Segontians who yeelded themselues to Iulius Caesar and whose chiefe Citie was Vindonum Caer Segonte now Silcester and vpon the South by the Belga and Regni who were subdued by Plausius and Vespasian the Romans where Titus rescuing his Father straitly besieged by the Britaines as Dio and Forcatulus doe report was grasped about with an Adder but no hurt to his person and therefore taken for a signe of good lucke Their chiefe Towne was Rincewood as yet sounding the name and more within Land inhabited the Manures as Beda cals them whose Hundreds also to this day giue a relish of their names 7 Neere Ringwood and the place once Yâ—ENâ— from God and peoples seruice to Beast and luxury thirtie-sixe Parish-Churches were conuerted and pulled downe by the Conquerour and thirtie miles of circuit inforrested for his game of Hunting wherein his sonnes Richard and Rufus with Henry the second sonne to Duke Robert his first felt by hasty death the hand of Iustice Reuenge for in the same Forrest Richard by blasting of a pestilent ayre Rufus by shot taken for a beast and Henry as Absalom hanged by a bough came to their vntimely ends At so deare a rate the pleasures of dogs and harbour for beasts were bought in the bloud of these Princes 8 The generall commodities gotten in this Shire are Woolls Clothes and Iron whereof great store is therein wrought from the Mines and thence transported into all parts of this Realme and their Clothes and Karsies carried into many forraine Countries to that Countries great benefit and Englands great prayse 9 The Trade thereof with other prouisions for the whole are vented thorow eighteene Market-Townes in this Shire whereof Winchester the Britaines Caer Gwent the Romans Venta Belgarum is chiefe ancient enough by our British Historians as built by King Rudhudibras nine hundred yeares before the Natiuitie of Christ and famous in the Romans times for the weauings and embroderies therein wrought to the peculiar vses of their Emperours owne persons In the Saxons time after two Calamities of consuming fire her walles was raised and the Citie made the Royall Seate of their West-Saxons Kings and the Metropolitan of their Bishops See wherein Egbert and 〈◊〉 their most famous Monarchs were Crowned and Henry the third the Normans longest 〈◊〉 first tooke breath And here King Aethelstane erected six houses for his Mintâ— but the Danish desolution ouer-running all this Citie felt their fury in the dayes of King Ethelbright and in the Normans time twice was defaced by the mis-fortune of fire which they againe repaired and graced with the trust of keeping the publike Records of the Realme In the ciuill warres of Maud and Stephen this Citie was sore sacked but againe receiuing breath was by King Edward the third appointed the place for Mart of Wooll and Cloth The Cathedrall Church built by Kenwolf King of the West-Saxons that had beene Amphibalus S. Peters Swithins and now holy Trinitie is the Sanctuarie for the ashes of many English Kings for herein great Egbert Anno 836. with his sonne King Ethelwolfe 857. Here Elfred Oxfords founder 901 with his Queene Elswith 904. Here the first Edmund before the Conquest 924. with his sonnes Elfred and Elsward Here Edred 955. and Edwy 956 both Kings of England Here Emme 1052. with her Danish Lord Canute 1035. and his sonne Hardicanute 1042. And here lastly the Normans Richard and Rufus 1100. were interred their bones by Bishop Fox were gathered and shrined in little guilt coffers fixed vpon a wall in the Quire where still they remaine carefully preserued This Cities situation is fruitfull and pleasant in a vally vnder hils hauing her River on the East and Castle on the West the circuit of whose walls are well neere two English miles containing one thousand eight hundred and eightie paces thorow which openeth sixe gates for entrance and therein are seauen Churches for diuine Seruice besides the Minister and those decayed such as Callender â—uell Chappell S. Maries Abbey and the Friers without in the Suburbes and Sooâ—â— in the East is S. Peters and in the North Hyde Church and Monasterie whose ruines remaining shew the beautie that formerly it bare The Graduation of this Citie by the Mathematickes is placed for Latitude in the degree 51. 10. minutes and for Longitude 19. 3. minutes 10 More South is South-hampton a Towne populous rich and beautifull from whom the whole Shire deriueth her name most strongly walled about with square stone containing in circuit one thousand and two hundred paces hauing seauen Gates for entrance and twentie-nine Towres for defence two very stately Keyes for Ships arriuage and fiue faire Churches for Gods diuine seruice besides an Hospitall called Gâ—ds house wherein the vnfortunate Richard Earle of Cambridge beheaded for treason lieth interred On the West of this Towne is mounted a most beautifull Castle in forme Circular and wall within wall the foundation vpon a hill so topped that it cannot be ascended but by staires carrying a goodly prospect both by Land and Sea and in the East without the walles a goodly Church sometimes stood called S Maries which was pulled downe for that it gaue the French direction of course who with fire had greatly endangered the Towne in stead thereof is newly erected a small and vnfinished Chappell In this place saith learned Cambden stood the ancient Clausentium or fort of the Romans whose circuit on that side extended it selfe to the Sea this suffered many depredations by the Saxon Pirates and in Anno 980. was by the Danes almost quite ouerthrowne In King Edward the thirds time it was fired by the French vnder the Conduct of the King of Sicils sonne whom a Country man encountred and strucke downe with his Club He crying Rancon that is Ransome but he neither vnderstanding his language nor the Law that Armes doth allow laid on more soundly saying I know thee a Frankon and therefore shalt thou dit and in Richard the seconds time it was somewhat remoued and built in the place where now it standeth In this Clausentium Canute to euict his flatterers made triall of his Deitie commanding the Seas to keepe backe from his seat but being not obeyed he acknowledged God to be the onely supreame Gouernour and in a religious deuotion gaue vp his Crowne to the Rood at Winchester More ancient was Silcester built by Constantius great Constantines sonne whose Monument they say was seene in that Citie and where another Constantine put on the purple roabe against Honoâ—â—â— as both Niâ—ius and Geruase of Canterbury doe witnesse Herein by our Historians record the warlike Arthur was Crowned Whose greatnesse for circuit contained no lesse then fourescore Acres of ground and the walles of great height yet standing two miles in compasse about This Citie by the Danish Rouers suffred such wracke that her mounted tops were neuer since seene and her Hulke the wals in mured to the middle in the earth which the rubbish of her owne desolations hath filled VVIGHT
cleere because of the vapours arising from the Sea and Riuer that enuiron the same is both wholesome and temperate as seated neerest to the Equinoâ—ticall and the furthest from the North Pole not touched with cold as the other parts of the Land are 4 The soile towards the East is vneuen rising into little hils the West more leuell and woody in all places fruitfull and in plentie equals any other of the Realme yea and in some things hath the best esteeme as in Broad-clothes Fruits and feedings for Cattell Onely Mines except Iron are wanting all things else deliuered with a prodigall heart and liberall hand 5 Sundry nauigable Riuers are in Kent whereof Medwey that diuideth the shire in the midst iâ— chiefe in whose bosome securely rideth his Majesties Nauy Royall the walls of the Land and terrours of the Seas besides ten others of name and account that open with twenty Creeks and Hauens for Ships arriuage into this Land foure of them bearing the name of Cinque Poâ—tâ— are places of great strength and priuiledges which are Doâ—er Sandwich Rumney and Winchelsey among which Douer with the Castle is accounted by Mathew Paris the Monke the locke and key to the whole Realme of England and by Iohn Rosse and Lidgate is said to be built by Iulius Caesar fatall onely for the death of King Stephen and surrender of King Iohn therein hapning 6 A conceit is that Goodwin Sands were sunke for the sinnes of himselfe and his sonnes Shelues indeed that dangerously lye on the North east of this Countie and are much feared of all Nauigators These formerly had beene firme ground but by a sodaine inundation of the Sea were swallowed vp as at the same time a great part of Flanders and the Low Countries were and the like also at the same time befell in Scotland as Hector Boetius their Historiographer writeth A like accident hapned in the yeare 1586 the fourth day of August in this Countie at Mottingham a Towne eight miles from London sodainly the ground began to sinke and three great Elmes thereon growing were carryed so deepe into the bowels of the earth that no part of 〈◊〉 could any more be seene the hole left in compasse fourescore yards about and a line of fiftie fadomes plummed into it doth finde no bottome 7 The Kentish people in Caesars time were accounted the ciuillest among the Britaines and as yet esteeme themselues the freest Subâ—â—cts of the English not conquered but compounded with by the Normans and herein glory that their King and Commons of all the Saxons were the first Christians conuerted in Anno 596. yea and long before that time also Kent receiued the faith for it is recorded that Lucius the first Christian British King in this Iland built a Church to the name and seruice of Christ within the Castle of Douer endowing it with the Tolle of the same Hauen 8 This Countie is enriched with two Cities and Bishops Sees strengthened with 27. Castles graced with 8. of his Majesties most Princely Houses traded with 24. Market-Townes and beautified with many stately and gorgeous buildings The chiefest Citie thereof the Metropolitan and Arch bishops See is Canterbury built as our British Historians report 900. yeares before the birth of Christ by Henry of Huntington called Caier Kent wherein as M. Lambard saith was erected the first Schoole of professed Arts and Sciences and the same a patterne vnto Sigibert King of the East-Angles for his foundation at Cambridge notwithstanding by the computation of time this Sigibert was slaine by Pâ—nâ—a King of Mercia thirtie yeares before that Theodore the Grecian was Bishop of Canterbury who is said to be the â—â—ector of that Academie But certaine it is that Austâ—â— the Monke had made this Citie famous before that time by the conuersion of these Saxons vnto Christianitie and in building a most magnificent Church to Gods seruice wherein eight of their Kings haue beene interred but all their Monuments since ouer shadowed by the height of Beckets Tombe that for glory wealth and superstitious worships equalized the Pyramides of Aâ—gypt or the Oracle of Delphos yet now with Dagon is fallen before the Arke of God This Citie hath beene honoured with the presence and Coronations of King Iâ—hn and Queene Isabell his wife with the marriages of King Henry the third and of King Edward the first and with the interments of Edward the Blâ—â—ke Pâ—ince King Henry the fourth and of Queene 〈◊〉 his wife as Feuersham is with the burials of King Stephen and of Maud his Queene and wife But as in glory so in aduersitie hath this Citie borne a part being dâ—â—ers times afflâ—cted by the Danes but most especially in the dayes of King Ethâ—red who in that râ—uenge of their massacre made hauock of all and herein slew forty three thousand and two hundred persons the tenth besides reserued to liue Afterward it recouered breath and beautie by thâ— liberalitie of Bâ—shop 〈◊〉 Charters and 〈◊〉 by King Henry the third strength in Trench and Fortifications from king Richard the second and lastly Wals for her defence by Simon Sudbury Arch-bishop of that See whose Graduâ—tion is placed for Latitude 51. 25. and parallelized for Longitude 22 8. her sister Rochester differing not much in either degree 9 Which Citie as Beda saith was built by one Rof Lord of the same though some ascribe the foundation of the Castle Iulius Caesar and hath beene often ruinated by the iniuries of warre both in the times when the Saxons stroue for superioritie among themselues wherein this Citie was layd waste Anno 680. as also in the assaults of their common enemy the Danes who about the yeare 884. from France sailed vp the Riuer Medwey and besieged the same so that had not King Elfred speedily come to the rescue it had beene ouerthrowne by those Pagans And againe in Anno 999. the Danes miserably spoiled this Citie in the time of King Ethelred neither hath it stood safe from danger since though not defaced so much by warre for twice hath it beene sore endammaged by chance of fire the first was in the raigne of King Henry the first Anno 1130. himselfe being present with most of his Nobilitie for the consecration of the Cathedrall Church of S. Andrew And againe almost wholly consumed about the latter end of the Raigne of King Henry the second Anno 1177. Yet after all these calamities it recouered some strength againe by the bountie of King Henry the third both in buildings and in ditching her about for defence 10 Ciuill broyles and diffentions hath this Countie beene burdened with and that not onely vnder the Saxons and Danes whose desolations were many and grieuous but also by other rebellions since the Normans Conquest both in those infamous insurrections called The Barons Warres in the raigne of King Henry the Third wherein much harme was done as also vnder King Richard the second when Wat Tiler Captaine of a dreadfull commotion assembled at Black-heath Mile
Henry the first most stately beautified with a rich Monastery and strong Castle where in the Collegiate Church of the Abbey himselfe and Queene who lay both veiled and crowned with their daughter Maud the Empresse called the Lady of England were interred as the priuate History of the place auoucheth though others bestow the bodies of these two Queenes else-where The Castle King Henry the second razed to the ground because it was the refuge for the followers of King Stephen From whence the North-pole is raised in Latitude 51 degrees and 40 minutes and in Longitude from the first West-point obserued by Mercator 19 degrees and 35. minutes 7 A Castle and Towne of greater strength and antiquitie was Wallingford by Antonie and Ptolemie called Galtena the chiefest Citie of the Attribatians whose large circuit and strong fortifications shew plainly that it was a place of the Romans abode and since in a conceiued safetie hath made many very bold especially when the sparkes of Englands ciuill dissentions were forced to flame in case of the Crowne betwixt Maud the Empresse and King Stephen whither her selfe and associates resorted as their surest defence 8 But of farre greater magnificence and state is the Castle of Windsor a most Princely Palace and Mansion of his Maiestie I will not with Ieffrey affirme it to be built by King Arthur but with better authoritie say it was so thirsted after by the Conquerour that by a composition with the Abbat of Westminster whose then it was he made it to be the Kings Possession as a Place besides the pleasures very commodious to entertaine the King In this Castle that victorious Prince King Edward the third was borne and herein after he had subdued the French and Scots held he at one and the same time as his Prisoners Iohn King of France and Dauid King of Scotland Neither was it euer graced with greater Maiestie then by the institution of the most honourable Order of the Garter a signall Ornament of Martiall Prowesse the inuention thereof some ascribe to be from a Garter falling from his Queene or rather from Ioan Countesse of Salisbury a Lady of an incomparable beautie as she danced before him whereat the by-standers smâ—â—ing he gaue the impresse to checke all euill conceits and in golden Letters imbelished the Garter with this French Posie HONI SOIT QVI MALY PENSE And yet that worthy Clarenceaux alledging the booke of the first institution findes the inuention to be more ancient as when King Richard the first warred against the Turkes Saracens Cypres and Acon he girt the legs of certaine choise Knights with a tache of leather which promised a future glory to the wearers The most Princely Chappell thereof is graced with the bodies of those two great Kings Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth whom the whole Kingdome was too little to containo the one of Lancaster the other of Yorke where they rest now vnited in one mould with a branch of both those Houses euen King Henry the eight who there lyeth also interred and rests in the Lord. 9 Other places of note in this Shire are Sinodum in the North and Watham in the East both of them places of the Romans residence as by their monyes these oftentimes found appeareth Neither was Sunning the least in this Tract that had beene the Seat of eight Bishops before the See was translated thence vnto Shirburne or that to Salisbury Wantage also is not wanting of honour in bringing to life that learned and most valiant King Ealfred the scourge of the Danes and great Monarch of the English And Finchhamsted for wonder inferiour to none where as our Writers doe witnesse that in the yeare a thousand one hundred a Well boyled vp with streames of bloud and fifteene dayes together continued that Spring whose waters made red all others where they came to the great amazement of the beholders 10 The riches and sweet seats that this Country affordeth made many deuout persons to shew their deuotions vnto true pietie in erecting places for Gods diuine seruice and their exemptions from all worldly businesse such were Abington Redding Bysham Bromehall Henâ—ey Hamme and Wallingford whose Vâ—tarie abusing the intents of their Founders ouerthrew both their owne Orders and places of professions all which were dissolued by Act of Parliament and giuen the King to dispose at his will MIDDLESEX CHAPTER XIIII MIDDLESEX so called in regard of the situation as seated betwixt the West-Saxons and East-Angles was sometimes together with Essex and Hartford-shire that part and portion which the East Saxons enioyed for their Kingdome it lyeth bordered vpon the North with Hartford shire vpon the West by Colne is seuered from Buckingham the South by Thamesis from Surrey and Kent and on the East from Essex by the Riuer Lea. 2 The length thereof extended from 〈◊〉 in the East to Morehall vpon Colne in the West is by measure nineteene English miles and from South 〈◊〉 in the North to his Majesties Mannour of Hampton-Court in the South are little aboue sixteene miles the whole Circumference extending to ninetie miles 3 In foâ—â—e it is almost square for ayre passing temperate for soile abundantly fertile and for pasturage and graine of all kindes yeelding the best so that the Wheat of this Countie hath serued a long time for the manchâ—t to our Princes Table 4 It lyeth seated in a vale most wholesome and rich hauing some hils also and them of good 〈◊〉 from whose tops the prospect of the whole is seene like vnto Zoar in Egypt or rather like a Paradise and Garden of God 5 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to Caesar were the Trinobants whom he nameth to be the most puissant in the Iland whose chiefe Citie and State yeelding him subiection made the whole with lesse losse to the Romans to beare the yoke of their owne bondage and to come in vnder termes of truce But when their forces in these parts were spent and the Empire shaken by intestine warres the Saxons setting their eyes vpon so faire a soile made their footing as sure herein which lastly with Hartford and Essex was the portion of the East-Saxons Kingdome 6 Fiue Princely Houses inheritable to the English Crowne are seated in this Shire which are Enfield Hanworth White-hall S. Iames and Hampton-Court a Citie rather in shew then the Palace of a Prince and for stately Port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe At Thistleworth once stood the Palace of Richard King of the Romans Earle of Cornewall which the Londâ—ner in a tumultuous broile burned to the ground many other stately Houses of our English Nobilitie Knights and Gentlemen as also of the worshipfull Citizens of London are in this Shire so sumptuously built and pleasantly seated as the like in the like circuit are no where else to be found Neere vnto Thamesis entrance into this Countie is kept the remembrance of Caesars entrance ouer Thamesis by the name of Coway-Stakes stucke fast in the bottome to
Suen their King set this Towne on fire and afterwards it was sorely assulted by the disobedient Barons of King Iohn who named themselues The Arâ—â—ie of God But the loyaltie of this Towne stood nothing so sure vnto King Henry his sonne whence the Barons with displayed Banners sounded the Battle against their Soueraigne And yet after this a woefull Field of Englands ciuill diuision was fought whence Richard Neuil the stout Earle of Warwicke lead away prisoner that vnfortunate man King Henry the sixth Vpon the West part of this Towne standeth a large Castle mounted vpon an hill whose aged countenance well sheweth the beautie that she hath borne and whose gaping chinkes doe daily threaten the downefall of her walles To this vpon the South the Townes wall adioyneth and in a round circuit meeteth the Riuer in the North extending in compasse two thousand one hundred and twentie pases whose fire so pleased the Students of Cambridge that thither they remoued themselues vpon the Kings Warrant in minde to haue made it on an Vniuersitie from whence the North-pole is eleuated 52. degrees 36. scruples for Latitude and in Longitude is remoued from the West 19 degrees and 40 scruples being yearely gouerned by a Maior two Bailiffes twelue Magistrates a Recorder Towne-Clerke a Common Counsell of fortie eight Burgesses with fiue Sergeants to execute businesse 7 But the deuotions of the Saxon-Kings made Peterborow more famous formerly called Meddeswell where Wolphere King of Mercia began a most stately Monastery to the honour of S. Peter for satisfaction of the bloud of his two sonnes whom he had murdered in case of Christianitie but himselfe being for the like made away by his mother his brother Penda continued the worke with the assistance of his brother Ethelred and two sisters Kineburga and Kineswith This among the Danish Desobutions was cast downe yet was it againe restored to greater beautie by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester with the helpe of King Edgar and of Adulph his Chancellour who vpon pricke of Conscience that in bed with his wife had ouerlaid and smoothered an Infant their onely sonne laid all his wealth vpon the reedifying of the place and then became Abbot thereof himselfe The Cathedrall is most beautifull and magnificall where in the Quire lie interred two vnfortunate Queenes on the North side Katharine Dewager of Spaine the repudiate wife of King Henry the eight vnder an Hearse couered with blacke Saye hauing a white Crosse in the midst and on the South-side Mary Queene of Scotland whose Hearte is spread ouer with blacke Veluet The Cloyster is large and in the glasse-windowes very curiously portraied the History of Wolphere the Founder whose Royall Seat was at Wedon in the street conuerted into a Monastery by S Werburg his holy daughter and had beene the Roman Station by Antonine the Emperour called Bannauenna So likewise Norman-chester was the ancient Citie Durobriuae where their Souldiers kept as by the monies there daily found is most apparent 8 Houses of Religion deuoted to Gods Seruice by the pious intents of their well-meaning Founders were at Peterborow Peakirk Pipewell Higham Dauintree Sulby Sausecombe Sewardesug Gare S Dewy S Michell Luffeild Catesby Brvth Barkley Finishead Fotheringhay Wedon and Withâ—â—p besides them in Northampton all which felt the stormes of their owne destruction that raged against them in the Raigne of King Henry the eight who dispersed their Reuenewes to his owne Coffers and Courtiers and ulled the stones asunder or their seeming euer-sure Foundations and in the time of young Edward his sonne whose minde was free from wronging the dead the Tombes of his owne Predecessours were not spared when as Edward slaine at Agincourt and Richard at Wakefield both of them Dukes of Yorke were after death assaulted with the weapons of destruction that cast downe their most faire Monuments in the Collegiate Church of Fotheringhay Castle 9 Eight Princely Families haue enioyed the Title of the Earledome of Northampton whereof the last Henry Hawara late Lord Priuie Seale a most honourble Patron to all learned proceedings that I may acknowledge my dutifull and humble Seruice hath most honourably assisted and set forward these my endeuours HVNTINGTON-SHIRE CHAPTER XXVIII HVNTINGTON-SHIRE part of the leui vnder the Romane Monarch of Mertia in the Saxon Heptarchy is seuered with Nene the North-bounder from Northamptonshire to which it in part adioyneth West from Bedford and Cambridge by mearing Townes on the South and from Ely by a sence of water East theworke of Nature Benwicke Streame or of Art Canutus Delph seuered when Alfred or before him Offa shared the open circuit of their Empery into Principalities that by residency of subordinate rule Peace at home might be maintained Fortaine offence by apt assembly of the Inhabitants resisted Taxe and Reuenew of the Crowne laid more euenly and easierly leuyed Iustice at mens dores with lesse charge and iourney administered all causes Ciuill hauing a right and speedy dispatch in the County or Earles monethly Court as Criminall in his Lieutenant the Sheriffes Turne twice a yeare In forme of a Lozeng this Shire lyeth of positure temperate and is 52. degrees 4. scruples remoued from the Aequator the Hilly Soyle to the Plough-man gratefull the Vale contiguous to the Fennes best for Pasture in which to no part of England it giueth place Woods are not much wanted the Riuers seruing Coale as the Moores Turffe for fuell 2 This Content was as the whole Continent Forrest vntill Canutus gaue this Law of grace Vt quisque tam in agris quam in siluis excitet agitetque feras Long were were the hands of Kings to pull of old the Subiects right into Regall pleasure when Perambulation Proclamation onely might make any mans land Forrest It is in the first Williams time a Phrase in Record not rare Silua buâ—â—â— Manerâ—â— FORIS EST missa in Siluam Regâ—s from which word of power Forrest may seeme not vnaptly to be deriued Cum videbat Henricus primus tres Bissas fitting his Forrest of Lyfield he caused Husculphus his Raunger to keepe them for his Game as the Record doth testifie Thus did the second of his name and the first Richard in many parts well therefore may the Exchequer-Booke call the Forrest Iustice for Vert and Venison not Iustum absolutè but Iustum secundum Legem Forresta That Foresta is defined Tuta serarum sâ—ain may seeme to confine the Forresters office onely to his Games care which of ancient was as well ouer Minerall and Maritimall reuenew The office of Baldwme the great Forrester of Flanders Non agrum tantum spectabat sed et Maris custodiam saith Tullius out of the old Charters of the French Kings And see how iust this squares to our Legall practise for of Assarts Purprestures Eâ—â—prousment Greenebugh Herbage Paunage Fowles Mils Hony Mineâ— Quarries and Wreacks at Sea did the â—â—inerall Iustice of the Forrest here enquire His Subiects of this Shire Henry the 2. from seruitude of his beasts
giue the name to this Prouince seeing the earth doth staine the wooll of her sheepe into a reddish colour Neither is it strange that the staine of the soyle giues names vnto places and that very many for haue we not in Chesse-shire the Red Rocke in Lancashire the Red Banke and in Wales Rutland Castle To speake nothing of that famous Red Sea which shooteth into the Land betwixt Egypt and Arabia which gaue backe her waters for the Israelites to passe on foote all of them named from the colour of the Soile 3 The longest part of this Shire is from Caldecot in the South vpon the Riuer Ey 〈◊〉 to Thistleton a small Village seated in the North not fully twelue miles and from Timwell East-ward to Wissenden in the West her broadest extant is hardly nine the whole circumference about fortie miles 4 The ayre is good both for health and delight subiect to neither extremity of heat nor cold nor is greatly troubled with foggy mists The Soile is rich and for Corne and tillage giues place vnto none Woods there are plentie and many of them imparked hills feeding heards of Neate and flockes of sheepe Vallies besprinkled with many sweet Springs Graine in abundance and Pastures not wanting in a word all things ministred to the content of life with a liberall heart and open hand Onely this is obiected that the Circuit is not great 5 The draught whereof that I may acknowledge my dutie and his right I receiued at the hands of the right Honourable Iohn Lord Harrington Baron of Exton done by himselfe in his yonger yeares Neere vnto his house Burley standeth Okham a faire Market-Towne which Lordship the said Baron enioyeth with a Royaltie somewhat extraordinary which is this If any Noble by birth come within the precinct of the same Lordship he shall forfeit as an homage a shooe from the horse whereon he rideth vnlesse he redeeme it at a price with money In witnesse whereof there are many Horse-shooes nayled vpon the Shire-Hall doore some of large size and ancient fashion others new and of our present Nobilitie whose names are thereupon stamped as followeth Henry Hastings Roger Rutland Edward L. Russell Earle of Bedford Raphe L. Euwer of Parram Henry L. Bertley Henry L. Mordant William L. Compton Edward L. Dudley Henry L. Winsor George Earle of Cumberland Philip Earle of Montgomery L. Willoughby P. L. Wharton The Lord Shandois Besides many others without names That such homage was his due the said Lord himselfe told me and at that instant a suit depended in Law against the Eirle of Lincolne who refused to forfeit the penaltie or to pay his sine 6 Her ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romones and mentioned in Ptolemit were the Coritanâ— and by him branched thorow Leicester Lincolne Nottingham Darby-shire and this who with the Icemans were subdued by P. Ostorius vnder the yoke of Claudius the Roman Emperour and at their departure by conquest the Saxons made it a Prounce vnto their Mercian Kingdome whose fortunes likewise comming to a full period the Normans annexed it vnder their Crowne 7 This Countie King Edward Confessor bequeathed by his Testament vnto Queene Eadgith his wife and after her decease vnto his Monastery at Westminster which William the Conquerour cancelled and made voyd bestowing the Lands vpon others the Tithes and the Church vnto those Monkes That the Ferrers here first seated besides the credit of Writers the Horse-shooe whose badge then it was doth witnesse where in the Castle and now the Shire-hall right ouer the Seat of the Iudge a Horse-shooe of iron curiously wrought containing fiue foot and a halfe in length and the bredth thereto proportionably is fixed The Castle hath beene strong but now is decayed the Church faire and the Towne spacious whose degree of Longitude is 19. 46. scruples and the North poles eleuation in Latitude 53. degrees and 7. minutes 8 Let it not seeme offen siue that I to fill vp this little Shire haue inserted the seate of a Towne not sited in this County for besides the conueniency of place the circuit and beautie but especially it being for a time an Vniuersitie did moue much yea and the first in this Iland if Iohn Hardings Author faile him not that will haue Bladud to bring from Athens certaine Philosophers whom here he seated and made publike profession of the Liberall Sciences where as he saith a great number of Scholars studied the Arts and so continued an Vniuersitie vnto the comming of Augustine at which time the Bishop of Rome interdicted it for certaine Heresies sprung vp among the Britaines and Saxons But most true it is that in the Raigne of King Edward the third vpon debate falling betwixt the Southerne and Northerne Students at Oxford many Schoole-men withdrew themselues hither and a while professed and named a Colledge according to one in Oxford Brasen-nose which retaineth that name vnto this day This was so great a skarre vnto the other that when they were recalled by Proclamation to Oxford it was prouided by Oath that no Student in Oxford should publikely professeor reade the Arts at Stanford to the preiudice of Oxford 9 As this Shire is the least in circuit so is it with the fewest Market-Townes replenished hauing onely two And from Societies that seed vpon the labours of others was this Land the freest for besides Rihall where Tibba the Fâ—lconers Goddesse was worshipped for a Saint when Superstition had well-neere put Gods true honour out of place I finde very few neither with more Castles strengthened then that at Okham whose ruines shew that a Castle hath beene there LEICESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXX LEICESTER-SHIRE lying bordered vpon the North with Nottingham-shire vpon the East with Lincolne and Rutland vpon the South with Northampton shire and vpon the West with Watling-street-way is parted from Warwick-shire the rest being bounded with the consines of Darby is a Country Champion abounding in corne but spary of woods especially in the South and East parts which are supplyed with pit-coales plenteously gotten in the North of this Prouince and with abundance of Cattle bred in the hilles beyond the Riuer Wreak which is nothing so well inhabited as the rest 2 The Ayre is gentle milde and temperate and giueth appetite both to labour and rest wholesome it is and draweth mans life to a long age and that much without sicknesse at Carleton onely some defect of pronunciation appeareth in their speech 3 The soile thus consisting the commodities are raised accordingly of Corne Cattle and Coales and in the Rockes neere Beuer are sometimes found the Astroites the Starre-like precious Stone 4 The ancient people that inhabited this Countie were the Coritani who were spread further into other Shires but after that the Romans had left the Land to it selfe this with many more fell to be vnder the possession and gouernment of the Mercians and their Kings from whom the English enioyeth it at this day 5 In Circular-wise almost the compasse of this
generalitie is reasonable fertile and yeelds sufficiency of Corne and Cattle within it selfe One part whereof is particularly made famous by a 〈◊〉 of Stone out of which the stones newly hewen be very soft but seasoned with winde and 〈◊〉 of themselues doe naturally become exceeding hard and solide Another by a kind of 〈◊〉 whereof it consisteth which being burnt and conueyed into the other parts of the Country which are hilly and some what cold serue to manure and enrich their Corne-fields 6 That the Romans flourishing in military prowesse made their seuerall stations in this Country is made manifest by their Monuments by many Inscriptions fastned in the Walles of Churches by many Columnes engrauen with Roman workâ— found lying in Church-yards by many 〈◊〉 Altars digd vp that were erected as it should seeme to their Tutelar Gods for they had locall and peculiar Topicke Gods whom they honoured as Keepers and Guardians of some particular places of the Country as also by a kinde of Brickes which they vsed for the Romans in time of peace to auoid and withstand idlenesse as an enemy to vertuous and valorous enterprises still exercised their Legions and Cohorts in casting of ditches making of High-wayes building of Bridges and making of Brickes which hauing sithence bin found and from time to time digd out of the ground proue the Antiquitie of the place by the Romane Inscriptions vpon them 7 No lesse argument of the pietie hereof are the many Monasteries Abbyes and Religious houses that haue beene placed in this Country which whilest they retained their owne state and magnificence were great ornaments vnto it but since their dissolution and that the teeth of Time which deuours all things haue eaten into them they are become like dead carkasses leauing onely some poore ruines and remaines aliue as reliques to posteritie to shew of what beautie and magnitude they haue beene Such was the Abbey of Whiâ—â—y founded by Lady Hilda daughter of the grand-childe vnto King Edwine Such was the Abbey built by Bolcon which is now so razed and laid Ieuell with the earth as that at this time it affords no appearance of the former dignitie Such was Kirkstall Abbey of no small account in time past founded in the yeare of Christ 1147. Such was the renowned Abbey called S. Maries in Yorke built and endowed with rich liuings by Alan the third Earle of little Britaine in America but since conuerted into the Princes house and is called The Mannour Such the wealthy Abbey of Fountaines built by Tâ—urstin Arch bishop of Yorke Such was the famous Monastery founded in the Primitiue Church of the East-Saxons by Wilfrid Arch-bishop of Yorke and enlarged being fallen downe and decayed by Odo Arch-bishop of Canterbury Such was Drax a religious house of Chanons Such that faire Abbey built by King William the Conquerour at Silby where his Sonne Henry the first was borne in memory of Saint German who happily confuted that contagious Pelagian Heresie which oftentimes grew to Serpentine head in Britaine These places for Religion erected with many more within this Prouinciall Circuit and consecrated vnto holy purposes shew the antiquitie and how they haue beene sought vnto by confluences of Pilgrimes in their manner of deuotions The midst of which superstitious obscurities are since cleared by the pure light of the Gospell reuealed and the skirts of Idolatry vnfolded to her owne shame and ignominie And they made subiect to the dissolution of Times seruing onely as antique Monuments and remembrances to the memory of succeeding Ages 8 Many places of this Prouince are famoused as well by Name being naturally fortunate in their situation as for some other accidentall happinesse befallen vnto them Hallifax famous as well for that Iohannes defacro Besco Author of the Sphere was borne there and for the Law it hath against stealing and for the greatnesse of the Parish which reckoneth in it eleuen Chappels whereof two be Parish-Chappels and in them to the number of twelue thousand people In former times it was called Horton and touching the alteration of the name this prety story is related of it namely That a Clerke for so they call him being farre in loue with a maid and by no meanes either of long prayses or large promises able to gaine like affection at her hands when he saw his hopes frustrate and that he was not like to haue his purpose of her turned his loue into rage and cut off the maides head which being afterwards hung vpon an Ewe tree common people counted it as an hallowed relique till it was rotten And afterwards such was the credulitie of that time it maintained the opinion of reuerence and Religion still for the people resorted thither on pilgrimage and perswaded themselues that the little veynes that spread out betweene the Barke and Body of the Ewe tree like fine threds were the very haires of the maids head Hereupon it was called by this name Haligfax or Haly-fax that is Holy-Hayre Pomfret is famous for the Site as being seated in a place so pleasant that it brings forth Liquoriâ—e and great plentie of Skiriworts but it is infamous for the murther and bloudshed of Princes The Castle whereof was built by Hildebert Lacy a Norman to whom William the Conquerour gaue this Towne after Alrick the Saxon was thrust out of it 9 But I will forbeare to be prolixe or tedious in the particular memoration of places in a Prouince so spatious and onely make a compendious relation of Yorke the second Citie of England in Latine called Eboracum and Eburacum by Ptolemy Brigantium the chiefe Citie of the Brigants by Ninius Caer Ebrauc by the Britaines Caer Effroâ— The British History reports that it tooke the name of Ebrauc that founded it but some others are of opinion that Eburacum hath no other deriuation then from the Riuer Ouse running thorow it It ouer-masters all the other places of this Country for fairenesse and is a singular ornament safegard to all the North parts A pleasant place large and full of magnificence rich populous and not onely strengthened with fortifications but adorned with beautifull buildings as well priuate as publike For the greater dignitie thereof it was made an Episcopall See by Constantius and a Metropolitane Citie by a Pall sent vnto it from Homorius Egbert Arch-bishop of Yorke who flourished about the yeare seauen hundred fortie erected in it a most famous Library Richard the third repaired the Castle thereof being ruinous and King Henry the eight appointed a Counsell in the same to decide and determine all the causes and Controuersies of the North parts according to equitie and conscience which Counsell consisteth of a Lord President certaine Counsellers at the Princes pleasure a Secretarie and other Vnder-Officers The originall of this Citie cannot be fetcht out but from the romanes seeing the Britaine 's before the Romanes came had no other Townes then Woods fenced with Trenches and Rampiers as Caesar and Strabo doe testifie And that it
Penbroke Tenby Hereford West with the goodly and many branched Hauen of Milford called in Welsh Aberdangledhett S. Dauids or Meneuiâ— which is the chiefest See in Wales Fiscard called Aberwayn and Newport named Tresdreth 18 The third part was Caermarden-shire which is a Country accounted the strongest part of all South-Wales as that which is full of high Mountaines great Woods and faire Riuers 19 The fourth called Morganwe now Glamorgan-shire hath on the South the Seuerne Sea which diuideth it from Deuonshire and Cornewall vpon the West and North-west Carmarden-shire vpon the North-east Breckneck-shire and vpon the East Monmouth-shire 20 The fift now called Gwent and in Monmouth-shire hath in it the ancient Citie of Caerlbeon vpon Vske There are also diuers Townes and Castles Chepstow Glynstrygul Râ—s Tynterne vpon the Riuer Wye c. This is a faire and fertile Country It hath on the West Glamorgan and Brecknock-shires vpon the North Hereford-shire vpon the East Glocester-shire with the Riuer Wye and the Riuer Seuerne vpon the South and South-east 21 The last is Brecknock-shire for the most part full of Mountaines Woods and Riuers This Country is both great and large being full of faire plaines and vallyes for Corne it hath plentie of the thicke Woods Forrests and Parkes It is full also of cleere and deepe Riuers of which Seuerne is the chiefest although there be other faire Riuers as Vske and the like 22 Thus farre concerning the ancient Welsh diuision by Talaiths but the present diuision distributeth them more compendiously into two Countries and twelue Shires enacted so by Parlament vnder King Henry the eight The Countries are North-Wales and South-Wales which haue shared and as it were deuoured betweene them all Powysland each of which Countries containes sixe Shires North-Wales Anglesey Caâ—â—â—aruon Merionyth Denbigh Flint Montgomery South-Wales Caerdigan Pembroke Carmarden Glamorgan Brecknocks Radnâ—r PEMBROKE-SHIRE CHAPTER II. PEMBROKE-SHIRE the furthest Promontory of all West-Wales lieth parted on the North from Cardigan-shire with the Riuers Tyâ—y and Keach and on the East is confronted by Caermarden-shire the South and West shooting farre into the Irish Seas is with the same altogether washed 2 The forme thereof is longer then it is broad for from S 〈◊〉 South-point to Cardigan-bridge in the North are twentie-sixe miles the Easterne Landenie to S. Dauids point in the West are twentie miles the whole in circumference is nintie three miles 3 The Aire is passing temperate by the report of Giraldus who confirmeth his reason from the site of Ireland against which it butteth and so neere adioyned that King Rufus thought it possible to make a Bridge of his Shippes ouer the Sea whereby he might passe to Ireland on foot 4 Anciently it was possessed by the Demetia further branched into Cardigan and Caermarden-shires as in that County hath beene said and in the Saxons Conquest and Heptarchte by the Britaine 's forced into those parts for refuge whither Henry the first and third of the Normans King sent certaine Flemings whose Country was ouer-whelmed with the breaking 〈◊〉 of the Seas to inhabite the maritine Tract called Rosse lying West vpon the Riuer Dougledye Thess Dutchmen saith Giraldus were a strong and stout Nation inured to Warres and accustomed to seeke gaine by Clothing Traffique and Tillage and euer readie for the Field to fight it out adding withall that they were most loyall to the English and most faithfull to the English-men Whereupon Malmesbury writeth thus Many a time did King William Rufus assaile the Welsh but euer in vaine which is to be wondred at considering his other fortunate successe But saith he it may be the vneuennesse of the ground and sharpnesse of the aire that maintained their courage and impeached his valour which to redresse King Henry his brother found meanes for those Flemings who in regard of his mothers kindred by the fathers side sorely pestred and endammaged the English he sent into Wales both to purge and disburden his owne Kingdome and to quell and keepe backe the courage of his enemies These men here seated deceiued not his expectation but so carried themselues in his quarrell that they seldome communicated with their neighbours so that to this day they speake not the Language and the Country is yet called Little England beyond Wales 5 The commodities of this Shire are Corne Cattle Sea-Fish and Fowle and in Giraldus his dayes of saleable Wines the Hauens being so commodious for Ships arriuage such is that at Tenby and Milford an Hauen of such capacitie that sixteene Creekes fiue Bayes and thirteene Roades knowne all by seuerall names are therein contained where Henry of Richmond of most happie memory arriued with signall hopes of Englands freedome from vnder the gouernment of an vsurping Tyrant 6 Neere vnto this is Pembroke the Shire-Towne seated more ancient in shew then it is in yeares and more houses without Inhabitants then I saw in any one Citie thorowout my suruey It is walled long-wise and them but indifferent for repaire containing in circuit eight hundred and fourescore pases hauing three Gates of passage and at the West end a large Castle and locked-causey that leads ouer the water to the decayed Priory of Monton The site of this Towne is in the degree of Longitude as Mercator doth measure 14. and 55. minutes and the eleuation from the North-pole in the degree of Latitude 52. 7 A Citie as barren is old Saint Dauids neither clad with Woods nor garnished with Riuers nor beautified with Fields nor adorned vvith Meadowes but lieth alwayes open both to winde and stormes Yet hath it beene a Nursery to holy men for herein liued Calphâ—â—rnius a Britaine Priest whose wife was Concha sister to Saint Martin and both of them the parents of Saint Patricke the Apostle of Ireland Deus a most religious Bishop made this an Archiepiscopall See remoued from Isâ—a Legionum This the Britaines call Tuy Dewy the house of Deui we Saint Dauids a Citie with few Inhabitants yet hath it a faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to Saint Andrew and Dauid in the middest of whose Quire lieth intombed Edmund Earle of Richmond father to King Henry the seuenth whose Monument as the Prebends told me spared their Church from other defacements when all went downe vnder the hammers of King Henry the eight About this is a faire wall and the Bishops Palace all of free stone a goodly house I assure you and of great receit whose vncouered tops cause the curious workes in the walles daily to weepe and them to feare their downefall ere long 8 But Monton the Priorie and S. Dogmels places of deuout pietie erected in this Countie found not the like fauour when the commission of their dissolutions came downe against them and the axes of destruction cut downe the props of their walles RADNOR-SHIRE CHAPTER III. RADNOR-SHIRE lieth bordered vpon the North with the County Monmouth vpon the East toucheth Shropshire and Herefordshire the Riuers Clarwen and Wye diuide it from Breknock in the
three Arch-Flamins whose seates were at London Caerlion and Yorke all of them conuerted by King Lucius into Christian Bishops Sees let vs onely insist vpon the three last by the same King appointed to be Metropolitanes ouer the rest among whom London is said to be chiefe whos 's first Christian Arch-bishop was Thean the builder of S. Peters Church in Cornehill for his Cathedrall as by an ancient Table there lately hanging was affirmed and tradition to this day doth hold Our British Historians doe bring a succession of fifteene Arch-bishops to haue sate from his time vnto the comming of the Saxons whose last was Vodius slaine by King Vortiger for reprehending his heathenish marriage with Râ—wâ—n the Daugher of Hengist At what time began the misery of the Land and of holy Religion both which they layd wast vnder their prophane feete vntill Ethelbert of Kent the first Christian Saxon King aduanced Christainitie Augustine to the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury when London vnder Melitus became subiect to that See 6 At Caerlion vpon Vske in the time of great Arthur sate Dubritius a man excellently learned and of an holy conuersation he had sate Bishop of Landaffe a long time and with Germanus and Lupus two French Bishops greatly impugned the Pelagian Heresie infecting at that time the Iland very farre whose fame and integritie was such that he was made Arch-bishop of all Wales but growne very old he resigned the same vnto Dauia his Disciple a man of greater birth but greater austeritie of life who by consent of King Arthur remoued his Arch-bishops See vnto Meneuia a place very solitary and meete for meditation the miracles of the man which are said to be many changed both the name of the place into his owne and robbed Caerlion of her Archiepiscopall seate This See of S Dauids as in an ancient Register belonging to that Church is recorded had seauen Bishops Suffraganes subiect vnto it which were Exceter Bathe He eford Landaffe Bangor S. Asaph and â—eâ—nes in Ireland notwithstanding eyther for want of Pall carried into Britanny by Arch-bishop Samâ—son in a dangerous infection of sicknesse either by pouertie or negligence it lost that Iurisdiction and in the dayes of King Henry the first became subiect to the See of Canterbury 7 Yorke hath had better successe then eyther of the former in retayning her originall honour though much impaired in her circuit challenging to haue beene some time Metropolitane ouer all the Bishops in Scotland and although it was made equall in honour and power with Canterbury by Pope Gregory as Beda relateth and had twelue Suffragan Bishoprickes that owed obedience onely foure now acknowledge Yorke their Metropolitane but Canterbury the Superiour for William the Conquerour thinking it dangerous to haue two in like authoritie least the one should set on his Crowne and the other strike it off left Yorke to be a Primate but Canterbury onely the Prinâ—â—â— of all England 8 The Lichfield was made an Archiepiscopall See by Pope Hadrian the first at the suit of Offa the great King of Mercia is manifested by Mathew of Westminster vnto whose Iurisdiction were assigned the Bishoprickes of Winchester Hereford Leicester Sidnacester Helmâ—am and Dunwich and whose first and last bishop was Aldwin That Winchester also had intended an Archiepiscopall Pall the same Author recordeth when Henry Bloys of the bloud royall greatly contended with the Arch bishop of Canterbury for superioritie vnder the pretence of being Cardinall de latere to him an Archiepiscopall Pall was sent with power and authoritie ouer seauen Churches but he dying before that the designe was done the See of Winchester remained in subiection to Canterbury And that long before the See of Dorchester by Oxford had the Iurisdiction of an Arch-bishop is apparant by those Prouinces that were vnder his Diocesse which were Winchester Oxford Lincolne Salisbury Bâ—estow Wells Lichfield Chester and Excester and the first Bishop of this great circuit Berinuâ— was called the Apostle and Bishop of the West Saxons which in his next successor was diuided into two parts Winchester and Dorchester and not long after into Lichfield Sidnacester and Legecester and lastly the See remoued from Dorchester to Lincolne as now it is And thus farre for the diuision of this Realme both Politicke and Ecclesiasticke as it hath stood and stands at this day 9 But the whole Ilands diuision by most certaine Record was anciently made when Iulius Agricâ—la drew a trench or fortification vpon that narrow space of ground betwixt Edenbrough Frith and Dunbretton Bay making the Southerne part a Prouince vnto the Romane Empire Afterwards Hadrian the Emperour seeing perhaps the Prouince too spacious to be well gouerned without great expense drew backe these limits almost fourescore miles shotter euen to the mouth of the Riuer Tyne whence he fortified with a wall of admirable worke vnto Carlile which stood the Lands border while it stood as a Romane Prouince yet the conquering Saxons did spread againe ouer those bounds and as seemeth enlarged their gouernment to that first Tract as by this inscription in a Stone Crosse standing vpon a Bridge ouer the water of Frith appeareth I am a free March as Passengers may ken To Scots to Britaines and to Englishmen 10 But afterward William the Conquerour and Malcolme King of Scotland falling to an agreement for their limits arreared a Crosse vpon Stanemore where on the one side the portraiture and Armes of the King of England was sculptured and of the King of Scots on the other a piece whereof is yet remaining there neere to the Spittle thence called the Rev-Crosse there erected to be a Meare-stone to either Kingdome His successors also abolished the two partitions in the West whereby the Welsh became one Nation and Kingdome with the English It is also said that King Stephen to purchase friendship with the Scottish Nation gaue vnto their King the Countie of Cumberland who with it held both Westmorland and Northumberland but as Newbrigensis writeth he restored them to King Henry the second wisely considering his great power and right to those parts KENT CHAPTER III. KENT the first Prouince appearing in the South of this Kingdome is bounded vpon the North with the famous Riuer Thamisis on the East with the Germane Ocean on the South with Sussex and the narrow Seas and vpon the West and Sussex and Surrey The length thereof extended from Langley in the West vnto Ramsgate Eastward in the Isle of Thanet is about 53. English miles From Rother in the South vnto the Isle of Graine Northward the bredth is not much aboue 26. and the whole circumference about 160. miles 2 Informe it somewhat resembleth the head of a hammer or Battle-axe and lyeth corner-wise into the Sea by Strabo Caesar Diadorus and Ptolemie called Cantium of Cant or Angle or Corner either of Caine a British word which signifieth Bushes or Woods whereof that Countie in those former times was plentifully stored 3 The ayre though not very
end and in London doing many outrages where in Smithfield he was lastly strucke downe by William Walworth then Maior of the Citie and worthily slaine for his notorious treasons Againe vpon Black-heath Michael Ioseph the Lord Dawbeny with their Cornish Rebels were ouerthrowne by King Henry the seauenth Anno 1497. SVSSEX CHAPTER IIII. SVTH-SEX a word compounded of the sire thâ—reof Southward lyeth stretched along the British Seas The North confronts vpon Surâ—â—y and Kent and the West butteth vpon Haâ—apshire 2 For forme it lyeth long and narrow so that all her Râ—pes doe runne quite through the Shire containeth from Weâ—â—harting in the West to Kent-ditch that diuides it from Kent in the East sixtie foure miles but in the broadest part little aboue twentie the whole in circumference about one hundred fiftie eight miles 3 The ayre is good though somewhat clouded with wists which arise forth of her South bordering Sea who is very prodigall vnto her for Fish and Sea-sowle though as sparing for Harbours or Ships ariuage and those which she hath as vncertaine for continuance as dangerous for entrance 4 Rich is the Soile and yeeldeth greatplentie of all things necessary but very ill for trauellers especially in the winter the Land lying low and the wayes very deepe whose middle tract is garnished with meadowes pastures and Corn-fields the Sea-coast with Hilles which are called the Downs abundantly yeelding both Graint and Grasse and the North side ouershadowed with pleasant Groues and thicke Woods where sometimes stood the famous wood Andradswald containing no lesse then an hundred and twentie miles in length and thirtie in bredth taking the name of Anderida a Citie adioyning both which were wonne from the Britaine 's by Llla the first Saxon King of this Prouince and the place made fatall to Sigebert King of the West-Saxons who being deposed from his Royall Throne was met in this Wood by a Swine-heard and slaine in reuenge of his Lord whom Sigebert had murdered 5 The ancient people in the Romans time were the Regni of whom we haue spoken and who were subdued by Vespasian the Leader of the second Legion vnder Aâ—lus Plautius Liceutenant in Britaine for Claudius the Emperour But after the departure of the Romanes this with Surrey was made the South-Saxons Kingdome yet that giuing place to the West-Saxons as they in time to the Normans it became a Prouince vnder the Conquerours power who gaue to his followers much Land in these parts 6 The place of most account in this Shire is Chichester by the Britaine 's called Caercei a Citie beautifull and large and very well walled about first built by Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons wherein his Royall palace was kept And when King William the First had enacted that Bishops Seas should be translated out of small Townes vnto places of greater resort the Residence of the Bishop vntill then held at Selsey was remoued to this Citie where Bishop Raulfe began a most goodly Cathedrall Church but before it was fully finished by a sudden mischance of fire was quite consumed Yet the same Bishop with the helping liberalitie of King Henry the First began it againe and saw it wholly finished whose beautie and greatnesse her fatall enemy still enuying againe cast downe in the dayes of King Richard the First and by her raging flames consumed the buildings both of it and the Bishops Palace adioyning which Seffrid the second Bishop of that name reedified and built a new And now to augment the honour of this place the Citie hath borne the Title of an Earledome whereof they of Arundell were sometimes so stiled Whose Gradustion for Latitude is remoued from the Equator vnto the degree fiftie fiftie fiue minutes and for Longitude obseruing the same point in the West whence Mercator hath measured are twentie degrees 7 With whom for frequencie bignesse and building the Towne Lewes seemeth to contend where King Athelstan appointed the mintage of his Moneyes and William de Warron built a strong Castle whereunto the disloyall Barons of King Henry the Third in warlike manner resorted and fought a great Battle against their owne Soueraigne and his sonne wherein the King had his Horse slaine vnder him Richard King of the Romans surprised and taken in a Wind-mill and Prince Edward deliuered vnto them vpon vnequall conditions of peace But a greater Battle was fought at Battle when the hazard of England was tryed in one dayes fight and Harold the King gaue place to his Conquerour by losing of his life among sixtie seuen thousand nine hundred seuentie-foure English men besides whose bloud so spilt gaue name to the place in French Sangue lac And the soile naturally after raine becomming of a reddish colour caused William of Newbery vntruely to write That if there fell any small sweet showers in the place where so great a slaughter of the English-men was made presently sweateth forth very fresh bloud out of the earth as if the euidence thereof did plainly declare the vaâ—ce of bloud there shed and cryed still from the earth vnto the Lord. 8 But places of other note in this Shire are these from Basham Earle Harold taking the Sea for his delight in a small Boat was driuen vpon the Coast of Normandie where by Duke William he was retained till he had sworne to make him King after Edward Confessors death which oath being broken the Bastard arriued at Pensey and with his sword reuenged that Periurie at West-Wittering also Ella the Saxon before him had landed for the conquering of those parts and gaue name to the shore from Cimen his son But with greater glory doth Gromebridge raise vp her head where Charles Duke of Orleaunce father to Lewes the twelfth King of France taken prisoner at Agincourt was there a long time detained 9 The commodities of this Prouince are many and diuers both in Corne Cattle Woods Iron and Glasse which two last as they bring great gaine to their possessors so doe they impouerish the Countie of Woods whose want will be found in ages to come if not at this present in some sort felt 10 Great haue beene the deuotions of religious Persons in building and consecrating many houses vnto the vse and onely seruice of Christ whose Beadmen abusing the intents of their Founders hath caused those Foundations to lament their owne ruines for in the tempestuous time of King Henry the Eight eighteene of them in this Countie were blowne downe whose fruit iell into the â—appes of some that neuer meant to restore them againe to the like vse SVRREY CHAPTER V. SVRREY by Beda called Suthri lieth separated vpon the North from the Counties of â—â—â—kingham and Miaâ—lesex by the great Riuer Thaâ—â—sâ—s vpon the East Kent doth inbound it vpon the South is held in with Sussex and Hampshire and her West part is bordered vpon by Hamp-shire and Bark-shire 2 The forme thereof is somewhat square and lieth by Northand by East whereof Redrith and Frensham are the opposites
betwixt whom are extended thirtie-foure miles The broadest part is from Awfold Southward to Thamisis by Stanes and them asunder twentie two the whole in circumference is one hundred and twelue miles 3 The Heauens breathing ayre in this Shire is most sweet and delectable so that for the same cause many royall Palaces of our Princes are therein seated and the Countrey better stored with game then with graine insomuch that this Countie is by some men compared vnto a home-spunne freeze cloth with a costly faire lift for that the out-verge doth exceed the middle itselfe And yet is it wealthy enough both in Corne and Pasturage especially in Hâ—â—esdale and towards the Riuer of Thamisis 4 In this Shire the Regni an ancient people mentioned by Ptolemie were seated whom he brancheth further thorow Sussex and some part of Hamp-shire And in the wane of the Romans gouernment when the Land was left to the will of Inuaders the South-Saxons vnder Ella here erected their Kingdome which with the first was raised and soonest found end From them no doubt the Courtie was named Suth-rey as seated vpon the South of the Riuer and now by contraction is called Surrey 5 And albeit the Countie is barren of Cities or Townes of great estate yet is she stored with many Princely Houses yea and fiue of his Majesties so magnificently built that of some she may well say no Shire hath none such as is None-such indeed And were not Richmond a fatall place of Englands best Princes it might in esteeme be ranked with the richest for therein died the great Conquerour of France King Edward the Third the beautifull Anne daughter to Charles the Fourth Emperour and intirely beloued wife to King Richard the Second the most wise Prince King Henry the Seuenth and the rarest of her Sexe the Mirrour of Princes Queene Elizabeth the worlds loue and Subiects joy 6 At Merton likewise Kenulph King of the West-Saxons came to his vntimely end and at Lambeth the hardre Canute and last of the Danish Kings died among his Cuppes But as these places were fatall for the last breath of these Princes so other in this Countie haue beene graced with the body and beginning of other worthy Monarkes for in Chertsâ—y Abbey King Henry the Sixth who was deposed and made away in the Tower of London was first interred without all funerall pompe but for his holy life was imputed a Saint and lastly translated and intombed at Windsore At Kingston likewise stood the Chaire of Maiestic wherein Athelstan Edwin and Ethelred sate at their Coronation and first receiued their Seepter of Imperiall Power Guildforâ— likewise hath beene farre greater then now it is when the Place of our English-Saxon Kingâ— was therein set And seeing it is the midst of the Shire the Graduation from hence shall be obserued where for Latitude the Pole is raised from the degree 51. 22. scruples and her Longitude from the West in the degree 20. and 2. scruples 7 Neither can we account Okam and Ripley two small Villages the least in this Shire which haue brought forth the well knowne men William de Okam that deepe Philosopher and admirable Scholar and George de Ripley the rung leader of our Alchymists and mysticall impostors both of them borne in this Countie and very neere together But why speake I of these sith a place neerer to sight and greater for fame euen Lambeth is the High Seat of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment Pietie and Learning and Palace of Canterburies Arch-bishops the Metropolitanâ— of England First erected by Archbishop Daldwin and euer since hath beene the residing of all those worthy Prelates of our Church who in a long succession euen from Anno 596 haue continued to him that now most worthily sits at the Churches sterne Richard by Gods prouidence Lord Archbishop of that See a most faithfull and prudent Counsellor vnto King IAMES and a most learned and prouident Guide of our most flourishing Church whose gracious fauour vndeseruedly conferred vpon me hath beene a great encouragement to these my poore endeuours 8 Memorable places for Battles sought before the Conquest were Wembledon where when the fulnesse of prosperitie burst forth into Ciuill Dissensions among the Saxons a bloudy Battle was fought betwixt Cheauâ—in the West-Saxon and young Ethelbert of Kent wherein he was discomfited and two of his principall Leaders slaine about the yeare of Christ 560. and three hundred thirtie three yeares after King Elfred with a small power ouercame the Danes with a great slaughter at Faruham in this Countie which somewhat quelled the courage of his sauage enemy 9 Religious Houses erected in this Shire by the deuotion of Princes and set apart ffom publike vses to Gods Diuine Seruice and their owne Saluation as then was taught the best in account were Sbene Chertsey Merton Newarke Rygate Wauerley Horsleg and in Southwarke Bermundsey and S. Maries These all flourished with increase till the ripeâ—esse of their fruit was so pleasing in sight and taste vnto King HENRY the Eight that in beating the boughes he brake downe body and all ruinating those houses and seazing their rich possessions into his owne hands So jealous is GOD of his honour and so great vengeance followeth the sinne of Idolatrie HANT-SHIRE CHAPTER VI. HANT-SHIRE lying vpon the West of England Is bordered vpon the North by Barkshire vpon the East with Surrey and Sussex vpon the South with the British Seas and I le of Wight and vpon the West with Dorset and Wilt-shires 2 The length thereof from Blackwater in the North vpon Surrey vnto Bascomb in the South vpon the Sea extended in a right line is fiftie foure English miles and the breadth drawne from Peters-field in the East vnto Tidworth in the West and confines of Wilt-shire is little lesse then thirtie miles the whole Circumference about one hundred fiftie and fiue miles 3 The Aire is temperate though somewhat thicke by reason of the Seas and the many Riuers that thorow the Shire doe fall whose plentie of fish and fruitfull increase doe manifoldly redeeme the harmes which they make 4 The Soile is rich for Corne and Cattle pleasant for pasturage and plenteous for woods in a word in all commodities either for Sea or Land blessed and happy 5 Hauens it hath and those commodious both to let in and to loose out Ships of great burthen in trade of Merchandise or other imployments whereof Portsmouth Tichfield Hamble and South-hampton are chiefe besides many other creeks that open their bosomes into those Seas and the Coast strengthned with many strong Castles such as Hurst Calshot South-hampton S. Andrewes Worth Porchester and the South Castle besides other Bulwarkes or Blockhouses that secure the Country and further in the Land as Malwood Winchester and Odiam so strong that in the time of King Iohn thirteene English-men onely defended the Fort for fifteene dayes against Lewis of France that with a great Host assaulted it most hotly 6 Anciently it was possest vpon the North by the
which taking passage thorow the plaine Vallies doe lastly in a louing manner vnite themselues together and of their many branches make many bigge bodied streames neither doth the Sea deny them entrance but helpeth rather to fill vp their Bankes whereby Vessels of burden discharge their rich Treasures and her selfe with open hand distributeth her gifts all along the South of this Shore 4 Anciently it was possest by the Durotriges whom Ptolemie placeth along in this Tract who being subdued by the Romans yeelded them roome and vnwilling subiection After them the Saxons set foot in these parts whereof Portland seemeth from that Port to take name who in this place arriued in Anno 703. and did sorely infest and annoy all the South Tract And at Bindon before him Kinegillus King of the West-Saxons in the yeare of Christ 614. in a doubtfull and dangerous Battle vanquished the Britaines Neither were the Saxons so surely herein seated but that the Danes sought to defeat them thereof for twice these bold Rouers landed at Chartmouth the first was in Anno 831. and raigne of King Egbert and the other eight yeares after when Ethelwulfe was King in both which they went away Victors Yet when the Iron-side wore the English Diademe and these fierce people sought to plucke it from his Helmet he met them at Pen ham in Gillingham Forrest and with a small power obtained a great victory causing their King Canute with discourage to retire 5 Commodities arising in this Countie are chiefly Wools and Woods in her North where the Forrests are stored with the one and the pleasant greene Hilles with the other The inner part is ouer-spread both with Corne and Grasse and the Sea yeeldeth the Isidis Plocamos a Shrub growing not vnlike the Corrall without any leafe besides her other gifts turning all to great gaine which the more is made manifest by the many Market Townes in this Shire whereof Dorchester is the chiefe in Antonius his 〈◊〉 termed Durnouaria situated vpon the South side of Frome and the 〈…〉 called â—osse-way wherein some of their Lâ—gions kept a by the Rampiers and Coines there daily digged vp is probably coniectured at which time it seemeth the Citie was walled whereof some part yet standeth especially vpon the West and South sides and the Tract and Trench most apparent in a Quadrant-wise almost meeteth the Riuer containing in circuit one thousand and seuen hundred pases but were cast downe by the Danes whose tranâ—pling feete destroyed all things wheresoeuer they came and hands here razed the Trenches Mandbury and Poundbury theseales of their Siege and signes of times miserie About three hundred pases Southward from hence standeth an old Fortification of Earth trenched about and mounted aboue the ordinary plaine thirtie pases containing some fiue Acres of ground wherein at my there-being plentie of Corne grew This the Inhabitants call The Maiden-Castle hauing entrance thereunto onely vpon the East and West This is thought to haue beene a Summer-Campe or Station of the Romans when their Garrisons kept the Frontiers of this Prouince The gouernment of this City is yearely committed to two Bailiffes elected out of eight Magistrates or Aldermen a Recorder Towrâ—-Clerke and two Sergeants attending them whence the North-pole is eleuated 50. degrees 48. minutes in Latitude and for Longitude is remooued from the first West-point vnto the Meridian of 18. degrees 6 Other places also are memorable through the actions therein happening or antiquities there yet remaining such is Badbury now nothing but a Trench and decayed Castle hardly seene though sometimes it was the Court of the West-Saxons Kings Such also is Cerne where Augustine the English Apostle brake downe the Altars and Idols of the Saxons God HELL whom they deuoutly honoured as the onely conseruer of their health Shaftesbury also wherein one Aquila whether a Man or Eagle I know not by our Historians report is said to haue prophecied the future times of this our Empire and that after the raignes of the Saxons and Norman it should againe returne vnto the gouernment of the British Kings But with such vaine predictions our Nation is more then once taxed by Philip 〈◊〉 the famous French Writer In this Citie Edward the sonne of great Edgar and one and thirtieth Monarch of the English-men was interred being murdered at Corfe a Castle seated in the I le of Purbeck by his Step-mother Aelfrith to make way for her sonne to enioy his Crowne in repentance whereof and to pacifie Heauen for his bloud she built the Monasteries of Ambresbury and Whorwell in the Countie of Wilt-shire and South-Hamton In the former of which with great penitency she spent the rest of her life 7 As vpon the like occasion the Monastery of Middleton was laied in this Shire by King Ethelstan to appease the Ghost of Edwine his innocent brother and to expiate the sinne of his owne soule for the bloud of that iust Prince whom most vniustly he caused to die and with the like deuotion though not to satisfie for the like bloâ—die sinnes did Queene Cuthbarga sue a Diuorce from her second husband the Northumberlands King and it Winburne built her a Nunnery whereof her selfe becâ—me Abbesse where afterward was raised a most stately Minster which added not onely more glory to the place but withall enlarged the name and made it to be called Wimburn-minster where King Ethelâ—â—â— a most vertuous Prince after much disquâ—â—â—nesse had with the Danes in peace here resteth with his Tombe and Inscription as in his History Christ assisting shall be further seene Neither among these may I omit Sherburne which in the yeare of grace 704. was made a Bishops See in whose Cathedrall Church were interred the bodies of Ethelbald and Ethelbert brethren both of them Monarkes of the English-men 8 Seuen more besides these were set apart from worldly imployments consecrated onely to God and his seruice in this Shire which were Camestern Cranborn Abâ—ottesbury Bindon Sturmister Tarrant and Warham These with the others came to their full period vnder the hand of King Henry the Eight which lay with such waight vpon their faiâ—e buildings that he crushed the iuyce thereof into his owne Coffers DEVON-SHIRE CHAPTER IX DEVON-SHIRE by the Cornish Britaines called Deuinan and by contraction of the vulgar Denshire is not deriued from the Danes as some would haue it but from the people Danmonij the same we will speake of in Cornwall and whom Ptolemie hath seated in these Westerne Borders 2 The West of this County is bounded altogether by the Riuer Tamar the East is held in with the verge of Somerset-shire and the North and South sides are washed wholy with the British and Severne Seas Betwixt whose shoares from Cunshere in the North vnto Salcombe Hauen entering in at the South are fiftie fiue miles and from the Hartland Point West to Thorncombe East are fiftie foure the whole Circumference about two hundred and two miles 3 The Ayre is sharpe healthfull and good the Soile is hilly
thereof it scarce giues place to any Citie of England and doth worthily deserue the Saxon name Bright-stad whose pleasantnesse is the more by reason that the Riuer Auon scowres through the midst of it which together with the benefit of Sewes vnder all the streets cleares the Citie of all noysome filth and vncleannesse It is not wholly seated in this Countie of Sommerset but one part thereof in Gloucestershire but because it is an entire Countie of it selfe it denyes subiection vnto eyther hauing for its owne gouernment both a Bishop with a well furnished Colledge and a Major with a competent assistance of Aldermen and other Officers for Ciuill affaires 8 This Prouince hath beene the Theater of many Tragicall euents and bloudy Battels the Danes did grieuously afflict Porlock by cruell Piracies in the yeare eight hundred eightâ—e sixe Yet neere vnto Pen a little village â—eighbouring vpon North Cadbury Edmund surnamed Iron-side gaue them a notable soyle as he was pursuing Caâ—â—tus from place to place for vsurping the Crowne of England And Keniwalth a West-Saxon in the same place had such a day against the â—ritaines that they euer after stood in awe of the English-Saxons prowesse Marianus relateth that not farre from Bridge-water as the Dâ—â—es were stragling abroad Ealstan Bishop of Sherbourne did so foyle their Forces in the yeare 845 as their minds were much discomfited and their powers vtterly disabled Niâ—ius also writeth that King Arthur did so defeat the English-Saxons in a battell at Cadbury that it deserued to be made perpetuously memorable Neither is Moâ—s Badonicus now Bannesdowne lesse famous for Arthurs victories And King Elfred in another battell not farre from hence gaue the Danes such an ouerthrow as he forced them to submission and induced Godrus their King to become a Christian himselfe being God-father to him at the â—ont So happie is this Region and so beholding to Nature and Art for her strengths and fortifications as she hath alwayes beeene able to defend her selfe and offend her enemies 9 Neither hath it beene lesse honoured with beauteous houses consecrated to Religion such was that of Black-Charons at Barelinch in the first limit of this Shire Westward and King Athelstan built a Monastery in an Iland called Muchelney that is to say the great Iland which is betweene the Riuers Iuel and Pedred running together where the defaced walles and ruines thereof are yet to be seene King Henry the third also erected a Nunnery at Witham which was afterwards the first house of the Carthusian Monkes in England as Hinâ—â—n not far off was the second But aboue all other for antiquitie glory and beautie was the Abbey of Glasteâ—bury whose beginning is fetcht euen from Ioseph of A â—â—athea which Deni Bishop of S. Dauids repaired being fallen to ruine and King Inas lastly builded a fayre and stately Church in this Monastery though it be now made euen with the ground the ruines onely shewing how great and magnificant a Seat it hath anciently beene which seuerall houses were thus beautified by bounteous Princes for religious purposes and to retire the mind from worldly seruices though blinded times and guides diuerted them to superstitious and lewd abuses 10 Other memorable places are these Camalâ—t a very steepe hill hard to be ascended which appeares to haue beene a worke of the Romans by diuers Coynes digd vp there on the top whereof are seene the lineaments of a large and ancient Castle which the Inhabitants report to haue beene the Palace of King Arthur Ilchester which at the comming of the Normans was so populouâ— that it had in it an hundred and seuen Burgesâ—es and it appeares to be of great antiquitie by the Romane Caesars Coynes oftentimes sound there The Church yard of Aualonia or Glastenbury whâ—re King Arthurs Sepulcher was searcht for by the command of King Henry the second which was found vnder a stone with an Inscription vpon it fastned almost nine foote in the ground Also Dunstere where as is reported a great Lady obtained of her husband so much Pasture ground in common by the Towne side for the good and benefit of the Inhabitants as she was able in a whole day to goe about bare-foote VVILT-SHIRE CHAPTER XII VVILT-SHIRE is enclosed vpon the Northwith Glocester-shire vpon the East is bounded with Bark-shire vpon the South with Dorset and Hampshire and vpon the West is confronted against partly by Glocester and the rest by Somerset shires 2 The forme thereof â—s both long and broad for from Inglesham vpon Thamisis in the North to Burgat Damarum in the South are thirtie nine miles the broadest part is from Buâ—termer Eastward to the Shire-stones in the West being twentie nine the whole in Circumference is one hundred thirtie nine miles 3 For Ayre it is seated in a temperate Climate both sweet pleasant and wholesome and for soile saith Iohn of Sarisbury is exceeding fertile and plentifull yea and that with vaâ—ietie 4 The Northerne part which they call North Wilt shire riseth vp into delectable hilles attired with large Woods and watered with cleare Riuers whereof Isis is one which soone becommeth the most famous in the Land The South part is more euen yeelding abundently grasse and corne and is made the more fruitfull by the Riuers Wily Adder and Auâ—n The midst of this Countie is most plaine and thereby is knowne and commonly called Salesbury 〈◊〉 and lie so leuall indeed that it doth limit the Horizon or hardly can a man see from the one side to the other These Plaines grase an infinite number of sheepe whose fleeces and flesh bring in an yearely reuenew to their owners 5 Anciently this Countie was possessed by the Belga who are seated by Ptolemie in Hampshire Somerset shire and in this Tract and they as it seemeth by Casar were of the Belga in Gaul These as some hold were subdued by Vespasian Lieutenant of the second Legion under Claudius when the foundations of his future greatnesse were in these parts first laid by his many Victories ouer the Britaines And herein surely the Romans seated for besides Yanâ—sburie Trench by Tradition held to be his in many other Forts in this Shire the Tract of their footing hath beene left and the stamped Coines of their Emperours found an apparent testimony of their abode 6 After them the West-Saxons made it a part of their Kingdome whole border was Auon as witnesseth Athelward though the Mercians many times encroched vpon them whereby many great Battles as Malmesbury tels vs betwixt them were fought when in the young yeares of their Heptarchie each sought to enlarge his by the lessening of the next but growne vnto more ripenesse they assigned their limits by a great and long ditch crossing thorow the middest of these Plaines which for the wonder thereof is supposed by the vulgar to be the worke of the Deuill and is called of all Wansdike vndoubtedly of Woden the Saxons Ancestor and great reputed God where a little village yet standeth and
retaineth to name Wodens-burg At this place in Anno 590. Ceaulin the West-Saxon receiued such a foyle of the Britaines and his Countrey-men that he was forced to forsake his Kingdome and to end his dayes in exile becomming a pittifull spectacle euen vnto his enemies And in this place Ina the West-Saxon joyned Battle with Ceolred the Mercian whence both of them departed with equall losse The like was at Bradford by Keâ—â—lwach and Cuthred at Wilton betwixt Egbert and Beornwolfe at Edindon where King Elfred was vanquisher of the Danes and at Wilton where the Danes wonne the day against him With as bloudy successe though not happening by sword was the issue of that Synod assembled at Colne a small Towne in this Countie in the yeare of Christ Iesus 977 where being hotly debating for the single life and against the marriages of the Clergie what wanted by the Word to proue their diuorce was supplyed by a Stratagem and that very bloudy for suddenly the maine timber brake and downe fell the floore with the Nobles and Prelates the Gentlemen and Commons whereby a great number were hurt and many more slaine onely Dunstan the President and mouth for the Monkes escaped vntouched the Ioist whereon his Chaire stood remaining most firme which confirmed the sentence of their separations whom God had conioyned and became the fall and snare of much incontinencie in both sexes 7 The chiefest Citie of this Shire is Salesburie remoued from a higher but a farre more conuenient place whose want of water was not so great in the mother as is supplied and replenished in the daughter euery street almost hauing a Riuer running thorow her middest and for sumptuous and delicate buildings is inferiour to none The Cathedrall a most rich magnificent Church was begun by Richard Poore Bishop and with fortie yeares continuante was raised to her perfect beautie wherein are as many windowes as there are dayes in the yeare as many cast pillars of Marble as there are houres in the yeare and as many gates for entrance as there are moneths in the yeare Neither doth this Citie retaine true honour to her selfe but imparteth hers and receiueth honour from others who are intituled Earles of Salesburie whereof eight noble Families haue beene dignified since the Normans Câ—â—quest This Cities situation is in the degree of Latitude 51. 10 minutes and from the first West point obserued by Mercator 18 Degrees and 31. minutes of Longitude 8 Ouer this old Salesburie sheweth it selfe where Kâ—nâ—â—k ouercame the Britaines and where Canutus the Dane did great dammage by fire This formerly had beene the Seat of the Romans as likewise was Lecham as by their Coines digged vp is apparant so were Brokenbridge and Cosham the Courts of the Saxon Kings But Fortune long since hath turned her face from all these as lately she did from many ancient and religious foundations planted in this Prouince whereof Malâ—â—esburie was the most famous I will not with Monmouth auouch the foundation thereof vnto Mulmutius but by true Records from Maidulph a Scot a man of great learning that therein built a Cell and lead an Hermits life whereof Beda calleth it the Citie of Maidulph and we by contraction Malmesburie Adelme his Disciple and Successor built here a faire Monastery which Athelstan the Monarch richly endowed and left his body after death there to rest Neither hath any graced this more then William her Monke in recording to posterities the Chronicles of our Land concerning both the Church and Common-weale wherein himselfe liued and wrote those Histories 9 Ambresburie for repute did second this built by Aâ—fritha King Edgar his wife to expiate the sinne of murder which she committed vpon yong Edward her sonne in law that hers might be King In this place Queene Eleanor widow to King Henry the third renounced all royall pompe and deuoted her selfe vnto God in the habit of a Nunne Other places erected for pietie were at Salesburie Lacock Stanley Wilton Luichurch Farnleg Bradstole Briopune and Brombore These grafts growne to full greatnesse were cut downe by the Pruiner least the cankers thereof should infect the whole body as by them was alledged and their Reuenewes bestowed vpon farre better vses both for the bringing vp of youth and the maintenance of estate BARK-SHIRE CHAPTER XIII BARK-SHIRE whether of the Eoâ—-woods there sited according to the censure of Asserius Meneuensis or from a naked and beare-lesse Oke-tree whereunto the people vsually resorted in troublesome times to conferte for the State I determine not onely the Countie a long time hath beene so called and bounded with other in manner as followeth The North-part is parted by Thamisis from Buckingham and Oxford-shires the South neere Kennet doth tract vpon Hampshire the East is confined with the Countie of Surrey and the West with Wiltshire and Glocestershire is held in 2 The forme of this Shire doth somewhat resemble a Sandall for a mans foot lying long-wise from East to West in which part she is broadest the middle most narrow and then spreading wider like to the heele though for her rich endowments and stately magnificence it may be well accounted the heart of the whole 3 The length thereof from Inglesham in the West to old Windsor in the East extendeth vnto fortie miles from Inkpen to Wightham the broadest part from South to North are twentie-foure the whole in Circumference about one hundred and twentie miles 4 The Ayre is temperate sweet and delightfull and prospect for pleasure inferiour to none the Soile is plenteous of corne especially in the Vale of White-horse that yeeldeth yearely an admirable encrease In a word for Corne and Cattle Waters and Woods of profit and pleasure it giues place vnto none 5 Her ancient Inhabitants by Ptolemie and Caesar were the Attrebatâ— and them of those that descended from Gallia among whom Comius conquered by the Dictator was of good respect and could doe much with the Britaines who as Frontinus reporteth vsed this stratagem though it proued nothing at last he flying before Caesar to recouer ayd of these Attrebatians light bedded vpon a shelfe in the Sea whereupon hoysting his sailes as before a fore-winde gaue shew to his pursuer that they were in swift flight so that hopelesse to hayle them he gaue ouer the chase yet no sooner had Caesar made ouer among them but that some of these people by name the Bibroces yeelded him subiection which prued the ruine of all former libertie But when the Romans had rent their owne Empire and retired their Legion into a narrower circuit the Saâ—â—ns set foot where their forces had beene and made this Countie a parcell of their Westerne Kingdome The Danes then setting their desire vpon spoiles from their â—oauing Pinnaces pierced into these parts and at Redding fortified themselues betwixt the Riuers Kennet and Thamâ—â—sis whither after their great ouerthrow receiued at Ingeâ—efield by the hand of King Ethelwolfe they retyred for their further safetie 6 This Towne King
abode the Iron-side in fight wherein so much bloud of the English was spilt that Canutus their King in remorse conscience built a Church in the place to pacifie God for the sinnes of his people But when the Normans had got the garland of the whole many of their Nobles there seated themselues whose posterities since both there and else-where are spread further abroad in the Realme 6 The Commodities that this Shire yeeldeth are many and great as of Woods Corne Cattle Fish Forests and Saffron which last groweth with such gaine and increase vpon her North parts that from a split cloue much like vnto Garlicke a white blewish Flower shortly springeth from whence fillets of Saffron are gathered before the Sunne and dryed are sold as spice with great gaine From the Ilands Canuey Mersey Horsey Northly Osey Wallot and Foulnesse great store of Fish and Fowle are daily gotten and so from their Cattle haue they continuall increase which men and boyes milke as well the Ewe as the Kine whereof they make great and thicke Cheese sold abroad in the Land and much thereof transported into other Countries Their Oysters which we call Walfleete the best in esteeme and are thought from Paâ—â—â—e to haue beene serued in the Romans Kitchins But least we should exceed measure in commending or the people repose their trust in the soyle behold what God can doe to frustrate both in a moment and that by his meanest creatures for in our age and remembrance the yeare of Christ 1581. an Army of Mice so ouer ranne the Marshes in Dengey Hundred neere vnto South-minster in this Countie that they shore the grasse to the very roots and so tainted the same with their venemous teeth that a great Murraine fell vpon the Cattle which grased thereon to the great losse of their owners 7 The chiefest Citie for account at this day in this Shire is Colchester built by Coilus the British Prince one hundred twentie-foure yeares after the birth of our Sauiour Christi if he of Moâ—mouth say true wherein his sonne Lucius Helena and Constantine the first Christian King Empresse and Emperour in the world were borne which made Necham for Consiantine to sing as he did From Colchester there rose a Starre The Rayes whereof gaue glorious light Throughout the world in climates farre Great Constantine Romes Emperour bright And the Romanes to the great honour of Helena inscribed her Piâ—ssima Venerabilis Augusta But of these we shall be occasioned to speake more hereafter This Citie is situated vpon the South of the Riuer Coln from whence it hath the name and is walled about raised vpon a high Trench of earth though now much decayed hauing six gates of entrance and three posternes in the West wall besides nine Watch-Towers for defence and containeth in compasse 1980 paces wherein stand eight faire Churches and two other without the walls for Gods diuine seruice S Tenants and the Blacke Fryers decayed in the Suburbs Mary Magdalins the Nunnery S Iohns and the Cruched Fryers all suppressed within towards the East is mounted an old Castle and elder ruines vpon a trench containing two Acres of ground whereas yet may be seene the prouident care they had against all ensuing assaults The trade of this Towne standeth chiefly in making of Cloth and Baies with Saies and other like Stuffes daily inuented and is gouerned by two Bailiffes twelue Aldermen all wearing Scarlet a Recorder a Towne-Clerke and foure Sergeants at Mace Whose position for Latitude is in the degree 52. 14. minutes and for Longitude in the degree 21. and 50. minutes 8 Places of antiquitie and memorable note in this Countie I obserue the most famous to be Camalodumum by vs Maldon which was the Royall Seat of Cunobelâ—â— King of the Trinoâ—antes as by his money therein minted appeareth about the time of our Sauiours birth which Citie afterwards Claudius wonne from the Britaines and therein placed a Colony of Souldiers which were called Victricensis This Citie Queene Boduo in reuenge of her wrongs raced to the ground what time she stirred their people against Nero with the slaughter of seuentie thousand of the Romanes Of some later and lesser account was Ithanchester now S. Peters vpon the wall where the Forteuses with their Captaine kept towards the declination of the Romane Empire In the East Promontory of this Countie in the Raigne of Richard the second the teeth of a Giant were found if they were not of an Elephant of a marueilous size saith Raph Coggeshall and not farre thence in the raigne of Elizabeth more bones to the like wonder were digged vp 9 I purposely omit the message of a Pilgrim from S. Iohn Baptist by whom he sent a Ring to King Edward Confessor for which cause his house tooke the name Hauering seeing the Monkes of those times made no great daintie daily to forge matter for their owne aduantage who in this Shire so swarmed that they had houses erected at Waltham Pritlewell Tiltey Dunâ—ow Leeye Hatfeild Peuerell Chelmesford Coggeshall Maldon Earls coln Colâ—hester S Osths Saffron-Walden Hatfield-Bradocke and more with great reuenewes thereto belonging all which felt the Axes and Hammers of destruction when the rest of such foundations fell vnder the â—â—â—ile of King Henry the eight who with Hezekiah brake downe all these Brazen Serpents SVFFOLKE CHAPTER XVI SVFFOLKE in regard of them which were seated in Norfolke is a Country most plenteous and pleasant for habitation It is separated from Norfolke by the Riuers of the lesser Ouse and Waueney whose heads meet almost in the midst of her Verge and that very neere together the one taking course East and the other full West vpon which part Cambridge-shire doth wholly confront The South side is seuered by Stoure from Essex and the East together washed with the Germane Seas 2 The Ayre is good sweet and delectable and in some parts of some of our best Physitians held to be the best in the Land the Soile is rich fruitfull and with all things well replenished in a word nothing wanting for pleasure of profit 3 The forme thereof is some what Cressant shooting vp narrower into the North and spreading wider towards the South whose broadest part is about twentie miles but from East to West much more for from Easton point the furthest of this Shire yea of all Britaine into the Sea vnto great Ouse Riuer her Westerne bounder are fortie fiue miles and the whole in circumference about one hundred fortie sixe miles 4 Anciently this part of the Iland was possessed by the Iceni who as it seemeth by Tacitus ioyned in Amitie with the Romans a mightie people saith he and neuer shaken with warres before the raigne of Claudius but then by Ostorius were vanquished though not without great slaughter of the Romans and in a Battle against them M. Ostorius the sonne of the Generall wonne great honour in sauing of a Roman Citizens life so ready were they to giue and receiue Honours to themselues but sleightly to
one in An. 1348. was so outragious as 17104. are reported to haue died thereof betweene the Calends of Ianuary and of Iuly By misery of warre as sacked and spoyled by the Earle of Flaunders and Hugh Bigâ—d Anno 1174. In yeelding to Lewis the French against their naturall Lord King Iohn Anno 1216. By the disinherited Barons An. 1266. By tumult and insurrection betweene the Citizens and Church-men once about the yeare 1265. which if Henry the third had not come in person to appease the Citie was in hazard to be ruined The second time in Anno 1446. for which the Major was deposed and their Liberties for a while selfed In Edward the sixths time by Ketts rebellion whose fury chiefly raged against this Citie Since this it hath flourished with the blessings of Peace Plentie Wealth and Honour so that Alxander Neuâ— doubteth not to preferre it aboue all the Cities of England except London It is situate vpon the Riuer Hierus in a 〈◊〉 valley but on using ground hauing on the East the Hilles and Heath called Mussold for Most-would as I take it In the 17 yeare of King Stephen it was new founded and made a Corporation In Edward the firsts time closed with a same Wall â—auing on a part that the Riuer defendeth First gouerned by foure Bayliffes then by Henry the fourth in An 1403. erected into a Majoraltie and County the limits whereof now extend to Eatonbâ—â—ge At this present it hath about thirtie Parishes but in ancient time had many more 6 Lenn hauing beene an ancient Borrough vnder the Gouernment of a Bayliffe or Reue called Praepositus was by King Iohn in the sixt yeare of his Raigne made Liber Burgus and besides the gift of his memorable Cup which to this day honoureth this Corporation endowed with diuers faire Liberties King Henry the third in the 17 yeare of his Raigne in recompence of their seruice against the out-lawed Barons in the Isle of Ely enlarged their Charter and granted them further to choose a Major Loco Prapositi vnto whom King Henry the Eight in the sixteenth yeare of his Raigne added twelue Aldermen a Recorder and other Officers and the bearing of a sword before the Major But the Towne comming after to the same King he in the twentie-ninth of his Raigne changed their name from Mator Burgeâ—ses Lenn Episcopi to Mator Burgeâ—ses Lenn Regis 7 Yarmouth is the Key of the Coast named and seated by the mouth of the Riuer Yere Begun in the time of the Vâ—nes and by small accessions growing populous made a Corporation vnder two Bayliffes by King Henry the third and by his Charter about the fifteenth yeare of his Raigne walled It It is an ancient member of the Ciâ—que Ports very well built and fortified hauing onely one Church but faire and large founded by Bishope Herbert in William Rufus dayes It maintaineth a Peere against the Sea at the yearely charge of fiue hundred pound or thereabout yet hath it no possessions as other Corporations but like the children of Aeolâ—â— and Thetis Maria 4. ventos as an Inquisitor findeth An. 10. Hen 3. There is yearely in September the worthiest Herring-fishing in Europe which draweth great concourse of people and maketh the Towne much the richer all the yeare but very vnsauoury for the time The Inhabitants are so curteous as they haue long held a custome to feast all persons of worth repairing to their Tovvne 8 The Bishopricke of Norwich had first hereseat at Dunwich in Suffolke and was there begun by Foelix who conuerted this Countie and the East-Angles to the Faith Being brought out of Burgundie by Sigeberâ— the first Christian King of the East-Angles he landed at Babingley by Lenn and there builded the first Church of these Countries which in his memory is at this day called by his Name The second he built at Sharâ—â—bourn then of wood and therefore called Stock-Chappell After Foelix and three of his Successors this Bishopricke was diuided into two Sees the one with eleuen Bishops in succession continuing at Dunwich the other with twelue at Elmham in Norfolke Then vnited againe in the time of King Edwyn the entire See for twelue other Bishops remained at Elmham and in the Conquerours time was by his Chaplaine Arfastus being the thirteenth translated to Thetford from thence by Herbert his next Successor saue one bought of W. Rusus for 1900. pounds and brought to Norwich This Herbert surnamed Losinga a Norman builded the Cathedrall Church there and endowed it with large possessions Not far from thence he also builded another Church to S. Leonard a third at Elmham a fourth at Lenn S. Margarets a very faire one and the fifth at Yarmouth before mentioned By the Cathedrall Church he builded a Palace for the Bishops and founded the Priory there now conuerted to Deane and Chapter and another Priory at Thetford Since his time the Bishops See hath immoueably remained at Norwich but the ancient Possession are seuered from it and in lieu thereof the Abbey and Lands of S Benedict of Holme annexed to it The Commodities of this Countie I haue contained in these four Verses Ingenio populi cultu Norfolcia clari est Hinc fluvijs illine Insula clausa mari Qua ratis vellus frumenta cuniculus agnus Lac scatet pisces pabula mella crocus CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE CHAPTER XVIII CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE lyeth bounded vpon the North with Lincolneshire and Northfolke vpon the East with Norfolke and Suffolke vpon the South with Hartford-shire and Essex and vpon the West with Bedford and Huntington shires 2 This Prouince is not large nor for ayre greatly to be liked hauing the Fennes so spread vpon her North that they infect the ayre far into the rest From whose furthest point vnto Royston in the South are thirtie-fiue miles but in the broadest is not fully twentie the whole in Circumference traced by the compasse of her many indents one hundred twentie and eight miles 3 The Soile doth differ both in ayre and commodities the Fenny surcharged with waters the South is Champion and yeeldeth Corne in abundance with Meadowing Pastures vpon both the sides of the Riuer Came which diuides that part of the Shire in the midst vpon whose East-bancks the Muses haue built their most sacred Seat where with plenteous increase they haue continued for these many hundred yeares 4 For from ancient Grantcester Camboritum by Antonine now famous Cambridge the other brest and Nurse-mother of all pious literature haue flowed full steames of the learned Sciences into all other parts of this Land and else-where ancient indeed if their Story be rightly writ that will haue it built by Cantaber a Spaniard three hundred seauenty fiue yeares before the birth of our Sauiour who thither first brought and planted the Muses This Citie Grantcester by the tyranny of time lost both her owne beautie and her professed Athenian Students so that in Bedaes dayes seauen hundred yeares after the Word became flesh it is described to
lye a little desolate Citie and as yet retaineth the name without any memory of circuit by wals Of this Citie in the yeare of Christ Iesus 141. as the Monke of Barton doth report nine Scholars receiued their Baptisme and became Preachers of the Gospell among the Britaines which as he saith happened in the Raigne of Hadriant the Emperour But when the 〈◊〉 Stors Hisâ—nes and Saxons had laid all things waste and with their sauage swords cut out the leaues of all ciuill learning this as the rest yeelded to destruction and so lay forlorne till the Saxons themselues became likewise ciuill when Sâ—gebert the first Christian King of the East-Angles from the example of France whither he had beene banished built Schooies in his Kingdome and here at Grancester the chiefe recalling thither the Professors of Arts and Sciences as the Story recordeth and Traditions doe hold But afterwards as it seemeth their increase being straightned the Students complained as the Prophets did to Elisha that the place was too little for them to dwell in therefore inlarging more North-ward seated themselues neere vnto the Bridge whereupon the place began to be called Grantbridge though others from the crooked Riuer Came will haue it named Cambridge This place though sacred and exempted from Mars as Sylla once spake when he spared Athens the Danes in their destructions regarded no whit wherein they often wintered after their spoyles and left the scatres of their sauage sores euer behinde them And in the yeare 1010 when Suen in his fiercenesse bare downe all before him this place was no place for Scholars to be in Warres loud Alarums ill consorting the Muses milde Harmonies Yet when the Normans had got the Garland on their heads and these Danish stormes turned into Sun-shine dayes Gislebert the Monke with Odo Terricus and William all three of the like Monasticall Profession in the Raigne of King Henry the First resorted vnto this place and in a publike Barne read the Lectures of Grammar Logicke and Rhetoricke and Gislebert Diuinitie vpon the Sabbath and Festiuall dayes From this little fountaine saith Peter Blessensis grew a great Riuer which made all England fruitfull by the many Masters Teachers proceeding out of Cambridge as out of a holy Paradise of God The first Colledge therein endowed with Possessions was Peter-house built by Hugh Balsham Bishop of Ely in the yeare of Grace 1284. whose godly example many others followed so that at this day there are sixteene most stately Colledges and Hals for building beautie endowments and store of Students so replenished that vnlesse it be in her other Sister Oxford the like are not found in all Europe But at what time it was made an Vniuersitie let Robert de Remyngton tell you for me Do the Raigne saith he of King Edward the first Grantbridge of a Schoole by the Court of Rome was made an Vniuersitie such as Oxford is Lastly the Meridian Line cutting the Zenith ouer this Citie is distant from the furthest West-poynt according to Mercator 20 degrees 50 scruples and the Arch of the same Meridian lying betweene the Aequator and Verticall point is 52. degrees 20 scruples 5 Another Citie formerly in great fame is Elie had in account for the repute and holinesse of Votary Nunnes there residing built first by Audrey wife to one Tombret a Prince in this Prouince who had this place as a part of her Dowry she hauing departed from her second Husband Egbert King of Northumberland deuoted her selfe to the seruice of God and built here a Monastery whereof she became the first Abbesse This in the Danish desolations was destroyed but soone after reedified by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester who stored it with Monkes vnto whom King Edgar granted the iurisdiction ouer foure Hundreds and a halfe within these Fennes and the East-Angles limits which to this day are called The Liberties of S. Audrey after whose example many Nobles so enriched it with large Renexewes that as Malmesbury saith the Abbat thereof laid vp yeerely in his owne Coffers a thousand and foure hundred pounds And of latter times the Monkes thereof became so wealthy that their old decayed Church they renued with new and most stately buildings which is now the Cathedrall of the Diocesse and for beautie giueth place to no other in the Land Eight other foundations set apart from secular vse in this Prouince were at Thorney Charteres Denny Elsey Beach Barnwell Swasey and Shengey all which in the dayes of King Henry the eight came to the period of their surpassing wealth and left their Lands to the dispose of his Will 6 The generall commoditie of this Shire is Corne which in the South and Champion-part doth abundantly grow as also Saffron a very rich Spice Some Woods there are and Pasture both pleasant and profitable The North part thereof is Fenny but withall fruitfull whereof Henry of Huntington and William of Malinesbury thus doe write This Fenny Country is passing rich and plenteous yea and beautifull also to behold whereiwis so great store of fish that strangers doe wonder and water-fowle so cheape that fiue men may therewith be satisfied with lesse then an halfe-penny 7 Places of ancient note in this Shire are these the Erminstreet way which vpon the lower West parts of this County thorow Roisen runneth forthright vnto Huntingdon And from Reach a Market-Towne standing neere to the Riuer Came a great Ditch and Trench is cast all along Newmarket-Heath which for the wonder receiued thereat is of the vulgar called The Deuâ—â— Ditch being in truth made for a defence against the Mercians by the East-Angles whose Kingdome it inuerged The Gogmagog Hils neere Cambridge retaine the remembrance of the Danish Siaetion where as yet on their tops is seene a Rampior strengthened with a three-fold Trench whereof Goruase of Tillury tels vs many a pretio Tale. HERTFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XIX HERTFORD-SHIRE is bordered vpon the North with Bedford and Cambridge-shires vpon the East is altogether bounded by Essex vpon the South is confined with Middlesex and her West butteth vpon Buckingham and Bedford-shires 2 The forme thereof is somwhat circular with many indents to fetch in those Townes that are dispersedly stragled into her next Shire whereof Roiston and Totteridge are the two extreames from North to South betwixt whom in a strait drawne line are twenty seuen English miles and from Putnam Westward to Cheston Nunnery in the East are twenty eight the whole circumference about an hundred and thirtie miles 3 The ayre is temperate sweet and healthfull as seated in a Climate neither too hot nor too cold the soile is rich plenteous and delightfull yeelding abundance of Corne Cattle Wood and Grasse destitute of nothing that ministreth profit or pleasures for life which are more augmented by the many Riuers that arise and run thorow this Shire watering her owne and others till they emptie themselues into the Sea 4 Her ancient Inhabitants in the time of the Romans were the Cattieuchlanians or Cassijans
pleasantly seated hauing the Ouse running thorow the Towne in the middest and a faire Stone-bridge built ouer the same whereon are two Gates to locke and impeach the passage as occasion shall serue At the first entrance standeth S. Leonards Hospitall for Lazars and further inwards S. Iohns and S. Maries Churches within the Towne S. Pauls a most beautifull Church S. Cuthberis and S. Peters without the Towne standeth the Fryers S. Loyes Alhallowes and Caudwell Abbey not farre whence sometimes stood a Chappell vpon the Banke of Ouse wherein as Florilegus affirmeth the body of Offa the great Mercian King was interred but by the ouer-swelling of that Riuer was borne downe and swallowed vp whose Tombe of Lead as it were some phantasticall thing appeared often to them that seeke it not but to them that seeke it saith Rosse it is inuisible This Towne is gouerned yearely by a Mator two Bailiffes two Chamberlaines a Recorder a towne-Clerke and three Sergeants with Mases 8 A tale of vaine credit is reported of Dunstable that it was built to bridle the outragiousnesse of a theefe named Dun by King Henry the first but certaine it is the place was formerly held by the Romanes whose Legions there lay as appeareth by the Coines there vsually found which from Magmium are corruptly called Madning-money 9 Castles in this Shire are Woodhill Eaton Temsford and Amphill an honour now appertaining to the Crowne And places of Religion built by deuout persons but for Idolatrous Abuses againe abolished were at Bedford Harwood Helenflow Newenham Chicksand Wardon Woborne and Dunstable All these with their like felt the hand of Henry the Eight to lie so heauie vpon them that they were not able to sustaine the waight but were crushed to peices and fell to the ground 10 The Graduation of this Countie taken for the Shire-Towne is placed from the Equator in the degree of 52. and 30. minutes for Latitude and is remoued from the first West point of Longitude 20. degrees and 16. minutes BVCKINGHAM-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI BVCKINGHAM for the plentie of Beech-trees there growing and those in the elder times of the Saxons called Eucken may well be supposed from them to haue the name as afterwards the whole Shire had hers from this Towne Buckingham 2 In forme it somewhat resembleth a Lyon Rampant whose head or North-point toucheth the Counties of Northampton and Bedford whose backe or East-part is backed by Bedford and Hertford-shires his loines or South-borders rest vpon Bark shire and his breast the West side is butted vpon wholly by Oxford-shire The length thereof from Waisbury in the South to Bradfeild in her North are thirtie nine miles the breadth at the broadest from Ashridge in the East to 〈◊〉 wood Forrest in the West are eighteene the whole in Circumference one hundred thirtie 〈◊〉 miles 3 The ayre is passing good temperate and pleasant yeelding the body health and the minde content The soile is rich fat and fruitfull giuing abundance of Corne Grasse and Meate It is chiefly diuided into two parts by the Chiltren billes which run thorow this Shire in the middest and before timâ— where so postered with Beâ—â—h that they were altogether vnpassable and became a receptacle and refuge for theeues who daily endammaged the way-faring man for which cause 〈◊〉 Abbot of S. Aâ—baâ—s caused them to be cut downe since when those parts are paâ—â—able without any great incumbrances of trees from whose tops a large and most pleasing prospect is 〈◊〉 The Vale beneath is plaine and champion a clayie soile stiffe and tough but withall marueilous 〈◊〉 full naked of woods but abounding in medowes pastures and tillage and maintaining an infinite number of sheepe whose soft and fine fleeces are in great esteeme with the Turkes as farre as Asia 4 The ancient Inhabitants that were seated in this Shire were the Catlieuchlani mentioned by Ptolemie and them dispersed thorow the Tract of Bedford Hertford and this These yeelded themselues with the first to Caesar vnder the Romanes subiection whose ouer-worne Empire ending in Britaine the Saxons by strong hand attained this Prouince and made it a part of their Mercian Kingdome yet was it first subdued vnto them by Cherdike the West-Saxon whose memory is in part continued in the Towne Chersey vpon the West of this Countie where in a sharpe and bloudy battle he was Victor ouer the Britaines So also Cuthwulfe a West-Saxon at Alesbury in the yeare of Grace 592. ouer came the Britaines and bare downe all things before him yet no sooner was their Hepâ—archie wained and their Monarchie able to stand alone but that the Danes before their strength and growth was confirmed waxed vpon them and they not able in so weake a hand to hold fast that weight of greatnesse they had so grasped gaue place to their conquerours who did many harmes in this Prouince for in the yeare 914. the Danes furiously raged as farre as Brenwood where they destroyed the City Burgh the ancient seat of the Romanes afterwards a royall house of King Edward the Confessor which they vtterly destroyed 5 The Shire-Towne Buckingham fruitfully seated vpon the Riuer Ouse was fortified with a Rampire and Sconses on both bankes by King Edward the elder saith Marianus the Scotish Writer where in the heart of the Towne hath stood a strong Castle mounted vpon a high hill which long since was brought to the period of her estate now nothing remaining besides the signes that there she had stood The Riuer circulates this Towne on euery side that onely on the North excepted ouer which three faire stone-bridges lead and into which the springs of a Well run called S. Rumalds a child-saint borne at Kings-Sutton canonized and in the Church of this Towne enshrined with many conceited miracles and cures such was the happe of those times to produce Saints of all ages and sexes This Towne is gouerned by a Bayliffe and twelue principall Burgesses and is in the degree remoued from the first point of the West for Longitude 19. 33. scruples and the North-pole elenated in Latitude for the degree of 52. 18. scruples 6 A Towne of ancient note is Stony-Stratford the Romans Lactorodum being built vpon that ancient Causey-way which is called Watling-street where remaine the markes thereof euen vnto this day At this place Edward the elder stopped the passage of the Danes whiles he strengthened Torcester against them and herein King Edward the eldest since the Conquest reared a beautifull Crosse in memory of Eleanor his dead Queene as he did in euery place where her Corps rested from Herdby in Lincolne-shire till it was receiued and buried at Westminster 7 Places intended for Gods true worship built by deuout persons and sequestred from worldly imployments were at Launden Luffeld Bidlesden Bradwell Nothey Ankerne Missenden Tekeford Partrendune Ashridge and Alesburie Ashridge in great repute for the bloud supposed out of Christs sides brought out of Germany by Henry the eldest sonne of Richard King of the Romanes and Earle
of Cornwall whereunto resorted great concourse of people for deuotion and adoration thereof But when the Sunne-shine of the Gospell had pierced thorow such clouds of darkenesse it was perceiued apparantly to be onely hony clarified and coloured with Saffron as was openly shewed at Pauls Crosse by the Bishop of Rochester the twentie-fourth of Februarie and yeare of Christ 1538. And Alesbury for the holinesse of S. Edith was much frequented who hauing this Towne allotted for her Dowrie bad the world and her husband faâ—ewell in taking vpon her the veile of deuotion and in that fruitfull age of Saints became greatly renowned euen as farre as to the working of miracles These all in the stormes and rage of the time suffred such shipwracke that from those turmoiled Seas their merchandise light in the right of such Lords as made them their owne for wreacks indeed OXFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI OXFORD-SHIRE receiueth her name from that famous Vniuersitie and most beautifull Citie Oxford and this of the Foord of Oxen say our English-Saxons though Leiland vpon a ground of coniecture will haue it Ousford from the Riuer Ouse by the Latines called Isis which giueth name likewise to the adioyning Iland Ousney The North point of this Shire is bordered vpon by the Counties of Warwicke and Northampton the East with Buckingham the West by Glocester-shire and the South altogether is parted from Bark-shire by Thamisis the Prince of British Riuers 2 The blessings both of the sweet-breathing heauens and the fruitfull site of this Counties soile are so happie and fortunate that hardly can besaid whether exceeds The aire milde temperate and delicate the Land fertile pleasant and bounteous in a word both Heauen and Earth accorded to make the Inhabitants healthfull and happie The hils loaden with woods and Cattle the vallies burthened with Corne and Pasturage by reason of many fresh springing Riuers which sportingly there-thorow make their passage whereof England Charâ—â—ll 〈◊〉 and Isis are chiefe which two last making their Bed of Marriage 〈…〉 together in one channell and name 3 The length of this Shire is from Cleydon in the North-west vnto 〈◊〉 in her South-East neere vnto Thamisis and amounteth almost to fortie miles the broadest part is in her westerne Borders which extending from the said Cleydon in the North vnto Faringâ—â—◠〈…〉 the Riuer Isis in the South are scarcely twentie sixe and thence growing narrower 〈…〉 in Circumference about one hundred and thirtie miles 4 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romans were the Dobuni part whereof possessed further Westernly into Glocester-shire and nearer Eastward betwixt the bowing of Thamises were seated the Ancalites who sent their submission vnto Iulius Caesar when report was made that the Trinobantes had put themselues vnder his protection whereof followed the Britaines seruitude vnder the proud yoke of the all-coueting Romans yet afterwards this Counties people being very puissant as Tacitus termes them and vnshaken by warres withstood Ostorius Scapula the Roman Lieutenant choosing rather to yeeld their liues in battle then their persons to subiection Of latter times it was possessed by the Mercian Saxons as part of their Kingdome though sometimes both the West-Saxons and the Northumbrians had the dispose of some part thereof for Beda affirmeth that K. Oswold gaue the then-flourishing Citie Dâ—rchester vnto Berinus the West-Saxons Apostle to be his Episcopall See whence the good Bishop comming to Oxford and preaching before Wulpherus the Mercian King in whose Court Athelwold the South-Saxons heathenish King was then present he with all his Nobles were conuerted to the faith of Christ and there baptized whereby Berinus became the Apostle also of the South Saxons 5 Otherplaces of memorable note either for actions therein happening or for their owne famous esteeme are the Râ—ll-rich-stones standing neere vnto Enisham in the South of this Shire a monument of huge stones set round in compasse in manner of the Stonchâ—nge of which fabulous tradition hath reported forsooth that they were metamorphised from men but in truth were there erected vpon some great victory obtained either by or against Rollo the Dane who in the yeare 876. entred England and in this Shire fought two Battles one neere vnto Hoch-Norton and a second at the Scier-Stane 6 Rodâ—os likewise remaineth as a monument of Oxfords high-stiled Barle but vnfortunate Prince Robert de Vere who besides the Earledome was created by King Richard the second Marquesse of Dublin and Duke of Ireland but at that Bridge discomfited in fight by the Nobles and forced to swimme the Riuer where began the downefall of his high mounted fortunes forbeing driuen forth of his Country lastly died in exile and distressed estate But more happie is this Countie in producing farre more glorious Princes as King Edward the Confessor who in Islip was borne Edward the victorious blacke Prince in Woodstocke and in Oxford that warlike Coeur de Lion King Richard the first the sonne of King Henry the second first tooke breath 7 Which Citie is and long hath beene the glorious seat of the Muses the British Athens and learnings well-spring from whose buing fountaine the wholesome waters of all good literature streaming plenteously haue made fruitfull all other parts of this Realme and gained glory amongst all Nations abroad Antiquitie auoucheth that this place was consecrated vnto the sacred Sciences in the time of the old Britaines and that from Greeke-lad a Towne in Wilt-shire the Academie was translated vnto Oxford as vnto a Plant-plot both more pleasing and fruitfull whereto accordeth the ancient Burlaus and Necham this latter also alledging Merlin But when the beautie of the Land lay vnder the Saxons prophane feete it sustained a part of those common calamities hauing little reserued to vphold its former glory saue onely the famous monument of S. Frideswids Virgin Conquest no other Schoole then left standing besides her Monasterie yet those great blasts together with other Danish stormes being well blowne ouer King Elfred that learned and religious Monarch recalled the exiled Muses to their sacred place and built there three goodly Colledges for the studies of Diuinitie Philosophie and other Arts of humanitie sending thither his owne sonne Ethelward and drew thither the yong Nobles from all parts of his Kingdome The first reader thereof was his supposed brother Neote a man of great learning by whose direction King Elfred was altogether guided in this his goodly foundation At which time also Asserius Meneuensis a writer of those times affaires read the Grammar and Rhetoricke and affirmeth that long before them Gâ—â—das Melkin Ninius Kentigern S. German and others spent there their liues in learned studies From which time that it continued a Seed plot of learning till the Norman Conquest â—ugulâ—us recordeth who himselfe then liued No maruell then if Matthew Paris calleth Oxford the second Schoole of Christendome and the very chiefe Pillar of the Catholike Church And in the Councell holden at Vienna it was ordained that in Paris Oxford Bononia and Salamanca
the onely Vniuersities then in Europe should be erected Schooles for the Hebrew Greeke Arabicke and Chaldean tongues and that Oxford should be the generall Vniuersitie for all England Ireland Scotland and Wales which point was likewise of such weight with the Councell of Constance that from this precedent of Oxford Vniuersitie it was concluded that the English Nation was not onely to haue precedence of Spaine in all Generall Councels but was also to be held equall with France it selfe By which high prerogatiues this of ours hath alwayes so flourished that in the dayes of King Henry the 〈◊〉 thirtie thousand Students were therein resident as Archbishop Armachanus who then liued 〈◊〉 writ and â—…ger then also liuing sheweth that for all the ciuill warres which hindered such 〈◊〉 of quiet studie yet 15000. Students were there remaining whose names saith he were 〈◊〉 in matricula in the matriculation booke About which time Iohn Baltol the father of Baltol King of Scots built a Colledge yet bearing his name Anno 1269. and Walter Merton Bishop of Rochester that which is now called Merton Colledge both of them beautified with buildings and enriched with lands and were the first endowed Colledges for learning in all Christendome And at this present 〈◊〉 sixteene Colledges besides another newly builded with eight Hals and many most 〈…〉 Churches all adorned with most stately buildings and enriched with great endowments noble Libraries and most learned Graduates of all professions that vnlesse it be her sister Cambridge the other nursing breast of this Land the like is not sound againe in the world This Citie is also honoured with an Episcopall See As for the site thereof it is remoued from the Equator in the degree 52. and one minute and from the West by Mercators measure 19. degrees and â—0 minutes 8 As this Countie is happie in the possession of so famous an Academie so is it graced with most Princely Palaces appertaining to the English Crowne whereof Woodstocke is the most ancient and magnificent built to that glory by King Henry the first and enlarged with a Labyrinth of many windings by King Henry the second to hide from his jealous Iuno his intirely beloued Concubine Rosamond Clifford a Damosell of surpassing beautie where notwithstanding followed by a clew of silke that fell from her lap she was surprised and poisoned by Queene Eleanor his wife and was first buried at Godstow Nunnery in the midst of the Quire vnder a Hearse of silke set about with lights whom Hugh Bishop of Lincolne thinking it an vnfit obiect for Virgins deuotion caused to be remoued into the Church yard but those chaste sisters liked so well the memory of that kinde Lady as that her bones they translated againe into their Chappell Bensington is another of his Majesties Mannours built by William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke but now in neglect through the annoâ—ance arising from the waters or marishes adioyning Houses built for deuotion and for abuse suppressed and againe put downe the chiefe in account were Enisham Osney Bruâ—rn Godstow Burchester and Tame besides S. Frideswides and very many other stately Houses of Religion in the Citie GLOCESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIII GLOCESTER-SHIRE lyeth bordered vpon the North with Worcester and Warwicke-shires vpon the East with Oxford and Wileshire vpon the South altogether with Sommerset-shire and vpon the West with the Riuer Wye and Hereford-shire 2 The length thereof extended from Bristow vpon the Riuer Auon in her South vnto Clifford vpon another Auon in her North are about fortie eight miles and her broadest part from East to West is from Lechlad vnto Preston containing twentie eight the whole circumference about one hundred thirtie eight miles 3 The forme whereof is somewhat long and narrow the Ayre thereof is pleasant sweet and delectable and for fruitfulnesse of Soile heare Malmesbury and not me The ground of this Shire throughout saith he yeeldeth plentie of Corne and bringeth forth abundance of fruits the one through the naturall goodnesse onely of the ground the other through the diligent manuring and tillage in such wise that it would prouoke the laziest person to take paines Here you may see the High-wayes and Common Lanes clad with Apple trees and Peare trees not ingrafted by the industry of mans hand but growing naturally of their owne accord the ground of it selfe is so inclined to beare fruits and those both in taste and beautie farre exceeding others and will endure vntill a new supply come There is not any Country in England so thicke set with Vineyards as this Prouince is so plentifull of increase and so pleasant in taste The very wines made thereof carry no vnpleasant tartnesse as being little inferiour in sweet verdure to the French wines the houses are innumerable the Churches passing faire and the Townes standing very thicke But that which addeth vnto all good gifts a speciall glory is the Riuer Seuerne then which there is not any in all the Land for Channell broader for Streame swifter or for Fish better stored There is in it a daily rage and fury of waters which I know not whether I may call a Gulfe or Whirle-pole of waues raising vp the sands from the bottome winding and driuing them vpon heapes sometimes ouerflowing her bankes roâ—eth a great way vpon the face of her bordering grounds and againe retyreth as a Conquerour into the vsuall Channell Vnhappy is the Vessell which it taketh full vpon the side but the Water-men well ware thereof when they see that Hydra comming turne the Vessell vpon it and cut thorow the midst of it whereby they checke and auoyd her violence and danger 4 The ancient people that possessed this Prouince were the DOBVNI who spread themselues further into Oxford shire But betwixt the Seuerne and Wye were seated part of SILVRES or Inhabitants of South Wales And vpon what ground I know not let Lawyers dispute it the Inhabitants in some part of this Shire enioy a priuate custome to this day that the Goods and Lands of Condemned Persons fall vnto the Crowne but onely for a yeare and a day and then returne to the next heires contrary to the custome of all England besides 5 The general Commodities of this Shire are Corne Iron and Wools all passing fine besides Pasturage Fruits and Woods which last are much lessened by making of Iron the onely bane of Oke Elme and Beech. 6 These with all other prouisions are traded thorow twenty fiue Market-Townes in this County whereof two are Cities of no small import the first is Glocester from whom the Shire taketh name seated vpon Seuerne neere the middest of this Shire by Antonine the Emperour called Gleuum built first by the Romans and set as it were vpon the necke of the Silures to yoake them where their Leâ—ion called Colonia Gleuum lay It hath beene walled about excepting that part that is defended by the Riuer the ruines whereof in many places appeare and some part yet standing doth well witnesse their strength
This City was first won from the Britaine 's by Cheulin the first King of the West-Saxons about the yeare of Christ 570. and afterwards vnder the Mercians it flourished with great honour where Ofâ—â—k King of Northumberland by the sufferance of Ethelred of Mercia founded a most stately Monastery of Nunnes whereof Kineburgh Eadburgh and Eue Queenes of the Mercians were Prioresses successiuely each after other 7 Edelsted a most renowned Lady sister to King Edward the elder in this Citie built a faire Church wherein her selfe was interred which being ouerthrowne by the Danes was afterwards rebuilt and made the Cathedrall of that See dedicated vnto the honour of S. Peter In this Church the vnfortunate Prince King Edward the second vnder a Monument of Alablaster doth lye who being murdered at Barkley Castle by the crueltie of French Isabel his wife was there intombed And not farre from him another Prince as vnfortunate namely Robert Curthole the eldest sonne of William the Conquerour lyeth in a painted woodden Tombe in the middest of the Quire whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiffe Castle wherein he was kept prisoner twenty six yeares with all contumelious indignities vntill through extreame anguish he ended his life And before any of these in this Citie say our British Historians the body of Lucius our first Christian King was interred and before his dayes the Britaines Aruiragus The graduation of this County I obserue from this Citie whence the Pole is eleuated in the degree of Latitude 52 and 14. minutes and in Longitude from the West 18. and 5. minutes 8 The other Citie is Pristow faâ—re but not very ancient built vpon the Riuers Auon and Froome for trade of Merchandize a second London and for beautie and account next vnto Yorke This Citie standeth partly in this Countie and partly in Sommerset shire but being a Countie of it selfe will acknowledge subiection to neither 9 A Citie more ancient hath beene Ciâ—cester by Ptolomie called Corinium by Antonine Duroâ—â—â—noâ—ium by Giraldus Passerum Viâ—em The Sparrowes Citie vpon a flying report that Guâ—mund a Tyrant from Africks besieging this Citie tyed fire vnto the wings of Sparrowes who lighting in the Towne vpon light matter set flame vpon all The circuit of whose walâ— extended two miles about wherein the Consular Port or wayes of the Romans met and crossed each other This Citie was wonne from the Britaine 's by Cheulin first King of the West-Saxons afterwards it was possessed by the Mercians and lastly by the Danes vnder Gurmund the former no doubt mistaken for him wherein a rable of them kept the space of a yeare Anno 879. and neuer since inhabited according to the circuit of her walles 10 Places of memorable note are these the Iland Alâ—ey neere vnto Glocester wherein Edmund Iron-side the English and Canutus the Dane after many battles and bloud fought in single Combat hand to hand alone vntill they compounded for the Kingdomes partition Barkley Castle where King Edward the second was thorow his fundament runne into his bowels with a red burning Spit Tewkesbury the fatall period of King Henry the sixt his gouernment and the wound of the Lancastrian Cause for in a Battle there fought in Anno 1471. Prince Edward the onely Sonne of King Henry had his braines dashed out in a most shamefull manner the Queene his mother taken prisoner and most of their fauorites slaine and beheaded And at Alderley a little Towne standing eight miles from the Seuerne vpon the hilles to this day are found Cockles Periwincles and Oysters of solid stone which whether they haue beene Shel-fish and liuing creatures or else the sports of Nature in her workes let the Naturall Philosophers dispute of and judge 11 The places of pietie set apart from other worldly Seruices and dedicated to religious vses by the deuotions of Princes erected in this Shire were Tewkesbury Deorhust Glocester Minching Barkley Kinswood Circester Winchcombe and Hales which last was built with great cost by Richard Earle of Cornwall King of the Romans wherein himselfe and his Dutchesse were interred Their son Earle Edmund brought out of Germany the bloud of Hales supposed and said to be part of that which Christ shed vpon his Crosse In this place with great confluence and deuotions of Pilgrimage it was sought to and worshipped till time proued it a meere counterfeit when the glorious light of the Gospell reuealed to eye-sight such grosse Idolatâ—ies and the skirts of Superstition were turned vp to the shew of her owne shame 12 Dukes and Earles that haue borne the title of Glocester the first of euery Family art by their Armes and Names expressed euer fatall to her Dukes though the greatest in bloud and birth The first was Thomas Woodstocke sonne to King Edward the third who in Caâ—â—is was smoothered in a Feather-bed to death The second was Humfrey brother to King Henry the fift by the fraudulent practise of the malignant Cardinall and Queene made away at S. Edmundsbury And the last was Richard brother to King Edward the fourth who by the iust hand of God was cut off in Battle by King Henry the seauenth HEREFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIIII HEREFORD-SHIRE formerly accounted within the limits of Wales lyeth circulated vpon the North with Worcester and Shrop-shire vpon the East with Maluerne Hils is parted from Glocester-shire vpon the South is kept in with Monmouth-shire and vpon the West in part with the Hatterall Hilles is diuided from Brecknok and the rest confined with Radnorshire 2 This Counties Climate is most healthfull and temperate and Soyle so fertile for Corne and Cattle that no place in England yeeldeth more or better conditioned sweet Riuers running as veynes in the body doe make the Corne bearing grounds in some of her parts rightly to be tearmed the Gilden Vale and for Waters Wooll and Wheate doth contend with Nilus Colchos and Egypt such are Lemster Irchenfeild the bankes of Wye Luge and Frome 3 The ancient people knowne to the Romanes whose power they well felt before they could subdue them were the Silures placed by Ptolemie in this tract and branched further into Radnor Brecknok Monmouth and Glamorgan-shires at this day by vs called South-Wales and by the Welsh Debeubarth Their Originall as Tacitus coniectureth by their site coloured countenances and curled haire was out of Spaine and as both he and Plinie describes them were fierce valiant and impatient of seruitude which well they shewed vnder Caraâ—â—cus their Captaine and nine yeares scourge to the Roman assaulters for whose onely Conquest and that made by treachery the Victor in Rome triumphed with more then a vsuall Aspect and with so equall an hand bare the Scoale of Resistance that their owne Writers euermore terme it a dangerous Warre For the Legion of Marius Valens they put to flight and that with such hauock of the Associates that Osterius the Lieutenant of Britaine for very griefe gaue vp his ghost and Veranius vnder Nero assaulted them in vaine But when Vespasian was
chiefe Citie Worcester 5 Which is most pleasantly seated passing well frequented and very richly inhabited This was the Branouium mentioned by Antouine and Ptolemie called by the Britaines Caer-Wrangon by Ninius Caer-Cuorcon and by the Latines Vigornia This Citie is seated vpon the East banke of Seuerne and from the same is walled in triangle-wise about extending in circuit one thousand sixe hundred and fiftie paces thorow which seauen Gates enter with fiue other Watch Towers for defence It is thought the Romanes built this to restraine the Bertaines that held 〈◊〉 beyond Seutrâ—e This Citie by Hardy Canute in the yeare of Christ 1041. was sorely endangered and set on fire and the Citizens slaine almost euery one for that they had killed his Collector of the Danish Tribute yet it was presently repaired and peopled with many Burgesses and for fifteene Hides discharged it selfe to the Conquerour as in his Doomesdayes is to be seene But in the yeare 1113. a sodaine fire happened no man knew how which burnt the Castle and Cathedrall Church Likewise in the ciuill hroyles of King Stephen it was twice lighted into a flame and the later laid it hopelesse of recouery Notwithstanding from those dead Ashes a new Phenix arose and her building raised in a more stately proportion especially the Cathedrall dedicated to S. Mary first laid by Bishop Sexwolfe in Anno 680 since when it hath beene augmented almost to the Riuer In the midst of whose Quire from his many turmoiles resteth the body of King Iohn the great with-stander of the Popes proceedings vnder a Monument of white Marble in Princely Vestures with his portraiture thereon according to life And in the South-side of the same Quire lyeth intombed Prince Arthur the eldest Sonne to King Henry the seauenth his Monument is all blacke Iette without remembrance of him by Picture This City is gouerned by two Bailiffes two Aldermen two Chamberlaines and two Constables yearely elected out of twentie-foure Burgesses clothed in Scarlet assisted with fortie-eight other Citizens whom they call their Common Counsellors clad in Purple a Recorder Towne-Clerke and fiue Sergeants with Mace their Attendants Whos 's Geographichall Position is distant in Longitude from the West-Meridian 18. degrees 10. scruples hauing the North-Pole cleuated in Latitude 52. degrees and 32. scruples 6 Places of further note for memorable antiquitie is Vpton of great account in the Romane time wheresome of their Legions kept as witnesse their Monies there often found the admirable Ditch vpon Maluerne hils drawne by Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester to diuide his Lands from the Church of Worcester the Saxons our Augustines Oke where he the English Apostle met with the British Bishops for the vniforme celebration of Easter from whence both parts departed with discontented minds after many hot word and thwarting disputes 7 Neither is it without admiration to me that many places of this Shire lye farre within the Precincts of other Prouinces as Aulston Washbornes Cuttesden Paxford Hanging Easton Northwickâ— Blockley Burlode in Glocester-shire and Goldcote Aldermerston Newbold Treddenton Armiscote Blackwell Darlings-cote Shiâ—â—â— Tydâ—â—ton Olbarrow in Warwick-shire Dudley in Stafford-shire and Rochford in Hereford-shire whither I must referre the Reader to finde out these and the like in these Westerne Tracts 8 Religious places erected in this Shire and deuoted vnto God by deuout persons were Bredon Brodlege Euesholme Alnecester Cochell Fladbury Maluerin Pershore Stodlege Westwoods and Worcester plenteously prouided for and further secured by many priuiledges both which they abused as were the inditements of all such in the dayes of King Henry the eight at whose Barre himselfe being Iudge they were found guiltie and receiued sentence of their ends and destruction 9 Castles for defence built in this County ruinate or in strength were Hartlebury Holt Handley Norton Elmeley and Worcester besides his Majesties Mannour of Tichnell VVARWICKE-SHIRE CHAPTER XXVI VVARVVICKE-SHIRE so called from her Shire-Towne is bounded vpon the North with the Countie of Stafford vpon the East with Watling-street-way is parted from Leicester shire and the rest bordered vpon by Northampton shire the South part is butted by Oxford and Glocester shires and all her West with the Countie of Worcester 2 The forme thereof is not much vnlike to a Scallop shell growing from her Westerne head and spreading her body wider with many indents The length thereof from Newton in the North to Lâ—ug Compton in the South are miles thirtie and three and the broadest part of this Shire is from Hâ—well grange in the West vnto Hill morton in the East distant asunder twentie fiue miles the whole in Circumference about one hundred thirtie and fiue miles 3 This Shire is sited neere vnto the heart of all England and therefore participates with her in the best both for ayre and soyle wanting nothing for profit or pleasure for man The South part from Auon that runneth thorow the midst of this Countie is called the Feldon as more champion and tractable to be stirred for Corne which yearely yeeldeth such plentifull haruest that the husbandman smâ—â—th in beholding his paines and the medowing pastures with their greene mantles so imbrodred with flowers that from Edg-hill we may behold another Eden as Lot did the Plaine of Iordon before that Sodome fell The Woodland lyeth vpon the North of Auon so called in regard of the plentie of Woods which now are much thinner by the making of Iron and the soile more churlish to yeeld to the Plough 4 The ancient people that possessed this Prouince are by Ptolemies description called the Cornaâ—â—ij wherein after were seated the Mercian-Saxons a part of whose Kingdome it was and greatly sought after by the West-Saxons whose King Cuthred about the yeare of Christ Iesus 749 in Battle slew Ethelbald at Seckington neere vnto Taâ—worth And not farre from thence King Edward the 4. as vnfortunately sought against that stout make-King Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke neere vnto which vpon Blacklow-hill Pierce Gaueston that proud and new-raised Earle of Cornwall was beheaded by Guy Earle of Warwicke assisted with the Earles of Lancaster and Hereford And surely by the testimony of Iohn Rosse and others this County hath beene better replenished with people who maketh complaint of whole Towneships depopulations altogether laid waste by a puissant Armie of feeding sheepe 5 Notwithstanding many faire Townes it hath and some of them matchable to the most of England The chiefe thereof is Couentree a Citie both stately for building and walled for defence whose Citizens hauing highly offended their first Lord Leofricke had their priuiledges infringed and themselues oppressed with many hauie Tributes whose wife Lady Godina pitying their estates vnceslantly sued for their peace and that with such importunacie as hardly could be said whether was greater his hatred or her loue at last ouercome with her continuall intercessions he granted her suir vpon an vnciuill and as he thought an vnacceptable condition which was that she should ride naked thorow the face of the
Brus one of his heires from whose second Sonne Bernard the Familie of Cotton by lineall succession holdeth this Land whereto Glarton the adioyning Parish is now by bountie of a second branch annexed It was in this Shire the head of the honour of Belleine on which 〈…〉 Sibson 〈◊〉 and Vesâ—yes Mannor in Chesterton attended part of it is the freâ—â— Sea 〈◊〉 foure mile 〈◊〉 bredth ouer which when Emma and her Children the issue of Canutiâ— sayled with some perill her Husband in preuention of the like from Bottsey in a strait course to the opposite firme land lined with his Attendant Swords that passage which since hath borne the name of Swords Delph Kings or Canutus dyke This Seignory was granted by the Conquerour to Eustace Earle of Bollein Brother to Lambert Earle of Leins and Father to Godfrey King of Ierusalem reuerting it was giuen to Richard Earle of Cornwall who granted out of it the two Meeres Vbbe Meere and Brich Meere in Fee-Farme to the Church of Ramsey Then after sundry changes it came to Iohn of Gaunt in exchange of the Earledome of Richmond and so by descent fell againe into the Crowne Washingley not farre off from the ancient Lord of that name by Dâ—we and Otter came to the Prices that now posseth it In Chesterton from Wadsheafe by Dennyes there is to the Beuils an ancient name in this Shire a Mannor descended The rest from Aegidius de Merke who gaue there much to Royston Priory passed by Amundeuill to Gloucester and so to Vesey by exchange In Elton the house rich in a beautious Chappell from Denham to Sapcotes and Saultre Beaumes from that surname neere the time of the Conquest by Louth to Cornwallis descended as Bottlebridge by Gimels Drayton Louet vnto Sherley the now Lord. 9 LETTVNESTAN HVNDRED hath that name from Leighton a Towne in the middest of it giuen by Earle Waltheof to the Church of Lincolne which after shared it into two Prebendaries One the Parsonage impropriate which still remaineth the other the Lordships was resumed by Henry the eight and now by the Heire of Darcy matched to the Lord Clifton is become the seate of his Barony This Hundred had in it no house of Religion but Stonley a Priorie of seauen blacke Channons of the order of S. Augustine founded by the Bigrames and at the Suppression valued at 62. l. 12. s 3. d ob It stood within the reach of the great Mannor Kimbolton once an Hundred which was the land of Earle Harold the Vsurper after by Graunt it came with the Chase of Swinesheued to Fitz-Peter from whom by Magnauil to Bohum who in time of the 〈◊〉 Barons built there a Forcelet and so to Stafford by whose attainturre forsaited it was giuen by Henry the eight to the Familie of Wingfield that now possesseth it At Bugden the See of Lincolne hath a seate and was Lord of Spaldwick and the Soke giuen in compensation from the Church of Ely when rent from them it was by the first Henry made a Bishopricke vntill of late that Church gaue vp their interest in Spaldwicke to the Crowne Brampton was giuen by King Iohn at Mirabel to Earle Dauid and by Ada his youngest Daughter fell to Hastings Earle of Pembroke and now is reuerted to the King To the same Earle Dauid by gift of the former King came Alcumesbury and by the bounty of Iohn Scot his sonne to Segraue and so to the Lord Barkley the late possessor To Quincyâ—arle â—arle of Winthester was Keston by Henry the second giuen by whose Heyre generall Ferrars it came to the late Earle of Essex and by exchange to the Crowne 10 TOVLESLAND HVNDRED taketh name likewise of a Towne therein situate In the out Angle of this to the memory of S. Neotus a Monke of Glasterbury but the supposed sonne to 〈◊〉 King of the West-Saxons whose body from 〈◊〉 in Cornwall was transferred to Arnalphesbury then of Arnulphus a holy man now Eynesbury named Earle Alrick and Ethelfleda turned the Palace of Earle Elfred into a Monastery of blacke Monkes which was razed by the Danes but out of the ashes of this Roisia wife to Richard the sonne of Earle Gilbert to God our Lady de Becco and S. Neot as a Cell to the Abbey of Becco in Normandy erected vp of blacke Monkes in the yeare 1113. the late Priorie of S. Nedes suppressed by Henry the eight and valued at 256. l. 15. d q. At Southo the Land of Eustachius the Sheriffe Louetote made the seate of that Seignory on which in this Shire 13. Knights Fees and a halfe depended But from his line by gift of Verdon and Vesey drowned were these in the honour of Gloucester Neare to this at Cretingsbury dwelt Sir Adam de Cretings famous in Edward the thirds warres of France whose Heyre Generall Wanton doth now possesse it Staunton giuen by the first William to Gilbert de Gaunt after the death issuelesse of De Rupes escheated to the King who gaue it to Ioan his sister Queene of Scots She on the Abbey of Tarent bestowed part the rest reuerting being giuen to Segraue descended to the Barons of Berkly Godmanchester or Gormonchester so named of that Dane to whom Aelfred at his conuersion granted some regiment in these parts was the olde land of the Crowne now the Inhabitants in fee farme by grant of King Iohn pro Sexies viginti libris pondere numero It is flat seated by as fruitfull and flowry Meadowes as any this Kingdome yeeldeth and is the most spacious of any one Parish in fertile tillage oft hauing waited on their Soueraigne Lords with ninescore Ploughes in a rurall pompe Some from the name Gunicester which this often beareth in record suppose it the Citie where Machutus placed his Bishops Chayre But for certaine it was that Romane Towne Durosipont of the Bridges named so many hundred yeares vntill the light of our Britainâ— Story ouershone it forgotten Thus as this Citie so the olde Families haue beene here with time outworne few onely of the many former now remaining whose Surnames before the raigne of the last Henry were in this Shire of any eminency But Non indignemur mortalia Nomina solui Cernimus exemplis Oppida posse mort Let 's not repine that Men and names doe dye Since stone-built Cities dead and ruin'd lye RVTLAND-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIX RVTLAND-SHIRE the least of any County in this Realme is circulated vpon the North with Lincolne-shire vpon the East and South by the Riuer Weland is parted from Northampton shire and the West is altogether held in with Leicester-shire 2 The forme thereof is round and no larger in compasse then a light horse-man can easily ride about in a day vpon which occasion some will haue the Shire named of one Rut that so rode But others from the rednesse of the Soile will haue it called Rutland and so the old English-Saxons called it for that Roet and Rut is in their tongue Red with vs and may very well
Ocean all along pestered with inlets of salt waters and sands which are neither firme nor safe for trauellers as those in the South proued vnto King Iohn who matching North-ward from Northfolke against his disloyall Barons vpon those washes 〈…〉 and carriage by the sodaine returne of the Sea and sofenesse of the sands 5 Her Soile vpon the West and North is abundantly 〈◊〉 pleasant 〈…〉 pasturage areable and meadowing grounds the East and South fenny and 〈…〉 barren but for fowle and fish exceeding any other in the Realme wherein at some times and season of the yeare hath beene taken in nets in August at one draught aboue three thousand Mallards and other Fowles of the like kinde 6 The Shires commodities consist chiefly in Corne Cattle Fish Fowle Flax and Alablaster as also in a Plaister much esteemed of by the Romans for their workes of Imagery and whereof Plinie in his Naturall History maketh mention And the Astroites a precious stone Star-like pointed with fiue beames or rayes anciently esteemed for their vertue in victories vpon the South-west of this County neere Beuer are found not farre thence in our Fathers memory at Harlaxton was ploughed vp a brasen vessell wherein was inclosed a golden Helmet of an ancient fashion set with precious stones which was presented to Kathren of Spaine Wife and Dowager to King Henry the eight 7 This Shire triumpheth in the births of Beauclerke King Henry the first whom Selby brought forth and of King Henry the fourth at Bullingbrooke borne but may as iustly lament for the death of King Iohn herein poysoned by Sâ—non a Monke of Swynsted Abbey and of Queene Eleanor wife to King Edward the first the mirrour of wedlocke and loue to the Commons who at Hardby neere Bullingbrooke his birth place ended her life 8 Trade and commerce for prouision of life is vented thorow thirtie one Market-Townes in this Shire whereof Lincolne the Counties namer is chiefe by Ptolemie and Antonine called Lindum by Beda Linde-collma and by the Normans Nichol. Very ancient it is and hath beene more magnificall as by her many ouerturned ruines doth appeare and farre more populous as by Demesdayes Booke is seene where it is recorded that this Citie contained a thousand and seauen Mansions and nine hundred Burgesses with twelue Lage-men hauing Sac and Soc. And in the Normans time saith Malmesbury it was one of the best peopled Cities of England being a place for trafficke of Merchandize for all commerce by Land or Sea Herein King Edward the third ordained his Staple for the Mart of Wools Leather and Lead and no lesse then fiftie Parish Churches did beautifie the same but now containeth onely fifteene besides the Cathedrall Some ruines yet remaines both of Frieries and Nunneries who lye now buried in their owne ashes and the Citie conquered not by warre but by time and very age and yet hath she not escaped the calamitie of sword as in the time of the Saxons whence Arthur enforced their Host the like also did Edmund to the destroying Danes and by the Normans it suffered some dammage where King Stephen was vanquished and taken prisoner and againe by the third Henry that assaulted and wan it from his rebellious Barons By fire likewise it was fore defaced wherein not onely the buildings were consumed but withall many men and women in the violence thereof perished as also by an Earth-quake her foundation was much weakened and shaken wherein the faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to the Virgin of Virgins was rent in peeces The gouernment of this Citie is committed yearely to a Maior tow Sheriffes twelue Aldermen in Scarlet a Sword a Hat of Estate a Recorder Sword-bearer and foure Sergeants with Maces whose situation on a sleepe hill standeth for Longitude in the degree 20. 10. scruples the Pole eleuated for Latitude from the degree 53. and 50. scruples 9 Much hath beene the deuotion of Princes in building religious houses in this Countie as at Crowland Lincolne Markeby Leyborne Grenfeld Aluingham Newnersby Grymmysby Newsted Elsham Stayâ—feld Syxhyll Torkesey Bryggerd Thorneholme Nuncotton Fosse Heyings Axholme I le Goykewell S. Michaels neere Stamford Swynâ—shead Spalding Kirkested c. 10 Commotions in this Shire were raysed the eight and twentieth of King Henry the Eight where twentie thousand making insurrection violently sware certaine Lords and Gentlemen to their Articles But no sooner they heard of the Kings power comming but that they dispersed themselues and sued for pardon And againe in the third yeare of King Edward the Sixt in case of Inclosuâ—es Lincolne rose in seditious manner as did they of Cornwall Deuon-shire York-shire and Norfolke but after some flaughters of their chiefest men were reduced to former obedience NOTTINGHAM-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXII NOTTINGHAM-SHIRE from Nottingham her chiefest Towne hath the name and that somewhat softned from the Saxons Snoddenzaham for the many Dennes or Caues wrought in her Rocks and vnder ground lyeth bordered vpon the North North west with York-shire vpon the East a good distance by Trent is parted froM and with Lincoln-shire altogether confined the South with Leicester-shire and the West by the Riuer Erwash is seperated from Darby-shire 2 For forme long and Ouall-wise doubling in length twice her bredth whose extreames are thus extended and distance obserued From Finingley North to Sleanford in the South are thirtie eight English miles her West part from Teuersall to Besthorp in the East are little more then nineteene whose circumference draweth much vpon one hundred and ten miles 3 The Ayre is good wholesome and delectable the Soile is rich sandy and clayie as by the names of that Counties diuisions may appeare and surely for Corne and Grasse so fruitfull that it secondeth any other in the Realme and for Water Woods and Canell Coales abundantly stored 4 Therein groweth a Stone softer then Alablaster but being burnt maketh a plaister harder then that of Paris wherewith they flower their vpper roomes for betwixt the Ioysts they lay onely long Bulrushes and thereon spread this Plaister which being throughly dry becomes most solide and hard so that it seemeth rather to be firme stone then mortar and is trod vpon without all danger In the West neere Worksop groweth plentie of Liquorice very delicious and good 5 More South in this Shire at Stoke in the Raigne of King Henry the seauenth a great battle was fought by Iohn De-la-Pole Earle of Lincolne which Richard the Vsurper had declared his heire apparant but Richard losing his life and De-la Pole his hopes in seeking here to set vp a Lambert fell downe himselfe and at Newarke after many troubles King Iohn got his peace with the end of his life 6 Trade and commerce for the Counties prouision is frequented in eight Market-Townes in this Shire whereof Nottingham is both the greatest and best a Towne seated most pleasant and delicate vpon a high hill for buildings stately and number of faire streets surpassing and surmounting many other Cities and for a spacious and most faire
Market-place doth compare with the best Many strange Vaults hewed out of the Rockes in this Towne are seene and those vnder the Castle of an especiall note one for the story of Christs Passion engrauen in the Walls and cut by the hand of Dauid the second King of Scots whilst he was therein detained prisoner Another wherein Lord Mortimer was surprised in the non-age of King Edward the Third euer since beating the name of Mortimers Hole these haue their staires and seuerall roomes made artifically euen out of the Rockes as also in that hill are dwelling houses with winding staires windowes chimneys and roome aboue roome wrought all out of the solide Rocke The Castle is strong and was kept by the Danes against Burthred Ethelred and Elfred the Mercian and West-Saxon Kings who together laid their siege against it and for the further strength of the Towne King Edward surnamed the Elder walled it about whereof some part as yet remaines from the Castle to the West-gate and thence the foundation may be perceiued to the North where in the midst of the way ranging with this banke stands a gate of Stone and the same tract passing along the North part may well be perceiued the rest to the Riuer and thence to the Castle are built vpon and thereby buried from sight whose circuit as I tooke it extendeth two thousand one hundred and twentie pases 7 In the Warres betwixt Stephen and Maud the Empresse by Robert Earle of Glocester these Wells were east downe when also the Towne it selfe suffered the calamitie of fire but recouered to her former estate hath since increased in beautie and wealth and at this day is gouerned by a Maior and sixe Aldermen clad in Scarlet two Sheriffes two Chamberlaines a Towne-clerke and sixe Sergeants with Maces their Attenders whose position hath the Pole eleuated fiftie three degrees 25. minutes in Latitude and hath the Meridian nine degrees and 25. minutes This Towne hath beene honoured by these Princes titles and these Princes dignified with the Earledome of Nottingham whose seuerall Armes and Names are in the great Map expressed Religious houses that haue beene erected and now suppressed in the compasse of this Countie chiefly were Newsted Lenton Shelford Southwell Thurgarton Blith Welbeck and Radford in Nottingham the White and Gray Fryers besides a little Chappell dedicated to Saint Iohn All which shew the deuotions of those former times which their remembrance may moue if not condemne vs that haue more knowledge but farre lesse pietie DARBY-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIII DARBY-SHIRE lyeth inclosed vpon her North parts with Yorke-shire vpon the East with Nottingham-shire vpon the South with Leicester-shire and vpon the West is parted with the Riuers Doue and Goyt from Stafford and Chesse-shires 2 It is in forme somewhat triangle though not of any equall distance growing from her narrow South-point still wider and in the North is at the broadest for from Stretton neere the head of Mese to New-Chapell seated neere the head of Derwent the two extreames from North to South are thirtie eight miles but from the Shire-Oakes vnto the meeting of Mersey and Goyt the broadest part of all this Shire is not fully twentie nine the whole in circumference extendeth to an hundred and thirtie miles 3 The ayre is good and very healthfull the sile is rich especially in her South and East parts but in the North and West is hilly with a blacke and mossie ground both of them fast handed to the Ploughers paines though very liberall in her other gifts whose natures thus dissenting the Riuer Derwent doth diuide asunder that taketh course thorow the heart or midst of this Countie The ancient people that possessed these parts in the times of the Romans assaults were the Coritani whom Ptolemie disperseth thorow Northampton-shire Leicester Rutland Lincolne Nottingham and this Shire who were all of them subdued by P. Ostorius Scapula Lieutenant in this Prouince for Claudius the Emperour But Romes Empire failing in Britaine by the intestine Warres among themselues the Saxons a more sauage and fearefull Nation soone brought it vnder their subiection and made this a Prouince vnto their Mercians Kingdome whom the West-Saxons first wanne and againe lost to the Normans 5 It is stored with many Commodities and them of much worth for besides Woods and Cattle Sheepe and Corne euery where ouer-spreading the face of this Countie the Mill-stone Crystall and Allablasâ—er the Mines of Pit-coale Iron and Lead are of great price whereof the last is mentioned in Flinie who writeth that in Britaine in the very crust of the ground without any deepe digging is gotten so great store of Lead that there is a Law expresly made of purpose forbidding men to make more then to a certaine stint Whose stones are plenteously gotten in those Mountaines and melted into Sowes to no small profit of the Countrey There is found also in certaine veines of the earth Subium which the Apothecarits call Antimonium and the Alâ—thmists hold in great esteeme 6 Places for commerce or memorable note the first is Darby the Shire-Towne called by the Danes Deâ—aby seated vpon the West banke of Derwent where also a small Brooke rising Westward runneth thorow the Towne vnder nine Bridges before it meets with her farre greater Riuer Derwent which presently it doth after she hath passed Tenant Bridge in the South-East of the Towne But a Bridge of more beautie built all of Free-stone is passed ouer Derwent in the North-East of the Towne whereon standeth a faire stone Chapell and both of them bearing the names of S. Maries fiue other Churches are in this Towne the chiefest whereof is called Aâ—hallowes whose Steeple or Bell-Tower being both beautifull and high was built onely at the charges of young men and maids as is witnessed by the inscription cut in the same vpon euery square of the Steeple Among the miserable desolations of the Danes this Towne bare a part but by Lady Ethelfleda was againe repaired and is at this day inâ—orporated with the yearely gournment of two Bailiffes elect out of twentie-foure brethren besides as many Burgesses of Common Counsell a Recorder Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants with Mace whose Graduation is obserued from the Equator to be 53. degrees 25. scruples and from the first point in the West 19. degrees 2. scruples 7 Little-Chester by the Romish Mony there daily found seemeth to haue beene ancient and that a Colonie of the Roman Souldiers there lay Yet of farre greater fame was Repandunum now Repton where Ethelbald the ninth King of the Mercians and fifteenth Monarch of the Englishmen slaine at Seggeswald by the treason of his Subiects was interred and whence Burthred the last King of that people was expulsed with his Queene Ethelswith by the rage of the Danes after twentie two yeares raigne But with a more pleasing eye we may behold Melborne the memoriall of Englishmens great valour where in that Castle was kept Prisoner Iohn Duke of Burbon taken captiue in the Battle of Agincourt
and therein detained the space of nineteene yeares 8 Things of stranger note are the hot Water-springs bursting forth of the ground at Buxton where out of the Rocke within the compasse of eight yards nine springs arise eight of them warme but the ninth very cold These run from vnder a faire square building of free-stones and about three-score paces off receiue another hot spring from a Well inclosed with foure flat stones called Saint Annes neere vnto which another very cold spring bubled vp The report goeth among the by-dwellers that great cures by these waters haue beene done but daily experience sheweth that they are good for the stomacke and sinewes and very pleasant to bathe the body in Not farre thence is Elden hole whereof strange things haue beene told and this is confidently affirmed the waters that trickle from the top of that Caue which indeed is very spacious but of a low and narrow entrance doe congeale into stone and hang as ickles in the roofe Some of them were shewed at my being there which like vnto such as the frost congealeth were hollow within and grew Taper-wise towards their points very white and somewhat Crystall-like And seauen miles thence vpon a mounted hill standeth a Castle vnder which there is a hole or Caue in the ground of a marueilous capacitie which is commonly called The Deuils Arse in the Peake whereof Geruase of Tilbury hath told many pretie tales and others doe make it one of the wonders of our Land 9 As in other Counties the deuotions of the religious haue beene made apparent in the erection of places for Gods peculiar seruice so in this haue beene founded eight of that nature which were Dale Detelege Darby Repâ—on Bechif Graiâ—sley Fauerwell and Pollewerke whose peace and plentie stood secure from all danger till the blustering windes arising in the Raigne of King Henry the eight blew off the pinacles of their beauteous buildings and shooke asunder the reuenewes of those Foundations which neuer are like againe to be laid STAFFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIIII STAFFORD-SHIRE whose situation is much about the middle of England meeteth vpon the North with Chesse-shire and Darby and that in a Triangle point where three stones are pitched for the bounds of these Shires it is parted from Darby shire on the East with Dowe and with Trent the South is confined with Warwicke and Worcester-shires and the West butteth against the Countie of Shrop-shire The forme thereof is somewhat Lozeng-like that is sharpe at both ends and broadest in the midst The length extending from North to South is by measure fortie foure miles and the bredth from East to West twenty seauen miles the whole in circumference one hundred and fortie miles 3 The ayre is good and very healthfull though ouer-sharpe in her North and Moreland where the snow lyeth long and the winde bloweth cold 4 The Soile in that part is barren of Corne because her hilles and Mores are no friends vnto Tillage the middle is more leuell but therewithall wooddie as well witnesseth that great one called the Cank But the South is most plenteous in Corne and Pasturage 5 Her ancient Inhabitants were the CORNAVII whom Ptolemie placeth in the Tract that containeth Shrop-shire Worcester-shire Chesse-shire and this all which were possessed by the Mercian-Saxons when their Heptarchy flourished And Tameworth in this Shire was then held their Kings Court The Danes after them often aflayed herein to haue seated as witnesseth Ternall then Thâ—â—tenhall by interpretation The habitation of Pagans â—â—brued with their bloud by King Edward the elder But the Inhabitants of this Prouince Beda tearmes The midland Englishmen because to his seeming it lay in the heart of the Land which when the Normans had made Conquest of all many of them set downe their rest here whose posteritie at this day are fairely and further branched into other parts 6 The Commodities of this Countie consist chiefly in Corne Cattle Alablaster Woods and Iron if the one proue not the destruction of the other Pit-coale Flesh and Fish whereof the Riuer Trent is said to swarme and others arising and running thorow this Shire doe so batten the ground that the Meadowes euen in the midst of Winter grow greene such are Dowe Manifold Churnot Hunsye Yenden Tean Elith Trent Tyne and Sowe whereof Trent is not onely the principall but in esteeme accounted the third of this Land 7 Stafford the Snire-Towne anciently Betheney from Bertelin a reputed holy man that therein lead an Hermits life was built by King Edward the elder incorporated by King Iohn and vpon the East and South parts was walled and trenched by the Barons of the place the rest from East to North was secured by a large Poole of water which now is become faire Meadow grounds The tract and circuit of these welles extended to twelue hundred and fortie pases thorow which foure Gates into the foure winds haue passage the Riuer Sowe running on the South and West of the Towne King Edward the sixt did incorporate the Burgesses and gaue them a perpetuall succession whose gouernment is vnder two Bailiffes yearely elected out of one and twentie Assistants called the Common Counsell a Recorder whereof the Dukes of Buckingham haue borne the Office and as yet is kept a Court of Record wherein they hold Plea without limitation of summe a Towne-Clerke also from whose Pen I receiued these Instructions and to attend them two Sergeants at Mace This Towne is sited in the degree of Latitude 53. 20. scruples and of Longitude 18. and 40. scruples 8 But Leichfield more large and of farre greater same is much her ancient knowne vnto Beda by the name of Licidfeld which Rosse doth interpret to be The field of deadbodies for the number of Saints vnder the rage of Dioclesiaâ— there slaine vpon which cause the Citie beareth for her Armes an Eschocheon of Landskip with diuers Martyrs in diuers manner massacred Here Oswin King of Northumberland ouer-comming the Pagan-Mercians built a Church and made it the See of Duina the Bishop whose successors growne rich with golden reasons so ouercame King Offa and the Adrian the Pope that an Archiepiscopall Pale was granted Bishop Eadulph to the great disgrace of Lambert Arch-bishop of Canterbury In this Church were interred the bodies of Wulshere and Celred both of them Kings of the Mercians But when the mindes of men were set altogether vpon gorgeous building this old foundation was new reared by Roger Clinton Bishop of this See and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Chad and the Close inwalled by Bishop Langton The gouernment of this Citie is by two Bailiffes and one Sheriffe yearely chosen out of twentie-foure Burgesses a Recorder a Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants their Attendants 9 Houses of Religion erected in this Shire were at Leichfield Stafford De la Crosse Cruâ—den Trentham Burton Tamworth and Woluer-hamptâ—n These Votaries abusing their Founders true pieties and heaping vp riches with disdaine of the Laitie laid themselues open
Dane is separated from Darby and Stafford-shires vpon the South toucheth the Counties of Shrop-shire and Flint and vpon the West with Dee is parted from Denbigh shire 2 The forme of this Countie doth much resemble the right wing of an Eagle spreading it selfe from Wirall and as it were with her pinion or first feather toucheth Yorke shire betwixt which extreames in following the windings of the Shires diuder from East to West are 47. miles and from North to South twentie-sixe miles The whole circumference about one hundred fortie two miles 3 If the affection to my naturall producer blind not the judgement of this my suruey for aire and soile it equale the best and farre exceeds her neighbours the next Counties for although the Climate be cold and toucheth the degree of Latitude 54. yet the warmth from the Irish Seas melteth the Snow and dissolueth the Ice sooner there then in those parts that are further off and so wholesome for life that the Inhabitants generally attaine to many yeares 4 The Soile is fat fruitfull and rich yeelding abundantly both profit and pleasures for man The Champion grounds make glad the hearts of their Tillers the Meadowes imbrodered with diuers sweet smelling flowers and the Pasture makes the Kines vdders to strout to the paile from whom and wherein the best Cheese of all Europe is made 5 The ancient Inhabitants were the CORNAVII who with Warwicke-shire Worcester-shire Stafford-shire and Shrop-shire spread themselues further into this Countie as in Ptolemie is placed and the Cangi likewise if they be the Ceangi whose remembrance was found vpon the shore of this Shire on the surface of certaine pieces of Lead in this manner inscribed IMP. DOMIT. AVO. GER DE CEANG. These Cangi were subdued by P. Ostorius Seapula immediately before his great victory against Caractacus where in the mouth of Deua he built a Fortresse at the backe of the Ordouices to restraine their power which was great in those parts in the raigne of Vespasian the Emperour But after the departure of the Romanes this Prouince became a portion of the Saxon Mercians Kingdome notwithstanding saith Ran Higden the Citie it selfe was hold by the Britaine 's vntill all fell into the Monarchy of Egbert Of the dispositions of the since Inhabitants heare Lucian the Monke who liued presently after the Conquest spake They are found saith he to differ from the rest of the English partly better and partly equall In feasting they are friendly at meat chearefull in entertainement liberall soone angry and soone pacified lauish in words impatient of seruitude mercifull to the afflicted compassionate to the poore kinde to their kindred spary of labour void of disimulation not greedie meating and far from dangerous practises And let me adde thus much which Lucian could not namely that this Shire hath neuer beene stained with the blot of rebellion but euer stood true to their King and his Crowne whose loyaltie Richard the second so farre found and esteemed that he held his person most safe among them and by authoritie of Parliament made the Countie to be a Principalitie and stiled himselfe Prince of Chester King Henry the third gaue it to his eldest sonne Prince Edward against whom Lewlyn Prince of Wales gathered a mightie Band and with them did the Conntie much harme euen vnto the Cities gates With the like scarre-fires it had oft times beene affrighted which they lastly defenced with a Wall made of the Welsh-mens heads on the South side of Dee in Hanbridge The Shire may well be said to be a Seed-plot of Gentilitie and the producer of many most ancient and worthy Families neither hath any brought more men of valour into the Field then Chesse-shire hath done who by a generall speech are to this day called The Chiefe of men and for Natures endowments besides their noblenesse of mindes may compare with any other Nation in the world their limmes straight and well-composed their complexions faire with a chearefull countenance and the Women for grace feature and beautie inferiour vnto none 6 The Commodities of this Prouince by the report of Ranulphus the Monke of Chester are chiefly Corne Cattle Fish Fowle Salt Mines Metals Meares and Riuers whereof the bankes of Dee in her West and the Vale Royall in her midst for fruitfulnesse of pasturage equals any other in the Land either in graine from the Cow 7 These with all other prouision for life are traded thorow thirteene Market-Townes in this Shire whereof Chester is the fairest from whom the Shire hath the name A Citie raised from the Fort of Ostorius Lieutenant of Britaine for Claudius the Emperour whither the twentieth Legion named Victrix were sent by Galba to restraine the Britaines but growne themselues out of order Iulius Agricola was appointed their Generall by Vespafian as appeareth by Monies then minted and there found and from them no doubt by the Britaine 's the place was called Caer Legion by Ptolemie Deunana by Antonine Dena and now by vs West-Chester but Henry Bradshawe will haue it built before Brute by the Giant Leon Gaueâ— a man beyond the Moone and called by Marius the vanquisher of the Picts Ouer Deua or Dee a faire stone-bridge leadeth built vpon eight Arches at either end whereof is a Gate from whence in a long Quadren-wise the wals do incompasse the Citie high and strongly built with foure faire Gates opening into the foure windes besides three Posternes and seauen Watch-Towers extending in compasse one thousand nine hundred and fortie paces On the South of this Citie is mounted a strong and stately Castle round in forme and the base Court likewise inclosed with a circular wall In the North is the Minister first built by Earle Leofrike to the honour of S. Werburga the Virgin and after most sumptuously repaired by Hugh the first Earle of Chester of the Normans now the Cathedrall of the Bishops See Therein lyeth interred as report doth relate the body of Henry the fourth Emperour of Almane who leauing his Imperiall Estate lead lastly therein an Hermites life This Citie hath formerly beene sore defaced first by Egfrid King of Northumberland where he slew twelue hundred Christian Monkes resorted thither from Bangor to pray Againe by the Danes it was sore defaced when their destroying feete had trampled downe the beautie of the Land But was againe rebuilt by Edelfleada the Mercian Lady who in this Countie and Forrest of Delamer built two fine Cities nothing of them now remaining besides the Chamber in the Forrest Chester in the dayes of King Edgar was in most flourishing estate wherein he had the homage of eight other Kings who rowed his Barge from S. Iohns to his Pallace himselfe holding the Helme as their supreme This Citie was made a County incorporate of it selfe by King Henry the seauenth and is yearely gouerned by a Mator with Sword and Mace borne before him in State two Sheriffes twentie-foure Aldermen a Recorder a Towne-Clerke and a Sergeant of Peace foure Sergeants and
Imaus in Schithia For all the yeare long these lye mantelled ouer with Snow hard crusted together though otherwise for their height they are open and liable both to the Sunne to dissolue them and the windes to ouer-sweepe them 5 The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Ordouices of whom we haue sufficiently spoken in the description of the former Prouinces neither need I insist either vpon the pleasures or profits that this Country yeeldeth by reason of the great affinity it hath both of Climate and Commodities with Denbigh-shire and Flint-shire before mentioned But this beyond the other in some places breeds certaine Shel-fishes which being conceiued by an heauenly dew bring forth Pearles in ancient times 〈…〉 of then now they are 6 Touching places of note that Citie is very ancient which the Emperour Antonine calleth Segontium taking name of a Riuer running by which at this day is called Seront some reliques of the walls whereof doe yet appeare neere vnto a little Church consecrated to the honour of Saint Publicius This Citie Ninius calleth Caer Custenith which some interpret the Citie of Constantine Indeed Mathew Westminster saith how true I know not that Anno 1283. here was found the body of Constantius Father to great Constantine which King Edward the first caused to be sumptuously bestowed in the Church of the new Citie which he raised out of the ruines of the old and is now called Caâ—â—naruon which giueth name to this whole Shire The Towne it selfe yeeldeth a most excellent prospect towards the Sea and is incompassed in a manner round with the wals of the Castle so as we may say it is a Citie within a Castle which taketh vp the whole West-side of it and great pitie it is that so famous a worke should not be perpetuous or euer become the ruine of time which is much feared for the mercilesse vnderminings of the Sea that with her daily and forcible irruptions neuer ceaseth to wash away the foundations of the Key The people of this Towne are well approued for courteâ—ie and also Ciuill gouernment which is administred by the Constable of the Castle who is euer Maior by Patent hauing the assistance of one Alderman two Bailiffes two Sergeants at Mace and one Towne-Clerke The Townesmen doe not a little glory that King Edward the second was borne there in a Tower of the Castle called Eagle-Tower and surnamed of Caer-nar-uon he being the first Prince of Wales of the English line The site of this Towne according to Mathematicall obseruation is in the degree of Longitude 15. and 50. scruples from the first West-point and the Pole eleuated in Latitude 53. and 50. Bangor the Bishops See though it be now but a small Towne yet it was in time past so large that for the greatnesse thereof it was called Banchor Vaur that is Great Banchor which Hugh Earle of Chester fortified with a Castle But it hath beene long since vtterly ruinated and laid leuell with the ground in so much as there is not any footing to be found or other monuments left thereof although they haue beene sought with all diligent enquiry This Bishops See hath within the Dioces ninetie six Parishes But the ancient Church which was consecrated vnto Daniel sometime Bishop thereof was defaced and set on fire by that notorious Rebell Owen Glendowerdwy who had a purpose also to destroy all the Cities of Wales for that they stood for the King of England And though the same Church was since repaired about the time of King Henry the seauenth yet hath it scarce recouered the resemblance of her former dignitie The Riuer Conwey which limitteth this Shire on the East-side is in Ptolemy by corruption or ignorance of Transcribers called Toisonius in stead of Cononius whence Canonium a Towne mentioned by Antonine tooke name and albeit both it and its name be now vtterly extinct yet is there a couert remembrance thereof in the new name of a poore Village standing among the rubbish thereof called Caer-hean that is The ancient Citie Out of the spoyle whereof King Edward the first built a new Towne at the Riuers mouth termed thereupon Aber-Conwey that is the mouth of Conwey which being formerly fortified by Hugh of Chester and strongly situate and fenced both with wals a faire Castle by the Riuers side deserues rather the name of a Citie then a Towne if it were more populous and traffiqued with Inhabitants Neither must I here forget Newin though but a small Market-Towne for that it pleased the English Nobles Anno 1284 to honour it and the memory of King Arthur with triumphant celebritie after they had subdued the rebellious Ring-leaders of Wales 7 Other matters of memorable note this Country affordeth not much vnlesse perhaps this That iust ouer against the Riuer Conwey where it iflueth into the Sea there sometimes stood an ancient Citie named Diganwey which many yeares agoe was consumed by lightning and so made vtterly desolate as many other monuments haue beene of ancient and worthy memory As likewise that in the Poole Lin-Peris there is a kinde of Fish called there Torcoâ—h hauing a red belly no where else seene For touching these two other miracles famoused by Giraldus and Geruasius that on those his high hils there are two Pooles called the Meares the one of which produceth great store of fish but all hauing onely one eye and in the other there is a moueable Iland which as soone as a man treadeth on it forthwith floateth a great way off whereby the Welsh are said to haue often scaped and deluded their enemies assailing them these matters are out of my Creed and yet I thinke the Reader had rather beleeue them then to goe to see whether it be so or no. SCOTLANDS GENERALL DESCRIPTION CHAPTER I. SCOTLAND the second Kingdome of Great Britaine and the North part of the Iland hath on the East the Germane Ocean on the North the Orkneys and Deucalidon Sea the West affronted with Ireland and the South hath the Riuer Tweed the Cheuiot Hils and the adiacent Tract reaching to the Sulway Sands whereby it is separated from England 2 This Kingdome is faire and spacious and from these South-borders spreadeth it selfe wide into the East and West till againe it contracts it selfe narrower vnto the Northerne Promontories furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdome both for Ayre and Soyle Riuers Woods Mountaines Fish Fowle and Cattle and Corne so plenteous that it supplyeth therewith other Countryes in their want The people thereof are of good feature strong of body and of couragious minde and in warres so venturous that scarce any seruice of note hath beene performed but that they were with the first and last in the field Their Nobilitie and Gentry are very studious of learning and all ciuill knowledge for which end they not onely frequent the three Vniuersities of their owne Kingdome S. Andrewes Glasco and Edenbrough the Nurseries of Pietie and Mansions of the sacred Muses but also much
saith Cambrensis is vneuen wooddy wilde waterish and boggy so full of Loghs and Meeres that great ponds of water are found vpon the high Mountaines These indeed make the places somewhat dangerous vnto all new commers by breeding of rheums dyssenteries and fluxes whose vsuall remedie is Vskebah a wholesome Aqua vita that drieth more and enflameth lesse then many other hot confections 7 The Commodities of this Kingdome chiefly consist in Cattle whose feed is so sweet and so ranke that they will soone graze to a surfet if they may be suffered to feed as they will Their sheepe are many but beare not the best wooll which twice are shorne within one yeare Of these they make Mantles Caddowes and Couerleâ—s vented from thence into forraine Countries Their Hobbies likewise are of great esteeme and are answerable to the â—ennets of Spaine Bees are there in such abundance that hony is found in holes of old trees and in rests of the rockes No annoyance of hurtfull Snake or venomous creatures and to speake all in a word nothing wanting for profit or pleasure for so much doth Giraldus affirme in saying that Nature had cast into this Westerne Kingdome of Zephyrus a more gracious eye then was ordinary 8 Touching the originall peopling of this faire Iland if we will beleeue their records they make antiquitie it selfe but young vnto themselues affirming the damsell Caesarea and niece vnto Noah to haue found it out before the Floud and that three hundred yeares after when Iaâ—hets posteritie tooke into these West-parts of the world one Barthelaâ—â—â— of his progeny a Sâ—ythian by birth encouraged by the late successe of Nâ—â—rod who now had intruded vpon the Monarchy of Syria wandred so farre West that Fortune at last cast him and his people vpon the coast of Ireland There he setled with his three sonnes Languinna Salarus and Ruthurgus who searching through euery creeke and corner of the Land left their owne names by three notable places Languiâ—â— Stragrus and Mount Salanga which the reuolution of times hath since called by other names as S. Dominickhill Ruthurgi and Stagâ—â—â— Vnder the gouernment of these three sonnes and their off-spring this land was kept about three hundred yeares at which time there arriued also in Ireland a Giant-like kinde of people of Nimrods race who in bodily shape exceeded the proportion of vsuallmen vsing their strengths to winne 〈…〉 and to oppreste with rapine and violence These growing to numbers accounted it necesâ—ary to preuent dominion lest the curse of slauery prophecied by Noah should light vpon them to preuent the which they set vp a King of their owne then quarrels bred daily either parties purposing to hold their interest by their swords against whom lastly a battle was fought and an infinite company of Giants slaine when also died most of those of the posteritie of Iapheth leauing them of Cham Lords of Iland 9 Whereupon Nemethus a Scythian with his foure sonnes arriued in Ireland and by strong hand seated themselues among these Grants where for two hundred and sixtie yeares they kept but then no longer able to hold out against them they left their standings and departed the land 10 Soone after the fiue sonnes of Dela descended from the said Nemethus came into these coasts and with manly prowesâ—e droue these miscreants out of Ireland whereby the seed of Cham was vtterly expelled these of Iapheth diuided the land into fiue parts whereof they became themselues Kings but falling at variance gaue aduantage vnto others among whom the BRITAINES set in a foot 11 But to make this Iland more famous certaine Historians haue fetched their Kings from most vncertaine Records as namely from Gaothel the Grecian and Scotia the daughter of King Pharao and nourisher of Moses his wife who at that time when Israel were in Egypt with a Colony came into Spaine and after into Ireland where he was made King and in honour of his Queene the land named Scotia from whom also the Inhabitants tooke name his posteritie increasing in the parts of Spaine where first they had seated in procesâ—e of time sought further aduentures vnder the foure sonnes of Milesius King of Spaine whose names were Hibernus Hermion Euer and Erimon 12 These by the direction sufferance and assistance of Gurguntius King of the Britaines after that Ireland had beene very much dispeopled by a contagious pestilence seated themselues and from the eldest Hiberius called the Iâ—â—and Hibernia as some are of opinion these diuided the whole into fiue Proâ—â—nces famously knowne by the names of Mounster Leinster Connaught Vlster and Mâ—ath in their midst and from these the present Irish repute themselues to come Yet surely as I make no question but that this Iland became inhabited euen of old time when mankinde againe ouer-spred the face of the earth so doubt I not but that our Britaines pasâ—ed thereinto themselues such infinite number of words in the Irish language yet in vse such ancient names of Waters Isles Mountaines and places meerely British words yet remaining and the testimony of â—acitus who saith that their manners were fashioned to the Britaines inforceth so much and Ptolemy before him calleth that Iland by the name of little Britaine all which shew a former interest for Ireland then that which by conquest vnder Henry the second was made 13 That it euer was subiect to the Romans is doubtfull though Agricola did wish it and Tacitus held most necessary yea and in the diuision of their Empire Ireland with Britaine and Thule fell vnto Constantine the sonne of Constantine the great yet their manners vnreclaimed and barbarisme retained long after those dayes doe witnesse no such 〈◊〉 sowne to be in that plot But when Romes great Empire began to grow lesse the Scots or Scythians grew mightie in Ireland and as Orosâ—â—â— writeth that Island was wholly inhabited by the Scotish Nation in the dayes of Honorius and Arâ—â—dius the Emperours whose warres and slaughter Claudian doth lightly touch in this his Verse Scotorum cumulos fleuit glacialis Ierne The frozen Ireland wept to see her Scots all slaine on hâ—apes to be 14 As these for the most part by the testimony of Ninius were the ancient Inhabitants so by other ancient Writers their customes and manners are thus set forth Strabo saith The Inhabitants of Ireland are more rude then the Britaines they feed vpon the flesh of men yea and thinke it a point of worth to eat their dead parents want only they accompany with women making no difference of other mens wiues their owne sisters nor of their naturall mothers but of these things saith he we haue no certaine witnesse of sufficient credit Poâ—ponius Mela recordeth that the Irish are vnâ—iuill ignorant of vertues and void of religion And Solinus affirmeth that after victory they drinke the bloud of the slaine and besmeare their owne faces therewith so giuen to warre that the mother at the birth of a man-childe feedeth the first meat into her
too chilling cold not too scorching hot The soyle in some parts is hilly looking 〈◊〉 with wooddy wilde and solitary mountaines yet the vallies below are garnished with Corne-fields And generally all both pleasant for fight and fertile for soile 4 This Prouince is at this day diuided into two parts that is the West Mounster and the South Mounster The West Mounster was inhabited iâ— old 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 the Velabri and the Vteriâ—â— the South Mounster by the Oudiâ—â— or 〈◊〉 and the Coriâ—ndi The Velabri and 〈◊〉 are said by Orosius to haue dwelt in that part of the Country where it lyeth outmost Westward and passing towards the Cantabrian Ocean looketh a farre off to Gallitia in Spaine The Luceni of Ireland who seeme to haue deriued their name and originall from the Lucenâ—â— of Gallâ—tia and of whom there still remaine some reliques in the Barony of Lyxnoâ—â— are supposed to haue bin seated in those parts that lie neighbouring vpon the banke of the Riuer Shemon 5 The generall Commodities of this Prouince are Corne Cattle Wood Wooll and Fish The last whereof it affords in euery place plenty abundance of all sorts But none so well knowne for the store of Herrings that are taken there as is the Promontory called Eraugh that lies betweene Bantre and Ballatimore Bay whereunto euery yeare a great Fleet of Spaniards and Portugals resort euen in the middest of Winter to fish also for Cods 6 The principall Citie of the Prouince is Limericke which the Irish call Loumeagh compassed about with the famous Riuer Shennon by the parting of the Channell This is a Bishops See and the very Mart-Towne of Mounster It was first wonne by Reymond le Grosse an Englishman afterwards burnt by Duncnald an Irish petty King of Thuetmond Then in processe of time Philip Breos an Englishman was infeoffed in it and King Iohn fortified it with a Castle which he caused therein to be built In this Castle certaine Hostages making their abode in the yeare 1332 grew as is reported so full of pride and insolency that they flew the Constable thereof and seized the Castle into their owne hands But the resolute Citizens that could neither brooke nor beare with such barbareus crueltie did in reuenge then shew such manly courage and viuacitie as they soone after recouered the Castle againe repaying the Hostages in such hostile manner as that they put them all to the sword without partialitie The position of this Towne is by Mercator placed for Latitude 53. degrees 20. minutes and for Longitude 9. degrees and 34. minutes Neere vnto the Riuer that Ptolemy calleth Daucona and Giraldus Cambrensis by the alteration of some few letters nameth Sauranus and Sauarenus which issueth out of Muskerey Mountaines is seated the Citie Corke graced also with another Episcopall dignitie and with the Bishops See of Clon annexed vnto it which Giraldus calleth Corragia the Englishmen Corke the natiue Inhabitants of the Country Coreach This Towne is so beset on euery side with neighbouring molesters as that they are still constrained to keepe watch and ward as if there lay continuall siege against it The Citizens of this place are all linkt together in some one or other degree of affinitie for that they dare not match their daughters in marriage into the Country but make contracts of matrimony one with another among themselues In this place that holy and religious man Briock is said to haue his birth and breeding who flourished among the Gaules in that fruitfull age of Christianitie and from whom the Diocesse of Sanbrâ—och in Britaine Armorua commonly called S Brieu had the denomination 7 The Citie which the Irish and Britaines call Porthlargy and the English Waterford though it be last in place yet is it not least in account as being the second Citie of all Ireland as well for the conuenience and commodiousnesse of the Hauen that affords such necessary aptitude for trade and traffique as also for the faithfull loyaltie which it hath alwayes shewed to the Imperiall Crowne of England for euer since it was wonne by Richard Earle of Pembrookâ— it still performed the obedience and peaceable offices of dutie and seruice vnto the English as they continued their course in the conquest of Ireland whence it is that the Kings of England haue from time to time endowed it with many large Franchises and Liberties which King Henry the seauenth did both augment and confirme 8 Although since the time of S. Patricke Christianitie was neuer extinct in this Country yet the gouernment being haled into contrary factions the Nobility lawlesâ—e and the multitude wilfull it hath come to passe that Religion hath waxed with the temporall common sort more cold and feeble being most of them very irreligious and addicted wholly to superstitious obseruations for in some parts of this Prouince some are of opinion that certaine men are yearely turned into Wolues and made Wolfe-men Though this hath beene constantly affirmed by such as thinke their censures worthy to passe for currant and credible yet let vs suppose that happily they be possessed with the disease and maladie that the Physicians call Lycanthropy which begetteth and engendreth such like phantasies through the malicious humours of Melancholy and so oftentimes men imagine themselues to be turned and transformed into formes which they are not Some againe embrace another ridiculous opinion and perswade themselues that he who in the barbarous acclamation and outcry of the Souldiers which they vse with great forcing and straining of their voices when they ioyne battaile doth not howte and make a noise as the rest doe is suddenly caught from the ground and carried as it were flying in the ayre out of any Country of Ireland into some desert vallies where he feedeth vpon grasse drinketh water hath some vse of reason but not of speech is ignorant of the present condition he stands in whether good or bad yet at length shall be brought to his own home being â—aught with the helpe of Hounds and Hunters Great pitie that the foule fiend and father of darknesse should so grieuously seduce this people with misbeliefe and that these errours be not chased away with the truth of Christian Religion whereby as they carry much grace in their countenances they may also not be void of the inward grace of their soules and vnderstanding 9 This Prouince hath beene fore wasted in the rebellions of Desmond to whose ayde Pope Gregory the thirteenth and Philip King of Spaine sent certaine companies of Italians and Spaniards who arriued not farre from Dingle fortified themselues gaue it the name of Fort de Ore founding loud threats against the whole Country But Aâ—â—â—ur 〈◊〉 Grey Lord Deputie of Ireland at the first onset decided their quarrell by sheathing his sword in their bowels and Desmond fearefully flying into the woods was by a Souldier cut shorter by the head And againe when the Kingdome of Ireland lay bleeding and put almost to the hazard of the last
magnanimitie 9 But the Citie which fame may iustly celebrate alone beyond all the Cities or Townes in Ireland is that which we call Diuelin Ptoleâ—ie Eblana the Latinists Dublinium and Dublinia the West-Britaines Dinas Dulm the English-Saxons in times past Duplin and the Irish Balacleigh that is the Towne vpon hurdles for it is reported that the place being fennish and moorish when it first began to be builded the foundation was laid vpon hurdles 10 That it is ancient is perswaded by the authoritie of Ptolâ—mie That it was grieuously rent and dismembred in the tamultuous warres of the Danes and brought afterwards vnder the subâ—ection of Eadgar King of England which his Charter also confirmeth wherein he calleth it the noble Citie of Ireland is written by Saxo Grammaticus That it was built by Harold of Norway which may seeme to be Harold Harâ—ager when he had brought the greatest part of Ireland into an awfull obedience vnto him we reade in the life of Griffith ap Sâ—â—an Prince of Wales At length it yeelded vnto the valour and protection of the English at their first arriuall into Ireland by whom it was manfully defended from the fierce assaults as well of Auscoulph Prince of the Dâ—blinians as afterwards of Gottard King of the Isles since which time it hath still augmented her flourishing estate and giuen approued testimony of her faith and loyaltie to the Crowne of England in the times of any tumultuous streights and commotions 11 This is the royall seat of Ireland strong in her munition beautifull in her buildings and for the quantitie matchable to many other Cities frequent for trafficke and intercourse of Merchants In the East Suburbs Henry the second King of England as Hâ—ueden reporteth caused a royall Pallace to be erected and Henry Loundres Archbishop of Diuelin built a Store-house about the yeare of Christ 1220. Not farre from it is the beautifull Colledge consecrated vnto the name of the holy Trinitie which Queene Elizabeth of famous memory dignified with the priuiledges of an Vniuersitie The Church of S. Patricke being much enlarged by King Iohn was by Iohn Comin Archbishop of Dublin borne at Euesham in England first ordained to be a Church of Prebends in the yeare 1191. It doth at this day maintaine a Deane a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Archdeacons and twentie two Prebendaries This Citie in times past for the due administration of Ciuill Gouernment had a Prouost for the chiefe Magistrate But in the yeare of mans redemption 1409 King Henry the fourth granted them libertie to chuse euery yeare a Maior and two Bailistes and that the Maior should haue a gilt sword carried before him for euer And King Edward the sixt to heape more honour vpon this place changed the two Bailiffes afterwards into Sheriffes so that there is not any thing here wanting that may serue to make the estate of a Citie most flourishing 12 As the people of this County doe about the neighbouring parts of Diuelin come neerest vnto the ciuill conditions and orderly subiection of the English so in places farther off they are more tumultuous being at deadly feuds amongst themselues committing oft times Man-slaughter one vpon another and working their owne mischiefes by mutuall wrongs for so the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster with many Townes in the same Prouince in the yeare 1294. And in the yeare 1301. the men of Leinster in like manner raised a warre in the winter season setting on fire the Towne of Wykâ—â—lo Rathdon and others working their owne plague and punishment by burning vp their sustenance and losing their Castle by depredation 13 Matter of obseruation and no lesse admiration among them is the Giants dance commonly so called and so much talked of which Merlin is said by Art Magicke to haue translated out of this Territorie vnto Salisburie Plaine which how true it is I leaue to the vaine beleeuers of miracles and to the credulous obseruers of antiquitie 14 In this County haue beene erected many famous Monasteries Abbies and religious houses consecrated to deuout and holy purposes As the Monastery of Saint Maries of Oustmanby â—ounded for preaching Friers vnto which of late dayes the Iudiciall Courts of the Kingdome haue beene translated also the magnificent Abbey called S. Thomas Court at Dublin builded and endowed in times past with many large priuiledges and reuenewes of King Henry the second in expiation of the murther of Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury Likewise Tiutern Monastery or the notable Abbey which William Marshall Earle of Pembrooke founded and called De roto for that he had vowed to God being tossed at Sea with many a sore and dangerous tempest to erect an Abbey wheresoeuer he came to land and being after shipwracke cast vpon land in this place he made performance of his vow accordingly THE PROVINCE OF CONNAVGHT CHAPTER IIII. THis Prouince named by Giraldus Cambrensis Conachtia and Conacia by the Irish Conaughty and by English-men Connaught is bounded East-ward with part of the County of Leinster North-ward with part of Vlster West-ward with the West-maine Ocean and on the South it is confined with a part of the Prouince of Mounster closed in with the Riuer Sbennon and butting against the Kingdome of Spaine 2 The forme thereof is long and towards the North and South ends thinne and narrow but as it growes towards the middle from either part it waxeth still bigger and bigger extending in length from the Riuer Shennon in her South to Enis Kelling in her North 126. miles and the broadest part is from Tromer in her East to Barragh-Bay in her West containing about fourescore miles The whole in circuit and compasse is aboue foure hundred miles 3 The aire is not altogether so pure and cleare as in the other Prouinces of Ireland by reason of certaine moist places couered ouer with grasse which of their softnesse are vsually termed Boghes both dangerous and full of vaporous and foggie mists 4 This County as it is diuided into seuerall portions so is euery portion seuerally commended for the soile according to the seasonable times of the yeare Twomond or the County Clare is said to be a Country so conueniently situated that either from the Sea or Soile there can be nothin wisht for more then what it doth naturally afford of it selfe were but the industry of the Inhabitants answerable to the rest Galway is a land very thankfull to the painefull husbandman and no lesse commodious and profitable to the Shepheard Maio in the Roman Prouinciall called Mageo is replenished both with pleasure and fertility abundantly rich in Cattle Deere Hawkes and plenty of Hony Slego coasting vpon the Sea is a plenteous Country for feeding and raising of Cattle Le-Trim a place rising vp throughout with hilles is so full of ranke grasse and forrage that as Solinus reporteth if Cattle were not kept sometimes from grasing their fulnesse would endanger them And Roscoâ—en is a Territory for the most part plaine and fruitfull feeding many Heards
impure are not vnwholesome nor of long continuance the rough windes holding them in continuall agitation 4 This equall temperature causeth the ground to bring forth great store of seuerall Trees both fit for building and bearing of fruit plentifull of grasse for the feeding of Cattle and is abundantly furnished with Horses Sheepe and Oxen the Riuers likewise pay double tribute deepe enough to â—arry Vessels either for pleasure or profit and Fish great store both for their owne vses and commoditie of others Salmons in some Riuers of this County abound more in number then in any Riuer of Europe To speake in generall though in some places it be somewhat barren troubled with Loughes Lakes and thicke Woods yet is it euery where fresh and full of Cattle and forrage ready at all times to answer the husbandmans paines But nature is there so little beholding to Art or Industry that the various shew vpon bankes the shady groues the greene meadowes hanging hilles and fields fit for Corne if they were manured doe seeme to be angry with their Inhabitants for suffering all to grow wild and harbarous through their owne negligence 5 This Country in Ptolemies dayes was wholly possessed by the Volutij Darni Robogdji and Erdini who branched and spred themselues into the seuerall parts that Island 6 The people of this Prouince were accustomed in controuersies and solemne protestations to sweare by S. Patrickes Staffe which oath they feared more to breake then if they had sworne by the holy Euangelist Their ancient custome in making their King was this A white Cow was taken which the King must kill and seeth the same in water whole then must he bathe himselfe therein starke naked and sitting in the Cawdron wherein it was sod accompanied with his people round about him he and they vsed to eat the flesh and drinke the broath wherein he sate without cup or dish or vse of hand How farre these prescriptions and customes were different from the conformities of other ciuill Monarchies we may well perceiue by these and other like obseruations of those grosse times and as yet they are more barbarous then is any other part of the Island besides 7 Historians relating of Ireland tell of seuerall Islands in the seuerall Prouinces some full of Angels some full of Deuils some for male onely some for female some where none may liue some where none can die and such effects of trees stones and waters that a man but of easie conceit may well esteeme them as heedlesse as vncertaine So also S. Patrickes Purgatorie a thing of much note in the Tract of this Prouince is a vault or narrow caue in the ground 〈…〉 called Erne Liffer much spoken of by reason of I wot not what fearefull walking spirits and dreadfull apparitions or rather some religious horrour which as some ridiculously dreame was digd by Vlysses when he went downe to parley with those in hell This is the caue which the Inhabitants in these dayes call â—llanuâ— Frugadory that is The Isle of Purgatory and S. Patricks Pargatory for some persons lesse deuout then credulous affirme that S. Patricke or rather Patricius Secundus an holy Abbot of that name labouring the conuersion of the people of this Prouince and much inforcing the life to come they replied contemptuously vnto him that vnlesse they saw proofes of those joyes and paines he preached they would not lose the possession of their present pleasures in hope or feare of things to come they wist not when Whereupon as they say he obtained at Gods hands by earnest prayer that the punishments and torments which the godlesse are to suffer after this life might be there presented to the eye that so he might more easily root out the sinnes and Heathenish errours that stucke so fast in the hearts of the Irish But touching the credit hereof although common fame and some records doe vtter it I neither will vrge the beliefe nor regard seeing it is no Article of our Creed 8 Matters memorable within this Prouince are these first that the Bishops of Ireland were wont to be consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in regard of the 〈◊〉 which they had in this Country vntill such time as Iohn Papâ—â—â— a Cardinall was sent thither from Popâ— Eugenius the fourth to reforme Ecclesiasticall discipline in this Iland which 〈…〉 so looâ—â— that there were translations and pluralities of Bishops according to the 〈◊〉 and pleasure of the Metropolitane Also that the Irish-men were accustomed to leaue and forsake 〈◊〉 wedded wiues at their owne free willes whereof Lanfrancke Archbishop of Canterbury complained vnto Theraeluaâ— a King of Ireland And had not this Nation beene corrupted with this vice euen vnto these our dayes both the right of lineall succession had beene more certaine among them and the Gentry and Comminaltie had not in such cruelties imbrued themselues with such effusion of their owne kindreds bloud about their inheritances and legitimation 9 The principall place in this Tract is Armagh neere vnto the Riuer Kalin which albeit it maketh a poore shew is the Archiepiscopall See and Metropolitane of the whole Island Before Saint Patricke had built there a faire Citie for site forme quantitie and compasse modelled out as he saith by the appointment and direction of Angels this place was named Drumfalrch the Irish tell much that it receiued the name of Queene Armacha but the better opinions are that it is the same which Bede calleth Dearmach and out of the Scotish and Irish language interpreteth it The Field of Oakes Here as S. Bernard writeth S. Patricke the Apostle of Ireland ruled in his life time and rested after death in honor of whom it was of such venerable estimation in old time that not onely Bishops and Priests but Kings also and Princes were in generall subiect to the Metropolitane thereof in all obedience and to his gouernment alone Among the Archbishops of this Prouince S. Malachy is famoused who first prohibited Priests marriage in Ireland and as S. Bernard saith who wrote his life at large borrowed no more of the natiue barbarousnesse of that Country then Sea-fishes doe saltnesse of the Seas Also Richard Fitz Ralf commonly called Armachanus is of famous memory who turning the edge of his stile about the yeare 1355. began to oppose his opinion against the Order of Mendicant Friers as detesting in Christians such voluntary begging The chiefe Fort in this Tract is Enis Kelling defended by the Rebels in the yeare 1593 and wonne by Dowdall a most valiant Captaine neere vnto which is a great downfall of water termed The Salmon Leape of which there is a common speech currant among the Inhabitants that it was once firme ground very populous and well husbanded with tillage till it was suddenly ouer flowne with waters and turned into a Lake for some filthy abominable acts of the people against Nature committed with beasts 10 The places of Religion sequestred from other worldly seruices and consecrated to holy purposes erected in this Prouince were The Abbey which sheweth it selfe at Donegal The Monastery of Derie where the Irish Rebell Shane O-Nâ—al receiued such an ouerthrow by Edward Randolph renowned for his seruice in the behalfe of his Country that he could neuer after recouer the losse he sustained at that time The Monastery neere vnto the Riuer Laffer The famous Monastery at the Bay of Knockfergus of the same institution name and order as was that ancient Abbey in England neere vnto Chester called Danchor Also Mellifont Abbey founded by Donald a King of Vriel and much commended by S Bernard And lastly the most renowned Monastery built at Armagh in the yeare of our Saluation 610. out of which very many Monasteries were afterwards propagate both in Britaine and Ireland These places were farre and neere frequented and sought vnto by great confluences of Pilgrims till Time proued their deuotions to be erronious and the pure light of the word reuealed opening the eyes of their vnderstanding hath taught them to shake off the shame of such Superstitions 11 That the people of this County might be kept within the bounds of their dutie this Prouince hath beene secured with fiftie sixe Castles and Forts and for trade of commerce nine Market-Townes appointed being diuided into these Counties ensuing Counties Dunghall or Tyr-connell Vpper Tyrone Nether Tyrone Fermanagh Canan Monaghan Colrane Autrim Downe Armagh Lough FINIS The Table to find the Maps as appeareth by folio ENgland Scotland and Ireland 1 England 2 Kent 3 Sussex 4 Surrey 5 Southhampton 6 The Isle of Wight 7 Dorcetshire 8 Deuon-shire 9 Cornewall 10 Somersetshire 11 Wiltshire 12 Barkeshire 13 Middlesex 14 Essex Countie 15 Suffolke 16 Norfolke 17 Cambridgeshire 18 Hartfordshire 19 Bedfordshire 20 Buckinghamshire 21 Oxfordshire 22 Glocestershire 23 Merefordshire 24 Worcestershire 25 Warwickeshire 26 Northamptonshire 27 Huntingtonshire 28 Rutlandshire 29 Leicestershire 30 Lincolneshire 31 Nottinghamshire 32 Darbishire 33 Staffordshire 34 Shropshire 35 Chester 36 Lancashire 37 Yorkeshire 38 The Bishopricke of Durham 39 Westmorland Cumberland 40 Northumberland 41 The Isle of Man 42 Holy 〈…〉 Wales 44 Pembrokeshire 45 Radnor Breknock Cardigan and Caâ—rmarden described 46 Glamorganshire 47 Monmouthshire 48 Montgomery c. 49 Denbigh and Flint described 50 Anglesey and Carnarâ—an 51 The Kingdome of Scotland 52 The Southyart of Scotland 53 The Southern part of Scotland 54 The Easterne part of Scotland 55 Part of Scotland Stranauern 56 The Isles of Hebrides 57 Cathanes and Orknay 58 Ireland Described 59 Mounster 60 Leinster 61 Connaught 62 Vlster 〈◊〉 MIDIA