of the Pipe the Comptroler of the Pipe the five Auditors of the old Revenues the Foreign Opposer Clerk of the Estreats Clerk of the Pleas the Marshal the Clerk of the Summons the Deputy-Chamberlains two Secondaries in the office of the King's Remembrancer two Deputies in the office of the Treasurer's Remembrancer two Secondaries of the Pipe four the other Clerks in several Offices c. In the other part of the Exchequer call'd * Recepta the Receiving-Office two Chamberlains a Vice-treasurer Clerk of the Tallies Clerk of the Pells four Tellers two Joyners of the Tallies two Deputy-Chamberlains the Clerk for Tallies the Keeper of the Treasury four Pursevants ordinary two Scribes c. The Officers likewise of the Tenths and First-fruits belong to this Court. For when the Pope's authority was rejected and an Act pass'd that all Tithes and First-fruits should be paid to the King these Officers were Instituted Besides these three Royal Courts of Judicature Justices Itinerant for the speedy execution of Justice and to ease the subject of much labour and expence Henry the second sent some of these Judges and others every year into each County who were call'd Justices Itinerant or Justices in Eyre These had jurisdiction as well in Pleas of the Crown as in common causes within the Counties to which they were sent For that King as Matthew Paris says by the advice of his son and the Bishops appointed Justices over six parts of the Kingdom to every part three who took an oath to do every man right and justice This institution expir'd at length in Edward the third's time but was in some measure reviv'd by an Act of Parliament soon after For the Counties being divided into so many Circuits two of the King's Justices are to go those Circuits twice every year for the trial of prisoners and Gaol-delivery Hence in Law-latin they are call'd Justiciarii Gaolae deliberandae They are likewise to take cognizance of all Assizes of novel disseisin and some others from which they are call'd Justices of Assize and also to try all issues between party and party in any of the King 's three great Courts by Recognitors of the same Peerage as the custom is Hence they are call'd Justices of Nisi prius from the Writs directed to the Sheriff for these tryals which have the words Nisi prius in them The b This Court is since Mr. Camden's time taken away Star-Chamber The Star-Chamber or rather the Court of the King's Council takes cognizance of all matters criminal perjuries Impostures Cheats Excesses c. This Court if we consider it in respect of standing and dignity is ancient and honourable above all others For it seems to be as early as Appeals from the Subjects to their Sovereign and the very birth and rise of the King's Council The Judges of it are men of the greatest honour and eminence being those of the King 's Privy Council It has had the name of the Star-Chamber ever since this Court was held in the Star-Chamber in Westminster which has now been a long time set a part to that use For in an Act of Parliament in Edward the third's time we find Conseil en le Chambre des Estoielles pres de la receipte al Westminster i.e. The Council in the Star-Chamber near the Receipt at Westminster The authority and jurisdiction of this Court was enlarg'd and confirm'd by an Act of Parliament procur'd by that wise Prince Henry the 7th so that some have falsly ascribed the institution of it to him The Judges of this Court are the Lord Chancellor of England the Lord Treasurer of England the Lord President of the King's Council the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and all those of the King's Council whether persons spiritual or temporal also sâ—n of the Barons of the Realm as the King will â—ppoint with the two Chief Justices or two othâ—â— Judges in their absence The Officers are tâ—â— Clerk of the Council the Clerk of the Writs and â—f the process in the Star-Chamber c. Causes of tâ—â—s Court are not try'd per Pares according to the Common-Law but after the method of the Civil-Law Thâ—â—â—urt oâ— Wards The Court of c The Court of Wards is now taken away Wards and Liveries which is so call'd from Minors whose causes are here try'd was instituted by Henry the 8. whereas before all business of this nature was determined in the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer For by an old Custom derived from Normandy and not as some write instituted by Henry the third when any one dies holding lands of the King in capite by Knight's service both the heir and the whole estate with the revenues of it are in Ward to the King till he has compleated the age of one and twenty and then he may sue out his livery The judge in this Court is the Master-General under him a Supervisor of the Liveries an Attorney-General a Receiver-General an Auditor a Clerk of the Liveries a Clerk of the Court forty Feudaries and a Messenger In after-ages were institued two other Courts for correcting of errors the one for those of the Excheqeur the other for those of the King's Bench. The Judges of the first were the Chancellor and the Treasurer of England taking such of the Judges to their assistance as they should think fit those of the latter were the Judges of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer The Court of Admiralty has jurisdiction in marine affairs The Court of Admiralty and is administred by the Admiral of England his * Locum-tenens Lieutenant a Judge two Clerks a Serjeant of the Court and the Vice-Admirals Now for the Courts of Equity The Court of Chancery The Chancery takes its name from the Chancellor a title of no great honour under the old Roman Emperors as may be learnt from Vopiscus At present it is a name of the greatest dignity and the Chancellors are raised to the highest honours in the State Cassiodorus derives the word it self a cancellis i.e. rails or Balisters because they examine matters †Intra sâ—creta Cancellorum Epist 6. Lib. 11. in a private apartment enclos'd with rails such as the Latins call'd Cancelli Consider says he by what name you are call'd What you do within the rails cannot be a secret your doors are transparent your cloysters lye open and your gates are all windows Hence it plainly appears that the Chancellor sat expos'd to every one 's within the rails or cancels so that his name seems to be deriv'd from them Now it being the business of that Minister who is as it were the mouth the eyes and ears of the Prince to strike or dash out with cross lines * Cancellation lattice-like such writs or judgments as are against law or prejudicial to the state not improperly call'd Cancelling some think the word Chancellor to be deduc'd from it And thus we find it in a
that dominion by Christ crucified but who was now made Lord of Lords and Prince over the Kings of the earth This Prince was son to King Aethelred so that in him to the great joy of the English the Danish Government being extinguished the noble antient Saxon Line was restored He was a Prince of very great justice devotion mildness bounty and many other excellent virtues And indeed several things reported to his prejudice seem capable of a rational Apology as the hard usage of his mother Emma and his wife Edith Neither wanted he courage or diligence but the factions of the great nobility and ambition of Earl Godwin required a more severe if not austerer Government The reverse Othgrim on Efrwic I conceive to be York The fifteenth is of the same Edward but with an unusual ornament upon his head in his hand a scepter ending in a lily The reverse perhaps is Ailmer on Scrobe coined at Shrowesbury The sixteenth is of the same with an Imperial or close crown his scepter hath three pearls cross-wise On the reverse is a cross between four martlets I suppose which was the original or first of those Arms they call of the West-Saxons though Arms and Scutcheons c. are of a later invention and are now of the City of London and divers other places but they are in several particulars altered from what they were in his time perhaps for the greater beauty The reverse of the sixteenth is imperfect That of the seventeenth I cannot read perhaps it is the same with that of the nineteenth Of the eighteenth the reverse is Walter on Eoferwick The nineteenth is Edward with a crown Imperial and scepter on it a cross like that of an Archbishop The Reverse is Drintmer on Wal. perhaps Wallingford The twentieth is Edward with a crown pearled the reverse may be .... dinnit on Leicester The twenty first hath another unusual ornament on his head the reverse is Sietmait on Sutho perhaps some place in Suthfolk The twenty second is of Harold a younger son of Earl Godwin How he gain'd the Kingdom whilst the rightful Heir Edgar was alive except by force and power I know not Some say King Edward bequeath'd it to him conceiving Edgar not so able to govern others that he was chosen by the consent of the Nobility but this is not probable But his father as long as he lived had used all means just and unjust to get the great offices of command into his hands of which coming after his death to Harold the best and worthiest of his children he made use accordingly Before his reign he had shewed himself very valiant diligent and loyal also at least more than his brethren and as soon as crown'd he endeavoured by all prudent and fitting means to obtain the favour of the people But his reign lasted not long and was taken up with wars and troubles At last fighting rashly and indiscreetly with William Duke of Normandy he was slain with two of his brethren the third being killed before in a battle near York And so ended the great power and ambition of Earl Godwin and his family as also of the Kingdom of the Saxons From the twenty third to the twenty eighth is Sancti Petri moneta most of them coined at York yet with several stamps I am in great doubt whether these were coined for Peter-pence or Romescot which was an annual tax of a penny each houshold given for the West-Saxon Kingdom by King Ina about anno 720 for Mercia by King Offa and paid at the festival of S. Petri ad vincula At first some say for the education of Saxon Scholars at Rome but afterwards as all grant for the use of the Pope himself not then so well provided as afterwards The like tax of three half pence and a sieve of oats for each family was about the same time given also by the Polonians upon the same reasons Or whether it was the ordinary money coined by the Archbishop whose famous Cathedral was of St. Peter For amongst the great number of such coins I have seen very few one is that of the 20th in this table stamped other where Besides there is such great variety in the stamps that very many more than methinks necessary for that payment must needs have been coined nor is the sword a proper symbol for S. Peter The twenty sixth What the word in the reverse signifies whether the name of a person or place I know not The twenty eighth and twenty ninth St. Neglino I do not understand as neither the thirtieth These coins of St. Peter with the three following and divers others scattered in the other plates were found at Harkirk in the parish of Sephton in Lancashire as they were digging for a burying-place and were all afterwards engraved and printed in one large sheet but having seen many of the same it was not fitting to omit them The thirty one is of Berengarius King of Italy in Charles the Great 's time The reverse shews the building of some church what we know not the words Christiana Religio shew also so much The thirty second is Ludovicus Pius the reveâ—se much the same The thirty third is of Carlus Magnus and informs us of his true name which was not Carolus from Charus or Carus but Carlus in the Northern languages signifying a man vir or a strong man Metullo was one of the coining places in France in his time The thirty fourth is Anlaf Cyning a name very troublesome about the times of Aethelstan and aâ—ter There seem to have been two of them one King of Ireland another of some part of Northumberland V. Tab. 6. c. 28. What that not-unelegant figure in the midst implies as also that in the reverse except it be the front of some church I cannot conceive as neither who that Farhin or Farning was I much doubted how Anlaf a Pagan should stamp a church with crosses upon his coin till Mr. Charleton shewed me on a coin of Sihtric Anlaf's father a Christian the very same figures the Mint-master for haste or some other reason making use of the same stamp The thirty fifth is of the unfortunate Aethelred mentioned here because coined by Earl Godwin in Kent Whence appears what I hinted before that the Nobility and Governors put their names upon the coins and not only the Mint-masters as was more frequent in France The thirty sixth is of Harold the son of Godwin the reverse is Brunstan on Lot fecit Brunstan seems to have been only a Mint-master where Lot is I know not The thirty seventh is of Harold son of Cnut The reverse is Leofwine on Brightstoll The thirty eighth hath the reverse Brintanmere on Wallingford as I conceive These 3 by misfortune were misplaced yet fit to be known because of the places of their stamping Saxon Coins TAB VIII IN this plate are collected divers unknown coins yet such as I conceive to have belonged to these Nations some also of former Kings repeated
this name of Esquire which in ancient times was a name of charge and office only crept first in among the titles of honour as far as I can find in the reign of Richard the second Gentlemen Gentlemen are either the common sort of nobility who are descended of good families or those who by their virtue and fortune have made themselves eminent Citizens Citizens or Burgesses are such as are in publick offices in any City or elected to sit in Parliament The common people or Yeomen are such as some call ingenui the Law homines legales i.e. freeholders Yeomâ— Gemâ—◠〈◊〉 Saxo◠〈◊〉 common people those who can spend at least forty shillings of their own yearly Labourers are such as labour for wages sit to their work are Mechanicks Artizans Smiths Carpenters c. term'd capite censi and Proletarii by the Romans The Law-Courts of ENGLAND AS for the Tribunals or Courts of Justice in England there are three several sorts of them some Spiritual others Temporal and one mixt or complicate of both which is the greatest and by far the most honourable call'd the Parliament Parliament a French word of no great antiquity The Saxons our fore-fathers nam'd it a Witenâ— gemot â—s the true Saxon word Ç·ittenagemot that is an assembly of wise-men and Geraedniss or Council and Micil Synod from the greek word Synod signifying a great meeting The Latin writers of that and the next age call it Commune Concilium Curia altissima Generale Placitum Curia Magna Magnatum Conventus Praesentia Rogis Praelatorum Procerumque collectorum Commune totius regni concilium c. And as Livy calls the general Council of Aetolia Panetolium so this of ours may be term'd very properly Pananglium For it consists of the King the Clergy the Barons and those Knights and Burgesses elected or to express my self more plainly in Law-language the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons who there represent the body of the Nation This Court is not held at certain set times but is call'd at the King's pleasure when things of great difficulty and importance are to be consider'd in order to prevent any danger that may happen to the State and then again is dissolv'd when-ever he alone pleases Now this Court has the sovereign power and an inviolable authority in making confirming repealing and explaining laws reversing Attainders determining causes of more than ordinary difficulty between private persons and to be short in all things which concern the State in general or any particular Subject â—he Kings â—â—urt The next Court to this immediately after the coming in of the Normans and for some time before was the King's Court which was held in the King's Palace and follow'd the King where-ever he went For in the King's Palace there was a peculiar place for the Chancellor and Clerks who had the issuing out of Writs and the management of the great Seal and likewise for Judges who had not only power to hear pleas of the Crown but any cause whatsoever between private persons There was also an Exchequer for the Treasurer and his Receivers who had charge of the King's revenues These each of them were counted members of the King's family and had their meat and cloaths of the King Hence Gotzelin in the life of S. Edward calls them Palatii Causidici and Joannes Sarisburiensis Curiales But besides these and above them likewise â—â—e Chief â—â—â—tice was the Justitia Angliae and Justitiarius Angliae Capitalis i.e. the Lord Chief Justice who was constituted with a yearly stipend of 1000 marks by a Patent after this form The King to all the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Counts Barons Viscounts Foresters and all other his faithful subjects of England greeting Whereas for our own preservation and the tranquillity of our Kingdom and for the administration of justice to all and singular of this our Realm we have ordain'd our beloved and trusty Philip Basset Chief Justice of England during our will and pleasure we do require you by the faith and allegiance due to us strictly enjoyning that in all things relating to the said office and the preservation of our peace and Kingdom you shall be fully obedient to him so long as he shall continue in the said Office Witness the King c. But in the reign of Henry the third it was enacted that the Common Pleas should not follow the King's Court but be held in some certain place and awhile after the Chancery the Pleas of the Crown and the Exchequer also were remov'd from the King's Court and establisht apart in certain set places as some how truly I know not have told us Having premis'd thus much I will now add somewhat concerning these Courts and others that sprung from them as they are at this day And seeing some of them have cognizance of â—uris Law namely the King's Bench Common Pleas Exchequer Assizes Star-Chamber Court of Wards and the Court of Admiralty others of Equity as the Chancery the Court of Requests the Councils in the Marches of Wales and in the North I will here insert what I have learnt from others of each of them in their proper places The King's Bench â—â—e Kings â—â—â—ch so call'd because the Kings themselves were wont to preside in that Court takes cognizance of all pleas of the Crown and many other matters relating to the King and the well-being of the publick it has power to examine and correct the errors of the Common-pleas The Judges there besides the King himself when he is pleas'd to be present are the Lord Chief Justice of England and four others or more as the King pleases â—â—mmon â—â—â—as The Common-Pleas has this name because the common pleas between subject and subject is by our law which is call'd the Common law there triable The Judges here are the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and four others or more to assist him Officers belonging to this Court are the Custos Brevium three Prothonotaries and many others of inferior rank â—â—â—hequer The Exchequer deriv'd that name from a table at which they sat For so Gervasius Tilburiensis writes who liv'd in the year 1160. The Exchequer is a squarâ— table about ten foot long and five broad contriv'd likâ— a table to sit round On every side it has a ledge of four fingers breadth Upon it is spread a cloath of black colour with stripes distant about a foot or spanâ— it bought in Easter term A little after This Court 〈◊〉 report has been from the very Conquest of the Realm by King William the design and model of it being taken â—â—m the Exchequer beyond Sea Here all matters belongiâ—â—â— to the King's revenues are decided The Judges of it are the Lord Treasurer of England the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Chief Baron and three or four other Barons The Officers of this Court are the King's Remembrancer the Treasurer's Remembrancer the Clerk
Montacute in Domesday Montagud it salutes Montacute so call'd by the Earl of Moriton brother by the mother's side to William 1. †If Leland be Mr. Camden's authority for this he freely declares he had it only by hear-say who built a castle at the very top of the hill and a Religious house at the bottom of it because it rises by degrees into a sharp point whereas before that it was nam'd * In the Copy of Leland which I had it is Logaresburch and 't is probable Mr. Camden had it from him Logoresburg and Bischopeston Annals of Glassenbury But the castle has been quite destroy'd these many years and the stones carry'd off to build the Religious house and other things Afterwards on the very top of the hill was a Chappel made and consecrated to S. Michael the arch and roof curiously built of hard stone and the ascent to it is round the mountain up stone-stairs for near half a mile Now the Monastery and Chappel are both demolish'd and the greatest ornament it has is a delicate house which the worthy c His grandson Sir Edward Philips is still living Sir Edward Philips Knight Serjeant at Law lately built at the foot of the mountain Lords of Montacute This place gave name to the honourable family of the Montacutes descended from Drogo * Juvene the Young Of this family there were four Earls of Salisbury the last left issue one only daughter which had by Richard Nevil the famous Richard Earl of Warwick that * turbâ—â—â—â— Whirlwind of England and John Marquess of Montacute both kill'd in the battle of Barnet in the year 1472. But the title of Baron Montacute was conferr'd upon Henry Poole Son of Margaret daughter of George Duke of Clarence descended from a daughter of that Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick by King Henry 8. who presently after beheaded him Queen Mary bestow'd the title and honour of Viscount Montacute upon Anthony Brown whose grandmother was daughter of John Nevil Marquess of Montacute d It still continues in the same family and the honour is at present enjoy'd by Francis Viscount Mountague and his grandchild by a son now enjoys it 9 And here I must not forget Preston sometime the seat of John Sturton younger son to the first Lord Struton one of whose heirs was marry'd to Sidenham of Brimston thereby Next to this is Odcombe Odcomâ—â— which tho' but a very small town must not yet be omitted because it has had it's Baron Barons William de Briewer Bâ—iewâ—r for so his father was call'd as being born * In eâ—â—â— in a heath who 10 Who being taken up in the New-Forest by K. Henry the sâ—cond in a hunting journey prov'd 〈◊〉 great man having great interest at Court being also an entire Favourite of Richard 1. was respected and caressed by all and so got a very large estate 11 Marry'd Beatrix of Vannes Widow to Reginald Earl of Cornwall with which by the marriage of his daughters for his son dy'd without issue he made a great accession to the estates of the Brees Wakes Mohuns La-ferts and Pereys Below this at a little distance is Stoke under Hamden where the Gornays had their castle and built a College This family surnam'd de Gornaico and commonly Gornay was very ancient and illustrious descended from the same stock with the Warrens Earls of Surrey and the Mortimers But in the last age it was extinct and part of that estate came by the Hamptons to the Knightly family of the Newtons Newtoâ—â— who freely own themselves to be of Welsh extraction and not long ago to have been call'd Caradocks Nor must we forget to mention that Matthew Gornay was bury'd here a stout souldier in the time of Edward 3. and dy'd in the 96th year of his age after he had been dd The Inscription was in French and is set down at large by Leland where 't is express'd that he dy'd Sept. 26. An. 1406. as the Inscription witnesseth at the siege of D'algizer against the Saracens at the battles of Benamazin Sclusa Cressia Ingines Poictiers and Nazaran in Spain Next the Parret waters Martock a little market-town which formerly William of Bologne son to king Stephen gave to Faramusius of Bologne Farâ—moâ—â— of Bâ—loâ— Fieâ—es whose only daughter and heir Sibill was marry'd to Ingelram de Fienes and from them are descended the Fienes Barons of Dacre and the Barons of Say and Zele From hence the Parret cuts it's way into the north through a muddy plain by Langport a market-town pretty well frequented and by Aulre Aulre a little village of a few small hurts which yet seems once to have been a town of better note For when Alfred had so shatter'd the Danes and by a siege forc'd them to surrender that they took an Oath to depart out of his dominions with all expedition and e I think most of our Historians call it Godrun the Saxon Annals constantly mention it under that name Godrus their King as Asser tells us promis'd to embrace Christianity then Alfred in this place took him out of the sacred font of Regeneration with great pomp The Parret running from hence receives the river Thone which rising at a great distance in the western part of the County next Devonshire passes through delicate fields 12 Near Wivelscomb assign'd anciently to the Bishop of Bath to Wellington Wellinâ— which in the time of Edward the Elder was the ground of six Mansion-houses at what time he gave this along with Lediard Lediaâ—â— which was of twelve Mansion-houses to the Bishop of Shirbourn It is now a little market-town receiving it's greatest glory from an honourable Inhabitant for persons eminent for virtue and their good services to their country deserve always to be mention'd 13 Sir John Popham John Popham J. Pophâ— memorable as for the antiquity of his noble descent so for his strict justice and singular industry This man now Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench administers Justice with so much evenness and such a temper'd severity that England has for this long time been mostly indebted to him for it's domestick peace and security Going from hence with a gentle and easie course the Thone washes Thonton or Taunton 〈…〉 and gives it that name It is a neat town delicately seated and in short one of the eyes of this County Here Ina King of the West-Saxons built a castle which Desburgia his wife levell'd with the ground after she had driven Eadbricth King of the East-Saxons out of it who had got possession and us'd it as a curb to a conquer'd nation In the reign of Edward the Confessor it gelded so it is in Domesday-book for 54 hides had 63 Burgers and was held by the Bishop of Winchester whose Pleadings were here kept thrice a year Those Customs belong to Taunton Burgheriste robbers breach of the
houses eight were destroy'd for the Castle It was formerly walled about and as may be seen by the tract was a c The ditch of the town says Leland and the creast whereon the wall stood are yet manifestly perceiv'd and begin from the Castle going in compass a good mile or more mile in compass it hath a castle seated upon the river very large and so well fortify'd in former times that the hopes of it's being impregnable hath made some persons over-resolute For when the flames of Civil War had as it were set all England on fire we read that King Stephen ever now and then attempted it by siege but still in vain We much wonder'd at it's greatness and magnificence when we were boys and retir'd thither from Oxford for it is now a retiring place for the Students of Christ-Church at Oxford it being double wall'd and surrounded with d Leland says it has 3 dikes large and deep and well water'd two ditches In the middle stands a tower rais'd upon a very high mount in the steep ascent whereof which you climb by stairs I saw a well of an exceeding depth The Inhabitants believe it was built by the Danes but I should rather judge that something was here erected by the Romans and afterwards demolish'd by the Saxons and Danes when Sueno the Dane harrass'd the Country up and down in these parts At length it recover'd it self under William 1. as plainly appears by Domesday Book where it makes mention of eight ‖ Hagaâ— Houses being pull'd down for the Castle as I observ'd but now Yet William Gemeticensis takes no notice of this Castle when he writes that William the Norman after Harold's defeat immediately led his army to this city for so he terms it and passing the Thames at the ford encamp'd here before he march'd to London Lords of Wallingford At which time Wigod an Englishman was Lord of Wallingford who had one only daughter given in marriage to Robert D'Oily by whom he had Maud his sole heir married first to Miles Crispin and after his death by the favour of K. Henry 1. to Brient †Fillo Comitis Fitz-Count and he being bred a soldier and taking part with Maud the Empress stoutly defended the Castle against King Stephen who had rais'd a Fort over against it at Craumesh till the peace so much wish'd for by England in general was concluded in this place and that terrible quarrel between King Stephen and K. Henry 2. was ended And then the love of God did so prevail upon Brient and his wife that quitting the transitory vanities of this world they wholly devoted themselves to Christ by which means this Honour of Wallingford fell to the Crown Which appears by these words taken out of an old Inquisition in the Exchequer To his well beloved Lords Of the Honour of Wallingford in Tâ—â—â— de Nâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the Exchequer our Lord the King's Justices and the Barons of the Exchequer the Constable of Wallingford Greeting Know ye that I have made diligent Inquisition by the Knights of my Bailywick in pursuance of my Lord the King's precept directed to me by the Sheriff and this is the summe of the inquisition thus taken Wigod of Wallingford held the honour of Wallingford in K. Harold's time and afterwards in the reign of K. William 1. and had by his Wife a certain Daughter whom he gave in marriage to Robert D'Oily This Robert had by her a Daughter named Maud which was his heir Miles Crispin espous'd her and had with her the aforesaid honour of Wallingford After Miles ' s decease our Lord K. Henry 1. bestow'd the aforesaid Maud upon Brient Fitz-Count c. Yet afterwards in the reign of Henry 3. it belong'd to the Earls of Chester and then to Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall who repaired it and to his son Edmond who founded a Collegiate Chapel within the inner Court but he dying issueless it fell again to the Crown and was annexed to the Dukedom of Cornwall since when it hath fallen much to decay More especially about the time when that plague and mortality which follow'd the conjunction of Saturn and Mars in Capricorn A terrible â—â—ague reign'd so hotly through all Europe in the year of our Lord 1343. Then this Wallingford by that great mortality was so exhausted that whereas before it was very well inhabited and had 12 Churches in it now it can shew but one or two But the inhabitants rather lay the cause of this their town's decay upon the bridges built at Abingdon and Dorchester e Just so Wilton the once chief town of Wiltshire began to decay when the road was turn'd through Salisbury and the bridge was built there by which means the High-road is turn'd from thence g From hence Southward the Thames gently glides between very fruitful fields on both sides of it by Moulesford Moulesford which K. Henry 1. gave to Girald Fitz-Walter from whom the noble Family of the Carews are descended A family that hath receiv'd the addition of much honour by it's matches with the noble families of Mohun and Dinham and others in Ireland as well as England Not far from hence is Aldworth where there are certain tombs and statues upon them larger than ordinary much wonder'd at by the common people as if they were the pourtraictures of Giants when indeed they are only those of certain Knights of the family of De la Beche which had a Castle here and is suppos'd to have been extinct for want of male-issue in the reign of Edward 3. And now at length the Thames meets with the Kenet The river â—enet which as I said before watering the south-side of this County at it's first entry after it has left Wiltshire runs beneath Hungerford â—ungerâ—â—rd call'd in ancient times Ingleford Charnam-street a mean town and seated in a moist place which yet gives both name and title to the honourable family of the Barons of Hungerford first advanc'd to it's greatness by f He was son of that Sir Thomas Hungerford who was Speaker to the House of Commons 51 Edw. 3. which was the first Parliament wherein that House had a Speaker Walter Hungerford who was Steward of the King's Houshold under King Henry 5. and had conferr'd upon by that Prince's bounty in consideration of his eminent services in the wars the Castle and Barony of Homet in Normandy to hold to him and his heirs males by homage and service to find the King and his heirs at the Castle of Roan one Lance with a Fox's tail hanging to it â—â—ima pars â—pl Paâ—â— Norâ—n 6 H. 5. which pleasant tenure I thought not amiss to insert here among serious matters The same Walter in the reign of Henry 6. was Lord High Treasurer of England â—rons â—ngerford and created Baron Hungerford and what by his prudent management and his matching with Catherine Peverell descended from the
shut the gates against King Charles 1. when he laid siege to the place in the year 1643. Before that siege the City was adorn'd with eleven Parish-Churches but five of them were then demolish'd There is great provision for the poor by Hospitals particularly Bartholomew's Hospital maintains 54 poor men and women to whom there belongs a Minister Physician and Chirurgeon And Sir Thomas Rich Baronet a native of this place gave 6000 l. by Will for a Blewe-coat-Hospital wherein are educated 20 Boys 10 poor Men and as many Women maintain'd all cloath'd annually Besides these and three more there are many other Benefactions to encourage young Tradesmen and to place out boys Apprentices m As to this place being the seat of a British Bishop there is this farther confirmation that in the Hall of the Bishop's Palace is written Eldadus Episcopus Glocestrensis and Bishop Godwin says that Theonus was translated from Glocester to London in the year 553. n Just beyond Glocester the Severn passeth by Lanthony Lanthony a ruinated Priory built in the year 1136. as a Cell to that of St. John Baptist in Wales Above this on a little hill stood Newark-house which belong'd to the Prior and has been lately rebuilt by my Lord Scudamore the owner thereof o Below this the river Stroud Stroud runneth into the Severn upon which standeth a town of the same name famous for cloathing the water whereof is said to have a peculiar quality in dying Reds It is a market-town standing on the ascent of a hill snd is the chief residence of the Clothiers in these parts whose trade in this County amounts to 500000 l. per annum some making a thousand Cloaths a year for their own share Between this and Glocester standeth Paynswick Paynswick a market-town said to have the best and wholsomest air in the whole County and near it on the hill was Kembsborow-Castle Kembsborow Castle the fortifications and trenches whereof are still visible Beyond which lyeth Prinknersh once the mansion of the Abbot of Glocester a pleasant seat on the side of the hill 't is now the inheritance of John Bridgman Esq a descendant of Sir John Bridgman Lord chief Justice of Chester South of the river Stroud and not far from Minchin hampton a pretty market-town once belonging to the Nuns of Sion is Wood-chester Wood-chester famous for it's tesseraick work of painted beasts and flowers which appears in the Churchyard two or three foot deep in making the graves If we may believe tradition Earl Godwin's wife to make restitution for her husband's fraud at Barkley built a Religious-house here with those pretty ornaments that are yet to be seen p But now to return to our Author Barkley Barkley is the largest parish in the County and gives name to the greatest division The place is honour'd by giving title to George Earl of Barkley who hath a fair Castle here tho' not so large as formerly The little room where the unhappy King Edward was murder'd is still to be seen The Mayor here is only titular The manour of Kings-Weston tho' at 12 miles distance from Barkley is yet in the same Hundred and was as it appears by Domesday at and before the Conquest a parcel of the said manour of Barkley In the year 1678. it was purchas'd by Sir Robert Southwell who has there between the Avon and the Severn a very pleasant seat It hath a prospect into several Counties and the ships in Kings-road are at an easie distance The Southwells were formerly considerable in Nottinghamshire at the town of the same name from whence they removed into Norfolk In King James 1.'s time the eldest branch went into Ireland where the said Sir Robert enjoys a fair estate on the opposite shore to King-weston at King-sale and thereabouts q Alderly Alderly is now only famous for being the birth-place of Sir Matthew Hale Lord chief Justice of England who dying in the year 1676. lyeth buried in this Churchyard under a tomb of black marble r As Oldbury Oldbury in both parts of it's name carries something of antiquity so has it that title confirm'd to it by a large Campus major of the Roman Fortifications and where the Church now stands was the Campus minor there are in this County several more such s At a little distance from the Severn is Thornbury Thornbury only a titular Mayor-town The Castle design'd to be rebuilt had this Inscription This gate was begun 1511. 2 Hen. 8. by me Edward Duke of Buckingham Earl of Hereford Stafford and Northampton He was beheaded before he perfected his design for he had intended to make the Church at Thornbury Collegiate with Dean and Prebends They have here four small Alms-houses a Free-school and weekly market The most considerable Gentry heretofore paid an annual attendance at Thornbury-Court where the Abbot of Tewksbury was oblig d personally to say Mass t Puckle-Church Puckle-Church is now only a small village the seat of the Dennis's whose family have been 18 times High-Sheriff of this County Beyond this near Bristol lyeth Kingswood-forest Kingswoo◠formerly of a much larger extent but now drawn within the bounds of 5000 acres It consists chiefly of Coal-mines several Gentry being possessors of it by Patent from the Crown 'T is a controverted point whether it be a Forest or Chase for 't is said to have been dependant upon Micklewood that is now destroy'd Within it are two fine seats Barrs-Court in Bitton-parish belonging to Sir John Newton Baronet and Siston-house to Samuel Trotman Esquire Not far from Bristol lyeth Westbury Westbury upon Trin which river now is dwindled into a little brook Here was a famous College encompass'd with a strong wall built by John Carpenter Bishop of Worcester about the year 1443. who design'd to have been stil'd Bishop of Worcester and Westbury This with the adjacent Parishes in Glocestershire that lye round Bristol are under the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bristol On the top of St. Vincent's Rocks S. Vincen◠Rocks near Bristol * Aubr M is a roundish fortification or Camp the rampire and graffe thereof not great for by reason of the nearness of the rock which is as hard as marble the ground is not easily digg'd Whether those rocks towards the top consist mostly of petrify'd pieces of wood as some are inclin'd to think let the Naturalists examine The precipice of the Rock over the river Avon has made all Works on the west-side needless About two miles from St. Vincent's rocks is Henbury Henbury †Ibid. where is a Camp with three rampires and trenches from which one may conclude it to have been done rather by the Britains than any other people u The Fortifications mention'd by our Author to be at Derham Derham are I suppose the same with that ‖ Mon. Ba◠MS. Mr. Aubrey has taken notice of upon Henton-hill in that parish It is call'd
those days for making of brick and divers other Romans coins and vessels were found as Mr. Stow tells us belonging to their Sacrifices and Burials beside what he mentions Such as the Coins of Trajan and Antoninus Pius Lamps Lachrymatories Patinae and vessels of white earth with long necks and handles which I suppose must be the Gutti used in their Sacrifices †Survey p. 177. There were many Roman Coins also discover'd in the foundations of Aldgate when it was rebuilt in the year 1607. which were formerly kept in the Guild-hall ‖ Ibid. p. 121 But many more of all kinds since the late fire in the foundations of St. Paul's Church now rebuilding and in the making of Fleet-ditch which were carefully collected by Mr. John Coniers Citizen and Apothecary of London and are now many of them in the possession of the ingenious Mr. Woodward the present Professor of Physick in Gresham-College London Many Urns and Coins have been also met with in digging the foundations of the new buildings in Goodmans-fields as there daily are in many other places upon the like occasions especially in the Suburbs of the City w Southwark was 't is true Apr. 23. 1549. 4 Edw. 6. purchased of the King by the Lord Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London for the sum of Six hundred forty seven pounds two shillings and a penny and annext to their City and erected immediately into a new Ward call'd the Bridg-ward without and was thenceforth to be esteemed within the government and correction of the Lord Mayors and other Officers of London and their Deputies The inhabitants were licensed to enjoy and use all such Laws and Privileges whatsoever within their Borough and Precincts as the Citizens of London did within their City * Stow's Survey p 442 443. Which possibly might move our Author to place its history here But it was not thereby remov'd out of Surrey as appears by the provisions of the King's Grant whereby care is taken that the Lord Mayor should do and execute all such things within the Borough as other Justices might within the County of Surrey and that he as Escheator within the Borough and Precincts should have power to direct Precepts to the Sheriff of Surrey for the time being †See more of this in Surrey x The Hospital of Christ-Church founded Anno 1552. by King Edward the sixth as it stood in our Author's time maintain'd but 600 Orphans whereof part Boys and part Girls and both the children of Freemen of this City Since the Fund being uncertain depending as well upon the casual charity both of living and dying persons as upon its real Estate the number has been augmented and diminisht in proportion to the increase and decrease of that sort of Charity However it seldom now maintains less than 1000 annually nor is there reason to fear they will ever have fewer Here having run through the several Schools at 15 years they are put forth to a seven years Apprenticeship except some Boys of the best parts who are sent to the Universities and there also maintain'd for seven years which is the present state of King Edward's foundation Mathematical School To this there has been added another of late years stiled the New Royal Foundation of King Charles the second consisting of 40 Boys all wearing Badges appropriate to their Institution to be fill'd up successively out of such of the above-mention'd Children as have attain'd to a competency in fair writing and Latin learning Thence-forward they are instructed in the Mathematicks and Art of Navigation till they are 16 years of age at which time they are disposed of in a seven years Apprenticeship to the practice of Navigation Which Institution most highly charitable in it self and tending to the honour and safety of the Kingdom as well as the security and advancement of our Trade was founded the 19th of August Anno 25 Car. 2. Earls of MIDDLESEX Sir Lionel Cranfield Kt. Merchant of London having for his great abilities been first made Master of the Requests then of the great Wardrobe and after of the Wards and at last privy Counsellor upon the 19. of July 19 Jac. 1. was advanced to the degree of a Baron of this Realm by the title of Lord Cranfield of Cranfield in Bedfordshire and to the office and dignity of Lord high Treasure of England and by Letters Patents bearing date Sept. 2. 1622. 20 Jac. 1. to the Earldom of Middlesex Who by his second wife Anne daughter to James Bret of Howbey in the County of Leicester Esquire had issue four sons James Edward Lionel and William whereof James and Lionel succeeded him in the Honour but both dying without issue this Title descended to his eldest daughter Frances married to Richard Earl of Dorset and her issue and is accordingly now enjoyed by the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold and Knight of the Garter More rare Plants growing wild in Middlesex communicated by Mr. James Petiver Filicula saxatilis ramosa maritima nostras Raii Synops Hist Plant. Small-branch'd Stone-fern On many old walls in and about London as the Savoy Westminster Royal Garden c. Fungus spongiosus niger reticulatus doliolis vinosis adnascens Raii synops Mr. Doody's spung-like Mushrome In most vaults sticking to the wine casks Eruca sylvestris Ger. sylv vulgatior Park major lutea caule aspero C. B. tenuifolia perennis fl luteo J. B. Wild Rocket On old walls about this City frequently as on London-wall between Cripplegate and Bishopsgate the Charter-house c. plentifully Viscum Ger. vulgare Park baccis albis C. B. Quercus aliarum arborum J. B. Misseltoe On some trees at Clarendon house St. James's Nasturtium aquaticum amarum Park majus amarum C. B. Nasturtium aq fl majore elatius Raii syn Bitter Cresses On the Thames-bank between Peterborough-house and Chelsey Conserva reticulata Raii Hist Plant. append 1852. synops 15. Mr. Doody's netted Crow-silk In some ditches about Westminster and Hounslow-heath Bardana major Rosea Park 1222. lappa Rosea C. B. prodr 102. Rose Burdock This variety which Caspar Bauhine averrs to be found frequently about Leipsick I have observed near the Thames between Westminster and Chelsey Juncus caule triangulari Merr. Pin. 67. The three-corner'd Bulrush In the Thames between Peterborough-house and the Horse-ferry Westminster Cyperus rotundus litoreus inodorus J. B. rotundus inodorus Anglicus C. B. rotundus litoâ—eos Ger. rotundus litoreus inodorus Anglicus Park Round-rooted Bastard Cyperus Sagitta aquatica omnium minima Raii synops append 242. The least Arrow-head Observed by that most curious Botanist Dr. Plukenet to grow with the two last Salix minima fragilis foliis longissimis untrinqueviridibus non serratis Raii synops append 238. Dr. Sherard's Green Osier Amongst the Willows on the Thames side between Westminster and Chelsey Salix folio Amygdalino utrinque aurito corticem abjiciens Raii synops 216. Almond-leav'd
Monuments of this kind in Wales some of which we shall take notice of in other Counties In Anglesey where there are many of them as also in some other places they are call'd Krom-lecheu a name deriv'd from Krwm which signifies crooked or inclining and lhech a flat stone but of the name more hereafter 'T is generally supposed they were places of burial but I have not yet learn'd that ever any Bones or Urns were found by digging under any of them Edward Somerset Lord Herbert of Chepstow Ragland and Gower obtain'd of K. Charles 1. the title of Earl of Glamorgan Earls of Glamogan his father the Lord Marquiss of Worcester being then alive the Succession of which Family may be seen in the Additions to Worcestershire DIMETAE a _THE remainder of this Region which is extended Westward and call'd by the English West-Wales West-Wales comprehending Caer-mardhin-shire Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire was thought by Pliny to have been inhabited by the Silures But Ptolemy to whom Britain was better known placed another Nation here whom he call'd Dimetae and Demetae Moreover both Gildas and Ninnius used the word Demetia to signifie this Country whence the Britains call it at this day Dyved changing the M into V according to the propriety of that Language If it would not be thought a strain'd piece of curiosity I should be apt to derive this appellation of the Demetae from the words Deheu-meath which signifie the Southern plain as all this South-Wales has been call'd Deheu-barth i.e. the Southern Part. And I find that elsewhere the Inhabitants of a champain Country in Britain were call'd by the Britains themselves Meatae Nor does the situation of this Country contradict that signification for when you take a prospect of it the Hills decline gently and it dilates it self gradually to a Plain a Seing it was the custom amongst the Romans to retain such names of the places they conquer'd as the ancient Natives made use of adding only a Latin termination it may seem more probable that Dimetia was mâ—de out of the British name Dyved than the contrary But whatever the original name of this County might be I cannot subscribe to our Author's conjecture of the etymon of it for we find no such word in the British Language either in Manuscripts or common use as Meath for a plain champain Country Tho indeed if there were such a word they that are well acquainted with those Counties would scarce allow it applicable to them CAER-MARDHIN-SHIRE THE County of Kaer-Vyrdhin call'd by the English Caer-Mardhin-shire is a Country sufficiently supply'd with Corn very well stock'd with Cattel and in divers places affords plenty of Coal It is bounded on the East with Glamorgan and Brecknock shires on the West with Pembroke on the North divided from Cardiganshire by the river Teivi and on the South with the main Ocean which encroaches on the Land here with such a vast Bay 〈◊〉 that this Country might seem out of fear to have withdrawn it self In this Bay Kydweli first offers it self the territory whereof was possessed for some time by the sons of Keianus a Scot until they were driven out by Kynèdhav a British Prince But now it is esteem'd part of the Inheritance of Lancaster by the heirs of Maurice of London or de Londres who removing from Glamorganshire after a tedious war made himself Master of it and fortified old Kydweli with Walls and a Castle now decay'd with age For the Inhabitants passing over the river of Gwen-draeth vechan built new Kydweli invited thither by the conveniency of a Haven which yet at present is of no great use being choak'd with shelves â—â—hâ—an â—â—an of â—y conâ—â— When Maurice of London invaded these Territories Gwenlhîan the wife of Prince Gryffydh a woman of invincible courage endeavouring to restore her husband's declining state enter'd the field with display'd banner and encounter'd him But the success not being answerable to her courage she with her son Morgan and divers other Noblemen as Giraldus informs us were slain in the field 〈◊〉 of â—or and â—â—eli By Hawis the daughter and heiress of 1 Sir Thomas of London Thomas de Londres this fair Inheritance with the Title of Lord of Ogmor and Kydweli descended to Patrick Chaworth and by a daughter of his son Patrick to Henry Earl of Lancaster The heirs of Maurice de Londres as we read in an old Inquisition were obliged by this Tenure in case the King or his Chief Justice should lead an Army into these parts of Kydweli to conduct the said Army with their Banners and all their Forces through the midst of the Country of Neath to Lochor â—â—iver 〈◊〉 or â—â—s A little below Kydweli the river Towy which Ptolemy calls Tobius is received into the Ocean having passed the length of this County from North to South First by Lhan ym Dhyvri so call'd as is supposed from the confluence of rivers which out of malice to the English was long since demolish'd by Howel ap RhÅ·s â—â—r Afterwards by Dinevor-castle the Royal Seat of the Princes of South-Wales whilst they flourish'd situated aloft on the top of a Hill And at last by Caer-mardhin which the Britains themselves call Kaer-Vyrdhin Ptolemy Maridunum Maridunum and Antoninus Muridunum who continues not his journeys any farther than this place Caer-Mardhin and is here by negligence of the Copyists ill handled For they have carelesly confounded two Journeys the one from Galena to Isca the other from Maridunum to Viroconovium This is the chief town of the County pleasantly seated for Meadows and Woods and a place of venerable Antiquity fortified neatly saith Giraldus with brick-walls partly yet standing on the noble river of Towy navigable with ships of small burden tho' the mouth of it be now almost stopp'd with a bed of Sand. Here our Merlin Merlin or Myrdhin Emris the British Tages was born for as Tages was reported to have been the son of a Genius and to have taught the Tuscans South-saying so our Merlin who was said to have been the son of an Incubus devised Prophecies or rather mere Phantastical Dreams for our Britains Insomuch that in this Island he has the reputation of an eminent Prophet amongst the ignorant common people a Soon after the Normans enter'd Wales this town fell into their possession but by whose means I know not and a long time it encounter'd many difficulties having been often besieged and twice burnt first by Gryffydh ap RhÅ·s and afterwards by RhÅ·s the said Gryffydh's brother At which time Henry Turbervil an Englishman reliev'd the castle and cut down the bridge But the walls and castle being afterwards repair'd by Gilbert de Clare it was freed from these miseries so that being thus secured it bore the tempests of war much easier afterwards The Princes of Wales eldest sons of the Kings of England settl'd here their Chancery and Exchequer for South-Wales Opposite to this city
Karneu with the addition of the English termination don signifying Mountain or Hill as in Snowdon Huntingdon c. which conjecture is much confirm'd when we consider there are many hills in Wales denominated from such heaps of stones as Karn Lhechart in Glamorganshire Karnedh Dhavidh Karnedh Higin and Karnedh Lhewelyn in Caernarvonshire with many more in other Counties d Tralhwn from Tre'r Lhyn is an Etymology â—â—ymology 〈◊〉 the word â—â—alhwn agreeable enough with the situation of this place otherwise I should be apt to suspect the word Tralhwn might be the name of a place near this pool before the town was built and that the town afterwards took its name from it For in some parts of Wales 't is a common appellative for such soft places on the Roads or elsewhere as travellers may be apt to sink into as I have observ'd particularly in the Mountains of Glamorganshire And that a great deal of the ground near this place is such is also very well known As for the Etymon of the appellative Tralhwn I suppose it only an abbreviation of Traeth lyn i.e. a Quagmire e Concerning the situation of the old Mediolanum â—edâ—olaâ—â—m our Author seems to discourse with that judgment and modesty as becomes the character he justly bears in the world and since his time I cannot learn that any Roman Monuments have been discover'd at either of the places he mentions that might remove his scruples and fully determine the position of that City His arguments for the agreeableness of the names of Mediolanum and Mylhin though he writes it Methlin are so valid that I know not what can be objected to them However it seems observable that we do not find it was customary among the Britains to prefix the word Lhan i.e. Church to the name of Roman Cities but if any word was prefixt 't was generally Kaer i.e. a Fort or Fence as Caer Lheion Kaer Went Kaer Vyrdhin c. And tho' we should allow the invalidity of this objection and suppose the word Lhan might be introduced in latter times yet considering that a learned and inquisitive Gentleman of this Town who amongst his other studies has always had a particular regard to the Antiquities of his Country has not in the space of forty years met with any Coyns here or other tokens of a place inhabited by the Romans nor yet discover'd the least signs that this town was anciently of any considerable note I think we cannot safely barely on account of its name and vicinity to the situation requir'd conclude it the old Mediolanum Therefore it seems convenient to have recourse to the situation assign'd this City by Dr. Powel before our Author writ his Britannia who in his learned Annotations on Giraldus's Itinerary * ‖ L 2. c. 4. assures us 't was not only the opinion of some Antiquaries that the ancient Mediolanum was seated where the village of Meivod stands at present but also that the same village and places adjoyning afforded in his time several such remarkable Monuments as made it evident there had been formerly a considerable town at that place This Meivod is seated about a mile below Mathraval on the North-side of the river Myrnwy and three miles Southward of Lhan Vylhin at the situation our Author requires At present there remains only a Church and a small village but several yet living have seen there the ruins of two other Churches I am inform'd that about a mile from the Church there 's a place call'd Erw'r Porth i.e. the Gate-acre which is supposed to have taken its name from one of the Gates of the old City and that in the grounds adjoyning to this village Cawsways Foundations of Buildings Floors and Harths are often discover'd by Labourers but whether any such Monuments as we may safely conclude Roman as Coyns Urns Inscriptions c. are found at this place I must leave to farther enquiry Meivod as Bishop Usher supposes is call'd by Nennius Cair Meguid and in other copies Cair Metguod but what the word Meguid or Metguod or yet Meivod or Mediolanum might signifie is hardly intelligible at present at leastwise I cannot discern that the modern British affords us any information concerning the origin of these names Mathraval mention'd here as formerly the seat of the Princes of Powys shews at present no remains of its ancient splendour there being only a small Farm-house where the Castle stood Lhan Vylhin is a market-town of considerable note first incorporated by Lhewelyn ap Grufydh Lord of Mechain and Mochnant in the time of Edward the second It 's govern'd by two Bailiffs chosen annually who besides other Privileges granted to the town by King Charles the second bearing date March 28. Anno Reg. 25. were made Justices of the Peace within the Corporation during the time of their being Bailiffs f The Lordship of Powys was afterwards purchased by Sir Edward Herbert second son of William Earl of Penbroke to whom succeeded his eldest son Sir William Herbert created Lord Powys by King James the first whom his son Percy succeeded in the same title But his son William was first made Earl of Powys by King Charles the second and afterwards Marquiss of Powys by King James Since Philip Herbert second son of Henry Earl of Penbroke was created Earl of Montgomery Earls of Montgomery 3 Jac. 1. May 4 the same persons have enjoy'd the titles of Penbroke and Montgomery and at present both are joyn'd in the right honourable Thomas Baron Herbert of Cardiff c. MEIRIONYDHSHIRE BEyond the County of Montgomery lies Meirionydhshire which the Britains call Sîr Veirionydh in Latin Mervinia and by Giraldus Terra filiorum Conani It reaches to the crooked bay I mention'd and is wash'd by the main Ocean on the west-side with such violence that it may be thought to have carried off some part of it On the south for some miles 't is divided from Cardiganshire by the river Dyvy and on the north borders on Caernarvon and Denbighshire Mountains exâ—eeding high This County hath such heaps of mountains that as Giraldus observes 't is the roughest and most unpleasant County of all Wales 1 And Wales For the hills are extraordinary high and yet very narrow and terminating in sharp peaks nor are they thin scatter'd but placed very close and so eaven in height that the shepherds frequently converse from the tops of them who yet in case they should wrangle and appoint a meeting can scarce come together from morning till night a Innumerable flocks of sheep graze on these mountains nor are they in any danger of Wolves Wolves in England destroy'd which are thought to have been then destroy'd throughout all England when King Edgar impos'd a yearly tribute of three hundred wolves skins on †No Prince of this name in Wales An leg Idwal See Derbyshire and Yorkshire Ludwal Prince of these Countries For as we find in William of Malmesbury When he had
which they still keep of which leader they are to this day called Dalreudini Dalreudini for in their language Dal Dal. signifies a part And a little after Ireland says he is the proper Country of the Scots for being departed out of it they added unto the Britons and Picts a 3d Nation in Britain And there is a very good Arm of the sea or a bay that antiently divided the Nation of the Britons from the Picts which from the West breaketh a great way into the Land and there to this day standeth the strongest City of the Britons call'd Alcluith In the Northern part of which bay the Scots whom I now mentioned when they came got themselves room to settle in Of that name Dalreudin there are now extant no remains that I know of nor any mention of it in Writers unless it be the same with Dalrieta Dalrieâ—â— For in an old little book of the Division of Albany we read of one Kinnadius who 't is certain was a King of Scotland and subdu'd the Picts in these very words Kinnadius two years before he came into Pictavia so it calls the country of the Picts enter'd upon the government of Dalrieta Also there is mention made in a more modern History of Dalrea Dalrea hereabouts where King Robert Brus fought a battle with ill success K. James the 4. with consent of the States of the Kingdom enacted that Justice should be administred to this province by the Justices Itinerant at Perth whensoever the King should think convenient But the Earls themselves have in some cases their Jura Regalia who are persons of very great authority and of a mighty interest deriving their pedigree from the antient petty Kings of Argile through an infinite series of Ancestors and taking their sirname from their Castle Cambel But they are oblig'd to King James the 2. for the honour and title of Earl who as it is recorded created Colin Lord Cambel Earl of Argile Earls oâ— Argile in regard to his own virtue and the dignity of his Family Whose Posterity by the favour of their Kings have been a good while General Justices of the Kingdom of Scotland or according to their way of expressing it Justices generally constitute and Great Masters of the King's Houshold e CANTIRE LOgh-Finn Logh-Finn a Lake that in the season produces incredible sholes of herrings divides Argile from a Promontory which for about 30 miles together growing by little and little into a sharp point thrusts it self with such a seeming earnestness towards Ireland separated from it by a narrow streight of scarce 13 miles as if it would call it over to it Ptolemy names this the Promontory of the Epidii Epidium between which name and the Islands Ebudae opposite to it methinks there is some affinity It is now called in Irish which language they use in all this Tract Can-tyre that is the Land's head 'T is inhabited by the family of Mac-Conell very powerful here but yet at the command of the Earl of Argile they sometimes in their Vessels make excursions for booty into Ireland and have possessed themselves of those little Provinces they call Glines and Rowte This Promontory lieth close to Knapdale by so small a neck of land being scarce a mile over and sandy too that the Sea-men by a short cut as it were transport their vessels over land from the Ocean to Logh-Finn Which a man would sooner beelieve than that the Argonautes laid their Argos upon their shoulders and carried it along with them 500 miles 10 From Aemonia to the shores of Thessalia f LORN SOmewhat higher lies Lorn towards the North a Country producing the best Barley divided by Logh-Leave a vast Lake upon which stands Berogomum Beâ—ogoâ—um a Castle wherein the Courts of Justice were antiently kept and not far from it Dunstafag that is Stephen's Mount antiently a seat of the Kings above which is Logh-Aber â—â—gh-â—â—â—r a Lake insinuating it self so far into the land out of the Western sea that it would meet the Lake of Ness which empties it self into the Eastern Ocean did not the hills which lie between separate them by a very narrow neck The chiefest place in this tract is Tarbar in Logh-Kinkeran where K. James 4. by authority of Parliament constituted a Justice and Sheriff to administer justice to the inhabitants of the Southern Isles These Countrys and these beyond them were in the year of Our Lord 605. held by those Picts which Bede calls the Northern Picts where he tells us that in the said Year Columbanus a Priest and Abbot Lib. 3. ca. 4. famous for the profession of Monkery came out of Ireland into Britain to instruct those in the Christian Religion that by the high and fearful ridges of mountains were sequester'd from the Southern Countrys of the Picts and that they in requital granted him m It does not appear that the Western-Isles belong'd to the Picts at that time so that they could not dispose of any part of them 'T is more probable that it was Hoia one of the Orkney-Isles the Island Hii lying over against them now call'd I-comb-kill of which in its proper place Its Stewards in the last Age were the Lords of Lorn but now by a female heir it is come to the Earls of Argile who always use this among their other titles of honour BRAID ALBIN MORE inwardly amongst the high and craggy ridges of the mountain Grampius where they begin a little to slope and settle downwards lies Braid-Albin n Now an Earldom in the family of the Campbels that is the highest part of Scotland For they that are the true and genuine Scots call Scotland in their Mother-Tongue Albin as that part where it rises up highest Drum-Albin that is the Ridge of Scotland But in a certain old Book it is read Brun-Albin where we find it thus written Fergus the son of Eric was the first of the seed of Chonare that enter'd upon the Kingdom of Albany from Brun-Albain to the Irish-sea and Inch-Gall And after him the Kings of the race of Fergus reigned in Brun-Albain or Brunhere unto Alpinus the son of Eochal But this Albany is better known for its Dukes than the fruits of its ground The first Duke of Albany that I read of 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—â—ny was Robert Earl of Fife advanced to that honour by his Brother K. Robert the 3. of that name yet he spurr'd on by ambition most ungratefully starved to death David this very brother's son and next heir to the Crown But the punishment due to this wicked fact which himself by the forbearance of God felt not came heavy upon his son Mordac or Murdo second Duke of Albany who was condemned for treason and beheaded after he had seen his two sons executed in like manner the day before The third Duke of Albany was Alexander 2. son of King James 2. who being Regent of the Kingdom Earl of
and although some of the Churches are defaced yet wants it not its beauties so divided too that almost every street is inhabited by a several trade apart and is furnished by the Tay every tide with commodities from sea in their light Vessels b. It gives the Title of Earl to the Family of Perth chief of the name of Drommonâ— Upon it J. Johnston so often mentioned PERTHUM Propter aquas Tai liquidas amoena vireta Obtinet in medio regna superba solo Nobilium quondam Regum clarissima sedes Pulchra situ pinguis germine dives agri Finitimis dat jura locis morémque modúmque Huic dare laus illis haec meruisse dari Sola inter patrias incincta est moenibus urbes Hostibus assiduis ne vaga praeda foret Quanta virum virtus dextrae quae praemia nôrunt Cimber Saxo ferox genus Hectoridum Felix laude novâ felix quoque laude vetustâ Perge recens priscum perpetuare decus Near Tay's great stream amongst delightful plains Majestick Perth in royal splendour reigns For lofty Courts of antient Kings renown'd Fair is the site and ever rich the ground Hence laws and manners neighb'ring parts receive Their praise 't is to deserve and hers to give No walls like her her sister towns can show Which guard her riches from the bord'ring foe How stout her Knights what noble spoils they won The Britains Saxons and the Danes have known Renown'd in eldest and in latest days Oh! may her glories with her years encrease And new deserts advance her antient praise And now lately King James 6. hath advanced Perth to an Earldom upon his creating James Baron Dromond Earl of Perth Earl of Perth Near Perth is Methven Barâ—â— Methven which Margaret of England Dowager to King James 4. purchased with ready money for her third husband Henry Stewart of the Blood Royal and his Heirs and withal obtained of her son James 5. the dignity of a Baron for him A little lower is Rethven a Castle of the Rethvens Râ—â—hven on Râ—eâ—erâ— a name to be accursed and raz'd out of all memorials since the States of the Kingdom past a decree that all of that name should lay it down and take a new one after that the Rethvens Brothers in an execrable and horrid conspiracy had plotted the murther of the best of Princes James 6. who had created their father William Earl of Gowry but afterwards upon his going insolently to prescribe Laws to his Sovereign and being convicted of High Treason beheaded him But I may seem to have said too much of persons condemned to eternal oblivion and yet the mentioning such wicked generations may be of use to caution posterity As for Gowry Gowry so much celebrated for its Corn-fields and the excellency of its soil it lyes along the other side of the Tay being a more level country In this Tract over against Perth on the farther side of Tay stands Scone Sâ—â—ne a famous Monastery in times past and honoured with the Coronation of the Kings of Scotland ever since King Keneth having hard by made a general slaughter of the Picts placed a stone here enclosed in a wooden chair for the Inauguration of the Kings of Scotland It had been transported out of Ireland into Argile and King Edw. 1. of England caused it to be convey'd to Westminster Concerning which I have inserted this Prophecy so common in every man's mouth since it hath now proved true as few of that sort do Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inveniunt lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Or Fate 's deceiv'd and heaven decrees in vain Or where they find this stone the Scots shall reign Now by the special favour of King James Scone gives the title of Baron to c He erected here stately buildings which are possessed by his heirs under the title of Vicounts of Stormont Theatr. Scotiae p. 46. David Murray Where the Tay now grown larger dilates it self Arrol Arrol hangs over it the seat of the noble Earls of Arrol Earls of Arrol they have been hereditary High Constables of Scotland ever since the Bruses times and deduce their original which is certainly very antient from one Hay a man of prodigious strength and courage who together with his sons in a dangerous battle against the Danes at Longcarty catching up an Ox-yoke by fighting valiantly and encouraging others rallied the retreating Scots so as they got the day Which victory and deliverance both the King and the States ascrib'd to his singular valour Whereupon several excellent lands were assign'd hereto him and his posterity who in testimony of this action have set a Yoke for their Crest over their Coat of Arms 13 Three Escutcheons gules in Argent As for Huntley-Castle Huntley-Castle hard by I have nothing to write of it but that it has given name to a very great and honourable family of which hereafter g ANGVS UPon the aestuary of the Tay and up a little way within it along the North-Eske lyes Angus called by the genuine Scots Aeneia extending it self into fields bearing wheat and all other sorts of grain large hills lakes forests pastures and meadows and beautified with several sorts and castles In the first entrance into it from Gowry stands Glamis â—â—o Glaâ—â—â— a Castle and the Barony of a Family sirnamed Lyons which have been famous ever since J. Lyon a great favourite of King Robert 2. received this and the dignity of a Baron with the King's daughter in Marriage and therewith as I find written the sirname of Lyon with a Lyon in his Arms within a Treassure Floury â—e shield 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and â—reassure â—â—ry B. as the Kings themselves bear but in different colours Patrick now Lord Glamis very lately obtained the honour of Earl of Kinghorn from King James 6. At a little distance is Forfar â—isdom 〈◊〉 â—orfâ—r where for the administration of Justice the Barons Greies are hereditary Sheriffs 〈◊〉 â—ry who are descended from the Greies of Chillingham in Northumberland and came into Scotland with King James 1. when he returned out of England Upon the first of whom nam'd Andrew the King bountifully conferr'd the Lordship of Foulis with Helena Mortimer for his Wife â—â—ndee 〈◊〉 â—tene 〈◊〉 verb. â—â—if Near the Tay's mouth is Dundee d This Town has a good Trade fine buildings and an Hospital for the poor At present it gives the Title of Marquiss to the chief Family of the Grahams which the antients called Alectum others Taodunum a town well frequented and whose Constable by a peculiar privilege is Standard-bearer to the Kings of Scotland Hector Boetius â—â—â—tor â—â—â—tius who was here born expounds the name Dundee Donum Dei by allusion This person in that age when learning began again to flourish wrote an elegant history of Scotland out of such hidden monuments of Antiquity that Paulus Jovius wonder'd there should be
also Justices of Assize Nisi prius and Oyer and Terminer as in England Justices of Peace in every County to preserve the Peace and the King has his Serjeant at Law his Attorney and his Sollicitor General There are also other Governors besides these to administer justice in the remoter Provinces and that is in Conaugh stilled chief Commissioner is call'd b Since the Country has been well inhabited with English and much more civiliz'd than heretofore the Presidencies of Munster and Conaught were superseded by King Charles II. about the year 1671. President in Munster who have certain of the Gentry and Lawyers to assist them and are all directed by the Lord Deputy As for their Law the Common-law used there is the same with this of ours in England For thus it is in the Records of the Kingdom King Henry the third in the twelfth of his reign sent an order to his Justice in Ireland that he should assemble the Archbishops Bishops Barons and Knights of that Kingdom and make the Charter of King John be read unto them which he did accordingly giving them an oath to observe the laws and customs of England and that they should hold and keep the same 3 Nevertheless the meer Irish did not admit them but retain'd their own Brehon-Laws and lâ—ud Customs And the Kings of England used a connivance therein upon some deep consideration not vouchsafing to communicate the benefit of the English Laws but upon especial grace to especial families or sects namely the O Neales O Conors O Brien O Maloghlins and Mac Murough which were reputed of the blood royal among them So that even the Parliamentary Laws or Statutes of England were of force in Ireland till King Henry the seventh's time For in the tenth year of his reign they were established and confirmed by Act of Parliament in Ireland 4 In the time of Sir Edward Poinings government But since that time they have lived by Acts and Statutes of their own making Besides these civil Magistrates they have also one Military officer named the c There being no War in the Kingdom there is no such Officer Marshal Marshal of Ireland who is serviceable to the State not only in restraining the insolence of soldiers but also in checking the outrage of rebels who are now and then troublesome This office formerly belonged hereditarily to the Lords Morley of England 9 of King John For King John gave them this Office to hold in see of him in these words We have given and granted to John Marshall for his homage and service our Marshalship of Ireland with all appurtenances We have given him likewise for his homage and service the Cantred wherein standeth the town of Kilbunny to have and to hold to him and his heirs of us and our heirs From him it descended in a right line to the Barons of Morley This Marshal has under him * Submaresâ—allum a Provost-Marshal and sometimes more according to the difficulties and exigencies of affairs who exercise their authority by Commission and Instructions under the Great Seal of Ireland But these and all other curiosities of this nature I leave to the diligence of others As for the methods of Justice and Government among the wild Irish I shall take care to insert something in a more proper place when I come to treat of their Mannors and Customs The d See Ware 's Antiquitat Hibern Cap. 3. pag. 11. Division of IRELAND â—â—â—on â—â—â—land IReland from the manners and customs of the Inhabitants is divided into two parts e At present there is no such Div sion or distiâ—ction but the King 's Writ runs through the whole Kingdom and every part of it is now answerable to Law they who reject all Laws and live after a barbarous manner are called the Irishry or wild Irish but those civilized who submit themselves with respect and obedience to the laws are termed the English-Irish and their Country the English Pale for the first English men that came hither set their boundaries in the east and richest part of the Island as taken in for themselves within which compass even at this day some remain uncivilized and pay no deference to the laws whereas some without are as courteous and genteel as one would desire But if we consider it as it was more early this Country from its situation or rather number of its Governors heretofore must be divided into five parts for it was formerly a Pentarchy namely Munster southward Leinster eastward Connaught westward Ulster northward and Meath almost in the middle Which as to civil administration are thus divided into Counties In Munster are the Counties of Kerry f At this day there is no such County as Desmond part of that Territory lying in the County of Kerry and the rest in the County of Cork Desmond Cork Waterford Limerick Tiperary g The County of the Holy-Cross is swallowed up in that of Tiperary with the County of S. Cross in Tiperary In Leinster are the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlough Queen's County King's County Kildare Weishford Dublin In Meath are the Counties of East-Meath West-Meath Longford In Connaught are the Counties of h Instead of this Dr. Holland has put Clare which yet is in the Province of Muâ—ster Twomund Galloway Maio. Slego Letrim Rofcomon In Ulster are the Counties of Louth Cavon Farmanagh Monaghan Armagh Doun Antrim Colran Tir-Oën Tir-Conell or Donegall Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction The Ecclesiastical state of Ireland was antiently managed by the Bishops either consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury or by one another But in the year 1152 as we find it in Philip of Flattesbury Christianus Bishop of Lismore Legat of all Ireland held a very full and honourable Council at Meath where were present the Bishops Abbots Kings Dukes and Elders of Ireland and there by the Apostolical authority with the advice of the Cardinals and the consent of the Bishops Abbots and others met together four Archbishopricks were constituted in Ireland Armagh Dublin Cassil and Tuam The Bishopricks which were under these formerly for some of them have been abolished to feed the greedy humor of ill times others have been confounded or annexed to one another while others again have been translated I do desire to subjoyn here in their true and ancient order from an old Roman Provincial faithfully copied from the Original Under the Archbp. of Armagh Primate of all Ireland are the Bishops of Meath or i Cluanard The Bishop is stiled of Meath Elnamirand Down otherwise Dundalethglass k Clogher Cloghor otherwise Lugundun l Connor is united to Down Conner m Ardagh Ardachad n Rapho Rathbot Rathluc Daln-liguir o Derry or London-Derry Dearrih 4 Holland has added Cloemacniso which ought to be writ Clonmacnois and is now united to Meath as also Dromor and Brefem now Kilmore Under the Archbp. of Dublin are the Bishops of
killed with a stone and buried in Iona. 1230. Olave came with Godred Don and the Norwegians to Man and they divided the Kingdom Olave was to have Man Godred being gone to the Isles was slain in Lodhus So Olave came to be sole King of the Isles 1237. On the twelfth of the Calends of June died Olave the son of Godred King of Man in St. Patrick's Isle and was buried in the Abbey of Russin He reigned eleven years two in the life time of his brother and nine after His son Harald then fourteen years old succeeded him and reigned twelve years In the first year of his reign he went to the Isles and made Loglen his Kinsman Keeper of Man In the autumn following Harald sent three sons of Nell viz. Dufgald Thorquel and Molmore and his friend Joseph to Man to consider of affairs Accordingly on the twenty fifth day they met at Tingala where upon a quarrel that then happened between the sons of Nell and Loglen there arose a sore fight on both sides in which Dufgald Mormor and the said Joseph lost their lives In the spring following King Harald came to the Isle of Man and Loglen who fled into Wales with Godred the son of Olave his pupil was cast away with about forty others 1238. Gospatrick and Gillescrist the son of Mac-Kerthac came from the King of Norway into Man and kept out Harald converting the tributes of the Country to the service of the King of Norway because he had refused to appear in person at the Court of that King 1240. Gospatric died and was buried in the Abbey of Russin 1239. Harald went to the King of Norway who after two years confirmed to him his heirs and successors under his Seal all the Islands that his Predecessors had enjoyed 1242. Harald returned out of Norway to Man was honourably received by the Inhabitants and made peace with the Kings of England and Scotland 1247. Harald as his father had been before him was Knighted by the King of England and returned home with many presents The same year the King of Norway sent for him and a match was made between Harald and his daughter In the year 1249 as he was on his voyage home with with her accompanied with Laurence the elect King of Man and many of the Nobility and Gentry he was cast away by a sudden storm near the coasts of Radland 1249. Reginald the son of Olave and brother to Harald began his reign the day before the Nones of May and on the thirtieth day thereof was slain by one Yvar a Knight and his accomplices in a meadow near Trinity Church on the south side His Corps were buried in the Church of S. Mary of Russin Alexander King of Scots prepared a great fleet about this time intending to conquer the Isles but a feavor seized him in the Isle of Kerwaray whereof he died Harald the son of Godred Don assumed the title of King of the Islands banished all the Noblemen that Harald King Olave's son had preferred and instead of them recalled such as were fled from him 1250. Harald the son of Godred Don upon letters mandatory from the King of Norway went to him and was imprisoned for his unjust usurpation The same year Magnus son of Olave and John the son of Dugald who named himself King arrived at Roghalwaht but the people of Man taking it ill that Magnus had not that title beat them off their coast and many of them were cast away 1252. Magnus the son of Olave came to Man and was made King The next year after he went and took a voyage to the Court of Norway and tarried there a year 1254. Haco King of Norway made Magnus the son of Olave King of the Isles confirming them to him and his heirs and expresly to his brother Harald 1256. Magnus King of Man went into England and there was Knighted by the King 1257. The Church of S. Mary of Russin was consecrated by Richard of Sodore 1260. Haco King of Norway came to Scotland and without effecting any thing died in his return to Orkneys at Kirwas and was buried at Bergh 1265. This year died Magnus the son of Olave King of Man and of the Islands at Russin castle and was buried in S. Mary's Church there 1266. The Kingdom of the Isles was translated by means of Alexander King of Scots What follows was written in a different and later Character 1270. On the seventh of October Alexander the King of Scots's navy arrived at Roghalwath and before sun-rise next morning a battle was fought between the Inhabitants of Man and the Scots who slew five hundred thirty five of the former whence that of a certain Poet L. decies X. ter penta duo cecidere Mannica gens de te damna futura cave 1313. Robert King of Scots besieged the castle of Russin which was defended by Dingawy Dowyll and at last took it 1316. Upon Ascension-day Richard de Mandevile and his brothers with others of the Irish Nobility arrived at Ramaldwath desiring a supply of money and victuals being stript of all by continual depredations When the Commonalty denied it they took the field in two bodies against those of Man advancing still till they came to the side of Warthfell-hill in a field where John Mandevile was posted Upon engaging they carried the victory spoiled the Isle and the Abbey of Russin Thus far out of that ancient Book and after a whole months ravagement they returned home full fraught with pillage The end of the Chronicle of the Kings of Man A Continuation of the foregoing History collected out of other Authors ALexander the third King of Scots having made himself master of the Western Islands partly by his sword and partly by purchase from the King of Norway at last invaded Man also as one of that number and by the valiant conduct of Alexander Steward entirely subdued it and set a King over the Isle upon this condition that he should be ready to assist him with ten ships in any of his wars by Sea when ever he demanded them However Mary the daughter of Reginald King of Man who was the Liege-man of John K. of England address'd her self to the King of England for justice in this case Answer was made That the King of Scots was then possess'd of the Island and she ought to apply her self to him Lords of Man Her grandchild by a son John Waldebeof for Mary married into this family notwithstanding this sued again for his right in Parliament held the 33d of Edw. the first urging it there before the King of England as Lord Paramount of Scotland Yet all the answer he could have was as it is in the very Record That he might prosecute his title before the Justices of the King's Bench let it be heard there and let justice be done But what he could not effect by law his kinsmanâ— 1 Sir William Hol. William Montacute for he was of the royal
Trinity appear'd to him saying Why hast thou cast me out of my own Seat and out of the Church of Doun and plac'd there my S. Patrick the Patron of Ireland For John Curcy had expell'd the Secular Canons out of the Cathedral Church of Doun and introduc'd the black Monks of Chester in their room And the Holy Trinity stood there upon a stately Shrine and John himself took it down out of the Church and order'd a Chappel to be built for it setting up the Image of S. Patrick in the great Church which displeas'd the most-high God Wherefore he bid him assure himself he should never set foot in his Seignory again However in regard of other good Deeds he should be deliver'd out of Prison with Honour which happen'd accordingly For a Controversy arising between John King of England and the King of France about a Lordship and certain Castles the King of France offer'd by a Champion to try his Right Upon this the King call'd to mind his valiant Knight John Curcy whom he cast in Prison upon the information of others so he sent for him and ask'd him if he were able to serve him in this Combat John answer'd He would not fight for him but for the Right of the Kingdom with all his Heart which he undertook to do afterwards And so refresh'd himself with Meat Drink and Bathing in the mean while and recover'd his Strength Whereupon a day was appointed for the Engagement of those Champions namely John Curcy and the other But as soon as the Champion of France heard of his great Stomach and mighty Valour he refus'd the Combat and the said Seignory was given to the King of England The King of France then desired to see a Blow of the said Curcy Whereupon he set a strong Helmet * Plenan loricis full of Mail upon a large Block and with his Sword after he had look'd about him in a grim manner struck the Helmet through from the very Crest into the Block so very fast that no one therâ— was able to pull it out till he himself at the request of the twâ— Kings did it easily Then they ask'd him Why he look'd so gruâ— behind him before he struck So he told them If he had fail'd iâ— giving it he would have certainly cut them all off as well Kingâ— as others The Kings made him large Presents and the King of Englanâ— restor'd him also to his Seigniory viz. Ulster John Curcy attempteâ— 15 several times to sail over into Ireland but was always in danger and the Wind cross'd him so he waited awhile among the Monk of Chester and at last sail'd into France and there died MCCV. The Abby of Wetheny in the County of Limerick was founded by Theobald the Son of Walter Butler Lord oâ— Carryk MCCVI. The Order of Friars Minors was begun near the Ciâ—â— Assisa by S. Francis MCCVIII William de Brewes was banish'd out of England anâ— came into Ireland England was interdicted for the Tyranny 〈◊〉 King John A great defeat and slaughter was given at Thurles iâ— Munster by Sir Geffery Mareys to the Lord Chief Justice of Inland's Men. MCCX John King of England came to Ireland with a greâ—â— Fleet and a strong Army and the Sons of Hugh Lacy viz. thâ— Lord Walter Lord of Meth and Hugh his Brother for their Tâ—ranny but particularly for the Murder of Sir John Courson Loâ—â— of Rathenny and Kilbarrock for they had heard that the saâ—â— John accus'd them to the King were driven out of the Nation So they fled into France and serv'd in the Monasteries of S. Taurâ—â— unknown being employ'd in Clay or Brick-work and sometimâ—â— in Gardens as Gardeners But at length they were discover'd bâ— the Abbot who intreated the King on their behalf for he haâ— baptiz'd their Sons and had been as a Father to them in manâ— things So Walter Lacy paid two thousand fâ—ve hundred Markâ— and Hugh Lacy a great Sum of Mony likewise for their Ransom and they were restor'd again to their former Degree and Lordshiâ— by the Abbot's Intercession Walter Lacy brought with him Johâ— the son of Alured i.e. Fitz-Acory Son to the aforesaid Abboâ— whole Brother and Knighted him giving him the Seignory 〈◊〉 Dengle and many others Moreover he brought Monks with hiâ— out of the said Monastery and bestow'd many Farms upon theâ— with the Cell call'd Foury for their Charity Liberality and gooâ— Counsel Hugh Lacy Earl of Ulster built a Cell also for tâ—â— Monks in Ulster and endow'd it in a place call'd John King 〈◊〉 England having taken many Hostages as well of the English as 〈◊〉 the Irish and hang'd a number of Malefactors upon Gibbets aâ—â— setled Affairs return'd into England the same Year MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuyt was crush'd to death by the fall of Tower at Alone He founded the Monastery de Grenard MCCXII The Abby of Grenard was founded This saâ—â— year died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was burieâ— within the Quire of Trinity Church he built S. Patrick's Churâ—â— at Dublin Henry Londres succeeded him sirnam'd Scorch-Villeyâ— from an Action of his For having call'd in his Tenants one daâ— to know by what Tenure they held of him they show'd him the Deeds and Charters to satisfie him whereupon he order'd them to be burnt and hence got the name of Scorch-Villeyn given him by his Tenants This Henry Archbishop of Dublin was Justiciary of Ireland and built Dublin-castle MCCXIII William Petit and Peter Messet departed this life Peter Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trim but dying without Heir-male the Inheritance fell to the three Daughters of whom the Lord Vernail married the eldest Talbot the second and Loundres the third who by this means shar'd the Inheritance among them MCCXIX The City of Damieta was miraculously won on the Nones of September about Midnight without the loss of one Christian The same year died William Marshall the Elder Earl Marshal and Earl of Pembrock * The Genealogy â—f the Earl Marshall who by his Wife the Daughter of Richard Strongbow Earl of Strogul had five Sons The eldest was call'd William the second Walter the third Gilbert the fourth Anselm and the fifth Richard who lost his Life in â—he War of Kildare every one of them successively enjoy'd the â—nheritance of their Father and died all without Issue So the Inâ—eritance devolv'd upon the Sisters namely the Daughters of their Father who were Maud Marshall the Eldest Isabel Clare the seâ—ond Eva Breous the third Joan Mount Chensey the fourth and Sibill Countess of Firrars the fifth Maud Marshall was married to Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk who was Earl Marshal of England â—n right of his Wife By whom he had Ralph Bigod Father of John Bigod the Son of the Lady Bertha Furnival and * The Widow of Gilbert Lacy. Isabel Lacy Wife to John Lord Fitz-Geffery by whom after the death of Hugh de Bigod Earl of Norfolk she had John de Guaren Earl of Surry
call'd Hogelyn John de Northon John de Breton and many others Item On the 16th before the kalends of July Dolovan Tobyr and other towns and villages bordering upon them were burnt down by the said malefactors Item Soon after this a great Parliament was held at London wherein a sad difference arose between the Barons upon the account of Pieirs Gaveston who was banish'd out of the Kingdom of England the day after the feast of S. John the baptist's nativity and went over into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countess of Glocester and came to Dublin in great state and there continued Item William Mac Baltor a stout robber and incendiary was condemn'd in the court of our Lord the King at Dublin by the Lord Chief Justice John Wogan on the 12th before the kalends of September and was drawn at a horse's tail to the gallows and there hang'd as he deserv'd Item This year a marble cistern was made to receive the Water from the conduit-head in Dublin such as was never before seen here by the Mayor of the City Master John Decer and all at his own proper expences This same John a little before made a bridge to be built over the river Aven-Liffie near the priory of S. Wolstan He also built the Chappel of S. Mary of the Friers minors wherein he was buried and the Chappel of S. Mary of the Hospital of S. John in Dublin Item This John Decer was bountiful to the convent of Friers Predicants in Dublin For instance he made one stone-pillar in the Church and laid the great stone upon the high altar with all its ornaments Item He entertain'd the friers at his own table on the 6th day of the week out of pure charity as the seniors have reported to their juniors Item The Lord John Wogan took ship in Autumn to be at the parliament of England and the Lord William Bourk was appointed Keeper of Ireland in his room Item This year on the eve of S. Simon and Jude the Lord Roger de Mortimer and his Lady the right heir of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter son of Sir Gefferey Genevil arriv'd in Ireland As soon as they landed they took possession of Meth Sir Gefferey Genevil giving way to them and entring himself into the order of the Friers predicants at Trym the morrow after S. Edward the Archbishop's day Item Dermot Odympsy was slain at Tully by the servants of Sir Piers Gaveston Item Richard Bourk Earl of Ulster at Whitsontide made a great feast at Trym and conferr'd Knighthood upon Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie In the vigil of the Assumption the Earl of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earl of Cornwal at Drogheda and at the same time turn'd back towards Scotland Item This year Maud the Earl of Ulster's daughter imbark'd for England in order for a marriage with the Earl of Glocester which within a month was consummated between them Item Maurice Caunton kill'd Richard Talon and the Roches afterwards kill'd him Item Sir David Caunton was hang'd at Dublin Item Odo the son of Cathol O Conghir kill'd Odo O Conghiâ— King of Connaght Item Athi was burnt by the Irish MCCCIX Peter Gaveston subdued the O Brynnes in Ireland and rebuilt the new castle of Mackingham and the castle of Kemny he also cut down and scour'd the pass between Kemny castle and Glyndelagh in spite of all the opposition the Irish could make and sâ— march'd away and offer'd in the Church of S. Kimny The same year the Lord Peter Gaveston went over into Englanâ— on the eve of S. John Baptist's Nativity Item The Earl of Ulster's son's wife daughter of the Earl oâ— Glocester came into Ireland on the 15th of October Item On Christmas-eve the Earl of Ulster returned out of England and landed at Drogheda Item On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevil was slain near the town of Arstol by Sir Arnold Pover and his accomplices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Frierâ— predicants Item A Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the octaves of thâ— Purification of the Blessed Mary by the Earl of Ulster John Wogan Justiciary of Ireland and others of the nobility wherein a difference among certain of the great men was adjusted and many proviso's made in the nature of statutes that might havâ— been of good consequence to the Kingdom if they had been observ'd Item Shortly after Sir Edward Botiller return'd out of England where he had been knighted at London Item The Earl of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir John Fitz-Thomas went over into England Item This year died Sir Theobald Verdon MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Peter Gaveston took theiâ— march for Scotland against Robert Brus. Item There was this year a great scarcity of corn in Ireland * Eranca an eranc of corn sold at the rate of twenty shilling and upwards Item The Bakers of Dublin were punish'd after a new way foâ— false weights For on S. Sampson the Bishop's day they werâ— drawn upon hurdles at the horses tails along the streets of thâ— City Item In the Abby of S. Thomas the Martyr at Dublin Sir Neiâ— Bruin Knight Escheator to our Lord the King in Ireland departed this life his corps was buried at the Friers-minors in Dublin witâ— such a pomp of tapers and wax-lights as never was before seen iâ— this Kingdom This year a Parliament was held at Kildare wherin Sir Arnold Pover was acquitted of the death of the Lord Bonevil for it waâ— found Se defendendo Item On S. Patrick's day Mr. Alexander Bickenor was witâ— the unanimous consent of the Chapter made Archbishop of Dublin Item The Lord Roger Mortimer in the octaves of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin return'd into Ireland Item This year died Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie the Lord Richarâ— Clare gave the Earl of Ulster's party a very strange defeat Thâ— Lord William Bourk and John the Lord Walter Lacy's Son werâ— taken prisoners with many others This battle was fought on thâ— 13th before the kalends of June and great numbers both of thâ— English and the Irish slain in it Item Tassagard and Rathcante were invaded by the rapperies namely the O Brinnes and O Tothiles the day after S. John Baptist's nativity Whereupon in the Autumn soon after a greaâ— army was rais'd in Leinster to defeat them both in Glindelory anâ— in other woody places Item In August a Parliament was holden at London between thâ— King and the Barons to consider the state of the Kingdom and thâ— King's houshold and a committee of six Bishops six Earls and six Barons was appointed to consult the good of the Realm Item On the 2d day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare cut off 600 Galegolaghes Item On All saints day last past Peter Gaveston was banished out of England by the Earls and Barons and many good statutes were
Followers met together to concert what measures were to be taken against the Scots this Debate continued for a whole week and at last they came to no Resolution tho' their Army amounted to 30000 armed Men or thereabouts On Thursday in Easter-week Roger Mortimer arriv'd at Yoghall with the King's Commission for he was Chief Justice at that time and on the Monday following went in great haste to the Army having sent his Letters to Edmund Botiller who as it has been said was formerly Chief Justice to enterprise nothing before his Arrival against the Scots but before Mortimer got to the Camp he admonish'd Brus to retreat so in the Night Brus march'd towards Kildare and in the week after the English return'd home to their several Countries and the Ulster-Army came to Naas At the same time two Messengers were sent from Dublin to the King of England to give him an account of the state of Ireland and the delivery of Ulster and to take his Majesty's advice upon the whole At the same time likewise Roger Lord Mortimer Justiciary of Ireland and the Irish Nobility were met together at Kilkenny to consider how they might most conveniently proceed against Brus but came to no Resolution About a month after Easter Brus came with an Army within four Leagues or thereabouts of Trym under the covert of a certain Wood and there continu'd for about a week or more to refresh his Men who were almost undone with fatigue and hunger which occasion'd a great mortality among them Afterwards on S. Philip and James's-day the said Brus began his march towards Ulster and after the said feast Roger Lord Mortimer Chief Justice of Ireland came to Dublin with John Lord Wogan Sir Fulk Warin and thirty other Knights with their Retinue who held a Parliament with all the Nobility of the Kingdom at Kylmainan but came to no conclusion but about the delivery of the Earl of Ulster On the Sunday before the Ascension they held another Parliament at Dublin and there thc Earl of Ulster was deliver'd upon Mainprise Hostages and Oath which were That he should never by himself nor any of his Friends and Followers do or procure any mischief to the Citizens of Dublin for his apprehension save only what the Law allow'd him in those Cases against such Offenders whereupon he had till the Nativity of S. John allow'd him for that benefit but he came not Item This year Corn and other Victuals were exceeding dear Wheat was sold at three and twenty Shillings the Cranock and Wine for eight pence and the whole Country was in a manner laid waste by the Scots and those of Ulster Many House-keepers and such as were formerly able to relieve others were now reduc'd to Beggary themselves and great numbers famish'd The dearth and mortality was so severe that many of the Poor died At the same time Messengers arriv d at Dublin from England with Pardons to make use of as they should see fit but the Earl was deliver'd before they came And at the feast of Pentecost Mortimer Lord Chief Justice set forward for Drogheda from whence he went to Trym sending his Letters to the Lacies to repair to him but they refus'd the Summons with contempt Afterwards Sir Hugh Crofts Knight was sent to treat of a Peace with the Lacies but was unworthily slain by them After that the Lord Mortimer drew an Army together against the Lacies by which means their Goods Cattle and Treasures were all seiz'd many of their Followers cut off and they themselves drove into Conaught and ruin'd It was reported That Sir Walter Lacy went out as far as Ulster to seek Brus. Item About the feast of Pentecost the Lord Aumar Valence and his son were taken Prisoners in S. Cinere a Town in Flanders and convey'd from thence into Almain The same year on the Monday after the Nativity of S. John the Baptist a Parliament of the Nobility was held at Dublin by which the Earl of Ulster was acquitted who found Security and took his Oath to answer the King's writs and to fight against the King's Enemies both Scots and Irish Item On the feast of S. Process and Martinian Thomas Dover a resolute Pyrate was taken in a Sea-engagement by Sir John Athy and forty of his Men or thereabouts cut off his Head was brought by him to Dublin Item On the day of S. Thomas's Translation Sir Nicholas Balscot brought word from England That two Cardinals were come from the Court of Rome to conclude a Peace and that they had a Bull for excommunicating all such as should disturb or break the King's Peace Item On the Thursday next before the feast of S. Margaret Hugh and Walter Lacy were proclaim'd Felons and Traytors to their King for breaking out into war against his Majesty Item On the Sunday following Roger Lord Mortimer Chief Justice of Ireland march'd with his whole Army towards Drogheda At the same time the Ulster-men took a good Booty near Drogheda but the Inhabitants sallied out and retook it in this action Miles Cogan and his Brother were both slain and six other great Lords of Ulster were taken Prisoners and brought to the Castle of Dublin Afterwards Mortimer the Lord Chief Justice led his Army against O Fervill and commanded the Malpass to be cut down and all his Houses to be spoil d After this O Fervill submitted and gave Hostages Item Roger Lord Mortimer Chief Justice march'd towards Clony and empannell'd a Jury upon Sir John Blunt viz. White of Rathregan by this he was found guilty and was fin'd two hundred marks On Sunday after the feast of the Nativity of the blessed Marie Mortimer march'd with a great Army against the Irish of O Mayl and came to Glinsely where in a sharp Encounter many were slain on both sides but the Irish had the worst Soon after O Brynne came and submitted Whereupon Roger Mortimer return'd with his Men to Dublin-castle On S. Simon and Jude's-day the Archeboldes were permitted to enjoy the King's Peace upon the Mainprise of the Earl of Kildare At the feast of S. Hilary following a Parliament was held at Lincoln to conclude a Peace between the King the Earl of Lancaster and the Scots The Scots continued peaceable and quiet and the Archbishop of Dublin and the Earl of Ulster stay'd in England by the King's Order to attend that Parliament About the feast of Epiphany News came to Dublin That Hugh Canon Lord Chief Justice of the King's-bench was slain between Naas and Castle-Martin by Andrew Bermingham Item At the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Mary came the Pope's Bulls whereupon Alexander Bicknor was confirm'd and consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and the Bulls were read and publish'd in Trinity-church Another Bull was read at the same time for establishing a Peace for two years between the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland But Brus refus'd to comply with it These things were thus transacted about the feast of
S. Valentine Item The Sunday following Roger Lord Mortimer came to Dublin and knighted John Mortimer and four of his Followers The same day he kept a great feast in the castle of Dublin Item Many Irish were slain in Conaght about this time by reason of a Quarrel between two of their great Lords The number of the slain amounted to about 4000 men on both sides After this a severe Vengeance fell upon the Ulster-men who had done great mischief during the depredations of the Scots here and eat Flesh in Lent without any manner of necessity for which sins they were at last reduc'd to such want that they eat one another so that of 10000 there remain'd but about 300 By which this does plainly appear to be God's vengeance upon them Item It was reported That some of the said Profligates were so pinch'd with Famine that they dug up Graves in Church-yards and after they had boil'd the Flesh in the Skull of the dead Body eat it up nay that some Women eat up their own Children to satisfie their craving Appetites MCCCXVIII On the 15. of Easter there came News from England That the Town of Berwick was betray'd and taken by the Scots Afterwards this same year Walter Islep the King's Treasurer in Ireland arriv'd here and brought Letters to Roger Lord Mortimer to attend the King Accordingly he did so substituting the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Keeper of Ireland so that at one and the same time he was Chief Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellor and Archbishop Three weeks after Easter news came to Dublin That Richard Lord Clare and four Knights viz. Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Caunton and Sir John Caunton as also Adam Apilgard with 80 Men more were all slain by O Brone and Mac-Carthy on the feast of S. Gordian and Epimachus The Lord Clare's Body was reported to be hewn in pieces out of pure malice But his Relicks were interr'd among the Friers-minors in Limerick Item On Sunday in Easter-month John Lacy was remov'd from Dublin-castle to Trym for his Trial His sentence was to be pinch'd in Diet and so he died in Prison Item On the Sunday before the Ascension Roger Lord Mortimer set sail for England but paid nothing for his Provisions having taken up in the City of Dublin and elsewhere as much as amounted to 1000 l. Item This year about the feast of S. John Baptist that Wheat which before was sold for 16 s. by the great mercy of God went now for 7. Oats sold for 5 s. and there was also great plenty of Wine Salt and Fish Nay about the feast of S. James there was Bread of new Corn a thing seldom or perhaps never before known in Ireland This was an instance of God's mercy and was owing to the prayers of the Poor and other faithful People Item On the Sunday after the feast of S. Michael news came to Dublin That Alexander Lord Bykenore Chief Justice of Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arriv'd at Yoghill On S. Denis's day he came to Dublin and was receiv'd by the Religious and Clergy as well as the Laity who went out in Processions to meet him Item On Saturday which happen'd to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a Battle was fought between the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from Dundalk on the Scotch-side there were Edward Lord Brus who nam'd himself King of Ireland Philip Lord Moubray Walter Lord Sules Alan Lord Stewart with his three Brethren as also Sir Walter Lacy and Sir Robert and Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White with about 3000 others Against whom on the English-side there were the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir John Cusak Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who gave them Absolution besides Sir Walter Larpulk and John Maupas with about twenty more choice Soldiers and well arm'd who came from Drogheda The English gave the onset and broke into the Van of the Enemy with great vigour And in this Encounter the said John Maupas kill'd Edward Lord Brus valiantly and was afterwards found slain upon the Body of his Enemy The slain on the Scots side amounted to 2000 or thereabouts so thaâ— few of them escap'd besides Philip Lord Moubray who was also mortally wounded and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy and some few more with them who with much ado got off Thiâ— Engagement was fought between Dundalk and Faghird Brus'â— Head was brought by the said John Lord Bermingham to thâ— K. of England who conferred the Earldom of Louth upon him and his Heirs male and gave him the Barony of Aterith One of hiâ— Quarters together with the Hands and Heart were carried tâ— Dublin and the other Quarters sent to other places MCCCXIX Roger Lord Mortimer return'd out of England and became Chief Justice of Ireland The same year on the feaâ—â— of All Saints came the Pope's Bull for excommunicating Roberâ— Brus King of Scotland The Town of Athisell and 〈◊〉 considerable part of the Country was burnt and wasted by John Lord Fitz-Thomas whole Brother to Moris Lord Fitz-Thomas John Bermingham aforesaid was this year created Earl of Louth Item The Stone-bridge of Kit-colyn was built by Master Moriâ— Jak Canon of the Cathedral Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of John XXII Pope and of Edward son to King Edward who was the 25 King from the coming oâ— S. Austin into England Alexander Bicknore being then Archbishop of Dublin was founded the University of Dublin Williaâ— Hardite a Frier-predicant was the first that took the degree oâ— Master Who also commenced Doctor of Divinity under thâ— same Archbishop Henry Cogry of the order of Friers minors was the second Master the third was William Rodyarâ— Dean of S. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin who afteâ— commenc'd Doctor of the Canon law and was made the firâ—â— Chancellor of this University The fourth Person that went ouâ— Master in Divinity was Frier Edmund Kermerdyn Item Rogeâ— Mortimer the Chief Justice of Ireland went into England leavinâ— the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earl of Kildare his Deputy Item Edmund Lord Botiller went into England and so camâ— to S. James's Item Leghelyn-bridge was then built by Master Moris Jaâ— Canon of the Cathedral Church of Kildare MCCCXXI The O Conghors were sadly defeated at Balibogan on the Ninth of May by the People of Leinster and Meth Item Edmund Lord Botiller died in London and was burieâ— at Balygaveran in Ireland John Bermingham Earl of Lowth waâ— made Justiciary of Ireland John Wogan died also this year MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicholas de la Lonâ— Knight were slain with many others by O Nalan on S. Michael's day MCCCXXIII A Truce was made between the King of Englanâ— and Robert Brus King of Scots for fourteen years Item Johâ— Darcy came Lord Chief Justice into Ireland Item Johâ— eldest son of Thomas Fitz-John Earl of Kildare died in the 9tâ—
year of his Age. MCCCXXIV Nicholas Genevile son and heir to the Lorâ— Simon Genevile died this year and was buried in the Church oâ— the Friers-predicants at Trym Item there happen'd a very higâ— wind on the 12th day at night Item There was a general murrain of Oxen and Kine in Irâ—land MCCCXXV Richard Lederede Bishop of Ossory cited Damâ— Alice Ketyll to answer for her heretical and perverse Opinions and forc'd her to appear in Person before him And being examâ—ned for Sorcery it was found that she had us'd it among others this was discover'd That a certain Spirit call'd Robin Artyssoâ— lay with her and that she offer'd him nine red Cocks at 〈◊〉 Stone-bridge where the High-way branches out into four severaâ— Parts Item That she swept the streets of Kilkenny with Beesoms between Complin and Courefew and in sweeping the Filth towards the house of William Utlaw her son by way of conjuring wish'd that all the wealth of Kilkenny might flow thither The accomplices of this Alice in these devilish practices were Pernil of Meth and Basilia the daughter of this Pernil Alice being found guilty was fined by the Bishop and forc'd to abjure her sorcery and witchcraft But being again convicted of the same practice she made her escape with Basilia and was never found But Pernil was burnt at Kilkenny and before her death declar'd That William above-said deserv'd punishment as well as she and that for a year and a day he wore the Devil's girdle about his bare body Hereupon the Bishop order'd the said William to be apprehended and imprison'd in the castle of Kilkenny for eight or nine weeks and gave orders that two men should attend him but that they should not eat or drink with him and that they should not speak to him above once a day At length he was set at large by the help of Arnold Lord Poer Seneschal of the County of Kilkenny whereupon he gave a great sum of mony to the said Arnold to imprison the Bishop likewise Accordingly he kept the Bishop himself in Prison for three months Among the goods of Alice they found a holy wafer with the Devil's name upon it and a Box with Ointment with which she us'd to daub a certain piece of wood call'd a Cowltre after which she and her accomplices could ride and gallop it wheresoever they pleas'd let the roads be good or bad without either hurt or hindrance These things being so notorious and crying Alice was cited again to appear at Dublin before the Dean of S. Patrick's Church having some hopes of greater favor given her She made her appearance and crav'd a day to answer having given sufficient bail as it was thought However she was not to be found for by the counsel of her son and others unknown she hid her self in a certain village till the wind would serve for England and then she sail'd over but it could never be known where she went William Utlaw being found by the trial and confession of Pernel who was condemn'd to be burnt to have been consenting to his mother in her sorcery and witchcraft the Bishop caus'd him to be arrested by the King 's writ and put in prison yet he was set at liberty again by the intercession of some great Lords upon condition that he should cover S. Mary's Church in Kilkenny with lead and do other acts of charity within a certain day and that if he did not perform them punctually he should be in the same state as he was when first taken by the King 's writ MCCCXXVI At Whitsontide a Parliament was held in Kilkenny where was present Richard Lord Burk Earl of Ulster though somewhat weak and out of order and all the Lords and great men of Ireland who with the people were all nobly feasted by the Earl Afterwards the Earl taking his leave of the Lords and Nobles went to Athisel and there died A little before the feast of John the Baptist he was there interr'd William Lord Burk was his heir MCCCXXVII There happen'd an out-fal between Moris Lord Fitz Thomas and Arnold Lord Pouer. The Lord Moris was seconded by the Lord Botiller and William Lord Bermingham and the Lord Arnold with the Bourkeyns many of whom were â—ain in this fray by the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas and some driven iâ—to Conaught The same year after Michaelmas the Lord Arnold came to assist the Bourkeins and upon the Lord Arnold's calling him Rymour and affronting him with some uncivil terms the Lord Maurice raised an Army and together with Botiller and the said William Bermingham burnt and wasted the lands and territories of the Lord Arnold in Ofath Bermingham burnt also the lands and mannor-houses which belong'd to him in Mounster and burnt Kenlys in Ossory So that the Lord Arnold was forc'd to fly with the Baron of Donnoyl to Waterford where they remain'd a month and then the Earl of Kildare Chief Justice of Ireland and others of the King's Counsel order'd them to parlee However the Lord Arnold would not observe it but came to Dublin and about the feast of the Purification embark'd for England Upon this Moris Botiller and William Lord Bermingham came with a great army and burnt and wasted his lands the King's Counsel began to dread this powerful army and the mischiefs they had done so much that they strengthned their city-guards lest they themselves might be surpriz'd The Lord Moris Lord Botiller and Bermingham hearing of this provision against them sent to the King's Counsel that they would come to Kilkenny and there clear themselves to satisfie them they had no design upon the lands of their Sovereign Lord the King but only intended to be reveng'd of their enemies The Earl of Kildare Chief Justice of Ireland the Prior of Kilmaynon namely Roger Outlaw Chancellour of Ireland Nicholas Fastal Justiciary in Banco and others of the King's Council came accordingly to this Parliament the Lord Moris and Bermingham demanded the King's Charter of peace in the first-place But they of the King's Counsel warily desir'd that they might have till a month after Easter to consider of it Before Lent this year the Irish of Leinster assembled and set up Donald the son of Arte Mac Murgh for their King Whereupon he took a resolution to set up his Banner within two miles of Dublin and march from thence into all parts of Ireland But God seeing his pride and malicious designs suffer'd him to fall into the hands of Henry Lord Traharn who brought him to the Salmon's-leap and had 200 l. of him to save his life from thence he carried him to Dublin to stay in the castle till the King's Council should give farther Orders After this the Irish in Leinster underwent many misfortunes David O Thohil was taken prisoner by John Lord Wellesley and many of them were cut off The same year Adam Duff the son of Walter Duff of Leinster who was related to the O Tothiles was convicted for denying the incarnation of Christ
and holding there could not be three persons and one God Among other tenents he asserted that the blessed Virgin our Saviour's mother was an harlot that there was no resurection that the holy Scripture was a mere fable and that the apostolical See was an imposture and a groundless usurpation Upon these Articles Duff was convicted of heresie and blasphemy and was thereupon burnt at Hoggis green near Dublin on the Monday after the octaves of Easter in the year 1328. MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter-week Thomas Fitz John Earl of Kildare and Chief Justice of Ireland departed this life and was succeeded in the office of Justiciary by Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynan The same year David O Tothil a stout rapperie and an enemy to the King who had burnt Churches and destroy'd many people was brought out of the castle of Dublin to the Toll of the City before Nicholas Fastol and Elias Ashburne Judges of the King's-Bench who sentenc'd him to be dragg'd at a horse's tail through the City to the Gallows and to be hang'd upon a Gibbet which was after executed accordingly Item In the same year the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas rais'd a great army to destroy the Bourkeyns and the Poers The same year William Lord Bourk Earl of Ulster was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave him his Seigniory Item This year James Botiller married the daughter of the Earl of Hereford in England and was made Earl of Ormond being before called Earl of Tiperary The same Year a Parliament was held at Northampton where many of the English Nobility met and a peace was renew'd between the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and confirm'd by marriages It was enacted also that the Earl of Ulster with several of the English Nobility should go to Berwick upon Tweed to see the marriage solemniz'd The same year after the solemnity of this match at Berwick was over Robert Brus King of Scots William Lord Burk Earl of Ulster the Earl of Meneteth and many other of the Scotch Nobility came very peaceably to Cragfergus whence they sent to the Justiciary of Ireland and the Council that they would meet them at Green Castle to treat about a Peace between Scotland and Ireland but the Justiciary and Council coming not accotding to the King's appointment he took his leave of the Earl of Ulster and return'd into his own Country after the Assumption of the blessed Virgin and the Earl of Ulster came to the Parliament at Dublin where he staid six days and made a great entertainment after which he went into Conaught The same year about the feast of S. Catharine the virgin the Bishop of Ossory certified to the King's Council that Sir Arnold Pour was upon divers Articles convicted before him of heresie Whereupon at the Bishop's suit Sir Arnold Poer by vertue of the King's Writ was arrested and clapt in the Castle of Dublin and a day was appointed for the Bishop's coming to Dublin in order to prosecute him but he excused himself because his enemies had way-laid him for his life So that the King's Council could not put an end to this business wherefore Sir Arnold was kept prisoner in the Castle of Dublin till the following Parliament which was in Midlent where all the Irish Nobility were present The same year Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of the Hospital of S. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellor of Ireland was scandalized by the said Bishop for favouring heresies and for advising and abetting Sir Arnold in his heretical practice Wherefore the Frier finding himself so unworthily defamed petitioned the King's Council that he might have leave to clear himself which upon consultation they granted and caused it to be proclaim'd for three days together That if there were any person who could inform against the said Frier he should come in and prosecute him but no body came Upon which Roger the Frier procured the King 's Writ to summon the Elders of Ireland viz. the Bishops Abbots Priors and the Mayors of Dublin Cork Limerick Waterford and Drogheda also the Sheriffs and Seneschals together with the Knights of the Shires and the better sort of Free-holders to repair to Dublin out of which six were chosen to examine the cause viz. M. William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedral-Church of S. Patrick in Dublin the Abbot of S. Thomas the Abbot of S. Mary's the Prior of the Church of the holy Trinity in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and Mr. Peter Willebey who convened those who were cited and examined them all apart who deposed upon their Oaths that he was a very honest faithful and zealous embracer of the Christian Faith and would if occasion serv'd lay down his Life for it And because his vindication was so solemn he made a noble entertainment for all them who would come The same year in Lent died Sir Arnold Pouer in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the predicant Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the annunciation of the bless'd Virgin Mary the Irish nobility came to the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earl of Ulster Moris Lord Fitz Thomas the Earl of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Peers where was a new peace made between the Earl of Ulster and my Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas and the Lords with the King's Council made an Order against riots or any other breach of the King's peace so that every Nobleman should govern within his own Seignory The Earl of Ulster made a great feast in the Castle of Dublin and the day after the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas made another in S. Patrick's Church in Dublin as did also Frier Roger Outlaw Lord Chief Justice of Ireland on the third day at Kylmaynan and after this they went all home again The same year on S. Barnaby's eve Sir John Bermingham Earl of Louth was kill'd at Balybragan in Urgale by the inhabitants and with him his own brother Peter Bermingham besides Robert Bermingham his reputed brother and Sir John Bermingham son to his brother Richard Lord of Anry William Finne Bermingham the Lord Anry's Uncle's son Simon Bermingham the aforesaid William's son Thomas Berminghan son to Robert of Conaught Peter Bermingham son to James of Conaught Henry Bermingham of Conaught and Richard Talbot of Malaghide a man of great courage besides 200 men whose names are not known After this slaughter Simon Genevils men invaded the Country of Carbry that they might by their plunder ruin the inhabitants for the thefts and murders they had so often committed in Meth but by their rising they prevented the invasion and slew 76 of the Lord Simon 's men The same year also on the day after Trinity-sunday John Gernon and his brother Roger Gernon came to Dublin in the behalf of those of Urgale that they might be tried by the Common-law And on the Tuesday after S. John's-day John and Roger hearing the Lord William Bermingham was a coming to Dublin left
it The same year on S. Laurence's-eve Thomas Lord Botiller marched with a great army into the Country of Ardnorwith where he fought with the Lord Thomas William Macgoghgan and was there kill'd to the great loss of Ireland and with him John Lord Ledewich Roger and Thomas Ledewich John Nangle Meiler and Simon Petitt David Nangle Sir John Waringer James Terel Nicholas White William Freynes Peter Kent and John White besides 140. whose names we know not The Tuesday before the feast of S. Bartholomew the said Lord Thomas's body was convey'd to Dublin and laid in the house of the predicant Friers unburied till the sunday after the feast of the beheading of S. John Baptist when he was very honourably carried through the City and interr'd in the Church of the predicant Friers which very day his wife gave a great entertainment The same year John Lord Darcy came a second time Justice of Ireland who at Maynoth on the third of July espoused the Lady Joan Burg Countess of Kildare Item Philip Staunton was slain and Henry Lord Traharn was treacherously taken in his own house at Kilbego by Richard son to Philip Onolan James Lord Botiller Earl of Ormond burnt Foghird in revenge to Onolan for his brother Henry's sake The same year the Wednesday after the feast of the Ascension of the blessed Virgin John Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland went towards the Country of New-castle of Mackingham and of Wikelow against the O Brynns and the Monday following some of the Lawles were killed and more wounded and Robert Locam was wounded and of the Irish the better sort were slain many wounded and the rest ran away But Murkad O Brynne with his son uncle and uncle's son yielded themselves hostages and were carried to the Castle of Dublin But were afterwards in exchange of Hostages who were of the best of their Kindred set at liberty The same year John Lord Darcy Chief Justice and the King's Council in Ireland about the feast of our Lord's Circumcision commanded Moris Lord Fitz Thomas of Desmond to march with his Army against his Majesties enemies for to subdue them And that the King would take care to defray the Charge he should be at both for himself and his Army so the Lord Fitz-Thomas accompanied by Briene O-Brene came with an Army of ten thousand Men with which he march'd against the O-nolanes and conquer'd them having got a considerable Booty and wasted their Country by fire the O-nolanes fled but afterwards deliver'd Hostages who were sent to the Castle of Dublin Hence he march'd against the O-Morches who gave Hostages with a promise of living quietly The same time the Castle of Ley which O-Dympcy had taken and kept was surrender'd to him This year after the Epiphany Donald arte Mac-Murgh made his escape out of the Castle of Dublin by a Cord which one Adam Nangle had bought him who for his pains was drawn and hang'd MCCCXXX About the feast of S. Catherine S. Nicholas and the Nativity of our Lord the winds were in several places very high so that on S. Nicholas-eve they blew down part of the wall of a certain House which in the falling kill'd Sir Miles Verdon's wife and daughter there was never yet known such winds in Ireland There was such an overflowing of the River Boyn this year as was never seen before which flung down all the Bridges upon this River both Wood and Stone except Babe-bridge The violence also of the water carried away several Mills and did very much damage to the Friers-minors of Trym and Drogheda by breaking down their Houses The same year about S. John Baptist's-day there was a great dearth of Corn in Ireland which lasted till Michaelmas A cranoc of Wheat was sold for 20 Shillings a cranoc of Oats Pease Beans and Barly for 8 Shillings This dearth was occasion'd by the great Rains so that a great deal of the standing Corn could not be cut before Michaelmas The same year about Lent the English in Meth killed some of the Irish viz. the Mac-goghiganes near Loghynerthy which did so incense Mac-goghigan that he burnt and sack'd in those Parts 15 small Villages which the English seeing gathered together in a Body against him and kill'd 110 of his men among whom were three Irish Kings sons Item The Lord William Burgh Earl of Ulster march'd with his Army out of Ulster against Briene O Brene in Munster Also the Lady Joan Countess of Kildare was at Maynoth brought to Bed of William her first Son which the Lord John Darcy had by her who was then in England Item Reymund Lawles was treacherously kill'd at Wickelow This year Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of Kylmainan then Deputy to the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland held a Parliament at Kilkenny where were present Alexander Archbishop of Dublin William Earl of Ulster James Earl of Ormond William Lord Bermingham Walter Burg of Conaught who all went with a considerable force to drive Briene O-Brene out of Urkyst near Cashill Item Walter Burg with the Forces he rais'd in Conaught plunder'd the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas's lands and brought away with him the Booty to Urkyff Also the Earl of Ulster and the Earl of Desmond viz. the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas for I never yet call'd him Earl by Frier Roger Utlaws order then Justice of Ireland were committed to the custody of the Marshal at Limerick But the Earl of Desmond very cunningly made his escape MCCCXXXI The Lord Hugh Lacy having got the King's Pardon came into Ireland And the Earl of Ulster came into England The 19th of April the English beat the Irish in O-Kenseley and the one and twentieth of April the Irish perfidiously took the Castle of Arclo The same day on S. Mark the Evangelist's-eve the O-Totheles came to Tanelagh and forced away from Alexander Archbishop of Dublin 300 Sheep and killed Richard White with many other Gentlemen of his Company There were divers Reports at Dublin about this Plunder and Slaughter and Sir Philip Bryt Frier Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight of the Order of the Hospitalers Hammund Lord Archdekyn John Chamberlaine Robert Tyrell and Reginald Bernewall's two Sons besides many others but especially of the Archbishop of Dublin's Retinue were kill'd by David O-Tothill in an Ambuscade in Culiagh The Lord William Bermingham march'd with a great Army against the foresaid Irish to whom he did much harm and had not the Irish made some false Promises would have done them much more The Third of June the Lord Anthony Lucy came Chief Justice of Ireland This year also the English who inhabit about Thurles in the month of May gave the Irish under the command of Briene O-Brene a great overthrow and upon the 11th of June gave them another at Finnagh in Meth. The 27th of June when there was so great a Famine in Ireland through God's mercy there came a-shoar such a vast number of great Sea-fish called Thurlhedis as had not been seen in many Ages for according to the common estimate there
were above 500 this happened about the evening near Connyng and the water call'd Dodyz in Dublin-haven The Lord Anthony Lucy with his own Servants and some of the Citizens of Dublin among whom was Philip Cradoc kill'd above 200 of them and gave leave to any body to fetch away what they would The Lord Anthony Lucy Chief Justice of Ireland appointed a common Parliament to be held at Dublin on the Octaves of S. John Baptist whither some of the best of the Irish Nobility came not However he remov'd to Kilkenny and prorogued the Parliament to S. Peter's feast Ad vincula hither came the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas and many more Noblemen who were not there before and submitted to the King's mercy And the King for his part very graciously forgave them whatever they had done against him under a certain form In August the Irish by treachery took the Castle of Firnis which they burnt The Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas of Desmond by an order of Council was taken the day after the Assumption of our blessed Virgin at Limerick by the Chief Justice and by him brought to the Castle of Dublin the 7th of October In September Henry Mandevill by vertue of a Warrant from Simon Fitz-Richard Justice in the King's-bench was taken and brought to the Castle of Dublin In November Walter Burck and his two Brothers were taken in Connaught by the Earl of Ulster and in February were by him brought to the Castle of Northburg In February the Lord William Bermingham and his son Lord Bermingham were taken at Clomel by the said Justice notwithstanding he had before granted them his Majesty's Pardon and the 19th of April were conducted to Dublin-castle The Irish of Leinster plunder'd the English and burnt their Churches and in the Church of Freineston burnt about eighty Men and Women and a certain Chaplain of that Church whom with their Javelins they hinder'd from coming out tho' in his holy Vestments and with the Lord's body in his hand burning him with the rest in the Church The news of it came to the Pope who sert his Bull to the Archbishop of Dublin commanding him to excommunicate those Irish and all their adherents and retinue and to interdict their Lands Now the Archbishop fulfill'd the Pope's commands but the Irish despised the bull excommunication interdiction and the Church's chastisement and continuing in their wickedness did again make a body and invaded the county of Weisford as far as Carcarn and plundred the whole country Richard White and Richard Fitz-Henry with the Burghers of Weisford and other English made head against them and kill'd about 400 of the Irish besides a great many more were in the pursuit drown d in the river Slane MCCCXXXII The eleventh of July William Bermingham by my Lord Chief Justice's order was put to death and hanged at Dublin but his son Walter was set at liberty Sir William was a noble Knight and very much renown'd for his warlike exploits alas what pity it was for who can commemorate his death without tears He was afterwards buried at Dublin among the Predicant Friers The Castle of Bonraty was taken and in July was rased to the ground by the Irish of Totomon Also the Castle of Arclo was taken from the Irish by the Lord Chief Justice and the citizens of Dublin with the help of the English of that Country and was the 8th of August a rebuilding in the King's Hands The Lord Anthony Lucy Chief Justice of Ireland was put out of his place and in November returned into England with his wife and children The Lord John Darcy succeeded him and came into Ireland the 13th of February There was about this time a great slaughter of the Irish in Munster made by the English inhabitants of that Country and Briens O-Brene with Mac-Karthy was beaten Item John Decer a citizen of Dublin died and was buried in the Church of the Minor Friers he was a man who did a great deal of good Also a disease called Mauses reigned very much all over Ireland and infected all sorts of People as well old as young The hostages who were kept in the Castle of Limeric kill'd the Constable and took the Castle but upon the citizens regaining of 〈◊〉 they were put to the sword The Hostages also took the Castle â—f Nenagh but part of it being burnt it was again recover'd â—nd the Hostages restored A of wheat about Christmas â—as sold for 22 shillings and soon after Easter very common for 〈◊〉 pence The Town of New-Castle of Lions was burnt and plunâ—ered by the O-Tothiles MCCCXXXIII John Lord Darcy the new Chief Justice of â—reland arrived at Dublin The Berminghams of Carbery got a great booty of above 2000 Cows from the O-Conghirs The Lord John Darcy ordered the â—ass at Ethrgovil in Offaly to be cut down that he might stop O-Conghir The Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond after he had â—een imprison'd a year and an half in Dublin was let out having â—ot some of the best of the Irish Nobility as mainprizes to be bound â—or him under penalty of their lives and estates if the said Lord â—hould attempt any thing against the King or did not appear and â—â—and trial Item William Burk Earl of Ulster on the 6th of June between New-Town and Cragfergus in Ulster was most treacherously kill'd â—y his own company in the twentieth year of his age Robert son â—o Mauriton Maundevile gave him the first blow As soon as his â—ife heard of it who was then in that part of Ulster she prudently â—mbark'd with her son and daughter and went for England The Lord John Darcy to revenge his murder by the advice of the Parliament then assembled shipp'd his Army with which the first of â—uly he arriv'd at Cragfergus The people of that Country were â—o glad at his arrival that they took courage and unanimously reâ—olv'd to revenge the Earl's death and in a pitch'd battle got a â—ictory some of them they took others they put to the sword When this was over the Lord Chief Justice went with his Army â—nto Scotland leaving M. Thomas Burgh then Treasurer to supply â—is place Item Many of the Irish Nobility and the Earl of Ormond with â—heir retinue assembled on the 11th of June at the house of the Carmelite Friers in Dublin during this Parliament as they were going out of the Court-yard of the Friers House Murcardus or Moris Nicholas O-Tothil's son was in the croud suddenly murder'd â—pon which the Nobility supposing there was treason in it were very much affrighted but the Murtherer made his escape without being known so much as by name Item The Lord John Darcy return'd Chief Justice of Ireâ—and Item In February the Lord Walter Bermingham son to the Lord William was let out of Dublin Castle Item The Lord Moris Son of Thomas Earl of Desmond by a â—all off his horse broke his leg Item It happen'd to be so dry a Summer that at the feast of S. Peter ad
vincula there was bread made of new wheat and wheat was sold in Dublin for 6 pence a peck Item D. Reimund Archedekin Kt. with many others of his family were kill'd in Leinster MCCCXXXVII On the eve of S. Kalixtus the Pope seven partridges leaving the fields God knows why came directly to Dublin where flying very swiftly over the Market-Place they settled on the â—op of a brew-house which belonged to the Canons of S. Trinity in Dublin Some of the Citizens came running to this sight wondring very much at so strange a thing the Town-boyes caught two of them alive a third they kill'd at which the rest being frightned-mounted in the air by a swift flight and escap'd into the opposite Fields Now what this should portend a thing unheard of before I shall leave to the judgment of the more skilful Item Sir John Charleton Knight and Baron came with his wife children and family Lord Chief Justice of Ireland at the feast of S. Kalixtus the Pope and some of his sons and family died Item The same day came into Dublin haven D. Thomas Charleton Bishop of Hereford Justice of Ireland with the Chief Justice his Brother Chancellor of Ireland and with them M. John Rees Treasurer of Ireland Mr. in the Decretals besides 200 Welshmen Item Whilst D. John Charleton was Lord Chief Justice and held a Parliament at Dublin Mr. David O Hirraghcy Archbishop of Armagh being called to the Parliament laid in his provisions in the Monastry of S. Mary near Dublin but the Archbishop and his Clerks would not let him keep house there because he would have had his Crosier carried before him Item The same year died David Archbishop of Armagh to whom succeeded an ingenious man M. Richard Fitz-Ralph Dean of Litchfield who was born in Dundalk Item James Botiller the first Earl of Ormond died the 6th of January and was buried at Balygaveran MCCCXXXVIII The Lord John Charleton at the instigation of his Brother the Bishop of Hereford was by the King turn'd out of his place upon which he came back with his whole family into England and the Bishop of Hereford was made Lord Keeper and Chief Justice of Ireland Item Sir Eustace Pover and Sir John Pover his Uncle were by the Justice's order brought up from Munster to Dublin where the third of February they were imprison'd in the Castle Item In some parts of Ireland they had so great a frost that the river Aven-liffie on which the City of Dublin stands was frozen hard enough for them to dance run or play at foot-ball upon and they made wood and turfe fires upon it to broil Herrings The Ice lasted a great while I shall say nothing of the great snow which fell during this frost since the greatness of the depth has made it so remarkable This Frost continued from the second of December till the 10th of February such a season as was never known in Ireland MCCCXXXIX All Ireland was up in Arms. The Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond with the Geraldines who live about Kernige made a great slaughter of the Irish besides 1200 of them who were drown'd in the retreat Item The Lord Moris Fitz-Nicholas Lord of Kernige was by the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond apprehended and put in prison where he died for want of meat and drink for his allowance was but very little because he had rebell'd with the Irish against the King and the Earl Item A great number of the O Dympcies and other Irish were by the English and the vigorous pursuit of the Earl of Kildare kill'd and drowned in the Barrow Item the latter end of February Thomas Bishop of Hereford and Chief Justice of Ireland with the help of the English of that Country took from the Irish about Odrone such a great booty of all sorts of cattle as has not been seen in Leinster MCCCXL The Bishop of Hereford Justice of Ireland being commanded home by his Majesty return'd into England the 10th of April leaving Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmainan in his place who died the 13th of February Item The King of England made John Darcy Lord Chief Justice of Ireland for life MCCCXLI In May Sir John Moris came Lord Chief Justice of Ireland as Deputy to John Darcy Item In the County of Leinster there happen'd such a strange prodigy as has not been heard of A person travelling along the road found a pair of gloves fit for his hands as he thought but when he put them on he he lost his speech immediately and could do nothing but bark like a dog nay from that moment the men and women throughout the whole County fell into the same condition and the children waughed up and down like whelps This plague continued with some 18 days with others a month and with some for two years and like a contagious distemper at last infected the neighbouring Counties and set them a barking too Item The King of England revok'd all those grants that either he or his Ancestors had made to any in Ireland whether of liberties lands or goods which occasion a general murmur and discontent insomuch that the whole Kingdom grew inclin'd to a revolt Item A Parliament was called by the King's Council to sit in October Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond absented Before this there never was seen so much rancor and division between the English of both Kingdoms at last without asking Counsel of the Lord Chief Justice or any other of the King's Ministers the Mayors of the King's Cities together with the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom resolv d among other things to hold another Parliament at Kilkenny in November in order to treat of such matters as concern'd the King and Kingdom Neither the Lord Chief Justice nor any other of the King's Ministers durst repair thither It was concluded in this Parliament by the Nobility and the Mayors aforesaid to dispatch away an ambassadour to the King of England to intercede for Relief and represent the unjust administration of the great Officers in Ireland and declare they could no longer endure their oppression They were particularly instructed in their complaints of the said Ministers to ask How a Land so full of wars and trouble could be govern'd by a Person that was wholly a Stranger to warlike Affairs Secondly How a Minister of the Kings could be imagin'd to grow so rich in a short time And thirdly What was the reason that the King of England was never the richer for Ireland MCCCXLII On the 11th of October and the 11th of the Moon two several Moons were seen by many about Dublin in the morning before day Theone was bright and according to its natural course in the West the other of the bigness of a round loaf stood in the East but not so bright as the former MCCCXLIII S. Thomas's-street in Dublin was accidentally burnt on S. Valentine the Martyr's-day Item The 13th of July D. Ralph Ufford with his Wife the Countess of
Ulster came Lord Chief Justice of Ireland upon whose coming the fair Weather suddenly turned foul and there was nothing but rainy and tempestuous Weather whilst he liv'd None of his Predecessors were comparable to him for he oppress'd the Irish and robbed both Clergy and Laity of their Goods neither did he spare the Poor more than the Rich under a colour of doing good he defrauded many He observed neither the Ecclesiastical nor Civil Laws He was injurious to the natural Irish and did Justice to few if any wholly distrusting all the Inhabitants except some few And being mis-led by his Wife's Counsel these things were his daily Attempts and Practices Item In March as he was going into Ulster through a Pass call'd Emerdullan he was there set upon by one Maccartan who robb'd him of his Mony Cloaths Goods Plate and Horses and kill'd some of his men But at last the chief Justice with the Ergalians got the Victory and made his way into Ulster MCCCXLV The seventh of June there was a Parliament held at Dublin where the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond was not present Item D. Ralph Ufford the Chief Justice of Ireland after S. John Baptist's day without the consent of the Irish Nobility set up the King's Standard against D. Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond and marched into Munster where he seized on the Earl's Estate and farmed it out to others for a certain yearly Rent to be paid the King Item Whilst he was in Munster he gave Sir William Burton two Writs who was to give one of them to D. Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Kildare The Contents of which were That under the forfeiture of his whole Estate he forthwith repair unto him with a considerable force to assist the King and him The other was an Order to Sir William Burton to apprehend the Earl of Kildare and imprison him which he finding impracticable persuaded the Earl who was preparing himself with his Army and levying forces to assist the Chief Justice that he should first go to the King's Council at Dublin and act in concert with them that in his Absence his Land might be kept safe and if any harm should come it shou'd be through the default of the Kings Council and not in him Upon this the Earl not distrusting Sir William nor any Plot that was against him prepar'd to go for Dublin where when he came altogether ignorant of the Treachery as he was consulting with the K.'s Council in the Exchequer on a sudden Sir William arrested him and he was taken and carried to the Castle Item The Chief Justice marched with his Army to O-Comill in Munster and to Kering where by treachery he took two Castles of the Earl of Desmond viz. the Castle of Ynyskysty and the Island-castle in which were Sir Eustace Poer Sir William Graunt and Sir John Cottrell who were first drawn and then in October hang'd Item The Chief Justice banished the Earl of Desmond with some other of his Knights After that in November he return'd with his Forces out of Munster to see his Wife then big with Child at Kylmainan near Dublin Besides what he had done to the Laity in indicting imprisoning and in robbing them of their Goods he had also plagued the Ecclesiastical Men as well Priests as Clerks by Arrests and Imprisonment to the end he might fleece them Item He revoked the Grants and Demises of their Lands bestowing them upon other Tenants as also the Writings concerning those Grants notwithstanding they were signed by him and sealed with the King's Seal Item The Earl of Desmond's 26 Mainprisers as well Earls as Barons Knights and others viz. William Lord Burke Earl of Ulster James Lord Botiller Earl of Ormond Sir Richard Tuit Sir Eustace Poer Sir Gerald de Rochfort Sir John Fitz Robert Poer Sir Robert Barry Sir Moris Fitz-Gerald Sir John Wellesly Sir Walter Lenfaunt Sir Roger de la Rokell Sir Henry Traharn Sir Roger Poer Sir John Lenfaunt Sir Roger Poer Sir Matthew Fitz-Henry Sir Richard Wallis Sir Edward Burk son to the Earl of Ulster David Barry William Fitz-Gerald Fulk Ash Robert Fitz-Moris Henry Barkley John Fitz-George Roch and Thomas de Lees de Burgh who notwithstanding some of them had been at great Expences in the War with the Chief Justice and in pursuing of the Earls of Desmond yet he depriv'd them of their Estates and disinherited them and sent them all to Prison during the King's pleasure except four viz. William Burg Earl of Ulster James Botiller Earl of Ormond c. MCCCXLVI On Palm-sunday which was on the 9th of April D. Ralph Ufford the Lord Chief Justice died whose death was very much lamented by his Wife and Family but the loyal Subjects of Ireland rejoyced at it and both the Clergy and Laity out of joy did on purpose celebrate a solemn Feast at Easter Upon his death the Floods ceased and the Air again grew wholesome and the common sort of People thanked God for it Being laid in a strong sheet of Lead his Countess very sorrowfully conveyed his bowels with his Treasure not worthy to be bestowed among such holy Relicks into England where he was Interr d. And at last on the second of May a Prodigy which without doubt was the effect of divine Providence this fine Lady who came so gloriously into Dublin with the King's Ensigns and a great number of Soldiers attending her through the Streets where she lived a short time like a Queen of Ireland went out privily at a back Gate in the Castle to avoid the Peoples Clamors for their just Debts and in her disgraceful return home was attended with the Symptoms of death sorrow and heaviness Item After the death of the said Chief Justice Robert Lord Darcy by the consent of the King's Ministers and others was chosen to supply the office of Chief Justice for the time being Item The Castles of Ley and Kylmehede were taken and burnt by the Irish in April Item John Lord Moris being made Chief Justice of Ireland arrived here the 15th of May. The Irish of Ulster gave a great defeat to the English of Urgale in June three hundred at least of them were cut off Item Moris Chief Justice of Ireland was turn'd out of that office by the King and Walter Lord Bermingham put in who came into Ireland with his commission in June sometime after the great slaughter but now mention'd Item The care and preservation of the peace was committed by the King for some time to Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond Having receiv'd this order on the eve of the exaltation of the holy Cross he embark'd immediately thereupon with his Wife and two Sons at Yoghil and arriv'd in England where he pressed hard in a suiâ— at law to have justice against Ralph Ufford the late Lord Chief Justice for the wrongs he had done him Item by the King's order the Earl was to be allow'd twenty shillings a day from the time of his first arrival during
his abodâ— there Item In November Walter L. Bermingham Chief Justice of Ireland and Moris Lord Fitz-Thomas Earl of Kildare took up arms againsâ— O Morda and his Accomplices who had burnt the castle of Ley and Kilmehed and invaded them so fiercely with fire sword and rapin that altho' their number amounted to many thousands and they made a resolute defence yet at last after much blood and many wounds they were forc'd to yield and so they submitted to the King's mercy and the discretion of the Earl MCCCXLVII The Earl of Kildare with his Knights and Barons set out in May to join the King of England who was then at thâ— siege of Caleys which the Inhabitants surrendred to the King oâ— England the 4th of June Item Walter Bonevile William Calf William Welesly and many other brave English Welch aad Irish Gentlemen died of thâ— Distemper which then rag'd at Caleys Item Mac-Murgh viz. Donald Mac-Murgh son to Donald Artâ— Mac-Murgh King of Leinster was most perfidiously killed by hiâ— own men on the 5th of June Item The King knighted Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Kildare who married the daughter of Barth de Burgwashe Item On S. Stephen the Martyr's day the Irish burnt Monaghan and ruined the Country about it Item D. Joan Fitz-Leones formerly wife to Simon Lord Genevilâ— died and on the second of April was buried in the Convent-churcâ— of the Friers-Predicants at Trym MCCCXLVIII The 22d year of Edward III. a great Pestilence which had been before in other Countries got into Ireland and rag'd exceedingly Item This year Walter Lord Bermingham Chief Justice of Ireland went into England and left John Archer Prior of Kylmainan to officiate for him The same year he return'd again and had the Barony of Kenlys which lies in Ossory conferr'd upon him by the King to requite his great service in leading an Army againsâ— the Earl of Desmond with Raulf Ufford as before 't was said this Barony belong'd formerly to Eustace Lord Poer who was convicted and hang'd at the castle of the Isle MCCCXLIX Walter Lord Bermingham the best accomplish'd Justiciary that ever was in Ireland surrender'd his office and was succeeded in the same by Carew Knight and Baron MCCCL. In the 25th year of his Reign Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight was made Lord Chief Justice of Ireland Item This year on S. Margaret the Virgin 's Eve Sir Walteâ— Bermingham Knight for some time an excellent and worthy Justiciary of this Kingdom died in England MCCCLI Died Kenwrick Sherman sometimes Mayor of the City of Dublin and was buried under the Belfrey of the Friers-Predicants which he himself had built as he had likewise glaz'd the great window at the head of the Quire and roof'd the Church among many other pious Works He died in the same convenâ— on the 6th of March and leaving an Estate to the value of three thousand marks he bequeath'd great Legacies to all the Clergy both religious and secular for within twenty miles round MCCCLII Sir Robert Savage Knight began to build several Castles in many places of Ulster and particularly in his own Mannors telling his son and heir apparent Sir Henry Savage That they would thus fortifie themselves lest the Irish should hereafter break in upon them to the utter ruin of their estate and family and to the dishonour of their name among other Nations His son answer'd That where-ever there were valiant men there were forts and castles according to that saying Filii castrametati sunt the sons are encamp'd i.e. brave men are design'd for War and that for this reason he would take care to be among such which would prove the same in effect as if he liv'd in a castle adding That he took a castle of Bones to be much better than a castle of Stones Upon this Reply his Father gave over in great vexation and swore he would never more build with stone and mortar but keep a good house and great retinue about him foretelling however That his Posterity would repent it as indeed they did for the Irish destroy'd the whole Country for want of castles to defend it MCCCLV In the 30th of the same Reign Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight gave up his office of Chief Justice on the 26th of July the succession whereof was given to Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond in which he continued till his death Item On the conversion of S. Paul the said Moris Lord Fitz-Thomas departed this life in the castle of Dublin to the great grief of his Friends and Kindred and all others that were peaceably inclin'd First he was buried in the Quire of the Friers-Predicants of Dublin and afterward in the Covent of the Friers-Predicants of Traly As to his character he was certainly a just Judge and stuck not at condemning even those of his own blood or family more than perfect Strangers for Theft Rapin and other Misdemeanors the Irish stood in great awe of him MCCCLVI In the 31st year of this Reign Sir Thomas Rokesby was the second time made Chief Justice of Ireland who kept the Irish in good order and paid well for the Provisions of his House saying I will eat and drink out of Wood-Vessels and yet pay both gold and silver for my food and cloths nay and for my Pensioners about me This same year the said Sir Thomas Lord Chief Justice of Ireland died in the castle of Kylka MCCCLVII In the 32d of this King's reign Sir Almarick de Saint Armund was made Chief Justice of Ireland and enter'd upon his office About this time arose a great dispute between the Lord Archbishop of Armagh Richard Fitz-Ralfe and the four orders of Friers-mendicants in conclusion the Archbishop was worsted and quieted by the Pope's authority MCCCLVIII In the 33d year of the same reign Sir Almarick Saint Amuad Chief Justice of the Kingdom went over into England MCCCLIX In the 34th year of this King's reign James Botiller Earl of Ormond was made Chief Justice of Ireland Item On S. Gregory's day this year died Joan Burk Countess of Kildare and was buried in the church of the Friers-minors in Kildare by her Husband Thomas Lord Fitz-John Earl of Kildare MCCCLX In the 35th year of this same reign died Richard Fitz-Raulf Archbishop in Hanault on the 16th of December His bones were convey'd into Ireland by the reverend Father in God Stephen Bishop of Meth and buried in S. Nicholas's church at Dundalk where he was born yet it is a question whether these were his very bones or the reliques of some one else Item This year died Sir Robert Savage of Ulster a valiant Knight who near Antrim slew in one day 3000 Irish with a small Party of English but it ought to be observ'd that before the Engagement he took care to give his men a good dose of Ale or Wine whereof it seems he had good store and reserv'd some for his Friends likewise Besides this he order'd That Sheep Oxen Venison and Fowl both wild and tame should be kill'd
rich man died this year This Continuation following is took from a Manuscript Chronicle in the Hands of Henry Marleburgh MCCCLXXII SIr Robert Ashton being made Chief Justice came into Ireland MCCCLXXIII A great war between the English of Meth and O-Feroll with much slaughter on both sides Item John Lord Husse Baron of Galtrim John Fitz Richard Sheriff of Meth and William Dalton were in May kill'd by the Irish in Kynaleagh MCCCLXXV Died Thomas Archbishop of Dublin the same year Robert of Wickford was consecrated Archbishop of this see MCCCLXXXI Edmund Mortimer the King's Lieutenant in Ireland Earl of March and Ulster died at Cork MCCCLXXXIII A raging pestilence in Ireland MCCCLXXXV Dublin bridge fell down MCCCXC Died Robert Wikford Archbishop of Dublin Robeâ—t Waldebey Archbishop of Dublin of the order of the Austin Friers was translated also this year MCCCXCVII Died Frier Richard Northalis Archbishop of Dublin of the order of the Carmelites This year Thomas Crauley was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin Thomas Lord Burk and Walter Lord Bermingham cut off 600 of the Irish and Mac Con their Captain * Read Roger. Edmund Earl of March Lieutenant of Ireland with the assistance of the Earl of Ormond wasted the Country of O Bryn and knighted Christopher Preston John Bedeleu Edmund Loundris John Loundry William Nugent Walter de la Hide and Rober Cadel at the storming of a strong mannor-house of the said O Bryn MCCCXCVIII Forty English among whom were John Fitz Williams Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn were unfortunately cut off on the Ascension day by the Tothils On S. Margaret's day this year Roger Earl of March the King's Lieutenant was slain with many others by O Bryn and other Irish of Leinster at Kenlys in that province Roger Grey was appointed to succeed him in the office of Chief Justice On the Feast of S. Mark Pope and Confessor the noble Duke of Sutherey came into Ireland being made the King's Deputy Lieutenant thereof accompanied with the Archbishop of Dublin Thomas Crawley MCCCXCIX In the 23d year of King Richard being Sunday the very morrow after S. Petronil or Pernil the Virgin 's day King Richard arriv'd at Waterford with 200 sail At Ford in Kenlys within Kildare on the 6th day of this week two hundred of the Irish were slain by Jenicho and others of the English the next day the people of Dublin made an inroad into the Country of O Bryn cut off 33 of the Irish and took to the number of 80 men and women with their children prisoners The King came to Dublin this year on the fourth before the kalends of July and embark'd in great haste for England upon a report of Henry duke of Lancaster's being arriv'd there MCCCC At Whitsontide in the first year of King Henry IV. the Constable of Dublin-castle and several others engag'd the Scots at Stranford in Ulster which prov'd unfortunate to the English many of them being cut off and drown'd in that encounter MCCCCI In the second year of this reign Sir John Stanley the King's Lieutenant went over into England in May leaving Sir William Stanley to supply his office On Bartholomew-eve this year Stephen Scrope came into Ireland as Deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the King's Lieutenant The same year on the feast of S. Brice Bishop and Confessor Thomas Lord Lancaster the King's son being Viceroy of Ireland arriv'd at Dublin MCCCCII The Church of the Friers Predicants at Dublin was consecrated on the 5th of July by the Archbishop of this City The same day 493 Irish were slain by John Drake Mayor of Dublin assisted with the Citizens and the Country people near Bree where they gain'd a considerable victory In September this year a Parliament was held at Dublin Sir Bartholomew Verdon James White Stephen Gernon and their accomplices kill'd John Dowdal Sheriff of Louith in Urgal during this session MCCCCIII In the fourth year of King Henry IV. Sir Walter Beterley a valiant Knight then steward there with thirty more was kill'd in May. About the feast of S. Martin this year the King's Son Thomas went over into Enlgand leaving Stephen Scroop to officiate as his Deputy who return'd also on the first day of Lent into England after which the Lords of the Kingdom chose the Earl of Ormond Lord Chief Justice of Ireland MCCCCIV In the 5th Year of King Henry's reign died John Cowlton Archbishop of Armagh on the 5th of May and was succeeded by Nicholas Fleming The same year on S. Vitali's day a Parliament was held at Dublin by the Earl of Ormond at that time Chief Justice of the Kingdom where the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin and the Charter of Ireland was confirm'd Patrick Savage was this year treacherously slain in Ulster by Mac Kilmori his brother Richard being also given in hostage was murder'd in prison after he had paid a ransom of 200 marks MCCCCV In the 6th year of King Henry three Scotch Galleys two at Green Castle and one at Dalkey were taken in May with the Captain Thomas Mac Golagh The merchants of Tredagh entred Scotland this year and took hostages and booty The same year Stephen Scroop went into England leaving the Earl of Ormond to officiate as Justice during his absence In June this year the people of Dublin invaded Scotland entering it at S. Ninians where they gallantly behav'd themselves after which they made a descent upon Wales and did great hurt among the Welsh in this expedition they carried the shrine of S. Cubie to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Dublin Item This year on the vigil of the blessed Virgin died James Botiller Earl of Ormond at Baligauran during his office he was much lamented and succeeded by Gerald Earl of Kildare MCCCCVI In the seventh year of King Richard the Dublinians on Corpus Christi day with the assistance of the country people overcame the Irish and kill'd some of them they took three ensigns and carried off several of their heads to Dublin The same year the Prior of Conal in a battle with 200 well-arm'd Irish on the Plain of Kildare vanquish'd them by his great valour killing some and putting the rest to flight The Prior and his party were not above twenty such is the regard of Providence to those that trust in it The same year after the feast of S. Michael Scroop Deputy Justice to Thomas the King's son Viceroy of Ireland arriv'd here The same year died Innocentius VII succeeded in the chair by Gregory The same year on S. Hilaries-day a Parliament was held at Dublin which broke up in Lent at Trym Meiler Bermingham slew Cathol O Conghir in the latter end of February about the same time died Sir Geffery Vaux a valiant Knight of the County of Carlagh MCCCCVII A perfidious base Irishman call'd Mac Adam Mac Gilmori never christen'd and therefore call'd Morbi nay one that had been the ruin of forty Churches took Patrick Savage prisoner forc'd him to pay 2000 marks for ransom
and after all kill'd both him and his brother Richard The same year on the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross Stephen Scroop deputy Lieutenant to the King's son Thomas accompanied with the Earls of Ormond and Desmond the Prior of Kilmainan and many others out of Meth march'd out of Dublin and invaded the territories of Mac Murgh upon engaging the Irish had at first the better but they were at last beat back by the bravery of these commanders O Nolam with his son and others were taken prisoners But upon the sudden news that the Bourkeins and O Kerol had continued for two days together doing mischief in the County of Kilkenny they went immediately in all haste to the village of Callan surpriz'd them and put them to flight O Kerol and 800 more were cut off in this action Stephen Scroop went into England this year and James Botiller Earl of Ormond was by the Country elected Chief Justice MCCCCVIII The said Chief Justice held a Parliament at Dublin which confirm'd the Statutes of Kilkenny and Dublin and a Charter was granted under the great seal of England against Purveyors The very day after the feast of S. Peter ad vincula this year Thomas Lord of Lancaster the King's son arriv'd as Lieutenant Deputy at Carlingford in Ireland from whence he came next week to Dublin As the Earl of Kildare went to welcom him he was arrested with three more of his retinue His Goods were all sharped away by the Lord Deputy's servants and he himself imprison'd till he paid a fine of 300 marks On S. Marcellus's day the same year died Stephen Lord Scroop at Tristeldermot Thomas of Lancaster was this year wounded at Kilmainan and that so very ill that he almost died After his recovery he made Proclamation That all that were inbebted to the King upon the account of Tenure should make their appearance at Rosse After S. Hilary he call'd a Parliament at Kilkenny for having Tallage granted him On the third before the Ides of March he went into England leaving the Prior of Kilmainon to officiate in his absence This year Hugh Mac-Gilmory was slain at Cragfergus in the church of the Friers-minors which he had formerly destroyd and broke the Windows thereof for the sake purely of the Iron-bars which happen'd to give his Enemies viz. the Savages admittance MCCCCIX In the 10th year of the reign of King Henry 80 of the Irish were in June cut off by the English under the conduct of Janico of Artoys in Ulster MCCCCX On the 13th of June a Parliament was held at Dublin which continued sitting for three Weeks the Prior of Kilmainan being Deputy for the Chief Justice The same year on the 10th of July the said Justice began to build Mibrackly-castle de O Feroll and built De la Mare also There was great scarcity of corn this year The same year the Chief Justice invaded the Territory of O-Brin at the head of fifteen hundred Kerns of whom eight hundred deserted and went over to the Irish so that if the People of Dublin had not been there there would have been much more woe and misery however John Derpatrick lost his life MCCCCXII About the feast of Tiburce and Valerian O-Conghir did much harm to the Irish in Meth and took above 160 Prisoners The same year O-Doles a Knight and Thomas son of Moris Sheriff of Limerick kill'd each other On the 9th of June this year died Robert Monteyn Bishop of Meth succeeded by Edward Dandisey formerly Arch-deacon of Cornwall MCCCCXIII On the 7th of October John Stanley the King's Lieutenant in Ireland arriv'd at Cloucarfe and on the 6th of January died at Aterith The same year after the death of John Stanley Lord Lieutenant Thomas Cranley Archbishop of Dublin was elected Chief Justice of Ireland on the 11th of February Another Parliament was held at Dublin on the morrow of S. Matthias the Apostle which continued sitting for 15 days during which time the Irish set many Towns on fire as they us'd to do in Parliament-times upon which a Tallage was demanded but not granted MCCCCXIV The O-Mordries and O-Dempsies Irish were cut off by the English near Kilda as the Chief Justice Archbishop of Dublin went in Procession at Tristildermot praying with his Clerks at which time 100 Irish were likewise routed by his Servants and others their Country-men Upon the feast of S. Gordian and Epimachus the English of Meth were defeated Thomas Maurevard Baron of Scrin and many others were slain and Christopher Fleming and John Dardis were taken Prisoners by O-Conghir and the Irish On S. Martin's-eve John Talbot Lord Furnival being made Lieutenant of Ireland arriv'd at Dalkay MCCCCXV Robert Talbot a Nobleman who wall'd the Suburbs of Kilkenny died in November this year Item After All Saints died Frier Patrick Baret Bishop of Ferne and Canon of Kenly where he was buried MCCCCXVI On the Feast-day of Gervasius and Prothasius the L. Furnival had a son born at Finglas About this time the reverend Stephen Fleming Archbishop of Armagh departed this life and was succeeded by John Suanig At the same time the Bishop of Ardachad died likewise viz. Frier Adam Lyns of the order of Friers-predicants Item On S. Laurence-day died Thomas Talbot son of the Lord Furnival lately born at Finglas and was buried in the Quire of the Friers-Predicants at Dublin within the Convent A Parliament was held at Dublin during which the Irish fell upon the English and slew many of them and among the rest Thomas Balimore of Baliquelan This Session continued here for six Weeks and then adjourned till the 11th of May at Trym where it sate for eleven days and granted a Subsidy of four hundred Marks to the Lieutenant MCCCCXVII On the eve of Philip and Jacob Thomas Cranley Archbishop of Dublin went over into England and died at Farindon and was buried in New-colledge in Oxford a Person very liberal and charitable a great Clerk Doctor of Divinity an excellent Preacher a great Builder Beautiful and of a fair Complexion but withal sanguine and tall so that it might be well said of him Fair art thou and good-like above the sons of Men Grace and Eloquence are seated in thy Lips He was eighty years old and govern'd the See of Dublin peaceably for almost 20 years together MCCCCXVIII The feast of the Annunciation happen'd this year on Good Friday immediately after Easter the Tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethat were plunder'd by the Lord Deputy Item On S. John and S. Paul's day the Earl of Kildare Sir Christopher Preston and Sir John Bedleu were taken at Slane and committed to Trym-castle who had a mind to talk with the Prior of Kilmainan On the 4th of August died Sir Matthew Husee Baron of Galtrim and was buried in the Convent of the Friers-predicants at Trym MCCCCXIX On the 11th of May died Edmund Brel formerly Mayor of Dublin and was buried in the Convent of the Friers-predicants in the same
be Bernwaled unknown to me who he was So is also that of the fifteenth only it was an eminent name amongst them as was also Aethelstan on the sixteenth That upon the seventeenth is likely to be of that valiant and noble Viceroy of Mercia married to the King's daughter Ethelfleda a woman of admirable wisdom courage and zeal in sum a daughter worthy of such a father The eighteenth is of Edward Senior that victorious and glorious son and successor of King Aelfred equal to his father in valour and military skill but inferiour to him in learning and knowledge His actions are sufficient for a volume On his head is a close or imperial crown born by few if any other besides the Kings of England The reverse is Leofwine or Lincoln The twenty third Beornwald I rather read it Deorwald i.e. Deirorum sylva York-woulds the chief Town whereof was Beverly And the rather because of the twenty fourth Diora Moneta which seems to be the money of the Deiri or Yorkshire-men The rest of the Coins of this Prince are easily understood The names upon the reverses seem to have been Noblemen or Governors The twenty fifth is remarkable for the spelling Jedword the reverse is Arnerin on Eoferwic i.e. York The twenty sixth hath the reverse Othlric on Ring which might be Ringhornan in Lancashire a large Town one of the eight built by his sister Ethelflede Of the twenty seventh I do not understand the reverse The twenty eighth is of that most famous and worthy King Aethelstan the true progeny of such a father and grandfather In his youth his grandfather King Aelfred saw such a spirit and indoles in him that he foretold if it should please God that he came to the Crown he would perform very great actions for the good of his country and he made him also I think the first that we read to have received that honour in this nation a Knight and gave him ornaments accordingly the more likely because Aelfred also order'd the robes and ceremonies of the Coronation This Prince extended his Victories Northward even into Scotland Which countreys till his time were never peaceably settled because the two nations Saxons and Danes mingled together in their habitations and yet having several Kings and Laws could never be long in quiet Upon the borders of Scotland he fought one of the most terrible battles that ever was in England against Anlaf King of Ireland Constantine King of Scotland and a very mighty and numerous Army Wherein were said to be slain five Kings seven Earls or chief Commanders besides vast numbers of inferior Officers and Soldiers Authors say that King Aethelstan's valiant Chancellor and General Turketill with wonderful courage and strength broke through the enemies ranks till he met with King Constantine and slew him with his own hand Others say that Constantine was not slain but his son Turketill after all his wars and greatness resigning his estates and wealth repaired to the Monastery of Croyland and lived in it himself till his death The reverse is Biorneard moneta Londonensis civitas or Holond ci The former reading is the true The twenty ninth is King Edmund Brother and not inferior either in valour or counsel to Aethelstan He pursued the design of reducing all his subjects to perfect unity and peace by extirpating those rebellious irreconcileable enemies the Danes In the beginning of his Reign he cleared Mercia of them For King Edward seeing the Kingdom so much depopulated by those destructive wars ever since the entrance of the Danes upon promise and oath of fealty and obedience as his father also had done amongst the East-Angles permitted these Danes to live amongst his natural Subjects and chiefly in the great Towns thinking because of their profession of arms and soldiery they would better defend them than the Saxons more industrious and skilful in labour and husbandry The Danes also having been themselves beaten and conquered by him were very ready to engage to obedience peace and loyalty But the Saxons by their labours growing rich and the Danes retaining their former tyrannical and lazy dispositions began to oppress and dominere over the natives Edmund therefore after Mercia began to reduce Northumberland where remained the greatest number of them for Edward himself had suppressed those in East-Anglia and to reduce those Northern counties into the form of Provinces and committed Cumberland as a Feud to Malcolme King of Scotland His zeal for justice cost this heroical Prince his life For celebrating the festival of St. Austin and giving thanks for the Conversion of the nation he spied amongst the Guests one Leof a notable thief whom he had before banished The King's spirit was so moved against him that rising from the Table he seized upon him threw him to the ground and was about to do some violence unto him The Thief fearing what he had deserved with a short dagger which he concealed wounded the King mortally who died in a short time to the very great grief and affliction of his people The reverse is very imperfect but it may perhaps be Edward Moneta Theodford or rather Eadmund Martyr to whose Church he gave the Town called St. Edmund's-bury The thirtieth is Eadred who degenerated not in the least from his father King Edward or his brethren the precedent Kings He compleated the reduction and settlement of the North making Osulf the first Earl of it The Scots voluntarily submitted and swore Allegiance to him An. 955. in the fifth year of his reign and flower of his youth he sickned died and was exceedingly lamented of his subjects The thirty first is Eadwig son of K. Edmund who being come to age received the Kingdom so lovely a person that he was named the fair His actions are variously reported by Historians generally they accuse him of voluptuousness and neglect of his affairs insomuch that a great part of the North applied themselves to his Brother Edgar and set him up against Edwy who as is thought with sorrow sickned and died An. 958. Heriger on the reverse seems to have been Mint-master Tabula VII Nummi saxonici Page cxlvi The thirty third Eadgar son of King Edmund peaceably enjoyed the fruits of the labours and dangers of his predecessors A man admired by all both foreigners and natives for his great piety justice prudence and industry in governing the Kingdom Sine praelio omnia gubernavit prout ipse voluit The reverse is Leofsig Moneta Hamptonensis The thirty fourth is of Eadward son of King Edgar by Ethelfleda the fair called also Eneda Daughter of Duke Ordmear He is much commended for a virtuous well-disposed and hopeful Prince and such the small remainders of his History do truly represent him But by order of his Stepmother Alfritha to whom he was too obedient he was murthered to empty the Throne for her son Aethelred Edward was accounted a Saint and Martyr because of the many miracles said to be done at his Tomb which occasioned the
removal of his body from Wereham to a more honourable place Shaftesbury and the Murdress repenting of that wicked action spent the rest of her days in grief and severe penances Who that Heremod on the reverse was we know not The thirty fifth is of Aethelred son of Edgar by Alfritha the only weak and slothful Prince of all the line of King Egbert endeavouring to govern his Kingdom not by true justice and valour as his predecessors had done but by tricks and as they call it policy First gave an opportunity to the Danes to renew their invasions and then negligently or unfortunately opposing them he brought the Kingdom into great poverty and calamity and afterwards into subjection unto those antient enemies and robbers of the country by his laziness losing all that his forefathers by their industry had acquired as Historians say St. Dunstan foretold of him at his Baptism Egbert began the advancement of the Kingdom by reducing it into one Monarchy his successors valiantly defended and setled and augmented it by subduing the Danes and all other enemies Edgar enjoyed it in full peace prosperity and glory and his son this Aethelred suffered it to run down again into a worse condition than ever it was And indeed it would be strange to imagine so great a change in one man's time did it not appear that there was no cause of ruine left unpractised in his long reign his own negligence cowardise want of intelligence unskilfulness in war the great factions enmities and treasons of the nobility the particulars whereof have filled the tedious relations of our Historians Saxon Coins TAB VII ALL the first ten are of Cnut called the Great the first Danish King of England There are very many of his Coins extant I have only described those wherein is some notable variety Though Swane his father made divers conquests and several countries as well as persons preferring his activeness before Aethelred's sloth not regarding the justice of the cause submitted to him and paid largely for his protection yet was he never King nor assumed he or his son the title till Edmund Ironside consented by the persuasion of a traytor to divide the Kingdom with him The vile but potent Edric thought that more was to be got by shoring up a new active Usurper than adhering to the just cause of his true and Royal Sovereign Nor was Cnut unmindful of him but according to his promise advanced him above all the other Lords of the Kingdom by cutting off his head and exposing it upon a high pole Amongst all these figures of Cnut only one the seventh is with a crown and that an open one contrary to that of the English Kings before him and adorned with lilies which would make me suspect that Coin to be counterfeit were it not that our Historians say that when he was young he wore his Crown at the great assemblies of the Nobility so many times in the year as was the custom both here in France Germany and I think with all European Princes in those times But one time being mightily flattered by his Courtiers he chanced to be upon the sea-banks whither he commanded his chair to be brought where sitting down upon the beach in great Majesty he told the sea that that was his land and the water his water wherefore he commanded the sea to be content with its own chanel and not cover any part of the land Which he had no sooner said but the water dashed upon him whereupon he told his flatterers that they should henceforward forbear all boasting of his power and greatness After this it is reported he would never wear a Crown Others say that he never wore a Crown after his coronation and that then also at his coronation presently after the Crown was set upon his head he took it off and fixed it upon the head of our Saviour crucified The ordinary covering of his head was sometimes a Mitre as fig. 6. other times a cap as fig. 5. sometimes a triangular covering used after him by Andronicus the Eastern Emperor and by St. Edward the Confessor The reverse of the first is Farthein Monet Eoforwic i.e. York Of the second Sunolf Of the third Crinam The fourth is Wulnoth All coined at York The fifth is Leodmer and seems coined at Raculf-minster now Reculver The sixth hath Luffwine at Dover The seventh hath Wulfric on Lunden The eighth is Selwi at Theoford The ninth is Outhgrim at York The tenth is Cnut aged with a Diadem about his head The reverse is Nodwin Moneta The name of the place I cannot read In his younger years he spared no labour nor any art just or unjust oppression or murder to acquire and settle the Kingdom to himself and Posterity Which being as well as he could performed he endeavoured to act more justly and plausibly that he might retain the obedience of the people which he had so unjustly gotten Yet not long before his death he dispossessed Olavus King of Norway of his dominion about An. 1029. The eleventh is of Harold Cnut's second son called for his swiftness Hares-foot Cnut to his eldest son Suane suspected to be none of his own gave the Kingdom of Norway to Harold his second son by foreign writers also called a Bastard the Kingdom of England to Hardacnut his son by Emma he gave Denmark Harold's Reign was short about four years and employed more in endeavouring to settle his title than perform any worthy action The reverse is Godric at Theotford The twelfth is of the same with a Diadem about his Helmet The reverse is Sliwine on Theodford The thirteenth is of Harthacnut He reigned about two years and died suddenly at a great feast in Lambeth Little of note mentioned of him besides that he was very affectionate to his mother's children and that he loved good eating making four meals a day The reverse is Elnwine on Wice perhaps Worcester The fourteenth is of St. Edward the Confessor of whom there are very many Coins still extant I have presented only those of most variety This represents him as a young man sitting with a staff or scepter which amongst the Romans was the Hasta pura and Sceptrum sometimes made of Ivory and many times an Eagle upon the top of it instead of which our Kings used commonly a Cross tho' not always of the same fashion sometimes also a Lily in his left hand a globe with a cross fastened in it This was used only by Christian Emperors and Kings as witnessing them to have that power through the virtue of the Cross or Passion of our Saviour The Pagan Roman Emperors used rather a stern or oar fastened to a globe shewing that they steered the world not expressing whence they received that power Whereas Suidas saith of Justinian that in his left hand he carried a globe with a cross upon it signifying that by faith in the cross of Christ he was advanced to be Lord of the world i.e. that he obtained
I cannot but observe that some very learned men have betray'd a want of judgment by bringing Scotland into this number which some of them urge to have been the Maxima Caesariensis others the Britannia Secunda As if the Romans had not altogether neglected those parts possessed as it were by the bitterness of the air and within this number only included such Provinces as were governed by Consular Lieutenants and Presidents For the Maxima Caesariensis and Valentia were rul'd by persons of Consular dignity and the other three Britannia Prima Secunda and Flavia by Presidents If one ask me what grounds I have for this division and accuse me of setting undue bounds he shall hear in few words what it was drew me into this opinion After I had observed that the Romans call'd those Provinces Primae which were nearest Rome as Germania Prima Belgica Prima Lugdunensis Prima Aquitania Prima Pannonia Prima all which lye nearer Rome than such as are called Secundae and that the more nice writers called these Primae the Upper and the Secundae the Lower I presently concluded the South part of our Island as nearer Rome to be the Britannia Prima For the same reason since the Secundae Provinciae as they call them were most remote from Rome I thought Wales must be the Britannia Secunda Further observing that in the decline of the Roman Empire those Provinces only had Consular Governors which were the Frontiers as is evident from the Notitia not only in Gaul but also in Africk and that Valentia with us as also Maxima Caesariensis are called Consular Provinces I took it for granted that they were nearest and most expos'd to the Scots and Picts in the places above mentioned And as for Flavia Caesariensis I cannot but fancy that it was in the middle of the rest and the heart of England wherein I am the more positive because I have that ancient writer Giraldus Cambrensis on my side These were the Divisions of Britain under the Romans Afterwards the barbarous nations breaking in on every hand and civil wars prevailing more and more among the Britains it lay for some time as it were without either blood or spirits without the least face of government But at last that part which lyes northward branched into two Kingdoms of the Scots and Picts and the Pentarchy of the Romans in this hither part was made the Heptarchy of the Saxons For they divided this whole Roman Province except Wales which the remains of the Britains possessed themselves of into seven Kingdoms viz. Kent South-Sex East-Anglia West-Sex Saxon Heptarchy Northumberland East-Sex and Mercia But what this Heptarchy of the Saxons was and what the names of the places in that age you will more easily apprehend by this Chorographical Table Considering that such Tracts or Counties as these Kingdoms contained could not so conveniently be represented in a small Chorographical Table because of its narrowness I chose rather to explain it by this other Scheme which at once gives the Reader an entire view than by a heap of words The Saxon Heptarchy 1. The Kingdom of Kent contain'd The County of Kent 2. The Kingdom of the South-Saxons contain'd The Counties of Sussex Surrey 3. The Kingdom of the East-Angles contain'd The Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge with the Isle of Ely 4. The Kingdom of the West-Saxons contain'd The Counties of Cornwall Devonshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hamshire Berkshire 5. The Kingdom of Northumberland contain'd The Counties of Lancaster York Durham Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland and Scotland to the Fryth of Edenburgh 6. The Kingdom of the East-Saxons contain'd The Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire 7. The Kingdom of Mercia contain'd The Counties of Glocester Hereford Worcester Warwick Leicester Rutland Northampton Lincoln Huntingdon Bedford Buckingham Oxford Stafford Derby Shropshire Nottingham Chester and the other part of Hertfordshire 〈…〉 Counties BUT yet while the Heptarchy continued England was not divided into what we call Counties but into several small partitions with their number of Hides a Catalogue whereof out of an old Fragment was communicated to me by Francis Tate a person very much conversant in our Law-Antiquities But this only contains that part which lies on this side the Humber Myrena contains 30000 * A hidâ—sas some will have iâ— includes as much land as one plow can till in a year but as others as much as 4 Virgats Hides Woken-setnae 7000 hides Westerna 7000 hides Pec-setna 1200 hides Elmed-setna 600 hides Lindes-farona 7000 hides Suth-Gyrwa 600 hides North-Gyrwa 600 hides East-Wixna 300 hides West-Wixna 600 hides Spalda 600 hides Wigesta 900 hides Herefinna 1200 hides Sweordora 300 hides Eyfla 300 hides Wicca 300 hides Wight-gora 600 hides Nox gaga 5000 hides Oht-gaga 2000 hides Hwynca 7000 hides Cittern-setna 4000 hides Hendrica 3000 hides Vnecung-ga 1200 hides Aroseatna 600 hides Fearfinga 300 hides Belmiga 600 hides Witherigga 600 hides East-Willa 600 hides West-Willa 600 hides East-Engle 30000 hides East-Sexena 7000 hides Cant-Warena 15000 hides Suth-Sexena 7000 hides West-Sexena 100000 hides Tho' some of those names are easily understood at the first sight others will hardly be hammered out by a long and curious search for my part I freely confess they require a quicker apprehension than I am master of Called in the Coins Aelfred Afterwards when King Alfred had the whole government in his own hands as our forefathers the Germans which we learn from Tacitus administer'd justice according to the several Lordships and Villages taking an hundred of the common-people as assistants to manage that business so he to use the words of Ingulphus of Crowland first divided England into Counties because the natives themselves committed robberies after the example and under colour of the Danes Moreover he made the Counties to be divided into so many Centuries or Hundreds Hundreds and Tithings ordering that every man in the Kingdom should be ranked under some one or other hundred and tithing The Governours of Provinces were before that called * Vicedomini Lieutenants but this office he divided into two Judges now called Justices and Sheriffs which still retain the same name By the care and industry of those the whole Kingdom in a short time enjoyed so great peace that if a traveller had let fall a sum of money never so large in the evening either in the fields or publick high-ways if he came next morning or even a month after he should find it whole and untouch'd This is more largely insisted upon by the Malmesbury Historian Even the natives says he under pretence of being barbarians i.e. Danes fell to robberies so that there was no safe travelling without arms But King Alfred settled the Centuries commonly called Hundreds and the Tithings that every English man living under the protection of the Laws should have both his hundred and his tithing And if any one was accused of a misdemeanour he should get bail in the
take cognizance of murders felonies trespasses for so they term them and many other misdemeanors Besides the King sends every year into each County two of the Justices of England to give sentence upon Prisoners â—es of â—e and to use the law-term in that cause to make a Gaol-delivery But of these more hereafter when we come to the Courts As to the Ecclesiastical Government after the Bishops of Rome had assigned to each Presbyter his Church and divided the parishes among them Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury â—â—â—â—and â—ed inâ—â—â—â—rishes about the year of our Lord 636. first began to divide England into Parishes as we read in the History of Canterbury Now England has two Provinces and two Archbishops Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and York Under these are 25 Bishops 22 under Canterbury and the rest under York What these Bishopricks are with their Counties or Dioceses which they now contain â—ops are shown us in those words of that excellent person the most reverend Father in God Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury a Patron of Learning and a great Judge of Antiquities In the Province of Canterbury THE Bishoprick of Canterbury along with Rochester contains the County of Kent London has under it Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire Chichester has Sussex Winchester has Hamshire Surrey Isle of Wight with Gernsey and Jersey Islands lying upon the Coast of Normandy Salisbury contains Wiltshire and Berkshire Exeter includes Devonshire and Cornwal Bathe and Wells joyntly have Somersetshire and Glocester Glocestershire Worcester Worcestershire and part of Warwickshire Hereford Herefordshire and part of Shropshire Coventry and Lichfield joyned together Staffordshire Derbyshire and the other part of Warwickshire as also that part of Shropshire which borders upon the River Repil Next Lincoln the largest contains six Counties Lincolnshire Liecestershire Huntingdonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the other part of Hertfordshire Ely Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Norwich Norfolk and Suffolk Oxford Oxfordshire Peterburrow Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire Bristol Dorsetshire To which 18 Dioceses in England must be added those of Wales or Cambria which are both deprived of an Archbishop of their own and also made fewer seven hardly coming entire into four These are â—eâ—e â—sis St. Davids whose seat is at St. Davids Landaff Banchor and Asaph or Elwensis In the Province of York YOrk it self comprehends Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire Chester Cheshire Richmondshire Lancashire with part of Cumberland Flintshire and Denbighshire Durham the Bishoprick of Durham and Northumberland Carlisle part of Cumberland and Westmerland To these may be added the Bishoprick of Sodor in Mona commonly called the Isle of Man Amongst those the Archbishop of Canterbury takes the first place the Archbishop of York the second the Bishop of London the third the Bishop of Durham the fourth and the Bishop of Winchester the fifth The rest take place according to the time of their Consecration But if any of the other Bishops happen to be Secretary to the King he claims the fifth place There are besides in England 26 Deaneries 13 whereof were made in the larger Churches by King Henry VIII upon expulsion of the Monks The Archdeaconries are sixty and the Dignities and Prebends make 544. There are also 9284 Parish-churches under the Bishops of which 3845 are appropriate as is plain from the Catalogue exhibited to King James which I have here subjoyned Now appropriate Churches are such as by the authority of the Pope and the consent of the King and Bishop of the Diocess are upon certain conditions settled upon those Monasteries Bishopricks Colleges and Hospitals whose revenues are but small either because they were built upon their ground or granted by the Lords of the Mannour Such a Settlement is expressed in form of law by being united annext and incorporated for ever But these upon the subversion of the Monasteries were to the great damage of the Church made Feuda Laicalia Lay-fees In the Province of Canterbury Dioceses Parish-Churches Churches appropriate Canterbury 257 140 London 623 189 Winchester 362 131 Coventry and Lichfield 557 250 Salisbury 248 109 Bath and Wells 388 160 Lincoln 1255 577 Peterburrow 293 91 Exeter 604 239 Glocester 267 125 Hereford 313 166 Norwich 1121 385 Ely 141 75 Rochester 98 36 Chichester 250 112 Oxford 195 88 Worcester 241 76 Bristol 236 64 S. Davids 308 120 Bangor 107 36 Llandaff 177 98 S. Asaph 121 19 Peculiars in the Province of Canterbury 57 14 The whole number in the Province of Canterbury 8219 3303 In the Province of York York 581 336 Durham 135 87 Chester 256 101 Carlisle 93 18 The whole number in York 1065 592 The whole number in both Provinces 9284 3845 But in the Book of Thomas Wolsey Cardinal written in the year 1520. there are reckoned in all the Counties 9407 Churches I know not how this difference should happen unless it be that some were demolished in the last age and Chapels which are Parochial be omitted others which are barely Chapels being reckoned up amongst the Parish-churches However I have set down the number of Churches at the end of each County out of this Book of Wolsey's There were also in the Reign of King Henry VIII if it be not a crime to mention them monuments of the piety of our fore-fathers Monasteries built to the honour of God the propagation of the Christian faith and good learning and for the support of the poor Of Religious houses i.e. Monasteries or Abbies and Priories to the number of 645. whereof when 40 had been suppressed by a Grant from Pope Clement the seventh Hen. 5. had before that dissolved 100 Pâ—iories of Monks Aliens obtained by Cardinal Wolsey who had then laid the foundation of two Colleges one at Oxford and another at Ipswich presently about the 36th of Henry VIII a torrent as it were that has thrown down the banks broke in upon the ecclesiastical state of England and to the great surprize of the whole world and oppression of this nation at once threw down the greatest part of the Religious with their curious structures For what the Pope granted to the Cardinal the King took himself by consent of Parliament Whereupon in the year 1536. all religious houses with their revenues which had 200 l. yearly or under that were granted to the King in number 376. And the next year under a specious pretence of rooting out superstition the rest along with the Colleges Chauntries and Hospitals were given up to the King's disposal At which time there were valued or taxed 605 religious houses remaining Colleges besides those in the Universities 96. Hospitals 110. Chauntries and Free-chapels 2374. Most of which in a short time were every where pulled down their revenues squander'd away and the riches which had been consecrated to God by the pious munificence of the English from the time they received Christianity were as it were in a moment dispersed and if I may use the
beneath this Frau or Frome call it which you please dispersing it self maketh a kind of an Island and first visits that ancient town which in the Itinerary of Antoninus is call'd Durnovaria that is the passage over a river Dorchester Ptolemy in some Copies calls it erroneously Durnium in others Dunium This is reckon'd the principal town of the county and yet 't is neither large nor beautiful the walls having been pull'd down by the enrag'd Danes who here and there about the town have thrown up several barrows 6 Whereof one is call'd Maumbury being an acâ—e inditched another Poundbury somewhat greater and the third a mile off as a Camp with five trenches containing some ten acres call'd Maiden-castle Yet it dayly discovers some visible footsteps of Antiquity such are the Roman military or consular way some brass and silver coins of the Roman Emperors 7 Found there and especially at Fordington hard by which the common people call King Dorn's pence whom they fondly conceive in allusion to the name to have been the founder of this town g And a mile off there is a ditch with a Bulwark on the top of an hill pretty large in circumference call'd Maiden-castle Maiden-castle h which one may easily imagine to be the place where the Romans encamp'd in the summer time 8 It Dorchester had anciently a Castle in that place where the Grey-friers built their Convent out of the ruins thereof and hath how but three Parish-churches whereas the compass of the old town seemeth to have been very large But it suffer'd most when Sueno through outragious barbarity renew'd the Danish broils and when Hugh the Norman a man of treacherous principles in whose management were the affairs and government of these parts gave way to all actions of extravagance But what sort of place it was and in what condition in the beginning of the Norman times learn if you please from Domesday book In K. Edward's reign there were 170 houses in Dorchester these defended themselves for all the King's services and paid geld for ten hides but to the work of o Buthsecarles i.e. Classiarii Hovd fol. 257. Huscarls one mark of silver excepting those customs which †Ad firmam noctis were for one night's entertainment There were in it two mint-masters There are now only 82 houses and 100 have been totally demolish'd since Hugh was Sheriff If this language be obscure and unintelligible as Sextus Caecilius said in a case of the like nature it is not to be imputed to the Writer's want of expression but the Reader 's incapacity who cannot come up to the sense of the Author From hence the river Frome runs by Woodford Woodford where formerly Guido de Brient 9 A Baron a martial hero held a small castle where afterwards dwelt 10 Hugh Stafford Hol. But 't is an error Humphrey Stafford of Suthwick p By her it came immediately to Sir Edmund Cheney of Brook and by his daughter to Thomas Strangways which by a coheir of his fell as I have been told to T. Strangwaies Strangwaies a native of Lancashire 11 And brought hither by the first Marquess of Dorset who came to a fair estate in this country whose issue has built a very fine house at Milbery From hence it slows by Byndon call'd by the Saxons Beandun which likewise had its monastery where Kinegilse in the year 614 in a doubtful battel overcame the Britains i q In the reign of Heâ— 8. Some time since 't was the seat of the Lord of Marney now it gives the honorable title of Viscount 12 To the Lord Thomas Howard to Thomas Howard Knight of the Garter whose father nam'd Thomas second son of Thomas Howard the second Duke of Norfolk of that name Queen Elizabeth created Viscount Howard of Byndon Byndon when he r Her name was Elizabeth and that family came to have a Title to the Estate of the Newburrows by her Father John Lord Marney marrying the daughter and heir of Sir Roger Newburrow by marrying the daughter and heir of Baron Marney enter'd upon the great estate of the Newboroughs Newborough in these parts Those who are nam'd de Novoburgo commonly call'd Newborough derive their pedigree from the younger son of Henry Earl of Warwick the first of the Norman line and held here Winfrott with the whole Hundred by the gift of King Henry 1. by service of Chamberlain in chief of our Lord the King as it is in the Inquisition But I have read that in Edward 3's reign Grand Sergeanty it was held by Sergeanty by holding the bason for the King to wash on his Coronation-day Ralph Moien likewise held the next mannour of Owres by service of Sergeanty in the kitchin by the gift also of King Henry 1. Å¿ It is now in the hands of the Lord Stourton as being descended of William de Stourton who in the time of Richard 2. marry'd Elizabeth the daâ—ughter and afterwards heir of Sir John Moigne and R. de Welles the mannour of Welles adjoyning ever since the conquest of England by the service of being Baker But this by the by Where Frome dischargeth it self into that bay upon which Poole is seated about the mouth of it stands Warham Waâ—ham by the Saxons call'd Weareham very secure on all sides but westward being every way else surrounded by the river Trent Frome and the sea In Edward the Confessor's time as it is recorded in Domesday-book it had 148 houses in it and two mint-masters but in William the Conqueror's days there were but 70 houses computed Afterwards it re-flourish'd and was in its greatest prosperity fortify'd having a mint-office with walls quite round being full of inhabitants and a very strong castle which was built by William the Conqueror till Henry 2. came to the Crown 13 Who when he came to challenge the Crown of England in the year 1142. arriv'd here besieg'd and took the Castle which was defended by Robert Laâ—â—y against him in behalf of King Stephen and afterward Robert of Lincoln a man of mighty possessions in those parts defended the same against K. Stephen But c. but from that time suffering much by wars and the casualties of fire together with the sea 's robbing them of the haven it is almost run quite to ruine and the soil that was in the very heart of the ancient town produceth great quantities of garlick k The little river Trent likewise has it's mouth here styl'd so by Asser tho' the inhabitants call it now Piddle from whose northern bank scarce three miles off I saw the ruinous walls of an old Abby call'd Middleton Middleton which King Athelstan founded by way of atonement for taking away both his brother Edwin's life and Crown For when his active and soaring ambition after the government had debauch'd his principle of natural justice he put the poor
entertain'd a design to depose him For which after he was dead he was attainted of High Treason by Act of Parliament He being thus taken off the same King gave the title of Earl of Glocester to Thomas De-Spencer 38 In the right of his great Grandmother who a little while after met with no better fate than his great Grandfather 39 Sir Hugh Hugh had before him for he was prosecuted by Henry 4 and ignominiously degraded and beheaded at Bristol 40 By the Peoples fury Henry 5. created his brother Humphry the second Duke of Glocester who us'd to stile himself 41 In the first year of King Henry 6. as I have seen in an Instrument of his Humphrey by the Grace of God Son Brother and Uncie to Kings Luke of Glocester Earl of Hainault Holland Zeeland and Pembroke Lord of Friseland Great Chamberlain of the Kingdom of England Protector and Defender of the same Kingdom and Church of England Son Brother and Uncle of Kings Duke of Glocester Earl of Pembroke and Lord high Chamberlain of England He was a great Friend and Patron both of his Country and Learning but by the contrivance 42 Of a Woman of a woman he was taken off at St. Edmunds-Bury The third and last Duke was Richard the third brother to King Edward 4. who having inhumanly murther'd his Nephews usurp'd the Throne which within the space of two years he lost with his life in a pitcht battle and found by sad experience That an unsurped power unjustly gain'd is never lasting Richard 3. Concerning this last Duke of Glocester and his first entrance upon the Crown give me leave to act the part of an Historian for a while which I shall presently lay aside again as not being sufficiently qualify'd for such an undertaking When he was declared Protector of the Kingdom and had his two young nephews Edward 5. King of England and Richard Duke of York in his power he began to aim at the Crown and by a profuse liberality great gravity mixed with singular affability deep wisdom impartial Justice to all people joyned with other subtle devices he procured the affections of all and particularly gained the Lawyers on his side and so managed the matter that there was an humble Petition in the name of the Estates of the realm offer'd him in which they earnestly pray'd him That for the publick good of the Kingdom and safety of the People he would accept the Crown and thereby support his tottering Country and not suffer it to fall into utter ruin which without respect to the laws of Nature and those of the establish'd Government had been harrassed and perplexed with civil wars rapines murders and all other sorts of miseries ever since Edward 4. his brother being enchanted with love potions had contracted that unhappy march with Elizabeth Grey widow without the consent of Nobles or publication of Banns in a clandestine manner and not in the face of the Congregation contrary to the laudable custom of the Church of England And what was worse when he had pre-contracted himself to the Lady Eleanor Butler daughter to the Earl of Shrewsbury from whence it was apparent that his marriage was undoubtedly unlawful and that the issue proceeding thence must be illegitimate and not capable of inheriting the Crown Moreover since George Duke of Clarence second brother of Edward 4. was by Act of Parliament attainted of High Treason and his children excluded from all right of succession none could be ignorant that Richard remained the sole and undoubted heir of the kingdom who being born in England they well knew would seriously consult the good of his native Country and of whose birth and legitimacy there was not the least question or dispute whose wisdom also justice gallantry of mind and warlike exploits valiantly performed for the good of the Nation and the splendor of his noble extract as descended from the royal race of England France and Spain they were very well acquainted with and fully understood Wherefore having seriously considered again and again of these and many other reasons they did freely and voluntarily with an unanimous consent according to their Petition elect him to be their King and with prayers and tears out of the great confidence they had in him humbly besought him to accept of the Kingdom of England France and Ireland which were doubly his both by right of inheritance and election and that for the love which he bore to his native Country he would stretch forth his helping hand to save and protect it from impendent ruin Which if he performed they largely promis'd him all faith duty and allegiance otherwise they were resolv'd to endure the utmost extremity rather than suffer themselves to be brought into the bonds of a disgraceful slavery from which at present they were freed This humble Petition was presented to him before he accepted the Crown afterwards it was also offered in the great Council of the Nation and approved of and by their authority it was enacted and declared in a heap of words as the custom is That by the Laws of God Nature and of England and by a most laudable Custom Richard after a lawful Election Inauguration and Coronation was and is the true and undoubted King of England c. and that the inheritance of these Kingdoms rightfully belongs to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and to use the very words as they are penned in the original Records It was enacted decreed and declar'd by authority of Parliament that all and singular the Contents in the aforesaid Bill are true and undoubted and that the same our Lord the King with the assent of the three Estates of the Realm and the authority aforesaid doth pronounce decree and declare the same to be true and undoubted I have more largely explained these matters that it may be understood how far the power of a Prince pretended godliness subtle arguings of Lawyers flattering hope cowardly fear desire of new changes and specious pretences may prevail against all right and justice even upon the great and wise assembly of the Nation But the same cannot be said of this Richard as was of Galba That he had been thought fit for Empire had he not reigned for he seated in the Empire deceived all mens expectations but this had been most worthy of a Kingdom had he not aspired thereunto by wicked ways and means so that in the opinion of the wise he is to be reckon'd in the number of bad men but of good Princes But I must not forget that I am a Chorographer and so must lay aside the Historian There are in this County 280 Parishes ADDITIONS to GLOCESTERSHIRE a GLocestershire in Saxon Gleaƿceastre-scyre and Gleaƿcestre-scyre is said to be in length 60 miles in breadth 26 and in circumference 190. The Vineyards mention'd by our Author have nothing left in this County but the places nam'd from them one near Tewkesbury at present
they hanged him upon a tree 39 For in a reverent awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he died excommunicated To him succeeded his 2 sons 40 Geoffrey his son who was restored by Hen. 2. to his father's Honours and Estate for him and his heirs William who by his wife was also Earl of Albemarle Geoffrey and William both taken off without issue Afterwards K. John in consideration of a good sum of money 〈◊〉 Pierz 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—z-â—â—â—re promoted Geoffrey Fitz-Pierz L. Ch. Justice a very prudent and grave man to this dignity He had took to wife Beatrice eldest daughter to William de Say descended from the sister of Geoffrey de Magnavil first Earl of Essex A great mony'd man saith an old Author and very rich who with a round sum of money and many entreaties made his application to the Bishop of Ely the King's Justice and laid claim to this Earldom in right of his wife daughter of William brother to Geoffry de Say eldest son by an hereditary title Who admitted him into full seizin thereof and demanded the promis'd sum which he receiv'd within a little time to put into the King's Exchequer He being thus admitted and confirm'd by the King's Letters Patents held and possess'd this honour and receiv'd the Homage of those that held of him by Knight's service 41 And so was girt with the sword of the Earldom of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geoffrey Fiz-Petre was advanced to the high Estate of Justicer of England by King Richard 1. when he removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that office by the Pope's peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermeddle in secular affairs This place the said Geoffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisdom the Realm from that confusion which it after fell into by King John's unadvised carriage Geoffrey and William the two sons of this Geoffrey Fitz-Piers taking the sirname of Magnavil or Mandevil enjoy'd this honour The former of these 42 By his wife was Earl of Glocester also and c. died young Register of Walden-Abbey being unfortunately kill'd at a publick Tilting The other took part with Prince Lewis of France against King John and died without issue So that the honour now fell to 43 Their sisters son Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Constable of England For thus writes the Chronologer of Walton-Abbey In the year 1228. the 6th of the Ides of January William de Mandevil Earl of Essex died c. In the same year Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford the Constable of England espoused Maud daughter to Geoffrey Earl of Essex and so succeeded in that honour But from the Archives it is evident that Henry de Bohun father to this Humfrey married the said heiress And such a mistake might easily creep in for in the Writers of that age the Christian-names are only marked with great Letters as See the Earls of Hereford H. for Henry or Humfrey G. for Gilbert or Geoffrey c. Of this family the male heirs succeeded in the dignity of Earls of Hereford and Essex for several years whom I have already reckon'd up among the Earls of Hereford because they wrote themselves Earls of Hereford and Essex Eleanor eldest daughter to the last of the Bohuns given in marriage with the honour to Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester had by him one daughter Anne first married to Edmund Earl of Stafford from whom sprang the Dukes of Buckingham and then to 44 Sir William William Bourgchier to whom K. Henry 5. gave the County of Ewe in Normandy This last had by her a son of his own name advanced to the dignity of Earl of Essex by Edw. 4. 45 In regard he had married his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstock He was succeeded by another Henry his son's son who died in his old age by a fall from his horse leaving issue only one daughter Anne who being laid aside King Henry 8. that he might make new additions to his honours and preferments created Thomas Cromwell who had been his main assistant in baffling the Pope's authority at the same time Earl of Essex High Chamberlain of England and Knight of the Garter Before this for his extraordinary prudence he had made him Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Baron Cromwell of Okeham Vicar General to the King in spiritual concerns and Lord Keeper and all this in five years time But after five months enjoyment of his Earldom he like most great favourites in the State concluded his scene of life with a most tragical end losing his head for treason The same King promoted to the Earldom of Essex 46 Sir William William Par to whom he had given in marriage Anne the only daughter and heir of Henry Bourgchier But he too at last dying without issue Walter Devreux Viscount Hereford whose great grandmother was Cicely Bourgchier sister to Henry Bourgchier of whom we spoke but now receiv'd the honour of Earl of Essex by the favour of Queen Elizabeth and left it to his son Robert who being for his excellent natural endowments highly in favour with that admirable Princess sail'd with such a smooth and prosperous gale into honours and preferments as to make it the common hope and expectation of the Kingdom that he would equal if not exceed the greatest characters of his Ancestors But at last being carried away with vain ambition and popularity and endeavouring to get the start of his own hopes he hurried himself into a sad destruction As several persons who condemn slow methods though secure choose sudden ones to their utter ruin But his young son Robert was restor'd to full possession of his father's honour by authority of Parliament through the special favour of our present most Serene Soveraign King James There are reckoned in this County 415 Parish-Churches ADDITIONS to ESSEX a THE County of Essex is so bounded with waters that by the help of the Ocean on one side and Rivers on others it makes a Peninsula As to Viscountile Jurisdiction it seems formerly to have been annext to Hertfordshire for in the 8th of Edward 3. John de Cogshall was Sheriff of them both about which time also one Escheator discharg'd the office in both b Our Author begins with Waltham-forrest Waltham-forrest which might very well be call d as he observes the Forrest of Essex reaching formerly through this County as far as the Sea * Norden's Essex MS. as appeareth by Edward the Confessor's gift to one Randolph Peperkin It still is so large as to thrust it self out into a great many Hundreds c Near the Thames is Leyton Leyton where Mr. Camden is enclin'd to settle the Durolitum Durolitum of Antoninus though he professes himself altogether at a loss for the places mention'd hereabouts by the Ancients And 't is no wonder that
shillings 4 Prebendaries 6 Sextaries of honey and ‖ Ursum sex canes ad ursum a bear with 6 dogs to bait him Now it pays 70 pound by weight to the King a hundred shillings * De Gersuma as a fine to the Queen with an ambling Palfrey 20 pound †Blancas blank also to the Earl and 20 shillings fine by tale In the reign of William 1. this was the seat of a Civil war which Ralph Earl of the East-Angles rais'd against that King For after he had escap'd by flight his wife along with the Armorican Britains endur'd a close siege till for want of provisions she was forc'd to get off and quit her Country And at that time the City was so impair'd that as appears by the same Domesday there were scarce 560 Burgesses left in it Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury mentions this surrender in a Letter to King William in these words Your kingdom is purg'd from the infection of the Britains or Armoricans the Castle of Norwich is surrender'd and the Britains that were in it and had lands here in England upon granting them life and limb have took an oath to depart your Dominions within forty days and never to return more without your special licence From that time forward it began by little and little to recover it self out of this deluge of miseries and Bishop Herbert whose reputation had suffer'd much by Simoniacal practices translated the Episcopal See from Thetford hither He built a very beautiful Cathedral on the east and lower part of the City in a place till then call'd Cow-holme near the Castle the first stone whereof in the reign of William Rufus and year of our Lord 1096. he himself laid with this Inscription DOMINUS HERBERTUS POSUIT PRIMUM LAPIDEM IN NOMINE PATRIS FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI AMEN That is Lord Bishop Herbert laid the first stone in the name of the Father the Son and Holy Ghost Amen Afterwards he procur'd a Licence from Pope Paschal to confirm and establish it the mother-Church of Norfolk and Suffolk and endow'd it liberally with lands sufficient for the maintenance of 60 Monks who had their neat and curious Cloysters But these were remov'd and a Dean six Prebendaries with others put in their places After the Church thus built and an Episcopal See plac'd here it became a Town as Malmsbury has it famous for Merchandise and number of Inhabitants And in the 17th of King Stephen as we read in some ancient Records Norwich was built anew was a populous town and made a Corporation That King Stephen also granted it to his Son William for an Appennage as they call it or inheritance is very evident from the publick Records But Henry the second took it from him and held it himself notwithstanding Henry his Son the junior-Junior-King as they call'd him when he endeavour'd after the Crown had promis'd it in large terms to Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk whom he had drawn over to his party Bigod however adhering to the young King who could not over-rule his eager hopes of the Crown with Justice and Equity miserably harrass'd this City and is thought to have rebuilt that Castle on the high hill near the Cathedral within the City encompast with a trench of such vast depth that in those times it was lookt upon as impregnable But Lewis of France under whom the rebellious Barons had joyn'd against King John easily took it by siege The reason why I fancy Bigod repair'd the Castle is because I observ'd Lions saliant cut in a stone in the same manner as the Bigods formerly us'd them in their seals of whom tho' there was one that made use of a Cross And this was the condition of Norwich in its infancy But in the next age it increas'd mightily and abounded with wealthy Citizens who by a humble petition in Parliament desir'd liberty of Edward the first to wall their City round and afterwards accordingly did it to the great strength and ornament of it †They obtain'd of King Richard the second that the Worsted made there might be transported In the year 1403. they obtain'd leave of Henry the fourth instead of Bailiffs which they had before to elect a Mayor yearly and in the very heart of the City near the market-place built a most beautiful Town-house which on the set days are furnisht with all manner of provisions 'T is partly indebted to the Netherlands who after they could no longer endure the tyranny of the Duke of ‖ Albani Alva nor the bloody Inquisition setting up flockt hither in great numbers and first brought in the manufacture of * Of Saies Baies and other Stuffs now much in use light worsted stuffs ‖ Levidenâ—ium quorundam pannorum But why am I so long upon these matters when they are all with the History of the Bishops the succession of their Magistrates and the fury of that villanous rebel Kett against this City very elegantly describ'd by Alexander Nevil a person eminent both for birth and learning I will only add that in the year 1583. the Citizens by the help of * Instrumento Hydragogico an artificial Instrument convey'd water through pipes into the highest part of the City And here I could summon both Polydore Virgil the Italian and Angelus Capellus the Frenchman to answer before the Tribunal of venerable Antiquity how they come to affirm that our old Ordovices who liv'd almost under another Hemisphere inhabited this Norwich I could bring the same Action against our Country-man Caius but that I am satisfy'd 't was nothing but a natural love of his native Country that blinded the learned old man And I have nothing more to add about Norwich unless you have a mind to run over these verses made upon it by John Johnston a Scotchman Urbs speciosa situ nitidis pulcherrima tectis Grata peregrinis delitiosa suis Bellorum sedes trepido turbante tumultu Tristia Neustriaco sub duce damna tulit Victis dissidiis postquam caput ardua coelo Extulit immensis crevit opima opibus Cultus vincit opes cultum gratia rerum Quam benè si luxus non comitetur opes Omnia sic adeò sola haec sibi sufficit ut si Fo rs regno desit haec caput esse queat A town whose stately piles and happy seat Her Citizens and Strangers both delight Whose tedious siege and plunder made her bear In Norman troubles an unhappy share And feel the sad effects of dreadful war These storms o'reblown now blest with constant peace She saw her riches and her trade increase State here by wealth by beauty wealth 's out-done How blest if vain excess be yet unknown So fully is she from her self supply'd That England while she stands can never want an head From Norwich the river Yare with the increase of other waters that take the same name rowls on in a winding chanel and abounds with the fish call'd a
Ruffe A Râ—ffâ— and because the English by that word express the Latin Asperum De Râ—â—orum â—â—malium 〈◊〉 stâ—â—â— John Caius term'd it Aspredo For the body of it is all over rough 't is full of sharp finns loves sandy places and in shape and bigness is much like a Perch The colour of †Pâ—â—â—â—â—ma the back is a dark brown the * Pe◠〈◊〉 belly a palish yellow Along the jaws it is markt with a double semicircular line the upper half of the eye is a dark brown the under is yellowish like gold and the ball black 'T is particularly remarkable for a line drawn along the back like a cross thread ty'd to the body The tail and finns are all over spotted with black When 't is provok'd the sinns bristle up when quieted they lay flat and close It eats like a Perch and is particularly valu'd for its ‖ Fâ—â—â—â—â—tate tender shortness and wholesomness So soon as the Yare has pass'd Claxton where is a round Castle lately built by Sir Thomas Gawdy Kt. Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 13 It receiveth a brook which passeth by nothing memorable but Halles-hall and that only memorable for its ancient owner Sir James Hobart Attorney-General and of the Privy Council to King Henry the seventh by him dubb'd Knight at such time as he created Henry his son Prince of Wales who by building from the ground the fair Church at London being his Parish-Church St. Olave's bridge over Waveney that divideth Norfolk and Suffolk the Cawsey thereby and other works of piety deserv'd well of the Church his Country and the Common-weal and planted three houses out of his own issue out of the second whereof Sir Henry Hobart his great grandchild now likewise Attorney-General to King James is lineally descended and is now come just to the Sea it takes a turn to the South that it may descend more gently into the Sea by which means it makes a sort of little tongue or slip of Land washt on one side by it self on the other by the Sea In this slip upon an open shore I saw Yarmouth Yaâ—â—â—â—â— in Saxon Gar-muð and Jier-muð i.e. the mouth of the Garienis Gâ—râ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 a very neat harbour and town fortify'd both by the nature of the place and the contrivance of Art For though it be almost surrounded with water on the west with the river over which is a Draw-bridge and on other sides with the Sea except to the North where 't is joyn'd to the Continent yet is it fenc'd with strong stately walls which with the river figure it into an oblong quadrangle Besides the towers upon these there is a mole or mount to the East from whence the great Guns command the Sea scarce half a mile distant all round It has but one Church though very large and with a stately high spire built near the North-gate by Herbert Bishop of Norwich Below which the foundations of a noble Work design'd as an enlargement to this are rais'd above ground I dare not affirm that this was the old Gariononum where formerly the Stablesian Horse lay in garison against the Barbarians Nor yet the neighbouring little village Castor formerly the seat of Sir John Falstoff an eminent Knight 14 And now appertaining to the Pastans famous among the Inhabitants upon account of its antiquity though there is a report that the river Y are had another mouth just under it But as I am throughly convinc'd that the Garianonum Gâ—â—â—anâ—nâ—m was at Burgh-castle in Suffolk which is scarce two miles distant from the other side of the river so am I apt to think that Yarmouth rose out of its ruins and that that Castor was one of the Roman Castles plac'd also at a mouth of the river Y are now shut up For as the * Câ—â—â— North-west-wind plays the tyrant upon the coast of Holland over against this place e Of the nature of this wind Caurus and the injury it does all harbours that are expos'd to it see Somner's Pontus Iccius p. 53. and has stopt up the middle-mouth of the Rhine by heaping in Sands just so has the †Aquilo North-east plagu'd this coast and by sweeping up heaps of Sand seems to have stopt this Mouth Nor will it be any injury if I call this our Yarmouth so nearly joyn'd to the old Garianonum Garâ—anonum it self since the Garienis from whence it had the name has not chang'd its chanel and enters the Ocean below this town to which it hath also given its name For I cannot but own that this our Yarmouth is of later date For when that old Garianonum was gone to decay and there was none left to defend the shore Cerdick the warlike Saxon Câ—rdick the Sâ—â—on landed here from whence the place is call'd by the inhabitants at this day Cerdick-sand Cerdick-sand and by other Historians Cerdick-shore and when he had pester'd the Iceni with a troublesome war set sail from hence for the west where he settl'd the kingdom of the West-Saxons And not long after the Saxons instead of Garianonum built a new town in that moist watery field upon the west side of the river which they call'd Yarmouth But the situation of that proving unwholesom they march'd over to the other side of the river call'd then from the same Cerdick Cerdick-sand and there they built this new town wherein as Domesday-book has it there flourisht in the time of Edward the Confessor 70 Burgesses Afterwards about the year of our Lord 1340. the Citizens wall'd it round Gâ—â— Worceâ—ter and in a short time became so rich and powerful that they often engag'd their neighbours the Lestoffenses and the Portuenses so they call'd the inhabitants of the Cinque Ports in Sea-fights with great slaughter on both sides For they had a particular spight against them possibly upon this account because they were excluded out of the number and depriv'd of the Privileges of the Cinque-Ports which both the old Garianonum and their Ancestors under the Count of the Saxon-shore formerly enjoy'd But a stop was put to these extravagancies by the Royal Authority or as others think by the damp which that grievous plague brought upon them that in one year took 7000 Souls out of this little town as appears by an old Chronographical Table hung up in the Church which also gives an account of their wars with the Portuenses and the Lestoffenses From that time they grew low nor had they wealth sufficient to carry on their merchandise upon which they have betaken themselves mostly to the herring-trade for so they generally call them though the learned think them to be the Chalcides and the Leucomaenides a sort of fish that 's more plentiful upon this coast than any other part of the world Haleces For it seems incredible what a great and throng Fair is here at Michaelmas and what quantities of herring and other
fish are vended At which time the Cinque-Ports by an old custom appoint so many Bailiffs Commissioners to send hither who to speak out of their Diploma or Commission along with the Magistrates of the Town during the free Fair hold a Court for matters belonging to the Fair execute the King's justice and keep the King's peace The harbour underneath is of great advantage not only to the inhabitants but those of Norwich also and 't is an infinite charge they are at to keep it open against the violence of the Sea Which to do justice and make amends for what it has swallow'd up on this coast has here heap'd up Sands into a little Island k At this Mouth also another river call'd by some Thyrn Thyrn river empties it self along with the Yare It rises near Holt so call'd from the wood and noted for its market and running all along as it were perpendicularly with the Yare at about five miles distance goes by Blickling Blickling f Sir Edward Cleere sold it to Sir Henry Hobart Attorney General and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in the time of King James 1. whose great grandson Sir Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet now enjoys it now the seat of the ancient and famous family of Clere who liv'd formerly at Ormesby l and by Ailesham Ailesham a pretty populous market-town where formerly the Earl of Athol in Scotland was possess'd of Lands 15 Nor far from Worsted where as I read the Stuff Worsted in so great request among our Ancestors was first made and hence so nam'd as Dornicks Cameric Calecut c. had in like manner their denomination from the places where they were first invented and made then by the ruinous Monastery of Sr. Benedict de Hulmo commonly S. Benet S. Benets in the Holme i.e. in a river Island built by Canute the Dane and afterwards so fortify'd by the Monks with strong walls and bulwarks that it lookt more like a Castle than a Cloyster So that William the Conquerour could not possibly take it till a Monk betray'd it upon condition he should be made Abbot which he accordingly was But presently the new Abbot as the story goes among the inhabitants was by the King 's special order hang d for a Traitor and so was punisht answerably to his treachery The ground in this Island is so fenny that if you only cut the * Fibrae little strings and roots of the trees and shrubs that grow in it it swims upon the water and you may draw it after you whither you please And some conclude from the Cockles now and then dug up there that once the Sea broke in so far From hence the river glides on by Ludham Ludham a seat of the Bishops of Norwich then by Clipsby Clipsby which gave name to an ancient and eminent family in these parts and so presently joyns the Yare m From the Yare's mouth the shore runs in a manner directly northward to Winterton a little Promontory of note among the Sea-men which I fancy had that name given it from the winterly situation For it lyes open to the Sea that Parent of winds and cold which rushes violently against the banks rais'd on purpose to oppose it And yet the neighbouring fields all round are lookt upon by several to be the fattest and loosest in all England A soil very fat as requiring the least labour and bringing the largest increase For as Pliny says of Bizacium in Africa it may be plow'd with a horse of any sort and an old woman drawing against him From Winterton the shore presently turns westward giving back for a long way together and in a level without any considerable juttings out into the Sea as far as Eccles swallow'd up by the Ocean Then runs on though with a higher shore by Bronholme formerly a small Monastery endow'd by the Glanvils seated upon a high hill the Cross whereof was by our Ancestors had in mighty veneration 16 Next is Paston a small Townlet which yet hath given sirname to a family grown great both in estate and alliance since they match'd with the heiress of Beary and Maultbye So Holland The right name is Barry for Sir William Paston the Judge marry'd Agnes daughter and coheir of Sir Edward Barry Knight And not far from Gimmingham Gimmingham which among other manours J. Earl of Warren and Surrey formerly gave to Thomas Earl of Lancaster n So along by Cromer where the Inhabitants at great expence endeavour'd to maintain a †Cothonem little harbour against the violence of the Sea but all in vain it runs to Wauburnehope a creek not long since fortify'd so call'd from the little town of Wauburne Wauburne to which King Edward the second granted a Market and Fair at the instance of Oliver de Bourdeaux Next to this is Clay and over against it on the other bank of the little river Blakeney Blackney call'd by our Countryman Bale Nigeria a famous College of Carmelite Friers in the last age built by 17 Sir Robert Robert de Roos 18 Sir Robert Robert Bacon and J. Brett It bred John Baconthorp John Baconthorp nam'd from the place of his birth now the seat of the Heydons Knights a man in that age of so universal and so profound Learning that he was highly admir'd by the Italians and went commonly by the name of the Resolute Doctor Doctor Resolutus Whereupon Paulus Pansa writes thus of him If your inclinations lead you to search into the nature of Almighty God no one has writ more accurately upon his Essence If one has a mind to search into the causes of things the effects of nature the various motions of the heavens and the contrary qualities of the elements here he 's presented with a Magazine This one Resolute Doctor has furnisht the Christian Religion with armour against the Jews stronger than any of Vulcan's c. From Wauburne to the little Promontory of S. Edmund the coast lyes lower cut and parted by many rivulets and secur'd against the incursion of the Sea with Sand-heaps call'd g They are so call'd says Spelman from the Swedish and German mul signifying dust Meales Meales or Mieles not without great difficulty Scarce four miles more inward is Walsingham Walsingham which from the nearness of the Sea Erasmus calls Parathalassa This little town is noted at present for producing the best Saffron but was lately famous through England for Pilgrimages to the Virgin Mary For in the last age whoever had not made a visit and a present to the Blessed Virgin of this place was lookt upon as impious and irreligious But take the description of it from Erasmus who was an eye-witness Not far from the sea at almost four miles distance there is a village in a manner entirely maintain'd by the great resort of Travellers There is a College of Canons call'd by the
Grey afterwards Marquess of Dorset held this honour a little while It is evident from the Records that William Herbert Earl of Pembroke again brought in the Charter of Creation whereby his father was made Earl of Pembroke into the Chancery to be cancelled and that Edward the fourth created him Earl of Huntingdon in the seventeenth year of his reign But in the memory of our fathers Henry the eighth settled this honour upon George Lord Hastings But Francis Lord Hastings his son dying in his life-time this honour descended to Henry his son a truly honourable person both for Nobility and Piety he dying without heirs his brother George succeeded him whose grandchild by a son Henry enjoys the honour at this day This little Shire contains 78 Parishes ADDITIONS to HVNTINGDONSHIRE a HUntingdonshire call'd in * Annal. p. â—â—1 l. 1. p. 147. l 36. Saxon huntandunescyre and by later Writers Huntedunescire and Huntyngdonschyre is of very small extent scarce stretching out it self 20 miles tho' measur'd to the best advantage †â—â—eeâ— fâ—â—m â—ir R b. Cottâ—n It has been an observation upon this County that the families of it have been so worn out that tho' it has been very rich in Gentry yet but few Sirnames of any note are remaining which can be drawn down beyond the reign of the last Henry The cause of such decay in places nearer London is plain enough viz. the many temptations to luxury and high living and the great wealth of Merchants always ready to supply their extravagance with money till the whole be run out But this cannot hold here so that we must see whether a reason brought by a later Author will not solve it viz. That most of the County being Abby-land upon the Dissolution many new Purchasers planted themselves herein and perhaps their new possessions might have the same fate that Church-revenues have had in other places where they fell into Lay-hands b Our Author observes that it was all Forest till the time of Henry the second But if we may believe Sir Robert Cotton who sent the account to Speed and had himself design'd a History of the County this was never fully effected till the time of Edward 1. For Henry 2. did pretend to enfranchise his subjects of this Shire from servitude of his beasts except Wabridge Saple and Herthy his own Demains But such were the encroachments of the succeeding Reigns that the poor inhabitants were forc'd to petition for redress which was granted them by the great Charter of Henry 3. Only his son resum'd the fruits of his father's kindness till in the 29th year of his reign he confirm'd the former Charter and left no more of this shire Forest than what was his own ground The government of the County is very peculiar Cambridgeshire in the Civil administration being joyn'd to it so that there is but one High-sheriff for both Shires He is one year chosen out of Cambridgeshire out of the Isle of Ely a second and a third out of this Shire In the Isle of Ely he is one time chosen out of the north part and out of the south another c It 's chief town is Huntingdon Huntingdon in Saxon huntandune huntendune huntenduneport which appears formerly to have been a flourishing town reckoning no less than 15 Churches tho' in our Author's time they were reduc'd to four and of these the zeal of the late times only left two The cause of this decay seems to have been the ‖ Cotton in Speed alteration made in the river by Grey a Minion of the time as my Author calls him who procur'd the passage of it to be stop'd whereas before to the great advantage of the Inhabitants it was navigable as far as this town King John granted it by Charter a peculiar Coroner profit by Toll and Custom a Recorder Town-Clerk and two Bailiffs but at present it is incorporated by the name of a Mayor twelve Aldermen and Burgesses d Its neighbour Goodmanchester Goodmanchester probably by the methods our Author mentions grew so wealthy and considerable that in the reign of King James 1. it was incorporated by the name of two Bailiffs twelve Assistants and commonalty of the Burrough of Goodmanchester e Lower down upon the river is St. Ives St. Ives which a late Writer calls a fair large and ancient town with a fine Stone-bridge over the Ouse But within these three or four years it was a great part of it burnt down and whether it have so far recover'd it self as to merit that character at present I know not f Between Ramsey and Peterborrow our Author observes that King Canutus made a large Cawsey call'd by our Historians Kingsdelfe Kingsdelf But whatever way our Authors mark out by that name 't is certain they cannot mean Canutus's road for the name Kingsdelf or Cingesdaelf in those parts appears upon Record before Canutus's time I mean in the reign of King Edgar who in his Charter to the Church of Peterburrow * Chron. Sax. p. 119. lin 18. makes this Cingesdaelf one of the bounds of his Donation Besides the daelf will not answer a via constrata lapidibus or pav'd way but seems rather to mark out to us some ditch drawn at first for the draining those fenny grounds and reducing the waters into one chanel g On the west side of this County is Kimbolton Kimbolton which our Author says in his time was the seat of the Wingfields It has since pass'd from them by sale to the Mountagues and Henry Earl of Manchester of that name very much improv'd the Castle sparing no cost that might add to its beauty †Lel. Itin. MS. vol. 1. It was Sir Richard Wingfield who built new Lodgings and Galleries upon the old foundations of this Castle which was double ditch'd and the building of it very strong Here is at present a pretty fair town seated in a bottom which gives the title of Baron to the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester h Leighton Leighton mention'd by our Author to be the seat of the Cliftons is now the Lady Butler's daughter and heir to the late Richard Earl of Arran who had it in marriage with the sole daughter of James Duke of Richmond as this Duke had by the Lord Clifton's Continuation of the EARLS Henry the last Earl mention'd by our Author had by Elizabeth daughter and coheir to Ferdinando Earl of Derby Ferdinando Earl of Huntingdon father to Theophilus the seventh Earl of that name who was Captain of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners Privy-Councellor to King Charles 2. and King James by whom he was made chief Justice in Eyre of all the Forests south of Trent as also Lieutenant of the Counties of Leicester and Derby His son and heir apparent is George Lord Hastings I have not as yet observed any Plants peculiar to this County the more rare being common to it with Cambridgeshire NORTHAMPTON SHIRE by Rob t
Nobâ—â—â— with Vincent's Corections p. 471. Dugd Baâ—â—â— T. 1. p. 334. f Upon the death of Edward Earl of Shrewsbury Febr. 7. 1617 the last heir-male of John the third Earl of this family the honour came to the house of Grafton now the seat of Charles Earl of Shrewsbury who is the next lineal heir of this Sir Gilbert Talbot mention'd by our Author g From hence this river goes to Droitwich or Durtwich Durtwich the original whereof says our Author may bear some analogy to the Hyetus in Boeotia from its dirty soil And indeed Stephanus Byzantius in his book De Urbibus under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentions this reason of the name * See 〈◊〉 saâ—â—â— Nevertheless it is more probable that this town in Boeotia deriv'd its name from Hyettus an exile from Argos who fix'd here for the Greek name is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h Here says Mr. Camden arise three springs of brine and indeed at present there are only three but anciently as late as King Henry the seventh there were five They do not observe the seasons of wealling which our Author mentions nor do they at any time leave off because the brine is too weak to make salt for the springs yield strong brine all the year round but only when they judge the quantity of salt made sufficient to serve their markets which they are careful not to overstock They now burn coal and not wood in their Seales The town it self is very wealthy it had great privileges granted it by King John whose Charter they have to shew at this day They were also much favour'd by his son King Henr. 3. and other Princes particularly in this present Century K. James 1. in the 22d year of his reign granted them a Charter The Borough is govern'd by two Bailiffs and a certain number of Burgesses they send also two Members to Parliament i As to the Bullions of salt mention'd by Mr. Camden in his quotation from Domesday what proportion that is I cannot determine Monsieur du Cange in his Glossary contents himself to say in general that 't is a measure of Salt I am apt to think 't is the same with Bullitiones in Domesday-book where an account is given of the rent of eight fats belonging to the King and Earl at Nantwich which paid every Friday 16 Bullitiones See Sir Peter Leicester's Antiquities p. 427. Where it follows that 15 of these made unam summam one seam or horse-load or 8 bushels Spelm. Gloss in Summa And in Monast Angl. tom 2. p. 256. col 2. four sums are said to contain 40 bullions which I conceive to be Barrows the size whereof hath been different at different places and times k A little below the Saltwarp joyns it self to the Severn and goes along with it to Worcester Worcestâ—â—â— * Burtoâ— Antoniâ— Iâ—inerat p. 252. whose original is referr'd by John Rous of Warwick to King Constantius I suppose he means Chlorus As to the British name of the place Mr. Burton thinks our Author mistaken when he names it out of Ninnius Caer Guorangon and Guorcon perhaps as to the latter he is which Arch-bishop Usher judgeth to be either Warwick or Wroxeter in Shropshire but as to Caer Guorangon * Primâ—â— Eccles c. 5. the learned Primate agrees with Mr. Camden The conjecture of those who derive the name Wireceaster from Wyre-forest is very groundless for that forest lies near twelve miles from the city and as much in Shropshire as in this County Doubtless Wirecester is a contraction of Wigora or Wigra-cester as 't was call'd in the days of the Conquerour and his sons And Wigracester it self seems to be a contraction of Wic-para-cester i.e. the city of the men of Wiccia just as Canterbury is of Cant-para-byrig i.e. the burrough of the men of Kent The difference in writing Weogora Weogorena Weogorna and Wigra-cester is of no moment for our Saxon-Ancestors used eo and i indifferently as Beorhtpald Birhtpald Weohstan Wihstan so Weogora Wiogora and Wigra-cester And the difference in termination is as little material for as here we have Weogora and Weogorena-cester so in Bede we have Cantpara and Cantparena byrig The present name Worcester is either form'd from Wircester by the change of one vowel or else by contracting and melting the g in Weogorcester 〈…〉 â—â—orâ—â—â—er The name Wigornia is made like Cantuaria by softening the termination after the mode of the Latins Florentius who dy'd above 60 years before Joseph of Exeter dedicating his book to Baldwin us'd the name Wigornia so that Joseph tho' he might be as Mr. Camden hath it one of the first yet he was not as some * â—â—â—on's â—â—â—ent 〈◊〉 Antoâ—â— p. 252 others will have him the first writer who call'd this city by that name l Our Author mentioning the expulsion of Secular Priests notes in the margin A. D. 964. which is the date of King Eadgar's Charter in the Church of Worcester This date tho' very nicely particular having the Indiction the year of the King the day of the month and the week is nevertheless manifestly false For Florentius the Annals of Worcester and other monuments with one consent fix the expulsion of the Secular Priests in the year 969. and some of them add that Winsius was created Prior in the year 971. which Winsius is in the body of this Charter mention'd as then actually Prior so that 964 cannot be the true date †〈…〉 p. 〈◊〉 5â—2 〈◊〉 m Mr. Camden is very particular in recounting the calamities of this city amongst which we may very well reckon the plunder thereof by the Cromwellians after Worcester-fight 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Brit. 〈…〉 Sept. 3. 1651. wherein the Army consisting mostly of Scots who endeavour'd to re-inthrone King Charles the second being routed that Prince was wonderfully conceal'd till he could make his escape into France n He next gives us in short the civil Administration of the city but since that time by virtue of a Charter of King James 1. dated Octob. 2. in the 19th year of his reign this City is govern'd by a Mayor and six Aldermen who are Justices of the Peace these Aldermen are chosen out of the 24 capital Citizens a Sheriff usually chosen out of the said 24 likewise a Common-Council consisting of 48 other Citizens out of which number there are annually elected the two Chamberlains They have also a Recorder a Town-Clerk two Coroners c. The City is a County of it self o Between Worcester and Speechley on a rising ground is probably the old Oswald's-Law which ‖ â—â—â—d's 〈…〉 p. 434. Sir Henry Spelman says signifies as much as Lex Oswaldi and intimates the Constitution for expelling married Priests and is follow'd in that opinion by other learned men But it must be observ'd that in ancient writings it is not Oswaldes laga but law which signifieth a knap or little-hill and Edgar's Charter gives
bridge over this Wash the Record making the Pons de Pontefract to be near Bubwith-houses hard by and there appearing no necessity of a bridge in any other part of the town it follows that the bridge which was broken must have been here And the occasion of it being no doubt very considerable it was natural enough for the Norman Lords who knew what numbers of places took their name from Bridges in their own country to lay hold upon this opportunity of changing the name especially when that former one of Kirkby upon the building of more Churches round it grew less emphatical and less distinguishing Whether the Castle was first built by Alric the Saxon or by Hildebert does not appear Monast Angl. vol. 2. In the history of the Lacies indeed the latter is said to have caus'd a Chapel to be erected in the Castle of Pontfract which he had built But since it 's being demolish'd of late years among several others throughout England 't is observ'd that the round-tower stood upon a rais'd hill of very hard stiff clay which looks as if it had been of those sort of fortifications the Saxons call'd Keeps and might from a fortification of earth be built of stone by the said Hildebert w Next is Shirburn Shirburn now chiefly famous for the benefaction of Robert Hungale Esquire a most zealous Protestant who by Will ordain'd the erection of an Hospital and School with convenient Lodgings c. for 24 Orphans who have each 5 l. per an allow'd for their maintenance there from 7 to 15 years of age and then a provision for binding them Apprentices or sending them to the University which with 30 l. per an to the Master who is also to catechize them 20 marks for the Usher and as much to a man and his wife for making suitable provisions of meat and apparel for the Orphans and 40 marks per an for 4 poor scholars in S. John's Coll. Cambridge c. amounts to 250 l. per an x Not far from hence is Haslewood Haslewood which has a pleasant prospect the two Cathedrals of York and Lincoln 60 miles asunder may thence be discover'd The Country within 10 miles Dr. Tonstal Bishop of Durham affirm'd to King Hen. 8. when he made his progress to York An. 1548. to be the richest valley that ever he found in all his travels through Europe there being 165 manour-houses of Lords Knights and Gentlemen of the best quality 275 several woods whereof some contain 500 acres 32 parks and 2 chases of deer 120 rivers and brooks whereof 5 are navigable well-stor'd with Salmon and other fish 76 water-mills for corn 25 cole-mines 3 forges for making of iron and stone enough for the same within those limits also as much sport and pleasure for hunting hawking fishing and fowling as in any place of England besides y The river Wherf is the next in this Riding upon the banks of it stands Burnsall Burnsall where Sir William Craven not only built a School but endow'd it He built also a Church there and encompass'd it with a wall that cost 600 l. He built in all four Bridges one of which cost 500 l. another 250 l. and a Cause-way that cost 200 l. He gave 1000 l. to Christ's Hospital in London and the Royalties of Creek with the perpetual donation of the Parsonage to St. John's College in Oxford William his eldest Son much affecting Military Discipline was sent to the wars of Germany under Gustavus Adolphus the famous King of Sweden and after into the Netherlands under Henry Prince of Orange by King Charles 1. who also advanc'd him to the dignity of a Baron by the title of Lord Craven of Hamsted and 16 Car. 2. he was dignify'd with the title of Viscount Craven of Uffington in Berkshire and Earl of Craven in Yorkshire z The Wherf goes from hence to Bolton Bolton now honour'd by giving title of Duke to the Right Noble Charles Pawlet Marquiss of Winchester and Duke of Bolton aa Next to Ilkley Ilkley which Mr. Camden proves from an Altar to have been the Seat of the second Cohort of the Lingones but it seems rather to have been that of the first Cohort the last line of that Inscription being not II LINGON but P. LINGON in the original as appears from Mr. John Thoresby's Papers late of Leeds an eminent Antiquary who accurately transcrib'd it being very critical in his observations upon Inscriptions and original coins of which he had a valuable Collection besides his own having purchas'd those of the Reverend Mr. Stonehouse and the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax This Musaeum is very much improv'd and still growing by the curiosity and industry of Mr. Ralph Thoresby an excellent Antiquary who has a great variety of Manuscripts with other Curiosities and possibly the best Collection of Coyns particularly Roman and Saxon that is in the Kingdom The original Altar mention'd by Mr. Camden is remov'd to Stubham Stubham the new one erected at Ilkley has this Inscription added upon the Reverse GVILM MIDLETON ARM ME FECIT AD IMAGINEM ANTI QVISS LAPIDIS HIC REPERTI 1608. bb At some distance from hence is Bramhope Bramhope the Seat of the ancient family of the Dinelys of which Robert Dinely Esq lately deceas'd in a good old age having seen four generations of most of the neighbouring nobility and gentry erected a Chapel with a competent endowment cc And upon the Wherf is Harewood-castle Harewood-Castle reduc'd to a skeleton in the late Civil-wars In the Church are several curious Monuments for the owners of it and the Gascoyns of whom the famous Judge Sir William Gascoyne is the most memorable for committing the Prince afterwards King Henry 5. prisoner to the King's Bench till his Father's pleasure was known who being inform'd of it gave God thanks that at the same instant had given him a Judge who could administer and a son who could obeâ— justice He was made Judge A. D. 1401. and dy'd 17 Dec. 1412. as appears by their Pedigree curiously drawn by that accomplish'd Antiquary Mr. Richard Gascoyne and is the rather mention'd because most Histories are either deficient or mistaken therein dd Thence Wherf passeth by Wighill Wighill the Seat of an ancient family of the Stapletons of which Sir Robert being Sheriff 23 Eliz. met the Judges with sevenscore men in suitable Liveries For a person well-spoken comely and skill'd in the Languages he had scarce an equal except Sir Philip Sidney and no superiour in England Not far from it is Helaugh-manour Helaugh manoâ—â— which belongs to the honourable and ancient family of the Whartons in the Church whereof is the Monument of Sir Thomas Wharton Lord Warden of the West-marches who gave so great a defeat to the Scots at Solemn-moss A. 1542. Nov. 24. that their King James the fifth soon after dy'd for grief With 300. men he not only defeated their Army but took
as his right in Parliament against Henry the sixth Rolls â— 6. as being son of Ann Mortimer sister and heir to Edmund Earl of March descended in a right line from Philippa the daughter and sole heir of Leonel Duke of Clarence third son of King Edward the third and therefore in all justice to be preferred in the succession to the Crown before the children of John of Gaunt the fourth son of the said Edward the third When it was answer'd him That the Barons of the Kingdom and the Duke himself had sworn Allegiance to the King that the Kingdom by Act of Parliament was conferr'd and entail'd upon Henry the fourth and his heirs that the Duke deriving his title from the Duke of Clarence never took the Arms of the said Duke and that Henry the fourth was possess'd of the Crown by the right he had from Henry the third All this he easily evaded by replying that the said Oath sworn to the King being barely a human Constitution was not binding because it was inconsistent with truth and justice which are of Divine appointment That there had been no need of an Act of Parliament to settle the Kingdom in the line of Lancaster neither would they have desired it if they could have rely'd upon any just title and as for the Arms of the Duke of Clarence which in right belonged to him he had in prudence declin'd the using them as he had done challenging the Kingdom till that moment and that the title derived from Henry the third was a ridiculous pretext to cloak the injustice and exploded by every body Tho' these things pleaded in favour of the Duke of York shew'd his title to be clear and evident yet by a wise foresight to prevent the dangers that might ensue upon it the matter was so adjusted That Henry the sixth should possess and enjoy the Kingdom for life and that Richard Duke of York should be appointed his heir and successor in the Kingdom 10 He and his heirs to succeed after him with this proviso that neither of them should contrive any thing to the prejudice of the other However this heady Duke was quickly so far transported with ambition that by endeavouring to anticipate his hopes he raised that pernicious war between the Houses of York and Lancaster Wars between the House of York and Lancaster or between the Red-rose and the white distinguish'd by the white and the red Roses Which in a short time prov'd fatal to himself at Wakefield King Henry the sixth was four times taken prisoner and at last deprived of his Kingdom and his Life Edward Earl of March son of Richard then obtain'd the Crown and tho' he was deposed yet he recover'd it thus Fortune inconstant and freakish made her sport with the rise and fall of Princes many of the Blood-royal and of the greatest of the Nobility being cut off those hereditary and rich Provinces of the Kings of England in France being lost Ireland neglected and relapsed to their old wildness the wealth of the Nation wasted and the harass'd people oppress'd with all sorts of misery Edward being now settled in his Throne the fourth King of that name bestow'd the title of Duke of York upon Richard his second son who with the King his brother was destroy'd very young by that Tyrant Richard their Uncle Next Henry the seventh conferr'd it upon his younger son who was afterwards by the name of Henry the eighth crown'd King of England And now very lately King James invested his second son Charles whom he had before in Scotland made Duke of Albany Marquis of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron Ardmanoch 11 A little child not full four years of age tho' but a child Duke of York by girding him with a Sword to use the words of the form putting a Cap and Coronet of Gold upon his head and by delivering him a Verge of Gold after he had the day before according to the usual manner created both him and eleven others of noble families Knights of the Bath There are in this County 459 Parishes with very many Chapels under them which for number of Inhabitants are comparable to great Parishes RICHMONDSHIRE THE rest of this County which lyes towards the North-west and is of large extent is call'd Richmondshire or Richmountshire The name is taken from a Castle built by Alan Earl of Bretagne in Armorica to whom William the Norman Conquerour gave this shire which belong'd to Edwin an English-man by this short Charter I William sirnam'd Bastard King of England do give and grant to you my Nephew Alan Earl of Bretagne and to your heirs for ever all the villages and lands which of late belong'd to Earl Eadwin in Yorkshire with the Knights-fees and other Liberties and Customs as freely and honourably as the same Eadwin held them Dated from our Siege before York With craggy Rocks and vast Mountains this shire lyes almost all high the sides of them here and there yield pretty rank grass the bottoms and valleys are not altogether unfruitful The hills afford great store of Lead Pit-Coal and also Brass Brass Lead and Pit-coal In a Charter of Edward the fourth's there is mention'd a Mineral or Mine of Coper near the very City of Richmond But covetousness which carries men even to Hell has not induced them to sink into these Mountains diverted perhaps by the difficulties of carriage On the tops of these Mountains Stone-cockles as likewise in other places there have sometimes been found stones resembling Sea cokcles and other Water-animals which if they are not the Miracles of Nature I cannot but think with Orosius a Christian Historian tâ—at they are the certain signs of an universal deluge in the times of Noah The Sea as he says being in Noah's time spread over all the earth and a deluge pour'd forth upon it so that this whole world was overfloated and the Sea as heaven surrounded the earth all mankind was destroyed but only those few saved in the ark for their faith to propagate posterity as is evidently taught by the most faithful Writers That this was so they have also been witnesses who knowing neither past times nor the Author of them yet from the signs and import of those stones which we often find on mountains distant from the sea but overspread with cockles and oysters yea oftentimes hollow'd by the water have learn'd it by conjecture and inference k Where this Shire touches upon the County of Lancaster the prospect among the hills is so wild solitary so unsightly and all things so still that the borderers have call'd some brooks that run here Hell becks Hell beâ—ks that is to say Hell or Stygian rivulets especially that at the head of the river Ure which with a bridge over it of one entire stone falls so deep that it strikes a horror upon one to look down to it Here is safe living in this tract for goats deer and stags which
a THat the great opinion our Ancestors had of the Sanctity of St. Cuthbert was the occasion of their munificence to his Church our Histories informs us and 〈◊〉 is very evident from our Author But he seems to have given him more than ever was bestow'd when he tells us that King Egfrid gave him large Revenues in York For his Charter be it true or counterfeit mentions no such thing Simeon Dunelmensis indeed or rather Abbot Turgot tells us that Creac was given him by this King Ut haberet Eboracum iens vel inde rediens mansionem ubi requiescere posset But this only intimates that St. Cuthbert might have frequent occasions to travel to York probably to attend the Court which the Historian supposes to have been most commonly resident in that City b Nor can we properly say that Guthrun the Dane whom our Historians call also Guthredus Cuthredus Gormo and Gurmundus was Lieutenant to the great King Aelfred in the Kingdom of Northumberland any more than Aelfred was his Deputy in that of the West-Saxons For they two by compact divided the whole Kingdom betwixt them and joyntly enacted Laws which were to be mutually observ'd both by the English and Danes And hence some Monks have taken occasion to unite them falsly in granting Charters to Monasteries c. c What vast Privileges and Immunities this Church had by the Liberality of Princes we may learn in general from Mr. Camden but may have a more particular view by the help of some observations upon that Head extracted for me by Mr. Rudd Schoolmaster of Durham out of the posthumous Papers of Mr. Mickleton who had made large Collections in order to the Antiquities of this County It 's probable the Bishops were Counts Palatine before the Conquest it appears at least they were so in the Conquerour's time Their power was formerly very great till part of it was taken away by the Statute of Henry 8. It was a common saying that Quicquid Rex habet extra Comitatum Dunelmensem Episcopus habet intrà nisi aliqua sit concessio aut praescriptio in contrarium They had power to levy Taxes and make Truces with the Scots to raise defensible persons within the Bishoprick from 16 to 60 years of age They had power also to make Barons who as well as their vassals were bound to come to their Palace to advise them and to give them observance and obedience in their Courts And altho' the Canons forbid any Clergyman to be present when judgment of blood is given the Bishops of Durham did and may sit in Court in their Purple-robes in giving judgment of death Hence the saying Solum Dunelmense judicat stola ense They had a Mint and power to coyn money The Courts which in other places are held in the King's name were till the Statute of Henry 8. held here in the Bishop's till which time he could make Justices of Assizes of Oyer and Terminer and of the Peace and all Writs went out in his name All Recognizances entred upon his Close-Rolls in his Chancery and made to him or in his name were as valid within the County as those made to the King without He could exempt men from appearing at the Assizes and being Jurors He had a Register of Writs of as much authority as that in the King's Courts He hath yet his Court of Chancery Common-Pleas and County Court and Copyhold or Halmot Court A great part of the Land in the County is held of him as Lord Paramount in Capite All the Moors and Wastes in the County to which no other can make title belong to him which could not be enclos'd without his grant Neither could Freehold Lands be alienated without his leave they that did so were oblig'd to sue to him for his Patent of Pardon He pardon'd intrusions trespasses c. He had villains or bondmen whom he manumitted when he pleas'd The Lands Goods and Chattels of those that committed Treason are forfeited to the Bishop All forfeitures upon Outlawries or Felonies belong to him He could pardon Felonies Rapes Trespasses and other Misprisions He had the fruits of Tenures by Wardships Marriages Liveries Primier-seizins Ouster le mains c. He gave licence to build Chapels found Chantries and Hospitals made Burroughs and Incorporations Markets Fairs c. He created several Officers by Patent either quamdiu se bene gesserint quamdiu Episcopo placuerit or for life or lives viz. his Temporal Chancellor Constable of the Castle of Durham Great Chamberlain Under-Chamberlain Secretary Steward Treasurer and Comptroller of his Houshold Steward and Under-steward of the Manours or Halmot Courts Sheriff Protonotary Clerk of the Chancery Crown and Peace several Keepers of the Rolls belonging to their respective Offices Registers and Examiners in Chancery Clerk of the County Court Stewards of Burrough-Courts Escheators Feodaries Auditors and Under-Auditors Clerks of the Receipt of the Exchequer Supervisors of Lordships Castles Mines of Coal Lead and Iron Coroners Conservators of Rivers and Waters Officers of the Marshalsea or Clerks of the Market of Cities Burroughs and Towns Keepers of his Seal of Ulnage and of his Wardrobe and Harness But none of his Patents are valid any longer than the Bishop's life that gives them unless they be confirm'd by the Dean and Chapter He had several Forests Chaces Parks Woods where he had his Foresters who kept Courts in his name and determin'd matters relating to the Forests c. or the Tenants of them Parkers Rangers Pale-keepers He was Lord Admiral of the Seas and Waters within the County Palatine had his Vice-Admirals and Courts of Admiralty Judges Registers Examiners c. Officers of Beaconage Anchorage c. he awarded Commissions to regulate waters and passage of waters There have been several contests betwixt the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Durham about Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction the one attempting to exercise his Archiepiscopal jurisdiction in this Diocese the other claiming a peculiar immunity Walter Gray Archbishop profferr'd the Archdeacon of Durham the guariandship of Stanhop-Church but he refus'd to accept it as having it before in his own or the Bishop's right Another Archbishop coming to visit the Priory when the Bishop was absent at Rome was forc'd to take Sanctuary in St. Nicholas Church as he was afterwards upon another attempt of the same nature and when he was going to excommunicate them in his Sermon was in danger of being kill'd if he had not escap'd out of the Church one of his Attendants lost an ear This distinct mention of Condati would tempt us to believe that this was the ancient Condate which Mr. Camden places in Cheshire Which opinion one may close with the more freely because nothing at least that he has told us of induc'd him to settle it at Congleton beside the affinity of names e North from hence is Heighington Heighington in Darlington-ward where Elizabeth Penyson founded a School in the 43d of Queen Elizabeth to which Edward
Gareock and Strath-Bogie-Land A small part of Buchan Strathdovern Boyn Einzie Strath Awin and Balvenie The East part of Murray The West part of Murray Badenoch Lochabir and the south part of Ross A small part of Ross lying on the south side of Cromartie-Frith The rest of Ross with the Isles of Sky Lewis and Herris Sutherland and Strathnavern Cathness Beside the Stewartries mentioned by our Author there is that of Orkney which contains all the Isles of Orkney and Zetland The Constabularie of Hadington contains East-Lothian To pursue Mr. Camden's method in his general Description of England it will be necessary to give a scheme of the bounds and extent of the several Dioceses of this kingdom Diocese of St. Andrews Glasgow Edinburgh Dunkeld Aberdeen Murray Brichin Dumblam Ross Cathness Orkney Galloway Argile The Isles Contains Part of Perthshire and part of Angus and Mernes The shires of Dunbarton Ranfrew Air Lanerick part of the shires of Roxburgh Dumfreis Peebles and Selkirk The shires of Edinburgh Linlithgow part of Strivelingshire Berwick-shire the Constabularie of Hadington and Bailery of Lauderdale The most part of Perthshire part of Angus and part of West-Lothian Most part of Bams-shire and part of Mernis The shires of Elgin Nairn and part of Inverness and Bamf-shire Part of Angus and Mernis Part of Perth and Striveling-shires The shire of Tain Cromertie and the greatest part of Inverness-shire Cathness and Sutherland All the Northern Isles of Orkney and Zetland The shire of Wigton the Stewartrie of Kircudbright the Regality of Glentrurie and part of Dumfries-shire Argile Lorn Kintyre and Lohaber with some of the West Isles Most of the west Isles Under this Constitution the Government was thus 1. In every Parish the cognizance of some scandals belong'd to the Session a Judicature compos'd of the greatest and worthiest persons in each parish where the Minister presided ex officio 2. But if the Case prov'd too intricate it was referred to the Presbyterie a superior Judicature consisting of a certain number of Ministers between 12 and 20 who met almost every fortnight The Moderator herein was nam'd by the Bishop and besides the censures they inflicted 't was by them that such as enter'd into Orders were solemnly examined The Presbyteries are these that follow Dunce Chernside Kelso Ersilton Jedburgh Melross Dumbar Hadington Dalkeith Edinburgh Peebles Linlithgow Perth Dunkeld Auchterarder Striveling Dumblane Dumfreis Penpont Lochmabane Midlebie Wigton Kircudbright Stranraver Aire Irwing Paselay Dumbarton Glasgow Hamilton Lanerick Biggar Dunnune Kinloch Inerary Kilmore Sky St. Andrews Kirkaldy Cowper Dumfermelin Meegle Dundee Arbroth Forfar Brichen Mernis Aberdeen Kinkardin Alfoord Gareoch Deir Turref Fordyce Ellon Strathbogie Abernethie Elgin Forres Aberlower Chanrie Tayn Dingwell Dornoch Week Thurso Kirkwal Scaloway Colmkill 3. Above this was the Provincial-Synod who met twice a year in every Diocese and had the examination of such cases as were referred to them by the Presbyteries here the Bishop presided ex officio 4. Above all was the Convocation when the King pleas'd to call it wherein the Archbishop of St. Andrews presided And besides these every Bishop for the cases of Testaments c. had his Official or Commissary who was judge of that Court within the Diocese Of these Edenburgh had four the rest one But since Presbyterie has been introduced the Church-government stands thus 1. They also have their Parochial Sessions but with this difference that though the Minister presides yet a Lay-man a Bailie ordinarily assists 2. In their Presbyteries they chose their own Moderator to preside 3. They have their Synod or Provincial Assembly but without a constant head for every time they meet they make choice of a new Moderator 4. Their General Assembly this consists of two members from every Presbytery and one Commissioner from each University The King too has his Commissioner there without whose consent no Act can pass and before they be in force they must be also ratify'd by the King Thus much of the several Divisions of Scotland As to the Orders and Degrees of this Kingdom there appears no alteration in them since our Author's time and if any one desires to have a more particular information in their Courts of Justice and Methods of Proceeding a separate Treatise upon this subject written by the Learned Sir George Makenzy late Lord Advocate of Scotland will give him ample satisfaction The Degrees of SCOTLAND THE Government of the Scots as that of the English consists of a King Nobility and Commonalty The King to use the words of their own Records is directus totius Dominii Dominus direct Lord of the whole Dominion or Domain and hath Royal Authority and Jurisdiction over all the States of his Kingdom as well Ecclesiastick as Laick Next to the King is his Eldest Son who is stiled Prince of Scotland and by a peculiar right is Duke of Rothsay and Steward of Scotland But the rest of the King's Children are called simply Princes Amongst the Nobles the greatest and most honorable were in old times the Thanes Thanes that is if I have any judgment those who were ennobled only by the office which they bore for the word in the antient Saxon signifies The King's Minister Of these they of the higher rank were called Ab-thanes of the lower Under-Thanes But these Names by little and little grew out of use ever since King Malcolm the 3. conferred the Titles of Earls and Barons borrow'd out of England from the Normans upon such Noblemen as had deserv'd them Since when in process of time new Titles of Honour have been much taken up and Scotland as well as England hath Dukes Marquisses Earls Viscounts and Barons Dukes Marquesses Earls Viscoun◠Barons As for the title of Duke the first that brought it into Scotland was Robert the Third about the year of our Lord 1400 as the honourable titles of Marquiss and Viscount were lately brought in by our most gracious Sovereign King James the sixth These are accounted Nobles of a higher degree and have both place and voice in Parliaments and by a special name together with the Bishops are called Lords Amongst the Nobles of a lower degree in the first place are Knights Knight◠who are certainly made with greater solemnity than any where else in Europe by taking of an Oath and being proclaim'd publickly by the Heralds In the second are those who are called Lairds Lairds and commonly without any addition Barons amongst whom none were antiently reckoned but such as held immediately from the King Lands in Capite and had the * Powe◠hang 〈◊〉 Jus Furcarum In the third place are such as being descended of Honourable Families and dignify'd with no certain title are term'd Gentlemen Gentlemen All the rest as Citizens Merchants Artificers c. are reckoned among the Commons The COURTS of JUSTICE THE supream Court as well in dignity as authority is accounted the Assembly of the States of the Kingdom which is called a
Parliament The Parliament by the same name as it is in England and hath the same absolute Authority It consists of three States of the Lords Spiritual that is the Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Lords Temporal viz. Dukes Marquisses Earls Viscounts and Barons and the Commissioners for the Cities and Buroughs To whom were joyned not long since for every County also two * Delegati Commissioners It is called by the King at pleasure allowing a certain time for notice before it is to sit When they are convened and the causes of their meeting are declared by the King and the Chancellour the Lords Spiritual retire apart and choose eight of the Lords Temporal the Lords Temporal likewise as many out of the Lords Spiritual Then all these together nominate eight of the Knights of the Shires and as many of the Burgesses which all together make 32. and are called Lords of the Articles and with the Chancellor Treasurer Privy-Seal the King's Secretary c. admit or reject all matters that are propos'd to the States after they have been first communicated to the King After they are approved by the whole Assembly of the States they are throughly examined and such as pass by a majority of Votes are presented to the King who by touching them with his Scepter signifies the confirming or vacating of them But if the King dislikes any thing it is first razed out Next to the Parliament is the College of Justice The College of Justice or as they call it the Session which King James 5. instituted An. 1532. after the manner of the Parliament at Paris consisting of a President fourteen Senators seven of the Clergy and as many of the Laity to whom was afterwards added the Chancellor who takes place first and five other Senators three principal Clerks and as many Advocates as the Senators shall think convenient These are to administer justice not according to the rigour of the Law but with reason and equity every day except Sunday and Monday from the first of November to the fifteenth of March and from Trinity Sunday to the first of August All the space between as being the times of sowing and harvest is Vacation and intermission from Suits and matters of Law They give judgment according to Acts of Parliament and where they are defective according to the Civil Law There are besides in every County inferiour Civil Courts wherein the Sheriff or his deputy decides controversies amongst the inhabitants about ejections intrusions damages debts c. from whom upon suspicion of partiality or alliance they appeal sometimes to the Session These Sheriffs are all for the most part hereditary For the Kings of Scotland as well as of England to oblige the better sort of Gentlemen more closely to them by their favours in old time made these Sheriffs hereditary and perpetual But the English Kings soon perceiving the inconveniencies happening thereupon purposely changed them into annual There are Civil Courts held also in the Fiefs of the Crown by their respective Bailiffs to whom the King hath graciously granted Royal privileges as also in free Boroughs and Cities by their Magistrates There are likewise Courts called The Commissariat the highest of which is kept at Edenborough wherein before four Judges actions are pleaded concerning matters relating to Wills the right of Ecclesiastical Benefices Tythes Divorces c. and Ecclesiastical Causes of like nature But in almost all the other parts of the Kingdom there sits but one Judge on these Causes In criminal Causes the King 's Chief Justice holds his Courts generally at Edenborough which Office hath for some time been executed by the Earls of Argyle who depute two or three Counsellors to take cognizance of actions of life and death loss of limbs or of goods and chattels In this Court likewise the Defendant is permitted even in case of High Treason to retain an Advocate to plead for him Moreover in criminal matters Justices are sometimes appointed by the King's Commission for deciding this or that particular cause Also the Sheriffs in their territories and Magistrates in some Boroughs may sit in judgment of Manslaughter in case the Manslayer be apprehended in the space of 24 hours and having found him guilty by a Jury may put him to death But if that time be once overpast the cause is referred to the King's Justice or his Deputies The same privilege also some of the Nobility and Gentry enjoy against Thieves taken within their own Jurisdictions There are likewise who have such Royalties that in criminal causes they may exercise a jurisdiction within their own limits and in some cases recall those that dwell within their own liberties from the King's Justice provided they judge according to Law These matters as having had but a transient view of them I have lightly touched upon What manner of Country Scotland is and what men it breeds Pomponius Mela. as of old that excellent Geographer writ of Britain will in a little time more certainly and evidently be shown since the greatest of Princes hath opened a passage to it which was so long shut up In the Interim I will proceed to the Places which is a subject I am more immediately concern'd in GADENI or LADENI UPon the Ottadini or Northumberland bordered the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gadeni who by the turning of one letter upside down are called in some Copies of Ptolemy Ladeni seated in that Country lying between the mouth of the River Tweed and Edenborough-Frith Joh. Skene de Verborum significatione which is now cantoned into many petty Countries The principal of them are Teifidale Twedale Merch and Lothien in Latin Lodeneium under which general name the Writers of the middle age comprised them all a TEIFIDALE TEifidale that is to say the Valley or Dale by the River d This river divideth that part of the shire properly called Teviotdale into that which lyeth on the South and that which lyeth on the North. Tefy or Teviot lying next to England amongst cliffs of craggy hills and rocks is inhabited by a warlike people who by reason of so frequent encounters between the Scots and English in former ages are always very ready for service and sudden invasions The first place we meet with amongst these is Jedburg a Borough well frequented standing near the confluence of the Tefy and Jed from whence it takes its name and Mailros â—â—â—â—ross a very ancient Monastery wherein in the Church's infancy were Monks of that antient instituion that gave themselves to prayer and with the labour of their hands earn'd their living And more Eastward where the Twede and the Tefy joyn in one stream â—â—â—oâ—â—â—h e The Royalty of this place was transmitted to the town of Iedburgh the chief burgh-royal of the shire Rosburg called also Roxburgh and in antient times Marchidun from its being seated in the Marches where stands a Castle that by its natural situation and tow'red fortifications
V. M. Who this Apollo Grannus was and whence he had this denomination no one Antiquary to the best of my knowledge has ever yet told us But if I that am of the lowest form may give my sentiments I should say that Apollo Grannus amongst the Romans was the same as the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is having long locks For Isidore calleth the long hair of the Goths Granni But this may be lookt upon as foreign to my business Something lower near the Scottish Frith stands Edenborough â—â—â—â—boâ—â—â—gh called by the Irish-Scots Dun-Eaden that is Eaden Town which without doubt is the same that Ptolemy calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Castrum Alatum the winged Castle for Edenborough signifies certainly the same as Winged Castle Adain in the British denoting a Wing and Edenborough from a word compounded of the British and Saxon Tongue is nothing else but the Winged Borough From Wings therefore we are to derive its name which if you think good may be done either from those Squadrons of horse which are called Wings or else from those Wings which the Greek Architects call Pteromata that is as Vitruvius tells us two walls so rising up in height that they bear a resemblance of Wings For want of these a certain City of Cyprus was antiently as we read in the Geographers called Aptera that is Wingless But if any man hath a mind to believe it took its name from Ebrauk a Britain or from Heth a Pict he may for me I shall not be against it This City in regard of its more eminent situation the goodness of the air and fertility of the soil many of the Nobilities lofty Seats lying all round it its being water'd with excellent Springs and reaching from East to West a mile in length and half as much in breadth is justly counted the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom strongly walled adorned with publick and private buildings well peopled and frequented for the advantage of the Sea which the neighbouring Port at Leith affords And as it is honoured with the King's residence so is it the sacred repository of the Laws and chief tribunal of Justice For the high Court of Parliament is generally held here for the enacting or repealing of Laws as also the Session and the Courts of the King's Justice and of the Commissariat whereof I have already spoken are here settled On the East side joyning to Holy-Rood-Monastery stands the Palace Royal built by King David the first over which within a Park stored with game hangs a double-topt mountain called Arthur's Chair from Arthur the Britain On the West side there mounts up a rock to a mighty height steep and inaccessible on all sides but that which looks towards the City upon which a Castle stands so strongly fortified with a number of Towers that it is look'd upon as impregnable This the Britains called Castle Myned Agned the Scots the Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle because the Princesses of the Blood-Royal of the Picts were here kept and the same may really be lookt upon as the Castrum Alatum or Winged Castle abovementioned How Edenborough by the vicissitudes of war has been subject sometimes to the Scots sometimes to the Saxons who inhabited this Eastern part of Scotland until it became wholly under the Scots Dominion in the year of our Lord 960. when the English Empire under the convulsions of the Danish Wars lay as it were expiring How likewise as it is in an old Book Of the Division of Scotland in the Library of the Right Honourable my Lord Burleigh late High-Treasurer of England In the Reign of Indulph Eden Town was * Vacuatum quitted and abandonned to the Scots to this present day and what different turns of fortune it felt afterwards the Historians relate from whom you are to be informed †In the mean time you may read See a fuller description of this place in the Additions if you please the ingenious Johnston's Verses in praise of Edenborough Monte sub acclivi Zephyri procurrit in auras Hinc Arx celsa illinc Regia clara nitet Inter utramque patet sublimibus ardua tectis Urbs armis animis clara frequensque viris Nobile Scotorum caput pars maxima regni Paenè etiam gentis integra Regna suae Rarae artes opes quod mens optaverit aut hic Invenias aut non Scotia tota dabit Compositum hic populum videas sanctumque senatum Sanctaque cum puro lumine jura Dei An quisquam Arctoi extremo in limite mundi Aut haec aut paria his cernere posse putet Dic Hospes postquam externas lustraveris urbes Haec cernens oculis credis an ipse tuis Beneath a Western hill's delightful brow The Castle hence and hence the Court we view The stately town presents it self between Renown'd for arms for courage and for men The kingdom's noblest part the lofty head Or the whole kingdom of the Scottish breed Wealth arts and all that anxious minds desire Or not in Scotland or you meet with here The people sober grave the Senate show The worship pure the faith divinely true In the last borders of the Northern coast What rival land an equal sight can boast These glories Trav'ler when at last you see Say if you don't mistrust your wondring eye And think it transport all and extasy A mile from hence lieth Leith Leith an excellent Haven upon the River Leith which when Monsieur Dessie had fortified with works to secure Edenborough by the conflux of people thither from a mean Village p It has in it several Manufactures it grew to a large Town Again when the French King Francis 2. had married Queen Mary of Scotland the French who then made themselves sure of Scotland and began now to gape after England in the year 1560 strengthned it with more fortifications But Q. Elizabeth of England upon the solicitation of the Scotch Nobility of the Puritan party effected by her wisdom and authority that both they retuâ—ned into France and these their fortifications were levell'd with the ground and Scotland ever since hath had little cause to fear the French e. In the mid'st of this Frith where it begins by degrees to contract it self there stood as Bede noteth the City Caer-Guidi Caer-Guidi which seems now to be Inch-Keith-Island Whether this be the Victoria mentioned by Ptolemy I will not now dispute though a man might be easily induced to believe that the Romans turn'd this Guith into Victoria as our Isle Guith or Wight into Victesis and Vecta Certainly since both these are broken from the shore there is the same reason for the name in both languages For Ninius informs us that Guith in the British Tongue signifies a breaking off or separation Upon the same Frith more inwardly lies Abercorne a famous Monastery in Bede's time which now by the favour of King James 6. gives the Title of Earl to James
57 And this Rory his succâ—ssor practising new treason against King James his advancer upon the terrour of a guilty conscience fled the Realm in the year 1607 and died at Rome The Scots The antient inhabitants of this Ulster as likewise of all other parts of the Kingdom went formerly by the name of Scots and from hence they brought that name into the Northern part of Britain For as Giraldus says the six sons of Mured King of Ulster possest themselves of the North of Britain about 400 years after Christ from which time it has been called by the name of Scotia Yet the Annals of that Kingdom shew us that it has had this name much earlier And moreover Fergus the second who re-established the Kingdom of the Scots in Britain came from hence Patrick â—xâ—ife of â— Patrick having foretold That though he seemed mean and contemptible to his brethren at that time it would shortly came to pass thas he should be Prince and Lord over them all To make this the more probable the same writer adds farther That not long after Fergus according to the prediction of this holy man obtained the soveraignty in these parts and that his posterity continued in the throne for many generations From him was descended the most valiant King Edan son of Gabrain who conquer'd Scotland called Albania where his offspring reign to this day 58 Sir John John Curcy in the reign of Henry the second was the first Englishman that attempted the conquest of this County who having taken Down and Armagh made himself master of the whole Province either by force or surrender and was the first that had the title of Earl of Ulster â—'s of â—â—er At last his success and fortune made him so envied that for his own worth and the unworthiness of others he was banish'd and by King John's appointment succeeded by Hugh de Lacy second son of Hugh Lacy Lord of Meth who was made Earl of Ulster by a sword with orders to carry on a war against him Yet he was deprived of this honour by the same King 〈◊〉 â—o upon his insolence and popular practices but received again into favour In confirmation of this I will here give you word for word what I find in the Records of Ireland Hugh de Lacy formerly Earl of Ulster held all Ulster exempt and separate from any other County whatsoever in capite of the Kings of England by the service of three Knights when ever the Royal service was ordered by proclamation And he migâ—â— try in his own Court all pleas whatsoever belonging to the Sheriff and the Chief Justice and held a Court of Chancery c. After this all Ulster was forfeited to our Lord King John from the said Hugh who had it afterwards granted him for term of life by King Henry the third After Hugh's decease Walter de Burgo did these services to our Lord Edward King Henry's son Lord of Ireland before he was King This same Lord Edward infeoff'd the aforesaid Walter with the lands of Ulster to have and to hold to him and his heirs by the service aforesaid as well and freely as the said Hugh de Lacy did excepting the advowsons of the Cathedral Churches and the demesns of the same as also the Pleas of the Crown Rapes Forstalls Arsonyes and Treasure-trouves which our soveraign Lord King Edward retaineth to himself and his heirs This Walter de Burgo who was Lord of Conaught and Earl of Ulster had by the only daughter of Hugh de Lacy Richard Earl of Ulster who put an end to an uneasie life in the year 1326. This Richard had a son John de Burgo who died in his life time after he had had a son William by his wife Elizabeth the sister and co-heir of Gilbert Clare Earl of Gloucester who succeeded his Grandfather William was murder'd by his own men in his youth leaving a little daughter Elizabeth See Raâ—norshire and Yorkshire north-riding afterwards married to Leonel Duke of Clarence by whom she had likewise an only daughter married to Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and by her the Earldom of Ulster and Seigniory of Conaught came to the Mortimers from whom together with the Kingdom of England it fell to the house of York and then by King Edward the fourth was annexed to the Crown or the King 's demesn lands as they express it A civil war breaking out at that time and the Nation falling into faction and parties so that these English then in Ulster were induced to return into England to support their several sides and parties these Countreys were seiz'd upon by O-Neal and others of the Irish so that the Province grew as wild and barbarous as could be and whereas it formerly yielded a considerable revenue to the Earl in money it has hardly since that time paid any to the Kings of England And if I may be allowed to make remarks of this nature the piety and wisdom of the Kings of England has been more defective in no one thing than in the due administration of this Province and all Ireland either in respect of propagating Religion modelling the State or civilizing the Inhabitants Whether this neglect is to be imputed to a careless oversight or a design of parsimony and unseasonable providence I am not able to determine But one would think an Island so great and so near us where there 's so much good soil and rich pasture so many woods so much good mettal for digging up so many fine rivers and commodious harbours on all sides convenient for navigation into the richest parts of the world upon which account great imposts might be probably expected and lastly an Island so very fruitful of inhabitants and the people both in respect of minds and bodies capable of all the employments of peace or war should of right challenge and deserve our care for the future 59 If they were wrought and conform'd to orderly civility I Did but just now intimate That I would give some account of these O-Neals who pretend to be Lords of Ulster and therefore I promised to an excellent friend of mine the history of the Rebellions they rais'd this last age Though that Gentleman is now happy in a better world yet I had so much esteem for him that I cannot now but perform my promise to his very memory Thus much I thought necessary to premise As for the following History the materials are not drawn from uncertain reports or other weak authorities but from those very authâ—ntick papers that came from the Generals themselves or such as were eye-witnesses and had a share in the transactions and that so sincerely that I cannot but flatter my self with hopes of favour from the Reader if he desires a true information or would understand the late affairs in Ireland which are so much a secret to most of us and also of escaping all manner of reprehension except from such as are conscious and gall'd
signifying perhaps the Isles of the Gallicians the English and the rest of the Scots the Western Isles a writer of the last age Hebrides Hebrides but Ethicus an antient Author Beteoricae Giraldus calls them sometimes Inchades and sometimes Leucades Pliny Solinus and Ptolemy Ebudes Scottish or Western Isles Hebudes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Which names have some consonant affinity with Epâ—dium the Promontory of Britain opposite to them and an Isle among these so named Unless it has this name from the barenness of the soil which yeilds no corn I must confess I can give no reason of it For Solinus writes that the inhabitants thereof know nothing of corn but live wholly upon fish and milk and the word Eb-eid signifies in British fruitless or without fruit The inhabitants take the words of Solinus himself don 't know corn but live upon fish and milk only They are all governed by one King and yet are all severed from one another by a narrow interflow of the sea The King himself has nothing peculiar all things are in common but he is bound to be equitable by certain laws and lest he should break them out of covetousness his extraordinary poverty keeps him strict to the rules of justice having no house or property but being maintained by the publick He is not allowed one woman to himself solely but takes by turns which soever he fancies for the present Uxor Usuâ—ria by which means he lives without desire or indeed hopes of children a The Western Isles lie upon the west-side of Scotland to which crown they belong Their Inhabitants speak the Irish language and they retain the manners customs and habit of the ancient Scots as the Higâ—landers in the continent do These are commonly thought to be b Those who have travelled them reckon them to be above 300. 44 in number but they are really more Pliny reckons them in all thirty and Ptolemy five The first is Recine in Pliny Ricnea in Antoninus Riduna but call'd at this day Racline and I am of opinion Riduna in Antoninus should be read Riclina cl being easily turned into d by a little connexion of the strokes This small isle lies over-against Ireland and was known to the ancients for this its situation between it and Scotland At this day it is only remarkable for the slaughter of the Irish Scots who often were masters of it but at last entirely driven out by the English 2 Under the conduct of Sir William Norris in the year 1575. The next is Epidium which from the name seems to me as well as to that most excellent Geographer G. Mercator to have lain near the promontory and shore of the Epidii 〈◊〉 And seeing Ila a pretty large Island champaign and fruitful lies in this manner I should I must confess take this for Epidium and the Isle of the Epidii for sometimes it is read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Those who have travelled them reckon them to be above 300. It 's length is c From north to south it is thought to be some 20 miles long 24 miles its breadth 16. It is so well stock'd with cattle corn and stags that next to Man it was always the chief seat of the Kings of Man as it is of the Mac Conells at this day who have their castle here at Dunyweg d In this Island there is found lead ore It has also several woods bays and loughs 〈◊〉 Between Ila and Scotland lies Jona which Bede calls Hy and Hu given to the Scotch Monks by the Picts for the benefit of the Gospel which they preach'd among them wherein stands a monastery famous for the burial of the Kings of Scotland and the residence of holy men One of the most eminent of them was Columba the Apostle of the Picts from whose Cell this Isle as also the man himself was call'd Columbkill as Bede testifies Here as some say a Bishop's See was erected in Sodore Bâ—hopâ—â—k of Sodore a little village from which all the Isles took the name of Sodorenses being all contain'd within this Diocess e Jona is two miles in length almost from east to west and one in breadth There is found in it Marble of several colours with very beautiful veins The coast is exceeding bad and full of rocks and the tides very violent It has a church considerably large dedicated to St. Columabus which is the Cathedral of the Bishop of the Isles After this we arrive at the Isle Maleos Maleos as Ptolemy calls it now Mula Mula Vide de his G. Buchan which Pliny seems to mention in this passage Reliquarum Mella xxv mill pass amplior proditur i.e. Mella is reported to be 25 miles larger than the rest For so the old Venice Edition has it whereas the common books read it Relinquarum nulla f The Isle of Mull upon the north-east is sâ—arce 4 miles distant from the Morvein a part of the Continent 'T is in length above 24 miles and in breadth almost as many It abounds with wood and deer hath a good road called Polcarf several fresh water loghs and several bays where abundance of herrings are taken The chief Houses are the castle of Dowart a strong hold upon a crag on the sea-side the castle of Lochburg and the castle of Arosse In the Isle there are 7 Parish Churches Then at Hebuda Hebudae the more Eastern now Skie which from hence lies out in great length over-against the coast of Scotland g Skie is about 42 miles in length and in breadth 12 though in some parts but 8. The south part of it is called Slate being divided from the Continent by a narrow Firth The air is temperate and the whole Isle very fertil in corn it abounds also with cows goats swine deer and wild-fowl It has about 10 Parish Churches and the Western Hebuda because it lies westward now called Lewes Lewes the Lordship of Mac-Cloyd which in an old book of Man is term'd Lodhus craggy and mountainous and very thinly inhabited but yet of greater extent than any of the rest divided from Eust Eust by a small * Euripus chanel h Lewes hath its name from a part of it properly so called but by strangers it is called the Long Island being with the Hareis joined to it by a small neck of land some threescore miles in length and in several places 16 broad By aâ—ms of the sea and sounds it is divided into 5 several Counties belonging to 5 several Heretors Barray to the Laird of Barray South-Wijst to the Captain of Clan-Rald North-wijst to Mack-Donald of Sâ—ate the Harais to Mackland of Dunvegan and that which is properly called the Lewes to Seaforth Upon the east-side of the Country are 4 loghs wherein ships of great burthen may ride The rest are all inconsiderable besides Hirth i Of all the Isles about
and his Sister Isabel de Albeny Countess of Arundel Isabel the second Sister was married to Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester she had Richard de Clare Earl of Glocester and the Lady Anise Countess of * Perhaps â—evonia Averna â—â—â—e uxoris who was Mother of Isabel the †Mother of the Lord Robert Brus Earl of Carrick in Scotland afterwards King of that Nation â—is place 〈◊〉 corrupâ—â—d From Eva Brus the third Sister descended Maud the Mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer Mother of the Lady Eva de Cauntelow Mother of the Lady Milsoud de Mohun who was Moâ—â—er to Dame Eleanor Mother to the Earl of Hereford Joan â—arshall the fourth Sister was married to the Lord Guarin of Mount â—hinsey and had Issue Joan de Valens Sybil Countess of Ferâ—â—s the fifth Sister had Issue seven Daughters the eldest call'd â—â—gnes Vescie Mother of the Lord John and the Lord William Vesâ—â—e the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Bohun Wife to the â—ord John Mohun Son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyl â—ohun Wife to the Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus Wife to the Earl of Winchester the sixth * Agatha Agas Mortimer Wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer â—â—e seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Karbry These are all both â—ales and Females the Posterity of the said William Earl Marshal MCCXX. The Translation of S. Thomas of Canterbury The â—â—me year died the Lord Meiler Fitz-Henry founder of Connal â—nd was buried in the Chapter-House of the said Foundation MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieg'd and the Castle â—f Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Died Roger Pippard and in the year MCCXXVIII â—â—ed William Pippard formerly Lord of the Salmon-leap This â—ear died likewise Henry Londres alias Scorch-Villeyn Archbishop â—f Dublin and was buried in Trinity-church there MCCXXX Henry King of England gave Hubert Burk â—â—e Justiceship and the Third Penny of Kent and â—ade him also Earl of Kent Afterward the same Hubert was â—â—prison'd and great Troubles arose between the King and his â—â—bjects because he adher'd to Strangers more than to his own naâ—â—ral Subjects MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earl Marshal and â—arl of Pembrock departed this life and was buried in the Quire â—f the Friers Predicants in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earl Mareschall Earl of Pembrock and â—rogull was wounded in a Battel in the Plain of Kildare on the â—â—st day before the Ides of April and some few days after died in Kilkeny and there was buried hard by his * Girmanum natural Brother viz. William in the Quire of the Friers Predicants Of whom this was written Cujus sub fossa Kilkennia continet ossa MCCXL Walter Lacy Lord of Meth died this year in Engâ—â—nd leaving two Daughters to inherit his Estate of whom the â—â—rst was married to Sir Theobald Verdon and the second to Gefâ—ery de Genevile MCCXLIII This year died Hugh Lacy Earl of Ulster and â—as buried in Cragsergus in the Convent of the Friers Minors â—eaving a Daughter who was married to Walter Burk Earl of Ulster The same year died Lord Gerald Fitz-Maurice and Lord â—ichard de Burgo MCCXLVI An Earthquake about nine of the Clock over all â—he West MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Geffery came Lord Justiciary into â—reland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long-Espee were â—aken Prisoners with many others by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a Son of Belial was slain in Leys as he deserv'd In the year MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacy was born Upon Christmas-day likewise Alexander King of Scots in the 11th year of his Age was then contracted with Margaret the daughter of the King of England at York MCCLV Alan de la Zouch was made and came Justiciary into Ireland MCCLVII This year died the Lord Maurice Fitz-Gerald MCCLIX Stephen Long-Espee came Justiciary into Ireland The green Castle in Ulster was demolish'd William Dene was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his Son were slain in Desmond by Mac Karthy Item William Dene Justiciary dy'd and Sir Richard Capel put in his room the same year MCCLXII Richard Clare Earl of Glocester died this year as also Martin de Maundevile on the morrow of S. Bennet's day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz-Gerald and Maurice Fitz-Maurice took Prisoners Richard Capel the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David de Barry was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz-Maurice was drown'd The Lord Robert Ufford was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXIX The Castle of Roscoman was begun this year Richard of Exeter was made Justiciary MCCLXX The Lord James de Audley came Justiciary into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the son of the King of Almain was slain in the Court of Rome Plague Famine and Sword rag'd this year particularly in Meth. Nicholas de Verdon and his Brother John were slain Walter de Burgo Earl of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audley Justiciary of England was kill'd by a fall from his Horse in Tothomon and was succeeded in this Office by the Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffery Genevile return'd from the Holy Land and was made Justiciary of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the son of King Henry was anointed and crown'd King of England by Robert Kilwarby a Frier-Predicant Archbishop of Canterbury upon S. Magnus the Martyr's day in the Church of Westminster in the presence of all the Nobility and Gentry His Protestation and Oath was in this form I Edward son and heir of King Henry do profess protest and promise before God and his holy Angels from this time forward to maintain without partiality the Law Justice and Peace of the Church of God and the People subject unto me so far as we can devise by the counsel of our liege and legal Ministers as also to exhibit due and canonical Honour to the Bishops of God's Church to preserve unto them inviolably whatsoever has been granted by former Emperors and Kings to the Church of God and to pay due Honour to the Abbots and the Lord's Ministers according to the advice of our Lieges c. so help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. This year died the Lord John Verdon and the Lord Thomas de Clare came into Ireland And William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitallers was taken Prisoner at Glyndelory with many others and more slain MCCLXXV The Castle of Roscoman was built again The same year Modagh was taken Prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter le Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford was made Justiciary of Ireland upon the surrender of Geffery de Genevill MCCLXXVII O Brene slain MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died this year as also the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert d'Ufford went into England and appointed Frier Robert de Fulborne Bishop of Waterford to supply his place In whose time the Mony was chang'd A Round Table was also held at Kenylworth by Roger Lord Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert d'Ufford return'd from England
and made ready to entertain the Conquerors whosoever they should be usually saying upon this occasion That it would be a shame if such Guests should come and find him unprovided It pleasing God to bless them with the Victory he invited them all to Supper to rejoice with him giving God the thanks for his success telling them He thought the things look'd as well upon his Table as running in his Fields notwithstanding some advis'd him to be saving He was buried in the Convent-church of the Friers-predicants of Coulrath near the river Banne Item The Earl of Ormond Chief Justice of Ireland went into England and Moris Fitz-Thomas Earl of Kildare was made Chief Justice of Ireland by a charter or commission after this manner Omnibus c. To all whom these Presents shall come greeting Know ye that we have committed to our faithful and loving Subject Moris Earl of Kildare the office of Chief Justice of our Kingdom of Ireland together with the Nation it self and the Castles and other Appurtenances thereunto belonging to keep and govern during our will and pleasure commanding that while he remains in the said office he shall receive the sum of five hundred pounds yearly cut of our Exchequer at Dublin Vpon which consideration he shall perform the said office and take care of the Kingdom and maintain twenty Men and Horse in arms constantly whereof himself shall be one during the enjoyment of the said commission In witness whereof c. Given at Dublin by the hands of our beloved in Christ Frier Thomas Burgey Prior of the Hospital of S. John of Jerusalem in Ireland our Chancellor of that Kingdom on the 30th of March being the 35th year of our reign Item James Botiller Earl of Ormond return'd to Ireland being made Lord Chief Justice as before whereupon the Earl of Kildare resign'd to him MCCCLXI Leonel son to the King of England and Earl of Ulster in right of his Wife came as the King's Lieutenant into Ireland and on the 8th of September being the Nativity of the blessed Virgin arriv'd at Dublin with his Wife Elizabeth the Daughter and Heir of William Lord Burk Earl of Ulster Another Pestilence happen'd this year There died in England Henry Duke of Lancaster the Earl of March and the Earl of Northampton Item On the 6th of January Moris Doncref a Citizen of Dublin was buried in the Church-yard of the Friers-predicants in this City having contributed 40 l. towards glazing the Church of that Convent Item There died this year Joan Fleming wife to Geffery Lord Trevers and Margaret Bermingham wife to Robert Lord Preston on S. Margaret's eve and were buried in the Church of the Friers-predicants of Tredagh Item Walter Lord Bermingham the younger died on S. Lawrence-day who left his Estate to be divided among his Sisters one of whose Shares came to the aforesaid Preston Item Leonel having arriv'd in Ireland and refresh'd himself for some few days enter'd into a War with O Brynne and made Proclamation in his Army That no Irish should be suffer'd to come near his Army One hundred of his own Pensioners were slain Leonel hereupon drew up both the English and the Irish into one body went on successfully and by God's mercy and this means grew victorious in all places against the Irish Among many both English and Irish whom he knighted were these Robert Preston Robert Holiwood Thomas Talbot Walter Cusacke James de la Hide John Ash and Patrick and Robert Ash Item He remov'd the Exchequer from Dublin to Carlagh and gave 500 l. towards walling the Town Item On the feast of S. Maur Abbot there happen'd a violent Wind that shook or blew down the Pinnacles Battlements Chimnies and such other Buildings as overtop'd the rest to be particular it blew down very many Trees and some Steeples for instance the Steeple of the Friers-predicants MCCCLXII In the 36th year of this King's reign and on the 8th of April S. Patrick's church in Dublin was burnt down through negligence MCCCLXIV In the 38th year of this reign Leonel Earl of Ulster arriv'd on the 22d of April in England leaving the Earl of Ormond to administer as his Deputy On the 8th of December following he return'd again MCCCLXV In the 39th of this reign Leonel Duke of Clarence went again into England leaving Sir Thomas Dale Knight Deputy-keeper and Chief Justice in his absencc MCCCLXVII A great feud arose between the Berminghams of Carbry and the People of Meth occasion'd by the depredations they had made in that Country Sir Robert Preston Knight Chief Baron of the Exchequer put a good Garrison into Carbry-castle and laid out a great deal of mony against the King's Enemies that he might be able to defend what he held in his Wife 's right Item Gerald Fitz-Moris Earl of Desmond was made Chief Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVIII In the 42d year of the same reign after a Parliament of the English and Irish Frier Thomas Burley Prior of Kylmaynon the King's Chancellor in Ireland John Fitz-Reicher Sheriff of Meth Sir Robert Tirill Baron of Castle-knoke and many more were taken Prisoners at Carbry by the Berminghams and others of that Town James Bermingham who was then kept in Irons as a Traytor in the castle of Trim was set at liberty in exchange for the Chancellor the rest were forc'd to ransom themselves Item The Church of S. Maries in Trim was burnt down by the negligent keeping of the fire in the monastery Item On the vigil of S. Luke the Evangelist Leonel Duke of Clarence died at Albe in Pyemont He was first buried in the city Papy near S. Augustin and afterwards in the Convent-church of the Austin Fryers at Clare in England MCCCLXIX In the 43d year cf this reign Sir Willium Windefore Knight a Person of great valour and courage being made the King's Deputy came into Ireland on the 12th of July to whom Gerald Fitz-Moris Earl of Desmond resign'd the office of Chief Justice MCCCLXX In the 44th year of this reign a Pestilence rag'd in Ireland more violent than either of the former two many of the Nobility and Gentry as also Citizens and Children innumerable died of it The same year Gerald Fitz-Maurice Earl of Desmond John Lord Nicholas Thomas Lord Fitz-John and many others of the Nobility were taken Prisoners on the 6th of July near the Monastery of Magie in the County of Limerick by O-Breen and Mac Comar of Thomond many were slain in the Fray Whereupon the Lieutenant went over to Limerick in order to defend Mounster leaving the War against the O-Tothiles and the rest in Leinster till some other opportunity This year died Robert Lord Terell Baron of Castle Knock together with his son and heir and his Wife Scolastica Houth so that the Inheritance was shared between Joan and Maud the sisters of the said Robert Terell Item Simon Lord Fleming Baron of Slane John Lord Cusak Baron of Colmolyn and John Taylor late mayor of Dublin a very
century and tithing or if he could not should expect the severity of the laws But if any one standing thus accused should make his escape either before or after the bail was given that whole Hundred and Tithing was liable to be fined by the King By this project he settled peace in the Kingdom so that even upon the high-roads where four ways met he commanded golden bracelets to be hung up which might expose the avarice of travellers whil'st there was none durst venture to take them away Wappentacks Tithings and Laths These Centuries are in some parts of the Kingdom called Wappentaches if you desire to know the reason I will give it you out of Edward the Confessor's Laws When any one received the government of a Wappentach on a set day and in the place where the meeting used to be held all the elder sort met him and when he was got off his horse rose up to him Then he held up his spear and took security of all there according to custom for whoever came touched his spear with theirs and this touching of armour confirmed them in one common interest and was a publick league In English arms are called wepun and taccare is to confirm as if this were a confirmation of weapons or to speak more agreeably to the English tongue b See Sir Henry Spelman's Glossary under the word Wapentachium Wepentac is a touching of armour for wepun signifies armour and tac is touching There were also other Jurisdictions above those of Wapentaches which they called Ãrihingas including the third part of the Province and those who were Lords over them were termed Ãrihingerefas To these were appeals made in such causes as could not be determined in the Wapentaches So that what the English named a Hundred these called a Wapentach and what was in English three or four hundreds they called c Of which the Ridings in Yorkshire are a corruption Ãrihinge But in some Provinces what they called Trihing was in English term'd Lew and what could not be determined in the Ãrihinge was carried into the Shire These Counties which if you would express in proper Latin Shirâ— may be term'd either Conventus or Pagi we call by the peculiar name of Shyres from the Saxon word Scyre signifying to branch and divide By the first division there were only 32. for in the year 1016. in the Reign of Aethelred Malmsbury assures us there were no more In the life of Aethelred he writes thus At this time the Danes invaded 16 Counties whereas there are but 32 in all England And in those days these Counties were divided according to the variety of the laws Div'faâ— Englaâ—â— acc râ—â—â— to Laâ— For the Laws of England were threefold those of the West-Saxons called West-saxenlage those of the Danes called Denelage and those of the Mercians called Merchenlage Under the West-Saxon-Law were comprehended nine Counties Kent Sussex Surrey Berkshire Hamshire Wiltshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire and Devâ—â—shire To the Dane-Laws belonged fifteen Counties Yorkshire Derbyshire Nottinghamshire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire Essex Middlesex Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire The other eight were judged after the Mercian-Law Lib. â— S. Eâ—â— di those were Glocestershire Worcestershire Herefordshire Warwickshire Oxfordshire Cheshire Shropshire and Staffordshire But when William the first made his Survey of this Kingdom Domâ— book there were reckoned 36 Counties as the Polychronicon tells us But the publick records wherein he registred that Survey reckon up no more than 34. For Durham Lancashire Northumberland Westmorland and Cumberland did not come into the number the three last as some wouâ—d have it being then under the Scots and the other two either exempt from taxes or included under Yorkshire But all these being afterwards added to the number made it as it is to this day 39. Besides which there are 13 moâ—e in Wales d But thâ— Statute of 34 and 35 of Hen. 8. Cap. 26. tells us That eight Shires were of ancient and long time to wit those of Glemorgaâ— Caeâ—mâ— then Pembroke Cardigan Flint Caernarvon Anglesey and Merioneth and other foâ—r were made by the Statute of 27 Hen 8. Cap. 26. beâ—des Monmouthshire namely Radnor Brecknock Montgomery and Denbigh So that in Edward's time there seem to have been eight whereof six were in Edward the first 's time Wal◠〈…〉 Câ—â—â— the rest Henry the eighth settled by Act of Parliament In each of these Counties in troublesome times especially there is appointed a Deputy under the King by the name of Lieutenant who is to take care that the State suffer no damage The first institution hereof seems to be fetch'd from King Alfred who settled in every County the Custodes regni or keepers of the kingdom These afterward were restored by Henry the third under the title of Capitanei For in the fiftieth year of his Reign he as John of London has it held a Parliament wherein this wholsome Law was enacted That in every County there should be one Capâ—nâ—â—â— Captain maintained by the King who by the assistance of the Sheriff should restrain the insolence of robbers Upon which many were so affrighted that they left that trade and the Royal power began to revive This was wisely enough ordered but whether Canutus the Dane when he made a Tetrarchy in a Monarchy 89 〈◊〉 Wâ—â— did not act more prudently let our Politicians determine For he as Hermand the Archdeacon says being an exceeding sagacious man so contriv'd the government of the Kingdom He 〈…〉 that it should fall under Tetrarchs such as he had found faithful to him The government of the West-Saxons which was the greatest he took to himself â—rcha Mercia the second part he committed to one Edrick the third called Northumbre to Yrtus and Earl Turkille had the fourth i.e. East Anglia a very plentiful country This account I owe to the diligence of Fr. Thinne who hath prosecuted this study of Antiquities with great honour and particularly communicated this to me 〈◊〉 of Shire But every year some one inhabitant of the Lesser Nobility is set over the County and stil'd Vice-Comes i.e. a deputy of the Comes or Earl and in our language he is called Shiriff i.e. one set over the County and may very well be term'd the Quaestor of the County or Province For 't is his business to get up the publick revenues of the County to gather into the Exchequer all Fines even by destraining to attend the Judges and to execute their orders to empannel twelve men â—â—elve 〈◊〉 who are to judge of matters of fact and bring in their Verdict to the Judges who are with us only Judges of law and not of fact to take care that such as are condemned be duly executed and to give judgment in petty causes There are also in every County certain Eirenarchae or Justices of the Peace settled by King Edward III. and those