homeward with his Wife he was drowned in a Tempest neer unto the Coasts of Radland 13 An. Dom. 1249. Raignald the Son of Olave and brother to Harold began his raign and on the thirtieth day thereof was slain by one Tvar a Knight in a Meadow neer unto the holy Trinity-Church and lieth buried in the Church of S. Mary of Russin 14 In the year 1252. Magnus the son of Olave came to Man and was made King The next year following he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a year 15 In the year 1265. Magnus Olaves son King of Man and of the Islands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buried in the Church of S. Mary of Russin 16 In the year 1266 the Kingdom of the Islands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots who had gotten into his hands the Western Islands and brought the Isle of Man under his dominion as one of that number 17 An. 1340. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury wrested it from the Scottish by strong hand and force of Arms and in year the 1393 as Thomas Walsingham saith he sold Man and the Crown thereof unto William Scroope for a great summe of money But he being beheaded for high Treason and his Goods confiscate it came into the hands of Henry the Fourth King of England who granted this Island unto Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland But Henry Piercy entring into open Rebellion the fifth year following the King sent Sir Iohn Stanley and William Stanley to seize the Isle and Castle of Man the inheritance whereof he granted afterwards to Sir Iohn Stanley and his Heirs by Letters Patents â—with the Patronage of the Bishoprick c. So that his Heirs and Successors who were honoured with the Title of Earls of Darby were commonly called Kings of Man HOLY ISLAND GARNSEY FARNE IARSEY HOLY-ISLAND CHAPTER XLV THis Island is called Lindisfarne by the River Lied that is opposite unto it on the Coast of Northumberland Beda termed it a Demâ—-Island The Britains name it Iuis Medicante for that it twice every day suffereth an exordinary inundation and over-flowing of the Ocean in manner of an Island which twice likewise makes it continent to the Land and returning unto her watry habitation lays the Shore bare again as before It is called in English Holy-Island for that in ancient times many Monks have been accustomed to retired themselves thither and to make it their receptacle for solitude having on the West and South Northumberland and more South Eastward the Island Farne 2 The form of it is long and narrow the West-side narrower than the East and are both conjoyned by a very small spang of Land that is left unto Conies The South is much broader than the rest It is from East to West about two thousand two hundred and fifty paces and from North to South twelve hundred and fifty paces so that the circumference cannot be great 3 The Air is not very good either for health or delight as being seated on those parts that are subject to extremity of cold and greatly troubled with vapouâ—s and foggy mists that arise from the Seas 4 The Soil cannot be rich being rocky and full of Stones and unfit for Corn and Tillage It is neither commended for Hills to feed Sheep nor Pastures to fat Cattel neither hath it Vallies replenished with sweet Springs or running Rivolets only one excepted descending from a standing Pond The only thing this Island yieldeth is a fit and accommodate aptitude for Fishing and Fowling 5 Notwithstanding this is very worthy of note concerning the same which Alcun wrote in an Epistle to Egelred King of Northumberland namely that it was a place more venerable than all the places of Britain and that after the departure of S. Paulinus from York there Christian Religion began in their Nation though afterwards it there felt the first beginning of misery and calamity being left to the spoil of Pagans and Miscreants 6 It is also remembred of this Island that sometime there hath been in it an Episcopal See which Aidan the Scot instituted being called thither to Preach the Christian Faith to the People of Northumberland being thus delighted with the solitary situation thereof as a most fit place for retirement But afterwards when the Danes rifled all the Sea-Coasts the Episcopal See was translated to Durham 7 This Island so small in account either for compass or commodity and so unpeopled and unprofitable cannot be numerous in Towns and Villages It hath in it only one Town with a Church and a Castle under which there is a commodious Haven defended with a Block-house situate upon an Hill towards the South-East FARNE-ISLE THis Isle South-Eastward seven miles from Holy-Island sheweth it self distant almost two miles from Brambrough Castle On the West and South it beareth upon Northumberland and on the North-east-side it hath other smaller Islands adjoyning to it as Widopons and Staple-Island which lie two miles off Bronsinan and two lesser than these which are called the Wambes 2 The Form of this Iâ—le is round and no longer in compass than may easily be ridden in one half of a day The breadth of it is but five miles and the length no more The whole circumference extends it self no further than to fifteen miles 3 The Air is very unwholsom and subject both to many Dysenteries and other Diseases by reason of the miâ—ty Fogs and Exhalations that are thereunto drawn up from the Ocean It is many times troubled with unusual Tempests of Winds with boisterous â—ury of stormy Rains and with several and uncouth rages of the Sea 4 The Soil cannot be fertile being incircled about with craggy Clifts â—either hath it in it much matter either of pleasure or profit It can neither defend it self from Cold lacking Fuel as Wood Coal Turffs c. Nor from Famine wanting Food as Corn Pastures Cattel c. The best Commodity it yields is Fish and Fowl 5 This thing nevertheless is worthy to be remembred of it which Beda writing of the Life of Cuthbert Bishop of Lindisfarne that Tutelar Patron of the Northern Eâ—glishmen reporteth namely that in this Isle he built a City fitting his Government and erected certain Houses in the same the whole building standing almost round in compass and reaching the space of four or five Pearches The Wall about it he made higher than a Mans height to with-hold and keep in the wanton lasciviousness both of his thoughts and eyes and to elevate the whole intention of his mind up to heavenly desires that he might wholly give himself to the service of God But these are all made the ruins of time as sithence many other Monuments have been of worthy Antiquity 6 I cannot report that there are now many Houses standing in it much less Towns or Villages Only this that it hath a Tower or Place of Fortification belonging unto it placed well-neer in the middle part of the Isle GARNSEY THis Island
Kenulph King of the West-Saxons came to his untimely end and at Lambeth the hardy Canute and last of the Danish Kings died among his Cups But as these places were fatal for the last breath of these Princes so other in this County have been graced with the body and beginning of other worthy Monarchs for in Cherâ—sey Abby King Henry the Sixth who was deposed and made away in the Tower of London was first interred without all â—uneral pomp but for his holy life was imputed a Saint and lastly translated and intombed at Winsor At Kingstone likewise stood the Chair of Majesty wherein Athelstan Edwin and Etheldred sate at their Coronation and first received their Sâ—epter of Imperial power Guildford likewise hath been far greater than now it is when the Palace of our English-Saxon Kings was therein set And seeing it is the midst of the Shire the graduation from thence shall be observed where for Latitude the Pole is raised from the degree 51 22 sâ—ruples and her Longitude from the West in the degree 20 and 2 scruples 7 Neither can we account Okam and Ripley two small Villages the least in this Shire which have brought forth the well known men William de Okam that deep Philosopher and admirable Scholar and George de Ripley the ring-leader of our Alchymists and mystical impostors both of them born in this County and very near together But why speak I of these sith a place nearer to sight and greater for â—ame even Lambeth is the High Seat of Ecclesiastical Government Piety and Learning and Palace of Canterburies Arch-bishops the Metropolitaâ—s of England First erected by Archbishop Baldwin and ever since hath been the residing of all those worthy Prelates of our Church who in a long succession even from Anno 596 have continued to him that now most worthily sits at the Churches stern Richard by Gods providence Lord Archbishop of that See a most faithfull and prudent Councellour unto King Iames and a most learned and provident Guide of our most flourishing Church whose gracious favour undeservedly conferred upon me hath been a great encouragement to these my poor endeavours 8 Memorable places of Battles fought before the Conquest were Wembledon where when the fulness of prosperity burst forth into Civil Dissentions among the Saxons a bloudy Battle was fought betwixt Cheaulin the West Saxon and young Ethelbert of Kent wherein he was discomfited and two of his principal Leaders slain about the year of Christ 560. and three hundred thirty three years after King Elfred with a small power overcame the Danes with a great slaughter at Farnham in this County which somewhat quelled the courage of his savage enemy 9 Religious Houses erected in this shire by the devotion of Princes and set apart from publick uses to Gods Divine Service and their own salvation as then was taught the best in account were Shene Chertsey Merton Newarke Rygats Waverly Horsleg and in Southwarke Bermundsey and S. Maries These all flourished with increase till the ripeness of their fruit was so pleasing in sight and taste unto King Henry the Eighth that in beating the boughs he brake down body and all ruinating those houses and seizing their rich possessions into his own hands So jealous is God of his honour and so great vengeance followeth the sin of Idolatry 10 In this Shire have stood eight fair and strong Castles such weâ—e Addington Darking Starburgh Rygate Gilford Farnham Goseford and Brenchingley but of greater State are Oking Otlands None-such and Richmond his Majesties Royal Mannors And for service to the Crown or Common-wealths imployments this Counties division is into thirteen Hundreds wherein are seated eight Market-Towns and one hundred and forty Parish-Churches SOUTHAMPTON HANT-SHIRE CHAPTER VI. HANT-SHIRE lying upon the West of England is bordered upon the North by Barkshire upon the East with Surrey and Sussex upon the South with the British Seas and Isle of Wight and upon the West with Dorset and Wilt-shire 2 The length thereof from Blackwater in the North upon Surrey unto Bascomb in the South upon the Sea extended in a right line is fifty four English miles and the breadth drawn from Petersfield in the East unto Tidworth in the West and confines of Wilt-shire is little less than thirty miles the whole circumference about one hundred fifty and five miles 3 The Air is temperate though somewhat thick by reason of the Seas and the many Rivers that through the Shire do fall whose plenty of Fish and fruitfull increase do manifoldly redeem the harmes which they make 4 The Soyl is rich sor Corn and Cattel pleasant for Pasturage and as plenteous for Woods in a word in all Commodities either for Sea or Land blessed and happy 5 Havens it hath and those Commodities both to let in and to lose out Ships of great burden in trade of Merchandise or other imployments whereof Portsmouth Tichfield Hamble and South-hampton are chief Besides many other creeks that open their bosoms into those Seas and the Coast strengthened with many strong Castles such as Hurst Calshot South-hampton S. Andrews Worth Porchester and the South Castle besides other Bulwarkes or Block-houses that secure the Countrey and further in the Land as Malwood Winchester and Odiam so strong that in the time of King Iohn thirteen Englishmen only defended the Fort for fifteen days against Lewis of Franca that with a great Host assaulted it most hotly 6 Anciently it was possest upon the North by the Segontians who yielded themselves to Iulius Caesar and whose chief City was Vindonum Caer Segonte now Silcester and upon the South by the Belgae and Regni who were subdued by Plausius and Vespasian the Romans where Titus rescuing his Father straightly besieged by the Britains as Dio and Forcatulus do report was grasped about with an Adder but no hurt to his person and therefore taken for a sign of good luck Their chief Town was Rincewood as yet sounding the name and more within Land inhabited the Manures as Beda calls them whose Hundreds also to this day gave a relish of their names 7 Near Ringwood and the place once YTENE from God and peoples Service to Feast and luxury thirty six Parish Churches were converted and pulled down by the Conquerour and thirty miles of circuit enforrested for his game of Hunting wherein his sons Richard and Rufus with Henry the second son to Duke Robert his first felt by hasty death the hand of Iustice and Revenge for in the same Forrest Richard by blasting of a Pestilent Air Rufus by shot taken for a Beast and Henry as Absalom hanged by a bough came to their untimely ends At so dear a rate the pleasures of Dogs and harbour for beasts were bought in the bloud of these Princes 8 The general Commodities gotten in this Shire are Wools Cloaths and Iron whereof great store is therein wrought from the Mines and thence transported into all parts of this Realm and their Cloaths and Karsies carried into many
Son of Syrric who raigned then in Man and honourably received him 2 The same year William the Bastard conquered England and Godred the Son of Syrric died his Son Fingal succeeding him 3 An. 1066. Godred Crovan assembled a great Fleet and came to Maâ— and fought with the people of the Land but received the worst and was overcome The second time renewing his Forces and his Fleet he sailed into Man and joyned Battel with the Manksmen but was vanquished as before and driven out of the Field Howbeit what he could not at first bring to pass with power in those two several onsets he afterward effected by policy For the third time gathering a great multitude together he arrived by night in the haven called Ramsey and hid three hundred men in a Wood which stood upon the hanging hollow brow of an Hill called Sceafull The Sun being risen the Manksmen put their People in order of Battel and with a violent charge encountred with Godred The fight was hot for a time and stood in a doubtful suspence till those three hundred Men starting out of the Ambush behind their backs began to foil the Manksmen put them to the worst and forced them to flie Who seeing themselves thus discomfited and finding no place of refuge leâ—t them to escape with pitiful lamentation submitted themselves unto Godred and besought him not to put the Sword such poor remainder of them as was left alive Godred having compassion on their calamities for he had been pursed for a time and brought up among them sounded a Retreat and prohibited his Host any longer pursuit He being thus possessed of the Isle of Man died in the Island that is called Isle when he had raigned sixteen years he left behind him three sons Lagman Harald and Olave 4 Lagman the eldest taking upon him the Kingdom raigned seven year His brother Harald rebelled against him a great while but at length was taken Prisoner by Lagman who caused his members of generation to be cut off and his eyes to be put out of his head which curelty this Lagman afterwards repenting gave over the Kingdom of his own accord and wearing the Badge of the Lords Cross took a journey to Ierusalem in which he died 5 An. 1075. All the Lords and Nobles of the Islands hearing of the death of Lagman dispatched Ambassadors to Murccard Oâ—brien King of Irelaâ—d and requested that he would send some worthy and industrious man of the Blood-Royal to be their King till Olave the son of Godred came to full age The King yielding to their request sent one Dopnald the son of Tade and charged him to govern the Kingdom which by right belonged to another with lenity and gentleness But after he was come to the Crown forgetting or not weighing the charge that his Lord and Master had given him swayed his place with great Tyranny committing many outrages and cruelties and so raigned three years till all the Princes of the Islands agreeing together rose up against him and made him flie into Ireland 6 An. Dom. 1111. Olave the son of Godred Craven aforesaid began his Raign and raigned forty years a peaceable Prince He took to wife Affrica the daughter of Fergus of Galway of whom he begat Godred By his Concubines he had Raignald Lagman and Harald besides many daughters whereof one was married to Summerled Prince of Herergaidel who caused the ruine of the Kings of the Islands On her he begat four sons Dulgal Raignald Engus and Olave 7 An. Dom. 1144. Godred the son of Olave was created King of Man and raigned thirty years In the third year of his Raign the People of Dublin sent for him and made him their King Which Murecard King of Ireland maligning raised War and sent Osibeley his half brother by the Mothers side with 3000 Men at Arms to Dublin who by Godred and the Dublinians was slain and the rest all put to flight These Atchievements made Godred returned to Man and began to use Tyranny turning the Noblemen out of their Inheritances Whereupon one called Thâ—rsin Otters son being mightier than the rest came to Summerled and made Dulgal Summerleds son King of the Islands whereof Godred having intelligence prepared a Navy of 80 Ships to meet Summerled And in the year 1156 there was a Battle fought at Sea on Twelfth day at night and many slain on both sides But the next day they grew to a pacification and divided the Kingdom of the Islands among themselves This was the cause of the overthrow of the Kingdom of the Isles 8 An. 1158. Summerled came to Man with a Fleet of fifty three Sail put Godred to flight and wasted the Island Godred upon this crossed over to Norway for aid against Summerled But Summerled in the mean time arriving at Rhinfrin and having gathered together a Fleet of 160 Ships coveting to subdue all Scotland by the just Iudgment of God was vanquished by a few and both himself and his son slain with an infinite number of people 9 The fourth day after Raignald began to raign but Godred coming upon him out of Norway with a great number of Armed Men took his Brother Raignald and bereft him both of his Eyes and Genital Members On the fourth Ides of November An. Dom. 1187. Godred King of the Islands died and his body was translated to the Isle of Ely He left behind him three sons Raignald Olave and Tvar He ordained in his life time that Olave should succeed him because he only was born legitimate But the people of Man seeing him to be scarce ten years old sent for Raignald and made him their King This caused great division and many turbulent attempts between the two Brethren for the space of thirty eight years which had no end till at a place called Tingualla there was a Battel struck between them wherein Olave had the Victory and Raignald was slain The Monks of Russin translated his Body unto the Abbey of S. Mary de Fournes and there interred it in a place which himself had chosen for that purpose 10 An. 1230. Olave and Godred Don who was Raignalds son with the Norwegiaus came to Man and divided the Kingdom among themselves Olave held Man and Godred being gone unto the Islands was slain in the Isle Lodaus So Olave obtained the Kingdom of the Isles He died the twelfth Calends of Iune Anno 1237. in Saint Patricks-Islands and was buried in the Abbey of Russin 11 Harold his Son succeeded him being fourteen years of Age and raigned 12 years In the year 1239 he went unto the King of Norway who after two years confirmed unto him his Heirs and Successors under his Seal all the Islands which his Predecessors had possessed 12 An. 1242. Harald returned out of Norway and being by the Inhabitants honourably received had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland The same year he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his Daughter In the year 1249 as he returned
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
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
seperated from Norfolk by the Rivers of the lesser Ouse and Waveney whose heads meet almost in the midst of her Verge and that very neer together the one taking course East and the other full West upon which part Cambridge-shire doth wholly confront The Soâ—th side is severed by Stoure from Essex and the East together washed with the German Seas 2 The Air is good sweet and delectable and in some parts of some of our best Phyâ—icians held to be the best in the Land the soyl is rich fruitful and with all things well replenished in a word nothing wanting for pleasure or profit 3 The Form thereof is somewhat Cressant shooting up narrower in the North and spreading wider towards the South whose broadest part is about twenty miles but from East to West much more for from Easton point the furthest of this Shire yea of all Britain into the Sea unto great Ouse River her Western bounder are forty five miles and the whole in Circumference about one hundred and forty six miles 4 Antiâ—ntly this part of the Island was possessed by the Iceni who as it seemeth by Tacitus joyned in Amity with the Romans a mighty people saith he and never shaken with wars before the reign of Claudius but then by Ostorius very vanquished though not without great slaughter of the Romans and in a battle against them M. Ostorius the son of the General won great honour in saâ—ing of a Roman Citizens life so ready were they to give and receive Honours to themselves but sleightly to pass over and to smother far greater exploits of the Britains which notwithstanding long in these parts they could not do for the wrongs of the Icenians growing intollerable who by the Roman Souldiers were put out of their rightful possessions their Princes accounted no better than Slaves and their Queen whipped in most ignominious manner under Bodâ—a they wrought their revenge as in the History Christ assisting shall be further related Next to these Icenians were the Saxons that got their footing into these parts and of them this with Norfolk Cambridge-shire and the Isle of Ely was made their East-Angles Kingdom though as it seemeth ever in subjection either to the Mercians or to the Kings of Kent whose off-spring ending in S. Edmund the Martyr after the Danes had laid it most desolate Edward the Elder subdued it unto his West-Saxons Monarchy and that likewise ending in King Edward the Confessor many Noble Normans got their possessions in these parts whose off-spring are plenteously replenished in this Shire to this day 5 The Commodities of this Shire are many and great Whereof the chiefest consisteth in Corn Cattle Cloth Pasturage Woods Sea-fish and Fowl and as Abba Floriensis hath depainted this County is of a green and passing fresh hue pleasantly replenished with Orchards Gardens and Groves thus he described it above six hundred years since and now we find as he hath said to which we may add their gain from the Pail whose Cheeses are traded not only throughout England but into Germany France and Spain and are highly commended by Pantaleon the Physitian both for colour and taste 6 And had Ipswiâ—h the onely eye of this Shire been as fortunate in her Sirname as she is blessed with commerce and buildings she might worthily have born the title of a City neither ranked in the lowest row whose trade circuit and seat doth equal most places of the Land besides It seemeth this Town hath been walled about both by a Rampire of Earth mounted along her North and West parts and places of entrance where Gates have stood which no doubt by the Danes were cast down in the year of Iesus Christ â—991 when they sacked with spoyl all these Sea coasts and again in the year one thousand laid the streets desolate and the houses on heaps yet afterwards recovering both breath and beauty her buildings from Stoke-Church in the South to Saint Margarets in the North now contain 1900 paces and from S. Helens in the East to S. Matthews Church in the West are no less than 2120 full of streets plenteously inhabited wherein are twelve Parish-Churches seated besides them suppressed such were Christ-Church S. Georges S. Iames the White the Black and Gray-Fryers The Site of this Town is removed from the Equator unto the degree 52 25 minutes and by Mercators observation from the first West-points 22 degrees 9 minutes and is yearly governed by two Bayliffs and ten Port-men all wearing Scarlet with twenty four of tâ—eir Common-Councel in Purple a Recorder a Town-Clerk five Serjeants whereof one is for the Admiralty a Beadle and Common Cryer all in blew with the Towns Arms on their sleeves The other eye of this Shire is S. Edmundsbury By Abbo the Royal-Town wherein at the day-break of the Saxons conversion Sigebert King of the East-Angles sounded a Christian Church and upon the occasion of King Edmunds burial who at Hoxon was shot to death hath been ever since called S. Edmundsbury where was built to his honour one of the fairest Monasteries in the world begun by King Canute much affrighted with the seeming appearance of that Martyrs Ghost who to expiate the sacrilegious impiety of his Father Suenus enriched the place with many endowments and offered up his own Crown upon the Holy Martyrs Tomb. For the beauty and buildings of this Abby and Town let Leyland for me declare The Sun saith he hath not seen a City more finely seated so delicately upon the easie ascent of an hill with a River running on the East side nor a more stately Abby either for revenues or incomperable magnificence in whose prospect appeareth rather a City than a Monastery so many Gates for entrance and some of them brass so many Towers and a most glorious Church upon which attend three others standing all in the same Church-yard all of them passing fine and of a curious workmanship Whose ruines lie in the dust lamenting their fall moving the beholders to pity their case Near unto this Town a great battle was fought by Robert Bossu Earl of Leicester against his Soveraign King Henry the second but was worthily overcome by Richard Lucy the Kings high Iustice himself and wife taken with many Flemings and Englishmen slain 7 Other places worthy of remembrance this County affords such is Exning in the West formerly famous for the birth of S. Audrâ—y daughter to King Anna one of the three names of the Shires division Renlisham in the East where Redwald the First Christian in this Kingdom held his Court and Hadley in her South where Guthrum the Dane whom Elfred baptized was buried And things of stranger note are the limits of the East-Angles Territories running along New-market-Heath vulgarly called the Devils-ditch the like fable is formerly told by Nubrigensis that at Wulpes in the heart of this Shire two green boyes of Satyres kind arose out of the ground from the Antipodes believe it if you will and Ralfe Coggeshall in the Monuments of
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
and Sea-shore of this Shire Harlech a Market and Mayor-Town standeth bleak enough and barren but only for Fowl and Fish Houses not many neither curiously built wherein â—tandeth a little Chappel decayed and without use in which lieth buried Sir Richard Thimbleby an English Knight who for the delight he took in that game removed his abode from a far better Soil Here also standeth a most strong and beautiful Castle mounted upon a Hill and with a double Bulwark walled about commanding the Sea and passage of entrance of such as seek to invade the Coast and surely a great pity it is to see so fair a Work fall to decay the Constable whereof by Patent is ever the Mayor of this Town near unto which are two great Inlets of Seas which at low water may be paâ—sed upon the Sands with Guides Upon whose Shore as upon the Sea Coasts in this County abundance of Herrings are caught for which cause they are much frequented in the season of the year by many People from divers Countries 7 This Town being the chiefest of the Shire The Pole shall be elevated only from thence whose height for Latitude standeth in the degree 53 29 minutes and for Longitude in the 15 47 minutes The whole being bivided into six Hundreds wherein are feared thirty seven Parishes-Churches DENBIGH and FLINT discribed DENBIGH-SHIRE CHAPTER XI DENBIGH-SHIRE called in Welsh Sire Denbigh retiring more from the Sea within the Country on this side of the River Conwey shooteth Eastward in one place as far as to the River Dee on the North first the Sea for a small space and then Flint-shire encompasseth it on the West Caernarvan and Merioneth shire on the East Cheshire and Shropshire and on the South Mountgomery shire 2 The form thereof is long growing wider still towards the North-West and narrower towards the East It is in length from East to West one and thirty miles and in breadth from North to South seventeen miles in the whole circuit and circumference one hundred and fourteen miles 3 The Air is very wholsome and pleasant yet bleak-enough as exposed to the winds on all sides and the high Hills wherewith it is in many places environed long retaining the congealed Snow The tops whereof in the Summer time are the Harvest-Mens Almanacks by the rising of certain Vapours thereon in the Mornings and foreshew a fair Day ensuing 4 The Soil is but barren towards the West-part yet the middle where it lieth flat in a Valley is most fertile The East-side when it is once past the Valley findeth Nature to be a very sparing niggard of her favours but next unto Dee it feeleth a more liberal extent of her blessings The West part is but here and there inhabited and mounteth up more than the other with bare and hungry Hills yet the leanness of the Soil where the Hills settle any thing flatting hath been now a good while begun to bâ— overcome by the diligent pains and careful industry of the Husbandmen for they parting away the upper Coat of the Earth into certain Turffs with a broad kind of Spade pile them up artificially on heaps and fire them so as being turned into Ashes and thrown upon the ground so pared they fructifie the hungry barrenness and sterility of Soil and make the Fields bring forth a kind of Rie or Amell-Corn in such plenty as is hardly to be believed 5 The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Ordâ—vices who being also named Ordevices or Ordovicae a puissant and couragious People by reason they kept wholly in a mountainous place and took heart even of the Soil it self for they continued longest free from the Yoke both of Roman and also of English dominion They were not subdued by the Romans before the dayes of the Emperour Domitian for then Iulius Agricolâ— conquered almost the whole Nation nor brought under the command of the English before the Reign of King Edward the First but lived a long time in a lawless kind of liberty as bearing themselves bold upon their own magnanimity and the strength of the Country 6 The Mountains of this County yield sufficiency of Neat Sheep and Goats The Valleys in most places are very plenteous of Corn especially Eastward on this side betwixt the Rivers of Alen and Dee But the most Westerly part is Heathy and altogether barren The heart of the Shire shews it self beneath the Hills in a beautiful and pleasant Vale reaching seventeen miles in length from South to North and five miles or thereabouts in breadth and lieth open only toward the Sea It is environed on every side with high Hills amongst which the highest is Moillenly on the top whereof is a warlike Fence with Trench and Rampier and a little Fountain of clear Water From these Hills the River Cluyd resorts unto this Vale and from the very Spring-head increased with Becks and Brooks doth part it in twain running through the midst of it whereof in ancient time it was named Strat-Cluyd for Marianus maketh mention of a King of the Strat-Cluyd of the Wâ—lsh And at this day it is commonly called Diffryn-Cluyd that is The Vale of Cluyd This thing is worthy observation as a matter memorable both for admiration and antiquity that in the Parish of Lan-sanan within this Country there is a place compass cut out of the main Rock by Mans hand in the side of a Stony Hill wherein there be four and twenty Seats to sit in some less some bigger where children and young men coming to seek their Cattel use to sit and to have their sports And at this day they commonly call it Arthurs Round Table 7 Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln obtaining Denbigh by the Grant of King Edward the First after the Conviction and Beheading of David Brother of Llewelin for High-Treason was the first that fortified it with a Wall about nor large in circuit but very strong and on the South-side with a fair Castle strengthned with many high Towers But he gave it over and left the work unfinished conceiving grief as a sorrowful Father that his only Son came to untimely death and was downed in the Well thereof The fame of this Town spreads it self far for repute aâ— being reckoned the most beautiful place in all North-Wales and it is of no less report for the Castle adjunct unto it is impregnable for fortification And this strange accident hapning there in the year 1575 deserves not to be omitâ—ed being left as a continual remembrance of Gods merciful Providence and preservation at that time that where by reason of great Earthquakes many People were put into great â—ear and had much harm done unto them both within and without their Houses in the Cities of â—ork Worcester Glocester Bristoâ— Hereford and in other Countries adjâ—cent yet in the Shire-Hall of Denbigh the Bell was caused to Toll twice by the shaking of the earth and no hurt or hindrance at all either done or received The government of this
Empire of the Romans in Britain began to decline and go downward some out of Ireland entred into this Isle by stealth and â—estled themselves there as may be gathered by certain mounts of earth entrenched about and yet to be seen which they call the Irish-mens Cottages as also by a place named of the Irish-men yâ— Hiericy Gâ—idid who did there as is recorded put the Britains to flight under the leading of Sirigus The Norwegians also were often infestuous to this Island but King Ethelreds Fleet having in the year 1000 scoured the Seas round about this Isle far exceeded all both Irish and Norwegian depopulations for they wasâ—ed the Country in all hostile manner 7 After this two Hughs both Normans did greatly afflict this Island The one being Earl of Chester the other of Shrewsbury at which very time Magnus the Norwegian arriving there shot Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury through with an Arrow and departed afâ—er he had ransacked the Island It was afterwards grievouslâ— infested by the Englishmen who never gave over from time to time to invade it until in the Reign oâ— King Edward â—â—e first it was wholâ—y broâ—ght under his subjection 8 The principal Town in this Isle is Beaumarish which the said King Edward the First built in the East-side thereof and for the fâ—â—r situation thâ—uâ—h in a Mooâ—ish-place gave it the name which it now beareth whereas in times past it was called Bonover which â—e also fortified with a goodly Caâ—tle 9 The Mayor is the chiefest Magistrate of the Town who is yearly chosen and hath the assistance and help of two Bailiffs two Sergeants at Mâ—ce and one Town-Clerk by whose careful diligence the affairs of this Town are orderly managed and commanded whose Latitude is 54 and Longitude 15 45 minutes 10 Not far from hence is Lhaanvais in times past a fair Religious House of the Friers Minors which although it be now in a manner rased out of memory yet antiquity maketh mention that it hath been of great regard among the Kings of England who hâ—ve shâ—wed themselves very bountiful Patrons unto that Covent both in respect of the sanctimonious life of such as conversed there as also because there the Bodies of very eminent persons as the Daughter of King Iohn the Son of a King of the Danes as likewise of many great Lords Knights and Squires were enterred that were slain in the Wars againâ—t the Welsh in the time of many illustrious Kings of England 11 This Isle is reckoned to have had anciently many Villagâ—s in it even to the number of three hundred threescore and three and the same even at this day is very well peopled The division of this Isle for disposition of affairs that belong either to the state of the Crown or to the condition of the Country is into six Hundreds in which are seated two Market-Towns and seventy four Parish-Churches for Gods Divine Honour and Worship CAERNARVON-SHIRE CHAPTER XIV CAERNARVON-SHIRE in Welsh Sire Caer-ar-vâ—n so called because it is just over against Anglesey which the Britains call Mon and in composition was termed also Snowden-Forrest before Wales was laid into Shires the North-side whereof and the West butteth upon the Irish-Sea the South-side is inclosed with Merioneth and the East with Denbigh shires from which it is severed by the River Conwey 2 The form thereof is much like a wedge long and narrow towards the South and growing still wider towards the North so that from Pevâ—nkel-point Southward to Orms-head-point Northward are forty miles from the River Conwey Eastward to the River Llâ—noy Westward miles twenty and the whole circumference one hundred and ten miles 3 The Air is sharp and piercing by reason that the Country hath not natural Provision to ensconce her self against the extremity of Winds and Weather but especially as may be thought through the continuance of the Snow on the Hills which also exclude the Suns aspect and warmth 4 The Soil cannot be much commended for the fertility except those parts of the Sea-coasts which lie on the West towards Ireland but for the heart of this Shire it is altogether mountainous as if nature had a purpose here by rearing up these craggy Hills so thick together strongly to compact the joynts of this our Island and to frame the Inland part thereof for a fit place of refuge to the Britains against those times of adversity which afterward did fall upon them for no Army though never so strongly or scarce any Travellers though never so lightly appointed can find passage among those so many rough and hard Rocks so many Vales and Pools here and there crossing all the ways as ready obstacles to repel any Inroads of forrain assailants These Mountains may not unfitly be termed the British Alps as being the most vast of all Britain and for their steepness and cragginess not unlike to those of Italy all of them towring up into the Air and round encompassing one far higher than all the rest peculiarly called Snowdon Hills though the other likewise in the saâ—â—e sense are by the Welsh termed Craig Eriry as much as Snowy Mountains taking their name as doth by Plinies testimony Niphates in Armenia and Imaus in Scythia For all the year long these lie mantelled over with Snow hard crusted together though otherwise for their height they are open and liable both to the Sun to dissolve them and the Winds to over-sweep them 5 The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Oâ—â—ovices of whom we have sufficiently spoken in the description of the former Provinces neither need I insist either upon the pleasures or profits that this Country yieldeth by reason of the great affinity it hath both of Climate and Commodities with Denbigh-shire and Flint-shire before mentioned But this beyond the other in some places breeds certain Shel-fishes which being conceived by an heavenly dew bring forth Pearls in ancient times more reckoned of than now they are 6 Touching places of note that City is very ancient which the Emperour Antonine callâ—â—h Segontium taking name of a River running by which at this day is called Sâ—â—ent some Reliques of the Walls whereof do yet appear neer unto a little Church consecrated to the honour of Saint Publicius This City Ninius calleth Caer Custenith which some interpret the City of Constantine Indeed Matthew Westminster saith how true I know not that Anno 1283. here was found the body of Constantius Father to Great Constantine which King Edward thâ— first caused to be sumptuously bestowed in the Church of the new City which he raised out of the ruins of the old and is now called Caernarvon which giveth name to this whole Shire The Town it self yieldeth a most excellent prospect towards the Sea and is incompassed in a manner round with the Walls of the Castle so as we may say it is a City within a Castle which taketh up the whole West-side of it and great pity it is that so famous a work should not be perpetuous
turneth Scotos into Scyttan and so saith Walsingham from one and the same original Scythae Scytici Scota Scotici take their names as from Geta Getici Gothi Gothici have done The Southren parte of Scotland wherin is y e strange Lake Lomund Petrus Kaerius caelavit 6 Their Manners were alike saith Diodorus Siculus and Strabo and their Garments not much different as by Sidonius Apollinaris may be gathered where he seemeth rather to describe the modern Wild-Irish than the antike Gete Notwithstanding this Nations Original by some hath been derived from Scota the supposed Daughter of the Egyptian King Pharaoh that nourished Moses afterwards married unto Gaithelus the Son of Cecrops Founder of Athens who first seating in Spain passed thence into Ireland and lastly into Scotland where his Wife Scota gave Name to the Nation if we believe that they hit the mark who shoot at the Moon 7 But that the Scythians came into Spain besides the Promontory bearing their name Scythicum Silius Italicus a Spaniard born doth shew who bringeth the Concani a Nation therein seated from the Massagetae which were the Scythians and the Sarmatae whom all confess to have been Scythians were the builders as he saith of the City Susanna in Spain And how from Spain they possessed themselves of Ireland at the time when the Kingdom of Iudah flourished Ninius the Disciple of Elvodugus doth tell and their own Histories of Nemethus and Delas besides Cisnerus and others do shew who were first known by the name of Scots as is gathered out of Porphyry alledged by S. Ierome in the Reign of Aurelianus the Emperour Gildas calleth them the Irish-Spoilers Giraldus A Scottish Nation descended from Ireland which in regard of them by Eginhardus is termed The Isle of Scots by Beda The Isle inhabited by the Scots and by other Historians Scotland the great as their seat in Britain was called Scotland the less The Eastern part of Scotland wherin ther are diuers Shires and the Vniversity of Aberdyn Petrus Kaerius caelavit 9 Scotlands South-part in Galloway washed with the water of Solway-Bay toucheth degree 56 of Latitude and thence imbosoming many Loughs and Inlets upon the East and West extendeth it self unto the degree 60 and 30 minutes whose Logitude is likewise laid betwixt the degree 13 and 19 and the same grown very narrow being so near the North-Pole as lying directly under the hinder-most Stars of the Greater Bear 10 The which Kingdom is divided into two parts by the great River Tay the South whereof is the more populous and more beautified in manners riches and civility the North more rude retaining the customs of the Wild-Irish the ancient Scot in whose several Territories these Counties ensuing are contained South Teifidale Merch Laudier Liddesdale Eskedale Anuandale Niddesdale Galloway Carricke Kyle Cunningham Arrar Cluidesdale Lennox Stirling Fife Stratberne Menteith Argile Cantire Lorne North. Loquabrea Braidalhin Perth Athol Anguis Merns Mar Buquhan Murrey Rosse Sutherland Cathanes Strathnavern Part of Scotland it is called of the înhabitance Stranauerne with his borderers Petrus Karius caelavit 1599. 11 And these again are subdivided into Sheriffdomes Stewardships and Bailiwicks for the most part Inheritory unto honourable Families The Ecclesiastical Government is also subject under two Metropolitan Arch-Bishops which are of S. Andrews the Primate of Scotland and of Glasco whose Iurisdictions are as followeth S. Andrews Dunkeld Aberdon Murray Dunblan Brechin Ross Cathenes Orkney Glasco Galloway Argile Iles. Amongst the things worthy of Note of Antiquity in this Kingdom most memorable was that Fortification drawn from Abercorne upon the Frith of Edenborougâ— unto Alcluyd now Dunbritton opening upon the West-Sea where Iulius Agricola set the limit of the Roman Empire past which saith Tacitus there was no other bounds of Britain to be sought for and that here the second Legion Augusta and the 20 Legion Victrix built a part of the Wall certain Inscriptions there digged up and reserved at Dunloyr and Cader do witness as also an ancient coped Monument of an high and round compass which as some think was a Temple consecrated unto the God Terminus others a Trophy raised by Carausius who fortified this Wall with seven Castles as Ninius doth declare The Iles of Hebrides w th ther borderers Petrus Kaerius caelavit 13 Ninian a Britain is recorded to have converted the South-Picts unto the Faith of Christ in the Reign of Theodosius the youâ—ger and the Church in Galloway bearing his name doth witness it so likewise in the same age Palladius sent from Pope Celestine became an Apostle unto the Scots whose Reliques lay enshrined at Fordon in Mernis as was verily supposed but that Christianity had been formerly planted in this uttermost Province is testified by Tertullian in saying the Britains had embraced the Faith further than the Romans had power to follow or persecute them whereupon Peter Monk of Clun in Spain concludeth their conversion to be more ancient than the Southern Britains 14 But touching things observable for the present surely admirable is the report of the plenty of Cattel Fish and Fowl there abiding their Neat but little yet many in number Fish so plentiful that men in some places for delight on Horse-back hunt Salmons with Spears and a certain Fowl which some call Soland-Geese spreading so thick in the Air that they even darken the Suns light of whose Flesh Feathers and Oyl the Inhabitants in some parts make great use and gain yea and even of Fishes brought by them abundant Provision for Diet as also of the Sticks brought to make their Nests plentiful provision for Fuel CATHANES and ORKNAY INS Petrus Kaerius caela 16 No less strange than any the fore-mentioned waters but more lamentable is the remembrance of the great inundation hapning by the sudden rising of Tay which bare away the Walls and Town of Berth and with it the Cradle and young Son of King William into the Sea wherein the Royal Infant with many others perished the King and his Courtiers hardly escaping the danger with life The ruine of this Town raised another more famous and more commodiously seated even Berth since called Saint Iohns-Town 17 Islands and Ilets yielding both beauty and subjection to this Scottish-Kingdom are the Western the Orkneys and the Shetlands reckoned to be above three hundred in number the Inhabitants for the most part using the frugality of the ancient Scot. 18 The Western lying scattered in the Deucalidonian Sea were anciently ruled by a King of their own whose maintenance was out of their common Coffers and the Regal Authority never continued in lineal succession for to prevent that their Kings were not permitted to have Wives of their own but might by their Laws accompany with other mens as the like Law was in the other parts of Scotland that the Virginity of all new Wives should be the Landlords prey till King Malcolme enacted that half a mark should be paid for redemption The residence of those fore-mentioned Kings was chiefly
Tillage This in general 10 Time hath not given way to many divisions of this America I find one only in the best Authors and that it seems nature marked out to their hands For she hath severed the Continent into two Peninsulae The one lieth North-ward from the Aequinoctial and is called Mexicana The other for the most part South-ward toward the Magellanick Straits and is called Peruviana Each of them are subdivided into their Provinces 11 Mexicana is the first and her bounds on the East and West are the Atlantick Ocean and Mare del Zur By the first it is severed from Europe and by the last from the Regions of China and Tartaria in Asia and is distant not above 250 miles if we measure the passage at the shortest cut On the South it hath the Peninsula Peruviana and North-ward we are not sure whether Sea or Land It comprehends in compass 13000 miles The quality of the Inhabitants and the riches of her soyl shall appear in her several Provinces which are numbred thus 1 Nova Hispania or Mexicana propria 2 Quivira 3 Nicarugua 4 Iacutan 5 Florida 6 Virginia 7 Norumbega 8 Nova Francia 9 Terra laboratoris or Corterilalis 10 Estotâ—landia 12 Nova Hispania or Mexicana propria is the largest Province of this North part of America and gave the name Mexiacana to the whole Peninsula which her self received from her chief City Mexico Her bounds South-ward is the Isthmus that joyns the Continents North-ward the same with the Peninsulaes on the West Califormia or Mar Viriniglio and on the East Incutan It was first possest by the Spaniard 1518. But it cost them much bloud to intitle their Kings Hispaniarum Reges It is an excellent Country full of all variety almost in every kind usual with us and exceeds in rarities full of wonder There is one tree which they dress like our Vine and order it so that it yields them almost all useful necessâ—ries The leaves serve them instead of Paper and of the Vine â—ark they make Flax Mantles Mats Shoes Girdles and Cordage She hath in her four principal Regions of note 1 Nova Galicia found out by Nunnus Gusmannus 1530. Her Cities are Compostella now a Bishops See Sancte Espritte and Guadalaiara The inhabitants lived at large heretofore without any government But since the Spaniard came they have endured incredible servitude and cruelty 2 Mechnacan a fertile Region the Inhabitants comely and witty Her chief Cities Sinsonse the place of their native Kings Pascuar and Valudolit the Bishops See 3 Mexico or Tomistian which contains in it the City of Mexico in compass six miles the seat of an Arch-Duke and the Spanish Viceroy and in it is an University a Printing-house and a Mint for coynage Other Cities there are Tescuvo and Angelorum Civitby 4 Ganstecan lying open on the East near Mare del Nort. It is but barren and the people poor but cunning The Spaniards have here two Colonies Panuce and S. Iames in the vallies 13 Quivira bordereth upon the West of the Continent towards Tartary It is temperate and fertile But the chief riches is the Kine which feed them with their flesh and cloath them with their Hides Her Provinces are Cibola and Nova Albion The last was discovered by our noble Sir Francis Drake and voluntarily yieded to the protection of our admired Queen of England Elizabeth 14 Nicarugua on the South-east of Nova Hispania had a kind of setled Common wealth before they knew Christianity and is reported to have a tree that withereth at a mans touch The chief Cities are now Granado and Leo a Bishops See 15 Incutan is situated over against the Isle Cuba upon the East of the Peninsula The people adored the Cross before they heard of Christ. The Country is indifferent fertile though that indeed as in all other places of this new World have proved worse for the Inhabitants for it hath drawn upon them their forraign Invadour 16 Florida lyeth near the Gulf of Mexico and bordereth upon the Mare del Nort. A pleasant Region it is and was discovered by our English under Sebastian Cuhbot 1497. out left for the Spaniard to posses which for a while he did and after him the French but neither in quiet For they warred upon each other till they left neither of them men enough to hold it The French built the City called Ara Corobina The Spanish Est Hevens and S. Matthews and planted there three Forts Saint Iames Saint Philip Saint Augustine which was burnt by Sir Francis Drake 1586. but recovered again 17 Virginia carries in her name the happy memory of our Elizabeth On the East it hath Mare del Nort on the North Norumbega Florida on the South and Westward the bounds are not set It was first entred by Sir Walter Raleigh 1584. and some at that time left there to discover the Country till more were sent but they perished before the second supply Since there have been many Colonies planted out of England which have there manured the ground and returened good Commodities to the Adventurers For indeed it is a rich Country in Fruits Trees Beasts Fish Fowle Mines of Iron and Copper Viens of Pitch Allum and Tar Râ—zin Gums Dies Timber c. The Plantation went on with good success till the year 1622. And then by the treachery of the Inhabitants there were murdered near upon three hundred of our men The Natives are very vile people horrible Idolaters adore the creature which they most fear and hate them which keep them not in awe they were kindly entreated by our English and invited by all friendly means to Christianity The North parts are most inhabited by our men and is therefore called New Eâ—gland It hath but one entrance by Sea at a fair Bay Her Capes are called Cape Henry and Cope Charls The chief Towns are Ianus Town Regnoughton and Balesguift 18 Norumbega on the North of Virgiâ—ia lyeth toward the Mare del Nort and is a very fertile Region It is inhabited by the Spanish and French The Seas are shallow and endanger many ships So full of Fish that the Boats cannot have free passage saith Maginus 19 Nova Francia is further North-ward from Norumbega a barren Country and the people barbarous some Anthropophagi A few French there are besides the Natives 20 Terra Laboratoris or Conterialis still more North-ward upon the Sea-coast and is divided from Norumbega by the River Lanada It reacheth into the Sea in form of a Pâ—niusula The men are barbarous live in Caves run swiftly and are good Archers The chief places are Bresto Cabo Marzo and South Maria. 21 Estotiland the last Province of the Northern Peninsula still creeps by the edge of the Atlantick and on the North hath the Straits called Fretum Daveissii an English man who this way attempted the North-west unto Cathai and China And in regard it was adventured in the name of our Queen the Promontory is called Elizabeths Fore-land and the Sea running by
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
the Romans in Citeriorem which lay nearest to their Territories and Vlteriorem which was all the extent beyond the River Iberus ad fretum usque Herculeum The second was by them too in Baeticum the whole tract beyond the River Ana South-ward 2 Lusitanium Northward toward the Cantabrick Ocean and 3 Terraconensem Eastward joyning upon France When the Moors enjoyed it they rent it into twelve parcels a multitude of petty royalties Arragon Catalonia Valentia Castile Toledo Biscay Leon Gallicea Murcia Navarre Corduba and Portugal And these yet retain the name of Kingdoms but their government was long ago recovered into the hands of five which bare the titles of Castile Arragon Granada Navarre and Portugal It was of latter times contracted into the three Kingdoms of Arragon Castile and Portugal but is in the power of one King called the Catholick King of Spain We stand to this last division as most proper for our times and best befitting my brief Discourse Give me leave to add the Islands which lie near to each Kingdom 11 The present state of Arragon comprehends three of those Kingdomes as it was scattered by the Moors and Sarazens 1 Arragon it self which lieth on the South of Navarre on the East of Castile on the North of Valentia and the West of Catalonia The ancient Inhabitants were the Iaccetani Lutenses and Celtiberi her chief City Caesar Augusta 2 Catalonia It lieth betwixt Arragon and the Pyrenâ—an hills It is supposed a mixt name from Gothi and Alani people which heretofore possest it after the Vandals had lost their hold The Region is but barren yet it hath in it many Cities the chief Terra cona which gave name to the whole Province called by the Romans Terraconenses 3 Valentia which on the East is touched with the Mediterraneum on the North with Castile on the South with the Kingdom of Murcia It is reported for the most pleasant and fruitful Region in all Spain it hath her name from her chief City and as Maginus relates admits as yet of 22 thousand Families of Moors In this is the University where S. Dominick Father of the Dominicans studied and the old Saguntum besieged by Hannibal now Morvedre 12 The state of Castile as now it stands comprehends all the rest of those scattered Governments as were possest by the Moors Portugal only excepted And first Castile it self both the old which joyns with Arragon on the East of Portugal and the west of Navarre and the new which toucheth her upon the South The first abounds not much with fruits but yet it breeds many Cattel The Metropolis is Burgos and the other chief are Salamanca an University and Valadolit once the seat of the Kings of Spain Now Castile abounds more with Corn is watered with the River Tagus and Ana And in this stands the Kings chief Cities Madrid and Toledo which was heretofore a propriatory of it self The rest that belong to Castile are 2. Toledo however now but a City of new Castile yet in the division her Territories spread themselves over a large compass The City is in the midst of Spain It was the seat of the Gothish Kings and successively of the Moorish Princes now of the Arch-Bishops who exceed in Revenues any other Prelate in the world except the Pope Here hath sate eighteen National Councils in the time of the Gothish Kings 3. 13 Biscay heretofore Cantabria on the North of old Castile toward the Ocean it was the last people which yielded to the Romans and after to the Moors A Mountainous Countrey but affords excellent Timber for ships and good Iron Her Cities are S. Sebastian Fonterabia and Bilbao which stands but two miles from the Sea and is noted for excellent Blades some have been tried by the English upon their own Crests 4. 14 Leon heretofore Austria on the East hath Biscay on the West Gallicia on the North the Cantabrick Ocean and on the South old Castile The Region is reported to yield plenty of Gold Vermilion red Lead and other Colours else she is barren her inhabitants not many and those live most upon Hunting and Fishing It is the title of the eldest Son of Castile as Wales is to our Prince of England Her chief City is Oveido which bears part with her in the name of a Kingdom and indeed was the Title of the first Christian King after the Moors Conquest 15 Gallicia on the East joyns upon Leon on the West it is bounded with the Atlantick Ocean on the North with the Cantabrick and on the South with the River Mingo It breeds Iennets in abundance insomuch that they have been Poetically feigned to be conceived by the wind Niger writes that here hath been an incredible plenty of Gold Lead and Silver that the Rivers are full of a mixt earth and that the Plough could scarce wag for clods of Golden Ore There appears now no such matter The principal Cities are Saint Iago where S. Iames the Apostle lieth buried his Reliques kept worshipped and visited by Pilgrims And the other of note especially with us is Corugna an excellent Port for Ships and mentioned oft in our wars with the Spaniards by the name of the Groyne Here likewise is the Promontory Nerius called by our Mariners Capo de finis terrae 16 Murcia on the North hath new Castile on the South and East the Spanish Seas It is not much peopled but yet is famous for several commodities especially for pure earthen Vessels and fine Silk Heretofore it enriched the Romans with a daily supply of 25000 Drachmae of silver Her chief places are Alicante whence our Alicant Wines come and new Carthage oft commended by our Travellers for her large and safe Haven and lastly Murcia a Town which gives name to the whole Region 17 Navarre lieth close to the Pirenaean Hills and as Maginus gives it is enclosed with Mountains and so it is North and East on the West it hath the River Ebro and on the South Arragon The Vascones are said to have lived here who afterward placed themselves in France and kept there their name to this day of Vascones corruptly Gascoigns The chief Towns are Bampelme the Metropolis and Viana the title of the Navarran Prince Maginus sets the Revenue annual of this Kingdom at 100000 Duckets 18 Corduba now a City only heretofore a Kingdom and included Andaluzia Granada and Estremadura Equalized almost the whole Province which the Romans in their second division called Baetica Andaluzia hath lost but one Letter of her name since she was possest by the Vandales From them she was first called Vandalicia since Andalicia corruptly Andaluzia It lieth on the west of Granada and is a very fertile Countrey In this Region is the chief City Corduba whence we receive our Cordavan Leather The second of note is Sevil the Metropolitan of Andaluzia and the fortunate Islands esteemed the goodliest City in all Spain and though as Corduba it was not honoured with the Title of a Kingdom