and driving the same upon heapes commeth with a forcible violence and reacheth no further then to the bridge Sometimes also it overfloweth the bankes and when it hath roved about a great way it retireth backe as a conquerour of the land Vnhappy is that vessell which it taketh full upon the side The Water-men well ware hereof when they see that Higra comming for so they call it in English turne the vessell affront upon it and so cutting through the middest of it checke and avoide the violence thereof But that which hee saith of the hundred fold increase and yeeld of the ground doth not hold true Neither for all that would I thinke with these whining and sloathfull husbandmen whom Columella taketh up for it that the soile is now wearied and become barren with too much fruitfulnesse and over-free bearing in former ages Howbeit hereby if I should say nothing of other things it is to bee seene that wee have no cause to wonder why many places in this countrey and else-where in England are called Vine-yards seeing it hath affoorded wine and surely it may seeme to proceed rather of the Inhabitants idlenesse than any distemperature and indisposition of the ayre that it yeeldeth none at this day But why in some places within this Countrey as wee reade in our Statutes by a private custome which now is become of strong validitie as a law the goods and lands of condemned persons fall into the Kings hands for a yeare onely and a day and after that terme expired contrary to the custome of all England beside returne to the next heires let law-students and Statesmen looke to that for no part it is of my purpose to search thereinto Now I will take a superfiall survey such as I can of those three parts whereof I spake orderly one after another The part that lyeth more West beyond Severne which the Silures in old time possessed along the river Vaga or Wye that parteth England and Wales was wholy bespred with thicke tall woods we call it at this day Deane-forrest The Latine writers some name it of the Danes Danica Sylva the Danes wood others with Girald the Wood of Danubia But I would thinke if it had not this name of Dean a little towne adjoyning that by short cutting the word it was called Deane for Arden Which terme both Gauls and Britans in ancient times may seeme to have used for a wood considering that two mighty great woods the one in that part of Gaule called Gallia Belgica and the other among us in Warwick-shire are by one and the selfe same name termed Arden For this was a wonderfull thicke Forrest and in former ages so darke and terrible by reason of crooked and winding wayes as also the grisly shade therein that it made the inhabitants more fierce and bolder to commit robberies For in the reigne of Henry the sixt they so infested all Severne side with robbing and spoiling that there were lawes made by authority of the Parliament for to restraine them But since that rich Mines of Iron were heere found out those thicke woods began to wax thin by little and little In this Forrest upon the foresaid river stood Tudenham and Wollaston two townes of good antiquity which Walter and Roger the brethren of Gislebert Lord of Clare wrested out of the Welch-mens hands about the yeare 1160. As also Lidney is adjoyning to them where Sir William Winter Viceadmirall of England a renowned Knight for Sea-services as his brother Arthur slaine in Orkeney-Isles built a faire house But the most ancient towne of all others is ABONE or AVONE mentioned by Antonine the Emperour in his Iourney-booke which having not lost that name altogether is at this day called Aventon a small towne indeed but standing upon Severne just nine miles as hee writeth from VENTASILVRVM or Caer-went And seeing that Avon in the Brittish tongue importeth A River it shall be no strange thing if we thinke it so called of the river for in the very same signification that I may omit the rest we have Waterton Bourne and Riverton as the Latines had Aquinum and Fluentium And I suppose the rather that it tooke name of the river because people were wont at this place to ferry over the river whereupon the towne standing over against it is by Antonine called TRAIECTVS that is a passage or ferry but without doubt the number in that place set downe is corrupted For he maketh it nine miles betweene TRAIECTVS and ABONE whereas the river is scarce three miles broad It may seeme then to have beene utterly decaied or turned rather into a village either when as passengers began to ferry over below or when Athelstane thrust out the Welsh Britans from hence For hee was the first that drave them as William of Malmesbury witnesseth beyond the river Wye And where as before his time Severne was the bound betweene the English and Welshmen hee appointed Wye to be the limit confining them both Whence our Necham writeth thus Inde vagos vaga Cambrenses hinc respicit Anglos To Wales on this side looketh Wie On that againe our England he doth eye Not farre from Wye amongst blind by-wayes beset with thicke plumps of trees appeareth Breulis Castle more than halfe fallen downe remarkable for the death of Mahel youngest sonne of Miles Earle of Hereford For there his greedy devises bloody crueltie and covetousnesse ready to pray upon other mens estates for which vices hee is much blamed in Writers were overtaken with a just revenge from heaven For as Girald hath written being entertained guest-wise by
tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other lying under it North-ward is named the Vale. Chiltern got that name according to the very nature of the soile of Chalky marle which the ancient English men termed Cylt or Chilt For all of it mounteth aloft with whitish hills standing upon a mixt earth of Clay and Chalke clad with groves and woods wherein is much Beech and it was altogether unpassable in times past by reason of trees untill that Leofstane Abbot of Saint Albans did cut them downe because they yeelded a place of refuge for theeves In it where the Tamis glideth at the foote of those hills with a winding course standeth Marlow a prety towne of no meane credite taking name of the said Chalke commonly tearmed Marle which being spred upon Corne ground eaten out of heart with long tillage doth quicken the same againe so as that after one yeeres rest it never lieth fallow but yeeldeth againe unto the Husband-man his seed in plentifull measure Nere unto this a rill sheaddeth it selfe in the Tamis making way through low places and where it turneth hath a towne upon it called High Wickham or Wicombe rather which happily thereof tooke the name considering that the German Saxons terme any winding reach of river and sea a Wicke and Combe a low Valle. And very many places wee meet withall in England named in that respect This towne for largenesse and faire building is equall to the greatest townes in this shire and in that it hath a Major for the Head-Magistrate worthily to bee preferred before the rest About the time of the Normans comming in Wigod of Wallengford was Lord both of the Burgh of Wicomb and also of the Villa forinseca I speake according to the Record of the ancient Inquisition that is The out Hamlet or Bery After whose death King Henry the first laid it unto the Crowne But King John at the length divided the said Out Berry betweene Robert de Vi-paâ—â—t and Alane Basset North off Wicomb mounteth up aloft the highest place of this Region and thereof it retaineth still the British name Pen. For the head or eminent top of a thing is with them called Pen and hence it is that the Pennine Alpes the Apâ—â—nine and many Mountaines among us tooke their names Nere unto this Wickham or Wicomb is Bradenham seated in a very commodious and wholsome place which now is become the principall habitation of the Barons of Windesor concerning whom I have already spoken in Barke-shire ever since that in the memory of our fathers William Lord Windesor seated himselfe here whose father S. Andrew descended from the old stemme of ancient Barons King Henry the Eighth dignified with the honour of Baron Windesor Tamis having entertained the said Riâ—â— commeth downe with a rolling streame by Aelan famous for a Colledge the nourâ—e garden as it were or plant plot of good letters which that most vertuous and godly Prince K. Henry the Sixt as I have already said first founded And some few miles forward the river Cole entreth into Tamis which running here betweene Buckinghamshire and Middlesexe giveth name unto the towne Colbroke which was that PONTES whereof Antonine the Emperour maketh mention as the distance on both sides from Wallingford and London doth witnesse Neither is there any other place else in the way that leadeth from Wallingford to London to which the name of Pontes that is Bridges might be more fitly applied For this Cole is here parted into foure channels over which stand as many bridges for the commodity of passengers whereof that it tooke this name the very signification of the word doth plainly shew Like as Gephyrae a towne in Boâ—etia and another Pontes in France where the County of Ponthieu our Tunbridg and others are so called of Bridges This County of Ponthieu to note so much by the way descended to the Kings of England in the right of Aeleanor the wife of King Edward the First who by her mothers right was sole and entire Heire of the same Cole by these severall partitions of his streames compasseth in certaine pleasant Ilands into which the Danes fled in the yeere of our Lord 894. when Aelfred preassed hard upon them and there by the benefit of the place defended themselves untill the English for want of provisions were forced to breake up Siege and leave them At this divorce and division of the waters Eure or Ever a little Towne sheweth it selfe which when K. Richard the First had given unto Sir Robert Fitz-Roger Lord of Clavering his younger sonnes of this place assumed their surname to wit Hugh from whom the Barons of Eure and Robert from whom the Family of Eure in Axolme is sprung and spred Farther within Land are these places which I may not passe over Burnham better knowne by the Hodengs Lord Huntercombs and Scudamores who were Lords thereof and of Beacons-field successively by inheritance than by it selfe Stoke Pogeis so called of the Lords thereof in old time named de Pogeis and from them hereditarily devolved upon the Hastings of whose race Edward Baron Hastings of Loughborrow founded here an Hospitall for poore people making himselfe one of their society and his nephew by the brother Henry Earle of Huntingdon built a very faire house and Fernham the very same if I bee not deceived which was called Fernham Roiall and which in times past the Barons Furnivall held by service of finding their Soveraigne Lord the King upon the day of his Coronation a glove for his right hand and to support the Kings right arme the same day all the while hee holdeth the regaâ—â— Verge or Scepter in his hand From the Furnivalls it came by the daughter of Thomas Nevill unto the Talbots Earles of Shrewsbury who although by exchange they surrendred up this Manour unto King Henry the Eight yet they reserved this honourable Office still to them and their Heires for ever This Cole carrieth downe with him another riveret also which somewhat above from the West sheddeth it selfe into it upon it we saw first Missenden where stood a religious House that acknowledged the D'Ollies their founders and certaine Gentlemen surnamed De Missenden their especiall benefactours upon a vow for escaping a ship-wracke And then in the Vale Amersham in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vaunted it selfe not for faire buildings nor multitude of inhabitants but for their late Lord Frâ—ncis Russeâ—â— Earle of Bedford who being the expresse paterne of true Piety and noblenesse lived most dearely beloved of all good men But the principall seate of the Earles of Bedford is called Cheineis standing more East-ward where both Iohn the first Earle out of this Family and that noble Francis his sonne lye entombed together Unto which adjoyneth on the one side Latimers so named of the Lords thereof I meane those more ancient Barons Latimer before time called Islehamsted where Sir Edwin Sands Knight who
effusion of Britanes bloud When the Romane Empire was at length come to an end in Britane Vortigern the Britane gave to the Saxons who kept him prisoner for his ransome this Country with others as Ninnius writeth and it had his peculiar Kings for a long time together but such as held by homage sometimes of the Kentish Kings sometimes of the Mercians Among whom Sebert in the yeere 603. was the first that became a Christian and Suthred the last King who being vanquished by Egbert in the yeere 804. left the Kingdome unto the West-Saxons But heereof elsewhere more largely Now let us survey the very Country MIDDLE SEX OLIMA TRINOBANTIBVS habitata MIDLE-SEX MIDLE-SEX taketh name of the Middle-Saxons because the Inhabitants thereof were in the middest betweene East-Saxons West-Saxons South-Saxons and those whom that age called Mercians It is severed from Buckingham-shire by the River Cole which the Britans called Co on the West-side from Hertford-shire on the North-side by a knowne crooked limite from Essex on the East with the River Lea from Surrey and Kent on the South by the Tamis It being comprised within short Bounds lyeth out in length where it is longest twenty miles and in the narrowest place it is scant twelve miles over For aire passing temperate and for Soile fertile with sumptuous houses and prety Townes on all sides pleasantly beautified and every where offereth to the view many things memorable By the River Cole where it entreth first into this Shire wee saw Breakespeare an ancient house belonging to a Family so sirnamed out of which came Pope Hadrian the Fourth of whom erewhile I spake then Haresfeld in old time Herefelle the possession in King William the Conquerours daies of Richard the sonne of Counte Gislebert More Southward Vxbridge anciently Woxbridge a Towne of later time built and full of Innes stretcheth out in length Beneath which is Draiton reedified by the Barons Paget Colham which from the Barons Le Strange came to the Earles of Darby and Stanwell ever since the Normans comming in unto our fathers dayes the habitation of the Family of Windesore And not farre from hence Cole after it hath made certaine scattering medow Islands at two small mouthes falleth into Tamis Along the side whereof as a Germane Poet in this our age pretily versified Tot campos Sylvas tot regia tecta tot hortos Artifici dextrâ excultos tot vidimus arces Ut nunc Ausonio Tamisis cum Tybride certet So many fields and pleasant woods so many princely Bowres And Palaces we saw besides so many stately Towres So many gardens trimly dress'd by curious hand which are That now with Romane Tyberis the Tamis may well compare At the very first entrance Stanes in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offereth it selfe to our sight where Tamis hath a woodden Bridge over it This name it tooke of a meere-stone heere in times past set up to marke out the jurisdiction that the City of London hath in the River Neere unto this stone is that most famous Medow Runingmead commonly called Renimed in which the Baronage of England assembled in great number in the yeere 1215. to exact their Liberties of King John Whereof in the marriage of Tame and Isis the Poet wrote thus speaking of the Tamis that runneth hard by Subluit hic pratum quod dixit Renimed Anglus Quo sedere duces armis annÃsque verendi Regis Joannis cuperent qui vertere sceptrum Edwardi Sancti dum leges juráque vellent Principe contempto tenebroso è carcere duci Hinc sonnere tubae plusquam civilia bella Venit hinc refugus nostras Lodovicus in orat Hence runnes it hard by Medow greene in English RENIMED Where close in counsell sat the Lords as well for armour dred As ancient yeeres right reverend who sought their soveraigne King John to depose from regall Throne Whiles that they ment to bring Contemning Prince S. Edwards lawes and liberties againe Inure which had long time forlet a quite forgotten laine Hence more than civill Warres aloud the trumpets ganne to sound Hence Lewis of France who soone retir'd set foot on English ground From thence it passeth by Coway-stakes at Lalam where we said that Caesar crossed over the Tamis and the Britans fensed the banke and Fourd against him with stakes whereof it had the name Tamis passing downe from thence seeth above it Harrow the highest hill of all this Country under which Southward there lie for a long way together exceeding rich and fruitfull fields especially about Heston a small Village that yeeldeth so fine floure for manchet that a long time it hath served for the Kings mouth Within a little of it is Hanworth where stands a prety house of the Kings which King Henry the Eighth tooke exceeding delight in as being a retiring place for his solace and voluptuous pleasure Afterwards it runneth hard by Hampton Court a royall Palace of the Kings a worke in truth of admirable magnificence built out of the ground by Thomas Wolsey Cardinall in ostentation of his riches when for very pride being otherwise a most prudent man hee was not able to mannage his minde But it was made an Honour enlarged and finished by King Henry the Eighth so amply as it containeth within it five severall inner Courts passing large environed with very faire buildings wrought right curiously and goodly to behold Of which Leland writeth thus Est locus insolito rerum splendore superbus Alluitúrque vaga Tamisini fluminis unda Nomine ab antiquo jam tempore dictus Avona Hîc Rex Henricus taleis Octavius aedes Erexit qualeis toto Sol aureus orbe Non vidit A stately place for rare and glorious shew There is which Tamis with wandring streame doth dowsse Times past by name of Avon men it knew Heere Henry the Eigth of that name built an house So sumptuous as that on such an one Seeke through the World the bright Sunne never shone And another in the Nuptiall Poeme of Tame and Isis. Alluit Hamptonam celebrem quae laxior urbis Mentitur formam spacijs hanc condidit aulam Purpureus pater ille gravis gravis ille sacerdos Wolsaeus fortuna favos cui â—elle repletos Obtulit heu tandem foriunae dona dolores He runnes by HAMPTON which for spacious seat Seemes City-like Of this faire Courtly Hall First founder was a Priest and Prelate great Wolsey that grave and glorious Cardinall Fortune on him had pour'd her gifts full fast But Fortunes Blisse Alas prov'd Bale at last And now with a winding reach the River bendeth his course Northward by Gistleworth for so was that called in old time which now is Thistleworth Where sometime stood the Palace of Richard King of Romans and Earle of Cornwall which the Londoners in a tumultuous broile burnt to the ground From hence Sion sheweth it selfe a little Monastery so named of the most holy Mount Sion
agoe an old towne and Cornelius Tacitus in like manner who in Nero his daies 1540. yeares since reported it to have been a place very famous for fresh Trade concourse of Merchants and great store of victuals and all things necessary This onely at that time was wanting to the glory thereof that it had the name neither of Free City nor of Colony Neither verily could it have stood with the Romans profit if a City flourishing with merchandize should have enjoyed the right of a Colony or Free City And therefore it was as I suppose that they ordained it to bee a Praefecture for so they termed townes where Marts were kept and Justice ministred yet so as that they had no Magistrates of their owne but rulers were sent every year to governe in them and for to minister Law which in publique matters namely of tax tributes tolles customes warfare c. they should have from the Senate of Rome Hence it commeth that Tacitus the Panegyrist and Marcellinus call it onely a towne And although it was not in name loftier yet in welth riches and prosperity it flourished as much as any other yea and continued in manner alwaies the same under the dominion of Romans English-Saxons and Normans seldome or never afflicted with any great calamities In the Raigne of Nero when the Britans had conspired to recover and resume their liberty under the leading of Boadicia the Londoners could not with all their weeping and teares hold Suetonius Paulinus but that after hee had levied a power of the Citizens to aide him hee would needs dislodge and remove from thence leaving the City naked to the enemy who foorthwith surprised and slew some few whom either weaknesse of sex feeblenesse of age or sweetnesse of the place had deteined there Neither had it susteined lesse losse and misery at the hands of the French if it had not soddenly and beyond all expectation by Gods providence beene releeved For when C. Alectus had by a deceitfull wile made away C. Carausius a Clive-lander who taking vantage of our rough seas of Dioclesians dangerous warres in the East and withall presuming of the French and most venterous Mariners and servitors at sea had withheld to himselfe the revenewes of Britain and Holland and borne for the space of six yeares the title of Emperour Augustus as his coines very often found heere doe shew when M. Aurelius Asclepiodotus likewise had in a battaile slain Alectus in the third year now of his usurpation of the imperiall purple and state those French who remained alive after the fight hasting to London forthwith would have sacked the City had not the Tamis which never failed to helpe the Londoners very fitly brought in the Roman souldiers who by reason of a fogge at Sea were severed from the Navie For they put the Barbarians to the sword all the City over and thereby gave the Citizens not onely safety by the slaughter of their enemies but also pleasure in the beholding of such a sight And then it was as our Chronicles record that Lucius Gallus was slaine by a little Brookes side which ran through the middle almost of the City and of him was in British called Nant-Gall in English Walbrooke which name remaineth still in a Street under which there is a sewer within the ground to ridde away filth not farre from London-stone which I take to have beene a Milliary or Milemarke such as was in the Mercate place of Rome From which was taken the dimension of all journies every way considering it is in the very mids of the City as it lyeth in length Neither am I perswaded that London was as yet walled Howbeit within a little while after our Histories report that Constantine the Great at the request of his mother Helena did first fense it about with a Wall made of rough stone and British brickes which tooke up in compasse three miles or thereabout so as it enclosed the modell of the City almost foure square but not equall on every side considering that from West to East it is farre longer than from South to North. That part of this Wall which stood along the Tamis side is by the continuall flowing and washing of the River fallen downe and gone Yet there appeared certaine remaines thereof in King Henry the Seconds time as Fitz-Stephen who then lived hath written The rest now standing is stronger toward the North as which not many yeares since was reedified by the meanes of Jotceline Lord Major of London became of a sodaine new as it were and fresh againe But toward East and West although the Barons in old time during their warres repaired and renewed it with the Jewes houses then demolished yet is it all throughout in decay For Londoners like to those old Lacedemonians laugh at strong walled Cities as cotte houses for Women thinking their owne City sufficiently fensed when it is fortified with men and not with stones This Wall giveth entrance at seven principall Gates for wittingly I omit the smaller which as they have beene newly repaired so they have had also new names given unto them On the West side there be two to wit Lud-gate of king Lud or Flud-gate as Leland is of opinion of a little floud running beneath it like as the Gate Fluentana in Rome built againe of late from the very foundation and Newgate the fairest of them all so called of the newnesse thereof where as before it was termed Chamberlangate which also is the publique Goall or Prison On the North side are foure Aldersgate of the antiquity or as others would have it of Aldrich a Saxon Creple-gate of a Spitle of lame Creples sometime adjoyning thereunto More-gate of a moory ground hard by now turned into a field and pleasant Walkes which Gate was first built by Falconer Lord Major in the yeare of our Lord 1414. and Bishopsgate of a Bishop which Gate the Dutch Merchants of the Stilyard were bound by Covenant both to repaire and also to defend at all times of danger and extremity On the East side there is Aldgate alone so named of the oldnesse or Elbegate as others terme it which at this present is by the Cities charge reedified It is thought also that there stood by the Tamis beside that on the Bridge two Gates more namely Belings-gate a Wharfe now or a key for the receit of Ships and Douregate that is The Water-gate commonly called Dowgate Where the Wall endeth also toward the River there were two very strong Forts or Bastilions of which the one Eastward remaineth yet usually called The Towre of London in the British tongue Bringwin or Tourgwin of the whitenesse A most famous and goodly Citadell encompassed round with thicke and strong Walles full of lofty and stately Turrets fenced with a broad and deepe ditch furnished also with an Armory or Magazine of warlike Munition and other buildings besides so as it resembleth a big towne
yeare of our Lord 1086. when as before time it had beene consumed by a woefull accidentall fire whereof William of Malmesbury writeth thus The beauty thereof is so magnificent that it deserveth to bee numbered in the ranke of most excellent Edifices so large is that Arched Vault underneath and the Church above it of such capacity that it may seeme sufficient to receive any multitude of people whatsoever Because therefore Maurice carried a minde beyond all measure in this project he betooke the charge and cost of so laborious a peece of worke unto those that came after In the end when B. Richard his Successour had made over all the Revenewes belonging unto the Bishopricke to the building of this Cathedrall Church sustaining himselfe and his Family otherwise in the meane while hee seemed in a manner to have done just nothing so that hee spent his whole substance profusely heereabout and yet small effect came thereof The West Part as also the Crosse-yle are spacious high built and goodly to bee seene by reason of the huge Pillars and a right beautifull arched Roufe of stone Where these foure Parts crosse one another and meete in one there riseth uppe a mighty bigge and lofty Towre upon which stood a Spire Steeple covered with Leade mounting uppe to a wonderfull height for it was no lesse than five hundered and foure and thirty foote high from the Ground which in the yeare of our Lord 1087. was set on fire with Lightning and burnt with a great part of the City but beeing rebuilt was of late in mine owne remembrance when I was but a Childe fired againe with Lightning and is not as yet reedified The measure also and proportion of this so stately building I will heere put downe out of an old Writer which you may if it please you reade Saint Pauls Church containeth in length sixe hundered ninety foote the breadth thereof is one hundered and thirty foote the height of the West Arched Roufe from the Ground carrieth an hundered and two foote and the new Fabrique from the Ground is foure score and eight foote high The stoneworke of the Steeple from the plaine ground riseth in height two hundred and threescore foote and the timber frame upon the same is two hundred seaventy foure foote high c. That there stood of old time a Temple of Diana in this place some have conjectured and arguments there are to make this their conjecture good Certaine old houses adjoyning are in the ancient records of the Church called Dianaes Chamber and in the Church-yard while Edward the First reigned an incredible number of Ox-heads were digged up as wee finde in our Annals which the common sort at that time made a wondering at as the Sacrifices of Gentiles and the learned know that Taurapolia were celebrated in the honour of Diana I my selfe also when I was a boy have seene a stagges head sticking upon a speare-top a ceremony suting well with the sacrifices of Diana carried round about within the very Church in solemne pompe and procession and with a great noise of Horne-blowers And that Stagge or Hart which they of the house de Bawde in Essex did present for certaine lands that there held as I have heard say the Priests of this Church arrayed in their sacred vestiments and wearing Garlands of flowers upon their heads were wont to receive at the steps of the quire Now whether this were in use before those Bawds were bound to exhibite such a Stagge I wote not but surely this rite and ceremony may seeme to smell of Diana's worship and the Gentiles errours more than of Christian Religion And verily no man neede to doubt that from them certaine strange and foraine and heathenish rites crept into Christian religion Which Ceremonies the first Christians as mankinde is naturally a pliant Sectary to superstition either admitted or else at the first tolerated thereby to traine and allure the Heathen from Paganisme by little and little to the true Service and Worship of God But ever since this Church was built it hath beene the See of the Bishops of London and the first Bishop that it had under the English about fifty yeares after that Theoâ— of the British Nation was thrust out was Melitus a Roman consecrated by Austin Archbishop of Canturbury In honour of which Austin flat against the Decree of Pope Gregorie the Great the Ensignes of the Archbishopricke and the Metropolitane Sec were translated from London to Canturbury Within this Cathedrall Church to say nothing of Saint Erkenwald and the Bishops there lye buryed Sebba King of the East Saxons who gave over his kingdome for to serve Christ Etheldred or Egeldred who was an Oppressour rather than a Ruler of this Kingdome cruell in the beginning wretched in the middle and shamefull in the end so outragious hee was in his connivency to a Parricidie committed so infamous in his flight and effeminacy and so miserable in his death Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Sir Simon de Burlie a right noble Knight of the Garter executed by encroched Authority without the kings assent Sir Iohn de Beauchamp Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Iohn Lord Latimer Sir Iohn Mason knight William Herbert Earle of Pembroch Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England a man of a deepe reach and exquisite judgement Sir Philip Sidney and Sir Francis Walsingham two famous knights c. and Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour of England for whose perpetuall memory Sir William Hatton his Nephew by sister descended from the ancient Family of the Newports whom hee adopted into the name of Hatton dutifully erected a sumptuous monument well beseeming the greatnesse of his adoptive father Beside this Church there is not to my knowledge any other worke of the English Saxons extant in London to bee seene for why they continued not long in perfect peace considering that in short space the West-Saxons subdued the East-Saxons and London became subject to the Mercians Scarcely were these civill Warres husht when a new Tempest brake out of the North I meane the Danes who piteously tore in peeces all this Country and shooke this City sore For the Danes brought it under their Subjection but Aelfred recovered it out of their hands and after he had repaired it gave it unto Aetheldred Earle of the Mercians who had married his daughter Yet those wastefull depopulators did what they could afterwards many a time to winne it by Siege but Canut especially who by digging a new Chanell attempted to turne away the Tamis from it Howbeit evermore they lost their labour the Citizens did so manfully repulse the force of the enemy Yet were they not a little terrified still by them untill they lovingly received and saluted as their King William Duke of Normandy whom God destined to bee borne for the good of England against those Spoilers Presently then the windes were laid
the said Geffrey appointed Walden to bee the principall place and seat of his honour and Earledome for him and his Successours The place where hee built the Abbay had plenty of waters which rising there continually doe runne and never faile Late it is ere the Sunne riseth and shineth there and with the soonest he doth set and carry away his light for that the hilles on both sides stand against it That place now they call Audley End of Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England who changed the Abbay into his owne dwelling house This Thomas created by King Henry the Eighth Baron Audley of Walden left one sole daughter and heire Margaret second wife to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke of whom hee begat Lord Thomas Lord William Lady Elizabeth and Lady Margaret The said Thomas employed in sundry Sea-services with commendation Queene Elizabeth summoned by Writ unto the High Court of Parliament among other Barons of the Realme by the name of Lord Howard of Walden And King James of late girded him with the sword of the Earldome of Suffolke and made him his Chamberlaine who in this place hath begunne a magnificent Building Neere to another house of his at Chesterford there was a Towne of farre greater antiquity hard by Icaldun in the very border of the Shire which now of the old Burgh the rusticall people use to call Burrow Banke where remaine the footings onely of a Towne lying in manner dead and the manifest tract of the very walles Yet will I not say that it was VILLA FAUSTINI which Antonine the Emperour placeth in this Tract and albeit Ingrata haud lati spatia detinet campi Sed rure vero barbaróque laetatur It takes not up large ground that yeelds no gaine But Country like is homely rude and plaine Yet dare not I once dreame that this is that Villa Faustini which in these and other Verses is by that pleasant and conceited Poet Martiall depaincted in his Epigrams The fieldes heere on every side as I said smell sweetly and smile pleasantly with Saffron a commodity brought into England in the time of King Edward the Third This in the moneth of â—uly every third yeere when the heads thereof have been plucked up and after twenty daies spitted or set againe under mould about the end of September they put foorth a whitish blew flower out of the middle whereof there hang three redde fillets of Saffron we call them Chives which are gathered very early in the morning before the Sunne rising and being plucked out of the flower are dried at a soft fire And so great increase commeth heereof that out of every acre of ground there are made fourescore or an hundred pounds weight of Saffron while it is moist which being dried yeeld some tweâ—â—y pound in weight And that which a man would marvell more at the ground which three yeeres together hath borne Saffron will beare aboundance of Barley eighteene yeeres together without any dunging or manuring and then againe beare Saffron as before if the inhabitants there have not misinformed me or I mis-conceived them More into the South is Clavering seated which King Henry the Second gave unto Sir Robert Fits-Roger from whom the family of Evers are issued The posterity of this Sir Roger after they had a long time taken their name of their fathers forename or Christen-name according to that ancient custome as Iohn Fitz-Robert Robert Fitz-Iohn c. afterwards by the commandement of King Edward the First they assumed from hence the name of Clavering But of these I am to speake in Northumberland Stansted Montfichet heere also putteth up the head which I will not passe over in silence considering it hath been the Baronie or habitation in times past of the family De Monte Fisco commonly Mont-fitchet who bare for their Armes three Cheverus Or in a shield Gueles and were reputed men of very great nobility But five of them flourished in right line and at the last three sisters were seized of the inheritance Margaret wife of Hugh De Boleber Aveline wedded to William De Fortibus Earle of Aumarle and Philip wife to Hugh Playz The posterity male of this Hugh flourished within the remembrance of our great Grandfathers and determined in a daughter married to Sir Iohn Howard Knight from whose daughter by Sir George Vere descended the Barons Latimer and the Wingfeldes And a little below is Haslingbury to bee seene the residence of the Barons Morley of whom I shall speake more in Norfolke And close to this standeth an ancient Fort or Military fense thereof named Walbery and more East-ward Barrington Hall where dwelleth that right ancient Family of the Barringtons which in the Raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montficheâ— enriched with faire possessions and more ennobled their house in our fathers remembrance by matching with one of the daughters and coheires of Sir Henry Pole Lord Montacute sonne of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury descended of the Bloud Royall Neither is Hatfield Regis commonly called of a broad spread Oke Hatfield Brad-Oake to be omitted where Robert Vere Earle of Oxford built a Priory and there lieth entombed crosse-legged with a French inscription wherein he is noted to be first of that name Robert and third Earle of Oxford After the comming of the Normans Mande the Empresse Lady of the English for so shee stiled herselfe created Geffrey De Magnavilla usually called Mandevil son to William by Margaret daughter and heire of Eâ—do the Steward or Shewar the first Earle of Essex that shee might so by her benefits oblige unto her a man both mighty and martiall Who in those troublesome times under King Stephen despoiled of his estate made an end of his owne turbulent life with the sword And hee verily for his wicked deeds as I finde in an old Writer justly incurred the worlds censure and sentence of excommunication in which while hee stood hee was deadly wounded in the head at a little Towne called Burwell When he lay at the point of death ready to give his last gaspe there came by chance certaine Knights Templars who laid upon him the habit of their religious Profession signed with a red Crosse and afterwards when hee was full dead taking him up with them enclosed him within a Coffin of Lead and hunge him upon a tree in the Orchard of Old Temple at London For in a reverent awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he dyed excommunicated After him succeeded Geffry his sonne who was restored by Henry the Second to his fathers honours and Estate for him and his heires but he having no children left them to his brother William who by his wife was also Earle of Albemarle and dyed likewise in his greatest glory issuelesse Some yeares after K. John promoted Geffrey Fitz-Petre Justicer of England a wise and grave Personage unto this honour in consideration of a great masse of
which he had overrunne by robbing and ransacking From hence Breton speedeth it selfe by Higham whence the family of Higham is so named to Stour which joyntly in one streame runne not farre from Bentley where the Talmachs of a celebrate ancient house flourished for a long time and after a few miles neere unto Arwerton the house long since of the family of the Bacons who held this Manour and Brome by conducting all the footemen of Suffolke and Norfolke from S. Edmunds dike in the warres of Wales Now it belongeth to the Parkers haereditarily who by the Fathers side derive their descent from the Barons Morley and by the Mothers from the Calthrops a Family sometime of great account in these parts Beneath this Stour falleth into the Ocean and at the very mouth thereof the river Orwell or Gipping dischargeth it selfe together with it This River springeth up in the very navell or centre as one would say of this shire out of two fountaines the one neere to Wulpet the other by Gipping a small Village Wulpet is a Mercat towne and soundeth as much as The Wolves pit if wee may beleeve Nubrigensis who hath told as prety and formall a tale of this place as is that fable called the TRUE NARRATION of Lucian namely how two little Boyes forsooth of a greene colour and of Satyrs kinde after they had made a long journey by passages under the ground from out of another world from the Antipodes and Saint Martins Land came up heere of whom if you would know more repayre to the Author himselfe where you shall finde such matter as will make you laugh your fill if you have a laughing spleene I wote not whether I were best to relate here into what a vaine hope of finding gold at Norton hard by a certaine credulous desire of having enticed and allured king Henry the Eight but the digging and undermining there sufficiently shew it although I say nothing But between Gipping and Wulpet upon an high hill remain the tokens of Hawhglee an ancient Castle taking up much about two Acres of ground Some affirme this to have beene called Hagoneth Castle which belonged to Ralph le Broc and that in the yeere 1173. it was by Robert Earle of Leicester won and overthrowne in the intestine warre betweene king Henry the Second and his unkindely disloyall sonne Upon the same River are seene two little Mercat Townes Stow and Needham and not farre from the banke Hemingston in which Baldwin Le Pettour marke his name well held certaine lands by Serjeanty the words I have out of an old booke for which on Christmasse day every yeere before our soveraigne Lord the King of England he should performe one Saltus one Suffletus and one Bumbulus or as wee read elsewhere his tenour was per saltum sufflum pettum that is if I understand these tearmes aright That hee should daunce puffe up his cheekes making therewith a sound and besides let a cracke downeward Such was the plaine and jolly mirth of those times And observed it is that unto this Foe the Manour of Langhall belonged Neere unto the mouth of this river we saw Ipswich in times past Gippwich a faire towne resembling a Citty situate in a ground somewhat low which is the eye as it were of this shire as having an Haven commodious enough fenced in times past with a trench and rampire of good trade and stored with wares well peopled and full of Inhabitants adorned with foureteene Churches and with goodly large and stately edifices I say nothing of foure religious houses now overturned and that sumptuous and magnificent Colledge which Cardinall Wolsey a Butchers sonne of this place here began to build whose vast minde reached alwayes at things too high The body politike or corporation of this towne consisteth as I was enformed of twelve Burgesses Portmen they terme them out of whom are chosen yeerely for the head Magistrates two Baillives and as many Justices out of foure and twenty others As touching the Antiquity thereof so farre as ever I could observe the name of it was not heard of before the Danish invasion whereof it smarted For in the yeere of salvation 991. the Danes sacked and spoyled it and all the Sea coast with so great cruelty that Siritius Archbishop of Canterbury and the Nobles of England thought it the safest and best course they could take to redeeme and buy their peace of them for the summe of ten thousand pounds Neverthelesse within nine yeeres they made spoyle of this towne againe and presently thereupon the Englishmen valiantly encountred them in the field but through the cowardly running away of one man alone named Turkill as writeth Henry of Huntingdon for in matter of warre things of small weight otherwise are of right great moment and sway very much our men were put to flight and let the victory slip out of their hands In the reigne of S. Edward as we finde in the Survey booke of England out of this towne Queene Edeva had two parts and Earle Guert a third part and Burgesses there were eight hundred paying custome to the King But after the Normans had possessed themselves of England they erected a pile or Castle here which Hugh Bigod defended for a good while against Stephen the usurping King of England but surrendred it in the end This fort is now quite gone so as there remaine not so much as the ruines thereof Some say it was in the parish of Westfield hard by where is to be seene the rubbish of a Castle and where old Gipwic as men say stood in times past I thinke verely it was then demolished when K. Henry the second laied Waleton Castle neer unto it even with the ground For it was a place of refuge for Rebels and here landed those three thousand Flemings whom the nobles of Englād had called in against him what time as he unadvisedly hee had made Prince Henry his sonne King and of equall power with himselfe and the young man knowing no meane would bee in the highest place or none set upon a furious desire of the Kingdome most unnaturally waged warre against his owne father Albeit these Castles are now cleane decaied and gone yet this Shore is defended sufficiently with an huge banke they call it Langerston that for two miles or thereabout in length lyeth forth into the maine Sea as hee saith not without great danger and terrour of such as saile that way howbeit the same serveth very well for Fishermen to dry their fishes and after a sort is a defence unto that spatious and wide Haven of Orwell And thus much for the South part of this Shire From hence the curving Shore for all this East part lyeth full against the Sea shooting forth Northward straight-way openeth it selfe to the Deben a Riveret having his spring-head neere unto Mendelesham unto which Towne the Lord of the place H. Fitz Otho Master
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
all England made fruitfull by meanes of very many Masters and Teachers proceeding out of Cambridge in manner of the Holy Paradise c. But at what time it became an Vniversity by authority Robert de Remington shall tell you Vnder the Reigne saith hee of Edward the First Grantbridge of a Schoole was made an Vniversity such as Oxenford is by the Court of Rome But what meane I thus unadvisedly to step into these lists Wherein long since two most learned old men have encountred one with another Unto whom verely as to right learned men I am willing to yeeld up my weapons and vaile bonnet with all reverence The Meridian line cutting the Zenith just over Cambridge is distant from the furthest West poynt twenty three degrees and twenty five scruples And the Arch of the same Meridian lying betweene the Aequator and Verticall poynt is fiftie two degrees and II. scruples Cam from Cambridge continuing his course by Waterbeach an ancient seat of Nuns which Lady Mary S. Paul translated from thence to Denny somewhat higher but nothing healthfuller when in a low ground he hath spread a Mere associateth himselfe with the River Ouse But to returne hard under Cambridge Eastward neere unto Sture a little brooke is kept every yeere in the moneth of September the greatest Faire of all England whether you respect the multitude of buyers and sellers resorting thither or the store of commodities there to be vented Hard by whereas the way was most comberous and troublesome to passengers to and fro that right good and praise-worthy man G. Hervy Doctor of the Civill Law and M. of Trinity Hall in Cambridge made not long since with great charges but of a Godly and laudable intent a very faire raised Causey for three miles or thereabout in length toward Neumercat Neere unto Cambridge on the South-East side there appeare aloft certaine high Hills the Students call them Gogmagog-Hills Henry of Huntingdon tearmed them Amoenissima montana de Balsham that is The most pleasant Mountaines of Balsham by reason of a little Village standing beneath them wherein as hee writeth the Danes left no kinde of most savage cruelty unattempted On the top of these hills I saw a Fort intrenched and the same very large strengthened with a threefold Rampire an hold surely in those dayes inexpugnable as some skilfull men in feats of Warre bee of opinion were it not that water is so farre off Gervase of Tilbury seemeth to call it Vandelbiria Beneath Cambridge saith he there was a place named Vandelbiria for that the Vandals wasting the parts of Brittaine with cruell slaughter of Christians there encamped themselves where upon the very top of the hill they pitched their Tents there is a Plaine inclosed round with a Trench and Rampire which hath entrance into it but in one place as it were at a Gate Touching the Martiall spectre or sprite that walked here which he addeth to the rest because it is but a meere toyish and fantasticall devise of the doting vulgar sort I willing over-passe it For it is not my purpose to tell pleasant tales and tickle eares In the Vale under these hills is Salston to be seene which from the Burges of Burgh-Green by Walter De-la-pole and Ingalthorp came unto Sir Iohn Nevill Marquesse Mont-acute and by his daughter and one of his heires to the Hudlestons who have lived here in worship and reputation More Eastward first we meete with Hildersham belonging sometimes to the Bustlers and now by marriage to the Parises Further hard by the Woods is Horsheath situate the Possession whereof is knowne by a long descent to have pertained unto the ancient Families of the Argentons and Alingtons of whom elsewhere I have written and is now the habitation of the Alingtons Adjoyning hereunto is Castle Camps the ancient seat also of the Veres Earles of Oxford which Hugh Vere held as the old booke of Inquisition Records That he might be the Kings Chamberleine whereas notwithstanding most true it is that Henry the First King of England granted unto Aubry de Vere that Office in these words The principall Chamberlaineship of all England in Fee and Inheritance with all the Dignities Liberties and Honours thereto belonging as freely and honourably as Robert Mallet held the same c. The Kings notwithstanding ordained sometimes one and sometimes another at their pleasure to execute this Office The Earles of Oxford also that I may note it incidently by the heire of R. Sandford held the Manours of Fingrey and Wulfelmelston by Serjeanty of Chamberlainship to the Queenes at the Coronation of the Kings Not far from hence are seene here and there those great and long Ditches which certainly the East Angles did cast to restraine the Mercians who with sudden inrodes were wont most outragiously to make havocke of all before them The first of these beginneth at Hinkeston runneth Eastward by Hildersham toward Hors-heath about five miles in length The second neere unto this called Brentditch goeth from Melborne by Fulmer Where D. Hervies cawsey which I mentioned endeth there appeareth also a third forefence or ditch cast up in old time which beginning at the East banke of the river Cam reacheth directly by Fenn-Ditton or more truly Ditch-ton so called of the very Ditch betweene great Wilberham and Fulburn as farre as to Balsham At this day this is called commonly Seauen mile Dyke because it is seaven miles from Newmercate in times past Fleam-Dyke in old English that is Flight-Dyke of some memorable flight there as it seemeth At the said Wilberham sometimes called Wilburgham dwelt in times past the Barons Lisle of Rong-mount men of ancient nobility of whom John for his Martiall prowesse was by King Edward the Third ranged among the first founders of the order of the Garter and of that Family there yet remaineth an heire Male a reverend old Man and full of Children named Edmund Lisle who is still Lord of this place More East from hence five miles within the Country is to bee seene the fourth forefence or ditch the greatest of all the rest with a rampier thereto which the common people wondring greatly at as a worke made by Devils and not by men use to call Devils-Dyke others Rech-Dyke of Rech a little mercate towne where it beginneth This is doubtlesse that whereof Abbo Floriacensis when he describeth the sight of East England writeth thus From that part whereas the Sun inclineth Westward the Province it selfe adjoyneth to the rest of the Island and is therefore passable but for feare of being overrun with many invasions and inrodes of enemies it is fortified in the front with a banke or rampier like unto an huge wall and with a Trench or Ditch below in the ground This for many miles together cutteth overthwart that Plaine which is called Newmarket-heath where it lay open to incursions beginning at Rech above which the Country
our Historians call Kings-delfe not farre from that great Lake Wittlesmere And as this Abbay did adorne the East side of the Shire so the middle thereof was beautified by Salâ—rie which the second Simon de Sancto Lizio Earle of Huntingdon built From which not farre is Cunnington holden anciently of the Honour of Huntingdon where within a foure square Trench are to be seene expresse remaines of an ancient Castle which as also Saltrie was by the gift of Canutus the seat of Turkill that Dane who abode heere among the East English and sent for Sueno King of Denmarke to make spoile of England After whose departure Waldeof the sonne of Siward Earle of Northumberland enjoyed it who married Judith Niece to William the Conquerour by his sister on the mothers side by whose eldest daughter it came to the royall family of Scotland For she by a second marriage matched with David Earle of Huntingdon who afterwards obtained the Kingdome of Scotland being the younger sonne of Malcolm Can-mor King of Scots and of Margaret his wife descended of the royall line of the English-Saxons For shee was Niece to King Edmund Iron-side by his sonne Edward sirnamed The Banished David had a sonne named Henry and Henry had another named David Earle of Huntingdon by one of whose daughters Isabel Cunnington and other lands by right of marriage descended to Sir Robert Bruse from whose eldest sonne Robert sirnamed the Noble James King of Great Britaine lineally deriveth his Descent and from Bernard his younger sonne unto whom this Cunnington with Exton fell Sir Robert Cotton Knight is lineally descended who over and beside other vertues being a singular lover and searcher of Antiquities having gathered with great charges from all places the Monuments of venerable Antiquity hath heere begunne a famous Cabinet whence of his singular courtesie hee hath oftentimes given me great light in these darksome obscurities But these Quarters considering the ground lying so low and for many moneths in the yeare surrounded and drowned in some places also floting as it were and hoven up with the waters are not free from the offensive noisomnesse of Meres and the unwholesome aire of the Fennes Here for sixe miles in length and three in breadth that cleare deepe and fishfull Mere named Wittles-mere spreadeth it selfe which as other Meres in this Tract doth sometimes in Calmes and faire weather sodainly rise tempestuously as it were into violent water-quakes to the danger of the poore fishermen by reason as some thinke of evaporations breaking violently out of the bowels of the earth As for the unhealthinesse of the place whereunto onely strangers and not the natives there are subject who live long and healthfully there is amends made as they account it by the commodity of fishing the plentifull feeding and the abundance of turfe gotten for fewell For King Cnut gave commandement by Turkill the Dane of whom ere while I spake That to every Village standing about the Fennes there should bee set out a severall Marsh who so divided the ground that each Village by it selfe should have in proper use and occupation so much of the very maine Marsh as the firme ground of every such Village touched the Marsh lying just against it And be ordained that no Village might either digge or mow in the Marsh of another without licence but that the pasture therein should lye all in common that is Horne under horne for the preservation of peace and concord among them But thus much of this matter When the sonnes and servants of the said King Cnut sent for from Peterborough to Ramsey were in passing over that Lake There fell upon them as they were cheerefull under saile and lifting up their voices with joyfull shoutings most untoward and unhappy windes wherewith a turbulent and tempestuous storme arose that enclosed them on every side so that laying aside all hope they were in utter despaire of their life security or any helpe at all But such was the mercifull clemency of Almighty God that it forsooke them not wholy nor suffered the most cruell Gulfe of the waters to swallow them up all quite but by his providence some of them he delivered mercifully out of those furious and raging waves but others againe according to his just and secret judgement he permitted amiddest those billowes to passe out of this fraile and mortall life And when the fame of so fearefull a danger was noised abroad and come to the Kings eares there fell a mighty trembling and quaking upon him but being comforted and releeved by the counsaile of his Nobles and freinds for to prevent in time to come all future mishaps by occasion of that outragious monster hee ordained that his souldiers and servants with their swords and skeins should set out and marke a certaine Ditch in the Marishes lying thereby betweene Ramsey and Whittlesey and afterwards that workemen and labourers should skoure and clense them whereupon as I have learned of ancient predecessours of good credite the said Ditch by some of the neighbour Inhabitants tooke the name Swerdesdelfe upon that marking out by swords and some would have it to bee termed Cnouts-delfe according to the name of the same King Yet commonly at this day they call it Steeds dike and it is counted the limit and bound between this County and Cambridge-shire In the East side of this Shire Kinnibantum Castle now called Kimbolton the habitation in times past of the Mandevilles afterwards of the Boâ—uns and Staffords and at this day of the Wingfields doth make a faire shew Under which was Stoneley a prety Abbay founded by the Bigrames A little from hence is Awkenbury which King John gave to David Earle of Huntingdon and John sirnamed the Scot his sonne unto Sir Stephen Segrave of whom I am the more willing to make mention for that he was one of those Courtiers who hath taught us That there is no power alwaies powerfull Hardly and with much adoe hee climbed to an eminent and high estate with great thought and care hee kept it and as sodainely hee was dejected from it For in his youth of a Clerke he became a Knight and albeit hee was but of meane parentage yet through his industry toward his later dayes so enriched and advanced that being ranged with the great Peeres of the Realme hee was reputed chiefe Justice of England and managed at his pleasure after a sort all the affaires of State But in the end he lost the Kings favour quite and to his dying day lay close in a Cloyster and who before time from a Clerkship betooke himselfe through arrogancy to secular service returning againe to the office of a Clerke resumed the shaven crowne which hee had forsaken without the counsell and advise of the Bishop Not farre from hence is Leighton where Sir Gervase Clifton knight lately made Baron Clifton beganne to build a goodly house and close to it lyeth Spaldwicke
of the aforesaid came another Gilbert his sonne and heire who gave the Manour of Folkingham with the Appertenances to Edward the sonne of Henry King of England This Gilbert as wee finde in the Plees out of which this Pedegree is prooved claimed service against Wil. de Scremby And at length it came by gift of the Prince to Sir Henry Beaumont For most certaine it is that he held it in the Raigne of Edward the Second Neere unto this is Screkingham remarkable for the death of Alfrick the second Earle of Leicester whom Hubba a Dane slew Of which place it seemeth that Ingulph spake writing thus In Kesteven were slaine three great Lords or petty Kings of the Danes whom they buryed in a Village which was called before Laundon but now for the Sepulture of three Kings Tre-King-ham And more into the East is Hather in this regard onely to be mentioned that the Busseis or Busleis heere dwell who deduce their Race from Roger de Busly in the Conquerours time Then Sleford a Castle of the Bishops of Lincolne built by Alexander the Bishop where Sir John Hussy the first and last Baron of that name created by King Henry the Eighth built himselfe an house who having unwittingly and unadvisedly in the yeere 1537. engaged himselfe with the common people in a tumultuous commotion what time as the first dissention brake out in England about Religion lost his head Not many miles from hence standeth Kime which gave name to a noble family called De Kime but the possession of the place came at length to the Umfranvils of whom three were called to the Parliament by the name of the Earles of Anguse in Scotland But the first of them the learned in our common lawes would not acknowledge to be Earle for that Anguse was not within the limits of the Realme of England untill hee produced openly in Court the Kings Writ by vertue whereof he had been summoned by the King to the Parliament under the Title of Earle of Anguse From the Umfravils this came unto the family of Talbois of whom Gilbert was created by King Henry the Eighth Baron Talbois whose two sonnes dying without issue the inheritance was by the females transferred to the Dimocks Inglebeies and others More Westward wee saw Temple Bruer that is as I interprete it Temple in the Heath For it seemeth to have beene a Commaundery of the Templers considering that the decayed broken Walles of the Church there are seene in forme of the New Temple at London Hard to it lyeth Blankenay the Barony in times past of the D'incourts who flourished successively a long time one after another from the Normans comming in unto King Henry the Sixth his time For then their male line determined in one William who had two sisters for his heires the one married to Sir William Lovell the other to Sir Ralph Cromwell The more willingly have I made mention of this Family to give satisfaction in some measure unto the longing desire of Edmond Baron D'eincourt who long since being carefull and earnest about the preservation of the memory of his name as having no male Issue put up an humble Petition to King Edward the Second Whereas hee foresaw that his sirname and Armes after his death would bee quite forgotten and yet heartily desired that after his decease they might bee still remembred that hee might bee permitted to enfeoffe whomsoever it pleased him both in his Manours and Armes also Which request hee obtained and it was graunted under the Kings Letters Patents yet for all that is this sirname now quite gone to my knowledge and had it not beene continued by the light of learning might have beene cleane forgotten for ever In the West part of Kesteven and the very confines of this Shire and Leicestershire standeth Belvoir or Beauvoir Castle so called of the faire prospect what name soever it had in old time mounted upon the top of a good steepe hill built by Robert De Todeneie a Norman Nobleman who also beganne the little Monastery adjoyning from whom by the Albeneies out of little Britaine and the Barons Roos it came by inheritance to the Mannors Earles of Rutland of whom the first that is to say Thomas as I have beene enformed raised it up againe with newbuildings from the ground when as it had for many yeeres lien buryed as it were in his owne ruines For in despite of Thomas Lord Roos who tooke part with King Henry the Sixth it was much defaced by William Lord Hastings unto whom after that the said Baron Roos was attainted King Edward the Fourth had graunted it with very faire Lands But Edmond Baron Roos sonne of the said Thomas by the gracious favour of king Henry the seventh recovered this ancient Inheritance againe About this Castle are found the Stones called Astroites which resemble little Starres joyned one with another wherein are to bee seene at every corner five Beames or Rayes and in every Ray in the middest is small hollownesse This Stone among the Germanes got his name of Victorie for that as George Agricola writeth in his Sixth Booke of Mineralls they are of opinion that whosoever carryeth it about him shall winne his suite and get victory of his enemies But whether this Stone of ours as that in Germany being put in vineger will stirre out of his place and turne it selfe some-what round I could never yet make tryall Under this Castle lyeth a Vale and presenteth a most pleasant prospect thereunto whereupon it is commonly called the Vale of Belver which is very large and passing pleasantly beautified with Corne fields and no lesse rich in pastures lying stretched out in three Shires of Leicester Nottingham and Lincolne If not in this very place yet hard by it in all probability stood that MARGIDUNUM which Antonine the Emperour placeth next after VERNOMETUM as both the name and the distance also from VERNOMETUM and the Towne PONT or Paunton betweene which Antonine placeth it may most plainly shew It should seeme that ancient name Margidunum was borowed from Marga and the situation of it For Marga among the Britans is a kinde of earth named Marle wherewith they nourished and kept their grounds in heart and DUNUM which signifieth an Hill agreeth onely to places higher mounted than others And yet in this Etymology of the name I am in a doubt seeing that Marle in this place is very geason or skant happily because no man seeketh for it unlesse the Britans by the name of Marga tearmed Plaister-stone which is digged uppe hard by as I have learned the use whereof in white pargetting and in making of Images was of especiall request among the Romans as Plinie witnesseth in his Naturall History Witham a River plentifull in Pikes but carrying a small streame watereth this part of the Shire and on the North-side encloseth it It hath his beginning by a little towne
Saint late Bishop carried upon their shoulders to his buriall Howbeit the memory of two Prelates I must needs renew afresh the one is Robert Grosthead a man so well seene both in literature and in the learned tongues in that age as it is incredible and to use the words of one then living A terrible reproover of the Pope an adviser of his Prince and Soveraigne a lover of verity a corrector of Prelates a director of Priests an instructor of the Clergy a maintainer of Schollers a Preacher to the people a diligent searcher into the Scriptures a mallet of the Romanists c. The other is mine owne Praeceptor whom in all duty I must ever love and honour that right reverend Father Thomas Cooper who hath notably well deserved both of all the learned and also of the Church in whose Schoole I both confesse and rejoice that I received education The City it selfe also flourished a long time being ordained by King Edward the Third for the Staple as they tearme it that is the Mart of Wooll Leather Lead c. Which although it hath not been over-laied with any grievous calamities as being once onely set on fire once also besieged in vaine by King Stephen who was there vanquished and taken prisoner forced also and won by King Henry the Third when the rebellious Barons who had procured Lewis of France to chalenge the Crowne of England defended it against him without any great dammage yet incredible it is how much it hath been empaired by little and little conquered as it were with very age and time so that of fifty Churches which it had standing in our Great-grandfathers daies there are now remaining scarce eighteene It is remooved that I may note this also from the Aequator 53. degrees and 12. scruples and from the West point 22. degrees and 52. scruples As that Street-way called Highdike goeth on directly from Stanford to Lincolne so from hence Northward it runneth with an high and streight causey though heere and there it be interrupted forward for ten miles space to a little Village called the Spittle in the Street and beyond By the which as I passed I observed moreover about three miles from Lincolne another High-port-way also called Ould-street to turne out of this High dike Westward carrying a bancke likewise evident to be seene which as I take it went to AGELOCUM the next baiting towne or place of lodging from LINDUM in the time of the Romanes But I will leave these and proceed in the course that I have begun Witham being now past Lincolne runneth downe not far from Wragbye a member of the Barony called Trusbut the title whereof is come by the Barons Roos unto the Mannours now Earles of Rutland Then approcheth it to the ruines of a famous Abbay in times past called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly Bardney where Bede writeth that King Oswald was Entombed with a Banner of gold and purple hanged over his Tombe The writers in the foregoing age thought it not sufficient to celebrate the memory of this most Christian worthy King Oswald unlesse unto his glorious exploits they stitched also ridiculous miracles But that his hand remained heere uncorrupted many hundred yeeres after our Ancestours have beleeved and a Poet of good antiquity hath written in this wise Nullo verme perit nulla putredine tabet Dextra viri nullo constringi frigore nullo Dissolvi fervore potest sed semper eodem Immutata statu persistit mortua vivit The mans right hand by no worme perisht is No rottennesse doth cause it putrifie No binding cold can make it starke ywis Nor melting heat dissolve and mollifie But alwayes in one state persist it will Such as it was though dead it liveth still This Abbay as writeth Peter of Bloys being sometime burnt downe to the ground by the Danes furious outrage and for many revolutions of yeeres altogether forlorne that noble and devout Earle of Lincolne Gilbert de Gaunt reedified and in most thankfull affectionate minde assigned unto it with many other possessions the tithes of all his Manours wheresoever throughout England Then is Witham encreased with Ban a little River which out of the midst of Lindsey runneth downe first by Horne Castle which belonged in times past to Adeliza of Condie and was laid even with the ground in the Raigne of Stephen afterwards became a capitall seat of the Barony of Gerard de Rodes and pertaineth now as I have heard to the Bishop of Carlile From thence by Scrivelby a Manour of the Dimockes who hold it hereditarily devolved upon them from the Marmions by Sir J. Ludlow and that by service to use now the Lawyers words Of Grand Serjeanty viz. That whensoever any King of England is to bee crowned then the Lord of this Manour for the time being or some one in his name if himselfe bee unable shall come well armed for the warre mounted upon a good horse of service in presence of the Soveraigne Lord the King upon his Coronation day and cause Proclamation to bee made that if any man will avouch that the said Soveraigne Lord the King hath not right to his Kingdome and Crowne he will be prest and ready to defend the right of the King of his Kingdome of his Crowne and dignity with his body against him and all others whatsoever Somewhat lower The Ban at Tatteshall a little Towne standing in a Marish Country but very commodiously well knowne by reason of the Castle built for the most part of bricke and the Barons thereof runneth into Witham They write that Eudo and Pinso two Noblemen of Normandy loving one another entirely as sworne brethren by the liberall gift of King William the Conquerour received many Lordships and faire lands in this tract which they parted so as that Tatteshall fell to Eudo which he held by Barony from whose posterity it came by Dryby and the Bernacks unto Sir Raulph Cromwell whose sonne bearing the same name and being under King Henry the Sixth Lord Treasurer of England departed out of this world without issue but unto Pinso fell Eresby which is not farre off From whose progeny the inheritance descended by the Becks unto the Willoughbeies unto whom there came also an encrease both of honour and also of faire Livelods by their wives not onely from the Uffords Earles of Suffolke but also from the Lords of Welles who brought with them very faire possessions and lands of the family de Engain Lords of ancient Nobility and from the first comming in of the Normans of great power in these parts Among these Willoughbeis one excelled all the rest in the Raigne of Henry the Fifth named Sir Robert Willoughby who for his martiall prowesse was created Earle of Vandosme in France and from these by the mothers side descended Peregrine Berty Baron Willoughby of Eresby a man for his generous minde and military valour renowned
hidden within the net But these things I leave to their observation who either take pleasure earnestly to hunt after Natures workes or being borne to pamper the belly delight to send their estates downe the throat More Westward the River Trent also after he hath ended his long course is received into the Humber after it hath with his sandy banke bounded this shire from Fossedike hither having runne downe first not farre from Stow where Godive the wife of Earle Leofricke built a Monastery which for the low site that it hath under the hills Henry of Huntingdon saith to have beene founded Vnder the Promontory of Lincolne Then neere unto Knath now the habitation of Baron Willoughy of Parrham in times past of the family of the Barons Darcy who had very much encrease both in honor and also of possessions by the daughter and heire of the Meinills This Family of the Darcyes proceeded from another more ancient to wit from one whose name was Norman de Adrecy or Darcy de Nocton who flourished in high reputation under King Henry the Third and whose successours endowed with lands the little Nunnery at Alvingham in this County But this dignity is as it were extinct for that the last Norman in the right line which is more ancient left behinde him onely two sisters of which the one was married to Roger Pedwardine the other to Peter of Limbergh Then runneth the Trent downe to Gainesborrow a towne ennobled by reason of the Danes ships that lay there at rode and also for the death of Suene Tiugs-Kege a Danish Tyrant who after he had robbed and spoiled the country as Matthew of Westminster writeth being heere stabbed to death by an unknowne man suffered due punishment at length for his wickednesse and villany Many a yeere after this it became the possession of Sir William de Valence Earle of Pembroch who obtained for it of king Edward the First the liberty to keepe a Faire From which Earle by the Scottish Earles of Athol and the Piercies descended the Barons of Bourough who heere dwelt concerning whom I have written already in Surry In this part of the Shire stood long since the City Sidnacester which affoorded a See to the Bishops of this Tract who were called the Bishops of Lindifars But this City is now so farre out of all sight and knowledge that together with the name the very ruines also seeme to have perished for by all my curious enquiry I could learne nothing of it Neither must I overpasse that in this Quarter at Melwood there flourished the family of Saint Paul corruptly called Sampoll Knights which I alwaies thought to have beene of that ancient Castilion race of the Earles of Saint Paul in France But the Coat-Armour of Luxemburgh which they beare implieth that they are come out of France since that the said Castilion stocke of Saint Paul was by marriage implanted into that of Luxemburgh which happened two hundred yeeres since or thereabout Above this place the Rivers of Trent Idell and Dane doe so disport themselves with the division of their streames and Marishes caused by them and other Springs as they enclose within them the River-Island of Axelholme in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a parcell of Lincolne-shire It carryeth in length from South to North ten miles and in breadth not past halfe so much The flat and lower part of it toward the Rivers is marish ground and bringeth forth an odoriferous kinde of shrub which they tearme Gall. It yeeldeth also Pets in the Mores and dead rootes of fir-wood which in burning give a ranke sweet savour There also have beene found great and long firre-trees while they digged for Pet both within the Isle and also without at Laâ—ghton upon Trent banke the old habitation of the family of D'alanson now contractly called Dalison The middle parts of this Isle where it riseth gently with some ascent is fruitefull and fertile and yeeldeth flax in great aboundance also the Alabaster stone and yet the same being not very solide but brittle is more meet for pargetting and plaister-worke than for other uses The chiefe Towne called in old time Axel is now named Axey whence by putting to the Saxon word Holme which they used for a River-Island the name no doubt was compounded But scarce deserveth it to bee called a Towne it is so scatteringly inhabited and yet it is able to shew the plot of ground where a Castle stood that was rased in the Barons warre and which belonged to the Mowbraies who at that time possessed a great part of the Isle In the yeere 1173. as writeth an old Chronographer Roger de Mowbray forsaking his Allegeance to the Elder King repaired the Castle at Kinard Ferry in the Isle of Axholme which had beene of old time destroyed Against whom a number of Lincoln-shire men making head when they had passed over the water in barges laid siege to the Castle forced the Constable thereof and all the souldiers to yeeld and overthrew the said Castle Somewhat higher is Botterwic the Lord whereof Sir Edmund Sheffeld King Edward the Sixth created the first Baron Sheffeld of Botherwic who for his country spent his life against the Rebels in Norfolke having begotten of Anne Vere the Earle of Oxfords daughter a sonne named John the second Baron and father to Edmund now Lord Sheffeld a right honourable Knight of the Garter President of the Councell established in the North. But more into the North I saw Burton Stather standing upon the other side of Trent whereof I have hetherto read nothing memorable This Shire glorieth in the Earles which have borne Title thereof After Egga who flourished in the yeere 710. and Morcar both Saxons and who were Earles by office onely William de Romara a Norman was the first Earle after the Conquest in whose roome being dead for neither his sonne whereas he died before his father nor his grand-child enjoied this title King Stephen placed Gilbert de Gaunt After whose decease Simon de Saint Lyz the younger the sonne of Earle Simon you reade the very words of Robert Montensis who lived about that time Wanting lands by the gracious gift of King Henry the Second tooke his onely daughter to wife with her his honour also After this Lewis of France who was by the seditious Barons brought into England girt a second Gilbert out of the Family de Gaunt with the sword of the Earldome of Lincolne but when the said Lewis was soone after expelled the land no man acknowledged him for Earle and himselfe of his owne accord relinquished that title Then Raulph the sixth Earle of Chester obtained this honour of King Henry the Third who a little before his death gave unto Hawise or Avis his sister the wife of Robert De Quincy by Charter the Earledome of Lincolne so farre forth as appertained unto him that shee might bee Countesse
Iustice of the Common Pleas and a very great lover of learning But he hath now taken his quiet sleepe in Christ and left his sonne Sir Roger Owen for his manifold learning a right worthy sonne of so good a father This is holden of the King as we reade in the Records In chiefe to finde two footmen one day in the army of Wales in time of warre Which I note heere once for all to this end that I may give to understand that Gentlemen and Noblemen heereabout held their inheritances of the Kings of England by this tenure to be ready in service with Souldiers for defence of the Marches whensoever there should be any warre betweene England and Wales Neere unto this there is a little Village named Pichford that imparted the name in times past to the ancient Family of Pichford now the Possession of R. Oteley which our Ancestours for that they knew not pitch from Bitumen so called of a fountaine of Bitumen there in a private mans yard upon which there riseth and swimmeth a kinde of liquid Bitumen daily skumme it off never so diligently even as it doth in the Lake Asphaltites in Iewry in a standing water about Samosata and in a spring by Agrigentum in Sicilie But whether this bee good against the falling sicknesse and have a powerfull property to draw to close up wounds c. as that in Iewry none that I know as yet have made experiment More Westward you may see Pouderbach Castle now decayed and ruinous called in times past Pulrebach the seat of Sir Raulph Butler a younger sonne of Raulph Butler Lord Wem from whom the Butlers of Woodhall in Hertford-shire are lineally descended Beneath this Huckstow Forest spreadeth a great way among the mountaines where at Stipperstons bill there be great heapes of stones and little rockes as it were that rise thicke together the Britans call them Carneddau tewion But whereas as these seeme naturall I dare not with others so much as conjecture that these were any of those stones which Giraldus Cambrensis seemeth to note in these words Harald in person being himselfe the last footeman in marching with footemen and light Armours and victuals answerable for service in Wales valiantly went round about and passed through all Wales so as that he left but few or none alive And for a perpetuall memory of this Victory you may finde very many stones in Wales erected after the antique manner upon hillockes in those places wherein hee had beene Conquerour having these words engraven HIC FVIT VICTOR HARALDVS Heere was Harald Conquerour More Northward Caurse Castle standeth which was the Barony of Sir Peter Corbet from whom it came to the Barons of Stafford and Routon Castle neere unto it the most ancient of all the rest toward the West borders of the Shire not farre from Severn which Castle sometimes belonged to the Corbets and now to the ancient Family of the Listers Before time it was the possession of Iohn le Strange of Knocking in despite of whom Lhewellin Prince of Wales laid it even with the ground as we read in the life of Sir Foulque Fitz-Warin It flourished also in the Romans time under the same name tearmed by Antonine the Emperour RUTUNIUM Neither can wee mistake herein seeing both the name and that distance from URICONIUM a towne full well knowne which he putteth downe doe most exactly agree Neere unto this are Abberbury Castle and Watlesbury which is come from the Corbets to the notable family of the Leightons Knights As for the name it seemeth to have taken it from that High Port-way called Watling street which went this way into the farthest part of Wales as Ranulph of Chester writeth by two little Townes of that street called Strettons betweene which in a valley are yet to be seene the rubbish of an old Castle called Brocards Castle and the same set amiddest greene medowes that before time were fish-pooles But these Castles with others which I am scarce able to number and reckon up for the most part of them are now ruinate not by the fury of warre but now at length conquered even with secure peace and processe of time Now crossing over Severne unto that part of the shire on this side the River which I said did properly belong to the ancient CORNAVII This againe is divided after a sort into two parts by the river Terne running from the North Southward so called for that it issueth out of a very large Poole in Stafford-shire such as they of the North parts call Tearnes In the hither part of these twaine which lyeth East neere to the place where Terne dischargeth his waters into Severn stood the ancient URICONIUM for so Antonine the Emperor termeth it which Ptolomee calleth VIROCONIUM Ninnius Caer Vruach the old English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee Wreckceter and Wroxcester This was the chiefe City of the CORNAVII built as it seemeth by the Romans what time as they fortified this banke of Severn in this place where the river is full of fourds as it is not elsewhere lower toward the mouth thereof But this being sore shaken in the Saxons warre fell to utter decay in the Danish broiles and now it is a very small country Towne of poore Husbandmen and presenteth often times to those that aire the ground Roman Coines to testifie in some sort the antiquity thereof Besides them I saw nothing of antiquity but in one place some few parcels of broken walles which the common people call The old worke of Wroxceter This Wall was built of rough stone distinguished outwardly with seven rowes of British brickes in equall distance and brought up with arched worke inwardly I conjecture by the uneven ground by the Rampires and the rubbish of the wall heere and there on either side that the Castle stood in that very place where these ruines remaine But where the plot of the City lay and that was of a great compasse the Soile is more blackish than elsewhere and plentifully yeeldeth the best barley in all this quarter Beneath this City that Port-way of those Romans knowne by the name of Watling street went as I have heard say directly albeit the ridge thereof now appeareth not either through a fourd or over a Bridge the foundations whereof were of late a little higher discovered when they did set a Weare in the River unto the Strattons that is to say Townes upon the Streete whereof I spake even now The ancient name of this decaied URICONIUM sheweth it selfe very apparently in an hill loftily mounting neere thereunto called Wreken hill some Writers terme it Gilberts hill from the top whereof which lyeth in a plaine pleasant levell there is a very delightfull prospect into the Country beneath on every side This Hill runneth out in length a good space as it were attired on the sides with faire spread trees But under it where Severn rolleth downe
this City as Ptolomee Antonine and the ancient Coine of Septimius Geta doe prove by which it appeareth for certaine that this City also was a Colony For in the reverse or back-side thereof standeth this Inscription COL DIUANA LEG XX. VICTRIX But to testifie the Romanes magnificence there are remaining indeed at this day very few tokens beside pavements of foure square checker worke howbeit in the former ages it presented many which Ranulph a Monke of this City shall tell you out of his Polychronicon in these his owne words There be waies heere under the ground vaulted marveilously with stone worke chambers having arched roofes over head huge stones engraven with the names of ancient men heere also are sometimes digged up peeces of money coined by Julius Caesar and other famous persons and stumped with their inscriptions Likewise Roger of Chester in his Policraticon When I behold saith he the ground worke of buildings in the streetes laid with monstrous big stones it seemeth that it hath beene founded by the painfull labour of Romans or Giants rather than by the sweat of Britans This City built in forme of a quadrant foure square is enclosed with a wall that taketh up more than two miles in compasse and hath eleven parishes But that of S. Johns without the Northgate was the fairest being a stately and solemne building as appeareth by the remaines wherein were anciently Prebendaries and as some write the Bishops See Neere unto the River standeth the Castle upon a rocky hill built by the Earles where the Courts Palatine and the Assises as they call them are kept twice a yeere The houses are very faire built and along the chiefe streets are galleries or walking places they call them Rowes having shops on both sides through which a man may walke dry from one end unto the other But it hath not continued evermore in one tenor of prosperity First it was rased by Egfrid King of Northumberland then by the Danes yet reedified againe by Aedelfled Lady of the Mercians and soone after it saw King Eadgar in magnificent maner triumphing over the British Princes For sitting himselfe in a Barge at the fore-decke Kennadie King of the Scots Malcoline King of Cumberland Macon King of Mann and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales brought to doe homage and like watermen working at the Ore rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant shew to his great glory and joy of the beholders Certaine yeeres after and namely about the yeere of our Redemption 1094. when as in a devour and religious emulation as one saith Princes strove avie That Cathedrall Churches and Minsters should bee erected in a more decent and seemely forme and when as Christendome rouzed as it were her selfe and casting away her old habiliments did put on every where the bright and white robe of Churches Hugh the first of the Norman bloud that was Earle of Chester repaired the Church which Earle Loefrick had formerly founded in honour of the Virgin Saint Werburga and by the advise of Anselm whom he had procured to come out of Normandy granted the same unto Monkes And now it is notorious for the Tombe of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Almaine who as they say gave over his Empire and lived heere an Eremits life and for the Bishops See therein established Which See immediately after the Normans Conquest Peter Bishop of Lichfield translated from Lichfield hither but when it was brought to Coventry and from thence into the ancient seat againe West-Chester lay a long time berest of this Episcopall Dignity untill in our fathers dayes King Henry the Eighth having thrust out the Monkes ordeined Prebendaries and restored a Bishopagaine under whom for his Dioecesse he appointed this County Lancashire Richmond c. and appointed the same to be within the Province of the Archbishop of Yorke But returne wee now to matters of greater antiquity When as now the said Cathedrall Church was built the Earles that were of the Normans line fortified the City both with Walles and Castle For as the Bishop held of the King that which belongeth to his Bishopricke these are the words of Domesday booke made by King William the Conquerour so the Earles with their men held of the King wholly all the rest of the City It paid Geld or Tribute for fifty hides and foure hundred and thirty and one houses were thus Geldable and seven Mint-masters When the King himselfe in person came thither every Carrucata yeelded unto him two hundred Hestas and one turn full of Ale and one Rusca of butyr And in the same place for the reedification of the City wall and the bridge the Provost gave warning by an edict that out of every hide in the County one man should come and looke whose man came not his Lord or Master was sined in forty shillings to the King and the Earle If I should particulate the scufflings and skirmishes heere about betweene the Welsh and the English in the beginning of the Normans time their inrodes and outrodes the often scarfires of the Suburbs of Hanbrid beyond the Bridge whereupon the Welshmen call it Treboeth that is The burnt towne as also the Wall made there of Welshmens skuls that went a great length I should seeme to forget my selfe and thrust my sicle into the Historians Harvest But ever since the said time hath Chester notably flourished and King Henry the Seventh made it a County by it selfe incorporate Neither wanteth any thing there that may be required in a most flourishing City but that the Ocean being offended and angry as it were at certaine Mills in the very chanell of the River Dee hath by little withdrawne himselfe back and affoordeth not unto the City the commodity of an Haven as heretofore The Longitude of this place is twenty Degrees and three and twenty Scruples the Latitude three and fifty Degrees and eleven Scruples If you desire to know more touching this City have here these reports out of Lucian that Monke abovesaid who lived almost five hundred yeeres agoe First it is to bee considered that Chester is built as a City the site whereof inviteth and allureth the eye which being situate in the West parts of Britaine was in time past a place of receipt to the Legions comming a farre off to repose themselves and served sufficiently to keepe the Keies as I may say of Ireland for the Romanes to preserve the limite of their Empire For being opposite to the North-East part of Ireland it openeth way for passage of ships and Mariners with spread saile passing not often but continually to and fro as also for the commodities of sundry sorts of Merchandise And whiles it casteth an eye forward into the East it looketh toward not onely the See of Rome and the Emperor thereof but the whole world also so that it standeth forth as a kenning place to the view of eyes that there may bee knowne valiant exploites and
of the lands was fallen there was great competition for the title of Abergevenny argued in the High Court of Parliament in the second yeere of King James and their severall claimes debated seven severall daies by the learned Counsell of both parts before the Lords of the Parliament Yet when as the question of precise right in law was not sufficiently cleered but both of them in regard of the nobility and honor of their family were thought of every one right worthy of honorable title and whereas it appeared evidently by most certaine proofes that the title as well of the Barony of Abergevenny as of Le Despenser appertained hereditarily to this Family The Lords humbly and earnestly besought the King that both parties might be ennobled by way of restitution who graciously assented thereunto Hereupon the Lord Chancellour proposed unto the Lords first whether the heire male should have the title of Abergevenny or the heire female and the most voices carried it that the title of the Barony of Abergevenny should bee restored unto the heire male And when he propounded secondly whether the title of the Barony Le Despenser should bee restored unto the female they all with one accord gave their full consent Which being declared unto the King he confirmed their determination with his gracious approbation and royall assent Then was Edward Nevill by the Kings Writ called unto the Parliament by the name of Baron Abergavenney and in his Parliament Robes betweene two Barons as the manner is brought into the house and placed in his seat above the Baron Audley And at the very same time were the letters Patents read whereby the King restored erected preferred c. Mary Fane to the state degree title stile name honour and dignity of Baronesse Le-Despenser To have and to hold the foresaid state and unto the above named Mary and her heires and that her heires successively should bee Barons Le-Despenser c. And upon a new question mooved unto whether the Barony of Abergavenney or the Barony Le-Despenser the priority of place was due The Lords referred this point to the Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Mareschall of England who after mature deliberation and weighing of the matter gave definitive sentence for the Barony Le-Despenser set downe under their hands and signed with their seales which was read before the Lords of the Parliament and by order from them entered into the Journall Booke out of which I have summarily thus much exemplified John Hastings for I have no reason to passe it over in silence held this Castle by homage Wardship and marriage when it hapned as wee reade in the Inquisition and if there should chance any warre betweene the King of England and the Prince of Wales hee was to keepe the Country of Over-went at his owne charges in the best manner he can for his owne commodity the Kings behoofe and the Realme of Englands defense The second little City which Antonine named BURRIUM and setteth downe twelve miles from Gobannium standeth where the River Birthin and Uske meete in one streame The Britans at this day by transposing of the letters call it Brunebegy for Burenbegy and Caer Uske Giraldus tearmeth it Castrum Oscae that is The Castle of Uske and we Englishmen Uske At this day it can shew nothing but the ruines of a large and strong Castle situate most pleasantly betweene the River Uske and Oilwy a Riveret which beneath it runneth from the East by Ragland a faire house of the Earle of Worcesters built Castle-like The third City which Antonine nameth ISCA and LEGIO SECUNDA is on the other side of Uske twelve Italian miles just distant from BURRIUM as hee hath put it downe The Britans call it Caer Leon and Caer LEON ar Uske that is The City of the Legion upon Uske of the second Legion Augusta which also is called Britannica Secunda This Legion being ordained by the Emperour Augustus and translated by Claudius out of Germany into Britaine under the conduct of Vespasian being ready at his command when he aspired to bee Emperour and which procured the Legions in Britaine to take his part was heere at last placed in Garison by Julius Frontinus as it seemeth against the Silures How great this ISCA was in those dayes listen unto our Girald out of his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae who thus describeth it out of the ruines It was an ancient and Authenticke City excellently well built in old time by the Romanes with bricke Walles Heere may a man see many footings of the antique nobility and dignity it had mighty and huge Palaces with golden pinacles in times past resembling the proud statelinesse of the Romanes for that it had beene found first by Romane Princes and beautified with goodly buildings There may you behold a giant-like Towre notable and brave baines the remaines of Temples and Theatres all compassed in with faire walles which are partly yet standing There may one finde in every place as well within the circuit of the Wall as without houses under ground water pipes and Vaults within the earth and that which you will count among all the rest worth observation you may see every where hoâ—e houses made wondrous artificially breathing forth heate very closely at certaine narrow Tunnels in the sides Heere lye enterred two noble Protomartyrs of greater Britaine and next after Alban and Amphibalus the very principall heere crowned with Martyrdome namely Julius and Aaron and both of them had in this City a goodly Church dedicated unto them For in antient times there had beene three passing faire Churches in this City One of Julius the Martyr beautified with a chaire of Nunnes devoted to the service of God A second founded in the name of blessed Aaron his companion and ennobled with an excellent Order of Chanons Amphibalus also the Teacher of Saint Alban and a faithfull informer of him unto faith was borne heere The site of the City is excellent upon the River Oske able to beare a prety Vessell at an high water from the Sea and the City is fairely furnished with woods and medowes heere it was that the Romane Embassadours repaired unto the famous Court of that great King Arthur Where Dubritius also resigned the Archiepiscopall honour unto David of Menevia when the Metropolitane See was translated from hence to Menevia Thus much out of Giraldus But for the avouching and confirming of the Antiquity of this place I thinke it not impertinent to adjoyne heere those antique Inscriptions lately digged forth of the ground which the right reverend Father in God Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaffe a passing great lover of venerable Antiquity and of all good Literature hath of his courtesie imparted unto me In the yeere 1602. in a medow adjoyning there was found by ditchers a certaine image of a personage girt and short trussed bearing a quiver but head hands and feet were broken off upon a pavement of square tile in checker
having obtained leave of King Etheldred gave unto the Church of Durham and Hugh Pudsey adorned it with a faire Church and other edifices In this Towne field are three pittes of a wonderfull depth the common people tearme them Hell-Kettles because the water in them by the Antiperistasis or reverberation of the cold aire striking thereupon waxeth hote The wiser sort and men of better judgement doe thinke they came by the sinking downe of the ground swallowed up in some earth-quake and that by a good probable reason For thus we reade in the Chronicles of Tinmouth In the yeere of our Lord 1179. on Christmas day at Oxenhall in the Territory of Derlington within the Bishopricke of Durham the ground heaved it selfe up aloft like unto an high Towre and so continued all that day as it were unmoveable untill the evening and then fell with so horrible a noise that it made all the neighbour dwellers afraide and the earth swallowed it up and made in the same place a deepe pit which is there to bee seene for a testimony unto this day That these Pittes have passages under the ground Bishop Cuthbert Tonstall first observed by finding that Goose in the River Tees which he for the better triall and experience of these Pits had marked and let downe into them Beyond Derlington Tees hath no Townes of any great account standing upon it but gliding along the skirtes of greene fields and by country Villages winding in and out as he passeth at length dischargeth himselfe at a large mouth into the Ocean whence the base or bothom of the Triangle aforesaid towards the Sea beginneth From hence the shore coasteth Northward holding on entire still save that it is interrupted with one or two little Brookes and no more neere unto Gretham where Robert Bishop of Durham having the Manour given freely unto him by Sir Peter de Montfort founded a goodly Hospitall Next unto it is Claxton which gave name unto a Family of good and ancient note in this Tract whereof I have beene the more willing to make mention because of the same house was T. Claxton an affectionate lover of venerable Antiquity From thence the shore shooteth forth into the Sea with one onely Promontory scarce seven miles above Tees mouth on which standeth very commodiously Hartlepoole a good Towne of trade and a safe harbour for shipping Bede seemeth to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Henry of Huntingdon interpreteth The Harts or Stagges Island where hee writeth that Heiu a religious woman founded a Monastery in times past If Heorteu bee not rather the name of that little Territory which the Booke of Dâ—resme seemeth to implie and in another place calleth Heortnesse because it lyeth out somewhat farre into the Sea From this for fifteene miles together the shore being in no place broken off but heere and there embroidered as it were and garnished with Townes smileth pleasantly upon those that saile that way untill it openeth it selfe to make roome for the River VEDRA for so Ptolomee calleth that which Bede nameth Wirus the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we Were This river first groweth into one out of three riverets Burden-hop Wel-hop and Kel-hop in the utmost part of this Country Westward which when they are joyned in one chanell is called by one name Were and speedeth into the East by vast moores and heathes by great Parkes of the Bishops and by Witton a little Castle or pile belonging to the Lords Evers who are Noblemen in this Country of great antiquity as descended from the Lords of Clavering and Warkworth as also from the Vescyes and the Attons by Daughters renowned for their martiall prowesse which Scotland may well witnesse For King Edward the First gave unto them for their valiant service Kettnes a little Towne in Scotland and King Henry the Eighth within our fathers remembrance honoured them in that respect with the Title of Barons Then Were after a few miles taketh into him from the South Gaunlesse a Riveret where at the very meeting of them both together there standeth upon an high hill Aukland so called of Okes like as Sarron in Greece which sheweth an house of the Bishops stately built with Turrets by Antony Bec and withall a beautifull Bridge made by Walter Skirlaw a Bishop of Durham about the yeere 1400. who also enlarged this house and built the Bridge over Tees at Yare From hence Were turneth his course Northward that he might water this shire the longer and then forthwith looketh up to the remaines of an ancient City not now a dying but dead many yeeres agoe standing on the brow of an hill which Antonine the Emperour called VINOVIUM Ptolomee BINOVIUM in whom it is so thrust out of his owne place and set as it were in another Climate that it would for ever have lien hid had not Antonine pointed at it with his finger Wee call it at this day Binchester and it hath in it a very few houses yet it is very well knowne to them that dwell thereabout both by reason of the heapes of rubbish and the reliques of walles yet to be seene as also for peeces of Romane Coine often digged up there which they call Binchester Penies yea and for the Inscriptions of the Romanes amongst which I happened of late when I was there upon an Altar with this Inscription DE AB MATRIB Q. LO CL. QUIN TIANUS COS V. S. L. M. Another stone also was heere lately gotten out of the ground but defaced with voide places where the letters were worne out which notwithstanding if one beheld it wishly seemeth to shew this Inscription TRIB COHOR I. CARTOV MARTI VICTORI GENIO LOCI ET BONO EVENTUI Neither have I read any thing else of it but that an old booke maketh mention how the Earles of Northumberland long since plucked away this with other Villages from the Church what time as that accursed and unsatiable hunger after Gold swallowed up also the sacred patrimony of the Church On the other banke of Were among the mounting Hilles appeareth Branspeth Castle which the Bulmers built and the daughter of Sir Bertram Bulmer coupled in marriage unto Geffrey Nevill adjoyned with other great Possessions unto the Family of the Nevills Within a while after Were runneth downe much troubled and hindered in his Course with many great Stones apparent above the water which unlesse the River doe rise and swell with great store of raine are never over covered and upon which a thing that happeneth not elsewhere if yee powre water and temper it a little with them it sucketh in a saltish quality Nay that which more is at Butterby a little Village when the River in Summer time is very ebbe and shallow there issueth out of those stones a certaine salt reddish water which by the heat of the Sunne waxeth so white and withall groweth to a thicke substance that
Carlile had was Sir Andrew de Harcla whom King Edward the second created Earle that I may speake out of the very originall instrument of his Creation for his laudable good service performed against Thomas Earle of Lancaster and other his abetters in vanquishing the Kings enemies and disloiall subjects in delivering them up into the Kings hands when they were vanquished giâ—t with a sword and created Earle under the honour and name of the Earle of Carlile Who notwithstanding proved a wretched Traitour himselfe unthankfull and disloyally false both to his Prince and country and being afterwards apprehended was with shame and reproach paied duly for the desert of his perfidious ingratitude degraded in this maner first by cutting off his spurres with an hatchet afterwards disgirded of his military Belt then dispoiled of his shooes and gantlets last of all and was drawne hanged beheaded and quartered As for the position of Carlile the Meridian is distant from the utmost line of the West 21. degrees and 31. minutes and elevation of the North pole 54. degrees and 55. minutes and so with these encomiasticall verses of M. I. Ionston Ibid Carlile adue CARLEOLUM Romanis quondam statio tutissima signis Ultimaque Ausonidum meta labosque Ducum Especula laiè vicinos prospicit agros Hic ciet pugnas arcet inde metus Gens acri ingenio studiis asperrima belli Doctaque bellaci fig ere tela manu Scotorum Reges quondam tenuere beati Nunc iterum priscis additur imperiis Quid Romane putas extrema hîc limina mundi Mundum retrò alium surgere nonne vides Sit vidisse satis docuit nam Scotica virtus Immensis animis hîc posuisse modum CARLILE Unto the Romane legions sometimes the surest Station The farthest bound and Captaines toile of that victorious nation From prospect high farre all abroad it lookes to neighbour fields Hence fight and skirmish it maintaines and thence all danger shields People quicke witted fierce in field in martiall feats well seene Expert likewise right skilfully to fight with weapons keene Whilom the Kings of Scots it held whiles their state stood upright And once againe to ancient crowne it now reverts by right What Romane Cesar thinkest thou the world hath here an end And seest thou not another world behind doth yet extend Well maist thou see this and no more for Scotish valour taught Such haughty mindes to gage themselves and here to make default If you now crosse over the river Eden you may see hard by the banke Rowcliffe a little castle erected not long since by the Lords de Dacres for the defence of their Tenants And above it the two rivers Eske and Leven running jointly together enter at one out-gate into the Solway Frith As for Eske he rumbleth down out of Scotland and for certaine miles together confesseth himselfe to bee within the English dominion and entertaineth the river Kirsop where the English and Scottish parted asunder of late not by waters but by mutuall feare one of another having made passing good proofe on both sides of their great valour and prowesse Neere this river Kirsop where is now seene by Nether-By a little village with a few cottages in it where are such strange and great ruines of an ancient City and the name of Eske running before it doth sound so neare that wee may imagine AESICA stood there wherein the Tribune of the first band of the Astures kept watch and ward in old time against the Northren enemies But now dwelleth here the chiefe of the Grayhams family very famous among the Borderers for their martiall disposition and in a wall of his house this Romane inscription is set up in memoriall of Hadrian the Emperour by the Legion surnamed Augusta Secunda IMP. CAES. TRA. HADRIANO AUG LEG II. AUG F. But where the River Lidd and Eske conjoine their streames there was sometimes as I have heard Liddel castle and the Barony of the Estotevils who held lands in Cornage which Earle Ranulph as I read in an old Inquisition gave unto Turgill Brundas But from Estotevill it came hereditarily unto the Wakes and by them unto the Earles of Kent of the blood roiall And John Earle of Kent granted it unto King Edward the third and King Richard the second unto John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Beyond this river Eske the land for certaine miles together is accounted English ground wherein Solom Mosse became very famous by reason especially of so many of the Scottish Nobility taken there prisoners in the yeere 1543. What time as the Scottish resolute to set upon Sir Thomas Wharton Lord warden of the English marches so soone as they understood that their King had committed the command of the army to Oliver Sincler whom they disdained they conceived such indignation thereat that with their owne shame and losse breaking their arraies in tumultuous manner they made a generall confusion of all which the English beholding from the higher ground forthwith charged violently upon them and put them to flight many they took prisoners who flinging away their weapons yeelded themselves after some few souldiers on both sides slaine into the hands of the English and of the borderers Presently whereupon James the fifth King of Scots was so disjected that weary of his life he died for very sorrow The land thereabout is called Batable ground as one would say Litigious because the English and the Scottish have litigiously contended about it For the inhabitants on both sides as borderers in all other parts are a military kind of men nimble wily alwaies in readines for any service yea and by reason of often skirmishes passing well experienced Leven the other river whereof I spake springing in the limit just of both kingdomes runneth by no memorable place unlesse it be Beucastle as they commonly call it a Castle of the Kings which standing in a wild and solitary country hath beene defended onely by a ward of souldiers But this in publicke records is written Bueth-castle so that the name may seeme to have come from that Bueth who about King Henry the first his dayes after a sort ruled all in this tract Certaine it is that in the reigne of Edward the third it was the patrimony of Sir John of Strivelin a Baron who married the daughter and one of the heires of Adam of Swinborne In the Church now much decaied there is layed for a grave-stone this old inscription translated thither from some other place LEG II. AUG FECIT In the Church-yard there is erected a Crosse about 20. foot high all of one entire foure square stone very artificially cut and engraven but the letters are so worn and gone that they cannot be read But whereas the Crosse is chequy in that manner as the shield of Armes belonging to the family of Vaulx sometime Lords in this tract we may well thinke that it was erected by them More into the South and farther within
the same so prone is mans nature to entertain the worst that one would not beleeve in how short a time some English among them degenerate and grow out of kinde A PRAEFACE TO THE ANNALES OF IRELAND THus far forward was the Printers presse a going when the Honourable Lord William Howard of Naworth for the love that he beareth unto the studies of Antiquity willingly imparted unto me the Manuscript Annales of Ireland from the yeere of our Salvation MCLII unto the yeere MCCCLXX Which I thought good to publish considering that after Giraldus Cambrensis there is nothing to my knowledge extant better in this kind and because so noble and worthy a person whose they were by right in private before permitted so much Unto whom the very same thankes in manner are duly to bee yeelded for bringing them to light that were to be given unto the authour himselfe who first recorded them in writing And albeit they are penned in a stile somewhat rude and barrain as those times required yet much matter is therein contained that may illustrate the Irish Historie and would have given good light unto mee if they had not come to my hands so late Take them here therefore truly and faithfully exemplified even as I found them with all their imperfections and faults and if you have any better impart them with semblable courtesie unto us if not make use of these with us untill some one come forth and shew himselfe that will helpe us to a fuller Chronicle and happilie continue the same in length even unto our daies with more elegancie of phrase which verily would be no painfull work to be performed THE ANNALES OF IRELAND ANno Domini MCLXII Gregorie the first Archbishop of Dublin a man praise worthy every way slept in the Lord after whom succeeded holy Laurence O-Thothil who was Abbat of St. Kemnus de Glindelagh Thomas is made Archbishop of Canterburie MCLXVI Rothericke O-Conghir Prince of Connaght was made King and Monarch of Ireland MCLXVII Died Maud the Empresse The same yeere Almaricke King of Jerusalem tooke Babylon And in the same yeere Dermoc Mac-Murrogh Prince of Leinster whiles O-Rorke King of Meth was in a certaine expedition carried away his wife who was willing enough to be ravished For her selfe made meanes to be taken as a prey as we find in Cambrensis MCLXVIII Donate King of Uriel founder of Mellifont Monasterie departed in Christ. In the same yeere Robert Fitz-Stephen neither unmindfull of his promise nor a breaker of his faith came into Ireland with thirtie Knights MCLXIX Earle Richard of Stroghul sent before him into Ireland a certaine young Gentleman of his owne family named Remund with ten Knights about the Calends of May. The same yeere the said Earle Richard accompanied with two hundred Knights or thereabout and others to the number as one would say of a thousand arrived on the even of S. Bartholmew the Apostle Which Richard verily was the sonne of Gilbert Earle of Stroghul that is Chippestow sometime Strogull This Richard also was the sonne of Isabell Aunt by the mothers side of K. Malcome and William King of Scotland and of David the Earle a Gentleman of good hope and the morrow after the same Apostles day they tooke the said Citie and there Eva Dermots daughter was lawfully joined in marriage unto Earle Richard and her father gave her MCLXXI S. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie was slaine In the same yeere the Citie of Dublin was by the Earle and his companie taken And the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Castro Dei that is of Gods Castle MCLXXI Dermot Mac-Morrogh full of dayes was taken out of this world at Fernys about the Calends of May. MCLXXII The courageous King Henrie with 500. Knights arrived at Waterford and among other things gave Meth unto Sir Hugh Lacie The same yeere was founded the Abbey de Fonte vivo MCLXXIV Gelasius Archbishop of Armagh the first Primate of Ireland an holy man aged and full of daies rested in Christ. This Gelasius is said to bee the first Archbishop that wore the first pale but others before him were in name onely called Archbishops and Primates for the reverend regard and honour of St. Patricke as being the Apostle of that nation whose See was from the beginning had of all men in so great reverence that not onely Bishops and Priests and those of the Cleargie but Kings and Princes universally were subject to the Bishop thereof in all obedience After whom succeeded in the Archbishopricke Gilbert a Prelate of good memorie MCLXXV William King of Scotland was taken prisoner at Alnewicke MCLXXVI Bertram Verdon founded the Abbey of Crokisdenne MCLXXVII Earle Richard about the Calends of May died at Dublin and was buried in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin The same yeere Vivian a Priest Cardinall entituled of S. Stephan in Mount Caelius came as Legat of the Apostolicall See into Ireland sent from Pope Alexander MCLXXVIII The ninth day before the Calends of December the Abbey de Samaria was founded The same yeere was founded Rose Vale that is Rosseglasse MCLXXIX Miles Cogan and Ralph the sonne of Fitz-Stephen his daughters husband were slaine betweene Waterford and Lismore c. as we read in Cambrensis The same yeere Hervie Mont-Marish entred the Monasterie of Saint Trinitie in Canterburie who founded the Monasterie of Saint Marie de Portu that is Of Donbroth MCLXXX The Abbey of the Quire of Benet was founded The same yeere was founded the Abbey of Geripount The same yeere Laurence Archbishop of Dublin upon the 18. day before the Calends of December happily slept in the Lord within the Church of Saint Marie of Aux After whom succeeded John Cumin an Englishman borne in England at Evesham chosen with good agreement and accord by the Cleargie of Dublin the King by his industry procuring the same and confirmed by the Pope which John afterwards founded the Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin MCLXXXIII The order of the Templars and Hospitallers is confirmed The same yeere is founded the Abbey de Lege Dei that is Gods Law MCLXXXV John the Kings sonne Lord of Ireland by his fathers gift came into Ireland in the 12. yeere of his age in the thirteenth yeere after his fathers comming after the comming of Fitz-Stephen the fifteenth in the 14. yeere from the comming of Earle Richard and in the same fifteenth yeere returned MCLXXXVI The order of the Cartusians and of the Grandians is confirmed In the same yeere Hugh Lacie was killed at Dervath treacherously by an Irishman because the foresaid Hugh would build a castle there and as he was teaching of an Irishman how to labour with an iron toole to wit a Pykax when Hugh bowed himselfe forward he stroke him to the ground with both hands and as he held down his head the said Irishman with an axe chopt off Hugh Lacie his head and there was an end of the conquest In the same yeere Christian Bishop of
See in Lincolnshire Inquisit 2. E 3. Watling street Etocetum Wall Penck-ridge The River Trent New Castle under Lyme Trentham Stone Erdeswick Names altered according to divers habitations Cankwood LL. Audley * Hastange Noel Harcourt Stafford Cap grave Marianus * Ticks hall Chartley. L. Ferrars of Chartley. Beaudesert L L. Paget Lichfield About the yeere 779. History of Rochester * Cedda Wil. Malmesbur A. Alabaster Burton upon Trent Who also it named Mowen 1904. * Tir Conell The River Blith Needwood Forest. Mooreland The River Dove Hans Churnet De-la-cres Aulton Teyn Checkley Utcester Tutesbury In his booke entituled the praises of Divine wisdome Gervase of Tilbury Earles and Barons of Stafford See Dukes of Buckingham The Marcherâ— L. Marchers Marchiones iâ— old Histories The Canopy 27. Hen. 8. Clun River Bishops 〈◊〉 * Coluno ca strum Clun Castlâ— Caer Caradoc King Caratacus Tacitus See the 43. and 44. page * With the strong arme Ludlow Iron hookes 1139. Jenevile The Councell in the Marches Burford Cornwaile Inquis 40. Ed. 3 Baron and Barony Conjugata Cleehill Blunt in the Norman language signifieth yellow haire of the head Bridg-North * De Saneta Clara. Lib. Inquis Willey or Willeley Lib. Inquis Wenlock William Malmesbury Or Wivell * Lord Wenlocke Claus. 17. Edw. 4. Acton Burnel Langley Condover Pichford A fountaine of Pitch or Birumen Pouderbach Stipperstons * Or Welshmen Caurse Routon Rutunium Brocards Castle Uriconium Wroxcester Strattons Wreken-hill Bildas Dalaley Usocona Oken-yate Charleton Tong. Draiton 1459. Inq. 2.10 E. 2. Wem Red-castle Morton Corbet Corbet a forename * Shrewsbury Prebendâ— passing hereditarily * Battaile of Shrewsbury 1463. Battailefield The British sweat or sweating sicknesse Hieronymus Fracastorius Flotes Shrawerden Knocking Nesse Barons Le Strange 20. Ed. 4. Oswestre Welsh Cortons 642. Oswald slaine See in Norhthumberland Ecclipses in Aries Whittington The life of Fulke written in French Barons Fitzwarin Latimer what it signifieth White-Church Album Monasterium Ellesmer 1205. Baron of Ellesmer Earles of Shrewsbury H. Huntingdot in his booke of the miseries of life See in Ireland County Palatine Petr. Pitbaus in the description of Campaine Joh. Tilius The most commendable Cheeses * Wirrall Lucian the Monke of the praise of Chester Deva * The River Dee Divona Bonium Banchor Monkery Rutilius Claudius That Banchor of which Saint Bernard speaketh in the life of Malachie was in Ireland Bonium or Banchor is of Flintshire Out of the Rol of Domesday of Chel-shire Barons of Mal-pas * Per breve recognitionis Itinerar lib. 2. cap. 13. Shoclach Gros-venour Deunana Deva Chester Chester a Colony of the Romans * The Rowes Marianus Scotus About the yeere 960. Churches repaired Rodulphus Glaber Wirall Law what it is 1173. Il-bre Finborrow Ridly Beeston Woodhay Bulkley 1134. Trees under gâ—ound Saltpits Nantwich Calveley Vale Royall Northwich Lib. 2. de Fascino Angels Devils Middlewich Bostock Pever Dutton Chronicle of Walles Towchet Rock-Savage Maclesfield Thelwall Runkhorne Elfled or Ethelfled In the yeere of Christ 78. Anno. 51. Earles of Chester Barons to the Earles of Chester * Haubergella * Lands and possessions The Kingdome of the Mercians Wales Silures Dimetae Ordovices Tacitus Silures mistaken for Siluros The River Munow Blestium Old towne Alterynnis The seat of the Cecils Harald Ewias The Family of Ewias Their coat of Armes Tregoz and Grandison Pag. 286. Snod hill Marble Gilden Vale. Irchenfeld Kilpect The river Wy Clifford Castle The Clifford Inquis 26. E. 1. The Profound Doctour Hereford Kenchester 793. S. Ethelbert Martyr Brampton Brian Wigmore Barons Mortimer Richards Castle Lords of Richards Castle Bone well Lemster Lemster Ore the best wooll Lemster bread and Webley Ale Webley Barons Verdons Basservile See Gemition lib. ult Fin. Hilarii 20. Ed. 3. Marden Sutton Marcley hill A Mountaine mooving Scudamore or Escudamor Wilton Barons Grey de Wilton Goderich Castle * Earles of Hereford Constables of England 1156. 2. Par. Chart an 1. Reg. Joan. Matth. Paris Joan. The booke of Walden The booke of Lanthony Mâ—â—nastery Henry the Fourth King of England Castle Colwe or Mauds Castle in Colweâ—â— Matth. Paris Radnor Owen Glendour Magesetae Prestaine Knighton Offa dike Vortigern Lewellin Guarthenion Guarish in British slander and Eniawn just Earles of March The booke of Lanthony Abbay See Earles of Ulster See in Yorke-shire toward the end Bulleum Hay Brecknock Linsavethen Mere. Brecknock Mere. Loventium Bricenaw Mere. Brecknock Blean Leveney Lords of Brechnock Called also Braus and Breus Red Booke in the Exchequer Ewias Lacy. Lanthony Barons Lacy. Saint John Baptist. Hodney Grossemont Skinffrith Historia Minor Matth. Paris Monmouth Geffrey Ap-Arthur or of Monmouth Chepstow Earles of Strighâ—ll or Pembrock Venta Caer-went The Booke of Landaffe Church Strighull Castle Portskeweth * Sudbroke Coine of Severus Medailes Inq. 3. E. I. Woundy The Family of Saint Maur or Seimor The Moore An Inundation in January 1607. Gold-cliffe River Uske Abergevenny Lords of Abergevenny Clausae 49. Edw. 3. * Baronesse Le Despenser 6. Ed. 2. Burrium Uske Isca Legionis Câ—er Lheon ar Uske These Inscriptions are to be seene at Mathern in the Bishop of Landaffes house Veteranuâ— Cohortis In printed Copies Claudius Pompeianum and Lâ—llianus Avitus Coss. Anno Christi 210. * Centurio Thomas James Newport Dun-settan Whence came the name of Glamorgan The subduing of Glamorgan-shire Robert Fitz-Haimon 12. Knights Caerdiffe Caer Philli. The mouth of Ratostabius Traith Taff. Landaff History of Landaff Caerdiffe Robert Curthose Duke of Normandy Sully haply so called of the Silures Barry A wonderfull Cave or hole Cowbridge Bovium Neath Saint Donats Stradling Antique peeces of coine Ogmor river A fountaine ebbing and flowing Sandfords well A fountaine at Cales or Cadiz Eternall habitations Nidus flu i. the river Neath Nidum the towne Neath Loghoâ— Gower Th. Walsingh Booke of Neth Monastery Joh. R. 5. Swinsey Leucarum Loghor Lords of Glamorgan-shire West-Wales Caer Marden-shire Kidwelly Guenliana a woman of manly courage Lords of Ogâ—mor and Kidwelly River Tovie Dinevor Maredunum Caer merdin Merlin * Divinour or Prophet Cantred Bitham Cantred Caves under the ground Cantredmaur Talcharn Lhan-Stephan Taff River * Haelius Whiteland Peeces of Roman Coine New Castle Loventium * Legalis Comitatus Tenby Manober Castle Milford Haven Pembroke The beginning of the Giralds family in Ireland The Roll of Services Carew Castle Gledawgh Flemings in Wales Little England beyond Wales Harford weâ— Filium Tan credi Octopitarum Saint David Laud. Saint Patrâ—â— Saint David Bodies of trees in the Sea Falcons Keimes Barony Fisgard New-port Saint Dogmael the Welsh call him Saint Tegwel Lords of Keimes Martins Kilgarran Salmons leap Earles of Penbroke See Pag. 407. Some write that John Duke of Bedford was first for a short time Earle of Penbroke Cardigan-shire King Caratacus Zonaras Tuerobius 〈◊〉 river Rosse Strat-fleur Kilgarran The Salmons leap Castoreâ— Bevers Cardigan Fitz-Stephen The River Sâ—â—ccia Y-stwith The river Ridol Lords of Cardigan-shire Ordovices Veneti Guineth * Vannes Genounia
language is called Nesse The river Vedra or Were Witton Barons Evers or D'Eure Auk-land Vinovium Binchester As concerning the Mother Goddesses See in Lancashire Anno Christi 236. Votum solvit li ben merito .i. Paid his vow willingly and duly Branspath Castle Salt stones Dunelmus Durham or Duresme Gallilee For no woman might enter into Durham Church Beere-parke 1346. Battaile of Nevils Crosse Shrirburne Hospitall Finchdale Lumley Barons Lumley Chester upon the street Condercum Hilton Castle Glasiers first in England Ebchester Saint Ebba Saint Tabbs Girwy Iarrow Bede Basilicae Saint Bede Bishops of Durham See the Earles of Northumberland Mosses * Cespites Lanca-shire bâ—ufes Rochdale Cockley Mancunium * Centurionis Trafford Mosses when they come Firre trees in Caesars time grew not in Britaine Holecroft * Pincerne Winwicke Fishes digged out of the ground Ormeskirk Stanleys Earles of Derby Duglesse a riveret Wiggin Biggin what it is The family of the Hollands The Hollands coat of Armes * With flowres de Lyz. Bellisama Penigent Pendle hill Clowdesbery Penninae Alpes Pen in British what it is Clithero Whaley Riblechester In the house of Thomas Rhodes * Haply Decúrio Alae Asturum susceptum solvit â— votum libens lubens meritò Deae Matres Mother Goddesses See in the Bishopricke of Durham Plutarch in M. Marcellus Altars of the Gentiles Genes 8. Haply C. Al. for Centurio Alae Sarmatarum Out of William Lambards notes Ribodunum Coccium Penworth otherwise called Penverdant Preston Houghton Walton Ander-nesse The file Grenhaugh câ—â—stle A new mann of making 〈◊〉 Quick-sands The river Luâ—â— or Lone Salmons Over-burrow Bremetonacum Kernellare what it is Hornby castlâ— Barons Monâ—â—Eagle The Gunpowder treason Lancaster Fournesse Carthmell Winander-mere The fish Chare The booke of Fournesse Aldingham Harringtons Lords of Laâ—â—caster * Pictavensis or of Poictiers Walter Hemingford Ro. Hoveden pag. 373. b. Earle of Lancaster King of Sicily * De Cadurcis Dukes of Lancaster John of Gau King of Castile King Henry the fourth Parliament Roll 1. H. 4. The Barony of Kendale Lords of Kendale History of Fournesse The family oâ— Lancaster L. Par of Kendale Earles of Keâ—dale Catadupe or Forses Ambleside Amboglana Baron Whatton Heartly castle * Burgus subsâ—xeto Burgh under Stanmore Burgus Vegetius lib. 4. cap. 10. Aballaba Apelby Whellep castle Gallatum Maiden way A. for A. Northren men call that a whin which the Southern men a burre Brovoniacum Brougham * Pientissimo Augusto Isan-parles Hanging wals of Marke Antony Fines Term. Mich. R. 6. H. 8. Vipounts Armes Earles of Westmorland Copeland Millum castle Raven-glas Hard-knot neer Wrinofe Irt a riveret See Plinie Pearles Saint Bees Egremont castle Lords of Copeland Liber Inq. The sea side fensed Moresby Deo Sylvano Cohors secunda Lingonum cui praest G. Pompeius M. Saturninus Morbium Hay castle Copper or brasse mines Veines of gold gold and silver See Ploidens Reports Keswike Skiddaw hill Guasmoric Epist. ad Sever. Catechumeni or hearers Armes of the Lucies and Percies * Pikes * Luces Culwen commonly Curwen Under Honorius and Arcdius Olenacum Decuriones Isidor l. 9. c. 4. Volantium Under Commodus Anno Christi 193. Gentiles or Heathen altars See in Lancashire Publii filius * Diis Manibus * Faciendum curavit Moricambe Holme Cultrain Michael Scotus Castra Exploratorum See as touching the Areans afterward in the Picts Wall Ala Augusta Gordiana at Il-Kirk * Iovi optimo maximo * Iovi optimo maximo * Iovi optimo maximo * An. Christ. 243 Wigton Thoresby * For Aram ex votâ— Which the Scots call Solway Frith Blatum-Bulgium Bulnesse The beginning of the Picts Wall Solway Frith Trees within the ground Burgh upon sands 1307. Called Morvils de Burgh upon Sands Liber Inq. Edward the first Solway Frith The river Ituna or Eden History of Malrosse Dacre Barons Dacre Perith. Called in old time Haia de Plompton Petriana * Annos * Haply Faciendum procuravit * Peradventure in Cohorte * Dum. * Fratri filiae Titulum posuit Kirk Oswald Armanthwayt Corby castle Wetherall Virosidum Linstock Crosby Greystock The ancient Genealogie Barons de Greystock Mines of Brasse Congavata Carlile Luguvallum Lucus and Lugus what they signifie among the Britans and old Gauls Lugdunum Lucotecia or Lutetia in France The old Itinerarie lately imprinted sheweth that Lugdunum implieth a Desirable hill * Or de Micenis * Or de Micenis * Tumulum * Carissima Andrew Harcla Earle of Carlile * Or girdle Grayhams Barony of Liddel Liddesdale â—attaile at Solâ—m mosse 1542. Batable ground Leven Scalby Castle Askerton Brampton Brementuracum Armaturae Veget l. 2. c. 7. In the yeere of Christ 216. * Fortissimo Caesari Lords of Gillesland Out of an old Missal Also R. Cook Clarenceux calleth him Radulph .i. Raulph So doth Manuscript bookes of Fountaines and Holme Maiden way Alone Kings of Cumberland * Florilegus Captaines or Rulers of Cumberland Earles of Cumberland Frontier senses or Forts writers termed Clusurae because they excluded the enemies and Praetenturae because they were set against or affront the enemies See P. Pithoeus in adversariis lib. 1. cap. 14. The Limits or Bounds of the Empire Tit. 43. Vallo Limitis Hence come Stationes Agartae in Vegetius The first fore-fense Bodoâ—â—ia and Glotta S. Austin de Civ Dei l. 4. c. 19. The second fore-fense Rota temporum The third Fense The fourth Fense Murus Vallum Lib. 1. c 5. Why lands were given to the Captaines of the Marches Marcellinus lib. 38. About the yeere 367. * Mâ—gister Offâ—ciorum The wall betweene Edenborrow Frith and Dunbritâ—on Frith About the yeere of Christ 420. Alciatus calleth it the Breviary of Theodosius Souldiers placed in garisons and along the Wall * In Vastis The Wasts Areani certain discoverers lib. 28. Cornage The high-land Scoâ—s at this day call their little barges Carroches * The Paris edition hath Scytica Vallem and meaneth haply the Scottish sea The policy and wisdome of the Roman in setting of this wall Plants medicinable and wholsome MAEATAE Valentia Wardens of the Marches Rank-riders Very many Baronies in Northumberland Sea-coales Hexam-shire The river South-Tine Joh. Fordon Scoto-Chronicon Caâ—r Vorran Posuit libens merito Anno Christ. 259. These two inscriptions are yet to be seene in Sir Robert Cottons house at Connington The goddesse Suria Capitolinus Some will have her to be Juno others Venus Suetonius in Nero. cap. 56. Alon River Seaven-shale Gallana North-Tine Tin-dale True plane Rhedesdale Lawes * i. Duplares Numeri exploratorum Bremenii Aram instituerunt Numini cjus Caepione Charitino Tribuno votum solverunt libentèr meritò * Deo Mogonti Cadenorum numini Domini nostri Augusti M.G. Secundinus Beneficiarius Consulis Habitanci Primas tam pro se suis posuit Primas * Either promoted to that place by him or by a dispensation exempt from souldiers services Cohors prima Vangionum Testa Nevilli * In Vastis Nomades Sheales and Shealings Clipches Cilurnum
as certaine lands were held in Coperland neere Dover by service to hold the Kings head betweene Dover and Whit-sand when soever hee crossed the Sea there And Lewis the younger French King when he came in devout pilgrimage to visit Thomas of Canterbury besought that saint by way of most humble intercession that no passenger might miscarry by shipwracke betweene Vitsan and Dover as who would say that at the same time that was the usual passage to and fro neither in truth is this narrow sea else where more streightned although it is to bee supposed that they who faile betweene in passing over did not respect the neerer way and shorter cut in sailing but the commodiousnesse of the havens in the one shoare and the other For even so albeit the sea be narrowest betweene Blacknesse in France and the Nesse in England yet now the ordinary passing is betweene Dover and Callais as in former ages before that Vitsan haven was dammed up the passage was betweene it and Dover and before that time betweene Rhutupiae and Gessoriacum From whence Claudius the Emperour and the other captaines whom I have spoken of sailed over into Britaine This GESSORIACVM Pliny seemeth to call Portum Morinorum Britannicum peradventure for the passage from thence into Britaine Ptolomee in whom it hath crept into the place of Itium nameth it Gessoriacum Navale in which signification also our Welsh Britans commonly terme it Bowling-long that is Boloine the ship-road For that Gessoriacum was the very same Sea-coast towne which Ammianus calleth BONONIA the Frenchmen Bologne the Low-country men Beunen and wee Bolen I dare bee bold to aver and maintaine against Hector Boethius and Turnebus grounding my assertion both upon the authoritie of Beatus Rhenanus who saw an ancient military Map wherein was written Gessoriacum quod nunc Bononia that is Gessoriacum now called Bolen and also upon Itinerarie computation or account of the miles which answereth just to the distance that Antonine the Emperour hath put downe betvveene Ambiani and Gessoriacum But that which may serve in steed of all proofes The rablement of Pyrates serving under Carausius which the Panegirick Oration pronounced unto Constantius the Emperour reported to have beene inclosed and shut up within the walles of Gessoriacum and there surprised an other Oration unto Constantius Maximus his sonne relateth to have beene vanquished at Bononia so that Bononia that is Bolen and Gessoriacum must needs be one and the selfe same place and it may seeme that the more ancient name was vvorne out much about that time For it is not to be surmised that so grave authors unto the great Princes erred in the setting downe and naming of this place the memory thereof being then so fresh and that victory so glorious But what have I to doe with France Verily I have the more willingly ripped up the memorie of these matters for that the prowesse and valour of our Ancestours shewed it selfe often in this coast as who wonne and wrested both Calais and Bolen from the French And as for Bolen they rendred it backe againe at the humble request of the French King after eight yeares for a summe of money agreed upon But Callais they held 212. yeare in despight and maugre of the French Now returne wee to Britaine with full sailes and a favourable tide From Dover leaving the little Abbey of Bradsole dedicated to S. Radegund wherof Hugh the first Abbat was founder there runneth for five miles in length a continued cheine of chalky cliffes standing on a row hanging joyntly one to another as far as to Folkstone which was a flourishing place in times past as may appeare by the pieces of Roman coine and Britaine brickes daily there found but under what name it is uncertaine Probable it is that it was one of those towres or holds which in the reigne of Theodosius the younger the Romans placed for to keep off the Saxons as Gildas saith At certaine distances along the shore in the South part of Britaine Famous it was and much frequented by the English Saxons for religions sake by reason of a Monasterie that Eanswide daughter to Eadbald King of Kent consecrated there unto Nunnes But now it is a small towne and the greatest part thereof the Sea hath as it were parted away Howbeit it was the Baronie of the Family de Abrincis or Aurenches From whom it came to Sir Hamon Crevequer and by his daughter to Sir Iohn of Sandwich whose grand child Iulian by his sonne Iohn brought the same as her dowry to Iohn Segrave From thence as the shore turneth a front South West-ward Sandgate Castle built by King Henry the Eighth defendeth the coast and upon a Castle hill thereby are seene reliques of an ancient Castle More inward is Saltwood a Castle of the Bishops of Canterbury which William Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury enlarged And neere unto it is Often-hanger where Sir Edward Poinings Baneret a father of many faire bastards and amongst them of Thomas Lord Poining Lieuftenant of Bollen began to build a stately house but left it unperfect when death had bereft him of his onely lawfull child which he had by his lawfull wife the daughter of Sir I. Scot his neighbour at Scots-Hall where the family of Scots hath lived in worshipfull estimation a long time as descended from Pashely and Serteaux by Pimpe But to returne to the sea-coast neere to Sandgate Hith is situated one of the Cinque ports whereof it assumed that name which in the English Saxons tongue signifieth an haven or harbour although hardly it maintaineth that name now by reason of sands and the Sea withdrawing it selfe from it And yet it is not long since it first made any shew and that by the decay and fall of Westhyth a neighbour-towne Westward and which was sometime a Port untill the Sea in our great grandfathers daies retired from it So are Sea-townes subject to the uncertaine vicissitude of the Sea This Hith like as West-Hith also had their beginning from the ruine of Lime standing hard by which in times past was a most famous Port towne untill the sands that the Sea casteth up had choked and stopped the haven Both Antonine and the booke of Norrices called it PORTVS LEMANIS Ptolomee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being in Greeke a significative word the Copiantes or Copiers out of old bookes because they would seeme to supply the defect wrot it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin Interpreters following them translated it Novus portus that is New port or New haven whereas the proper name of the place was Limen or Leman like as at this time Lime Heere the Captaine over a company or band of Turnacenses kept his station under the Count or Lieuftenant of the Saxon shore And a Port way paved with stone called Stonystreet reacheth from hence toward Canterbury which one would easily judge to have beene a worke of the Romans like as the
Castle adjoyning hard unto it now named Stutfall which in the side and descent of a pretty hill tooke up about tenne acres of ground in compasse and the reliques of the wall remaine still of British bricke and flint so close laid and couched together with a kind of strong mortar made of lime sand and pibles that as yet time hath not given it the check and now although it be not an haven towne yet it retaineth still no small shew of the ancient dignitie it had For heere the Warden of the Cinque Ports at a place called Shipway useth to take his solemne oath when hee first entreth into his office and heere upon certaine set daies the custome was to decide causes betweene the inhabitants of the said Ports Some have thought that in this place a great river discharged it selfe into the sea for that one or two writers have made mention of the river Leman and the mouth of Leman at which the Danes Fleet in the yeare of our salvation 892. arrived But I suppose they are deceived in the description of the place both because there is no river heere but a very small one which streight waies being of no reckoning at all vanisheth as also for that the Archdeacon of Huntingdon a compendious authour and of good approved credit writeth that the said fleet arrived at the Haven Leman and saith not a word of the river Vnlesse a man would thinke with whom I dare not accord that the river Rother which intermingleth it selfe with the Ocean under Rhieine ran downe this way and changed his course by little and little when that champian plaine called Rumney Marsh grew unto the firme land this Marsh-country which from Lime containeth 14. miles in length and 8. in bredth and reckoneth two townes nineteene parishes and 44200. acres or there about by reason of ranke greene grasse most convenient for the grasing and feeding of beasts hath beene by little and little laied unto the land by the benefit of the sea Whereupon I may well and truely terme it the Seas-gift like as Herodotus called Aegypt the gift of the river Nilus and a very learned man termed the pastures of Holland the gifts of the North-wind and the river Rhene For the sea to make amends yeilded that againe in this place which it swallowed up else where in this coast either by retyring backe or by laying oze thereto from time to time as some places which in the remembrance of our grandfathers lay close unto the sea shore are now dis-joyned a mile or two from the sea How fruitful the soile is what a number of heards of cattel it feedeth that are sent thither from the furthest parts of Wale and England to be fatted what art and cunning is used in making of bankes to fence it against the violent risings of the sea one would hardly believe that hath not seene it And that it might be the better ordered certaine lawes of Sewers were made in the time of King Henry the third And King Edward the fourth ordained that it should be a Corporation consisting of a Bailive Iurates and the Communalty In the Saxons time the inhabitants thereof were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Marshmen and verily the signification of that name accordeth passing well with the nature of the place Neither can I understand and conceive that ancient writer Aethelward when he reporteth That Cinulph King of the Mercians wasted Kent and the country which is called Mersc-warum And in another place That Herbyth a Captaine was by the Danes beheaded in a place named Mersc-warum if he meant not this very Marsh-country Rumney or Romeney and in former time Romenal which some conjecture by the name to have beene the Romans worke is the principall towne of this Marsh and one of the Cinque-ports whereof Old Romeney and Lid are accounted members which joyntly were charged with the setting forth of five ships of warre in that manner and forme as I have before said It is seated upon an hill of gravell and sand and had on the West side an haven of good receit and commodious withall for most of the winds before the sea with-drew it selfe from it The inhabitants as we read in King William the Conquerours booke were in regard of their sea service quitte and quiet from all custome beside for robbery peace-breach and Foristell And in those daies it flourished with the best For it was divided into twelue wards it had also five Parish-churches it had a Priorie and an Hospitall for sicke persons But in the reigne of Edward the first when the sea raging with violence of windes overflowed this tract and made pittifull waste of people of cattell and of houses in every place as having quite drowned Promhil a prety town well frequented it made the Rother also forsake his old channel which heere before time emptied himselfe into the sea and stopped his mouth opening a new and neerer way for him to passe into the sea by Rhie So as by little and little hee forsoke this towne Which ever since hath decreased and lost much of the forme frequency and ancient dignity Beneath this the land tending more East-ward maketh a Promontory we call it the Nesse as it were a nose before which lieth a dangerous flat in the sea and upon which standeth Lid a towne well inhabited whereunto the inhabitants of Promhill after that inundation aforesaid betooke themselves And in the very utmost point of this Promontory which the people call Denge-nesse where there is nothing but beach and pible stones Holme-trees grow plentifully with their sharp prickey leaves alwaies greene in manner of underwood for a mile and more Among the said beach neere unto Ston end is to be seene an heape of greater stones which the neighbour Inhabitants call Saint Cryspins and Crispinians tombe whom they report to have beene cast upon this shore by ship-wracke and from hence called into the glorious companie of Saints From thence the shore retyring it selfe is directly carried into the West bringing foorth peason among the beach which grow up naturally like clusters of grapes a number together and in tast little differ from our field peason and so runneth on as farre as to the Rother-Mouth by which for some space Kent is divided from Sussex The course of this river on Sussex side wee have in part briefely spoken of before On Kent side it hath Newenden which I almost parswade my selfe was that haven so long sought for and which the booke Notitia Provinciarū called ANDERIDA the old Britains Caer Andred and the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first because the Inhabitants by a continued tradition constantly affirme it was a most ancient towne and Haven whereof they shew the plot then for that it is situate by the wood Andredswald that tooke the name of it lastly because the English-Saxons seeme to have termed it Brittenden that is The
rivelet Over the bridge whereof when the Danes with rich spoiles passed as Aethelward writeth in battail-ray the West-Saxons and the Mercians received them with an hote battaile in Woodnesfield where three of their Pettie Kings were slaine namely Heatfden Cinvil and Inguar On the same shore not much beneath standeth Barkley in the Saxon-tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of great name for a most strong Castle a Major who is the Head Magistrate and especially for the Lords thereof descended from Robert-Fitz-Harding to whom King Henry the second gave this place and Barkely Hearnes Out of this house are branched many Knights and Gentlemen of signall note and in the reigne of King Henry the seventh flourished William Lord Barkely who was honoured by King Edward the fourth with the stile of Viscount Barkely by King Richard the third with the honour of Earle of Nottingham in regard of his mother daughter of Thomas Moubray Duke of Norfolke and Earle of Nottingham and by King Henry the Seventh with the office of Marshall of England and dignity of Marquis Barkely But for that he died issuelesse these his titles died together with him If you be willing to know by what a crafty fetch Goodwin Earle of Kent a man most deeply pregnant in devising how to do injury got the possession of this place you may read these few lines out of Wal. Mapaeus who flourished 400. yeares ago and worth the reading believe me they are Barkley neere unto Severn is a towne of 500. pounds revenew In it there was a Nunnery and the Abbesse over these Nunnes was a Noble woman and a beautifull Earle Goodwin by a cunning and subtill wile desiring not her selfe but hers as he passed that way left with her a Nephew of his a very proper and beautifull young Gentleman pretending that hee was sickly untill he returned backe Him he had given this lesson that hee should keepe his bed and in no wise seeme to be recovered untill he had got both her and as many of the Nunnes as hee could with child as they came to visite him And to the end that the young man might obtaine their favour and his owne full purpose when they visited him the Earle gave unto him pretty rings and fine girdles to bestow for favours upon them and thereby to deceive them Hee therefore being willing entred into this course of libidinous pleasure for that the way downe to hell is easie was soone taught his lessons and wisely playeth the foole in that which seemed wise in his own conceit With him they were restant all those things that the foolish virgins could wish for beauty daintie delicates riches faire speech and carefull he was now to single them alone The Devill therefore thrust out Pallas brought in Venus and made the Church of our Saviour and his Saints an accursed Temple of all Idols and the Shrine a very stewes and so of pure Lambes hee made them foule shee-wolves and of pure virgins filthy harlots Now when many of their bellies bare out big and round this youth being by this time over wearied with conquest of pleasure getteth him gone and forthwith bringeth home againe unto his Lord and Master a victorious Ensigne worthy to have the reward of iniquitie and to speake plaine relateth what was done No sooner heard he this but he hieth him to the King enformeth him how the Lady Abbesse of Barkely and her Nuns were great with child and commonly prostitute to every one that would sendeth speciall messengers of purpose for enquirie heereof proveth all that he had said Hee beggeth Berkley of the King his Lord after the Nuns were thrust out and obtained it at his hands and he left it to his wife Gueda but because she her selfe so saith Doomes-day booke would eat nothing that came out of this Manour for that the Nunnery was destroied he purchased for her Vdecester that thereof she might live so long as she made her abode at Barkley Thus wee see a good and honest mind abhorreth whatsoever is evill gotten How King Edward the second being deposed from his Kingdome through the crafty complotting and practise of his wife was made away in the Castle heere by the wicked subtiltie of Adam Bishop of Hereford who wrote unto his keepers these few words without points betweene them Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est that by reason of their diverse sense and construction both they might commit the murther and he also cleanly excuse himselfe I had rather you should seeke in Historians than looke for at my hands Beneath this Barkley the little river Avon closely entereth into the Sea at the head whereof scarse eight miles from the waterside upon the hils neere Alderley a small towne there are found certaine stones resembling Coccles or Periwinckles and Oysters which whether they have beene sometimes living creatures or the gamesom sports of Nature I leave it to Philosophers that hunt after natures works But Fracastorius the principall Philosopher in this our age maketh no doubt but that they were living creatures engendred in the Sea and by waters brought to the mountaines For he affirmeth that mountaines were cast up by the Sea with the driving at first of sand into heapes and hillocks also that the sea flowed there where now hilles doe rise aloft and that as the said Sea retired the hilles also were discovered But this is out of my race TRAIECTVS that is The ferry whereof Antonine the Emperour maketh mention over against Abone where they were wont to passe over Severne salt water by boate was in times past as I guesse by the name at Oldbury which is by interpâ—eâ—â—tion The Old Burgh like as we doe ferry in these daies at Aust a little towne somewhat lower This in ancient times was called Aust clive for a great craggy cliffe it is endeed mounting up a great height And verily memorable is the thing which that Mapaeus whom I spake of writeth to have beene done in this place Edward the elder saith he Lay at Austclive and Leolin Prince of Wales at Bethesley now when Leolin would not come downe to parley nor crosse Severn Edward passeth over to Leolin whom when Leolin saw and knew who he was hee cast off his rich robe for hee had prepared himselfe to sit in judgement entred the water brest-high and clasping the boat with an embrace said Most wise and sage King thy humility hath overcome my insolency and thy wisedome triumphed over my folly Come get upon my necke which I have foole as I am lifted up against thee and so shalt thou enter into that land which thy benigne mildnesse hath made thine owne this day and after he had taken him upon his shoulders hee would needs have him sit upon his roabe aforesaid and so putting his owne hands joyntly into his did him homage Upon the same shore also is situate Thornebury where are to be seene the foundations brought up above ground
of a sumptuous and stately house which Edward the last Duke of Buckingham was in hand to build in the yeare of our Lord as the engraving doth purport 1511. when he had taken downe an ancient house which Hugh Audeley E. of Glocester had formerly built seven miles from hence Avon sheading it selfe into Severn running crosse before it maketh a division betweene Glocestershire and Sommersetshire and not farre from the banke thereof Pucle-Church appeareth being in times past a towne or Manour of the Kings called Pucle-Kerkes wherein Edmund King of England whiles he interposed himselfe betweene his Sewer and one Leove a most vilanous wretch for to part and end certaine quarrels betweene them was thrust through the body and so lost his life Nere bordering upon this place are two townes Winterburne which had for their Lords the Bradstons amongst whom S. Thomas was summoned amongst the Barons in the time of King Edward the Third From whom the Vicounts Montacute the Barons of Wentworth c. fetch their descent Acton which gave name to the house of the Actons Knights whose heire being married unto Nicolas Points Knight in K. Edward the second his daies left the same to their off-spring Derham a little towne in the Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Ceaulin the Saxon slew three Princes or chiefe Lords of the Britans Commeail Condidan and Fariemeiol with others whom he likewise put to the sword and dispossessed the Britans of that countrie for ever There remaine yet in that place huge rampieâ—s and trenches as fortifications of their campes and other most apparent monuments here and there of so great a war This was the chiefe seat of the Barony of Iames de novo Mercatu who begat three daughters wedded to Nicholas de Moelis Iohn de Boteraux and Ralph Russell one of whose posterity enriched by matching with the heire of the ancient family of Gorges assumed unto them the name of Gorges But from Ralph Russell the heire this Deorham descended to the family of Venis Above these is Sodbury knowne by the familie of Walsh and neighbours thereunto are Wike-ware the ancient seat of the familie De-la-ware Woton under Edge which yet remembreth the slaughter of Sir Thomas Talbot Vicount Lisle heere slaine in the time of King Edward the Fourth in an encounter with the Lord Barkley about possessions since which time have continued suites betweene their posterity untill now lately they were finally compounded More Northward I had sight of Durisley reputed the ancientest habitation of the Barkleyes hereupon stiled Barkleis of Duresley who built here a Castle now more than ruinous and were accounted founders of the Abbey of Kings-wood thereby for Cistertian Monkes derived from Tintern whom Maud the Empresse greatly enriched The males of this house failed in the time of King Richard the Second and the heire generall was married to Cantelow Within one mile of this where the river Cam lately spoken of springeth is Vleigh a seat also of the Barkeleis descended from the Barons Barkeley stiled of Vleigh and Stoke Giffard who were found coheires to I. Baron Boutetort descended from the Baron Zouch of Richards Castles alias Mortimer and the Somerus Lords of Dueley Beverston Castle not farre of Eastward appertained also to the name of Barkeleies but in former times to the Gournois and Ab-Adam a Baron in the time of King Edward the First Hitherto have we cursorily passed over the principall places in this Shire situate beyond and upon Severn and not far from his banke Now proceede we forward to the East part which I said riseth up with hilles to wit Cotteswold which of woulds and Cotes that is hils and Sheepfolds tooke that name For mountaines and hils without woods the Englishmen in old time termed Woulds whence it is that an Old Glossary interpreteth Alpes Italie The Woulds of Italie In these Woulds there feed in great numbers flockes of sheepe long necked and square of bulke and bone by reason as it is commonly thought of the weally and hilly situation of their pasturage whose wool being most fine and soft is had in passing great account among all nations Vnder the side of these hils and among them are to be seene as it were in a row neighbouring together these places following of more antiquity than the rest beginning at the North-east end of them Campden commonly Camden a mercat towne well peopled and of good resort where as Iohn Castoreus writeth all the Kings of Saxon bloud assembled in the yeare of Salvation 689. and consulted in common about making war upon the Britans In William the Conquerours time this Weston and Biselay were in the possession of Hugh Earle of Chester and from his posterity came at last by Nicolaa de Albeniaco an inherice to the ancient Earles of Arundel unto Roger de Somery Neere unto it standeth the said Weston a place now to bee remembred in regard of a faire house which maketh a goodly shew a farre off built by Ralph Sheldon for him and his Posterity Hales in late time a most flourishing Abbay built by Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of Romanes who was there buried with his Wife Sanchia daughter to the Earle of Province and deserving commendation for breeding up of Alexander of Hales a great Clerke and so deepely learned above all others in that subtile and deepe Divinity of the Schoole men as he carryed away the sirname of Doctor Irrefragabilis that is the Doctor ungain-said as he that could not be gain-said Sudley in times past Sudlengh a very faire Castle the seat not long since of Sir Thomas Seimor Baron Seimor of Sudley and Admirall of England attainted in the time of king Edward the Sixth and afterward of Sir John Bruges whom Queene Mary created Baron Chandos of Sudley because he derived his pedegree from the ancient family of Chandos out of which there flourished in the raigne of Edward the third Sir John Chandos a famous Baneret Vicount of Saint Saviours L of Caumont and Kerkitoâ— in France a martiall man and for military Prowesse every way most renowned But in old time certaine Noblemen here dwelt and of it had their addition de Sudley descended of a right ancient English Race to wit from Gorda K. Aetheldreds daughter whose son Ralph Medantinus Earle of Hereford begat Harold L. of Sudley whose progeny flourished here a long time untill for default of issue male the daughter and heire matched in marriage with Sir William Butler of the family of Wem and brought him a sonne named Thomas and he begat Ralph Lord Treasurer of England created by king Henry the Sixth Baron of Sudley with a fee of 200. markes yearely who repaired this castle and enlarged it with new buildings His sisters and coheires were married unto the houses of Northbury and Belkâ—ape and by their posterity the possessions in short time were divided into