repudâ—ate wife of King Henry the eight under an Hearse covered with black Say having a white Cross in the midst and on the South side Mary Queen of Scotland whose Hearse is spread over with black Velvet The Cloyâ—ter is large and in the Glaâ—â—e windows is very curiously portrayed the History of VVâ—lphere the Founder whose Royal Seat was at VVedon in the street converted unto a Monastery by S. VVerburgh his holy daughter and had been the Roman Station by Antonine the Emperour called Bannavenna So likewise Norman-Chester was the ancient City Durobriva where their Souldiers kept as by the moneys tâ—ere daily found is most apparent 8 Houses of Religion devoted to Gods Service by the pious intents of their well meaning Founders were at Peterborow Peakirk Pipewell Higham Davintree Sulby Saulscombe Sewardesleg Gare S. Dewy S. Michael Luffeild Catesby Bruch Barkley Finshead Fotheringhay VVeden and VVithrop besides them in Northampton all which felt the storms of their own destruction that raged against them in the Reign of King Henry the eight who dispersed their Revenues to his own Coffers and Courtiers and pulled the stones asunder of their seeming ever sure Foundations and in the time of young Edward his son whose mind was free from wronging the dead the Tombs of his own Predecessours were not spared when as Edward slain at Agincourt and Richard at VVakefield both of them Dukes of York were after death assaulted with the weapons of destruction that cast down their most fair Monuments in the Collegiate Church of Fotheringhay Castle 9 Eight Princely Families have enjoyed the Title of the Earldom of Northampton whereof the last Henry Howard late Lord Privy Seale a most honourable Patron to all learned proceedings that I may acknowledge my dutiful and humble Service hath most honourably assisted and set forward these my endeavours 10 This Shires division for service to the Crown and imployment of businesses is into twenty Hundreds hath been strengthened with ten Castles and is still traded with ten Market-Towns and God honoured in three hundred twenty six Parish-Churches HUNTINGTON SHIRE HUNTINGTON-SHIRE CHAPTER XXVIII HUNTINGTON-SHIRE part of the Iceni under the Roman Monarch of Mercia in the Saxon Heptarchy is severed with Nene the North bounder from Northampton-shire to which it in part adjoyneth west from Bedford and Cambridge by mearing Towns on the South and from Ely by a fence of water East the work of Nature Benwick Stream or of Art Canutuâ— Delph severed when Alfred or before him Off â— shared the open circuit of their Empery into Principalities that by residence of subordinate rule Peace at home might be maintained Forreign offence by apt assembly of the Inhabitants resisted Tax and Revenue of the Crown laid more evenâ—ly and enâ—ily levyed Iustice at mens doors with less charge and journey administred all causes Civil having a right and speedy dispatch in the County or Earls monthly Court as Criminal in his Lieutenant the Sheriff Turne twice a year In form of a Lozeng this shire lyeth of positure temperate and is 52 degrees 4 scruples removed from the Aequator the Hilly soyl to the Plough-man grateful the Vale contiguous to the fens best for Pasture in which to no part of England it giveth place Woods are not much wanted the Rivers serving Coal as the Moors Turff for Fuell 2 This Content was as the whole Continent Forest until Caâ—utus gave this Law of grace Vt quisque tam in agris quam in silvis exciteâ— agitetque feras Long were the hands of Kings to pull of old the Subjects right into Regal pleasure when perambulation and Proclamation only might make any mans land forrest It is in the first Williams time a Phrase in Record not rare Silva hujus Maneâ—ii FORISEST missâ— in Silvam Râ—gis from which word of power Forrest may seem not unaptly to be derived Cum videbat Henricus primus tres Biâ—sas sitting in his Forrest of Lyfield he caused Husculphus his Ranger to keep 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 Book call the Forrest Iustice for Vert and Venison not Iustum absolutâ— but Iustum secundum Legem Forestae That Foresta is defined Tuta â—erarum statio may seem to confine the Forresters Office onely to his Games care which of ancient was as well over Mineral and Maritimal revenue The Office of Baldwiâ—e the great Forrester of Flanders Non agrum tantum spectabat sed Maris custodiam saiâ—h Tullius out of the old Charters of the French Kings And sâ—e how just this squares to our Legal practise for of Assarts Purprestures Emprovement Greenhugh Herbage Paunage Fowles Mills Honey Mines Quarries and Wreacks at Sea did the Itineral Iustice of the Forrest hâ—re enquire His Subjects of this Shire Henry the 2 from servitude of his beasts whose Grand-father proâ—feris homines inâ—arceravit exhaereditavit multilavit truâ—idavit did pretend by Charter to enfranchise except Wabridge Saple Herthy His own Demaines But such was the success by encroachments under his two â—ucceeding Sons that it drew on the oppressed people to importune anew the Soveraignes redress which was by the great Charter of the third Henry â—ruitlesly effected His son in the seventh of his Reign by a perambulation reâ—uming back the fruit of his fathers goodness and so remaining until in his twenty ninth year by Petition and purchase of his people for they gave him a full fifteen he confirmed the former Charter and by Iury View and Perambulation setled that Boundary of â—orrest which contented the People became the square of universal Iustice in this Kind and left in this Shire no more than the three former his own grounds Forrest 3 This Shire hath four Centuriatae or Hundreds and had of old time five these so called Quia prima iustitutione ex Hiderum aliquot center ariis compositae These are subdivided into 79 Parishes whereof five besides the Shire-Town have Markets These Parishes are measured by Hides and Carucks or Plough-lands more or less is either richness of Soil or strength of the Lord strengthned or extended their limits the Mass in whole containing of the first sort 818 and of the other 1136 These hides the ancient and general measure of land except in Kent where the account was by Solms or Lincoln-shire Vbi non sunt Hidae sed pro Hidis sum Carucatae were esteemed one hundred Acres Non Normanico sed Anglico numero una hida pro sexies viginti Acris duo pro duodecies viginti as in the Book of Doomesday Caruca the Teame-land not Carucata for they be different was in quantity of Acres proportioned to the quantity of Soil but usually in this Shire reputed 60. The Virgata or Yard-land was a more or less part of the Hide as the Acres in number varied which I find in this County from 18 to 42 but for the most part 30 which was the
since over-shadowed by the height of Beckets Tomb that for glory wealth and superstitious worships equalized the Pyramides of Egypt or the Oracle of Delphos yet now with Dagon is fallen before the Ark of God This City hath been honoured with the presence and Coronations of King Iohn and Queen Isabel his wife with the marriages of King Henry the third and of King Edward the first and with the interments of Edward the Black Prince King Henry the fourth and of Queen Ioan his wife as Feversham is with the burials of King Stephen and of Maud his Queen and wife But as in glory so in adversity hath this City born a part being divers times afflicted by the Danes but most especially in the dayes of Ethelred who in that revenge of their massacre made havock of all and herein slew forty three thousand and two hundred persons the tenth besides reserved to live Afterward it recovered breath and beauty by the liberality of Bishop Lanford Characters and priviledges by King Henry the third strength in Trench and Fortifications from King Richard the second and lastly Walls for her defence by Simon Sudbury Arch-bishop of that See whose Graduation is placed for Latitude 51. 25 and parallelized for Longitude 22. 8 her sister Rochester differing not much in either degree 9 Which City as Beda saith was built by one Rof Lord of the same though some ascribe the foundation of the Castle to Iulius Câ—sar and hath been often ruinated by the injuries of war both in the times when the Saxons strove for superiority among themselves wherein this City was laid waste Anno 680. as also in the assaults of their common enemy the Danes who about the year 884. from France sailed up the River Medway and besieged the same so that had not King Elfred speedily come to the rescue it had been overthrown by those Pagans And again in Anno 999. the Dâ—nes miserably spoiled this City in the time of King Ethelred neither haâ—n it stood safe from danger since though not defaced so much by war for twice hath it been sore endamaged by chance of fire the first was in the Reign of King Henry the first Anno 1130. himself being present with most of his Nobility for the consecration of the Cathedral Church of S. Andrew And again almost wholly consumed about the latter end of the Reign of King Henry the second Anno 1177. Yet after all these calamities it recovered some strength again by the bounty of King Henry the third both in buildings and in ditching her about for defence 10 Civil broyls and dissentions hath this County been burdened with and that not only under the Saxons and Danes whose desolations were many and grievous but also by other rebellions since the Normans Conquest both in those infamous insurrections called The Barons Wars in the reign of King Henry the Third wherein much harm was done as also under King Richard the Second when Wat Tyler Captain of a dreadful commotion assembled at Black-heath Mile-end and in London doing many outrages where in Smithfield he was lastly struck down by William VVallworth then Mayor of the City and worthily slain for his notorious treasons Again upon Black-heath Michael Ioseph the Lord Dawbeney with their Cornish Rebels were overthrown by King Henry the Seventh Anno 1497. 11 Kent in the time of Iulius Caesar was governed by four several Kings Under Vortigern the Britain by a Lieutenant called Guoronge from whom the said King gave it to Hengist the Saxon in favour of his Daughter Howen who seeking to make himself absolute King thereof eight years after his first entrance fought a victorious battel against the Britains near unto Crayford and thenceforth accounted that Province his own Yet afterward Vortimer the valiant Britain gave him battel at Aylesford in the which both Horsa and Catigern brethren to both the Generals were slain and the Saxons driven into the Isle of Thanet their first assigned habitation not daring to enter the Continent so long as Vortimer lived Catigern was interred upon that plain where to this day remaineth his Monument being 4 stones pitched in manner of the Stonehenge and is vulgarly called Citscotehouse The like Monument was of Horsa at Horsted which stormes and time have now devoured Hengist made this Province a Kingdom for himself and successors which name and power it retained the space of three hundred and twenty years when Egbert King of the West-Saxons subdued and joyned it to his own in which subjection it stood untill the time of the Normans Then it was given under the title of an Earldom by the Conquerour unto Otha Bishop of Bayeux his half brother whose successors in that dignity were those most honourable families whose Arms and Names within this plot are blazed and expressed It is divided principally into five Lathes subdivided into 66 hundreds and them again into 398 Parishes and wherein had been seated twenty three Religious Houses SUSSEX SUSSEX CHAPTER IV. SOUTH-SEX a word compounded of the site thereof Southward lieth stretched along the British Seas The North confronts upon Surrey and Kent and the West butteth upon Hampshire 2 For form it lieth long and narrow so that all her Rapes do run quite through the Shire and containeth from Westharting in the West to Kent ditch that divides it from Kent in the East sixty four miles but in the broadest part little above twenty the whole circumference about one hundred fifty eight miles 3 The Air is good though somewhat clouded with mists which arise forth of her South bordering Sea who is very prodigal unto her for Fish and Sea-fowl though as sparing for Harbours or Ships arrivage and those which she hath as uncertain for continuance as dangerous for entrance 4 Rich is the Soil and yieldeth great plenty of all things necessary but very ill for travellers especially in the winter the Land lying low and the ways very deep whose middle tract is garnished with Meadows Pastures and Corn fields the Sea-coast with Hills which are called the Downs abundantly yielding both Grain and Grass and the North side over shadowed with pleasant Groves and thick Woods where sometimes stood the famous wood Andradswald containing no less than an hundred and twenty miles in length and thirty in breadth taking the name of Andexida a City adjoyning both which were won from the Britains by Ella the first Saxon King of this Province and the place made fatal to Sigebert King of the VVest-Saxens who being deposed from his Royal throne was met in this Wood by a Swine-herd and slain in revenge of his Lord whom Sigebert had nurdered 5 The ancient people in the Romans time were the Râ—gni of whom we have spoken and who were subdued by Vespasian the Leader of the second Legion under Aulus Plautius Lieutenant in Britain for Claudius the Emperour But after the departure of the Romans this with Surrey was made the South â—axons Kingâ—ome yet that giving place to the VVest-Saxons as they
obtained either by or against Rollo the Dane who in the year 876 entred England and in this Shire fought two battles one neer unto Hoâ—k-Norton and a second at the ScienStane 6 Rodâ—ot likewise remaineth as a monument of Oxfords highâ— styled Earl but unfortunate Prince Robert de Vere who besides the â—arldom was created by King Richard the second Mâ—â—quess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland but at that Bridge discomfited in fight by the Nobles and forced to swim the River where began the downfal of his high mounted fortunes for being driven forth of his Country lastly died in exile and distressed estate But more happy is this County in producing far more glorious Princes as King Edward the Confessor who in Islip was born Edward the victorious black Prince in Woodstock and in Oxford that warlike Coeur de Lion King Richard the first the son of King Henry the second first took breath 7 Which City is and long hath been the glorious seat of the Muses the British Athens and learnings well spring from whose living Fountain the wholsome waters of all good literature streaming plenteously have made fruitful all other parts of this Realm and gained glory amongst all Nations abroad Antiquity avoucheth that this place was consecrated unto the sacred Sciences in the time of the Old Britains and that from Greek-lod a Town in Wilt shire the Academy was translated unto Oxford as unto a Plant-plot both more pleasing and fâ—uitful whereto accordeth the ancient Burlaeus and Necham this latter also alledging Merlin But when the beauty of the Land lay under the Saxons prophane feet it sustained a part of these common calamities having little reserved to uphold its former glory save onely the famous monument of S. Frideswids Virgin Conquest no other School then left standing besides her Monastery yet those great blasts together with other Danish storms being well blown over 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 Divinity Philosophy and other Arts of humanity sending thither his own son Ethelward and drew thither the young Nobles from all parts of his Kingdom 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 Assereus Menevensis a writer of those times affairs read the Grammar and Rhetorick and affirmeth that long before them Gildas Melkin Ninius Kentigern S. German and others spent there their lives in learned studies From which time that it continued a Seedploâ— of learning till the Norman Conquest Ingulphus â—ecordeth who himself then lived No marvel then if Matthew Paris calleth Oxford the second School of Christendom and the very chief Pillar of the Catholick Church And in the Council holden at Vienna it was ordâ—ined that in Paris Oxford â—ononiâ— and Salamanca the onely Vniversities then in Europe should be erected Schools for the Hebrew Greek Arabick and Caldean tongues and that Oxford should be the general universiâ—y for all England Ireland Scotland and Wales which point was likewise of such weight with the Council of Constance that from this pâ—â—cedent of Oxford University it was concluded that the English Nation was not only to have pâ—ecedence oâ— Spain in all General Councils but was also to be held equal with France it self By which high peâ—ogatives this of ours hath always so flourished that in the days of King Henry the third thirty tâ—ousand Students were therein resident as Archbishop Armachanus who then lived hath writ and Riâ—haâ—ger then also living sheweth that for all the civil wars which hindred such placâ—s of quiet study yet 15000 Students were there remaining whose names saith he were entered in Matricula in the matriculation book About which time Iohn Baliol the father of â—aliol 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 buiâ—dings and enriched wâ—th landâ— and were the first endowed Colledges for learning in all Christendom And at this present there are sixteen Colledges besides another newly builded with eight Halls and many most fair Collegiate Churches all aâ—orned with most stately buildings and enriched with great endowments noble Libraries and most learned Graduates of all professions that unless it be her sister Cambridge the other â—ursing breast of this land the like is not found again in the World This City is also honoured with an Episcopal See As for the site thereof it is removed from the Equatâ—r in the degree 52 and one minute and from the West by Mercators measure 19 degrees and 20 minutes â— As this County is happy in the possâ—ssion of so famous an Academy so it is graced with most Princely Palaces apperâ—aining to the English Crown whereof Woodsâ—ock 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 beloved Concubine Rosamond Clifford a Damosel of surpassing beauty where notwithstanding followed by a clew of silk that fell from her lap she was surprised and poâ—soned by Queen Eleanor his wife and was first buried at Godsâ—ow Nunnery in the midst of the quiâ—e under a Hearse of silk set about with lights whom Hugh Bishop of Lincoln thinking it an unfâ—t object for Virgins devotion caused to be removed into the Church â—ard but those chast sisters liked so well the memory of that kind Lady as that her bones they translated again into their Chappel Bensington is another of his Majesties Mannors built by William de la Pole Duke of Suffolk but now in neglect through the annoyance arising from the waters or marishes adjoyning Houses built for devotion and for abuse suppressed and again put down the chief in account were Enishamâ— Osney Bruern Godsâ—ow Burchester and Tame besides S. Frideswides and very many other stately Houses of Religion in this City The Division of this Shire is into fourteen Hundreds wherein are seated ten Market-Towns and two â—undred and fourscore Parish Câ—uâ—ches Glocester Shire GLOCESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIII GLOCESTER-SHIRE lieth bordered upon the North with Worcester and Warwick-shires upon the East with Oxford and Wilt-shires upon the South altogether with Somerset-Shire and upon the West with the River Wye and Hertford shire 2 The length thereof extended from Bristow upon the River Avon in her South unto Clifford upon another Avon in her North are about forty eight miles and her broadest part from East to West is from Lechland unto Preston containing twenty eight the whole circumference about one hundred thirty eight miles 3 The Form whereof is somewhat long and narrow the Air thereof is pleasant sweet and delectable and for fruitfulness of Soyl hear Malmesbury and not me The ground of this Shire throughout saith
he was heir in general by marriage of a daughter But the truth is we have been ever easie to part with our hold there or at least forced to forgo it by our civil dissentions at home else after all those glorious Victories of our Predecessors we might have had some Power more to shew there as well as Title 11 There are very many Provinces belonging to this Kingdom more than will find room here for their full Descriptions in several and therefore we will reduce as well this new France as the old Gallia to the four parts of Ptolomies division 1 Aquitania 2 Lugdunensis 3 Narbonensis and 4 Galâ—ia Ielgica To these we will add 5 the Isles adjoyning Their principal underâ—Territories shall be mentioned as Maginus ranks them 12 Aquitania lieth on the West of France close upon the Pyrenean Mountains and Countries 1 Another part of Biscay mentioned in the Map of Spain and indeed differeth from that but very little 2 Gascoign and Guien The first to this day keeps its name with a very little change from the Spanish Vascones The chief City is Burdigala or Burdiaux a Parliamentary and Archiepiscopal Seat and University of good esteem was honoured with the birth of our Richard the Second Another City of note is Thoâ—ouse a seat Parliamentary and supposed to be as ancient as the rule of Deborah in Israel This Gascogin contains in it the Earldomes of Fory Comminges Armeniaci and the Dutch Albert. 3 Pictavia Poictou on the north of Guien a pleasant Region and a plentiful It contains three Bishopricks Poâ—tiers Lucon and Mailazai Her chief Cities are Poictiers an ancient and the largest next Paris in all France Castrum Heraldi once the title of the Scotch Earls of Hamildon In this Province was fought the great Battel betwixt our black Prince and Iohn of France where with eight thousand he vanquished forty thousand took the King Prisoner and his Son Philip 70 Earls 50 Barons and 12000 Gentlemen 4 Sonictonia severed from Poictiers but by the River Canentell and so differs but little from her fertility Her Metropolis Saints Her other chief Bourg Blay Marennes S. Iohn D'angely and Anglosme Betwixt this Country and Poictiers stands â—ochel a place the best fortified both by nature and art of any in Europe And is at this tiâ—â—e possest by those of the reformed Religion where they stand upon their guard and defend their freedom of conscience against the Roman Catholicks of France 5 Limosin in Limo sita say some Maginus takes 〈◊〉 from Limoges her chief City toward the North which revolted and was recovered by our black Prince Her other Towns of note are Tulles and Vxerca and Chalaz where our Richard the first was shot It hath been by turns possest of French and English till Charies the Seventh since we have had little hold there 6 Berry regio Biturigum from her chief City Bituris now Burges an Archiepiscopal See and University It is exceedingly stored with sheep and sufficiently well with other Merchandise of value 7 Burbone from her chief City Burbone heretofore Boya a Dukedom aâ—d much frequented by Princes and the Nobility of France by reason of her healthful air and commodious Baths 8 Turiene the Garden of France Her chief Cities â—loys Amboyse Taurs and a little higher upon the Layre stands Orleance 13 Lugdunensis or Celtica lieth betwixt the Rivers Loyre and Seyne and takes the name from Lugdunum or Lions her chief City This Province comprehends 1 Brittany heretofore Armoâ—ica till subdued by Maximinus King of England about the year 367 since it hath had the name of Britanny and for distinction from this of ours it is commonly stiled Minor Britannia There is yet remaining a smack of the Wâ—lch tongue which it seems the Invaders had so great a desire to settle in those parts as a trophy of their Conquests that when they first mingled in marriage with the Inhabitants they cut out their wives tongues as many as were Natives that no sound of French might be heard among their children It hath few Rivers but that defect is in some measure made up by the neighbourhood of the Sea insomuch that the Countrey is reckoned one of the most fertile in all France for Corn Wine and Wood. It breeds good Horses and special Dogs Iron Lead c. Her chief Cities are Nants Rhenes S. Breny and Rohan It is divided into Britanniam inferiorem the base or lower Britanny West-ward and nearest England and Superiorem toward the Loire East-ward Her chief parts are S. Malo and Breste 2 Normandy a part of the Region which was heretofore called Newstria and took the name it hath from the Norwegians Their first Duke was Rollo and the â—ixth from him our William the Conquerour It was lost from his Successors in the time of King Iohn Her chief Cities are Rhothomagus or Rhoan the Metropolis Constance and Cane memorable for the siege of our English Henry the fifth And Verveile besieged by Philip the second of France in the time of our Richard the first which when the King heard as he sate in his Palace at Westminster it is said he sware he would never turn his back to France till he had his revenge and to make good his oath brake through the walls and justly performed his threat upon the besieger Her principal parts are Harflew the first which King Henry the fifth of England assaulted and New Haven given up by the Prince of Conde to Queen Elizabeth as a Pledge for such Forces as she would supply him with to maintain wars with the King in defence of Religion And Diep c. 3 Anjove regio Audegarensis a fertile Country and yields the best Wine of France excellent Marble and other fair stone for buildings Her chief City is Anjours which Ortelius takes to be Ptolomy's Iuliomagum It is now an University To this Dukedome there are four Earldomes which owe a kind of homage Manie Vandosm Beauford and Laval 4 Francia which gives name to the whole Kingdom and received it her self from the German Francones which before inhabited the great Forrest called Sylva Hircinia Her chief City and the glory of France is Paris or Luteâ—ia quasi in luto sita in compass twelve miles is reckoned the first Academy of Europe consists of 55 Colledges And here was Henry the sixth crowned King of France and England In this Province stands S. Vincent where Henry the fifth died and Saisons and the Dukedome of Valoys c. 5 Campaigne and Bye partners in the title of Earldom it is severed from Picardy only with the River A fertile Country and hath many eminent Cities The principal is Rheimes where the Kings most commonly are crowned and anointed with an Oyl sent they say from Heaven which as oft as it hath been used never decreaseth It is the seat of an Arch-Bishop and University of note especially with our English Roman Catholiques who have a Colledge there appointed for their Fugitives And others of
in time to the Normans iâ— became a Province under the Conquerours power who gave to his followers much Land in these parts 6 The place of most account in this Shire is Chichester by the Britains called Câ—ercei a City beautifull and large and very well walled about first built by Cissa the second King of the â—outh Saxons wherein his Royal Palace was kept And when King VVilliam the First had enacted that Bishops Sees should be transâ—â—ted out of small Towns unto places of greater resort the Reâ—idence of the Bishop until then held at Selsey was removed to this City where Bishop Raulfe began a most goodly Cathedral Church but before it was fuâ—ly finished by a sudden mischance of fire was quite consumed Yet the same Bishop with the helping liberality of King Henry the First began it again and saw it wholly finished whose beauty and greatness her fatal enemy still envying again cast down in the dayes of King Richard the First and by her raging flames consumed the buildings both of it and the Bishops Palace adjoyning which Seffrid the second Bishop of that Name re-edified and built anew And now to augment the honour of this place the City hath born the Title of an Earldome whereof they of Arundel were sometimes so styled Whose Graduation for Latitude which is removed from the Aequator unto the degree fifty five minutes and for Longitude observing the same point in the West whence Mercator hath measured are twenty degrees 7 With whom for frequency bigness and building the Town Lewes seemeth to contend where King Athelstane appointed the mintage of his Moneys and VVilliam de VVarron built a strong Castle whereunto the disloyal Barons of King Henry the Third in warlike manner resorted and fought a great Battle against their own Soveraign and his son wherein the King had his Horse flain under him Richard King of the Romans surprised and taken in a Wind-mill and Prince Edward delivered unto them upon equal conditions of peace But a greater Battel was fought at Battle when the hazard of England was tried in one days fight and Harold the King gave place to his Conquerour by losing of his life among sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy four Englishmen besides whose bloud so spilt gave name to the place in French Sangue lac And the soyl naturally after rain becoming of a reddish colour caused William Newbery untruly to write That if there fall 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 evidence thereof did plainly declare the voice of bloud there shed and cried still from the earth unto the Lord. 8 But places of other note in this Shire are these from Basham Earl Harold taking the Sea for his delight in a small Boat was driven upon the Coast of Normandy where by Duke William he was retained 'till he had sworn to make him King after Edward the Confessors death which oath being broken the Bastard arrived at Pensey and with his sword revenged that Perjury At VVest-VVittering also Ellâ— the Saxon before him had landed for the conquering of those parts and gave name to the shore from Cimen his son But with greater glory doth Gromebridge raise up her head where Charles Duke of Orleance father to Lewes the twelfth King of France taken prisoner at Agincourt was there a long time detained 9 The commodities of this Province are many and divers both in Corn Cattle VVood Iron and Glass which two last as they bring great gain to their possessors so do they impoverish the County of Woods whose want will be found in ages to come if not at this present in some sort felt 10 Great have been the devotions of religious Persons in building and consecrating many houses unto the use and only service of Christ whose Beadmen abusing the intents of their Founders hath caused those Foundations to lament their own ruins For in the tempestuous time of King Henry the Eighth eighteen of them in this County were blown down whose fruit fell into the Laps of some that never meant to restore them again to the like use This County is principally divided into six Rapes every of them containing a River a Castle and Forrest in themselves besides the several Hundreds whereunto they are parted that is the Rape of Chichester into seven of Arundel into five of Bramber into ten of Lewes into thirteen of Pevensey into seventeen and of Hastings into thirteen in all fifty six wherein are seated ten Castles eighteen Market-Towns and three hundred and twelve Parish-Churches SURREY SURREY CHAPTER V. SURREY by Beda called Sutbri lieth seperated upon the North from the counties of Buckingham and Middlesex by the great River Thamisis upon the East Kent doth inbound it upon the South is held in with Sussex and Hamp-shire and her West part is bordered upon by Hamp-shire and Bark-shire 2 The form thereof is somewhat square and lieth by North and by East whereof Redrith and Frensham are the opposites betwixt whom are extended thirty four miles The broadest part is from Awfold Southward to Thamisis by Stanes and them asunder twenty two the whole in circumference is one hundred and twelve miles 3 The heavens breathing Air in this Shire is most sweet and delectable so that for the same cause many Royal Palaces of our Princes are therein seated and the Countrey better stored with game than with grain insomuch that this County is by some men compared unto a home-spun freeze-cloth with a costly fair list for that the out-verge doth exceed the middle it self And yet it is wealthy enough both in Corn and Pasturage especially in Holmesdale and towards the River of Thamisis 4 In this shire the Regni an ancient people mentioned by Ptolomy were seated whom he brancheth further through Sussex and some part of Hamp-shire And in the wane of the Romans Government when the Land was left to the will of invaders the South-Saxons under Ella here erected their Kingdome which with the first was raised and soonest found end From them no doubt the Countrey was named Suth-rey as seated upon the South of the River and now by contraction is called Surâ—ey 5 And albeit the County is barren of Cities or Towns of great estate yet is she stored with many Priâ—cely Houses yea and five 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 fatal place of Englands best Princes it might in estem be ranked with the richest For therein died the great Conquerour of France King Edward the Third the beautiful Ann daughter to Charles the Fourth Emperour and intirely beloved wife to King Richard the Second the most wise Prince King Henry the Seventh and the rarest of her Sex the Mirrour of Princes Queen Elizabeth the worlds love and Subjects joy 6 At Mâ—rton likewise
foreign Countries to that Countries great benefit and Englands great praise 9 The Trade thereof with other provisions for the whole are vented through eighteen Market-Towns in this Shire whereof Winchester the Britains Caer Gwent the Romans Venta Belgarum in chief ancient enough by our British Historians as built by King Budhudthras nine hundred years before the Nativity of Christ and famous in the Romans times for the weavings and embroderies therein wrought to the peculiar uses of their Emperours own persons In the Saxons time after two Calamities of consuming fire her walls was raised and the City made the Royal Seat of their West Saxons Kings and the Metropolitan of their Bishops See wherein Egbert and Elfred their most famous Monarchs were Crowned and Henry the third the Normans longest Reigner first took breath And here King Aethelstane erected six Houses for his Mint but the Danish desolation over running all this City felt their fury in the days of King Ethelbright and in the Normans time twice was defaced by the mis-fortune of fire which they again repaired and graced with the trust of keeping the publick Records of the Realm In the civil wars of Maud and Stephen this City was sore sacked but again received breath was by King Edward the third appointed the place for Mart of Wool and Cloth The Caehedral Church built by Kenwolf King of the West-Saxons that had been Amphibalus S. Peters Swethins and now holy Trinitie is the Sanctuary for the ashes of many English Kings for herein great Egbert anno 836. with his son King Ethelwolf 857. Here Elfred Oxfords founder 901. with his Queen Elswith 904. Here the first Edmund before the Conquest 924. with his sons Elfred and Elsward Here Edred 955. and Edwy 956. both Kings of England Here Emme 1052. with her Danish Lord Canute 1035. and his son Hardicanute 1042. And here lastly the Normaus Richard and Rufus 1100. were interred their bones by Bishop Fox were gathered and shrined in little gilt coffers fixed upon a wall in the Quire where still they remain carefully preserved This Cities situation is fruitful and pleasant in a valley under hills having her River on the East and Castle on the West the circuit of whose walls are well near two English miles containing one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces through which openeth six gates for entrance and therein are seven Churches for divine Service besides the Minister and those decayed such as Callender Ruell Chappell S. Maries Abbey and the Friers without the Suburbs and Sooke in the East is S. Peteâ—s and in the North Hyde Church and Monastery whose ruins remaining shew the beauâ—y that formerly it bare The graduation of this City by the Mathematicks is placed for Latitude in the Degree 51 10 minutes and for Longitude 19 3 minutes 10 More South is South-hampton a Town populous rich and beautiful from whom the whole Shire deriveth her name most strongly walled about with square stone containing in circuit one thousand and two hundred paces having seven Gates for entrance and twenty nine Towers for defence two very stately Keys for Ships arrivage and five fair Churches for Gods divine Service besides an Hospital called Gods-house wherein the unfortunate Richard Earle of Cambridge beheaded for treason lieth interred On the West of this Town is mounted a most beautifull Castle in form Circular and wall within wall the foundation upon a hill so topped that it cannot be ascended but by stairs carrying a goodly prospect both by Land and Sea and in the East without the walls a goodly Church sometimes stood called S. Maries which was pulled down for that it gave the French direction of course who with fire had greatly endangered the Town instead thereof is newly erected a small and unfinished Chappel In this place saith learned Cambden stood the ancient Clausentium or Fort of the Romans whose circuit on that side extended it self to the Sea this suffered many depredations by the Saxon Pirates and in Anno 980. was by the Danes almost quite overthrown In King Edward the thirds time it was fired by the French under the Conduct of the King of Sicils son whom a Countrey man encountred and struck down with his Club he crying Rancon that is Ransome but he neither understandiog his language nor the Law that Arms doth allow laid on more soundly saying I know thee a Frankon and therefore shalt thou die And in Richard the seconds time it was somewhat removed and built in the place where now it standeth In this Clausentium Canute to evict his flatterers made trial of his Deity commanding the Seas to keep back from his seat But being not obeyed he acknowledged God to be the onely supreme Governour and in a religious devotion gave up his Crown to the Rood at Winchester More ancient was Silcester built by Constantius great Constantines son whose Monument they say was seen in in that City and where another Constantine put on the purple robe against Honorius ' as both Ninius and Gervase of Canterbury do withess Herein by our Historians record the warlike Arthur was Crowned Whose greatness for circuit contained no less than fourscore Acres of ground and the walls of great height yet standing two miles in compass about This City by the Danish Rovers suffered such wrack that her mounted tops were never since seen and her Hulke the walls immured to the middle of the earth which the rubbish of her own desolations hath filled 11 Chief Religious houses within this County erected and again suppressed were these Christ's-Church Beaulieu Whâ—rwall Rumsey Redbridge Winchester Hyde South-hampton and Tichfield The honour of this Shire is dignified with the high Titles of Marquess and them Earls of VVinchester and South-hampton whose Arms of Families are as thou seest and her division into thirty seven Hundreds and those again into two Hundred fifty three Parishes WIGHT ISLAND VVIGHT ILAND CHAPTER VII WIGHT ILAND was in times past named by the Romans Vecta Vectis and Vectâ—sis by the Britains Guyth and in these days usually called by us The Lsle of Wight it belongeth to the County of South-hampton and lieth out in length over against the midst of it South-ward It is encompassed round with the British Seas and severed from the Main-land that it may seem to have been conjoyned to it and thereof it is thought the British name Guyth hath been given unto it which betokeneth separation even as Sicily being broken off and cut from Italy got the name from Secando which signifieth cutting 2 The form of this Isle is long and at the midst far more wide than at either end From Binbridge Isle in the East to Hurst Castle in the West it stretcheth out in length 20 miles and in breadth from Newport haven Northward to Chale-bay Southward 12 miles The whole in circumference is about sixty miles 3 The Air is commended both for health and delight whereof the first is witnessed by the long continuance of the Inhabitants in
West-Saxons in the year of Christ 614 in a doubtfull and dangerous Batteâ— vanquished the Britains Neither were the Saxons so surely herein seated but that the Danes sought to defeat them thereof for twice these bold Rovers landed at Chartmouth the first was in Anno 831. and reign of King Egbert and the other eight years after when Elthelwolfe was King in both which they went away Victors Yet when the Iron-side wore the English Dâ—adem and these fierce people â—ought to pluck 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 County are chiefly Wools and Woods in her North where the Vorrests are stored with the one and the pleasant green Hills with the other The other part is over-spread both with Corn and Grass and the Sea yieldeth the Isidis Plocamos a Shrub growing not unlike the Corral without any leafe besides her other gifts turning all to great gain which the more is made manifect by the many Market-Towns in this Shire whereof Dorchester is the chief in Antonius his Itinerarum termed Durnovaria situated upon the South side of Frome and the Roman Causey called Fosse-way wherein some of their Legions kept as by the Rampiers and Coâ—ns there daily digged up is probably conjectured at which time it seemeth the City was walled whereof some part yet standeth especially upon the West and South sides and the Tract and Trench most apparent in a Quadrant-wise almost meeteth the River containing in circuit one thousand and seven hundred paces but were cast down by the Daues whose trampling feet destroyed all things wheresover they came and hands here razed the Trenches Maudbury and Poundbury the seals of their Siege and signs of times misery About three hundred paces South-ward from hence standeth an old Fortification of Earth trenched about and mounted above the ordinary Plain thirty paces containing some five Acres of ground wherein at my there-being plenty of Corn grew This the Inhabitants call The Maiden Castle having entrance thereunto only upon the East and West This is thought to have been a Summer-Camp or Station of â—he Romans when their Garisons kept the Frontiers of this Province The government of this City is yearly committed to two Bayliffs elected out of eight Magistrates or Aldermen a Recorder Town-Clerk and two Sergeants attending them whence the North-Pole is elevated 50 degrees 48 minutes in Latitude and for Longitude is removed from the first West-point unto the Meridian of eighteen degrees 6 Other places also are memorable through the actions therein happening or antiquities there yet remaining such is â—adbury now nothing but a Trench and decayed Castle hardly seen though sometimes it was the Court of the West-Saxons Kings Such also is Cerne where Augustine the English Apostle brake down the Altars and Idols of the Saxons God HELL whom they devoutly honoured as the only conserver of their health Shaftsbury also wherein one Aquila whether a Man or Eagle I know not by our Historians report is said to have prophesied the future times of this our Empire and that after the reigns of the Saxons and Normans it should again return unto the government of the British Kings But with such vain predictions our Nation is more than once taxed by Philip Comineus the famous French Writer In this City Edward the son of great Edgar and one and thirtieth Monarch of the English-men was interred being murdered at Corfe a Castle seated in the Isle of Purbeck by his Step mother Aelfrith to make way for her Son to enjoy his Crown in repentance whereof and to pacifie Heaven for his bloud she built the Monasteries of Ambresbury and Whorwell in the County of Wilt-shire and South-hampton In the former of which with great penitency she spent the rest of her life 7 As upon the like occasion the Monastery of Middleton was laid in this Shire by King Ethelstan to appease the Ghost of Edwin his innocent brother and to expiate the sin of his own soul for the bloud of that just Prince whom most unjustly he caused to die and with the like devotion thought not to satisfie for the like bloudy sins did Queen Cuthburga sue a Divorce from her secoâ—d husband the Northumberlands King and at Winburne built her a Nunnery whereof her self became Abbesse where afterward was raised a most stately Minster which added not only more glory to the place but withall enlarged the name and made it to be called Winburn-Minster where King Etheldred a most vertuous Prince after much disquietness had with the Danes in peace here resteth with his Tombe and insâ—ription as in his History Christ assisting shall be further seen Neither among these may I omit Sherburne which in the year of grace 704. was made a Bishops See in whose Cathedral Church was interred the bodies of Ethelbald and Ethelbert brethren both of them Monarchs of the English men 8 Seven more besides these were set apart from worldly impolyments consecrated onely to God and his service in this Service which were Camestern Cranburn Abbottesbury Bindon Sturminster Tarrant and Warham These with the others came to their full period under the hand of King Henry the Eighth which lay with such weight upon their fair buildings that he crushed the juyce thereof into his own Coffers 9 Castles for defence in repair and decayed were at Sherburne Dorchester Branksey Portland Corfe Newton Woodford and Wareham so that with these and others the County hath been strengthned with twelve Religious Houses their poor relieved with eighteen Market-Towns at this day is traded and principally into five divisions parted subdivided into thirty four Hundreds and them again into two hundred forty eight Parishes DEVONSHIRE P. Kaerius caelavit DEVON-SHIRE CHAPTER IX DEVON-SHIRE by the Cornish Britains called Devinan and by contraction of the vulgar Denshire is not derived from the Danes as some would have it but from the people Danmonii the same we will speak of in Cornwall and whom Ptolomy hath seated in these Western Borders 2 The West of this County is bounded altogether by the River Tamer the East is held in with the verge of Sommerset-shire and the North and South sides are washed wholly with the British and Severn Seas betwixt whose shoares from Cunshire in the North unto Salcombe Haven entering in at the South are fifty five miles and from the Hartland Point West to Thorncombe East are fifty four the whole in circumference about two hundred and two miles 3 The Air is sharp healthful and good the Soyl is hilly woody and fruitful yet so as the haâ—d of the Manurer must never be idle nor the purse of the Farmer never fast shut especially of them that are far from the Sea whence they fetch a sand with charge and much travel which being spread upon the face of the earth bettereth the leanness thereof for grain and giveth life to the Glebe
Grand-child to Iohn Holland half-brother to King Richard the Second siding with Lancaster against Edward the fourth whose Sister was his wife was driven to such misery as Philip Comineus repotteth that he was seen all torn and bare-footed to beg his living in the Low Countries And lastly his body was cast upon the shore of Kent as if he had perished by ship-wrack so certain is Fortune in her endowments and the state of man notwithstanding his great birth 9 Religious Houses in this Shire built in devotion and for Idolatry pulled down were at Excester Torhay Tanton Tavestokes Kirton Hartland Axminster and Berstuble 10 And the Counties divisions are parted into thirty three Hundreds wherein are seated thirty seven Market-Towns and three hundred ninety four Parish-Churches Cornwaile CORNVVALL CHAPTER X. CORNWALL as Matthew of Winchester affirmeth is so named partly from the form and partly from her people for shooting it self into the Sea like an Horn which the Britains call Kâ—rne and inhabited by them whom the Saxons named Wallia of these two compounded words it became Cornwallia Not to trouble the Reader with the Fable of Corinnus cousin to King Brute who in free gift received this County in reward of his prowess for wrestling with the Giant Gogmagog and breaking his neck from the Cliffe of Dover as he of Monmouth hath fabuled 2 Touching the temperature of this County the Air thereof is cleansed as with Bellowes by the Billowes that ever work from off her environing Seas where thorow it becometh pure and subtile and is made thereby very healthful but withall so piercing and sharp that it is apter to preserve than to recover health The Spring is not so early as in more Eastern parts yet the Summer with a temperate heat recompenseth his â—low fostering of the fruits with their most kindly ripening The Autumne bringeth a somewhat late Harvest and the Winter by reason of the Seas warm breath maketh the cold milder than else-where Notwithstanding that Countrey is much subject to stormy bâ—asts whose violence hath freedome from the open waves to beat upon the dwellers at Land leaving many times their houses uncovered 3 The Soyl for the most part is lifted up into many hills parted asunder with narrow and short valâ—â—es and a shallow earth doth cover their outside which by a Sea weed called Orewood and a certain kind of frâ—â—sul Sea-sand they make so rank and batten as is uncredible But more are the riches that out of those hills are gotten from the Mines of Copper and Tinn which Countrey was the first and continueth the best stored in that merchandize of any in the world Timaeus the Historian in Pliny reporteth that the Britains fetched their Tinn in Wicker boats stitched about with Leather And Diodorus Siculus of Augustus Caesars time writeth that the Britains in this part digged Tin out of stony ground which by Merchants was carried into Gallia and thence to Narborne as it were to a Mart. Which howsoever the English Saxons neglected yet the Normans made great benefit thereof especially Richard brother to King Henry the third who was Earl of Cornwall and by those Tinn-works became exceedingly rich for the incursions of the Moores having stopped up the Tinn-Mines in Spain and them in Germany not discovered before the year of Christ 1240. these in Cornwall supplyed the want in all parts of the world This Earl made certain Tinn-Laws which with liberties and priviledges were confirmed by Earl Edmund his son And in the days of King Edward the third the Common-weale of Tinn-works from one body was divided into four and a Lord Warden of the Stanniers appointed their Iudge 4 The Borders of this Shire on all parts but the East is bound in with the Sea and had Tamer drawn his course but four miles further to the North betwixt this County and Devonshire it might have been rather accounted an Island than stood with the Mayne Her length is from Launston to the Lands-end containing by measure 60 miles and the broadest part stretching along by the Tamer is fully forty lessening thence still lesser like a horn 5 The Antient inhabitants known to the Romans were the Danmonii that spread themselves further into Devon-shire also by the report of Diodorus Siculâ—â— a most courteous and civil people and by Michael their Poet extolled for valour and strength of limbs nor therein doth he take the liberty that Poets are allowed to add to the subject whreof they write but truly repotteth what we see by them performed who in activity surmount many other people When the Heathen Saxons had seated themselves in the best of this Land and forced the Christian Britains into these rocky parts then did Cornwall abound in Saints unto whose honour most of the Churches were erected by whose names they are yet known and called To speak nothing of Visula that Counties Dukes daughter with her company of canonized Virgin-Saints that are now reputed but to trouble the Calender These Britains in Cornwall so fenced the Countrey and defended themselves that to the reign of Athelstaâ—e they held out against the Saxons who subduing those Western Parts made Tamer the Bounder betwixt them and his English whose last Earl of the British Bloud was called Candorus 6 But William the Bastard created Robert his half-brother by Herlotta their mother the first Earl of the Normans race and Edward the Black Prince the ninth from him was by his Father King Edward the third invested the first Duke of Cornwall which Title ever since hath continued in the Crown 7 The Commodities of this Shire ministred both by Sea and Soile are many and and great for besides the abundance of Fish that do suffice the Inhabitants the Pilchard is taken who in great shuls swarm about the Coast whence being transported to France Spain and Italy yield a yearly revenue of gain unto Cornwall wherein also Copper and Tinn so plentifully grow in the utmost part of this Promontory that at a low water the veins thereof lie bare and are seen and what gain that commodity begets is vulgarly known Neither are these Rocks destitute of Gold nor Silver yea and Diamonds shaped and pointed Angle wise and smoothed by Nature her self whereof some are as big as Wallnuts inferiour to the Orient only in blackness and hardness Many are the Ports Bayes and Havens that open into this Shire both safe for arrivage and commodious transport whereof Falmouth is so copious that an hundred Ships may therein ride at Anchor apart by themselves so that from the tops of their highest Masts they shall not see each other and lie most safely under the Winds 8 This County is fruitful in Corn Cattle Sea-fish and Fowl all which with other provision for pleasures and life are traded thorow twenty two Market-Towns in this Shire whereof Lauston and Bodman are the best from which last being the middle of the Shire the Pole is elevated to the degree of Latitude 50 35 minutes and for Longitude
not so ancient as it is fair and well seated The beauty of it being such as for the bigness thereof it scarce gives place to any City of England and doth worthily deserve the Saxons name Bright-stad whose pleasantness is the more by reason that the River Avon scowres through the midst of it which together with the benefit of Sewers under all the streets clears the City of all noysome filth and uncleanness It is not wholly seated in this County of Sommerset but one part thereof in Gloucestershire but because it is an entire County of it self it denies subjection unto either having for its own government both a Bishop with a well furnished Colledge and a Mayor with a competent assistance of Aldermen and other Officers for civil affairs 8 This Province hath been the Theater of many Tragical events and bloudy battels the Danes did grievously afflict Porlock by cruel Piracies in the year eight hundred eighty six Yet neer unto Pen a little Village neigbouring upon North Cadbury Edmund sirnamed Iron-side gave them a notable foyle as he was pursuing Canutus from place to place for usurping the Crown of England And Keniwach a West-Saxon in the same place had such a day against the Britains that they ever after stood in awe of the English-Saxons prowess Marianus relateth that not far from Bridge-water as the Danes were stragling abroad Ealstane Bishop of Sherbourne did so soyl their Forces in the year 845 as their minds were much discomfited and their powers utterly disabled Ninius also writeth that King Arthur did so defeat the English-Saxons in a battel at Cadbury that it deserved to be made perpetuously memorable Neither is Mons Badonicus now Banesdown less famous for Arthurs victories And King Elfred in another battel not far from hence gave the Danes such an overthrow as he forced them to submission and induced Godrus their King to become a Christian himself being Godfather to him at the Font. So happy is this Region and so beholding to Nature and Art for her strengths and fortifications as she hath aâ—ways been able to defend her self and offend her enemies 9 Neither hath it been less honoured with beauteous houses consecrated to Religion such was that of Black Ohanons at Barelinch in the first limit of his Shire Westward and King Athelstaâ— built a Monastery in an Island called Muchelney that is to say the great Island which is between the Rivers Iuel and Pedred running together where the defaced wallâ— and runs thereof are yet to be seen King Henry the third also erected a Nunnery at Witham which was afterwards the first house of the Carthusians Monks in England as Hinton not far off was the second But above all other foâ— antiquity glory and beauty was the Abby of Glostenbury whose beginning is fetcht even from Ioseph of Arimathea which Davi Bishop of S. Davids repaired being fallen to ruine and King Inas lastly builded a fair and stately Church in this Monastery though it be now made even with the ground the ruins only shewing how great and magnificent a Seat it hath anciently been which several houses were thus beautified by bounteous Princes for religious purposes and to retire the mind from worldly services though blinded times and guides diverted them to superstitious and lewd abuses 10 Other memorable places are these Camalet a very steep hill hard to be ascended which appears to have been a work of the Romans by divers Coins dig'd up there on the top whereof are seen the lineaments of a large and ancient Castle which the Inhabitants report to have been the Palace of King Arthur Ilchester which at the coming of the Normans was so populous that it had in it an hundred and seven Burgesses and it appears to be of great antiquity by the Roman Caesars Coyns oftentimes found there The Church-yard of Avalenia or Glastonbury where King Arthurs Sepulchre was searcht for by the command of King Henry the second which was found under a stone with an Inscription upon it faftned almost nine foot in the ground Also Duâ—stere where as is reported a great Lady obtained of her husband so much Pasture ground in a Common by the Town side for the good and benefit of the Inhabitants as she was able in a whole day to go about bare-foot This County is divided into 42 Hundreds for the disposing of business needful for the State thereof wherein are placed 33 Market-Towns fit for buying and selling and other affairs of Commerce It is fortified with four Castles and planted with 385 Parishes for concourse of Divine Service WILT SHIRE VVILT-SHIRE CHAPTER XII WILT-SHIRE is enclosed upon the North with Gloucester-Shire upon the East is bounded with Bâ—rk-shire upon the South with Dorset and Hamp-shire and upon the West is confronted against partly by Gloucester and the rest by Somerset-shire 2 The form thereof is both long and broad for from Inglesham upon Thamisis in the North to Burgat Damarum in the South are thirty miles the broadest part is from Buttermer Eastward to the Shire-stones in the West being tweuty nine the whole in Circumference is one hundred thirty nine miles 3 For Air it is feated in a temperate Climate both sweet pleasant and wholesome and for soil saith Iohn of Sarisbury is exceeding fortile and plentiful yea and that with variety 4 The Northern part which they call North-Wilt shire riseth up into delectable hills attired with large Woods and watered with clear Rivers whereof Isis is one which soon becometh the most famous in the Land The South part is more even yielding abundantly Grass and Corn and is made the more fruitful by the Rivers Wily Adder and Avon The midst of this County is most plain and thereby is known and commonly called Salesbnry Plaines and lie so level indeed that it doth limit the Horizon for hardly can a man see from the one side to the other These Plaines grase an infinite number of sheep whose fleeces and flesh bring in a yearly revenue to their owners 5 Anciently this County was possessed by the Belgae who are seated by Ptolomy in Hamp-shire Sommerset shire and in this Tract and they as it seemeth by Caesar were of the Belgae in Gaul These as some hold were subdued by Vespatian Lieutenant of the second Legion under Claudiâ— when the foundation of his future greatness was in these parts first laid by his many Victories over the Britains And herein surely the Romans seated for besides Taâ—esbury Trench by Tradition held to be his in many other Forts in this Shire the Tract of their Footing hath been left and the stamped Coins of their Emperours found and apparent testimony of their abode 6 After them the West-Saxons made it a part of their Kingdom whose border was Avon as witnesseth Athelward though the Marcians many times encroched upon them whereby many great Battles as Malmesbury tells us betwixt them were fought when in the young years of their Heptarchie each sought to enlarge his by the
lessoning of the next but grown unto more ripeness they assigned their limits by a great and long ditch crossing thorow the midst of these Plaines which for the wonder thereof is supposed by the vulgar to be the work of the Devil and is called of all Wansdike undoubtedly of Wooden the Saxons Ancester and great reputed God where a little Village yet standeth and retaineth to name Woodens-burg At this place in Anno 590 Ceaâ—lin the West-Saxon received such a foyl of the Britains and his Countrey-men that he was forced to sorfake his Kingdom and to end his days in exile becoming a pitiful spectacle even unto his own enemies And in this place Ina the West-Saxon joyned Battle with Ceolred the Mercian whence both of them departed with equal loss The like was at Bradford by Kenilwalch and Cuthred at Wilton betwixt Egbert and Beornwolfe at Edindon where King Elfred was vanquisher of the Danes and at wilton where the Danes won the day against him With as bloudy success though not happening by sword was the issue of that Synod assembled at Calne a small town in this County in the year of Christ Iesus 977 where being hotly debating for the single life and against the marriages of the Clergy what wanted by the word to prove their divorce was supplyed by a Stratagem and that very bloody for suddenly the main timber brake and down fell the floor with the Nobles and Prelates the Gentlemen and Commons whereby a great number were hurt and many more slain onely Dunstan the Prefident and mouth for the Monks escaped untouched the Ioist whereon his Chair stood remaining most firm which confirmed the sentence of their separations whom God had conjoyned and became the fall and snare of much incontinency in both sexes 7 The chiefest City of this Shire is Salesbury removed from a higher but a far more convenient place whose want of Water was not so great in the mother as is supplied and replenished in the daughter every street almost having a River running thorow her middest and for sumptuous and delicate buildings is inferiour to none The Cathedral a most rich magnificent Church was begun by Richard Poors Bishop and with fourty years continuance was raised to her perfect beauty wherein are as many windows as there are days in the year as many cast Pillars of Marble as there are hours in the year and as many gates for entrance as there are Months in the year Neither doth this City retain true honour to her self but imparteth hers and receiveth honour from others who are intituled Earls of Salesbury whereof eight Noble Families have been dignified â—ince the Normans Conquest This Cities situation is in degree of Latitude 51 10 minutes and from the first West point observed by Mercator 18 Degrees and 31 Minutes of Longitude 8 Over this old Salesby sheweth it self where Kenrick over came the Britains and where Câ—nutus the Dana did great damage by fire This formerly had been the seat of the Romans as likewise was Lecham as by their Coins digged up is apparent 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 Province whereof Malmesbury was the most famous I will not with Monmouth avouch the foundation thereof unto Malmutius but by true Records from Maidulph a Scot a man of great learning that therein built a Coll and led an Hermits life whereof Beda calleth it the City of Maidulph and we by contraction Malmesbury Adelme his Disciple and Successor built here a fair Monastery which Athelstane the Monarch richly endowed and left his body after death there to rest Neither hath any graced this more than William her Monk in recording to postâ—rities the Chronicles of our Land concerning both the Church and Common-weal wherein himself lived and worte those Histories 9 Ambresbury for repute did second this built by Alfritha King Edgar his wife to expiate the sin of murder which she committed upon young Edward her son in law that hers might be King In this place Queen Elâ—anor widow to King Henry the Third renounced all Royal pomp and devoted her self unto God in the habit of a Nun. Other places erected for piety were at Salesbury Lacock Stanley Wilton Ivichurch Parnleg Bradstoks Briopune and Bromhore These graffs grown to full greatness were cut down by the Pruiner least the cankers thereof should infect the whole body as by them was alledged and their Revenues bestowed upon far better uses both for the bringing up of youth and the Maintenance of estate 10 With eight strong Castles this County hath been guarded in nineteen Market-Towns her commodities are traded into twenty nine Hundreds for business is divided and in them are seated three hundred and four Parish-Churches BARKSHIRE BARK-SHIRE CHAPTER XIII BARK-SHIRE whether of the Box woods there sited according to the censure of Asseriuâ— Menevensis or from a naked and bear less Oak-tree whereunto the people usually resorted in troublesome times to confer for the State I determine not only the County a long time hath been so called and bounded with other in manner as followeth The North part is parted by Thamisis from Buckingham and Oxford Shires the South near Kenneâ— doth tract upon Hamp-shire the East is confined with the County of Surrey and the West with VVilt-shire and Glocester-shire is held in 2 The form 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 heel 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 VVindsor in the East extendeth unto forty miles from Ink-pen to VVightham the broadest part from South to North are twenty four the whole in Circumference about one hundred and twenty miles 4 The Air is temperate sweet and delightful and prospect for pleasure inferiour to none the Soyl is plenteous of Corn especially in the Vale of VVhite-horse that yieldeth yearly an admirable encrease In a word for Corn and Cattle Waters and Woods of profit and pleasure it gives place unto none 5 Her ancient inhabitants by Ptolomy and Caesar were the Attrebatii and them of those that descended from Gallia among whom Comiuâ— conquered by the Dictator was of good respect and could do much with the 〈◊〉 who as Frontinus reporteth used this stratagem though it proved nothing at last he flyed before Caesar to recover aid of these Attrebatians light bedded upon a shelf in the Sea whereupon hoysting his â—ailes as before a fore-wind gave shew to his pursuer that they were in swift flight so that hopeless to hail them he gave over the chase yet no sooner had Caesar made over among them but that some of these people by the
name Bibrotes yielded him subjection which proved the ruine of all former liberty But when the Romans had rent their own Empire and retired their Legion into a narrower circuit the Saxons set foot where their forces had been and made this County a parcel of their Western Kingdom The Danes then setting their desire upon spoils from their roaving Pinnaces pierced into these parts and at Redding fortified themselves betwixt the Rivers Kennet aâ—d Thamisis whether after their great overthrow received at Inglefield by the hand of King Ethelwolfe they retired for their further safety 6 This Town King Henry the first most stately beautified with a rich Monastery and strong Castle where in the Collegiate Chuch of the Abbey himself and Queen who lay both vailed and crowned with the daughter Maud the Empress called the Lady of England were interred as the private History of the place avoucheth though others bestow the bodies of these two Queens elsewhere 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 observed by Mercator 19 degrees and 35 minutes 7 A Castle and Town of greater strength and antiquity was Wallingford by Autonie and Ptolomy called Gellena the chiefest City of the Attrebatians whose large circuit and strong fortifications shew plainly that it was a place of the Romans abode and since in a conceived safety hath made many very bold especially when the sparks of Englands civil dissentions were forced to flame in case of the Crown betwixt Maud the Empress and King Stephen whether her self and associates resorted as their surest defence 8 But of far greater magnificence and state is the Castle of Windsor a most Princely Palace and Mansion of His Majesty I will not with Ieffery affirm it to be built by King Arthur but with better authority say it was so thirsted after-by the Conquerour that by a composition with the Abbot of Westminster whose then it was he made it to be the Kings possesson as a place besides the pleasures very commodious to entertain the King In this Castle that victorious Prince King Edward the third was born 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 David King of Scotland Neither was it ever graced with greater Majesty than by the institution of the most honourable Order of the Garter a signal Ornament of Martial Prowesse the invention thereof some ascribe to be from a Garter falling from his Queen or rather from Ioan Countess of Salisbury a Lady of an incomperable beauty as she danced before him whereat the by-standers smiling he gave the impress to check all evil conceits and in golden Letters imbellished the Garter with this French Posie HONI SOâ—â— QUâ— MALY PENSE And yet that worthy Clarenceaux alledging the Book of the first institution finds the invention to be more ancient as when King Richard the first warred against the Turks Saracens Cypres and Acon he girt the legs of certain choise Knights with a tack of leather which promised a future glory to the wearers The most Princely Chappel thereof is graced with the bodies of those two great Kings Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth whom the whole Kingdom was too little to contain the one of Lancaster the other of York where the rest now united in one mould with a branch of both those Houses even King Henry the eighth who there lieth 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 moneys there oftentimes found appeareth Neither was Sunning the least in this Tract that had been the seat of eight Bishops before the See was translated thence unto 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 Finchhamstead for wonder inferiour to none where as our Writers do witness that in the year a thousand and hundred a Well boyled up with streams of bloud and fiftoen days 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 County affordeth made many devout persons to shew their devotions unto true piety in erecting places for Gods divine Service and their exemptions from all worldly business such were Abington Redding Bysham Bromehall Hendley Hamme and Wallingford whose Votaries abusing the intents of their Founders overthrew both their own Orders and places of professions all which were dissolved by Act of Parliament and given the King to dispose at his will This Shires division is into twenty Hundreds and hath been strengthened with six strong Castles is yet graced with three of His Majesties most Princely Houses and traded with twelve Market-Towns and is replenished with one hundred and forty Parishes MIDLE-SEX MIDDLESEX CHAPTER XIV MIDDLESEX so called in regard of the situation as â—eated betwixt the West-Saxons and East-Angles was sometimes together with Essex and Hartford-Shire that part and portion which the East-Saxons enjoyed for their Kingdom it lyeth bordered upon the North with Hartford-Shire upon the West by Colâ—â— is severed from Buckingham the South by Thamesis from Surrey and Kent and on the East from Essex by the River Lea. 2 The length thereof extended from Stratford in the East to Morehall upon Colne in the West is by measure nineteen English miles and from South-mines in the North to his Majesties Mannour of Hampton Court in the South are little above sixteen miles the whole Circumference extending to ninety miles 3 In Form it is almost square for Air passing temperate for Soyl abundantly fertile and for Pasturage and Grain of all kinds yielding the best so that the Wheat of this County hath served a long time for the Manchet to our Princes Table 4 It lyeth seated in a vale most wholesome and rich having some hills also and them of good ascent from whose tops the prospect of the whole is seen like unto Zâ—ar in Egypt or rather like a Paradise and Garden of God 5 The ancient Inhabitants known to Caesar were the Trinobants whom he nameth to be the most puisiant in the Land whose chief City and â—eat yieldeth him subjection made the whole with less loss to the Romans to bear the yoke of their own bondage and to come in under terms of truce But when their Forces in these parts were spent and the Empire shaken by intestine wars the Saxons setting their eyes upon so fair a soyl made their footing as sure herein which lastly with Hartford and Essex was the portion of the East-Saxons Kingdom 6 Five
princely Houses inheritable to the English Crown are â—eated in this Shire which are Enfield Hanworth White-hall S. Iames and Hampton-Court a City rather in shew than 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 King Richard of the Romans Earl of Cornwall which the Londoners in a tumultuous broile burned to the ground many other stately Houses of our English Nobility Knights and Centlemen as also of the Worshipful 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 Near unto Thamesis entrance into this County is kept the remembrance of Caesars entrance over Thamesis by the name of Coway-stakes stuck fast in the bottom to impeach his designs and further at Stanes a Maire-stone once stood for a mark of Iurisdiction that London had so far upon Thameâ—is 7 Which City is more ancient than any true Record beareth fabuled from Brute Troynovant from Lud Ludstone But by more credible Writers Tacitus Ptolomy and Antonine Londinium by Ammianus Marcellinus for her successive prosperity Augustâ— the great title that can be given to any by Britains Londayn by Strangers Londra and by us London This City doth shew as the Cedars among other Trees being the seat of the British Kings the Chamber of the English the model of the Land and the Mart of the World for thither are brought the silk of Asia the Spices from Africa the Balms from Grecia and the riches of both the Indies East and West no City standing so long in fame nor any for divine and politick government may with her be compared Her walls were first set by great Constantine the first Christian Emperour at the suit of his Mother Queen Helen reared with rough Stone and British Brick three English miles in compass thorow which are now made seven most fair gates besides three other passages for entrance Along the Thameâ—is this wall at first ranged and with two gates openedâ— the one Doure-gate now Dowgate and the other Billingsgate a receptacle for Ships In the midst of this wall was set a mile-mark as the like was in Rome from whence were measured their stations for carriage or otherwise the same as yet standeth and hath been long known by the name of London Stone Upon the East of this City the Church of S. Peters is thought to be the Cathedral of Restitutâ—â— the Christians Bishops See who lived in the reign of great Constantine but since St. Pauls in the West part from the Temple of Diana assumed that dignity whose greatness doth exceed any other at this day and spires so high that twice it hath been consumed by lightning from heaven Besides this Cathedral God is honoured in one hundred twenty one Churches more in this City that is ninety six within the walls sixteen without but within the Liberties and nine more in her Suburbs and in Fitz Stephens time thirteen Convents of relgious Orders It is divided into 26 Wards governed by so many grave Aldermen a Lord Major and two Sheriffs the yearly choice whereof was granted them by Patent from King Iohn in whose time also a Bridge of stone was made over Thames upon nineteen Arches for length breadth beauty and building the like again not found in the World 8 This London as it were disdaining bondage hath set her self on each side far without the walls and hath leâ—t her West gate in the midst from whence with continual buildings still affecting greatness she hath continued her streets unto a Kings Palace and joyned a second City to her self famous for the Seat and Sepulchre of our Kings and for the Gates of Iustice that termly there are opened only once a Bishops See whose title died with the man No walls are set about this City and those of London are left to shew rather what it was than what it is Whose Citizens as the Lacedemonians did do impute their strength in their men and not in their walls how strong soever Or else for their multitude cannot be circulated but as another Ierusalem is inhabited without walls as Zachary said The wealth of this City as Isa once speak of Nilus grows from the Revenues and Harvest of her South bounding Thames whose trafique for merchandizing is like that of Tyrus whereof Ezekiel speaks and stands in abundance of Silver Iron Tinn and Lead c. And for London her channel is navigable straitned along with meadowing borders until she taketh her full liberty in the German Seas Upon this Thamesis the Ships of Tharsis seem to ride and the Navy that rightly is termed the Lady of the Sea spreads her sail Whence twice with lucky success hath been accomplished the compassing of the universal Globe This River Câ—nutus laying siege against London sought by digging to divert and before him the Danes had done great harmes in the City yet was their State recovered by King Elfred and the River kept her old course notwithstanding that cost In the times of the Normans some civil broyles have been attempted in this City as in the days of King Iohn whereinto his Barons entred and the Tower yielded unto Lewis And again Waâ— Tyleâ— herein committed outragioâ—s cruelties but was worthily struck down by the Major and stain in Smithfield This Cities graduation for Latitude is the degree 51 45 minutes and in Longitude 20 degrees 29 minutes 9 In this County at Barnet upon Easter-day a bloudy battel was fought betwixt Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth wherein was slain one Marquess one Earl three Lords and with them ten thousand Englishmen 10 The division of this Shire is into seven hundreds wherein are seated two Cities four Market-Towns and seventy three Parish Churches besides them in London where in the Church of Gray-â—ryâ—rs now called Christ-Chuâ—ch three Queens lye interred which were Queen Margaret the D. of Phil. the hardy King of France second wife to King Edward the first the second was Queen Isabel wife to King Edward the second and D. to Philip the fair King of France and the third was Queen Ioan their daughter married to David King of Scotland ESSEX COUNTY ESSEX CHAPTER XV. ESSEX by the Normans Excessa and by the vulgar Essex is a County large in compass very populous and nothing inferiour to the best of the Land 2 The Form thereof is somewhat circular excepting the East part which shooteth her self with many Promontories into the Sea and from Horsey Island to Haidon in the West the broadest part of the Shire are they by measure forty miles and the length from East Ham upon Thamesis in the South to Sturmere upon the River Stow in the North are thirty five miles the whole in circumference one hundred forty six miles 3 It lyeth bounded upon the North with Suffolk and Cambridge-Shires upon the West with Hertford and Middlesex upon the South by Thamesis is parted from
Kent and the East-side thereof is altogether washed with the German Seas 4 The Air is temperate and pleasant only towards the waters somewhat aguish the soyl is rich and fruitful though in some places sandy and barren yet so that it never frustrates the Husbandmans hopes or fills not the hands of her Harvest-labourers but in some part so fertile that after three years glebe of Saffron the Land for eighteen more will yield plenty of Barley without either dung or other faâ—ning earth 5 Her ancient inhabitants known to the Romans were by Caesar called the Trinobants of whom in the former Chapter we have spoken and in our History shall speak more at large But this name perished with the age of the Empire the Saxons presently framed a new and with Hertford and Middlesex made it their East-Saxons Kingdom until that Egbâ—rt bought this and the whole into an entire and absolute Monarchy the Danes after them laid so â—ore for this Province that at â—â—â—mfleet and Havenet now Sâ—â—bery they fortified most strongly and at Barklow besides the hills mounted for their burials the Danewort with her red berries so plentifully grow that it is held and accounted to spring from the blood of the Danes which in that place was spilt and the herb as yet is called from them the Danes-bloud neither yet were they quelled to surcease that quarrel but at Ashdowne abode the Iron side in â—ight wherein so much blood of the English was spilt that Canutus their King in remorse of conscience built a Church in the place to pacifie God for the sins of his people but when the Normans had got the garland of the whole many of the Nobles there seated themselves whose posterities since both there and else-where are spread further abroad in the Realm 6 The Commodities that this shire yieldeth are many and great as of Woods Corn Cattle Fish Forrests and Saffron which last groweth with such gain and increase upon her North parts that from a split Clove much like unto Garlike a white blewish Flower shortly springeth from whence fillets of Saffron are gathered before the Sun and dried are sold as spice with great gain From the Islands Canvey Mersey Horsey Northly Osey Wallot and Foulness great store of Fish and Fowl are daily gotten and so from their Cattle have they continual increase which men and boys milk as well the Ewe as the Kinâ— whereof they make great and thick Cheese sold abroad in the Land much thereof transported unto other Countries Their Oysters which we call Walfleet the best in esteem and are thought from Pliny to have been served in the Romans Kitchins But least we should exceed measure in commending or the people repose their trust in the soyl behold what God can do to frustrate both in a moment and that by his meanest creatures for in our age and remembrance the year of Christ 158. an Army of Mice so over ran the Marshes in Dengey Hundred near unto South minster in this County that they shore the grass to the very roots and so tainted the same with their venemous teeth that a great Murtain fell upon the Cattle which grazed thereon to the great losse of their owners 7 The chiefest City for account at this day in this Shire is Colchester bâ—ilt by Collus the Brittish Prince one hundred twenty four years after the birth of our Saviour Christ if he of Monmouth say true wherein his son Luâ—ius Helena and Constantine the first Christian King Empresse and Emperour in the World were born which made Nechâ—m for Constantinâ— to sing as he did From Colchester there rosâ— a Star The Rayes whereof gave glorious light Throughout the world in Climates far Great Constantine Romes Emperour bright And the Romans to the great honour of Helena inscribed her Piissima Venerabilis Augustâ— But of these we shall be occasioned to speak more hereafter This City is situated upon the South of the River Coln from whence it hath the name and is walled about raised upon a high Trench of earth though now much decayed having six gates of entrance and three Posterns in the West wall besideâ— nine Watch-Towers for defence and containeth in compasse 1980 paces wherein stand eight fair Churches and two other without the walls for Gods divine service S. Tenants and the Black Fryers decayed in the Suburbs Mary Magdalens the Nunnery S. Iohns and the Crouched Fryers all suppressed within towards the East is mounted an old Castle and elder ruines upon a Trench containing two Acres of ground whereas yet may be seen the provident care they had against all ensuing assaults The trade of this Town standeth chiefly in making of Cloth and Bayes with Saies and other like Stuffs daily invented aâ—d is governed by two Bayliffs twelve Aldermen all wearing Scarlet a Recorder a Town Clerk and four 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 Antiquity and memorable note in this County I observe the most Famous to be Camolodunum by us Maldon which was the Royal Seat of Cunobelin King of the Trinobants as by his money therein minted appeareth about the time of our Saviours birth which City afterwards Claudius won from the Britains and therein placed a Colony of Souldiers which were called Victriâ—â—nsis This City Queen Boduâ— in revenge of her wrongs razed to the ground what time she stirred their people against Nero with the slaughter of seventy thousand of the Romans Of some later and lesser account was Ithaâ—chester now S. Peters upon the wall where the Fortenses with their Captain kept towards the declination of the Roman Empirâ— In the East promontory in this County in the Reign of Richard the second the teeth of a Giant were found if they were not of an Elephant of a marvellous size saith Ralph Coggeshall and not far thence in the reign of Elizabeth more bones to the like wonder were digged up 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 took the name Havering seeing the Monks of those times made no great dainty daily to forge matter for their own advantage who in this Shire so swarmed that they had houses erected at Waltham Pritelewel Tiltey Dunmow Lecyâ— Hatfield-Peverel Chelmesford Coggâ—shall Maldon Earls coln Colchester S. Osiths Saffron-Walden Hatfield-Bradockâ— and more with great revenues thereto belonging all which felt the Axes and Hammers of destruction when the rest of such foundations fell under the flail of King Henry the Eighth who with Hezekiah brake down all these Brazen Serpents 10 This Shire is divided into 23 Hundreds wherein are seated 21 Market-Towns 5 Castles 5 Havens 2 of His Majesties Mannours and 415 Parish-Churches SVFFOLCK SUFFOLK CHAPTER XVI SUFFOLK in regard of them which were seated in Northfolk is a County most plenteous and pleasant for habitation It is
Saxon at Alesbury in the year of grace 592 overcame the Britains and bare down all things before him yet no sooner was their Heptarchy weaned and their Monarchy able to stand alone but that the Danes before their strength and growth was confirmed waxed upon them and they not able in so weak a hand to hold fast that weight of greatness they had so grasped gave place to their Conquerours who did many harms in this Province for in the year 914 the Danes furiously raged as far as Brenwood where they destroyed the City Burgh the ancient seat of the Romans afterwards a Royal house of King Edward the Confessor which they utterly destroyed 5 The Shire-Town Buckingham fruitfully seated upon the River Ouse was fortified with a Rampire and Sconces on both banks by King Edward the elder saith Marianus the Scotish Writer where in the heart of the Town hath stood a strong Castle mounted upon a high hill which long since was brought to the period of her estate now nothing remaining besides the signs that there she had stood The River circulates this Town on every side that only on the North excepted over which three fair stone bridges lead and into which the Springs of a Well run called S. Rumalds a child-saint born at Kings-Sutton canonized and in the Church of this Town enthrined with many conceited miracles and cures such was the hap of those times to produce Saints of all ages and sexes This Town is governed by a Bayliff and twelve principal Burgesses and is in the degree removed from the first point of the West for Longitude 19 33 scruples and the North-pole elevated in Latitude for the degree of 52 18 scruples 6 A Town of ancient note is Stony Straâ—ford the Romans Lactorodum being built upon that ancient Causey-way which is called VVatling Street where remain the marks thereof even unto this day At this place Edward the elder stopped the passage of the Danes whilst he strengthened Torcester against them and herein King Edward the eldest since the Conquest reared a beautiful Cross in memory of Eleanor his dead Queen as he did in every place where her Corps rested from Herdby in Lincoln-shire till it was received and buried at VVestminster 7 Places intended for Gods true worship built by devout persons and sequestred from worldly imployments were at Launden Luffeld Bidlesden Bradwell Nothey Ankerne Missenden Tekeford Patrendune Asbridge and Alesbury Asbridge in great repute for the bloud supposed out of Christs sides brought out of Germany by Henry the eldest son of Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall whereunto resorted great concourse of people for devotion and adoration thereof But when the Sunshine of the Gospel had pierced thorow such clouds of darkness it was perceived apparently to be onely honey clarified and coloured with Saffron as was openly shewed at Pauls Cross by the Bishop of Rochester the twenty fourth of February and year of Christ 1538. And Alesbury for the holiness of S. Edith was much frequented who having this Town allotted for her Dowry had the world and her husband farewel in taking upon her the vail of devotion and in that fruitful age of Saints became greatly renowned even as far as to the working of miracles These all in the storms and rage of the time suffered such shipwrack that from those turmoiled Seas their Merchandise light in the right of such Lords as made them their own for wreacks indeed 8 With four Castles this Shire hath been strengthened and thorow eleven Market-Towns her Commodities traded being divided for service to the Crown and State into eight hundreds and in them are seated one hundred fourscore and five Parish-Churches OXFORDSHIRE OXFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI OXFORD-SHIRE receiveth her name from that famous Vniversity and most beautiful City Oxford and this of the Foord of Oxen say our English Saxons though Leiland upon a ground of conjecture will have it Ousford from the River Ouse by the Latines called Isis which giveth name likewise to the adjoyning I stand Ousney The North point of this Shire is bordered upon by the Counties of VVarwick 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 Rivers 2 The blessings both of the sweet-breathing heavens and the fruitful sight of this Counties soil are so happy and so fortunate that hardly can be said whether exceeds The Air milde temperate and delicate the Land fertile pleasant and bounteous in a word both Heaven and Earth accorded to make the Inhabitants healthful and happy The hills loaden with Woods and Cattle the valleys burthened with Corn and Pasturage by reason of many fresh springing Rivers which sportingly there-thorow make their passage whereof Evenlod Charwell Tame and Isis are chief which two last making their Bed of Marriage near unto Dorchester run thence together in one channel and name 3 The length of this Shire is from Cleydon in the North-West unto Caversham in her South-East near unto Thamisis and amounteth almost to forty miles the broadest part is in her Western Borders which extending from the said Cleydon in the North unto Faringdon seated upon the River Isis in the South are scarcely twenty six and thence growing narrower like unto a Wedge containing in circumference about one hundred and thirty miles 4 The ancient Inhabitants known to the Romans where the Dobuni part whereof possessed further Westernly into Glocester-shire and nearer Eastward betwixt the bowing of Thamisis were seated the Ancalites who sent their submission unto Iulius Caesar when report was made that the Trinobants had put themselves under his protection whereof followed the Britains servitude under the proud yoke of the all-coveting Romans yea afterwards this Counties people being very puissant as â—acitus termeth them and unshaken by wars withstoâ—d Ostorius Scâ—pula the Roman Lieutenant chosing rather to yield their lives in battle than their pâ—rsons to subjection Of later times it was possessed by the Mercian Saxons as part of their Kingdom though sometimes both the West Saxons and the Northumbrians had the dispose of some part thereof for Beda aâ—firmâ—th that King Oswold gave the then flourishing City Dorchester unto Berinus the VVest Saxons Apostle to be his Episcopal See whence the good Bishop coming to Oxford and preached before VVulpherus the Mercian King in whose Court Athelwold the South-Saxons heathenish King was then then present he with all his Nobles were converted to the Faith of Christ and there baptived whereby Berinus became the Apostle also of the South-Saxons 5 Other places of memorable note either for actions therein happening or for their own famous esteem are the Roll-rich stones standing near unto Enisham in the South of this Shire a monument of huge stones set round in compass in manner of the Stonehenge of which fabulous tradition hath reported forsooth that they were metamorphosed from men but in truth were there erected upon some great victory
he yieldeth plenty of Corn and bringeth forth abundance of Fruits the one through the natural goodness only of the ground the other through the diligent manuring and tillage in such wise that it would provoke the laziest person to take pains Here you may see the High-ways and Common Lanes clad with Apple-trees and Pear-trees not ingraffed by the industry of mens hand but growing naturally of their own accord the ground of it self is so inclined to bear fruits and those both in taste and beauty far exceeding others and will endure until a new supply come There is not any County in England so thick set with Vineyards as this Province is so plentiful of increase and so pleasant in taste The very Wines made thereof carry no unpleasant tartness as being little inferiour in sweet Verdure to the French Wines the houses are innumerable the Churches passing fair and the Towns standing very thick But that which addeth unto all good gifts a special glory is the River Severn than which there is not any in all the Land for Channel broader for Stream swiâ—ter oâ— for Fish better stored There is in it a daily rage and fury of waters which I know not whether I may call a Gulf or Whirl-pool of waters raising up the sands from the bottom winding and dâ—iving them upon heaps sometimes overflowing her banks roveth a great way upon the face of her bordering grounds and again retireth as a Conquerour into the usual Channel Unhappy is the Vessel which it taketh full upon the side but the Watermen will beware thereof when they see that Hydra coming turn the Vessel upon it and cut thorow the midst of it whereby they check and avoid her violence and danger 4 The ancient people that possessed this Province were the DOBUNI who spread themselves â—urther into Oxford-sâ—ire But betwixt the Severn and VVyâ— were seated part of SILURES or Inhabitants of South-VVales And upon what ground I know not let Lawyers dispute it the Inhabitants in some part of this Shire enjoy a private custom to this day that the Goods and Lands of Condemned Persons fall unto the Crown but only for a year and a day and then return to the next heirs contrary to the custom of all England besides 5 The general Commodities of this Shire are Corn Iron and VVols all passing fine besides Pasturage Fruits and VVoods which last are much lessened by making of Iron the only bane of Oke Elm and Beech. 6 These with all other provisions are traded thorow twenty five Market-Towns in this County whereof two are Cities of no small import the first is Glocester from whom the Shire taketh name seated upon Severn near the middest of this Shire by Antoninâ— the Emperour called Glouum built first by the Romans and set as it were upon the neck of the Silures to yoke them where their legion called Colonia Gleuum lay It hath been walled about excepting that part that is defended by the River the ruines thereof in many places appear and some part yet standing doth well witness their strength This City was first won from the Britains by Cheulin the first King of the West-Saxons about the year of Christ 570 and afterwards under the Mercians it flourished with great honour where Offrick King of Northumâ—erland by the sufferance of Ethelred of Mercia founded a most stately Monastery of Nuns whereof Kineburgh Edbergh and Eve Queens of the Mercians were Prioresses successively each after other 7 Edelfled a most renowned Lady â—ister to King Edward the elder in this City built a fair Church wherein her self was interred which being overthrown by the Danes was afterwards rebuilt and made the Cathedral of that See dedicated unto the honour of S. Peter In this Church the unfortunate Prince King Edward the second under a Monument of Alablaster doth lye who being murdered at Barkley Castle by the cruelty of French Isabel his wife was there entombed And not far from him another Prince as unfortunate namely Robert Curthose the eldest son of William the Conquerour lyeth in a painted wooden Tombe in the midst of the Quire whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiffe Castle wherein he was kept prisoner twenty six years with all contumelious indignities until through extream anguish he ended his life And before any of these in this City say our British Historians the body of Lucius our first Christian King was interred and before his days the Britains Arviragus The graduation of this County I observe from this City whence the Pole is elevated in the degree of Latitude 52 and 14 minutes and in Longitude from the West 18 and 5 minutes 8 The other City is Bristow fair but not very ancient built upon the Rivers Avon and Frome for trade of Merchandize a second London and for beauty and account next unto York This City standeth partly in this County and partly in Sommerset-shire but being a County of it self will acknowledge subjection to neither 9 A City more ancient hath been Circestar by Pâ—olomy called Corinium by Antonine Durocornovium by Giraldus Passerum Vrbem The Sparrows City upon a flying report that Gurmund a Tyrant from Africk besieging this City tyed fire unto the wings of Sparrows who lighting in the Town upon light matter set flame upon all The circuit of whose walls extended two miles about wherein the Consular Port or ways of the Romans met and crossed each other This City was won from the Britains by Cheulin first King of the West Saxons afterwards it was possessed by the Mercians and lastly by the Danes under Gurmâ—nd the former no doubt mistaken for him wherein a rable of them kept the space of a year Anno 879 and never since inhabited according to the circuit of her walls 10 Places of memorable note are these The Island Alney near unto Glocester wherein Edmund Iron-side the English and Canutus the Dane after many battles and bloud fought in single Combat hand to hand alone until they compounded for the Kingdoms partition Barkley Castle where King Edward the second was thorow his fundament run into his bowels with a red burning Spit Tewkesbury the fatal period of King Henry the sixth his government and the wound of the Lancâ—strian Cause for in a battle there fought in Anno 1471 Prince Edward the only son of King Henry had his brains dashed out in a most shameful manner the Queen and his Mother taken prisoners and most of their favourites slain and beheaded And at Alderley a little Town standing eight miles from the Severne upon the Hills to this day are found Cockles Periwincles and Oysters of solid stone which whether they have been Shel-fish and living creatures or else the sports of Nature in her works let the Natural Philosophers dispute of and judge 11 The places of piety set apart from other worldly Services and dedicated to religious uses by the devotions of Princes erected in this Shire were Tewkesbury Deorâ—ust Glocester Minching Burkley Kinswood Circester Winchcombe and Hales
which last was built with great cost by Richaâ—d Earl of Cornwall King of the Romans wherein himself and his Dutchesse was interred Their Son Earl Edmund brought out of Germany the bloud of Hales supposed and said to be part of that whicâ— Christ shed upon his Cross. In this place with great confluence and devotions of Pilgrimage it was sought and worshiped till time proved it a meer counterfeit when the glorious light of the Gospel revealed to eye-sight such gross Idolatries and the skirts of Superstition were were turned up to the shew of her ownâ—shame 12 Dukes and Earls that have born the title of Glocester the first of every Family are by their Arms and Names expressed ever fatal to their Dukes though the greatest in bloud and birth The first was Thomas VVoodstock son to King Edward the third who in Callis was â—mothered in a Feather-bed to death The second was Humfrey brother to King Henry the fifth by the fraudulent practice of the malignant Cardinal and Queen made away at S. Edmundsbury And the last was Richard brother to King Edward the fourth who by the just hand of God was cut off in battle by King Henry the Second 13 This Shires division is principally into four parts subdivided into thirty Hundreds and thâ—m again into two hundred and eight Parish-Churcâ—es Hereford SHIRE HEREFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIV HEREFORD-SHIRE formerly accounted within the limits of Wales lyeth circulated upon the North with Worcester and Shrop-shires upon the East with Malvern Hills is parted from Glocester-shire upon the South is kept in with Monmouth-shire and upon the West in part with the Haiterall Hills is divided from Brecknock and the rest confined with Radnor-shire 2 This Counties climate is most healthful and temperate and Soyl so fertile for Corn and Cattle that no place in England yieldeth more or better conditioned sweet Rivers ruâ—ning as veins in the body do make the Corn-bearing grounds in some of her parts rightly to be termed the Golden Vale and for Waters Wool and Wheat doth contend with Nilus Colchos and Egypt such are Leâ—ster Irchenfield the banks of Wye Luge and Frome 3 The ancient people known to the Romans whose power they well felt before they could subdue them were the Silures placed by Ptolomy in this Tract and branched further into Radnor Breckâ—ock Monmouth and Glamorgan shires at this day by us called Southâ—wales and by the Welsh Deheubarth Their Original as Tacitus conjectureth by their site coloured countenances and curled hair was out of Spain and both as he and Pliny describes them were fierce valiant and impatient of servitude which well they shewed under Caratacus their Captain and nine years scourge to the Roman assaulters for whose only conquest and that made by treachery the Victor in Rome triumphed with more than a usual Aspect and with so equal an hand bare the Scoale of Resistance that their own Writers evermore term it a dangeâ—ous War For the Legion of Marius Valence they put to â—light and that with such havock of the Associates that Asterius the Lievtenant of Britain for very grief gave up the ghost and Veranius under Nero assaulted them in vain But when Vâ—spasian was Emperour and expert Souldiers imployed in every Province Iulius Frontinus subdued these Silures unto the Romans where continually some of their Legions afterward kept till all was abandoned in Valentinians â—ime 4 The Saxons then made themselves Lords of this Land and this Province a part of their Mercians Kingdom yea and Sutton the Court of great Offa their King 5 But Hereford after raised of the ruines of the old Ariconium now Kencâ—ester shaken in pieces by a violent earthquake grew to great fame thorow a conceived sanctity by the burial of Etâ—elbert King of the East-Angles slain at Sutton by Offa at what time he came thither to have espoused his Daughter whose grave was first made at Merden but afterwards câ—nonized and removed to this City when in honour of him was built the Cathedral Church by Milfrid a petty King of that County which Gruffith Prince of South-Wales and Algar an Englishâ—â—an rebelling against Edward Confessor consumed with fire but by Bishop Remelâ—n was restored as now it is at what time the Town was walled and iâ— so remaining in good repair having six gates for entrance and fifteen Watch-Towers for defence extending in compass to fifteen hundred paces and whence the North Pole is observed to be raised 52 degrees 27 minutes in Latitude and is set from the first point of the West in Longitude 17 degrees and 30 minutes being yearly governed by a Mayor chosen out of one and thirty Citizens which are commonly called the Election and he ever after is known for an Alderman and clothed in Scarlet whereof four of the eldest are Iustices of Peace graced with a Sword-bearer a Recorder a Town-Clerk and four Sergeants with Mace The greatest glory that this City received was in King Athelstans days where as Malmesbury doth report he caused the Lords of â—ales by way of Tribute to pay yearly besides Hawkes and Hounds twenty pound of Gold and three hundred pound of Silver by weight but how that was performed and continued I find not 6 Things of rare note in this Shire are said to be Bone-well a Spring not faâ— from Richards Castle wherein are continually found little Fishes bones but not a â—in seen and being wholly cleansed thereof will notwithstanding have again the like whether naturally produced or in veins thither brought no man knoweth 7 But more admirable was the work of the Omnipotent even in our own remembrances and year of Christ â—esus 1571 when the Marcley Hill in the East of this Shire rouzed it self out of a dead sleep with a roaring noise removed from the place where it stood and for three days together travelled from her first â—ite to the great amazement and fear of the beholders It began to journey upon the seventh day of February being sunday at six of the Clock at night and by seven in the next morning had gone forty paces carrying with it Sheep in their coats hedge-rows and trees whereof some were overturned and some that stood upon the plain are firmly growing upon the hill those that were East were turned West and those in the West were set in the East in which remove it overthrew â—â—â—â—aston-Chappel and turned two high-ways near an hundred yards from their usual paths formerly trod The ground thus travelling was about twenty six Acres which opening it self with Rocks and all bare the earth before it for four hundred yards space without any stay leaving that which was Pasturage in place of the Tillage and the Tillage overspread with Paâ—turage Lastly overwhelming her lower parts mounted to an hill of twelve fathoms high and there rested her self after three days travel remaining his mark that so laid hand upon this Rock whose power â—ath poysed the Hills in his Ballance 8 Religious Houses built by the devotions of Princes and
was resumed by Henry the eight and now by the Heir of Darcy matched to the Lord Clifton is become the seat of the Barony This Hundred had in it no house of Religion but Stolney a Priory of seven black Cannons 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 Earl Harold the Usurper after by grant it came with the Chase of Swinesheved to Fitz-Peter from whom by Magâ—avil to Bohum who in time of the tumulâ—uous Barons built there a Forcelet and so to Staffard by whose attainture forfeited it was given by Henry the eight to the Family of Wingfield that now possesseth it At Bugden the See of Lincoln hath a seat and was Lord of Spaldwick and the Soke given in compensation from the Church of Ely when rent from them it was by the first Henry made a Bishoprick until of late that Church gave up their interest in Spaldwick to the Crown Brampton was given by King Iohn at Mirabel to Earl David and by Ada his youngest Daughter fell to Hastings Earl of Pembroke and now is reverted to the King To the same Earl David by gift of the former King came Alcumesbury and by the bounty of Iohn Scot his son to Segrave and so the Lord Barkley the late possessor To Serlo de Quincy Earl of Winchester was Keston by Henry the second given by whose Heir general â—errars it came to the late Earl of Essex and by exchange to the Crown 10 TOULESLANDHUNDRED taketh name likewise of a Town therein situate in the out Angle of this to the memory of S. Neotus a Monk of Glastenbury but the supposed son to Ethelwolfe King of the VVest-Saxons whose body from Neostock in Cornwall was transferred to Arâ—alphesbury then of Arnulphus a holy man now Enesbury named Earl Alrick and Ethelsteda turned the Palace of Earl Elfred into a Monastery of black Monks which was razed by the Danes but out of the ashes of this Roisia wife to Richard the son of Earl Gilbert to God our Lady de Becco and S. Neot as a Cell to the Abbey of Becco in Normandy erected up of black Monks in the year 1113 the late Priory of S. Nedes suppressed by Henry the eight and valued at 256 l. 15 d. q. At Southo the Land of Eustachius the Sheriff Lovetote made the seat of that Seigniory on which in this Shire 13 Knights Fees and a half depended but from his line by gift of Verdon and Vesâ—y drowned were these in the honour of Gloucester Near to this at Cretingsbury dwelt Sir Adam de Cretings famous in Edward the thirds wars of France whose Heir General Wautoâ— doth now possess it Staunton given by the first VVilliam to Gilbert de Gaunt after the death issueless of De Rupes escheated to the King who gave it to Iohn his â—ister Queen of Scots She on the Abbey of Tarant bestowed part the rest reverting being given to Segrave descended to the Barons of Berkly Godmanchester or Gormanchester so named of that Dane to whom Aelfred at his conversion granted some regiment in these parts was the old Land of the Crown now the Inhabitants in Fee farme by grant of King Iohn pro Sexies viginti libris pondere numero It is flat seated by as fruitful and flowry Meadows as any this Kingdom yieldeth and is the most spacious of any one Parish in fertile tillage oft having waited on their Soveraign Lords with ninescore Ploughs in a rural pompe Some from the name Gunicester which this often beareth in record suppose it the City where Machutus placed his Bishops Chair But for certain it was the Roman Town Durosipont of the Bridges named so many hundred years until the light of our Britain story overshone it forgotten Thus as this City so the old Families have been here with time outworn few onely of the many former now remaining whose sirnames before the reign of the last Henry were in this Shire of any eminency But Non indignemur mortalia Nomina solvi Cernimus exemplis Oppida posse mori Let 's not repine that Men and Names do die Since stone-built Cities dead and ruin'd lie This Description I received from a right worthy and learned Friend RVTLANDE SHIRE RUTLAND-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIX RUTLAND-SHIRE the least of any County in this Realm is circulated upon the North with Lincoln-shire upon the East and South with the River VVeland is parted from Northampton-shire and the West is altogether held in with Leicester-shire 2 The Form thereof is round and no larger in compass than a light horse man can easily ride about in a day upon which occasion some will have the Shire named of one Rut that so rode But others from the redness of the Soyl will have it called Rutland and so the old English-Saxoâ—s called it for that Roet and Rut is in their Tongue Red with us and may very well give the name of this Province seeing the earth doth stain the wool of her Sheep into a reddish colour Neither is it strange that the stain of the Soyl gives names unto places and that very many for have we not in Che-shire the Red Rock in Lanca-shire the Red Bank and in Wales Rutland Castlâ— To speak nothing of that famous Red Sea which shooteth into the Land betwivt Egypt and Arabia which gave back her waters for the Israelites to pass on foot all of them named from the colour of the Soile 3 The longest part of this Shire is from Caldecot in the South upon the River Ey unto Thistleton a small Village seated in the North not fully twelve miles and from Timwell East-ward to Wissenden in the West her broadest extent is hardly nine the whole circumference about forty miles 4 The Air is good both for health and delight subject to neither extremity of heat nor cold nor is greatly troubled with foggy mists The Soil is rich and for Corn and tillage gives place unto none Woods there are plenty and many of them imparked Hills feeding heards of Neat and flocks of Sheep Vallies besprinkled with many sweet springs Grain in abundance and Pastures not wanting in a word all things ministred to the content of life with a liberal heart and open hand Only this is objected that the Circuit is not great 5 The draught whereof that I may acknowledge my duty and his right I received at the hands of the right Honourable Iohn Lord Harrington Baron of Exton done by himself in his younger years Near unto his house Burley standeth Okam a fair Market-Town which Lordship the said Baron enjoyeth with a Royalty somewhat extraordinary which is this If any Noble by birth come within the precinct of the said Lordship he shall forfeit as an homage a shooe from the horse whereon he rideth unless he redeem it at a price with money In witness whereof there are
many Horse-shooes nailed upon the Shire-Hall door some of large size and ancient fashion others new and of our present Nobility whose names are thereupon stamped as followeth Henry Hastings Roger Rutland Edward L. Russel Earl of Bedford Ralph L. Euwer of Parram Henry L. Bertley Henry L. Mordant William L. Compton Edward L. Dudley Henry L. Winsor George Earl of Cumberland Philip Earl of Montgomery L Willoughby P. L Whartâ—n The Lord Shandois Besides many others without names That such homage was his due the said Lord himself told me and at that iâ—stâ—nt a suit depended in Law against the Earl of Lincoln who refused to forfeit the penalâ—y or to pay his fine 6 Her ancient Inhabitant known to the Romans mentioned in Prolomy were the Coritani and by him branched thorow Leicester Lincoln Nottingham Darby-shire and this who with the Icenians were subdued by P. Ostorius under the yoke of Claudius the Roman Emperour and at their departure by conquest of the Saxons made it a Province unto their Mercian Kingdom whose fortunes likewise coming to a full period the Normans annexed it under their Crown 7 This County King Edward Confessor bequeathed by his Testament unto Queen Eadgith his wife and after her decease unto his Monastery at Westminster which William the Conquerour cancelled and made void bestowing the Lands upon others the Tithes and the Church unto those Monks That the Ferrars here first seated besides the credit of Writers the Horse-shooe whose badge then it was doth witness where in the Castle and now the Shire-Hall right over the â—eat of the Iudge a Horse-shooe of Iron curiously wrought containing five foot and a half in length and the breadth thereto proportionably is fixed The Castle hath been strong but now is decayed the Church fair end the Town spacious whose degree of Longitude is 19 46 scruples and the North-poles elevation in Latitude 53 degrees and 7 minutes 8 Let it not seem offensive that I to fill up this little Shire have inserted the seat of a Town not sited in this County for besides the conveniency of place the circuit and beauty but especially it being for a time an University did move much yea and the first in this Island if Iohn Hardings Author fail him not that will have Bladud to bring from Athens certain Philosophers whom here he seated and made publick profession of the Liberal Sciences where as he saith a great number of Scolars Studied the Arts and so continuing an University unto the coming of Augustine at which time the Bishop of Rome interdicted it for certain Heresies sprung up among the Britains and Saxons But most true it is that the Reign of King Edward the third upon debate falling betwixt the Southern and Northern Students at Oxford many School-men withdrew themselves hither and a while professed and named a Colledge according to one in Oxford Brazen-nose which retaineth that name unto this day This was so great a skar unto the other that when they were recalled by Proclamation to Oxford it was provided by Oath that no Student in Oxford should publickly profess or read in the Arts at Stanford to the prejudice of Oxford 9 As this Shire is the least in circuit so is it with the fewest Market-Towns replenished having onely two And from societies that feed upon the labours of others was this Land the freest for besides Rishal where Tibba the Falconers Goddess was worshiped for a Saint when Superstition had well neer put Gods true hononr out of place I find very few neither with more Castles strengthened than that at Okam whose ruines shew that a Castle hath been there Divided it is into five Hundreds and therein are planted forty eight Parish-Churches LEICESTER SHIRE LEICESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXX LEICESTERSHIRE lyeth bordered upon the North with Nottingham-shire upon the East with Lincoln and Rutland upon the South with Northampton-shire upon the West with Watling-street-way is parted from Warwick-shire the rest being bounded with the confines of Darby is a County Champion abounding in Corn but sparing of woods especially in the South and East parts which are supplyed with Pit-coals plenteously gotten in the North of this Province and with abundance of Cattle bred in the hills beyond the River Wrâ—ak which is nothing so well inhabited as the rest 2 The Air is gentle milde and temperate and giveth appetite both to labour and rest wholesome it is and draweth mans life to a long age and that much without sickness at Carleton onely some defect of pronunciation appeareth in their speech 3 The Soil thus consisting the Commodities are raised accordingly of Corn Cattle and Coals and in the Rocks near Bever are sometimes found the Astroites the Star-like precious Stone 4 The ancient people that inhabited this County were the Coritani who were spread further into other Shires but after that the Romans had left the Land to it self this with many more fell to be under the possession and government of the Mercians and their Kings from whom the English enjoyed it at this day 5 In Circular-wise almost the compass of this Shire is drawn indifferently spacious but not very thick of Inclosures being from East to West in the broadest part not fully 30 miles and from North to South but 24 the whole circumference about 196 miles whose principal City is set as the Center almost in the midst from whom the Pole is elevated 53 degrees and 4 minutes in Laritude and for Longitude 19 degrees 22 minutes 6 From this Town the Shire hath the name though the name of her self is diversly written as Legecestria Legara Legâ—o-cester by Ninius Caer-Lerion by Matthew of Westminster if we do not mistake him â—irall and now lastly Leicester ancient enough if King Leir was her builder eight hundred and forty and four years before the birth of our Saviour wherein he placed a Flamine to serve in the Temple of Ianus by himself there erected and where he was buried if Ieffery ap Arthur say true but now certain it is that Ethelred the Mercian Monarch made it an Episcopal See in the year of Christ Iesus 680 wherein Sexwulâ—â— of his elâ—ction became the first Bishop which shortly after was thence translated and therewith the beauty of the Town began to decay upon whole desolations that erectifying Lady Edelfled cast her eyes of compassion and both re-edified the buildings and compassed it about with a strong wall where in short time the Cities Trade so increased that Matthew Paris in his lesser Storâ— reporteth as followeth Lege-cester saith he is a right wealthy City and notably defeâ—ded and had the wall a sure foundation were inferiour to no City whatsoever But this pride of prosperity long lasted not under the Normans for it was sore oppressed with a world of Calamities when Robert Bossu the Crouch-back Earl of that Province rebelled against his Soveâ—aign Lord King Henry the second whereof hear the same Author Paris speak Through the obstinaâ—e stubbornness of Earl Robert saith he
the whole City Leicester was besieged and thrown down by King Henry and the Wall that seemed indissoluble was utterly raced even to the ground The pieces of these Fragments so fallen down remained in his days like to hard Rocks through the strength of the Morter cementing whole lumps together and at the Kings command the City was set on fire and burnt the Castle raced and a heavy imposition laid upon the Citizens who with great sums of money bought their own banishments but were so used in their departure that for extream fear many of them took Sanctuary both at S. Edmunds and S. Albans In repentance of these mischiefs the Author thereof Earl Robert built the Monastery of S. Mary de Pratis wherein himself became a Canon Regular and for fifteen years continuance in sad laments served God in continual prayers With the like devotion Henry the first Duke of Lancaster built an Hospital for an hundred and ten poor people with a Collegiate Church a Dean twelve Canons Prebendaries as many Vicars suffciently provided for with Revenues wherein himself lyeth buried and it was the greatest ornament of that City until the hand of King Henry the eighth lay over-heavy upon all the like foundations and laid their aspiring tops at his own feet The fortunes of another Crouch-back King Richard Usurper who no less remarkable in this City than the former Robert was both of them in like degree of dishonourable course of life though of different issue at their deaths the one dying penitent and of devout esteem the other leaving the stench of Tyranny to all following ages who from this City setting forth in one day with great pompe and in Battle aray to keep the Crown sure upon his own Helmet in a sore fought field yieldeth both it and his life unto the head and hands of Henry of Richmond his Conquerour and the next day was brought back like a Hog naked and torn and with contempt without tears obscurely buried in the Gray Friers of this City whose suppression had suppressed the plot place of his grave and only the stone-chest wherein he was laid a drinking trough now for horses in a common Inn retaineth the memory of that great Monarchs Funeral and so did a stone in the Church and Chappel of S. Maries inclose the Corps of the proud and pontifical cardinal Wolsey who had prepared for himself as was said a far more richer Monument 7 Other places worthy of remembrance in this Shire were these In the West where a high Cross was erected in former times stood the fair City Cleycester the Romans BENONNE where their Legions lay and where their two principal ways crossed each other as the Inhabitants report Loughborow in the North verge was as Marianus affirmeth taken from the Britains by Cuthwolse their King about the year of Christ 572. At Redmore near Bosworth Westward in this County the Kingdom of England lay in hazard of one Battle when King Richards field was fought where the Land at once was free from a Tyrant and wicked Usurper Neither may we pass Lutterworth as the least in account where the famous Iohn Wickliff Englands Morning star dispersed the clouds of all Papistical darkness by preaching the Gospel in that his charge the stile of his pen so piercing in power that the man of Sin ever since hath been better known to the world 8 Religious houses by Princes erected and by them devoted to God and his service the chiefest in this Shire were at Leicester Grace-Dieu Kerby-Bellers and at Burton a Spittle for Lazers a disease then newly approached in this Land for the erection whereof a common contribution was gathered thorow the Realm the patients in this place were not so much deformed in skin as the other were in the defects of the soul whose skirts being turned up to the sight of the world their shames were discovered and those houses dissolved that had long maintained such Idolatrous sins 9 This Shires division is into six Hundreds and in them are seated twelve Market-Towns for commerce and containeth in circuit two hundred Parish-Churches LINCOLNE SHIRE LINCOLN-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXI THe County of Lincoln by the Normans called Nicolshire is confined on the North with Hamber on the East with the German Ocean upon the South is parted from Cambridge and Northampton-shire by the River Nyne and on the West from Nottingham and York-shires by Dun and Trent 2 The length of this Province extendeth from Barton unto Humber in the North unto Stanford upon the River Nyne in the South are miles by our English measure fifty five and the breadth thereof from Newton in the West stretched unto Winthorp upon her East Sea containeth thirty five The whole in circumference about one hundred and eighty miles 3 The Air upon the East and South part is both thick and foggy by reason of the Fens and unsolute grounds but therewithal very moderate and pleasing Her graduation being removed from the Aequator to the degree of 53 and the winds that are â—ent of her still working-Seaâ— to disperse those vapours from all power of hurt 4 The Form of this County doth somewhat resemble the body of a Lute whose East-coasts lye bow-like into the German-Ocean all along pestered with inlets of salt waters and sands which are neither firm nor safe for travellers as those in the South proved unto King Iohn who marching Northward from Northfolk against his disloyal Barons upon those washes lost all his furniture and carriage by the sudden return of the Sea and softness of the Sands 5 Her Soil upon the West and North is abundantly fertile pleasant and rich stored with pasturage arable and meadowing grounds the East and South Fenny and brackish and for Corn barren but for fowl and fiâ—h exceeding any other in the Realm wherein at some times and seasons of the year hath been taken in nets in August at one draught aboue three thousand Mallards and other Fowls of the like kind 6 The Shires commodities consist chiefly in Corn Cattle Fish Fowl Flax and Alablaster as also in a Plaister much esteemed of by the Romans for their works of Imagery and whereof Pliny in his Natural History maketh mention And the Astoriâ—es a precious stoâ—e Star-like pointed with five beams or rays anciently esteemed for their vertue in victories upon the South-west of this County near Bever are found not far thence in our Fathers memory at Harlaxton was ploughed up a brazen vessel wherein was inclosed a golden Helmet of an ancient fashion set with precious stones which was presented to Katherine of Spain Wife and Dowager to King Henry the eighth 7 This Shire triumpheth in the birth of Beauclerk King Henry the first whom Selby brought forth and of King Henry the fourth at Bullingbrooke born but may as justly lament for the death of King Iohn herein poisoned by Simon a Monk of Swynsted Abbey and of Queen Eleanor wife to King Edward the first the mirrour of wedlock and love to
down when also the Town it self suffered the calamity of fire but recovered to her former estate hath since increased in beauty and wealth and at this day is governed by a Mayor and six Aldermen clad in Scarlet two Sheriffs two Chamberlains a Town-Clark and six Sergeants with Maces their attenders whose position hath the Pole elevated fifty three degrees 25 minutes in Latitude and hath the Meridian nine degrees and 25 minutes This Town hath been honoured by these Princes Titles and these Princes dignified with the Earldom of Nottingham whose several Arms and Names are in the great Map expressed Religious houses that have been erected and now suppressed in the compass of this County chiefly were Newsted Lenton Shelford Southwell Thurgarton Blith Welbeck and Radford in Nottingham the White and Gray Friers besides a little Chappel dedicated to S. Iohn All which shew the devotions of those former times which their remembrance may move if not condemn us that have more knowledg but far less piety The Shires division is principally into two which the Inhabitants term the Sand and the Clay but for Tax to the Crown or service for State is parted into eight Wapentakes or Hundreds wherein are seated 168 Parishes Churches DARBY SHIRE DARBY-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIII DARBY-SHIRE lieth inclosed upon her North parts with York-shire upon the East with Nottingham-shire upon the South of Leicester-shire and upon the West is parted with the Rivers Dove and Goyt from Stafford and Chess-shires 2 It is in Form somewhat triangle though not of any equal distance growing from her narrow South-point still wider and in the North is at the broadest For from Stretton near the head of Mese to New-Chappel seated near the head of Derwent the two extreams from North to South are thirty eight miles but from the Shire-Oaks unto the meeting of Mersey and Goyt the broadest part of all this Shire is not full twenty nine the whole in circumference exâ—endeth to an hundred and thirty miles 3 The Air is good and very healthful the Soil is rich especially in her South and East parts but in the North and West is hilly with a black and mossie ground both of them fast handed to the Ploughers pains though very liberal in her other gifts whose natures thus dissenting the River Derwent doth divide asunder that taketh course thorow the heart or the midst of this County 4 The Ancient People that possessed these parts in the times of the Roman assaults were the Coritani whom Ptolomy dispersed thorow Northampton-shire Leicester Rutland Lincoln Nottingham and this Shire who were all of them subdued by P. Ostorius Scapula Lieutenant in this Province for Claudius the Emperour But Romes Empire falling in Britain by the intestine Wars among themselves the Saxons a more savege and fearful Nation soon brought it under their subjection and made this a Province unto their Mercians Kingdome whom the West-Saxons first wan and again lost to the Normans 5 It is stored with many commodities and them of much worth for besides woods and Cattle Sheep and Corn every where over spreading the face of this County the Mill-stone Crystal and Alablaster the Mines of Pit-coal Iron and Lead are of great price whereof the last is mentioned in Pliny who writeth that in Britaine in the very crust of the Ground without any deep digging is gotten so great store of Lead and there is a Law expresly made of purpose forbiding men to make more than to a certain stint whose stores are plenteâ—usly gotten in thoâ—e Mountains and melted into Sowes to no small profit of the Country There is found also in certain veins of the earth Stibium which the Apothecaries call Antimonium and the Alchymists hold in great esteem 6 Places of Commerce or memorable note the first is Darby the Shire-Town called by the Danes Deoraby seated upon the West-bank of Derwent where also a small Brook rising Westward runneth thorow the Town under nine Bridges before it meets with her far greater River Derwent which presently it doth after she hath passed Tenant-Bridge in the South-East of the Town But a Bridge of more beauty built all of Free-stone is passed over Derwent in the North-East of the Towâ— whereon standeth a fair stone Chappel both of them bearing the names of S. Maries five other Churches are in this Town the chief whereof is called Alhâ—llows whose Steeple or Bell-Tower being both beautiful and high was built only at the charges of young Men and Maids as is witnessed by the inscription cut in the same upon every square of the Steeple Among the miserable desolations of the Danes this Town bare a part but by the Lady Ethelfleda was again repaired and is at this day incorporated with the yearly government of two Bailiffs elect out of twenty four Brethren besides as many Burges of Common-Councel a Recorder Town-Clerk and two Sergeants with Mace whose Graduation is observed from the Aequator to be 53 degrees 25 scruples and from the first point in the West 19 degrees 2 scruples 7 Little-Chester by the Romish Money there daily seemeth to have been ancient and that a Colony of of the Roman Souldiers there lay Yet of far greater Fame was Râ—pandunum now Repâ—on where Ethelbald the ninth King of the Merciaâ—s and fifteenth Monarch of the Englishmen slain at Seggâ—swald by the treason of his Subjects was interred and whence Burtâ—red the last King of that Peopâ—e was expâ—lsed with his Queen Ethelswith by the rage of the Danes after twenty two years Reign But with a more pleasing eye we may behold Melborn the Memorial of Englishmens great valour where in that Castle was kept prisoner Iohn Duke of Burbon taken Captive in the Battle of Agincourt and therein detained the space of nineteen years 8 Thingâ— of stranger note are the hot Water-springs bursting forth of the ground at Buxton where out of the Rock within the compass of eight yards nine Springs arise eight of them warm but the ninth very cold These run from under a fair square building of Free-stone and about threescore paces off received another hot Spring from a Well inclosed with four flat Stones called Saint Anns near unto which another very cold Spring bubled up The report goeth among the by-dwellers that great cureâ— by these waters have been done but daily experience sheweth that they are good for the Stomack and Sinews and very pleasant to bathe the body in Not far thence is Eldâ—n hole whereof strange things have been told and this is confidently affirmed the waters that trickle from the top of that Cave which indeed is very spacious but of low and narrow entrance do congeal into stone and hang as isâ—ckles in the Roof some of them were shewed at my being there which like unto such as the Frost congealeth were hollow within and grew Taper-wise towards their points very white and somewhat Chrystal-like And seven miles thence upon a mounted-hill standeth a Castle under which there is a Hole or Cave in the
by Succession and Right of Inheritance the Earldâ—m of Chester annexed to his most happy Stiles Upon whose Person I pray that the Angels of Iacobs God may ever attend to his great glory and Great Britains happiness 9 If I should urge credit unto the report of certain Trees floating in Bagmere only against the deaths of the Heirs of the Breretons thereby seated and after to sink until the next like occasion or inforce for truth the Prophesie which Leyland in a Poetical fury forespake of Beeston-Castle highly mounted upon a steep Hill I should forget my self and wonted opinion that can hardly believe any such vain Predictions though they be told from the mouths of Credit as Bagmere-Trees are or learned Leyland for Beesson who thus writeth The day will come when it again shall mount his head aloft If I a Prophet may be heard from Seers that say so oft With eight other Castles this Shire hath been strengthened which were Ould-Castle Shocloch Shoâ—witch Chester Pouldford Dunham Frodesham and Haulten and by the Prayers as then was taught of eight Religious Houses therein seated preserved which by King Henry the Eight were suppressed â—â—amely Stanlow Ilbree Maxfeld Norton Bunbery Combermere Rud-neath and Vale-Royal besides the VVhite and black Friâ—rs and the Nunnery in Chester This Counties division is into seven Hundreds wherein are seated thirteen Market-Towns eighty five Parish-Churches and thirty-eight Chappels of Ease Lancaster LANCA-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXVII THE County Palatine of Lancaster famous for the four Henries the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Kings of England derived from Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster is upon the South confined and parted by the River Mersey from the County Palatine of Chester the fair County of Darby-shire bordering upon the East the large County of York-shire together with Westmerland and Cumberland being her kind neighbours upon the North and the Sea called Mare Hibernicum embracing her upon the West 2 The form thereof is long for it is so inclosed between York-shire on the East side and the Irish-Sea on the West that where it boundeth upon Cheshire on the South-side it is broader and by little and little more Northward it goeth confining upon Westmerland the more narrow it groweth It containeth in length from Brathey Northward to Halwood Southward fifty seven miles from Denton in the East to Formby by Altmouth in the West thirty one and the whole circumference in compass one hundred threescore and ten miles 3 The Air is subtile and piercing not troubled with gross vapours or foggy mists by reason whereof the People of that Country live long and healthfully and are not subject to strange and unknown diseases 4 The Soil for the generality is not very fruitful yet it produceth such numbers of Cattel of such large proportion and such goodly heads and horns as the whole Kingdom of Spain doth scarce the like It is a Country replenished with all necessaries for the use of Man yielding without any great labour the commodity of Corn Flax Grass Coals and such like The Sea also addeth her blessing to the Land that the People of that Province want nothing that serveth either for the sustenance of Nature or the satiety of appetite They are plentifully furnished with all sorts of Fish Flesh and Fowls Their principal Fuell is Coal and Turff which they have in great abundance the Gentlemen reserving their Woods very carefully as a beauty and principal ornament to their Mannors and Houses And though it be far from â—ondon the Capital City of this Kingdom yet doth it every year furnish her and many other parts of the Land besides with many thousands of Cattel bred in this Country giving thereby and other ways a firm testimony to the World of the blessed abundance that it hath pleased God to enrich this noble Dukedom withall 5 This Counties ancient Inhabitants were the Brigantes of whom there is more mention in the description of York-shire who by Claudius the Emperour were brought under the Roman subjection that so held aud made it their Seat secured by their Garrisons as hath been gathered as well by many Inscriptions found in Walls and ancient Monuments fixed in Stones as by certain Altars erected in favour of their Emperours After the Romans the Saxons brought it under their protection and held it for a part of their Northumbrian Kingdom till it was first made subjugate to the Invasion of the Danes and then conquered by the victorious Normans whose Posterities from thence are branched further into England 6 Places of antiquity or memorable note are these the Town of Manchester so famous as well for the Market-Place Church and Colledge as for the resort unto it for Clothing was called Manâ—unium by Antonine the Emperour and was made a Fort and Station of the Romans Riblechester which taketh the name from Râ—ibell a little River near Clithâ—râ— though it be a small Town yet by Tradition hath been called the richest Town in Christendom and reported to have been the Seat of the Romans which the many Monuments of their Antiquities Statues Pieces of Coin and other several Inscriptions digg'd up from time to time by the Inhabitants may give us sufficient perswasion to believe But the Shire Town is Lancaster more pleasant in situation than rich of Inhabitants built on the South of the River Lon and is the same Longovicum where as we find in the Notiâ—e Provinces a company of the Longovicarians under the Lieutenant General of Britain lay The beauty of this Town is in the Church Castle and Bridge her Streets many and stretched fair in length Unto this Town King Edward the Third granted a Mayor and two Bailiffs which to this day are elected out of twelve Brethren assisted by twenty four Burgesses by whom it is yearly governed with the supply of two Chamberlains a Recorder Town-Clerk and two Sergeants at Mace The elevation of whose Pole is in the degree of Latitude 54 and 58 scruples and her Longitude removed from the West point unto the degree 17 and 40 scruples 7 This Country in divers places suffereth the force of many flowing Tides of the Sea by which after a sort it doth violently rent asunder one part of the Shire from the other as in Fourness where the Ocean being displeased that the shore should from thence shoot a main way into the West hath not obstinately ceased from time to time to slash and mangle it and with his Fell irruptions and boysterous Tides to devour it Another thing there is not unworthy to be recommended to memory that in this Shire not far from Foâ—rness-Felles the greatest standing water in all England called Winander Mere lieth stretched out for the space of ten miles of wonderful depth and all paved with stone in the bottom and along the Sea-side in many places may be seen heaps of sand upon which the People pour water until it recover a saltish humour which they afterwards boil with Turffs till it become white Salt 8 This
of Britain the next and this of Ireland the third and for that cause doth Ptolomy call it the Little-Britain But howsoever Strabo hath extended the breadth as broad as the length and others have formed it in shape like an Egg yet later dimensions have found it far otherwise twice longer than broad and may be compared to the fore-leg of a Bear if the Siâ—ile breed no offence Whose East-side hath on it that tempesâ—uous Sea that cutteth her Channel betwixt England and this Ireland the West is washed with the Western-Ocean the North with the Dâ—ucaledonian and the South with the Virginian-Sea 5 The Air of this Island is delectable and wholsom though neither so clear nor subtil as is ours of England which as Mela saith is nothing favourable for the ripening of Corn but so grateful to the ground that it causeth grass to grow abundantly not only fresh and long but withal very sweet for all Cattel and in Winter is more subject to Wind than Snow and that I may use the words of Giraldus It is of all Countriâ—s most temperate neither forcing the Iâ—habitants to seek shade from the frying heat of Cancer nor the chilling cold of Capricorn to drive tâ—em to the fire but at all seasons most mild betwixt a sufferable cold and gentle warm heat 6 The Soil saith Cambrensis is uneven woody wild waterish and boggy so full of Loughs and Mears that great Ponds of Water are found upon the high Mountains These indeed make the places somewhat dangerous unto all new Commers by breeding of Rheums Dysenteries and Fluxes whose usual remedy is Vskebah a wholsome Aqua vitae that drieth more and enflameth less than many other hot Confections 7 The Commodities of this Kingdom chiefly consist in Cattel whose seed is so sweet and so rank that they will soon graze to a surfeit if they may be suffered to feed as they will Their Sheep are many but bear not the best Wooll which twice are shorn within one year Of these they make Mantles Caddowes and Coverlets vented from thence into forrain Countries Their Hobbies likewise are of great esteem and are answerable to the Ienners of Spain Bees are there in such abundance that honey is found in holes of Trees and in rests of the Rocks No annoyance of hurtful Snake or venomous Creatures and to speak all in a word nothing wanting for profit or pleasure for so much doth Giraldus affirm in saying that Nature had cast into this Western Kingdom of Zephyrus a mâ—re gracious eye â—han was ordinary 3 Touching the original peopling of this fair Island if we will believe their Records they make antiquity it self but young unto themselves affirming the Daâ—sel Caesarea and Niâ—ce unto Noah to have found it out before the Flood and that three hundred years after when Iaphets posterity took into these Wests-parts of the World one Bartholarus of his Progeny a Scythian by birth encouraged by the late success of Nimrod who now had intruded upon the Monarchy of Syria wandred so far West that Fortune at last cast him and his people upon the coast of Ireland There he setled with his three sons Languinna Salanus and Ruthurgus who searching through every creek and corner of the Land left their own names by three notable places Languini Stragrus and Mount Salanga which the revolution of times hath since called by other names as S. Dominickhill Ruthurgi and Stagnum Under the government of these three sons and their off-spring this Land was kept about three hundred years at which time there arrived also in Ireland a Giant-like kind of People of Nimrods race who in bodily shape exceeded the proportion of usual men using their strengths to win soveraignties and to oppress with rapine and violence These growing to numbers accounted it necessary to prevent dominion lest the curse of slavery prophecied by Noah should light upon them to prevent the which they set up a King of their own then quarrels bred daily either parties purposing to hold their interest by their Swords against whom lastly a Battel was fought and an infinite company of Giants slain when also died most of those of the posterity of Iapheth leaving them of Cham Lords of the Island 9 Whereupon Nemethus a Scythian with his four Sons arrived in Ireland and by strong hand seated themselves among these Giants where for two hundred and sixty years they kept but then no longer able to hold out against them they left their â—tandings and departed the Land 10 Soon after the five Sons of Dela descended from the said Nemetheus came into these coasts and with manly prowess drove these miscreants out of Ireland whereby the Seed of Cham was utterly expelled and these of Iapheth divided the Land into five parts whereof they became themselves Kings but falling at variance gave advantage unto others among whom the BRITAINS set in a foot 11 But to make this Island more famous certain Historians have fetched their Kings from most uncertain Records as namely from Gaothel the Grecian and Scotia the daughter of King Pharaoh and nourisher of Moses his Wife who at that time when Israel were in Egypt with a Colony came into Spain and after into Ireland where he was made King and in honour of his Queen the Land named Scotia from whom also the Inhabitants took name his posterity increasing in the parts of Spain where first they had seated in process of time sought further adventures under the four Sons of Milesius King of Spain whose names were Hibernus Hermion Euer and Erimon 12 These by the direction sufferance and assistance of Gurguntius King of the Britains after that Ireland had been very much dispeopled by a contagious pestilence seated themselves and from the eldest Hibernus called the Island Hibernia as some are of opinion these divided the whole into five Provinces famously known by the names of Mounster Leinster Connaught Vlster and Meath in their midst and from these the present Irish repute themselves to come Yet surely as I make no question but that this Island became inhabited even of old time when mankind again over-spread the face of the earth so doubt I not but that our Britains passed thereinto themselves such infinite number of words in the Irish language yet in use such ancient names of Waters Isles Mountains and Places meerly British words yet remaining and the testimony of Tacitus who saith that their manners were fashioned to the Britains inforceth so much and Ptolomy before him calleth that Island by the name of Little-Britain all which shew a former interest for Ireland than that which by conquest under Henry the second was made 13 That it ever was subject to the Romans is doubtful though Agricola did wish it and Tacitus held most necessary yea and in the division of their Empire Ireland with Britain and Thule fell unto Constantine the Son of Constantine the Great yet their Manners unreclaimed and barbarism retained long after those days do witness no
West-point about 80 miles from thence to her North-west about 70 miles and her East Coast along the Irish Sea-shore eighty miles the circumference upon two hundred and seventy miles 3 The air is clear and gentle mixt with a temperate disposition yielding neither extremity of heat or cold according to the seasonable times of the year and the natural condition of the Continent The soil is generally fruitful plentiful both in fish and flesh and in other victuals as butter cheese and milk It is fertil in Corn Cattle and pasture grounds and would be much more if the husbandman did but apply his industry to which he is invited by the commodiousness of the Country It is well watered with Rivers and for the most part well wooded except the County of Divelin which complains much of that want being so destitute of wood that they are compelled to use a clammy kind of fat turff for their fuel or Sea-coal brought out of England 4 The Inhabitants of these parts in Ptolomies days were the Brigantes Menapii Cauci and â—lani from which Blani may seem to be derived and contracted the latter and modern names of this Country Lâ—in Leighnigh and Leinster The Menapii as the name doth after a sort imply came from the Menapians a Nation in Low Germany that dwelt by the Sea-Coasts These Brigantes called also Brigants Florianus del Campo a â—paniard labours to fetch from the Brigants of his own Countrey of whom an ancient City in Spain called Brigantia took the name But they may seem rather to derive their denomination from the River Birgus about which they inhabited for to this the very name is almost sufficient to perswade us 5 The commodities of this Country do chiefly consist in Cattle Sea-fowl and Fish It breeds many excellent good horses called Irish Hobbies which have not the same pace that other horses have in their course but a soft and round amble setting very easily 6 This Country hath in it three Rivers of note termed in old time the three sisters Shour Neor and Batraeo which issue out of the huge Mountain called by Giraldus Bladinae Montes as out of their mothers womb and from their rising tops descending with a downfal into several Channels before they empty themselves into the Ocean joyn hand in hand altogether in a mutual league and combination 7 Places very dangerous for shipping are certain flats and shallows in the Sea that lie over against Holy-point which the Mariners call the Grounds Also the shelves of sand that lie a great way in length opposite to Newcastlâ— which over looketh them into the Sea from the top of an high hill adjoyning 8 In this Province are placed many fair and wealthy Towns as Kilkenny which for a Burrough-Town excels all the midland Burroughs in this Island Kildare which is adorned with an Episcopal See and much graced in the first infancy of the Irish Church by reason of Saint Brigid a venerable Virgin had in great account and estimation for her virginity and devotion as who was the Disciple of S. Patrick of so great fame renown and antiquity also Weisford a name given unto it by these Germans whom the Irish term Oustmans a Town though inferiour to some yet as memorable as any so that it became the first Colony of the English and did first submit it self unto their protection being assaulted by Fitz Stephen a Captain worthily made famous for his valour and magnanimity 9 But the City which fame may justly celebrate alone beyond all the Cities or Towns in Ireland is that which we call Divelin Ptolomy Eblana the Latinists Dublinium and Dubliniâ— the West-Britaines Dinas Dublin the English-Saxons in times past Duplin and the Irish Balacleigh that is the Town upon hurdles for it is reported that the place being fennish and moorish when it first began to be builded the foundation was laid upon hurdles 10 That it is ancient is perswaded by the authority of Ptolomy That it was grievously rent and dismembred in the tumultuous wars of the Danes and brought afterwards under the subjection of Edgar King of England which his Charter also confirmeth wherein he calleth it the noble City of Ireland is written by Saxo Grammaticus That it was built by Harold of Norway which may seem to be Harold Harsager when he had brought the greatest part of Ireland into an awful obedience unto him we read in the life of Griffith ap Sinan Prince of Wales At length it yielded unto the valour and protection of the English at their first arrival into Ireland by whom it was manfully defended from the fierce assaults as well of Auscoulph Prince of the Dublinians as afterwards of Gotard King of the Isles since which time it hath still augmented her flourishing estate and given approved testimony of her faith and loyalty to the Crown of England in the times of any tumultuous straights and commotions 11 This is the Royal Seat of Ireland strong in her munition beautiful in her buildings and for the quantity matchable to many other Cities frequent for traffick and intercourse of Merchantâ— In the East Suburbs Henry the second King of England as Hoveden reporteth caused a royal Palace to be erected and Henry Loundres Archbishop of Divelin built a Store house about the year of Christ 1220. Not far from it is the beautiful Colledge consecrated unto the name of the holy Trinity which Queen Elizabeth of famous memory dignified with the priviledges of an University The Church of S. Patrick being much enlarged by King Iohn was by Iohn Comin Archbishop of Dublin born at Evesham in England first ordained to be a Church of Prebends in the year 1191 It doth at this day maintain a Dean a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Archdeacons and twenty two Prebendaries This City in times past for the due administration of Civil Government had a Provost for the chief Magistrate But in the year of mans redemption 1409 King Henry the fourth granted them liberty to chuse every year a Major and two Bailiffes and that the Major should have a gilt sword carried before him for ever And King Edward the sixth to heap more honour upon this place changed the two Bailiffs afterwards into Sherifâ—s so that there is not any thing here wanting that may serve to make the estate of a City most flourishing 12 As the people of this Country do about the neighbouring parts of Divelin come nearest unto the civil conditions and orderly subjection of the English so in places farther off they are more tumultuous being at deadly feuds amongst themselves committing oft-times Man slaughter one upon another and working their own mischiefs by mutual wrongs for so the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster with many Towns in the same Province in the year 1294. And in the year 1301 the men of Leinster in like manner raised a war in the winter season setting on fire the Town of Wykinlo Rathdoâ— and others working their own plague and punishment by burning
12 Brunswick and Lunenburg 13 Franconia 14 Palaltinus Rhâ—ne 15 Wittenburg 16 Aâ—sper 17 Bayden 18 Mentz 19 Bamberg 20 Weirstberg 21 Saxonia 22 Anâ—â—â—t 23 Mansfield 24 Swevia 25 Bavaria 26 Brandenburg 27 Lusatia 28 Tirolum 29 Misnia 30 Bohemia 31 Silesia 32 Moravia 33 Pomeranea 34 Mecklinburg 35 Austria 15 East-Frezeland is on the West side of Germany and bounded with the North Sea Her chief Town is Embden 2 Wesphalia is on the South of East Frizeland It is most famous for Swine and excellent Bacon which is esteemed with us one of our greatest dainties to commend a feast Part of it belongs to the three next Bishops of Cullen Munster and Triers 3 Cullen her Arch-Bishop is an Elector The chief Town was called Vbiopolis afterward Agrippina and lastly Cullen from a Colony which was there planted by the French It is a received tradition among the Inhabitants that the bodies of the Wisemen which came from the East to worship Christ are here interred None almost but hath heard of the three Kings of Cullen 4 Munster Her chief City is Munster notable since the year 1533 at which time a company of brain sick Anabaptists named it Ierusalem and raised them a new Governour by the title of the King of Sâ—â—â— 5 Triers Her Arch bishop an Elecator Her chief City Tâ—iers of great antiquity founded by Trebeta the son of Nâ—â—ius and â—â—pport sackt by our Earl Richard King of the Romans 16 6 Clivia or Cleeveland a Duke dome of that name Her chief Cities are Wesell Emrick and Cleve Her commodity the Tophus-stone of which they make Cement 7 Iuliacum Gulick a Dutchy Her principal City is Aken or Aquiseranum where the Emperour receives his Silver Crown for Germany and doth great worship to a clout which they take to be our Saviours Mantle in which he was wrapped 8 Hassia a mountainous Country but fruitful Her Metropolis Marpurgum an University and the chief place of her Lant-grave is Cassels It comprehends likewise the Counties of Nassâ—w and Hanaw 9 Alsatia Her chief City is Strasburg famous for a Clock of wonderful art and a Tower of five hundred seventy eight paces high Other Towns here are of note as Bing Worms Confluence and Andernach 10 Helvetia Swetzerland on the East of France and North of Italy It contains thirteen Cantons Zurich Berne â—â— ucerne Vrenia Glavis Zugh Basell Friburg Vnderwalt Soâ—oâ—r Shasâ—haâ—â—en Apeâ—sol and Suits Her chief Cities are Zurike or Tigurum where Zuinglius was martyred and Sengâ—ll or Civitas Sancti Galli and Baâ—ell where a general Council was decreed to be above the Pope in the year one thousand four hundred thirty one 17 Tariâ—gia Her Prince a Lant-grave Her ground though not of large extent nor above twelve German miles either in length or breadth saith Maginus yet it is very rich it comprehends twelve Counties as many Abbies a hundred fourty four Cities as many Towns above two thousand Viliages two hundred and fifty Castles Her Metropolisis Eâ—â—ord 12 Brunswick on the East of Wâ—sâ—phaliâ— a Dukedom whose principal Citiâ—s are Brunswick Hâ—lâ—erstâ—de Wolâ—heiton and Luneburg which gives title to an other Dukâ—dom whose chief Seat is Cella â—18 13 Franconia Iâ— lyeth on the West of Tâ—ringia and joyns to Hossia Northward The Inhabitants were converted to Christianity by Boniface In this Province stands Francfort famous for her â—wo Marts every year and Noremâ—erge within the Territories are comprehended the seven other which â—elong to this section 18 The Palatine of Rhene some seventy two miles from North to South and from East to West nienty six Her chief City is Heidelberge Her Prince an Elector and hath many more priviledges than the other six In the vacancy he is Governour of a great part of Germany â—â— Wâ—tteâ—â—â—rge The chief Towns are Tubing an Vniversity Stâ—dgard c. 16 Aâ—spech a Marquiâ—aâ—e Her chiâ—f Town Aâ—â—pech 17 Badâ—n a Marquisate pleasant and fruitfull betwixt the Rivers Rhene and Nâ—ccar Her chief Cities are 〈◊〉 and Baden in which there be Bathes that cures many diseases 18 Mentâ— Mâ—guntia a Bishoprick The Prince is a Spiritual Elector and sits alwaies at the right hand of the Emperour 19 Bamberg a Bishoprick of it self of large revenues In this stands Fochia where they say Pontius Pilate Was born 20 Weirstberg Her Bishop is entituled Duke of Franconia 19 21 Saxony on the East of Hassia and South of Brunswick and North of 〈◊〉 In this Province was Luther born at Isâ—eben Within her bounds are likewise comprehended tâ—ese two other Principalities of Anhalt and Mansfield 22 Anhalt whose Governour with great courage and power bore Arms in defence of the Palatines right to the Kingdom of Bohemia 23 Mansâ—â—eld an Eâ—rldom the more famous for the valiant acts of the present Count who to this day wars upon the Emperours party in the behalf of the illustrious Pâ—latine and his unparrelled â—ady Elizabeth Sister to his royal Maâ—esty of England 20 14 Swevia on the South of Franconia It is a Country full of people and those 〈◊〉 goodly personage great wit and valiant In this Province is the head of Danubius and runs through the middle of the Country Her chief Towns are Vlme Lendawe and Auspurg or Augusta Vindelicorum Norlingen c. 25 Bavaria on the South of Bohemia and Franconia There is both the upper and lower Bavaria Of the first the chief Cities are Muchen Ingolstade Frising and about thirty four Towns more equal to the most Cities of the lower Bavaria the principal are Ratisbone Patâ—vium Pâ—ssâ—n Lanshutum and Saltâ—pâ—rge In this City lyeth â—uried Paracelsus 26 Brandenburg on the East of Saxoâ—y a Marquisate of five hundred and twenty miles in compass It was heretofore inhabited by the Vandales The Metropolis is Brandenburg and Francfort ad Oâ—iâ—um for so it is distinguisht from the other Francfort in Franconia and Berlium Herâ— are fifty-five Cities and sixty-four Towns 27 Lusatia it looks West-ward toward Saxony The chief City is Gorlitâ—ia 28 Tyrolum on the South of South of Bavaria and East of Helvetia Her cheif Cities are Oonipus Inspruck Brâ—ixen Tridentum Trent where the general Council was held one thousand five hundred forty six 29 Misnia on the East of Lâ—satia a â—ruitfull Region Her chief Ciâ—ies are Misnia Dresden Lipsin a place of learning and Torga many Writers place this Province with Saxony 21 30 Bohemia on the South of Saxony and Misnia encompassed with the Sylva Hircinia a â—ruitfull and pleasant Country It may deserve a particular description of it self and therefore I wilâ— mention it here with no other solemnity then I do the rest of Germany Her Metropolis is Prague which was taken by the Impâ—rialists in thâ—â— last quarrel the King and Queen being at that time in the Church celebrating Gods service were forced suddenly to flie for their safety into Sileâ—ia 31 Silâ—sia Eastâ—ward from part of Bohemia two hundred miles long and eighty one broad a fruitfull Country the people valiant Her principal Cities
to be observed to be full with Mines of all sorts of metals Gold only excepted Their Tin was found out by an Eâ—glish man of Cornwall in the year one thousand two hundred and forty one belike which hâ—d been skilled in that work in his own Country for it is said That at that time there was no Tin known elsewhere in Eâ—rope The earth gives good Corn and their pastures breed as good Cattle There is Wood good store as there are Woods which harbour multitudes of wile Beasts Foxâ—s Bears Harts Bulls and others which afford them sport in the hunting and meat for the best manâ— Table Among the rest there is a wild Beast which they call Lomi armed by nature with a strange defence against the hounds which â—ollow her For they say she hath a kind of bladder hanging under her â—aws which in the hunting she fills with a sâ—lding hot water and â—asts it upon the Dogs with thâ—t nimbleness that they are not able to avoid or pursue her but oft times have their veâ—y hair â—all off as from a drest Pig The Coâ—nâ—ry is generally 〈◊〉 in Saffron and other medâ—cinal drugs Wine it hath too but not so kind or pleasiâ—g as in other places â—nsomuch that the richer sort furnish themselves out of Aâ—stria Hâ—ngary and the Regâ—on about which they in lieu of it supply with excellent Beer For they are held very good at the art of brewing and not behind hand at drâ—nking when thâ—y have done It is said of the 〈◊〉 sort I 〈◊〉 that if once they set to a Veâ—â—el of good lâ—quor they will not looâ—e it tâ—ll they 〈◊〉 â—ound it â—â—pty 〈…〉 before them as oft as he was heard though in a dead sound by the enemy whom he had so often crushed while he was yet living 10 For matter of learning they have not been very famous heretofore howbeit now the better parts are not now behind with the other parts of Germany The chief of note were Iohn Hussâ— and Hiâ—rome of Prague two worthy members of the Church They were condemned for Heretiques in the Council of Constance one thousand four hundred and fourteen for attempting a reformation of such errours as they held not agreeable with the word of God But yet their sufferings could not dead the good seed which they had sown in the true hearted It lives still among them in some measure though they have been often assayed by strange Impostures in Religion such as the heart of man could not conceive without a strong and extraordinary working of that great Deceiver 11 I cannot pass the most wicked cousenage of Picardus who posâ—est great multitudes of these silly people with an opinion that he could recall them to that perfect state in which Adam was created placed them in an Island for that purpose which he called Paradise caused them to walk naked and named this Sect Adamites Horrible sins were committed under that pretence promiscuous whoredome and incest at their very Divine Service It is feared that at this day there are many secret professors which live under ground meet at their solemnities have their prayers framed to their own humour and when the Priest pronounceth the words of Genesis as his custome is Crescite multipliâ—amini replete terram the lights are suddenly pop 't out and without any respect had to alliance or kindred or reverence to their exercise they mingle like Beasts and when they have acted their wickedness and are returned to their seats the Candles are again lighted and they fall to their pretended prayers as if there had been no harm done 12 The King is one of the seven Electors of the Emperour and in case the other six be equally divided he gives the suffrage which carrieth it It is to be thought that his power was conferred upon 〈◊〉 not without great counsel and good reason For besides that the place it self is by naturâ— strong the people to have a special inbred love to Germany and defence of her liberties At Coronation he is Cup-bearer and performs it himself in person if he bepresent His revenues are cast up to be three Millions of Crowns which are not gathered all within the compass here limited but part out of other Principalities which are annexed to this Kingdom For there are four Regions which make up his Title and are subject to his government 1 Bohemia it self as we have described it 2 Lusatia 3 Silesia 4 Moravia They were named in the Map of Germany as being parts of the whole Country but will admit here a more particular tract as belonging properly to this Kingdom 13 First then for Bohemia it self it contains about thirty Cities which are immediate subjects to the King as Quadus calls them besides many others which are held in possession of the chief Princes Primates Barons Counts and Nobles of the Country The Metropolis is Prague heretofore know by the names of Bubienum and Morobudum saith Maginus but rather I think by the situation it should be the same which Ptolomy calls Casurgis It was compassed with a wall by Primaslans their third King and received the name of Prague by the wise Lubussa a Limine which they say is called Prague in the Bohemian language It is indeed a very stately City seated in the middle of the Country in the River Multaria and compared by some to Florence It consists of three Cities which are called the old Town the new Town and the little Town The old Town is the chief and is adornâ—d with may illustrious buildings The new Town is divided from the old by a large ditch And the little Town stands on the other side of the River Mulda but is joyned to the old Town by a stone bridg of twenty four Arches It was made an Arch-bishops See by Charles the Emperour and King of Boâ—emia was once the chief University but that now is removed to Lipsia in the Province of Misnia It is the Regal seat of Bohemia and here was the King and Queen when it was taken by the Imperialists 14 The other Cities of this Region which are worth the noting are 2 Egra It stands upon the River from whence it beares the name before it was called by Ptolomy Monosgada on the West end of Sylva Gabreta that part of the Hircinia which portends toward Franconia It was a City Imperial till the right was sold by Lodovicus Bavares to Iohn King of Bohemia It is a very strong City fortified as well by Nature as Art for the most part is built upon a Rock It is in compass two miles within the walls and with the Suburbs three Not far from it there is a fountain of a kind of sharp waâ—er which the Inhabitants drink Instead of Beer 3 Krens toward Austria on the North side of Daâ—ubius 4 Piâ—sen on the West of Bohemia a City which long held out against General Tilly by the defence of the now Count Manâ—â—ield but was at last betrayed by some of his
Countries It hath five Towns Nistad Nasco Togrop Rothus and Marilus with some strong Castles pretty Villager and Noble-mens houses 5 〈◊〉 in length four miles Her Cities are Stubecopen and Nicopen a pleasant and a fair one for which she is by some stiled the Neopolis of Denmark 6 Moena or Muen In this the City Steck and Elmelanda 7 Femera or Femeren Her chief Cities are Derborch and Petersborn and Stabull and here is the Castle Vraniburgh built by the great Mathematician Ticho Brahe which besides the fame of its own artificial structure is much celebrated for the admirable Instruments which are there kept whereby the particular motion of the Heavens is excellently observed 21 8 And to this Kingdom belongs the Islands Borâ—holme which lies in the Baltick Seas called more particularly Mare Suevicum betwixt Blicker and Pomerania It is a Region of excellent pasture and feed abundance of Cattel and therefore is full of Butter Cheese Wool Hides c. and sends into other Countries much of their provision for victuals powdered and barrelled up for the longer keeping It hath some well peopled Towns the chief is Boruholme It had lain for fifty years together in pawn to the State of Lubeck but was redeemed by Frederick the second 22 From these and those many other Northern Islands there have issued in several ages an innumerable sort of Nations which like so many birds as Maginus calls them have flown over the greatest part of our Christian world He concludes that ex his insulis olim Gothi Ostrogothi Vestrogothi Vandali Franci Cimbri Gepidae Dani Hunni Suedi Herculi Rugi Alani Longobardi Alemani alii plures Danubio Rheno superatis omnem Europam praesertim ipsam Italiam altricem imperii dominum 400. plus annis perpetuâ quadam regionum successione subjugarunt ac Romani nomines gloriam ferè omnem extinxerunt POLONIA P. Kaerius Caelavit The Description of POLAND THE Kingdom of Poland borders upon the East-side of Germany and indeed as far as the Râ—ver Vistula it is accounted a part of the Empire and useth the same Speech Religions and Customes as the other Territories admitting only that variety which all of them have among themselves and must needs be found in so large compass s governed by so many several free Princes Beyond the River as it shrinks from the seat of Christianity so it begins to degenerate into a kind of Heathenish rudeness which favours of their Predecessors 2 For this Tract is a part of Sarmatia Europae and the first Inhabitants were the Sauromatae a Scythian people as well for barbarisme as by name It was next possest by the Vandals an active Nation of whom we have had some inkling at least almost in every place which we have past For they have spread their Victories through Europe and have left either name or story behind them in Spain France Italy Germany Tnrace and where not Their most received pedegree is from Vandalus whom Tacitus remembers the Tuscane King of the Progeny of Tuisco first Founder of the Germans Yet Munster in his Cosmography mentions a pretty conjecture of some well wishers it seems perhaps to their own Countrey which gave the original of their name of Vandals to one Vanda a Queen of Poland 3 Briefly Were the Vandals natives or were they invaders here they were found and ejected by the Sclavonians and these were the third Inhabitants of Polonia She was over-run at the same time and had the same fortune with Bohemia they were both lost to their old Lords and divided betwixt the two runnagate brothers of Croatia Zechius and Lechius who being forced for a murder out of their own soyl brought on their crew into these parts abouâ— the year 550. and here have continued in their posterity to this day They are as yet remembred in the very names of the people For the Bohemians in their proper language call themselves Zechians and in the greater Poland there is still extant a Territory known by the title of Regnum Lechitorum 4 Her Etimon signifieth no other than the site of the Country as the Sclavonians first descryed it For it was a Champian or plain field and so is Pole land interpreted out of the Sclavonish tongue It was before called Sarmatia and the people Sauromatae ab oculis Lacertarum Lizzards eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a property it seems which gave name to all her Nations For this was divided from another Sarmatia by the River Tanais that on the one side was Asiatica for the most part wild Heathenâ—sh Idolaters and in the farthest parts of Scythia some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this other is Europaea which being joyned with some parts of Germany Westward to the River Odera Silesia and Moâ—avia make up the Kingdome of Polonia as it is here described 5 The bounds then of this great Region are on the West the River Odera Silesia and Moravia on the East the River Neiper which Ptolomy calls Boristhenes on the North Pomerania or rather the Baltick Ocean and on the South Russia and the Mountains of Hungary And if we will with Maginus take in the out Provinces which belong to this Government we must reach Eastward the Tartars and 〈◊〉 that live near on the other side of Boristhenes and North-east ward part of Muscovia Southward the Hungarian mountains and the Vallaci insomuch that the compass would come little short of all Spain as it lieth beyond the Pyrenaean 6 The principal Rivers of Poland are 1 Vistula it hath its rise in the Caparthian Mountains which divide this Kingdom from Hungary and it self runs into the Baltick but by the way takes in divers other streams on the West out of the Polonia Germanica and on the East out of the Sarmonica It is navigable 400 miles 2 Neister which hath her Fountains in the hills of Hâ—ngary and glâ—des East ward on the South of Podolia into the Pontus Euxinus 3 Neiper or Boristhenes which bounds the Kingdom on the East is navigable 600 stadia and runs from North to South into the Pontus Euxinus where there is naturally cast up plenty of Salt which needs no art to perfect it 4 Rubin in Lituania 5 Hypanis now Bugh not far distant from the City Oleska and falls at last into the River Vistula with many others of lesser note though all conduce to make the Countrey in some kinds very fertile 7 For it abounds with most sorts of Corn and Pulse sufficient both for their own spending and continual traffique into other Countries Many of her neighbouring Regions could not well miss her plenty as well of Whet Rie and Barley as Beeves and other Cattel which gives supply to Saxony and the rest of Germany near hand which hardly yield enough for their Inhabitants out of their own store The blessing of this fertility cannot come alone but must needs bring with it the like riches of butter Cheese Milk Wax Honey and
this name whether from Vignina an ancient King thereof or from our Virgin Queen Elizabeth the other parts being since distinguished by the names of New-England New-York and Mary-Land After the more perfect discovery of these parts which is said to have been first encouraged and promoted by Sir Walter Raleigh by several worthy Adventurers as first Captain Philip Amidas and Captain Arthur Barlow Anno 1584. Sir Richard Greenvil 1585. Mr. Iohn White 1587 and 1589. Captain Gosnol 1602 Captain Martin Pring 1603 set out by the City of Bristol Captain George Weymouth 1605 set out by the Lord Arundel of Warder at last iâ— the year 1606 some footing being got for all the forementioned voyages had prov'd succesless those that went over with Captain Newport carrying with them a commission from King Iames for the establishing a Counsel to direct those new discoveries landed on the 19th of December at a place afterwards called Cape Henry at the mouth of Chesapeac-Bay and immediately opened their Orders by which eight of the Counsel were declared with power to choose a President to govern for a year together with the Counsel The next year Letters Patents bearing date April the 10th were granted by the King to Sir Thomas Gates Sir George Summers and the rest of the Undertakers who were divers Knights Gentlemen and Merchants of London Bristol Exeter Plymouth anâ— other parts to make a double Colony for the more speedy Planting of the place the first Colony to be undertaken by those of London the other by those of Bristol Exeter Plymouth c. However it was not till in some years after that this Plantation came to be considerably peopled and that principally by the great care industry and activity in this affair of the Valiant Capt. Iohn Smith who in the year 1615 in the 12th of King Iames his Reign procured by his interest at Court his Majesties recommendatory Letters for the encouragement of a standing Lottery for the benefit of the Plantation which accordingly succeeded and in two or three years time turn'd to no bad account And perhaps the cancelling and making void of the Patent granted to the Corporation of the first Colony of Virginia and all other Patents by which the said Corporation or Company of Adventurers of Virginia held any interest there which was done in Trinity Term 1623 by reason of several misdemeanors and miscarriages objected against the said Corporation was an inlet of a far greater conflux into these parts than otherwise would have been by reason that this Corporation been dissolved and the Plantation governed be persons immediately appointed by commission from the King a greater freedom of Trade was opened to all his Majesties Subjects that would adventure into those parts The greatest disturbance the English received from the Natives was in the year 1622 when by a general insurrection of the Barbarians 300 of our men were massacred In the year 1631 being the 7th of the Reign of King Charles the First the most Nothernly part of this Countrey was parcell'd out into a particular Province and by Patent granted to the Lord Baltâ—more by the name of Maryland And in like manner in the 15th year of his present Majesty being the year of our Lord 1663 that part of Florida which lies South of Virginia to Edw. Earl of Clarendon then Lord High Chancellor of England George Duke of Albermarl William Earl of Craven Iohn Lord Berkley Anthony Lord Ashly now Earl of Shaftsbury Sir George Carteret Sir William Berkley and Sir Iohn Colleton by the name of Carolina as is specified more at large in the particular discourses of these two Countreys So that Virginia as it now stands with these two Provinces lopt from it for in Carolina also is included some part of the Land which belonged formerly to the dissolved Company of Virgina extends it self only between 36 and 37 degrees and 50 minutes of Northern latitude being bounded to the East by the Ocean to the North by Mary-land to the West by the South-Seas and to the South by Carolina The Air of Virginia is accounted of a temperature very wholsome and agreeable to English constitutions especially since by the cutâ—ng down of the Woods and the regulation of diet the seasonings have been abated only within the present limits of Virginia it is somewhat hotter in Summer than that part called Mary-Land and the seasoning was formerly more violent and dangerous here to the English at their first landing The Soil which is generally plain but sometimes diversified with variety of hill and dale is capable being very fertile of producing all things that naturally grow in these parts besides which there are of the proper growth of this Countrey a sort of Plant called Silk-grass of which is made a very fine Stuff of a silky gloss and cordage more strong and lasting than any of hemp or flax For fruits the Mettaquâ—sunanks something resembling the Indian Fig the Chechinquamins which come nearest to the Chesnut the Putchcamines a fruit somewhat like a Damsin Messamines a sort of Grape in shew Rawcomens the resemblance of a Gooseberry Morocoks not much unlike a Strawberry Macoquer a kind of Apple Ocoughtanamnis a berry much like Câ—pers For Roots Musquaspen with the juice whereof being a rich sort of paint they colour their Mars and Targets Wichsacan yielding a most excellent healing jâ—ice for wounds Pocones an emulgent of much efficacy for swellings and aches Tockawaugh frequently â—aten there is also a Plant called Matonna of which they make bread and Assament a sort of Pulse a great delicacy among the natives The Beasts peculiar to this Countrey are the Opassum a certain beast which carrieth and suckleth her young in a bag which she hath under her belly the Assapanic or flying Squirrel the Mussascus a musk-sented beast having the shape of a Water-rat the Aroughena a sort of Badger the Utchuâ—quâ—is somewhat like a wild Cat also a sort of beast called Roscones Of Fish the most peculiar is the Sâ—ringraise which is also common to this Countrey with New-England So many several Towns as were anciently among the natives so many distinct Nations there were all Monarchical except that of the Sesquahanocks all something differing in disposition customs and religious Ceremonies and most of all in language but all of them in general valiant well-set of a tawny complexion with black flaggy and long hair crafty and treacherous sufficiently laborious in the art of War which they used frequently to exercise among each other and wonderful lovers of hunting in other things most scandalously lazy and indulgent to their ease mean in their apparel homely in their diet and sluttish in their houses All Ships that come to Virginia and Mary-Land enter through the Bay of Chesapeac at whose opening to the South Virginia begins between those famous Capes Cape Henry and Cape Charles Into this Bay which runs up 75 Leagues Northward into the Coâ—ntrey and is in some places seven leagues broad there fall
it hath been formerly accounted they should differ much from those of Virginia Yet there is a sort of fruit called a Persimon mentioned as most especially belonging to Mary-Land and among Birds one named the Mock-bird from its imitation of all other Singing-birds which differing among themselves in the mixture of their colours that which is black and yellow is called Baltemore-bird from the colour of his Lordships Coat of Arms which are Or and Sable excelling in beauty all the other sorts The same is to be said of the complections customs dispositions government c. of the Natives of this Province as of those of Virginiâ— and other adjacent parts that is in brief thaâ— they are somewhat tawny their hair long black and uncurl'd but cut into fantastical forms more ingenious and docile than industrious each Town a distinct Nation and govern'd by iâ—s several Weroance or King only the Sesquaâ—anocks are a Republick As the Province is now inhabited by the English it is divided into ten Districts or Counties five on the Eastern-shore of the Bay of Chespeack namely Dorchester Somerset Kent Caecil and Talbot and five on the West side of the Bay St. Maries where the Provincial Court or chief Court of Iudicature consisting of Governor and Consiliar Iudges is held every quarter of a year Anne Arundel Baltemore Charles and Calvert The chief Rivers of this Country are Patowmec Patuxent Ann Arundel alias Severn Sasquesahanough Choptank Nantecoke Pocomoke besides others of less note of those mentioned the first four on the West side the other three to the East fall into Cheâ—apeack Bay which is navigable for 200 miles and which between two Capes Cape Charles to the North and Cape Henry to the South being seven or eight leagues distant receives all the Ships that come for Virginia or Mary-Land and passeth Northernly through the midst of Mary-Land On the Eastern shore of this Bay are divers convenient Harbours Creeks and Islands and Northward thereof is the entrance of Delaware Bay The original Seat and Principal City of this Province where the Provincial Courts the general Assembly the Secretaries office and other publick offices are held and where the seat of Trade is fixt is St. Maries situate in St. Maries County on the East-side of St. Georges River Here formerly at the Palace of St. Iohns the Governor Mr. Charles Calvert used to reside but he hath now a very pleasant and commodious habitation at a place called Mattapany upon the River Patuxent about eight miles from St. Maries here is also another fair house where the Chancellor usually resides There were also some years since in all the rest of the Counties the foundations of Towns laid which no doubt by this time are very near if not altogether compleated particularly in Calvert County near the River Patuxent 1. Calverton in Battle-creek 2. Harvy Town over against Point Patience 3. Herington upon the Cliffs As for the present Government of Mary-Land by the English the Lord Proprietor in the first place is invested as hath been mentioned with an absolute power and dominion by whose sole command all things relating to peace or War are ordered and in whose name issue forth all publick Instruments Patents Warrants Writs c. In the enacting of Laws he hath the consent and advice of the general Assembly which is made up of two Estates the first consisting of his Lorships Privy Council of which the Chancellor and Secretary alwaies are and such Lords of Manors as are called by his special Writ the other of the Deputies of each Province elected by the free voice of the Free-holders of the respective Province for which each Deputy is chosen The names of the present Governor the prime Officers of State and the rest of his Lordships Privy Council are as followeth the Governor Mr. Charles Calvert his Lordships Son and Heir the Chancellor Mr. Philip Calvert his Lordships Brother the Secretary Sr. William Talbot the Muster-Master General Mr. William Calvert Mr. Baker Brook all three his Lordships Nephews the Surveyor General Mr. Ierome White Mr. Edw. Lloyd Mr. Henry Coursy Mr. Thomas Trueman Major Edward Fitz-Herbert Mr. Samuel Chew Vast quantities of Tobacco the grand Trade of this Province of Mary-Land are yearly vended from hence not only in England but likewise in several of the other English Plantations besides the importation also of some other commodities to the great improvement of his Majesties Revenue by Custom and Excise The common way of traffick here is by barter or trucking of commodities one for anotherr though money is not altogether wanting as well of the coin of England and other parts as of his Lordships own Coin being stampt on the one side with his Lordships Coat of Arms with this circumscription Crescite Multiplicamini and on the other side with his Effigies and this circumscription Caecilius Dominus Terrae Mariae c. The Description of New-England WHat hath been said in General of the discovery of Virginia largely so called may in consequence be applyed to this Country of New-England being as above mentioned one of the three principal Colonies comprehended therein but in the year 1602 it began to be more particularly known a part from the rest from the discovery as some think of Captain Gosnold and in the year 1606 it was granted by Patent by King Iames to divers Lords and Gentlemen under the denomination of the Plymouth Company yet after that several that set out for this Plantation successively either miscarried or returned re infecta as first Captain Henry Chaloung who meeting with the Spanish Fleet that came from the Havana was with all his Company carried Prisoner into Spain Not long after Thomas â— Haman sent to the succour of Chaloung by Sr. Iohn Popham Lord cheif Iustice of England Next Captain Prinne set out by the Bristol Company whose Voyage though it had not its wisht success yet he returned with a farther discovery of the Coast than had been made before Not long after George Popham and Raleigh Gilbert were fitted out at the charge of Sir Iohn Popham with one hundred men who though they had seated themselves not uncommodiously in a Peninsula at the mouth of the River Sagadahoc and were upon making farther discoveries yet in the year 1608 upon the death of George Popham their Commander and soon after of the Lord Chief Iustice they returned into England notwithstanding supplies had but lately been sent them to the very great distaste of the chief promoters of the design and whereupon the French had taken occasion to plant themselves in these parts had they not been timely expelled by Sr. Samuel Argal from Virginia The next that attempted a settlement here was Captain Hobson who by reason of the opposition raised against him by two Natives whom having been detained some while in England he took back along with him upon an affront offered them by some of the English was forc't to return without effecting of any thing