a vain labour according to the Rule in Logick frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora But seeing the owner of that House had his harmless humour therein and paid dear no doubt to his Workmen for the same There is no cause that I or any other should find fault therewith The Buildings I have presented the Portraicture of the Church of Lichfield in my Church-History with the due praise of the neatness thereof But now alas the Body thereof is become a very carcase ruined in our late Civil Wars The like Fate is likely to fall on the rest of our Cathedrals if care be not taken for their reparations I have read of Duke d'Alva that he promised Life to some Prisoners but when they petitioned Him for food he returned he would grant them life but no meat by which Criticism of courteous cruelty the poor people were starved If our Cathedrals have only a Bare Being and be not supplied with seasonable repairs the daily â—…ood of a Fabrick soon will they be famished to nothing As for the Close at Lichfield I have been credibly informed that the Plague which long had raged therein at the first shooting of Canon at the Siege thereof did abate imputed by Naturalists to the violent purging of the Air by the Bullets but by Divines to Gods goodness who graciously would not have two Miseries of War and Plague afflict one small Place at the same Time Pass we now to Civil Buildings in this Shire TUTBURY CASTLE is a stately place and I dare take it on the credit of an excellent Witness that it hath a brave and large Prospect to it in it and from it Northward it looks on pleasant Pastures Eastward on sweet Rivers and rich Meadowes Southward on a goodly Forest and many Parks lately no fewer than twelve belonging thereto or holden thereof It was formerly the Seat of the Lord Ferrars Earl of Derby and how it was forfeited to the Crown is worth our observing Robert de Ferrars Earl of Derby siding with Simon Mumford against King Henry the Third was fined at fifty thousand pounds to be paid Pridie Johan Baptist. next following I know not whether more to admire at the suddeness of payment or vastness of the Sum seeing an hundred thousand pounds was the Randsom set by the Emperour on our King Richard the First and it shaked all the Coâ—…ers of England in that Age without the help of Church-plate to make it up Well these Lords following were the security bound for the Earls true payment at the time appointed 1 Henry son to Rich. King of the Romans 2 Will. Valence Earl of Pembroke 3 John de Warren Earl of Surrey 4 Will. Beauchampe Earl of Warwick 5 Sir Roger de Summary 6 Sir Thomas de Clare 7 Sir Robert Waâ—…ond 8 Sir Roger Clifford 9 Sir Hamond le Strange 10 Sir Bartholomew de Sudeley 11 Sir Robert Bruse all being then Barons of the Land But Earl Robert unable to advance the money at the time appointed and unwilling to leave the Lords his Bail under the Kings lash surrendred his Lands and Tutbury Castle amongst the rest to the clear yearly value of three thousand pounds into the Kings hands redeemable when he or his Heirs should pay down on one day fifty thousand pounds which was never performed The English Clergie much pittied John the son of this Earl Robert who presented a petition to the Pope informing his Holiness that the English Clergie were willing to give him money by way of Contribution to redeem his Estate but durst not because commanded to the contrary under the pain of the Popes curse And therefore he craved his Apostolical Indulgence therein Something I find was restored unto him but Tutbury was too sweet a morsel to return being annexed to the Dutchy of Lancaster John of Gaunt built a fair Castle there walled on three sides by Art and the fourth by its natural steepness DUDLEY CASTLE must not be forgotten highly and pleasantly seated and in the reign of King Edward the Sixth well built and adorned by John Dudley Duke of Northumberland whereon a story worth the reporting doth depend The afore-said Duke deriving himself who truly not yet decided from a younger Branch of the Lord Dudley thirsted after this Castle in regard of the name and the honourableness of the House some having avouched that the Barony is annexed to the lawful possession thereof whether by purchase or descent Now finding John Sutton the Lord Dudley Grand-father to the last Baron a weak man exposed to some wants and intangled with many debts he by the help of those Money-Merchants wrought him out of his Castle So that the Poor Lord turned out of doores and left to the charity of his Friends for subsistance was commonly called the Lord Quondam But after the execution of that Duke Queen Mary sympathizing with Edward the son of this poor Lord which Edward had married Katharine Bruges her maid of Honour and sister to the Lord Shandois restored him to the Lands and Honour which justly belonged to his Father Proverbs In April Doves flood Is worth a Kings good DOVE a River parting this and Derby-shire when it overfloweth its Banks in April is the Nilus of Staffordshire much Battling the Meadowes thereof But this River of Dove as overflowing in April feeds the Meadowes with fruitfulness so in May and June choakes the sand grain'd with Grit and Gravel to the great detriment of the owners thereof Wotton under Weaâ—…er Where God came never It is time that this old prophane Proverb should die in mens mouths for ever I confess in common discourse God is said to come to what he doth approve to send to what he only permits and neither to go nor send to what he doth dislike and forbid But this distinction if granted will help nothing to the defending of this prophane Proverb which it seems took it's wicked original from the situation of Wotton so covered with Hills from the light of the Sun a dismal place as report representeth it But were there a place indeed where God came never how many years purchase would guilty consciences give for a small abode therein thereby to escape Divine Justice for their offences Saints Authors do as generally agree about a grand Massacre committed by the Pagans under Dioclesian on the Brittish Christians in the place where Litchfield now standeth I say they as generally agree in the fact as they disagree in the number some making them Two hundred others five others seven And one Author certainly he was no Millenary in his Judgement mounts them to just 999. Indeed many were martyred in those dayes both in Brittain and elsewhere whose names and numbers are utterly unknown so true is the expression of Gregory the Great Ipse sancti Martyres Deo numerabiles nobis arenam multiplicati sunt quia quot sint a nobis comprehendi non possunt novit enim
far stronger in Consort when Compounded with other things then when singly it self A mass of this Ambergreese was about the third year of King Charles found in this County at Low water close to the shore of the Mannor of Anthony then belonging to Richad Carew Esquire Garlick Here is a great and sudden fall indeed from the sweetest of Gums to the most stinking of Roots Yet is not the distance so great if the worth of Garlick be such as some have avouched it Not to speak of the murmuring Israelites who prized it before Manna it self some avow it Soveraign for men and beasts in most Maladies Indeed the scent thereof is somewhat Valiant and Offensive but wise men will be contented to hold their noses on condition they may thereby hold or recover their health Indeed a large book is written de esu allii which if it hold proportion with truth one would wonder any man should be sick and dye who hath Garlick growing in his Garden Sure I am our Palate-people are much pleased therewith as giving a delicious Hault-gust to most meats they eat as tasted and smelt in their Sauce though not seen therein The best Garlick is about Stratton in this County Pilchards Plenty hereof are taken in these parts persecuted to the shore by their enemies the Tunny and Hake till in pursuance of their private revenge they all become a prey to the Fisherman The Pilchard may seem contemptible in it self being so small though the wit of the vulgar here will tell you they have seen many Pilchards an ell-long understand it laid at length head and tail together Their numbers are incredible imploying a power of poor people in Polling that is Beheading Gutting Splitting Powdering and Drying them and then by the name of Fumadoes with Oyle and a Lemon they are meat for the mightiest Don in Spain I wish not onely their nets but fish may hold suspecting their daily decay their shoals usually shifting coasts and verging more westward to Ireland Other fish here be which turn to good account all welcome to Fishermens hooks save the Star-fish esteemed contagious Blew-Slate These are commonly found under the Walling-Slate when the depth hath brought the workmen to the water They are thin in substance clear in colour light in weight and lasting in continuance Generally they carry so good a regard that besides the supply of home-provisions great store of them are imported into other parts of the land and transpotted into France and the Low-Countries All that I have to say of Slate is that Cinyra the son of Agriopae is said first to have found them in Cyprus for the Covering of Houses Tinne The most and best in Christendome this County doth produce Yea it was the Onely Tinne in Europe untill a Fugitive Miner running hence discovered Tinne in Voiteland in the Confines of Bohemia God may be said in this County to rain Meat such the plenty thereof and give Dishes too made of Pewter which hath Tinne for the Father and Lead for the Mother thereof and in our Age doth Matriza◅e too much Vast their Expence in making their Addits understand them Addresses and Accesses to the Mine with Dressing Breaking Stamping Drying Crazing Washing and Melting all plentifully repayed in the Selling of it The discovery of many of these Mines have been very remarkable for some have gained more Sleeping then others Waking having dreamt that in such Impropable places Tinne was to be found and pursuing such Directions have found it accordingly The Poet we know faineth Two Ports of Dreames Sunt geminae somni portae quarum altera ◅ertur Cornea quaveris facilis datur exitus umbris Altera Candenti perfecta nitens Elephanto Sed falsa ad Coelum m◅ttunt insomnia manes Dreames have two Gates one made they say of Horn By this Port pass true and Prophēticks Dreames White Ivory the other doth adorne By this false Shades and lying Fancies streames Strange that the Best Gate for matter Ivory should present the Worst false Dreames It seems these Cornish Dreames passed through the Horny Gate which fell out so happily that thereby many have been inriched and left great Estates to their Posterity I cannot take my leave of these Tinners untill I have observ'd a strange practice of them that once in seven or eight years they burn down and that to their great profit their own Melting houses I remember a merry Epigram in Martial on one Tongilian who had his house in Rome casually reputed burnt and gained ten times as much by his friends contribution to his loss Collatum est decies Rogo non potes ipse videri Incendisse tuam Tongiliane domum Gaining ten fold tell truly I desire Tongilian did'st not set thy house on fire But here the Tinners avow themselves incendiaries of their own houses on a profitable account For during the Tinnes melting in the blowing-house diverse light sparkles thereof are by the forcible wind which the bellows sendeth forth driven up to the thatched roof on the burning whereof they find so much of this light Tinne in the ashes as payeth for the new building with a gainfull overplus The Buildings Master Attorney Noy was wont pleasantly to say that his house had no fault in it save onely that it was too near unto London though indeed distanced thence full three hundred miles in the remoter part of this County But seriously one may say and defend it that the distance of Cornwall from that Metropolis is a Conventent Inconveniency As for the structure of their Houses they are generally but mean though the Nobility and Gentry have hansome habitations and amongst them none excelleth Mount-Edgecomb◅ It was built by Sir Richard Edgecomb Knight take his Character from one who very wel knew him mildness and stoutness diffidence and wisdom deliberateness of undertakings and sufficiency of effecting made in him a more commendable then blazing mixture of vertue In the Raign of Queen Mary about the year 1555. he gave entertainment at one time for some good space to the Admirals of the English Spanish and Netherland and many Noble men besides A passage the more remarkable because I am confident that the Admiralls of those Nations never met since if ever before amicably at the same Table Mount-Edgcombe was the Scene of this Hospitality a house new built and named by the aforesaid Knight a square Structure with a round Turret at each end Garretted on the top The Hall rising above the rest yieldeth a stately sound as one entereth it the Parlour and Dyning-Roome afford a large and diversified prospect both of Sea and Land The high scituation cool in Summer yet not cold in Winter giveth Health the Neighbour River wealth Two Block-houses great safety and the Town of Plymouth good company unto it Nor must I forget the fruitful ground about it pleasure without profit is but a flower without a root stored with Wood Timber Fruit Deer and Gonnies a
On the South 1. Cambridgeshire 3. Warwickshire 4. Lincolnshire 7. Bedfordshire 2. Huntingtonshire  5. Rutland 8. Buckinghamshire   6. Leicestershire 9. Oxfordshire It is as fruitful and populous as any in England insomuch that sixteen several Towns with their Churches have at one view been discovered therein by my eyes which I confess none of the best and God grant that those who are sharper sighted may hereafter never see fewer Sure I am there is as little wast ground in this as in any County in England no Mosses Mears Fells Heaths Whitering but a Beauty spot which elsewhere fill so many Shires with much emptiness Northamptonshire being an Apple without Core to be cut out or Rind to be pared away Northamptonshire challengeth that all the Rivers running through or by it are its Natives as bred in it which argueth the elevation and height of the ground thereof which I believe no other County in England can say Besides it lendeth two considerable Rivers Avon to Warwick and Cherwell to Oxfordshire The language of the common people is generally the best of any Shire in England A proof whereof when a Boy I received from a hand-labouring-man herein which since hath convinced my Judgement We speak I believe said he as good English any Shire in England because though in the singing Psalms some words are used to make the Meeter unknown to us yet the last translation of the Bible which no doubt was done by those learned men in the best English agreeth perfectly with the common speech of our Country Know Reader that Doctor Bowle my worthy friend and most skilful Botonographist hath taken notice of a Heath in this County nigh to Stamford whereof he giveth this commendation as fine a place for variety of rare Plants as ever I beheld Who I am sure hath seen in this kind as much both here and beyond the Seas as any of his age and profession Natural Commodities Now though this Shire shares as largely as any in those profits which are generall to England Grass Corn Cattle c. Yet it is most eminent for Salt-peter In latine Sal Petrae rather so called because exudat è petris it usually sweats out of rocks then because it is wrought up at the last to a rocky or a stony consistency Some conceive it utterly unknown to the ancients which learned Hoffman will not allow onely it was disguised unto them under the name of Sal nitrum though our modern use was unknown unto them that Pulvis nitrosus or Gun-powder might be made thereof It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what will easily take fire the best Test of the goodness thereof But why is Salt-peter common to all Counties insisted on in Northamptonshire Because most thereof is found in Dove-houses and most Dove-houses in this great Corn County Yet are not those Emblemes of innocency guilty in any degree of those destructions which are made by that which is made thereof All that I will adde of Salt-peter is this I have read in a learned Writer that Salt-peter-men when they have extracted Salt-peter out of a floor of earth one year within three or four years after they find more generated there and do work it over again Pigeons These of all fowls live most sociably in a Common-wealth together seeing their government is not as Bees Monarchical They are generally reported without gall understand it their gall is not sequestred into a distinct vessel as in other creatures Otherwise we find the effects thereof in their animosities among themselves whose Bills can peck as well as kiss as also if their Crops be not clearly drawn in the bitterness of their flesh They are most swift in flight and the steerage of their Tails conduceth much to their steddy mounting upright An envious man having caught his neighbours Pigeons in a Net feeding on his Stack pluck'd off their Tails and let them go Which though they could fly forward home yet were soon after found dead in the Dove coat famished for want of food as unable to fly up perpendicularly and so out at the Lover Pigeons against their wills keep one Lent for seaven weeks in the year betwixt the going out of the old and growing up of the new grain Probably our English would be found as docible and ingenious as the Turkish Pigeons which carry letters from Aleppo to Babilon if trained up accordingly But such practices by these Wingposts would spoil many a Foot-post living honestly by that painful vocation I find a grievous Indictment drawn up against the poor Pigeons for felony as the grand plunderers of grain in this Land My Author computing six and twenty thousand Dove-houses in England and Wales and allowing five hundred pair in each House four bushels yearly for each pair hath mounted the annual wast they make to an incredible sum And if the moity of his proportions hold true Doves may be accounted the causers of dearth and justly answer their Etimology in Hebrew Jonah which is deduced from a root signifying to spoil or to destroy The Advocates for Pigeons plead that they pick up such loose corn which otherwise would be lost and uselesly troden into the earth that probably Divine Providence which feedeth the fowls by some natural instinct directeth them to such grain which would be barren and fruitless that their dung incredibly fruitful for the manuring of ground abundantly recompenseth the spoil done by them However if Pigeons be guilty of so great stealth they satisfie the law for the same being generally kill'd for mans meat and a corrected-pigeon let blood under both wings is both pleasant and wholesome nourishment The Manufactures This County can boast of none worth naming whereof this the reason sufficient the fruitfulness thereof in Corn Grass and what not necessary for nature for it 's plentiful subsistance The Elder Brother who hath the inheritance of his own to maintain him need not to be bound an Apprentice let the younger turn Trades-man and inlarge his narrow portion by his inaustry It is enough for Northamptonshire to sell their Wooll whilst that other Countrys make cloath thereof I speak not this though it be my Native â—…ountry to praise Northamptonshire men for not using but that Northamptonshire men may praise God for not needing Manufactures However the Town of Northampton may be said to stand chiefly on other mens Leggs where if not the best the most and cheapest boots and stockens are bought in England I am credibly informed by a good friend that the Manufacture of Cloathing hath by prudent and able persons been endeavoured effectually understand me in design not success in this County and yet though fine their Wool their Cloath ran so coarse it could not be sold without loss Thus God hath innated every Country with a Peculiar Genius and when Art crosseth Nature neither succeed but both exceed where both concurre Buildings As Saint Peter hath the Primacy of all the other Apostles
Yet such additions discoverable in the former part with Asterisks in the Margent with some Antiquaries obtain not equal Authenticalness with the rest This eminent Translator was Translated to a better life Anno Dom. 16 ... FRANCIS HOLYOAKE latining himself de sacra Quâ—…rcu and Minister of Southam born at Witacre in this County He set forth that staple Book which School-boys called Riders Dictionary This Rider did Borrow to say no worse both his Sâ—…ddle and Bridle from Thomas Thomatius who being bred Fellow of Kings-colledge in Cambridge set forth that Dictionary known by his Name then which Men have not a Better and Truer Children no Plainer and Briefer But Rider after Thomas his death set forth his Dictioâ—…ary the same in effect under his own Name the property thereof being but little disguised with any Additions Such Plageary ship ill becometh Authors or Printers and the Dove being the Crest of the Stationers Armes should mind them not like Rooks to filch copies one from an other The Executors of Thomas Thomaâ—…us entring an Action against Rider occasioned him in his own defence to make those Numerous Additions to his Dictionary that it seems to differ rather in Kind then Degree from his first Edition I am forced to place this Child â—…ather with his Guardian then Father I mean to mention this Dictionary rather under the name of Master Holyoake then Rider both because the residence of the latter is wholly unknown unto me and because Mr. Holyoakâ—… added many as his learned Son hath since more wonders thereunto This Master Holyoake died Anno Dom. 16 ... JAMES CRANFORD was born at Coventry in this County where his father was a Divine and School-Master of great note bred in Oxford beneficed in Northampton shire and afterwards removed to London to Saint Châ—…istophers A painfull Preacher an exact Linguist subtill Disputant Orthodox in his Judgement sound against Sectaries well acquainted with the Fathers not unknown to the School-men and familiar with the Modern Divines Much his Humility being James the less in his own esteeme and therefore ought to be the Greater in Ours He had as I may say a Broad-chested Soul favourable to such who differed from him His Moderation increased with his Age Charity with his Moderation and had a kindness for all such who had any goodness in themselves He had many choise books and not like to those who may lose themselves in their own libraries being Owners not Masters of their books therein had his books at such command as the Captain has his Souldiers so that he could make them at pleasure goe or come and do what he desired This lame and loyall Mephibosheth as I may terme him sadly sympathizing with the sufferings of Church and State He died rather infirme then old Anno 1657. Romish Exile Wâ—…iters WILLIAM BISHOP was born in this County saith my Auther ex Nobili Familia Enquiring after his Surname in this Shire I find one John Bishop Gentleman Patron of Brails in this County who died Anno 1601. Aged 92. Being a Protestant as appeareth by his Epitaph who according to Proportion of time might in all Probability be his father the rather because he is said Parentes ampli Patrimonii spem reliquisse to have left his Parents and the hope of a fair Inheritance Reader a word by the way of the word Nobilis which soundeth high in English ears where Barons youngest children are the lowest step of Nobility whilst Nobilis from the Pen of a foraigner generally importeth no more then an ordinary Gentleman It is not long since my weakness was imployed to draw up in Latin a Testimoniall for a high German who indeed was of honourable extraction and according to direction I was advised to style him Generosissimum ac Nobilissimum For Generosus which runneth so low in England in Saxony doth carry it clear as the more honourable Epithet Thus Words like Counters stand for more or less according to Custome Yea Latine words are bowed in their Modern senses according to the acception of severall Places This Bishop leaving the Land went first to Rhemes then to Rome where he was made Priest and being sent back into England met with variety of success 1. Being seized on He was brought before Secretary Walsingham and by him committed to the Marshalsey 2. After three years being bâ—…nished the Realm he became a Doctor of Sorbâ—… 3. He returned into England and for nine years laboured in the Popish Harvest 4. By their Clergy he was imployed a Messenger to Rome about some affairs of importance 5. His business dispatch'd he returned the third time into England and after eight years industry therein to advance his own Cause was caught and cast into Prison at London where he remained about the year 1612. 6. Soon after he procured his Enlargement and Anno 1615. lived at Paris in Collegio Atrebatensi Men of his Perswasion cry him up for a most Glorious Confessor of theâ—… Popish faith who if any goodness in him should also be a Thankfull Confessor of the Protestant Charity permitting him twice to depart Prison on hope of his amendment though so Active an Instrument against our Religion No such courtesy of Papists to Protestants Vestigia nulla retrorsum No return especially the second time out of durance The first disease being dangerous but deadly their Relaps into a Prison but perchance this William Bishop found the more favour because our Church men accounting it toâ—… much severity to take away both his Credit and his Life both to Conquer and Kill him seeing this Priest whilst in Prison was often worsted though his Party bragged of victory both by Tongues and Pens in Disputings and Writings of severall Protestants amongst whom Robert Abbot afterwards Bishop of Salisbury gave him the most fatall Defeat The certain date of his death is to me unknown Benefactors to the Publick HUGH CLOPTON was born at Stratford a fair Market Town in this County bred a Mercer in London and at last Lord Mayor thereof Anno 1491. Rememâ—…g 〈◊〉 his Native Town stood on Avon a River in Summer and little Sea in Winter â—…oublesome for Travellers to pass over he in liew of the former inconventent 〈◊〉 built a stately and long Stone-bridge of many Arches over the Channel and Overflowings thereof I behold this Bridge more usefull though less costly then what Caligula made termed by Suetonius novum inauditum spectaculi genus reaching from Putzol to Bauly three miles and a quarter This was only a Pageant-bridge for Pompe set up to be soon taken down whereof Lipsius said well Laudem immenso operi vanitas detraâ—…it But our Cloptons Bridge remaineth at this day even when the Colledge in the same Town built by Arch-bishop Stratford is as to the intended use thereof quite vanished away Indeed Bridges are the most lasting Benefactions all Men being concerned in their continuance lest by destâ—…oying of them they destroy themselves not knowing