also neat and gotes whereby they abound in white meat as butter and cheese wherein next vnto fish the chéefe part of their sustenance dooth consist There is also a bishop of the Orchades who hath his see in Pomona the chéefe of all the Ilands wherein also are two strong castels and such hath béene the superstition of the people here that there is almost no one of them that hath not one church at the least dedicated to the mother of Christ. Finallie there is little vse of physicke in these quarters lesse store of éeles and least of frogs As for the horsses that are bred amongst them they are commonlie not much greater than asses and yet to labour and trauell a man shall find verie few else-where able to come neere much lesse to match with them in holding out their iournies The seas about these Ilands are verie tempestuous not onelie through strong winds and the influences of the heauens and stars but by the contrarie méetings and workings of the west ocean which rageth so vehementlie in the streicts that no vessell is able to passe in safetie amongst them Some of these Ilands also are so small and low that all the commoditie which is to be reaped by anie of them is scarselie sufficient to susteine one or two men and some of them so barren and full of rocks that they are nothing else but mosse or bare shingle Wherefore onelie thirteene of them are inhabited and made account of the rest being left vnto their sheepe and cattell Of all these Ilands also Pomona is the greatest and therfore called the continent which conteineth thirtie miles in length and is well replenished with people for it hath twelue parish churches and one towne which the Danes sometime lords of that Iland called Cracouia but now it hight Kirkwa There are also two pretie holds one belonging to the king the other to the bishop and also a beautifull church and much building betweene the two holds and about this church which being taken as it were for two townes the one is called the kings and the other the bishops towne All the whole Iland is full of cliffes and promontories whereby no small number of baies and some hauens are producted There is also tin and lead to be found in six of these Iles so good and plentifullie as anie where else in Britaine It lieth foure twentie miles from Cathnesse being separated from the same by the Pictish sea wherein also lie certeine Ilands as Stroma foure miles from Cathnesse which albeit that it be but foure miles from Cathnesse is not reputed for anie of the Orchades Going therefore from hence northward we come to the first I le of the Orchades called south Rauals which is sixtéene miles from Dunghilsbie aliàs Dunachisbie that in two houres space such is the swiftnesse of the sea in that tract This I le is fiue miles long and hath a faire port called saint Margarets hauen Then passe we by two desert Iles which lie towards the east wherein nothing is found but cattell some call them the holmes bicause they lie low and are good for nothing but grasse On the northside lieth the Bur and two other holmes betweene the same Pomona From Bur toward the west lie thrée Iles Snu Flat and Far and beyond them Hoie and Uall which some accompt for two and other but for one bicause that in March and September the flats that lie betwéene them doo séeme to ioine them togither after the tide is gone This neuerthelesse is certeine that in this single or double I le which is ten miles in length the highest hilles are to be séene that are in all the Orchades And as they lie eight miles from Rauals so are they two miles from Pomona from saint Donats in Scotland full twentie miles And on the north side of it lieth the Brainse in a narrow streict as Buchanan dooth remember And these are the Iles which lie betweene Pomona and Cathnesse As for the west side of the continent I find that it lieth open to the sea without either shelues Ilands or rocks appéering néere vnto it but on the east side thereof Cobesa dooth in maner ouershadow it Siapiusa also an I le of six miles long lieth within two miles of Cracouia Toward the east on the west side of Pomona lieth the Rouse of six miles in length and by east of that the Eglisa wherin as they saie their patrone S. Magnus lieth interred From hense southward lie the Uera Gersa and not far off the Uester which is fourescore miles from Hethland Papa Stronza which is also eightie miles from Hethland as the Uester In the middest also of this tract lieth Far or Fara which is to saie faire I le in old English faire eie and within sight so well of Hethland as the Orchades by reason of three insuperable rocks which are apparant in the same a verie poore Iland and yet yearelie robbed of such commodities as it hath by such Flemish and English fishermen as passe by the coasts thereof in time of the yeare to catch fish for the prouision of their countries Next vnto this is the greatest of all the Hethlands an Iland called the Maine sixtie miles in length and sixteene in bredth full of rocks and whose coasts are onelie inhabited the innermost parts being lest vnto the foules of the aire bicause of the barrennesse and vnfruitfulnesse of the soile yet of late some haue indeuoured to impeople it but with no successe correspondent to their desire Wherefore they returned to their former trades making their chéefe commoditie and yearelie gaine by fish as aforetime Ten miles from this toward the north lieth the Zeale twentie miles in length eight in bredth and so wild that it will suffer no creature to liue thereof that is not bred therein Betwéene this Iland also and the Maine are other smaller Ilands to be found as the Ling Orne Big and Sanferre And from hense nine miles northward Usta twentie miles long six in bredth plaine pleasant but inuironed with a swift and terrible sea Betwéene this also and the Zeale are the Uie the Ure and the Ling also towards the west the two Skenes Chalseie Nordwade Brase and Mowse on the west side lie the west Skenes Rottia Papa the lesse Wunned Papa the more Ualla Tondra Burra Haura the more Haura the lesse in maner so manie holmes dispersed heere and there whereof I haue no notice Some call these the Shetland and some the Shotland Iles. Buchanan nameth them in the third member of his diuision Zelandise and toward the end of his first booke seemeth to auouch that they liue in maner as doo the inhabitants of the Orchades although not in so ciuill wise nor in such large measure and aboundance of diet in their houses He addeth moreouer that their apparrell is after the Germaine cut comelie but not so chargeable and costlie and how they raise their gaine by skins of
a rill by east from aboue Kellington it runneth on to Newton Pillaton Wootton Blosfleming saint Erne and beneath this village crosseth a rillet that runneth thither from Bicton by Quithiocke saint Germans and Sheuiocke But to procéed After the confluence it goeth betweene Erlie and Fro Martine castell and soone after taking in a rill from by north that passeth west of saint Steuens it is not long yer it fall into the Thamar which after this receiuing the Milbrooke creeke goeth on by Edgecombe and betwéene saint Michaels Ile and Ridden point into the maine sea And thus haue I finished the description of Plimmouth water and all such falles as are betwéene Mewston rocke on the east side and the Ram head on the other After this we procéeded on with our iournie toward the west and passing by Longstone we came soone after to Sothan baie where we crossed the Seton water whose head is about Liscard his course by Minheniet Chafrench Tregowike Sutton and so into the sea Then came we to Low and going in betwéene it and Mount I le we find that it had a branched course and thereto the confluence aboue Low The chiefe head riseth in the hils as it were two miles aboue Gaine and going by that towne it ceaseth not to continue his course east of Dulo till it come a little aboue Low where it crosseth and ioineth with the Brodoke water that runneth from Brodokes by Trewargo and so into the sea Next vnto these are two other rils of which one is called Polpir before we come at Foy or Fawy Foy or Fawy riuer riseth in Fawy moore on the side of an hill in Fawy moore from whence it runneth by certeine bridges till it méet with the Glin water west of Glin towne which rising aboue Temple méeting with a rill that commeth in from S. Neotes doth fall into Fawy a mile and more aboue Resprin from by east After this confluence then it goeth to Resprin bridge Lestermen castell Loftwithiell bridge Pill saint Kingtons saint Winnow and Golant and here also receiueth the Lerine water out of a parke that taketh his waie into the maine streame by Biconke Tethe and the Fining house Being thus vnited it proceedeth vnto Fawy towne taking in a rill or creeke from aboue it on the one side and another beneath it south of Halling on the other of which two this latter is the longest of course fith it runneth thrée good miles before it come at the Foy. Leland writing of this riuer addeth verie largelie vnto it after this maner The Fawy riseth in Fawy moore about two miles from Camilford by south and sixtéene miles from Fawy towne in a verie quaue mire on the side of an hill From hence it goeth to Drainesbridge to Clobham bridge Lergen bridge New bridge Resprin bridge and Lostwithiell bridge where it meeteth with a little brooke and néere therevnto parteth it selfe in twaine Of these two armes therefore one goeth to a bridge of stone the other to another of timber and soone after ioining againe the maine riuer goeth to saint Gwinnowes from thence also to the point of saint Gwinnowes wood which is about halfe a mile from thence except my memorie dooth faile me Here goeth in a salt créeke halfe a mile on the east side of the hauen and at the head of it is a bridge called Lerine bridge the créeke it selfe in like maner bearing the same denomination From Lerine creeke to S. Caracs pill or créeke is about halfe a mile and Lower on the east side of the said hauen it goeth vp also aboue a mile and an halfe into the land From Caracs créeke to Poulmorland a mile and this likewise goeth vp scant a quarter of a mile into the land yet at the head it parteth it selfe in twaine From Poulmorland weto Bodnecke village halfe a mile where the passage and repassage is commonlie to Fawy From Bodnecke to Pelene point where a créeke goeth vp not fullie a thousand paces into the land a mile thence to Poulruan a quarter of a mile and at this Poulruan is a tower of force marching against the tower on Fawy side betwéene which as I doo heare a chaine hath sometime beene stretched and likelie inough for the hauen there is hardly two bow shot ouer The verie point of land at the east side of the mouth of this hauen is called Pontus crosse but now Panuchecrosse It shall not be amisse in this place somewhat to intreat of the towne of Fawy which is called in Cornish Comwhath and being situat on the north-side of the hauen is set hanging on a maine rockie hill being in length about one quarter of a mile except my memorie deceiue me The renowme of Fawy rose by the wars vnder king Edward the first Edward the third and Henrie the fift partlie by feats of armes and partlie by plaine pirasie Finallie the townesmen feeling themselues somwhat at ease and strong in their purses they fell to merchandize and so they prospered in this their new deuise that as they trauelled into all places so merchants from all countries made resort to them whereby within a while they grew to be exceeding rich The ships of Fawy sailing on a time by Rhie and Winchelseie in the time of king Edward the third refused stoutlie to vale anie bonet there although warning was giuen them so to doo by the portgreues or rulers of those townes Herevpon the Rhie and Winchelseie men made out vpon them with cut and long taile but so hardlie were they interteined by the Fawy pirates I should saie aduenturers that they were driuen home againe with no small losse and hinderance Such fauour found the Fawy men also immediatlie vpon this bickering that in token of their victorie ouer their winching aduersaries and riding ripiers as they called them in mockerie they altered their armes and compounded for new wherein the scutchion of Rhie and Winchelseie is quartered with theirs and beside this the Foyens were called the gallants of Fawy or Foy whereof they not a little reioised and more peraduenture than for some greater bootie And thus much of Fawy towne wherein we sée what great successe often commeth of witlesse and rash aduentures But to returne againe to our purpose from whence we haue digressed and as hauing some desire to finish vp this our voiage we will leaue the Fawmouth go forward on our iournie Being therefore past this hauen we come into Trewardith baie which lieth into the land betwéene Canuasse and the Blacke head point and hereabout Leland placeth Vrctoum promontorium In this we saw the fall of two small brookes not one verie far distant from another The first of them entring west of Trewardith the other east of saint Blaies and both directlie against Curwarder rocke except I mistake my compasse Neither of them are of anie great course and the longest not full thrée miles and an halfe Wherfore sith
they are neither branched nor of anie great quantitie what should I make long haruest of a little corne and spend more time than may well be spared about them When we were past the Blacke head we came to Austell brooke which is increased with a water that commeth from aboue Mewan and within a mile after the confluence they fall into the sea at Pentoren from whence we went by the Blacke rocke and about the Dudâ—â—an point till we came to Chare haies where falleth in a pretie water whose head is two miles aboue saint Tues Thence we went by here and there a méere salt créeke till we passed the Graie rocke in Giâ—inâ—raith baie and S. Anthonies point where Leland maketh his accompt to enter into Falamouth hauen The Fala riseth a little by north of Penuenton towne and going westward till it come downwards toward saint Dionise it goeth from thence to Melader saint Steuens Grampont Goldon Crede Corneleie Tregue Moran Treguâ—â—an it falleth into the hauen with a good indifferent force and this is the course of Fala But least I should séeme to omit those creekes that are betwéene this and S. Anthonies point I will go a little backe againe and fetch in so maniâ— of them as come now to my remembrance Entring therefore into the port we haue a créeke that runneth vp by saint Anthonies toward saint Gereus then another that goeth into the land by east of saint Maries castell with a forked head passing in the meane time by a great rocke that lieth in the verie midst of the hauen in maner of the third point of a triangle betwéene saint Maries castell and Pendinant Thence we cast about by the said castell and came by another créeke that falleth in by east then the second aboue saint Iustus the third at Ardenora the fourth at Rilan And hauing as it were visited all these in order we come backe againe about by Tregonnian and then going vpward betweene it and Taluerne till we came to Fentangolan we found the confluence of two great creekes beneath saint Clements whereof one hath a fresh water comming downe by S. Merâ—her the other another from Truro increased with sundrie branches though not one of them of anie greatnesse and therefore vnworthie to be handled Pole hole standeth vpon the head almost of the most easterlie of them S. Kenwen and Truro stand aboue the confluence of other two The fourth falleth in by west from certeine hils as for the fift and sixt as they be little créeks and no fresh so haue I lesse language and talke to spend about them Of saint Caie and saint Feokes créeke whose issue is betwéene Restronget and créeke of Trurie I sée no cause to make any long spéech yet I remember that the towne of S. Feoke standeth betwéene them both That also called after this saint rising aboue Perannarwothill and comming thence by Kirklo falleth into Falamouth northeast of Milor which standeth vpon the point betwéene it and Milor créeke Milor creeke is next Restronget some call it Milor poole from whence we went by Trefusis point and there found an other great fall from Perin which being branched in the top hath Perin towne almost in the verie confluence And thus much by my collection of the fall But for somuch as Leland hath taken some paines in the description of this riuer I will not suffer it to perish sith there is other matter conteined therein worthie remembrance although not deliuered in such order as the thing it selfe requireth The verie point saith he of the hauen mouth being an hill whereon the king hath builded a castell is called Pendinant It is about a mile in compasse almost inuironed with the sea and where the sea couereth not the ground is so low that it were a small mastrie to make Pendinant an Iland Furthermore there lieth a cape or foreland within the hauen a mile and a halfe and betwixt this and maister Killigrewes house one great arme of the hauen runneth vp to Penrine towne which is three miles from the verie entrie of Falamouth hauen and two good miles from Penfusis Moreouer there is Leuine Priselo betwixt saint Budocus and Pendinas which were a good hauen but for the barre of sand But to procéed The first creeke or arme that casteth on the northwest side of Falemouth hauen goeth vp to Perin and at the end it breaketh into two armes whereof the lesse runneth to Glasenith Viridis nidus the gréene nest or Wagméere at Penrine the other to saint Glunias the parish church of Penrine In like sort out of each side of Penrine créeke breaketh an arme yer it come to Penrine This I vnderstand also that stakes and foundations of stone haue béene set in the créeke at Penrine a litle lower than the wharfe where it breakech into armes but howsoeuer this standeth betwixt the point of Trefusis and the point of Restronget is Milor créeke which goeth vp a mile into the land and by the church is a good rode for ships The next creeke beyond the point of Restronget wood is called Restronget which going two miles vp into the maine breaketh into two armes In like order betwixt Restronget and the creeke of Trurie be two créekes one called saint Feokes the other saint Caie next vnto which is Trurie créeke that goeth vp about two miles creeking from the principall streame and breaketh within halfe a mile of Trurie casting in a branch westward euen hard by Newham wood This creeke of Trurie is diuided into two parts before the towne of Trurie and each of them hauing a brooke comming downe and a bridge the towne of Trurie standeth betwixt them both In like sort Kenwen stréet is seuered from the said towne with this arme and Clements street by east with the other Out of the bodie also of Trurie creeke breaketh another eastward a mile from Crurie and goeth vp a mile and a halfe to Cresilian bridge of stone At the verie entrie and mouth of this créeke is a rode of ships called Maples rode and here fought not long since eightéene ships of Spanish merchants with foure ships of warre of Deepe but the Spaniards draue the Frenchmen all into this harborow A mile and an halfe aboue the mouth of Crurie creeke is another named Lhan Moran of S. Morans church at hand This créeke goeth vp a quarter of a mile from the maine streame into the hauen as the maine streame goeth vp two miles aboue Moran créeke ebbing and flowing and a quarter of a mile higher is the towne of Cregowie where we found a bridge of stone vpon the Fala riuer Fala it selfe riseth a mile or more west of Roche hill and goeth by Graund pont where I saw a bridge of stone This Graund pont is foure miles from Roche hill and two little miles from Cregowie betwixt which the Fala taketh his course From Cregowie to passe downe by the bodie
betwéene Chester and Darbishires Going also toward Goitehall it méeteth with a faire brooke increased by sundrie waters called Goite whereof I find this short and briefe description The Goite riseth not far from the Shire méere hill wherein the Doue and the Dane haue their originall that parteth Darbishire and Chestershire in sunder and thence commeth downe to Goite houses Ouerton Taxhall Shawcrosse and at Weibridge taketh in the Frith and beneath Berdhall the Set that riseth aboue Thersethall and runneth by Ouerset After this confluence also the Merseie goeth to Goite hall at Stockford or Stopford towne méeteth with the Tame which diuideth Chestershire and Lancastershire in sunder and whose head is in the verie edge of Yorkeshire from whence it goeth southward to Sadleworth Firth then to Mukelhirst Stalie hall Ashdon Underline Dunkenfield Denton Reddish and so at Stockford into the Merseie streame which passeth foorth in like sort to Diddesbirie receiuing a brooke by the waie that commeth from Lime parke by Brumhall parke and Chedle From Diddesbirie it procéedeth to Norden Ashton Aiston Flixston where it receiueth the Irwell a notable water and therefore his description is not to be omitted before I doo go forward anie further with the Merseie although it be not nauigable by reason of sundrie rockes and shalowes that lie dispersed in the same It riseth aboue Bacop and goeth thence to Rosendale and in the waie to Aitenfield it taketh in a water from Haselden After this confluence it goeth to Newhall Brandlesham Brurie and aboue Ratcliffe ioineth with the Rache water a faire streame and to be described when I haue finished the Irwell as also the next vnto it beneath Ratcliffe bicause I would not haue so manie ends at once in hand wherewith to trouble my readers Being therfore past these two our Irwell goeth on to Clifton Hollond Edgecroft Strengwaies and to Manchester where it vniteth it selfe with the Yrke that runneth thereinto by Roiton Midleton Heaton hill and Blackeleie Beneath Manchester also it méeteth with the Medlocke that commeth thither from the northeast side of Oldham and betwéene Claiton and Garret Halles and so betwéene two parkes falling into it about Holne Thence our Irwell going forward to Woodsall Whicleswtâ—c Ecles Barton and Deuelhom it falleth néere vnto Flixton into the water of Merseie where I will staie a while withall till I haue brought the other vnto some passe of which I spake before The Rache Rach or Rish consisteth of sundrie waters whereof ech one in maner hath a proper name but the greatest of all is Rache it selfe which riseth among the blacke stonie hils from whence it goeth to Littlebrough and being past Clegge receiueth the Beile that commeth thither by Milneraw chappell After this confluence also it méeteth with a rill néere vnto Rachedale and soone after with the Sprotton water and then the Sudleie brooke whereby his chanell is not a little increased which goeth from thence to Grisehirst and so into the Irewell before it come at Ratcliffe The second streame is called Bradsha It riseth of two heds aboue Tureton church whence it runneth to Bradsha and yer long taking in the Walmesleie becke they go in one chanell till they come beneath Bolton in the More From hence receiuing a water that commeth from the roots of Rauenpike hill by the way it goeth by Deane and Bolton in the More and so into Bradsha water which taketh his waie to Leuermore Farnworth Leuerlesse and finallie into the Irwell which I before described and whereof I find these two verses to be added at the last Irke Irwell Medlocke and Tame When they meet with the Merseie do loose their name Now therefore to resume our Merseie you shall vnderstand that after his confluence with the Irwell he runneth to Partington and not farre from thence interteineth the Gles or Glesbrooke water increased with sundrie armes wherof one commeth from Lodward another from aboue Houghton the third from Hulton parke and the fourth from Shakerleie and being all vnited néere vnto Leigh the confluence goeth to Holcroft and aboue Holling gréene into the swift Merseie After this increase the said streame in like sort runneth to Rigston there admitteth the Bollein or Bolling brooke water into his societie which rising néere the Chamber in Maxwell forrest goeth to Ridge Sutton Bollington Prestbirie and Newton where it taketh in a water comming from about Pot Chappell which runneth from thence by Adlington Woodford Wimesleie Ringeie and Ashleie there receiuing the Birkin brooke that commeth from betwéene Allerton and Marchall by Mawberleie and soone after the Marus or Mar that commeth thereinto from Mar towne by Rawstorne and after these confluences goeth on to Downham and ouer against Rixton beneath Crosford bridge into the Merseie water which procéeding on admitteth not another that méeteth with all néere Lim before it go to Thelwall Thence also it goeth by Bruche and so to Warrington a little beneath crossing a brooke that commeth from Par by Browseie Bradleie and Saukeie on the one side and another on the other that commeth thither from Gropenhall and with these it runneth on to nether Walton Acton grange and so to Penkith where it interteineth the Bold and soone after the Grundich water on the other side that passeth by Preston and Daresbirie Finallie our Merseie going by Moulton it falleth into Lirepoole or as it was called of old Liuerpoole hauen when it is past Runcorne And thus much of the Merseie comparable vnto the Wiuer and of no lesse fame than most riuers of this Iland Being past these two we come next of all to the Tarbocke water that falleth into the sea at Harbocke without finding anie mo till we be past all Wirall out of Lirepoole hauen and from the blacke rockes that lie vpon the north point of the aforesaid Iland Then come we to the Altmouth whose fresh rising not far into the land commeth to Feston and soone after receiuing another on the right hand that passeth into it by Aughton it is increased no more before it come at the sea Neither find I anie other falles till I méet with the mouth of the Yarrow and Duglesse which haue their recourse to the sea in one chanell as I take it The Duglesse commeth from by west of Rauenspike hill and yer long runneth by Andertonford to Worthington and so taking in two or thrée rilles by the waie to Wigen where it receiueth two waters in one chanell of which one commeth in south from Brin parke the other from northeast Being past this it receiueth one on the north side from Standish and another by south from Hollond and then goeth on toward Rufford chappell taking the Taud withall that descendeth from aboue Skelmersdale towne and goeth through Lathan parke belonging as I heare vnto the earle of Derbie It méeteth also
Toliapis other Athanatos bicause serpents are supposed not to liue in the same howbeit sith it is not enuironed with the sea it is not to be dealt withall as an Iland in this place albeit I will not let to borow of my determination and describe it as I go bicause it is so fruitfull Beda noteth it in times past to haue conteined 600. families which are all one with Hidelands Ploughlands Carrucates or Temewares He addeth also that it is diuided from our continent by the riuer called Wantsume which is about thrée furlongs broad and to be passed ouer in two places onelie But whereas Polydore saieth the Thanet is nine miles in length not much lesse in bredth it is now reckoned that it hath not much aboue seauen miles from Nordtmuth to Sandwich and foure in bredth from the Stoure to Margate or from the south to the north the circuit of the whole being 17. or 18. as Leland also noteth This Iland hath no wood growing in it except it be forced and yet otherwise it is verie fruitfull and beside that it wanteth few other commodities the finest chalke is said to be found there Herein also did Augustine the moonke first arriue when he came to conuert the Saxons and afterward in processe of time sundry religious houses were erected there as in a soile much bettered as the supersticious supposed by the steps of that holy man such as came ouer with him There are at this time 10. parish churches at the least in the I le of Thanet as S. Nicholas Birchington S. Iohns Wood or Woodchurch S. Peters S. Laurence Mownton or Monkeron Minster S. Gyles and all Saincts whereof M. Lambert hath written at large in his description of Kent and placed the same in the Lath of sainct Augustine and hundred of Kingslow as may easilie be séene to him that will peruse it Sometime Rutupium or as Beda calleth it Reptacester stood also in this Iland but now thorough alteration of the chanell of the Dour it is shut quite out and annexed to the maine It is called in these daies Richborow and as it should seeme builded vpon an indifferent soile or high ground The large brickes also yet to be seene there in the ruinous walles declare either the Romane or the old British workemanship But as time decaieth all things so Rutupium named Ruptimuth is now become desolate and out of the dust thereof Sandwich producted which standeth a full mile from the place where Reptacester stood The old writers affirme how Arthur Mordred fought one notable battell here wherin Gwallon or Gawan was slaine at which time the said rebell came against his souereigne with 70000. Picts Scots Irish Norwegiens c and with Ethelbert the first christian king of Kent did hold his palace in this towne and yet none of his coine hath hitherto beene found there as is dailie that of the Romanes whereof manie péeces of siluer and gold so well as of brasse copper and other mettall haue often beene shewed vnto me It should appéere in like sort that of this place all the whole coast of Kent therabout was called Littus Rutupinum which some doo not a little confirme by these words of Lucane to be read in his sixt booke soone after the beginning Aut vaga cum Tethis Rutupinà que littora feruent Vnda Calidonios fallit turbata Britannos Or when the wandering seas and Kentish coasts doo worke And Calidons of British bloud the troubled waues beguile Meaning in like sort by the latter the coast néere Andredeswald which in time past was called Littus Calidonium of that wood or forrest as Leland also confirmeth But as it is not my mind to deale anie thing curiouslie in these by-matters so in returning againe to my purpose and taking my iourney toward the Wight I must needs passe by Selesey which sometime as it should séeme hath béene a noble Iland but now in maner a Byland or Peninsula wherin the chéefe sée of the bishop of Chichester was holden by the space of thrée hundred twentie nine yeares and vnder twentie bishops Next vnto this we come vnto those that lie betweene the Wight and the maine land of which the most easterlie is called Thorne and to saie truth the verie least of all that are to be found in that knot Being past the Thorne we touched vpon the Haling which is bigger than the Thorne and wherein one towne is situat of the same denomination beside another whose name I remember not By west also of the Haling lieth the Port the greatest of the three alreadie mentioned and in this standeth Portsmouth and Ringstéed whereof also our Leland saieth thus Port Ile is cut from the shore by an arme of the maine hauen which breaketh out about thrée miles aboue Portsmouth and goeth vp two miles or more by morish ground to a place called Portbridge which is two miles from Portsmouth Then breaketh there out another créeke from the maine sea about Auant hauen which gulleth vp almost to Portbridge and thence is the ground disseuered so that Portsmouth standeth in a corner of this I le which Iland is in length six miles and three miles in bredth verie good for grasse and corne not without some wood and here and there inclosure Beside this there is also another Iland north northwest of Port I le which is now so worne and washed awaie with the working of the sea that at the spring tides it is wholie couered with water and thereby made vnprofitable Finallie being past all these and in compassing this gulfe we come by an other which lieth north of Hirst castell southeast of Kaie hauen whereof I find nothing worthie to be noted sauing that it wanteth wood as Ptolomie affirmeth in his Geographicall tables of all those Ilands which enuiron our Albion The Wight is called in Latine Vectis but in the British speach Guidh that is to saie Eefe or easie to be séene or as D. Caius saith separate bicause that by a breach of the sea it was once diuided from the maine as Sicilia was also from Italie Anglesei from Wales Foulenesse from Essex Quinborow from Kent It lieth distant from the south shore of Britaine where it is fardest off by fiue miles a halfe but where it commeth neerest not passing a thousand paces and this at the cut ouer betwéene Hirst castell and a place called Whetwell chine as the inhabitants doo report It conteineth in length twentie miles and in bredth ten it hath also the north pole eleuated by 50. degrées and 27. minutes and is onelie 18. degrees in distance and 50. od minuts from the west point as experience hath confirmed contrarie to the description of Ptolomie and such as folow his assertions in the same In forme it representeth almost an eg and so well is it inhabited with meere English at this present that there are thirtie six townes villages and castels to be found
of the Flatholme about foure or fiue miles the first also a mile and an halfe the other two miles or thereabout in length but neither of them a mile and an halfe in breadth where they doo seeme to be the broadest It should séeme by some that they are not worthie to be placed among Ilands yet othersome are of opinion that they are not altogither so base as to be reputed amongst flats or rocks but whatsoeuer they be this is sure that they oft annoie such passengers and merchants as passe and repasse vpon that riuer Neither doo I read of any other Iles which lie by east of these saue onlie the Barri and Dunwen the first of which is so called of one Barroc a religious man as Gyraldus saith and is about a flight shot from the shore Herin also is a rocke standing at the verie entrance of the cliffe which hath a little rift or chine vpon the side wherevnto if a man doo laie his eare he shall heare a noise as if smithes did worke at the forge sometimes blowing with their bellowes and sometimes striking and clinking with hammers whereof manie men haue great wonder and no maruell It is about a mile in compasse situat ouer against Aberbarry and hath a chappell in it Dunwen is so called of a church dedicated to a Welsh woman saint called Dunwen that standeth there It lieth more than two miles from Henrosser right against Neuen and hath within it two faire mils great store of conies Certes if the sand increase so fast hereafter as it hath done of late about it it will be vnited to the maine within a short season Beyond these toward the coast of Southwales lie two other Ilands larger in quantitie than the Holmes of which the one is called Caldee or Inis Pyr. It hath a parish-church with a spire steeple and a pretie towne belonging to the countie of Pembroke and iurisdiction of one Dauid in Wales Leland supposeth the ruines that are found therein to haue béene of an old priorie sometimes called Lille which was a cell belonging to the monasterie of S. Dogmael but of this I can saie nothing The other hight Londy wherein is also a village or towne and of this Iland the parson of the said towns is not onelie the captaine but hath thereto weife distresse and all other commodities belonging to the same It is little aboue sixteene miles from the coast of Wales though it be thirtie from Caldée and yet it serueth as I am informed lord and king in Deuonshire Moreouer in this Iland is great plentie of sheepe but more conies and therewithall of verie fine and short grasse for their better food pasturage likewise much Sampere vpon the shore which is carried from thence in barrels And albeit that there be not scarslie fourtie housholds in the whole yet the inhabitants there with huge stones alredie prouided may kéepe off thousands of their enimies bicause it is not possible for anie aduersaries to assaile them but onelie at one place and with a most dangerous entrance In this voiage also we met with two other Ilands one of them called Shepes I le the other Rat I le the first is but a little plot lieng at the point of the Baie before we come at the Blockhouse which standeth north of the same at the verie entrie into Milford hauen vpon the eastside By north also of Shepes I le and betwéene it Stacke rocke which lieth in the verie middest of the hauen at another point is Rat I le yet smaller than the former but what commodities are to be found in them as yet I cannot tell Schalmey the greater and the lesse lie northwest of Milford hauen a good waie They belong both to the crowne but are not inhabited bicause they be so often spoiled with pirates Schoncold I le ioineth vnto great Schalmey and is bigger than it onlie a passage for ships parteth them whereby they are supposed to be one Leland noteth them to lie in Milford hauen Beside these also we found the Bateholme Stockeholme Midland and Gresholme Iles and then doubling the Wellock point we came into a Baie where we saw saint Brides Iland and another in the Sound betwéene Ramsey and the point of all which Iles and such rocks as are offensiue to mariners that passe by them it may be my hap to speake more at large hereafter Limen as Ptolomie calleth it is situat ouer against S. Dauids in Wales wherevnto we must néeds come after we be past another little one which some men doo call Gresholme lieth directlie west of Schalmey In a late map I find this Limen to be called in English Ramsey Leland also confirmeth the same and I cannot learne more thereof than that it is much greater than anie of the other last mentioned sithens I described the Holmes and for temporall iurisdiction a member of Penbrookeshire as it is vnto S. Dauids for matters concerning the church Leland in his commentaries of England lib. 8. saieth that it contained thrée Ilets whereof the bishop of S. Dauids is owner of the greatest but the chanter of S. Dauids claimeth the second as the archdeacon of Cairmarden dooth the third And in these is verie excellent pasture for sheepe and horses but not for other horned beasts which lacke their vpper téeth by nature whose substance is conuerted into the nourishment of their hornes and therefore cannot bite so low Next vnto this I le we came to Mawr an Iland in the mouth of Mawr scant a bow shoot ouer and enuironed at the low water with fresh but at the high with salt and here also is excellent catching of herings After this procéeding on still with our course we fetched a compasse going out of the north toward the west and then turning againe as the coast of the countrie leadeth vntill we sailed full south leauing the shore still on our right hand vntill we came vnto a couple of Iles which doo lie vpon the mouth of the Soch one of them being distant as we gessed a mile from the other and neither of them of anie greatnesse almost worthie to be remembred The first that we came vnto is called Tudfall and therein is a church but without anie parishioners except they be shéepe and conies The quantitie thereof also is not much aboue six acres of ground measured by the pole The next is Penthlin Myrach or Mererosse situat in maner betwixt Tudfall or Tuidall and the shore and herein is verie good pasture for horsses wherof as I take it that name is giuen vnto it Next vnto them we come vnto Gwelyn a little I le which lieth southeast of the fall of Daron or Daren a thing of small quantitie and yet almost parted in the mids by water and next of all vnto Bardsey an Iland lieng ouer against Periuincle the southwest point or promontorie of Northwales where Merlin Syluestris
of the I le of Manaw a bishops see was erected in the old monasterie of Columbus whereby the iurisdiction of those Iles was still mainteined and continued Certes there remaine yet in this Iland the old burials apperteinâ—ng to the most noble families that had dwelled in the west Iles but thrée aboue other are accompted the most notable which haue little houses builded vpon them That in the middest hath a stone whereon is written Tumuli regum Scotiae The burials of the kings of Scotland for as they saie fourtie eight of them were there interred Another is intituled with these words The burials of the kings of Ireland bicause foure of them lie in that place The third hath these words written thereon The graues of the kings of Norwaie for there eight of them were buried also and all through a fond suspicion conceiued of the merits of Columbus Howbeit in processe of time when Malcolme Cammor had erected his abbeie at Donfermeling he gaue occasion to manie of his successors to be interred there About this Iland there lie six other Iles dispersed small in quantitie but not altogither barren sometimes giuen by the kings of Scotland and lords of the Iles vnto the abbeie of saint Columbus of which the Soa albeit that it yeeld competent pasturage for shéepe yet is it more commodious by such egs as the great plentie of wildfoule there breeding doo laie within the same Then is there the I le of Shrewes or of women as the more sober heads doo call it Also Rudan next vnto that the Rering There is also the Shen halfe a mile from Mula whose bankes doo swarme with conies it hath also a parish church but most of the inhabitants doo liue and dwell in Mula There is also the Eorse or the Arse and all these belong vnto saint Columbus abbeie Two miles from Arse is the Olue an Iland fiue miles in length and sufficientlie stored with corne and grasse not without a good hauen for ships to lie and harbor in There is also the Colfans an Iland fruitfull inough and full of cornell trées There is not far off also the Gomater Stafa the two Kerneburgs and the Mosse I le in the old Brittish speech called Monad that is to saie Mosse The soile of it is verie blacke bicause of the corruption putrefaction of such woods as haue rotted thereon wherevpon also no small plentie of mosse is bred and ingendered The people in like maner make their fire of the said earth which is fullie so good as our English turffe There is also the Long six miles further toward the west Tirreie which is eight miles in length and thrée in breadth of all other one of the most plentifull for all kinds of commodities for it beareth corne cattell fish and seafowle aboundantlie It hath also a well of fresh water a castell and a verie good hauen for great vessels to lie at safegard in Two miles from this also is the Gun and the Coll two miles also from the Gun Then passed we by the Calfe a verie wooddie Iland the foure gréene Iles the two glasse or skie Ilands the Ardan the I le of woolfes then the great Iland which reacheth from the east into the west is sixteene miles in length and six in breadth full of mounteins and swelling woods and for asmuch as it is not much inhabited the seafoules laie great plentie of egs there whereof such as will may gather what number them listeth Upon the high cliffes and rocks also the Soland géefe are taken verie plentifullie Beyond this about foure miles also is the Ile of horsses and a little from that the hog Iland which is not altogither vnfruitfull There is a falcon which of custome bréedeth there and therevnto it is not without a conuenient hauen Not farre off also is the Canna and the Egga little Iles but the later full of Soland géefe Likewise the Sobratill more apt to hunt in than méet for anie other commoditie that is to be reaped thereby After this we come to the Skie the greatest Ile about all Scotland for it is two and fortie miles long and somewhere eight in some places twelue miles broad it is moreouer verie hillie which hilles are therevnto loaden with great store of wood as the woods are with pasture the fields with corne and cattell and besides all other commodities with no small heards of mares whereby they raise great aduantage and commoditie It hath fiue riuers verie much abounding with salmons and other fresh streams not altogither void of that prouision It is inuironed also with manie baies wherein great plentie of herrings is taken in time of the yéere It hath also a noble poole of fresh water fiue castels and sundrie townes as Aie S. Iohns Dunwegen S. Nicholas c. The old Scots called it Skianacha that is Winged but now named Skie There lie certeine small Ilands about this also as Rausa a batable soile for corne gras Conie Iland full of woods and conies Paba a theeuish Iland in whose woods théeues do lurke to rob such as passe by them Scalpe I le which is full of deere Crowling wherein is verie good harbour for ships Rarsa full of béechen woods and stags being in length seuen miles and two in breadth The Ron a woodie Ile and full of heath yet hath it a good hauen which hath a little Iland called Gerloch on the mouth thereof and therein lurke manie théeues There is not farre off from this Ron to wit about six miles also the Flad the Tiulmen Oransa Buie the lesse and Buie the more and fiue other little trifling Iles of whose names I haue no notice After these we come vnto the Ise a pretie fertile Iland to the Oue to the Askoome to the Lindill And foure score miles from the Skie towards the west to the Ling the Gigarmen the Berner the Magle the Pable the Flab the Scarpe the Sander the Uateras which later hath a noble hauen for great ships beside sundrie other commodities and these nine last rehearsed are vnder the dominion of the bishop of the Iles. After this we come to the Bar an Iland seauen miles in length not vnfruitfull for grasse and corne but the chiefe commoditie thereof lieth by taking of herrings which are there to be had abundantlie In one baie of this Iland there lieth an Islet and therein standeth a strong castell In the north part hereof also is an hill which beareth good grasse from the foot to the top and out of that riseth a spring which running to the sea doth carrie withall a kind of creature not yet perfectlie formed which some do liken vnto cockels and vpon the shore where the water falleth into the sea they take vp a kind of shelfish when the water is gone which they suppose to be ingendred or increased after this manner Betwéene the Barre and the Uisse lie also these Ilands Orbaus Oue
waie sundrie salt créekes as the maine chanell dooth from thence foorth vntill it passe the Sandie hauen the Dale rode whither a sillie fresh rill commeth of small value be come about againe to the large Ocean Hauing thus shewed the courses of those few fresh waters that come to Milford hauen we cast about by the Blockehouse and S. Annes chappell to Gateholme I le that lieth betwéene S. Annes and the Wilocke point directlie ouer against Stockeholme Iland that is situat further off into the sea toward the southwest and is full halfe so great as the Scalmeie that I elsewhere described Betwéene the Willocke point also and the Scalmeie directlie west is the Midland I le full so great as the Gateholme As for the two rocks that lie by north and south of the Scalmeie of which the one is called the Yardland stone the other Mewstone it shall not be greatlie requisit to stand on their discourses sith they are such as may hardlie be taken for Ilands and euen in like sort we may iudge of S. Brides Ile which is southwest of Calthrop rode likewise of the Gresholme whereof I find this short description The Gresholme lieth directlie west of Scalmeie from whence if you saile thither on the south side you must néeds passe by the Mewstone rocke if on the north of Scalmeie you must leaue the Yarland stone on your left hand Wherto if you note well the situation of these Ilands alreadie named and confer them with the Ramseie and S. Dauids land you shall find them to produce as it were two dangerous points including the Brid baie wherein notwithstanding the greatnesse are 1000 perils and no fresh brookes for me to deale withall Finallie hauing doubled the Willocke point we thought it not good altogether to leaue that baie vnsearched at lestwise to sée what Ilands might there be found long entred into the same we beheld one which the men of the countrie call S. Brides Iland a verie little place and situate néere the land before I came at Galtroie rode From thence we went about by the little hauen Doluach hauen Caruaie hauen Shirelace rocke Carnbuddie and Earnaie baies Portelais and so into the found betwéene Ramseie and the point In this sound likewise is a little I le almost annexed to the maine but in the middest thereof I meane of the sound is a rocke called the horsse a mile and more by north of Ribbie rocke that lieth south east of Ramseie and more infortunate than ten of Seians colts but thanked be God I neuer came on his backe Thence passing by S. Stephans and Whitesand baies we saluted the Bishop and his clerks as they went in procession on our left side being loth to take anie salted holie water at their hands and came at last to the point called S. Dauids head which Ptolomie calleth Octapitanum promontorium except I be deceiued But here gentle reader giue me leaue to staie a while and insert the words of Leland touching the land called S. Dewies or S. Dauids land whereof some men may peraduenture haue vse his words are these Being therefore past this hauen and point of Demetia in casting about the coast we come to S. Dewies or S. Dauids land which Ptolomie calleth Octapitanum promontorium I read to be separated from the rest of the countrie much after this maner although I grant that there may be and are diuerse other little creekes betwixt Newgale and S. Dauids head and betwixt S. Dauids and Fischard beside those that are héere mentioned out of a register of that house As we turne therefore from Milford S. Dauids land beginneth at Newgale a créeke serued with a backe fresh water Howbeit there is a baie before this creeke betwixt it and Milford From hence about foure miles is Saluach creeke otherwise called Sauerach whither some fresh water resorteth the mouth also thereof is a good rescue for balingers as it I meane the register saith Thence go we to Portelais three miles where is a little portlet whither the Alen that commeth through saint Dewies close dooth run It lieth a mile southwest from S. Dewies saint Stinans Chappell also is betwéene Portelais and Portmaw The next is Port Maw where I found a great estuarie into the land The Pendwie halfe a mile from that Lhand Uehan is thrée miles from Pendwie where is a salt créeke then to Tredine three miles where is another creeke to Langunda foure miles and another créeke is there in like sort where fishermen catch herrings Héere also the Gwerne riuer diuideth Penbidiane from Fischerdine Kemmeis land From Langunda to Fischard at the Gwerne mouth foure miles and here is a portlet or hauenet also for ships And thus much of S. Dauids land Besides this also Leland in a third booke talketh of lhinnes and pooles but for asmuch as my purpose is not to speake of lakes and lhinnes I passe them ouer as hasting to Teifie in Latine Tibius and after Ptolomie Tuerobius or Tiuirobius which is the next riuer that serueth for my purpose And yet not forgetting to touch the Gwerne for after we came from saint Dauids head we coasted along toward the southeast till wée came ouer against saint Catharins where going northwards by the bread hauen and the Strombles head we sailed thence northeast and by north to Langlas head then flat south by the Cow and Calfe two cruell rockes which we left on the left hand so coasted ouer to Abergwin or Fischard where we found a fresh water named Guin or Gwerne whose course is in maner directlie out of the east into the west from Uremie hils by pont Uaunt and Lanichair vntill it come within a mile of the foresaid towne It riseth flat north of the Perselie hill from whence it goeth by Pont vaine Lauerillidoch Lanchar Landilouair so to Abergwine or Abergwerne for I read both From Abergwine we cast about by Dinas head till we come to the fall of Neuerne where Newport standeth The head of this riuer is aboue Capell Nantgwin from whence it runneth by Whitchurch but yer it come at Kilgwin it taketh in a little water that riseth short of Wrenie vaure and thence go foorth as one vntill they come to Newport Cardigan hauen is the next fall that I did stumble on wherein lieth a litle Iland ouer against the north point Hereinto also commeth the Teifie a noble riuer which riseth in Lintinie and is fraught with delicate samons and herein and not else where in all the riuers of Britaine is the Castor or Beuer to be found But to procéed The verie hed thereof I saie is foure miles aboue Stradflore in Luitie and after it hath run from thence a little space it receiueth a brooke from southeast that commeth out of Lin Legnant and then after the confluence runneth on to Stradflore abbeie beneth which it
Gardsey full 21. miles or therabouts and made notable by meanes of a bloudie fact doone there in Queene Maries daies whereby a woman called Perotine Massie wife vnto an honest minister or préest being great with childe by hir husband was burned to ashes through the excéeding crueltie of the Deane and Chapiter then contending manifestlie against God for the mainteinance of their popish and antichristian kingdome In this hir execution and at such time as the fire caught holde of hir wombe hir bellie brake and there issued a goodly man-childe from hir with such force that it fell vpon the cold ground quite beyond the heate and furie of the flame which quicklie was taken vp and giuen from one tormentor and aduersarie to an other to looke vpon whose eies being after a while satisfied with the beholding thereof they threw it vnto the carcase of the mother which burned in the fire whereby the poore innocent was consumed to ashes whom that furious element would gladlie haue left vntouched wherevnto it ministred as you heare an hurtlesse passage In this latter also there haue béene in times past fiue religious houses and nine castels howbeit in these daies there is but one parish-church lest standing in the same There are also certeine other small Ilands which Henrie the second in his donation calleth Insulettas beside verie manie rocks whereof one called S. Hilaries wherein sometime was a monasterie is fast vpon Iardsey another is named the Cornet which hath a castel not passing an arrow shot from Gardsey The Serke also is betwéene both which is six miles about and hath another annexed to it by an Isthmus or Strictland wherein was a religious house therwithall great store of conies There is also the Brehoc the Gytho and the Herme which latter is foure miles in compasse and therein was sometime a Canonrie that afterward was conuerted into an house of Franciscanes There are two other likewise neere vnto that of S. Hilarie of whose names I haue no notice There is also the rockie I le of Burhoo but now the I le of rats so called of the huge plentie of rats that are found there though otherwise it be replenished with infinit store of conies betwéene whome and the rats as I coniecture the same which we call Turkie conies are oftentimes produced among those few houses that are to be seene in this Iland Some are of the opinion that there hath béene more store of building in this I le than is at this present to be seene that it became abandoned through multitudes of rats but hereof I find no perfect warrantise that I may safelie trust vnto yet in other places I read of the like thing to haue happened as in Gyara of the Cyclades where the rats increased so fast that they drauc away the people Varro speaketh of a towne in Spaine that was ouerthrowne by conies The Abderits were driuen out of Thracia by the increase of mice frogs and so manie conies were there on a time in the Iles Maiorca and Minorca now perteining to Spaine that the people began to starue for want of bread and their cattell for lacke of grasse And bicause the Ilanders were not able to ouercome them Augustus was constreined to send an armie of men to destroie that needlesse brood Plin. lib. 8. cap. 55. A towne also in France sometime became desolate onelie by frogs and todes Another in Africa by locustes and also by grashoppers as Amicla was by snakes and adders Theophrast telleth of an whole countrie consumed by the palmer-worme which is like vnto an huge caterpiller Plinie writeth of a prouince vpon the borders of Aethiopia made void of people by ants and scorpions and how the citizens of Megara in Grecia were faine to leaue that citie through multitudes of bées as waspes had almost driuen the Ephensians out of Ephesus But this of all other whereof Aelianus intreateth is most woonderfull that when the Cretenses were chased out of a famous citie of their Iland by infinit numbers of bees the said bees conuerted their houses into hiues and made large combes in them which reached from wall to wall wherein they reserued their honie Which things being dulie considered I doo not denie the possibilitie of the expulsion of the inhabitants out of the I le of Burho by rats although I say that I doo not warrant the effect bicause I find it not set downe directlie in plaine words Beside this there is moreouer the I le of Alderney a verie pretie plot about seuen miles in compasse wherin in a préest not long since did find a coffin of stone in which lay the bodie of an huge giant whose fore téeth were so big as a mans fist as Leland dooth report Certes this to me is no maruell at all sith I haue read of greater and mentioned them alreadie in the beginning of this booke Such a tooth also haue they in Spaine wherevnto they go in pilgrimage as vnto S. Christophers tooth but it was one of his eie teeth if Ludouicus Viues say true who went thither to offer vnto the same S. August de ciuit lib. 15. cap. 9. writeth in like sort of such another found vpon the coast of Vtica and thereby gathereth that all men in time past were not onlie far greater than they be now but also the giants farre exceeding the huge stature and height of the highest of them all Homer complaineth that men in his time were but dwarfes in comparison of such as liued in the wars of Troy See his fift Iliad where he speaketh of Diomedes and how he threw a stone at Aeneas which 14. men of his time were not able to stirre and therewith did hit him on the thigh and ouerthrew him Virgil also noteth no lesse in his owne deuise but Iuuenall bréefelie comprehendeth all this in his 15. Satya where he saith Saxa inclinatis per humum quaesita lacertis Incipiunt torquere domestica seditione Tela nec hunc lapidem quali se Turnus Aiax Et quo Tytides percussit pondere coxam Aeneae sed quem valeant emittere dextrae Illis dissimiles nostro tempore nata Nam genus hoc viuo iam decrescebat Homero Terra malos homines nunc educat atque pusillos Ergo Deus quicunque aspexit ridet odit But to returne againe vnto the I le of Alderney from whence I haue digressed Herein also is a prettie towne with a parish-church great plentie of corne cattell conies and wilde foule whereby the inhabitants doo reape much gaine and commoditie onelie wood is their want which they otherwise supplie The language also of such as dwell in these Iles is French but the wearing of their haire long the attire of those that liued in Gardsey and Iardsey vntill the time of king Henrie the eight was all after the Irish guise The I le of Gardsey also was sore
village standing thereby the mouth whereof lieth almost directlie against Porchester castell which is situat about three miles by water from Portesmouth towne as Leland dooth report Then go we within halfe a mile further to Forten creeke which either giueth or taketh name of a village hard by After this we come to Osterpoole lake a great créeke that goeth vp by west into the land and lieth not far from a round turret of stone from whence also there goeth a chaine to another tower on the east side directlie ouer against it the like whereof is to be séene in diuerse other hauens of the west countrie wherby the entrance of great vessels into that part may be at pleasure restreined From hence we go further to Tichefeld water that riseth about Eastmaine parke ten or twelue miles by northeast or there abouts from Tichefeld From Eastmaine it goeth parting the forrests of Waltham and Eastberie by the way to Wicham or Wicombe a pretie market towne large through-fare where also the water separateth it selfe into two armelets and going vnder two bridges of wood commeth yer long againe vnto one chanell From hence it goeth three or foure miles further to a bridge of timber by maister Writhoseleies house leauing Tichfeld towne on the right side and a little beneath runneth vnder Ware bridge whither the sea floweth as hir naturall course inforceth Finallie within a mile of this bridge it goeth into the water of Hampton hauen whervnto diuerse streames resort as you shall heare hereafter After this we come to Hamble hauen or Hamelrish créeke whose fall is betwéene saint Andrewes castell and Hoke It riseth about Shidford in Waltham forrest when it is past Croke bridge it méeteth with another brooke which issueth not farre from Bishops Waltham out of sundrie springs in the high waie on Winchester from whence it passeth as I said by Bishops Waltham then to Budeleie or Botleie and then ioining with the Hamble they run togither by Prowlingsworth Upton Brusill Hamble towne and so into the sea Now come we to the hauen of Southhampton by Ptolomie called Magnus portus which I will briefelie describe so néere as I can possiblie The bredth or entrie of the mouth hereof as I take it is by estimation two miles from shore to shore At the west point therof also is a strong castell latelie builded which is rightlie named Caldshore but now Cawshot I wote not by what occasion On the east side thereof also is a place called Hoke afore mentioned or Hamell hoke wherein are not aboue thrée or foure fisher houses not worthie to be remembred This hauen shooteth vp on the west side by the space of seuen miles vntill it come to Hampton towne standing on the other side where it is by estimation a mile from land to land Thence it goeth vp further about thrée miles to Redbridge still ebbing and flowing thither and one mile further so farre as my memorie dooth serue mée Now it resteth that I describe the Alresford streame which some doo call the Arre or Arle and I will procéed withall in this order following The Alresford beginneth of diuerse faire springs about a mile or more frō Alresford or Alford as it is now called and soone after resorting to one bottome they become a broad lake which for the most part is called Alford pond Afterward returning againe to a narrow chanell it goeth through a stone bridge at the end of Alford towne leauing the towne it selfe on the lest hand toward Hicthingstocke thrée miles off but yet it commeth there it receiueth two rils in one bottome whereof one commeth from the Forrest in maner at hand and by northwest of old Alresford the other frō Browne Candiuer that goeth by Northenton Swarewotton Aberstone c vntill we méet with the said water beneath Alford towne Being past Hichinstocke it commeth by Anington to Eston village and to Woorthie where it beginneth to branch and ech arme to part it selfe into other that resort to Hide and the lower soiles by east of Winchester there seruing the stréets the close of S. Maries Wolueseie and the new college verie plentifullie with their water But in this meane while the great streame commeth from Worthie to the east bridge and so to saint Elizabeth college where it dooth also part in twaine enuironing the said house in most delectable maner After this it goeth toward S. Crosses leauing it a quarter of a mile on the right hand then to Twiford a mile lower where it gathereth againe into one bottome and goeth six miles further to Woodmill taking the Otter brooke withall on the east side and so into the salt créeke that leadeth downe to the hauen On the other side of Southhampton there resorteth into this hauen also both the Test the Stockbridge water in one bottome whereof I find this large description insuing The verie head of the Stockewater is supposed to be somewhere about Basing stoke or church Hockleie and going from thence betwéene Ouerton and Steuenton it commeth at last by Lauerstocke Whitchurch and soone after receiuing a brooke by northwest called the Bourne descending from S. Marie Bourne southeast from Horsseburne it procéedeth by Long paroch and the wood till it meet with the Cranburne on the cast side a pretie riuelet rising about Michelneie and going by Fullington Barton and to Cramburne thence to Horwell in one bottome beneath which it meeteth with the Andeuer water that is increased yer it come there by an other brooke whose name I doo not know This Andeuer streame riseth in Culhamshire forrest not far by north from Andeuer towne and going to vpper Clatford yer it touch there it receiueth the rill of which I spake before which rising also néeer vnto Anport goeth to Monketon to Abbatesham the Andeuer and both as I said vnto the Test beneath Horwell whereof I spake euen now These streames being thus brought into one bottome it runneth toward the south vnder Stockbridge and soone after diuiding it selfe in twaine one branch thereof goeth by Houghton a little beneath meeteth with a rill that commeth from bywest of S. Ans hill and goeth by east of vpper Wallop west of nether Wallop by Bucholt forrest Broughton and called as I haue béene informed the Gallop but now it is named Wallop The other arme runneth through the parke by north west of kings Somburne and vniting themselues againe they go forth by Motteshunt and then receiue the Test a pretie water rising in Clarendun parke that goeth by west Deane and east Deane so to Motteshunt and finallie to the aforesaid water which from thencefoorth is called the Test euen vnto the sea But to procéed After this confluence it taketh the gate to Kimbebridge then to Rumseie Longbridge and beneath the same receiueth a concourse of two rilles whereof the one commeth from Sherefield the other from the new Forrest and ioining in Wadeleie parke
Farneham named Terig the other at Munketon aboue S. Giles Winburne and going thence to S. Giles Ashleie it taketh in the Horton becke as the Horton dooth the Cranburne Finallie méeting with the Terig aboue Knolton they run on vnder the name of Alen to the Stoure which goeth to the Canfords Preston Kingston Perleie and Yolnest but yer it come at Yolnest it taketh in two brookes in one bottome whereof one commeth from Woodland parke by Holt parke and Holt another from aboue vpper Winburne by Edmondesham Uertwood and Mannington and ioining about S. Leonards they go to Hornebridge and so into Stoure After which confluence the said Stoure runneth by Iuor bridge and so into Auon leauing Christs church aboue the méeting of the said waters as I haue said before Hauing in this maner passed Christes church head we come to the fall of the Burne which is a little brooke running from Stourefield heath without branches from whence we proceeded the next fall that we come vnto is Poole from whose mouth vpon the shore by southwest in a bale of thrée miles off is a poore fisher towne called Sandwich where we saw a péere and a little fresh brooke The verie vtter part of saint Adelmes point is fiue miles from Sandwich In another baie lieth west Lilleworth where as I heare is some profitable harborough for ships The to wite of Poole is from Winburne about foure miles and it standeth almost as an I le in the hauen The hauen it selfe also if a man should measure it by the circuit wanteth little of twentie miles as I did gesse by the view Going therefore into the same betwéene the north and the south points to sée what waters were there we left Brunkeseie Iland and the castell on the left hand within the said points and passing about by Pole and leauing that créeke bicause it hath no fresh we came by Holton and Kesworth where we beheld two falles of which one was called the north the other the south waters The north streame hight Piddle as I heare It riseth about Alton and goeth from thence to Piddle trench head Piddle hinton Walterstow and yer it come at Birstam receiueth Deuils brooke that commeth thither from Brugham and Melcombe by Deuilish towne Thence it goeth to Tow piddle Ashe piddle Turners piddle taking in yer it come there a water that runneth from Helton by Middleton Milburne Biere then to Hide and so into Pole hauen and of this water Marianns Scotus speaketh except I be deceiued The south water is properlie called Frome for Frame It riseth néere vnto Euershot and going downe by Fromequitaine Chelmington and Catstocke it receiueth there a rill from beside Rowsham and Wraxehall After this it goeth on to Chilfrome and thence to Maden Newton where it méeteth with the Owke that riseth either two miles aboue Hoke parke at Kenford or in the great pond within Hoke parke and going by the Tollards falleth into the Frome about Maden Newton so go as one from thence to Fromevauchirch Crokewaie Frampton and Muckilford and receiueth néere vnto the same a rill from aboue Upsidling by S. Nicholas Sidling and Grimston From hence it goeth on by Stratton and Bradford Peuerell and beneath this Bradford it crosseth the Silleie aliàs Minterne and Cherne brooks both in one chanell whereof the first riseth in vpper Cherne parish the other at Minterne and méeting aboue middle Cherne they go by nether Cherne Forston Godmanston and aboue Charneminster into Frome In the meane time also our Frome brancheth and leaueth an Iland aboue Charneminster and ioining againe néere Dorchester it goeth by Dorchester and Forthington but yer it come at Beckington it meeteth with another Becke that runneth thereinto from Winterburne Stapleton Martinstow Heringstow Caine and Stafford and from thence goeth without anie further increase as yet to Beckington Knighton Tinkleton Morton Wooll Bindon Stoke beneath Stoke receiueth the issue of the Luckeford lake from whence also it passeth by Eastholme Warham and so into the Baie From this fall we went about the arme point by Slepe where we saw a litle créeke then by Owre where we beheld an other then comming againe toward the entrance by saint Helens and Furleie castell we went abroad into the maine and found our selues at libertie When we were past Pole hauen we lest the Handfast point the Peuerell point S. Adelmes chappell and came at last to Lughport hauen whereby and also to the Luckeford lake all this portion of ground last remembred is left in maner of a byland or peninsula and called the I le of Burbecke wherein is good store of alum and hard stone In like sort going still westerlie we came to Sutton points where is a créeke Then vnto Waie or Wilemouth by kings Welcombe which is twentie miles from Pole and whose head is not full foure miles aboue the hauen by northwest at Uphill in the side of a great hill Hereinto when we were entred we saw three falles whereof the first and greatest commeth from Upweie by Bradweie and Radipoole receiuing afterward the second that ran from east Chekerell and likewise the third that maketh the ground betwéene Weimouth and Smalmouth passage almost an Iland There is a little barre of sand at the hauen mouth and a great arme of the sea runneth vp by the right hand and scant a mile aboue the hauen mouth on the shore is a right goodlie and warlike castell made which hath one open barbicane This arme runneth vp also further by a mile as in a baie to a point of land where a passage is into Portland by a little course of pibble sand It goeth vp also from the said passage vnto Abbatsbirie about seauen miles off where a litle fresh rondell resorteth to the sea And somewhat aboue this is the head or point of the Chesill lieng northwest which stretcheth vp from thence about seauen miles as a maine narrow banke by a right line vnto the southeast and there abutteth vpon Portland scant a quarter of a mile aboue the Newcastle there The nature of this banke is such that so often as the wind bloweth vehementlie at southeast so often the sea beateth in and losing the banke soketh through it so that if this wind should blow from that corner anie long time togither Portland should be left an Iland as it hath béene before But as the southwest wind dooth appaire this banke so a northwest dooth barre it vp againe It is pretie to note of the Townelet of Waimouth which lieth streight against Milton on the other side and of this place where the water of the hauen is but of small breadth that a rope is commonlie tied from one side of the shore to another whereby the ferrie men doo guide their botes without anie helpe of Ores But to procéed with our purpose Into the mouth of this riuer doo ships often come for succour
by north After this confluence it goeth on toward the south till it méet with a pretie brooke rising northeast of Whettell going by Brunton Regis increased at the least with thrée rilles which come all from by north These being once met this water runneth on by west of the beacon that beareth the name of Haddon soone after taketh in the Barleie that receiueth in like sort the Done at Hawkbridge and from hence goeth by Dauerton and Combe and then doth méet with the Exe almost in the verie confines betwéene Dorset Summerset shires Being past this coniunction our Exe passeth betwéene Brushford and Murbath and then to Exe bridge where it taketh in as I heare a water by west from east Austie and after this likewise another on ech side whereof one commeth from Dixford and Baunton the other called Woodburne somewhat by east of Okeford From these meetings it goeth to Caue and through the forrest and woods to Hatherland and Washfields vntill it come to Tiuerton and here it receiueth the Lomund water that riseth aboue Ashbrittle commeth downe by Hockworthie vpper Loman and so to Tiuerton that standeth almost euen in the verie confluence Some call this Lomund the Simming brooke or Sunnings bath After this our Exe goeth to Bickleie Theuerten taking in a rill by west nether Exe Bramford beneath which it ioineth with the Columbe that riseth of one head northeast of Clarie Haidon and of another south of Shildon and méeting beneath Columbe stocke goeth by Columbe and Bradfeld and there crossing a rill that commeth by Ashford it runneth south to Wood More haies Columbton Brandnicke Beare Columbe Iohn Horham and ioining as I said with the Exe at Bramford passing vnder but one bridge yer it meet with another water by west growing of the Forten and Cride waters except it be so that I doo iudge amisse The Cride riseth aboue Wolle sworthie and néere vnto Upton after it is past Dewrish crosseth a rill from betweene Puggill and Stockeleie by Stocke English c. From hence it goeth to Fulford where it méeteth with the Forten wherof one branch commeth by Caldbrooke the other from S. Marie Tedburne and ioining aboue Crediton the chanell goeth on to the Cride which yer long also receiueth another from by north comming by Stockeleie and Combe then betwéene Haine and Newton Sires to Pines and so into the Exe which staieth not vntill it come to Excester From Excester whither the burgesses in time past laboured to bring the same but in vaine it runneth to Were there taking in a rill from by west and an other lower by Exminster next of all vnto Toppesham beneath which towne the Cliue entreth thereinto which rising about Plumtree goeth by Clift Haidon Clift Laurence Brode Clift Honiton Souton Bishops Clift S. Marie Clift Clift saint George and then into the Exe that runneth forward by Notwell court Limston and Ponderham castell Here as I heare it taketh in the Ken or Kenton brooke as Leland calleth it comming from Holcombe parke by Dunsdike Shillingford Kenford Ken Kenton and so into Exe hauen at whose mouth lie certeine rocks which they call the CheckstonÌ„es except I be deceiued The next fall whereof Leland saith nothing at all commeth by Ashcombe and Dulish and hath his head in the hilles thereby The Teigne mouth is the next fall that he came to it is a goodlie port foure miles from Exemouth The head of this water is twentie miles from the sea at Teigne head in Dartmore among the Gidleie hilles From whence it goeth to Gidleie towne Teignton drue where it receiueth the Crokerne comming from by north and likewise an other west of Fulford parke Then it goeth to Dufford Bridford Kirslowe Chidleie Knighton and beneath the bridge there receiueth the Bouie whose course is to north Bouie Lilleie and Bouitracie Thence it runneth to kings Teignton taking in Eidis a brooke beneath Preston that commeth from Edeford by the waie And when it is past this confluence at kings Teignton it crosseth the Leman which commeth from Saddleton rocke by Beckington and Newton Bushels and soone after the Aller that riseth betwéene Danburie and Warog well afterward falling into the sea by Bishops Teignton south of Teignmouth towne The verie vtter west point of the land at the mouth of Teigne is called the Nesse and is a verie high red cliffe The east part of the hauen is named the Poles a low sandie ground either cast vp by the spuing of the sand out of the Teigne or else throwne vp from the shore by the rage of wind and water This sand occupieth now a great quantitie of the ground betweene the hauen where the sand riseth and Teignmouth towne which towne surnamed Regis hath in time past béen sore defaced by the Danes and of late timeby the French From Teignemouth we came to Tor baie wherof the west point is called Birie and the east Perritorie betwéene which is little aboue foure miles From Tor baie also to Dartmouth is six miles where saith Leland I marked diuerse things First of all vpon the east side of the hauen a great hillie point called Downesend and betwixt Downesend and a pointlet named Wereford is a little baie Were it selfe in like sort is not full a mile from Downesend vpward into the hauen Kingswere towne standeth out as another pointlet and betwixt it Wereford is the second baie Somewhat moreouer aboue Kingswere towne goeth a little créeke vp into the land from the maine streame of the hauen called Waterhead and this is a verie fit place for vessels to be made in In like sort halfe a mile beyond this into the landward goeth another longer créeke and aboue that also a greater than either of these called Gawnston whose head is here not halfe a mile from the maine sea by the compassing thereof as it runneth in Tor baie The riuer of Dart or Darent for I read Derenta muth for Dartmouth commeth out of Dartmore fiftéene miles aboue Totnesse in a verie large plot and such another wild morish forrestie ground as Ermore is Of it selfe moreouer this water is verie swift and thorough occasion of tin-workes whereby it passeth it carrieth much sand to Totnesse bâ—â—dge and so choketh the depth of the riuer downeward that the hauen it selfe is almost spoiled by the same The mariners of Dartmouth accompt this to be about a kenning from Plimmouth The Darent therefore proceeding from the place of his vprising goeth on to Buckland from whence it goeth to Buckland hole and soone after taking in the Ashburne water on the one side that runneth from Saddleton rocke by north and the Buckfastlich that commeth from north west it runneth to Staunton Darington Hemston and there also crossing a rill on ech side passeth foorth to Totnesse Bowden and aboue Gabriell Stoke méeteth with the Hartburne that runneth vnder Rost bridge two
we cast about by saint Bees to Derwentset hauen whose water is truelie written Dargwent or Deruent It riseth in the hils about Borrodale from whence it goeth vnto the Grange thence into a lake in which are certeine Ilands and so vnto Keswtjc where it falleth into the Bure whereof the said lake is called Bursemere or the Burthmere poole In like sort the Bure or Burthmere water rising among the hils goeth to Tegburthesworth Forneside S. Iohns and Threlcoe and there méeting with a water from Grisdale by Wakethwate called Grise it runneth to Burnesse Keswtjc and there receiueth the Darwent From Keswtjc in like sort it goeth to Thorneswate and there making a plash to Armanswate Isell Huthwate and Cokermouth and here it receiueth the Cokar which rising among the hils commeth by Lowsewater Brakenthwate Lorton and so to Cokarmouth towne from whence it hasteth to Bridgeham and receiuing a rill called the Wire on the south side that runneth by Dein it leaueth Samburne and Wirketon behind it and entereth into the sea Leland saith that the Wire is a créeke where ships lie oft at rode and that Wirketon or Wirkington towne dooth take his name thereof He addeth also that there iâ—iron and coles beside lead ore in Wiredale Neuerthelesse the water of this riuer is for the most part fore troubled as comming through a suddie or soddie more so that little good fish is said to liue therein But to proceed The Elme riâ—eth in the mines aboue Amautrée and from Amautre goeth to Yeresbie Harbie Brow and there taking in a rill on the left hand comming by Torpennie it goeth to Hatton castell Alwarbie Birthie Dereham and so into the sea Thence we go about by the chappell at the point and come to a baie serued with two fresh waters whereof one rising westward goeth by Warton Rabbie Cotes and so into the maine taking in a rill withall from by south called Croco that commeth from Crockdale by Bromefield The second is named Wampoole brooke this riseth of two heads whereof one is about Cardew Thence in like sort it goeth to Thuresbie Croston Owton Gamlesbie Wampall the Larth and betwéene Whiteridge and Kirbie into the saltwater From hence we double the Bowlnesse and come to an estuarie whither thrée notable riuers doo resort and this is named the Solueie mouth But of all the first excéedeth which is called Eden and whose description dooth follow here at hand The Eden well fraught with famon descendeth as I heare from the hils in Athelstane moore at the foot of Husstat Moruell hill where Swale also riseth and southeast of Mallerstang forrest From thence in like maner it goeth to Mallerstang towne Pendragon castell Wharton hall Netbie Hartleie castell Kirkebie Stephan and yer it come at great Musgrane it receiueth thrée waters whereof one is called Helbecke bicause it commeth from the Derne and Elinge mounteins by a towne of the same denomination The other is named Bellow and descendeth from the east mounteins by Sowarsbie these two on the northeast the third falleth from Rauenstandale by Newbiggin Smardale Soulbie Blaterne and so into Eden that goeth from thence by Warcop and taking in the Orne about Burelles on the one side and the Morton becke on the other it hasteth to Applebie thence to Cowlbie where it crosseth the Dribecke thence to Bolton and Kirbie and there méeting with the Trowt becke and beneath the same with the Liuenet whereinto falleth an other water from Thurenlie méeting withall beneath Clebron it runneth finallie into Eden After the confluences also the Eden passeth to Temple and soone after meeting with the Milburne and Blincorne waters in one chanell it runneth to Winderwarth and Hornebie where we will staie till I haue described the water that meeteth withall néere the aforesaid place called the Ulse This water commeth out of a lake which is fed with six rils whereof one is called the Marke and néere the fall thereof into the plash is a towne of the same name the second hight Harteshop runneth from Harteshop hall by Depedale the third is Paterdale rill the fourth Glent Roden the fift Glenkguin but the sixt runneth into the said lake south of Towthwate Afterward when this lake commeth toward Pole towne it runneth into a small chanell going by Barton Dalumaine it taketh in a rill by the waie from Daker castell Thence it goeth to Stockebridge Yoneworth and soone after méeteth with a pretie brooke called Loder comming from Thornethwate by Bauton and héere a rill then by Helton and there another thence to Askham Clifton and so ioining with the other called Ulse they go to Brougham castell Nine churches Hornebie and so into Eden taking in a rill as it goeth that commeth downe from Pencath Being past Hornebie our Eden runneth to Langunbie and soone after receiuing a rill that commeth from two heads and ioining beneath Wingsell it hasteth to Lasenbie then to Kirke Oswald on ech side whereof commeth in a rill from by east thence to Nonneie and there a rill Anstable Cotchill Corbie castell Wetherall Newbie where I will staie till I haue described the Irding and such waters as fall into the same before I go to Carleill The Irding ariseth in a moore in the borders of Tindale néere vnto Horsse head crag where it is called Terne becke vntill it come to Spicrag hill that diuideth Northumberland and Gillesland in sunder from whence it is named Irding Being therfore come to Ouerhall it receiueth the Pultrose becke by east and thence goeth on to Ouerdenton Netherdenton Leuercost and Castelstead where it taketh in the Cambocke that runneth by Kirke Cambocke Askerton castell Walton and so into Irding which goeth from thence to Irdington Newbie so into Eden But a little before it come there it crosseth with the Gillie that commeth by Tankin and soone after falleth into it After these confluences our Eden goeth to Linstocke castell and here it interteineth a brooke comming from Cotehill ward by Aglionbie and then vnto Carleill which is now almost inuironed with foure waters For beside the Eden it receiueth the Peder which Leland calleth Logus from southeast This Peder riseth in the hils southwest of Penruddocke from whence it goeth to Penruddocke then to Grastocke castell Cateleie and Kenderside hall and then taking in a water from Unthanke it goeth to Cathwade Pettrelwaie Newbiggin Carleton and so into Eden northeast of Carleill But on the north side the Bruferth brooke dooth swiftlie make his entrance running by Leuerdale Scalbie castell and Housedon as I am informed The third is named Candan if not Deua after Leland which rising about the Skidlow hils runneth to Mosedale Caldbecke Warnell Saberham Rose castell Dawston Brounston Harrington and west of Carleill falleth into Eden which going from thence by
or two other places in England which he walled about with hard stone An. 1120 and where he would often fight with some one of them hand to hand when they did turne againe and make anie raise vpon him but chéeflie he loued to hunt the lion and the bore which are both verie dangerous exercises especiallie that with the lion except some policie be found wherwith to trouble his eiesight in anie manner of wise For though the bore be fierce and hath learned by nature to harden his flesh and skin against the trées to sharpen his teeth and defile himselfe with earth thereby to prohibit the entrance of the weapons yet is the sport somewhat more easie especiallie where two stand so neere togither that the one if néed be may helpe and be a succour to the other Neither would he cease for all this to follow his pastime either on horssebacke or on foot as occasion serued much like the yoonger Cyrus I haue read of wild bores and bulles to haue béene about Blackleie néere Manchester whither the said prince would now and then resort also for his solace in that behalfe as also to come by those excellent falcons then bred thereabouts but now they are gone especiallie the bulles as I haue said alreadie King Henrie the fift in his beginning thought it a méere scofferie to pursue anie fallow déere with hounds or greihounds but supposed himselfe alwaies to haue doone a sufficient act when he had tired them by his owne trauell on foot and so killed them with his hands in the vpshot of that exercise and end of his recreation Certes herein he resembled Polymnestor Milesius of whome it is written how he ran so swiftlie that he would and did verie often ouertake hares for his pleasure which I can hardlie beleeue and therefore much lesse that one Lidas did run so lightlie and swiftlie after like game that as he passed ouer the sand he left not so much as the prints of his feet behind him And thus did verie manie in like sort with the hart as I doo read but this I thinke was verie long agone when men were farre higher and swifter than they are now and yet I denie not but rather grant willinglie that the hunting of the red deere is a right princelie pastime In diuerse forren countries they cause their red and fallow déere to draw the plough as we doo our oxen and horsses In some places also they milke their hinds as we doo here our kine and goats And the experience of this latter is noted by Giraldus Cambrensis to haue beene séene and vsed in Wales where he did eat cheese made of hinds milke at such time as Baldwine archbishop of Canturburie preached the croisad there when they were both lodged in a gentlemans house whose wife of purpose kept a deirie of the same As for the plowing with vres which I suppose to be vnlikelie because they are in mine opinion vntameable and alkes a thing commonlie vsed in the east countries here is no place to speake of it since we want these kind of beasts neither is it my purpose to intreat at large of other things than are to be seene in England Wherefore I will omit to saie anie more of wild and sanage beasts at this time thinking my selfe to haue spoken alreadie sufficientlie of this matter if not too much in the iudgement of the curious Of hawkes and rauenous foules Chap. 5. I Can not make as yet anie iust report how manie sorts of hawkes are bred within this relame Howbeit which of those that are vsuallie had among vs are disclosed with in this land I thinke it more easie and losse difficult to set downe First of all therefore that we haue the egle common experience dooth euidentlie confirme and diuerse of our rockes whereon they bréed if speach did serue could well declare the same But the most excellent aierie of all is not much from Chester at a castell called Dinas Bren sometime builded by Brennus as our writers doo remember Certes this castell is no great thing but yet a pile sometime verie strong and inaccessible for enimies though now all ruinous as manie other are It standeth vpon an hard rocke in the side whereof an eagle bréedeth euerie yeare This also is notable in the ouerthrow of hir nest a thing oft attempted that he which goeth thither must be sure of two large baskets and so prouide to be let downe thereto that he may sit in the one and be couered with the other for otherwise the eagle would kill him and teare the flesh from his bones with hir sharpe talons though his apparell were neuer so good The common people call this foule an erne but as I am ignorant whither the word eagle and erne doo shew anie difference of sexe I meane betwéene the male and female so we haue great store of them And néere to the places where they bréed the commons complaine of great harme to be doone by them in thier fields for they are able to beare a yoong lambe or kid vnto their neasts therwith to féed their yoong and come againe for more I was once of the opinion that there was a diuersitie of kind betwéene the eagle and the erne till I perceiued that our nation vsed the word erne in most places for the eagle We haue also the lanner and the lanneret the tersell and the gosehawke the musket and the sparhawke the tacke and the hobbie and finallie some though verie few marlions And these are all the hawkes that I doo heare as yet to be bred within this Iland Howbeit as these are not wanting with vs so as they not verie plentifull wherefore such as delite in hawking doo make their chiefe purueiance prouision for the same out of Danske Germanie and the Eastcountries from whence we haue them in great abundance and at excessiue prices whereas at home and where they be bred they are sold for almost right naught and vsuallie brought to the markets as chickins pullets and pigeons are with vs and there bought vp to be eaten as we doo the aforesaid foules almost of euerie man It is said that the sparhawke preieth not vpon the foule in the morning that she taketh ouer euen but as loth to haue double benefit by one seelie foule dooth let it go to make some shift for it selfe But hereof as I stand in some doubt so this I find among the writers worthie the noting that the sparhawke is enimie to yoong children as is also the ape but of the pecocke she is maruellouslie afraid so appalled that all courage stomach for a time is taken from hir vpon the sight thereof But to proceed with the rest Of other rauenous birds we haue also verie great plentie as the bussard the kite the ringtaile dunkite such as often annoie our countrie dames by spoiling of their yoong bréeds of chickens duckes and goslings wherevnto our verie rauens and crowes haue learned also
reported that after the solemnization of this marriage which was doone with all honour that might be deuised Claudius sent certeine legions of souldiers foorth to go into Ireland to subdue that countrie and returned himselfe to Rome Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power the Romane host is kept backe from landing queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict what the Romane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine the end of Aruiragus The fourth Chapter THen did king Aruiragus ride about to view the state of his realme repairing cities and townes decaied by the warre of the Romans and saw his people gouerned with such iustice and good order that he was both feared and greatlie beloued so that in tract of time he grew verie welthie and by reason thereof fell into pride so that he denied his subiection to the Romans Wherevpon Claudius appointed Uespasian with an armie to go as lientenant into Britaine This iournie was to him the beginning of his aduancement to that honour which after to him most luckilie befell But if we shall credit our Britaine writers he gained not much at Aruiragus hands for where he would haue landed at Sandwich or Richborough Aruiragus was readie to resist him so as he durst not once enter the hauen for Aruiragus had there such a puissant number of armed men that the Romans were afraid to approch the land Uespasian therefore withdrew from thence and coasting westward landed at Totnesse and comming to Excester besieged that citie but about the seuenth day after he had planted his siege came Aruiragus and gaue him battell in the which both the armies susteined great losse of men and neither part got anie aduantage of the other On the morrow after quéene Genissa made them friends and so the warres ceassed for that time by hir good mediation ¶ But séeing as before I haue said the truth of this historie maie be greatlie mistrusted ye shall heare what the Romane writers saie of Uespasianus being héere in Britaine beside that which we haue alreadie recited out of Dion in the life of Guiderius In the daies of the emperor Claudius through fauour of Narcissus one that might doo all with Claudius the said Uespasian was sent as coronell or lieutenant of a legion of souldiers into Germanie and being remooued from thence into Britaine he fought thirtie seuerall times with the enimies and brought vnto the Romane obeisance two most mightie nations and aboue twentie townes togither with the I le of Wight and these exploits he atchiued partlie vnder the conduct of Aulus Plautius ruler of Britaine for the emperor Claudius and partlie vnder the same emperor himselfe For as it is euident by writers of good credit he came first ouer into Britaine with the said Aulus Plautius and serued verie valiantlie vnder him as before in place we haue partlie touched By Tacitus it appeereth that he was called to be partener in the gouernment of things in Britaine with Claudius and had such successe as it appéered to what estate of honour he was predestinate hauing conquered nations and taken kings prisoners But now to make an end with Aruiragus when he perceiued that his force was too weake to preuaile against the Romane empire and that he should striue but in vaine to shake the yoke of subiection from the necks of the Britains he made a finall peace with them in his old age and so continued in quiet the residue of his reigne which he lastlie ended by death after he had gouerned the land by the space of thirtie yéeres or but eight and twentie as some other imagine He died in the yéere of Grace 73 as one author affirmeth and was buried at Glocester Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes the antiquitie of christian religion Britaine gouerned by Lieutenants and treasurers of the Romane emperors the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Oxfordshire he vanquisheth the Welshmen appeaseth the Yorkshiremen and brideleth the rage of the Silures The fift Chapter IN the daies of the said Aruiragus about the yeare of Christ 53 Ioseph of Arimathia who buried the bodie of our sauiour being sent by Philip the Apostle as Iohn Bale following the authoritie of Gildas and other British writers reciteth after that the Christians were dispersed out of Gallia came into Britaine with diuers other godlie christian men preaching the gospell there amongst the Britains instructing them in the faith and lawes of Christ conuerted manie to the true beliefe and baptised them in the wholsome water of regeneration there continued all the residue of his life obteining of the king a plot of ground where to inhabit not past a foure miles from Wells and there with his fellowes began to laie the first foundation of the true and perfect religion in which place or néere therevnto was afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie Nicephorus writeth in his second booke and fourth chapter that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine And Theodoretus in his 9. booke De curandis Graecorum affectibus sheweth that Paule being released of his second imprisonment and suffered to depart from Rome preached the gospell to the Britains and to other nations in the west The same thing in manner dooth Sophronius the patriarch of Ierusalem witnesse Tertullian also maie be a witnesse of the ancientnes of the faith receiued here in Britaine where he writing of these times saith Those places of the Britains to the which the Romans could not approch were subiect vnto Christ as were also the countries of Sarmatia Dacia Germania Scithia and others ¶ Thus it maie appeare that the christian religion was planted here in this land shortlie after Christes time although it certeinlie appeareth not who were the first that preached the gospell to the Britains nor whether they were Gréekes or Latins Cornelius Tacitus writeth that the Romane emperours in this season gouerned this land by lieutenants and treasurers the which were called by the name of legats and procurators thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome of the order of consuls was sent hither as the first legat or lieutenant in maner as before ye haue heard after him Ostorius Scapula who at his comming found the I le in trouble the enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were friends to the Romans the more presumptuouslie for that they thought a new lieutenant with an armie to him vnacquainted and come ouer now in the beginning of winter would not be hastie to march foorth against them But Ostorius vnderstanding that by the first successe and chance of warre feare or hope is bred and augmented hasted forward to encounter with them and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on euerie side and pursued such as fled to the end they
were so that the same was verie sore disquieted and vexed by tempest and rage of weather Wherevpon finding no great let or hinderance by the enimies he builded certeine castels and fortresses which he placed in such conuenient stéeds that they greatlie annoied his aduersaries and were so able to be defended that there was none of those castels which he builded either woon by force out of the Romans hands or giuen ouer by composition for feare to be taken so that the same beeing furnished with competent numbers of men of warre were safelie kept from the enimies the which were dailie vexed by the often issues made foorth by the souldiers that laie thus in garrison within them so that where in times past the said enimies would recouer their losses susteined in summer by the winters aduantage now they were put to the woorse and kept backe as well in the winter as in the summer In the fourth summer after that Agricola was appointed vnto the rule of this land he went about to bring vnder subiection those people the which before time he had by incursions and forreies sore vexed and disquieted and therevpon comming to the waters of Clide and Loughleuen he built certeine fortresses to defend the passages and entries there driuing the enimies beyond the same waters as it had beene into a new Iland In the fift summer Agricola causing his ships to be brought about and appointing them to arriue on the north coasts of Scotland he passed with his armie ouer the riuer of Clide and subdued such people as inhabited those further parts of Scotland which till those daies had not beene discouered by the Romans And bicause he thought it should serue well to purpose for some conquest to be made of Ireland if that part of Scotland which bordereth on the Irish seas might be kept in due obedience he placed garrisons of souldiers in those parties in hope verelie vpon occasion to passe ouer into Ireland and for the more easie aduancement of his purpose therein he interteined with honourable prouision one of the kings of Ireland which by ciuill discord was expelled and driuen out of his countrie In déed Agricola perceiued that with one legion of souldiers and a small aid of other men of warre it should be an easie matter to conquer Ireland and to bring it vnder the dominion of the Romans which enterprise he iudged verie necessarie to be exploited for better kéeping of the Britains in obedience if they should sée the iurisdiction of the Romans euerie where extended and the libertie of their neighbours suppressed In the sixt summer of Agricola his gouernment he proceeded in subduing the furthermost parts of Scotland northwards causing his nauie to kéepe course against him by the coast as he marched foorth by land so that the Britains perceiuing how the secret hauens and créekes of their countries were now discouered and that all hope of refuge was in maner cut off from them were in maruellous feare On the other part the Romans were sore troubled with the rough mounteins and craggie rocks by the which they were constreined to passe beside the dangerous riuers lakes woods streicts and other combersome waies and passages The danger also of them that were in the ships by sea was not small by reason of winds and tempests and high spring tides which tossed and turmoiled their vessels verie cruellie but by the painfull diligence of them that had béene brought vp and inured with continuall trauell and hardnesse all those discommodities were ouercome to their great reioising when they met and fell in talke of their passed perils For oftentimes the armie by land incamped so by the shore that those which kept the sea came on land to make merrie in the campe and then ech one would recount to others the aduentures that had happened as the manner is in semblable cases The Britains of Calenderwood assalt the Romans vpon aduantage bloudie battels fought betwixt them great numbers slaine on both sides the villanous dealing of certeine Dutch souldiers against their capteins and fellowes in armes the miserie that they were driuen vnto by famine to eate one another a sharpe conflict betweene the Romans and Britains with the losse of manie a mans life and effusion of much bloud The xvij Chapter THe Britains that inhabited in those daies about the parts of Calenderwood perceiuing in what danger they were to be vtterlie subdued assembled themselues togither in purpose to trie the fortune of battell whereof Agricola being aduertised marched foorth with his armie diuided in three battels so that the enimies doubting to trie the matter in open field espied their time in the night and with all their whole puissance set vpon one of the Romane legions which they knew to be most féeble and weake trusting by a camisado to distresse the same and first sleaing the watch they entred the campe where the said legion laie and finding the souldiers in great disorder betwixt sléepe and feare began the fight euen within the campe Agricola had knowledge of their purposed intent and therefore with all spéed hasted foorth to come to the succours of his people sending first his light horssemen and certeine light armed footmen to assaile the enimies on their backs and shortlie after approched with his whole puissance so that the Romane standards beginning to appéere in sight by the light of the daie that then began to spring the Britains were sore discouraged and the Romans renewing their force fiercelie preassed vpon them so that euen in the entrie of the campe there was a sore conflict till at length the Britains were put to flight and chased so that if the mareshes and woods had not saued them from the pursute of the Romans there had beene an end made of the whole warre euen by that one daies worke But the Britains escaping as well as they might and reputing the victorie to haue chanced not by the valiancie of the Romane soldiers but by occasion and the prudent policie of their capteine were nothing abashed with that their present losse but prepared to put their youth againe into armour and therevpon they remooued their wiues and children into safe places and then assembling the chiefest gouernours togither concluded a league amongst themselues ech to aid other confirming their articles with dooing of sacrifice as the manner in those daies was The same summer a band of such Dutch or Germaine souldiers as had béene leuied in Germanie sent ouer into Britaine to the aid of the Romans attempted a great and woonderfull act in sleaing their capteine and such other of the Romane souldiers which were appointed to haue the training and leading of them as officers and instructors to them in the feats of warre and when they had committed that murther they got into thrée pinesses and became rouers on the coasts of Britaine and incountring with diuerse of the Britains that were readie to defend their countrie from
consideration therof the Britains should find them prouision of a vittels wherewith they held them contented for 〈◊〉 But afterwards they began to pike quarrels as though they were not sufficientlie furnished of their due proportion of vittels threatening that if they were not prouided more largelie thereof they would surelie spoile the countrie So that without deferring of time they performed their woords with effect of deeds beginning in the east part of the I le with fire and swoord passed foorth wasting and destroieng the countrie till they came to the vttermost part of the west so that from sea to sea the land was wasted and destroied in such cruell and outragious manner that neither citie towne nor church was regarded but all committed to the fire the priests slaine and murthered euen afore the altars and the prelats with the people without anie reuerence of their estate or degrée dispatched with fire and swoord most lamentablie to behold Manie of the Britains séeing the demeanour of the Saxons fled to the mounteins of the which diuers being apprehended were cruellie slaine and other were glad to come foorth and yeeld themselues to eternall bondage for to haue reléefe of meate and drinke to asswage their extremitie of hunger Some other got them out of the realme into strange lands so to saue themselues and others abiding still in their countrie kept them within the thicke woods and craggie rocks whither they were fled liuing there a poore wretched life in great feare and vnquietnesse of mind But after that the Saxons were departed and withdrawne to their houses the Britains began to take courage to them againe issuing foorth of those places where they had lien hid and with one consent calling for aid at Gods hand that they might be preserued from vtter destruction they began vnder the conduct of their leader Aurelius Ambrose to prouoke the Saxons to battell and by the helpe of God they obteined victorie according to their owne desires And from thence foorth one while the Britains and an other while the Saxons were victors So that in this British people God according to his accustomed maner as it were present Israell tried them from time to time whether they loued him or no vntill the yeare of the siege of Badon hill where afterwards no small slaughter was made of the enimies which chanced the same yeare in the which Gyldas was borne as he himselfe witnesseth being about the 44 yeare after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine Thus haue Gyldas Beda following by likelihood the authoritie of the same Gyldas written of these first warres begun betwéene the Saxons and Britains But now to go foorth with the historie according to the order of our chronicles as we doo find recorded touching the doings of Uortimer that was elected king as ye haue heard to gouerne in place of his father Uortigerne Vortimer is created king in the roome of his father Vortigerne he giueth the Saxons sore and sharpe battels a combat fought betweene Catigerne the brother of Vortimer and Horsus the brother of Hengist wherein they were both slaine the Britains driue the Saxons into the I le of Tenet Rowen the daughter of Hengist procureth Vortimer to be poisoned the Saxons returne into Germanie as some writers report they ioine with the Scots and Picts against the Britains and discomfit them The fourth Chapter THis Uortimer being eldest sonne to Uortigerne by the common assent of the Britains was made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 464 which was in the fourth yeare of the emperour Lea the fist and about the sixt yeare of Childericus king of France as our common account runneth which is far disagréeing from that whereof W. Harison dooth speake in his chronologie who noteth Uortigerne to be deposed in the 8 after his exaltation to the crowne 454 of Christ and 5 currant after the comming of the Saxons which concurreth with the 4420 of the world and 8 of Meroneus as by his chronologie dooth more at large appeare But to procéed Uortimer being thus aduanced to the gouernment of the realme in all hast made sore warre against the Saxons and gaue vnto them a great battell vpon the riuer of Derwent where he had of them the vpper hand And the second time he fought with them at a place called Epiford or Aglisthrop in the which incounter Catagrine or Catigernus the brother of Uortimer and Horsus the brother of Hengist after a long combat betwixt them two either of them slue other but the Britains obteined the field as saith the British historie The third battell Uortimer fought with them néere to the sea side where also the Britains chased the Saxons droue them into the I le of Tenet The fourth battell was stricken néere to a moore called Colemoore the which was sore fought by the Saxons and long continued with great danger to the Britains because the foresaid moore inclosed a part of their host so stronglie that the Britains could not approch to them being beaten off with the enimies shot albeit in the end the Saxons were put to flight manie of them drowned and swallowed vp in the same moore Beside these foure principall battels Uortimer had diuers other conflicts with the Saxons as in Kent and at Tetford in Norfolke also néere to Colchester in Essex for he left not till he had berest them of the more part of all such possessions as before time they had got so that they were constrained to kéepe them within the I le of Tenet where he oftentimes assailed them with such ships as he then had When Ronowen the daughter of Hengist perceiued the great losse that the Saxons susteined by the martiall prowesse of Uortimer she found means that within a while the said Uortimer was poisoned after he had ruled the Britains by the space of 6 or 7 yeares and od moneths ¶ By the British historie it should séeme that Uortimer before his death handled the Saxons so hardlie kéeping them besieged within the I le of Tenet till at length they were constrained to sue for licence to depart home into Germanie in safetie and the better to bring this to pas they sent Uortigerne whome they had kept still with them in all these battels vnto his sonne Uortimer to he a meane for the obteining of their sute But whilest this treatie was in hand they got them into their ships and leauing their wiues and children behind them returned into Germanie Thus far Gal Mon. But how vnlikelie this is to be true I will not quake anie further discourse but onelie refer euerie man to that which in old autentike historiographers of the English nation is found recorded as in Will. Malmes Henr. Hunt Marianus and others vnto whome in these matters concerning the dooings betwixt the Saxons and Britains we maie vndoubtedlie and safelie giue most credit William Malmes writing of this Uortuner or Guortigerne and of
betwéene Tine and Tweed as in the Scotish chronicles may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Britains at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was present Hector Boetius affirmeth by authoritie of Vâ—remond that wrote the Scotish chronicles to haue chanced the second time of his comming ouer into this land where Beda auoucheth it to be at his first being heere Againe the same Boetius writeth that the same victorie chanced in the daies of Uter Pendragon Which can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touching the time of the death of the said Germane for where he departed this life before the yeare of our Lord 459 as aboue is said Uter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Uter began to reigne In déed some writers haue noted that the third battell which Uortimer fought against the Saxons was the same wherein S Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluia as before ye haue heard Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth and to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written touching the time of the being héere of the said Germane that the opinion of other which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Uter The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that gouerned Britaine about that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498 and ruled but seuen yeares and then succéeded Uter which reigned 18 yeares and departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521. ¶ Notwithstanding the premisses here is to be remembred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Uter had against the Saxons and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power in those old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we find no such matter but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares defending his kingdome onelie and not séeking to inlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth succéeded more resembling their father than their grandfather or great grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the chronicles but whether they reigned iointlie togither or seuerallie apart either after other it is not certeinlie perceiued Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth warre betweene Nazaleod king of the Britains and the Saxons the Britains are ouethrowen and slaine the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth the compasse or continent thereof the meanes whereby it was inlarged The eleuenth Chapter NOw will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first happened during the reigne of Uter Pendragon We find that one Porth a Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in Sussex about the beginning of the said Uters reigne and slue a noble yoong man of the Britains and manie other of the meaner sort with him Of this Porth the towne hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name as some haue thought Moreouer about 40 yeares after the comming of the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie king amongst the Britains assembled all the power he could make to fight with Certicus king of the West saxons who vnderstanding of the great power of his enimies required aid of Osca king of Kent also of Elle king of Sussex and of Porth and his sonnes which were latelie before arriued as ye haue heard Certicus being then furnished with a conuenient armie diuided the same into two battels reseruing the one to himselfe and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led was of more strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned he set first vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easilie ouercome the other Herevpon he gaue such a fierce charge vpon that wing that by verie force he opened the same and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side making great slaughter of them as they were scattered Which maner of dealing when Kenrike saw he made forward with all spéed to succour his father and rushing in amongst the Britains on their backs he brake their armie in péeces and slue their king Nazaleod and withall put his people to flight There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men and the residue escaped by fléeing as well as they might In the sixt yeare after this battell Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus came with three ships and landed at Certicesford and ouerthrew a number of Britains that came against them in order of battell and so by the comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins the part of Certicus became much stronger About the same time Elle king of the Southsaxons departed this life after whome succéeded his sonne Cissa of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of About the yeare of our Lord 519 and in the yeare after the comming of the Saxons 71 which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour Anastasius the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike at Certicesford where the capteins of the Britains stood to it manfullie but in the end they were discomfited and great slaughter was made there of them by the Saxons and greater had béene if the night comming on had not parted them and so manie were saued From that day forward Certicus was reputed taken for king of Westsaxons so began the same kingdome at that time which was as W. Harison noteth in the yéere of Christ 519 after the building of Rome 1270 of the world 4485 of the comming of the Saxons 70 of Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east the first and third of the renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire Summersetshire Barkeshire Dorsetshire and Cornewall hauing on the east Hamshire on the north the riuer of Thames and on the south and west the Ocean sea Howbeit at the first the kings of the Westsaxons had not so large dominions but they dailie wan ground vpon the Britains and so in the end by inlarging their confines they came to inioy all the foresaid countries and the whole at the last In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus he eftsoones sought with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid where great slaughter was made on both parts This Certicesford was in times past called Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains About this
sea at the corner of Wirhall and so comming about to the riuer of Dee that passeth by Chester the same riuer bounded it on the west from Wales and likewise Seuerne vp to Bristow on the south it had the riuer of Thames till it came almost to London And in this sort it conteined Lincolneshire Notingam-shire Derbishire Chesshire Shropshire Worcestershire Glocestershire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hertefordshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire and Warwikeshire ¶ Thus haue ye heard how the Saxons in processe of time remoouing the Britains out of their â—eats dailie wan ground of them till at length they got possession of the best part of this I le and erected within the same seuen kingdoms which were gouerned by seuen seuerall kings who continued vntill the kings of Westsaxon brought them all at length into one monarchie as after shall appeere Matth. Westmin reckoneth eight kingdoms as thus The kingdom of Kent the kingdom of Sussex the kingdom of Essex the kingdom of Eastangle the kingdom of Mercia the kingdom of Westsex and the kingdom of Northumberland which was diuided into two kingdoms that is to say into Deira and into Bernicia wherevnto W. Harison addeth the ninth in the first part of his chronologie and calleth it Wales AFter that Malgo or Maglocune was departed this life one Careticus or as some write him Caretius was made king of the Britains and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 586 which was in the third yéere of the emperour Mauricius and thirtéenth of Chilperike king of France This Careticus was a nourisher of ciuill warre and dissention amongst his owne people the Britains so that he was hated both of God and man as writers testifie The Saxons vnderstanding that the Britains were not of one mind but diuided in partakings so as one was readie to deuoure an other thought it good time for them to aduance their conquests and ceassed not to pursue the Britains by force and continuall warre till they had constreined them for refuge to withdraw into Wales And as some haue written the Saxons meaning to make a full conquest of the land sent ouer into Ireland requiring one Gurmundus a king of the Affricans to come ouer into Britaine to helpe them against the Britains This Gurmundus appointing his brother Turgesius to pursue the conquest of Ireland came and arriued heere in Britaine making such cruell warre in aid of the Saxons against the Britains that Careticus was constreined to kéepe him within the citie of Chicester or Cirencester and was there besieged and at length by continuall assalts and skirmishes when he had lost manie of his men he was glad to forsake that citie and fled into Wales This Gurmundus tooke Cirencester or Chichester and destroied it in most cruell maner Some write that he tooke this citie by a policie of warre in binding to the féet of sparrowes which his people had caught certeine clewes of thred or matches finelie wrought tempered with matter readie to take fixe so that the sparrowes being suffered to go out of hand flue into the towne to lodge themselues within their neasts which they had made in stacks of corne and eues of houses so that the towne was thereby set on fire and then the Britains issuing foorth fought with their enimies and were ouercome and discomfited But whilest the battell continued Careticus stale away and got him into Wales After this the foresaid Gurmundus destroied this land throughout in pitifull wise and then deliuered it in possession to the Saxons the which thankfullie receiued it and because they were descended of those that first came ouer with Hengist they changed the name of the land and called it Hengistland accordinglie as the same Hengist had in times past ordeined the which name after for shortnesse of spéech was somewhat altered and so lastlie called England and the people Englishmen But rather it may be thought that sith a great part of those people which came ouer into this land out of Germanie with the said Hengist and other capteins were of those Englishmen which inhabited Germanie about the parts of Thoringhen they called this land England after their name when they had first got habitation within it and so both the land and people tooke name of them being called Angli a long time before they entered into this Ile as before is shewed out of Cornelius Tacitus and others But now to returne where we left Of this Gurmundus the old English writers make no mention nor also anie ancient authors of forren parties and yet saith the British booke that after he had conquered this land and giuen it to the Saxons he passed ouer into France and there destroied much of that land as an enimie to the faith of Christ. For which consideration he was the more readie to come to the aid of the Saxons who as yet had not receiued the christian faith but warred against the Britains as well to destroie the faith of Christ within this land as to establish to themselues continuall habitations in the same There be that omitting to make mention of Gurmundus write thus of the expelling of the Britains out of this land at that time when with their king Careticus they got them into Wales In the yéere of Grace 586 Careticus a louer of ciuill warre succéeded Malgo an enimie to God and to the Britains whose inconstancie when the English and Saxon kings perceiued with one consent they rose against him and after manie battel 's chased him from citie to citie till at length incountering with him in a pight field they droue him beyond Seuerne into Wales Héerevpon clerks and priests were driuen out of their places with bright swoords brandishing in all parts and fire crackling in churches wherewith the same were consumed The remnant of the Britains therefore withdrew into the west parts of the land that is to say into Cornwall and into Wales out of which countries they oftentimes brake out and made insurrections vpon the Saxons the which in maner aforsaid got possession of the chiefest parts of the land leauing to the Britains onlie three prouinces that is to say Cornwall Southwales and Northwales which countries were not easie to be woone by reason of the thicke woods inuironed with déepe mareshes and waters and full of high craggie rocks and mounteins The English and Saxon kings hauing thus remooued the Britains inlarged the bounds of their dominions There reigned in that season within this land beside the Britaine kings eight kings of the English and Saxon nations as Ethelbert in Kent Cissa in Sussex Ceauline in Westsex Creda or Crida in Mercia Erkenwine in Essex Titila in Estangle Elle in Deira and Alfrid in Bernicia In this sort the Britains lost the possession of the more part of their ancient seats and the faith of Christ thereby was greatlie decaied for the churches were destroied and the archbishops of Caerleon Arwiske London and Yorke
entrance into this countrie dearth by tempests earle Goodwines sonne banished out of this land he returneth in hope of the kings fauour killeth his coosen earle Bearne for his good will and forwardnes to set him in credit againe his flight into Flanders his returne into England the king is pacified with him certeine Danish rouers arriue at Sandwich spoile the coast inrich themselues with the spoiles make sale of their gettings and returne to their countrie the Welshmen with their princes rebelling are subdued king Edward keepeth the seas on Sandwich side in aid of Baldwine earle of Flanders a bloudie fraie in Canturburie betwixt the earle of Bullongne and the townesmen earle Goodwine fauoureth the Kentishmen against the Bullongners why he refuseth to punish the Canturburie men at the kings commandement for breaking the kings peace he setteth the king in a furie his suborned excuse to shift off his comming to the assemblie of lords conuented about the foresaid broile earle Goodwine bandeth himselfe against the king he would haue the strangers deliuered into his hands his request is denied a battell readie to haue bene fought betweene him and the king the tumult is pacified and put to a parlement earle Goodwines retinue forsake him he his sonnes and their wiues take their flight beyond the seas The second Chapter YE must vnderstand that K. Edward brought diuerse Normans ouer with him which in time of his banishment had shewed him great friendship wherefore he now sought to recompense them Amongst other the forenamed Robert of Canturburie was one who before his comming ouer was a moonke in the abbeie of Gemeticum in Normandie and being by the king first aduanced to gouerne the sée of London was after made archbishop of Canturburie and bare great rule vnder the king so that he could not auoid the enuie of diuerse noble man and 〈◊〉 of earle Goodwâ—â—e as shall appeare About the third yeere of king Edwards wigne Osgot Clappa was banished the realme And in the yéere following that is to say in the yeere 1047 there fell a marvellous great snow couering the ground from the beginning of Ianuarâ—e vntill the 17 day of March. Besides this there hapned the same yeere such tempest and lightnings that the corne vpon the earth was burnt vp and blasted by reason whereof there followed a great dearth in England and also death of men cettell About this time Swame the sonne of earle Goodwine was banished the land and fled into Flanders This Swaine kept Edgiua the abbesse of the monasterue of Leoffe and forsaking his wife ment to haue married the foresaid abbesse Within a certeine time after his banishment he returned into England in hope to purchase the kings peace by his fathers meanes and other his friends But vpon some malicious pretense he slue his coosen earle Bearne who was about to labour to the king for his pardon and so then fled againe into Flanders till at length Allered the archbishop of Yorke obteined his pardon and found meanes to reconcile him to the kings fauour In the meane time about the sixt yéere of king Edwards reigne certeine pirats of the Danes arriued in Sandwich hauen and entring the land wasted and spoiled all about the coast There be that write that the Danes had at that time to their leaders two capteins the one named Lother and the other Irling After they had béene at Sandwich and brought from thence great riches of gold and siluer they coasted about vnto the side of Essex and there spoiling the countrie went backe to the sea and sailing into Flanders made sale of their spoiles and booties there and so returned to their countries After this during the reigne of king Edward there chanced no warres neither forren nor ciuill but that the same was either with small slaughter luckilie ended or else without anie notable aduenture changed into peace The Welshmen in déed with their princes Rise and Griffin wrought some trouble but still they were subdued and in the end both the said Rise and Griffin were brought vnto confusion although in the meane time they did much hurt and namelie Griffin who with aid of some Irishmen with whome he was alied about this time entred into the Seuerne sea and tooke preies about the riuer of Wie and after returned without anie battell to him offered About the same time to wit in the yéere 1049 the emperor Henrie the third made warres against Baldwine earle of Flanders and for that he wished to haue the sea stopped that the said earle should not escape by flight that waie foorth he sent to king Edward willing him to kéepe the sea with some number of ships King Edward furnishing a nauie lay with the same at Sandwich and so kept the seas on that side till the emperor had his will of the earle At the same time Swaine sonne of earle Goodwine came into the realme and traitorouslie slue his coosen Bearne as before is said the which trauelled to agrée him with the king Also Gosipat Clappa who had left his wife at Bruges in Flanders comming amongst other of the Danish pirats which had robbed in the coasts of Kent Essex as before ye haue heard receiued his wife and departed backe into Denmarke wiâ—h six ships leauing the residue being 23 behind him About the tenth yéere of king Edwards reigne Eustace earle of Bullongne that was father vnto the valiant Godfrey of Bullongne Baldwin both afterward kings of Hierusalem 〈…〉 England in the moneth of September to 〈◊〉 his brother in law king Edward whose sister named Godâ— he had maried she then being the 〈◊〉 of Guaâ—ter de Maâ—â—â—t He found the king at Glocester and being there 〈◊〉 receiued after he had once dispatched such matters for the which he therefore came he tooke leaue and returned homeward But at Canturburie one of his heâ—â—ngers 〈◊〉 roughlie with one of the citizens about a lodging which he sought to haue rather by force than by in treatance occasioned his owne death Whereof when the erle was aduertised he hasted thither to revenge the slaughter of his seruant and fiue both the citizen which had killed his man and eighteene others The citizens héerewith in a great furie got them to armor and set vpon the earle and his returne of whom they slue twentie persons out of hand wounded a great number of the residue so that the earle scarse might escape with one or two of his men from the fraie with all spéed returned backe to the king presenting gréeuous information against them of Canturburie for their cruell vsing of him not onlie in fleaing of his seruants but also in putting him in danger of his life The king crediting the earle was highlie offended against the citizens and with all spéed sending for earle Goodwine declared vnto him in greeuous wise the rebellious act of them of Canturburie which were