you may make a Devil of it At which answer they laughed and departed In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth a certain Jesuit in Lancashire as he was walking by the way lost his Glove and one that came after him finding it followed him apace with an intention to restore it but he fearing the worst being inwardly pursued with a guilty conscience ran away and hastily leaping over an Hedge fell into a Marle-pit which was on the other side in which he was drowned In 1613. April 17. in the Parish of Standish in Lancashire a Maiden Child was born having four legs four Arms two Bellies joined to one back one head with two faces the one before the other behind like the Picture of Janus In 1662. July 4. At Litham about two miles from Preston in this County a very strange Fish was cast upon the Shoar it was about four yards in length and as big as an ordinary Horse the forefeet were as long as a mans Arm the hinder feet much shorter but broad like the Finns of a Fish it roared most dreadfully like a Bear it continued alive for some time and multitudes of People came to view it Also much about the same time and nine miles from this place many credible Persons often saw a very dreadful Serpent come forth out of a Wood the length thereof being about five or six yards and they judged it to be bigger than the biggest Cart Axel Tree it was so great that some who viewed the place where it sometimes lay near a Well at Dunkin Hall affirm that it made such an impression on the ground as if an Ox or some more large and pounderous Beast had lain there The Thirtieth of the same month at Ormskirk there happened such a storm of Hail as was hardly ever seen it beat down the Apples spoil'd the Corn broke the glass Windows on that side of the Houses the wind was of and cut the lead in pieces some Hailstones were taken up 8 Inches about and some as big as Pullets Eggs all the French Wheat was utterly spoyl'd and the other Wheat and Barley in the three adjacent Parishes much damaged This County is divided into 6 Hundreds wherein are 26 Market Towns and 61 Churches and is in the Diocess of Chester it elects 14 Parliament men Manchester gives the Title of Earl to Robert L. Montague LEICESTERSHIRE hath Lincoln and Rutland Shires on the East Derby and Nottingham Shires on the North Warwickshire on the West and Northamptonshire on the South It is a Champion Country and abounds with Corn Cattle and Coals the chief City Leicester stands almost in the heart of the County which by Etheldred the Mercian King was made an Episcopal See but being removed the Beauty of the Town decayed yet the renouned Lady Ethelfleda casting an Eye of compassion upon it re-edified the Buildings and compassed it about with a strong Wall whereby the Trade of the City was much increased But in the Reign of Hen. 2. Robert Earl of Leicester rebelling against him the King beseiged took and plundered it throwing down the Walls which seemed hard to be done some parcels of them remaining like hard Rocks by reason of the excellent Mortar The King then commanded the City to be set on fire and burnt the Castle to be razed and an heavy Imposition was laid upon the Citizens who with great Sums of Money bought their own Banishments In the ninth Year of K. Henry 5. a Parliament was called at Leicester wherein an 110 Priories were suppressed because they spoke ill of his Conquests in France and their Possessions given to the King In 1485. King Richard called Crookback set out of this City in the morning to meet the Earl of Richmond afterward K. Henry 7. and chose Bosworth Field to try his fortune with him for the Crown of England that day the Van of his Army was led by the Duke of Norfolk consisting of 1200 Bowmen flanked with 200 Curiassers under the E. of Surrey the main Battle K. Richard led himself being 1000 Billmen empaled with 2000 Pikes the King expected the L. Stanly's 2000 Horse to come for his assistance of whose Fidelity to him the King having some doubt he had before got his Son the Lord Strange as a pledge of his Loyalty with him Stanly not appearing K. Richard sent a Letter to him to come presently into his presence or else he swore by Christs Passion he would strike off his Sons head before he dined to which the L. Stanly returned answer That if he did so he had more Sons alive and he might do his pleasure but to come to him he was not determined Which Answer when K. Richard heard he commanded the L. Strange to be immediately beheaded but it being at the very time when both Armies were in sight of each other his Lords persuaded him it was now time to fight and not to put to Execution and so the L. Strange escaped The Earl of Richmond likewise sent to the L. Stanly to repair presently to him but he sent word he must expect no aid from him till the Battles were joined and therefore advised him with all possible speed to give the onset which Answer somewhat staggered the Earl because his number did but a little exceed one half of the Kings yet to make the best shew he could by the advice of his Council of War he made the Front of his Army thin and broad of which the Earl of Oxford had the leading the Earl himself leading the Battle soon after the Fight begun and the Arrows being spent on both sides they came to handstroaks and just then came in the Lord Stanly to the Earls assistance while they were thus contending K. Richard was informed that the Earl of Richmond with a small number was not far off and thereupon being of an invincible courage whereof he was now to give the last proof he made toward him and gave such a furious assault that first with his own hands he slew Sir William Brandon who bore the Earls Standard next he unhorst and overthrew Sir John Chyney a stout man at Arms and then assaulted the Earl of Richmond himself who unexpectedly for all the Kings fury held him off at the Lances point till Sir Wm. Stanly came in with 3000 fresh men and then opprest with multitude K. Richard was there slain It is said that when the Battle was near lost a swift Horse was brought him with which he might have saved himself by flight but Richard out of his undaunted courage refused it saying He would that day make an end of all Battles or else lose his Life In this Battle Henry E. of Northumberland who led King Richards Rear never struck stroke as likewise many others who followed K. Richard more for fear than love and so he who had deceived many was at this time deceived by many which was not unforeseen by some who caused a Rhime to be set upon the Duke of Norfolk's Tent the
night before the Fight which was this Jack of Norfolk be not too bold For Dickon thy Master is bought and sold Yet notwithstanding this warning this noble Duke continued firm to K. Richard and lost his Life in his quarrel The whole number slain in this Battle on K. Richard's side was about 1000 Persons Sir Wm. Catesby one of the chief Counsellors of K. Richard with divers others were two days after beheaded at Leicester This Battle was fought Aug. 20. 1485. continuing a little above two hours The Earl Knighted several persons in the Field and then kneeling down he rendred hearty Thanks to Almighty God for the Victory he had obtained and commanded all the wounded men to be cured whereat the People rejoycing clapt their hands and cried K. Henry K. Henry of which joy Sir W. Stanly taking opportunity he took the Crown of K. Richard which was found among the spoils in the Field and set it on the Earls Head as though he had been elected King by the voice of the People The Body of K. Richard after he was slain was script and left naked to the very skin not so much as a rag being left about him to cover his nakedness and being taken up was trussed behind a pursivant at Arms his Head and Arms hanging on one side the Horse and his Legs on the other thus all besmeared with Blood and dirt he was brought to the Gray Friars Church in Leicester and there for some time lay a miserable spectacle and afterward with small Funeral Pomp was there buried But K. Henry 7. afterward caused a Tomb to be set over the place with his Picture in Alabaster which at the suppression of that Monastery was utterly defaced since when his Grave overgrown with Nettles and Weeds is not to be found only the stone Chest wherein his Corps lay is now made a drinking Trough for Horses at a common Inn in Leicester and retaineth only the memory of this Monarchs greatness but his body is reported to have been carried out of the City and contemptuously laid under the end of Bow-Bridge near that Town it is likewise said that upon this Bridg there stood a stone of some height against which K. Richard as he passed toward Bosworth by chance struck his spur which a Witch or wise Woman observing she should say That where his spur struck his head should be broken as they say it was when he was brought back dead He lived 37 years and reigned two years and two months it is memorable that this Sir William Stanly who so seasonably saved K. Henries life and set the Crown on his head was about 11 years after upon pretence of some dangerous words beheaded at Tower-hill by order of the same King Henry Mr. Wanly writes that in St. Martins Church in Leicester there is this very remarkable Epitaph to be seen Here lies the body of John Heyrick of this Parish who died 1589. aged 76 years who lived with his Wife Mary in one House full 62 years and had issue by her 5 Sons and seven Daughters and in all that time never buried Man Woman nor Child though they were somtime 20 in Houshold the said Mary lived to 97 years and died 1611. She did see before her departure of her Children and Childrens Children and their Children to the number of 142. Matthew Paris relates of a Maid in Leicestershire who being exactly watched was found in seven years together neither to eat nor drink but only that on Sundays she received the Sacrament and yet continued fat and good liking which if true we may well believe that in the Resurrection our life may be maintained without meat or drink About Lutterworth in Leicestershire a Miller had murdered one in his Mill and privately buried him in a ground hard by this Miller removed into another Country and there lived a long space till at last guided by the Providence of God for the manifestation of his Justice he returned unto that place to visit some of his Friends while he was there the Miller who now had the Mill had occasion to dig deep in that very place where he found the Carkass of a man this known it pleased God to put it into their hearts to remember a Neighbour of theirs who 20 years before was suddenly missed and since that time not heard of and bethinking themselves who was then Miller of that Mill behold he was ready in Town not having been there for many years before this man was suspected thereupon examined without much ado confessed the Fact was accordingly executed for the same In 1660. Sep. 3. near Worthington in this County there happened a dreadful Whirlwind which tore up a great Tree by the Roots casting it four or five yards from the place rent off the great limbs of an Apple-Tree and threw down a House in the Street the Chappel was much shaken and the Chancel in danger of falling then it passed on with great force and noise to Worthington Hall where it overturned five Bay of Barn-building and a Gate-house it blew down a stack of Chimnies and hurried a man into the Garden who by catching hold of a Tree stayed himself at another Town it rent a House where a woman and three Children were miraculously preserved to which it brought a great Log of Wood no body knew from whence it carried away a Hive of Bees and a load of Thorns which could not be heard of and turned up 20 Load of Wood by the roots this whirlwind ran about three miles in length and not above 20 yards in breadth some said there were flames of fire seen in it Upon the 24. of January following between six and seven a clock at night there was a very great Earthquake in most parts of Leicestershire which came at first like a noise in the Air at great distance it shook the Houses very much and in some places men could hardly stand without holding the continuance thereof was about a quarter of an hour Near Lutterworth is a spring so cold that in a short time it turneth straw and sticks into stone John Wickliff was sometime Parson of Lutterworth Church a man of singular and polite wit and much conversant in the Scripture his bones were afterward taken up and burnt by the Papists Sir Robert Belknap Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in K. Richard 2. time was of this County and that K. having a design to destroy certain Lords sent for the Judges to Nottingham where the Kings many questions were in fine resolved into this Whether he might by his Regal Power revoke what was acted in Parliament to this all the Judges Sir William Skipwith alone excepted answered Affirmatively and subscribed it though this Belknap did it unwillingly as foreseeing the danger and putting to his Seal said these words There wants nothing now but an Hurdle an Horse and an Halter to carry me where I may suffer the death I deserve for if I had not
to lose his Life for Christ's sake At the stake he kneeled down and read the 51st Psalm then the Sheriff said to him Here is a Letter from the Queen if thou wilt recant thou shalt live otherwise thou shalt be burnt No quoth William I will never recant and so he was fastened to the stake He then said Good People pray for me while you see me alive adding Son of God shine upon me and the Sun immediately shone out of a thick Cloud so full in his face that he was forced to turn his head aside fire being kindled he lift up his Hand to Heaven saying Lord Lord receive my Spirit and so ended his Life in the Flames John Lawrence was burnt at Colchester whose Legs being lame with Irons and his Body weak with cruel usage he was carried to the Stake in a Chair and burnt therein at his burning many young Children being about the fire cried out to him Lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy Promise which was lookt on as a product of Divine Providence who out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings hath ordained strength Thomas Hawks Gentleman was first brought into trouble for refusing to baptise his Child after the Popish fashion This man going to the stake promised his Friends to give them some solemn Token of the clearness and comfort of his Conscience in performance whereof whilst his Body was burning he raised up himself and though having the sense yet having no fear of the Fire joyfully clapped his hands over his head to the Admiration of all the Beholders There was an Idol called the Rood of Dover-Court in this County to which multitudes of People went in Pilgrimage Divers zealous Protestants at Dedham being much troubled to see the Almighty so dishonoured by wicked Idolatry went from thence in a Frosty Moonshine Night 10 Miles to the place where the Idol was where they found the Church Doors open the Popish Clergy boasting the power of this Rood was such that no man could shut the doors of the Church where it stood These Persons taking the Image from the place where it stood carried it a quarter of a Mile off and there burnt it to ashes for which three of them were by the bloody Papists hanged in Chains In 1605. a great Porpus was taken at Westham in a little Creek alive a Mile and half within the Land and within a few days after a Whale came up the Thames whose lenght was seen divers times above Water and judged to exceed the largest Ship in the River but when she tasted the Fresh-Water and scented the Land she returned into the Sea This County contains 20 Hundreds 21 Market Towns and 415 Parish Churches It is in the Diocess of London and elects 8 Parliament men for the County 2. Colchester 2. Harwich 2. Malden 2. and gives the Title of Earl to Arthur L. Capel GLOCESTERSHIRE hath Worcester and Warwickshire on the North Oxford and Wiltshire on the East Somersetshire on the South Herefordshire with the River Wye on the West the River Severn runs through it and Malmsbury the old Historian thus describes it The ground of this Shire throughout saith he yieldeth plenty of Corn and bringeth forth abundance of Fruits the one only through the natural goodness of the ground the other by diligent manuring and tillage insomuch that it would provoke the most lazy Person to take pains Here you may see the High ways and common Lanes full of Apple-trees and Peer-trees not ingrafted by the industry of Mans hand but growing naturally of their own accord the ground itself is so inclined to bear fruit and those both in taste and beauty far exceeding others and will endure till a new supply come There is not any County in England so thick set with Vineyards as this is so plentiful of increase and so pleasant in taste the very Wines made thereof have no ill taste and are little inferiour to the French the Houses are innumerable the Churches very fair and the Towns standing very thick but that which addeth a greater glory to it is the River Severn than which there is not any in the Kingdom exceeds it for breadth of Channel swiftness of stream or for Fish better stored There is in it a daily rage and fury of the Waters which I know not whether to call a Gulf or Whirlpool of Waves raising up Sands from the bottom winding and driving them upon heaps and sometimes overflowing its banks roveth a great way on the bordering grounds and then returneth again into its usual Channel unhappy is the Vessel which it taketh full upon the side but the Watermen being aware of it when they see it coming turn their Vessels and cut through the midst of it and thereby avoid the danger Thus far he This encounter of the salt and fresh water as is supposed here mentioned is called in this Country the Higre and by some the Eagre for the keenness and fierceness thereof which is such that it is equally terrible with the flashings and noise to those that see and hear it much more to them who feel it of which there can be no reason rendered since the Thames where we find the same cause hath no such disturbance Hear how the Poets describe this Higre Vntil they be imbraced In Severns Soveraign Arms with whose tumultuous Waves Shut up in narrower bounds the Higre wildly raves And frights the stragling Flocks the Neighbouring shores o flie Afar as from the Main it comes with hideous cry And on the angry front the curled foam doth bring The Billows ' gainst the Banks when fiercely it doth fling Throws up the slimy Ouze and makes the scaly brood Leap madding to the Land affrighted from the flood O'returns the toyling Barge whose Steersman doth not launch And thrusts the furrowing beak into her dreadful paunch We read that in the 2. of King Richard 3. at that time when the Duke of Buckingham intended to pass with his Army over the Severn there was so great an Inundation of Water that men were drowned in their Beds Houses were overturned Children were carried about the Fields swimming in their Cradles and Beasts drowned even upon the Hills which rage of the Waters continued for the space of 10 days and is called to this day in those parts The Great Water In the 17 of Q. Elizabeth Feb. 24. being a hard frost after a flood which was not great there came down the River of Severn such a swarm of Flies and Beetles that they were judged to be above an 100 Quarters the Mills thereabout were dammed up with them for the space of 4 days and then were cleansed by digging them out with Shovels In 1607. a mighty West-wind which continued 16 hours brought the Sea into the Severn after a great rain and at a spring Tyde with such violence that the River began to overflow its banks from as far as the Mount in Cornwall along on both sides up into Somersetshire and
out of the path of Truth gaping only after their own advantage But the King saith M. Paris remained uncorrigible and the Lady lost both her charges hopes and Travel In the Year 1257. K. Henry 3. kept his Christmas at Winchester where new grievances arose the Merchants of Gascoign having their Wines taken from them by the Kings Officers without satisfaction complain to their Lord the Prince he to his Father who having been informed that their clamour was unjust as relying upon the Prince's favour he falls into a great rage with the Prince and breaks out into these words See now my Blood and my own Bowels oppose me The Prince's Servants likewise relying on their Master commit many outrages abusing men at their pleasure neither was the Prince altogether free for it is said that he caused the Ears of a young Man to be cut off and his Eyes to be pluckt out as he travelled by the way which was the occasion of very great disturbances In this Kings Reign a Child was born in the Isle of Wight who at 18 Years old was scarce 3 Foot high and therefore brought to the Queen who carried him about with her as a Monster in Nature In King Edward 3. time Southampton was fired by the French under the conduct of the King of Sicily's Son whom a Countryman encountred and knocked him â—own with his Club the Prince cried out Rancon Ranâ—on that is he would pay him a Ransom but he neither â—nderstanding his Language nor the Law that Arms â—oth allow laid on him more severely still saying I â—now thee to be a Francon or Frenchman and therefore â—hou shalt die and thereupon knocked him at Head In 1554. the conditions of the Marriage between Q. Mary and K. Philip of Spain were agreed to in Parliament upon these Articles 1. That K. Philip should admit of no stranger in any Office but only Natives 2. That â—e should alter nothing of the Laws and customs of the Kingdom 3. That he should not carry the Queen out of the Realm without her own consent nor any of her Children without consent of the Council 4. That if he outlived the Queen â—e should challenge no right in the Kingdom but it should descend to the next Heir 5. That he should carry none of the Crown Jewels out of the Kingdom nor any Ships or Ordinance Lastly That neither directly nor indirectly he should â—ntangle England in the Wars between Spain and France It was also proposed in this Parliament that the Supremacy of the Pope should be restored which was not assented to without great difficulty for the 6 Years Reign of K. Edward 6. had spread a Plantation of the Protestant Religion in the hearts of many The Marriage being thus agreed several Lords and Gentlemen were sent to fetch over the Prince from Spain who arrived at Southampton July 20. 1554. and was met by the Queen at Winchester where they were openly married the disparity of Years in Princes being not much regarded though he were but 27 and she 38 Years old Then the Emperors Ambassadour being present declared that in Consideration of the Marriage the Emperour had given to King Philip his Son the Kingdoms of Naples and Jerusalem and thereupon Garter King at Arms openly in the Church in the presence of the King Queen and Nobles both of Spain and England solemnly proclaimed the Title and Stile of these two Princes as followeth Philip and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spain and Sicily Archdukes of Austria Dukes of Millain Burgundy and Brabant Counts of Habspurg Flanders and Tyrol In 1608. June 26. In the Parish of Christs Church in Hampshire one John Hitchel a Carpenter lying in bed with his Wife and a young Child by them was himself and the Child both burnt to death with a sudden Lightning no fire appearing outwardly upon him and yeâ— lay burning for the space almost of three days till he was quite consumed to ashes In 1619. there was one Bernard Calvert of Andover in this County that rid from St. Georges Church in Southwark to Dover and from thence passed by Barge to Calice in France and from thence returned back to St. Georges Church the same day setting out about three a clock in the morning and returning about 8 a clock at night fresh and lusty I was at London the same time saith Mr. Clark and saw the man Portsmouth is a very convenient Port The Isle of Wight belongs to this Shire the whole County is divided into 39 Hundreds wherein are 253 Parishes and is in the Diocess of Winchester Out of it are elected 26 Parliament Men Southampton gives the Title of Duke to Charles Fitz-Roy eldest Son to the Dutchess of Cleaveland Winchester the Title of Marquess to Charles L. Pawlet and Portsmouth that of Dutchess to Lovise de Queronalle a French Lady HARTFORDSHIRE so called from Hartford the chief Town therein as Hartford is termed from the Ford of Harts a Hart Couchant in the waters being the Arms thereof It hath Essex on the East Middlesex on the South Buckinghamshire on the West Bedford and Cambridgeshire on the North it is a rich County in Corn Fields Pastures Meadows Woods Groves and clear Rivers and is indeed the Garden of England for Delight and it 's usually said That such as buy a House in Hartfordshire pay two years purchase for the Air thereof no County in all England can shew so many good Towns in so little compass their Teams of Horses are oft-times deservedly advanced from the Cart to the Coach being kept in excellent equipage much alike in colour and stature fat and fair such is their care in dressing and well feeding them and to make an innocent digression I could name the place and Person saith Dr. Fuller who brought his Servant before a Justice of Peace for stealing his Oats and Barley the Man brought his five Horses tailed together along with him alledging for himself That if he were the Thief these were the Receivers and so escaped The most famous place in this County for Antiquity is Verolamium now utterly ruined and subverted and the footsteps thereof hardly to be seen though in very great account by the Romans and one of their Free Cities It was plundered by Boadicia that ever eternized Queen of the Icenians when Seventy Thousand of the Romans and their Confederates perished by her Revenging Sword The magnificence thereof for stately Architecture and Grandeur was discovered by the large and arched Vaults found in the days of King Edgar which were filled up by Eldred and Edmer Abbots of St. Albans because they were the Receptacles and lurking holes of Whores and Thieves hear what our famous Spencer saies of this once renowned City of Verulam I was that City which the Garland wore Of Brittains pride delivered unto me By Roman Victors this I was of yore Though nought at all but ruines now I
at lawful distance But now he resolved to eat grass with Nebuchadnezzar till it pleased the Queen to restore his senses she being overjoyed with these Speeches Would to God said she his deeds would be answerable to his words he hath long tried my patience I must now make tryal of his Humility Upon which the Earl became so confident of the Queens favour that being denyed a Suit about farming sweet wines he conspired with others to seize her Person and which more alienated her affections than any thing else she heard he despised her Person and that he had said That the Queen was now old and decrepit and withered as well in mind as in body After this he made an Insurrection in London which not succeeding he was sent to the Tower and being arraigned together with the Earl of Southampton by his Peers was found guilty and Feb. 25. 1601. was to be the fatal day in the mean time divers Ministers were sent to comfort him The Queen now wavered in her self one while remembring former kindnesses she would not and then again she would have him die because of his stubborness in not asking her mercy and his openly saying That he could not live but she must perish So that she gave order for his death within the Tower where he spake to this Purpose My Lords and Christian Brethren who are present witnesses of my just punishment I confess to Gods Glory my self a most wretched Sinner and that my sins in number exceed the hairs of my head that good which I would have done I did not and the evil which I would not that did I for all which I beseech my Saviour Christ to be a Mediator but especially for this my last crying sin I beseech God Her Majesty and the State to forgive me and bless her with a prosperous Reign with a wise and understanding Heart to bless the Nobles and Ministers of the Church and State I likewise beseech you and all the world to have a charitable opinion of me foâ— my intention toward her Majesty whose death I protest I never intended nor any violence toward her Person I thank God I never was an Atheist in not believing the Scriptures nor a Papist to trust in my own merits but am assured to be saved by the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ my Saviour This Faith I was I brought up in and herein I am now ready to die beseeching you all to join your souls with me in Prayer that my soul may be lifted up by Faith above all earthly things and lastly I desire forgiveness of all the world even as freely as from my heart I forgive all the world And then kneeling down said I have been divers times in places of danger where death was neither so present nor so certain and yet even then I felt the weakness of my flesh and therefore now in this last and great conflict I desire the assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and so saith Mr. Speed with a most Heavenly Prayer and faithful constancy as if his soul had been already in heavenly fruition he laid himself on the block and spreading abroad his arms the appointed sign with three strokes his head was severed from his body for which the Executioner was in danger of his life at his return if he had not been secured by the Sheriff of this great Favourite Dr. Fuller concludes That his failings were neither so foul nor so many but that the Character of a right worthy man most justly belongs to his memory It is recorded that Walter E. of Essex his Father having wasted his Spirits with grief fell into a Dysentery whereof he dyed after he had requested such as stood by him That they would admonish his Son who was then scarce ten years old that he should alwaies propound and set before him the 36th year of his life as the utmost he should ever attain to which neither he nor his Father had gone beyond and his Son never reached to being beheaded in the 34th year of his Age so that his dying Father seemed not in vain to have admonished him as he did but to speak by Divine inspiration and suggestion Hereford is the chief City of this County seated amongst pleasant Meadows and Cornfields Lemster is another Town which hath the greatest fame for Wool which they call Lemster Oar of which Mr. Drayton thus writes Where lives the man so dull on Brittains furthest shore To whom did never sound the name of Lemster Oar That with the Silkworms web for smallness may compare Wherein the winder shews his Workmanship so rare So doth this Fleece excell all others in the Land Being neatly bottom'd up by natures careful hand This County is divided into 11 Hundreds wherein there are 8 Market Towns 176 Parish Churches and is in the Diocess of Hereford Out of it are elected 8 Parliament Men for the County 2. for Hereford 2. for Lemster 2. for Webly 2. and gives the Title of Earl to Leicester L. D' Eureux HVNTINGTONSHIRE is surrounded with Northampton Bedford and Cambridgeshires being small in extent hardly stretching 20 miles outright though measured to the most advantage it is good for Corn and Tillage and toward the East very plentiful for feeding Cattle Huntington is the chief Town of all the County called in their publick Seal Huntersdune The Hill or Down of Hunters and gives name to all the Shire Godmanchester is a very great Country Town and of as great repute for Tillage no place having more Ploughs or more stout Husbandmen for they boast that in former times they have received the Kings of England as they passed in their progress this way with ninescore Ploughs brought forth in a rustical kind of Pomp as a Gallant show when K. James came first into England the Bayliffs of this Town presented him with 70 Team of Horses all traced to fair new Ploughs to shew their Husbandry of which when the King demanded the reason they told him That it was their ancient Custom whensoever any King of England passed through their Town so to present him And added further That they held their Lands by that Tenure being the Kings Tenants The King was much pleased herewith bidding them use well their Ploughs and said he was glad he was Landlord of so many good Husbandmen in one Town St Ives is another Town in this County reported to be so named from Ivo a Persian Bishop who it 's said about the Year of Christ 6â—0 travelled through England Preaching diligently the Christian Religion and dying in this place left his name thereunto There are two little Springs at Ayleweston in this County the one fresh and the other somewhat brackish the latter they say is good for Scabs and Leprosie and the other for dim sights The Lake of Wittlesmere and other Meers near it in this Shire do sometimes rise tempestuously in calm and fair Weather and make Water-quakes by reason the ground near it is rotten and hollow
House being dead his Body was carried out and laid on the ground in a Close hard by where this is memorable that for two Years after the ground where his Body lay bore no grass but still represented as it were a picture of his Body only in the space between his Legs and Arms there grew Grass but where any part of his Body touched none at all yet this miraculous accident was not it may be so much for the Murder as for the Curses of a Widow Woman out of whose hands this Mr. Arden had bought this very Close to her utter undoing and thus Divine Justice even in this World oftentimes works Miracles upon Offenders for a merciful warning to others if they will be so wise to take it In 1585. Aug. 4. a marvellous accident happened in the Hamlet of Mottingham near Eltham in this County in a field belonging to Sir Percival Hart betimes in the morning the ground began to sink so much that three great Elm Trees were suddenly swallowed into the Pit the Tops falling downward into the hole and before 10 a Clock they were so overwhelmed that no part of them could be discerned the place being suddenly filled with Water the compass of the whole was about 80 Yards and so deep that a sounding line of 50 fathoms could hardly find or feel any bottom ten yards distance from this place there was another piece of ground sunk in the same manner near the Highway and so nigh a dwelling House that the Inhabitants were greatly terrified thereby In 1602. April 20. Thirteen Persons were slain by misfortune at the Gunpowder Mill at Redriff and much more hurt done in divers places Nicholas Wood of Harrison in this County Yeoman did with ease eat a whole Sheep of 16 shillings price and that raw at one meal another time he eat 30 dozen of Pigeons at Sir William Sidlys he eat as much as would have sufficed 30 men at the Lord Wottons in Kent he eat at one meal 84 Rabbets which number would have sufficed 168 men allowing to each half a Rabbet he suddenly devoured 18 yards of black pudding London measure and having once eat 60 pound weight of Cherries he said they were but washmeat he made an end of a whole Hog at once and after it swallowed three pecks of Damasons this was after break-fast for he said he had eat one pottle of milk one pottle of pottage with Bread Butter and Cheese before he eat in my presence saith Taylor the Water Poet six penny Wheaten Loaves three six penny Veal Pies one pound of sweet Butter one good dish of Thornback and a shiver of a peck Houshold Loaf an inch thick and all this in the space of an hour the House yielded no more and so he went away unsatisfied one John Dale was too hard for him at a place called Lenham he laid a Wager he could fill Woods belly with good wholsome Victuals for 2 Shillings and a Gentleman waged on the contrary that when he had eaten out Dales two shillings he should then presently eat up a whole good Sirloine of Beef Dale bought six pots of mighty Ale and 12 new penny white Loaves which he sopped therein the powerful fume whereof conquered this Conqueror and laid him in a sleep to the preservation of the roast Beef and unexpected winning of the wager he spent all his Estate to provide provant for his belly and though a landed Man and a true Labourer died very poor about 1630. In 1652. One Adam Sprackling Esq lived at St. Lawrence in the Isle of Thanet he had a fair Estate and Married Sir Robert Lewkners Daughter but growing extreamly debauched brought himself into many troubles and spent his Estate This Gentleman coming home one night fell into a great rage against his Wife who was a very virtuous Lady and resolving to mischief her he first struck her with his Dagger hurting her Jaw which she bore patiently saying little to him He raged still more against her and she rising to go away he struck her with a chopping knife on the wrist and cut the bone in sunder he then dashed her on the fore-head with the Iron Cleaver whereupon she fell down bleeding but recovering her self on her knees she prayed God to forgive her Husband his Sins as she did and likewise to pardon her own sins while she was thus praying her bloody Husband chopt her head in the midst even to the very brains so that she fell down dead immediately then did he kill 6 Dogs 4 of which he threw by his Wife and chopped her twice into the Leg after she was dead being apprehended for this horrid murther he was carried to Sandwich Goal and was Tryed Condemned and Executed for the same dying very desperately and refusing to discourse either with Ministers or Gentlemen who came thither to speak to him In 1655. Sir George Sonds of Kent had two Sons grown up to that Age wherein he might have expected most comfort from them but the younger of them having no apparent cause or provocation either from his Father or Brother did in a most unnatural and barbarous manner murther his elder Brother concerning which Sir George in a Narrative written by himself useth these expressions For my Sons wickedness I must needs say Cains was not greater for he did it in the Field and first talked with his Brother and had some pretence of reason for it and because Abel and his offering was more respected but thou saies he didst murther thy Brother basely and inhumanly not in the Field but in his Bed thou didst not talk and dispute it with him but didst kill him sleeping and couldst hear nothing but sad groans from him nor didst thou do it with a Sword or manly weapon but with a butcherly Cleaver didst beat out his brains and as if that had been too little with a most cowardly Steeletto didst stab him 7 or 8 times in and about the heart thou couldst have no such pretence as Cain had for thou wast ever equally respected with thy Brother Even prophane Esau came short of thee he did but resolve to kill his Brother but when he met him he repented and imbraced him but thou didst go through with thy work in the height of malice and when thou hadst brought me to him after thou hadst slain him I saw not any relenting in thee not one tear to drop from thine eyes for that foul Fact Judas did betray his innocent Master but thou didst more for thou didst kill thy innocent Brother Judas did but deliver up his Master to the Judge for Tryal but thou wast Judge and Executioner thy self He might plead that the Devil after he had taken the Sop entered into him and that he was hired for 30 pieces of Silver thou hadst no Devil nor any hire but thy own malicious nature he did it in the dark night as ashamed that the Light should see so foul a Fact But thou in the fair morning when