k The Notitia adds reliquos officiales comprehending all the Under-Officers c. And I no way doubt but it was in imitation of this method of the Romans that our Ancestors set over this coast a Governour or Portreve commonly call'd Warden of the Cinque-ports Warden of the Cinque-ports because as the Count of the Saxon-shore presided over nine so does he over five ports Kent deliver'd to the Saxons But after the Romans had quitted Britain Vortigern who had the command of the greatest part of it set over Kent a Guorong i.e. a Vice-Roy or Freeman without whose knowledge he frankly bestow'd this Country as Ninnius and Malmesbury have it upon Hengist the Saxon on the account of his daughter Rowenna with whom he was passionately in love a. Thus was the first kingdom of the Saxons settled in Britain in the year of Christ 456. call'd by them CantÆ¿ara-ryc i.e. the kingdom of the Kentish-men which after 320 years upon Baldred the last King 's being conquer'd came under the jurisdiction of the West-Saxons and continu'd so till the Norman Conquest For then if we may believe Thomas Spot the Monk no ancient Writer having any thing of it the Kentish men carrying boughs before them 4 And representing afar off a moving wood surrendred themselves to William the Conquerour at Swanescomb a small village where they tell us that Suene the Dane formerly encamp'd upon condition they might have the Customs of their Country preserv'd entire that especially which they call Gavel-kind Gavel kind b By which 5 By which they are not so bound by Copy hold Customary tenures or Tenant-right as in other parts of England but in a manner every man is a Free-holder and hath some part of his own to live upon all lands of that nature are divided among the males by equal portions or upon defect of issue-male among the females By this they enter upon the estate at 15 years of age and have power to make it over to any one either by gift or sale without consent of the Lord. By the same the sons succeed to this sort of lands tho' their parents be condemn'd for theft c. So that what we find in an ancient Book is very true tho' not elegantly written The County of Kent urges that that County ought of right to be exempt from any such burthen because it affirms that this County was never conquer'd as was the rest of England but surrender'd it self to the Conqueror's power upon Articles of agreement provided that they should enjoy all their liberties and free customs which they then had and us'd from the beginning William the Conqueror afterwards to secure Kent which is look'd upon to be the Key of England set a Constable over Dover-castle and constituted the same in imitation of the ancient Roman custom Governour of 5 ports stiling him Warden of the Cinque-ports Lord Warden of the 5 Ports Those are Hastings Dover Hith Rumney and Sandwich to which Winchelsey and Rie are annext as Principals and some other little towns as members only And because they are oblig'd to serve in the wars by sea they enjoy many and large immunities For instance from payment of Subsidies See in Sussex p. 177. from Wardship of their children as to body not to be su'd in any Courts but within their own town and such of their inhabitants as have the name of Barons at the Coronation of the Kings and Queens of England support the Canopy and for that day have their table spread and furnish'd upon the King 's right hand c. And the Lord Warden himself who is always some one of the Nobility of approv'd loyalty has within his jurisdiction in several cases the authority of 6 A Chancellor and c. Admiral and other privileges But now to the places The Thames chief of all the British rivers runs as I observ'd but now along the north part of this County which leaving Surrey and by a winding course almost retiring into it self c. 7 Doth there admit into his chanel into the first limit of this shire Ravensburne a small water and of short course which riseth in Keston-heath hard under the pitching of an ancient Camp strange for the height as double rampiers and depth as double ditches of all that I have seen doubtless the work of many labouring hands Of what capacity it was I could not discover for that the greatest part thereof is now several and overgrown with a thicket but verily great it was as may be gather'd by that which is apparent We may probably conjecture that it was a Roman Camp but I might seem to rove if I should think it that Camp which Julius Caesar pitch'd when the Britains gave him the last battel with their whole forces and then having bad success retir'd themselves and gave him leave to march to the Thames side And yet certes Keston the name of the place seemeth to retain a parcel of Kaesar's name for so the Britains call'd him and not Caesar as we do As for the other small intrenchment not far off by W. Wickham it was cast in fresh memory when old Sir Christopher Heydon a man then of great command in these parts trained the Country people This water having passed by Bromeley a Mansion-house of the Bishops of Rochester when it hath gathered strength the depth of his ford giveth name to Dâ—râ—ford c. first sees Depford Depfoâ—d a most noted Dock where the Royal Navy is built and when shatter'd repair'd there is also settled a famous Store house and a place or incorporation something like a * Hâ—â—naâ—â—â— College for the use of the navy It was formerly call'd West Greenwich and upon the Conquest of England feâ—l to the share of Gislebert de Mamignot a Norman Maâ—igâ— whose grandchild by the son Walkelin it was that defended Dover-castle against King Stephen and he left behind him one only daughter who upon the death of her brother brought by marriage a large estate call'd the Honour of Mamignot into the family of the Says d From hence the Thames goes to Grenovicum Gâ—â—aâ— commonly Greenwich i.e. the green creak for the creak of a river is call'd in German Wic formerly famous for being a harbour of the Danish fleet and for the cruelty that people exercis'd upon Ealpheg Archbishop of Canterbury whom they put to death by most exquisite torments in the year 1012. Whose death and the cause of it Ditmarus Mersepurgius who liv'd about that time has thus describ'd in the eighth book of his Chronicle By the relation of Sewald I came to know a very tragical and therefore memorable act How a treacherous company of * 〈…〉 Dueâ— Northern men whose Captain Thurkil now is seized upon that excellent Archbishop of Canterbury Ealpheg with others and according to their barbarous treatment fetter'd him put him to endure famine and other unspeakable pains He overpower'd by
being still Justiciary as before His Wife died this year MCCLXXXI Adam Cusak younger kill'd William Barret and many others in Conaught Frier Stephen Fulborn was made Justiciary of Ireland The Lord Robert d'Ufford return'd into England MCCLXXXII This Year Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his Brother were slain at Arclowe on S. Mary Magdalen Eve And Roger Lord Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The City of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfrey of Trinity Church upon the third day before the Nones of January MCCLXXXIV The Castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the petty Kings of Offaly the morrow after S. Barnaby's Day Alphonsus the King's Son twelve years old departed this Life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald le Botiller died on the 6th of the Kalends of October in the Castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the Convent of the Friers Predicants Gerald Fitz Maurice was taken Prisoner by his own Irish Subjects in Ofaly with Richard Petit and S. Deget and many others and at Rathode was a great slaughter MCCLXXXVI Le Norragh and Arstol with other Towns were successively burnt by William Stanton on the 16th of the Kalends of December About this time Eleanor Queen of England mother of King Edward took a religious habit at Ambresbury upon the day of S. Thomas's translation having her dower confirmed by the Pope and assur'd to her for ever Calwagh was taken Prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this Life MCCLXXXVII This year died Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam and was succeeded in the Office of Justiciary for a Time by John Sampford Archbishop of Dublin This year the King of Hungary renounc'd Christianity and turned Apostate and having fraudulently assembled his Nobility under pretence of a Parliament Miramomelius a potent Saracen came upon them with an Army of 20000 men and took the King and all the Christians there away prisoners on S. John Baptist's eve As the Christians were carried along the weather turn'd cloudy and a tempest of Hail fell suddenly and killed many thousands of the Infidels So the Christians return'd to their own homes and the Apostate King went alone with the Saracens The Hungarians crown'd his Son King and continued in the Catholick Faith MCCLXXXIX Tripoly a famous City was demolish'd after great effusion of Christian blood by the Sultan of Babylon Who commanded the Images of the Saints to be dragg'd at the horses tails through the ruinous City in contempt of Christ MCCXC Inclyta stirps Regis sponsis datur ordine legis The issue of the King becomes a Spouse The Lord Gilbert Clare took to Wife the Lady Joan de Acon a daughter of our Lord King Edward in the Abby of Westminster and the marriage was celebrated in May And John the Duke of Brabant's son married Margaret the said King's daughter also in the Church aforesaid in July This year the Lord William Vescie was made Justiciary of Ireland and enter'd upon the Office on S. Martin's day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth was this year slain MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the son of Gilbert and the Lady Joan de Acon was born on the 11th of May betimes in the morning Item there was an army led into Ulster against O Hanlan and other Princes that had broke the Peace by Richard Earl of Ulster and William Vescie Justiciary of Ireland Item The Lady Eleanor formerly Queen of England and mother of King Edward died this year on S. John's day after a laudable life spent four years eleven months and six days in a religious habit as she had desir'd in the Abby of Ambresbury where she was a profess'd Nun. Item the news came to our Lord Pope Martin on the eve of S. Mary Magdalen concerning the city of Acon in the Holy Land which was the only place of refuge for the Christians that it was besieg'd by Mislkadar the Sultan of Babylon with a numerous army He besieg'd it hotly for about forty days viz. from the 8th day before the Ides of April till the 15th before the Kalends of July At last the Wall was pull'd down by the Saracens and they entred the city in great numbers many Christians being slain and some drown'd in the sea for fear Among whom was the Patriarch and his Train The King of Cyprus and Oto de Grandison escap'd in a ship with their followers Item This year the Lord Pope Martin granted our Lord King Edward the tenth of all Ecclesiastical Benefices in Ireland for seven years together as a supply towards a relief for the Holy Land Item the eldest son of the Earl of Clare was born the same year MCCXCII Edward King of England again entred Scotland and was chosen King John Lord Balliol of Gallweya obtain'd the whole Kingdom of Scotland by right of inheritance and did homage to our Lord Edward King of England at Newcastle upon Tine on S. Stephen's day Florentius Earl of Holland Robert Brus Earl of Carrick John Hastings John Comin Patrick de Dunbar John Vescie Nicholas Souls and William Roos who were then at difference in the said Kingdom submitted themselves to the judgment of King Edward Item A fifteenth of all the Goods of Laymen in Ireland was granted to our Lord the King of England to be collected on the Feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died this year Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there dragg'd at the horses tails c. MCCXCIII A general and open war was this year waged at sea with the Normans Item no small number of the Normans was cut off in a sea-engagement by the Barons of the Ports of England and others their coadjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For this a war broke out between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of citation to the King of England to appear in person at his Parliament to answer what the King had to say to him but finding no compliance with this order he forthwith by the counsel of his Parliament declar'd him outlaw'd and condemn'd him Item Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester and his wife came into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montfort in the King's Council holden at Westminster before the King died suddenly He was Dean of S. Paul's in London The Bishops and Clergy who doubted what the King would expect from every one of them had instructed him as a person whom the King would confide in what to signifie from them to him as soon as he return'd to the King and was addressing himself to speak as he had design'd he grew speechless fell down and was carried out by the King's servants in a miserable condition Upon this sight people grew fearful and began to take him for the great procurer of the tenths of ecclesiastical benefices to the King and of the scrutiny and search after the fold of Christ as also of the contributions granted the King afterward Item The city of Bordeaux with the adjacent country of Gascoign was taken
Yet others remained in their native country though with great fear trusting their lives to vast mountains dreadful precipices intrenched places to woody forrests and rocks in the sea Some of those who passed beyond sea were they without question who to secure themselves went in great numbers to Armorica in France where they were received very kindly by the Armoricans Which a See the Additions to Cornwall as also Isacius Pontanus in his Letter to Mr. Camden published among his Epistles p. 90. not to mention a community of language that of Armorica being almost the same with our British or Welch nor other Authors who agree in this point is proved by an Author in the next age to it and born in Armorica who has writ the life of S. Wingualof the Confessor A race of Britains says he imbarked in little vessels were transported over the British sea to this land a barbarous nation of the Saxons terrible and warlike and all of like manners having possessed themselves of their native Country Then that dear race shut themselves within this corner where being wore out with fatigue they are setled in a quiet country Yet our Historians tell us that the Britains were long before this seated on that coast Malmesbury says That Constantine the Great was saluted Emperor by his army and order'd an expedition for the Superioâ—s terras higher parts brought away with him many British Souldiers by whose means having obtained the Empire with successful victories he planted such of them as had run through the full course of Souldiery in a certain part of Gaul towards the west upon the shore where to this day their posterity are prodigiously increased and somewhat altered in modes and language from our Britains This was certainly an order of Constantine the Emperor Let the old souldiers enter upon the vacant lands and hold them freely for ever â—od Theod. â—ib 7. Tit. â—0 Likewise Ninius Maximus the Emperor who slew Gratian would not send home the souldiers that had followed him out of Britain but gave them many countreys from the Poole above Mons Jovis to the city called Cantguic and to the western heap or Cruc-occhidient He that writes notes upon Ninnius adds falsly That the Armorican Bishops beyond sea went from hence in an expedition with Maximus the Tyrant and when they could not return lay the western parts of France level with the ground and taking their wives and daughters to marriage cut out all their tongues lest the children should speak their language And upon this account we call them in our language Lhet Vydion i.e. half silent because they speak confusedly I cannot gainsay the authority of these men but yet am of opinion that the children of these veterans willingly receiv'd the Britains that fled out of their own Country However the name of Britains does not appear by the Writers of that age to have been in these parts before the Saxons came into Britain unless those be they whom Pliny seems to place in Picardy and who are called Brinani in some Copies For whoever imagines with Volaterranus from the fourth book of Strabo that Britannia was a city of France let him but look upon the Greek Text and he may easily learn that Strabo speaks there of the Island Britain and not of a City As for that verse of Dionysius Afer which I have already cited some are inclined rather to understand it as Stephanus does of our Britains then as Eustathius does of them in Armorica especially seeing Festus Avienus an ancient Writer has thus rendered it Cauris nimiùm vicina * Britannia Britannis Flavaque caesariem Germania porrigit ora Cold Britain plac'd too near the Northern winds And yellow hair'd Germany her coast extends Nor let any man think that the Britanniciani Britanniciani mentioned in the Notitia came originally from hence who were really those troops of Souldiers that were raised in our Britain Before the arrival of our Britains this Country was called Armorica Armonica i.e. situated by the sea side after that to the same sense in our British tongue Llydaw Lexovit perhaps in Pliny that is upon the shore and by our Latin writers of the middle age Letavia Zonaras And therefore I suppose them to be the Laeti which Zosimus talks of in Gaul when he takes notice that Magnentius the Tyrant was born among the Laeti there and that his father was a Britain These * Called by Proâ—opius Arborici and by another the Country it self Cornu Galliae the horn of France Armorici during the reign of Constantine who was chosen for the sake of his name and the time the Barbarians quite over-ran France turned out the Roman Garisons made themselves a distinct Commonwealth But Valentinian the Younger by the assistance of Aetius and the mediation of St. German reduced them At that time Exuperantius seems to have reigned over them Of whom Claudius Rutilius thus Cujus Aremoricas pater Exuperantius oras Nunc post liminium pacis amore docet Leges restituit libertatemque reducit Et servos famulis non sinit esse suis Where great Exuperantius gently sways And makes the Natives love return in peace Restores their laws and grateful freedom gives Nor basely lets them be his servant's slaves From these verses I cannot tell but Aegidius Maserius might conclude that the Britains were servants to the Armorici and â—egained their freedom in spight of them The first mention of the Britains in b S illingfl Orig. Britan. p. 187. Armorica that I know of was in the year 461 about thirty years after the Saxons were call'd into Britain for then Mansuetus a British Bishop among others of that dignity in France and Armorica first subscribed in the Council of Tours In the ninth year after these new Inhabitants of France seeing the Visigoths possess themselves of the fertile countreys of Anjou and Poictou set upon them and were the only men that stopped them from seising all France into their own hands For they sided with Anthemius the Roman Emperor against the Goths so that Arvandus was condemned of high treason Sid. Apollinar for writing letters to the King of the Goths advising him to conquer the Britains who lived upon the Loire and to divide France between the Goths and Burgundians These Britains were a cunning sort of people An. 470. warlike seditious and stubborn upon the account of their valour numbers and allies says Sidonius Appollinaris in his complaint of them to his friend Riothimus as he himself calls him but Jornandes stiles him King of the Britains who being afterwards sent for by Anthemius went with a supply of 12000 men to the Romans but before he could joyn them was defeated in a fair engagement by the Goths and so fled to the Burgundians who were then Confederates with the Romans From that time the Armorici being subdued by little and little the name of Britains grew so great in
apprehensive of danger from the Picts and Scots c This must be meant of the Roman party left in the Island who might be suppos'd to have a greater respect for Ambrâ—sius For the Northern nations breaking in upon Rome at that time did so effectually divert that nation that no harm câ—uld be fear'd from those parts from the Râ—man power and from Aurelius Ambrosius The Saxons immediately under the command of Hengist and Horsa d See Bish p Usher's Antiquitat Britann p. 207 c. arriv'd in Britain with their Ciules e I rather think it was a general name for their ships For William of Malmesbury describing their coming says they brought 3 Ciules which the Saxon Annals express by Scipas And 't is a word oo very commonly maâ—e use of in the names of men which generally consisted of something sublime and never of diminutives Unless these Ciules wâ—re their piratiâ—g vessels then we need not woâ—der that they got into their names since piracies were tâ—e peculiar talent and glory of that nation for so they call'd their flat-bottom'd boats or pinnaces and by their success against the Scots and Picts in two several engagements rais'd their reputation considerably And because the Britains did absolutely depend upon their conduct they sent for fresh supplies out of Germany partly to man the frontier garisons f This conduct of Vortigern's in trusting the Saxons with the frontier garisons is by some very much approv'd and by others as much condemn'd Mr. Sommer in his Gavelkind p. 40. calls it the most prudent course he could have took for the benâ—fit and security of his subjects But Bishop Stillingfleet Orig. Britan. p. 319. proves it to be the very worst method he could have fixt upon and partly to divert the enemy upon the sea-coast Guortigern says Ninnius at the instance of Hengist sent for Octha and Ebissa to come and aid him and they with forty of their Ciules sailing round the Picts coasts wasted the Orcades and possess'd themselves of a great many Islands and countries * Trans mare Fresicum beyond the Frith even as far as the borders of the Picts At length being mightily satisfied with the lands customs and plenty of Britain and building upon the cowardize of the natives under the pretence of ill pay and short diet they enter into a league with the Picts raise a most bloody war against their Entertainers the Britains in all parts put the poor frighted Inhabitants to the sword wast their lands raze their cities and after many turns and changes in their several battles with Aurelius Ambrosius who had took upon him the government Aurelius Ambrosius by Gildas Ambrosius Aurelianus g Probably murder'd by their own subjects according to Gildas's character of their behaviour at that time in the administration whereof his parents had lost their lives and the h How far the British History of Arthur may be admitted See Stillingflâ—et's Orig. Britan. p. 335. Usher Primord p. 61 c. warlike Arthur at length dispossess the Britains of the best part of the Island and their hereditary estates At which time in a word the miserable natives suffer'd whatever a Conqueror may be imagin'd to inflict or the conquer'd fear For auxiliary troops stocking daily out of Germany still engag'd a fresh the harrass'd Britains such were the Saxons the Jutes for that is their right name not Vites and the Angles They were indeed distinguish'd by these names but promiscuously call'd Angles and Saxons But of each of them let us treat severally and briefly that so far as is possible we may discover the originals of our own nation Only I must beg leave first to insert what Witichindus a Saxon born and an ancient writer has left us concerning the coming over of the Saxons Britain being by Vespasian the Emperor reduc'd into the form of a province and flourishing a long time under the protection of the Romans was at last invaded by the neighbouring nations as seeming to be abandoned by the Roman aids For the Romans after that * In the texâ— Martialis buâ— in the margin Possibly Martianus Martian the Emperor was murder'd by his own soldiers were heavily annoy'd with foreign wars and so were not able to furnish their allies with aids as they had formerly done However before they quitted this nation they built a large wall for it's defence going along the borders from sea to sea where they imagin'd the enemy would make the most vigorous assaults But after a soft and lazie people were left to encounter a resolute and well-disciplin'd enemy it was found no hard matter to demolish that work In the mean time i The former experience Britain had had of the Saxon courage was sufficient to point out that nation before any other For even in the times of the Romans they were not afraid to prey upon our coasts aâ—d to that degree as to oblige'em to guard the coasts with the Officer called Comes Littoris Saxonici the Saxons grew famous for their success in arms and to them they dispatch a humble embassy to desire their assistance The Embassadors being admitted to audience made their addresses as follows Most noble Saxons The miserable * Bretti for Britanni Britains shatter'd and quite worn out by the frequent incursions of their enemies upon the news of your many signal victories have sent us to you humbly requesting that you would assist them at this juncture k Witichindus seems to make 'em too lavish in their promises For it they had given up their lands and liberty in such express terms what occasion had the Saxons to have recourse to the pretences of ill pay and short diet after they had took up the resolution of making themselves Masters by force of arms A land large and spacious abounding with all manner of necessaries they give up entirely to your disposal Hitherto we have liv'd happily under the government and protection of the Romans next to the Romans we know none of greater valour than your selves and therefore in your courage do now seek refuge Let but that courage and those arms make us conquerors and we refuse no service you shall please to impose The Saxon Nobles return'd them this short answer Assure your selves the Saxons will be true friends to the Britains and as such shall be always ready both to relieve their necessities and to advance their interest The Embassadors pleas'd with the answer return home and comfort their countrymen with the welcome news Accordingly the succours they had promis'd being dispatch'd for Britain are receiv'd gratefully by their allies and in a very little time clear the kingdom of invaders and restore the country to the Inhabitants And indeed there was no great difficulty in doing that since the fame of the Saxon courage had so far terrify'd them that their very presence was enough to drive them back The people who infested the Britains were the
citizen That war being thus ended scarce 13 years after there rises a new Storm upon this bottom Prasutagus Prasutagus King of the Iceni that he might effectually secure his People though he purchas'd it with his own private damage made the Emperour Nero his heir taking it for granted to express my self in Tacitus's words that by this piece of complaisance his kingdom and family would be out of danger But the issue was quite contrary for his kingdom was wasted by the Centurions and his house by slaves as if both had been taken by force of arms Upon this occasion first his wife Boodicia Boodicia otherwise call'd Bunduica was whipt and her daughters ravisht And as if they had had that whole Country bestow'd upon them there was never a leading man among the Iceni but was kickt out of the inheritance of his Ancestors and even the Royal family was treated no better than slaves Upon this ill usage and the apprehensions of worse since they were now reduc'd into the form of a Province they take up arms and inviting the Trinobantes with such others as were not yet inur'd to slavery to joyn with them in the rebellion attempt the recovery of their Liberties by this secret combination urg'd on principally by a mortal hatred against the Veterans 1 Planted at Maldon abovesaid From this beginning there broke out a most terrible war and it was farther heighten'd by the avarice of Seneca who about that time exacted with the highest oppression * Quadringenties festertiûm three hundred thousand pound Seneca's usury in Britain which he had scrap'd together by most unjust usury In this war to give you the whole in short that Boodicia whom Gildas seems to term a Treacherous Lioness wife of Prasutagus slew eighty thousand of the Romans and their Allies ras'd the Colony of Camalodunum and the †Municipium free-town of Verulamium routed the ninth Legion and put to flight Catus Decianus the Procurator but at last being defeated by Paulinus Suetonius in a set battel she ended her days with a great deal of resolution by a dose of poyson as Tacitus will have it but according to Dio Dio. after a fit of sickness When this war was on foot Xiphilin tells us from Dio that the Britains principally worship'd the Goddess Victory under the name of Andates whom a Greek Copy in another place calls Andraste Andates or Andrastes The Goddess Victory and that in the groves consecrated to her they offer'd the Captives with the highest inhumanity But yet the Britains at this day do not express Victory by any such name nor do I know what it should mean unless as the Latins had their Victoria à vincendo from conquering the Sabines their Vacuna ab evacuando from emptying and the Greeks their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from refusing to give ground so the Britains might have their Anarhaith from overthrowing for by that word they express a fatal overthrow But this by the by From this time no Author has one syllable of the Iceni nor can we infer any thing about them from History but that the Romans in the decline of their Empire set a new Officer to guard their sea-coast and that of some other parts against the piracies of the Saxons In Kent and stil'd him Count of the Saxon-shore in Britain as we observ'd before a But after the Saxons had settlâ—d their Heptarchy in the Island this Province fell to the kingdom of the East-Angles which from its Easterly situation they call'd in their own language Eastangle-ryc East-Angle i.e. the kingdom of East-England The first King it had was Uffa and from him his successors were for a long time term'd Uff-kines Uff-kines who seem to have sometimes held under the Kings of the Mercians and sometimes under those of Kent That line failing in St. Edmund the Danes over-ran the Countrey and for 50 years together harrass'd it with all the cruelties of war till at last Edward the elder got the better of them and added it to his own kingdom of the West-Saxons From that time it had its * Praesides Ralph Governour of the East-Angles Deputy Governours which honour about the coming in of the Normans was bore by one Ralph born in Little Britain in France He was a man of treacherous principles getting together great numbers and under pretence of celebrating his marriage enter'd into a villanous conspiracy against William the Conquerour But where so many were privy to it 't was in vain to hope for secresie and fidelity So the whole matter was discover'd himself was depriv'd of his honour and attainted and others were beheaded But a more particular account of those matters belong to Historians let us prosecute our design and fall about the Places What sort of Country this was learn from Abbo Floriacensis who flourish'd in the year of Christ 970. and has thus describ'd it In the life of St. Edmund This part which is call'd Eastangle as upon other accounts it is very noble so particularly because of it's being water'd on all sides On the South-east and East it is encompast by the Ocean on the north by the moisture of large and wet fens which arising almost in the heart of the Island because of the evenness of the ground for a hundred miles and more descend in great rivers into the sea On the west the Province is joyn'd to the rest of the Island and therefore may be enter'd by land but lest it should be tormented with the frequent incursions of the enemy it is fortify'd with an †Rech diche or Divel's-dike earthen rampire like a high wall and with a ditch The inner parts of it is a pretty rich soil made exceeding pleasant by gardens and groves render'd agreeable by it's convenience for hunting famous for pasturage and abounding with sheep and all sorts of cattle I do not insist upon it's rivers full of Fish considering that a tongue as it were of the sea it self licks it on one side and on the other the large fens make a prodigious number of lakes two or three miles over These fens accommodate great numbers of Monks with their desir'd retirement and solitude with which being enclos'd they have no occasion for the privacy of a Wilderness Thus far Abbo SOVTH-FOLK or SVFFOLK SUFFOLK which is first to be spoken to in Saxon Suð-folc i.e. a southerly people with respect to Norfolk has on the west Cambridgeshire on the south the river Stour which divides it from Essex on the east the German Ocean and on the north two little rivers Ouse the least and Waveney These two flowing as it were out of the same fountain run contrary ways and divide it from Norfolk 'T is a country pretty large and well stor'd with havens the soil except to the west is very fat as being a compound of clay and marle By this means the fields are everywhere fruitful and the
cool briezes which by an innate salubrity of air renders the Country exceeding temperate On the East it hath the mountains of Talgarth and Ewias On the North as he saith 't is a more open and champain Country where 't is divided from Radnorshire by the river Wy upon which there are two towns of noted antiquity Bûalht â—â—â—â—ht a and Hay Bûalht is a town pleasantly seated with woods about it and fortified with a castle but of a later building by the Breoses and Mortimers when as RhÅ·s ap Gryffydh had demolished the old one At present 't is noted for a good market but formerly it seems to have been a place very eminent for Ptolemy observes the Longitude and Latitude of it and calls it Bullaeum â—â—â—â—â—eum Silurum b From this town the neighbouring part a mountainous and rocky Country is call'd Bualht into which upon the Incursion of the Saxons King Vortigern retir'd And there also by the permission of Aurelius Ambrosius his son Pascentius govern'd as we are inform'd by Ninnius who in his Chapter of Wonders relates I know not what prodigious story of a heap of stones here wherein might be seen the footsteps of King Arthur's Hound Hay in British Tregelhi which in English we may render Haseley or Hasleton lyes on the bank of the river Wy upon the borders of Herefordshire a place which seems to have been well known to the Romans since we often find their coyns there and some ruins of walls are still remaining But now being almost totally decay'd it complains of the outrages of that profligate Rebel Owen Glyn-Dowrdwy who in his march through these Countries consum'd it with fire c As the river Wy watereth the Northern part of this County so the Usk a noble river takes its course through the midst of it d which falling headlong from the Black-mountain and forcing a deep Chanel passes by Brecknock â—â—â—â—knock the chief town of the County placed almost in the Center thereof This town the Britains call Aber-Hondhy â—â—hodni â—â—do â—â—b from the confluence of the two rivers Hondhy and Usk. That it was inhabited in the time of the Romans is evident from several coyns of their Emperours sometimes found there Bernard Newmarch who conquered this small County built here a stately Castle which the Breoses and Bohuns afterward repaired and in our Fathers memory King Henry the eighth constituted a Collegiate Church of 14 Prebendaries in the Priory of the Dominicans which he translated thither from Aber-Gwily in Caer-mardhinshire Two miles to the East of Brecknock is a large Lake which the Britains call Lhyn Savèdhan and Lhyn Savà dhan Lhyn Savadham Giraldus calls it Clamosum from the terrible noise it makes like a clap of thunder at the cracking of the Ice In English 't is call'd Brecknockmere Brecknockmere it is two miles long and near the same breadth well stored with Otters and also Perches Tenches and Eels which the Fishermen take in their Coracls Lhewèni a small river having enter'd this Lake still retains its own colour and as it were disdaining a mixture is thought to carry out no more nor other water than what it brought in It hath been an ancient tradition in this neighbourhood that where the Lake is now there was formerly a City which being swallow'd up by an Earthquake resign'd its place to the waters d And to confirm this they alledge besides other arguments that all the high-ways of this County tend to this Lake Which if true what other City may we suppose on the river Lheweny but Loventium Loventium placed by Ptolemy in this tract which tho' I have diligently search'd for yet there appears no where any remains of the name ruins or situation of it Marianus which I had almost forgotten seems to call this place Bricenau-mere Bricenau-mere who tells us that Edelfleda the Mercian Lady enter'd the Land of the Britains Anno 913. in order to reduce a castle at Bricenaumere and that she there took the Queen of the Britains prisoner Whether that castle were Brecknock it self Brecknock-castle or Castelh Dinas on a steep tapering Rock above this Lake remains uncertain but it 's manifest from the Records of the Tower that the neighbouring castle of Blaen Lheveny Blaen Lheveni-castle was the chief place of that Barony which was the possession of Peter Fitz-Herbert the son of Herbert Lord of Dean-forest by Lucy the daughter of Miles Earl of Hereford e In the reign of William Rufus Bernard Newmarch the Norman a man of undaunted courage Lords of Brecknock and great policy having levied a considerable Army both of English and Normans was the first that attempted the reducing of this Country And having at length after a tedious war extorted it from the Welsh he built Forts therein and gave possession of Lands to his Fellow-souldiers amongst whom the chiefest were the Aubreys a Roger Gunter a younger brother of this family intermarrying with the daughter and heir of Thomas Stodey Esq â—3 Henr. 4. settled at Kintbury or Kentbury in Barkshire where the Family still remains Gunters Haverds Waldebeofs and Prichards And the better to secure himself amongst his enemies the Welsh he married Nêst the daughter of Prince Gruffydh who being a woman of a licentious and revengeful temper at once depriv'd her self of her own reputation and her son of his Inheritance For Mahel the only son of this Bernard having affronted a young Nobleman with whom she conversed too familiarly she as the Poet saith iram atque animos à crimine sumens depos'd before King Henry the second that her son Mahel was begotten in adultery Upon which Mahel being excluded the estate devolved to his sister Sibyl and in her right to her husband Miles Earl of Hereford whose five sons dying without issue this Country of Brecknock became the Inheritance of Bertha his daughter who had by Philip de Breos a son William de Breos Lord of Brecknock Called also Braus and Breus upon whom the seditious spirit and * Procax shrewd tongue of his ‖ Matildis de Haia wife drew infinite calamities For when she had utter'd reproachful language against King John the King strictly commanded her husband who was deep in his debt to discharge it Who after frequent demurrings at last mortgaged to the King his three castles of Hay Brecknock and Radnor which yet soon after he surprised putting the Garrisons to the Sword he also burnt the town of Lemster and thus with fire sword and depredations continued to annoy the Country omitting nothing of the common practice of Rebels But upon the approach of the King's forces he withdrew into Ireland where he associated with the King's enemies yet pretending a submission he return'd and surrender'd himself to the King who had intended to follow him but after many feign'd promises he again rais'd new commotions in Wales At last being compell'd to quit his native country he
a THat the great opinion our Ancestors had of the Sanctity of St. Cuthbert was the occasion of their munificence to his Church our Histories informs us and 〈◊〉 is very evident from our Author But he seems to have given him more than ever was bestow'd when he tells us that King Egfrid gave him large Revenues in York For his Charter be it true or counterfeit mentions no such thing Simeon Dunelmensis indeed or rather Abbot Turgot tells us that Creac was given him by this King Ut haberet Eboracum iens vel inde rediens mansionem ubi requiescere posset But this only intimates that St. Cuthbert might have frequent occasions to travel to York probably to attend the Court which the Historian supposes to have been most commonly resident in that City b Nor can we properly say that Guthrun the Dane whom our Historians call also Guthredus Cuthredus Gormo and Gurmundus was Lieutenant to the great King Aelfred in the Kingdom of Northumberland any more than Aelfred was his Deputy in that of the West-Saxons For they two by compact divided the whole Kingdom betwixt them and joyntly enacted Laws which were to be mutually observ'd both by the English and Danes And hence some Monks have taken occasion to unite them falsly in granting Charters to Monasteries c. c What vast Privileges and Immunities this Church had by the Liberality of Princes we may learn in general from Mr. Camden but may have a more particular view by the help of some observations upon that Head extracted for me by Mr. Rudd Schoolmaster of Durham out of the posthumous Papers of Mr. Mickleton who had made large Collections in order to the Antiquities of this County It 's probable the Bishops were Counts Palatine before the Conquest it appears at least they were so in the Conquerour's time Their power was formerly very great till part of it was taken away by the Statute of Henry 8. It was a common saying that Quicquid Rex habet extra Comitatum Dunelmensem Episcopus habet intrà nisi aliqua sit concessio aut praescriptio in contrarium They had power to levy Taxes and make Truces with the Scots to raise defensible persons within the Bishoprick from 16 to 60 years of age They had power also to make Barons who as well as their vassals were bound to come to their Palace to advise them and to give them observance and obedience in their Courts And altho' the Canons forbid any Clergyman to be present when judgment of blood is given the Bishops of Durham did and may sit in Court in their Purple-robes in giving judgment of death Hence the saying Solum Dunelmense judicat stola ense They had a Mint and power to coyn money The Courts which in other places are held in the King's name were till the Statute of Henry 8. held here in the Bishop's till which time he could make Justices of Assizes of Oyer and Terminer and of the Peace and all Writs went out in his name All Recognizances entred upon his Close-Rolls in his Chancery and made to him or in his name were as valid within the County as those made to the King without He could exempt men from appearing at the Assizes and being Jurors He had a Register of Writs of as much authority as that in the King's Courts He hath yet his Court of Chancery Common-Pleas and County Court and Copyhold or Halmot Court A great part of the Land in the County is held of him as Lord Paramount in Capite All the Moors and Wastes in the County to which no other can make title belong to him which could not be enclos'd without his grant Neither could Freehold Lands be alienated without his leave they that did so were oblig'd to sue to him for his Patent of Pardon He pardon'd intrusions trespasses c. He had villains or bondmen whom he manumitted when he pleas'd The Lands Goods and Chattels of those that committed Treason are forfeited to the Bishop All forfeitures upon Outlawries or Felonies belong to him He could pardon Felonies Rapes Trespasses and other Misprisions He had the fruits of Tenures by Wardships Marriages Liveries Primier-seizins Ouster le mains c. He gave licence to build Chapels found Chantries and Hospitals made Burroughs and Incorporations Markets Fairs c. He created several Officers by Patent either quamdiu se bene gesserint quamdiu Episcopo placuerit or for life or lives viz. his Temporal Chancellor Constable of the Castle of Durham Great Chamberlain Under-Chamberlain Secretary Steward Treasurer and Comptroller of his Houshold Steward and Under-steward of the Manours or Halmot Courts Sheriff Protonotary Clerk of the Chancery Crown and Peace several Keepers of the Rolls belonging to their respective Offices Registers and Examiners in Chancery Clerk of the County Court Stewards of Burrough-Courts Escheators Feodaries Auditors and Under-Auditors Clerks of the Receipt of the Exchequer Supervisors of Lordships Castles Mines of Coal Lead and Iron Coroners Conservators of Rivers and Waters Officers of the Marshalsea or Clerks of the Market of Cities Burroughs and Towns Keepers of his Seal of Ulnage and of his Wardrobe and Harness But none of his Patents are valid any longer than the Bishop's life that gives them unless they be confirm'd by the Dean and Chapter He had several Forests Chaces Parks Woods where he had his Foresters who kept Courts in his name and determin'd matters relating to the Forests c. or the Tenants of them Parkers Rangers Pale-keepers He was Lord Admiral of the Seas and Waters within the County Palatine had his Vice-Admirals and Courts of Admiralty Judges Registers Examiners c. Officers of Beaconage Anchorage c. he awarded Commissions to regulate waters and passage of waters There have been several contests betwixt the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Durham about Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction the one attempting to exercise his Archiepiscopal jurisdiction in this Diocese the other claiming a peculiar immunity Walter Gray Archbishop profferr'd the Archdeacon of Durham the guariandship of Stanhop-Church but he refus'd to accept it as having it before in his own or the Bishop's right Another Archbishop coming to visit the Priory when the Bishop was absent at Rome was forc'd to take Sanctuary in St. Nicholas Church as he was afterwards upon another attempt of the same nature and when he was going to excommunicate them in his Sermon was in danger of being kill'd if he had not escap'd out of the Church one of his Attendants lost an ear This distinct mention of Condati would tempt us to believe that this was the ancient Condate which Mr. Camden places in Cheshire Which opinion one may close with the more freely because nothing at least that he has told us of induc'd him to settle it at Congleton beside the affinity of names e North from hence is Heighington Heighington in Darlington-ward where Elizabeth Penyson founded a School in the 43d of Queen Elizabeth to which Edward
acquainted with and to have an inclination for peace With respect to the situation of the places the whole Kingdom is again divided into two parts the Southern on this side the river Tay and the Northern on the other side the River Tay besides a great many Islands lying round about In the Southern part these Countries are most remarkable Teifidale Merch. Lauden Liddesdale Eskdale Annandale Niddesdale Galloway Carrick Kyle Cunningham Arran Cluydesdale Lennox Stirling Fife Strathern Menteith Argile Cantire Lorn In the North part are reckoned these Counties Loquabar Braidalbin Perth Athol Angus Mern Marr. Buquhan Murray Ross Sutherland Cathness Strathnavern These are subdivided again with respect to the Civil Government into Sheriffdoms Stewarties and Baileries a Dugdale in his List of the shires makes them 33. reckoning the Stewarty of Kirkudbright as one as also Hadington Ross Sterling Cathness and Sutherland leaving out Forres reckon'd as one here The Sheriffdoms are Edenburgh Linlythquo Selkirk Roxburgh Peeblis Berwick Lanerick Renfrew Dumfreis Wigton Aire Bute Argyle and Tarbet Dunbarton Perth Clackmannan Kinross Fiffe Kincardin Forfar Aberdene Bamff Elgin Forres Narne Innerness Cromartie Orknay and Shetland Stewarties Menteith Strathern b This contains the East part of Galloway Kircudbright Annandale Baileries Kile Carrick Cunningham Constablery Haddington As for the administration of Church-affairs as the rest of the Bishops of the World had no certain Dioceses before Dionysius Bishop of Rome about the year 268. set out distinct Dioceses for them so the Bishops of Scotland exercised their Episcopal Functions indifferently wherever they were till the Reign of Malcolm the third that is about the year of our Redemption 1070. At which time the Dioceses were confined within their bounds and limits Afterwards in process of time this Hierarchy was established in Scotland There are two Archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasco the first is accounted Primate of all Scotland and hath under his jurisdiction c The addition of Edinburgh made the number nine eight Bishopricks Dunkell Aberdeen Murray Dumblane Brechen Ross Cathness Orkney Under the Archbishop of Glasco there are only three Galloway Lismore and The Isles ADDITIONS BEsides the Divisions of this Kingdom observ'd by Mr. Camden there are four others taken from the Rivers the Mountains the quality of the Soil and the ancient Inhabitants 1. The Rivers divide it by three Isthmus's into so many Peninsula's one to the south one in the middle and one to the north The rivers upon each side running far into the Country are hinder'd from meeting by a small tract of ground and if that were removed they would make three Islands of that which is now the Continent or main land of Scotland The first Peninsula is to the south divided from England by the river of Tweed and where it faileth by a line drawn to Solloway-Firth which entereth far up into the adjacent countrey and towards the north from the rest of the continent by the Firth and river of Forth and a short line over land to Clide by which and its Firth it is separated from the northwest part and the rest of the continent This comprehendeth the following Counties Merse Teviotdale Forrest and Etterick Annandale and Nithisdale East-Lothian Mid-Lothian and West-Lothian Lauderdale Tweedale Stirlingshire Renfrew Cliddisdale Cunningham Kyle and Carrict Galloway which containeth the Stewartry of Kircudbright and Shire of Wigton The middle Peninsula hath to the south the Firth and river of Forth and the line betwixt it and the river and Firth of Clide to the west and east the ocean and to the north it is separated from the rest of the continent of Scotland by the Loch and water of Lochly and a line through a short neck of land to the rise of Loch Nesse and then by the Loch and river of Ness to where that River runneth into the sea It containeth these Counties Fyfe Kinrosshire Clackmannanshire Menteith Lennox Argyle Lorn Cantyre Perthshire Angus Mernes Aberdeenshire Bamf-shire all Badenoth part of Lochaber and much of the Shire of Inverness The northern Peninsula hath to the south the Loch and water of Lochly and a short line from thence to Lochness and the water of Ness to the west north and east it hath the Ocean and containeth these Counties Ross Sutherland Strathnavern and Cathness and that part of Lochaber and Inverness-shire that lyeth to the north of the Loch and water of Ness 2. It is divided by the mons Grampius or the Grantzbain-hills which run through it from the west to the east rising near Dumbanton and running to the town of Aberdeen into the south and north parts though this division is not so equal as the former 3. By the quality of the soil into the High-lands and Low-lands For the people who affected pasture and hunting betook themselves always to the hills as most proper for them and were of old called Brigantes Scoto-Brigantes and Horesti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is High-landers and Braemen as they are called to this day And these who gave themselves to the culture of the lands and affected more of a civil life betook them to the low grounds towards the sea and were called of old Picti and Meatae Vecturiones and Peahts and by some of the Roman writers Caledonii while these that did inhabite the mountains were called Dicaledones and as some read it Duncaledones By others of the Romans the word Caledonia comprehendeth the Country possessed by both 4. It was divided into the two Kingdoms of the Scots and Picts The Scots were possessed of all the Western-Isles and the skirts of the Country towards the west the Picts had all that lay upon the German Ocean The Romans breaking in upon them gain'd a large tract that contain'd all the ground between the two Walls which they erected into a Province called Valentia The particular Shires with their extent are as follows The Shire of Edenburgh Mers Peebles Selkirk Roxburh Dumfries Wigton Aire Renfrew Lanerick Dumbron Bute Innerara Perth Striveling Linlithgow Kinros Clackmannan Couper Forfar Kinkardin Aberdeen Bamff Elgin Nairn Inverness Cromartie Tayn Dornoch Wike Contains Midlothian Mers and Lauderdale Tweedale Etterick and Forrest Teviotdale Liddisdale Eskdale and Eusdale Nithisdale and Annandale The West part of Galloway Kyle Carrict and Cuningham The Barony of Renfrew Cledsdale Lenox The Isles of Bute and Arran Argile Lorn Kintyre most part of the west Isles as Ila Jura Mul Wyst Terif Coll Lismore Menteith Strathern Balwhidder Glenurghay Stormont Athol Gource Glenshee Strattardill Braid Albin Raynock Much of the ground that lyeth close upon both sides of Forth West-Lothian That part of Fife lying between Lochleven and the Ochill hills A small part of Fife lying on the river of Forth towards Striveling The rest of Fife to the east of Lochleven Angus with its pertinents Glen-Ila Glen-Esk Glen-prossin The Mernis Mar with its pertinents as Birs Glen-Tanner Glen-Muick Strath-dee Strathdon Brae of Mar and Cromar and most part of Buchan Fourmartin
The British Bishops seem no less to have despised riches for they had no subsistence of their own Thus as we find in Sulpitius Severus The British Bishops The Bishops of Britain in the Council holden at Rhimini were maintained by the publick having nothing of their own to live upon The Saxons in that age flock'd hither as to the great mart for learning and this is the reason why we find this so often in our Writers Such a one was sent over into Ireland to be educated o Vide Bed lib. 3. c. 7 27. and this passage in the life of Sulgenus who flourish'd 600 years ago Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi Jvit ad Hibernos Sophia mirabile claros With love of learning and examples fir'd To Ireland fam'd for wisdom he repair'd The Sâ—tâ—ns â—â—em to the borrowed â—â—eir letâ—â—â—s from 〈◊〉 Iâ—â—sh And perhaps our fore-fathers the Saxons took the draught and form of their letters from them their character being the same with that at this day used in Ireland Nor is there any reason to admire that Ireland which for the most part is now rude and barbarous and without the glory of polite literature Religion and learning flourish sometimes in one Country and sometimes in another was so full of pious and great Wits in that age wherein learning was little heeded throughout Christendom when the wisdom of Providence has so ordered it that Religion and Learning shall grow and flourish sometimes in one Nation and sometimes in another to the end that by every transplantation a new growth may shoot up and flourish to his glory and the good of mankind However the outrage of wars by little and little soon put a stop to the pursuits and study of Religion and Learning in this Kingdom For in the year 644 EgfrÃd King of Northumberland with fire and sword spoil'd Ireland which was then a very kind allie to England and for this reason he is most sadly complain'd of by Bede After the Norwegians under the conduct of Turgesius Ireland wast d by the Norwegi wasted this Country in a most dismal manner for the space of 30 years together but he being cut off by an ambush laid for him the inhabitants fell upon the Norwegians and made such an entire defeat of them that hardly so much as one escaped Now these Norwegians were without doubt those Normans who as Rheginus tells us in Charles the Great 's time invaded Ireland an Island of the Scots and were put to flight by them Afterwards Oustmanni those perhaps whom Tac. calls Aestiâ—n s Eginâ—rdâ—s Aitisti the Oustmanni i.e. the East-men came from the sea coasts of Germany into Ireland where under the colour of trade and merchandise being admitted into some cities in a short time they began a very dangerous war Much about this time Edgar the most potent King of the English conquered a great part of Ireland For thus we find it in a certain Charter of his Unto whom God has graciously granted together with the Empire of England the dominion over all the Kingdoms of the Islands with their fierce Kings as far as Norway and the conquest of the greatest part of Ireland with her most noble city Dublin These tempests from foreign parts were soon succeeded by a worse storm of dissention at home which made way for the English Conquest of that Country Henry the second King of England seeing the differences and emulations among the petty Princes of Ireland took this opportunity and in the year 1155 moved the Conquest of Ireland to his Barons for the use of his brother William of Anjou However by advice of his mother Maud Robert de Moâ—te ad annum 1185. De mic the son of Murchard 1167. the Empress this design was deferred and put off to another time Not many years after Dermicius the son of Murchard Dermic Mac Morrog as they call him who governed the east part of Ireland in Latin Lagenia commonly Leinster for his tyranny and extravagant lusts for he had ravished p The wife of O. Rorke daughter of a petty King of Mâ—ath the wise of O. Rorkes petty King of Meath was driven from his Country and obtained aid and forces of King Henry the second to restore him He made this contract also with Richard Earl of Pembroke sirnamed Strongbow Richard Strongbow of the family of Clare that if he would assist him he would ensure the succession of his Kingdom to the Earl and give him his daughter Eva to wife Upon this the Earl forthwith raised a good Army consisting of Welsh and English induced the Fitz-Geralds Fitz-Stephens and other of the English Nobility to assist him and by these powers not only restored Dermicius his Father-in-law but in a few years made such progress in the conquest of Ireland that the King of England began to grow jealous and suspect his power so that he put forth his Proclamation requiring the said Earl and his adherents upon grievous penalties to return out of Ireland declaring that if they did not forthwith obey they should be banished and their goods confiscated Hereupon the Earl by deed and covenant made over to the King all that he had in Ireland either in right of his wife or of his sword and so had the Earldoms of Weisford Ossory Carterlogh and Kildare with some castles bestowed upon him by the King to hold of him After this King Henry the second raised an army sailed over into Ireland in the year 1172 Henr. 2. enters Ireland and obtained the soveraignty of that Island q Câ—â—â—cerning the Coâ—onies sent from England and Wales into Ireland in the time of King Henr. 2. and the Lands granted therein see Ware 's Antiquitat Hâ—bâ—rn p. 232. For the States of Ireland conferred upon him their whole power and authority Girald Cambrens MS. In the hands of Baron Howth namely Rotheric O Conor Dun that is to say the brown King of Ireland Dermot Mac Carty King of Cork Donald O Bren King of Limerick O Carel King of Uriel Mac Shaglin King of Ophaly r O Rorke was not King of Meath O Rorke King of Meath O Neale King of Ulster with all the rest of the Nobility and people by Charters signed delivered and sent to Rome from whence it was confirmed by a Diploma of Pope Hadrian's Synod 1. 2. at Cassil Armagh and by a ring sent him as a token of his Investiture it was also ratified by the authority of certain Provincial Synods Afterwards King Henry the second bestowed the Soveraignty of Ireland upon his son John which was confirmed by a Bull from Pope Urban who to confirm him in it sent him a Crown of Peacocks Feathers embroidered with Gold Authors affirm that when this Prince came to the Crown he granted by his Charter that both Ireland and England should be held of the Church of Rome Hovedun and that he received it
day appointed both Parties met at the haven called Ramsa and sat by ranks in order the King with his Council on the one side and they and their gang on the other with Regnald who was to dispatch him in the middle talking apart with one of the Noblemen When the King called him he turned himself as though he would salute him but lifting up his ax he struck at him and cut off his head at one blow As soon as they had executed this villainous design they divided the land among them and after some few days spent in getting a fleet together they set sail for Gallway intending to make a Conquest of it But the people being rais'd to receive them fell upon them with great violence Upon this they soon fled back to Man in disorder where they either kill'd or banish'd all they Gallway men they could meet with 1143. Godred Olave's son returning from Norway was created King of Man To revenge the death of his father he made two of Harold's sons have their eyes pull'd out and the third be put to death 1144. Godred began his reign and reign'd thirty years In the third year of it the people of Dublin sent for him and created him King of Dublin Murecard King of Ireland raised war against him and as he lay encamped before the City called Coridelis sent his half brother Osibel by the mother's side with three thousand horse to Dublin who was by Godred and the Dublinians slain and his army routed After this he returned to Man and began to tyrannize depriving some of his Nobles of their estates one of them called Thorfin the son of Oter mightier than the rest went to Sumerled and made Dubgall his son King of the Isles whereof he reduced many for him Godred hearing of these proceedings by one Paul set out a good navy and steered towards Sumerled who was advancing against him with a fleet of eighty sail So in the year 1156 they came to an engagement in the night before the feast of Epiphany and after great slaughters on both sides concluded a peace the next day agreeing to divide the Kingdom of the Isles between them from which time it hath continued two several Kingdoms to this day So that from the moment wherein Sumerled's sons had to do with the Kingdom of the Isles we may date its downfall and overthrow 1158. Sumerled came to Man with a fleet of fifty three sail put Godred to slight and spoiled the Island upon which Godred sailed over to Norway for aid against Sumerled 1164 Sumerled set out a fleet of one hundred and sixty ships and arrived with them at Rhinfrin intending to conquer all Scotland But by the just judgment of God he was killed and vanquished together with his son and a vast multitude by a very few The same year also a battle was fought at Ramsa between Reginald Godred's brother and the people of Man wherein those of Man were put to flight by the treachery of a certain Earl Now also Reginald began his reign which had not continued four days till Godred his brother set upon him with a great army from Norway and having taken him put out his eyes and cut of his privy parts The same year dy'd Malcolm King of Scotland and was succeeded by his brother William 1166. In August there appeared two Comets before sun-rise the one in the south the other in the north 1171. Richard Earl of Pembroke sailed over into Ireland and subdued Dublin and a great part of that Country 1176. John Curcy conquered Ulster and Vivian the Pope's Legat came into Man and made King Godred be lawfully married to his wife Phingola daughter to Mac-Lotlen son of Murkartac King of Ireland the mother of Olave then three years old They were married by Sylvan the Abbot to whom Godred the very same day gave a piece of land at Miriscoge where he built a Monastery but this together with the Monks was at last made over to the Abbey of Russin 1172. Reginald the son of Eac-Marcat one of the blood royal coming into Man in the King's absence with a great body of men presently put to flight certain Centinels that guarded the Coast and slew about thirty of them but the inhabitants being raised fell upon him and the same day cut him off with most of his party ' 1185. O-Fogolt was Sheriff of Man 1185. There happened an Eclipse of the sun on ' St. Philip and Jacob's day 1187 On the fourth of the Ides of November Godred King of the Isles departed this life and the Summer following his body was convey'd to the Isle of Hy. He left three sons Reginald Olave and Yvar In his life time he made Olave his heir being the only legitimate son he had Yet the people Olave being scarce ten years old sent for Reginald out of the Isles and made him King 1188. Reginald the son of Godred began his reign over the Islands and Murchard a man of great interest in all the Isles was slain 1192. A battle was fought between Reginald and Engus the sons of Sumerled wherein Engus got the victory The same year the Abbey of Russin was translated to Dufglas yet the Monks about four years after returned to Russin 1203. Michael Bishop of the Isles died at Fontans and was succeeded by Nicholas 1204. Hugb Lacy brought an army into Ulster fought John Curcy took him prisoner and conquered Ulster Afterwards he set John at liberty who thereupon came to King Reginald and was honorably received as being his son-in-law for Africa Godred's daughter that founded the Abbey of St. Mary de Jugo Domini and was therein married was John de Curcy's wife 1205. John Curcy and Reginald King of the Isles entered Ulster with an hundred ships in the haven call'd Stranford and laid siege to Rath Castle But Walter de Lacy brought an army and put them to flight After that Curcy could never recover his lands 1210. Engus the son of Sumerled was slain with three sons John King of England arrived at Ireland with a fleet of 500 ships and conquered it sending a certain Earl called Fulco to Man who wasted the whole Country in a fortnight's time and taking hostages returned home King Reginald and his Nobles were not in Man at that time 1217. Died Nicholas Bishop of the Isles and was buried in Ulster in the house of Benchor and succeeded by Reginald I would with the Reader 's leave add something farther concerning the two brothers Olave and Reginald REginald gave to his brother Olave the Isle of Lodhus which is counted larger than any of the other Islands but thinly peopled because it is mountainous and stony and almost unfit for tillage in all parts The inhabitants live generally by hunting and fishing Olave thereupon went to take possession of this Island and dwelt there in a poor condition But finding it too little to maintain him and his army he went boldly to his brother Reginald who then lived in the Islands and
Afterwards 7 When the Danes rifled and robb'd all the Sea-coasts upon the Danish Invasion it was translated to Durham Under the town lyes a good commodious haven defended by a fort built upon the hill towards the South-east This Island from the Monks that lived in it is called by the English Holy-Island â—â—ly Island Of which thus Alcuin in an Epistle to Egelred King of Northumberland The most venerable place in Britain is left to the mercy of Pagans and where the Christian Religion was first preached after St. Paulinus left York there we have suffer'd woe and misery to enter â—â— â—â—erne â—â—land Seven miles from hence towards the South-east lyes Farn-Island distant about two miles from Banborrow-Castle surrounded by the main Ocean and edg'd about with a ridge of rocks with a fort almost in the middle of it in the very place as some say where Cuthbert B. of Lindes-farn the tutelar Saint and Patron of the North built Bede in the life of Cuthbert as Bede expresses it a City to serve God in becoming his government and houses accordingly For the whole building was made round and four or five perches wide between wall and wall The wall on the out side was more than a man's height for he had made it much higher within by sinking a huge rock to restrain both the eyes and thoughts from rambling and direct the mind to heavenly desires by hindring the devout Inhabitants from any other prospect The wall was not made of square stone or brick nor cemented with mortar but of rough unpolished stone and turf dug up in the middle of the place Some of them were so big that four men could hardly lift them In this mansion he had two houses a chapel and a room for common uses The walls of it were of earth dug up or par'd off both within and without The roof was timber unhew'n and thatch'd Moreover at the Haven of this Island was a larger house wherein the brethren that came to visit him might be received and lodged not far from which there was a fountain convenient for them Near this lye some lesser Islands towards the North namely Widopens Staple-Island which is two miles off Bronsman and two less than these called The Wambes After these The Saxon Isles over against the mouth of the River Coquet lyes an Island called Coquet where they find great store of Sea-coal These are all the Islands to be seen on this coast but over against it we arrive at the Saxon Isles now Heilichlant that is to say the Holy Island which lye along in a continued range over against the Coast of East and West-Freisland Of all these Birchanis Lib. 7. that which Strabo calls Birchanis was best known to the Roman Arms Pliny terms it Burchana and the Romans Fabaria from a grain of that form naturally growing there which that I may restore to its proper place though it be nothing to my purpose is undoubtedly that Burkun Burkun over against the mouth of the Ems as the name it self demonstrates Lower down upon the Coast of Holland toward the old mouth of the Rhine the foundation of a very antient Arsenal appears sometimes when the Sea is gone back which is indeed an admirable piece of antiquity and a very curious model and contrivance as Abraham Ortelius the restorer of the antient Geography and my very intimate friend hath shewn in that accurate description of his by which he has rescued it from the violence of the Waves I was the more inclin'd to take notice of it because the Hollanders call it by the name of Huis te Britten Britten Huis that is to say a British house so that the name at least is ours For as it is granted that C. Caligula in that mock expedition of his against the Britains built this for a Watch-tower so 't is likewise manifest from an old inscription dug up here that Septimius Severus repair'd it As for the original or cause of this name Britten 't is uncertain 't is derived most likely from the Britains Thus Bretta the birth-place of Philip Melancthon had its name as he himself thinks and we find that the mountains in Heinault termed Breten are likewise said to take their name from the Britains And therefore as Pliny thinks it very unaccountable that an herb peculiar to Holland should be called Britannica unless those perhaps bordering upon the Ocean might dedicate it to Britain because of its vicinity so I cannot but wonder why this tower should be called British unless perhaps the Dutch gave it this name as being just over against Britain Pliny calls a place in Picardy the Portus Morinorum Britannicus Portus Morinorum Britannicus for no other reason than either that they took Ship there for Britain or because it lay just opposite Why therefore might not this tower be called Britten for the same reason For the Britains came often hither and no one will question but this was a common passage from Germany into Britain since Zosimus computes the breadth of the Ocean between Britain and the mouth of the Rhine to be 900 Stadia as though this were the common passage and writes that supplies of corn were brought hither out of Britain and hence conveyed in boats up the Rhine to the Roman Camps Considering withal that Julian the Emperor as Marcellinus tells us built Granaries for the corn usually sent him from Britain About that time this tower seems to have been converted into a Granary and called from the British Corn Britten which is the more probable because 't is written Britenburg in the Records of Holland For in that age they called such Castles as stood conveniently and were stored with Corn Burgs Burg wiâ—â— as appears by the History of the Burgundians But what if one should say for this is only multiplying conjectures upon a thing that has puzzled many an enquirer that the Britains took this tower and left it this name when they set up Magnus Maximus â—â—â—irus 〈◊〉 or Clemens Maximus as others call him against Gratian for he certainly arrived at the mouth of the Rhine If this name be of later date what if one should think it had the name of Huis de Britten given it by the Saxons since they set sail from hence when they infested our coast with their pinaces Saxons in Holland or Onles as they call them For Zosimus tells us that the Saxons drove out the Franks 1 Called SALII Hol. and possessed themselves of Batavia and that thence they made their descent upon Britain is sufficiently manifest This seems also to be intimated by Janus Dousa Jâ—nus Douza a Noble Gentleman and a great Scholar in an Ode of his upon Leyden But lest I seem lavish in the praise of my own Country I must note before I leave this subject that seeing the learned Hadrianus Junius a Dutchman born deduces the name Britannica from Britten a