hath now partly effected and in some sort over-mastred it A little beneath by Langport a proper market town the Rivers Ivel and Pedred running together make betweene them an Iland called Muchelney that is to say The great Iland wherein are to bee seene the defaced walles and ruines of an old Abbey built by King Athelstane as writers reporr This Pedred commonly named Parret hath his beginning in the verie edge or skirt of the shire southward and holding on a crooked and winding course thorow Crockhorne in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Pedderton to whom it gave the name sometime Pedridan the Roiall seat of King Ina â— which towne now adayes is of none account unlesse it be for the market and Faire there held which Henrie Daubeney obtained of King Henrie the Sixth at this place runneth into Ivel and robbeth him of his name when hee is come downe three miles Eastward and hath bidden farewell to Montacute so termed by the Earle of Moriton brother by the Mothers side to King William the Conquerour who built a Castle upon the verie hill top and at the foot thereof a Priorie because the said hill riseth up by little and little to a sharpe pâ—int for before time it was called Logoresburgh and Biscopeston As for the Castle it came to nothing many yeeres since the stones thereof being had away to the repairing of the Monasterie and other houses Upon the pitch of the said hill there was a Chapell afterwards set and dedicated unto Saint Michael built with arch-worke and an embowed roofe overhead all of stone right artificially to which for halfe a mile wel nere men ascended upon stone-staires which in their ascent fetched a compasse round about the hil But now that the Priorie and chapell both be pulled down the faire and goodly house which Sir Edward Philips Knight and the Kings Sargeant at Law built lately at the hill foote maketh a very beautifull shew This high place Mont-acute hath given surname to that right honourable family of Montacute which had their beginning of Dru the younger Out of which there were foure Earles of Sarisburie the last of them left one daughter onely Alice who by Richard Nevil pare Richard that renowned Earle of Warwick who kept such stirres and made all England to shake also Iohn Nevil Marquesse Montacute who were both slaine at Barnet field in the yeere 1472. Afterward King Henrie the Eighth conferred the title of Lord Montacute upon Henrie Poole sonne of Margaret daughter to George Duke of Clarence that came of the daughter of that Richard Nevill aforesaid Earle of Warwicke and when hee had so done straightwaies made him shorter by the head afterwards Queene Marie advanced Anthonie Browne whose Grandmother was a daughter of Iohn Nevill Marquesse Montacute to the title and honour of Vicount Montacute which his Grandchild Anthonie who succeeded him now honourably enjoyeth And here I must not forget neither Preston sometime the seat of Iohn Sturton younger sonne to the first Lord Sturton one of whose heires was married to Sidenham of Brimton thereby neither Odcombe adjoyning thereto as small a towne as it is seeing it had a Baron of the owne William de Briewer for so was his father named in the Norman-French because he was borne in an heath who being taken up in the new Forrest by King Henrie the Second in a hunting journey prooved a great man and gratious in the Court as whom King Richard the First highly favored as his minion and all the world embraced and loved grew unto a verie wealthy estate married Beatrix of Vannes widow to Reginald Earle of Cornwall and his daughters for that his sonne died without issue by their marriages brought great possessions to their husbands Breos Wake La-fert and Piercy Under this towne hard by lieth Stoke under Hamden where the Gornaies had their Castle and built a Colledge This familie de Gornaico commonly named Gornay was verie ancient and of good account descended from the same stocke out of which the Warrens Earles of Surrie and the Mortimers are sprung but in the fore-going age it failed and some of their lands descended by the Hamptons to the house of the Newtons Knights who willignly acknowledge themselves to bee come out of Wales and not long since to have beene named Caradocks Neither must I passe over in silence how Matthew Gournay a most famous warriour in the raigne of Edward the Third was buried heere who in the fourescore and sixteenth yeere of his age ended this life when as appeareth by his Epitaph he had fought at the siege of Algizer against the Saracens in the battels of Benamazin Scluse Cressie Ingenos Poictiers and Nazars in Spaine Then Pedred watereth Martocke a litle market Towne which in times past William of Boloigne King Stephens sonne gave unto Faramuse of Boloigne whose sole heire Sibyll was wedded to Ingelraine Fienes from whom descended the Fienes Barons of Dacre and Lords Say and Sele Parret from hence thorow the mire and moorish plaine countrey holding his course Northward passed by Langport a market Towne well frequented and Aulre a Village consisting of a few poore Cottages which seemeth to have beene a Towne of good account for when King Elfred had given the Danes such an overthrow in battell and by strait siege compelled them to yeeld so farre forth that they tooke an oath immediatly to depart out of his dominions and Godrus their King promised to become Christian as writeth Asserius at this very place he with great pompe was Godfather to the said Godrus at the sacred Font. Beneath this place from the West Parret receiveth into it the river Thone which springing farre of in the West part of this Countrey very neere unto Devonshire runneth thorow most rich and pleasant fields passing downe neere Wivelscomb assigned anciently to the Bishops of Bathe and by Wellington which in the time of King Edward the elder was a land of â—ix Manentes what time hee granted it together with Lediard that had twelve Manentes Hides unto the Bishop of Shirburne Now a prettie market Towne it is and graced most by the habitation there of Sir Iohn Popham For vertuous men and such as have so well deserved of their countrey are not to bee passed in silence a man of an ancient worshipfull house and withall a most upright Iusticer and of singular industry who being Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench administreth his office toward malefactours with such holesome and available severity that England hath beene beholden unto him a long time for a great part of her private peace and home-securitie For thence with a soft streame and gentle fall Thone runneth by Thonton commonly Taunton and giveth it his name A very fine and proper Towne this is indeed and most pleasantly seated in a word one of the eyes of this shire where Ina King
pulcherrima quid tibi gemma Pallet gemma tibi nec diadema nitet Deme tibi cultus cultum natura ministrat Non exornari forma beata potest Ornamenta cave nec quicquam luminis inde Accipis illa micant lumine clara tuo Non puduit modicas de magnis dicere laudes Nec pudeat Dominam te precor esse meam When Muses mine thy beauties rare faire Adeliza Queene Of England readie are to tell they starke astonied beene What booteth thee so beautifull gold-crowne or pretious stone Dimne is the Diademe to thee the gemne hath beautie none Away with trimme and gay attire nature attireth thee Thy lovely beautie naturall can never bett'red be All Ornaments beware from them no favour thou do'st take But they from thee their lustre have thou doest them lightsome make I shamed not on matters great to set small praises heere Bash not but deigne I pray to be my Soveraigne Ladie deere She after the Kings death matched in marriage with William de Albeney who taking part with Maud the Empresse against King Stephen and defending this Castle against him was in recompence of his good service by the saide Maude the Empresse and Ladie of Englishmen for this title she used created Earle of Arundell and her sonne King Henrie the Second gave the whole Rape of Arundell to that William To hold of him by the service of fourescore and foure Knights fees and one-halfe And to his sonne William King Richard the first granted in such words as these The Castle of Arundell with the whole Honor of Arundell and the Third penny of the Plees out of Sussex whereof he is Earle And when after the fifth Earle of this surname the issue male failed one of the sisters and heires of Hugh the fifth Earle was married to Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Lord of Clun whose great grand sonne Richard For that he stood seised of the Castle Honour and Lordship of Arundell in his owne demesne as of Fee in regard of this his possession of the same Castle Honour and Seignorie without any other consideration or Creation to be an Earle was Earle of Arundell and the name state and honor of the Earle of Arundell c. Peaceably he enjoied as appeareth by a definitive judgement given in Parliament in the behalfe of Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan chalenging the Castle and tittle of Arundell by force of an entaile against Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the right Heire in the neerest degree Whereby it was gathered that the name state and dignitie of Earle was annexed to the Castle Honour and Seignorie of Arundell as it is to be seene in the Parliament Rolls of King Henry the Sixth out of which I have copied forth these notes word for word Of these Fitz-Alans Edmund second Earle sonne to Richard married the heire of the Earle of Surry and was beheaded through the malicious furie of Queene Isabell not lawfully convicted for that hee opposed himselfe in King Edward the Seconds behalfe against her wicked practises His sonne Richard petitioned in Parliament to be restored to bloud lands and goods for that his father was put to death not tried by his Peeres according to the law and great Charter of England neverthelesse whereas the attaindor of him was confirmed by Parliament hee was forced to amend his petition and upon the amendment thereof hee was restored by the Kings meere grace Richard his sonne as his grandfather died for his Soveraigne lost his life for banding against his Soveraigne King Richard the Second But Tho. his sonne more honourably ended his life serving King Henrie the Fifth valerously in France and leaving his sisters his heires generall Sir Iohn of Arundell Lord Maltravers his next cosin and heire male obtained of King Henrie the sixt the Earldome of Arundell as we even now declared and also was by the said King for his good service created Duke of Touraine Of the succeeding Earles I find nothing memorable Henrie Fitz Alan the eleventh and last Earle of that surname lived in our daies in great honor as you shall see After whom leaving no issue male Philip Howard his daughters sonne succeeded who not able to digest wrongs and hard measure offered unto him by the cunning sleights of some envious persons fell into the toile and net pitched for him and being brought into extreame perill of his life yeelded up his vitall breath in the Tower But his sonne Thomas a most honorable young man in whom a forward spirit and fervent love of vertue and glorie most beseeming his nobility and the same tempered with true courtesie shineth very apparently recovered his fathers dignities being restored by King Iames and Parliament authoritie Besides the Castle and the Earles Arundell hath nothing memorable For the Colledge built by the Earles which there flourished because the revenue or living is alienated and gone now falleth to decay Howbeit in the Church are some monuments of Earles there enterred but one above the rest right beautifull of Alabaster in which lieth in the mids of the Quire Earle Thomas and Beatrice his wife the daughter of Iohn King of Portugall Neither must I overpasse this Inscription so faire guilt set up heere in the Honor of Henrie Fitz-Alan the last Earle of this line because some there be whom liketh it well CONSECRATED TO VERTVE AND HONOVR THE MAGNANIMOVS AND VVORTHY KNIGHT VVHOSE PERSONAGE IS HERE SEENE AND VVHOSE BONES HERE VNDERNEATHLY ENTERRED VVAS BARLE OF THIS TERRITORIE ACCORDING TO HIS HOVSE AND LINAGE SVRNAMED FITZ ALAN LOKD MALTRAVERS CLVN AND OSVVALDESTRE PRINCIPAL HONOVRS STILED ALSO LORD AND BARON OF THAT MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER THE AVNCIENTEST COMPANION VVHILES HE LIVED OF WILLIAM EARLE OF ARVNDELL THE ONELY SONNE AND SVCCESSOR COMPARTNER ALSO OF ALL HIS VERTVES VVHO BEING OF THE PRIVY COVNSEL TO KING HENRIE THE EIGHT KING EDVVARD THE SIXT MARIE AND ELIZABETH KINGS AND QVEENES OF ENGLAND VVAS GOVERNOR ALSO OF THE TOVVNE OF CALES AND VVHAT TIME AS THE SAID KING HENRIE BESIEGED BVLLEN VVAS HIGH MARESCHAL OF HIS ARMY AND AFTER THAT LORD CHAMBERLAIN TO THE KING ALSO VVHEN EDVVARD HIS SONNE VVAS CROVVNED KING HE BARE THE OFFICE OF L. MARESCHAL OF THE KINGDOME AND VNTO HIM LIKE AS BEFORE VNTO HIS FATHER BECAME LORD CHAMBERLAINE MOREOVER IN THE REIGNE OF QVEENE MARIE DVRING THE TIME OF HER SOLEMNE CORONATION HE VVAS MADE LORD HIGH CONSTABLE AFTERVVARD STEVVARD OF HER ROIAL HOVSE AND PRESIDENT OF THE COVNCEL EVEN AS TO QVEENE ELIZABETH ALSO HE VVAS LIKEVVISE LORD HIGH STEVVARD OF HER HOVSHOLD THVS THIS MAN NOBLE BY HIS HIGH PARENTAGE MORE NOBLE FOR VVEL PERFORMING THE PVBLICKE OFFICES OF STATE â—OST NOBLE AND RENOVNED BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD FLOVRISHING STIL IN HONOVR BROKEN VVITH TRAVEL MVCH VVORNE VVITH YEERES AFTER HE VVAS COME TO THE LXVIII OF HIS AGE AT LONDON THE XXV DAY OF FEBRVARY IN THE YEERE OF OVâ— SALVATION BY CHRIST M. D. LXXIX GODLY AND SVVEETLY SLEPT IN THE LORD IOHN LVMLEY BARON OF LVMLEY HIS MOST
but a rude heape of rubbish For in the yeere 1217. the Inhabitants of the Towne when after a long Siege they had wonne it rased it downe to the very ground as being the Devils nest and a Den of theeves robbers and rebels Somwhat higher on the other side of the River standeth Barrow where is digged lime commended above all other for the strong binding thereof After some few miles from thence Soar while hee seeketh Trent leaveth Leicester-shire a little above Cotes now the habitation of the Family of Skipwith originally descended out of York-shire and enriched many yeeres since with faire Possessions in Lincoln-shire by an heire of Ormesbie On the opposite banke of Soar standeth Lough-borrough a Mercate Towne which adorned one onely man with the name of Baron to witte Sir Edward Hastings and that in the Raigne of Queene Mary But when shee of whom he was most dearely loved departed this life hee taking a loathing to the World was not willing to live any longer to the World but wholy desirous to apply himselfe to Gods Service retired into that Hospitall which hee had erected at Stoke Pogeis in Buckingham-shire where with poore people hee lived to God and among them finished the course of his life devoutly in Christ. That this Lough-borrow is that Towne of the Kings named in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Marianus saith Cuthwulph tooke from the Britans in the yeere of Christ 572. the neere affinity of the name may yeeld some proofe But now among all the Townes of this Shire it rightfully chalengeth the second place next unto Leicester whether a man either regard the bignesse or building thereof or the pleasant Woods about it For within very little of it the Forest of Charnwood or Charley stretcheth it selfe out a great way wherein is seene Beaumanour Parke which the Lords of Beaumont as I have heard fensed round about with a stone Wall These Beaumonts descended from a younger sonne of John County of Brene in France who for his high honour and true valour was preferred to marry the heire of the Kingdome of Jerusalem and with great pompe crowned King of Jerusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1248. Hence it is that wee see the Armes of Jerusalem so often quartered with those of Beaumont in sundry places of England Sir Henry Beaumont was the first that planted himselfe in England about the yeere 1308. who advanced to the marriage of an heire of Alexander Comine Earle of Boghan in Scotland whose mother was one of the heires of Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester entred upon a very goodly and faire inheritance and so a great Family was propagated from him Hee in the Raigne of Edward the Third for certaine yeeres was summoned to the Parliament by the name of Earle of Boghan and John Lord Beamont in the Raigne of Henry the Sixth was for a time Constable of England and the first to my knowledge that in England received at the Kings hands the state and Title of a Vicount But when William the last Vicount was dead without issue his sister was wedded to the Lord Lovell and the whole inheritance afterwards which was rich and great by attainder of Lovell fell into the hands of King Henry the Seventh In this North part we meete with nothing at all worth the naming unlesse it be a little religious house which Roise Verdon founded for Nunnes and called it Grace-Dieu now belonging to a younger house of the Beaumonts and where the Trent runneth hard by is Dunnington an ancient Castle built by the first Earles of Leicester which afterwards came to John Lacy Earle of Lincolne who procured unto it from King Edward the First the priviledge of keeping a Mercate and Faire But when as in that great proscription of the Barons under King Edward the Second the hereditaments of Thomas Earle of Lancaster and Alice Lacy his Wife were seised into the Kings hands and alienated in divers sorts the King enforced her to release this Manour unto Hugh Le Despenser the younger The East part of this Shire which is hilly and feedeth great numbers of Sheepe was adorned with two places of especiall note VERNOMETUM or VEROMETUM whereof Antonine the Emperour hath made mention and Burton-Lazers both in the ages fore-going of very great name and reputation VERNOMETUM which now hath lost the name seemeth to have stood for I dare not affirme it in that place which at this day men call Burrowhill and Erd-burrow For betweene VEROMETUM and RATAE according to Antonine his reckoning are twelve Italian miles and so many well neere there be from Leicester to this place The name Burrow also that it hath at this day came from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Saxon Tongue signifieth a place fortified and under it a Towne called Burrough belonging to an old Family of Gentlemen so sirnamed But that which maketh most for proofe in that very place there riseth up an hill with a steepe and upright ascent on every side but South Eastward in the top whereof appeare the expresse tokens of a Towne destroyed a duple Trench and the very Tract where the Wals went which enclosed about eighteene Acres of ground within At this day it is arable ground and is nothing so famous as in this that the youth dwelling round about were wont yeerely to exercise themselves in wrestling and other games in this place And out of the very name a man may conjecture that there stood there some great Temple of the Heathen Gods For VERNOMETUM in the ancient Gauls language which was the same that the old Britans tongue soundeth as much as A great Temple as Venantius Fortunatus in the first booke of his Songs plainly sheweth writing of Vernometum a Towne of Gaule in these Verses Nomine Vernometum voluit vocitare vetustas Quod quasi fanum ingens Gallica lingua sonat In elder time this place they term'd by name of VERNOMET Which sounds in language of the Gauls as much as Temple Great As for Burton sirnamed Lazers of Lazers for so they used to terme folke infected with the Elephantiasie or Leprosie was a rich Spittle-house or Hospitall under the Master whereof were in some sort all other small Spittles or Lazer-houses in England like as himselfe also was under the Master of the Lazers in Hierusalem It was founded in the first age of the Normans by a common contribution over all England and the Mowbraies especially did set to their helping hands At which time the Leprosie which the learned terme Elephantiasis because the skins of Lepres are like to that of Elephants in grievous manner by way of contagion ranne over all England For it is verily thought that this disease did then first creepe out of Aegypt into this Island which eft-once had spread it selfe into Europe first of all in Pompeius Magnus his dayes afterwards under Heraclius and at other times as
the Conquerour appointed over this Shire William Peverell his base sonne not with the Title of Earle but of Lord of Nottingham who had a sonne that dyed before his father and hee likewise had a sonne of the same name whom king Henry the Second disinherited for that he went about to poison Ranulph Earle of Chester Much about this time Robert de Ferrarijs who rifled and ransacked Nottingham in a Donation which he made unto the Church of Tuttesbury stiled himselfe thus Robertus Comes junior de Nottingham that is Robert the younger Earle of Nottingham But afterwards King Richard the First gave and confirmed unto his brother John the Earledome and Castle of Nottingham with all the Honour of Peverell Many yeeres after King Richard the Second honoured John Lord Mowbray with this Title of Earle of Nottingham who dying a young man without issue his brother Thomas succeeded after him He being by king Richard the Second created Earle Mareshall and Duke of Norfolke and soone after banished begat Thomas Earle Mareshall whom king Henry the Fourth beheaded and John Mowbray who as also his sonne and Nephew were likewise Dukes of Norfolke and Earles of Nottingham But when as their male issue failed and that Richard the young sonne of King Edward the Fourth being Duke of Yorke had borne this Title with others by his Wife the heire of the Mowbraies but a small while King Richard the Third honoured William Vicount Barkley descended from the Mowbraies with this Title of Earle of Nottingham and whereas hee dyed without issue king Henry the Eighth bestowed the same honour upon his illegitimate sonne H. Fitz Roy when hee created him Duke of Richmond but hee departed this life in the flower of his age leaving no childe Afterward this Title lay extinct untill in the yeere of our Lord 1597. Queene Elizabeth by solemne investiture adorned therewith Charles Lord Howard of Effingham and High Admirall of England descended from the Mowbraies in regard of his service as appeareth in the Charter of his Creation right valiantly and faithfully performed against the Spanish Armado in the yeere 1588. as also at the winning of Caliz in Spaine where he was Lord Generall of the forces by sea like as the Earle of Essex of those by land There are in this County Parish Churches 168. DARBY-SHIRE DARBY-SHIRE called in old English-Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth close to Nottingham-shire Westward confining with Leicester-shire upon the Southside like as with Stafford-shire on the West and York-shire in the North resembling as it were the forme of a Triangle but not with equall sides For whereas about the point of it lying Southward it is scarce sixe miles broad it so enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe on both sides that where it looketh into the North it carrieth much about thirty miles in breadth The River Derwent that runneth along the middest of it divideth it after a sort in two parts which River breaking out of the North limit thereof and taking his course Southward sometimes with his blacke waters stained with the Soile and earth that it passeth by rumbleth downe apace into the Trent For Trent overthwarteth the said narrow point that I spake of lying Southward The East side and the South parts are well manured not unfruitfull and besides well stored with Parkes The West part beyond Derwent which they call the Peake being all of it hilly or a stony and craggy ground is more barraine howbeit rich in lead iron and coles which it yeeldeth plentifully and also feedeth Sheepe very commodiously In the South corner the first place worth the naming that offereth it selfe to sight is Greisely Castle more than broken downe which together with a little Monastery was founded in times past in honour of Saint George by the Greiseleies Lords thereof who fetching their descent from William the sonne of Sir Niele of Grieseley about the very Conquest of England by the Normans have flourished unto these dayes in great worship the which they have not a little augmented long since by marrying with the daughter and heire of the ancient family of Gasteneys Upon the River Dove which untill it entreth into Trent divideth this Country from Stafford-shire we meet with nothing in this Shire but small country Villages and Ashburne a Mercate towne where the house of the Cokains flourished a long time and Norbury where the right ancient family of the Fitz-Herberts have long inhabited out of which Sir Anthony Fitz-Herbert hath deserved passing well of the knowledge and profession of our Commons law Not farre from which is Shirley an ancient Lordship of the well renowned Family of the Shirleys who derive their pedegree from one Fulcher unto whom beside the antiquity of their house much honor and faire lands have accrued by marriage with the heires of the Breoses the Bassets of Brailesford the Stantons Lovets c. And heere stand round about many places which have given name and Habitation to worshipfull Families as Longford Bradburne Kniveton from whence came those Knivetons of Mercaston and Bradley of which house Saint Lo Kniveton is one to whose judicious and studious diligence I am deeply endebted also Keidelston where the Cursons dwelt as also at Crokhall But whether Sir Robert Curson knighted by King Henry the Seventh made a Baron of the Empire by Maximilian the Emperour in the yeere 1500. for his singular valour and thereupon by King Henry the Eigth made a Baron of England with a liberall pension assigned was descended from these Cursons I dare not affirme Heereby is Radborn where Sir John Chandos knight Lord of the place laid a goodly foundation of a great and stately house from whom by a daughter it came by hereditary succession unto the Poles who dwell heere at this day But these particularities I leave for him who hath undertaken the full description of this Shire But upon Trent so soon as ever he hath taken to him the river Dove is Repandunum to bee seene for so doe our History-writers call it the Saxons named it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we at this day Repton which from a great and faire Towne is become a poore small Village For in old time very famous it was by reason both of the buriall of Aethelbald that good King of the Mercians who through the treachery of his owne people lost his life and of the other Kings of Mercia as also for the unfortunate calamity of Burthred the last King of the Mercians who when hee had enjoyed his kingdome partly by way of entreaty and partly by meanes of bribery full twenty yeeres was heere deprived of his kingdome by the Danes or rather freed and exempted from the glittering misery of princely State and so became an example to teach men in how ticklish and slippery a place they stand which are underpropped onely with money Then not farre from Trent is Melborn a Castle of the Kings now decaying wherein John Duke of
place at this day is called Buxton well which being found by experience holsome for the stomach sinewes and the whole body George Earle of Shrewesbury lately beautified with buildings and so they are begunne againe to bee resorted unto by concourse of the greatest Gentlemen and of the Nobility At which time that most unfortunate Lady Mary Queene of Scots bad farewell unto Buxton with this Distichon by a little change of Caesars Verses concerning Feltria in this wise Buxtona a quae calidae celebrabere nomine lymphae Fortè mihi posthac non adeunda vale Buxton that of great name shalt be for hote and holsome baine Farewell for I perhaps shall not thee ever see againe But that these hote waters were knowne in old time The Port-way or High paved Street named Bath-gate reaching for seven miles together from hence unto Burgh a little Village doth manifestly shew Neere unto this Burgh there standeth upon the top of an hill an old Castle sometimes belonging to the Peverels called The Castle in the Peake and in Latin De Alto Pecco which King Edward the Third together with a Manour and an Honour gave unto his sonne John Duke of Lancaster what time as hee surrendered the Earledome of Richmond into the Kings hands Under which there is a Cave or hole within the ground called saving your reverence The Devils Arse that gapeth with a wide mouth and hath in it many turnings and retyring roomes wherein forsooth Gervase of Tilbury whether for wane of knowing trueth or upon a delight hee had in fabling hath written that a Shepheard saw a very wide and large Country with Riverets and Brookes running heere and there through it and huge Pooles of dead and standing waters Notwithstanding by reason of these and such like fables this Hole is reckoned for one of the wonders of England neither are there wanting the like tales of another Cave but especially of that which is called Elden Hole wherein there is nothing to bee wondred at but that it is of an huge widnesse exceeding steepe and of a mervailous depth But whosoever have written that there should bee certaine tunnels and breathing holes out of which windes doe issue they are much deceived Neither doe these Verses of Alexander Necham which hee wrote as touching the Mervailes of England agree to any of these two holes Est specus Aeolijs ventis obnoxia semper Impetus è gemino maximus ore venit Cogitur injectum velamen adire supernas Partes descensum impedit aura potens A Cave to strong Aeolian windes alwaies enthral'd there is From two-fold tunnell maine great blasts arise and never misse A cloth or garment cast therein by force aloft is sent A mighty breath or powrfull puffe doth hinder all descent But all the memorable matters in this high and rough stony little Country one hath comprised in these foure Verses Mira alto Pecco tria sunt barathrum specus antrum Commoda tot plumbum gramen ovile pecus Tot speciosa simul sunt Castrum Balnea Chatsworth Plura sed occurrunt quae speciosa minùs There are in High Peake Wonders three A deepe Hole Cave and Den Commodities as many bee Lead Grasse and Sheepe in pen. And Beauties three there are withall A Castle Bath Chatsworth With places more yet meet you shall That are of meaner worth To these Wonders may be added a wonderfull Well in the Peake Forest not farre from Buxtons which ordinarily ebbeth and floweth foure times in the space of one houre or thereabout keeping his just Tides and I know not whether Tideswell a Mercate Towne heereby hath his name thereof The Peverels who I have said before were Lords of Nottingham are also reported to have beene Lords of Darby Afterward King Richard the First gave and confirmed unto his brother John the Counties and Castles of Nottingham Lancaster Darby c. with the honours thereto belonging with the honour also of Peverell After him these were Earles of Derby out of the family of Ferrars so far as I am able to gather out of the Registers of Tutbury Merivall and Burton Monasteries William Ferrars sonne to the Daughter and heire of Peverell whom King John with his owne hand as we finde in an ancient Charter invested Earle of Darby William his sonne who bruised with a fall out of his Coach died in the yeere 1254. And this Williams sonne Robert who in the Civill Warre lost this Title and a great estate by forfeiture in such sort as that none of his posterity although they lived in great port and reputation were ever restored to that honor againe But most of this Roberts possessions K. Henry the Third passed over unto Edmund his owne younger son and King Edward the Third I write out of the very originall Record by authority and advise of the Parliament ordained Henry of Lancaster the sonne of Henry Earle of Lancaster Earle of Darby to him and his heires and withall assigned unto him a thousand markes yeerely during the life of his father Henry Earle of Lancaster From that time this Title was united to the line of Lancaster untill King Henry the Seventh bestowed the same upon Thomas Lord Stanley who before had wedded Margaret the Kings mother to him and the heires males of his body He had for his successour his Grandsonne Thomas begotten by George his sonne of Ioan the heire of the Lord Strange of Knocking this Thomas had by the sister of George Earle of Huntingdon Edward the third Earle of this Family highly commended for hospitality and affability who by the Lady Dorothy Daughter to the first Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke begat Henry the fourth Earle efts-once honourably employed who left by Lady Margaret Daughter of Henry Earle of Cumberland Ferdinand and William successively Earles of Darby Ferdinand dyed in strange manner in the flower of his youth leaving by Margaret his Wife Daughter of Sir John Spenser of Althorp three Daughters Anne marryed to Grey Bruges Lord Chandos Francis Wife to Sir Iohn Egerton and Elizabeth Wife to Henry Earle of Huntingdon William the sixth Earle now enjoyeth that Honour having issue by Elizabeth Daughter to Edward late Earle of Oxford ANd thus much of the Counties of Nottingham and Darby of which they inhabited a part who in Bedes time were called Mercij Aquilonares that is The Northern Mercians for that they dwelt beyond the Trent Northward and they held as hee saith The land of seven thousand Families This County holdeth in it Parishes 106. CORNAVII HAving now travailed in order through the Countries of the ancient CORITANI I am to survey the Regions confining which in ancient time the people called CORNABII or CORNAVII inhabited The derivation or Etymologie of whose name let others sift out As for my selfe I could draw the force and signification of that word to this and that diversly but seeing none of them doth aptly answere to the nature of the place or disposition of the people
afterward this honor at the hands of King Henry the Fifth Who shortly after in the French war lost his life at the siege of Meaux in Brye leaving one onely daughter married to Sir Edward Nevill from whom descended the late Lords of Abergevenny Afterward King Henry the Sixth created John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester But when he presently taking part with King Edward the Fourth had applied himselfe in a preposterous obsequiousnesse to the humor of the said King and being made Constable of England plaied the part as it were of the butcher in the cruell execution of diverse men of qualitie himselfe when as King Henry the Sixth was now repossessed of the crowne came to the blocke Howbeit his sonne Edward recovered that honor when King Edward recovered his Kingdome But after that this Edward died without issue and the inheritance became divided among the sisters of the said John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester of whom one was married to the Lord Roo◠another to Sir Edmund Ingoldesthorpe and the third to the Lord Dudley Sir Charles Somerset base sonne to Henry Duke of Somerset Lord Herbert and Lord Chamberlaine to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Worcester After whom succeeded in lineall descent Henry William and Edward who now flourisheth and among other laudable parts of vertue and Nobility highly favoureth the studies of good literature There are in this Shire Parishes 152. STAFFORDIAE COMITATVS PARS olim Cornauiorum STAFFORD-SHIRE THE third Region of the old CORNAVII now called STAFFORD-SHIRE in the English Saxons Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inhabitants whereof because they dwelt in the middest of England are in Bede termed Angli Mediterranei that is Midland Englishmen having on the East Warwick-shire and Darby-shire on the South side Worcester-shire and Westward Shropp-shire bordering upon it reacheth from South to North in forme of a Lozeng broader in the middest and growing narrower at the ends The North part is full of Hilles and so lesse fruitfull the middle being watered with the River Trent is more plentifull clad with Woods and embroidered gallantly with Corne fields and medowes as is the South part likewise which hath Coles also digged out of the earth and mines of Iron But whether more for their commodity or hinderance I leave to the Inhabitants who doe or shall best understand it In the South part in the very confines with Worcester-shire upon the River Stour standeth Stourton Castle sometimes belonging to the Earles of Warwicke the natall place of Cardinall Pole and then Dudley Castle towreth up upon an hill built and named so of one Dudo or Dodo an English Saxon about the yeere of our Salvation 700. In King William the Conquerours daies as we finde in his Domesday Booke William Fitz-Ausculph possessed it afterwards it fell to Noble men sirnamed Somery and by an heire generall of them to Sir Richard Sutton knight descended from the Suttons of Nottingham-shire whose Posterity commonly called from that time Lords of Dudley but summoned to Parliament first by King Henry the Sixth grew up to a right honourable Family Under this lyeth Pensueth Chace in former times better stored with game wherein are many Cole-pits in which as they reported to mee there continueth a fire begunne by a candle long since through the negligence of a grover or digger The smoke of this fire and sometime the flame is seene but the savour oftener smelt and other the like places were shewed unto mee not farre off North-West ward upon the Confines of Shropp-shire I saw Pateshull a seat of the Astleies descended from honourable Progenitours and Wrotesley an habitation of a Race of Gentlemen so sirnamed out of which Sir Hugh Wrotesley for his approoved valour was chosen by King Edward the Third Knight of the Garter at the first institution and so accounted one of the founders of the said honourable Order Next after this the memorable places that wee meet with in this Tract more inwardly are these Chellington a faire house and Manour of the ancient Family of the Giffards which in the Raigne of Henry the Second Peter Corbuchin gave to Peter Giffard upon whom also Richard Strongbow that Conquerour of Ireland bestowed in free gift Tachmelin and other Possessions in Ireland Theoten hall which is by interpretation The habitation of Heathens or Pagans at this day Tetnall embrued with Danish bloud in the yeere 911. by King Edward the Elder in a bloudy Battaile Ulfrunes Hampton so called of Wulfruna a most godly and devout woman who enriched the Towne called before simply Hampton with a religious House and for Wulfrunes Hampton it is corruptly called Wulver Hampton The greatest name and note whereof ariseth by the Church there annexed to the Warden or Deane and Prebendaries of Windsor Weadsbury in these dayes Weddsborrow fortified in old time by Aethelfled Lady of the Mercians and Walshall a Mercate Towne none of the meanest Neere unto which the River Tame carryeth his streame which rising not farre off for certaine miles wandereth through the East part of this Shire seeking after Trent neere unto Draiton Basset the seat of the Bassets who springing out from Turstan Lord of this place in the Raigne of Henry the First branched forth into a great and notable Family For from hence as from a stocke flourished the Bassets of Welleden of Wiccomb of Sapcot of Cheddle and others But of this of Draiton Raulph was the last who being a right renowned Baron had marryed the sister of John Montfort Duke of Britaine and in the Raigne of Richard the Second died without issue Then Tame passing through the Bridge at Falkesley over which an ancient high way of the Romanes went runneth hard under Tamworth in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marianus calleth it Tamawordia a Towne so placed in the Confines of the two Shires that the one part which belonged sometime to the Marmions is counted of Warwick-shire the other which pertained to the Hastings of Stafford-shire As for the name it is taken from Tame the Riuer running beside it and of the English Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Barton Court or Ferme-house and also an Holme or River Island or any place environed with water seeing that Keyserwert and Bomelswert in Germanie betoken as much as Caesars Isle and Bomels Isle Whiles the Mercians Kingdome stood in state this was a place of their Kings resiance and as we finde in the Lieger Booke of Worcester a Towne of very great resort and passing well frequented Afterward when in the Danes Warre it was much decaied Aethelfled Lady of Mercia repaired and brought it againe to the former state also Edith King Eadgars Sister who refusing Marriage for the opinion that went of her for holinesse was registred in the roll of Saints founded heere a little house for Nunnes and veiled Virgins which after some yeeres was translated to
powreth forth into it a mighty masse of water having not yet forgotten what adoe it had to passe away struggling and wrestling as it did among the carcasses of free-butters lying dead in it on heapes in the yeere of salvation 1216. when it swallowed them up loaden with booties out of England and so buried that rabble of robbers under his waves This river Eden when it is entred into this shire receiveth from the West the river Eimot flowing out of Ulse a great lake heretofore mentioned neer unto the bank whereof hard by the riveret Dacor standeth Dacre Castle of signall note for that it hath given sirname to the honourable family of the Barons Dacre and mentioned anciently by Bede for that it had a monastery in those dayes as also by William of Malmesbury in regard that Constantine King of Scots and Eugenius or Ewain King of Cumberland yeelded themselves there together with their kingdomes unto Athelstane King of England upon condition to be protected by him Not much higher and not farre from the confluence of Eimot and Loder where is seene that round trench of earth which the countrey people tearme Arthurs Table stands Penrith which is if you interpret it out of the British language The Red head or hill for the soile and the stones there are of a reddish colour but commonly called Perith a little towne and of indifferent trade fortified on the West side with a castle of the Kings which in the reigne of King Henry the sixth was repaired out of the ruines of a Romane fort thereby called Maburg adorned with a proper Church and the mercate place is large with an edifice of timber therein for the use of those that resort thither to mercate garnished with Beares at a ragged staffe which was the devise of the Earles of Warwicke It belonged in times past unto the Bishops of Durham but when Antony Bec the Bishop overweening himselfe with over much wealth waxed proud and insolent King Edward the first as wee finde in Durham book took from him Werk in Tividale Perith and the Church of Simondburne But for the commodious use of this Towne William Stricland Bishop of Carlile descended from a worshipfull Family in this tract at his owne charges caused a channell for a water-course to be made out of Petter-rill that is the little Petter which neer unto the bank had Plumpton park a very large plot of ground which the Kings of England allotted in old time for wild beasts but King Henry the eighth disparked it and wisely appointed it for habitation of men as being in the very merches well neere where the Realmes of England and Scotland confine one upon the other Just by this place I saw many remaines of a decayed towne which they there for the vicinity thereof doe now call Old Perith I for my part would deeme it to be PETRIANAE For the fragment of an antique inscription erected by ULPIUS TRAIANUS EMERITUS an old discharged and pensionary souldier of the Petreian wing doth convince and prove that the wing Petriana made abode here But behold both it and others which wee copied out here GADUNO ULP TRAI EM AL. PET MARTIUS F P. C. D M. AICETU OS MATER VIXIT A XXXXV ET LATTIO FIL. VIX A XII LIMISIUS CONJU ET FILIAE PIENTISSIMIS POSUIT D M FL. MARITO SEN IN C. CARVETIOR QUESTORIO VIXIT AN XXXXV MARTIOLA FILIA ET HERES PONEN CURAVIT D M. CROTILO GERMANUS VIX ANIS XXVI GRECA VIX ANIS IIII. VINDICIANUS FRA. ET FIL. TIT. PO. After that Eden hath now given Eimot entertainment hee turneth his course Northward by both the Salkelds watering as hee goes obscure small villages and fortresses Amongst which at the lesse Salkeld there bee erected in manner of a circle seventy seven stones every one ten foot high and a speciall one by it selfe before them at the very entrance riseth fifteene foot in height This stone the common people thereby dwelling name Long Megge like as the rest her daughters And within that ring or circle are heapes of stones under which they say lye covered the bodies of men slaine And verily there is reason to thinke that this was a monument of some victory there atchieved for no man would deeme that they were erected in vaine From thence passeth Eden by Kirk-Oswald consecrated to Saint Oswald the possession in old time of that Sir Hugh Morvill who with his associates slew Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in memoriall of this fact the sword which hee then used was kept here a long time and so goeth on by Armanthwayte a Castle of the Skeltons by Corby Castle belonging to the worthy and ancient family of the Salkelds well advanced by marriage with the heire of Rosgill by Wetherall sometime a little Abbey or Cell which acknowledged the Abbey of Saint Mary in Yorke for her mother where within a rocke are to bee seene certaine little habitations or cabbins hewed hollow for a place of sure refuge in this dangerous countrey Thence by Warwic VIROSIDUM as I supposed where the sixt Cohort of the Nervians in old time held their station within the limit of that Wall against the Picts and Scots and there in the latter age was built a very strong bridge of stone at the charges of the Salkelds and Richmonds by Linstock castle also belonging to the Bishop of Carlile in the Barony of Crosby which Waldeof the sonne of Earle Gospatrick Lord of Allerdale granted unto the church of Carlile And now by this time Eden being ready to lodge himselfe in his owne arme of the sea taketh in two rivers at once namely Peterill Caud which keeping an equall distance asunder march along from the South and hold as it were a parallel pace just together By Peterill beside PETRIANAE which I spake of standeth Greistock a castle belonging not long since to an honorable house which derived their first descent from one Ranulph Fitz-Walter of which line William called de Greistock wedded Mary a daughter and one of the coheires of Sir Roger Merley Lord of Morpath and hee had a sonne named John who being childlesse by licence of King Edward the first conveighed his inheritance to Ralph Granthorpe the sonne of William and his Aunts sonne by the fathers side whose male progeny flourished a long time in honor with the title of Lord Greistock but about King Henry the seventh his dayes expired and came to an end and so the inheritance came by marriage unto the Barons of Dacre and the female heires generall of the last Baron Dacre were married unto Philip Earle of Arundell and Lord William Howard sonnes of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolke Upon Caud beside the coper mines neere unto Caudbeck standeth Highgate a castle of the Richmonds of ancient descent and a proper fine castle of the Bishops of Carlile called the Rose castle it seemeth also that
they boyle untill it bee exceeding white And of this sea or Bay-salt and not of ours made out of salt springs is Saint Ambrose to bee understood when hee writeth thus Consider we those things which are usuall with many very grace-full namely how water is turned into salt of such hardnesse and soliditie that often-times it is hewed with axes This in the salts of Britaine is no wonder as which carrying a shew of strong marble doe shine and glitter againe with the whitenesse of the same mettall like unto snow and bee holesome to the bodie c. Farther within the land the MEANVARI dwelt whose countrey togither with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South Saxons received in token of Adoption from Wlpher King of Mercians Godfather unto him at the Font when he was baptized The habitations of these Meanvari scarce changing the name at this day is divided into three hundreds to wit Means-borow East-mean and West-mean and amongst them there mounteth up an high Hill environed in the top with a large rampier and they call it old Winchester at which by report there stood in old time a citie but now neither top nor toe as they say remaineth of it so as a man would quickly judge it to have beene a summer standing campe and nothing else Under this is Warnford seated where Adam de Portu a mightie man in this tract and of great wealth in the raigne of William the first reedified the Church a new as a couple of rude verses set fast upon the wall doe plainly shew Upon these more high into the land those SEGONTIACI who yeilded themselves unto Iulius Caesar had their seate toward the North limite of this shire in and about the hundred of Holeshot wherein are to bee seene Mercate Aultim which King Elfred bequeathed by his will unto the keeper of Leodre also Basingstoke a mercate towne well frequented upon the descent of an hill on the North side whereof standeth solitarie a very faire Chappell consecrated unto the holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was buried there In the arched and embowed roofe whereof is to be seene the holy history of the Bible painted most artificially with lively portraicts and images representing the Prophets the Apostles and the Disciples of Christ. Beneath this Eastward lieth Basing a towne very well knowne by reason of the Lords bearing the name of it to wit Saint Iohn the Poinings and the Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was likewise daughter and heire to the right noble house of Saint Iohn William his sonne to doe honour unto that familie assumed to him the surname of Saint Iohn and they who lineally descended from him have still retained the same But when Edmund Saint Iohn departed out of this world without issue in King Edward the third his time his sister Margaret bettered the state of her husband Iohn Saint Philibert with the possessions of the Lord Saint Iohn And when she was dead without children Isabell the other sister wife unto Sir Luke Poinings bare unto him Thomas Lord of Basing whose Neice Constance by his sonne Hugh unto whom this fell for her childs part of Inheritance was wedded into the familie of the Powlets and she was great Grandmother to that Sir William Powlet who being made Baron Saint Iohn of Basing by King Henrie the Eighth and created by King Edward the Sixth first Earle of Wilshire and afterward Marquesse of Winchester and withall was Lord Treasurer of England having in a troublesome time runne through the highest honours fulfilled the course of nature with the satietie of this life and that in great prosperitie as a rare blessing among Courtiers after he had built a most sumptuous house heere for the spacious largenesse thereof admirable to the beholders untill for the great and chargeable reparations his successors pulled downe a good part of it But of him I have spoken before Neere unto this house the Vine sheweth it selfe a very faire place and Mansion house of the Baron Sands so named of the vines there which wee have had in Britaine since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit For hee permitted the Britaines and others to have vines The first of these Barons was Sir William Sands whom King Henrie the Eighth advanced to that dignitie being Lord Chamberlaine unto him and having much amended his estate by marrying Margerie Bray daughter and heire of Iohn Bray and cousin to Sir Reinold Bray a most worthy Knight of the Order of the Garter and a right noble Baneret whose Sonne Thomas Lord Sands was Grandfather to William L. Sands that now liveth Neighbouring hereunto is Odiam glorious in these daies for the Kings house there and famous for that David the Second King of Scots was there imprisoned a Burrough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester the fortresse whereof in the name of King John thirteene Englishmen for fifteene daies defended most valiantly and made good against Lewis of France who with his whole armie besieged and asted it very hotly A little above among these Segontiaci toward the North side of the countrey somtimes stood VINDONVM the chiefe citie of the Segontiaci which casting off his owne name hath taken the name of the Nation like as Luteria hath assumed unto it the name of the Parisians there inhabiting for called it was by the Britaines Caer Segonte that is to say the Citie of the Segontiaci And so Ninnius in his catalogue of cities named it wee at this day called it Silecester and Higden seemeth to clepe it of the Britaines Britenden that this was the ancient Vindonum I am induced to thinke by reason of the distance of Vindonum in Antoninus from Gallena or Guallenford and Venta or Winchester and the rather because betweene this Vindonum and Venta there is still to bee seene a causey or street-way Ninnius recordeth that it was built by Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great and called sometime Murimintum haply for Muri-vindum that is the wals of Vindon For this word Mur borrowed from the provinciall language the Britaines retained still and V. the consonant they change oftentimes in their speech and writing into M. And to use the verie words of Asinnius though they seeme ridiculous the said Constantius sowed upon the soile of this citie three seedes that none should be poore that dwelt therein at any time Like as Dinocrates when Alexandria in Egypt was a building strewed it with meale or flower as Marcellinus writeth all the circular lines of the draught which being done by chance was taken for a fore-token that the citie should abound with al manner of victualls He reporteth also that Constantius died here and that his Sepulchre was to be seene at one of the gates as the Inscription
said Richard and by impious cruell meanes usurped the kingdome that hee might by his benefits oblige unto him the house of the Howards created in one and the same day Iohn Lord Howard Duke of Norfolke as next cosin and heire to the Mowbraies and his sonne Thomas Earle of Surrie in whose of-spring this honour hath ever since beene resplendent and so continueth at this day This County hath in it Parish Churches 140. SVSSEX VNder Suth-rey toward the South lieth stretched out in a great length Suth-sex which also in times past the Regni inhabited in the Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day Sussex which is as much to say as the Region of the South Saxons a word compounded of the site thereof Southward and of the Saxons who in their Heptarchie placed here the second kingdome It lieth upon the British Ocean all Southward with a streight shore as it were farre more in length than bredth Howbeit it hath few harbours by reason that the sea is dangerous for shelves and therefore rough and troublous the shore also it selfe full of rocks and the South-west wind doth tyrannize thereon casting up beach infinitely The sea coast of this countrie hath greene hils on it mounting to a greater height called the Downes which because they stand upon a fat chalke or kinde of marle yeeldeth corne aboundantly The middle tract garnished with medowes pastures corne-fields and groves maketh a very lovely shew The hithermore and Northern side thereof is shaded most pleasantly with woods like as in times past the whole country throughout which by reason of the woods was hardly passable For the wood Andradswald in the British language Coid Andred taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning tooke up in this quarter a hundred and twentie miles in length and thirtie in bredth memorable for the death of Sigebert King of West Saxons who being deposed from his royall throne was in this place stabbed by a Swineheard and so died Many pretty rivers it hath but such as springing out of the North-side of the shire forthwith take their course to the Ocean and therefore not able to beare any vessell of burden Full of iron mines it is in sundry places where for the making and fining whereof there bee furnaces on every side and a huge deale of wood is yearely spent to which purpose divers brookes in many places are brought to runne in one channell and sundry medowes turned into pooles and waters that they might bee of power sufficient to drive hammer milles which beating upon the iron resound all over the places adjoyning And yet the iron here wrought is not in every place of like goodnesse but generally more brittle than is the Spanish iron whether it be by the nature or tincture and temper thereof Howbeit commodious enough to the iron Maisters who cast much great ordnance thereof and other things to their no small gaine Now whether it bee as gainefull and profitable to the common-wealth may bee doubted but the age ensuing will bee better able to tell you Neither want here glasse-houses but the Glasse there made by reason of the matter or making I wot not whether is likewise nothing so pure and cleare and therefore used of the common sort onely SVSSEXIA Siue Southsex olim pars REGNORVM Selsey before said is somewhat lower in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The Isle of Sea calves for these in our language wee call Scales which alwaies seeke to Islands and to the shore for to bring forth their young but now it is most famous for good cockles and full Lobsters A place as Beda saith compassed round about with the Sea but onely in the West side where it hath an entrie into it by land as broad as a slings cast It was reckoned by Survey taken to containe fourscore and seven Hides of Land when Edilwalch King of this Province gave it to Wilfride Bishop of Yorke whiles hee was in exile who first preached Christ unto this people and as he writeth not only by baptisme saved from thraldome under the divell two hundred and fiftie bond-men but also by giving freedome delivered them from the yoke of bondage under man Afterwards K. Cedwalla who vanquished Edilwalch founded here a Minster and beautified it with an Episcopall See which by Stigand the two and twentieth Bishop was translated to Chichester where it now flourisheth and doth acknowledge Cedwalla to bee the founder In this Isle remaineth onely the dead carkasse as it were of that ancient little citie wherein those Bishops sat and the same hidden quite with water at everie full sea but at a low water evident and plaine to be seene Then maketh the shore way for a river which out of Saint Leonards Forrest runneth downe first by Amberley where William Read Bishop of Chichester in the raigne of Edward the third built a castle for his successours and so from thence by Arundell seated on the hanging of an hill a place greater in name than deede and yet is not that name of great antiquitie for before Aelfreds dayes who bequeathed it by testament to Anthelme his brothers sonne I have not read it so much as once named Unlesse perhaps I should thinke that Portus Adurni is corruptly so called by transposition of letters for Portus Arundi The reason of this name is fetched neither from that fabulous horse of Sir Beavois of Southampton nor of Charudum a promontorie in Denmarke as Goropius Becanus hath dreamed but of the valley or dale which lieth upon the river Arun in case Arun bee the name of the river as some have delivered who thereupon named it in Latine Aruntina vallis that is Arundale But all the fame it hath is of the Castle that flourished under the Saxon Empire and which as we read presently upon the comming in of the Normans Roger Montgomerie repaired who thereupon was 〈◊〉 Earle of Arundell For a stately place it is both by naturall situation and also by mans hand verie strong But his sonne Robert de Belismo who succeeded his brother Hugh being by King Henrie the First proscribed lost that and all his other dignitie For when he had perfidiously raised warre against the King he chose this Castle for his surest hold whiles the warre lasted and fortified the place with many munitions but spedde no better than traitours use to doe For the Kings forces environing it everie way at the last wonne it Whenas Robert now had forfeited his estate and was banished the King gave this castle and all his Lands besides unto * Adeliza daughter to Godfrey Barbatus of Lovaine Duke of Loraine and Brabant for her Dowrie whom he tooke to be his second wife In whose commendation a certaine English man in that unlearned age wrote these not unlearned verses Anglorum Reginatuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi
This Hubert was a man who unfainedly loved his Countrie amidst the stormes of frowning Fortune performed all duties to the utmost that his Countrey could require of a right good patriot Yet at length he fell in disgrace and was dispoyled of his dignities whereby this title slept and lay as dead untill the time of King Edward the Second Who bestowed it upon his younger brother Edmund of Woodstocke who being Tutor of his nephew Edward the Third falling into the tempest of false injurious and malignant envie was beheaded for that he never dissembled his naturall brotherly affection toward his brother deposed and went about when hee was God wot murthered before not knowing so much to enlarge him out of prison perswaded thereunto by such as covertly practised his destruction Hee had two sonnes Edmund and Iohn who were restored by Parliament to bloud and land shortly after And with all it was inacted that no Peere of the land or other that procured the death of the said Earle should bee empeached therefore than Mortimer Earle of March Sir Simon Beresford Iohn Matravers Baious and Iohn Devoroil So these his two sonnes succeeded in order and when they were both dead without issue their sister Ioane who survived them for her lovely beautie called The Faire maid of Kent brought this honour unto the house of the Hollands For Sir Thomas Holland her husband was stiled Earle of Kent and shee after married by dispensation to the Black Prince heire to him King Richard the Second Her sonne Sir Thomas Holland succeeded in that honourable title who died in the twentieth yeare of King Richard the Second Him againe there succeeded his two sonnes Thomas and Edmund Thomas who also was created Duke of Surry and forthwith for complotting a conspiracie against King Henry the Fourth lost his head leaving no child Edmunds his brother being Lord High Admirall of England was wounded at the assault of Saint Brieu in little Britan and died thereof in the yeare of Salvation 1408. leaving likewise no issue Now when this dignitie was expired in this family of the Hollands their glasse being runne out and the Patrimony parted among Edmund sisters King Edward the Fourth honoured with the title of the Earldome of Kent First Sir William Nevill Lord Fauconberg and after his death Edmund Lord Grey of Ruthin Hastings and Weisford and who had to succeed him George his sonne Hee of Anne Widevile his first wife begat Richard Earle of Kent who having wasted his inheritance ended therewith his daies issuelesse 1523. But the said George by his second wife Katherine daughter to William Herbert Earle of Pembrooke was father of Sir Henry Grey of Wrest knight whose grand-sonne Reginald by his sonne Henrie Queene Elizabeth in the yeare 1571. advanced to the Earledom of Kent And after his decease without issue his brother Henrie succeeded a right honourable personage and endued with the ornaments of true nobility This province hath parishes 398. DOBVNI HItherto we have walked over all those Countries that lie betweene the British Ocean of the one side and the Severne sea and river Thames on the other Now according to the order which wee have begun let us survey the rest throughout and passing over the said river returne to the head of Thames and the salt water of Severne and there view the DOBVNI who in ancient times inhabited those parts which now are termed Oxford-shire and Glocester-shire This their name I verily suppose came of Duffen a British word because the places where they planted themselves were for the most part low and lying under the hils whereupon the name became common to them all and verily from such a kind of site Bathieia in Troas Catabathmos in Africk and Deep-Dale in Britan tooke their names I am the more easily induced to believe this because I see that Dio in the very same signification hath named certaine people BODVNNI if the letters be not misplaced For Bodo or BODVN as Plinie saith in the ancient French tongue which I have proved before was the same that in the British language betokeneth Deepe Hence was it that the City Bodincomagus as he writeth became so called for that it stood where the river Po was deepest hence had the people Bodiontij that name who inhabited a deepe vale by the Lake of Lozanne and Geneva now called Val de Fontenay to say nothing of Bodotria the deepest Frith in all Britan. Concerning these Bodunj I have found in all my reading no matter of great antiquity save only that A. Plautius sent as Propraetor by Claudius into Britan received part of them upon their submission into his protection to wit those that were under Cattuellani for they held the region bordering upon them and as Dio hath recorded about the forty and foure yeare after Christ was borne placed a garrison over them But when the English Saxons reigned in Britan and the name of Dobuni was worne out some of these as also the people dwelling round about them were by a new English Saxons name called Wiccij but whereupon I dare scarce venture to guesse without craving leave of the Reader Yet if Wic in the Saxons tongue soundeth as much as the creeke or reach of a river and the Viguones a nation in Germanie are so called because they dwell neere unto the creekes or baies of the Sea and of rivers for so doth Beatus Rhenanus constantly affirme It will bee no absurditie if I derive our Wiccii from thence who inhabited round about the mouth of Severne which is very full of such Coves and small creekes and reaches GLOCESTRLAE Comitatus olim sedes DOBVNORUM GLOCESTER-SHIRE GLocester-shire in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the chiefe seat of the Dobuni on the West-side butteth upon on Monmouth-shire and Hereford-shire on the North upon Worcester-shire on the East upon Warwick-shire Oxford-shire and Barck-shire on the South upon Wilt-shire and Somerset-shire both A pleasant countrey and a fruitfull stretching out in length from North-east unto South-west The part that lyeth more East-ward rising up in height with hils and wolds is called Cotteswold the middle part settleth downe low to a most fertile plaine and is watered with Severne that noble river which doth infuse life as it were into the soile That part which bendeth more Westward on the further side of Severne is all over be spread with woods But what meane I to busie my selfe herein William of Malmesbury will ease mee of this labour who fully gives high commendations to this countrey Have therefore what he writeth in his booke of Bishop The countrey saith he is called of the principall Citie The vale of Glocester the ground throughout yieldeth plentie of corne and bringeth forth abundance of fruits the one through the naturall goodnesse onely of the ground the other through diligent manuring and tillage in so much as it would provoke the laziest body that is to take paines
Domaine of King William After the Normans time it valiantly withstood the Siege layed unto it by the Barons when they disquieted and troubled the whole Realme with injurious wrongs and slaughters being maliciously bent against King John for private causes which notwithstanding they so cloked with pretenses of Religion and the common good that they tearmed themselves The Army of God and the holy Church at which time they say that Trench and Rampire was made which they call Hunshil but it stood not out with like successe against Henry the third their lawfull King as it did against these rebels for when those Barons being nuzzelled up in sedition and rebellion from hence displaied their banners and sounded the battaile against him he made a breach through the Wall and soone wonne it by assault After this diverse times like as before the kings held their Parliaments here because it standeth very nere in the midst of England and in the yeere after Christ was borne 1460. here was a wofull and bloody field fought wherein such was the civill division of England in it selfe Richard Nevil Earle of Warwick after many a noble man slaine led away captive that most unhappy king Henry the Sixth in a piteous spectacle who was now the second time taken prisoner by his subjects To conclude the Longitude of Northampton our Mathematicians have described by 22. degrees and 29. scruples and the Latitude by 52. degrees and 13. scruples From hence Nen maketh haste away by Castle Ashby where Henry L. Compton began to build a faire sightly house close unto which lieth Yardley Hastings so named of the Hastings sometimes â—arles of Pembroch unto whom it belonged And to turne a little aside I may not omit Horton when as king Henry the Eighth created Sir W. Par Lord thereof unckle and Chamberlaine to Queene Catharin Par Baron Par of Horton which honor shortly vanished with him when he left only daughters who were married into the families of Tresham and Lane But to returne Nen goeth forward to Mercat Wellingborow in old time Wedlingborough and Wodlingborough made a mercat by K. John at the suit of the Monks of Crowland where there runneth into it a Riveret comming downe by Rushton and Newton belonging to the Treshams by Geddington also where the King had a Castle and where there remaineth yet a Crosse erected in the honour of Queene Aeleonor wife to King Edward the First by Boughton the seat of the Montacutes Knights by Kettering a Mercat Towne well frequented neere unto which standeth Rouwell much talked of for the horse Faire there kept by Burton likewise the Barony if I mistake not the name of Alane de Dinant For king Henry the First gave unto him a Barony of that name in this Shire for that in single fight he had slaine the French Kings Champion at Gizors and by Harrouden the Lord whereof named Sir Nicolas Vaulx Captaine of Guines in Picardy king Henry the Eighth created Baron Vaulx of Harrouden From hence goeth the Aufon or Nen to Higham a Towne in times past of the Peverels and after by them of the Ferrers from whom it is named Higham Ferrers who had heere also their Castle the ruines and rubbish whereof are yet seene nere unto the Church But the excellent ornament of this place was Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury who built All-soules College in Oxford and another here wherein he placed Secular Clerkes and Prebendaries and withall an Hospitall for the poore Then runneth it by Addington the possession in old time of the Veres and by Thorpston commonly called Thrapston belonging likewise to them and over against it Draiton the house in the foregoing age of Sir H. Greene but afterwards by his daughter of John and Edward Staffords Earles of Wiltshire but now the habitation of the Lord Mordaunt unto whom it descended hereditarily from those Greenes noble Gentlemen and of right great name in this Country in their time Then runneth it in manner round about a proper little Towne which it giveth name unto Oundale they now call it corruptly in stead of Avondale where there is nothing worth sight but a faire Church and a free Schoole for the instruction of children and an Almeshouse for poore people founded by Sir William Laxton sometime Major of London Neere adjoyning to this stands Barnewell a little Castle which now of late Sir Edward Mont-acute of the ancient family of the Mont-acutes as may be collected by his Armes hath repaired and beautified with new buildings In times past it was the possession of Berengary le Moigne that is Monke and not as some thinke of Berengary of Touraine the great Clerke whose opinion of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was condemned in a Synode of an hundred and thirteene Bishops assembled by the Bishop of Rome After this it passeth on by Fotheringhay Castle environed on every side with most pleasant medowes which in the Raigne of Henry the Third when the strong holds encouraged the Lords and Nobles to revolt William Earle of Aumarl surprised upon the sodaine and laied all the Country about waste as Mathew of Paris recordeth At which time it belonged unto the Earles of Huntingdon who were of the royall Race of Scotland A good while after King Edward the Third assigned it as it were for an inheritance or appennage as the French tearme it unto his sonne Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke who reedified the Castle and made the highest fortification or Keepe thereof in forme of an horse-fetter which both of it selfe and with a Faulcon in it was his Devise or Emprese as implying that hee was locked up from all great hope as a younger brother His sonne Edward Duke of Yorke in the second yeere of Henry the Fift his Raigne and in the yeere of Christ 1415. as appeareth by an inscription there in rude and barbarous Verses founded a passing faire Collegiat Church wherein himselfe when he was slaine in the battaile at Agâ—ncourt as also Richard Duke of Yorke his brothers sonne who lost his life at Wakefield and his wife Cecily Nevil had stately and sumptuous Tombes which were profanely subverted together with the upper part of the Church in King Edward the Sixth his time Yet in memoriall of them Queene Elizabeth comming thither commanded two Monuments to be erected in the nether part of the Church that now standeth which notwithstanding such was their pinching and sparing that had the charge of this worke are thought scarce beseeming so great Princes descending from Kings and from whom Kings of England are descended The forme of the Keepe beforesaid built like a fetter-locke occasioneth mee to digresse a little and I hope with your pardon when the gravest Authours in as small matters have done the like Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke who built that Keepe and garnished the glasse-windowes there with Fetter-lockes when hee saw his sons being young scholers gazing upon the
we may see in the Histories whether by celestiall influence or other hidden causes I leave to the learned But so farre as I could hitherto reade it did never set foote in England before that time Besides these places before named of great name and marke wee must not overpasse neither Melton Mowbray neere unto this Burton a Mercate Towne bearing name of the Mowbraies sometime Lords thereof wherein is nothing more worth the seeing than a faire Church nor Skeffington standing farther off which as it hath given name to a worshipfull Family so againe it hath received worship and credit from the same The River that watereth this part of the Shire is by the Inhabitants about it called the Wreken along which upon resemblance of the name I have sought VERNOMETUM but in vaine This Wreken gathereth a strong streame by many lively Brookes resorting unto it whereof one passeth by Wimondham an ancient habitation of a younger branch of the house of the Lords Barkleis well encreased by an heire of Dela-Laund and so on by Melton Mowbray before mentioned by Kirkby Bellers where there was a Priory having that addition of the Bellers a respective rich and noble Family in their time by Brokesby a seat now of the Villiers of an old Norman race and descended from an heire of Bellers which Brokesby imparted formerly the sirname to the Brokesbies of especiall antiquity in these parts Then the Wreken speedeth by Ratcliffe high mounted upon a cliffe and within few miles conjoyneth it selfe to Soar neere unto Mont-Soar-hill before mentioned Whatsoever of this Shire lieth beyond the Wreken Northward is not so frequently inhabited and part of it is called the Wold as being hilly without wood wherein Dalby a seat of the old Family of the Noels of whom I shall speake elsewhere and Waltham on the Wold a meane Mercat are most notable Through this part as I have beene enformed passeth the Fosse-way made by the Romans from Lewing Bridge by Segrave which gave sirname to the honourable Family often mentioned and the Lodge on the Wold toward the Vale of Bever but the Tract thereof as yet I know not This Shire hath beene more famous from time to time by reason of the Earles thereof have beene very renowned And seeing it had under the Saxons government Earles by inheritance I will first reckon them up in order as Thomas Talbot a skilfull Antiquary hath delivered me a note of them out of the kings Records In the time of Aethelbald King of the Mercians and in the yeere of our Redemption 716. Leofrick was Earle of Leicester whom there succeeded in direct line Algar the first Algar the second Leofrick the second Leofstane Leofrick the third buried in Coventry Algar the third who had issue two sonnes Aeadwin Earle of March Morkar Earle of Northumberland and a daughter named Lucy first married to Ivon Talboys of Anjou afterwards to Roger of Romara who begat of her William of Romara Earle of Lincolne Now when as the issue male of this Saxon Family failed and the name of the Saxons was troden as it were under foot Robert Beaumont a Norman Lord of Pont Audomar and Earle of Mellent after that Simon an officiary Earle of Leicester was dead obtained his Earledome in the yeere of our Lord 1102. at the bountifull hand of King Henry the First which Robert A man for skill and knowledge excellent faire spoken subtile wise and witty and by nature wily who while hee lived in high and glorious estate an other Earle carried away his wife from him whereupon in his old age being much troubled in minde he fell into deepe melancholy After him succeeded from father to sonne three Roberts the first sirnamed Bossu because hee was crook-backed who after he had rebelled against King Henry the First weary of his loose irregular life became a Chanon Regular the second sirnamed Blanch-maines of his lily-white-hands who sided with the young King against King Henry the Second and dyed in the expedition of King Richard the First to the Holy Land the third sirnamed Fitz-Parnell because his mother was Parnels daughter and one of the heires to Hugh Grant-maismill the last in whose right hee was Seneschall or Steward of England and died issuelesse in the time of King John A few yeeres after Simon Montfort descended from a base sonne of Robert King of France who had married the sister of Robert Fitz-Parnell enjoyed this honour But after that hee and his were expelled in the yeere 1200. as wholy devoted to the French Ranulph Earle of Chester attained unto this Dignity not in right of inheritance but by his Princes favour Howbeit afterwards Simon Montfort sonne of the foresaid Simon obtained this honour when Almarik his eldest brother surrendred up his right before King Henry the Third This Simon stood in so gracious favour with King Henry the Third that hee called him home againe out of France when he was banished heaped upon him great wealth admitted him unto the Earledome of Leicester granted to him the Stewardship of England and to honour him the more gave him his owne sister in marriage But hee thus over-heaped with honourable benefits when he had no meanes to requite them such is the perverse wilfulnesse of men beganne hatefully to maligne him yea and did most wickedly molest the good King having so well deserved making himselfe Ringleader to the rebellious Barons and with them raising horrible tempests of civill warre in which himselfe also at length was overthrowne and slaine As for his Honours and Possessions King Henry the Third gave and graunted them to Edmund his owne younger sonne Earle of Lancaster So afterward this honour lay as it were obscured among the Titles of the house of Lancaster and Mawde the daughter of Henry Duke of Lancaster being married to Henry Duke of Bavaria Earle of Henault Holland Zeland c. added unto his other Titles this of Earle of Leicester also For in the Charter dated the five and thirty yeere of King Edward the Third hee is in plaine termes stiled William Earle of Henhault and of Leicester yea and as we finde in the Inquisition made Anno 36. of the said King Edward the Third shee by the name of Dutchesse of Bavaria held the Castle Manour and Honour of Leicester After whose decease without issue that honour reverted to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who had wedded Blanch the other sister of Mawde From which time it became united to the House of Lancaster untill in our remembrance it reflourished in L. Robert Dudley who was by Queene Elizabeth girt with the sword of the Earledome of Leicester and extraordinarily favoured whereupon the States Generall of the united Provinces in their great troubles chose him triumphantly for their absolute Governour and soone after as contemptuously rejected him reserving all Soveraignty to themselves But after a short time he passed out of this transitory life
as many Monasteries and filled them with religious Brethren Neverthelesse this vaine prodigality and lavish spending that was in a military Bishop was pursued afterwards with condigne punishment For King Stephen who laboured nothing more than to establish his tottering estate in his Kingdome by seizing into his hands all the strongest holds thereof brought this Prelate what with hard imprisoning and in a sort with famishing him to that passe that will'd hee nill'd he at length hee yeelded up unto him both this Castle and that other at Sleford in Lincolne-shire Neither is there any other memorable matter heere to be related but that King John finished in this place the most wearisome course of his troublesome life and King Edward the Sixth incorporated it of one Alderman and twelve Assistants From hence the River gathering himselfe againe into one Chanell runneth directly Northward beset on both sides with Villages neither affoordeth it any matter worth remembrance before it come to Littleborrough a little Towne in deed and truely answering to the name where as there is at this day a Ferry much used so there was in times past that Station whereof Antonine the Emperour once or twice made mention and which according to sundry Copies is called AGELOCUM or SEGELOCUM This Towne have I heretofore sought for in vaine about the Country adjoyning but now I am verily perswaded and assured that I have found it out both for that it standeth upon the old Port High-way and also because the field lying to it sheweth expresse tokens of Walles and besides affoordeth unto Ploughmen every day many peeces of the Roman Emperours Coine which because Swine many times rooting into the ground turne up with their snouts the country people call Swinespeniâ—s Who also according to their simple capacity are of opinion that their forefathers in times past fensed and mounded that field with a stone Wall against the water of Trent that useth in Winter time to overflow and make great flouds In the West part of this Shire which they tearme The Sand and where Erwash a little Riveret hieth apace into Trent Strelley in old time Strellegh sheweth it selfe a place that gave both sirname and habitation to the Family of the Strelleis commonly called Sturleyes Knights one of the most ancient Houses in all this Country More inward the Forest Shirewood which some expound by these Latine names Limpida Sylva that is A Shire or Cleere wood others Praclara Sylva in the same sence and signification in ancient times over-shadowed all the Country over with greene leaved branches and the boughs and armes of trees twisted one within another so implicated the Woods together that a man could scarcely goe alone in the beaten pathes But now the trees grow not so thicke yet hath it an infinite number of fallow Deere yea and Stagges with their stately branching heads feeding within it Some Townes also among which Mansfield carryeth away the name as maintaining a great Mercat passing well served and as well frequented The name of which Towne they that delineat the Pedegree of the Graves of the great family of Mansfield in Germany use as an argument to proove the same and set downe that the first Earle of Mansfield was one of King Arthurs Knights of the Round Table borne and bred at this Mansfield Indeed our Kings used in old time to retyre themselves hether for the love of hunting and that you may reade the very words out of an ancient Inquisition W. Fauconberge tenebat Manerium de Cukeney in hoc Comitatu in Sergientia per Servitium ferrandi Palsredum Regis quando Rex veniret ad Mansfield that is W. Fauconberge held the Manour of Cukeney in this County in Sergiency by service to shooe the Kings Palfrey when the King came to Mansfield And the hereditary Foresters or Keepers of this Forest of Shirewood were men in their times of high estimation viz. Sir Gerarde de Normanvile in the time of the Conquest the Cauzes and Birkins by whose heire it came to the Everinghams Of which Family Sir Adam Everingham was summoned to Parliaments in the Raignes of King Edward the Second and King Edward the Third At which time they were seated at Laxton anciently called Lexinton where also flourished a great Family so sirnamed whose heires were marryed into the Houses of Sutton of Averham and Markham Out of this Wood there spring many Riverets that runne into the Trent but Idle is thought to bee the chiefe upon which neere unto Idleton in the yeere 616. that felicity and prosperous successe which for a long time had accompanied Ethered that most puissant King of Northumberland was overtaken and forsooke him quite For whereas before time he had alwaies fought his battailes most fortunately heere fortune turning her wheele he was by Redwald King of the East Angles vanquished and slaine who in his roome made Edwin then banished from the Kingdome due unto him from his Ancesters Soveraigne Ruler over the Northumbers This little River Idle runneth downe not farre from Markham a Village verily but small to speake of yet gave it name to the Family of the Markhams which for worth and antiquity hath beene very notable being descended from one of the heires of Cressy and formerly from an heire of Lexinton as I lately shewed The greatest ornament of this Family was Sir John Markham who sitting Lord chiefe Justice of England guided the helme of Justice with so even an hand and so great equity a thing that I would have you to reade in the English Histories that his honour and glory shall never perish Six miles from it Westward is Workensop a Towne well knowne for the Liquorice that there groweth and prospereth passing well famous also for the Earle of Shrewsburies House which within our remembrance George Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury built with that magnificence as beseemeth so great an Earle and yet such as was not to be envied This Workensop from the Lovetofts first Lords thereof under the Normans Raigne descended by the Furnivalles and Nevil unto the L. Talbots with a very goodly inheritance Of which Lovetofts G. Lovetoft in the time of King Henry the First founded here an Abbay the ruines whereof I have seen toward the East side of the Towne amidst most pleasant and plentifull pastures and the West part of the Church standeth still passing faire to be seene with two towre steeples A little higher upon the same River I saw Blithe a famous Mercate Towne which Bulley or Busly a Noble man of the Normans blood fortified with a Castle but now the very rubbish thereof is hardly to bee seene time so consumeth all things But the Abbay there was founded by Roger Busly and Foulke De Lisieurs and this is the farthest Towne almost in Nottingham-shire Northward unlesse it bee Scroby a little Towne of the Archbishops of Yorke situate in the very confines and frontiers of York-shire William sirnamed
goeth on forward to Shropp-shire That MEDIOLANUM a Towne of the Ordovices which both Antonine the Emperour and Ptolomee speake of stood in this Shire I am in a manner perswaded upon probability The footings whereof I have sought after with all diligence but little or nothing have I found of it For time consumeth the very carcasses even of Cities Yet if we may ground any conjecture upon the situation seeing the Townes which Antonine placeth on either side be so well knowne to wit BONIUM now Bangor by Dee on the one side and RUTUNIUM now Rowton Castle on the other side for he setteth it twelve Italian miles distant from this and from the other twenty The lines of Position if I may so tearme them or of the distance rather doe cut one another crosse betweene Matrafall and Lan-vethlin which are scarce three miles asunder and shew as it were demonstratively the site of our Mediolanum For this cannot chuse but bee an infallible way to finde out the situation of a third place by two others that are knowne when as there are neither hils interposed nor any troublous turnings of the wayes As for this Matrafall which standeth five miles Westward from Severn although it bee now but a bare name was sometime the regall seat of the Princes of Powis which may bee an argument of the antiquity thereof and the same much spoken of by Writers who record that after the Princes had once forsaken it Robert Vipont an Englishman built a Castle But Lan-vethlin that is Vethlius Church being a little Mercate Towne although it be somewhat farther off from the crosse-meeting of the said lines yet commeth it farre neerer in resemblance of name to Mediolanum For of Methlin by the propriety of the British tongue is made Vethlin like as of Caer-Merden is come Caer Verden and of Ar-mon Arvon Neither doth Methlin more jarre and disagree in sound from Mediolanum than either Millano in Italie Le Million in Xantoigne or Methlen in the Lowcountries which Cities no man doubteth were all in times past knowne by the name of Mediolanum Which of these conjectures commeth neerer to the truth judge you for me it is enough to give my guesse If I should say that either Duke Medus or Prince Olanus built this Mediolanum of ours and those Cities of the same name in Gaule or that whiles they were a building Sus mediatim Lanata that is That a Sow halfe fleeced with wooll was digged up might I not be thought thinke you to catch at Clouds and fish for Nifles Yet notwithstanding the Italians write as much of their Mediolanum But seeing that most true it is that these Cities were built by nations of the same language and that the Gaules and Britans spake all one language I have prooved already it is probable enough that for one and the same cause they had also one and the same denomination Howbeit this our Mediolanum in nothing so farre as I know agreeth with that of Italie unlesse it be that both of them are seated upon a plaine betweene two riverets and a learned Italian derived the name of their Mediolanum hence because it is a Citie standing in the middest betweene Lanas that is little rivers according to his owne interpretation But this may seeme overmuch of MEDIOLANUM which I have sought heere and about Alcester not farre off This Countie hath adorned no Earle with the name title and Honour thereof untill of late our Soveraigne King James created Philip Herbert second Sonne of Henry Earle of Penbroke by Mary Sidney for the singular love and affectionate favour toward him and for the great hope that he conceived of his vertues both Baron Herbert of Shurland and also Earle of Montgomery upon one and the same day at Greenwich in the yeere 1605. But the Princes of Powis descended from the third Sonne of Rotherike the great held this shire with others in a perpetuall line of succession although Roger and Hugh of Montgomery had encroched upon some part thereof untill the daies of King Edward the Second For then Oen ap Gruffin ap Guenwinwyn the last Lord of Powis of the British bloud for the name of Prince had long before been worne out of use left one onely daughter named Hawise whom Sir Iohn Charleton an English man the Kings Valect married and in right of his wife was by King Edward the Second made Lord of Powise who as I have seene in very many places gaue for his Armes a Lion Geules Rampant in a shield Or which he received from his wifes Progenitours Of his posterity there were foure males that bare this Honorable title untill that in Edward the succession of males had an end for he the said Edward begat of Aeleonor the daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Iane Wife to Sir Iohn Grey Knight and Joice married unto Iohn Lord Tiptoft from whom the Barons of Dudley and others derive their descent The said Sir Iohn Grey for his martiall prowesse and by the bountifull fauour of King Henry the Fifth received the Earledome of Tanquervill in Normandie to have unto him and his heires males by delivering one Bassinet at the Castle of Roan every yeere on Saint Georges day This John had a sonne named Henrie Lord of Powis in whose race the title of Powis with the Honour thereof continued untill Edward Grey died well neere in our time leaving no issue lawfully begotten This Shire hath Parishes 47. MERIONITH Comitatus olim pars ORDOVICVM MERIONETH-SHIRE FFrom the backeside of Montgomery-shire MERIONETH-SHIRE in British Sire-Verioneth in Latine Mervinia and as Giraldus calleth it Terra filiorum Canaeni that is Canaens sonnes Land reacheth to that crooked Bay I spake of and to the maine Sea which on the West side beateth so sore upon it that it is verily thought to have carryed away by violence some part thereof Southward for certaine miles together it is severed from Cardigan-shire by the river Dovy on the North it boundeth upon Caer-narvon and Denbigh-shires As for the in-land part it so riseth with mountaines standing one by another in plumps that as Giraldus saith it is the roughest and most unpleasant Country to see to in all Wales For it hath in it mountaines of a wonderfull height yet narrow and passing sharpe at the top in manner of a needle and those verily not scattering heere and there one but standing very thicke together and so even in height that Shepheards talking together or railing one at another on the tops of them if haply they appoint the field to encounter and meet together they can hardly doe it from morning till night But let the Reader heerein relie upon Giraldus credit Great flockes of Sheepe graze all over these mountaines neither are they in danger of Wolves who were thought then to have beene ridde quite out of all England and Wales when King Eadgar imposed upon Ludwall Prince of these
the West twenty degrees and forty eight minutes in Longitude Whiles I looked round about from the top of the said castle hill to see the mouth of Lone that issueth it selfe into the sea a little lower Fornesse the other part of this shire appeared in sight which the sea hath after a sort violently rent apart from the rest For when as the shore did from hence shoote out a maine way into the West the Ocean as it were much displeased and angry hereat obstinately ceased not to flash and mangle it nay which is more hath with his fell flowing at boisterous tides devoured the shore and thereby maketh three wide creâ—kes or bayes namely Kent-sand at which the river Ken powreth it selfe forth Leven-sand and Dudden-sand betweene which two the land beareth out so much that thereupon it tooke the name For with us in our language For-nesse Foreland is all one with the Latine Promontorium anterius that is a Fore-promontory All this part unlesse it be hard by the sea side mounteth up aloft with high topped hils and huge fels standing thicke together which they tearme Forness-fells Among which the Britans lived safe a great while trusting upon these strong naturall fenses although the victorious English Saxons made way through all in the end For in the yeere 228. after there comming in I gather that the Britans had their abode here because Egfride King of Northumberland gave unto Holy Saint Cuthbert the land called Carthmell and all the Britans in it thus we finde written in his life and it is very well knowne that Carthmell is a part of this shire by Kentsand and a little towne in it retaineth yet the same name Wherein William Mareschall the elder Earle of Pembroch built a Priory and endowed it with living If you read in Ptolomee SETANTIORUM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Mere as some Copies have and not Setantiorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Haven I durst boldly avouch that these Britans here were called SETANTII For among these mountaines the greatest standing water in all England now called Winander-mere in the English Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haply of his winding and turning in and out lieth stretched out for the space of ten miles or thereabout with crooked bankes and is all paved as it were with stone in the bottome in some places of wonderfull depth and breeding a peculiar kinde of fish found no where else which the inhabitants there by call A Chare And a little village standing hard by carrieth the name thereof In which Eathred King of Northumberland in the yeer of Christ 792. when he had by force fetched King Elfwolds sonnes out of Yorke flue them that by his owne wickednesse and their blood hee might secure the Kingdome to himselfe and his Betwixt this Mere and the river Dudden the promontory runneth out which wee commonly call Fornesse and hath the Iland Walney as a fore-fence or countremure lying along by it with a small arme of the sea betweene The gullet or entry into which is defended with a fort called the Pile of Fouldrey standing in the midst of the waves upon a rocke erected there by the Abbot of Fornesse in the first yeere of King Edward the third As for the Promontory it selfe there is nothing worth the sight in it unlesse it be the ruines of a monastery of Cistertian Monkes called Fornesse Abbey which Stephen Earle of Bullen afterwards King of England in the yeere of our redemption 1127. built in a place called sometimes Bekensgill or translated rather from Tulket in Andernesse Out of the Monkes whereof and from no place else as they themselves have reported the Bishops of the Isle of Man that lieth just over against were by an ancient custome wont to bee elected as having beene the mother as it were of many Monasteries in the said Man and in Ireland More Eastward standeth Aldingham an ancient hereditament belonging to the family of the Haveringtons or Harringtons unto whom it came from the Flemmings by the Cancefelds and whose inheritance descended by a daughter unto William Bonvill of Somersetshire and at last by him unto the Greies Marquesses of Dorset And somwhat higher is Ulverston in this regard not to bee passed over in silence for that King Edward the third gave a moity thereof unto Sir John Coupland a most brave warriour whom also he advanced to the dignity of a Banaret because in the battaile at Durham he took David the second King of the Scots prisoner But after his decease the same King granted it with other faire lands in this tract and the title also of Earle of Bedford unto Ingelram Lord Coucy of France as who had married his daughter Isabel and whose ancestours in right of Christiana Lindsey had great revenewes in England Touching the noble men which have borne the title of Lancaster there were in the first infancy of the Norman Empire three stiled Lords of the Honour of Lancaster namely Roger of Poictou the sonne of Roger Mont-gomery who was surnamed Pictavensis as William of Malmesbury writeth because hee had married a wife from out of Poictou in France But when he had by his perfidious disloyalty lost this honour William the sonne of King Stephen and Earle of Moriton and Warren had the same given unto him by his Father After whose death King Richard the first bestowed it upon his brother John who was afterward King of England For thus we read in an old History King Richard declared his singular love to his brother Iohn For beside Ireland and the Earledome of Moriton in Normandy he heaped upon him so many dignities in England that he was in maner a Tetrarch there Finally he conferred upon him Cornwall Lancaster Notingham Derby with the country adjoining and many more beside A good while after King Henry the third the sonne of John first advanced Edmund his second sonne called by some Crouth-backe to the title of Earle of Lancaster unto whom hee conveyed and made over the inheritances and honours of Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester Robert Ferrars Earle of Derby and John of Monmouth because they had risen and rebelliously born armes against him and he gave this Honor of Lancaster unto him in these words The Honour County Castle and Town of Lancaster with the Cow-pastures forrests of Wiresdale Lownsdale New castle under Lime the manour forrest and Castle of Pickering the manor of Scaleby the towne of Gomicester and the rents of the towne of Huntendon c. After hee the said Edmund had missed the kingdome of Sicily in which the Pope had invested him in vaine by a ring and not without ridiculous disgrace to the English nation caused in honour of him certaine peeces of gold to bee stamped with this title AIMUNDUS REX SICILIAE having first cunningly suckt a great masse of money from the credulous King in this regard This Edmund
an Attourney a Receiver a Clerke of the Court sixe Assistants a Messenger two Auditors 23. Receivers and three Supervisors c. There are counted in this shire beside very many Chappels Parishes 36. and no more but those wonderfull populous and which for multitude of inhabitants farre exceed the greatest parishes elsewhere WESTMORLANDIAE Comitatus qui olim Spectaint ad BRIGANTAS WEST-MOR-LAND BEYOND the furthest part of Lancashire more Northward lieth another lesser countrey of the Brigantes called by late Latine writers Westmaria and Westmorlandia in our tongue West-more-land and of some later Latine writers Westmoria bounded on the West and North side with Cumberland on the East with Yorke-shire and the Bishopricke of Durham Which because it lyeth all of it among moores and high hilles reaching one to another for our Apennine waxeth here broader and broader still as it runneth and was for the most part un-manured came by this name in our language For such barren places which cannot easily by the painfull labour of the husbandman bee brought to fruitfulnesse the Northren Englishmen call Moores and West-more-land is nothing else with us but A westerne moorish country Let that dreame therefore as touching King Marius bee excluded out of the schoole of reverend antiquity who forsooth as our Chroniclers have dreamed subdued the Picts and called this countrey after his owne name The more Southerly part of this shire contained in a narrow roome betweene the river Lone and Winander mere is reputed fruitfull enough in the vallies although it can shew many felles with rough and stony rockes lying ever bare without grasse and is all tearmed by one name The Barony of Kendale and Candale that is The Dale by Can for it took name of the river Can which running rough upon stones cutteth through it On the west banke whereof standeth Kandale or Kendale called also Kirke by Kandale a towne of very great trade and resort with two broad and long streets crossing the one over the other and a place for excellent clothing and for industry so surpassing that in regard thereof it carrieth a great name For the inhabitants have great trafficke and vent of their woollen clothes throughout all parts of England They count it also much for their credit that it hath dignified Barons and Earles with the title thereof As for their Barons they were the offspring of Iuo Taleboys of whose race William by consent of King Henry the second called himselfe William of Lancaster whose Niece and heire was wedded unto Gilbert the sonne of Roger Fitz-Reinfrid by whose daughters after her sonne William was dead the inheritance went to Peter Brus Lord of Skelton the second of that forename and unto William Lindesay from whom by the mothers side as we learne out of the Lieger book of Fornesse Abbey Ingelram Lord of Coucy in France fetched his descent By which Peter Brus his daughter the sister and heire of Peter Brus the third came this Barony to the Rosses of Werke and from them by right of inheritance this possession was devolved upon the Parres of whom Sir William Par was made Lord Par by King Henry the eighth As for the Castle the ancient seat of these Lords standing over against the towne it runneth to decay through age and neglect As for Earles of Kendale there have beene three in number John Duke of Bedford advanced to that honour by his brother King Henry the fifth John Duke of Somerset and John de Foix of that most noble and honorable family of the Foix in France whom King Henry the sixth for his faithfull service in the French warres had preferred to that dignity Whence perhaps it is that some of this house of Foix in France retain the name still of Candale As for any glory else of antiquity Kendall to my knowledge challengeth none And yet I was once of opinion that it was CONCANGII a station place sometimes of the Romanes but time hath now instructed mee better Somewhat beneath in the river Can are two Catadupae or water falls where the waters have a downefall with a mighty noise the one is by Levens a little village the other more Southward neere to Betham which to the neighbour inhabitants are as good as true prognostications for when that which standeth North from them soundeth more cleere and aloud in their eares they looke certainely for faire weather when that on the South side doth the same they expect no other than showers of raine and foggy mists Thus much for the South and narrower part of this region which Westward is bounded with the river Winster and the spatious Lake Winander-mere whereof I spake erewhile and Eastward with the river Lone or Lune At the upper corner of Winander-mere lieth the dead carcasse as one would say of an ancient City with great ruines of walls and many heapes of rubbish one from another remaining of buildings without the walls yet to bee seene The fortresse thereof was somewhat long fensed with a ditch and rampire for it tooke up in length 132. Ells and in bredth 80. That it had beene the Romans worke is evident by the British brickes by the mortar tempered with little peeces of bricke among by small earthen pots or pitchers by small cruets or vials of glasse by peeces of Roman money oftentimes there found and by round stones as much as milstones or quernstones of which layed and couched together they framed in old time their columnes and by the paved high waies leading unto it Now the ancient name thereof is gone unlesse a man would ghesse at it and thinke it were that AMBOGLANA whereof the booke of Notices maketh mention seeing at this day it is called Ambleside On the East side the river Lone serveth for a limit and after his name the tract lying about it is called Lonsdale the principall towne whereof is Kirkby Lonsdale whither all the people round about repaire to Church and mercate Above the Spring-head of Lone the countrey spreadeth broader and the hills shoot out with many turnings betweene which there lye some vallies marvellous steepe and deepe withall with many hollow places in manner of caves Among these hills that notable river Eden which Ptolomee calleth ITUNA shewing his head first in Yorkshire carrying a small and faint streame in the beginning but afterwards growing by little and little bigger with sundry beckes still augmenting it seeketh a way Northwest by Pendragon Castle which hath nothing left unto it unconsumed by time besides the bare name and an heape of stones From thence hee passeth by Wharton Hall the seat of the Barons Wharton of whom the first was Sir Thomas Wharton advanced to that dignity by King Henry the Eighth whom succeeded his sonne of the same name and after him Philip that now liveth the third Baron a right honourable person Afterwards it runneth downe by Kirkby Stephen a mercate towne well knowne and both the Musgraves two little villages
to Henrie Earle of Lancaster who being descended of ancient bloud and renowned for his martiall prowesse was rewarded also by King Edward the third with faire possessions in Scotland created Earle of North-humberland by King Richard the second on the day of his Coronation and much enriched by his second wife Dame Maud Lucie although by her hee had no issue upon a fine levied unto her that hee should beare quarterly the Armes of the Lucies with his owne and lived in great honour confidence and favour with King Richard the second Yet full badly hee requited him againe for all his singular good demerits For in his adversitie hee forsooke him and made way for Henrie the fourth to the kingdome who made him Constable of England and bestowed upon him the Isle of Man against whom within a while hee feeling the corrosive and secret pricke of conscience for that King Richard by his meanes was unjustly deposed and besides taking at the heart indignantly that Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the true and undoubted heire of the Kingdome and his neere ally was neglected in prison hee conceived inward enmity grievously complaining and charging him with perjury that whereas hee had solemnly sworne to him and others that hee would not challenge the Crowne but onely his owne inheritance and that King Richard should be governed during his life by the good advice of the Peeres of the realme he to the contrary had by imprisonment and terror of death enforced him to resigne his Crown and usurped the same by the concurrence of his faction horribly murthering the said K. and defrauding Edmund Mortimer Earle of March of his lawfull right to the Crown whom he had suffered to languish long in prison under Owen Glendour reputing those traitours who with their owne money had procured his enlargement After the publication of these complaints he confident in the promises of his confederates who yet failed him sent his brother Thomas Earle of Worcester and his courageous sonne Henry surnamed Hot-Spurre with a power of men against the King who both lost their lives at the battaile of Shrewesbury Whereupon he was proclaimed traitour and attainted but shortly after by a kind of connivency received againe into the Kings favour unto whom he was a terrour yea and restored to all his lands and goods save onely the Isle of Man which the King resumed into his owne hands Howbeit within a while after being now become popular and over forward to entertaine new designes and having procured the Scots to bandy and joyne with him in armes himselfe in person entred with banner displayed into the field against the King as an Usurper and on a sudden at Barrhammore in a tumultuary skirmish in the yeere 1408. was discomfited and slaine by Thomas Rokesby the high Sheriffe of Yorke-shire Eleven yeeres after Henry this mans nephew by his sonne Henry Hot-Spur whose mother was Elizabeth daughter to Edmund Mortimer the elder Earle of March by Philippa the daughter of Leonel Duke of Clarence was restored in bloud and inheritance by authority of Parliament in the time of King Henry the fifth which Henry Percie whiles he stoutly maintained King Henry the sixth his part against the house of Yorke was slaine at the battell of Saint Albans like as his sonne Henry the third Earle of Northumberland who married Aelenor the daughter of Richard Lord Poinings Brian and Fitz-Pain in the same quarrell lost his life in the battaile at Towton in the yeere 1461. The house of Lancaster being now kept under and downe the wind and the Percies with it troden under foot King Edward the fourth made Iohn Nevill Lord Montacute Earle of Northumberland but he after a while surrendred this title into the Kings hands and was created by him Marquesse Montacute After this Henry Percy the sonne of Henry Percy aforesaid recovering the favour of King Edward the fourth obtained restitution in bloud and hereditaments who in the reigne of Henry the seventh was slaine by the countrey people that about a certaine levie of money exacted by an Act of Parliament rose up against the Collectours and Assessours thereof After him succeeded Henry Percy the fifth Earle whose sonne Henry by a daughter and Coheire of Sir Robert Spenser and Eleanor the daughter likewise and Coheire of Edmund Beaufort Duke of Somerset was the sixth Earle who having no children and his brother Thomas being executed for taking armes against King Henry the eighth in the first difference about Religion as if now that family had beene at a finall end for ever prodigally gave away a great part of that most goodly inheritance unto the King and others Some few yeeres after Sir Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwick got to himselfe the title of Duke of Northumberland by the name of Iohn Earl of Warwick Marshal of England Vicount Lisle Baron Somery Basset and Ties Lord of Dudley Great Master and Steward of the Kings house when as in the tender age of King Edward the sixth the Chieftaines and leaders of the factions shared titles of honour among themselves their fautors and followers This was that Duke of Northumberland who for the time like unto a tempestuous whirlewind began to shake and teare the publicke peace of the state whiles he with vast ambition plotted and practised to exclude Mary and Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the eighth from their lawfull right of succession and to set the Emperiall Crowne upon Lady Jane Grey his daughter in law being seconded therein by the great Lawyers who are alwaies forward enough to humour and sooth up those that bee in highest place For which being attainted of high treason he lost his head and at his execution embraced and publikely professed Popery which long before either seriously or colorably for his own advantage he had renounced When he was gone Queene Mary restored Thomas Percy nephew unto Henry the sixth Earle by his brother Thomas unto his bloud and by a new Patent created him first Baron Percy and anon Earle of Northumberland to himselfe and the heires males of his body and for default thereof to his brother Henry and his heires males But this Thomas the seventh Earle for his treason to Prince and country under maske of restoring the Romish religion againe lost both life and dignity in the yeere 1572. Yet through the singular favour and bounty of Queen Elizabeth according to that Patent of Queene Mary his brother Henry succeeded after him as the eighth Earle who in the yeere 1585. ended his dayes in prison and had for his successor Henry his sonne by Katherin the eldest daughter and one of the heires of John Nevill Lord Latimer the ninth Earle of Northumberland of this family Parishes in Northumberland about 46. SCOTLAND SCOTIA Regnum SCOTLAND NOw am I come to SCOTLAND and willingly I assure you will I enter into it but withall lightly passe over it For I remember well that said saw In places not well knowne lesse while wee must stay
of youth and is called New Aberdon The other beyond it named Old Aberdon is most famous for the taking of Salmons But J. Ionston a native hereof in these his verses depainteth Aberdon thus ABERDONIA Ad Boream porrecta jugis obsessa superbis Inter connatas eminet una Deas Mitior algentes Phoebus sic temperat auras Non aestum ut rabidum frigora nec metuas Faecundo ditat Neptunus gurgite amnes Piscosi gemmis alter adauget opes Candida mens frons laeta hilaris gratissima tellus Hospitibus morum cultus ubique decens Nobilitas antiqua opibus subnixa vetustis Martiaque invicto pectore corda gerens Iustitiae domus studiorum mater honoris Ingenio ars certant artibus ingenia Omnia ei cedunt meritos genetricis honores Pingere non ulla Ars ingeniumvè valet Beset with loftie tops of hills and Northward lying spread Among her sister-townes alone she beareth up her head The warme sun-beames such temper give to sharpnesse of the aire That neither scorching heat you need nor pinching cold to feare The sea the fishfull rivers eke with plenteous gulfes and streames Make this place rich and one of them enriches it with gemmes Plain-hearted men of lightsome lookes and cheerfull passing kind To strangers decent everie thing and neat you shall there finde Their noble gentrie ancient their livings ancient were And their demesnes undaunted hearts and martiall mindes they beare The Justice Hall as mother kinde she honours due doth daigne Professions all art strives with wit and wit with arts againe All short of her But praises all of this my genitresse That she deserves no wit nor art is able to expresse It is almost incredible what abundance of Salmons as well these rivers as others also in Scotland on both sides of the realme doe breed This fish was altogether unknowne unto Plinie unlesse it were that Esox of the Rhene but in this North part of Europe passing well known shining and glittering as he saith with his red bowels In Autumne they engender within little rivers and in shallow places for the most part what time they cast their spawne and cover it over with sand and then are they so poore and leane that they seeme to have nothing else in a manner but their small bones Of that spawn in the spring next following there comes a frie of render little fishes which making toward the sea in a small time grow to their full bignesse and in returning backe againe to seeke for the rivers wherein they were bred they strive and struggle against the streame and looke whatsoever lyeth in their way to hinder their passage with a jerke of their taile and a certaine leape whence haply they had their name Salmons to the wonder of the beholders they nimbly whip over and keepe themselves within these rivers of theirs untill they breed During which time it is enacted by law they should not bee caught namely from the feast of the Assumption of our Ladie to the feast of Saint Andrew in winter And it should seeme they were reputed among the greatest commodities of Scotland when likewise it was ordained that they should not be sold unto Englishmen but for English gold and no other contentation But these matters I leave for others To come now unto the Earles of Marre In the reigne of Alexander the third William Earle of Marre is named among those that were sore offended and displeased with the King Whiles David Brus reigned Donald Earle of Marre Protector of the Kingdome was before the battaile at Dyplin murdered in his bed by Edward Balliol and the Englishmen that came to aide him whose daughter Isabel King Robert Brus tooke to be his former wife on whom he begat Marjorie mother to Robert Stewart King of Scots Under the same David there is mention also made of Thomas Earle of Marre who was banished in the yeere 1361. Likewise in the reign of Robert the third Alexander Stewart is named Earle of Marre who in the battell at Harley against the Ilanders lost his life in the yeer 1411. In the daies of King James the first we read in Scoto-Chronicon thus Alexander Earle of Marre died in the yeere 1435. the base son of Alexander Stewart Earle of Bucquan sonne to Robert the second King of Scots after whom as being a bastard the King succeeded in the inheritance John the second sonne of King James the second afterwards bare this title who being convict for attempting by art magicke to take away the King his brothers life was let blood to death And after him Robert Cockeran was promoted from a Mason to this dignitie by King James the third and soon after hanged by the Nobilitie Since which time this honourable title was discontinued untill that Queen Marie adorned therewith James her bastard brother and not long after when it was found that by ancient right the title of Earle of Marre appertained to John Lord Ereskin in lieu of Marre she conferred upon him the honour of Earle Murray and created Iohn Ereskin a man of ancient and noble birth Earle of Marre whose sonne bearing the same Christian name now enjoieth also the same dignity and is in both realmes one of the Kings Privie Councell BUCHANIA OR BUQUHAN THe TAIZALI mentioned by Ptolomee in ancient times inhabited where now Buquhan in Latin Boghania and Buchania above the river Done beareth forth toward the German sea Some derive this latter name a Bobus that is From Oxen and Kine whereas notwithstanding the ground serveth better to feed sheepe whose woole is highly commended Albeit the rivers in this coast everie where breed great store of Salmons yet doe they never enter into the river Ratra as Buchanan hath recorded Neither let it be offensive if I cite his testimonie although his bookes by authoritie of Parliament in the yeere 1584. were forbidden because many things in them contained are to be dashed out Who also hath written That on the banke of Ratra there is a cave neere unto Stangs Castle the nature whereof seemeth not to be passed over The water distilling by drops out of a naturall vault presently turneth into Pyramidall stones and were not the said cave or hole otherwhiles rid and cleansed by mans labour the whole space as far as up to the vault would in short time be filled therewith Now the stone thus engendred is of a middle nature betweene yee and hard stone for it is brittle and easie to crumble neither groweth it ever to the soliditie and hardnesse of marble Concerning those Claik-geese which some with much admiration have beleeved to grow out of trees both upon this shore elsewhere and when they be ripe to fall downe into the sea it is scarce worth the labour to mention them That there be little birds engendred of old and rotten keeles of ships they can beare witnesse who saw that ship wherein Francis Drake sailed about the world
standing in a docke neere the Tamis to the outside of the keele whereof a number of such little birds without life and feathers stuck close Yet would I gladly thinke that the generation of these birds was not out of the logges of wood but from the very Ocean which the Poets tearmed the Father of all things A mightie masse likewise of Amber as bigge as the bodie of an horse was not many yeeres since cast upon this shore The learned call it Succinum Glessum and Chryso-Electrum and Sotacus supposed that it was a certaine juice or liquor which distilleth out of trees in Britain and runneth downe into the sea and is therein hardned Tacitus also was of the same opinion when he wrote thus I can verily beleeve that like as there be trees in the secret and inward parts of the East which sweat out frankincense and balme so in the Ilands and other countries of the West there bee woods and groves of a more fattie and firme substance which melting by the hot beames of the Sunne approching so neere runneth into the sea hard by and by force of tempest floateth up to the shores against it But Serapio and the Philosophers of later times write that it ariseth out of a certain clammie and bituminous earth under the sea and by the sea side and that the billowes and tempests cast up part thereof a land and fishes devoure the rest But I digresse extravagantly I will into my way againe and since I acknowledge my fault let my confession purchase pardon In the reigne of King Alexander the second Alexander Comin rose up to the honour of Earle of Buquhan who married the daughter and one of the heires of Roger de Quincie Earle of Winchester in England and his Niece by a sonne brought the same title unto Henrie de Beaumont her husband for he in King Edward the third his daies had his place in the Parliament of England by the name of Earl of Buquhan Afterwards Alexander Stewart sonne to King Robert the second was Earle of this place unto whom succeeded John a younger sonne of Robert Duke of Albanie who arriving in France with seven thousand Scottishmen to aide Charles the seventh King of France bare himselfe valiantly and performed singular good service against the Englishmen and that with so great commendation as having victoriously slaine Thomas Duke of Clarence brother to Henrie the fifth King of England at Baugie and discomfited the English he was made Constable of France But in the third yeere following when the fortune of warre turned hee with other most valiant Knights to wit Archibald Douglasse Earle of Wigton and Duke of Touraine c. was vanquished at Vernoil by the English and there slain Whom notwithstanding as that Poet said aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos France thankfully will ay recount as citizens of her owne On whom both titles glorious and tombes she hath bestowne Certes whereas under the K.K. Charles the sixth and seventh France was preserved and Aquitain recovered by thrusting out the English the Frenchmen cannot chuse but acknowledge themselves much beholden to the fidelitie and fortitude of the Scottish But afterwards King James the first gave the Earldome of Buquhan unto George of Dunbar moved thereto upon pitie and commiseration because hee had deprived him before of the Earldom of March by authority of Parliament for his fathers crime and not long after James the sonne of James Stewart of Lorn surnamed the Black Knight whom he had by Q. Joan sister to the Duke of Somerset and widdow to King James the first obtained this honour and left it to his posteritie but for default not long since of heires male it came by a daughter married to Robert Douglas a younger brother of Douglas of Lochlevin to the family of the Douglasses From Buquhan as the shore bendeth backward and turneth full into the North lieth Boena and Bamff a small Sherifdome also Ajuza a little territorie of no especiall account and Rothamay castle the dwelling place of the Barons of Salton surnamed Abernethy Beneath these lieth Strath-bolgy that is the vale by Bolgy the habitation in times past of the Earls of Athol who of it assumed their surname but now the principall seat of Marquesse Huntly For this title K. James the sixth conferred upon George Gordon Earle Huntly Lord Gordon and Badzeneth a man of great honour and reputation for his ancient noblenesse of birth and the multitude of his dependants and followers whose ancesters descended from the Setons by Parliamentarie authoritie took the name of Gordon when as Sir Alexander Seton had taken to wife the daughter of Sir Iohn Gordon Knight by whom he had a large and rich inheritance and received the honour of the Earle of Huntly at the hands of King James the second in the yeere 1449. MORAVIA or MURRAY THe VACOMAGI remembred by Ptolomee anciently inhabited on the further side of Crantz-baine-mountain which as it were in a continued range by hills hanging one by another driveth out his ridge with many a winding as far as to Murray frith where now lieth Murray in Latin Moravia celebrated for the fertilitie pleasant site and commoditie of fruitfull trees By this Province Spey a famous river maketh his issue into the sea wherein he lodgeth when hee hath watered Rothes Castle whence the family of the Lesleys tooke the title of Earle ever since that K. James the second conferred the honour of Earle of Rothes upon Sir George Lesley Concerning this Spey our Poet Necham hath thus written Spey loca mutantis praeceps agitator arenae Inconstans certas nescit habere vias Officium lintris corbis subit hunc regit audax Cursus labentis nauta fluenta sequens Spey raising heaps of sand amaine that shift oft times their place Inconstant he doth change eftsoones and keeps no certaine race A panier serves here for a boat some ventrous swaine it guides Who followeth still the rivers course while downe the streame it glides The river LOXA mentioned by Ptolomee which now is called Losse hideth himselfe in the sea hard by neere unto which Elgina appeareth in which and in Forres adjoining I. of Dunbar of Cumnock descended from the stock of the Earles of March hath his jurisdiction as Sheriff by inheritance But where it is now readie to enter into the sea he findeth a more plaine and soft soile and spreadeth abroad into a Meere full of swans wherein the herbe Olorina plentifully groweth hee hath Spiny Castle standing upon it whereof now the first Baron is Alexander of the linage of the Lindseys like as Kinlosse also a neighbour by sometime a famous Monasterie some call it Kill-flos of certaine flowers miraculously there springing up on a sudden when the carkase of King Duff murdred and hidden in the same place was found hath also for the Lord thereof Edward Brus M. of the Rolls in
either by dint of sword conquered or by surrender gat the whole into his owne hands and was the first that was stiled Earle of Ulster but when his great exploits and fortunate archievements had wrought him such envie that through his owne vertues and other mens vices he was banished out of the Realme Hugh Lacy the second sonne of Hugh Lacy Lord of Meth who had commandement to pursue him by force and armes was by King John appointed his successour being created Earle of Ulster by the sword of which honour notwithstanding the same King afterward deprived him for his tumultuous insolency and hee was in the end received into favour againe But for the sounder testimony hereof it were good to exemplifie the same word for word out of the records of Ireland Hugh de Lacy sometime Earle of Ulster held all Ulster exempt and separate from all other counties whatsoever of the Kings of England in chiefe by service of three Knights so often as the Kings service was proclaimed and be held all Pleas in his owne Court that pertaine to a Iustice and Sheriffe and held a Court of Chancery of his own c. And afterward all Ulster came into the hands of our Soveraigne Lord K. Iohn by the forfeiture of the foresaid Hugh unto whom after that K. Henry the third demised it for terme of the said Hughs life And when Hugh was deceased Walter de Burgo did that service unto Lord Edward K. Henries son Lord of Ireland before he was King And the same Lord Edward feoffed the aforesaid Walter in the said land of Ulster to have and to hold unto the same Walter and to his heires by the service aforesaid as freely and wholly as the above named Hugh de Lacy held it excepting the advowsons of Cathedrall Churches and the demesne of the same also the Pleas of the Crowne to wit Rape Forstall Firing and Treasure Trouve which our soveraigne Lord K. Edward retained to himselfe and his heires This Walter de Burgo who was Lord of Conaght and Earle of Ulster begat of the only daughter of Hugh de Lacy Richard Earle of Ulster who after hee had endured many troubles and calamities died in the yeere 1326. Richard had issue Iohn de Burgo who departed this life before his father having begotten upon Elizabeth sister and one of the heires of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester William who succeeded after his grandfather This William being slain by his own men when he was young left behind him a little daughter his only child who being married unto Leonell Duke of Clarence bare one daughter likewise the wife of Edmund Mortimer Earle of March by whom the Earledome of Ulster and Seigniory of Conaght came unto the Mortimers and from them together with the kingdome of England unto the house of Yorke and afterward Edward the fourth King of England adjoined it unto the Kings Domaine or Crowne land And when as at the same time England was divided into sides and factions whiles the civill warre grew hot and the English that abode here returned out of Ulster into England to follow the factions O-Neal and others of Irish blood seized these countries into their own hands and brought them to such wildnesse and savage barbarisme as it exceeded In so much as this province which in times past paied a mighty masse of money unto their Earles scarcely ever since yeelded any coin at all unto the Kings of England And verily in no one thing whatsoever pardon this my over-boldnesse have the Kings of England beene more defective in piety and policie than that they have for these so many ages seen so slightly to this Province yea and to all Ireland in the propagation of religion establishing the weale publike and reducing the life of the inhabitants to civility whether it was for carelesse neglect sparing or a fore-cast of dammage or some reason of state I am not able to say But that the same may be no longer thus neglected it seemeth of it selfe by good right to importune most earnestly being an Iland so great so neere a neigbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pastures more than credible beset with so many woods enriched with so many mineralls if they were searched watered with so many rivers environed with so many havens lying so fit and commodious for failing into most wealthy countries and thereby like to bee for impost and custome very profitable and to conclude breeding and rearing men so abundantly as it doth who considering either their mindes or their bodies might be of singular emploiment for all duties and functions as well of warre as of peace if they were wrought and conformed to orderly civility I Intimated even now that I would speak touching the O-Neals who carried themselves as Lords of Ulster and I promised not long since a friend of mine that I would write of their rebellions raised in our age And verily I will performe my promise to his Manes whom whiles he lived I observed with all respect and being now in heaven I will not forget Thus much onely I will promise by way of Preface that I have compendiously collected these matters out of my Annales and here conjoined them which there are severed and divided according to their severall times and withall that whatsoever I shall write is not upon uncertaine rumours but gathered summarily from out oâ— their owne hand writings who managed those affaires and were present in the actions And this will I doe with so sincere an affection to the truth and so uncorrupt fidelity that I doubt not but I shall have thanks at their hands who love the truth and desire to understand the late affaires of Ireland and not incurre the blame of any unlesse they be such as having done ill take it not well if themselves be accordingly censured THE O-NEALES AND THEIR REBELLIONS IN OUR TIME TO say nothing of that GREAT NEALE who ruled by force and armes in Ulster and a great part of Ireland before the comming of Saint Patricke nor of those in the middle times who were but of meane note and memoriall to speake of this family after the arrivall of the English in Ireland lay close and obscure in remote lurking corners unlesse it were when Edward Brus brother to Robert King of Scotland named himselfe King of Ireland For then in a troublesome time Dovenald O-Neale started and rowsed himselfe out of his lurking holes and in his missives unto the Pope used this title in his stile Dovenald O-Neale King of Ulster and in right of inheritance the undoubted heire of all Ireland But after these stirres and troubles were laid this new King soone vanished away and Dovenalds posterity pluckt in their hornes and hid their heads untill that whiles England was all in a combustion kindled by the furious firebrands of civill warres betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster for the Imperiall Crowne those English that served and lived here abandoning Ulster and
520 f Sir Henry Grey Baron Grey of Grooby 521 a Greys of Sandacro 553 d Greys Earles of Kent 553 c Th. Grey of Ruthin Marquesse Dorset 217 e Henry Grey Marquesse Dorset and Duke of Suffolk 217 f 470 c. beheaded 217 Greyes Barons of Wilton 396 d. their badge 621 a. 396 d Iohn Grey Earle of Tankervil 663 d Greystocks Barons 778 c Greystock Castle 778 b S. Grimbald 378 c Grimsby 542 c Grimstons-garth ibid. Grimstons a family 714 a Griphins a family 507 b. 607 e Grismunds tower 366 d Grâ—n and Gronnes what they signifie 486 b Grooby 520 f Grossement Castle 630 b Grossvenours commonly called Gravenours a famous family 604 b Grosthead or Grostest a worthy Bishop of Lincoln 540 b. c Ground most fat and battle 478 Ground burnt for tillage 675 c Gruffin ap Conan a noble Prince of Wales 670 a Guadiana 297 a Guaine 21 Gwain ibid. Gualt what it signifieth 20 Guarth what it signifieth 563 b Guarthenion why so called 624 Guash See wash Gueda wife to Earle Goodwin 363 b Guenliana a woman of manly courage 649 c Grerif 21 Guerir ibid. Gwif 19 Guild hall in London 435 a Guilford 295 b Guilfords a family 352 b Guineth Uranc 19 Guineth 659 f Guiniad fishes 666 b Guiscard of Engolism 502 c Gundulph Bishop of Rochester 333 a Gunora a Norman Lady 620 c Gunpowder treason 754 a Gunters a family 628 f Guorong what it signifieth 325 c Guortimer defeateth Hengist the Saxons 332 a. where buried 340 a Guvia 19 Gwin a colour 26 Guoloppum 132 Guy Brient a Baron 212 e Sir Guy of Warwick 267 a. 564 Guy cliff or Gibcliff 564 â— Gynâ—ecia 263 c H HAcomb 202 e Hadseigh 441 b Hadley 463 d Pope Hadrian the fourth choked with a flie 415 a Hadugato a Duke or Leader of the English Saxons 138 Hagmond Abbay 594 Haile a river 193 Haduloha 138 Haimon Dentatus 641 c Robert Fitz Haimon subdueth Glamorganshire 641 d Hakeds a kind of Pikes 499 Haledon 80â— d Hales Monastery 197 e. 365 a Halesworth 467 c Halifax 691 f Halifax law 69â— b Halton hall 808 f Halyston 812 f Hamden a towne and family 395 Hameldon hils 215 c Hamon 260 f Sir Hamon Mascy 610 c Hampton in Herefordshire 620 Hampton Court 420 b Hamsted hills 421 b Hanging walls of Mark Antony 763 c Hanley Castle 577 b Hanmere a place and family 68â— Hannibal never warred in Britain 32 Hans a river 587 c Hansacres a family 578 b Hansards a family 543 a Hantshire 258 Hanwell 376 e Hanworth 420 b King Harald slaine 317 a Harald Lightfoot 379 b Harald Haardred 707 d Harald the Bastard 143 Harald Goodwins sonne usurpeth the crowne of England 145 His worthy and Princely parts 146 Harborrow or Haaburgh 517 c Harbotle a place and familie 812 f Andrew of Harcla Earle of Carlile a traitour degraded 780 c Harcourts 584 e Harden or Hawarden 680 e Hardes ancient Gentlemen 339 d Harde-Cnut his death 303 b his immoderate feasting ibid. Th. Harding 208 e Fits Hardings Barons of Barkley 223 a Hard Knot a mountain 765 e Hardwick a towne 555 f. and a family ibid. Haresfield 419 c Harford West 653 b Haringtons or Haveringtons a family 755 d Haringtons Barons 526 b. of old descent ibid. Harington Lord 206 e Sir Iohn Harington Baron Harington of Exton ibid. Haringworth the honour of the Zouches Barons 414 a Harleston 472 e Harlestons a family ibid. Harold Ewias 617 d Harold a Gentleman ibid. Harptree 223 d Harrow on the hill 420 a Harrowden 510 a Hartle pole 738 b Harts hall in Oxford 381 d Harewich 451 e Harewood castle 698 e Haslingbury 453 d Hastings a noble family in times past 584 c Hastings Lords of Abergevenny 568 e Hastings Baron of Loughborow 394 c Sir Edward Hastings sole Baron thereof 521 b Baron Hastings and Hoo 319 b Sir william Hastings Lord Hastings 318 f Hastings great Gentlemen in Sussex ibid. Hastings a towne whence it tooke the name 317 f Rape of Hastings 318 d. Lords thereof ibid. George L. Hastings first of that name Earle of Huntingdon 503 a Hatfield Bradock 453 e Bishops Hatfield 406 f Hatfield Poveril 445 c Hatherton 607 e Hatfield Chace 690 e Hatley S George 485 d Hatterel hils 6â—1 c Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chauncellor of England 508 his commendation ibid. his Monument 509 a Havelock a foundling 542 d Haverds a family 628 e Haudelo Lord Burnell 330 c Havering 441 â— Hawghton Conquest 401 e Hawghlee Castle 464 a Sir Iohn Hawkwood 450 b Haulton a towne and castle 611 Haure 21 The Haw 200 Hawsted 450 d Hawthorn at Glastenbury 227 e Hay a towne 627 f Hay castle 766 f Headon a towne 713 c Healy castle 583 e Hartly castle 760 d Heavenfield 806 d Hebrews called Huesi wherefore 23 Heidons or Heydons Knights 479 b Sir Christopher Heidon 326 c Heil an Idol of the Saxons 212 Heilston or Hellas 189 Heina a religious votary 699 e Heitsbury 245 d Hieu a religious woman 738 b Helbecks 727 â— Helbeck a crag 784 b Helena the mother of Constantine the Great borne at Colchester 451 a Helena a devout Empresse 74 Helenum 187 Helion a family 452 a Hell-Kettles deepe pits 737 â— Helmet of gold found 537 e Helvius Pertinax employed in Britan 66. Propraetor in Britan 67 Hemingston 464 a Hempe the best 210 d Hempsted 414 c Hen-Dinas 588 b Heneti whence they tooke name 26 Hengham Lords 472 f Hengist and Horsa brethren 127. they signifie an horse ibid. Hengrave 461 â— Hengston hill 196 d Henningham 450 a Henly in Arden 566 a Henly hundred 389 a Henly upon Tamis 389 b King Henry the sixt his vertues enterred and translated 294 d King Henry the seventh his vertues 297 f Henry the fourth Emperour enterred in Chester 605 c Henry of Lancaster claimeth the crowne of England 680 d Henry Fitz-Roy 240 b King Henry the second his commendation 284 e Henry Prince rebelleth against King Henry the second his father 465 a Henry the seventh proclaimed King 518 c King Henry the sixt twice taken prisoner by his owne subjects 509 e Heorten 738 b Heorthus 135 Heptarchie of the Saxons described with severall shires under every Kingdome 157 Heptarchie of the Saxons 136 reduced to a Monarchie 138 Herbert Bishop of Norwich 475 a Herbert Losenga Bishop 472 a Herbert Baron of Shurland 334 b Herberts Earles of Penbroch 359 a Sir Philip Herbert Baron of Shurland Earle of Montgomery 663 b Herberts an honourable family in Wales 655 d Le Herbert a way in Wales 665 f Hercules whether ever any 207 c Herefordshire 617 Hereford Citie 618 e Hereford Earles 621 b. c. c. Hereford Duke 622 a Hereford Viscounts ibid. Herring fishing by Hollanders c. 717 f Herrings in Yarmouth 478 a Herrings frequent our coast 718 a Herlaxton 537 d Herons or Heirons a family 806 b. 815 e Herlotâ—a 197 b Hermae 64 Herst Monceaux 315 a Herst what it
Canutus are in the Normans tongue translated under the name of Baro and loe what the very words are Exercitualia verò c. That is Let the Heriots or Relevies be so moderate as that they may bee tolerable Of an Earle as decent it is eight horses foure with saddles and foure without saddles foure Helmets and foure shirts of male eight launces or speares and as many shields foure swords and withall 200. mauces of gold Of a Viron or Baron to the King who is next unto him foure horses two with saddles and two without saddles two swords foure speares and as many targets one helmet and one coate of mauile and with fifty mauces of gold Also in the first time of the Normans Valvasores and Thani were ranged in degree of honour next after Earles and Barons and the Valvasores of the better sort if wee may beleeve those that write de Feudis were the very same that now Barons are So that the name Baro may seeme to bee one of those which time by little and little hath mollified and made of better esteeme Neither was it as yet a terme of great honor For in those daies some Earles had their Barons under them and I remember that I read in the ancient Constitutions and ordinances of the Frenchmen how there were under an Earle twelve Barons and as many Capitaines under a Baron And certaine it is that there be ancient Charters extant in which Earles since the comming in of the Normans wrote thus To all my Barons as well French as English Greeting c. Yea even Citizens of better note were called Barons For the Citizens of Warwick in Doomesday book were named Barones likewise Citizens of London and the Inhabitants of the Cinque-ports enjoyed the same name But some few yeares after like as at Rome in times past they chose Senators for their worth in wealth so were they with us counted Barons who held lands of their own by a whole Baronie that is 13. Knights Fees and a third part of one Knights Fee reckoning every fee as an old book witnesseth at 20. li. which make in all 400. marks For that was the value of one entire Baronie and they that had lands and revenues to this worth were wont to be summoned unto the Parliament And it seemed to bee a dignitie with a jurisdiction which the Court Barons as they terme them in some sort doe prove yea and the very multitude that was of these Barons perswaded me to thinke them to be Lords of this nature as that they might in some sort minister and execute justice within their circuit and seigniorie such as the Germans call Free-heires and especially if they had Castles of their owne For then they Jumped Just with the definition of that most famous Civilian Baldus who defineth him to be a Baron whosoever had a meere and subordinate rule in some castle by the grant of the Prince And all they as some would have it that held Baronies seeme to have claimed unto themselves this honor so that as divers learned in our lawes are of opinion a Baron and a Baronie a Count or Earle and a Countie a Duke and a Dutchie were Conjugata that is termes as one would say yoked together Certes in those daies Henrie the Third reckoned in England 150. Baronies And hereupon it is that in all the Charters and Histories of that age all noble men in manner be called Barons and verily that title then was right honorable and under the terme of Baronage all the superiour states of the kingdome as Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons in some sort were comprised But it attained to the highest pitch of honor ever since that King Henrie the Third out of so great a number which was seditious and turbulent called the very best by writ or summon unto the high Court of Parliament For he out of a writer I speake of good antiquity after many troubles and enormous vexations betweene the King himselfe Simon of Mont-fort with other Barons raised after appeased did decree and ordaine that all those Earles and Barons of the Realme of England unto whom the King himselfe vouchsafed to direct his writs of Summons should come unto his Parliament and none others But that which he began a little before his death Edward the First and his successour constantly observed and continued Hereupon they onely were accounted Barons of the kingdom whom the Kings had cited by vertue of such writs of Summons as they terme them unto the Parliament And it is noted that the said prudent King Edward the First summoned alwaies those of ancient families that were most wise to his Parliaments but omitted their sonnes after their death if they were not answerable to their parents in understanding Barons were not created by Patent untill such time as King Richard the Second created Iohn Beauchamp de Holt Baron of Kiderminster by his letters Patent bearing date the eighth day of October in the eleventh yeare of his raigne Since that time the Kings by their Patâ—ents and the putting on of the mantle or roabe of honour have given this honour And at this day this order of creating a Baron by letters Patent as also that other by writs of Summons are in use in which notwithstanding they are not stiled by the name of Baron but of Chevalier for the Common law doth not acknowledge Baron to be a name of dignity And they that be in this wise created are called Barons of the Parliament Barons of the Realme and Barons of honor for difference of them who yet according to that old forme of Barons be commonly called Barons as those of Burford of Walton and those who were Barons unto the Count-Palatines of Chester and Pembroch who were Barons in fee and by tenure These our Parliamentarie Barons carie not the bare name onely as those of France and Germanie but be all borne Peeres of the Realme of England Nobles Great States and Counsellors and called they are by the King in these words To treat of the high affaires of the kingdome and thereof to give their counsell They have also immunities and priviledges of their owne namely that in criminall causes they are not to have their triall but by a Iurie of their Peeres that they be not put to their oath but their protestation upon their Honor is sufficient that they be not empanelled upon a Iurie of twelve men for enquest de facto No supplicavit can be granted against them A Capias cannot be sued out against them Neither doth an Essoine lie against them with very many other which I leave unto Lawyers who are to handle these and such like Besides these the two Archbishops and all the Bishops of England be Barons also of the kingdome and Parliament even as in our Grandfathers daies these Abbats and Priors following The Abbat of Glastenburie The Abbat of S. Augustines in Canterbury The Abbat of S. Peter in
the native place of that great Arthur partly upon a little ridge putting forth as it were a tongue and partly within an Iland having both of them sometime a bridge betweene They call it at this day Tindagel beeing now a glorious ruine onely in times past a stately Castle of which a late Poet hath thus written Est locus Abrini finnoso littore ponti Rupe situs media refluus quem circuit astus Fulminat hic latâ— turritâ— vertice castrum Nomine Tindagium veteres dixere Corini There is a place within the winding shore of Severne Sea On mids a rocke about whose foote the tides turne-keeping play A Towry-topped Castle here farre thundreth over all Which Cornishmen by ancient name Tindagel Castle call A long discourse it would aske to declare here out of Geffries history how Uther Pendragon King of Britaine within this Castle became enamoured upon the wife of Gorlois Prince of Cornwall and how by Magick slights and delusions taking the shape of her husband upon him dishonourably violated the Ladie his wife and of her begat the said renowned Arthur It may suffice if I doe but alleage the verses of our Poet Iohn Havillan Facie dum falsus adulter Tindagel irrupit nec amoris Pendragon astum Vincit omnificas Merlini consulit artes Mentiturque ducis habitus rege latente Induit absentis praesentia Gorlois ora Whiles Pendragon that could not quench his flaming heats of love But beare a mind adult'rous still by meanes brake in above To Tindagel disguis'd in face by Merlin taught thereto By magicke and inchauntments strange which all such feats could doe Duke Gorloes habite absent then that was he tooke by guile But presence of the King in place he did conceale the while This Uther Pendragon verily was a Prince flourishing in Marâ—iall feats who valiantly upheld the decaying state of his countrey against the English Saxons But whether came from him That Royall Banner in England having the portraict of a Dragon with a golden head whereof of neighbour nations have had experience and which in far Lands beyond sea was under King Richard the First terrible to the Panims I dare not avouch I would beleeve rather it was received from the Romans who a long time used the Eagle after that Marius had rejected the Ensignes of a Wolfe of Minotaurus of an Horse c. And in the end under the latter Emperors tooke them to the Dragon Whereupon Claudianus writeth thus Hij picta Draconum Calla levant The banners these advance aloft With speckled necks of Dragons wrought And Nemesianus Signa micant sinuatque truces levis aura Dracones Their Ensignes shine and Dragons fell that therein pictur'd show Wave to and fro with whiffes of wind as it doth gently blow And Hoveden sheweth that the West Saxon Kings used to carrie in their Banners the Dragon As for another Banner of the English which Beda called Tufa as also the Danes Reafan I will say nothing of them in this place for feare I may seeme to have digressed too farre from my purpose Betweene Padstow and Tindagel inwardly there extendeth a fruitfull veine and therein flourish the families of Roscarrock Carnsew Penkevell Cavell Pencavell of ancient name and great respect in this coast Forward still Eastward on the same coast which is open barren and destitute of woods there butteth upon the sea Botereaux Castle corruptly by the common people called Boscastle built by the Lords Botereaux who gave for their armes three Buffones toads sable in a shield Argent William Botereaux was the first famous man of honour in this familie who married Alice the daughter of Robert Corbet whose sister was Paramour to King Henrie the First of whom hee begat Reginald Earle of Cornwall From this William there flourished eleven successively in order But Margaret the onely daughter and sole heire of the last was wedded unto Robert Hungerford by whose posteritie the Inheritance is devolved upon the familie of the Hastings which inheritance was augmented and became more honourable by marriages that those of Botereaux contracted with the heires of the Noble houses De Moeles S. Laud commonly called S. Lo and Thweng From hence the Land shooting forth into the Sea extendeth it selfe so farre northward that the countrey carrieth here full three and twenty miles in breadth betweene the two seas which hitherto went on still drawen after a sort together into a narrow streit In this greatest breadth of it standeth Stow upon the sea-side the ancient habitation of the Creenvils which verily for Antiquitie and Noblenesse of birth is a famous house out of which one Richard in the raigne of William Rufus was for his valour much renowned among those worthy Knights that subdued Glamorganshire in Wales and another of late daies surnamed likewise Richard for his magnanimitie surpassing the Nobilitie of his bloud fighting most valiantly against the Spaniards at the Ilands of Tercera lost his life as I shall shew more fully in my Annals To this Stratton lieth close to a market Towne of no meane name amongst the neighbours for their gardens and good garlicke and next unto it Lancels a faire new seat of that old family de Calvo monte or Chaumond The river TAMARA now TAMAR shewing his head here not farre from the northren shore taketh his course with a swift running streame southward encreased with the channels of many rivelets hard by TAMARA a Towne mentioned by Ptolomee now called Tamerton by Tamar an ancient Mannour of the Trevilions to whom by marriage the Inheritance of Walesborough and Ralegh of Netlested descended also by Lanstuphadon that is Saint Stephens commonly and contractly Launston which standeth farther off from his banke a proper little Towne this is situate upon the pitch of a prettie hill which of two Burgards Dunevet and Newport is growne as it were into one Burgh At the first comming of the Normans William Earle of Moriton built a Castle there and had a Colledge of Chanons or Secular Priests as appeareth out of Domesday book wherein it is named Launstaveton of that Colledge no doubt built in the honour of Saint Stephen which Reginald Earle of Cornwall about the yeere of our Lord 1150 turned into a monasterie Against which pious worke of his the Bishops of Excester carried away over much and seduced with humane and private affection were verie maliciously bent as fearing exceedingly lest one day it would become a Bishops seat and so prejudice and impeach their jurisdiction At this day this Town is best knowne by reason of the common Goale of the countrey and the Assises which are often times kept there Then Tamar looketh up unto an high hil stretched out in length with a vast head which Marianus nameth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and interpreteth it Hengists mount commonly called Hengston-hill Which in times past was so plentifull of Tinne veines that the countrey people had this
by word of it Hengston downe well ywrought Is worth London deere ybought And it was an ordinarie place where every seven or eight yeere the Stannarie men of Cornwall and Denshire were wont in great frequencie to assemble together and to consult about their affaires At this hill in the yeere of savation DCCCXXXI the British Danmonij who calling the Danes to aid them of purpose to break into Devonshire that they might drive out the English from thence who alreadie possessed themselves of the countrey were pitiously defeated by King Egbert and slaine almost to the very last man Beneath it Tamar leaveth Halton the habitation of the Rouses anciently Lords of Little Modbery in Devonshire and running nigh unto Salt-Esse a prettie market Towne seated in the descent of an hill which hath a Major and certaine priviledges of their owne as I said erewhile it entertaineth the river Liver on which standeth that same Towne of Saint Germans whereof I spake before And now by this time spreading broader dischargeth it selfe into the Ocean making the haven which in the life of Saint Indractus is called Tamerworth after it hath severed Cornwall from Denshire For Athelstane the first English King that brought this countrey absolute under his dominion appointed this river to be the bound or limit between the Britans of Cornwal and his Englishmen after he had remooved the Britans out of Denshire as witnesseth William of Malmsburie who calleth it Tambra Whereupon Alexander Necham in his Praises of divine wisedome writeth thus Loegriae Tamaris divisor Cornubiaeque Indigenas ditat pinguibus Isiciis Tamar that Lhoegres doth divide from Cornwall in the west The neighbour-dwellers richly serves with Salmons of the best The place requireth here that I should say somewhat of the holy and devout virgin Ursula descended from hence as also of the eleven thousand British Virgins But such is the varietie of Writers whiles some report they suffered martyrdome under Gratian the Emperour about the yeare of our Lord CCCLXXXIII upon the coast of Germanie as they sailed to Armorica others by Attlia the Hun that scourge of God in the yeare CCCCL at Coline upon Rhene as they returned from Rome that with some it hath brought the truth of the History into suspition of a vaine fable And as touching that Constantine whom Gildas termeth a tyrannous whelpe of the uncleane Danmonian Lionesse as also of the Disforresting of all this country for before time it was reputed a Forrest let Historians speake for it is no part of my purpose As for the Earles none of British bloud are mentioned but onely Candorus called by others Cadocus who is accounted by late writers the last Earle of Cornwall of British race and as they which are skilfull in Heraldry have a tradition bare XV. Besaunts V. IIII. III. II. and I. in a shield Sable But of the Normans bloud the first Earle was Robert of Moriton halfe brother to William Conqueror by Herlotta their mother after whom succeeded William his sonne who when hee had sided with Robert of Normandie against Henry the First King of England being taken prisoner in battell lost both his libertie and his honours and at last turned Monke at Bermondsey Then Reginald a base sonne of Henrie the First by the daughter of Sir Robert Corber for that King plied getting children so lustfully as that hee was father of thirteene Bastards was placed in his roome This Reginald dying without issue male legitimate King Henry the Second having assigned unto his daughters certaine lands and Lordships reserved this Earledome to himselfe for the â—ehoore of his owne youngest sonne Iohn a child of nine yeares old upon whom his brother Richard the First conferred it afterwards with other Earledomes This Iohn afterward was crowned King of England and his second sonne Richard was by his brother King Henry the Third endowed with this honour and the Earledome of Poictou a Prince verily in those daies puissant in Gods service devout and religious in war right valiant for counsell sage and prudent who in Aquitaine fought battels with fortunate successe and shewed much valour and having made a voyage into the Holy Land enforced the Sarazens to make truce with him the Kingdome of Apulia offered unto him by the Pope he refused the troubles and tumults in England he often times composed and in the yeare of our Lord MCCLVIL by some of the Princes Electours of Germany was chosen King of the Romans and crowned at Aquisgrane whereupon as if he had made meanes thereto by money this verse was so riâ—e and currant every where Nummus ait pro me nubit Cornubia Romae For me my money saieth this Cornwall to Rome now wedded is For so well monied he was before that one who then lived hath put downe in writing that for ten yeares together hee might dispend one hundred markes a day But when as Germanie was all on a light fire with civil warres among competitors of the Empire he returned quickly into England where he departed this life and was interred in the famous Monastery of Hales which he had built a little after that his first begotten son Henry newly in his return from the Holy Land whiles he was at divine service devoutly occupied within a church at Viterbium in Italy was by Guy de Montfort son of Simon Montfort Earle of Leceister in revenge of his fathers death wickedly slaine Edmund therefore his second son succeeded in the Earledome of Cornwall who died without any lawfull issue and so his high and great estate of inheritance returned to King Edward the First as who was the next unto him in bloud and found as our Lawyers say his heire Whereas that Richard and Edmund his sonne Princes of the bloud Royall of England bare divers Armes from the Armes Royall of England to wit in a shield argent a Lyon rampant gules crowned or within a border sables Bezante I have with others oftentimes much marvelled at neither I assure you can I alleage any other reason but that they in this point imitated the house Royall of France for the manner of bearing Armes came from the French men unto us For the younger sonnes of the Kings of France even to the time wee now speake of bare other coats than the Kings themselves did as we may see in the family of Vermandois Dreux and Courtney and as Robert Duke of Burgundy brother to Henrie the First King of France tooke unto him the ancient shield of the Dukes of Burgundie so we may well thinke that this Richard having received the Earledome of Poictou from Henry the Third his brother assumed unto him that Lyon gules crowned which belonged to the Earles of Poictou before him as the French writers doe record and added thereto the border garnished with Besaunts out of the ancient coat of the Earles of Cornwall For so soone as the younger sonnes of the Kings of France began to beare the Armes of France with
East and West flourished sometime in great honour It paid no tribute as we find in Doomesday the survey-book of England but when Exceter paid and then it yielded xl d. and did service if any expedition marched by land or went by sea and Totnes Barnestaple and Lidford served and paid as much as Exceter King John granted unto it power to chuse a Major for the chiefe Magistrate Edward the First enriched it with sundry liberties and about that time it was fortified with a Castle by the Zouches as the Inhabitants are perswaded The possession it was in times past of one Iudaël surnamed De Totnais afterwards of William Briwer a right noble personage by one of whose daughters it came to the Breoses and from them by a daughter likewise to George De Cantelupo Lord of Abergeveny whose sister Melicent wedded unto Eudo De la Zouch brought it in by her marriage to the family of the Barons La Zouches and theirs it was untill that John Lord Zouch being attaint and proscribed because hee tooke part with King Richard the Third Henry the Seventh bestowed it franckly as I have heard say upon Peter Edgecombe a noble and wise gentleman Adjoyning to this towne is Berie Pomerie so called of the Pomeries a right noble house in those parts which a little more Eastward and somewhat farther from the river side had a very proper Castle of their owne These derive their pedigree from Radulph Pomerie who in William Conquerors time held Wich Dunwinesdon Brawerdine Pudeford Horewood Toriland Helecom and this Berie c. Of this Totnes the strond or shore adjoyning was called in old time Totonese where as the British Historie saith Brutus the founder of the British nation first landed and Havillanus as a Poet relying thereon versified in this wise Inde dato cursu Brutus comitatus Achate Gallorum spoliis cumulatis navibus aequor Exarat superis auraque faventibus usus Littora foelices intrat Totonesia portus Thence hoising sailes with Gaulish spoiles the fleet fraight sea doth take Our Brutus with his trustiest friend and through waves way doth make The Gods lookt cheerefull on his course the wind he had at will At Totnesse shore that happy haven arriv'd he and stood still But that river Dert whereof I spake having passed beyond Totnes bridge at which it leaveth whole heape of sands brought downe by his streame from out of the Tin mines hath for prospect on both sides nothing but fruitfull fields untill hee come all weary with his long course to his mouth over which upon an hill reaching forth in length standeth Dertmouth a Port Towne by reason of the commodious haven defended with two Castles much frequented with Merchants and furnished with very good shipping A Major it hath by the grant of King Edward the Third For Lords it acknowledged long since the Zouches Nicolas of Teukesbury and the Brients according to the variable change of the times and hath sundry times defended it selfe stoutly against the French but especially in the yeare of Christ 1404. Monsieur De Castell a Frenchman who by his men of warre and piracies had stopped all intercourse of traffique in those parts and burnt Plimmouth whiles hee invaded this place was by women and country people intercepted and slaine with all his companie And heere I must not passe over in silence Stoke Fleming that lieth hard by and which taking that name of a noble man of Flanders sometime Lord thereof came by the daughter of Mohun to the Carewes From this place as the shore giveth backe Northward the sea followeth in upon it and by that meanes with a large and spacious creeke which taketh about ten miles in circuit maketh a bay called now Torbay a very safe rode and harbour for ships when the South-west wind is aloft and hath fast by it a little village so called where sometime the Briewrs dwelt and built a religious house who in the daies of King Richard the First and King John were men of great renowne and revenue and afterward the habitation it was of the Wakes Neere unto it is Cockington where the family of the Caries a different house from that of the Carewes hath flourished a long time in great honour and estimation out of which the Barons of Hunsdon concerning whom I will speake more in due place are descended A little higher appeares in sight Hacombe the habitation in old time of Sir Iordan Fitz-Stephen Knight surnamed of this place de Hacombe by whose daughter and heire Cecilie it came into the familie of the Archdeacons From which likewise by Hugh Courtney in processe of time it was devolved upon the Carewes whose house in these parts is reputed very worshipfull and spred into many branches For Jane the daugther of the said Hugh and heire to her mother being joyned in mariage to Nicolas Baron Carew brought him many children and when the eldest of them named Thomas used not his mother with such dutifull respect as a sonne ought she made a conveyance of that great and wealthy inheritance to her three younger sonnes from whom those three families of the Carews de Hacombe Anthony and Bery are sprung and to Iohn Vere a sonne that she had by a second husband from whom the Earles of Oxford are issued Then meet you with Teignemouth a little village at the mouth of the river Teigne whereof it hath also the name where the Danes that were sent before to discover the scituation of Britaine and to sound the landing places being first set a shore about the yeare of Salvation 800. and having slaine the governour of the place tooke it as an ominous good token of future victorie which indeed afterward they followed with extreme crueltie through the whole Island More inward neere unto the source of the river Teigne is Chegford seated where flourished sometime the noble family of the Prows then Chidley which gave the name to that great house and linage of the Chidleyes and next unto the very mouth thereof Bishops Teignton so called because it belonged to the Bishops in which because there was a Sanctuarie Iohn Grandison descended out of Burgundy Bishop of Exceter as presaging what would ensue in future time built a very faire house to the end that his Successors these are the very words of his testament might have a place whereon to leane and lay their heads if happily their Temporalities should be seized into the Kings hands But so farre was it off that his purpose tooke effect that his successors have not onely lost that house but also beene quite desseized now well neere of all the rest About six miles from thence the river Isc whereof Ptolomee maketh mention which the Britaines call Isc and the English-Saxons Ex with a large channell runneth into the Ocean Whether it tooke this name of Iscaw that signifieth in the British tongue Elders trees I wot not Some fetch it from
any expedition set out either by sea or land it served in proportion to five hides It hath beene likewise from time to time much afflicted once spoiled and sore shaken by the furious outrages of the Danes in the yeare of our redemption 875. but most grievously by Suen the Dane in the yeare 1003. at which time by the treacherie of one Hugh a Norman Governor of the citie it was raced and ruined along from the East gate to the West And scarcely began it to flourish againe when William the Conquerour most straightly beleaguered it when the Citizens in the meane while thought it not sufficient to shut their gates against him but malapartly let flie taunts and flouts at him but when a piece of their wall fell downe by the speciall hand of God as the Historians of that age report they yielded immediatly thereupon At which time as we find in the said survey-booke of his The King had in this Citie three hundred houses it paid fifteene pounds by the yeare and fortie houses were destroyed after that the King came into England After this it was thrice besieged and yet it easily avoided all First by Hugh Courtney Earle of Denshire in that civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke then by Perkin Warbecke that imaginarie counterfeit and pretended Prince who being a young man of a very base condition faining himselfe to be Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of King Edward the Fourth stirred up dangerous stirres against Henrie the Seventh thirdly by seditious Rebels of Cornwall in the yeare of Christ 1549 at which time the Citizens most grievously pinched though they were with scarcitie of all things continued neverthelesse in their faith and allegeance untill that Iohn Lord Russell raised the siege and delivered them But Excester received not so great damage at these enemies hands as it did by certaine dammes which they call Weares that Edward Courtney Earle of Denshire taking high displeasure against the Citizens made in the river Ex which stop the passage so that no vessell can come up to the Citie but since that time all merchandize is carried by land from Topesham three miles off And albeit it hath beene decreed by Act of Parliament to take away these Weares yet they continue there still Hereupon the little Towne adjoyning is call Weare being aforetime named Heneaton which was sometime the possession of Augustine de Baa from whom in right of inheritance it descended to Iohn Holland who in his signet which my selfe have seene bare a Lion rampant gardant among flowers de Lys. The civill government of this Citie is in the power of foure and twenty persons out of whom there is from yeare to yeare a Major elected who with foure Bailiffes ruleth heere the State As touching the Geographicall description of this place the old tables of Oxford have set downe the longitude thereof to bee nineteene degrees and eleven scruples the latitude fiftie degrees and fortie scruples or minutes This Citie that I may not omit so much hath had three Dukes For Richard the Second of that name King of England created Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon and his brother by the mothers side the first Duke of Excester whom Henrie the Fourth deposed from this dignitie and left unto him the name onely of Earle of Huntingdon and soone after for conspiracie against the King he lost both it and his life by the hatchet Some few yeares after Henry the Fifth set in his place Thomas Beaufort of the house of Lancaster and Earle of Dorset a right noble and worthy warriour When he was dead leaving no issue behind him John Holland sonne of that aforesaid John as heire unto his brother Richard who died without children and to his father both being restored to his bloud by the favour and bounty of King Henry the Sixth recovered his fathers honor and left the same to Henry his sonne who so long as the Lancastrians stood upright flourished in very much honor but afterwards when the family of Yorke was a float and had rule of all gave an example to teach men how ill trusting it is to great Fortunes For this was that same Henry Duke of Excester who albeit he had wedded King Edward the Fourth his sister was driven to such miserie that he was seene all tottered torne and barefooted to begge for his living in the Low countries And in the end after Barnet field fought wherein he bare himselfe valiantly against Edward the Fourth was no more seene untill his dead bodie as if he had perished by Shipwracke was cast upon the shore of Kent A good while after this Henry Courtney Earle of Denshire the sonne of Katharine daughter to King Edward the Fourth was advanced to the honour of Marquesse of Excester by Henry the Eighth and designed heire apparant But this Marquesse as well as the first Duke was by his high parentage cast into a great tempest of troubles wherein as a man subject to suspitions and desirous of a change in the State he was quickly overthrowne And among other matters because he had with money and counsell assisted Reginald Poole afterwards Cardinall then a fugitive practising with the Emperour and the Pope against his owne Country and the King who had now abrogated the Popes authoritie he was judicially arraigned and being condemned with some others lost his head But now of late by the favour of King Iames Thomas Cecill Lord Burleigh enjoyeth the title of Earle of Excester a right good man and the worthy sonne of so excellent a father being the eldest sonne of William Cecill Lord Burleigh high Treasurer of England whose wisedome for a long time was the support of peace and Englands happy quietnesse From Excester going to the very mouth of the River I find no monument of Antiquitie but Exminster sometime called Exanminster bequeathed by King Elfred to his younger sonne and Pouderham Castle built by Isabell de Ripariis the seat long time of that most noble family of the Courtneys Knights who being lineally descended from the stocke of the Earles of Denshire and allied by affinitie to most honorable houses flourish still at this day most worthy of their descent from so high Ancestors Under Pouderham Ken a pretty brooke entreth into Ex which riseth neere Holcombe where in a Parke is a faire place built by Sir Thomas Denis whose family fetcheth their first off-spring and surname from the Danes and were anciently written Le Dan Denis by which name the Cornish called the Danes But lower upon the very mouth of the river on the other banke side as the name it selfe doth testifie standeth Exanmouth knowne by nothing else but the name and for that some fishermen dwelt therein More Eastward Otterey that is The River of Otters or River-Dogs which we call Otters as may appeare by the signification of the word falleth into the sea which runneth hard under
which Elfgiva a most godly and devout Lady wife to Edmund that was King Aelfrids nephews sonne had erected and of ten parish Churches besides or there about But most famous in this place by occasion of a prety fable that our Historians doe report of Aquila prophecying here of the conversion or change of the Britaines Empire For some will have the bird Aquila that is an Eagle others a man so named to have foretold here that the British Empire after the Saxons and Normans should returne againe to the ancient Britaines and these men affirme and maintaine that this place is of greater antiquitie than Saturne himselfe whereas most certaine it is that it was first built by Alfred For the Historiographer of Malmesbury hath recorded that in his daies there was an old stone translated from the ruines of the wall into the Chapter house of the Names which had this Inscription ANNO DOMINICAE INCARNATIONIS AELFREDVS REX FECIT HANC VRBEM DCCC.LXXX REGNI SVI VIII That is In the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord King Aelfred built this Citie 880. of his raigne the eighth This Inscription I have the more willingly put down here for proofe of the Truth because in all the copies which I have seen it is wanting save only in that in the Librarie of the late Lord Burghley high Treasurer of England and I have beene informed that it continued there untill the time of King Henry the Eighth Yet the Inhabitants have a tradition that an old Citie stood upon the place which is called the Castle-Greene and by some Bolt-bury now a faire plaine so scited that as of one side it joyneth to the Towne so of another it is a strange sight to looke downe to the vale under it whereby in the West end of the old Chappell of S. Iohn as I heare now standeth a Roman Inscription reversed From thence the Stoure by Marnhill of which place L. Henry Howard brother of Thomas last Duke of Norfolke received of King Iames the title of Baron Howard of Mernhill before that he was created Earle of Northampton makes speed to Stourminster which is as much to say as the Monasterie or Minster upon Stoure A small towne this is standing somewhat with the lowest from which there is a stone bridge built reaching to Newton Castle where offreth it selfe to be seene a loftie mount cast up as they say to that heighth with great labour but of the Castle there remaineth nothing at all but onely the bare name Of these I have nothing of more antiquitie to say than this that King Aelfred bequeathed Stoureminster to a younger sonne of his Hard by at Silleston there rise two good great hilles the one named Hameldon the other Hodde and both of them fortified with a three fold Ditch and rampier And not far from thence but the very place I cannot precisely set downe stood Okeford the Capitall honour of the Baronie of Robert the sonne of Pagan commonly named Fitz-Payne who married the daughter of Guido de Brient who also in this West part enjoyed the honor of a Baron under King Edward the Third but for default of heire males of those Fitz-Paynes it came to the Poynings Barons likewise in those daies and at length by a daughter and heire of Poynings in the raigne of Henry the Sixth these Barons titles Fitz-Payne Brient and Poinings were conjoyned in the Percies Earles of Northumberland Howbeit within our fathers remembrance through the favour of King Henry the Eighth the title of Baron Poinings reflourished in Sir Thomas Poinings sonne of Sir Edward Poinings a martiall man and fruitfull father of much base brood but with him it soone vanished away as bastardly slips seldome take deepe root From hence Stoure passeth on by Brienston that is Brients towne where the Rogerses dwell an ancient family of Knights degree to Market Blandford which since in our time it chanced to be burnt downe arose againe built more elegantly and is better peopled with Inhabitants Then Stoure from thence by Tarrent where Richard Poer Bishop of Sarisbury founded a Cell for Virgins Votaries speedeth himselfe apace to that most ancient towne VINDOGLADIA where Antoninus maketh mention Which in the Saxons tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly Winburne and of the Monasterie Wenburnminster and from hence to Dorcester are counted sixteene miles just so many as the Emperour Antonine in his Itinerarie reckoneth betweene Vindogladia and Durnovaria The name as I conjecture it taketh of the scituation because it is seated betweene two rivers for so in the British tongue Windugledy soundeth as much as betweene two Swords now that the Britaines by a peculiar phrase of their owne terme rivers Swords it appeareth by Aberdugledian the British name of Milford Haven which is as much to say as the mouth of two rivers for that two rivers named with them Gledian that is Swords runne into it The latter name also of this town seemeth to be set from Rivers For Winburn is compounded of Vin a parcell of the old name and the Saxon word Burne which among them betokeneth a river and by the addition thereof the Saxons were wont to name places standing upon rivers The very town it selfe is seated upon the piece of an hill large in compasse replenished with Inhabitants but few faire buildings In the Saxons time right famous it was and much frequented for no other cause I believe but for that in those daies there remained divers tokens of the Romans majestie In the yeare 713. Cuthburga sister to Ina King of the West-Saxons when upon a loathing wearinesse of wedlocke she had sued out a Divorce from her owne husband King of Northumberland built heere a Nunnerie which yeilded unto the injurie of time and fallen to decay there arose in the very place thereof a new Church with a faire Vault beneath under the quier and an high spire besides the Toure-steeple In which were placed Prebendaries in liew of those Nuns Over whom in our fathers daies Reginal Pole was Deane who afterwards being Cardinal and Archbishop of Canteburie over and above the nobilitie of his house for descended he was of the Royall bloud became highly renowned for pietie wisedome and eloquence King Etheldred a right good and vertuous Prince brother of Aelfred slaine in the battell at Wittingham against the Danes lieth enterred in this Church upon whose Tombe which not long since hath beene repaired this new Inscription is to be read IN HOC LOCO QVIESCIT CORPVS S. ETHELDREDI REGIS WEST SAXONVM MARTYRIS QVI ANNO DOMINI DCCC LXXII XXIII APRILIS PER MANVS DANORVM PAGANORVM OCCVBVIT That is Heere lieth at rest the bodie of Etheldred King of the West-Saxons Martyr who died in the yeare of our Lord 872. the 23. of April by the hands of the Danes Infidels Neere unto whom lieth entombed Gertrude Blunt Marchionesse of Excester daughter to William Lord Montjoy and
alwayes called in plaine words Burg-water that is Walters burgh or Burgh-walter and as we may very probably conjecture of that Walter de Duaco or Doway who served under William Conqueror in his wars and received at his hands many faire mannors in this shire Neither carrieth it any other name in that grant or donation whereby Fulke Paynes Lord of Bampton passed the possession of the place over unto William Briwer to curry favour with him being so great a man and so gracious a favourite with King Richard the First This Williams sonne and bearing his name bettered this haven having obtained licence of King Iohn to fortifie a Castle built heere a Fortresse which now time hath wrought her will of and began a bridg which one Strivet a gentleman of Cornwall with infinite cost finished founded also the Hospitall of S. Iohn heere and Dunkeswell Abbay But when this William Briwer the younger left this life without issue in the partition of his heritage it fell to Margaret his sister in right of whose daughter that she had by William De la fort it came to the house of Cadurci or Chaworths and from it hereditarily to the Dukes of Lancaster as some lands heereabout by an other sister came to Breos and so by Cantalupe to Lord Zauch But the greatest honor that this place had was by the title of an Earldome that King Henrie the Eight adorned it withall what time as he created Henrie Doubeney Earle of Bridge-water whose sister Cecilie was married unto Iohn Bourchier the first Earle of Bath out of that house Beneath this some few miles off Parret voideth it selfe into the Severne sea at a wide mouth which as we said Ptolomee called Vzella aestuarium and some even at this day Evelmouth but the old English-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at which place as Marianus mine author writeth Ealstan Bishop of Shirburne about the yeere of Salvation 845. discomfited the Danish forces as they were stragling abroad At the same mouth where we saw Honispell an ancient Mannour of the Coganes men of great fame in the conquest of Ireland there meeteth it another river called of some Brius which ariseth out of that great and wide wood in the East-side of this shire which the Britans named Cort Maur the Saxons Selwood that is by Asserius interpretation The great wood but now not so great This river first visiteth Bruiton to which he leaveth his name a place memorable for that the Mohuns there entombed who built a religious house of the Fitz-Iames runneth a long way by small villages and encreased with some other brooks it watereth goodly grounds untill it meete with softer soile then and there it maketh certaine marshes and meres and when the waters rise environeth a large plot of ground as an Isle so called of old time in the British tongue the Isle of Aualon of Appulis afterwards named Inis Witrin that is The Glassy Isle like as in the Saxon Idiome the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Gloscania Of which a Poet of good antiquity writeth thus Insula pomorum quae fortunata vocatur Ex re nomen habet quia per se singula profert Non opus est illi sâ—lcantibus arva colonis Omnis abest cultus nisi quem natura ministrat Vltró foecundas segetes producit herbas Nataque poma suis praetonso germine sylvis The Apple-Isle and Fortunate folke of the thing so call For of it selfe it bringeth forth corne Forage fruit and all There is no need of country clowns to plough and till the fields Nor seene is any husbandry but that which nature yeelds Of the owne accord there commeth up corne grasse and herbs good store Whole woods there be that apples beare if they be prun'd before In this Isle under a great hill rising in great height with a tower theron which they call the Tor flourished the famous Abbay of Glastenbury the beginning whereof is very ancient setched even from that Ioseph of Arimathaea who enterred the bodie of Iesus Christ and whom Philip the Apostle of the Gaules sent into Britaine for to preach Christ. For thus much both the most ancient records and monuments of this Monasterie testifie and also Patrick the Irish Apostle who lived there a Monke thirtie yeeres in an Epistle of his hath left to memorie Whereupon this place was by our Ancestors named The first land of God The first land of Saints in England The beginning and fountaine of all religion in England The tombe of Saints The mother of Saints The Church founded and built by the Lords Disciples Neither is there any cause why we should much doubt thereof sithence I have shewed before that the beames of Christian religion in the very infancie of the primitive Church were spred and shined upon this Iland yea and Freculphus Lexoviensis hath written that the said Philip conducted barbarous nations neere unto darknesse and bordering just upon the Ocean to the light of knowledge and port of faith But to our Monasterie and that out of Malmesburie his booke touching this matter When that old Cell or litle chappell which Ioseph had built by continuance of time was in the end decaied Devi Bishop of Saint Davids erected a new one in the same place which also in time falling to ruine twelve men comming out of the North part of Britaine repaired it and lastly King Ina who founded a schoole in Rome for the training up and instruction of English youth to the maintenance thereof as also for almes to be distributed at Rome had laid an imposition of Peter-pence upon every house thorowout his realme having demolished it built there a very faire and stately Church to Christ Peter and Paul and under the very highest coping thereof round about caused to bee written these verses Syderei montes speciosa cacumina Sion A Libano geminae flore comante cedri Caelorum portae lati duo lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celsior ille gradu Corda per hunc hominum reserantur astra per illum Quos docet iste stylo suscipit ille polo. Pandit iter coeli hic dogmate clavibus alter Est via cui Paulus janua fida Petrus Hic Petra firma manens ille Architectus habetur Surgit in hijs templum quo placet ara Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat A facie hostili duo propugnacula surgunt Quod fidei turres urbs caput orbis habet Haec pius egregio Rex Ina refertus amore Dona suo populo non moritura dedit Totus in affectu divae pietatis inhaereus Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchi-sedech noster meritó Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae religionis opus Publica jura regens celsa palatia servans Vnica Pontificum gloria norma
Under which betweene the confluences of Avon and Frome there is a plaine beset round about with trees yielding a most pleasant walking place South-east where no rivers are to guard it Robert the base sonne of King Henry the First whom they commonly name Robert Rufus and Consull of Glocester because he was Earle of Glocester built a large and strong Castle for the defence of this Citie and of a pious and devout affection appointed every tenth stone to the building of a Chappell neere unto the Priory of S. Iames which he likewise founded by the Citie side This Robert had to wife Mabile the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon who held this towne by vassalage in Capite of King William Conquerour This Castle was scarcely built when King Stephen besieged it but with lost labour for he was compelled to raise his siege and depart and a few yeares after was imprisoned in the same giving thereby a testimony and proofe how uncertaine the chance of war is Beyond the river Frome which hath a bridge over it at Frome-gate there riseth an high hill with a steepe and crooked ascent so as it is painefull to goe up unto it From whence ye have a most faire and goodly prospect to the Citie and haven underneath This hill in the very top and pitch thereof spreadeth presently into a large greene and even plaine which in the midst is shadowed with a double row and course of trees and among them stands a pulpit of Stone and a Chapell wherein by report lieth enterred Iordan the companion of Augustine the Englishmens Apostle Now it is converted to a Schoole and on both sides to say nothing of the neate and fine houses of private men beautified it is with publike and stately buildings Of the one side was a Collegiat Church called Gaunts of the founder one Henry Gaunt Knight who relinquishing the world in this place betooke himselfe to the service of God but now through the bounty of Thomas Carr a wealthy Citizen converted to the keeping of Orphans on the other side directly over against it stand two Churches dedicated to S. Augustine the one which is the lesse a Parish-Church the other that is greater the Bishops Cathedrall Church endowed with sixe Prebendaries by King Henrie the Eighth the greatest part whereof is now destroied where the Colledge-gate workemanly built carrieth in the front this Inscription REX HENRICVS II. ET DOMINVS ROBERTVS FILIVS HARDINGI FILII REGIS DACIAE HVIVS MONASTERII PRIMI FVNDATORES EXTITERVNT That is King Henry the Second and Lord Robert the sonne of Harding the King of Denmarks sonne were the first founders of of this Monasterie This Robert called by the Normans Fitz-Harding descended of the bloud royall of Denmarke was an Alderman of Bristow of King Henry the Second so entirely beloved that by his meanes Maurice his sonne married the daughter of the Lord of Barkley Whereby his posteritie who flourished in great honor are unto this day called Barons of Barkley and some of them have beene buried in this Church From hence as Avon holdeth on his course there are on each side very high cliffes by nature set there as it were of purpose the one of them which on the East-side overlooketh the river beareth the name of S. Vincents rocke so full of Diamonds that a man may fill whole strikes or bushels of them These are not so much set by because they be so plentious For in bright and transparent colour they match the Indian Diamonds if they passe them not in hardnesse onely they are inferior to them but in that nature her self hath framed them pointed with sixe cornerd or foure cornerd smooth sides I thinke them therefore worthy to be had in greater admiration The other rock also on the West-side is likewise full of Diamonds which by the wonderfull skill and worke of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints for here is the earth of a red colour When Avon hath left these rocks behind him with full channell at length he disengorgeth himselfe into the Severn-sea Then remaineth now to reckon up the Earles and Dukes of this County The first Earle of Somerset by tradition was William de Mâ—hun or Moion who may seeme to be the very same whom Maude the Empresse in a charter whereby she created William de Mandevill Earle of Essex taketh as a witnesse under this name Comes W. de Moion Neither from that time meete we with any expresse and apparent mention of Earles of Somerset unlesse it be in these letters Patents of King Henrie the Third unto Peter de Mawley which that I may draw out the judgement of others I will heere set downe literally Know yee that we have received the homage of our well beloved Vncle William Earle of Sarisbury for all the lands that he holdeth of us principally for the County or Earledom of Somerset which we have given unto him with all appurtenances for his homage and service saving the royaltie to our selves and therefore we will command you that ye see he have full sesine of the foresaid Earledome and all the appurtinances therto and that ye entermeddle not in any thing from henceforth as touching the County or Earledome aforesaid c. And commandement is given to all Earles Barons Knights and Freeholders of the County of Somerset that unto the same Earle they doe fealtie and homage saving their faith and allegiance unto their soveraigne Lord the King and that from henceforth they be intentive and answerable unto him as their Lord. Whether by these words in the Patent he was Earle of Somerset as also of Denshire for of the same William he wrote likewise in the very same words unto Robert de Courtney I leave for other men to judge Under this King Henry the third as wee finde in a booke written in French which pertaineth to the house of the Mohuns Knights it is recorded that Pope Innocentius in a solemne feast ordained Reginald Mohun Earle de Ests that is as the Author doth interpret it Of Somerset by delivering unto him a golden consecrated rose and an yearely pension to be paied upon the high Altar of S. Pauls in London So that this Reginald may seeme to have beene not properly an Earle but an Apostolicall Earle For so were they termed in those daies who had their creation from the Bishop of Rome like as they were called Earles Imperiall whom the Emperor invested and such had power to institute Notaries and Scribes to legitimate such as were base borne c. under certaine conditions A long time after Iohn de Beaufort the base sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Katherine Swineford being made legitimate by King Richard the Second together with his brethren and sister with consent of the Parliament was preferred to the honor of Earle of Somerset and afterwards created Marquesse Dorset but soone after
deprived thereof by King Henrie the Fourth having the title onely of the Earle of Somerset left unto him The said Iohn had three sonnes Henry Earle of Somerset who died in his tender age Iohn created by King Henry the Fifth the first Duke of Somerset who had one sole daughter named Margaret mother to King Henry the Seventh and Edmund who succeeded after his brother in the Dukedome and having beene a certaine time Regent of France being called home and accused for the losse of Normandie after hee had suffred much grievance at the peoples hands in that regard was in that wofull war betweene the houses of Lancaster and Yorke slaine in the first battaile of S. Albans Henrie his sonne being placed in his roome whiles hee served the times siding one while with Yorke and anotherwhile with Lancaster in the battaile at Exham was by those of the houses of Yorke taken prisoner and with the losse of his head paied for his unconstant levitie Edmund his brother succeeded him in his honor who of this family was the last Duke of Somerset and when the whole power of the Lancastrians was discomfited at Tewkesbury was forcibly pulled out of the Church into which all embrued with bloud he fled as into a Sanctuary and then beheaded Thus all the legitimate males of this family being dead and gone first King Henry the Seventh honored with title Edmund his owne son a young child who shortly departed this world afterwards King Henry the Eighth did the like for his base sonne named Henry Fitz-Roy And seeing he had no children King Edward the Sixth invested Sir Edward de Sancto Mauro commonly Seimor with the same honour who being most power-able honorable and loaden with titles for thus went his stile Duke of Somerset Earle of Hertford Vicount Beauchamp Baron Seimor Vncle to the King Governor of the King Protector of his Realmes Dominions and subjects Lieutenant of the forces by land and sea Lord high Treasurer and Earle Marshall of England Captaine of the Isles Gernsey and Iarsey c. Was sodainely overwhelmed as it were by a disport of fortune which never suffereth suddaine over-greatnesse to last long and for a small crime and that upon a nice point subtlely devised and packed by his enemies bereaved both of those dignities and his life withall In this Countie are numbred Parishes 385. WILTONIAE Comitatus herbida Plâ—nicie nobilis vulâ—o will Shire pars olim BELGARVM WILSHIRE WIl-shire which also pertained to the BELGAR called in the English-Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine commly termed Wiltonia taking that denomination of Wilton sometime the chiefe towne like as it of the River Willy is altogether a mediterranean or mid-land country For enclosed it is with Somersetshire on the West Berkshire and Hampshire on the East on the North with Glocestershire and on the South with Dorsetshire and a part of Hampshire A Region which as it breedeth a number of warlike and hardy men who in old time with Cornwall and Denshire together challenged by reason of their manhood and martiall prowesse the prerogative in the English armie of that regiment which should second the maine battell as saith Iohn of Sarisburie in his Polycraticon so is it exceeding fertill and plentifull of all things yea and for the varietie thereof passing pleasant and delightsome The Northern and upper part which they call North-Wilshire riseth up somewhat with delectable hils attired in times past with large and great woods which now begin to grow thinne and watered with cleare rivers For Isis the principall and as it were Prince of all the English Rivers which afterwards taketh to him the name of Tamisis that is Thames being now as yet but little and shallow together with other Rivers of lesse name which I will speake of in their proper places water it plentifully The South part with large grassie plaines feedeth innumerable flocks of sheepe having his Rivers swelling Brookes and rils of everliving fountaines The middest of this shire which for the most part also lieth even and plain is divided overthwart from East to West with a Dike of wonderfull worke cast up for many miles together in length The people dwelling there about call it Wansdike which upon an errour generall received they talke and tell to have beene made by the divell upon a Wednesday For in the Saxon tongue it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The Ditch of Wooden or Mercurie and as it should seeme of Wooden that false imagined God and Father of the English-Saxons But I have alwaies beene perswaded that the Saxons made it as a limit to divide the two Kingdomes of the Mercians and West-Saxons asunder For this was the very place of battell betweene them whiles they strove one with another to enlarge their Dominions And neere unto this Dike standeth Wodensburg a little Village where Ceauline the most warlike King of the West-Saxons in the yeare of grace 590. whiles hee defended his Marches in a bloudy fight received such a foile and overthrow by the Britans and Englishmen that he was forced to flie his countrey and to end his daies in exile a pitious and lamentable spectacle even to his very enemies And at this Dike to say nothing of other accidents Ina the West-Saxon and Ceolred the Mercian joyned battell and departed the field on even hand Like to this was that ditch whereby King Offa kept the Britans off from his Mercians called even at this day Offa-dike others also are still to be seene among the East-Angles in Cambridgeshire and Suffolke wherewith they limited their territory and defended themselves from the inrodes and invasions of the Mercians In the North-part of Wilshire which is watered with Isis or the Thames there is a towne called Creckelade by Marianus by others Greekelade of Greeke Philosophers as some are ready to beleeve who as the historie of Oxford reporteth began there an Universitie which afterwards was translated to Oxford West from that is Highworth highly seated a well knowne Market but South from Creckelade I saw Lediard Tregoze the seat of the Familie of Saint-Iohn Knights the which Margaret de Bello Campo or Beauchamp afterwards Duchesse of Somerset gave to Oliver of Saint Iohn her second sonne For to her it came as an inheritance by Patishul Grandison and Tregoze names of great honour Wotton Basset bordeth hard upon this having this primitive name from Wood the addition doth prove that it belonged to the Noble house of the Bassets But in the latter fore-going age it was as I have heard say the habitation of the Duke of Yorke who made there a verie large Parke for to enclose Deere in From hence Breden wood now Breden Forrest stretched it selfe farre and wide which in the yeare 905. by Ethelwald Clyto and the Danes that aided him was laid waste and the Inhabitants endured all calamities of warre On the West side whereof the River Avon above mentioned
nations that every souldier remaining alive after a foughten field should carry his head-piece full of earth toward the making of their fellowes tombes that were slaine Although I am of opinion rather that this of Selburie was set there in stead of a limit if not by the Romans then certainly by the Saxons Like as that fosse called Wodensdike considering that betweene the Mercians and the West-Saxons there was much bickering in this Shire many a time about their Marches and both Boetius and the Grammaticall Writers have made mention of such Mounts raised for bounds Within one mile of Selburie is Aiburie an up-landish village built in an old Campe as it seemeth but of no large compasse for it is environed with a faire trench and hath foure gappes as gates in two of the which stand huge Stones as jambes but so rude that they seeme rather naturall than artificiall of which sort there are some other in the said village This River Kenet runneth at the first Eastward through certaine open fields out of which there stand up aloft every where stones like rockes and off them a little village there is called Rockley among which there breaketh out sometimes at unawares water in manner of a streame or sudden Land-flood reputed the messenger as it were and forerunner of a dearth and is by the rusticall people of the countrey called Hunger-borne From hence Kenet holdeth on his course to a towne bearing his name called of Antoninus CVNETIO and is placed from Verlucio twenty miles At which distance just from thence that ancient towne called by a new name Marleborow in old time Marleberge standeth upon this river Cunetio now Kenet stretching out East and West on the pendant of an hill Whether this name Marleborow came in latter ages of Marga which in our language we call Marle and use in stead of dung to manure our grounds I am not ready to affirme Certes it lieth neere a chaulkey hill which our Ancestours before they borrowed this name Chaulke of the Latine word Calx named Marle But the Etymologie thereof that Alexander Necham in his Booke of divine wisedome hath coined and drawne from Merlins Tombe as appeareth by this Distichon of his making is ridiculous Merlini tumulus tibi Merlebrigia nomen Fecit testis erit Anglica lingua mihi O Merlebridge towne of Merlins Tombe thou had'st thy name Our English tongue will testifie with me the same The fatall end of this towne Cunetio and the name together and the estate thereof with the ancient memorie also from the comming in of the Saxons unto the Normans time is utterly vanished and gone for in all this space betweene our histories doe not so much as once name it But in the age next ensuing wee reade that Iohn surnamed Sine terra that is Without Land who afterwards was King of England had a Castle heere which when hee revolted from his brother King Richard the First Hubert Archbishop of Canterburie tooke by force and which afterwards was most famous by reason of a Parliament there holden wherein by a generall consent of the States of the Kingdome there assembled a law passed for the appeasing of all tumults commonly called the Satute of Marleborow But now being daunted by time there remaineth an heape of rammell and rubbish witnessing the ruines thereof and some few reliques of the walles remaine within the compasse of a drie ditch and an Inne there is adjoyning thereto which in stead of the Castle hath the signe of a Castle hanging out at it The Inhabitants of the place have nothing to make greater shew of than in the Church of Preshut hard by of a Christning Font as it seemeth of Touchstone or of Obsidian stone in which by their report certaine Princes I wot not who were in times past baptized and made Christians Neither verily can I conceale that which I have read that every Burger heere admitted is by an old order and custome among them to present unto the Major a brace of hounds for the hare a couple of white Capons and a white Bull. On the same River and the same side thereof is seated Ramsburie a prettie village having nothing now to commend it but pleasant meadowes about it howsoever in old time famous it was for the Bishops See there who had this Shire for their Diocesse but that seate being by Herman the Eighth Bishop laid unto that of Shirburne and at length as I said before translated to Saliburie carried away with it all the name and reputation of this place because at Ramesburie there was never any Covent of Clerkes nor ought for their maintenance From the other side of the River more Eastward Littlecot sheweth it selfe not long since a seate of the Darels a place worthy to bee remembred for the late Lord thereof Sir Iohn Popham who being the chiefe Iudge in the Kings Bench executed justice as I have said already against malefactors to his high praise and commendation And heereby runneth the limit betweene this Shire and Berkshire Thus farre forth have we taken a slight view and survey of Wilshire which as wee find in the Domesday booke and worth the noting it is paide unto the King tenne pounds for an Hawke twentie shillings for a strong Steed for hey one hundred shillings and five ores now what kind a piece of money and of what kind that Ore was I wot not but out of a Register of Burton Monasterie I have observed thus much that twentie Ores are worth two Markes of silver This province can reckon out of divers and sundry houses but few Earles besides those of Salisburie whom I have named before for to omit Weolsthan before the Normans Conquest it had none to my knowledge unto King Richard the Second his daies who preferred William le Scrope to that one honour But this mans good fortunes stood and fell together with his Prince For when the one was deposed the other lost his head After whom within short time succeeded Iames Butler Earle of Ormund advanced to that dignitie by King Henrie the Sixth Howbeit when the Lancastrians were downe the wind and hee was attainted his estate forfeited and Iohn Stafford a younger sonne of Humfrey Duke of Buckingham by the favour of King Edward the Fourth received this title whose sonne Edward succeeded him and died without issue The same honour afterwards King Henrie the Eighth bestowed upon Henrie Stafford of the same house of Buckingham who having enjoyed it a little while departed likewise and left no children behind him In the end the favour of the said King brought it into the family of the Bullens for Thomas Bullen Vicount Rochfort Sonne to one of the Daughters and coheires of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormund hee created Earle of Wilshire whose Daughter Anne the King tooke to wife A marriage this was to her selfe and her brother unhappie and deadly to her Parents wofull but
menaces and censures were sent out from the Bishop of Rome against these Archbishops For these Monkes were in bodily feare least this would bee their utter undoing and a prejudice unto them in the Elections of the Archbishops Neither were these blustering stormes allaied untill the said Church newly begunne was laid levell with the ground Adjoyning hard to this is the most famous mercate towne and place of trade in all this shire which at this day they call The Burrough of Southwarke in Saxon speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Southworke or building because it standeth South over against London the Suburbs whereof it may seeme in some sort to bee but so large it is and populous that it gives place to few Cities of England having beene as it were a corporation by it selfe it had in our fathers daies Bayliffes but in the reigne of King Edward the Sixth it was annexed to the Citie of London and is at this day taken for a member as it were of it and therefore when wee are come to London wee will speake more at large thereof Beneath this Burrough the Tamis forsaketh Surry the East bound whereof passeth in a manner directly downe from hence Southward neere unto Lagham which had their Parliamentarie Barons called Saint Iohn de Lagham in the reigne of Edward the First whose Inheritance came at length by an heire generall to Iohn Leddiard and some-what lower in the very angle well neere where it bendeth to Southsex and Kent stands Streborow Castle the seate in ancient time of Lord Cobham who of it were called of Sterborow where the issue proceeding from the bodies of Iohn Cobham Lord of Cobham and Cowling and the daughter of Hugh Nevil flourished a long time in glory and dignitie For Reginald Cobham in King Edward the thirds daies being created Knight of the Garter was Admirall of the sea-coasts from Tamis mouth West-ward But Thomas the last male of that line wedded the Lady Anne daughter to Humfrey the Duke of Buckingham of whom he begat one onely daughter named Anne married unto Edward Burgh who derived his pedigree from the Percies and Earles of Athole whose sonne Thomas made by King Henry the Eighth Baron Burgh left a sonne behind him named William And his sonne Thomas a great favourer of learning and Lord Governour of Briell Queeene Elizabeth made Knight of the Garter and Lord Deputy of Ireland where hee honourably ended his life pursuing the rebels As touching Dame Eleanor Cobham descended out of this family the wife of Humfrey Duke of Glocester whose reputation had a flawe I referre you to the English Historie if you please Now are wee to reckon up the Earles of this shire William Rufus King of England made William de Warrena who had married his sister the first Earle of Surrey For in that Charter of his by which hee founded the Priory of Lewis thus wee read Donavi c. that is I have given and granted c. For the life and health of my Lord King William who brought mee into England and for the health of my Lady Queene Mawd my wives mother and for the life and health of my Lord King William her sonne after whose comming into England I made this charter who also created me Earle of Surry c. whose sonne William succeeded and married the daughter of Hugh Earle of Vermandois whereupon his posteritie as some suppose used the Armes of Vermandois vz. Chequy Or and Azure His sonne VVilliam dying in the Holy-land about the yeare 1148. had issue a daughter onely who adorned first William King Stephens sonne and afterward Hamelin the base sonne of Gefferey Plantagenet Earle of Anjou both her husbands with the same title But whereas her former husband died without issue William her sonne by Hamelin was Earle of Surry whose posterie assuming unto them the name of Warrens bare the same title This William espoused the eldest daughter and a coheire of William Marescall Earle of Pembroch the widow of Hugh Bigod who bare unto him Iohn who slew Alan de la Zouch in presence of the Judges of the Realme This Iohn of Alice the daughter of Hugh le Brune halfe sister by the mothers side of King Henry the third begat William who died before his father and hee of Ioan Vere the Earle of Oxfords daughter begat Iohn Posthumus borne after his decease and the last Earle of this house who was stiled as I have seene in the circumscription of his seale Earle of Warren of Surry and of Strathern in Scotland Lord of Bromfield and of Yale and Count-palatine But hee dying without lawfull issue in the twelfth yeare of Edward the thirds raigne Alice his sister and heire wedded unto Edmund Earle of Arundell by her marriage brought this honour of Surrey into the house of Arundells For Richard their sonne who married in the house of Lancaster after his father was wickedly beheaded for siding with his Soveraigne King Edward the Second by the malignant envie of the Queene was both Earle of Arundell and Surrey and left both Earledomes to Richard his sonne who contrary-wise lost his head for siding against his soveraigne King Richard the Second But Thomas his sonne to repaire his fathers dishonour lost his life for his Prince and country in France leaving his sisters his heires for the lands not entailed who were married to Thomas Mowbraie Duke of Norfolke c. to Sir Powland Lenthall and Sir William Beauchampe Lord of Abergeveny After by the Mowbraies the title of Surrey came at length to the Howards Howbeit in the meane while after the execution of Richard Earle of Arundell King Richard the Second bestowed the title of Duke of Surry upon Thomas Holland Earle of Kent which honour he enjoyed not long For while hee combined with others by privie conspiracies to restore the same King Richard to his libertie and kingdome the conspiracie was not carried so secretly but contrary to his expectation brake forth and came to light then fled hee and by the people of Cirencester was intercepted and cut shorter by the head After him Thomas Beaufort Chancellour to the King if we give credit to Thomas Walsingham bare this dignity For in the yeare of our Lord as hee saith 1410. The Lord Thomas Beaufort Earle of Surrey left this world Now let Walsingham in this point make good that which he writeth for in the Kings Records there is no such thing found but onely this that Thomas Beaufort about that time was made Lord Chancellour But certaine it is and that out of the Records of the Kingdome that King Henry the Sixth in the nine and twentie yeare of his raigne created Iohn Mowbray the sonne of Iohn Duke of Norfolke Earle Warren and of Surry And Richard second sonne of King Edward the Fourth having married the heire of Mowbray received all the titles due to the Mowbraies by creation from his father Afterward King Richard the Third having dispatched the
long inhabited with a warlike people and skilfull sailers well stored with barkes and craies and gained much by fishing which is plentifull along the shore But after that the peere made of timber was at length violently carried away by extreame rage of the sea it hath decaied and the fishing lesse used by the reason of the dangerous landing for they are enforced to worke their vessels to land by a Capstall or Craine In which respect for the bettering of the towne Queene Elizabeth granted a contribution toward the making of a new harbour which was begun but the contribution was quickly converted into private purses and the publike good neglected Neverthelesse both Court the Countrey and Citie of London is served with much fish from thence The whole Rape of Hastings and the Honour was holden by the Earles of Ew commonly called de Augi in Normandie descended from the base sonne of Richard the First Duke of Normandie untill the daies of Alice the heire of the house whom in the reigne of Henrie the Third Ralph de Issodun in France tooke to wife whose posteritie lost a faire patrimonie in England for that as our Lawyers spake in those daies they were Ad fidem Regis Franciae that is under the king of France his allegiance When King Henry the third had seazed their lands into his hands hee granted the Rape of Hastings first to Peter Earle of Savoy then to Prince Edward his sonne and after upon his surrender to Iohn sonne to the Duke of little Britaine upon certaine exchanges of lands pertaining to the Honour of Richmond which Peter Earle of Savoy had made over for the use of the Prince Long time after when the Duke of Britaine had lost their lands in England for adhering to the French King King Henrie the Fourth gave the Rape of Hastings with the Manour of Crowherst Burgwash c. to Sir Iohn Pelham the elder upon whose loialtie wisedome and valour he much relied Before we depart from Hastings as it shall not bee offensive I hope to remember that in the first daies of the Normans there were in this shire great gentlemen surnamed Hastings de Hastings of whom Mathew de Hastings held the Manour of Grenocle in this service that he should find at this haven an oaâ—e when the kings would crosse over the seas so now the honourable house of the Hastings that are Earles of Huntingdon enjoy this title of Hastings For King Edward the Fourth bestowed this title with certaine Royalties as they terme them upon Sir William Hastings his Chamberlaine Who is by Cominaus commended for that having received an yearely pension of Lewis the eleaventh the French King hee could not for any thing bee brought to give unto the French King an acquittance of his owne hand writing I will in no case saith hee that my hand-writing bee seene amongst the accounts of the French Kings Treasure But this man by diving so deepe into the friendship of Kings overwhelmed and drowned himselfe quite For whiles hee spake his minde and reasoned over franckly at a private consultation with the Usurper King Richard the Third all of a sodaine and unlooked for had hee was away and without pleading for himselfe presently made shorter by the head upon the next blocke Neither is this to be passed over in silence that King Henrie the Sixth adorned Sir Thomas Hoo a worthy knight whom hee also chose into the order of the Garter with the title of Baron Hoo and Hastings whose daughters and heires were married to Sir Gefferie Bollen from whence by the mothers side Queene ELIZABETH was descended to Roger Coplie to Iohn Carew Iohn Devenish From thence the shore passing under Farley hill farre seene both by sea and land whereon standeth a solitary Church full bleakly and a beacon is hollowed with an in-winding Bay and upon it standeth Winchelsey which was built in the time of King Edward the Frst when a more ancient towne of the same name in the Saxons tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was quite swallowed up with the rough and raging Ocean in the yeare of our Lord 1250. what time the face of the earth both heere and also in the coast of Kent neere bordering became much changed The situation thereof I will set before your eyes in the very words of Th. Walsingham Situate it is upon a high hill very steepe on that side which either looketh toward the sea or over-looketh the rode where ships lie at anchor Whence it is that the way leading from that part to the haven goeth not streight forward least it should by an over sodaine and downe right descent force those that goe downe to fall headlong or them that goe up to creepe rather with their hands then to walke but lying side-waies it windeth with curving turnes in and out to one side and the other At first it was inclosed with a rampier after-wards with strong wals and scarce beganne it to flourish when it was sacked by the French men and Spaniards and by reason that the sea shrunke backe from it began sodainely as it were to fade and loose the beauty And now only beareth the countenance of a faire towne and hath under it in the levell which the sea relinquished a Castle fortified by Henrie the Eighth and large marshes defended from sea-rages with workes very chargeably By the decay hereof and the benefit of the sea together Rhie opposite unto it and as highly seated began to flourish or rather to reflourish For that in old time it flourished and that William of Ipres Earle of Kent fortified it Ipres Tower now the prison and the immunities or priviledges that it had in common with the Cinque-ports may sufficiently shew But by occasion of the Vicinity of Winchelsey or the shrinking backe of the sea it lay for a good while in former ages unknowne But when Winchelsey decaied and King Edward the Third walled it where the cliffes defended it not it beganne to breath againe and revive and in our fathers daies the sea to make amends aboundantly for the harmes it had done raised with an unusuall tempest so rushed in and insinuated it selfe in forme of a bay that it made a very commodious haven which another tempest also in our daies did not a little helpe Since which time it greatly reflourished with inhabitants buildings fishing and navigation and at this day there is an usuall passage from hence into Normandie yet now it beginneth to complaine that the sea abandoneth it such is the variable and interchangeable course of that element and in part imputeth it that the river Rother is not contained in his channell and so looseth his force to carry away the sands and beach which the sea doth inbeate into the haven Notwithstanding it hath many fishing vessels and serveth London and the Court with varietie of sea-fish Now whether it have the name of Riue a Norman
word which signifieth a strond or Banke I cannot easily say But seeing that in Records it is very often called in Latine Ripa and they who bring fish from hence be termed Ripiers I encline rather this way and would encline more if the Frenchmen used this word for a stroud or shore as Plinius doth Ripa These two townes neither may it seeme impertinent to note it belonged to the Abbey of Fescampe in Normandie But when King Henry the Third perceived that religious men intermingled secretly in matters of State he gave them in exchange for these two Chiltenham and Sclover two Manours in Glocester-shire and other lands adding for the reason that the Abbat and Monkes might not lawfully fight with temporall armes against the enemies of the Crowne Into this haven the River Rother or Rither sheddeth it selfe which issuing forth at Ritheram fieldes for so the Englishmen in ancient times called that towne which wee doe Rotherfield passeth by Burgwash in old time Burghersh which had Lords so surnamed thereof among whom was that Sir Bartholomew Burgwash a mightie man in his time who being approved in most weighty Ambassages and warres in Aquitaine for his wisedome and valour deserved to be created a Baron of the Realme to be admitted into the Order of the Garter at the very first institution even among the Founders thereof and to bee made Constable of Dover Castle and Warden of the Cinque-ports And his sonne carrying the same fore-name not degenerating from his father lived in high honour and estimation but hee left behind him one daughter and no more issue married into the house of Le Despencer of which there remaineth still a goodly of-spring of Noble personages Echingham next adjoyning had also a Baron named William de Echingham in the time of King Edward the Second whose ancestours were the hereditarie Seneschals of this Rape And their inheritance in the end by the heires females name to the Barons of Windsor and to the Tirwhits Then the Rother dividing his water into three channels passeth under Roberts bridge where Alured de S. Martin in King Henrie the seconds daies founded a Monasterie and so running beside Bodiam a Castle belonging to the ancient Family of the Lewknors built by the Dalegrigs here falleth as I said into the Ocean Now I have passed along the Sea coast of Sussex And as for the mid-land part of the shire I have nothing more to relate thereof unlesse I should recount the woods and forrests lying out faire in length and breadth which are a remnant of the vast wood Anderida Among which to begin at the West those of greatest note are these The forrest of Arundill Saint Leonards forrest Word forrest and not farre off East Gren-sted anciently a parcell of the Barony of Eagle and made a Mercate by King Henry the seventh Ashdowne forrest under which standeth Buckhurst the habitation of the ancient house of the Sackviles out of which race Queene Elizabeth in our daies aduanced Thomas Sackvile her allie by the Bollens a wise Gentleman to be Baron of Buckhurst took him into her Privie Councell admitted him into the most honorable Order of the Garter and made him Lord Treasurer of England whom also of late K. Iames created Earle of Dorset Waterdown forrest where I saw Eridge a lodg of the Lord Abergevenny and by it craggie rocks rising up so thicke as though sporting nature had there purposed a sea Here-by in the very confines of Kent is Groomebridge an habitation of the Wallers whose house there was built by Charles Duke of Orleance father to K. Lewis the 12. of France when he being taken prisoner in the battaile at Agincourt by Richard Waller of this place was here a long time detained prisoner As touching the Earles Sussex had five by the line of Albiney who were likewise called Earles of Arundell but had the third pennie of Sussex as Earles then had The first of them was William D' Albiney the sonne of William Butler to King Henrie the first and Lord of Buckenham in Norfolk who gave for his armes Gules a Lion rampant Or and was called one while Earle of Arundell and another while Earle of Chichester for that in those places he kept his chiefe residence This man of Adeliz the daughter of Godfrey Barbatus Duke of Lorraine and of Brabant Queen Dowager or Widdow of K. Henrie the First begat William the second Earle of Sussex and of Arundell father to William the third Earle unto whom Mabile the sister and one of the heires of the last Raulph Earle of Chester bare William the fourth Earle Hugh the fifth who both died without issue and also foure daughters married unto Sir Robert Yateshall Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Sir Roger de Somery and Sir Robert de Mount-hault After this the title of Arundell budded forth againe as I said before in the Fitz-Alans but that of Sussex lay hidden and lost unto this our age which hath seene five Ratcliffes descended of the most Noble house of the Fitz-walters that derived their pedigree from the Clares bearing that honour to wit Robert created Earle of Sussex by King Henrie the Eight who wedded Elizabeth daughter of Henry Stafford Earle of Buckingham of whom he begat Henrie the second Earle unto whom Elizabeth the daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk brought forth Thomas who being Lord Chamberlaine to Queene Elizabeth died without issue a most worthy and honourable personage in whose mind were seated joyntly both politike wisedome and martiall prowesse as England and Ireland acknowledged Him succeeded Sir Henrie his brother and after him Robert his onely sonne now in his flower This Province containeth parishes 312. THus farre of Sussex which together with Suth-rey was the habitation of the Regni in the time of the Britaines and afterwards the kingdome of the South-Saxons called in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the two and thirty yeare after the Saxons comming was begun by Ella who as Beda writeth First among the Kings of the English Nation ruled all their Southern Provinces which are severed by the River Humber and the limits adjoyning thereto The first Christian King was Edilwalch baptized in the presence of Wulpher King of Mercia his Godfather and he in signe of adoption gave unto him two Provinces namely the Isle of Wight and the Province of the Meanvari But in the 306. yeare after the beginning of this Kingdome when Aldinius the last King was slaine by Ina King of West-Saxons it came wholly under the Dominion of the West-Saxons CANTIVM NOw am I come to Kent which Countrey although master WILLIAM LAMBARD a man right well endued with excellent learning and as godly vertues hath so lively depainted out in a full volume that his painefull felicitie in that kind bath left little or nothing for others yet according to the project of this worke which I have taken in hand I will runne it over also and
least any man should thinke that as the Comicall Poet saith I deale by way of close pilfering I willingly acknowledge him and deserve he doth no lesse to have beene my foundation and fountaine both of all well-neere that I shall say Time as yet hath not bereft this Region of the ancient name but as it was called CANTIVM by Cesar Strabo Diodorus Siculus Ptolomee and others so that Saxons named it as Ninnius witnesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The countrey of the people inhabiting Cantium and wee Kent This name master Lambard deriveth from Caine which among the Britaines soundeth as much as a greene Bough because in old time it was shadowed with woods But it may be lawfull for mee to put in my conjecture whereas Britaine heere runneth out with a mightie nooke or corner into the East and I have observed that such a kind of nooke in Scotland is called Cantir Againe that the Inhabitants of another Angle in that part of the Island are by Ptolomee termed Cantae as also that the Cangani in Wales were possessed of another corner to say nothing of the Cantabri who likewise dwelt in an angle among the Celtiberians who as they came from one originall so likewise they were of the same language with our Britans I would guesse that the name was given by reason of the forme and scituation and so much the rather both for that our Frenchmen have used Canton for a Corner and that as it is probable from the old Language of the Gauls for it comes not from the Germane or Latine tongue which together with that old tongue be the mothers of this latter French tongue and also because this Countrey by all the old Geographers is called Angulus For it looketh full upon France with a huge Angle compassed with the aestuarie of Tamis and with the Ocean sea saving that Westward it hath Surrey and southward Sussex to confine upon it KENT THe Region which we call Kent extendeth it selfe in length from West to East fifty miles and from South to North 26. For scituation it is not uniforme as being more plaine toward the West and full of shady woods but higher Eastward by reason of hils mounting up with easie ascents The Inhabitants distinguish it as it lyeth South-east-ward from the Tamis into three plots or portions they call them steps or degrees the upper whereof lying upon Tamis they say is healthfull but not so wealthy the middle they account both healthfull and plentifull the lower they hold to bee wealthy but not healthy as which for a great part thereof is very moist yet it bringeth forth ranke grasse in great plenty Howbeit every where almost it is full of meadowes pastures and cornefields abounding wonderfully in apple-trees and cherrie-trees also which being brought out of Pontus into Italie in the 608. yeare after the foundation of Rome and in the 120. yeare after translated from thence into Britaine prosper heere exceeding well and take up many plots of land the trees being planted after a direct manner one against another by square most pleasant to behold It hath villages and townes standing exceeding thicke and well peopled safe rodes and sure harbours for ships with some veines of iron and marle but the aire is somewhat thicke and somewhere foggie by reason of vapours rising out of the waters At a word the revenues of the Inhabitants are greater both by the fertilitie of the soile and also by the neighbourhood of a great citie of a great river and the maine sea The same commendation of civilitie and courtesie which Cesar in old time gave the Inhabitants is yet of right due unto them that I may not speake of their warlike prowesse whereas a certaine Monke hath written How the Kentishmen so farre excelled that when our armies are ready to joyne battaile they of all Englishmen are worthily placed in the Front as being reputed the most valiant and resolute souldiers Which Iohn of Salisburie verifieth also in his Polycraticon For good desert saith he of that notable valour which Kent shewed so puissantly and patiently against the Danes it retaineth still unto these daies in all battailes the honour of the first and fore-ward yea and of the first conflict with the enemie In praise of whom William of Malmesbury hath likewise written thus The country people and towne-dwellers of Kent above all other Englishmen retaine still the resent of their ancient worthinesse And as they are more forward and readier to give honour and etertainment to others so they be more slow to take revenge upon others Cesar to speake briefly by way of Preface before I come to describe the particular places when he first attempted the conquest of our Island arrived at this countrey but being by the Kentish Britans kept from landing obtained the shore not without a fierce encounter When he made afterward his second voyage hither here likewise hee landed his armie and the Britaine 's with their horsemen and wagons encountred them couragiously but beeing soone by the Romans repulsed they withdrew themselves into the woods After this they skirmished sharpely with the Roman Cavallery in their march yet so as the Romans had every way the upper hand Also within a while after they charged the Romans againe and most resolutely brake through the midst of them and having slaine Laberius Durus Marshall of the field retired safe and the morrow after set upon the Foragers and victualers of the campe c. which I have briefly related before out of Cesars owne Commentaries At which time Cyngetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax were great Commanders of Kent whom he because he would be thought to have vanquished Kings termeth Kings whereas indeed they were but Lords of the countrey or Noble men of the better marke CANTIVM Quod nunc KENT But when the Romans were departed quite out of Britaine Vortigern who bare soveraigne rule in the greatest part of Britaine placed over Kent a Guorong that is to say a Vice Roy or Freed man under him and unwitting to him hee forthwith freely granted this region as Ninnius and William of Malmesbury write unto Hengist the Saxon for his daughter Rowens sake upon whom hee was exceedingly enamoured Hence it came that the first Saxon Kingdome erected in Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 456. was called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kingdome of the Kentishmen which after three hundred and twenty yeares when Baldred their last King was subdued fell to bee under the Dominion of the West Saxons to whom it continued subject untill the Normans Conquest For then if we may beleeve Thomas Spot the Monke for none of the more ancient Writers have recorded it the Yeomanrie of Kent at Swanes-comb a village this is where they say Suene the Dane sometime pitched his campe carrying before them in their hands every one a great greene bough representing a farre of a moving wood yeilded themselves
Surrey Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon late Duke of Excester Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisbury Thomas de Spenser Earle of Glocester and others who being by him dispoiled of their honors and maligning his usurpation conspired to take away his life and here by the townesmen intercepted were some of them slaine outright and others beheaded The river Churne when it hath left Circester behinde him six miles neere to Dounamveny an ancient seate of the Hungerfords joyneth with Isis. For ISIS commonly called Ouse that it might bee by originall of Glocester-shire hath his head there and with lively springs floweth out of the South border of this shire nere unto Torleton an upland Village not farre from that famous Port-way called the Fosse This is that Isis which afterwards entertaineth Tame and by a compound word is called Tamisis Soveraigne as it were of all the Britain Rivers in Britaine of which a man may well and truely say as ancient Writers did of Euphrates in the East part of the World that it doth both Sow and Water the best part of Britaine The poeticall description of whose Source or first head I have heere put downe out of a Poem entituled The Marriage of Tame and Isis which whether you admit or omit it skilleth but little Lanigeros quà lata greges Cotswaldia pascit Crescit in colles faciles visura Dobunos Haud procul à Fossa longo spelunca recessu Cernitur abrupti surgente crepidine clivi Cujus inauratis resplendent limina tophis Atria tegit ebur tectúmque Gagate Britanno Emicat alterno solidantur pumice postes Materiam sed vincit opus cedúntque labori Artifici tophus pumex ebur atque Gagates Pingitur hinc vitrei moder atrix Cynthia regni Passibus obliquis volventia sydera lustrans Oceano tellus conjuncta marita marito Illinc caelatur fraternáque flumina Ganges Nilus Amazonius tractúsque binominis Istri Vicini Rheni sed his intermicat auro Vellere Phrixaeâ— dives redimitáque spicis Clara triumphatis erecta BRITANNIA Gallis c. Vndoso hîc solio residet regnator aquarum ISIS fluminea qui majestate verendus Caeruleo gremio â—esupinat prodigus urnam Intonsos crines iâ—vis arundine cinctus Cornua cana liquâ—nt fluitantia lumina lymphis Dispergunt lucem propexa in pectore barba Tota madet toto distillant corpore guttae Et salientis aquae prorumpunt undique venae Pisciculi liquidis penetralibus undique ludunt Plurimus cygnus niveis argenteus alis Pervolitat circum c. Where Cotswald spred abroad doth lie and feed faire flocks of sheepe And Dobunes for to see in downes ariseth nothing steepe Within a nouke along not much the Fosse and it betweene Just at the rising of a banke upright a Cave is seene Whereof the entry glistereth with soft stones richly guilt The Haull is seel'd with Ivory the roufe aloft ybuilt Of Geat the best that Britaine yeelds The pillers very strong With Pumish laid each other course are raised all along The stuffe full faire yet Art doth it surpasse and to the feate Of Artisan give place the gold stones Yv'ry and Geat Heere painted is the Moone that rules the Sea like Chrystall Glasse As she through rolling Signes above with traverse course doth passe And there againe enchaced are both land and Ocean wide Conjoyn'd as man and wife in one with Rivers great beside Like brethren all as Ganges rich strange Nilus Tanais Yea and the course of Ister large which double named is Of Rhene also a neighbour streame And heere bedight in gold Among them glitt'reth Britanny with riches manifold Of golden fleece a Coronet of Wheat-eares she doth weare And for her triumph over France her head aloft doth reare c. In waving Throne heere sits the King of waters all and some ISIS who in that Majestie which Rivers doth become All rev'rend from his watchet lap powr's forth his streame amaine With weed and reed his haires tuckt up that grow both long and plaine His hoary hornes distilling runne with water stand his eyes And shoot from them a lustre farre his kembed beard likewise Downe to the brest wet-through doth reach his body drops againe All over and on every side breakes out some water veine In secret watrish room 's within the little fishes play And many a silver Swan besides his white wings doth display And flutter round about c. As touching the Earles of Glocester some there be who have thrust upon us one William Fitz-Eustace for the first Earle who this was I have not yet found and I verily beleeve hee is yet unborne But that which I have found I will not conceale from the Reader About the comming in of the Normans wee reade that one Bithricke an English Saxon was Lord of Glocester whom Maud wife to William Conquerour upon a secret rankor and hatred conceived against him for his contempt of her beauty for Bithrick had before time refused to marry her troubled and molested most maliciously And when shee had at length cast him in Prison Robert Fitz-Haimon Lord of Corboile in Normandy was by the King endowed with his possessions who in a battaile having received a wound with the push of a pike upon the temples of his head had his wits crackt therewith and survived a good while after as a man bestraught and madde His daughter Mabil whom others name Sibill Robert the base sonne of King Henry the First by the intercession of his father obtained for his wife but not before he had made him Earle of Glocester This is hee who is called commonly by Writers The Consull of Glocester A man of an haughty valorous minde and undaunted heart as any one in that age and who being never dejected with any adversity wanne great praise for his fidelity and worthy exploits in the behalfe of his sister Maude the Empresse against Stephen then usurping the Crowne of England This honourable Title left he unto his son William who dejected with comfortlesse griefe when death had deprived him of his onely son and heire assured his estate with his eldest daughter to Iohn son to King Henry the Second with certaine provisoes for his other daughters Yet his three daughters brought this Earldome into as many families For Iohn when he had obtained the Kingdome repudiated her upon pretenses as well that she was barren as that they were within prohibited degrees of consanguinity and reserving the Castle of Bristow to himselfe after some time passed over his repudiated wife with the Honor of Glocester to Geffrey Mandevil son of Geffrey Fitz Peter Earle of Essex for 20000. markes who thus over-marrying himselfe was greatly impoverished and wounded in Tournament died soone after issuelesse and she being remarried to Hubert of Burgh died immediately Then K. Iohn upon an exchange granted the Earldome of Glocester to Almary Earle of Eureux son to the eldest daughter of the foresaid E.
erected and whose immortall soules in them doe speake to the end that Time might not have power and prevaile against men of worth and the desires of mortall men might be satisfied who do all long to know what their persons and presence were The Earle of Dorset late Chancellor of this Vniversity that he might also leave some memoriall of himselfe hath in the very place dedicated unto Sir Thomas Bodley so passing well deserving of the Learned Common-wealth his representation with this inscription THOMAS SACKUILLUS DORSETTIAE COMES SUMMUS ANGLIAE THESAURARIUS ET HUJUS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIUS THOMAE BODLEIO EQUITI AURATO QUI BIBLIO THE CAM HANC INSTITUIT HONORIS CAUSSA PIE POSUIT That is THOMAS SACKUIL EARLE OF DORSET LORD HIGH TREASURER OF ENGLAND AND CHANCELOR OF THIS UNIVERSITIE UNTO SIR THOMAS BODLEY KNIGHT WHO INSTITUTED THIS LIBRARY OF A PIOUS MIND ERECTED THIS MONUMENT TO DO HIM HONOUR In the Raigne of Henry the Seventh for the better advancement of learning William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built new out of the ground Brasen Nose College which that good and godly old man Master Alexander Nowell Deane of Saint Paules in London lately augmented with Revenewes and Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected likewise that which is named Corpus Christi College and Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke following their example beganne another where the Monastery of Frideswide stood the most stately and fairest of them all for Professors and 200. Students which Henry the Eighth joyning unto it Canterbury College assigned to a Deane Prebends and Students endowed it with livings and named it Christs Church And the same most puissant Prince with money disbursed out of his owne Treasury ordained both for the Dignity of the City a Bishop and for the ornament and advancement of the University publique Professours Likewise within our remembrance for the furtherance of learning with new and fresh benefits Sir Thomas Pope Knight reared a new Durrham College and Sir Thomas White Knight Citizen and Alderman of London raised Bernard College both which lay buryed in the rubbish They reedified them repaired them with new buildings enriched them with faire lands and gave them new names For the one of them they dedicated to Saint Iohn Baptist and that other to the holy and sacred Trinity Queene Mary also built the common Schooles And now of late Hugh Prise Doctor of the Lawes hath begunne a new College with good speede and happy successe as I wish to the honor of Iesus With these Colleges which are in number 16. and eight Haulls beside all faire and decently built richly endowed and furnished with good Libraries Oxford at this day so flourisheth that it farre surmounteth all other Universities of Christendome And for Living Libraries for so may I well and truely with Eunapius terme great Scholers and learned men for the discipline and teaching of the best Arts and for the politique government of this their republicke of Literature it may give place to none But to what end is all this Oxford needeth no mans commendation the excellency thereof doth so much exceede and if I may use Plinies word superfluit that is Surmounteth Let this suffice to say of Oxford as Pomponius Mela did of Athens Clarior est quà m ut indicari egeat that is More glorious it is of it selfe than that it needeth to bee out shewed But have heere for an upshot and farewell the beginning of Oxford story out of the Proctors booke By the joint testimony of most Chronicles many places in divers Coasts and Climats of the world we read to have flourished at sundry times in the studies of divers sciences But the Vniversity of Oxford is found to be for foundation more ancient for plurality of sciences more generall in profession of the Catholike truth more constant and in multiplicity of Privileges more excellent than all other Schooles that are knowne among the Latines The Mathematicians of this University have observed that this their City is from the Fortunate Islands 22. Degrees and the Arcticke or North Pole elevated 51. Degrees and 50. Scruples high And thus much briefly of my deare Nurse-mother Oxford But when a little beneath Oxford Isis and Cherwell have consociated their waters together within one Chanell Isis then entire of himselfe and with a swifter current runneth Southward to finde Tame whom so long he had sought for And gone he is not forward many miles but behold Tame streaming out of Buckinghamshire meeteth with him who is no sooner entred into this Shire but he giveth name to Tame a Mercate Towne situate very pleasantly among Rivers For Tame passeth hard by the Northside and two Riverers shedding themselves into it compasse the same the one on the East and the other on the West Alexander that liberall Bishop of Lincolne Lord of the place when his prodigall humor in sumptuous building of Castles was of every body privily misliked to wash out that staine as Newbrigensis saith built a little Abbay neere unto the Towne and many yeares after the Quatremans who in the age foregoing were men of great reputation in these parts founded an Hospitall for the sustentation of poore people But both of these are now decayed and quite gone and in stead thereof Sir Iohn Williams Knight whom Queene Mary advanced to the Dignity of a Baron by the Title of Lord William of Tame erected a very faire Schoole and a small Hospitall But this Title soone determined when he left but daughters marryed into the Families of Norris and Wenman From hence Tame runneth downe neere unto Ricot a goodly house which in times past belonged to those Quatremans whose stocke failing to bring forth Males it was devolved at length after many sailes and alienations passed by the Foulers and Herons unto the said Lord Williams and so by his daughter fell to Sir Henry Lord Norris whom Queene Elizabeth made Baron Norris of Ricot a man of good marke in regard of his noble birth and parentage for he descended from the Lovells who were neere allied by kinred unto the greatest houses in England but most renowned for that right valiant and warlike Progeny of his as the Netherlands Portugall little Bretagne and Ireland can witnesse At the length Tame by Haseley where sometimes the names of Barentines flourished as at Cholgrave commeth to Dorchester by Bede termed Civitas Dorcinia by Leland Hydropolis a name devised by his owne conceit yet fit enough considering that Dour in the British tongue signifieth water That this Towne was in old time inhabited by Romanes their coined peeces of money oftentimes turned up doe imply and our Chronicles record that it was for a long time much frequented by reason of a Bishops See which Birinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons appointed to be there For when hee had baptised Cinigilse a pety King of the West-Saxons unto whom Oswald King of Northumberland was Godfather both these Kings as saith Bede gave this City unto the same Bishop
first age of the Normans seeing that in the Raigne of King Edward the Confessour as we read in William Conquerours Domesday booke it discharged it selfe for one Hide and no more and had but six and twenty Burgesses As for the Towne it is seated upon a low ground but the River Ouse very commodious for Mils encircleth it about save onely on the North side The Castle standing in the middest raised upon an hill cast up whereof no Reliques in manner are now to bee seene divideth the Towne as it were in twaine The greater part of the Towne beareth North wherein standeth the Towne-house the other toward the South is the lesse wherein is the Church and that of no great antiquity but in it was the Shrine of S. Rumald a child who being borne in Kings-Sutton a Village thereby was canonized by our forefathers for a childe-Saint and much famed with many miracles From hence Ouse hasteneth faire and softly into the North and more Eastward from the River neere unto the woods ye have a sight of Whaddon the habitation in times past of the Giffords who were by Inheritance keepers of Whaddon Chase under the Earle of Vlster and from whom it came to the Pigots who passed it away by saile and alienation There standeth now a house of the warlike Family of the Greys Barons of Wilton who held the Manour neere adjoyning named Acton by Serjeanty of keeping one Gerfalcon of their Soveraigne Lord the King Whereupon that Family of the Greys hath for their Badge or Cognisance a Falcon Sejant upon a Glove Not farre from hence is Thorâ—ton an habitation of the Tirelles and Saulden where is a faire and lovely house built by Sir Iohn Fortescue a right honourable knight and deeply learned withall who for his wisdome was Chauncellor of the Exchequer and Dutchy of Lancaster and of the Privie Counsell to Queene Elizabeth and king Iames. On the other side of the River and not farre from the banke stand neighbour-like Stow a house of the Family of Temple Leckhamsted an habitation of the Greenwaies Lillinstone likewise the seat of the ancient Family De-Hairell commonly called Dairell and Luffeld where in times past was founded a Monastery by Robert Earle of Leicester but by reason that the Monkes were all consumed with the plague the house was utterly left desolate Somewhat higher on the South side of the River upon the very banke standeth Stony-Stratford a Towne of all the rest most frequented named so of Stones The Street way and a Fourd For the houses are built of a certaine rough stone which is digged forth in great abundance at Caversham hard by and it standeth upon the publike Street commonly called Watlingstreet which was a Militarie high way made by the Romanes and is evidently to be seene yet beyond the Towne with the banke or causey thereof and hath a fourd but now nothing shalow and hardly passable The Towne is of good bignesse and sheweth two Churches and in the mids a Crosse though it be none of the fairest erected in memoriall of Queene Aeleonor of Spaine wife to Edward the First with the Armes of England Castile and Leon c. also of the Earldome of Ponthieu whereof she was heire And where sometimes there had been a Fourd the River Ousâ— hath a stone bridge over it which keepeth in the River that was wont when it swelled with winter flouds to breake out and overflow the fields with great violence But upon the banke of the other side which riseth somewhat higher the Towne sometime stood as the inhabitants themselves report And there hard by is Pasham a place so called of passing over the River so that it may seeme in times past to have been that passage which King Edward the Elder kept against the Danes whiles he fortified Torcester But this passage or Ferry became quite forlet after that the Bridge was built at Stony-Stratford Now if I should guesse that LACTORODVM which Antonine the Emperour mentioneth stood heere beside the situation upon the Militarie Highway of the Romanes and the distance from other places the signification also of the olde name LACTORODVM fetched out of the British language maketh for me and favoureth my conjecture Which name accordeth passing well with this new English name For both names in both languages were imposed of Stone and Fourd From hence Ouse runneth hard by Wolverton anciently Woluerington the seat of an ancient familie so surnamed whose lands are named in Records The Baronie of Wulverington from whom it came to the house of the Longvilles of ancient descent in these parts and by Newport Painell which tooke that name of Sir Fulcoà Painell the Lord thereof and was from him devolved to the Barons Someries of Dudley who heere had their Castle Then by Terringham which gave both name and habitation to a worshipfull house and of great antiquity it goeth to Oulney a meetly good mercate towne This farre and a little further reacheth the County of Buckingham by Vse the limit and bound thereof The first Earle of Buckingham so farre as hitherto I could observe was Walter surnamed Giffard sonne to Osbern de Bolebec a man of great name and reputation among the Normans Who in a Charter of King Henrie the First is cited among the witnesses thereto by the name of Earle of Buckingham After him followed his sonne bearing the same name who in the booke of Abbingdon Abbay is called Earle Walter the younger and died issuelesse in the yeere 1164. Afterward in the reigne of Henry the Second that famous Richard Strangbow Earle of Pembroch called Conquerour of Ireland who derived his descent from the sister and heir of Walter Giffard the second in certaine publique instruments bare this title Then for a long time after lay this title as it were out of use and quite lost untill that in the yeere 1377. King Richard the Second conferred this honor upon his Unkle Thomas of Woodstock of whom I have already spoken among the Dukes of Glocester Of this Thamas his daughter married unto Edmund Earle of Stafford was borne Humfrey Earle of Stafford created Duke of Buckingham with an invidious precedence before all Dukes of England by King Henry the Sixt in whose quarrell he spent his life fighting most valiantly in the battaile at Northampton After him succeeded his Graund-child Henry by his Sonne Humfrey who made way for King Richard the Third the usurper unto the Kingdome and streightwaies practised to depose him for that he would not restore unto him the inheritance of the Bohuns by hereditarie right belonging unto him but hee being intercepted lost his head for it and found but all too late that Tyrants very often hew downe the staires and steps whereby they ascended His sonne Edward being restored againe through speciall favour of King Henry the Seventh by the wicked slights and practises of Cardinall Wolsey fell into disgrace with King Henry the Eighth and being condemned of high treason
in the Hole so named of the miry way in Winter time very troublesome to Travellers For the old Englishmen our Progenitors called deepe myre hock and hocks So passing along fields smelling sweet in Sommer of the best Beanes which with their redolent savour doe dull the quicke sent of Hounds and Spaniels not without fuming and chaâ—ing of Hunters we mounted up by a whitish chalkey hill into the Chiltern and streightwaies were at Dunstable This Towne seated in a chalkey ground well inhabited and full of Innes hath foure Streetes answering to the foure quarters of the world in every one of which notwithstanding the Soile bee most dry by nature there is a large Pond of standing water for the publique use of the Inhabitants And albeit they bee fed onely by raine water yet they never faile nor become dry As for spring-veines there are none to bee found unlesse they sinke Wells or pits foure and twenty Cubits deepe In the middest of the Towne is a Crosse or Columne rather to be seene with the Armes of England Castle and Ponthieu engraven thereon adorned also with Statues and Images which King Edward the First erected as he did some others in memoriall of Aeleoner his Wife all the way as hee conveyed her Corps out of Lincoln-shire with funerall pompe to Westminster That this Dunstable was the very same Station which the Emperour Antonine in his Itinerary calleth MAGIONINIUM MAGIOVINIUM and MAGINTUM no man needs to make doubt or to seeke it else where For besides that it is situate upon the Romanes high way there are peeces of the Roman Emperours moneies found otherwhiles in the fields adjoyning round about by the Swine-heards which as yet they terme Madning mony and within a little of the very descent of the Chiltern hils there is a military modell raised up round with a Rampire and Ditch such as Strabo writeth the Britans Townes were containing nine Acres of ground which the people use to call Madning-boure and Madin-boure in which very name with a little change MAGINTUM most plainly sheweth it selfe But when the said MAGINTUM by the injury of warre or time was decayed king Henry the First heere reedified a Towne built a royall house at Kings-bury and planted a Colony to represse the boldnesse of Theeves that heere beset the wayes and lay in wait as the private History of the Priory that himselfe founded for the ornament of this his Colony doth evidently beare witnesse But heare the very words out of that private History although they savour of the Barbarisme of that age Note that the plot of ground where the two high waies Watling and Ikening meet was first by Henry the elder King of England cleered to keepe under and bridle the wickednesse of a certaine most notorious Theefe named Dun and his Companions and of that Dun the said place was named Dunstable The King our Lord built there the Burgh of Dunstable and made for himselfe a royall Manour or house neere under that place The King had in the same Towne both Faire and Mercat Afterwards hee founded a Church and by authority of Pope Eugenius the Third placed therein Regular Chanons and feoffed the said Religious Chanons in the whole Burgh by his Charter and bestowed upon them very many liberties As for Leighton Buzard on the one side of Dunstable and Luton on the other neither have I reade nor seene any thing memorable in them unlesse I should say that at Luton I saw a faire Church but the Quier then Roofelesse and overgrowne with Weedes and adjoyning to it an elegant Chappell founded by I. Lord Wenlocke and well maintained by the Family of Rotheram planted heere by Thomas Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke and Chancellour of England in the time of King Edward the Fourth As touching the Lords Dukes and Earles of Bedford First there were Barons of Bedford out of the Family of Beauchamp who by right of inheritance were Almners to the Kings of England upon their Coronation day Whose inheritance being by females parted among the Mowbraies Wakes Fitz-Ottes c. King Edward the Third created Engelrame de Coucy Earle of Suesons in France sonne to Engelrame Lord of Coucy and his Wife daughter to the Duke of Austria the first Earle of Bedford giving unto him his daughter in marriage Afterwards King Henrie the Fifth advaunced Bedford to the title of a Dukedome and it had three Dukes the first was John the third sonne of King Henrie the Fourth who most valiantly vanquished the French men in a Sea-fight at the mouth of Seyne and afterwards being Regent of France slaine in a battaile on land before Vernoil who was buried in Roan and together with him all the Englishmens good fortune in France At which time he was Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alaunson and Anjou Earle of Maine Richmond and Kendall and Constable of England For so was his stile Whose Monument when Charles the Eighth King of France came to see and a Noble man standing by advised him to rase it Nay answered he let him rest in peace now being dead of whom in war while he lived all France had dread The second Duke of Bedford was George Nevill a very child sonne to John Marquesse Mont-acute both whom King Edward the Fourth so soone as hee had raised them to that type of Honours threw downe againe and that by authoritie of the Parliament the Father for his perfidious disloyaltie in revolting from him the Sonne in dislike of his Father Howbeit there was a colourable pretense made that his estate was too weake for to maintaine the port and dignity of a Duke and because great men of high place if they be not wealthy withall are alwaies grievous and injurious The third was Iasper of Hatfield Earle of Pembroch Honoured with that title by his Nephew King Henrie the Seventh for that hee was both his Unckle and had delivered him out of extreame dangers who being aged and a Bachelar departed this life some ten yeeres after his Creation But within the remembrance of our Fathers it fell backe againe to the title of an Earledome what time as King Edward the Sixth created Iohn Lord Russell Earle of Bedford after whom succeeded his Sonne Francis a man so religious and of such a noble courteous nature that I can never speake ought so highly in his commendation but his vertue will far surpasse the same He left to succeed him Edward his Nephew by his Sonne Sir Francis Russell who was slaine a day or two before his Father departed this life by Scotishmen in a tumult upon a True-day in the midle marches 1585. This small Province hath Parishes 116. HERTFORDIAE Comitatus A. Cattifuclanis olim Inhabitatus HERTFORD-SHIRE HERTFORD-SHIRE which I said was the third of those that belonged to the Cattieuchlani lieth on the East and partly on the South side of Bedford-shire The West side is enclosed with Bedford-shire and Buckingham-shire The South with Middlesex
the East with Essex and the North with Cambridge-shire A rich country in corne fields pastures medows woods groves and cleere riverets And for ancient townes it may contend with the neighbours even for the best For there is scarsely another shire in all England that can shew more places of Antiquities in so small a compasse In the very limit thereof Northward where it boundeth upon Cambridge-shire standeth Roiston a towne well knowne but of no antiquity as being risen since the Normans daies For one Dame Roise a woman in that age of right great name whom some thinke to have been Countesse of Norfolke erected there about a Crosse in the high way which was thought in that age a pious worke to put passengers in minde of Christs passion whereupon this place was for many yeeres called Roises-Crosse untill that Eustach de Marc adjoined thereto a little Monastery in the honour of Thomas of Canterbury for then were Innes built and by little and little it grew to be a towne which in stead of Roises Crosse was called Roiston that is Roises towne unto which King Richard the First granted a Faire at certaine set times and a mercat Now it is very famous and passing much frequented for Malt For it is almost incredible how many buyers and sellers of corne how many Badgers yea and Corne-mongers or Regraters flocke hither weekely every mercat day and what a number of horses loden doe then fill the high waies on every side Over Roiston Southward is mounted Tharfield among the high hils an ancient habitation of the familie of Berners descended from Hugh de Berners unto whom in recompence of his valiant service in the Normans Conquest King William the Conquerour granted faire lands in Eversdon within the county of Cambridge And in so great worship and reputation flourished his posterity that Sir John Bourchier who married the right heire at common law of that familie being promoted by King Edward the Fourth to the honour of Baron tooke his addition thereof and was stiled Baron Bourchier of Berners and usually Lord Berners Upon this confineth Nucelles belonging in times past to the house of the Rochesters or Roffes but all the repute and glory that it hath arose from the inhabitants thereof afterwards namely the Barons of Scales descended out of Norfolke but yet the heires of Roffe For King Edward the First gave unto Sir Robert de Scales in regard of his valourous service in the Scotish warres certaine lands to the value in those daies of three hundred markes by the yeare and called him among the Barons to the Parliament Their Eschocheon Gules with sixe escallops argent is seene in many places They flourished unto King Edward the Fourth his daies at what time the only daughter and heire of this family was wedded vnto Sir Anthonie Widevile Earle Rivers whom being advanced by his owne glorious prowesse and the kings marriage with his sister the malicious hatred and envie of his enemies most vilanouslie overwrought and brought to utter destruction For King Richard the Third beheaded him innocent man as he was And when as she died without issue the inheritance was parted in King Henry the Sevenths time betweene Iohn Earle of Oxford who by the Howards and Sir William Tindale knight who by the Bigods of Felbridge were found next cousens and coheires The Manour of Barkway hereby appertained also to those Lords Scales a well knowne throughfare Beyond which is Barley that imparted surname to the ancient and well allied family of the Barleies and on this side Anestie which was not long since the inheritance of the house of Yorke and in elder times the Castle there was a nest of rebels wherefore Nicholas of Anesty Lord thereof was expresly commanded by King Henry the Third to demolish so much of it as was raised since the Barons warres against his Father King John But now time hath wholy rased it all To returne though disorderly East-ward is Ashwell as one would say The well or fountaine among the Ashes a Country towne of good bignesse and full of houses situate on a low ground in the very North edge of the shire where there is a source of springs bubling out of a stony banke overshadowed on every side with tall ashes from whence there floweth at certaine veines continually running such store of water that forthwith being gathered within banks it carrieth a streame able to drive a Mill and all of a sudden as it were groweth to a good big river Of these wels and ashes together as most certaine it is that the English-Saxons imposed this new name Ashwell so I have been sometime of this opinion that the ancient Britans who as Gildas witnesseth heaped divine honours upon hils rivers fountaines and groves from the very same thing and in the same sense called it Magiovinium and that it was the same which Antonine named MAGIONINIVM But time hath now discovered a more certaine truth neither am I ashamed to change mine opinion in this point seeing I take no pleasure at all in mine owne error And yet to prove the ancientnesse of this towne the large quadrant adjoyning enclosed with a trench and rampire maketh much which by the Romane peeces of coyne digged up there oftentimes sheweth whose worke it was and in that booke wherein above 500. yeeres since King William the Conquerour tooke the review and account of all the townes in England it is in plaine words tearmed a Burgh Southward we saw Merkat-Baldock situate upon a whitish soile wherein as also in Hitching hard by we read of no antiquity Then is there seated in a well-husbanded and good ground Wimondley an ancient and famous Lordship held by the most honourable tenure with us which our Lawyers terme Grand-Sergeanty namely that the Lord thereof should serve unto the Kings of England upon their Coronation day the first cup and be as it were the Kings Cup-bearer Which honorable office in regard of this Lordship certaine Noble Gentlemen called Fitz-Tek held in the beginning of the Normans reigne from whom by a daughter it came unto the Argentons These fetched their name and pedegree from David de Argenton a Norman and a martiall knight who under King William the Conquerour served in the wars and they in remembrance heereof gave for their armes Three Cups Argent in a shield Gueules But at last for want of issue male in King Henry the Sixth his daies Elizabeth Argenton the sole and entier inheritrice brought it unto her husband Sir William Allington knight with faire lands thereby and this dignity from whom Sir Giles Allington now the heire of this family is the seventh a young Gentleman right courteous and of a generous nature who I hope will give some new lustre by his vertues unto the ancient worship of his house Hard by and neere unto the roade high-way betweene Stevenhaugh and Knebworth the seat of the worshipfull house of the
Littons descended from Litton in Darbyshire I saw certaine round hils cast up and raised by mans hands such as the old Romanes were wont to reare for Souldiers slaine in the wars of which the Captaine himselfe laied the first turfe Unlesse some man would rather say they had a reference to the bounds For such like little hils in old time were reared to signifie the bounds of lands under which they used to lay ashes coales lime bricke and tile beaten to powder c. as I will shew else-where more at large Beneath this more Southward the river Lea by our forefathers named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his head who with a milde course passeth down first by Whethamsted a towne plentifull in wheate whereof it tooke name which place John of Whethamsted there borne and thereof named a man in King Henry the Sixth his daies much renowned by his due desert of learning made of more estimation From thence running by Brocket Hall the residence in late time of the Brockets Knights approcheth neere unto Bishops Hatfield situate upon the fall and hanging of a little hill in the upper part whereof stood a house of the Kings now the Earle of Salisburies in times past belonging to the Bishops of Ely whereupon it was named Bishops Hatfield which John Morton Bishop of Ely reedified For in this place King Eadgar gave unto the Church of Ely forty hides of land Afterwards it passeth under Hertford which in some Copies of Bede is named Herudford where he treateth of the Synode there holden in the yeare of our Salvation 670. which name some interprete The red Ford others The Ford of Harts This Towne in William the Conquerours time discharged it selfe for ten hides and in it were 26. Burgesses and at that time Ralph Limsey a Noble man built heere a Cell for Saint Albans Monkes But now it is neither greatly inhabited nor much frequented and in this respect most of all commended because it is ancient For why it hath given name to the whole County and is reputed the Shire-towne A Castle it hath upon the River Lea built as men thinke by King Edward the elder and enlarged first by the house of Clare whereunto it belonged For Gislebert of Clare about King Henry the Second his dayes was accounted Earle of this Hertford and Robert Fitz-walter of the same house of Clare what time as Stephen seized into his hands all the Castles of England wheresoever avouched franckly even to Stephen his face as we read in Mathew of Paris that the keeping of this Castle by ancient right appertained to himselfe Afterwards it was laid unto the Crowne and King Edward the Third granted unto Iohn of Gaunt his sonne then Earle of Richmond who afterward was Duke of Lancaster this Castle with the Towne and honour of Hertford where as the very words runne in the Graunt hee might according to his estate keepe house and decently make his aboade From hence Lea falleth downe forthwith to Ware so named of a barre or dam made to stay water streames which our Ancestours called a Weare or Ware This Towne even at the very first did much harme unto Hertford and afterwards by reason it became so greatly hanted darkened as it were the light thereof For when the Barons warre against King John was waxed hote this Ware presuming much upon their Lord the Baron Wake turned London high way to it whereas before it was but a little Village and knowne by a Friery which hee founded neither was it lawfull to passe that way with any Carts considering that the Bridge was chained up the Keyes whereof were in the custody of the Bailiffe of Hertford Neere about which time Gilbert Marescall Earle of Pembroch a principall and most potent Peere of the Realme proclaimed heere a disport of running on horsebacke with launces which they call Tourneaments under the name of Fortunie making a scorne of the Kings Authority whereby such Toureneaments were inhibited To which place when a great number of the Nobility and Gentry were assembled it fortuned that himselfe as hee ranne at tilt by occasion that his flinging horse brake bridle and cast him was trampled under foote and so pittifully dyed These Justs or Tourneaments were certaine publique exercises of Armes and more than flourishes practised among noble Gentlemen and instituted if wee beleeve Munster in the yeare of our Lord 934. having also speciall lawes thereto belonging which you may finde in the said Munster and the same exercises were used a long time in such an outragious manner and with such flaughter of Gentlemen in all places but in England most of all since that King Stephen brought them in that by divers Decrees of the Church they were forbidden upon paine that whosoever therein were slaine should want Christian Buriall in Church or Churchyard and heere with us King Henry the Third by advise of his Sages made an Act of Parliament that their heires who transgressed in this kinde should be disinherited Howbeit contrary to the said law so good and wholesome this naughty and wicked custome was practised a great while and grew not quite out of use before the happy dayes of King Edward the Third Betwixt these two Townes Hertford and Ware distant scarce two miles a sunder Lea is encreased by two rilles from the North Asserius termeth them Mimeram and Benefician I would guesse that to bee Benefician upon which standeth Benington where the notable family of Bensted had in old time a little Castle and also Woodhall an habitation of the Butlers who being branched from Sir Ralph Butler Baron of Wem in Shropshire and his wife heire to William Pantulfe Lord of Wem were Lords of Pulre-bach and enriched much by an heire of Sir Richard Gobion and another of Peletot Lord of this place in the time of King Edward the Third I take Mimeran to bee the other brooke whereupon Pukerich is seated which by the grant of King Edward the First at the mediation of William le Bland had a Mercate and Faire granted to it Whereupon also neighboureth Standon with a seemely house built by Sir Ralph Sadleir Chauncellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster Privie Counsellour to three Princes and the last Knight Baneret of England a man so advanced for his great services and staied wisedome At the backe of Pukerich Munden Furnivall sheweth it selfe a place to bee remembred if it were but for this that Geffrey Earle of Britaine gave it to Gerard de Furnivall of whom also it bare the name a younger sonne of Furnivall of Sheffeld But now let us returne to the River Lea and the Towne of Ware unto which the Danes being come with their light Pinnaces and Shallops raised a Fort as the said Asserius reporteth which when King Aelfred could not winne by force hee by digging three severall Chanels turned aside the water of Lea that they might not returne with their Vessels So as ever since it stood
the neighbour Inhabitants in small or no stead untill being brought of late unto his ancient Chanell it is become more commodious for the carriages of all commodities c. Lea is not gone forward farre from Ware when he entertaineth a Riveret named Stort from the East which first runneth downe out of Essex by Bishops Stortford a small Towne fensed sometime with a little Castle set upon a mount cast up of purpose within a prety Island which Castle King William the Conquerour gave unto the Bishops of London and of those Bishops it came to be so called but King John for hatred to Bishop William overthrew it From thence it maketh his way by Sabridgworth a parcell of the Honor of Earle William Mandevile and sometime the possession of Geffrey Say neere Shingle-hall honested by the Owners the Leventhorpes of ancient Gentry So on not farre from Honsdon forfeited by Sir William Oldhall to the Crowne in the time of King Henry the Sixth which gave a Title of Baron Hunsdon to Sir Henry Cary through the favour of Queene Elizabeth unto whom he was Lord Chamberlaine as who verily besides his descent from the royall Family of the Dukes of Somerset was by his mother Mary Bolen cozen german to the said Queene Lea having thus admitted into him this Riveret hasteneth now with a merry glee to the Tamis under Hodesdon a faire through Faire to which H. Bourchier Earle of Essex having a faire house at Base thereby while it stood procured a Mercat and then as it were in gratulatory wise saluteth Theobalds commonly called Tibaulds which our Nestor of Britaine the right honourable Baron Burghley late Lord high Treasurer of England built an house if we respect the workmanship none more faire and elegant if the gardens Orchards and walkes bedight with Groves none more pleasant unto whom especially this River willingly acknowledgeth it selfe beholden for the recovery againe of his ancient Chanell But returne we now to places more within the Country and of greater antiquity From Hertford twelve miles Westward stood VEROLAMIUM a City in times past very much renowned and as greatly frequented Tacitus calleth it VERULAMIUM Ptolomee UROLANIUM and VEROLAMIUM well knowne this is in these dayes neere unto Saint Albans in Caisho Hundred which the CASSII of whom Caesar maketh mention in all probability held and inhabited The Saxons named it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the famous High-way Watlingstreet and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither hath it as yet lost that ancient name for commonly they call it Verulam although there remaineth nothing of it to bee seene beside the few remaines of ruined walles the checkered pavements and peeces of Roman Coine other whiles digged up there It was situate upon the gentle descent or side of an hill Eastward fenced about with passing strong wals a double Rampire and deepe Trenches toward the South and Eastward watered with a Brooke which in old time made a great Meere or standing Poole Whereby it was guessed that this was the very same towne of Cassibelaunus fortified with woods and marishes which Caesar wan For there was not to be seene any other Poole or Meere in this Tract to my knowledge In Nero his time it was counted a MUNICIPIUM whence it is that in Ninius his Catalogue of Cities it is named Caer-Municip So that probable it is that this was the very same CAER MUNICIPIUM which Hubert Golizius found in an old Inscription These Municipia were Townes endowed with the right of Romane Citizens and this name came A Muneribus capiendis that is of publique Offices and charges in the Common-wealth and they had for their States and Degrees * Decurions that is Gentlemen and Commons for their publique Councell a Senate and People For their Magistrates and Priests Duum-virj Trium-virj to sit in judgement and minister justice CENSORS AEDILES Quaestors and Flamins But whether this Municipium or towne enfranchised were with suffrages or without a man cannot easily affirme A Municip with suffrages they tearmed that which was capable of honourable Offices like as that other they called without suffrage which was not capable In the Raigne of the same Nero when Bunduica or Boadicia Queene of the Icenes in her deepe love of her Country and conceived bitter hatred against the Romanes raised bloudy and mortall Warre upon them it was rased and destroied by the Britans as Tacitus recordeth Hence it is that Suetonius wrote thus To these mischiefes so great proceeding from the Prince there happened to mend the matter a grievous losse in Britaine wherein two principall Towres of great importance with much slaughter of Romane Citizens and Allies were put to the sacke and spoiled Neverthelesse it flourished againe and became exceeding famous and passing well frequented yea and I have seene old Antiquities of money stamped as it seemeth heere with this inscription TASCIA and on the reverse VER Which that learned searcher of venerable antiquity David Powell Doctour in Divinity interpreteth to be The Tribute of Verulamium For Tasc as he teacheth me in the British or Welsh tongue soundeth as much as Tribute Tascia A Tribute Penny and Tascyd the chiefe Collector of Tribute But loe heere is the very peece of money portraied for you to see which heeretofore also I have exhibited Some would have this money to bee coined before the comming in of the Romans but I beleeve them not For I have alwaies thought them to bee Tribute money which being imposed upon the poll and the lands were yeerely exacted and gathered by the Romans as I have said before For before that the Romans came I can scarce beleeve the Britans coined or stamped any money Yet I remember what Caesar writeth of them And they use saith he brasse money or rings of iron weighed to a certaine poise Where the ancient bookes have Lanceis Ferreis for which the Criticks put in Laminis Ferreis that is plates of iron But let my pen returne againe to the matter proposed for my meaning is not heere to weave the same web still As for Verulam it was famous for nothing so much as for bringing foorth Alban a Citizen of singular holinesse and faith in Christ who when Dioclesian went about by exquisite torments to wipe Christian Religion quite out of the memory of men was the first in Britaine that with invincible constancy and resolution suffred death for Christ his sake Whereupon hee is called our Stephen and the Protomartyr of Britaine yea and Fortunatus Presbyter the Poet wrote thus of him Albanum egregium foecunda Britannia profert Fruitfull Britaine bringeth foorth Alban a Martyr of mickle worth And Hiericus a Frenchman who flourished 700. yeeres agoe of the same Alban and his executioner miraculously stricken blinde made these verses Millia poenarum Christi pro nomine passus Quem tandem rapuit capitis sententia caesi Sed non lictori cessit res tuta superbo Utque caput Sancto
minde that this Ithancester was that OTHONA where a Band of the Fortenses with their Captaine in the declination of the Romane Empire kept their station or Guard under the Comes or Lieutenant of the Saxon-shore against the depredations of the Saxon Rovers For the altering of OTHONA to ITHANA is no hard straining and the situation thereof upon a Creeke into which many Rivers are discharged was for this purpose very fit and commodious and yet heere remaineth a huge ruine of a thicke Wall whereby many Romane Coines have beene found It seemeth not amisse to set downe how King Edward the Confessour graunted by a briefe Charter the keeping of this Hundred to Ranulph Peperking which I will willingly heere annex to the end that wee who sift every pricke and accent of the law may see the upright simplicity and plaine dealing of that age And thus goeth the tenour of it as it was taken forth of the Kings Records in the Exchequer but by often exemplifying and copying it out some words are mollified and made more familiar Iche Edward Koning Have given of my Forrest the keeping Of the Hundred of Chelmer and Dancing To Randolph Peperking and to his kindling With heorte and hinde doe and bocke Hare and Foxe Cat and Brocke Wild Fowell with his flocke Partrich Fesant hen and Fesant cocke With green and wilde stob and stocke To kepen and to yemen by all her might Both by day and eke by night And Hounds for to hold Good and swift and bolde Four Greahounds and six racches For Hare and Foxe and wild Cattes And therefore ich made him my booke Witnesse the Bishop Wolston And booke ylered many on And Swein of Essex our Brother And teken him many other And our Stiward Howelin That by sought me for him This was the plaine dealing trueth and simplicity of that age which used to make all their assurances whatsoever in a few lines and with a few gilt Crosses For before the comming in of the Normans as wee read in Ingulphus writings Obligatory were made firme with golden Crosses and other small signes or markes but the Normans began the making of such Bils and Obligations with a Print or Seale in wax set to with every ones speciall Signet under the expresse entituling of three or foure Witnesses Before time many houses and land thereto passed by grant and bargaine without script Charter or Deede onely with the Landlords sword or helmet with his horne or cup. Yea and many Tenements were demised with a spurre or horse-cury-combe with a bowe and some with an arrow In the Creeke of Blackwater which as I said closeth the North side of this Hundred and is stored with those dainty Oysters which wee call Walfleot Oysters their run two Rivers that water a great part of the Shire Chelmer and Froshwell The River Chelmer flowing out of the inner part of the country which is woody runneth downe first by Thaxted a little Mercate Towne seated very pleasantly upon an high rising hill also by Tiltey where Maurice Fitz-Gilbert founded in times past a small Abbay unto Estanues ad Turrim now Eston which noble Gentleman sirnamed De Lovaine inhabited as descended from Godfrey of Lovaine brother to Henry the Sixth of that name Duke of Brabant who being sent hither to keepe the Honor of Eye his posterity flourished among the Peeres of this Realme to the time of King Edward the Third when the heire generall was married into the house of Bourchier Thence it glideth downe to Dunmow of old time called Dunmawg and in the Tax booke of England Dunmaw a Towne pleasantly situate upon an hill with a prety gentle fall Where one Juga founded a Priory in the yeare 1111. But William Bainard of whom Juga held thus we finde it written in the private history of this Church the Village of little Dunmow by felony lost his Barony and King Henry the First gave it to Robert the sonne of Richard sonne to Gislebert Earle of Clare and to his heires with the honour of Bainards Castle in London which Robert at that time was King Henries Sewar These be the very words of the Author neither doe I thinke it lawfull for me to alter or reforme them otherwise than they are although there be in them some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a putting or mistaking of one time for another a thing that we meet with otherwhiles in the best Historiographers For there had not beene as then any Earle of Clare in the family of Clare Now let us for a while digresse and goe aside a little on either hand from the River Not farre from hence is Plaisy seated so called in French of Pleasing in times past named Estre the habitation both in the last yeeres of the English Saxons and also afterwards of the great Constables of England as witnesseth Ely booke At this towne the first William Mandevill Earle of Essex beganne a Castle and two Princes of great authority Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Earle of Essex who founded heere a College and Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon brother to King Richard the Second by the mothers side deprived of lost honorable title of Duke of Excester when they could not keepe a meane betweene froward stubbernesse and servile obsequiousnesse found thence their subversion For Thomas upon his rash and head-strong contumacy was on a sudden violently carryed from hence to Calice and there smothered and John for a seditious conspiracy was beheaded in this place by King Henry the Fourth that hee might seeme to have beene justly punished by way of satisfaction for the said Thomas of Woodstocke of whose death hee was thought to bee the principall practiser and procurer From thence passeth Chelmer downe not farre from Leez a little Abbay of old time founded by the Gernons which at this day is the chiefe seat of the Barons Rich who acknowledge themselves for this dignity beholden to Richard Rich a most wise and judicious person Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward the Sixth who in the first yeere of his raigne created him Baron Rich. A little beneath standeth Hatfield Peverell so denominated of Randulph Peverell the owner thereof who had to wife a Lady of incomparable beauty in those daies the daughter of Ingelricke a man of great nobility among the English-Saxons This Lady founded heere a College which now is in manner quite plucked downe and in a window of the Church whereof there remaineth still a small part lyeth entombed She bare unto her husband William Peverell Castellane of Dover Sir Payne Peverell Lord of Brun in the County of Cambridge and unto King William the Conquerour whose Paramore shee was William Peverell Lord of Nottingham But now returne we to Chelmer which by this time speedeth it selfe to Chelmerford commonly Chensford where by the distance of the place from CAMALODUNUM it may seeme that old CANONIUM sometimes stood This is a good bigge Towne situate in the
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
money and Title by his wife Beatrice the eldest daughter of William de Say who was the sisters sonne of that great Geffrey de Magnavill the first Earle of Essex This Fitz-Petre a man as an old Authour writeth Passing well monied had formerly dealt with the Bishop of Ely the Kings chiefe Justicer for a great peece of money presently paid and by intreaty beside and then claimed and demanded the Earledome in his wives right as being the daughter of William Say eldest brother to Geffrey Say Who gave him full Seisin thereof against Geffrey Say and required the money that hee promised which within a short time hee received of him every penny well and truely paid for to bee brought into the Kings coffers Thus being admitted and confirmed by the Kings Letters Patent hee held and possessed it taking Homage of all that held of him in Knights service And so was girt with the sword of the Earledome of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geffrey Fitz-Petre was advanced to the high estate of Justicer of England by King Richard the First when hee removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that Office by the Popes peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermedle in secular affaires This Place the said Geffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisedome the Realme from that confusion which it after fell into by King Johns unadvised carriage His two Sonnes Geffrey and William assumed unto them the sirname of Magnavill or Mandevill and enjoyed this honour successively As for Geffrey hee by his wife was Earle of Glocester also and being a young man lost his life at a Turneament William tooke part with Lewis of France against King John and departed out of this World without issue These being thus dead childelesse their sisters sonne Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and high Constable of England succeeded in their roome Of this mans Posterity male there succeeded many yeares together one after another Earles of Hâ—reford and of Essex of whom I will speake among the Earles of Hereford seeing that they wrote themselves Earles of Hereford and of Essex Aeleonor the eldest daughter of the last of these Bohuns being given in marriage together with the Title of Essex unto Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester bare unto him a daughter named Anne who had for her first Husband Edmund Earle of Stafford from whom came the Dukes of Buckingham and for her second Sir William Bourchier unto whom King Henry the Fifth gave the Earledome of Ew in Normandie This William of her body begat Henry Bourchier whom King Edward the fourth invested in the Dignity of the Earledome of Essex in regard hee had marryed his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstocke Hee had to succeede him another Henry his Grand-childe who being cast out of the sadle by a flinging horse lost his life leaving behinde him one onely daughter Anne who being then little respected King Henry the Eighth presently and all at once made Thomas Cromwell whom hee had used as his Instrument to suppresse and abolish the Popes authority Earle of Essex Lord Great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Order of Saint George whom before for his reaching politique head hee had made Baron Cromwell of Okâ—ham The Kings Vicar generall in Spirituall matters and Lord of the Privie Seale and all these honours were heaped upon him within the compasse of five yeares But in the fifth moneth after hee was Earle hee lost his head and so had the enterlude of his life a bloudy Catastrophe as most of these have who are busie managers of the greatest affaires And then the same King thought Sir William Parr upon whom hee had bestowed in marriage Anne the onely daughter and heire of the foresaid Henry Bourâ—â—ier worthy also to be entituled Earle of Essex But at the last after Parr was dead without issue Walter D'Eureux Vicount Hereford whose great Grandmother was Cecilie Bourgchier Sister to Henrie Bourgchier whom I named right now through the gracious favour of Queene Elizabeth received this dignitie of the Earledome of Essex and left it to his Sonne Robert Who being adorned with singular gifts of nature and supported besides with the speciall favour of his most gracious Prince grew so fast unto such honour that all England conceived good hope hee would have fully equalled yea and farre surpassed the greatest vertues and praises of all his Progenitours But alas whiles he was carried away with popularity and made hast to out goe his hopes hee cast himselfe headlong into destruction as many more have done who despising that which might come by patience with securitie have made choise to hasten thereto before time with their finall overthrow But our most gracious Soveraigne King Iames of his Royall benignitie hath restored his sonne Robert to his bloud and honours by Parliament authority There be counted in this County Parish Churches 415. ICENI THe Region next unto the Trinobantes which afterwards was called East-England and containeth Suffolke Norfolke and Cambridge-shire with Huntingdon-shire was inhabited in times past by the ICENI called elsewhere amisse TIGENI and in Ptolomee more corruptly SIMENI whom also I have thought heeâ—etofore to have been in Caesar by a confused name termed CENIMAGNI and so to thinke induced I was partly by that most neere affinity betweene these names ICENI and CENI-MAGNI and in part by the consent of Caesar and Tacitus together For Caesar writeth that the Cenimagni yeelded themselves unto the Romans which Tacitus recordeth that the Iceni likewise did in these words They willingly joyned in amity with us But that which maketh most to the cleering of this poynt in a Manuscript old booke for CENIMAGNI we finde written with the word divided in twaine CENIAGNI For which if I might not be thought somewhat too bould a Criticke I would reade instead thereof ICENI REGNI Neither verily can you finde the Cenimagni elsewhere in all Britain if they be a diverse people from the Iceni and Regni But of this name ICENI there remaine in this tract very many footings if I may so tearme them as Ikensworth Ikenthorpe Ikbortow Iken Ikining Ichlingham Eike c. Yea and that high street-way which went from hence the Historians of the former age every where doe name Ichenild-Street as one would say the Icenes street What should be the reason of this name so love me Truth I dare not guesse unlesse one would fetch it from the Wedge-like-forme of the country and say it lieth Wedgwise vpon the Sea For the Britans in their language call a Wedge Iken and for the same cause a place in Wales by the Lake or Meere Lhintegid is of that forme named Lhan-yken as Welsh-Britans enformed me and in the very same sense a little country in Spaine as Strabo writeth is cleped SPHEN that is The wedge and yet the same seemeth not to resemble a wedge so neere as this of
Edward the Thirds sonne who after hee had married a wife out of that house was entituled by his father Duke of Clarence For he of this place with a fuller sound than that of Clare was stiled Duke of Clarence like as before him the sonnes of Earle Gislebert and their successors were hence surnamed De Clare and called Earles of Clare Who died at Languvill in Italy after he had by a second marriage matched with a Daughter of Galâ—acius Vicount of Millain and in the Collegiat Church here lieth interred as also Ioan Acres daughter to King Edward the first married to Gislebert de Clare Earle of Glocester Here peradventure the Readers may looke that I should set downe the Earles of Clare so denominated of this place and the Dukes of Clarence considering they have beene alwayes in this Realme of right honorable reputation and verily so will I doe in few words for their satisfaction in this behalfe Richard the sonne of Gislebert Earle of Augy in Normandy served in the warres under King William when hee entred England and by him was endowed with the Townes of Clare and Tunbridge This Gislebert begat foure sonnes namely Gislebert Roger Walter and Robert from whom the Fitz-walters are descended Gislebert by the daughter of the Earle of Cleremont had issue Richard who succeeded him Gislebert of whom came that Noble Richard Earle of Pembroch and Conquerour of Ireland and Walter Richard the first begotten sonne was slaine by the Welshmen and left behinde him two sonnes Gilbert and Roger. Gilbert in King Stephens dayes was Earle of Herford howbeit both he and his Successours are more often and commonly called Earles of Clare of this their principall seat and habitation yea and so many times they wrote themselves After him dying without issue succeeded his brother Roger whose sonne Richard tooke to wife Amice the daughter and one of the Heires to William Earle of Glocester in right of whom his posterity were Earles of Glocester And those you may see in their due place But when at length their issue male failed Leonel Third sonne of King Edward the Third who had married Elizabeth the Daughter and sole Heire of William de Burgh Earle of Vlster begotten of the Bodie of Elizabeth Clare was by his Father honoured with this new Title Duke of Clarence But when as hee had but one onely Daughter named Phillippa wife to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March King Henry the Fourth created Thomas his owne yonger sonne Duke of Clarence who being withall Earle of Albemarle High Steward of England and Governour of Normandy and having no lawfull issue was slaine in Anjou by the violent assault of Scots and French A long time after king Edward the Fourth bestowed this honour upon his owne brother George whom after grievous enmity and bitter hatred hee had received againe into favour and yet at the last made an end of him in prison causing him as the report currently goeth to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey A thing naturally engraffed in men that whom they have feared and with whom they have contended in matter of life those they hate for ever though they be their naturall brethren From Clare by Long-Melford a very faire Almes-house lately built by that good man Sir William Cordal Knight and Maister of the Rolls Stour passeth on and commeth to Sudbury that is to say the South-Burgh and runneth in manner round about it which men suppose to have beene in old time the chiefe towne of this Shire and to have taken this name in regard of Norwich that is The Northren Towne Neither would it take it well at this day to be counted much inferiour to the Townes adjoyning for it is populous and wealthy by reason of Clothing there and hath for the chiefe Magistrate a Major who every yeare is chosen out of seaven Aldermen Not farre from hence distant is Edwardeston a Towne of no great name at this day but yet in times past it had Lords therein dwelling of passing great Honour of the surname of Mont-chensie out of which Family Sir Guarin Montchensie married the daughter and one of the heires of that mighty William Marescall Earle of Pembroch and of her begat a daughter named Ioan who unto the stile of her Husband William de Valentia of the family of Lusignie in France brought and adjoyned the title of Earle of Penbroch But the said Sir Guarin Mont-chensy as he was a right honourable person so he was a man exceeding wealthy in so much as in those dayes they accounted him the most potent Baron and the rich Crassus of England For his last will and testament amounted unto two hundred thousand Markes no small wealth as the standard was then From a younger brother or cadet of this house of Montchensie issued by an heire generall the Family of the Waldgraves who have long flourished in Knightly degree at Smalebridge neerer to Stoure as another Family of great account in elder ages at Buers which was thereof surnamed A few miles from hence Stour is enlarged with Breton a small Brooke at one of whose heads is seene Bretenham a very slender little towne where fcarce remaineth any shew at all of any great building and yet both the neere resemblance and the signification of the name partly induced me to thinke it to be that COMBRETONIUM whereof Antonine the Emperour made mention in this tract For like as Bretenham in English signifieth an Habitation or Mansion place by Breton so Combretonium in British or Welsh betokeneth a Valley or a place lying somewhat low by Breton But this in Peutegerius his Table is falsly named COMVETRONUM and ADCOVECIN Somewhat Eastward from hence is Nettlested seene of whence was Sir Thomas Wentworth whom King Henry the Eighth adorned with the title of Baron Wentworth and neere thereto is Offion that is to say The towne of Offa King of the Mercians where upon a clay Hill lie the ruines of an ancient Castle which they say Offa built after he had wickedly murdered Aethelbert King of the East-Angles and usurped his Kingdome But to returne to the River Breton Upon another brooke that joyneth therewith standeth Lancham a pretty Mercat and neere it the Manour of Burnt-Elleie whereunto King Henry the Third granted a Mercate at the request of Sir Henry Shelton Lord thereof whose posterity a long time heere flourished Hadley in the Saxons language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is watered with the same brooke a towne of good note in these dayes for making of Clothes and in old time much mentioned by our Historians because Guthrum or Gormo the Dane was heere buried For when Aelfred brought him to this passe that he became Christian and was baptized hee assigned unto him these countries of the East-Angles that he might to use the words of mine Author cherish them by right of inheritance under the Allegiance of a King
his Successours by abridging the number of Monkes for from threescore and tenne they brought them downe to forty flowed with riches and wealth in great abundance even unto our time and their festivall and solemne Holydayes they celebrated with so sumptuous provision and stately pompe that they wonne the prayse and prize from all the Abbaies in England whereupon a Poet also in that age wrote these verses not unproperly Pravisis aliis Eliensia festa videre Est quasi praevisa nocte videre diem See after others Ely feasts and surely thou wilt say That having seene the night before thou seest now the day The Church likewise which now began for age and long continuance to decay they built up by litle and litle and brought it to that ample statelinesse which now it hath For large it is high and faire but somewhat defaced by reason of Noblemens and Bishops tombes not without most shamefull indignity are broken downe And now in stead of that great Covent of Monks there are established a Deane Prebendaries a Grammar schoole wherein 24. children are maintained and taught Foure speciall things there are about this Church that the Common people talke much of The Lanterne on the very toppe thereof just over the Quire supported with eight pillars and raised upon them right artificially by Iohn Hothum the Bishop Vnder the Church towards the North standeth Saint Maries Chappell a singular fine peece of worke built by Simon Montacute Bishop On the South side there is an huge heape of earth cast up round of a great heigth which they call the Mount having had a wind mill upon it And lastly a Vine bearing fruit in great plenty which now is withered and gone These 4. a Monk of this place in times past knit up within this Rhyme Haec sunt Eliae Lanterna Capella Mariae Atque molendinum Nec non dans vinea vinum These things you may at Ely see The Lanterne Chapell of Saint Marie A Winde-mill mounted up on hie A Vine-yard yeelding Wine yeerely As for Ely it selfe it is a small Cittie nor greatly to bee counted of either for beauty or frequency and resort as having an unwholsome Aire by reason of the Fens round about although it be seated somewhat higher Neere to it is Downham where the Bishop hath his retyring House with a Parke neere to Downham is Cowney the ancientest seat of the Family surnamed for their habitation heere L'isle and De Insula and first planted here by Nigellus the second Bishop of Ely their Allies in the time of King Henry the First as is set downe in a Lieger Booke of Ely Chateries or Cheaterich is not farre hence Westward were Alwena a devout woman founded a Nunnery upon a coppid ground encompassed with Fens while her husband founded Ramsey But higher Northward amidst the Fennes there stood another Abbay of very great name called Thorney of thornes and bushes that grow thicke about it but in times past Ankerige of Ankers or Eremites living there solitarily where as we finde in Peterborough booke Sexvulph a devout and religious man built a Monastery with little Cels for Eremits Which being afterwards by the Danes throwne downe Aetbelwold Bishop of Winchester that he might promote the Monasticall profession reedified stored it with Monkes and compassed it round about with trees The place as writeth William of Malmesbury Representeth a very Paradise for that in pleasure and delight it resembleth Heaven it selfe in the very Marishes bearing Trees that for their streight talnesse and the same without knots strive to touch the Stars a Plaine is there as even as the Sea which with greene grasse allureth the eye so smooth and level that if any walke along the fields they shall finde nothing to stumble at There is not the least parcell of ground that lies waste and void there Here shall you finde the earth rising somewhere for Apple trees there shall you have a field set with Vines which either creepe upon the ground or mount on high upon poles to support them A mutuall strife there is betweene nature and husbandry that what the one forgetteth the other might supply and produce What will be said of the faire and beautifull buildings which it is a wonder to see how the ground amid those Fens and Marishes so firme and sound doth beare with sure and stedfast foundations A wonderfull solitary place is there afforded to Monkes for quiet life that so much the more constantly settle their mindes upon Heavenly things for that they see men very seldome and so are they seene in their state more mortified and lower brought A wonder it is to have a Woman seene there if come men thither there is rejoycing as at so many Angels In a word I may truly say that this Island is an Hostell of Chastity an harbour of Honesty and a Schoole or Colledge of Divine Philosophie Touching Wisbich the Bishop of Elies Castle about 13. miles off situate among the fennes and rivers and made of late a prison to keepe the Papists in hold I have nothing else to say but that this towne together with Walepole was in old time given by the owner thereof unto the monastery of Ely what time as he consecrated Alwin his little son there to live a monkes life that King William the First built a Castle there when the outlawed Lords made rodes out of this fenny country and that in the yeere of our salvation 1236. when the Ocean being disquieted with violent windes for two dayes continually together had beaten upon the shore made an exceeding wide breach and overwhelmed both land and people But the Castle of bricke that now is seene there Iohn Morton Bishop of Ely built within the rememberance of our great grandfathers who also drew as streight as a line in this fenny country a ditch which they call the Newleame for better conveyance and carriage by water that by this meanes the towne being well frequented might gaine the more and grow to wealth Which fell out quite contrary For it standeth now in no great steed and the neighbour inhabitants complaine that the course of Nen into the Sea by Clowcrosse is by this meanes altogether hindred and stopped The first Earle of Cambridge that I can finde was William the brother of Ranulph Earle of Chester as wee read in a patent or instrument of Alexander Bishop of Lincolne bearing date in the yeere 1139. Afterwards those of the royall blood in Scotland that were Earles of Huntingdon wee may thinke to have beene Earles of Cambridge also For that it appeareth certainly out of the Records of the realme that David Earle of Huntingdon received the third penny of the County or Earledome of Cambridge Long time after King Edward the Third advanced Sir Iohn of Henault brother to William the third Earle of Holland and of Henault to this honour for the love of Queene Philip his wife who was cosin to the said Iohn For
which King Henry the First gave unto the Church of Lincolne for amends of a losse when hee erected the Bishopricke of Ely taken out of the Diocesse of Lincolne as I have before shewed But where the River Nen entreth into this Shire it runneth fast by Elton the seat of the ancient Family of the Sapcots where is a private Chappell of singular workemanship and most artificiall glasse windowes erected by Lady Elizabeth Dinham the widow of Baron Fitz-warin married into the said Family But a little higher there stood a little City more ancient than all these neere unto Walmsford which Henry of Huntingdon calleth Caer Dorm and Dormeceaster upon the River Nen and reporteth to have beene utterly rased before his time This was doubtlesse that DUROBRIVAE that is The River passage that Antonine the Emperour speaketh of and now in the very same sense is called Dornford neere unto Chesterton which beside peeces of ancient Coine daily found in it sheweth apparant tokens of a City overthrowne For to it there leadeth directly from Huntingdon a Roman Portway and a little above Stilton which in times past was called Stichilton it is seene with an high banke and in an ancient Saxon Charter termed Ermingstreat This Street now runneth here through the middest of a foure square Fort the North side whereof was fensed with Wals all the other sides with a Rampire of earth onely Neere unto which were digged up not long since Cofins or Sepulchres of stone in the ground of R. Bevill of an ancient house in this Shire Some verily thinke that this City tooke up both bankes of the River and there bee of opinion that the little Village Câ—ster standing upon the other banke was parcell thereof Surely to this opinion of theirs maketh much the testimony of an ancient story which sheweth that there was a place by Nen called Dormund-caster in which when Kinneburga had built a little Monastery it began to be called first Kinneburge-caster and afterwards short Caster This Kinneburga the most Christian daughter of the Pagan King Penda and wife to Alfred King of the Northumbrians changed her Princely State into the service of Christ if I may use the words of an ancient Writer and governed this Monastery of her owne as Prioresse or mother of the Nunnes there Which afterwards about the yeare of Salvation 1010. by the furious Danes was made levell with the ground But where this River is ready to leave this County it passeth hard by an ancient house called Bottle-bridge so is it now termed short for Botolph-bridge which the Draitons and Lovets brought from R. Gimels by hereditary succession into the Family of the Shirleies And to this house adjoyneth Overton now corruptly called Orton which being by felony forfait and confiscate Neele Lovetoft redeemed againe of King John and the said Noeles sister and coheire being wedded unto Hubert alià s Robert de Brounford brought him children who assumed unto them the sirname of Lovetoft This County of Huntingdon when the English-Saxons Empire began now to decline had Siward an Earle by Office and not inheritance For as yet there were no Earles in England by inheritance but the Rulers of Provinces after the custome of that age were termed Earles with addition of the Earledome of this or that Province whereof they had the rule for the time as this Siward whiles he governed this County was called Earle of Huntingdon whereas afterwards being Ruler of Northumberland they named him Earle of Northumberland He had a sonne named Waldeof who under the Title of Earle had likewise the government of this Province standing in favour as he did with William the Conquerour whose Niece Judith by his sister of the mothers side hee had married but by him beheaded for entring into a conspiracy against him The eldest daughter of this Waldeof as William Gemiticensis reporteth Simon de Senlys or S. Liz tooke to wife together with the Earldome of Huntingdon and of her begat a sonne named Simon But after that the said Simon was dead David brother to Maud the Holy Queene of England who afterwards became King of Scots married his wife by whom hee had a sonne named Henry But in processe of time as fortune and Princes favour varied one while the Scots another while the Sent Lizes enjoyed this dignity First Henry the sonne of David aforesaid then Simon S. Liz sonne of Simon the first after him Malcolm King of Scots sonne to Earle Henry and after his death Simon Sent Liz the third who dying without issue William King of Scots and brother to Malcolm succeeded for so wrote he that then lived Raphe de Diceto in the yeare 1185. When Simon saith hee the sonne of Earle Simon was departed without children the King restored the Earldome of Huntingdon with the Pertinences unto William King of the Scots Then his brother David and Davids sonne John sirnamed Scot Earle of Chester who dying without issue and Alexander the third that had married the daughter of our King Henry the Third having for a time borne this Title the Scots by occasion of incident warres lost that honour and with it a very faire inheritance in England A good while after King Edward the Third created Sir William Clinton Earle of Huntingdon who dyed issuelesse And in his roome there was placed by King Richard the Second Guiseard of Engolisme a Gascoine who was his Governour in his minority and after his death succeeded Iohn Holland Iohn his sonne who was stiled Duke of Excester Earle of Huntingdon and Ivory Lord of Sparre Admirall of England and Ireland Lieutenant of Aquitane and Constable of the Towre of London and his sonne likewise Henry successively who were Dukes also of Excester This is that very same Henry Duke of Excester whom Philip Comines as himselfe witnesseth saw begging bare foote in the Low Countries whiles he stood firme and fast unto the house of Lancaster albeit he had married King Edward the Fourth his owne sister Then Thomas Grey who became afterward Marquesse Dorset a little while enjoyed that honour Also it is evident out of the Records that William Herbert Earle of Pembroch brought in againe the Charter of creation whereby his father was made Earle of Pembroch into the Chancery for to be cancelled and that King Edward the Fourth in the seventeenth of his Raigne created him Earle of Huntingdon at such time as he granted the Title of Pembroch to the Prince his sonne Afterward King Henry the Eighth conferred that honour upon George Lord Hastings after whom succeeded his sonne Francis and after him likewise his sonne Henry a right honourable Personage commended both for true Nobility and Piety But whereas hee dyed without issue his brother Sir George Hastings succeeded and after him his Grandchilde Henry by his sonne who at this day enjoyeth the said honour In this little Shire are numbered Parishes 78. CORITANI NOw must wee passe on to
thereof For in this tenour runne the very words of the Charter She likewise bestowed it upon John de Lacy Constable of Chester and the heires whom hee should beget of the body of Margaret her daughter This John had issue Edmund who dying before his mother left this honour for Henry his sonne to enjoy who was the last Earle of that line For when his sonnes were taken away by untimely death and he had but one little daughter onely remaining alive named Alice hee affianced her being but nine yeeres old to Thomas the sonne of Edmund Earle of Lancaster with this condition That if he should fortune to dye without heires of her body or if they happened to dye without heires of their bodies his Castles Lordships c. should in Remainder come to the heires of Edmund Earle of Lancaster for ever But the said Alice had no childe at all by her husband Thomas But when Thomas her husband was beheaded shee that by her light behaviour had not a little steined her good name tooke Sir Eubul le Strange with whom she had lived before time too familiarly for her husband without the assent and privity of her Soveraigne who being hereat highly offended seised her possessions into his owne hands Yet both Sir Eubul Strange and Sir Hugh Frene her third husband are in some Records named Earles of Lincolne After Alice now very aged was departed this life without issue Henry Earle of Lancaster Nephew to Edmund aforesaid by his second sonne entred upon her large and faire patrimony by vertue of that conveiance which I spake of before and from that time it accrued to the House of Lancaster Howbeit the Kings of England at their pleasure have bestowed the name and honour of Earles of Lincolne as King Edward the Fourth gave it to Sir John De la Pole and King Henry the Eighth to Henry Brandon both the Sonnes of the Dukes of Suffolke who both ended this life without Issue the first slaine in the battaile at Stoke and the other taken away by the sweating sicknesse Afterward Queene Elizabeth promoted Edward Baron Clinton Lord high Admirall of England to the said honour which his sonne Henry enjoyeth at this day There are in this Shire Parishes much about 630. NOTINGAMIAE Comitatus olim pars CORITANORVM NOTTINGHAM-SHIRE VPon the West side of Lincolne-shire confineth the County of NOTTINGHAM in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English Nottingham-shire being farre lesse in quantity limited Northward with York-shire Westward with Darby-shire and in some parts with York-shire and on the South side with Leicester-shire The South and East part thereof are made more fruitfull by the noble and famous River Trent with other Riverets resorting unto it The West part is taken up with the Forest of Shirewood which stretcheth out a great way This part because it is sandy the Inhabitants tearme The Sand the other for that it is Clayish they call the Clay and so have divided their Country into these two parts The River Trent in the old English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some Antiquaries of small note and account have called Triginta in Latine for the affinity of the French word Trent that signifieth that number Triginta that is thirty having gone a long journey so soone as hee is entred into this Shire and hath recepto Souro flumine ex agro Leicestrensi taking in the River Soure from the field of Leicester runne by Steanford where I have learned there be many tokens remaining of old antiquity and peeces of Roman money oftentimes found and then by Clifton which hath given both habitation and sirname also to the ancient family of the Cliftons much enriched by one of the heires of Cressy taketh in from the West the little River Lin which rising neere unto Newsted that is New place where sometime King Henry the Second founded a small Abbay and which is now the dwelling house of the ancient Family of the Burons descended from Ralph de Buron who at the first comming in of the Normans flourished in great state both in this Countrey and also in Lancashire runneth hard by Wallaton rich in veines of cole where Sir Francis Willoughby a Knight nobly descended from the Greis Marquesse Dorset in our daies built out of the ground with great charges upon a vaine ostentation of his wealth a stately house with artificiall workemanship standing bleakely but offering a very goodly prospect to the beholders farre and neere Then runneth it by Linton or Lenton much frequented and famous in old time for the Abbay there of the Holy Trinity founded by William Peverell the base sonne of King William the Conquerour but now all the fame is onely for a Faire there kept Where on the other banke at the very meeting well neere of Lin and Trent the principall Towne that hath given name unto the Shire is seated upon the side of an hill now called Nottingham by softning the old name a little for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the English Saxons named it of certaine caves and passages under the ground which in old time they hewed and wrought hollow under those huge and steepe cliffes which are on the South side hanging over the little River Lin for places of receit and refuge yea and for habitations And thereupon Asserius interpreteth this Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Speluncarum domum that is An house of Dennes or Caves and in the British Tui ogo bauc which signifieth the very selfe same The Towne for the naturall site thereof is right pleasant as where on the one hand lye faire and large Medowes by the Rivers side on the other rise hils with a gentle and easie ascent and is plentifully provided of all things beside necessary for mans life On the one side Shirewood yeeldeth store of wood to maintaine fire although many use for that purpose stinking pit cole digged forth of the ground on the other Trent serveth it aboundantly with fish And hence hath beene taken up this od barbarous Verse Limpida sylva focum Triginta dat mihi piscem Shire-wood yeelds me fuell for fire As Trent yeelds fish what I require At a word for largenesse for building for three faire Churches a passing spacious and beautifull Mercat place and a most strong Castle it maketh a goodly shew The said Castle is mounted upon an huge and steepe worke on the West side of the City in which place it is thought that Castle stood in times past upon whose strength the Danes presuming held out against the Siege of Aethered and Aelfrid so long untill they frustrate of their purpose brake up their Siege trussed up bagge and baggage and dislodged For when the Danes had taken this Castle Burthred King of the Mercians as mine Authour Asserius writeth and the Mercians addresse their messengers to Aethered King of the West Saxons and to
in old time a very small village it is at this day containing in it scarce foureteene dwelling houses and those but little ones and hath no monument of antiquitie to shew beside an ancient mount which they call Old-burie For on the one side Atherstone a mercate towne of good resort where there stood a Church of Augustine Friers now turned into a Chappell which neverthelesse acknowledgeth Mancester Church for her mother and Nun-Eaton on the other side by their vicinity have left it bare and empty Close unto Atherstone standeth Mery-Vale where Robert Ferrars erected a Monastery to God and the blessed Virgin Mary wherein himselfe enwrapped in an Oxe-hide for a shrouding sheet was interred Beyond these Northeastward is Pollesworth where Modwena an Irish Virgin of whom there went so great a fame for her holy life built a religious house for Nuns which R. Marmion a Noble man repaired who had his Castle hard by at Stippershull Neere unto this place also there flourished in the Saxons daies a towne that now is almost quite gone called then SECANDUNUM and at this day Seckinton where Aethelbald King of the Mercians in civill warre about the yeere of our Lord 749. was stabbed to death by Beared and soone after Offa slew Beared so that as by bloudy meanes he invaded the Kingdome of Mercia he likewise lost the same suddainely It remaineth now that we reckon up the Earles of Warwick for to passe over Guare Morind Guy of Warwick of whose actes all England resoundeth and others of that stampe whom pregnant wits have at one birth bred and brought forth into the world Henry the sonne of Roger de Beau-mont and brother to Robert Earle of Mellent was the first Earle descended of Normans bloud who had married Margaret the daughter of Ernulph de Hesdin Earle of Perch a most mighty and puissant man Out of this Family there bare this Honourable title Roger the sonne of Henry William the sonne of Roger who died in the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the Second Walleran his brother Henry the sonne of Walleran Thomas his sonne who deceased without issue in the sixe and twentieth yeere of King Henry the Third leaving behinde him Margery his sister who being Countesse of Warwicke and barraine departed this life yet her two husbands first Iohn Mareschal then John de Plessetis or Plessey in their wives right and through their Princes favour mounted up to the Honourable dignitie of Earles of Warwicke Now when these were departed without any issue by that Margery Waller and Uncle unto the said Margery succeeded them After whom dying also childlesse his sister Alice enjoyed the inheritance Afterwards her sonne William called Malduit and Manduit of Hanslap who left this world and had no children Then Isabell the said William Malduits sister being bestowed in marriage upon William de Beauchamp Lord of Elmesly brought the Earledome of Warwicke into the Familie of the Beauchamps who if I deceive not my selfe for that they came of a daughter of Ursus de Abtot gave the Beare for their cognisance and left it to their posteritie Out of this house there flourished sixe Earles and one Duke William the sonne of Isabell John Guy Thomas Thomas the younger Richard and Henry unto whom King Henry the Sixth graunted this preheminence and prerogative without any precedent to be the first and chiefe Earle of England and to carry this stile Henricus Praecomes totius Anglia Comes Warwici that is Henry chiefe Earle of all England and Earle of Warwicke he nominated him also King of the Isle of Wight and afterwards created him Duke of Warwicke and by these expresse words of his Parent graunted That he should take his place in Parliaments and elsewhere next unto the Duke of Norfolke and before the Duke of Buckingham One onely daughter he had named Anne whom in the Inquisitions wee finde entituled Countesse of Warwicke and shee died a child After her succeeded Richard Nevill who had married Anne sister to the said Duke of Warwicke a man of an undaunted courage but wavering and untrustie the very tennisse-ball in some sort of fortune who although he were no King was above Kings as who deposed King Henry the Sixth a most bountifull Prince to him from his regall dignitie placed Edward the Fourth in the royall throne and afterwards put him downe too restored Henry the Sixth againe to the Kingdome enwrapped England within the most wofull and lamentable flames of civill warre which himselfe at the length hardly quenched with his owne bloud After his death Anne his Wife by Act of Parliament was excluded and debarred from all her lands for ever and his two daughters heires to him and heires apparant to their mother being married to George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocester were enabled to enjoy all the said lands in such wise as if the said Anne their mother were naturally dead Whereupon the name stile and title of Earle of Warwicke and Sarisbury was graunted to George Duke of Clarence who soone after was unnaturally dispatched by a sweet death in a Butte of Malvesey by his suspicious brother King Edward the Fourth His young sonne Edward was stiled Earle of Warwicke and being but a very child was beheaded by King Henry the Seventh to secure himselfe and his posteritie The death of this Edward our Ancestors accounted to be the full period and finall end of the long lasting warre betweene the two royall houses of Lancaster and Yorke Wherein as they reckoned from the twenty eight yeere of Henry the Sixth unto this being the fifteenth of Henry the Seventh there were thirteene fields fought three Kings of England one Prince of Wales twelve Dukes one Marques eighteene Earles with one Vicont and twenty three Barons besides Knights and Gentlemen lost their lives From the death of this young Earle of Warwicke this title lay asleepe which King Henry the Eighth feared as a fire-brand of the State by reason of the combustion which that Richard Nevill that whip-king as some tearmed him had raised untill that King Edward the Sixth conferred it upon Iohn Dudley that derived his pedigree from the Beauchamps who like unto that Richard abovesaid going about in Queene Maries daies to turne and translate Scepters at his pleasure for his Traiterous deepe ambition lost his head But his sonnes first Iohn when his father was now Duke of Northumberland by a courteous custome usually received held this title for a while and afterwards Ambrose a most worthy personage both for warlike prowesse and sweetnesse of nature through the fauour of Queene Elizabeth received in our remembrance the Honour of Earle of Warwick to him and his heires males and for defect of them to Robert his brother and the heires males of his body lawfully begotten This Honour Ambrose bare with great commendation and died without children in the yeere one thousand five hundred eighty nine shortly after his brother Robert Earle of Leicester
Vlster So that doubtlesse he was either a man of rare vertue or a gracious favourite or a great Lawyer or else all jointly His posterity matched in marriage with the heires of the Lord Giffard of Brimsfield of Baron Martin Lord of Keimeis and Barstaple and a younger brother of this house with one of the heires of the Earle of Glocester and was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Glocester About which time James Lord Audley flourished in Chivalry who as the French write being grievously wounded in the battaile at Poitiers when the blacke Prince with many comfortable commendations had given him 400. Markes of yeerely revenewes he bestowed the same forthwith upon his foure Esquires who alwaies valiantly attended him and satisfied the Prince doubting that his gift was too little for so great service with this answer dutifully acknowledging his bounty It is meet that I doe well for them who deserved best of me These my Esquiers saved my life amidst my enemies And God be thanked my ancestours have left me sufficient revenewes to maintaine me in your service Whereupon the Prince approving this prudent liberality both confirmed his gift to his Esquires and assigned him moreover lands to the value of six hundred Markes yeerely But by his daughter one of the coheires to her brother the Title of Lord Audley came afterward to the Touchets and in them continueth Neither must I heere passe over in silence an house in this tract called Gerards Bromley both for the magnificence thereof and also because it is the principall seat of Sir Thomas Gerard whom King James in the first yeere of his Raigne created Baron Gerard of Gerards Bromley This Sow as it were a parallel river unto Trent runneth even with him and keeping an equall distance still from him by Chebsey which had in times past for Lords therof the Hastangs reputed among the prime Nobility in the time of King Edward the First not farre from Eccleshall the habitation of the Bishop of Lichfield and Ellenhall which was sometime the seat of the Noels a worshipfull house who founded heere a Monastery at Raunton and from whom it descended hereditarily to the Harcourts who being of the ancient Norman nobility flourished a long time in great dignity But yet of the male heires of the Noels there remaine still Sir Edward Noel of Dalby in Leicester-shire and the Noels of Wellesborow in Leicester-shire with others Then runneth Sow under Stafford in times past called Statford and before time Betheney where Bertelin reputed a very holy man led in ancient times an Eremits life in serving God And King Edward the Elder built on the South banke of the River a Castle in the yeere of Christ 914. What time as King William the Conquerour registred the Survey of all England as we reade in his Domesday Booke The King had in it only 18. Burgesses in his owne domaine and 20. Mansions of the honour of the Earle it paid for all customes nine pounds of deniers and had thirteene Chanons Prebendaries who held in franke Almoine and the King commanded a Castle to bee made which now is destroyed But then as now also it was the head Towne of the whole Shire howbeit the greatest credite and honor thereof came from Stafford Castle adjoyning which the Barons of Stafford of whose progeny were the Dukes of Buckingham built for their owne seat who procured of King John that it was made a Burrough with ample liberties caused it to be partly fensed with a Wall and erected a Priory of Blacke Chanons to the honour of Saint Thomas of Canterbury Beneath which the Riveret Penke which gave name to Pennocrucium or Penkridge whereof I have already spoken joyneth with that Sow aforesaid And neere unto the confluence of Sow and Trent standeth Ticks hall the dwelling place of the Astons a Family which for antiquity kinred and alliance is in these parts of great name Trent having harboured these rivers in his chanell passeth now through the mids of the Shire with a gentle streame taking a view of Chartley Castle standing two miles aside from the banke on the left hand which Castle came from Raulph Earle of Chester who built it unto the Ferrars by Agnes his sister whom William Ferrars Earle of Darby had marryed out of whose Race the Lords Ferrars of Chartley flourished and Anne the Daughter of the last of them brought this Honour as her dowry unto Sir Walter D'Eureux her husband from whom Robert D'Evereux Earle of Essex and Lord Ferrars of Chartley is lineally descended On the right side of the river about the same distance standeth most pleasantly among the woods Beaudesert the lodge in times past of the Bishops of Lichfield but now the house of the Lord Paget For Sir William Paget who for his approoved wisdome both at home and abroad stood in high favour with King Henry the Eight and King Edward the Sixth and obteined at their hands faire possessions was by the said K. Edward the Sixth created Lord Paget of Beaudesert He was that I may note so much out of his Epitaph Secretary and Privy Counsellour to King Henry the Eighth and appointed by his Testament Counsellour and aidor to King Edward the Sixth during his minority To whom he was Chauncellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster Controller of the house and by him made as I said Baron and knight of the Garter as by Queene Mary Lord Privy Seale Whose grandsonne William is now the fourth Baron Pagets and for his vertue and studies of the best arts is an honour to his house and in this respect deserveth to be honorably remembred From thence may you descrie Lichfield scarce foure miles from this right-side banke of Trent Bede calleth it Licidfeld which Rosse of Warwick interpreteth Cadaverum campus that is The field of dead bodies and reporteth that a number of Christians were there Martyred under the persecutor Dioclesian This City is low seated of a good largenesse and faire withall divided into two parts with a shallow poole of cleere water which parts notwithstanding joyne in one by the meanes of two bridges or causeies made over that have their sluces to let out the water The South part which is on the hither side is the greater consisting of divers streets hath in it the schoole and an hospitall of Saint John founded for reliefe of the poore The farther part is the lesse but beautified with a very goodly Cathedrall Church which being round about compassed with a faire wall castle-like and garnished beside with faire houses of Prebendaries and with the Bishops palace also doth mount upon high with three pyramids or spires of stone making an excellent shew and for elegant and proportionall building yeeldeth to few Cathedrall Churches In this place many ages past a Bishops See was established for in the 656. yeere after the Worlds redemption Oswie King of Northumberland having vanquished the Mercians as then
Vale underneath along Corve which commonly is called Corves-dale to Sir Foulque of Dinan Afterwards it belonged to the Lacies of Ireland and by a daughter fell to Sir Geffrey de Ienevile a Poictevin or as some will have it of the house of Lorain from whose heires it descended againe by a daughter to the Mortimers and from thence hereditarily to the Crowne Then the Inhabitants in processe of time built in the very bosome of the Towne and on the highest ground a very faire Church and the onely Church they have And so it beganne to be of great account and to excell other neighbour Townes adjoyning And although by King Stephen Simon Montfort and King Henry the Sixth it suffered much damage in the civill Warres yet it alwayes flourished againe and now especially ever since that King Henry the Eighth ordained the Councell of the Marches not unlike to those Parliaments in France the Lord President whereof doth for the most part keepe Courts and Terme here which a man could hardly have seene at any time without Suites whether it were for the great state and authority that it carryed or because the Welshmen are so forward and hote to goe to Law This Councell consisteth of the Lord President so many Counsellers as it shall please the Prince to appoint a Secretary an Attorney a Sollicitour and the foure Iustices of the Counties in Wales Somewhat lower upon the River Temd is seene Burford which from Theodoricke Saie and his Posterity came unto Robert Mortimer and from his posterity likewise unto Sir Geffrey Cornwaile who derived his Descent from Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of the Alemans and his Race even unto these daies hath flourished under the name of Barons of Burford but not in the dignity of Parliamentary Barons whereas it is holden as we reade in the Inquisition of the King for to finde five men for the Army of Wales and by service of a Baronie As for those that I may note thus much by the way who held an entire and whole Barony they were commonly in times past reputed Barons and as some learned in our common lawes are of opinion Baron and Barony like as Earle and Earledome Duke and Dukedome King and Kingdome were Conjugata that is Originally yoke-fellowes When Temd now is leaving Shropp-shire behinde it not farre from the bankes thereof there raise themselves up Northward certaine hils of easie ascent Cleehill they call them much commended for yeelding the best Barly in great plenty neither are they without iron mines at the descent whereof in a Village called Cleybury Hugh Mortimer built a Castle which King Henry the Second forthwith so rased because it was a noursery of sedition that scarce there remaine any tokens thereof at this day also hard by standeth Kinlet where the Blunts flourished Their name in this Tract is very great so sirnamed at first of their yellow haire the Family noble and ancient and the branches thereof farre spread Then saw we on the right hand banke of Severn Brug Morfe commonly but corruptly called Bridg-North so called of Burg or Burrbugh and Morfe a Forest adjoyning whereas before time it was named simply Burgh A Towne fortified with wals a ditch a stately Castle and the Severn which betweene the Rockes runneth downe with a great fall seated also upon a Rocke out of which the waies leading into the upper part of the Towne were wrought out Achelfleda Lady of the Mercians first built it and Robert de Belesme Earle of Shrewesbury walled it who trusting to the naturall strength of the place rebelled against King Henry the First like as afterward Roger Mortimer against King Henry the the Second but both of them with ill successe for they were both forced to yeeld and submit themselves absolutely to the Kings command At the Siege of this Castle as we reade in our Annales King Henry the Second being levelled at with an arrow had beene shot therewith quite through the body had not Sir Hubert Syncter a noble and trusty Servitour to the King interposed himselfe and to save the King received both the arrow and his deaths wound withall Before time also Sir Raulph de Pichford bare himselfe so valiantly heere that king Henry the First gave unto him the little Burgh hard by To hold by service for to finde dry wood for the great chamber of the Castle of Burgh against the comming of his Soveraigne Lord the King Willeley or Willey is not farre from hence the habitation in old time of Sir Warner De Willeley from whose Posterity by the Harleis and Peshall it came to the notable Family of Lacon advanced by marriage long since with the heire of Passelew and of late by the Possession of Sir I. Blunt of Kinlet There be in like manner other Townes and Castles heere and there in this Tract as Newcastle Hopton Castle Shipton and upon the River Corve Corvesham which Walter Clifford had by the gift of king Henry the Second also Brancroft and Holgot commonly Howgate which belonged sometime to the Manduits then to Robert Blunt Bishop of Bath and afterwards to the Lovells More higher are Wenlocke now knowne for the lime but in king Richard the Seconds time for a mine of Copper there But much more knowne in the Saxons dayes for a most ancient Nunnery where Milburga that most holy virgin lived in great devotion and was entombed the which Nunnery Earle Roger de Montgomerie repaired and replenished with Monkes In later times Sir Iohn Winell called also Wenlocke because he heere inhabited for his faithfull service to king Henry the Sixth was by him advanced to the state and honor of Baron Wenlocke and elected knight of the Garter in whose cause he manfully lost his life in the Battaile of Tewkesbury leaving no issue but from his cozin and heire generall the Lawleys of this County are lineally descended A little more West is Acton Burnell a Castle of the Burnels and after of the Lovels made famous by the Court of Parliament there held in the time of king Edward the First This Family of the Burnells was in old time of great name and antiquity very much enriched also by that Bishop aforenamed But it failed and had an end in the Raigne of Edward the Second when Mawde the heire was married unto John Lovell first and secondly to John Haudlow whose sonne Nicholas assumed to himselfe the name of Burnell from whom the Ratcliffes Earles of Sussex and others draw their pedegree Scarce a mile from hence standeth Langley seated very flat and low in a Parke full of Woods the dwelling place of the Leas which may well challenge to be ranged among the Families that are of the better worth and greater Antiquity in this Tract Next unto these is Condover a Manour sometimes of the Lovells but of late the possession of Thomas Owen
Shrop-shire adjoyning and held that I may note so much by the way the Hamelet of Lanton in chiefe as of the Honour of Montgomery by the service of giving to the King a barbdheaded Arrow whensoever he commeth into those parts to hunt in Cornedon Chace Lugg hasteneth now to Wy first by Hampton where that worthy Knight Sir Rouland Lenthal who being Maister of the Wardrobe unto King Henry the Fourth had married one of the heires of Thomas Earle of Arundell built a passing faire house which the Coningsberes men of good worship and great name in this tract have now a good long time inhabited then by Marden and Southton or Sutton of which twaine Sutton sheweth some small remaines of King Offaes Palace so infamous for the murdering of Ethelbert and Marden is counted famous for the Tombe of the said Ethelbert who had lien heere a long time without any glorious memoriall before that he was translated to Hereford Neere unto the place where Lugg and Wy meete together Eastward a hill which they call Marcley hill in the yeere of our redemption 1571. as though it had wakened upon the suddaine out of a deepe sleepe roused it selfe up and for the space of three daies together mooving and shewing it selfe as mighty and huge an heape as it was with roring noise in a fearefull sort and overturning all things that stood in the way advanced it selfe forward to the wonderous astonishment of the beholders by that kinde of Earthquake which as I deeme naturall Philosophers call Brasmatias And not farre from this hill toward the East also under Malvern hills which in this place bound the East part of this shire standeth Ledbury upon the River Ledden a Towne well knowne which Edwin the Saxon a man of great power gave unto the Church of Hereford being assuredly perswaded that by Saint Ethelberts intercession he was delivered from the Palsey Touching the Military fort on the next hill I need not to speake seeing that in this tract which was in the Marches and the ordinary fighting ground plot first betweene the Romanes and Britans afterwards betweene the Britains and the English such holds and entrenchments are to be seene in many places But Wy now carrying a full streame after it hath entertained Lugg runneth downe with more bendings and bowings first by Holm Lacy the feate of the ancient and noble Family of Scudamore unto which accrewed much more worship by marriage with an heire out of the race of Ewias in this shire and Huntercombe c. else where From hence passeth Wy downe betweene Rosse made a free Burrough by King Henry the Third now well knowne by reason of iron Smiths and Wilton over against it a most ancient Castle of the Greis whence so many worthy Barons of that name have drawne their originall This was built as men say by Hugh de Long-champ but upon publique and certaine credit of Records it appeareth that King John gave Wilton with the Castle to H. de Longchamp and that by marriage it fell to William Fitz-Hugh and likewise not long after to Reinold Grey in the daies of King Edward the first Now when Wy hath a little beneath saluted Goderick Castle which King John gave unto William Earle Mareschall and was afterward for a time the principall seate of the Talbots hee speedeth himselfe to Monmouth-shire and bids Hereford-shire farewell When the state of the English-Saxons was now more than declining to the downe-fall Ralph sonne to Walter Medantinus by Goda King Edward the Confessoursâ— sister governed this Countie as an Official Earle but the infamous for base cowardise was by William the Conquerour remooved and William Fitz-Osbern of Crepon a martiall Norman who had subdued the Isle of Wight and was neere allied to the Dukes of Normandy was substituted in his place When he was slaine in assistance of the Earle of Flanders his sonne Roger surnamed De Bretevill succeeded and soone after for conspiracie against the Conquerour was condemned to perpetuall prison and therein died leaving no lawfull issue Then King Stephen granted to Robert Le Bossu Earle of Leicester who had married Emme or Itta as some call her heire of Bretevill to use the words of the Graunt the Burrough of Hereford with the Castle and the whole County of Hereford but all in vaine For Maude the Empresse who contended with King Stephen for the Crowne advanced Miles the sonne of Walter Constable of Glocester unto this Honour and also graunted to him Constabulariam Curiae suae i. The Constableship of her Court whereupon his posteritie were Constables of England as the Marshalship was graunted at the first by the name of Magistratus Marescalsiae Curiaenostrae Howbeit Stephen afterwards stript him out of these Honours which he had received from her This Miles had five sonnes Roger Walter Henry William and Mahel men of especiall note who were cut off every one issuelesse by untimely death after they had all but William succeeded one another in their Fathers inheritance Unto Roger King Henry the Second among other things gave The Mote of Hereford with the whole Castle and the third peny issuing out of the revenewes of Plees of the whole County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle But after Roger was deceased the same King if wee may beleeve Robert Abbot De Monte kept the Earledome of Hereford to himselfe The eldest sister of these named Margaret was married to Humfrey Bohun the third of that name and his heires were high Constables of England namely Humfrey Bohun the Fourth Henry his sonne unto whom King Iohn graunted twenty pounds yeerely to be received out of the third penny of the County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle This Henry married the sister and heire of William Mandevill Earle of Essex and died in the fourth yeere of Henry the Third his reigne Humfrey the Fifth his sonne who was also Earle of Essex whose sonne Humfrey the Sixth of that forename died before his Father having first begotten Humfrey the Seventh by a daughter and one of the heires of William Breos Lord of Brecknock His sonne Humfrey the Eighth was slaine at Burrowbrig leaving by Elizabeth his wife daughter unto King Edward the First and the Earle of Hollands widow among other children namely Iohn Bohun Humfrey the Ninth both Earles of Hereford and Essex and dying without issue and William Earle of Northampton unto whom Elizabeth a daughter and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badlesmer bare Humfrey Bohun the Tenth and last of the Bohuns who was Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton Constable besides of England who left two Daughters Aeleonor the Wife of Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Mary wedded to Henry of Lancaster Earle of Darby who was created Duke of Hereford and afterwards Crowned King of England But after this Edward Stafford last Duke of Buckingham was stiled Earle of Hereford for that hee descended from Thomas
clawbackes BRITANNICUS even when the Britans would have elected an Emperour against him And then it may seeme was this Statue of his set up when he prizing himselfe more than a man proceeded to that folly that he gave commandement he should be called The Romane Hercules Iupiters sonne For hee was portraied in the habite of Hercules and his right hand armed with a club under which there lay as I have heard such a mangled Inscription as this broken heere and there with voide places betweene the draught whereof was badly taken out and before I came hither was utterly spoiled CAESARI AUGUSTO MARCI AURELII FILIO SEN IONIS AMPLISSIMI VENTS PIUS This was to be seene in Nappa an house built with turrets and the chiefe seat of the Medcalfs thought to be at this day the greatest family for multitude of the same name in all England for I have heard that Sir Christopher Medcalfe knight and the top of this kinred beeing of late high-Sheriffe of the shire accompanied with three hundred men of the same house all on horsback and in a livery met and received the Justices of Assizes and so brought them to Yorke From hence runneth Vre downe a maine full of Creifishes ever since Sir Christopher Medcalfe in our remembrance brought that kinde of fish hither out of the South part of England and betweene two rockes whereof the place is named Att-scarre it runneth head long downe not far from Bolton a stately Castle the ancient seat of the Barons Scrops and which Richard Lord le Scrope and Chancellour of England under king Richard the Second built with exceeding great coste and now bending his course Eastward commeth to Midelham the honour whereof as wee reade in the Genealogie or Pedegree of the Nevils Alan Earle of Richmond bestowed upon his younger brother Rinebald with all the lands which before their comming belonged to Gilpatrick the Dane His nephew by his sonne Raulph named Robert Fitz-Raulph had all Wentsedale also by gift of Conan Earle of Britaine and of Richmond and at Midleham raised a most strong Castle His sonne Ranulph erected a little Abbay for Chanons at Coverham called now short Corham in Coverdale whose sonne Raulph had a daughter named Mary who being wedded to Robert Lord Nevill with this marriage translated this very faire and large inheritance as her portion into the family of Nevils Which Robert Nevill having had many children by his wife was taken in adultery unknowne and by the husband of the adulteresse being for revenge berest of his genitours shortly after dyed with extremity of paine Then Ure after it hath passed a few miles forward watereth Iervis or Iorvalle Abbay of Cistertians founded first at Fo rs and after translated hither by Stephen Earle of Britaine and Richmond but now wholly ruinated and after that Masham which was the possession of the Scropes of Masham who as they sprung from the stocke of the Scropes of Bolton so they were by marriages ingraffed againe into the same On the other side of this River but more inward standeth Snath the principall house of the Barons Latimer who derived their noble descent from George Nevill younger sonne of Raulph Nevill the first Earle of Westmorland and he received this Title of honour from king Henry the Sixth when as the ancienter house of the Latimers expired in a female and so by a continued succession they have flourished unto these our daies when for default of male issue of the last Baron Latimer that goodly and rich inheritance was divided among his daughters marryed into the families of the Percies Cecils D'anvers and Cornwallis Neither are there any other places in this part of the shire worth the naming that Ure runneth by unlesse it bee Tanfeld the habitation in times past of the Gernegans knights from whom it descended to the Marmions the last of whom left for his heire Amice second wife to John Lord Grey of Rotherfeld by whom he had two sonnes John that assumed the sirname of Marmion and died issuelesse and Robert who left behinde him one onely daughter and sole heire Elizabeth wife to Sir Henry Fitz-Hugh a noble Baron After this Ure entertaineth the River Swale so called as Th. Spot writeth of his swiftnesse selfe into it with a maine and violent streame which Swale runneth downe Eastward out of the West Mountaines also scarce five miles above the head of Ure a River reputed very sacred amongst the ancient English for that in it when the English Saxons first embraced Christianity there were in one day baptized with festivall joy by Paulinus the Archbishop of Yorke above tenne thousand men besides women and little children This Swale passeth downe along an open Vale of good largenesse which of it is called Swal-dale having good plenty of grasse but as great want of wood first by Marrick where there stood an Abbay built by the Askes men in old time of great name also by Mask a place full of lead ore Then runneth it through Richmond the chiefe towne of the Country having but a small circuit of walles but yet by reason of the Suburbs lying out in length at three Gates well peopled and frequented Which Alan the first Earle thereof built reposing small trust in Gilling a place or Manour house of his hard by to withstand the violence of the Danes and English whom the Normans had despoiled of their inheritance and hee adorned it with this name as one would say The rich Mount he fensed it with a wall and a most strong Castle which being set upon a rocke from an high looketh downe to Swale that with a mighty rumbling noise rusheth rather than runneth among the stones For the said house or Manour place of Gilling was more holy in regard of devout religion than sure and strong for any fortification it had ever since that therein Beda calleth it Gethling Oswy King of Northumberland being entertained guest-wise was by his hoste forelaid and murthered for the expiation whereof the said Monastery was built highly accounted of among our ancestours More Northward Ravenswath Castle sheweth it selfe compassed with a good large wall but now fallen which was the seat of the Barons named Fitz-Hugh extracted from the ancient line of the English Nation who were Lords of the place before the Normans Conquest and lived in great name unto King Henry the Seventh his daies enriched with faire possessions by marriage with the heires of the noble houses of Furneaux and Marmion which came at last by the females unto the Fienes Lords Dacres in the South and to the Parrs Three miles beneath Richmond Swale runneth by that ancient City which Ptolomee and Antonine call CATURACTONIUM and CATARRACTON but Bede Catarractan and in another place the Village neere unto Catarracta whereupon I suppose it had the name of Catarracta that is a Fludfall or water-fall considering hard by there
as I have often said heeretofore shoote along through the middle of England and interpose themselves as umpires and Bounders betweene divers shires Lanca-shire lyeth toward the West in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly termed Lonka-shire Lanca-shire and The County Palatine of Lancaster because it is notably knowne by the title of a County Palatine It is so enclosed betweene Yorke-shire on the East side and the Irish sea on the West that on the South side where it boundeth upon Cheshire it is broader and by little and little the more Northward it goeth where it confineth upon Westmorland the narrower it groweth And there by an Arme of the sea insinuating it selfe is interrupted and hath a good part of it which butteth upon Cumberland beyond the said Arme. Where the ground is plaine and champion it yeeldeth good store of Barly and Wheat that which lieth at the botom of the hilles is better for Otes The soile every where is meetely good and tolerable unlesse it be in certaine moist places and unwholsome called Mosses which notwithstanding make amends for these their discommodities with more plentifull commodities For if their upper coate bee pared away they yeeld certaine unctuous or fattish Turffes for fewell and some times under-ground trees or which have lien a long time buried there Underneath also in divers places they affourd abundance of marle which serveth in stead of mucke to enrich their grounds Whereby the soile that in mans opinion was held most unapt to beare Corne beginneth now to be so kinde and arable that it may be justly thought mens idlenesse in times past was greater than any naturall barrainesse of the soile But a man may judge of the goodnesse of the soile partly by the constitution and complexion of the Inhabitants who are to see to passing faire and beautifull and in part if you please by the Cattaile For in their Kine and Oxen which have goodly heads and faire spread hornes and are in body well proportionate withall you shall finde in manner no one point wanting that Mago the Carthaginian doth require as Columella specifieth out of him On the South part it is separated from Cheshire with the River Mersey which springing forth of the midland hilles having passed a little from his head becommeth a bound to distinguish the Shires and with a slow current runneth Westward calling as it were other rivers to use the words of the Poet into his skie coloured and azure lappe and forthwith gladly biddeth welcome unto Irwell from the North which river bringeth along with him all the rivers of this Easterne part Among these Roch is of greatest name which hath standing upon it in the Vale Rochdale a Mercate Towne well frequented like as Irwell it selfe hath situate upon it Bury a Mercate Towne nothing inferiour to the other and hard by whiles I carefully sought for COCCIUM mentioned by Antonine the Emperour I saw Cockley a Chapell built of timber beset round about with trees Also Turton Chapell among very steepe downfalls and overgrowne unpleasant places Turton Towre and Entweissoll a proper faire house which had in times past Gentlemen of that name as Turton is the seate at this day of the right ancient family of Orell But where Irke and Irwell meet together on the left hand banke raised of a reddish kinde of stone scarce three miles from Mersey flourished that Towne of right great antiquity which we now call Manchester and Antonine the Emperour called MANCUNIUM and MANUCIUM according to the variety of the Copies This retaining the first part of his ancient name farre excelleth the Townes lying round about it for the beautifull shew it carrieth for resort unto it and for clothing in regard also of the Mercate-place the faire Church and College founded by Thomas Lord De-la-ware a Priest the last heire male of his Family and summoned to the Parliament among the Lords Temporall by the name of Magister Thomas de-la-ware For he descended from the Greleies who were the ancient Lords of this Towne and by Ioane sister of the said Sir Thomas it came to Wests now Lords De-la-ware But in the foregoing age this Towne was of farre greater account both for certaine wollen clothes there wrought and in great request commonly called Manchester Cottons and also for the liberty of a Sanctuary which under King Henry the Eighth was by Parliamentary authority translated to Chester In a Parke of the Earle of Derbies neere adjoyning called Alparke where the Brooke Medlocke entreth into Irwell I saw the plot and ground-worke of an ancient Fortresse built foure square commonly called Mancastle which I will not in any wise say was that ancient MANCUNIUM it is contained in so narrow a peece of ground but rather the Fort of Mancunium and station of the Romanes where they kept watch and ward at which I saw this ancient Inscription in a long stone to the memory of Candidus a Centurion ◠CANDIDI FIDES XX. IIII. As for this other Iohn Dee that most famous Mathematician and Warden of Manchester College who had a sight of the same heere copied it out for me COHO I. FRISIN ◠MASA VONIS P. XXIII Both which may seeme erected in honour of those Centurious for their loyalty and honesty so many yeeres approoved In the yeere of our Salvation 920. King Edward the Elder as Marianus writeth sent an Army of Mercians into Northumberland To reedifie the City of Manchester and to place a Garison there for it belonged formerly unto the Kings of Northumberland and seemeth to have beene quite destroyed in the Danish warre against whom because the inhabitants had borne themselves as valiant men they will have their towne to be called Manchester that is as they expound it The City of Men and in this conceit which implieth their owne commendation they wonderfully please and flatter themselves But full little know the good honest men that MANCUNIUM was the name of it in the Britans time so that the Etymologie thereof out of our English tongue can by no meanes seeme probable I for my part therefore would derive it rather from Main a British word which signifieth a Stone For upon a stony hill it is seated and beneath the very Towne at Colyhurst there are very good and famous quarries of stone But to returne againe Mersey now by this time carrying a fuller streame by reason of Irwell consociating with him holdeth on in his journey toward the Ocean by Trafford from whence the Traffords a Family of great good note tooke their name as they had their habitation also by Chatmosse a low mossie ground lying a great way in length and bredth a good part whereof the Brookes swelling high within our fathers remembrance carried quite away with them not without much danger Whereby the Rivers were corrupted and a number of fresh fish perished In which place now lyeth a Vale somewhat low watered with a little Brooke and trees
when his first wife Avelina daughter and heire to William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle was dead issuelesse who neverthelesse in her Will had made him her heire married Blanch of Artois of the roiall family of France to his second wife and by her had Thomas Henry and John that died an infant Thomas was the second Earle of Lancaster who tooke to wife Alice the onely daughter and heire of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne who by her deed passed over unto the house of Lancaster her owne inheritance and her mothers that which belonged to the family of Long Espee who were Earles of Salisbury like as her father the said Henry Lacy had made the like conveiance before of his owne lands in case Alice should dye without issue as it afterward happened But this Thomas for behaving himselfe insolently toward his soveraigne Edward the second and still supplying fewell to civill warres being taken prisoner in the field lost his head leaving no issue Howbeit when this sentence of death pronounced against him was afterwards by authority of Parliament reversed because hee had not his tryall by his Peeres according to the Law and great Charter his brother Henry succeeded after him in all his possessions and honours Hee also was advanced in estate by his wife Maude daughter and sole heire of Sir Patricke Chaworth who brought unto him not onely her owne patrimony but also great inheritances in Wales of Mauric of London and of Siward from whom she descended This Henry left behind him Henry his onely sonne whom King Edward the third from an Earle raised unto the honour of a Duke and he was second man of all our Nobility which received the name of Duke But hee having no issue male departed this life leaving behind him two daughters Maude and Blanch betweene whom the inheritance was divided Maud was married to William of Bavaria who was Earle of Holland Zeland Frisland Henault and in his wives right of Leicester And when as she deceased without children John of Gaunt so called because hee was borne at Gaunt in Flanders fourth sonne of King Edward the third who had married Blanch the other daughter of Henry aforesaid entred upon the whole inheritance and now being for wealth equivalent to many Kings and created withall by his father Duke of Lancaster he obtained also at his hands great roialties for hee having related what noble service he had performed to his countrey at home and abroad in the warres preferred the County of Lancaster to the dignity of a County Palatine by his letters Patent the tenour whereof runneth in this wise Wee have granted for us and our heires unto our foresaid sonne that he may have for tearme of his life his Chancery within the County of Lancaster and his writs to be sealed under his own seale to be appointed for the office of the Chancellour also Iustices of his owne as well to hold Plees of the Crowne as also other plees whatsoever touching common Law also the hearing and deciding of the same yea and the making of all executions whatsoever by vertue of their owne writs and officers there Moreover all other liberties and Roialties whatsoever to a County Palatine belonging as freely and in as ample maner as the Earle of Chester within the same County of Chester is known to have c. Neither was he Duke of Lancaster onely but also by his marriage with Constance the daughter of Peter King of Leon and Castile hee for a time was stiled by the name of King of Leon and of Castile But by a composition he gave this over and in the thirteenth yeere of King Richard the Second by consent of Parliament was created Duke of Aquitaine to have and hold the same for tearme of life of the King of England as King of France but to the universall dislike of Aquitaine repining and affirming that their Seigniory was inseparably annexed to the Crowne of England At which time his stile ranne thus Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster Earle of Derby Lincolne and Leicester and high Steward of England After him Henry of Bollinbroke his sonne succeeded in the Dukedome of Lancaster who when hee had dispossessed Richard the second and obtained the Kingdom of England he considering that being now King he could not beare the title of Duke of Lancaster and unwilling that the said title should be discontinued ordained by assent of Parliament that Henry his eldest sonne should enjoy the same and be stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Lancaster and Cornwall and Earle of Chester and also that the liberties and franchises of the Dutchy of Lancaster should remaine to his said sonne severed from the Crowne of England and to make better assurance to himselfe his heires and successours in these inheritances by authority of Parliament he ordained in these words We not willing that our said inheritance or the liberties of the same by occasion of this present assumption upon us of our regall state dignity should be in any thing changed transferred diminished or impaired will that the same our inheritance with the foresaid rights and liberties thereof be kept continued and held fully and wholly to us our said heires in the said Charters specified in the same maner and forme condition and state as they descended and came unto us and also with all and every such liberties and franchises and other priviledges commodities and profits whatsoever in which our Lord and father whiles he lived had and held it for terme of his own life by the grant of Richard late King And by the tenour of these presents of our own certaine knowledge with the consent of this our present Parliament we grant declare decree and ordaine for us and our heires that as well our Dutchy of Lancaster as all other things and every one Counties Honours Castles Manours Fees or Inheritances Advocations Possessions Annuities and Seignories whatsoever descended unto us before the obtaining of our Regall dignity howsoever wheresoever by right of inheritance in service or in reversion or any way whatsoever remaine for ever to us and our said heires specified in the Charters abovesaid in forme aforesaid After this K. Henry the fifth by authority of Parliament dissevered from the crown and annexed unto this Dutchy a very great and large inheritance which had descended unto him in right of his mother Dame Mary who was daughter and one of the heires of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford In this forme and estate it remained under Henry the fifth and Henry the sixth but King Edward the fourth in the first yeere of his reigne when hee had in Parliament attainted and forfeited Henry the sixth appropriated it as they use to speake unto the Crowne that is to say unto himselfe and his heires Kings of England From which King Henry the seventh notwithstanding forthwith separated And so it continueth having severall officers namely A Chancellor
of Anguish in Scotland in the reign of K. Edward the first and left that honour to his posterity But Eleanor daughter to the sister and heire of the last Earle was married at length into the family of Talebois and afterward this castle by the Princes bountifull gift came to the Duke of Bedford But to retire to the Wall Beyond Saint Oswalds there are seene in the wall the foundations of two sorts which they call Castle-steeds then a place named Portgate where there stood a gate in the wall as may appeare by the word that in both languages importeth as much Beneath this more within the country is Halton-Hall where flourisheth the family of the Carnabies in great name for their antiquity and military prowesse neere unto which is seated Aidon castle sometimes part of the Barony of that Hugh Balliol before named But for as much as many places about the wall carry this name Aidon and the very same signifieth a Militare Wing or a troupe of horsemen in the British tongue of which sort there were many wings placed along the Wall as plainely appeareth by the booke of Notices in their stations I would have the reader throughly to consider whether this name was not thereupon imposed upon these places like as Leon upon those townes where the Legions had their standing campe Well hard by there was digged up the fragment of an antique stone wherein is the expresse portrait or image of a man lying in bed leaning upon his left hand and with the right touching his right knee with these inscriptions NORICI AN. XXX ESSOIRUS MAGNUS FRATER EJUS DUPL. ALAE SABINIANAE M. MARI US VELLI ALONG US A QUI SHANC POSUIT V. S. L. M. Then the river Pont having his spring head more outwardly and running downe neere to Fenwick-Hall the dwelling house of the worthy and martiall family of the Fenwickes for certaine miles together gardeth the wall and upon his banke had for a defence in garison the first Cohort of the Cornavii at a place called PONS AELII built as it seemeth by Aelius Hadrianus the Emperor now called Pont-eland at which King Henry the third in the yeere 1244. concluded a peace and neere unto this the first Cohort of the Tungri had their abode at Borwick which in the Notice of Provinces is called BORCOVICUS From Port-gate the wall runneth along to Waltowne which seeing the signification accordeth so well with the name and that it standeth twelve miles from the East sea I beleeve verily it is the same royall town which Bede called ADMURUM wherein Segbert King of the East Saxons was by the hands of Finanus baptized and received into the Church of Christ. Neere unto this was a fortification called Old Winchester I would gladly take it to be that VINDOLANA which that Booke of Notice so often cited recordeth to have beene the Frontier-station in times past of the fourth Cohort of the Gaules And then have yee Rouchester where we beheld very plainly the expresse footings in form four square of a garison Castle that joined hard to the wall Neere unto it Headon sheweth it selfe which was part of the Barony of Sir Hugh de Bolebec who fetched his descent by his mother from the noble Barons of Mont-Fichet and had issue none but daughters matched in wedlock with Ralph Lord Greistock I. Lovel Huntercomb and Corbet Now where the wall and Tine almost meet together New-Castle sheweth it selfe gloriously the very eye of all the townes in these parts ennobled by a notable haven which Tine maketh being of that depth that it beareth very tall ships and so defendenth them that they can neither easily bee tossed with tempests nor driven upon shallowes and shelves It is situate on the rising of an hill very uneven upon the North-banke of the river which hath a passing faire bridge over it On the left hand whereof standeth the Castle after that a steepe and upright pitch of an hill riseth on the right hand you have the Mercat place and the better part of the City in regard of faire buildings From whence the ascent is not easie to the upper part which is larger by farre It is adorned with soure Churches and fortified with most strong walls that have eight gates in them with many towres what it was in old time it is not knowne I would soone deeme it to have beene GABROSENTUM considering that Gates-head the suburbe as it were thereof doth in the owne proper signification expresse that British name Gabrosentum derived from Goates as hath been said before The Notice also of Provinces placeth Gabrosentum and the second Cohort of the Thracians in it within the range of the wall And most certaine it is that both the Rampier and the Wall went through this City and at Pandon gate there remaineth as it is thought one of the turrets of that wall Surely for workmanship and fashion it is different from the other Moreover whereas it was named before the Conquest Monk-chester because it was as it seemeth in the possession of Monkes this addition Chester which signifieth a place fortified implyeth that it was anciently a place of strength But after the Conquest of the New castle which Robert the sonne of William the Conqueror built out of the ground it got this new name New-castle and by little and little encreased marveilously in wealth partly by entercourse of trafficke with the Germans and partly by carrying out sea-coales wherewith this country aboundeth both into forraine Countries and also into other parts of England In the reigne of Edward the first a rich man chanced to bee haled way prisoner by the Scottish out of the middle of the towne who after hee had ransomed himselfe with a great summe of money began with all speed to fortifie the same and the rest of the inhabitants moved by his example finished the worke and compassed it with faire strong walls Since which time it hath with security avoided the force and threats of the enemies and robbers which swarmed all over the country and withall fell to trading merchandise so freshly that for quick commerce wealth it became in very flourishing estate in which regard King Richard the second granted that a sword should bee carried before the Maior and King Henry the sixth made it a County incorporate by it selfe It is distant from the first Meridian or West line 21. degrees and 30. minutes and from the Aequinoctiall line toward the North pole 34. degrees and 57. minutes As touching the suburbs of Gateshead which is conjoyned to New-castle with a faire bridge over the river and appertaineth to the Bishops of Durham I have already written Now in regard of the site of New-castle and the abundance of sea-cole vented thence unto which a great part of England and the Low Countries of Germanie are beholden for their good fires read these verses of Master John Ionston out of his Poem of the Cities of
the Lords Humes so called for their firmnesse and strength thereof at the Promontory of the said Saint Ebbe who being the daughter of Edilfria King of Northumberland when her Father was taken prisoner got hold of a boat in Humber and passing along the raging Ocean landed here in safety became renowned for her sanctimony and left her name unto the place But this Merch is mentioned in the Historiographers a great deale more for the Earles thereof than for any places therein who for martiall prowesse were highly renowned and descended from Gospatricke Earle of Northumberland whom after he was fled from William Conqueror of England Malcom Canmor that is With the great head King of Scotland entertained enriched him with the castle of Dunbar and honoured with the Earldome of Merch. Whose posterity besides other goodly and faire lands in Scotland held as appeareth plainly in an old Inquisition the Barony of Bengeley in Northumberland that they should be Inborow and Utborow betweene England and Scotland What the meaning should be of these tearmes let others ghesse what my conjecture is I have said already In the reigne of King James the first George de Dunbar Earle of Merch by authority of Parliament for his Fathers rebellion lost the Propriety and possession of the Earledome of Merch and the Seignorie of Dunbar And when as hee proved by good evidences and writings brought forth that his father had beene pardoned for that fault by the Regents of the Kingdome he was answered againe that it was not in the Regents power to pardon an offence against the State and that it was expressely provided by the Lawes that children should undergoe punishment for their fathers transgressions to the end that being thus heires to their fathers rashnesse as they are to their goods and lands they should not at any time in the haughty pride of their owne power plot any treason against Prince or country This title of Earle of March among other honourable titles was given afterward to Alexander Duke of Albany and by him forfaited And in our remembrance this title of honour was revived againe in Robert the third brother of Mathew Earle of Lennox who being of a Bishop of Cathanes made Earle of Lennox resigned up that title soone after unto his nephew then created Duke of Lennox and he himselfe in lieu thereof received of the King the name and stile of the Earle of Merch. LAUDEN or LOTHIEN LOTHIEN which is also called Lauden named in times past of the Picts Pictland shooteth out along from Merch unto the Scottish sea or the Forth having many hils in it and little wood but for fruitfull corn-fields for courtesie also and civility of manners commended above all other countries of Scotland About the yeere of our salvation 873. Eadgar King of England betweene whom and Keneth the third King of Scots there was a great knot of alliance against the Danes common enemies to them both resigned up his right unto him in this Lothien as Matthew the Flour-gatherer witnesseth and to winne his heart the more unto him He gave unto him many mansions in the way wherein both he and his successours in their comming unto the Kings of England and in returne homeward might be lodged which unto the time of K. Henry the second continued in the hands of the Kings of Scotland In this Lothien the first place that offereth it selfe unto our sight upon the sea side is Dunbar a passing strong castle in old time and the seat of the Earles of Merch aforesaid who thereupon on were called Earles of Dunbar A Peece many a time wonne by English and as often recovered by the Scottish But in the yeere 1567. by authority of the States in Parliament it was demolished because it should not be an hold and place of refuge for rebels But James King of great Britain conferred the title and honour of Earle of Dunbar upon Sir George Hume for his approved fidelity whom he had created before Baron Hume of Barwick to him his heires and assignes Hard by Tine a little river after it hath runne a short course falleth into the sea neere unto the spring-head whereof standeth Zeister which hath his Baron out of the family of the Haies Earles of Aroll who also is by inheritance Sheriffe of the little territory of Twedall or Peblis By the same riveret some few miles higher is seated Hadington or Hadina in a wide and broad plaine which towne the English fortified with a deepe and large ditch with a mure or rampire also without foure square and with foure bulwarkes at the corners and with as many other at the inner wall and Sir Iames Wilford an Englishman valiantly defended it against Dessie the Frenchman who with ten thousand French and Dutch together fiercely assaulted it untill that by reason of the plague which grew hot among the garrison souldiers Henry Earle of Rutland comming with a royall army raised the siege removed the French and having laid the munitions levell conducted the English home And now of late King James the sixth hath ranged Sir Iohn Ramsey among the Nobles of Scotland with title and honour of Vicount Hadington for his faithfull valour as whose RIGHT HAND was the DEFENDER OF PRINCE AND COUNTREY in that most wicked conspiracy of the Gowries against the Kings person Touching this Hadington thus hath Master I. Ionston versified Planities praetensa jacet prope flumina Tinae Fluminiâ— arguti clauditur ista sinu Vulcani Martis quae passa incendia fati Ingemit alterno vulnere fracta vices Nunc tandem sapit icta Dei praecepta secuta Praesidio gaudet jam potiore Poli. Before it lies a spacious plaine the Tine his streame hard by In bosome of that river shrill this towne enclos'd doth lie Which having suffered grievous smart of fire and sword by turnes Grones under these misfortunes much and for her losses mournes But now at length selfe-harmes have made it wise and by Gods lore Directed helpe it hath from heaven which steedeth it much more Within a little of Hadington standeth Athelstanford so called of Athelstane a chiefe leader of the English slaine there with his men about the yeere 815. But that he should be that warlike Athelstane which was King of the West-Saxons both the account of the times and his owne death doe manifestly controlle it Above the mouth of this Tine in the very bending of the shore standeth Tantallon Castle from whence Archibald Douglas Earle of Angus wrought James the fifth King of Scots much teene and trouble Here by retiring backe of the shores on both sides is roome made for a most noble arme of the sea and the same well furnished with Ilands which by reason of many rivers encountring it by the way and the tides of the surging sea together spreadeth exceeding broad Ptolomee calleth it BODERIA Tacitus BODOTRIA of the depth as I guesse the Scots The Forth and Frith we Edenburgh Frith others
stranger chance Here haply may he thinke he hath a sight againe of France What drew this place from thence their wit and spirit hot trow yee Or rather had the same at first by native propertie Now where the shore turneth inward a front Northward hard by the salt water of Tau there flourished in old time two goodly Abbyes Balmerinoch built by Queene Ermengard wife to King William daughter of Vicount Beaumont in France But lately King James of great Britaine advanced Sir Iames Elphinston to the honour of Baron Balmerinoch and Lundoris founded among the woods by David Earle of Huntington and at this day the Baronie of Sir Patrick Lesley betweene which standeth Banbrich the habitation of the Earle of Rothes strongly built castle wise But as touching the townes of Fife planted along the sea side have here now if it please you these verses of Master Ionston Oppida sic toto sunt sparsa in littore ut unum Dixeris inque uno plurima juncta eadem Littore quot curvo Forthae volvuntur arenae Quotque undis refluo tunditur orasalo Penè tot hîc cernas instratum puppibus aequor Urbibus crebris penè tot ora hominum Cuncta operis intenta domus foeda otia nescit Sedula cura domi sedula curaforis Quae maria quas non terras animosa juventus Ah! fragili fidens audet adire trabe Auxit opes virtus virtuti dura pericla Iuncta etiam lucro damna fuere suo Quae fecêre viris animos cultumque dedêre Magnanimis prosunt damna pericla labor Who sees how thicke townes stand upon this coast will say anone They are but one and yet the same all joyned in that one How many sands on crooked shore of Forth are cast by tides Or billowes at the seas returne beat hard upon bankes sides So many ships well neere you may here see to saile or ride And in those townes so thicke almost as many folke abide In everie house they ply their worke no idle drones they are Busie at home with diligence busie abroad with care What seas or lands are there to which a voiage for to make In brittle barkes will not their youth courageous undertake By valour be they growne to wealth yet valour meet with paines And perils too some losses too have they had with their gaines These things have made them valiant civill withall and courteous Losse perill painfull toile availe all such as be magnanimous The Governour of this province like as of all the rest in this Kingdome was in times past a Thane that is in the old English tongue The Kings Minister as it is also at this day in the Danish language but Malcolm Canmore made Macduffe who before was Thane of Fife the first hereditarie Earle of Fife and in consideration of his good desert and singular service done unto him granted that his posteritie should have the honour to place the King when hee is to be crowned in his chaire to lead the Vant-guard in the Kings armie and if any of them should happen by casualty to kill either Gentleman or Commoner to buy it out with a peece of money And not farre from Lundoris there is to bee seene a Crosse of stone which standing for a limit betweene Fife and Strathern had an inscription of barbarous verses and a certain priviledge of Sanctuarie that any Man-slaier allied to Macduffe Earle of Fife within the ninth degree if he came unto this Crosse and gave nine kine with an heiâ—er should bee quit of manslaughter When his posteritie lost this title I could never yet find but it appeareth out of the Records of the kingdome that K. David the second gave unto William Ramsey this Earldome with all and everie the immunities and law which is called Clan-Mac-Duffe and received it is for certaine that the linage of the Wemesies and Douglasse yea and that great kinred Clan-Hatan the chiefe whereof is Mac-Intoskech descended from them And the most learned I. Skerne Clerke of the Kings Register of Scotland hath taught mee in his significations of words that Isabel daughter and heire to Duncane Earle of Fife granted upon certaine conditions unto Robert the third King of the Scots for the use and behoofe of Robert Stewart Earle of Menteith the Earldome of Fife who being afterwards Duke of Albanie and affecting the Kingdome with cruell ambition caused David the Kings eldest son to be most pitifully famished to death which is highest extremitie of all miserie But his son Murdac suffered due punishment for the wickednesse both of his father and his owne sonnes being put to death by King James the first for their violent oppressions and a decree passed that the Earldome of Fife should be united unto the Crown for ever But the authoritie of the Sheriffe of Fife belongeth in right of inheritance to the Earle of Rothes STRATHERN AS farre as to the river Tau which boundeth Fife on the North-side Iulius Agricola the best Propretour of Britaine under Domitian the worst Emperour marched with victorious armes in the third yeere of his warlike expeditions having wasted and spoiled the nations hitherto Neere the out-let of Tau the notable river Ern intermingleth his waters with Tau which river beginning out of a Lake or Loch of the same name bestoweth his owne name upon the countrey through which he runneth For it is called Straith Ern which in the ancient tongue of the Britans signifieth the Vale along Ern. The banke of this Ern is beautified with Drimein Castle belonging to the family of the Barons of Dromund advanced to highest honours ever since that King Robert Stewart the third took to him a wife out of that linage For the women of this race have for their singular beautie and well favoured sweet countenance won the prize from all others insomuch as they have beene the Kings most amiable paramours Upon the same banke Tulibardin Castle sheweth it selfe aloft but with greater jollitie since that by the propitious favour of King James the sixth Sir Iohn Murray Baron of Tulibardin was raised to the honour and estate of Earle of Tulibardin Upon the other bank more beneath Duplin Castle the habitation of the Barons Oliphant reporteth yet what an overthrow the like to which was never before the Englishmen that came to aide King Edward Balliol gave there unto the Scots insomuch as the English writers in that time doe write that they won this victorie not by mans hand but by the power of God and the Scottish writers relate how that out of the family of the Lindeseies there were slaine in the field fourescore persons and that the name of the Haies had bin quite extinguished but that the chiefe of that house left his wife behind him great with child Not farre from it standeth Innermeth well knowne by reason of the Lords thereof the Stewarts out of the family of Lorn Inch-Chafra that is in the old Scottish
way to convey their small vessels over it by land Which I hope a man may sooner beleeve than that the Argonauts laid their great ship Argos upon their shoulders and so carried it along with them five hundred miles from Aemonia unto the shores of Thessalia LORN SOmewhat higher toward the North lyeth LORN bearing the best kinde of barley in great plentie and divided with Leaue a vast and huge lake by which standeth Berogomum a castle in which sometime was kept the Court of Justice or Session and not farre from it Dunstafag that is Stephens Mount the Kings house in times past above which Logh Aber a Lake insinuating it selfe from out of the Westerne sea windeth it selfe so farre within land that it had conflowed together with Nesse another Lake running into the East sea but that certaine mountaines betweene kept them with a verie little partition asunder The chiefest place of name in this tract is Tarbar in Logh Kinkeran where King James the fourth ordained a Justice and Sheriffe to administer justice unto the Inhabitants of the out Islands These countries and those beyond them in the yeere of our Lords Incarnation 655. the Picts held whom Bede calleth the Northern Picts where hee reporteth that in the said yeere Columbane a Priest and Abbat famous for his Monkish profession and life came out of Ireland into Britaine to instruct these in Christian religion that by meanes of the high rough ridges of the mountaines were sequestred from the Southerne countries of the Picts and that they in lieu of a reward allowed unto him the Iland Hii over against them now called I-Comb-Kill of which more in place convenient The Lords of Lorna in the age aforegoing were the Stewarts but now by reason of a female their heire the Earles of Argile who use this title in their honourable stile BRAID ALBIN or ALBANY MOre inwardly where the uninhabitable loftie and rugged ridges of the Mountaine Grampius begin a little to slope and settle downeward is seated BRAID-ALBIN that is The highest part of Scotland for they that are the true and right Scots indeed call Scotland in their mother tongue Albin like as that part where it mounteth up highest Drum Albin that is the Ridge of Scotland But in an old booke it is read Brun Albin where wee finde this written Fergus filius Eric c. that is Fergus the sonne of Eric was the first of the seed or line of Chonare that entred upon the Kingdome of Albanie from Brun-Albain unto the Irish sea and Inch-Gall And after him the Kings descended from the seed or race of Fergus reigned in Brun-Albain or Brunhere unto Alpin the sonne of Eochall But this Albanie is better knowne for the Dukes thereof than for any good gifts that the soile yeeldeth The first Duke of Albanie that I read of was Robert Earle of Fife whom his brother King Robert the third of that name advanced to that honour yet he ungratefull person that he was pricked on with the spirit of ambition famished to death his sonne David that was heire to the crown But the punishment due for this wicked fact which himselfe by the long-sufferance of God felt not his son Mordac the second Duke of Albanie suffered most grievously being condemned for treason and beheaded when hee had seene his two sonnes the day before executed in the same manner The third Duke of Albanie was Alexander second sonne to King James the second who being Regent of the Kingdome Earle of March Marr and Garioth Lord of Annandale and of Man was by his own brother King James the third outlawed and after hee had beene turmoiled with many troubles in the end as hee stood by to behold a Justs and Tourneament in Paris chanced to bee wounded with a peece of a shattered launce and so died His sonne John the fourth Duke of Albanie Regent likewise and made Tutour to King James the fifth taking contentment in the pleasant delights of the French Court after hee had wedded there the daughter and one of the heires of John Earle of Auverne and Lauragveze died there without issue Whom in a respective reverence to the bloud royall of the Scots Francis the first King of France gave thus much honour unto as that hee allowed him place betweene the Archbishop of Langres and the Duke of Alenson Peeres of France After his death there was no Duke of Albanie untill that Queene Marie in our memorie conferred this title upon Henrie Lord Darly whom within some few daies after shee made her husband like as King James the sixth granted the same unto his owne second sonne Charles being an Infant who is now Duke of Yorke There inhabite these regions a kinde of people rude warlike readie to fight querulous and mischievous they bee commonly tearmed High-landmen who being in deed the right progenie of the ancient Scots speak Irish call themselves Albinich their bodies be firmely made and well compact able withall and strong nimble of foot high minded inbread and nuzzeled in warlike exercises or robberies rather and upon a deadly feud and hatred most forward and desperate to take revenge They goe attired Irish-like in stript or streaked mantles of divers colours wearing thicke and long glibbes of haire living by hunting fishing fowling and stealing In the warre their armour is an head-peece or Morion of iron and an habergeon or coat of maile their weapons bee bowes barbed or hooked arrowes and broad backe-swords and being divided by certaine families or kinreds which they terme Clannes they commit such cruell outrages what with robbing spoiling and killing that their savage crueltie hath forced a law to bee enacted whereby it is lawfull That if any person out of any one Clanne or kinred of theirs hath trespassed ought and done harme whosoever of that Clanne or linage chance to bee taken he shall either make amends for the harmes or else suffer death for it when as the whole Clan commonly beareth feud for any hurt received by any one member thereof by execution of lawes order of justice or otherwise PERTHIA OR PERTH Sheriffdome OUt of the very bosome of Mountaines of Albany Tau the greatest river of all Scotland issueth and first runneth amaine through the fields untill that spreading broad into a lake full of Islands hee restraineth and keepeth in his course Then gathering himselfe narrow within his bankes into a channell and watering Perth a large plentifull and rich countrey he taketh in unto him Amund a small river comming out of Athol This Athol that I may digresse a little out of my way is infamous for witches and wicked women the countrey otherwise fertile enough hath vallies bespread with forrests namely where that WOOD CALEDONIA dreadfull to see to for the sundrie turnings and windings in and out therein for the hideous horrour of dark shades for the burrowes and dennes of wild bulls with thicke manes whereof I made mention heretofore
departed out of this life an aged man The second promontorie enclosed within two baies Maire and Bantre is named Beare standing for the most part upon hungry gravell and a leane stony soile In which live O Swillivant Beare and O Swillivant Bantre descended both of one and the same stocke men of great nobility in their country The third is called Eraugh lying betweene Bantre and Balatimore or Baltimore a Bay or Creeke passing well knowne by reason of the abundance of Herrings taken there whereunto resorteth every yeere a great fleet of Spaniards and Portugals even in the mids of winter to fish for Cods In this the O Mahons by the beneficiall gift of M. Carew received faire lands and Lordships This is that Ptolomee calleth NOTIUM that is the South-Promontorie at this day named Missen-head under which as we may read in him the river IERNUS is disgorged into the Ocean But what name the said river now hath in so great obscurity I hardly dare divine unlesse it be that which they call Maire and runneth hard under Dunk-eran aforesaid Neither wot I how to ghesse at those people whom the same Ptolomee placeth upon these promontories seeing that according to the varietie of copies they have sundry names as IBERNI OUTERNI IBERI and IVERNI unlesse peradventure like as their neighbours the LUCENI and CONCANI did they flitted hither from among the Iberi of Spaine Well this name of Desmond in the foregoing ages stretched farre and wide in this tract even from the sea unto the river Shanon and was called also South-Mounster The Fitz-Giralds descended out of the house of Kildare having subdued the Irish became Lords here of very large and goodly possessions and of them Maurice Fitz-Thomas unto whom T. Carew heire unto the Seigniory of Desmond had before passed away his right of Desmond was in the third yeere of King Edward the third created the first Earle of Desmond Among whose posterity many there were great men for their valour and wealth whose credit also and reputation reached farre But a bad name there went and still doth of James who having excluded his nephew from the inheritance entred himselfe by force upon it and imposed upon the people those most grievous tributes of Coyne Livery Cocherings Bonaghty c. for the maintenance of Galloglasses and Souldiers to spoile and harry the countrey Which when his sonne Thomas exacted and gathered of the poore people hee was by the commandement of John Tiptoft Deputy Lievtenant beheaded in the yeere 1467. and so suffered due punishment for his owne and his fathers wickednesse Howbeit when his children were restored againe in their off-spring this honour continued and descended in right of inheritance unto Girald that rebell whom erewhile I named who wilfully overthrew a most noble and potent family And when hee was attainted by Parliamentary authority Desmond was adjudged and annexed to the Crowne land reduced into the ranke of counties and a Sheriffe was ordained to governe it from yeere to yeere Neverthelesse in the last rebellion the rebells erected a titularie Earle and against him Queene Elizabeth granted the title of Earle of Desmond unto Iames Fitz-Girald sonne to the foresaid rebell who shortly after died issuelesse in the yeere 1601. They that herein beare the greatest name and most puissance are of the race of the Giraldines or Fitz-Giralds although they have for sundry respects assumed unto themselves divers sirnames VODIAE and CORIONDI AFter the Iberi there dwelt farre in the countrey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are tearmed also VODIAE and UDIAE the footing of which name doth more expresly shew it selfe in Idou and Idouth two small territories like as the name of CORIONDI in the countie of Corke bordering upon them These nations inhabited the counties of Corke Tipperary Limericke and Waterford COMITATUS CORCAGIENSIS commonly called THE COUNTY OF CORK THe County of Corke which in old time was reputed a Kingdome comprised the whole tract along the sea from Lismore unto Saint Brend where it affronteth Desmond Westward hath in the midland parts thereof Muâ—keray a wild and woody country wherein Cormac Mac-Teg is of great name and toward the sea coast Carbray in which the Mac-Carties beare the most sway By the sea side the first place that we meet with is Rosse a road and port in times past well frequented but now lesse resorted unto by reason of a bar of sand From thence with a narrow neck runneth out a biland called the Old head of Kinsale neere unto which the family of the Curcies flourished in ancient times famous for their wealth descended from a brother of Iohn Curcy the Englishman that subdued Ulster and out of which there remaineth here still Curcy Baron of Ringrom but at this day this is the world of weak and meane estate After it at the mouth of the river Bany in a fertile soile and well woodded standeth Kinsale a very commodious port and a towne fortified with old walls under which in the yeere 1601. the kingdome of Ireland lay a bleeding and put it was upon the hazzard as it were of one cast of a die whether it should be subject to England or Spaine what time as the Iland was endangered both with forraine and domesticall warre and eight thousand old trained souldiers under the conduct of Don Iohn D' Aquila had of a sudden surprized and fortified it confident upon the censures and excommunications of Pius the fifth Gregorie the thirteenth and Clement the eighth Popes of Rome discharged like thunderbolts upon Queene Elizabeth and presuming confidently upon the aides of rebells who had sent for them under a goodly shew of restoring religion which in this age and variance about religion is every where pretended for to maske and cloak most ungracious and wicked designes But Sir Charles Blunt Baron Mountjoy L. Deputy presently belaied it round about both by sea and land albeit his souldiers were tired toiled out and the season of the yeere most incommodious as being midwinter and withall made head also against a rabble of rebels whom the Earle of Tir-Oen O-Donel Mac-Gwyre and Mac-Mahound had raised and gotten thither and with such valour and fortitude so fortunately daunted and repressed their malapert boldnesse that with one victory hee both had the towne with the Spaniards in it yeelded unto him and also wrested as it were out of the hands of all Ireland throughout now at the point of revolt for they that deliberate are revolted already both sword and fire On the other side of the river from Kinsale lieth Kerry-Wherry a little territorie of late belonging to the Earles of Desmond Just before which runneth the river that Ptolomee calleth DAURONA Giraldus Cambrensis by changing onely one letter Sauranus and Saveranus which issuing out of Muâ—kerey mountaines passeth along by that principall Citie of the countie graced with an Episcopall dignitie whereunto is annexed the Bishops See of Clon
therein bee with the narrowest thrust close and pent together yet such is the convenience and commodiousnesse of the haven that for wealth fresh trading and frequent resort it is the second City in all Ireland and hath alwaies shewed a singular loialty fidelitie and obedience to the Imperiall Crowne of England For ever since that Richard Earle of Pembrok wanne it it hath continued so faithfull and quietly disposed that it performed at all times safe and secure peace unto the English on their backes whiles they went on in the conquering of Ireland Whence it is that the Kings of England have granted unto it very many and those right large Franchises which King Henry the seventh augmented and confirmed because the Citizens had demeaned themselves most valiantly and wisely against that Mock-Prince Perkin Warbeck who being a young man of base condition by hoising up the full sailes of impudence went about to mount up aloft unto the Imperiall diadem whiles he a meer suborned counterfeit tooke upon him to be Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of King Edward the fourth This countie of Waterford together with the city King Henry the sixth gave unto Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury aforesaid by these words which because they testifie the valerous vertue of that most martiall Knight to the end that vertue might have the due honour thereto belonging I thinke it worth my labour and haply any man else would deeme no lesse to put downe out of the Record which may be Englished thus We therefore saith the King after other eloquent termes penned by the Secretaries of that age when there was but simple Latin weighing with due consideration the valiant prowesse of our most deere and faithfull cousin John Earle of Shrewsbury and of Weisford Lord Talbot Furnivall and Le Strange sufficiently tried and approved even unto his old age in the warres aforesaid upon his body no lesse bedewed with sweat many a time than embrued with blood and considering in what sort our Countie and Citie of Waterford in our land of Ireland the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Baronie of Dungarvan and all the Lordships Lands Honours and Baronies with the pertinences within the same County which by forfeiture of rebels by reversion or decease of any person or persons by escheat or any other title of law ought to come into our hands or our progenitors or in the same to be by reason of the hostile invasions of our enemies and rebells in those parts are become so desolate and lye so much exposed to the spoiles of warre wholly as it were wasted that they turne us to no profit but have and doe redound oftentimes to our detriment in this regard also that by the same our Cousin our foresaid land of Ireland may the more valiantly be defended in those parts against such attempts and invasions of our enemies and rebells doe ordaine promote and create him Earle of Waterford together with the stile title name and honour thereto belonging And because as the highnesse of his state and degree groweth all things consequently of necessity grow withall upon our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion and for the estate of the Earle himselfe our Cousin to be maintained in more decent manner we have given granted and by these our letters confirmed unto the same Earle the County aforesaid together with the foresaid stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford yea and the foresaid City with the fee ferme of the same the Castles Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies with the pertinences within the County likewise all and every sort the Manors Hundreds Wapentakes c. all along the sea coast from the towne of Yoghall unto Waterford City aforesaid To have and to hold the foresaid County of Waterford the stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford and the City Waterford aforesaid the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Barony of Dungarvan and all other Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies within the said county as also all and every the foresaid Manors Hundreds c. unto the above named Earle and the heires males issuing out of his body to have I say and to hold of us and our heires by homage fealty and the service of being and to be our Seneschall or Steward and that his heires be the Seneschals of Ireland to us and our heires throughout our whole land of Ireland to do and that hee doe and ought himselfe to doe in the same his office that which his predecessors Seneschals of England were wont to doe hitherto in that office for ever In witnesse whereof c. But when as whiles the Kings of England and the Nobles who had large and goodly possessions in Ireland were much busied and troubled a long time first with the warres of France and afterward with civill warres at home Ireland lay in manner neglected and the State of English there falling still to decay was now in manner come to nothing but the Irishry by occasion of the others absence grew exceeding mighty for to recover these losses and to abate the power of the Irish it was ordained and enacted by the States of the Realme in Parliament that the Earle of Shrewsbury for his absence and carelesnesse in maintaining of his owne should surrender into the hands of the King and his successors the Earledome and towne of Waterford the Duke of Norfolke likewise the Baron Barkley the heires generall of the Earle of Ormond and all the Abbats Priors c. of England who had any lands should surrender up all their possessions unto the King and his successors for the same absence and neglect THE COUNTY OF LIMERICK HItherto have wee gone over the Maritime counties of Mounster two there remaine yet behind that bee in-lands Limericke and Tipperary which wee are now to goe unto The county of LIMERICK lieth behinde that of Corke Northward betweene Kerry the river Shanon and the county of Tipperary A fertile countrey and well peopled but able to shew very few places of any good account and importance The more Western part of it is called Conilagh wherein among the hills Knock-Patric that is Patricks hill mounteth up of a mighty height and yeelding a pleasant prospect into the sea beholdeth afarre off the river Shanon falling with a wide and wast mouth into the Vergivian or Ocean Under which hill a sept of Fitz-Giralds or Giraldines lived honourably a long time untill that Thomas called the Knight of the Valley or of the Glin when his gracelesse sonne that wicked firebrand suffered death for to set villages and houses a fire is by the lawes of Ireland high treason because himselfe advised his sonne and set him on to enter into these lewd actions by authority of the Parliament was disseized of his goodly and large possessions The head City of this county is Limerick which Shanon a most famous river by parting his chanell compasseth round about The Irish call it Loumeag and
Princes regall authority by daunting the lâ—wlesse insolency recovered and within a while after a secure peace throughout the Iland firmely established The morrow after the Lord Deputy commanded Captaine Bodley the Trench-master who both in the fortifications and also in the battell had manfully borne himselfe to finish the Mount begun and to raise bankes and rampires neerer unto the enemy about which when there had beene six dayes spent D' Aquila in his letters sent by his Drum Major to the Deputy craved that some Gentlemâ—n of credit might be sent into the towne with whom he might parly For this purpose was Sir William Godolphin chosen Unto whom D' Aquila signifieth that he had found the Lord Deputy although he were his most eager enemy yet an honourable person the Irish of no valour rude and uncivill yea and that which he sore feared perfidious and false That he was sent from the King of Spaine his Master to aide two Earles and now he doubted whether there were any such in Rerum Natura considering that one tempestuous pusse of warre had blown the one of them into Spaine the other into the North so as they were no more to be seene Willing therefore he was to treat about a peace that might be good for English and not hurtfull to Spaniards albeit he wanted nothing requisite to the holding out of a siege and expected every day out of Spaine fresh supplies to finde the English worke and trouble enough To bee briefe being as they were on both sides distressed and weary of siege they grew to this agreement upon the second day of January That the Spaniards should yeeld up Kinsale the Forts and Castle at Baltimore Beâ—â—haven and Castle Haven unto the Lord Deputy and so depart with life with goods and their Banners displaied that the Englishmen should allow them shipping paying the full price therefore wherein they might at two severall passages faile over into Spaine Also if they hapned in their returne homeward to arrive at any Port in England that they might be kindly entertained and in the meane time whiles they remained in Ireland waiting for windes have all necessaries for sustenance ministred unto them for their ready mony These things thus concluded the Spaniards after certaine daies fitted with a good gale of winde set faile from the coast of Ireland with dishonour as having their companies much impaired and weake Meane while the Earle of Tir-Oen in fearefull flight got him away making as great journeyes as possibly he could through unknown by-waies and recovered his lurking holes in Ulster after he had lost most of his men whom the rivers risen and running violently by reason of Winter flouds had swallowed up And afterwards hee could not take his rest without care no not so much as breath without feare whiles carrying an evill and burthened conscience he dreaded the due reward of his deserts and distrusted every one insomuch as hee sought from day to day new blind corners and the same straightwaies he abandoned The Deputy to refresh his wearied souldiers bestoweth them abroad in garrisons and after he had setled the State in Mounster returneth to Dublin And when the winter season was past hee by a gentle and easie march thereby to spread a greater terrour all abroad returneth into Ulster with an army well appointed that he might with Forts and garrisons planted round about belay the Rebels on every side as it were within net and toile When he was come as far as to Black-water hee transported his army upon floats and having found a Foord unknowne before beneath the old Fort he erected a Fort upon the very banke which after his owne Christian name he called Charle-mont At which time the Earle of Tir-Oen being affrighted set fire on his owne house at Dunganon Then marcheth the Deputy forward from thence to Dunganon and after hee had encamped himselfe so soone as Sir Henry Docwra was come unto him from Logh-foile with his company he sent out his souldiers every way Then might you have seene the corn-fields spoiled the villages on every side and houses so many as they could descry set on fire and burned and booties out of all parts harried The Forts in Logh-Crew Logh-Reogh and Mogher Lecowe where Sir Iohn Barkley a most valiant martiall man was shot through with a bullet were yeelded up hee planted a garrison at Logh-Eaugh or Logh-Sidney which after the title of his owne honour he named Mont-joy and gave unto Sir Arthur Chichester who by the demerit of his vertue is now Lord Deputy of Ireland the charge and command thereof another likewise at Monaghan which hee committed unto Sir Christopher St. Laurence who being leaders of great experience and greater courage what with often sallies and what with traverse journies made too and fro so coursed and crossed the rebels that they seeing themselves environed with garrisons planted round about them and every day hemmed in and penned in more streightly that now like wilde beasts of a rascall kinde they must seeke holes and lurk among the thickets in forrests and woods most of them changed their copie and as their fortune so their fidelity altered and every one of them began secretly to submit themselves to the Deputy striving a vie who should be first muttering and complaining closely of Tir-Oen that he had engaged the ruine of the whole nation for his own private discontentments that this war was only necessary to him but most pernicious to them neither was the Earle ignorant that both the force and fidelity also of his people and followers was now sore shaken he determined therefore to prevent the worst as being weary of misery and calamity and yet in some hope also of life which sometimes overmatch the stoutest By most submissive letters therefore sent now and then to the Queen wherein with earnest praiers and teares he besought pardon for his fault casting himselfe downe in humble and lowly wise and she observed in him such tokens of true repentance that as she was a most milde and mercifull Prince shee gave authority unto the L. Deputy to take him to mercy and favour in case he earnestly craved it And crave it he did when hee had heard so much from these that affected and loved him continually by the most earnest mediation of Arth Mac Baron his brother and others and being often rejected at length in the moneth of February after he had promised absolutely and without any condition to submit his life and all that he had unto the Queene the Deputy who had some intelligence out of the Court in England from his inward friends that the Queene now farre stept in yeeres was dangerously sicke condescended that the Earle might repaire unto Mellifont and thither forthwith came he out of his lurking holes in all speed accompanied with one or two and no more Being admitted into the chamber of presence where the L. Deputy with a number of martiall men about him was set in a chaire
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
brought letters to the Lord Roger Mortimer that he should addresse himselfe to repaire unto the King who did so and substituted the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Custos of Ireland who at one and the same time was Lord Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellour and Archbishop And afterward at the three weekes end after Easter there came newes to Dublin that the Lord Richard Clare was slaine and with him foure Knights namely Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Cannon and Sir John Caunton also Adam Apilgard with 80. other men by O-Brene and Mac-Carthy on the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus And it was reported that the said Lord Richard his body was in despightfull malice cut into small pieces but his reliques were enterred in Limerick among the Friers Minors Item on sunday in Mense Paschae that is a moneth after Easter Iohn Lacy was led forth of the castle of Dublin and brought to Trim for to be arraigned and to heare and receive his judgment there who was adjudged to be strait dieted and so he died in prison Item the sunday before the Lords Ascension Lord Roger Mortimer sailed over into England but paied nothing for his victuals that he had taken up in Dublin and elsewhere which amounted to the value of one thousand pounds Also the same yeere about the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the great grace and mercy of God was shewed in that wheat which before was sold for 15. shillings was now not worth above seven shillings and oates were bought for five shillings great plentie there was of wine salt and fish and that in such sort that about St. Iames day there was new bread to be had of new corne a thing that never or seldome had been seen afore in Ireland and this was a signe of Gods tender mercy and all through the praier of the poore and other faithfull folke Item the Sunday after the feast of Saint Michael newes came to Dublin that Lord Alexander Bykenore then the Kings Justice in Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arrived at Yoghall On S. Denis day he came to Dublin and with great procession and honourable pompe of the religious persons and of others as well of the Clergy as the Laity he was received Item on Saturday falling out to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a field was fought betweene the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from the towne of Dundalk to which battell came of the Scots part the Lord Edward Brus who named himselfe King of Ireland the Lord Philip Mowbray the Lord Walter Soules the Lord Alan Stewart with his three brethren also Sir Walter Lacy Sir Robert and Sir Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White and about 3000. others Against whom came into the field of the English side the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir Iohn Cusack Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who assoiled them all Sir Walter Larpulk and certain came from Tredagh to the number of twenty well appointed and choice souldiers whom John Maupas accompanied and so they joined the said battell The English were the first that entred with great vigour upon the front and vaward where the said John Maupas manfully and with much honour in this conflict slew the Lord Edward Brus which John also was found slaine upon the body of the said Edward and all the Scots in manner were killed up even to the number of two thousand or thereabout whereby few of the Scots escaped beside the Lord Philip Mowbray who also was wounded to death and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy with some few others that were with them made shift hardly to save themselves This fortuned between Dundalk and Faghird Now the head of the foresaid Edward the said Lord John Bermingham brought unto the said Lord King of England upon whom the King bestowed at the same time the Earledome of Louth to him and to his heires males and the Barony of Aterith And one quarter with the hands and heart of the foresaid Edward were carried to Dublin and the other quarters divided and sent to other places MCCCXIX The Lord Roger Mortimer returned out of England and is eftsoones made Lord Justice of Ireland The same yeere at the feast of All-Saints came a Bull from the Pope to excommunicate Robert Brus King of Scotland at every Masse Also the towne of Athisell and a great part of the country was burnt by the Lord John Fitz-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas In this yeere the foresaid Iohn Bermingham was created Earle of Louth Also the Stone bridge of Kil-Coleyn was built by Master Moris Iacke Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of Pope John the 22. and of the Lord Edward sonne to King Edward which Edward after the comming of Saint Austin into England was the 25. King also under Alexander Bicknore then Archbishop of Dublin beganne the Universitie of the said Citie of Dublin The first that proceeded Master in the same Universitie was Frier William Hardite of the order of preaching Friers which William under the said Archbishop solemnly commenced Doctor in Divinity The second Master that proceeded in the same faculty was Frier Henry Cogry of the order of the Friers Minors the third Master that went forth was William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin who solemnly commenced Doctor in the Canon law And this William was made the first Chancellour of the said University The fourth Master in sacred Theologie or Divinity that went out was Frier Edmund Kermerdin Item Roger Mortimer Lord Justice of Ireland returned into England leaving in his place the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare Item the Lord Edmund Botiller entred into England and so came to Saint James Also the bridge of the towne of Leghelyn was built by Master Moris Iack Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXXI A very great overthrow with much slaughter of the O-Conghors was given at Balibogan the ninth day of May by the men of Leinster and of Meth. Item the Lord Edmund Botiller died in London and lieth buried at Balygaveran in Ireland Also Iohn Bermingham Earle of Louth is made Lord Justice in Ireland Likewise Iohn Wogan departed this life MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicolas de La-Lond Knight and many others are slaine by O-Nalan on St. Michaels day MCCCXXIII A truce is taken betweene the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland for 14. yeeres Also Iohn Darcie came chiefe Justice of Ireland Item John the first begotten sonne of the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare in the ninth yeere of his age ended this life MCCCXXIV Nicolas Genevile sonne and heire to the Lord Simon Genevile departed out of this world and was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers of Trym Item there hapned a great wind on twelfe day at night Item a generall murrain
f Torksey 538 a Torneaments 407 d Tosto vanquished 145 Totnes 201 e Totnesse shore 202 Touchets a family 584 b. Barons de Audeley ibid. Tovie the Kings Standard bearer 439 d Tovie the river 649 d Toure d' Ordre 345 c Tower of London 423 e Towridge river 207 f Tourington 208 b Towton battell 696 d Trabucks 400 Tracies 36â— d Traiford a place and family 747 Traith Maur 666 a Traith Bichan ibid. Traith Taff 642 c Trebellius Max. Propretor in Britaine 52 Treboeth 605 f Trederman 783 b Trâ—es under ground 745 d. 607 Tregaron 657 d Tregonie 190 Tregian ibid. Tregoz Barons 617 d Trelawnies 192 Trematon 193 Trenewith 661 e Trent a riveret 213 Trent a river 547 Treutham a Monastery 583 Treshams a family 509 c Trevilions 196 b Triadum a British booke 33 Tribet 29 Tribunals or Courts of Iustice in England 177 Tribunitian auctority 101 Trihine what it was 159 Trimarcia 18 Tripetia 20 Trophee in Cornwall 188 Trubridge 244 e True-place 802 a Trusbut 540 e Tuddington 401 f Tufa a Banner 195 Tuisco the Saxons stock-father 135 Tuisday ibid. Tunbridge why so called 330 a Tunstall a worthy Prelate 744 d Turbervelis or de Turbida villa 213 e Turbevils a family 643 e Turkil a Coward 464 e Turkils of Arden 565 d Turkil the Dane 500 b Tirold Abbot of Peterborough 513 a Turton Chappell and tower 745 Turpins Knights 517 Turets a family 594 e Turvy 399 b Tuscets or Touchets Barons Audeley 609 a Tutbury Castle 587 f Twede the river 814 e Twifford 813 c Twinamburue 259 c Tyrants in Britain 23 Tzetzes a fabulous Greeke writer 32 V VAle a river 189 Vale 393 b Vale of Ailesbury 395 c Vale Roiall 608 d Vallachians why so called 11 Valle Crucis 677 a Valect what hee is 663. a worshipfull title 713 c Valoinois a family 465 f Valtorts 193 Valvasores 168 Vandals and Burgundians in Britaine 114 Vandals brought into Britaine by Probus 71 Vandelberia 489 d Vargae 19 Varia what it signifieth 679 c Vaulx Barons 786 b. 510 Ubbanford 816 b Uchel 21.190 Vectius Bolanus 53 Venables Barons of Kindreton 609 b Vandraeth Vehan a river 649 Venedocia 659 f Venutius a Potentate of Britain 48 Venutius warreth upon his wife Cartismandua 53 Verannius Propretor in Britaine 49 Verbeia the river Wherfe and a Goddesse 697 Veres Earles of Oxford 389 d Vere the good Earle 390 b Vere Earle of Oxford became a Monke 450 d Vere 202 f Vere Earle of Oxford and Marquesse of Dublin Verdons a family 517 f. 620 b Veriad 19 Vernaies Knights 565 a Vernons a family 567 a Verulam or Verlam Citie in old time 408 f Vesey Barons 722 c. neere to Saint Albons Verulam Tribute 409 c Vespasian his acts in Britaine 41 42 Uffa 458 a Ufkins ibid. Ufford a towne 465 c Valentinian an Arrian 83 Valentine a rebell in Britaine suppressed 80 Ufford Earle of Suffolke 465 c Uffords 813 b Vicarius or Vicegerent in Britan 76 Vicounts what title of Honour 167 Vicount of Honour who was first in England 521 e Victor the sonne of Maximus slaine 83 Victorina 271 b Victorinus a commendable governour under Honorius in Britaine 85 Victorie what names it hath in divers languages 457 e Vecturiones who so called 117 Vellocatus Costrell to Venutius marieth his wife 53 Victrix a Legion 604 c Vies 244 a Villa forinseca what it is 391 e Villiers a family 523 a Vineyards in Britaine 71 The Vine 269 d Vines in England ibid. e Vinyards in Glocestershire 357 f Vincents Rocke 239 a Virius Lupus Propretor 69 Virgins eleven thousand Martyrs 197 a. 286 c Visigothi 294 c Visi Saxones ibid. Viscounts a family Vitsan 347 d Vitrum 19 Viterinus 691 d Ulpius Marcellus a brave warriour 66. his vigilancy and temperance ibid. Ulphus his horne 704 e Ulse a lake 776 c Ulstley 773 a Ulysses whether ever in Britaine 32 Ulyssippo that is Lisbon whence it tooke name 32 Ulverston 755 c Umfranvils a family 806 b. 535 University Colledge in Oxford 381 c University a publicke schoole 381 b Unstrote a river 138 Voisy Bishop of Excester 567 Vortigern the last Monarch of British blood and the bane of his country 624 b. burnt with Lightning ibid. Vortigerne alias Gourtigern sendeth for Saxons 128 Vortimer a valiant Britaine where buried 538 e Uppingham 525 e Upton 577 Vortiporius a Tyrant of the Dimetae 113 Ursula an holy Virgin 197 Ursus de Abtot 570. Sheriffe of Worcestershire 578 e Usa or Isa that is Ouse a river 296 Usipians their venturous and memorable fact 57 Uske a river 628 a Uske a towne 636 c Utcester 587 e Uther Pendragon 195. why so called 410 Uxbridge 419 â— W WAda a Saxon Duke 719 b Wadensbourg 241 d Wadham 382 a Wahul Woodhil or Odill 399 c Barons de Wahul ibid. Wakes Barons Wake and Estotevill 202 d. 407 533 a Wakes of Blisworth 533 b Wakefield 693 d Wakeman of Rippon 700 d Wainfleete in Lincolne-shire 542 b Wales 615 c d. 22. annexed and united to the Crowne of England 114 Walch 22 Walcher Bishop of Durham slain in a Commotion 743 d Wall by Lichfield 582 e Wall of Turfe betweene Edenburgh Frith and Cluid 86 Walls end 811 b Wall of stone built in Britaine 86 Wallbery 453 d Walbrooke in London 423 a Walbeofs a family 628 e Walden 452 b Walde of Earle of Northampton and of Huntingdon 502 c 515 c. his disloyall treachery ibid. Walleran Earle of Mellent and first Earle of Worcester 579 a Wallers 330 e Wallerond 618 a Walfleot Oisters 444 d Walli Wallon 22.113 Wallingford 281 d Wallop or Welhope a place 262 Wallops a family ibid. b Wallot Isle 443 c Walmesford bridge 511 d Walnut-tree at Glastenburie 227 Walney an Island 755 c Walpole 481 b Walshal 581 f Walsh a family 364 Walsh what it signifieth 113 Walsingham 470 c Walsingham a towne 479 c Walsingham Knights ibid. Walter de Hemingford 721 Walter 752 f Walter Espec 709 d Waltham Crosse 437 d Waltham Forest 439 c Waltham Abbey or Waltham Crosse a towne 439 c Walton in Darbyshire 556 b Walton a place and familie 572 Walwick 802 a Walwort a herbe called Danes-blood 452 b Wandlesworth 303 a Wandle a river 287 f Wansdike 241 d Wantage 281 a Wantsum or Wentfar a riveret 473 c. see stour in kent Ware a towne 407 c Wapentakes what they bee 159 Ware a Priest and Baron of the Parliament 746 a Wests Barons de la Ware 312 Warburgton a place and familie 610 b Wards 179 Wardens of the Marches 799 b Warden of the Cinque ports 325 b Wardon 401 c Wardon Hundred in Northamptonshire 507 b Wardour a Castle 246 a Ward-staff 440 c Warham towne 213 c Warkworth 813 a Warington 748 b Warnford 269 a Warre civill betweene Yorke and Lancaster determined in the death of Edward the young Earle of Warwicke 570 Warwast 201 c Warwick-shire 561 Warwick towne 562 f Warwick Earles 569 f Warwicke in Cumberland 778 a Wash a
Solis ab Ortu Gens Deo dicata per quem sic sum renovata Let Church-men and religious folke from time that Sun doth rise Blesse Adam Port by whom I am rebuilded in this wise Segontiaci Basingstoke Basing Saint Iohn Out of an old Missall of the Family of Powlet Vines in Britaine Vopiscus Barons Sands Odiam Matthew Paris Vindonum Silcester Sepulchres of honour Constantine Emperour chosen in hope of his name * Bononia * Heire apparant Iulianus Nobilissimus Sel what it is Armes of the Blewets Bainards and Cusantes Kings-cleare Sidmanton * Specula Beacon Newport The Inhabitants In Vespati cap. 4. Anno D. 5 Bede lib. 4. cap. 13. Bede lib. 4. cap. 16. Lords of the Isle of Wight Christ-Church * Or Gaule France Comius Attrebatensis In stratagemat Asserius * Ouze Farendon Guil. New brigâ—sis Abbenduâ— or Abingâ— Hâ—â—icâ—â— Quintus quarto fundaverat anno Rex 〈◊〉 Burford super undas atque Culhamford K. Henry of that name the fifth the fourth yeare of his reigne both Burford Bridge and Culhamford did found on River mayne Now Ashbury neere to White horse hill Besides Lee. Fetiplace * Ouse Vicount Lisle See the Earles of Shrewsbury Pusey Denchworth Wantage Fitzwarin Tamisis or Tamis the River Sinodum Bretwell Robert Montensis Gallena Wallengfor Domesday booke Records of Wallengford 〈◊〉 Coâ—itis Of the honor of Wallengford in Testa â—evilli in the Exchequer A most grievous Pestilence Moules-ford Carew Aldworth The River Kenet Hungerford 1. pâ—rs dupl patent Norm 6. â— 5. Barons of Hungerford Widehay * De S. Amâ— Barons de Amand. Beauchaâ— De S. â—maâ— Spine Newbury Lambor * Almeshouse Aldermaston Reading Maude the Empresse King Henry the second King Richa the first Sunning Bisham Grandison Maidenhead Bibroci * Bray Windesore Order of the Garter Shame to hâ— that evill thinketh Soveraigâ— Founders of the Order Almes-Knights Wickham his Apophthegm * Or free Eaton Barons of Windsore Queene Elizabeth Queene Elizabeths Mot or Empresse * Flowing or rolling * Or the 〈◊〉 Windsor Forrest Chases or Forrests Forrest what it is and whence so called Protoforestarius Iustices of the Forrests The Kings Knight The Kingdome of West-Saxons Geguises Rhey Oking or Woking William Ockham Pater Noâ—â—nalium Where Caeâ— crossed the Tamis Coway-stakes The river Mole Anas a river in Spaine Ockley Gatton Rhie-gate Holmesdale Holmecastle * Or Inquisitions * In Baronia sua de Conquesta Angliae Effingham The Swallow or Swallow hole A bridge on which flockes of sheepe are pastured L. Bray Richmond Both the place and the village before the time of King Henry the Seventh called Shene Edward the Third The death of Queene Elizabeth 1603. How farre the Tamis ebbeth and floweth Why Tamis ebbeth and floweth so far within Land * The seventh * The Third None-such * Vandalis Woodcote Noviomagi Noviomagus Croidon Beddington * Addington Aguilon Merton Wimbledon Putney See Earles of Essex Kennington Lambith * Hardy-Cnute Southworke Barons Saint Iohn of Lagham Sterborow Lord Borough or Burgh Earles of Surrie who also are called Earles of Warren Earles of March in France Downes Anderida wood Iron Glasses Selsey Scales Here be the best Cockles slaves Amberley See the Earles of Shrewsburie * D' aubeney some write him de Albinetâ— and de Albiniacâ— Earles of Arundell and of Sussex Charta antiqua X. in 29. Parl. 11. H 6 229. 4. Edw. 3 See before the Earles of Surrey * As having married his daughter Spigurnell what it is Petworth The Percies See in the end of Northumberland Dautry Burton Horsham Michelgrove Shelley Offington The familie of the Wests * De Cantelupâ— Barons de la Ware Cisburie Cimenshore Brood-water Lord Camois Camois A wife given and granted to another Parlam 30. Edw. primi The forme of a Bill of a kind of Divorcement called Kepudiuâ— Shoreham Ederington Slaugham Lewes * For custome or rent and roll Domesday booke * Or redeemeth the offence * Cluniaco The monument of Magnus a Dane 1263. The battaile of Lewes 232. Others call it The three Charles Downes Pevensey Florentius wigorniensis pag. 452. Composition betweene King Stephen and Henrie of Anjoy Honor de Aquila Robert de Monte Herst Monceaux Herst what it is Regist of the Monasterie of Roberts-bridge The familie of the Fienes Patent 37. Henrie 6. An. 14. Ed. 4. See Normans before A mercate kept on the Sunday Ashburnham Hastings * Cinqueports 21. Edw. 1. 3946. 1578. Ancenses Earles of Ew * Esc. 7. H. 6. Enquisition 5. Edw. 1. William Lord Hastings 26. Henry 6. Baron of Hoo and Hastings Winchelsey Camber-Castle * Rhie * The River Rother Barons Burghersh Baron Echingham Roberts Bridge or Rotherbridge Bodiam Baron Buckhurst Earles of Sussex See Earles of Arundell * With the beard 21. Henry 8. The Kingdome of the South-Saxons Carion corruptly read in Diodorus Siculus Hereof commeth Canton in Heraldrie for a corner and the Helvetians countreys were bâ— the French called Canton Rumney Marsh. Pâ—aâ— 15. ca. 25. Cherries were brought over into Britaine about the yeare of our Lord 48. 236. Prowesse of Kentishmen Iulius Cesar. See Romans in Britaine Page 34. * Ravensburn An old great Campe. Depe-ford Magnignot Green-wich The same that Danes Eltham The Booke of Durham The Breach 1527. Leisnes * Scurvy-grasse 1527. The herbe Britannica * Friseland * See afterward in the British Isles concerning the Arrenat or Armory of the Britaines * Sevenoke Knoll Otford Dartford Swane-scomb that is King Swanes Campe. Graves-end Inquis 35. E. 3 Barons of Cobham Clive at Ho. Medway Weald Penshurst Sidney Vicount Lislâ— See in Barke shire Philip Sidney Tunbridge * The Lowy of Tunbridge * Whet-stones Mereworth Vagniacae Madus Lenâ—hâ—â— Bocton Mâ—lherb Baron Wotton Fin. Mich. xi E. 2. Leeds castle The family â— Crevequer * Ailesford Horsted Catigern his Sepulchre Boxley Wrotham Malling Leibourn Baron Leibourn Briling Baron Say Durobrevis In an ancient table set forth by Welser Roibis Ceaster what it is Rochester * Niding William of Malmesbury Textus Roffensis An antient Manuscript booke of that church * The French called him Canol The Kings Navy Toliatis an Isle Shepey Iu. â—et Queene Borough Tenham Chery gardens Feversham Pits made in Kent * Reculver Regulbium * Hadrianâ—â— Iunius Stoure river Ashford Wie Page 4157. Chilham Fulbert of Dover 1306. * Fel-borough As we call Iuliana Gilian Laberias Durus a Tribune Durovernum * Welsh Canterbury Augustine the Apostle of the Englishmen Pall what it is Anno. 7093. Hackington Saint Stephens Fordich * The first English Nunne Elham Inq. 2. E. 3. Herdes * Hides in English An hides as it is thought consisteth of an hundred acres called in latine in old time Familia Mansa and Manens Lapis tituli Now Elflet 596. Minster 1217. Lewis of France Chronicles of W. Thorn Rhutupia Portuâ— Trutuâ—ensiâ— * The youngeâ— * Caer Leon Clemens Maximus * See how these verses are englished in pag. 83. There bee that under 〈◊〉 name of Rhiâ—â—tupine would