they boyle untill it bee exceeding white And of this sea or Bay-salt and not of ours made out of salt springs is Saint Ambrose to bee understood when hee writeth thus Consider we those things which are usuall with many very grace-full namely how water is turned into salt of such hardnesse and soliditie that often-times it is hewed with axes This in the salts of Britaine is no wonder as which carrying a shew of strong marble doe shine and glitter againe with the whitenesse of the same mettall like unto snow and bee holesome to the bodie c. Farther within the land the MEANVARI dwelt whose countrey togither with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South Saxons received in token of Adoption from Wlpher King of Mercians Godfather unto him at the Font when he was baptized The habitations of these Meanvari scarce changing the name at this day is divided into three hundreds to wit Means-borow East-mean and West-mean and amongst them there mounteth up an high Hill environed in the top with a large rampier and they call it old Winchester at which by report there stood in old time a citie but now neither top nor toe as they say remaineth of it so as a man would quickly judge it to have beene a summer standing campe and nothing else Under this is Warnford seated where Adam de Portu a mightie man in this tract and of great wealth in the raigne of William the first reedified the Church a new as a couple of rude verses set fast upon the wall doe plainly shew Upon these more high into the land those SEGONTIACI who yeilded themselves unto Iulius Caesar had their seate toward the North limite of this shire in and about the hundred of Holeshot wherein are to bee seene Mercate Aultim which King Elfred bequeathed by his will unto the keeper of Leodre also Basingstoke a mercate towne well frequented upon the descent of an hill on the North side whereof standeth solitarie a very faire Chappell consecrated unto the holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was buried there In the arched and embowed roofe whereof is to be seene the holy history of the Bible painted most artificially with lively portraicts and images representing the Prophets the Apostles and the Disciples of Christ. Beneath this Eastward lieth Basing a towne very well knowne by reason of the Lords bearing the name of it to wit Saint Iohn the Poinings and the Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was likewise daughter and heire to the right noble house of Saint Iohn William his sonne to doe honour unto that familie assumed to him the surname of Saint Iohn and they who lineally descended from him have still retained the same But when Edmund Saint Iohn departed out of this world without issue in King Edward the third his time his sister Margaret bettered the state of her husband Iohn Saint Philibert with the possessions of the Lord Saint Iohn And when she was dead without children Isabell the other sister wife unto Sir Luke Poinings bare unto him Thomas Lord of Basing whose Neice Constance by his sonne Hugh unto whom this fell for her childs part of Inheritance was wedded into the familie of the Powlets and she was great Grandmother to that Sir William Powlet who being made Baron Saint Iohn of Basing by King Henrie the Eighth and created by King Edward the Sixth first Earle of Wilshire and afterward Marquesse of Winchester and withall was Lord Treasurer of England having in a troublesome time runne through the highest honours fulfilled the course of nature with the satietie of this life and that in great prosperitie as a rare blessing among Courtiers after he had built a most sumptuous house heere for the spacious largenesse thereof admirable to the beholders untill for the great and chargeable reparations his successors pulled downe a good part of it But of him I have spoken before Neere unto this house the Vine sheweth it selfe a very faire place and Mansion house of the Baron Sands so named of the vines there which wee have had in Britaine since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit For hee permitted the Britaines and others to have vines The first of these Barons was Sir William Sands whom King Henrie the Eighth advanced to that dignitie being Lord Chamberlaine unto him and having much amended his estate by marrying Margerie Bray daughter and heire of Iohn Bray and cousin to Sir Reinold Bray a most worthy Knight of the Order of the Garter and a right noble Baneret whose Sonne Thomas Lord Sands was Grandfather to William L. Sands that now liveth Neighbouring hereunto is Odiam glorious in these daies for the Kings house there and famous for that David the Second King of Scots was there imprisoned a Burrough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester the fortresse whereof in the name of King John thirteene Englishmen for fifteene daies defended most valiantly and made good against Lewis of France who with his whole armie besieged and asted it very hotly A little above among these Segontiaci toward the North side of the countrey somtimes stood VINDONVM the chiefe citie of the Segontiaci which casting off his owne name hath taken the name of the Nation like as Luteria hath assumed unto it the name of the Parisians there inhabiting for called it was by the Britaines Caer Segonte that is to say the Citie of the Segontiaci And so Ninnius in his catalogue of cities named it wee at this day called it Silecester and Higden seemeth to clepe it of the Britaines Britenden that this was the ancient Vindonum I am induced to thinke by reason of the distance of Vindonum in Antoninus from Gallena or Guallenford and Venta or Winchester and the rather because betweene this Vindonum and Venta there is still to bee seene a causey or street-way Ninnius recordeth that it was built by Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great and called sometime Murimintum haply for Muri-vindum that is the wals of Vindon For this word Mur borrowed from the provinciall language the Britaines retained still and V. the consonant they change oftentimes in their speech and writing into M. And to use the verie words of Asinnius though they seeme ridiculous the said Constantius sowed upon the soile of this citie three seedes that none should be poore that dwelt therein at any time Like as Dinocrates when Alexandria in Egypt was a building strewed it with meale or flower as Marcellinus writeth all the circular lines of the draught which being done by chance was taken for a fore-token that the citie should abound with al manner of victualls He reporteth also that Constantius died here and that his Sepulchre was to be seene at one of the gates as the Inscription
menaces and censures were sent out from the Bishop of Rome against these Archbishops For these Monkes were in bodily feare least this would bee their utter undoing and a prejudice unto them in the Elections of the Archbishops Neither were these blustering stormes allaied untill the said Church newly begunne was laid levell with the ground Adjoyning hard to this is the most famous mercate towne and place of trade in all this shire which at this day they call The Burrough of Southwarke in Saxon speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Southworke or building because it standeth South over against London the Suburbs whereof it may seeme in some sort to bee but so large it is and populous that it gives place to few Cities of England having beene as it were a corporation by it selfe it had in our fathers daies Bayliffes but in the reigne of King Edward the Sixth it was annexed to the Citie of London and is at this day taken for a member as it were of it and therefore when wee are come to London wee will speake more at large thereof Beneath this Burrough the Tamis forsaketh Surry the East bound whereof passeth in a manner directly downe from hence Southward neere unto Lagham which had their Parliamentarie Barons called Saint Iohn de Lagham in the reigne of Edward the First whose Inheritance came at length by an heire generall to Iohn Leddiard and some-what lower in the very angle well neere where it bendeth to Southsex and Kent stands Streborow Castle the seate in ancient time of Lord Cobham who of it were called of Sterborow where the issue proceeding from the bodies of Iohn Cobham Lord of Cobham and Cowling and the daughter of Hugh Nevil flourished a long time in glory and dignitie For Reginald Cobham in King Edward the thirds daies being created Knight of the Garter was Admirall of the sea-coasts from Tamis mouth West-ward But Thomas the last male of that line wedded the Lady Anne daughter to Humfrey the Duke of Buckingham of whom he begat one onely daughter named Anne married unto Edward Burgh who derived his pedigree from the Percies and Earles of Athole whose sonne Thomas made by King Henry the Eighth Baron Burgh left a sonne behind him named William And his sonne Thomas a great favourer of learning and Lord Governour of Briell Queeene Elizabeth made Knight of the Garter and Lord Deputy of Ireland where hee honourably ended his life pursuing the rebels As touching Dame Eleanor Cobham descended out of this family the wife of Humfrey Duke of Glocester whose reputation had a flawe I referre you to the English Historie if you please Now are wee to reckon up the Earles of this shire William Rufus King of England made William de Warrena who had married his sister the first Earle of Surrey For in that Charter of his by which hee founded the Priory of Lewis thus wee read Donavi c. that is I have given and granted c. For the life and health of my Lord King William who brought mee into England and for the health of my Lady Queene Mawd my wives mother and for the life and health of my Lord King William her sonne after whose comming into England I made this charter who also created me Earle of Surry c. whose sonne William succeeded and married the daughter of Hugh Earle of Vermandois whereupon his posteritie as some suppose used the Armes of Vermandois vz. Chequy Or and Azure His sonne VVilliam dying in the Holy-land about the yeare 1148. had issue a daughter onely who adorned first William King Stephens sonne and afterward Hamelin the base sonne of Gefferey Plantagenet Earle of Anjou both her husbands with the same title But whereas her former husband died without issue William her sonne by Hamelin was Earle of Surry whose posterie assuming unto them the name of Warrens bare the same title This William espoused the eldest daughter and a coheire of William Marescall Earle of Pembroch the widow of Hugh Bigod who bare unto him Iohn who slew Alan de la Zouch in presence of the Judges of the Realme This Iohn of Alice the daughter of Hugh le Brune halfe sister by the mothers side of King Henry the third begat William who died before his father and hee of Ioan Vere the Earle of Oxfords daughter begat Iohn Posthumus borne after his decease and the last Earle of this house who was stiled as I have seene in the circumscription of his seale Earle of Warren of Surry and of Strathern in Scotland Lord of Bromfield and of Yale and Count-palatine But hee dying without lawfull issue in the twelfth yeare of Edward the thirds raigne Alice his sister and heire wedded unto Edmund Earle of Arundell by her marriage brought this honour of Surrey into the house of Arundells For Richard their sonne who married in the house of Lancaster after his father was wickedly beheaded for siding with his Soveraigne King Edward the Second by the malignant envie of the Queene was both Earle of Arundell and Surrey and left both Earledomes to Richard his sonne who contrary-wise lost his head for siding against his soveraigne King Richard the Second But Thomas his sonne to repaire his fathers dishonour lost his life for his Prince and country in France leaving his sisters his heires for the lands not entailed who were married to Thomas Mowbraie Duke of Norfolke c. to Sir Powland Lenthall and Sir William Beauchampe Lord of Abergeveny After by the Mowbraies the title of Surrey came at length to the Howards Howbeit in the meane while after the execution of Richard Earle of Arundell King Richard the Second bestowed the title of Duke of Surry upon Thomas Holland Earle of Kent which honour he enjoyed not long For while hee combined with others by privie conspiracies to restore the same King Richard to his libertie and kingdome the conspiracie was not carried so secretly but contrary to his expectation brake forth and came to light then fled hee and by the people of Cirencester was intercepted and cut shorter by the head After him Thomas Beaufort Chancellour to the King if we give credit to Thomas Walsingham bare this dignity For in the yeare of our Lord as hee saith 1410. The Lord Thomas Beaufort Earle of Surrey left this world Now let Walsingham in this point make good that which he writeth for in the Kings Records there is no such thing found but onely this that Thomas Beaufort about that time was made Lord Chancellour But certaine it is and that out of the Records of the Kingdome that King Henry the Sixth in the nine and twentie yeare of his raigne created Iohn Mowbray the sonne of Iohn Duke of Norfolke Earle Warren and of Surry And Richard second sonne of King Edward the Fourth having married the heire of Mowbray received all the titles due to the Mowbraies by creation from his father Afterward King Richard the Third having dispatched the
of a sumptuous and stately house which Edward the last Duke of Buckingham was in hand to build in the yeare of our Lord as the engraving doth purport 1511. when he had taken downe an ancient house which Hugh Audeley E. of Glocester had formerly built seven miles from hence Avon sheading it selfe into Severn running crosse before it maketh a division betweene Glocestershire and Sommersetshire and not farre from the banke thereof Pucle-Church appeareth being in times past a towne or Manour of the Kings called Pucle-Kerkes wherein Edmund King of England whiles he interposed himselfe betweene his Sewer and one Leove a most vilanous wretch for to part and end certaine quarrels betweene them was thrust through the body and so lost his life Nere bordering upon this place are two townes Winterburne which had for their Lords the Bradstons amongst whom S. Thomas was summoned amongst the Barons in the time of King Edward the Third From whom the Vicounts Montacute the Barons of Wentworth c. fetch their descent Acton which gave name to the house of the Actons Knights whose heire being married unto Nicolas Points Knight in K. Edward the second his daies left the same to their off-spring Derham a little towne in the Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Ceaulin the Saxon slew three Princes or chiefe Lords of the Britans Commeail Condidan and Fariemeiol with others whom he likewise put to the sword and dispossessed the Britans of that countrie for ever There remaine yet in that place huge rampieâ—s and trenches as fortifications of their campes and other most apparent monuments here and there of so great a war This was the chiefe seat of the Barony of Iames de novo Mercatu who begat three daughters wedded to Nicholas de Moelis Iohn de Boteraux and Ralph Russell one of whose posterity enriched by matching with the heire of the ancient family of Gorges assumed unto them the name of Gorges But from Ralph Russell the heire this Deorham descended to the family of Venis Above these is Sodbury knowne by the familie of Walsh and neighbours thereunto are Wike-ware the ancient seat of the familie De-la-ware Woton under Edge which yet remembreth the slaughter of Sir Thomas Talbot Vicount Lisle heere slaine in the time of King Edward the Fourth in an encounter with the Lord Barkley about possessions since which time have continued suites betweene their posterity untill now lately they were finally compounded More Northward I had sight of Durisley reputed the ancientest habitation of the Barkleyes hereupon stiled Barkleis of Duresley who built here a Castle now more than ruinous and were accounted founders of the Abbey of Kings-wood thereby for Cistertian Monkes derived from Tintern whom Maud the Empresse greatly enriched The males of this house failed in the time of King Richard the Second and the heire generall was married to Cantelow Within one mile of this where the river Cam lately spoken of springeth is Vleigh a seat also of the Barkeleis descended from the Barons Barkeley stiled of Vleigh and Stoke Giffard who were found coheires to I. Baron Boutetort descended from the Baron Zouch of Richards Castles alias Mortimer and the Somerus Lords of Dueley Beverston Castle not farre of Eastward appertained also to the name of Barkeleies but in former times to the Gournois and Ab-Adam a Baron in the time of King Edward the First Hitherto have we cursorily passed over the principall places in this Shire situate beyond and upon Severn and not far from his banke Now proceede we forward to the East part which I said riseth up with hilles to wit Cotteswold which of woulds and Cotes that is hils and Sheepfolds tooke that name For mountaines and hils without woods the Englishmen in old time termed Woulds whence it is that an Old Glossary interpreteth Alpes Italie The Woulds of Italie In these Woulds there feed in great numbers flockes of sheepe long necked and square of bulke and bone by reason as it is commonly thought of the weally and hilly situation of their pasturage whose wool being most fine and soft is had in passing great account among all nations Vnder the side of these hils and among them are to be seene as it were in a row neighbouring together these places following of more antiquity than the rest beginning at the North-east end of them Campden commonly Camden a mercat towne well peopled and of good resort where as Iohn Castoreus writeth all the Kings of Saxon bloud assembled in the yeare of Salvation 689. and consulted in common about making war upon the Britans In William the Conquerours time this Weston and Biselay were in the possession of Hugh Earle of Chester and from his posterity came at last by Nicolaa de Albeniaco an inherice to the ancient Earles of Arundel unto Roger de Somery Neere unto it standeth the said Weston a place now to bee remembred in regard of a faire house which maketh a goodly shew a farre off built by Ralph Sheldon for him and his Posterity Hales in late time a most flourishing Abbay built by Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of Romanes who was there buried with his Wife Sanchia daughter to the Earle of Province and deserving commendation for breeding up of Alexander of Hales a great Clerke and so deepely learned above all others in that subtile and deepe Divinity of the Schoole men as he carryed away the sirname of Doctor Irrefragabilis that is the Doctor ungain-said as he that could not be gain-said Sudley in times past Sudlengh a very faire Castle the seat not long since of Sir Thomas Seimor Baron Seimor of Sudley and Admirall of England attainted in the time of king Edward the Sixth and afterward of Sir John Bruges whom Queene Mary created Baron Chandos of Sudley because he derived his pedegree from the ancient family of Chandos out of which there flourished in the raigne of Edward the third Sir John Chandos a famous Baneret Vicount of Saint Saviours L of Caumont and Kerkitoâ— in France a martiall man and for military Prowesse every way most renowned But in old time certaine Noblemen here dwelt and of it had their addition de Sudley descended of a right ancient English Race to wit from Gorda K. Aetheldreds daughter whose son Ralph Medantinus Earle of Hereford begat Harold L. of Sudley whose progeny flourished here a long time untill for default of issue male the daughter and heire matched in marriage with Sir William Butler of the family of Wem and brought him a sonne named Thomas and he begat Ralph Lord Treasurer of England created by king Henry the Sixth Baron of Sudley with a fee of 200. markes yearely who repaired this castle and enlarged it with new buildings His sisters and coheires were married unto the houses of Northbury and Belkâ—ape and by their posterity the possessions in short time were divided into
against King Henry the Seaventh to his owne destruction for in the battell at Stoke he was quickly slaine to his fathers death also who for very griefe of heart ended his dayes and to the utter ruine of the whole family which together with them was in a sort extinguished and brought to nothing For his brother Edmund being Earle of Suffolke fled into Flanders began there to conspire and stir up rebellion against King Henry the Seaventh who albeit he feared him would seeme to favour him and as a Prince better contented with repentance than punishment freely pardoned him for sundry offences that he might winne him But after he was thus fled his estate was forfeited and the King never thought himselfe secure from his practises untill he had so farre prevailed with Philip Duke of Burgundy that he was delivered into his hands against the Law of hospitality toward strangers as some then gave out upon solemne promise in the word of a Prince that his life should be spared Neverthelesse he was kept close prisoner and after executed by King Henry the Eighth who thought himselfe not tied to his fathers promise what time as hee first minded to make warre upon France for feare least in his absence some troubles might bee raised at home in his behalfe yet his yonger brother S. Richard de la Pole a banished man in France usurped the title of Duke of Suffolke who being the last male to my knowledge of this house was slaine in the battell of Pavie wherein Francis the first king of France was taken prisoner in the yeer of our Lord 1524. fighting manfully among the thickest of his enemies For whom in consideration of his singular valour and high parentage the Duke of Burbon himselfe although hee was his enemy made a sumptuous funerall and honored the same with his presence in mourning blacke In the meane time king Henry the Eighth adorned Sir Charles Brandon unto whom he had given in marriage his owne sister Marie widdow and Dowager to Lewis the twelfth king of France with the title of Duke of Suffolke and granted to him all the Honours and Manours which Edmund Earle of Suffolke had forfeited After whom succeeded Henry his sonne a childe and after him his brother Charles who both died of the English swet upon one day in the yeere 1551. Then king Edward the Sixth honoured with that title Henry Grey Marquesse Dorset who had married Francis their sister but he enjoying the same but a small time lost his head in Queene Maryes dayes for complotting to make his daughter queen and was the last Duke of Suffolk From that time lay this title of Suffolke void untill that very lately king James advanced to that honour Thomas Lord Howard of Walden the second sonne of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke whom for his approved fidelity and vertue he also made his Lord Chamberlaine in his first entrie into the kingdome The Parishes in this County amount to the number of 575. NORFOLCIAE comitatus quem oliÌ„ ICENI Insederunt Centinens in Sc ovida Mercatoria XXVI Pagos et villas DCXXV â—na Cum Singulis hundrediâ—â—t fluminibus in codem Anâ—â—eri Christophere Saylon NORTH-FOLKE NORTH-FOLKE commonly Norfolke which is by interpretation people of the North lieth Norward of Suffolke from which it is divided by those two little Rivers which I spake of Ouse the least and Waveney running divers wayes on the East and North side the German Ocean which is plentifull of Fish beateth upon the shores with a mighty noise On the West the greater Ouse a River disporting himselfe with his manifold branches and divisions secludeth it from Cambridge-Shire It is a Region large and spacious and in manner all throughout a plaine champion unlesse it bee where there rise gently some pretty Hills passing rich exceeding full of Sheepe and stored with Conyes replenished likewise with a great number of populous Villages for beside twenty seven Mercat townes it is able to shew Villages and Country Townes 625 Watered with divers Rivers and Brookes and not altogether destitute of Woods The soyle according to the variety of places is of a divers nature Some where fat ranke and full of moisture as in Mershland and Flegg otherwhere but Westward especially leane light and sandy elsewhere standing upon clay and chalke But the goodnesse of the ground a man may collect by this whence Varro willeth us to gather it that the Inhabitants are of a passing good complexion to say nothing of their exceeding wily wits and the same right quicke in the insight of our common lawes in so much as it is counted as well now as in times past the onely Country for best breed of Lawyers so that even out of the meanest sort of the common people there may be found not a few who if there were nothing else to beare action or able to fetch matter enough of wrangling controversies even out of the very prickes titles and accents of the Law But least whiles I desire brevity I become long by these digressions which may distaste I will turne my penne from the people to the places and beginning at the South side runne over briefly those which are more memorable and of greater antiquity Upon the least Ouse where Thet a small brooke breaking out of Suffolke meeteth and runneth with him in a low ground was seated that ancient City SITOMAGUS which Antonine the Emperour maketh mention of corruptly in the Fragments of an old Choragraphicall table called SIMOMAGUS and SINOMAGUS now Thetford in the Saxon language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which remaineth part of the former name with the addition of the English word Ford. For like as Sitomagus in the Brittish tongue implieth a Citie by the river Sit which now is Thet for Magus as Plinie sheweth signified a City so Thetford in English betokeneth the Ford of Thet neither are these two names Sit and Thet much unlike in sound There are in it at this day but few Inhabitants although it be of a good bignesse but in times past it was very populous and beside other tokens of antiquity it hath still to bee seene a great Mount raised to a good height by mens hands fensed with a double rampier and as the report goeth fortified in ancient time with walles which was a Romane worke as some thinke or rather of the English Saxon Kings as others would have it under whom it flourished a long time But after it was sacked first by Suenus the Dane who in a rage set it on fire in the yeere 1004 and sixe yeers after being spoyled againe by the furious Danes it lost all the beauty and dignity that it had For the recovery whereof Bishop Arfast removed his Episcopall See from Elmham hither and Bishop William his successor did all he could to adorne and set it out so that under King Edward the Confessour there were counted in it 947. Burgesses and in William the Conquerours time 720. Mansions whereof 224. stood void
in the yeere 1588. leaving the fame onely of his greatnesse behinde him Within this Shire are 200. Parish Churches RVTLANDIAE Omnium in Anglia Comitatu um minimus Pars olim CORITANORVM RUTLAND-SHIRE RUTLAND in the old English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is environed within Leicester-shire unlesse it be on the South-side where it lieth upon the river Welland and on the East-side where it butteth upon Lincoln-shire A Country nothing inferiour to Leicester-shire either in fruitfull qualitie of soile or pleasantnesse but in quantitie onely as being the least County of all England For lying in forme almost round like a circle it is in compasse so farre about as a light horseman will ride in one day Whence it is that the Inhabitants tell a tale of I wote not what king who should give to one Rut so much land as he could ride about in one day and that he forsooth rode about this shire within the time appointed and so had it given him and named it by his owne name Rutland But let such fables bee packing I would not have the trueth prejudiced with an extravagant tale And where as the earth in this shire is every where red and so red that even the sheepes fleeces are thereby coloured red whereas also the English-Saxons called Red in their tongue Roet and Rud may we not suppose that this Countrey was named Rutland as one would say a Redland For as saith the Poet. Conveniunt rebus nomina saepè suis. The names as often times we see With things themselves full well agree Now that places in all Nations have had their names of rednesse Rutlan Castle in Wales built on a shore of red earth Redbay Redhill Redland The Red Promontory The Red-Sea also betwixt Aegypt and Arabia Erytheia in Ionia and a number besides may proove most evidently So that there is no cause why we should give credit to fables in this behalfe As for this little County it may seeme to have beene ordained a Shire or County but of late daies For in King Edward the Confessors time it was counted a part of Northampton-shire and our Historiographers who wrote three hundred yeeres agoe and upward reckoned it not in the number of Shires Wash or Guash a little river which runneth from the West Eastward through the middle of it divideth it in twaine In the hithermore or South part riseth Uppingham upon an high ascent whence that name was imposed not memorable for any thing else but because it is counted a well frequented Mercat towne and hath for to shew a proper Schoole which together with another at Okeham R. Ihonson a Minister of Gods word in a good and laudable intent for the training up of children in good literature lately erected with the money he had gotten together by way of collection Under this standeth Drystoke which in no wise is to be passed over with silence considering it hath been the habitation from old time of a right ancient race of the Digbyes which I grieve to utter it but all men know it hath now caught a deepe steine by Sir Everard Digby drawne into that cursed crew who most horribly complotted with one divelish flash of hellish Gun-pouder to blow up both Prince and Country More Eastward upon the river Welland I saw nothing remarkeable unlesse it be Berohdon now Barodon which Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke held with South Leffingham now South Luffenham and other Hamelets by service to be the Kings Chamberlaine in the Exchequer On the further part beyond the river among the hils there spreadeth below a very pleasant and fruitfull vale named at this day The vale of Catmose happily of Coet maes which signifieth in the Brittish tongue a field full of woods In the middest whereof Okeham sheweth it selfe which by the like reason may seeme to have taken the name from Okes where hard by the Church which is large and faire remaine the crackt and decaying walls of an old Castle which Walkelin de Ferrariâ—s built in the first times of the Norman Kings And that it hath been the dwelling place of the Ferrars besides the credit of writers and generall report the great horse shoes which in times past that family gave in their armes fastned upon the gate and in the hall may sufficiently proove Afterwards it belonged to the Lords of Tatteshall But when King Richard the second had promoted Edward the Duke of Yorkes sonne to the Earledome of Rutland he gave unto him this Castle also But within our Fathers remembrance it befell unto Thomas Cromwel and was reputed the seat of his Baronie whom King Henry the Eighth advanced to the highest pitch of dignity and streightwaies when by his plotting and attempting of many matters he had cast himselfe into the tempestuous stormes of envy and displeasure bereft him on a sudden both of life and dignity Over against it Eastward there standeth Burley most daintily seated and overlooking the vale A stately and sumptuous house now of the Haringtons who by marrying the daughter and heire of Colepeper became Lords of so faire an inheritance that ever since they have flourished in these parts like as before time the Colepepers had done unto whom by N. Green the wealthy and goodly Livelod of the Bruses in part had descended As for those Bruses being men of the chiefe Nobility in England they were engraffed into the Roiall stocke and family of Scotland out of whom by Robert the eldest brother the race Roiall of Scotland are sprung-like as by Bernard the younger brother the Cottons of Connington in Huntingdon-shire of whom I have written already and these Haringtons In which regard and gracious respect King James advanced Sir Iohn Harington branched from that stem that the ancient Lords Harington to the title of Baron Harington of Exton a towne adjacent where he hath also an other faire house Moreover on the East side by the river Guash stands Brigcasterton whereof I will say more afterward and Rihall where when superstition had so bewitched our ancestours that the multitude of their pety Saints had well neere taken quite away the true God one Tibba a pety Saint or Goddesse reputed to bee the tutelar patronesse of Hauking was of Foulers and Faulkoners worshipped as a second Diana Essendon also is neere adjoyning the Lord whereof Sir Robert Cecil a good sonne of a right good father the strength and stay of our Common-wealth in his time was by King James created Baron Cecil of Essendon in the first yeere of his reigne This little County King Edward the Confessor by his last Will and Testament bequeathed unto his wife Eadith yet with this condition that after her death it should come to S. Peter of Westminster For these be the very words of the said Testament I will that after the death of Queene Eadith my wife ROTELAND with all the appertenances thereto be given to my Monastery of the most blessed
place at this day is called Buxton well which being found by experience holsome for the stomach sinewes and the whole body George Earle of Shrewesbury lately beautified with buildings and so they are begunne againe to bee resorted unto by concourse of the greatest Gentlemen and of the Nobility At which time that most unfortunate Lady Mary Queene of Scots bad farewell unto Buxton with this Distichon by a little change of Caesars Verses concerning Feltria in this wise Buxtona a quae calidae celebrabere nomine lymphae Fortè mihi posthac non adeunda vale Buxton that of great name shalt be for hote and holsome baine Farewell for I perhaps shall not thee ever see againe But that these hote waters were knowne in old time The Port-way or High paved Street named Bath-gate reaching for seven miles together from hence unto Burgh a little Village doth manifestly shew Neere unto this Burgh there standeth upon the top of an hill an old Castle sometimes belonging to the Peverels called The Castle in the Peake and in Latin De Alto Pecco which King Edward the Third together with a Manour and an Honour gave unto his sonne John Duke of Lancaster what time as hee surrendered the Earledome of Richmond into the Kings hands Under which there is a Cave or hole within the ground called saving your reverence The Devils Arse that gapeth with a wide mouth and hath in it many turnings and retyring roomes wherein forsooth Gervase of Tilbury whether for wane of knowing trueth or upon a delight hee had in fabling hath written that a Shepheard saw a very wide and large Country with Riverets and Brookes running heere and there through it and huge Pooles of dead and standing waters Notwithstanding by reason of these and such like fables this Hole is reckoned for one of the wonders of England neither are there wanting the like tales of another Cave but especially of that which is called Elden Hole wherein there is nothing to bee wondred at but that it is of an huge widnesse exceeding steepe and of a mervailous depth But whosoever have written that there should bee certaine tunnels and breathing holes out of which windes doe issue they are much deceived Neither doe these Verses of Alexander Necham which hee wrote as touching the Mervailes of England agree to any of these two holes Est specus Aeolijs ventis obnoxia semper Impetus è gemino maximus ore venit Cogitur injectum velamen adire supernas Partes descensum impedit aura potens A Cave to strong Aeolian windes alwaies enthral'd there is From two-fold tunnell maine great blasts arise and never misse A cloth or garment cast therein by force aloft is sent A mighty breath or powrfull puffe doth hinder all descent But all the memorable matters in this high and rough stony little Country one hath comprised in these foure Verses Mira alto Pecco tria sunt barathrum specus antrum Commoda tot plumbum gramen ovile pecus Tot speciosa simul sunt Castrum Balnea Chatsworth Plura sed occurrunt quae speciosa minùs There are in High Peake Wonders three A deepe Hole Cave and Den Commodities as many bee Lead Grasse and Sheepe in pen. And Beauties three there are withall A Castle Bath Chatsworth With places more yet meet you shall That are of meaner worth To these Wonders may be added a wonderfull Well in the Peake Forest not farre from Buxtons which ordinarily ebbeth and floweth foure times in the space of one houre or thereabout keeping his just Tides and I know not whether Tideswell a Mercate Towne heereby hath his name thereof The Peverels who I have said before were Lords of Nottingham are also reported to have beene Lords of Darby Afterward King Richard the First gave and confirmed unto his brother John the Counties and Castles of Nottingham Lancaster Darby c. with the honours thereto belonging with the honour also of Peverell After him these were Earles of Derby out of the family of Ferrars so far as I am able to gather out of the Registers of Tutbury Merivall and Burton Monasteries William Ferrars sonne to the Daughter and heire of Peverell whom King John with his owne hand as we finde in an ancient Charter invested Earle of Darby William his sonne who bruised with a fall out of his Coach died in the yeere 1254. And this Williams sonne Robert who in the Civill Warre lost this Title and a great estate by forfeiture in such sort as that none of his posterity although they lived in great port and reputation were ever restored to that honor againe But most of this Roberts possessions K. Henry the Third passed over unto Edmund his owne younger son and King Edward the Third I write out of the very originall Record by authority and advise of the Parliament ordained Henry of Lancaster the sonne of Henry Earle of Lancaster Earle of Darby to him and his heires and withall assigned unto him a thousand markes yeerely during the life of his father Henry Earle of Lancaster From that time this Title was united to the line of Lancaster untill King Henry the Seventh bestowed the same upon Thomas Lord Stanley who before had wedded Margaret the Kings mother to him and the heires males of his body He had for his successour his Grandsonne Thomas begotten by George his sonne of Ioan the heire of the Lord Strange of Knocking this Thomas had by the sister of George Earle of Huntingdon Edward the third Earle of this Family highly commended for hospitality and affability who by the Lady Dorothy Daughter to the first Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke begat Henry the fourth Earle efts-once honourably employed who left by Lady Margaret Daughter of Henry Earle of Cumberland Ferdinand and William successively Earles of Darby Ferdinand dyed in strange manner in the flower of his youth leaving by Margaret his Wife Daughter of Sir John Spenser of Althorp three Daughters Anne marryed to Grey Bruges Lord Chandos Francis Wife to Sir Iohn Egerton and Elizabeth Wife to Henry Earle of Huntingdon William the sixth Earle now enjoyeth that Honour having issue by Elizabeth Daughter to Edward late Earle of Oxford ANd thus much of the Counties of Nottingham and Darby of which they inhabited a part who in Bedes time were called Mercij Aquilonares that is The Northern Mercians for that they dwelt beyond the Trent Northward and they held as hee saith The land of seven thousand Families This County holdeth in it Parishes 106. CORNAVII HAving now travailed in order through the Countries of the ancient CORITANI I am to survey the Regions confining which in ancient time the people called CORNABII or CORNAVII inhabited The derivation or Etymologie of whose name let others sift out As for my selfe I could draw the force and signification of that word to this and that diversly but seeing none of them doth aptly answere to the nature of the place or disposition of the people
that the place tooke that name of later time by farre from Guy Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke and certaine it is that Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke built Saint Margarets Chappell heere and erected a mighty and giantlike statue of stone resembling the said Guy Avon now runneth downe from Warwicke with a fuller streame by Charle-cot the habitation of the renowned ancient family of the Lucies knights which place long agoe descended hereditarily to them from the Charlecots who upon a pious and devout minde founded a religious House at Thellisford for entertainment of poore folke and Pilgrims For that little River was called Thelley which by Compton Murdacke the possession sometime of the Murdackes and now of the Vernaies Knights and by this Thellisford goeth into Avon which within a while runneth hard by Stratford a proper little mercate towne beholden for all the beauty that it hath to two men there bred and brought up namely John of Stratford Archbishop of Canterbury who built the Church and Sir Hugh Clopton Major of London who over Avon made a stone Bridge supported with foureteene Arches not without exceeding great expenses This Hugh was a younger brother out of that ancient family which from Clopton a Manour adjoyning borrowed this sirname since the time that Walter de Cocksfeld called Knight Mareschall setled and planted both himselfe and his successours at Clopton The inheritance of these Cloptons is in our time descended to two sisters coheires the one of which is married to Sir George Carew knight Vice chamberlaine to our most gracious Lady Queen Anne whom King James hath entituled Baron Carew of Clopton and whom I am the more willing to name with honour in this respect if there were none other for that hee is a most affectionate lover of venerable antiquity Neither seeth Avon any other memorable thing upon his bankes but Bitford a Mercate Towne and some Country Villages being now ready to enter into Worcester-shire Now let us enter into the Woodland which beyond the River Avon spreadeth it selfe Northward much larger in compasse than the Feldon and is for the most part thicke set with Woods and yet not without pastures corne fields and sundry mines of Iron This part as it is at this day called Woodland so also it was in old time knowne by a more ancient name Arden but in the selfesame sense and signification as I thinke For it seemeth that Arden among the ancient Britans and Gaules signified a Wood considering that we see a very great Wood in France named ARDEN a Towne in Flanders hard by another Wood called Ardenburg and that famous Wood or Forest in England by a clipped word likewise cleped DEN to say nothing of that DIANA which in the ancient inscriptions of Gaule is sirnamed ARDVVENA and ARDOINA that is if I doe not mis-conceive Of the Wood and was the same Diana which in the inscriptions of Italy went under the name of NEMORENSIS Of this Forest Turkill of Arden who flourished heere in all honour under King Henry the First tooke his name and his offspring which was of great worship and reputation spred very much over all England for many yeeres successively ensuing In the West side of this Country the River Arrow maketh haste to joyne himselfe in society with Avon by Studly Castle belonging sometime to John the sonne of Corbutio But whether this River Arrow tooke name of swiftnesse as Tigris in Mesopotamia for Arrow with us like as Tigris among the Persians betokeneth a shaft or contrariwise of the still streame and slow course which Ar in the old French and British Tongue implied let other men looke who have better observed the nature of this River Upon this River standeth Coughton the principall mansion house of the Throckmortons a family of Knights degree which being spred into a number of faire branches and fruitfull of fine wits flourished in this tract especially ever since they matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Speney Not farre from hence is Ousley which also was in ancient time well knowne by the Lords thereof the Butlers Barons of Wem from whom it was devolved hereditarily to the Ferrars of Ousley Whose inheritance within a short time was divided betweene John Lord of Greistocke and Sir Raulph Nevill Beneath it upon Arrow standeth Beauchamps-Court so named of Baron Beauchamp of Powicke from whom by the onely daughter of Edward Willoughbey sonne to Robert Willoughbey Baron Broke it came to Sir Foulque Grevill a right worshipfull person both for his Knights degree and for kinde courtesie whose only sonne carrying likewise the same name hath consecrated himselfe so to true Vertue and Nobility that in nobility of minde he farre surmounteth his parentage and unto whom for his exceeding great deserts toward me although my heart is not able either to expresse or render condigne thankfulnesse yet in speech will I ever render thankes and in silence acknowledge my selfe most deepely endebted Under this Towne there runneth into Arrow the River Alâ—e which holding on his course through the woods passeth under Henley a prety mercate towne a Castle joyning whereunto belonged the Family of the Mont-forts being Noblemen of great name which for the pleasant situation among the Woods they called by a French name Bell-desert but this together with the ruines is now buried quite and scant to be seene at all These were descended not from the Almarian Family of the Mont-sorts of France but from Turstan de Bastanberg a Norman whose inheritance passed away at length by the daughters unto the Barons of Sudley and to the Frevills In the very place where Arrow and this Alne doe meete together we saw Aulcester by Matthew Paris called and that more rightly Allencester which the inhabitants affirme to have beene a most famous and ancient Towne and thereupon they will have the name to be Ouldcester This as we reade in an old Inquisition was a Frank-burogh of our Lord King Henry the First and the same King gave that Burogh to Robert Corbet for his service and when the said Robert died it came by descent to Sir William of Botereux and to Sir Peter Fitz-Herbert and when William of Botereux dyed the moity of that Burogh fell by descent into the hand of Sir Reginald of Botereux as to the heire who now holdeth it and when Peter Fitz-Herbert died that moity descended into the hand of Herbert the sonne of Peter which Herbert gave it to Sir Robert de Chaundoys But now it is decaied and of a very great Towne become a small Mercate of wares and trade Howbeit exceeding much frequented for the Corne Faire there holden This hath for a neere neighbour Arrow according to the name of the River whose Lord Thomas Burdet for his dependance upon George Duke of Clarence words unadvisedly uttered and hardly construed through the iniquity of the time lost his life But by his grand daughter married to
Romanists But this See few yeeres after was removed againe to Lichfield yet so as that one and the selfe same Bishop carried the name both of Lichfield and of Coventry The first Lord of this City so farre as I can learne was this Leofricke who being very much offended and angry with the Citizens oppressed them with most heavie tributes which he would remit upon no other condition at the earnest suite of his wife Godiva unlesse she would herselfe ride on horse-backe naked through the greatest and most inhabited street of the City which she did in deed and was so covered with her faire long haire that if we may beleeve the common sort shee was seene of no body and thus shee did set free her Citizens of Coventry from many payments for ever From Leofricke it came into the hands of the Earles of Chester by Lucie his sonne Algars daughter for shee had beene married to Ranulph the first of that name and the third Earle of Chester out of this line who granted unto Coventrey the same liberties that Lincolne had and gave a great part of the City unto the Monkes the rest and Chilmore which is the Lords Manour hard by the City hee reserved to himselfe and to his heires After whose death when for want of issue male the inheritance was divided betweene the sisters Coventry came at length mediately by the Earles of Arundell unto Roger Mont-hault whose grand sonne Robert passed over all his right for default of issue male of his body begotten unto Queene Isabel mother to King Edward the Third To have and to hold during the whole life of the Queene herselfe and after her decease to remaine unto Iohn of Eltham the said Kings brother and to the heires of his body begotten and for default the remainder to Edward King of England c. For thus is it to be seene in the Fine in the second yeere of King Edward the Third Now the said John of Eltham was afterwards created Earle of Cornwall and this place became annexed to the Earldome of Cornwall From which time it hath flourished in great state Kings have bestowed sundry immunities upon it and King Edward the Third especially who permitted them to chuse a Major and two Bailiffes and to build and embattle a Wall about it also king Henry the Sixth who laying unto it certaine small Townes adjoyning granted That it should bee an entire County corporate by it selfe the very words of the Charter runne in that sort in deed and name and distinct from the County of Warwicke At which time in lieu of Bailiffes he ordained two Sheriffes and the Citizens beganne to fortifie their City with a most strong Wall wherein are beautifull Gates and at one of them called Gosford Gate there hangeth to bee seene a mighty great Shield bone of a wilde Bore which any man would thinke that either Guy of Warwicke or else Diana of the Forest Arden slew in hunting when he had turned up with his snout that great pit or pond which at this day is called Swansewell but Swinsewell in times past as the authority of ancient Charters doe proove As touching the Longitude of this City it is 25. Degrees and 52. Scruples and for the Latitude it is 52. Degrees and 25. Scruples Thus much of Coventrey yet have you not all this of me but willingly to acknowledge by whom I have profited of Henry Ferrars of Baddesley a man both for parentage and for knowledge of antiquity very commendable and my especiall friend who both in this place and also elsewhere hath at all times courteously shewed me the right way when I was out and from his candle as it were hath lightned mine Neere unto Coventrey North-west ward are placed Ausley Castle the habitation in times past of the Hastings who were Lords of Abergavenney and Brand the dwelling place in old time of the Verdons Eastward standeth Caloughdon commonly Caledon the ancient seat of the Lords Segrave from whom it descended to the Barons of Berkley by one of the daughters of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke These Segraves since the time that Stephen was Lord chiefe Justice of England flourished in the honorable estate of Barons became possessed of the Chaucombes Inheritance whose Armes also they bare viz. A Lion rampant Argent crowned Or in a Shield Sable But John the last of them married Margaret Dutchesse of Northfolke Daughter of Thomas Brotherton and begat Elizabeth a daughter who brought into the Family of the Mowbraies the Dignity of Marshall of England and Title of Duke of Norfolke Brinklâ— also is not farre from hence where stood an ancient Castle of the Mowbraies to which many possessions and faire lands thereabout belonged But the very rubbish of this Castle time hath quite consumed as Combe Abbay is scant now apparent which the Camvills and Mowbraies endowed with possessions and out of the ruines and reliques whereof a faire house of the Lord Haringtons in this very place is now raised As you goe East-ward you meet anon with Cester-Over whereof I spake incidently before belonging to the Grevills neere unto which the High port-way Watling-street dividing this shire Northward from Leicester-shire runneth on forward by High-crosse whereof also I have already written neere unto Nun-Eaton which in ancient time was named Eaton But when Amice wife to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester as Henry Knighton writeth had founded a Monastery of Nunnes wherein her selfe also became professed it began of those Nunnes to be called Nun-Eaton And famous it was in the former ages by reason of those religious Virgines holinesse who devoting themselves continually to prayers gave example of good life A little from this there flourished sometimes Astley-Castle the principall seate of the Familie of Astley out of which flourished Barons in the time of King Edward the First Second and Third the heire whereof in the end was the second wedded Wife of Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin from whom came the Greies Marquesses of Dorset some of whom were enterred in a most fine and faire Collegiat Church which Thomas Lord Astley founded with a Deane and Secular Chanons Somewhat higher hard by Watling street for so with the common people wee call the High-way made by the Romanes where as the riuer Anker hath a stone bridge over it stood MANDVESSEDUM a very ancient towne mentioned by Antonine the Emperour which being not altogether deprived of that name is now called Mancester and in Ninnius his Catalogue Caer Mancegued Which name considering there is a stone-quarry hard by I may ghesse was imposed upon it of the stones digged forth and hewed out of it For out of the Glossaries of the British tongue we finde that Main in the British language signified a Stone and Fosswad in the Provinciall tongue to digge out which being joyned together may seeme very expressely to import that ancient name MANDVESSEDUM But what how great or how faire soever it hath been
Vlster So that doubtlesse he was either a man of rare vertue or a gracious favourite or a great Lawyer or else all jointly His posterity matched in marriage with the heires of the Lord Giffard of Brimsfield of Baron Martin Lord of Keimeis and Barstaple and a younger brother of this house with one of the heires of the Earle of Glocester and was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Glocester About which time James Lord Audley flourished in Chivalry who as the French write being grievously wounded in the battaile at Poitiers when the blacke Prince with many comfortable commendations had given him 400. Markes of yeerely revenewes he bestowed the same forthwith upon his foure Esquires who alwaies valiantly attended him and satisfied the Prince doubting that his gift was too little for so great service with this answer dutifully acknowledging his bounty It is meet that I doe well for them who deserved best of me These my Esquiers saved my life amidst my enemies And God be thanked my ancestours have left me sufficient revenewes to maintaine me in your service Whereupon the Prince approving this prudent liberality both confirmed his gift to his Esquires and assigned him moreover lands to the value of six hundred Markes yeerely But by his daughter one of the coheires to her brother the Title of Lord Audley came afterward to the Touchets and in them continueth Neither must I heere passe over in silence an house in this tract called Gerards Bromley both for the magnificence thereof and also because it is the principall seat of Sir Thomas Gerard whom King James in the first yeere of his Raigne created Baron Gerard of Gerards Bromley This Sow as it were a parallel river unto Trent runneth even with him and keeping an equall distance still from him by Chebsey which had in times past for Lords therof the Hastangs reputed among the prime Nobility in the time of King Edward the First not farre from Eccleshall the habitation of the Bishop of Lichfield and Ellenhall which was sometime the seat of the Noels a worshipfull house who founded heere a Monastery at Raunton and from whom it descended hereditarily to the Harcourts who being of the ancient Norman nobility flourished a long time in great dignity But yet of the male heires of the Noels there remaine still Sir Edward Noel of Dalby in Leicester-shire and the Noels of Wellesborow in Leicester-shire with others Then runneth Sow under Stafford in times past called Statford and before time Betheney where Bertelin reputed a very holy man led in ancient times an Eremits life in serving God And King Edward the Elder built on the South banke of the River a Castle in the yeere of Christ 914. What time as King William the Conquerour registred the Survey of all England as we reade in his Domesday Booke The King had in it only 18. Burgesses in his owne domaine and 20. Mansions of the honour of the Earle it paid for all customes nine pounds of deniers and had thirteene Chanons Prebendaries who held in franke Almoine and the King commanded a Castle to bee made which now is destroyed But then as now also it was the head Towne of the whole Shire howbeit the greatest credite and honor thereof came from Stafford Castle adjoyning which the Barons of Stafford of whose progeny were the Dukes of Buckingham built for their owne seat who procured of King John that it was made a Burrough with ample liberties caused it to be partly fensed with a Wall and erected a Priory of Blacke Chanons to the honour of Saint Thomas of Canterbury Beneath which the Riveret Penke which gave name to Pennocrucium or Penkridge whereof I have already spoken joyneth with that Sow aforesaid And neere unto the confluence of Sow and Trent standeth Ticks hall the dwelling place of the Astons a Family which for antiquity kinred and alliance is in these parts of great name Trent having harboured these rivers in his chanell passeth now through the mids of the Shire with a gentle streame taking a view of Chartley Castle standing two miles aside from the banke on the left hand which Castle came from Raulph Earle of Chester who built it unto the Ferrars by Agnes his sister whom William Ferrars Earle of Darby had marryed out of whose Race the Lords Ferrars of Chartley flourished and Anne the Daughter of the last of them brought this Honour as her dowry unto Sir Walter D'Eureux her husband from whom Robert D'Evereux Earle of Essex and Lord Ferrars of Chartley is lineally descended On the right side of the river about the same distance standeth most pleasantly among the woods Beaudesert the lodge in times past of the Bishops of Lichfield but now the house of the Lord Paget For Sir William Paget who for his approoved wisdome both at home and abroad stood in high favour with King Henry the Eight and King Edward the Sixth and obteined at their hands faire possessions was by the said K. Edward the Sixth created Lord Paget of Beaudesert He was that I may note so much out of his Epitaph Secretary and Privy Counsellour to King Henry the Eighth and appointed by his Testament Counsellour and aidor to King Edward the Sixth during his minority To whom he was Chauncellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster Controller of the house and by him made as I said Baron and knight of the Garter as by Queene Mary Lord Privy Seale Whose grandsonne William is now the fourth Baron Pagets and for his vertue and studies of the best arts is an honour to his house and in this respect deserveth to be honorably remembred From thence may you descrie Lichfield scarce foure miles from this right-side banke of Trent Bede calleth it Licidfeld which Rosse of Warwick interpreteth Cadaverum campus that is The field of dead bodies and reporteth that a number of Christians were there Martyred under the persecutor Dioclesian This City is low seated of a good largenesse and faire withall divided into two parts with a shallow poole of cleere water which parts notwithstanding joyne in one by the meanes of two bridges or causeies made over that have their sluces to let out the water The South part which is on the hither side is the greater consisting of divers streets hath in it the schoole and an hospitall of Saint John founded for reliefe of the poore The farther part is the lesse but beautified with a very goodly Cathedrall Church which being round about compassed with a faire wall castle-like and garnished beside with faire houses of Prebendaries and with the Bishops palace also doth mount upon high with three pyramids or spires of stone making an excellent shew and for elegant and proportionall building yeeldeth to few Cathedrall Churches In this place many ages past a Bishops See was established for in the 656. yeere after the Worlds redemption Oswie King of Northumberland having vanquished the Mercians as then
goeth on forward to Shropp-shire That MEDIOLANUM a Towne of the Ordovices which both Antonine the Emperour and Ptolomee speake of stood in this Shire I am in a manner perswaded upon probability The footings whereof I have sought after with all diligence but little or nothing have I found of it For time consumeth the very carcasses even of Cities Yet if we may ground any conjecture upon the situation seeing the Townes which Antonine placeth on either side be so well knowne to wit BONIUM now Bangor by Dee on the one side and RUTUNIUM now Rowton Castle on the other side for he setteth it twelve Italian miles distant from this and from the other twenty The lines of Position if I may so tearme them or of the distance rather doe cut one another crosse betweene Matrafall and Lan-vethlin which are scarce three miles asunder and shew as it were demonstratively the site of our Mediolanum For this cannot chuse but bee an infallible way to finde out the situation of a third place by two others that are knowne when as there are neither hils interposed nor any troublous turnings of the wayes As for this Matrafall which standeth five miles Westward from Severn although it bee now but a bare name was sometime the regall seat of the Princes of Powis which may bee an argument of the antiquity thereof and the same much spoken of by Writers who record that after the Princes had once forsaken it Robert Vipont an Englishman built a Castle But Lan-vethlin that is Vethlius Church being a little Mercate Towne although it be somewhat farther off from the crosse-meeting of the said lines yet commeth it farre neerer in resemblance of name to Mediolanum For of Methlin by the propriety of the British tongue is made Vethlin like as of Caer-Merden is come Caer Verden and of Ar-mon Arvon Neither doth Methlin more jarre and disagree in sound from Mediolanum than either Millano in Italie Le Million in Xantoigne or Methlen in the Lowcountries which Cities no man doubteth were all in times past knowne by the name of Mediolanum Which of these conjectures commeth neerer to the truth judge you for me it is enough to give my guesse If I should say that either Duke Medus or Prince Olanus built this Mediolanum of ours and those Cities of the same name in Gaule or that whiles they were a building Sus mediatim Lanata that is That a Sow halfe fleeced with wooll was digged up might I not be thought thinke you to catch at Clouds and fish for Nifles Yet notwithstanding the Italians write as much of their Mediolanum But seeing that most true it is that these Cities were built by nations of the same language and that the Gaules and Britans spake all one language I have prooved already it is probable enough that for one and the same cause they had also one and the same denomination Howbeit this our Mediolanum in nothing so farre as I know agreeth with that of Italie unlesse it be that both of them are seated upon a plaine betweene two riverets and a learned Italian derived the name of their Mediolanum hence because it is a Citie standing in the middest betweene Lanas that is little rivers according to his owne interpretation But this may seeme overmuch of MEDIOLANUM which I have sought heere and about Alcester not farre off This Countie hath adorned no Earle with the name title and Honour thereof untill of late our Soveraigne King James created Philip Herbert second Sonne of Henry Earle of Penbroke by Mary Sidney for the singular love and affectionate favour toward him and for the great hope that he conceived of his vertues both Baron Herbert of Shurland and also Earle of Montgomery upon one and the same day at Greenwich in the yeere 1605. But the Princes of Powis descended from the third Sonne of Rotherike the great held this shire with others in a perpetuall line of succession although Roger and Hugh of Montgomery had encroched upon some part thereof untill the daies of King Edward the Second For then Oen ap Gruffin ap Guenwinwyn the last Lord of Powis of the British bloud for the name of Prince had long before been worne out of use left one onely daughter named Hawise whom Sir Iohn Charleton an English man the Kings Valect married and in right of his wife was by King Edward the Second made Lord of Powise who as I have seene in very many places gaue for his Armes a Lion Geules Rampant in a shield Or which he received from his wifes Progenitours Of his posterity there were foure males that bare this Honorable title untill that in Edward the succession of males had an end for he the said Edward begat of Aeleonor the daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Iane Wife to Sir Iohn Grey Knight and Joice married unto Iohn Lord Tiptoft from whom the Barons of Dudley and others derive their descent The said Sir Iohn Grey for his martiall prowesse and by the bountifull fauour of King Henry the Fifth received the Earledome of Tanquervill in Normandie to have unto him and his heires males by delivering one Bassinet at the Castle of Roan every yeere on Saint Georges day This John had a sonne named Henrie Lord of Powis in whose race the title of Powis with the Honour thereof continued untill Edward Grey died well neere in our time leaving no issue lawfully begotten This Shire hath Parishes 47. MERIONITH Comitatus olim pars ORDOVICVM MERIONETH-SHIRE FFrom the backeside of Montgomery-shire MERIONETH-SHIRE in British Sire-Verioneth in Latine Mervinia and as Giraldus calleth it Terra filiorum Canaeni that is Canaens sonnes Land reacheth to that crooked Bay I spake of and to the maine Sea which on the West side beateth so sore upon it that it is verily thought to have carryed away by violence some part thereof Southward for certaine miles together it is severed from Cardigan-shire by the river Dovy on the North it boundeth upon Caer-narvon and Denbigh-shires As for the in-land part it so riseth with mountaines standing one by another in plumps that as Giraldus saith it is the roughest and most unpleasant Country to see to in all Wales For it hath in it mountaines of a wonderfull height yet narrow and passing sharpe at the top in manner of a needle and those verily not scattering heere and there one but standing very thicke together and so even in height that Shepheards talking together or railing one at another on the tops of them if haply they appoint the field to encounter and meet together they can hardly doe it from morning till night But let the Reader heerein relie upon Giraldus credit Great flockes of Sheepe graze all over these mountaines neither are they in danger of Wolves who were thought then to have beene ridde quite out of all England and Wales when King Eadgar imposed upon Ludwall Prince of these
to yeeld much ground within their Confines yea and to render many Castles But this may suffice as touching Durham which I will take my leave of if you thinke good with a Distichon of Necham and an Hexastichon of John Jonston Arte sitúque loci munita Dunelmia salve Qua floret sancta religionis apex VEDRA ruens rapidis modò cursibus agmine leni Séque minor celebres suspicit urbe viros Quos dedit ipsa olim quorum tegit ossa sepulta Magnus ubi sacro marmore BEDA cubat Se jactant aliae vel religione vel armis Haec armis cluit haec religione potens Durham by art and site of place well fensed now farewell Where for devout Religion the Mitre doth excell The River Were that ranne most swift ere while with streame now soft And chanell lesse to famous men in towne lookes up aloft Whom once it bred and of whose bones in grave it is possest Where under sacred marble stone Great Beda now doth rest Of Armes or of Religion may other boast I grant For Armes and for Religion both this City makes her vaunt Concerning the Monkes that were cast out at the suppression of the Abbaies the twelve Prebendaries and two Arch-Deacons placed in this Church and the Priours name changed into the Dignity of a Deane I neede not to say any thing for they are yet in fresh memory And unwilling I am to remember how this Bishopricke was dissolved by a private Statute and all the possessions thereof given to Edward the Sixth when private greedinesse edged by Church-men did grinde the Church and withdrew much from God wherewith Christian Piety had formerly honoured God But Queene Mary repealed that Statute and restored the said Bishopricke with all the Possessions and Franchises thereof that God might enjoy his owne The Longitude of this City is 22. Degrees The Latitude 54. Degrees and 57. minutes Beneath Durham that I many not overpasse it standeth Eastward a very faire Hospitall which Hugh Pudsey that most wealthy Bishop and Earle of Northumberland so long as it was Being very indulgently compassionate to Lepres as Neubrigensis writeth built with coste I must needes say profuse enough but in some sort not so honest as who layed no small deall of other mens right so great was his power upon this devotion whiles hee thought much to disburse sufficient of his owne Howbeit hee assigned unto it revenewes to maintaine threescore and five Lepres besides Masse Priests From Durham Were carrieth his streame Northward with a more direct course by Finchdale where in the Reigne of King Henry the Second Goodrick a man of the ancient Christian simplicity and austerity wholly devoted to the service of God led a solitary life and ended his daies being buried in the same place wherein as that William of Neuborrow saith hee was wont either to lye prostrate whiles he prayed or to lay him downe when he was sicke Who with this his devout simplicity drew men into so great an admiration of him that R. brother unto that rich Bishop Hugh Pudsey built a Chappell in memoriall of him From thence Were passeth by Lumley Castle standing within a Parke the ancient seat of the Lumleies who descended from Liulph a man in this tract of right great Nobility in the time of King Edward the Confessour who marryed Aldgitha the daughter of Aldred Earle of Northumberland Of these Lumleies Marmaduke assumed unto him his mothers Coate of Armes in whose right hee was seized of a goodly inheritance of the Thwengs namely Argent of Fesse Gueles betweene three Poppinjaes Vert whereas the Lumleies before time had borne for their Armes Six Poppinjaes Argent in Gueles For she was the eldest daughter of Sir Marmaduke Thweng Lord of Kilton and one of the heires of Thomas Thweng her brother But Ralph sonne to the said Marmaduke was the first Baron Lumley created by King Richard the Second which honour John the ninth from him enjoyed in our daies a man most honourable for all the ornaments of true Nobility Just over against this place not farre from the other banke of the River standeth Chester upon the Street as one would say the Castle or little City by the Port way side the Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereupon I would deeme it to be CONDERCUM in which as the booke of Notices recordeth the first wing of the Astures in the Romanes time kept station and lay in Garison within the Line or precinct as that booke saith of the WALL For it is but a few miles distant from that famous WALL whereof I am to speake heereafter The Bishops of Lindifarre lived obscurely heere with the corps of Saint Cuthbert whiles the raging stormes of the Danes were up for the space of an hundred and thirteene yeeres In memory whereof when Egelricke Bishop of Durham layed the foundation of a new Church in that place he found such a mighty masse of money buried within the ground as is thought by the Romans that wallowing now in wealth he gave over his Bishopricke and being returned to Peterborrow whereof hee had beene Abbot before made causeies through the Fennes and raised other Workes not without exceeding great charges And a long time after Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem erected heere a Collegiat Church a Deane and seven Prebends In which Church the Lord Lumley abovesaid placed and ranged in goodly order the Monuments of his Ancestours in a continued line of succession even from Liulph unto these our daies which he had either gotten together out of Monasteries that were subverted or caused to bee made a new And further within almost in the middest of the Triangle there is another little Village also knowne of late by reason of the College of a Deane and Prebendaries founded by that Antony Bec at Lanchester which I once thought to have beene LONGOVICUM a station of the Romanes But let us returne unto Were which now at length turneth his course Eastward and running beside Hilton a Castle of the Hiltons a Family of ancient Gentry venteth his waters with a vast mouth into the sea at Wiran-muth as Bede tearmeth it now named Monkes Were-mouth because it belonged to the Monkes Touching which mouth or out-let thus writeth William of Malmesbury This Were where hee entereth into the Sea entertaineth Shippes brought in with a faire Gale of Winde within the gentle and quiet bosome of his Out-let Both the Bankes whereof Benedict Bishop beautified with Churches and built Abbaies there one in the name of Saint Peter and the other of Saint Paul The painfull industry of this man hee will wonder at who shall reade his life for that hee brought hither great store of bookes and was the first man that ever procured Masons and Glasiers for windowes to come into England Five miles higher the River Tine doth also unlade it selfe which together with Derwent for a good way lineth out as it
seeking for moisture get under the ground and men goe a fishing with spades But that in Paphlagonia many and those good fishes are gotten by digging in places nothing watery there is some secret and peculiar reason thereof in Nature and pleasantly wrote Seneca Why should not fishes enter and passe into the land if we passe over the Sea From hence the open shore shooteth out with a great bent and more within land from the sea standeth Ormeskirke a mercate towne well knowne by reason of the sepulture there of the Stanleys Earles of Derby whose chiefe seat Latham is hard by a stately house which they have enlarged continually ever since King Henry the Fourth his dayes what time Sir John Stanley knight father to John Lord deputy of Ireland descended of the same stemme whence the Barons de Audley married the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas Latham a right noble knight who brought to him for her dowrie this faire inheritance with many other possessions And from that time have the Stanleys planted their seat heere of whom Thomas the sonne of Thomas Lord Stanley was by King Henry the seventh created Earle of Derby and had issue by Eleonor Nevill daughter to the Earle of Salisbury George Lord Strange for he had wedded Joan the onely daughter and heire of John Baron Le Strange of Knockin who dying in his fathers life time begat a sonne named Thomas the second Earle of Derby unto whom Anne the daughter of Edward Lord Hastings bare Edward the third Earle of Derby who begat of Dorothea daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Henry the fourth Earle who married Margaret daughter of Henry Clifford Earle of Cumberland mother unto Ferdinando the fifth Earle lately deceased and to William now the sixth Earle who succeeded his brother but I forget my selfe now when as I have formerly remembred as much Duglesse a riveret creepeth and stealeth along quietly by this place neere unto which our noble Arthur as Ninnius writeth put the Saxons to flight in a memorable battaile At the head hereof standeth the towne Wiggin called in ancient times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which name I have nothing else to say but that in Lancashire they call buildings and houses Biggins neither of the towne but that it is faire and a Corporation also with a Maior and Burgesses and the parson of the Church as I have learned is Lord of the towne Hard by it Holland sheweth it selfe out of a younger brother whereof that most noble and renowned race of the Hollands Earles of Kent and Dukes also of Surry and Excester fetched both their originall and their sirname But the daughter and heire of the eldest brother who flourished here in knights degree being in the end married into the house of the Lovels brought unto them an addition of possessions with her Armes viz. in a shield Azure florete Argent a Lion rampant gardant Arg. Neere unto the mouth of Duglesse is Merton a very great large poole which emptieth it selfe into this river and then streight waies meeteth with the river Ribell neare his out-let for this is the next river after Mersey that runneth into the sea and hath not yet lost quite his former ancient name for Ptolomee calleth the salt water or arme of the sea here BELLISAMA and we Ribell perhaps by addition of the Saxon word Rhe unto it that signifieth a River This river comming with a quicke and hasty streame out of the hils in Yorke-shire taketh his course first Southward by three exceeding high mountaines Ingleborow hill at the spring head which I wondered at to see how it ascendeth as it were by degrees with a huge and mighty ridge Westward and at the farthest end mounteth up into the aire as if an other hill were set upon the head of it Penigent haply so called of his whitish snowy top for so Pengwin signifieth in the british tongue and he riseth aloft with an huge bulke howbeit not altogether so high as the other But when Ribell commeth into Lancashire for those two stand in Yorke-shire Pendle-hill advanceth it selfe up to the skie with a lofty head and in the very top thereof bringeth forth a peculiar plant which as though it came out of the clowdes they tearme Clowdes-bery But this mountaine is most notorious for the harme that it did not long since to the country lying beneath it by reason of a mighty deale of water gushing out of it as also for an infallible prognostication of raine so often as the top thereof is covered with a mist. Of these hils I have made mention the more willingly both because they are the highest in our Apennine whence commeth this vulgar Rhime Ingleborow Pendle and Penigent Are the highest hils betweene Scotland and Trent As also that the reader may understand as I said before why the highest Alpes were called of the old Gaules Penninae and why the very top of the hils named Pennum and Apennini were of them so tearmed For Pen in the British tongue signifieth the tops of hils By an out corner or parcel of Pendle hill standeth Clithero castle built by the Lacies neere unto Ribell and a neighbour unto it Whaley in the Saxon tongue Walalez famous for the monastery that the said Lacies founded which was translated from Stanlaw in Cheshire hither in the yeere 1296. where in the yeere 798. duke Wade unfortunately gave battaile to Ardulph King of Northumberland at Billangho which is more short called Langho This Ribell no sooner turneth into the West but imparteth his name to a small towne which in our age is called Riblechester where are digged up from time to time so many monuments of Romane antiquity statues peeces of coyn Pillars Piedestals Chapters of pillars heathen altars Marble-stones and inscriptions that the inhabitants may seeme not without cause to have this hobling rhyme so rise in their mouthes It is written upon a wall in Rome Ribchester was as rich as any towne in Christendome And the port high wayes came directly hither raiâ—ed up with eminent cause is one from Yorke another out of the North through Bowland-Forrest a spacious peece of ground which as yet is most evidently to be seene for many miles together But the country folke have so disfigured the inscriptions that although I did see many yet could I scarce read one or two of them At Salesbury hall an house of that ancient family of the Talbots standing neere by I saw the base or foot of a pillar with this inscription DEO MARTI ET VICTORIAE DD. AUGG. ET CC NN In a wall neare unto it there is another great stone infixed shewing in the fore-part Cupid and another little image out of the backe-side or reverse whereof this was exemplified for me but the inscription carrieth no sense with it which because it troubled me a long time I will set down here underneath to see what
here in Gordian the Emperours time as appeareth evidently by these inscriptions which I saw hard by I O M. ALA AUG OB RTUT APPEL CUI PRAEEST TIB. CL. TIB. F. P IN G N JUSTINUS PRAEF FUSCIANO II SILANO II COS. DM MABLI NIVSSEC VNDVS EQUIS ALE AUG STE STIP This votive altar also of a rude stone was erected for the happie health of the Emperour Gordian the third and his wife Furia Sabina Tranquilla and their whole family by the troup of horsemen surnamed Augusta Gordiana when Aemilius Chrispinus a native of Africa governed the same under Nonnius Philippus Lievtenant generall of Britaine in the yeere of Christ 243. as appeareth by the Consuls therein specified I O M PRO SALUTE IMPERATORIS M. ANTONI GORDIANI P. F. INVICTI AUG ET SABINIAE TUR IAE TRANQUILE CONJUGI EJUS TO TA QUE DOMU DIVIN EORUM A LA AUG GORDIA OB VIRTUTEM APPELLATA POSUIT CUI PRAEEST AEMILIUS CRISPINUS PRAEF EQQ. NATUS IN PRO AFRICA DE TUIDRO SUB CUR NONNII PH LIPPI LEG AUG PROPRETO ATTICO ET PRETEXTATO COSS. From hence also were altars brought which are erected in the high way by Wigton in the sides whereof are to bee seene a drinking cup or mazar a footlesse pot a mallet a boll c. all vessels appertaining to sacrifice But time hath so worn out the letters that nothing can be read And not farre from hence just by the high street way there was digged up a long rude stone in manner of a columne which we saw at Thoresby with this inscription to the honour of Philip the Emperour and his sonne who flourished about the yeere of our Lord 248. IMP CAES. M. JUL PHILIPPO PIO FELI CI AUG ET M. JUL. PHI LIPPO NOBILIS SIMO CAES TR. P. COS This also with others Oswald Dikes a learned minister of Gods word copied out for me and now is to be seene in the house of T. Dikes Gentleman at Wardal DEO SANCTO BELA TUCADRO AURELIUS DIATOVA ARAE X VOTO POSUIT LL. MM. Likewise another such like altar to a private tutelar God of the place was there found with this unperfect inscription DEO CE AIIO AUR M RTI. ET MS ERURACIO PRO SE ET SUIS V.S. LL. M. Besides an infinite number of pety images statues of horsemen Aegles Lions Ganimedes and many other monuments of antiquity which are daily discovered Something higher a little promontory shooteth out and a great frith or arme of the Sea lieth under it being now the common limit confining England and Scotland serving in times past to make a separation betweene the Romane Province and the Picts Upon this standeth that ancient town BLATUM-BULGIUM happily of Butch a Britaine word that signifieth a separation from which as from the most remote place and the limit of the Roman province Antonine the Emperour beginneth his journies through Britaine The inhabitants at this day call it Bulnesse and as small a village as it is yet hath it a pile and in token of the antiquity thereof besides the tracts of streets ruinous walls and an haven now stopped up with mud there led a paved high-way from hence along the sea-shore as farre as to Elen Borrough if we may relie upon the report of the by-dwellers Beyond this a mile as is to bee seene by the foundations at a nepe tide beganne that WALL the most renowned worke of the Romanes which was the bound in times past of the Romane province raised of purpose to seclude and keepe out the barbarous nations that in this tract were evermore barking and baying as an ancient writer saith about the Roman Empire I marvailed at first why they built here so great fortifications considering that for eight miles or thereabout there lieth opposite a very great frith and arme of the sea but now I understand that at every ebbe the water is so low that the borderers and beast-stealers may easily wade over That the form of these shores hath bin changed it doth evidently appeare by the tree roots covered over with sand a good way off from the shore which oftentimes at a low ebbe are discovered with the windes I know not whether I may relate here which the inhabitants reported concerning trees without boughes under the ground oftentimes found out here in the mosses by the direction of dew in summer for they have observed that the dew never standeth on that ground under which they lye By the same Frith more within the land standeth Drumbough Castle belonging of later time to the Lords of Dacre a station in times past of the Romans Some will have it to have beene EXPLORATORUM CASTRA notwithstanding the distance utterly controuleth it There was also another station of the Romans beside it which now being changed into a new name is called Burgh upon Sands whence the territory adjoyning is named the Barony of Burgh the which R. Meschines Lord of Cumberland gave unto Robert de Trivers but from him it came to the Morvils the last of which house named Hugh left behind him a daughter who by her second husband Thomas de Molton had issue Thomas Molton Lord of this place whose sonne Thomas by marriage with the heire of Hubert de Vaulx adjoyned Gilles-land to his possessions which in the end were devolved all unto Ranulph Dacre who married M. the heire of Moulton But for no one thing was this little Burgh upon Sands more famous than that King Edward the first that triumphant Conquerour of his enemies was here taken out of this world by untimely death A right noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned most princely presence and personage as a right worthy seat to entertaine so heroicall a minde For hee not onely in regard of fortitude and wisedome but also for a beautifull and a personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of royall majesty whom fortune also in the very prime and flowre of his age inured to many a warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the State whiles she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Britain which he being once crowned King managed and governed in such wise that having subdued the Welsh and vanquished the Scots hee may most justly bee counted the second ornament of Great Britaine Under this Burgh within the very Frith where the salt water ebbeth and floweth the Englishmen and Scotish by report of the inhabitants fought with their fleets at full Sea and also with their horsemen and footmen at the ebbe A thing which may seeme no lesse marvellous than that which Plinie hath reported not without wonder of the like place in Caramania This arme of the sea both nations call Solway Frith of Solway a towne in Scotland standing upon it But Ptolomee more truely tearmeth it ITUNA For Eden that notable river which wandreth through Westmorland and the inner parts of this shire
powreth forth into it a mighty masse of water having not yet forgotten what adoe it had to passe away struggling and wrestling as it did among the carcasses of free-butters lying dead in it on heapes in the yeere of salvation 1216. when it swallowed them up loaden with booties out of England and so buried that rabble of robbers under his waves This river Eden when it is entred into this shire receiveth from the West the river Eimot flowing out of Ulse a great lake heretofore mentioned neer unto the bank whereof hard by the riveret Dacor standeth Dacre Castle of signall note for that it hath given sirname to the honourable family of the Barons Dacre and mentioned anciently by Bede for that it had a monastery in those dayes as also by William of Malmesbury in regard that Constantine King of Scots and Eugenius or Ewain King of Cumberland yeelded themselves there together with their kingdomes unto Athelstane King of England upon condition to be protected by him Not much higher and not farre from the confluence of Eimot and Loder where is seene that round trench of earth which the countrey people tearme Arthurs Table stands Penrith which is if you interpret it out of the British language The Red head or hill for the soile and the stones there are of a reddish colour but commonly called Perith a little towne and of indifferent trade fortified on the West side with a castle of the Kings which in the reigne of King Henry the sixth was repaired out of the ruines of a Romane fort thereby called Maburg adorned with a proper Church and the mercate place is large with an edifice of timber therein for the use of those that resort thither to mercate garnished with Beares at a ragged staffe which was the devise of the Earles of Warwicke It belonged in times past unto the Bishops of Durham but when Antony Bec the Bishop overweening himselfe with over much wealth waxed proud and insolent King Edward the first as wee finde in Durham book took from him Werk in Tividale Perith and the Church of Simondburne But for the commodious use of this Towne William Stricland Bishop of Carlile descended from a worshipfull Family in this tract at his owne charges caused a channell for a water-course to be made out of Petter-rill that is the little Petter which neer unto the bank had Plumpton park a very large plot of ground which the Kings of England allotted in old time for wild beasts but King Henry the eighth disparked it and wisely appointed it for habitation of men as being in the very merches well neere where the Realmes of England and Scotland confine one upon the other Just by this place I saw many remaines of a decayed towne which they there for the vicinity thereof doe now call Old Perith I for my part would deeme it to be PETRIANAE For the fragment of an antique inscription erected by ULPIUS TRAIANUS EMERITUS an old discharged and pensionary souldier of the Petreian wing doth convince and prove that the wing Petriana made abode here But behold both it and others which wee copied out here GADUNO ULP TRAI EM AL. PET MARTIUS F P. C. D M. AICETU OS MATER VIXIT A XXXXV ET LATTIO FIL. VIX A XII LIMISIUS CONJU ET FILIAE PIENTISSIMIS POSUIT D M FL. MARITO SEN IN C. CARVETIOR QUESTORIO VIXIT AN XXXXV MARTIOLA FILIA ET HERES PONEN CURAVIT D M. CROTILO GERMANUS VIX ANIS XXVI GRECA VIX ANIS IIII. VINDICIANUS FRA. ET FIL. TIT. PO. After that Eden hath now given Eimot entertainment hee turneth his course Northward by both the Salkelds watering as hee goes obscure small villages and fortresses Amongst which at the lesse Salkeld there bee erected in manner of a circle seventy seven stones every one ten foot high and a speciall one by it selfe before them at the very entrance riseth fifteene foot in height This stone the common people thereby dwelling name Long Megge like as the rest her daughters And within that ring or circle are heapes of stones under which they say lye covered the bodies of men slaine And verily there is reason to thinke that this was a monument of some victory there atchieved for no man would deeme that they were erected in vaine From thence passeth Eden by Kirk-Oswald consecrated to Saint Oswald the possession in old time of that Sir Hugh Morvill who with his associates slew Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in memoriall of this fact the sword which hee then used was kept here a long time and so goeth on by Armanthwayte a Castle of the Skeltons by Corby Castle belonging to the worthy and ancient family of the Salkelds well advanced by marriage with the heire of Rosgill by Wetherall sometime a little Abbey or Cell which acknowledged the Abbey of Saint Mary in Yorke for her mother where within a rocke are to bee seene certaine little habitations or cabbins hewed hollow for a place of sure refuge in this dangerous countrey Thence by Warwic VIROSIDUM as I supposed where the sixt Cohort of the Nervians in old time held their station within the limit of that Wall against the Picts and Scots and there in the latter age was built a very strong bridge of stone at the charges of the Salkelds and Richmonds by Linstock castle also belonging to the Bishop of Carlile in the Barony of Crosby which Waldeof the sonne of Earle Gospatrick Lord of Allerdale granted unto the church of Carlile And now by this time Eden being ready to lodge himselfe in his owne arme of the sea taketh in two rivers at once namely Peterill Caud which keeping an equall distance asunder march along from the South and hold as it were a parallel pace just together By Peterill beside PETRIANAE which I spake of standeth Greistock a castle belonging not long since to an honorable house which derived their first descent from one Ranulph Fitz-Walter of which line William called de Greistock wedded Mary a daughter and one of the coheires of Sir Roger Merley Lord of Morpath and hee had a sonne named John who being childlesse by licence of King Edward the first conveighed his inheritance to Ralph Granthorpe the sonne of William and his Aunts sonne by the fathers side whose male progeny flourished a long time in honor with the title of Lord Greistock but about King Henry the seventh his dayes expired and came to an end and so the inheritance came by marriage unto the Barons of Dacre and the female heires generall of the last Baron Dacre were married unto Philip Earle of Arundell and Lord William Howard sonnes of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolke Upon Caud beside the coper mines neere unto Caudbeck standeth Highgate a castle of the Richmonds of ancient descent and a proper fine castle of the Bishops of Carlile called the Rose castle it seemeth also that
extended it selfe in old time farre and wide everie way in these parts As for the places herein they are of no great account but the Earles thereof are very memorable Thomas a younger sonne of Rolland of Galloway was in his wives right Earle of Athol whose sonne Patricke was by the Bissets his concurrents murdered in feud at Hadington in his bed-chamber and forthwith the whole house wherein hee lodged burnt that it might be supposed he perished by casualtie of fire In the Earldome there succeeded David Hastings who had married the aunt by the mothers side of Patricke whose sonne that David surnamed of Strathbogie may seeme to be who a little after in the reigne of Henrie the third King of England being Earle of Athol married one of the daughters and heires of Richard base sonne to John King of England and had with her a verie goodly inheritance in England She bare unto him two sonnes John Earle of Athol who being of a variable disposition and untrustie was hanged up aloft on a gallowes fiftie foot high and David Earle of Athol unto whom by marriage with one of the daughters and heires of John Comin of Badzenoth by one of the heires of Aumar de Valence Earle of Penbroch there fell great lands and possessions His sonne David who under King Edward the second was otherwhiles amongst English Earles summoned to the Parliaments in England and under King Edward Balliol made Lord Lievtenant Generall of Scotland was vanquished by the valerous prowesse of Andrew de Murray and slaine in battaile within the Forrest of Kelblen in the yeere of our Lord 1335. And his sonne David left two young daughters only Elizabeth wedded unto Sir Thomas Percie from whom the Barons of Burrough are descended and Philip married to Sir Thomas Halsham an English Knight Then fell the title of Athol unto that Walter Stewart sonne to King Robert the second who cruelly murdered James the first King of Scotland and for this execrable crueltie suffered most condigne punishment accordingly in so much as Aeneas Sylvius Embassadour at that time in Scotland from Pope Eugenius the fourth gave out this speech That hee could not tell whether hee should give them greater commendations that revenged the Kings death or brand them with sharper censure of condemnation that distained themselves with so hainous a parricide After some few yeeres passed betweene this honour was granted unto John Stewart of the family of Lorne the sonne of James surnamed The Black Knight by Joan the widow of King James the first daughter to John Earle of Somerset and Niece to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster whose posteritie at this day enjoy the same Tau bearing now a bigger streame by receiving Almund unto him holdeth on his course to Dunkelden adorned by King David with an Episcopall See Most writers grounding upon the signification of that word suppose it to be a towne of the Caledonians and interpret it The Mount or hill of Hazeles as who would have that name given unto it of the Hazel trees in the wood Caledonia From hence the Tau goeth forward by the carkasse of Berth a little desolate Citie remembring well enough what a great losse and calamitie hee brought upon it in times past when with an extraordinarie swelling flood hee surrounded all the fields layed the goodly standing corne along on the ground and carried headlong away with him this poore Citie with the Kings childe and infant in his cradle and the inhabitants therein In steed whereof in a more commodious place King William builded Perth which straightwaies became so wealthy that Necham who lived in that age versified of it in this manner Transis ample Tai per rura per oppida per Perth Regnum sustentant istius urbis opes By villages by townes by Perth thou runn'st great Tay amaine The riches of this Citie Perth doth all the realme sustaine But the posteritie ensuing called it of a Church founded in honour of Saint John Saint Iohns towne and the English whiles the warres were hot betweene the Bruses and the Balliols fortified it with great bulwarks which the Scots afterwards for the most part overthrew and dismantled it themselves Howbeit it is a proper pretie Citie pleasantly seated betweene two Greenes and for all that some of the Churches be destroyed yet a goodly shew it maketh ranged and set out in such an uniforme maner that in everie severall street almost there dwell severall artificers by themselves and the river Tau bringeth up with the tide sea commodities by lighters whereupon J. Jonston so often now by me cited writeth thus PERTHUM Propter aquas Tai liquidas amoena vineta Obtinet in medio regna superba solo Nobilium quondam regum clarissima sedes Pulchra situ pinguis germine dives agri Finitimis dat jura locis moremque modumque Huic dare laus illis haec meruisse dari Sola inter patrias incincta est moenibus urbes Hostibus assiduis ne vaga praeda foret Quanta virûm virtus dextrae quae praemia nôrunt Cimber Saxo ferox genus Hectoridum Felix laude novâ felix quoque laude vetustâ Perge recens priscum perpetuare decus PERTH Neere to the waters cleere of Tay and pleasant plaines all greene In middle ground betweene them stands Perth proudly like a Queene Of noble Kings the stately seat and palace once it was Faire for the site and rich with all for spring of corne and grasse To neighbour places all it doth lawes customes fashions give Her praise to give theirs to deserve the same for to receive Of all the Cities in these parts walled alone is she Lest she to foes continuall a scambling prey might be What Knights she bred and what rewards they won to knighthood due Danes Saxons fierce bold Britans eke the Trojans off-spring knew Happie for praises old happie for praises new of late New as thou art thine honour old strive to perpetuate And now of late King James the sixth hath erected it to the title of an Earldome having created James Baron Dromund Earle of Perth Unto Perth these places are neere neighbours Methven which Margaret an English Ladie widow unto King James the fourth purchased with readie money for her third husband Henrie Steward descended of the royall blood and for his heires and withall obtained of her sonne King James the fifth for him the dignitie of a Baron More beneath is Rethuen a castle of the Rethuens whose name is of damned memorie considering that the three states of the kingdome hath ordained that whosoever were of that name should forgoe the same and take unto them a new after that the Rethuens brethren in a most cursed and horrible conspiracie had complotted to murder their soveraigne King James the sixth who had created William their father Earle of Gourie and afterward beheaded him being lawfully convicted when he would insolently prescribe lawes to his soveraigne But of men
namely the Warrens Her-berts Colbies Mores and Leicesters amongst the Irish septs of O-Conor unto whom a great part hereof in old time belonged Mac-Coghlan O-Maily Fox and others stand stoutly in defence of the lands wonne by their ancestors and left unto them Now these naturall Irish inhabitants grumble and complaine that their livings and patrimonies have beene taken from them and no other lands assigned and set out for them to live in Hence it is that taking hold of every occasion to make uprores they put the English dwelling among them to much trouble ever and anon yea and oftentimes in revengefull minds festered and poisoned with hostile hatred they breake out furiously into open and actuall rebellions THE COUNTY OF KILDAR OVer against these all along Eastward affronteth the county of Kildar a most rich and plentifull country concerning the pastures whereof Giraldus Cambrensis useth these verses of Virgill Et quantum longis carpunt armenta diebus Exiguâ tantâ—m gelidus ros nocte reponit And looke how much when daies are long the beasts by grasing eat So much cold dewes make good againe by night when 't is not great The chiefe and head towne of the shire is Kildar much honoured and graced in the first infancy of the Irish Church by reason of Saint Brigid a Virgin right venerable and highly esteemed of for her devotion and virginity I meane not that Brigid which about 240. yeeres agoe erected that order of the sisters or Nunnes of Saint Brigid namely that within one Monastery both Monkes and Maidens should live divided asunder by walls and suffered onely one to see another but another Brigid of greater antiquity by farre as who was a Disciple of Saint Patricke of great fame and renowne throughout Ireland England and Scotland Whose miracles and fire never going out but kept by Nunnes as it were in that secret Sanctuary of Vesta and of the ashes that never encrease are mentioned by writers This Kildar is adorned with an Episcopall See named in the Popes letters in old time Episcopatus Darensis After the entrance of the English into Ireland it was the habitation of Richard Earle of Pembroch then of William Mareschall his sonne in law that married his daughter Earle of Penbroch likewise by whose fourth daughter Sibyll it came to William Ferrars Earle of Derby and by his daughter likewise begotten of her unto William Lord Vescy whose sonne William Vescy Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland standing in termes of disfavour and disgrace with King Edward the First for certain quarrels arising between him and John the sonne of Thomas Fitz-Girald and being bereft of his only sonne lawfully begotten granted and surrendred Kildare and other his lands in Ireland unto the King so that he might enfeoffe his base sonne surnamed De Kildare in his other lands in England And a little while after the said John sonne of Thomas Fitz-Girald whose ancesters descended from Girald Windesor Castellan of Pembroch had with passing great valour performed most painefull service in the conquest of this Iland was by Edward the second King of England endowed with the castle and towne of Kildar together with the title and name of Earle of Kildar These Fitz-Giralds or as they now tearme them the Giraldines are a right noble family and for their exploits highly renowned by whose valour as one said The Englishmen both kept the sea coasts of Wales and also forced and won the walls of Ireland And verily this house of Kildare flourished a long time without taint of honour and name as which never bare armes against their Prince untill that Thomas Fitz-Girald the sonne of Girald Fitz-Girald Earle of Kildare and Lord Deputy of Ireland under King Henry the eighth hearing that his father sent for into England and accused for misgoverning Ireland was put to death upon this light and false rumour unadvisedly and rashly carried away with the heat of youth put himselfe into armes against Prince and countrey solicited the Emperour Charles the fifth to enter and seize upon Ireland wasted the land farre and neere with fire and sword laid siege to Dublin and killed the Archbishop thereof For which outrages shortly after he with five of his unkles were hanged when his father for very sorrow was dead before Howbeit Queene Mary restored the family unto their blood and full estate when shee advanced Girald brother unto the aforesaid Thomas to bee Earle of Kildare and Baron of Offaly He ended this life about the yeere 1558. His eldest son Girald died before his father leaving one onely daughter married to Sir Robert Digby Henry his second sonne succeeded who when he had by his wife L. Francis daughter to Charles Earle of Nottingham only two daughters William the third son succeeded in the Earledome who was drowned in passing into Ireland in the yeere 1599. having no issue And then the title of Earle of Kildare came to Girald Fitz-Girald sonne to Edward their Unkle who was restored to his blood in linage to make title by descent lineall or collaterall from his father and brother and all his ancestours any attaindour or corruption of blood to the contrary notwithstanding There be also in this County these places of better note than the rest Naas a mercate towne Athie upon the river Barrow Mainoth a castle belonging to the Earles of Kildare and a towne unto which King Edward the first in favour of Girald Fitz-Moris granted a mercate and Faire Castle Martin the chiefe seat of the family of Fitz-Eustace which descending from the Poers in the County of Waterford for their valour received the honour of a Parliament-Barons bestowed upon Rowland Fitz-Eustace by King Edward the fourth together with the Manour of Port-lester and the title of Vicount Baltinglas at the hands of King Henry the eighth which dignities with a faire patrimony Rowland Fitz-Eustace seduced by the religious pretext unto rebellion and flying his countrey lost by attaindour under Queene Elizabeth The families here remaining besides the Giraldines that be of higher birth above others fetch their descent also out of England namely the Ougans De-la Hides Ailmers Washes Boisels Whites Suttons c. As for the Giants dance which they talke of that Merlin by art magick translated out of this territorie unto Salisbury plaine as also of that most bloody battell which shall be one day betweene the English and the Irish at Molleaghmast I willingly leave unto the credulous lovers of fabulous antiquity and the vaine beleevers of prophesies For my purpose is not to give fond tales the telling These bee the midland counties of Leinster now are we to goe unto those by the sea side THE COUNTY OF WEISFORD BEneath that mouth at which Barrow Neore and Shoure the sister-like rivers having embraced one another and joyned hands are laid up in the Ocean there sheweth it selfe Eastward in a Promontorie where the shore fetcheth a compasse round the County of Weisford or Wexford In Irish County Reogh where Ptolomee in
Sampford archbishop of Dublin In the same yeer the King of Hungary forsaking the Christian faith became an Apostata and when hee had called fraudulently as it were to a Parliament the mightier potentates of his land Miramomelius a puissant Saracene came upon them with 20000. souldiers carrying away with him the King with all the Christians there assembled on the even of Saint John Baptists day as the Christians therefore journied the weather that was cleere and faire turned to be cloudie and suddenly a tempest of haile killed many thousands of the Infidels together The Christians returned to their owne homes and the Apostata King alone went with the Saracenes The Hungarians therefore crowning his sonne King continued in the Catholike faith MCCLXXXIX Tripolis a famous citie was laied even with the ground not without much effusion of Christian blood and that by the Soldan of Babylon who commanded the images of the Saints to bee drawne and dragged at horses tailes in contempt of the name of Christ through the citie newly destroyed MCCXC Inclyta Stirps Regis Sponsis datur ordine legis In lawfull guise by hand and ring Espoused is the Kings off-spring The Lord Gilbert Clare tooke to wife the Ladie Joan a daughter of the Lord King Edward in the Abbey or Covent Church of Westminster and the marriage was solemnely celebrated in the Moneth of May and John the Duke of Brabant his sonne married Margaret the said Kings daughter also in the Church aforesaid in the moneth of July The same yeere the Lord William Vescie was made Justice of Ireland entring upon the office on Saint Martins day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth is slaine MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the sonne of Gilbert and of the Ladie Joan of Acres was borne the 11. day of May in the morning betimes Item there was an armie led into Ulster against O-Hanlon and other Princes hindering the peace by Richard Earle of Ulster and William Vescie Justice of Ireland Item the Ladie Eleanor sometime Queene of England and mother of King Edward died in the feast of St. Iohn Baptist who in the religious habite which she desired led a laudable life for the space of foure yeeres eleven moneths and sixe dayes within the Abbey of Ambresby where she was a professed Nun. Item there resounded certaine rumours in the eares of the Lord Pope Martin on the even of St. Mary Maudlen as touching the Citie Acon in the holy land which was the only refuge of the Christians namely that it was besieged by Milkador the Soldan of Babylon an infinite number of his souldiers and that it had been most fiercely assaulted about fortie daies to wit from the eighth day before the Ides of April unto the fifteene Calends of July At length the wall was plucked down by the Saracens that assaulted it and an infinite number of them entred the Citie many Christians being slaine and some for feare drowned in the sea The Patriarch also with his traine perished in the sea The King of Cypres and Otes Grandison with their companies pitifully escaped by a ship Item granted there was unto the Lord Edward King of England by the Lord Pope Martin the tenth part of all the profits of Ecclesiasticall benefices for seven yeeres in Ireland toward the reliefe of the holy land Item the eldest sonne of the Earle of Clare was borne MCCXCII Edward King of England eftsoones entred Scotland and was elected King of Scotland Lord John Balliol of Galwey obtained the whole kingdome of Scotland in right of inheritance and did homage unto the Lord Edward King of England at New-castle upon Tine on S. Stephens day Florentius Earle of Holland Robert Brus Earle of Carrick John Hastings John Comyn Patrick Dunbar John Vescie Nicolas Soules and William Roos who all of them in that kingdome submitted themselves to the judgement of the Lord King Edward Item a fifteene of all secular mens goods in Ireland was granted unto the soveraign Lord King of England the same to be collected at the feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there at horses tailes drawne c. MCCXCIII A generall and open war there was at sea against the Normans Item no small number of the Normans by fight at sea was slain by the Barons of the Ports of England and other their co-adjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For which cause there arose war between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of credence unto the King of England that he should make personall appearance at his Parliament to answer unto Questions which the same King would propose unto him whose mandate in this behalf being not fulfilled straightwaies the King of France declaring by the counsell of the French the King of England to be outlawed condemned him Item Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester entred with his wife into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montefort in the Kings counsell holden at Westminster before the King died sodainly which William was the Dean of S. Pauls in London in whose mouth the Prelates Bishops and Cleargy putting their words which he was to utter and doubting how much the King affected and desired to have of every one of them and willing by him to be certified in whom also the King reposed most trust being returned to the King and making hast before the King to deliver expresly a speech that he had conceived became speechlesse on a sodain and fell downe to the ground and was carried forth by the Kings servants in their armes in piteous manner In regard of which sight that thus happened men strucken with feare gave out these speeches Surely this man hath beene the Agent and Procurator that the Tenths of Ecclesiasticall benefices should bee paied to the King and another author and procurer of a scrutinie made into the fold and flocke of Christ as also of a contribution granted afterward to the King crying against William Item the Citie of Burdeaux with the land of Gascoigne adjoining was occupied or held by the ministers of the King of France conditionally but unjustly and perfidiously detained by the King of France for which cause John Archbishop of Dublin and certaine other Lords of the Nobilitie were sent into Almaine to the King thereof and after they had their dispatch and answer in Tordran the Lord Archbishop being returned into England ended his life upon S. Leodegaries day The bones of which John Sampford were enterred in the Church of Saint Patrick in Dublin the tenth day before the Calends of March. The same yeere there arose debate betweene Lord William Vescy Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being and the Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas and the said Lord Williliam Vescy crossed the seas into England left Sir William Hay in his stead Justice of Ireland but when both of them were come before the King to fight a combat under an Appeal for treason the foresaid
time as hee served in Britaine under Aurelian tooke to wife Helena daughter of Coelus or Coelius a British Prince on whom he begat that noble Constantine the Great in Britaine For so together with that great Historiographer Baronius the common opinion of all other writers with one consent beareth witnesse unlesse it be one or two Greeke authors of late time and those dissenting one from the other and a right learned man grounding upon a corrupt place of Iul. Firmicus Howbeit compelled he was by Maximian to put her away for to mary Theodora his daughter This is that Helena which in antike Inscription is called VENERABILIS and PIISSIMA AVGVSTA and for Christian piety for clensing Ierusalem of Idols for building a goodly Church in the place where our Lord suffered and for finding the Saving Crosse of Christ is so highly commended of Ecclesiasticall writers And yet both Iewes and Gentiles termed her by way of ignominy and reproach Stabularia because shee a most godly Princesse sought out the crib or manger wherein Christ was borne and in the place where stood that hostelry founded a Church Hereupon S. Ambrose They say that this Lady was at first an Inholder or Hostesse c. Well this good hostesse Helena hastned to Ierusalem and sought out the place of our Lords passion and made so diligent search for the Lords crib This good hostesse was not ignorant of that host which cured the wayfaring mans hurts that was wounded by theeves This good hostesse chose to be reputed a dung-farmer that she might thereby gâ—ine Christ. And verily no lesse praise and commendation goeth of her husband Constantius for his piety and moderation A man who having utterly rejected the superstition of the ungodly in worshipping divers gods willingly of himselfe acknowledged one God the Ruler of all things Whereupon to try the faith and beleefe in God of his owne Courtiers hee put it to their free choice either to sacrifice unto those gods and so to stay with him or els to refuse and depart But those that would depart rather than renounce and forsake their faith to God hee kept with him still casting off all the rest who he supposed would prove disloiall unto him seeing they had abandoned their beleefe in the true God This most noble and worthy Emperor in his last British expedition against the Caledonians and the Picts died at Yorke leaving behind him his sonne Constantine Emperor his successor and Caesar elect Some few daies before the death of Constantius his sonne Constantius rode from Rome to Yorke on post horses and the rest which were kept at the charges of the State hee maimed and lamed all the way as hee went because no man should pursue him and there he received his fathers last breath Whereupon an ancient Orator spake thus unto him Thou entredst this sacred place not as a competitor of the Empire but as heire apparant and ordained already and forthwith that fathers house of thine saw thee the lawfull successor For there was no doubt but that the inheritance duly belonged unto him whom the destinies had ordained the first begotten sonne unto the Emperor Yet for all that constrained in maner by the souldiers and especially by the meanes of Erocus King of the Almanes who by way of aid accompanied him advanced hee was to the Imperiall dignity The souldiers regarding rather the publike good of the common-wealth than following his affections invested him in the purple roabe weeping and setting spurs to his horse because hee would avoid the endeavor of the armie that called so instantly upon him c but the felicity of the common-wealth overcame his modesty And hereof it is that the Panegyrist crieth out in these words O fortunate Britaine and more happy now than all other lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar And now Caesar at his very entrance having first pursued the reliques of that war which his father had begun against the Caledonians and other Picts and set upon those Britans more remote and the Inhabitants of the Ilands lying there the witnesses as one said of the Suns setting some of them hee subdued by force and armes others for you must thinke he aspired to Rome and higher matters by offering fees and stipends he allured and drew to be associates and there were besides of them whom of open enemies he made his friends and of old adversaries his very familiars Afterwards having vanquished the Frankners in Batavia and that with so great glory that he stamped certaine golden pieces of coine whereof I have seene one with the Image of a woman sitting under a Trophee and leaning with one hand upon a crossebow or a brake with this subscription FRANCIA and this writing about it GAVDIVM ROMANORVM Having also overthrowne the Barbarians in Germany won unto him the German and French Nations and levied souldiers out of Britaine France and Germany to the number in all of 90000. foot and 8000. horsemen hee departed into Italie overcame Maxentius who at Rome had challenged to himselfe the Empire and having conquered Italy and vanquished the Tyrant he restored unto the whole world the blessed gifts of secure libertie and as we find in the Inscription of an Antiquitie INSTINCTV DIVINITATIS MENTIS MAGNITVDINE CVM EXERCITV SVO TAM DE TYRANNO QVAM DE OMNI EIVS FACTIONE UNO TEMPORE IVSTIS REMP. ULTVS EST ARMIS that is By instinct of the divine power with great magnanimitie and the helpe of his owne armie at one time in the behalfe of the Common wealth he was by lawfull warre revenged as well of the Tyrant himselfe as of his whole faction Howbeit that he returned againe into Italy Eusebius implieth in these words Constantine quoth he passed over to the Britans enclosed on every side within the bankes of the Ocean whom when hee had overcome hee began to compasse in his mind other parts of the world to the end he might come in time to succour those that wanted helpe And in another place After he had furnished his armie with mild and modest instructions of pietie he invaded Britaine that he might likewise instruct those who dwell environed round about with the waves of the Ocean bounding the Suns setting as it were with his coasts And of Britan are these verses of Optatianus Porphyrius unto Constantine to be understood Omnis ab Arctois plaga finibus horrida Cauro Pacis amat cana comperta perennia jura Et tibi fida tuis semper bene militat armis Resque gerit virtute tuas populosque feroces Propellit ceditque lubens tibi debita rata Et tua victores sors accipit hinc tibi fortes Teque duce invictae sustollunt signa cohortes From Northern bounds the land throughout where bleak North-west winds blowen Lov 's lawes of peace right ancient and ever during knowen Prest alwaies in their loyaltie for service in thy right With valiant and
were slaine This hill seemeth to be the very same which now is called Bannesdowne over a little village neere this Citie which they call Bathstone on which there are bankes and a rampier as yet to be seene Yet some there be I know who seeke for this hill in Yorkshire But Gildas may bring them backe againe to this place For in a manuscript Copie within Cambridge-Librarie where he writeth of the victorie of Aurelius Ambrose thus we read Vntill that yeare wherein siege was laid to the hill of Badonicus which is not farre from Severne mouth But in case this may not perswade them know they that the vale which runneth here along the river Avon is named in British Nant Badon that is The Vale of Badon and where we should seeke for the hill Badonicus but by the Vale Badonica I cannot hitherto see Neither durst the Saxons for a long time after set upon this Citie but left it for a great while to the Britans Howbeit in the yeare of Christ 577. when Cowalin King of the West-Saxons had defeated the Britans at Deorbam in Glocestershire being both straightly besieged and also assaulted it yeilded at first and within few yeares recovering some strength grew up to great dignity and therewith got a new name Ackmancester as I said For Osbrich in the yeare 676. founded a Nunnery there and immediately after when the Mercians had gotten it under them King Offa built another Church both which in the time of the Danish broiles were overthrowne Out of the ruines of these two arose afterwards the Church of S. Peter in which Eadgar surnamed the Peace-maker being crowned and sacred King bestowed upon the Citie very many Immunities the memorie of which thing the Citizens yearely with Solemne plaies doe yet celebrate In Edward the Confessors time as we read in Domes-booke of England it paied tribute according to 20. Hides when as the Shire paid There the King had 64. Burgers and 30. Burgers of others But this prosperitie of theirs endured not long for soone after the Normans comming in Robert Mowbray Nephew to the Bishop of Constance who had raised no small Sedition against King William Rufus sacked and burned it Yet in short space it revived and recovered it selfe by meanes of Iohn de Villula of Tours in France who being Bishop of Welles for five hundred markes as saith William of Malmesburie purchased this Citie of King Henry the First and translated his Episcopall chaire hither retaining also the title of Bishop of Welles and for his owne See built a new Church which being not long since ready to fal Olivar Bishop of Bathe began to found another hard by that old a curious and stately piece of worke I assure you and almost finished the same Which if he had performed indeed it would no doubt have surpassed the most Cathedrall Churches of England But the untimely death of so magnificent a Bishop the iniquitie and troubles of the time and the suppression of religious houses ensuing with the late avarice of some who have craftily conveied the money collected throughout England for that use another way if it be true that is reported have envied it that glory But neverthelesse this Citie hath flourished as well by clothing as by reason of usuall concourse thither for health twice every yeare yea and hath fortified it selfe with walles wherein there are set certaine Antique Images and Roman Inscriptions for the proofe of their antiquitie which now by age are so eaten into and worne that they can hardly be read And that nothing might be wanting to the state and dignitie of Bathe some noble men it hath honoured with the title of Earle For we read that Philibert of Chandew descended out of Bretaigne in France was by King Henry the Seventh stiled with this honor Afterwards King Henrie the Eighth in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourcher Lord Fitzwarin Earle of Bathe Who died shortly after leaving by his wife the sister of H. Daubeney Earle of Bridge-water Iohn second Earle of this familie who by the daughter of George Lord Roos had Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin who deceased before his father having by Fr. the daughter of S. Thomas Kitson of Hengrave William now third Earle of Bathe who endeavoureth to beautifie and adorne his nobilitie of birth with commendable studies of good letters The longitude of this Citie is according to Geographers measure 20. degrees and 16. minutes But the Latitude 51. degrees and 21. minutes And now for a farwell loe heere Nechams verses such as they bee of these hot waters at Bathe who lived 400. yeares since Bathoniae thermas vix praefero Virgilianas Confecto prosunt balnea nostra seni Prosunt attritis collisis invalidisque Et quorum morbis frigida causa subest Praevenit humanum stabilis natura laborem Servit naturae legibus artis opus Igne suo succensa quibus data balnea fervent Aenea subter aquas vasa latere putant Errorem figmenta solent inducere passim Sed quid sulphureum novimus esse locum Our Bathes at Bath with Virgils to compare For their effects I dare almost be bold For feeble folke and crasie good they are For bruis'd consum'd far-spent and very old For those likewise whose sicknesse comes of cold Nature prevents the painfull skill of man Arts worke againe helps nature what it can Men thinke these Baths of ours are made thus hot By reason of some secret force of fire Which under them as under brazen pot Makes more or lesse as reason doth require The waters boile and walme to our desire Such fancies vaine use errors forth to bring But what we know from Brimstone veines they spring Have heere also if you list to read them two ancient Inscriptions very lately digged up neere the Citie in Waldcot field hard by the Kings high way side which Robert Chambers a studious lover of antiquities hath translated into his garden From whence I copied them out G. MVRRIVS C. F. ARNIEN SIS FORO IVLI. MODESTVS MIL. LEG II. AD. P. F. IVLI. SECVND AN. XXV STIPEND H. S. E. DIS MANIBVS M. VALERIVS M. POL. EATINVS C. EQ MILES LEG AVG. AN. XXX STIPEND X. H. S. E. I have seene these Antiquities also fastened in the walles on the in-side betweene the North and West gates to wit Hercules bearing his left hand aloft with a club in his right hand In the fragment of a stone in great and faire letters DEC COLONIAE GLEV. VIXIT AN. LXXXVI Then leaves folded in Hercules streining two Snakes and in a grave or Sepulcher-table betweene two little images of which the one holdeth the Horne of Amalthaea in a worse character which cannot easily be read D. M. SVCC PETRONIAE VIXIT ANN. IIII. M. IIII. D. XV. EPO MVLVSET VICTISIRANA FIL. KAR. FEC A little beneath in the fragment of a stone in greater letters VRN IOP Betweene the West and
Under which betweene the confluences of Avon and Frome there is a plaine beset round about with trees yielding a most pleasant walking place South-east where no rivers are to guard it Robert the base sonne of King Henry the First whom they commonly name Robert Rufus and Consull of Glocester because he was Earle of Glocester built a large and strong Castle for the defence of this Citie and of a pious and devout affection appointed every tenth stone to the building of a Chappell neere unto the Priory of S. Iames which he likewise founded by the Citie side This Robert had to wife Mabile the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon who held this towne by vassalage in Capite of King William Conquerour This Castle was scarcely built when King Stephen besieged it but with lost labour for he was compelled to raise his siege and depart and a few yeares after was imprisoned in the same giving thereby a testimony and proofe how uncertaine the chance of war is Beyond the river Frome which hath a bridge over it at Frome-gate there riseth an high hill with a steepe and crooked ascent so as it is painefull to goe up unto it From whence ye have a most faire and goodly prospect to the Citie and haven underneath This hill in the very top and pitch thereof spreadeth presently into a large greene and even plaine which in the midst is shadowed with a double row and course of trees and among them stands a pulpit of Stone and a Chapell wherein by report lieth enterred Iordan the companion of Augustine the Englishmens Apostle Now it is converted to a Schoole and on both sides to say nothing of the neate and fine houses of private men beautified it is with publike and stately buildings Of the one side was a Collegiat Church called Gaunts of the founder one Henry Gaunt Knight who relinquishing the world in this place betooke himselfe to the service of God but now through the bounty of Thomas Carr a wealthy Citizen converted to the keeping of Orphans on the other side directly over against it stand two Churches dedicated to S. Augustine the one which is the lesse a Parish-Church the other that is greater the Bishops Cathedrall Church endowed with sixe Prebendaries by King Henrie the Eighth the greatest part whereof is now destroied where the Colledge-gate workemanly built carrieth in the front this Inscription REX HENRICVS II. ET DOMINVS ROBERTVS FILIVS HARDINGI FILII REGIS DACIAE HVIVS MONASTERII PRIMI FVNDATORES EXTITERVNT That is King Henry the Second and Lord Robert the sonne of Harding the King of Denmarks sonne were the first founders of of this Monasterie This Robert called by the Normans Fitz-Harding descended of the bloud royall of Denmarke was an Alderman of Bristow of King Henry the Second so entirely beloved that by his meanes Maurice his sonne married the daughter of the Lord of Barkley Whereby his posteritie who flourished in great honor are unto this day called Barons of Barkley and some of them have beene buried in this Church From hence as Avon holdeth on his course there are on each side very high cliffes by nature set there as it were of purpose the one of them which on the East-side overlooketh the river beareth the name of S. Vincents rocke so full of Diamonds that a man may fill whole strikes or bushels of them These are not so much set by because they be so plentious For in bright and transparent colour they match the Indian Diamonds if they passe them not in hardnesse onely they are inferior to them but in that nature her self hath framed them pointed with sixe cornerd or foure cornerd smooth sides I thinke them therefore worthy to be had in greater admiration The other rock also on the West-side is likewise full of Diamonds which by the wonderfull skill and worke of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints for here is the earth of a red colour When Avon hath left these rocks behind him with full channell at length he disengorgeth himselfe into the Severn-sea Then remaineth now to reckon up the Earles and Dukes of this County The first Earle of Somerset by tradition was William de Mâ—hun or Moion who may seeme to be the very same whom Maude the Empresse in a charter whereby she created William de Mandevill Earle of Essex taketh as a witnesse under this name Comes W. de Moion Neither from that time meete we with any expresse and apparent mention of Earles of Somerset unlesse it be in these letters Patents of King Henrie the Third unto Peter de Mawley which that I may draw out the judgement of others I will heere set downe literally Know yee that we have received the homage of our well beloved Vncle William Earle of Sarisbury for all the lands that he holdeth of us principally for the County or Earledom of Somerset which we have given unto him with all appurtenances for his homage and service saving the royaltie to our selves and therefore we will command you that ye see he have full sesine of the foresaid Earledome and all the appurtinances therto and that ye entermeddle not in any thing from henceforth as touching the County or Earledome aforesaid c. And commandement is given to all Earles Barons Knights and Freeholders of the County of Somerset that unto the same Earle they doe fealtie and homage saving their faith and allegiance unto their soveraigne Lord the King and that from henceforth they be intentive and answerable unto him as their Lord. Whether by these words in the Patent he was Earle of Somerset as also of Denshire for of the same William he wrote likewise in the very same words unto Robert de Courtney I leave for other men to judge Under this King Henry the third as wee finde in a booke written in French which pertaineth to the house of the Mohuns Knights it is recorded that Pope Innocentius in a solemne feast ordained Reginald Mohun Earle de Ests that is as the Author doth interpret it Of Somerset by delivering unto him a golden consecrated rose and an yearely pension to be paied upon the high Altar of S. Pauls in London So that this Reginald may seeme to have beene not properly an Earle but an Apostolicall Earle For so were they termed in those daies who had their creation from the Bishop of Rome like as they were called Earles Imperiall whom the Emperor invested and such had power to institute Notaries and Scribes to legitimate such as were base borne c. under certaine conditions A long time after Iohn de Beaufort the base sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Katherine Swineford being made legitimate by King Richard the Second together with his brethren and sister with consent of the Parliament was preferred to the honor of Earle of Somerset and afterwards created Marquesse Dorset but soone after
now a little village but sometime King Etheldreds mansion house and for that the Earles of Cornwall were wont to retire themselves and sojourne there it was of good account within view whereof is Castlecombe an old Castle ennobled sometimes by the Lords of it the Walters of Dunstavill men of great renowne in their time out of whose house the Writhosleies Earles of Southampton are descended Petronilla or Parnell daughter and sole heire of the last Walter was wedded unto Robert de Montfore and bare unto him William his Sonne who sold this Castle with the rest of his lands and possessions unto Bartholomew Badilsmer from whom as I have heard it passed to the Scrâ—opes who ever since have held it But now returne we unto the river upon which are seated Leckham the possession of the noble family of the Bainards where pieces of Roman money have oftentimes beene found and Lacocke where the most godly and religious woman Dame Ela Countesse of Salisburie being now a widdow built a Monasterie like as shee did another at Henton in the yeare 1232. to the honour of the blessed Virgin Marie and Saint Bernard in which her selfe devoutly dedicated both her bodie and soule to the service of God Avon from hence shadowed with trees holding on his course not far from Brumham an inhabitation in times past of the Baron Samond or truly De Sancto Amando Saint Amand afterward of the Baintons from them before hee admitteth to him a little rivelet from the East that putteth forth his head neere unto the Castle De Vies Devizes or the Vies Florentius of Worcester calleth it Divisio and Neubergentis Divisae Heretofore a stately place I assure you very strong as well by naturall scituation as by mans hand but through the injurie of time now decaied and defaced This Castle that it might disgrace and put downe all other Castles in England Roger Bishop of Salisburie whom from a poore masse-Priest Fortune had exalted unto the highest authoritie next the King at his excessive charges built But Fortune as one saith hath set no man so high but she threatneth to take from him as much as she hath permitted him to have For King Stephen upon a displeasure wrung from him both this Castle and that also of Shirburne together with all his wealth and riches as great as it was yea and brought the silly old man so low in prison what with hunger and what with other miseries that betweene the feare of death and torments of this life he had neither will to live nor skill to die At which time was handled canvased or rather tossed to and fro this question whether by the Canons and Decrees of Church Bishops might hold Castles or if this be by indulgence tolerated whether they ought not in dangerous and suspected times surrender them up into the Kings hands Avon having received this rivelet to beare him company maketh away westward and straight waies another brook from the South runneth into him which hath given name to the house standing upon it called likewise Barons Brooke which as it afforded habitation in old time to Iohn Pavely Lord of Westburie Hundred so afterwards it gave the title of Baron to Robert Willoughby because by the Chenies hee derived his pedigree from Paveley what time as King Henrie the Seventh advanced him to a Barons dignitie as being high in his favour Steward of his house and appointed by report for a while Admirall Whereupon he used the Helme of a ship for a seale in his ring like as Pompey in times past Governour of the Roman Navie the stemme or Prow thereof in his coines But this family fading as it were and dying in the verie blade quickly came to an end For he left a sonne Robert Lord Brooke who of a former wife begat Edward his sonne that died before his father leaving a daughter married to Sir Foulke Grevil and of a second wife two daughters by whom a great inheritance and rich estate conveied to the Marquesse of Winchester and Lord Montjoy Neere unto this Eastward lieth Edindon in old time Eathandune where King Alfred in as memorable a battell as any time else most fortunately vanquished the bold insolent and outragious Danes and drave them to this hard passe that they swore in a set forme of oath forthwith to depart out of England In which place also William de Edindon Bishop of Winchester whom King Edward highly favoured here borne and taking his name from hence erected a Colledge Bonis hominibus Bon-homes as they called them that is for good men But at the little river aforesaid somewhat higher standeth upon a hill Trubridge sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a sure and trusty bridge But for what cause this name was set upon it it is not for certaine knowne In great name and prosperitie it is in these daies by reason of clothing and sheweth the remaines of a Castle which belongeth to the Duchie of Lancaster and sometime of the Earle of Salisburie Avon thus increased by this rivelet watereth Bradford in the foregoing times Bradanford so named of a broad foard scituate upon the descent or fall of an hill and built all of stone where Kenilwalch King of the West-Britans embrued his sword wiuh bloud in civill warre against Cuthred his neere kinsman Here Avon biddeth Wil-shire farewell and entreth closely into the Countie of Somerset minding to visit the Bathes The West limit of this shire goeth downe directly from hence Southward by Long-leat the dwelling place of the Thins descended from the Bâ—ttevils a verie faire neate and elegant house in a foule soile which although once or twice it hath beene burnt hath risen eftsones more faire Also by Maiden Bradley so called of one of the Inhabitants of Manasses Basset a most noble personage in his time who being her selfe a maiden infected with the leprosie founded an house heere for maidens that were lepers and endowed the same with her owne Patrimonie and Livetide like as her Father before time had thereabout erected a Priorie Likewise by Stourton the seate of the Lords Stourton whom King Henry the Sixth raised to this dignitie after their estaâ—e had beene much bettered in lands and revenues by marriage with the Daughter and heire of the family Le Moigne or Monke of Essex and not of Mohun as some hitherto have beene falsely perswaded and hereupon it is that they have borne for their Crest A Demi-Monke with a whip in his hand The place tooke his name of the River Stour that under this towne walmeth out of sixe fountaines which the Stourtons Lords of the place have brought into their shield sables By Maiden Bradley above said glideth Dever-rill a prettie small Rill so called for that like as Anas in Spaine and Mole in Surrey which tooke their names thereupon it divideth as it were under the ground and a mile off rising up here againe
them have very goodly houses also adjoyning to the Church and all these buildings stand within the close wall severed from the Citie As the Bishop was busied about erecting of Gods house the Citizens likewise for their parts did their best to found the Citie they established their civill government derived rilles and servers of waters into every street and cast a deepe ditch all along that side on which it is not fenced with the running river having obtained licence of Simon the Bishop thus to strengthen and fortifie the same And in such sort grew up this new Salisburie by little an little out of the ruines of old Sorbiodunum that so soone as they by the Kings warrant had turned hither the high-way that leadeth into the West parts it became the second Citie in all this tract passing well inhabited and frequented plentifull of all things especially of fish adorned with a very stately market place wherein standeth their common Hall of timber worke a very beautifull edifice But nothing is there whereof it may so much boast as of Iohn Iowell not long since Bishop there a wonderfull great and deepe Divine a most stout and earnest maintainer of our reformed religion against the adversaries by his learned books Old Sorbiodunum from thence forward decaied more and more and in the raigne of King Henrie the Seventh became utterly desolate so as at this day there remaineth onely a towre or two of the Castle which notwithstanding a long time after the departure of the townesmen from thence was the dwelling house of the Earles of Salisburie and about which in King Edward the Thirds time there arose a memorable controversie and suite For Robert Bishop of Salisburie stirred Milliam Mont acute Earle of Salisburie by vertue of a processe which our Lawyers terme Breve de Recto that is A writ of right for this Castle and hee made answer that hee would defend his right by combat Whereupon at a day appointed the Bishop â—rought forth his champion to the railes or bars of the Lists clâ—d in a white garment reaching downe to his mid-leg upon which he had a mandilian or cassocke garnished with the Bishops Armes at whose heeles followed a Knight carrying a staffe and a page with a shield Immediately after the Earle brought in by the hand his owne champion also arraied in the like apparell accompanied with two Knights bearing white staves Now when these Champions were to enter the Lists commanded they were to withdraw themselves aside that their weapons of both parts might be viewed and they searched whether they had any Amulers or Enchantments about them But all on a suddaine unlooked for came the Kings precept to reprive and defer the matter to a further day that the King might loose thereby none of his right Meane while they grew to this composition That the Earle for the summe of 2500. markes paied and received should yield up all his title and interest in the Castle to the Bishop and his successors for ever This Salisburie had long agoe Earles of that name whose pedigree I will derive somewhat farther off and more truly out of the short reports of Lacock Historie William Conqueror of his bounty liberalitie assigned unto Gualter de Evereaux Earle of Rosmar in Normandie faire lands and large possessions in this shire which he left unto Edward named de Sarisburia a younger sonne borne in England like as to Walter his eldest sonne other lands in Normandie with the Title of Earle of Rosmar whose issue within a while after was extinct That Edward of Sarisburie aforesaid flourished in the twentieth yeere of the Conquerours reigne and is often times barely named in the Indiciarie booke of England without the title of Earle His sonne Walter built a a little monasterie at Bradenstocke and there in his old age tooke him to the habit of a Canon or Regular priest after he had first begotten his sonne Patricke the first Earle of Salisburie upon Sibil de Cadurcis This Patricke I say the first Earle in his returne from his pilgrimage at S. Iames of compostella in Spain in the yeere of our Lord 1169. being slaine by one Guy of Lusigniam left William his sonne to succeede who died in King Richard the first his time His onely daughter Ela through the favour of the said King Richard was married to William Long Espee surnamed so of a long sword that he did usually weare a base sonne of King Henrie the second and her marriage honoured him with the title of Earle and her owne coat of Armes be Azur adorned with sixe Lions Ceux This William had a sonne named likewise William Long-Espee against whom King Henrie the Third conceiving great displeasure for that without licence obtained he was gone to serve in the holy land taking the crosse as they termed it upon him took from him both the title of Earle and also the Castle of Salisburie But he holding still his purpose went into Egypt with S. Lewis King of France and neere unto Damiata which the Christians had wonne carrying a brave and valorous minde fighting manfully among the thickkest troops of his enemies died an honorable and glorious death a little before that holy King was unfortunately taken prisoner His sonne named likewise William lived without the title of Earle and begat one onely daughter Margaret who neverthelesse being reputed Countresse of Salisburie became the wife of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincoln unto whom she bare one only daughter Alice wedded to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Who being attainted King Edward the Second seized upon those possessions which she had granted and demised unto her husband out of which King Edward the Third gave way unto Willam Mont-acute Trowbridg Winterbourn Ambresburie and other Lordships in these words So fully and wholly as the Progenitours of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury at any time held the same And even then hee preferred the said William Mont-acute to be Earle of Salisburie and by the cincture of a sword invested him in the said Earledome This William became Lord of the Isle of Mann and begat two sonnes William who succeeded in his Fathers honour and died without issue having unhappily slaine his onely sonne while he trained him at Tilting and Iohn a Knight who died before his brother leaving behind him a sonne named Iohn Earle of Salisburie whom hee had by Margaret daughter and heire of Thomas de Mont-Hermer who being of an unconstant and changeable nature and plotting the destruction of King Henrie the Fourth was in the yeare of our Lord 1400. killed at Chichester and attainted afterwards of high treason Howbeit his sonne Thomas was fully restored a man worthy to be ranged with the bravest Captaines and Commanders whether you respect paines taking in his affaires industrie in action or expedition in dispatch who lying at the siege before Orleance in France was with a bullet levelled out of a great piece of Ordnance wounded in the yeare 1428. and thereof died
they call it a Fesse with a labell of seven as I have seene upon his seales After him succeeded Roger his sonne who bare Gules seven Mascles voided Or but with him that honour vanished and went away seeing he died without issue male For he married the eldest daughter and one of the coheires of Alan Lord of Galloway in Scotland by a former wife in right of whom he was Constable of Scotland He had by her three onely daughters the first married to William de Ferrariis Earle of Derbie the second to Alan de la Zouch the third to Comine Earle of Bucqhanan in Scotland A long time after Hugh le Dispencer having that title bestowed upon him for terme of his life by King Edward the second whose minion he was and only beloved felt together with his sonne what is the consequence of Princes extraordinary favours For both of them envied by most were by the furious rage of the people put cruelly to shamefull death And long it was after this that through the bounty of King Edward the Fourth Lewis of Bruges a Netherland Lord of Gruthuse Prince of Steinhuse c. Who had given him comfort and succour in the Netherlands when hee was fled his native countrey received this honour with Armes resembling those of Roger Quincy in these words Azur a dix Mascles D'or en orm d'un Canton de nostie propre Armes d' Engleterre cestsavour de Goul un Leopard passant d' or armeè d' azur All which after King Edwards death he yeilded up into the hands of Henrie the seventh But lately within our memorie King Edward the sixth honoured Sir William Pawlet Lord Treasurer of England Earle of Wilshire and Lord Saint Iohn of Basing with a new title of Marquesse of Winchester A man prudently pliable to times raised not sodainely but by degrees in Court excessive in vaste informous buildings temperate in all other things full of yeares for he lived nintie seven years and fruitfull in his generation for he saw one hundred and three issued from him by Elizabeth his wife daughter to Sir William Capell Knight And now his grand-child William enjoyeth the said honours For the Geographicall position of Winchester it hath beene observed by former ages to be in longitude two and twenty degrees and in latitude fiftie one From Winchester more Eastward the river Hamble at a great mouth emptieth it selfe into the Ocean Beda calleth it Homelea which as he writeth by the lands of the Intae entreth into Solente for so termeth he that frith our narrow sea that runneth betweene the Isle of Wight and the main land of Britain in which the tides at set houres rushing in with great violence out of the Ocean at both ends and so meeting one another in the midst seemed so strange a matter to our men in old time that they reckoned it among the wonders of Britaine Whereof read heere the very words of Beda The two tides of the Ocean which about Britaine breake out of the vast Northern Ocean daily encounter and fight one against another beyond the mouth of the river Homelea and when they have ended their conflict returne backe from whence they came and runne into the Ocean Into this Frith that little river also sheadeth it selfe which having his head neere Warnford passeth betweene the Forrests of Waltham where the Bishop of Winchester hath a goodly house and of Bere whereby is Wickham a mansion of that ancient family of Vuedal and then by Tichfield sometime a little monasterie founded by Petre de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester where the marriage was solemnized betweene King Henry the sixth and Margaret of Anjou and now the principall seate of the Lord Writheosleies Earles of South-hampton From thence forthwith the shore with curving crookes draweth it selfe in and the Island named Portesey maketh a great creeke within the more inward nooke or corner whereof sometimes flourished Port peris where by report Vespasian landed An haven towne which our Ancestours by a new name called Port-chester not of Porto the Saxon but of the port or haven For Ptolomee tearmeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is THE GREAT HAVEN for the widenesse of it like as that Portus Magnus also in Africk as Plinie witnesseth And verily there remaineth yet a great Castle which hath a faire and spacious prospect into the haven underneath But when as the Ocean by with-drawing it selfe tooke away by little and little the commoditie of the haven the Inhabitants flitted from thence into the Island Portsey adjoyning which taketh in circuit much about fourteene miles being at every full sea floated round about with salt-waters out of which they boile salt and by a bridge that hath a fortresse adjoyning unto it is united to the Continent This Island Athelflede King Eadgars wife had given to the New monasterie of Winchester And in it at the very gullet or mouth where the sea entreth in our fore-fathers built a towne and thereupon named it Portsmouth that is the mouth of the haven A place alwaies in time of warre well frequented otherwise little resort there is to it as beeing more favourable and better affected to Mars and Neptune than to Mercurie that is to warre rather than to traffique A Church it hath of the old building and an Hospitall Gods house they call it founded by Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester Fortified it was with a wall made of timber and the same well covered over with thicke bankes of earth fenced with a platforme also or mount of earth in times past on the North-east nere to the gate and two block-houses at the entry of the haven made of new hewen stone Which being by King Edward the fourth begunne King Henrie the seventh as the Inhabitants report did finish and strengthned the towne with a garrison But in our remembrance Queene ELIZABETH at her great cost and charges so armed it as one would say with new fortifications as that now there is nothing wanting that a man would require in a most strong and fenced place And of the garrison-souldiers some keepe watch and ward both night and day at the gates others upon the towre of the Church who by the ringing or sound of a bell give warning how many horse or foote are comming and by putting forth a banner shew from what quarter they come From hence as the shore fetcheth a compasse and windeth from Portes-bridge wee had the sight of Havant a little mercate towne and hard by it of Wablington a goodly faire house belonging some-times to the Earles of Salisbury but now to the family of the Cottons Knights Before which there lie two Islands the one greater named Haling the other lesse called Thorney of thornes there growing and both of them have their severall parish Church In many places along this shore of the sea-waters flowing up thither is made salt of a palish or greene colour the which by a certaine artificious devise
was built by the Danes but I should rather judge that something was here erected by the Romans and afterwards rased by Saxons and Danes what time as Sueno the Dane ranging and roving this way spoiled and harried the countrey That it was at length reedified under King William the first we know assuredly by Domesday book seeing that it yeeldeth record as even now I noted of eight Hages or Houses destroyed for the Castle Yet William Gemeticensis makes no mention of this Castle when he writeth that William of Normandie having defeited Harold led his armie forthwith to this citie so he termeth it and after he had passed over the Tamis at the ford pitched his tents heere before hee came to London At which time Wigod an Englishman was Lord of Wallengford who had one onely daughter given in marriage to Robert D'Oyley of whom he begat Mawd his sole heire first wedded to Miles Crispin and after his death through the goodnesse and favour of K. Henrie the first married unto Brient called Fitz Count Who being brought up in warlike feates and taking part with Mawde the Empresse most manfully defended this Castle against King Stephen who had raised a fort just over against it at Craumesh and he made it good untill that peace so much wished of all England was concluded in this place and that most grievous dissention about the Crowne betweene K. Stephen and Henrie the Second ended For then the love of God tooke such place in the hearts of the said Brient and his wife that they cast of this fraile and transitorie world and devoted themselves in religious life unto Christ so was this Honour of Wallengford escheated into the Kings hand Which appeareth out of an old Inquisition in the Exchequer by these words To his most beloved Lords the King our soveraigne Lord his Iustices and Barons of the Exchequer the Constable of Wallengford sendeth greeting Know ye that I have made diligent enquiry by the Knights of my Bayliwicke according to a commandement of my Lord the King directed unto me by the Sheriffe and of the Inquisition thus made this is the summe Wigod of Wallengford held the honour of Wallengford in King Harolds time and afterwards in the daies of King William the First He had by his wife a certaine daughter whom he gave in marriage to Robert D'Oyly This Robert begat of her a daughter named Mawd who was his heire Miles Crispin espoused her and had with her the honour aforesaid of Wallengford After the decease of Miles our soveraigne Lord King Henrie the first bestowed the aforesaid Mawd upon Brient Fitz Count who both tooke themselves to a religious life and King Henrie the Second seized the honour into his hand c. Yet afterwards in the time of King Henrie the Third it belonged to the Earles of Chester and then to Richard King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall who repaired it and unto his sonne Edmond who within the inner Court founded a Collegiate Chappell who dying without issue it fell againe to the Crowne and was annexed to the Dukedome of Cornwall since which time it hath by little and little decaied And verily about the time when that most mortall Plague which followed the conjunction of Saturne and Mars in Capricorne reigned hotely throughout all Europe in the yeare of our Lord 1348. This towne was so dispeopled by reason of continuall mortalitie there that whereas before time it was passing well Inhabited and had twelve Churches in it it can shew now no more than one or two But the cause of this desolation the Inhabitants lay rather upon the bridges of Abbindon and Dorchester whereby London portway was turned from thence From hence Southward the Tamis passeth most mildly betweene very rich and fertile fields on both sides by Moules-ford which K. Henrie the first gave unto Girald Fitz-Walter from whence the Noble family of the Carewes is descended To this house much lands honour and reputation accrewed in Ireland by descent and in England by matching in marriage with right noble families of the Mohuns Dinhams and others Not farre from hence is Aldworth where be certaine tombes and portraictures bigger than the ordinary proportion of men which thereupon the unlearned multitude keepes a wondering at as if they had been Giants whereas indeed they were but of certaine Knights of the Family de la Beche which heere had a Castle and is thought in the raigne of King Edward the Third to have beene extinguished for default of issue male And now at length Tamis meeteth with Kenet which River as I said ere-while watering the South part of this shire at his first entry when he hath left Wiltshire behind him runneth under Hungerford named in old time Ingleford Charnam-street a very small towne and seated in a moist place howbeit it hath given name and title to the honorable family of the Barons of Hungerford which was first raised to greatnesse by Walter Hungerford who under King Henrie the Fifth being Seneschall or Steward of the Kings house was for his warlike prowesse liberally rewarded by the said king and infeoffed in the Castle and Barony of Homet in Normandie To have and to hold unto him and his heires males by homage and service to find the Kings and his heires at the Castle of Roan one Launce with a Fox taile hanging downe thereat which pleasant conceit I thought not a misse to insert here among serious matters The same Walter in the raigne of Henrie the Sixth being high Treasurer of England and created withall Baron Hungerford as well by his singular wisedome as his marriage mith Katherine Peverell descended from the Moels and Courtneys mightily augmented his state His sonne Robert who wedded the daughter and heire of the Lord Botereaux enriched the same house verie much Sir Robert likewise his sonne who matched with Eleanor the daughter and heire of William Molines whereupon he was summoned among the Barons of the Realme by the name of Lord Molines and during the civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke was beheaded at Newcastle advanced the name not a little His sonne Thomas slaine at Salisbury while his father was living left his onely daughter named Marie whom Edward Lord Hastings tooke to wife with a great and rich Inheritance But Walter brother to the said Thomas begat Edward Hungerford father of that Walter whom King Henrie the Eighth created Baron Hungerford of Heitesbury and condemned him afterwards for a crime not to be spoken of howbeit Queene Marie restored his children unto all his estate save onely the name and title of Barons Not farre from hence Southward is Widehay the seat for a long time of the Baron Saint Amand whose inheritance Gerard Braybrooke entred upon in right of his wife whose eldest Niece by his sonne Gerard named Elizabeth by her marriage brought the same unto William de Beauchamp who being summoned to
and worth the noting it is there is a vaine of potters earth highly commended and therefore the dearer sold for the making of those crucibles and small vessels which Gold-smiths use in melting their gold Nor farre from hence the cleare rivelet Wandle in Latin Vandalis so full of the best Trouts issueth forth from his head neare Cashalton and Wodcot where by a tuft of trees upon an hill-top there are to bee seene manifest signes of a pretty towne and diverse wels built of flint stones Concerning the populousnesse and wealth whereof the neighbour Inhabitants report very much This in my conceit was that Citie which Ptolomee called NOIOMAGVS and the Emperour Antonine NOVIOMAGVS Neither neede wee to seeke from else where proofe heereof but from the correspondencie of distance For as the old Itinerary noteth it is ten miles from London and twenty eight from Vagmiacj now Maidston Many a mile therefore went they out of the way that placed Noviomagus either at Buckingham or at Guildford This was a principall Citie of the REGNI not knowne to Marinus Tyrius a most ancient Geographer whom Ptolomee taking upon him to censure taxeth for that he had set NOVIOMAGVS of Britaine by Climate more North and by account of miles more South than London Wandle while it is yet small receiveth his first increase by a rill springing at Croidon in times past called Cradiden which standeth under the hils is very well known as well for the house of the Archbishops of Canterbury unto whom it hath belonged now this long time as for Char-coles which the townesmen make good chaffer of The inhabitants report that in old time there stood an house of the Kings in the West part of the towne neere unto Haling where the husbandmen dig up otherwhiles rubble stone which house the Archbishops having received it by gift from the King translated unto their owne neerer the river And neere unto this the right reverend father in God D. Iohn Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury of most praise worthy Memory in his pious affection founded and endowed with living a very faire Hospitall for the reliefe of poore people and a schoole for the furtherance of learning As for that sudden swelling water or Bourne which the common people report to breake forth heere out of the ground presaging I wote not how either dearth of corne or the pestilence may seeme not worthy once the naming and yet the events sometime ensuing hath procured it credit Neere unto this place stands Beddington wherein is to be seene a very faire house beautified with a delightfull shew of right pleasant gardens and orchards by Sir Francis Carew Knight For the ancient seat it is of the Carews who being descended from the Carews of Moulesford of whom also are come the Carews of Devonshire have for a long time flourished in this country but especially since Sir Iames Carew matched in marriage with the daughter and one of the coheires of the Baron Hoo and Hastings To digresse a little from the river Eastward from Croidon standeth Addington now the habitation of Sir Oliff Leigh wherby is to be seene the ruble of a Castle of Sir Robert Agvilon and from him of the Lords Bardolph who held certaine lands here in fee by Serianty to find in the Kings kitchin at the Coronation one to make a dainty dish which they called Mapigernoun and Dilgerunt What that was I leave to the skilfull in ancient Cookerie and returne to the river Wandle increased with Croidon water passing by Morden divideth it selfe to water Merton in the old English tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 situate in a most fruitfull soile A towne made famous in times past by the death of Kinulph King of the West Saxons who was by a Clito that is a Prince of the bloud slaine here in a small cottage of an harlot upon whom hee was enamoured and Clito himself by K. Kinulphs followers immediately stabbed suffered condigne punishment for his disloyall treachery Now it sheweth onely the ruines of a Monastery that K. Henry the First founded for blacke Chanons by the procurement of Gilbert High Sheriffe of Surry in the yeare 1127. which was famous for the Statute of Merton enacted here in the 21. of King Henrie the Third and also for Water de Merton founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford borne and bred heere Above Merton farther from the river is seated Wibandune now commonly Wimbledon where when over much prosperitie had hatched civill broiles among the English Saxons after the British warres were now ceased Ethelbert King of Kent struck up the first Alarme of civill warre against his owne country men but Ceaulin King of the West Saxons discomfited him in this place with a mightie great slaughter and losse of his men having slaine his principall leaders Oslan and Kneben of whom peradventure that entrenched rampier or fort which wee have heere seene of a round forme is called Bensbury for But now the greatest ornament of this place is that goodly house so beautifull for building and so delectable for faire prospect and right pleasant gardens which Sir Thomas Cecill Knight sonne to that most prudent Counsellour of State Lord Burleygh built in the yeare 1588. when the Spanish Armado made saile upon the coast of England Wandle now after a few miles entreth the Tamis when it hath given name to Wandlesworth betweene Putney the native soile of Thomas Cromwell one of the flowting-stocks of fortune and Batersey sometimes in the Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in latine Patricii Insula that is Patrickes Isle and which now we seeke an house of the Kings termed Kennington whereunto the Kings of England in old time were wont to retire themselves but now finde wee neither the name nor the rammell thereof Then is there Lambith or Lomehith that is to say a Lomy or clayish rode or hith famous in former times for the death of Canutus the Hardie King of England who there amid his cups yielded up his vitall breath For hee beeing given wholly to banqueting and feasting caused royall dinners foure times every day as Henry of Huntingdon reporteth to be served up for all his court choosing rather to have his invited guests to send away whole dishes untouched than other commers unbidden to call for more viands to be upon his table But now this place is of the greater name and more frequented by reason of the Archbishop of Canterburie his palace For Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury about the yeare of Christ 1183. having made an exchange with the Bishop of Rochester purchased a manour in this place wherein hee began to build a palace for himselfe and his successours which they by little and little encreased But when they went about to erect a collegiat Church heere also good GOD what posting was there to Rome with complaints and appeales from the Monkes of Canterburie how many fiery thunderbolts
erected and whose immortall soules in them doe speake to the end that Time might not have power and prevaile against men of worth and the desires of mortall men might be satisfied who do all long to know what their persons and presence were The Earle of Dorset late Chancellor of this Vniversity that he might also leave some memoriall of himselfe hath in the very place dedicated unto Sir Thomas Bodley so passing well deserving of the Learned Common-wealth his representation with this inscription THOMAS SACKUILLUS DORSETTIAE COMES SUMMUS ANGLIAE THESAURARIUS ET HUJUS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIUS THOMAE BODLEIO EQUITI AURATO QUI BIBLIO THE CAM HANC INSTITUIT HONORIS CAUSSA PIE POSUIT That is THOMAS SACKUIL EARLE OF DORSET LORD HIGH TREASURER OF ENGLAND AND CHANCELOR OF THIS UNIVERSITIE UNTO SIR THOMAS BODLEY KNIGHT WHO INSTITUTED THIS LIBRARY OF A PIOUS MIND ERECTED THIS MONUMENT TO DO HIM HONOUR In the Raigne of Henry the Seventh for the better advancement of learning William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built new out of the ground Brasen Nose College which that good and godly old man Master Alexander Nowell Deane of Saint Paules in London lately augmented with Revenewes and Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected likewise that which is named Corpus Christi College and Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke following their example beganne another where the Monastery of Frideswide stood the most stately and fairest of them all for Professors and 200. Students which Henry the Eighth joyning unto it Canterbury College assigned to a Deane Prebends and Students endowed it with livings and named it Christs Church And the same most puissant Prince with money disbursed out of his owne Treasury ordained both for the Dignity of the City a Bishop and for the ornament and advancement of the University publique Professours Likewise within our remembrance for the furtherance of learning with new and fresh benefits Sir Thomas Pope Knight reared a new Durrham College and Sir Thomas White Knight Citizen and Alderman of London raised Bernard College both which lay buryed in the rubbish They reedified them repaired them with new buildings enriched them with faire lands and gave them new names For the one of them they dedicated to Saint Iohn Baptist and that other to the holy and sacred Trinity Queene Mary also built the common Schooles And now of late Hugh Prise Doctor of the Lawes hath begunne a new College with good speede and happy successe as I wish to the honor of Iesus With these Colleges which are in number 16. and eight Haulls beside all faire and decently built richly endowed and furnished with good Libraries Oxford at this day so flourisheth that it farre surmounteth all other Universities of Christendome And for Living Libraries for so may I well and truely with Eunapius terme great Scholers and learned men for the discipline and teaching of the best Arts and for the politique government of this their republicke of Literature it may give place to none But to what end is all this Oxford needeth no mans commendation the excellency thereof doth so much exceede and if I may use Plinies word superfluit that is Surmounteth Let this suffice to say of Oxford as Pomponius Mela did of Athens Clarior est quà m ut indicari egeat that is More glorious it is of it selfe than that it needeth to bee out shewed But have heere for an upshot and farewell the beginning of Oxford story out of the Proctors booke By the joint testimony of most Chronicles many places in divers Coasts and Climats of the world we read to have flourished at sundry times in the studies of divers sciences But the Vniversity of Oxford is found to be for foundation more ancient for plurality of sciences more generall in profession of the Catholike truth more constant and in multiplicity of Privileges more excellent than all other Schooles that are knowne among the Latines The Mathematicians of this University have observed that this their City is from the Fortunate Islands 22. Degrees and the Arcticke or North Pole elevated 51. Degrees and 50. Scruples high And thus much briefly of my deare Nurse-mother Oxford But when a little beneath Oxford Isis and Cherwell have consociated their waters together within one Chanell Isis then entire of himselfe and with a swifter current runneth Southward to finde Tame whom so long he had sought for And gone he is not forward many miles but behold Tame streaming out of Buckinghamshire meeteth with him who is no sooner entred into this Shire but he giveth name to Tame a Mercate Towne situate very pleasantly among Rivers For Tame passeth hard by the Northside and two Riverers shedding themselves into it compasse the same the one on the East and the other on the West Alexander that liberall Bishop of Lincolne Lord of the place when his prodigall humor in sumptuous building of Castles was of every body privily misliked to wash out that staine as Newbrigensis saith built a little Abbay neere unto the Towne and many yeares after the Quatremans who in the age foregoing were men of great reputation in these parts founded an Hospitall for the sustentation of poore people But both of these are now decayed and quite gone and in stead thereof Sir Iohn Williams Knight whom Queene Mary advanced to the Dignity of a Baron by the Title of Lord William of Tame erected a very faire Schoole and a small Hospitall But this Title soone determined when he left but daughters marryed into the Families of Norris and Wenman From hence Tame runneth downe neere unto Ricot a goodly house which in times past belonged to those Quatremans whose stocke failing to bring forth Males it was devolved at length after many sailes and alienations passed by the Foulers and Herons unto the said Lord Williams and so by his daughter fell to Sir Henry Lord Norris whom Queene Elizabeth made Baron Norris of Ricot a man of good marke in regard of his noble birth and parentage for he descended from the Lovells who were neere allied by kinred unto the greatest houses in England but most renowned for that right valiant and warlike Progeny of his as the Netherlands Portugall little Bretagne and Ireland can witnesse At the length Tame by Haseley where sometimes the names of Barentines flourished as at Cholgrave commeth to Dorchester by Bede termed Civitas Dorcinia by Leland Hydropolis a name devised by his owne conceit yet fit enough considering that Dour in the British tongue signifieth water That this Towne was in old time inhabited by Romanes their coined peeces of money oftentimes turned up doe imply and our Chronicles record that it was for a long time much frequented by reason of a Bishops See which Birinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons appointed to be there For when hee had baptised Cinigilse a pety King of the West-Saxons unto whom Oswald King of Northumberland was Godfather both these Kings as saith Bede gave this City unto the same Bishop
Lancaster second son of K. Henry the third and his wife Aveline de fortibus Countesse of Albemarle William and Audomar of Valence of the family of Lusignian Earles of Pembroch Alphonsus Iohn and other children of King Edward the First Iohn of Eltham Earle of Cornwall son to K. Edward the second Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester the yongest son of K. Edward the third with other of his children Aeleanor daughter and heire of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and of Essex wife to Thomas of Woodstocke the yong daughter of Edward the fourth and K. Henry the seventh Henry a childe two months old son of K. Henry the eight Sophia the daughter of K. Iames who died as it were in the very first day-dawning of her age Phillippa Mohun Dutches of Yorke Lewis Vicount Robsert of Henault in right of his wife Lord Bourchier Anne the yong daughter and heire of Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke promised in marriage unto Richard Duke of Yorke yonger son to K. Edward the fourth Sir Giles Daubency Lord Chamberlaine to king Henry the Seventh and his wife of the house of the Arundels in Cornwall I. Vicount Wells Francis Brandon Dutches of Suffolke Mary her daughter Margaret Douglasse Countesse of Lennox grandmother to Iames King of Britaine with Charles her son Winifrid Bruges Marchionesse of Winchester Anne Stanhop Dutches of Somerset and Iane her daughter Anne Cecill Countesse of Oxford daughter to the L. Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England with Mildred Burghley her mother Elizabeth Berkeley Countesse of Ormund Francis Sidney Countesse of Sussex Iames Butler Vicount Thurles son and heire to the Earle of Ormond Besides these Humfrey Lord Bourchier of Cromwall Sir Humfrey Bourchier son and heire to the Lord Bourchier of Berners both slaine at Bernet field Sir Nicholas Carew Baron Carew Baronesse Powisse T. Lord Wentworth Thomas Lord Wharton Iohn Lord Russell Sir T. Bromley Lord Chancellour of England Douglas Howard daughter and heire generall of H. Vicount Howard of Bindon wife to Sir Arthur Gorges Elizabeth daughter and heire of Edward Earle of Rutland wife to William Cecill Sir Iohn Puckering Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England Francis Howard Countesse of Hertford Henrie and George Cary the father and sonne Barons of Hunsdon both Lords Chamberlaines to Queene Elizabeth the heart of Anne Sophia the tender daughter of Christopher Harley Count Beaumont Embassadour from the king of France in England bestowed within a small guilt Urne over a Pyramid Sir Charles Blunt Earle of Devonshire Lord Lieutenant Generall of Ireland And whom in no wise wee must forget the Prince of English Poets Geoffry Chauer as also he that for pregnant wit and an excellent gift in Poetry of all English Poets came neerest unto him Edmund Spencer Beside many others of the Clergy and Gentlemen of quality There was also another College or Free-chapell hard by consisting of a Deane and twelve Chanons dedicated to Saint Stephen which King Edward the Third in his princely Magnificence repaired with curious workmanship and endowed with faire possessions so as he may seeme to have built it new what time as he had with his victories overrun and subdued al France recalling to minde as we read the Charter of the foundation and pondering in a due weight of devout consideration the exceeding benefits of Christ whereby of his owne sweet mercy and pity he preventeth us in all occasions delivering us although without all desert from sundry perils and defending us gloriously with his powerfull right hand against the violent assaults of our adversaries with victorious successes and in other tribulations and perplexities wherein wee have exceeding much beene encombred by comforting us and by applying and in-powering remedies upon us beyond all hope and expectation There was adjoyning hereto a Palace the ancient habitation of the Kings of England from the time of King Edward the Confessor which in the Raigne of king Henry the Eighth was burnt by casuall fire to the ground A very large stately and sumptuous Palace this was and in that age for building incomparable with a vawmurâ— and bulwarks for defence The remaines whereof are the Chamber wherein the King the Nobles with the Counsellers and Officers of State doe assemble at the high Court of Parliament and the next unto it wherein anciently they were wont to beginne the Parliaments knowne by the name of Saint Edwards painted chamber because the tradition holdeth that the said king Edward therein dyed But how sinfull an Act how bloudy how foule how hainous horrible hideous and odious both to God and man certaine brute and savage beasts in mens shape enterprised of late by the device of that Arch Traitour Robert Catesby with undermining and placing a mighty deale of gunpowder under these Edifices against their Prince their Country and all the States of the Kingdome and that under an abominable pretence of Religion my very heart quaketh to remember and mention nay amazed it is and astonied but to thinke onely into what inevitable darknesse confusion and wofull miseries they had suddenly in the twinckling of an eye plunged this most flourishing Realme and Common wealth But that which an ancient Poet in a smaller matter wrote we may in this with griefe of minde utter Excidat illa dies aevo nè postera credant Secula nos certè taceamus obruta multa Nocte tegi propriae patiamur crimina gentis That cursed day forgotten be no future age beleeve That this was true let us also at least wise now that live Conceale the same and suffer such Designes of our owne Nation Hidden to be and buried quite in darknesse of oblivion Adjoyning unto this is the Whitehall wherein at this day the Court of Requests is kept Beneath this is that Hall which of all other is the greatest and the very Praetorium or Hall of Justice for all England In this are the Judiciall Courts namely The Kings Bench the Common Pleas and The Chancery And in places neere thereabout The Star-Chamber the Exchequer Court of Ward and Court of the Dâ—teby of Lancaster c. In which at certaine set times wee call them Tearmes yearely causes are heard and tryed whereas before king Henry the Third his dayes the Court of common Law and principall Justice was unsetled and alwaies followed the kings Court But he in the Magna Charta made a law in these words Let not the Common Pleas folâ—ow our Court but bee holden in some certaine place Which notwithstanding some expound thus That the Common Pleas from thenceforth bee handled in a Court of the owne by it selfe a part and not in the Kings Bench as before This Judgement Hall which we now have king Richard the Second built out of the ground as appeareth by his Armes engraven in the stone-worke and many arched beames when he had plucked downe the former old Hall that king William Rufus in the same place had built before and made it his
the said Geffrey appointed Walden to bee the principall place and seat of his honour and Earledome for him and his Successours The place where hee built the Abbay had plenty of waters which rising there continually doe runne and never faile Late it is ere the Sunne riseth and shineth there and with the soonest he doth set and carry away his light for that the hilles on both sides stand against it That place now they call Audley End of Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England who changed the Abbay into his owne dwelling house This Thomas created by King Henry the Eighth Baron Audley of Walden left one sole daughter and heire Margaret second wife to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke of whom hee begat Lord Thomas Lord William Lady Elizabeth and Lady Margaret The said Thomas employed in sundry Sea-services with commendation Queene Elizabeth summoned by Writ unto the High Court of Parliament among other Barons of the Realme by the name of Lord Howard of Walden And King James of late girded him with the sword of the Earldome of Suffolke and made him his Chamberlaine who in this place hath begunne a magnificent Building Neere to another house of his at Chesterford there was a Towne of farre greater antiquity hard by Icaldun in the very border of the Shire which now of the old Burgh the rusticall people use to call Burrow Banke where remaine the footings onely of a Towne lying in manner dead and the manifest tract of the very walles Yet will I not say that it was VILLA FAUSTINI which Antonine the Emperour placeth in this Tract and albeit Ingrata haud lati spatia detinet campi Sed rure vero barbaróque laetatur It takes not up large ground that yeelds no gaine But Country like is homely rude and plaine Yet dare not I once dreame that this is that Villa Faustini which in these and other Verses is by that pleasant and conceited Poet Martiall depaincted in his Epigrams The fieldes heere on every side as I said smell sweetly and smile pleasantly with Saffron a commodity brought into England in the time of King Edward the Third This in the moneth of â—uly every third yeere when the heads thereof have been plucked up and after twenty daies spitted or set againe under mould about the end of September they put foorth a whitish blew flower out of the middle whereof there hang three redde fillets of Saffron we call them Chives which are gathered very early in the morning before the Sunne rising and being plucked out of the flower are dried at a soft fire And so great increase commeth heereof that out of every acre of ground there are made fourescore or an hundred pounds weight of Saffron while it is moist which being dried yeeld some tweâ—â—y pound in weight And that which a man would marvell more at the ground which three yeeres together hath borne Saffron will beare aboundance of Barley eighteene yeeres together without any dunging or manuring and then againe beare Saffron as before if the inhabitants there have not misinformed me or I mis-conceived them More into the South is Clavering seated which King Henry the Second gave unto Sir Robert Fits-Roger from whom the family of Evers are issued The posterity of this Sir Roger after they had a long time taken their name of their fathers forename or Christen-name according to that ancient custome as Iohn Fitz-Robert Robert Fitz-Iohn c. afterwards by the commandement of King Edward the First they assumed from hence the name of Clavering But of these I am to speake in Northumberland Stansted Montfichet heere also putteth up the head which I will not passe over in silence considering it hath been the Baronie or habitation in times past of the family De Monte Fisco commonly Mont-fitchet who bare for their Armes three Cheverus Or in a shield Gueles and were reputed men of very great nobility But five of them flourished in right line and at the last three sisters were seized of the inheritance Margaret wife of Hugh De Boleber Aveline wedded to William De Fortibus Earle of Aumarle and Philip wife to Hugh Playz The posterity male of this Hugh flourished within the remembrance of our great Grandfathers and determined in a daughter married to Sir Iohn Howard Knight from whose daughter by Sir George Vere descended the Barons Latimer and the Wingfeldes And a little below is Haslingbury to bee seene the residence of the Barons Morley of whom I shall speake more in Norfolke And close to this standeth an ancient Fort or Military fense thereof named Walbery and more East-ward Barrington Hall where dwelleth that right ancient Family of the Barringtons which in the Raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montficheâ— enriched with faire possessions and more ennobled their house in our fathers remembrance by matching with one of the daughters and coheires of Sir Henry Pole Lord Montacute sonne of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury descended of the Bloud Royall Neither is Hatfield Regis commonly called of a broad spread Oke Hatfield Brad-Oake to be omitted where Robert Vere Earle of Oxford built a Priory and there lieth entombed crosse-legged with a French inscription wherein he is noted to be first of that name Robert and third Earle of Oxford After the comming of the Normans Mande the Empresse Lady of the English for so shee stiled herselfe created Geffrey De Magnavilla usually called Mandevil son to William by Margaret daughter and heire of Eâ—do the Steward or Shewar the first Earle of Essex that shee might so by her benefits oblige unto her a man both mighty and martiall Who in those troublesome times under King Stephen despoiled of his estate made an end of his owne turbulent life with the sword And hee verily for his wicked deeds as I finde in an old Writer justly incurred the worlds censure and sentence of excommunication in which while hee stood hee was deadly wounded in the head at a little Towne called Burwell When he lay at the point of death ready to give his last gaspe there came by chance certaine Knights Templars who laid upon him the habit of their religious Profession signed with a red Crosse and afterwards when hee was full dead taking him up with them enclosed him within a Coffin of Lead and hunge him upon a tree in the Orchard of Old Temple at London For in a reverent awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he dyed excommunicated After him succeeded Geffry his sonne who was restored by Henry the Second to his fathers honours and Estate for him and his heires but he having no children left them to his brother William who by his wife was also Earle of Albemarle and dyed likewise in his greatest glory issuelesse Some yeares after K. John promoted Geffrey Fitz-Petre Justicer of England a wise and grave Personage unto this honour in consideration of a great masse of
and the chiefe Magistrate was termed a Consul which name may intimate that it was a Roman towne But when Bishop Herbert surnamed Losenga for that he was composed of Leafing and Flattery the third Prelate that by evill meanes and Simony climbed up to this Dignity had removed his seat from hence to Norwich it fell againe to decay and as it were languished Neither could it sufficiently bee comforted for the absence of the Bishop by the Abbay of Cluniac Monkes which by his meanes was built This Abbay Hugh Bigod built out of the ground For so writeth he in the Instrument of the foundation I Hugh Bigod Steward to King Henry by his graunt and by the advise of Herbert Bishop of Norwich have ordained Monkes of the Order of Cluny in the Church of S. Mary which was the Episcopall seat of Thetford which I gave unto them and afterwards founded another more meete for their use without the Towne Howbeit even then the greatest part of the Citty that stood on the hithermore Banke by little and little fell to the ground the other part although it was much decayed yet one or two Ages agoe flourished with seaven Churches besides three small religious Houses whereof the one was by report erected in the memoriall of the Englishmen and Danes slaine here For hard by as our Historians doe record Edmund that most holy King a litle before his death fought Seaven houres and more with the Danes not without an horrible slaughter and afterwards gave over the battaile on even hand such was the alternative fortune of the Field that it drave both sides past their senses By Waveney the other River of those twaine that bound this Shire and runneth Eastward not farre from the Spring head thereof are seene Buckenham and Keninghall This which may seeme to have the name left unto it of the Iceni is the Seat of that most honourable Family of the Howards whose glory is so great that the envy of Bucchanan cannot empaire it As for the other so named as I take it of Beech trees which the Saxons called Bucken it is a faire and strong Castle built by William de Aubigny the Norman unto whom the Conqueror had given the place and by his heires that were successively Earles of Arundell it descended to the Tatsalls and from them by Caly and the Cliftons unto the family of the Knevets These are of an ancient house and renowned ever since Sir Iohn Knevet was Lord Chancellour of England under King Edward the Third and also honourably allied by great marriages For over and beside these of Buckenham from hence sprang those right worshipfull knights Sir Thomas Knevet Lord Knevet Sir Henry Knevet of Wiltshire and Sir Thomas Knevet of Ashellwell Thorpe and others This Ashellwell Thorpe is a little Towne nere adjoyning which from the Thorpes in times past of Knights degree by the Tilneis and the L. L. Bourchiers of Berners is devolved at length hereditarily unto that Sir Thomas Knevet before named As for that Buckenham aforesaid it is holden by this tenure and condition that the Lords thereof should at the Coronation of the Kings of England be the Kings Butlers that day Like as a thing that may beseeme the noting in Charleton a little neighbour village Raulph de Carleton and some one other held lands by this service namely To present an hundred Herring-Pies or Pasties when Herrings first come in unto their Soveraigne Lord the King wheresoever he be in England But this river neare to his spring runneth by and by under Disce now Dis a prety towne well knowne which King Henry the First gave frankely to Sir Richard Lucy and hee straightwayes passed it over to Walter Fitz-Robert with his Daughter of whose Posterity Robert Fitz-Walter obtained for this place the liberty of keeping Mercat at the hands of King Edward the First From thence although Waveney bee on each side beset with Townes yet there is not one amongst them that may boast of any Antiquity unlesse it bee Harleston a good Mercate and Shelton that standeth farther of both which have given surnames to the ancient Families of the Sheltons and Harlestons but before it commeth to the Sea it coupleth it selfe with the river Yare which the Britans called Guerne the Englishmen Gerne and Iere of Alder trees no doubt so termed in British wherewith it is overshadowed It ariseth out of the mids of this Countrie not farre from Gernston a little Towne that tooke name thereof and hath hard by it Hengham which had Lords descended from Iohn Marescall Nephew by the brother to William Marescall Earle of Penbroch upon whom King John bestowed it with the Lands of Hugh de Gornay a Traitour and also with the daughter and coheire of Hubert de Rhia From this Marescals it passed in revolution of time unto the Lord Morleis and from them by Lovell unto the Parkers now Lords Morley A little from hence is Sculton otherwise called Burdos or Burdelois which was held by this Tenure That the Lord thereof on the Coronation day of the Kings of England should be chiefe Lardiner Joint-neighbour to Sculton is Wood-Rising the faire seate of the Family of Southwels which received the greatest reputation and encrease from Sir Richard Southwell Privie Councellour to King Edward the Sixth and his Brother Sir Robert Master of the Rowles More Eastward is to be seene Wimundham now short Windham famous for the Albineys Earles of Arundell there enterred whose Ancestor and Progenitor William D' Albiney Butler to King Henry the First founded the Priory and gave it to the Abbay of Saint Albans for a Cell which afterward was advanced to an Abbay Upon the Steeple whereof which is of a great height William Ke◠one of the Captaines of the Norfolke Rebels in the yeare of our Lord 1549. was hanged on high Neither would it bee passed over in silence that five miles from hence standeth Attilborrough the seate of the Mortimers an ancient Family who being different from those of Wigmor bare for their Armes A Shield Or Semè de floures de Lyz Sables and founded heere a Collegiat Church where there is little now to bee seene The Inheritance of these Mortimers hath by marriage long since accrued to the Ratcliffs now Earles of Sussex to the Family of Fitz-Ralph and to Sir Ralph Bigot But returne we now to the River The said Yare holdeth not his course farre into the East before he taketh Wentsum a Riveret others call it Wentfar from the South into his streame upon which neere unto the head thereof there is a foure square Rampier at Taiesborrough containing foure and twenty Acres It may seeme to have beene a Campe place of the Romans if it be not that which in an old Chorographicall Table or Map published by Marcus Welserus is called AD TAUM Somewhat higher upon the same River stood VENTA ICENORUM the most flourishing City for a little one in times past of all this
memory I will briefly runne them over Neere to Linne upon an high hill standeth Rising-castle almost marchable to the Castle of Norwich the seat in times past of the Albineys afterwards of Robert de Monthault by one of the sisters and coheires of Hugh Albiney Earle of Arundell and at last the mansion place of the Mowbrays who as I have learned came out of the same house that the Albineys did But now after long languishings as it were by reason of old age the said Castle hath given up the ghost Below it is Castle-acre where was sometimes the habitation of the Earles of Warren in a Castle now halfe downe on a little Rivers side which carrying no name ariseth not farre from Godwicke a lucky good name where there stands a small house but greatly graced by the Lord thereof Sir Edward Coke Knight a man of rare endowments of nature and as in the Common lawes much practised so of deepe insight therein which all England both tooke knowledge of whiles hee discharged the function of Atturney Generall many yeares most learnedly and now acknowledgeth whiles being Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas he administreth justice as uprightly and judiciously Neither is he lesse to be remembred for that he loveth learning and hath well deserved of the present and succeeding ages by his learned labours This Riveret or brooke with a small streame and shallow water runneth Westward to Linne by Neirford that gave name to the Family of the Neirfords famous in times past and by Neirborrough where neere unto the house of the Spilmans knights upon a very high hill is to be seene a warlike Fort of passing great strength and of ancient worke so situated as it hath a very faire prospect into the Country about it After upon the said Brooke is seated Penteney a prety Abbay the ordinary buriall place in ancient time of the Noblemen and Gentlemen in this Tract Neere unto it lieth Wormegay commonly Wrongey which Reginald de Warren brother of William de Warren the second Earle of Surry had with his wife of whom as I have read the said Earle had the donation or Maritagium as they use to speake in the law phrase and by his sonnes daughter streightwayes it was transferred to the Bardolphs who being Barons of great nobility flourished a long time in honorable state and bare for their Armes Three Cinque-foiles or in a Shield Azâ—r The greatest part of whose Inheritance together with the Title came to Sir William Phellips and by his daughter passed away to the Vicount Beaumont More Eastward are seated Swaffham a Mercat Towne of good note sometime the Possession of the Earle of Richmond Ashele Manour by Tenure whereof the Hastings and Greies Lords of Ruthin had the charge of table clothes and linnen used at the solemne Coronation of the Kings of England North Elmham the Bishops See for a good time when as this Province was divided into two Dioceses Dereham wherein Withburga King Annas daughter was buried whom because shee was piously affected farre from all riotous excesse and wanton lightnesse our Ancestours accounted for a Saint Next unto which is Greshenhall and adjoyning thereto Elsing the possessions in ancient time of the Folliots men of great worth and Dignity which in right of dowry came by a daughter of Richard Folliot to Sir Hugh de Hastings descended out of the Family of Abergevenny and at length by the daughters and heires of Hastings the last Greshenhall aforesaid fell unto Sir Hamon le Strange of Hunstanton and Elsing unto William Browne the brother of Sir Antonie Browne the first Vicount Mount-acute In this quarter also is Ick-borrough which Talbot supposeth to have beene that ICIANI whereof Antonine speaketh Neither have I cause to write any more of these places And now I thinke it is good time to set downe the Earles and Dukes of Northfolke that I may proceed to Cambridgeshire William the Conquerour made one Raulph Governour of East-England that is to say of Norfolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire who forthwith gaping as I said after an alteration and change in the State was dispossessed of that place After certaine yeares in the Raigne of Stephen Hugh Bigod was Earle of Norfolke For when peace was concluded betweene Stephen and Henry Duke of Anjou who became afterwards King Henry the second by expresse words it was provided that William King Stephens sonne should have the whole Earledome of Norfolke excepting among other things The third peny of that County whereof Hugh Bigod was Earle Whom notwithstanding King Henry the Second created Earle againe of the third peny of Norfolke and Norwich Who dying about the 27. yeare of Henry the Second Roger his sonne succeeded who for what cause I know not obtained at the hands of King Richard the first a new Charter of his creation Him succeeded his sonne Hugh who tooke to his wife Mawde the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Marescall Earle of Pembroch By whom he had issue one sonne named Roger Earle of Norfolke and Marescall of England who at Tournament having his bones put out of joint died without issue and another called Hugh Bigod Lord chiefe Justice of England slaine in the battaile of Lewis whose sonne Roger succeeded his Uncle in the Earldome of Norfolke and dignity of Marescall but having incurred through his insolent contumacy the high displeasure of King Edward the First was compelled to passe away his honors and well neere his whole inheritance into the Kings hands to the use of Thomas of Brâ—therton the Kings son whom he had begotten of his second wife Margaret sister to Philip the Faire King of France For thus reporteth the History out of the Library of Saint Austens in Canterbury In the yeare 1301. Roger Bigod Earle of Norfolke ordained King Edward to bee his heire and hee delivered into his hands the rod of the Marshals Office with this condition that if his wife brought him any children he should without all contradiction receive againe all from the King and hold it peaceably as before and the King gave unto him a 1000. pounds in money and a thousand pound land during his life together with the Marshalship and the Earldome But when he was departed this life without issue King Edward the Second honoured the said Thomas of Brotherton his brother according to the conveiance aforesaid with the Titles of Marshall and Earle of Norfolke Whose daughter Margaret called Marshallesse and Countesse of Norfolke wife to Iohn Lord Segrave king Richard the Second created in her absence Dutchesse of Norfolke for terme of life and the same day created Thomas Mowbray the daughters sonne of the said Margaret then Earle of Notingham the first Duke of Norfolke To him and his heires males unto whom he had likewise granted before the State and stile of Earle Marshall of England This is hee that before the king was challenged and accused by Henry of Lancaster Duke
we may see in the Histories whether by celestiall influence or other hidden causes I leave to the learned But so farre as I could hitherto reade it did never set foote in England before that time Besides these places before named of great name and marke wee must not overpasse neither Melton Mowbray neere unto this Burton a Mercate Towne bearing name of the Mowbraies sometime Lords thereof wherein is nothing more worth the seeing than a faire Church nor Skeffington standing farther off which as it hath given name to a worshipfull Family so againe it hath received worship and credit from the same The River that watereth this part of the Shire is by the Inhabitants about it called the Wreken along which upon resemblance of the name I have sought VERNOMETUM but in vaine This Wreken gathereth a strong streame by many lively Brookes resorting unto it whereof one passeth by Wimondham an ancient habitation of a younger branch of the house of the Lords Barkleis well encreased by an heire of Dela-Laund and so on by Melton Mowbray before mentioned by Kirkby Bellers where there was a Priory having that addition of the Bellers a respective rich and noble Family in their time by Brokesby a seat now of the Villiers of an old Norman race and descended from an heire of Bellers which Brokesby imparted formerly the sirname to the Brokesbies of especiall antiquity in these parts Then the Wreken speedeth by Ratcliffe high mounted upon a cliffe and within few miles conjoyneth it selfe to Soar neere unto Mont-Soar-hill before mentioned Whatsoever of this Shire lieth beyond the Wreken Northward is not so frequently inhabited and part of it is called the Wold as being hilly without wood wherein Dalby a seat of the old Family of the Noels of whom I shall speake elsewhere and Waltham on the Wold a meane Mercat are most notable Through this part as I have beene enformed passeth the Fosse-way made by the Romans from Lewing Bridge by Segrave which gave sirname to the honourable Family often mentioned and the Lodge on the Wold toward the Vale of Bever but the Tract thereof as yet I know not This Shire hath beene more famous from time to time by reason of the Earles thereof have beene very renowned And seeing it had under the Saxons government Earles by inheritance I will first reckon them up in order as Thomas Talbot a skilfull Antiquary hath delivered me a note of them out of the kings Records In the time of Aethelbald King of the Mercians and in the yeere of our Redemption 716. Leofrick was Earle of Leicester whom there succeeded in direct line Algar the first Algar the second Leofrick the second Leofstane Leofrick the third buried in Coventry Algar the third who had issue two sonnes Aeadwin Earle of March Morkar Earle of Northumberland and a daughter named Lucy first married to Ivon Talboys of Anjou afterwards to Roger of Romara who begat of her William of Romara Earle of Lincolne Now when as the issue male of this Saxon Family failed and the name of the Saxons was troden as it were under foot Robert Beaumont a Norman Lord of Pont Audomar and Earle of Mellent after that Simon an officiary Earle of Leicester was dead obtained his Earledome in the yeere of our Lord 1102. at the bountifull hand of King Henry the First which Robert A man for skill and knowledge excellent faire spoken subtile wise and witty and by nature wily who while hee lived in high and glorious estate an other Earle carried away his wife from him whereupon in his old age being much troubled in minde he fell into deepe melancholy After him succeeded from father to sonne three Roberts the first sirnamed Bossu because hee was crook-backed who after he had rebelled against King Henry the First weary of his loose irregular life became a Chanon Regular the second sirnamed Blanch-maines of his lily-white-hands who sided with the young King against King Henry the Second and dyed in the expedition of King Richard the First to the Holy Land the third sirnamed Fitz-Parnell because his mother was Parnels daughter and one of the heires to Hugh Grant-maismill the last in whose right hee was Seneschall or Steward of England and died issuelesse in the time of King John A few yeeres after Simon Montfort descended from a base sonne of Robert King of France who had married the sister of Robert Fitz-Parnell enjoyed this honour But after that hee and his were expelled in the yeere 1200. as wholy devoted to the French Ranulph Earle of Chester attained unto this Dignity not in right of inheritance but by his Princes favour Howbeit afterwards Simon Montfort sonne of the foresaid Simon obtained this honour when Almarik his eldest brother surrendred up his right before King Henry the Third This Simon stood in so gracious favour with King Henry the Third that hee called him home againe out of France when he was banished heaped upon him great wealth admitted him unto the Earledome of Leicester granted to him the Stewardship of England and to honour him the more gave him his owne sister in marriage But hee thus over-heaped with honourable benefits when he had no meanes to requite them such is the perverse wilfulnesse of men beganne hatefully to maligne him yea and did most wickedly molest the good King having so well deserved making himselfe Ringleader to the rebellious Barons and with them raising horrible tempests of civill warre in which himselfe also at length was overthrowne and slaine As for his Honours and Possessions King Henry the Third gave and graunted them to Edmund his owne younger sonne Earle of Lancaster So afterward this honour lay as it were obscured among the Titles of the house of Lancaster and Mawde the daughter of Henry Duke of Lancaster being married to Henry Duke of Bavaria Earle of Henault Holland Zeland c. added unto his other Titles this of Earle of Leicester also For in the Charter dated the five and thirty yeere of King Edward the Third hee is in plaine termes stiled William Earle of Henhault and of Leicester yea and as we finde in the Inquisition made Anno 36. of the said King Edward the Third shee by the name of Dutchesse of Bavaria held the Castle Manour and Honour of Leicester After whose decease without issue that honour reverted to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who had wedded Blanch the other sister of Mawde From which time it became united to the House of Lancaster untill in our remembrance it reflourished in L. Robert Dudley who was by Queene Elizabeth girt with the sword of the Earledome of Leicester and extraordinarily favoured whereupon the States Generall of the united Provinces in their great troubles chose him triumphantly for their absolute Governour and soone after as contemptuously rejected him reserving all Soveraignty to themselves But after a short time he passed out of this transitory life
afterward this honor at the hands of King Henry the Fifth Who shortly after in the French war lost his life at the siege of Meaux in Brye leaving one onely daughter married to Sir Edward Nevill from whom descended the late Lords of Abergevenny Afterward King Henry the Sixth created John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester But when he presently taking part with King Edward the Fourth had applied himselfe in a preposterous obsequiousnesse to the humor of the said King and being made Constable of England plaied the part as it were of the butcher in the cruell execution of diverse men of qualitie himselfe when as King Henry the Sixth was now repossessed of the crowne came to the blocke Howbeit his sonne Edward recovered that honor when King Edward recovered his Kingdome But after that this Edward died without issue and the inheritance became divided among the sisters of the said John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester of whom one was married to the Lord Roo◠another to Sir Edmund Ingoldesthorpe and the third to the Lord Dudley Sir Charles Somerset base sonne to Henry Duke of Somerset Lord Herbert and Lord Chamberlaine to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Worcester After whom succeeded in lineall descent Henry William and Edward who now flourisheth and among other laudable parts of vertue and Nobility highly favoureth the studies of good literature There are in this Shire Parishes 152. STAFFORDIAE COMITATVS PARS olim Cornauiorum STAFFORD-SHIRE THE third Region of the old CORNAVII now called STAFFORD-SHIRE in the English Saxons Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inhabitants whereof because they dwelt in the middest of England are in Bede termed Angli Mediterranei that is Midland Englishmen having on the East Warwick-shire and Darby-shire on the South side Worcester-shire and Westward Shropp-shire bordering upon it reacheth from South to North in forme of a Lozeng broader in the middest and growing narrower at the ends The North part is full of Hilles and so lesse fruitfull the middle being watered with the River Trent is more plentifull clad with Woods and embroidered gallantly with Corne fields and medowes as is the South part likewise which hath Coles also digged out of the earth and mines of Iron But whether more for their commodity or hinderance I leave to the Inhabitants who doe or shall best understand it In the South part in the very confines with Worcester-shire upon the River Stour standeth Stourton Castle sometimes belonging to the Earles of Warwicke the natall place of Cardinall Pole and then Dudley Castle towreth up upon an hill built and named so of one Dudo or Dodo an English Saxon about the yeere of our Salvation 700. In King William the Conquerours daies as we finde in his Domesday Booke William Fitz-Ausculph possessed it afterwards it fell to Noble men sirnamed Somery and by an heire generall of them to Sir Richard Sutton knight descended from the Suttons of Nottingham-shire whose Posterity commonly called from that time Lords of Dudley but summoned to Parliament first by King Henry the Sixth grew up to a right honourable Family Under this lyeth Pensueth Chace in former times better stored with game wherein are many Cole-pits in which as they reported to mee there continueth a fire begunne by a candle long since through the negligence of a grover or digger The smoke of this fire and sometime the flame is seene but the savour oftener smelt and other the like places were shewed unto mee not farre off North-West ward upon the Confines of Shropp-shire I saw Pateshull a seat of the Astleies descended from honourable Progenitours and Wrotesley an habitation of a Race of Gentlemen so sirnamed out of which Sir Hugh Wrotesley for his approoved valour was chosen by King Edward the Third Knight of the Garter at the first institution and so accounted one of the founders of the said honourable Order Next after this the memorable places that wee meet with in this Tract more inwardly are these Chellington a faire house and Manour of the ancient Family of the Giffards which in the Raigne of Henry the Second Peter Corbuchin gave to Peter Giffard upon whom also Richard Strongbow that Conquerour of Ireland bestowed in free gift Tachmelin and other Possessions in Ireland Theoten hall which is by interpretation The habitation of Heathens or Pagans at this day Tetnall embrued with Danish bloud in the yeere 911. by King Edward the Elder in a bloudy Battaile Ulfrunes Hampton so called of Wulfruna a most godly and devout woman who enriched the Towne called before simply Hampton with a religious House and for Wulfrunes Hampton it is corruptly called Wulver Hampton The greatest name and note whereof ariseth by the Church there annexed to the Warden or Deane and Prebendaries of Windsor Weadsbury in these dayes Weddsborrow fortified in old time by Aethelfled Lady of the Mercians and Walshall a Mercate Towne none of the meanest Neere unto which the River Tame carryeth his streame which rising not farre off for certaine miles wandereth through the East part of this Shire seeking after Trent neere unto Draiton Basset the seat of the Bassets who springing out from Turstan Lord of this place in the Raigne of Henry the First branched forth into a great and notable Family For from hence as from a stocke flourished the Bassets of Welleden of Wiccomb of Sapcot of Cheddle and others But of this of Draiton Raulph was the last who being a right renowned Baron had marryed the sister of John Montfort Duke of Britaine and in the Raigne of Richard the Second died without issue Then Tame passing through the Bridge at Falkesley over which an ancient high way of the Romanes went runneth hard under Tamworth in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marianus calleth it Tamawordia a Towne so placed in the Confines of the two Shires that the one part which belonged sometime to the Marmions is counted of Warwick-shire the other which pertained to the Hastings of Stafford-shire As for the name it is taken from Tame the Riuer running beside it and of the English Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Barton Court or Ferme-house and also an Holme or River Island or any place environed with water seeing that Keyserwert and Bomelswert in Germanie betoken as much as Caesars Isle and Bomels Isle Whiles the Mercians Kingdome stood in state this was a place of their Kings resiance and as we finde in the Lieger Booke of Worcester a Towne of very great resort and passing well frequented Afterward when in the Danes Warre it was much decaied Aethelfled Lady of Mercia repaired and brought it againe to the former state also Edith King Eadgars Sister who refusing Marriage for the opinion that went of her for holinesse was registred in the roll of Saints founded heere a little house for Nunnes and veiled Virgins which after some yeeres was translated to
worthy and heroicall a Knight ORATE PRO ANIMA PRAENOBILIS DOMINI DOMINI JOANNIS TALBOTT QVONDAM COMITIS SALOPIAE DOMINI TALBOTT DOMINI FURNIVALL DOMINI VERDON DOMINI STRANGE DE BLACK-MERE ET MARESCALLI FRANCIAE QUI OBIIT IN BELLO APUD BURDEVVS VII IULII M. CCCC.LIII That is Pray for the Soule of the right Noble Lord Sir John Talbot sometimes Earle of Shrewsburie Lord Talbot Lord Furnivall Lord Verdon Lord Strange de Black-Mere and Mareshall of France Who died in the battaile at Burdews VII IULII M. CCCC LIII Unto this Family of the Talbots there accrued by marriage-right the inheritance of the Barons Le Strange of Blackmere who were surnamed Le Strange commonly and Extranei in Latine records for that they were strangers brought hether by King Henrie the Second and in short time their house was far propagated These of Blackmere were much inriched by an heire of W. de Albo-monasterio or this Whit-Church and also by one of the heires of John Lord Giffard of Brimsfield of ancient Nobility in Glocester-shire by the onely daughter of Walter Lord Clifford More Westward lieth Ellesmer a little territorie but rich and fruitfull which as the Chronologie of Chester testifieth King John gave with the Castle to Lhewellin Prince of North-Wales in marriage with Joane his base daughter Afterwards in the time of King Henry the Third it came to the Family of the Stranges But now it hath his Baron Sir Thomas Egerton a man whom for his singular wisdome and sincere equity Queene Elizabeth chose to be Lord Keeper of the great Seale and King Iames making him Lord Chancellour advanced to the highest Honour of the long roabe and withall adorned with the Honorable title of Baron of Ellesmer Now let us briefely adde somewhat of the Earles of Shrewsbury Roger de Belesmo otherwise Montgomery was created the first Earle of Shrewsbury by King William the Conquerour unto whom he allotted also the greatest part of this Shire After him succeeded first his eldest sonne Hugh slaine in Wales without issue Then Robert another of his sonnes a man outragiously cruell toward his owne sonnes and hostages whose eyes with his owne hands he plucked out and gelded But afterwards being convict of high Treason he was kept in perpetuall prison by King Henry the first and so suffered condigne punishment for his notorious wickednesse Then was his Earledome made over unto Queene Adeliza for her dowry Many ages after King Henry the Sixth in the 20. yeere of his reigne promoted to this honour Iohn Lord Talbot whom both Nature bred and his disposition inured unto warlike prowesse And in the 24. yeere of his reigne he bestowed moreover upon the same Iohn whom in the Patent he calleth Earle of Shrewsbery and of Weisford the title of Earle of Waterford the Barony of Dongarvan and the Seneschalsie or Stewardship of Ireland But when he was slaine at Castilion upon Dordon neere Burdeaux together with his younger sonne Sir John Talbot Vicount L'isle after he had foure and twenty yeeres together marched with victorious armes over a great part of France his sonne Iohn by the daughter and one of the heires of Sir Thomas Nevill Lord Furnivall succeeded who siding with the house of Lancaster was slaine fighting valorously in the forefront of the battaile of Northampton From him by a daughter of the Earle of Ormond came Iohn the third Earle of Shrewsbury and Sir Gilbert Talbot Captaine of Callis from whom the Talbots of Graston descended This third Iohn had by his wife Katherine daughter to H. Duke of Buckingham George the fourth Earle who served King Henry the Seventh valiantly and constantly at the battaile of Stoke And he by Anne his wife daughter of William Lord Hastings had Francis the fifth Earle who begat of Mary daughter to Thomas Lord Dacre of Gillesland George the sixth Earle aman of approoved fidelity in weighty affaires of State whose sonne Gilbert by his wife Gertrud daughter to Thomas Earle of Rutland the seventh Earle maintaineth at this day his place left unto him by his ancestours with right great honour and commendation for his vertues In this region there are Parishes much about 170. CESTRIAE Comitatus Romanis Legionibus-et Colonijis olim insignis vera et obseluta descriptio CHES-SHIRE THE fifth and last of those Countries which in old time the CORNAVII held is the County of CHESTER in the Saxons Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly CHES-SHIRE and The County Palatine of Chester for that the Earles thereof had Royalties and princely Priviledges belonging to them and all the Inhabitants owed Allegeance and fealty to them as they did to the King As for this tearme Palatine that I may rehearse againe that which I have said before of this name was in times past common to all those who bare any Office in the Kings Court or Palace and in that age Comes Palatinus was a Title of Dignity conferred upon him who before was Palatinus with authority to heare and determine Causes in his owne Territory and as well his Nobles whom they called Barons as his Vassals were bound to repaire to the Palace of the said Count both to give him advise and also to give their attendance and furnish his Court with their presence This Country as William of Malmesbury saith Is scarce of Corne but especially of Wheat yet plentifull in Cattaile and fish Howbeit Ranulph the Monke of Chester affirmeth the contrary Whatsoever Malmesbury dreamd saith hee upon the relation of others it aboundeth with all kinde of victuals plenteous in Corne flesh fish and salmons especially of the very best it maintaineth trade with many commodities and maketh good returne For why in the Confines thereof it hath salt pits mines and metals And this moreover will I adde the grasse and fodder there is of that goodnesse and vertue that cheeses bee made heere in great number of a most pleasing and delicate taste such as all England againe affordeth not the like no though the best dayriwomen otherwise and skilfullest in cheese making be had from hence And whiles I am writing this I cannot chuse but mervaile by the way at that which Strabo writeth That in his time some Britans could not skill of making Cheese and that Plinie afterwards wondered That barbarous Nations who lived of milke either knew not or despised for so many ages the commodity of Cheese who otherwise had the feat of crudding it to a pleasant tartnesse and to fat buâ—yr Whereby it may be gathered that the devise of making Cheese came into Britaine from the Romans But howsoever this Region in fertility of soile commeth behinde many Countries in England yet hath it alwaies bred and reared more Gentry than the rest For you have not in all England againe any one Province beside that in old time either brought more valorous Gentlemen into the field or had more Families in it of Knights degree On the Southside it is hemmed
Shrop-shire adjoyning and held that I may note so much by the way the Hamelet of Lanton in chiefe as of the Honour of Montgomery by the service of giving to the King a barbdheaded Arrow whensoever he commeth into those parts to hunt in Cornedon Chace Lugg hasteneth now to Wy first by Hampton where that worthy Knight Sir Rouland Lenthal who being Maister of the Wardrobe unto King Henry the Fourth had married one of the heires of Thomas Earle of Arundell built a passing faire house which the Coningsberes men of good worship and great name in this tract have now a good long time inhabited then by Marden and Southton or Sutton of which twaine Sutton sheweth some small remaines of King Offaes Palace so infamous for the murdering of Ethelbert and Marden is counted famous for the Tombe of the said Ethelbert who had lien heere a long time without any glorious memoriall before that he was translated to Hereford Neere unto the place where Lugg and Wy meete together Eastward a hill which they call Marcley hill in the yeere of our redemption 1571. as though it had wakened upon the suddaine out of a deepe sleepe roused it selfe up and for the space of three daies together mooving and shewing it selfe as mighty and huge an heape as it was with roring noise in a fearefull sort and overturning all things that stood in the way advanced it selfe forward to the wonderous astonishment of the beholders by that kinde of Earthquake which as I deeme naturall Philosophers call Brasmatias And not farre from this hill toward the East also under Malvern hills which in this place bound the East part of this shire standeth Ledbury upon the River Ledden a Towne well knowne which Edwin the Saxon a man of great power gave unto the Church of Hereford being assuredly perswaded that by Saint Ethelberts intercession he was delivered from the Palsey Touching the Military fort on the next hill I need not to speake seeing that in this tract which was in the Marches and the ordinary fighting ground plot first betweene the Romanes and Britans afterwards betweene the Britains and the English such holds and entrenchments are to be seene in many places But Wy now carrying a full streame after it hath entertained Lugg runneth downe with more bendings and bowings first by Holm Lacy the feate of the ancient and noble Family of Scudamore unto which accrewed much more worship by marriage with an heire out of the race of Ewias in this shire and Huntercombe c. else where From hence passeth Wy downe betweene Rosse made a free Burrough by King Henry the Third now well knowne by reason of iron Smiths and Wilton over against it a most ancient Castle of the Greis whence so many worthy Barons of that name have drawne their originall This was built as men say by Hugh de Long-champ but upon publique and certaine credit of Records it appeareth that King John gave Wilton with the Castle to H. de Longchamp and that by marriage it fell to William Fitz-Hugh and likewise not long after to Reinold Grey in the daies of King Edward the first Now when Wy hath a little beneath saluted Goderick Castle which King John gave unto William Earle Mareschall and was afterward for a time the principall seate of the Talbots hee speedeth himselfe to Monmouth-shire and bids Hereford-shire farewell When the state of the English-Saxons was now more than declining to the downe-fall Ralph sonne to Walter Medantinus by Goda King Edward the Confessoursâ— sister governed this Countie as an Official Earle but the infamous for base cowardise was by William the Conquerour remooved and William Fitz-Osbern of Crepon a martiall Norman who had subdued the Isle of Wight and was neere allied to the Dukes of Normandy was substituted in his place When he was slaine in assistance of the Earle of Flanders his sonne Roger surnamed De Bretevill succeeded and soone after for conspiracie against the Conquerour was condemned to perpetuall prison and therein died leaving no lawfull issue Then King Stephen granted to Robert Le Bossu Earle of Leicester who had married Emme or Itta as some call her heire of Bretevill to use the words of the Graunt the Burrough of Hereford with the Castle and the whole County of Hereford but all in vaine For Maude the Empresse who contended with King Stephen for the Crowne advanced Miles the sonne of Walter Constable of Glocester unto this Honour and also graunted to him Constabulariam Curiae suae i. The Constableship of her Court whereupon his posteritie were Constables of England as the Marshalship was graunted at the first by the name of Magistratus Marescalsiae Curiaenostrae Howbeit Stephen afterwards stript him out of these Honours which he had received from her This Miles had five sonnes Roger Walter Henry William and Mahel men of especiall note who were cut off every one issuelesse by untimely death after they had all but William succeeded one another in their Fathers inheritance Unto Roger King Henry the Second among other things gave The Mote of Hereford with the whole Castle and the third peny issuing out of the revenewes of Plees of the whole County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle But after Roger was deceased the same King if wee may beleeve Robert Abbot De Monte kept the Earledome of Hereford to himselfe The eldest sister of these named Margaret was married to Humfrey Bohun the third of that name and his heires were high Constables of England namely Humfrey Bohun the Fourth Henry his sonne unto whom King Iohn graunted twenty pounds yeerely to be received out of the third penny of the County of Hereford whereof he made him Earle This Henry married the sister and heire of William Mandevill Earle of Essex and died in the fourth yeere of Henry the Third his reigne Humfrey the Fifth his sonne who was also Earle of Essex whose sonne Humfrey the Sixth of that forename died before his Father having first begotten Humfrey the Seventh by a daughter and one of the heires of William Breos Lord of Brecknock His sonne Humfrey the Eighth was slaine at Burrowbrig leaving by Elizabeth his wife daughter unto King Edward the First and the Earle of Hollands widow among other children namely Iohn Bohun Humfrey the Ninth both Earles of Hereford and Essex and dying without issue and William Earle of Northampton unto whom Elizabeth a daughter and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badlesmer bare Humfrey Bohun the Tenth and last of the Bohuns who was Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton Constable besides of England who left two Daughters Aeleonor the Wife of Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Mary wedded to Henry of Lancaster Earle of Darby who was created Duke of Hereford and afterwards Crowned King of England But after this Edward Stafford last Duke of Buckingham was stiled Earle of Hereford for that hee descended from Thomas
change of one letter termed it Moult-grave by which name although the reason thereof be not so well knowne the world takes knowledge of it This Peter de Mololacu commonly called Mauley that I may in this point satisfie the curious borne in Poictou in France marryed the onely daughter of Robert de Turnham in the Raigne of King Richard the First in whose right he entred upon a very great inheritance heere after whom succeeded in order seven Peters called Lords Mauley who give for their Armes A Bend Sables in an Eschocheon Or. But when the seventh dyed issuelesse this the Manours of Dancaster Bainton Bridesalle c. were parted by the sisters betweene the families of the Salvains and Bigots Neere unto this place as elsewhere in this shore is found blacke Amber or Geate Some take it to be Gagates which in old time they held to be one of the rare gems and precious stones It groweth among the cliffes and rockes where they chinke and gape asunder Before it be polished it is of a reddish and rusty colour but after it bee once polished it becommeth as saith Solinus as a Gemme of a bright radiant blacke colour Touching which Rhemnius Palamon out of Dionysius Afer thus versifieth Praefulget nigro splendore Gagates Hic lapis ardescens austro perfusâ—s aquarum Ast oleo perdens flammas mirabile visu Attritus rapit hic teneras seu succina frâ—ndes The Geat is blacke and shineth passing bright Which Stone in water dipt and drencht takes fire and burneth light In oile a wonder for to see the flame is quickly done And like to Amber rub it hard small stickes it catcheth soone And Marbodaeus in his little booke of precious stones Nascitur in Lycia lapis prope gemma Gagates Sed genus eximium foecunda Britannia mittit Lucidus niger est levis lavissimuâ— idem Vicinas paleas trabit attritu calefactus Ardet aqua lotus restinguitur unctus olivo Geat is a Stone and Gemme well nere that men in Lycia finde But fruitfull Britan yeelds the best simply of all that kinde Of colour blacke yet bright it is most smoothe and light withall Well rubbed and enchaul'd thereby thin strawes and fescues small That are neere hand it drawes thereto it burnes in water drencht Annoint the same with fatty oile the flame streigthwaies is quencht Heare also what Solinus saith In Britaine there is great store of Gagates or Geat and an excellent stone it is If you demand the colour it is a bright radiant blacke if the quality it is in manner nothing weighty If the nature it burneth in water and is quenched with oile if the vertue being made hote with rubbing it holdeth such things as are applied thereto From Whitby the shore gives backe Westward by which lyeth Cliveland taking that name as it seemeth of steepe bankes which in our language wee call Cliffes for there runne all along the side thereof cliffie hilles at the foote of which the country spreadeth into a Plaine full of fertile fields Upon the shore Sken grave a little Village is much benefited by taking great store of fish where also by report was caught a Sea-man about 70. yeeres since that for certaine daies together fed of raw fishes but espying his opportunity escaped away unto his proper element againe Whensoever the windes are laied and that upon still weather the sea is most calme and the water lieth as one would say levell and plaine without any noise there is heard heere many times on a sudden a great way off as it were an horrible and a fearefull groning at which time the fishermen dare not launch out farre into the deepe as beleeving according to their shallow reach that the Ocean is a fell and cruell beast and being then very hungry desireth greedily in that sort to devoure mens bodies Beneath Sken-grave is situate Kilton Castle within a Parke which belonged sometime to the habitation of the Thwengs whose patrimony descended to the Barons of Lumley Hilton and Daubeneie And there joyneth almost close unto it Skelton Castle appertaining to the ancient family of the Barons Brus who derive their descent from Robert Brus the Norman The said Robert had two sonnes Adam Lord of Skelton and Robert of Anan-dale in Scotland from whom is descended the royall stem of Scotland But Peter Brus the fifth Lord of Skelton died without issue and left his sisters to inherite namely Agnes wife to Walter Falconberg Lucie wedded to Marmaduke Thweng of whom is come the Baron Lumley Margaret married to Robert Ros and Laderina to John Belle-eau men in that age of honourable reputation The heires successively of Walter Falconberg flourished a long time but in the end by a female the possessions came to Sir William Nevill who was a redoubted Knight for martiall prowesse and by King Edward the Fourth advanced to the title of Earle of Kent And his daughters were bestowed in marriage upon Sir John Cogniers N. Bedhowing and R. Strangwaies Neere unto Hunt-cliffe and not farre from the shore there appeare aloft at a vale water certaine Rockes about which the fishes that wee call Seales short as some thinke for Sea-veales meete together in droves to sleepe and sunne themselves and upon that rocke which is next unto the shore there lieth one as it were to keepe the Centinell and as any man approcheth neere he either by throwing downe a big stone or by tumbling himselfe into the water with a great noise giveth a signall to the rest to looke unto themselves and get into the water Most affraid they bee of men against whom when they chase them they being destitute of water fling backeward with their hinder feete a cloud as it were of sand and gravell stones yea and often times drive them away For women they care not so much and therefore whosoever would take them use to bee clad in womens apparell In the same coast are found stones some of yellowish others of a reddish colour and some againe with a rough cast crust over them of a certaine salt matter which by their smell and taste make shew of Coperose Nitre and Brimstone and also great store of Marquesites in colour resembling brasse Hard by at Huntly Nabb the shore that lay for a great way in length open riseth now up with craggy rockes at the rootes wherof there lie scattering here and there stones of divers bignesse so artificially by nature shaped round in maner of a Globe that one would take them to be big bullets made by the turners hand for shot to bee discharged out of great ordinance In which if you breake them are found stony serpents enwrapped round like a wreath but most of them are headles Then see you from thence Wilton Castle sometime the Bulmers and above it at Dobham the river Tees voideth into the Sea after it hath lodged sundry rivers and at the last one that is namelesse beside Yare
whiles in hostile manner made inrodes into his lands untill the moderate carriage of the good and worthy man and processe of time pacified these quarrels Here along the sea shore you may see in many places heaps of sand whereupon they powre water untill it gather a saltish humour which afterwards with turfes they boile untill it be white salt There be also here uncertaine sands not to bee trusted but ready to catch and swallow they call them Quick-sands so dangerous for travellers whiles at a low water when tide is past they seeke to goe the nearest way that they had need to take very good heed lest in going a foot I use Sidonius his words they suffer not shipwracke and be cast away on the land But especially about the mouth of Cocar where as it were in a field of Syrts or Quick-sands Cokar sand Abbey an Abbey not long since of the Cluniack Monkes built by Ranulph de Meschines but open to the violence of windes stood betweene the mouths of Cocar and Lune or Lone and hath a bleake prospect into the wide Irish sea This river Lone commonly called Lune springing out of the mountaines of Westmorland running Southward in a chanell now broad now narrow with many a reach in and out hindring his streame enricheth the dwellers thereby in Summer time with great store of Salmons which because they delight in cleere water and especially in shallow places that are sandy come up thicke together into this and other rivers of this coast As soone as Lune is entred into Lancashire Lace a little brooke from out of the East joyneth his streame with it In which place now standeth Over-Burrow a very small village of husbandmen which as the inhabitants enformed mee had beene sometimes a great City and tooke up all those large fields betweene Lacce and Lone and after it had suffered all miseries that follow famine was driven to composition through extremity This tradition they received from their ancestours delivered as it were from hand to hand unto them And in very truth by divers and sundry monuments exceeding ancient by engraven stones pavements of square checker worke peeces of Romane coine and by this new name Burrow which with us signifieth a Burgh that place should seeme to bee of great antiquity But if it recover the ancient name it may thanke other and not mee although I have sought as narrowly and diligently for it as for Ants pathes neither is any man to thinke that the severall names of every towne in Britaine are precisely noted and set done in Ptolomee Antonine The Notice of Provinces and other approved and principall Authors But if a man may goe by ghesse I would willingly thinke that it was BREMETONACUM which Ierome Surita a Spaniard in his notes upon Antonine or Rible-chester deemeth truely to be a different place from BREMENTURACUM and that by the distance from COCCIUM or Rible-chester From this Burrow the river Lune runneth beside Thurland Tunstalls a fortresse built by Sir Thomas Tunstall in the time of King Henry the fourth when the King had given him Licence to fortifie and kernell his mansion house that is to embatle it also by Hornby a faire castle which glorieth much of the first founder N. de Mont Begon and of the Lords thereof The Harringtons and Stanleys Barons Stanleyes of Mont-Eagle descended from Thomas Stanley the first Earle of Derby of that house and advanced to that title by King Henry the eighth of whom the third and the last named William left behind him his onely daughter and heire Elizabeth wife to Edward Parker Baron Morley mother to Sir William Parker whom in that regard King James commanded to be summoned to Parliament by the title of Lord Mont-Eagle and whom wee and all our posterity may acknowledge to have beene borne for the good of all Britain For by a short letter obscurely penned and secretly sent unto him and by him dutifully discovered in a happy houre was detected at the very last houre in a maner when the whole State was at the point to perish by the most horrible and detestable treason that ever any barbarous impiety could contrive what time certaine godlesse and irreligious monsters of men masking under the mantle of religion having bestowed a great quantity of gun-powder under the Parliament house stood ready with match in hand to give fire thereto for to blow up both Prince and Countrey with one blast in a moment Lone having passed on some few miles from hence commeth within the sight of Lancaster standing on his South banke the chiefe towne of this region which the inhabitants more truly call Loncaster as the Scots also who name it Loncastell of the River Lone Both the name still remaining and the river running under it doe argue in some sort that it is LONGOVICUM where under the Lievtenant Generall of Britaine as wee finde in the Notice of Provinces a company of the Longovicarians who of the place borrowed that name kept their station Although the towne at this day is not very well peopled nor much frequented and all the inhabitants thereof are given to husbandry for the territory all round about is well manured lying open fresh and faire and not voide of woods yet for proofe of Romane antiquity they finde otherwhiles peeces of the Emperours coine especially where the Friery stood for there they say was the plot upon which the ancient City was planted which the Scots after they had with a sudden out-road wasted all in their way in the yeere of our Redemption 1322. set on fire and burnt Since which time they have begunne to build nearer unto a greene hill by the river side on which standeth the castle great I cannot say nor of any antiquity but faire and strong And hard by it standeth upon the height of the hill the onely Church they have where the Monkes aliens had in times past a cell founded by Roger of Poictiers A little beneath which by a faire bridge over Lone in the descent and side of the hill where it is steepest hangeth a peece of a most ancient wall of Romane work seeming ready to reele Wery wall they call it after a later British name as it should seeme of this towne For they called it Caer Werid as one would say The Greene City happely of that fresh greene hill But I leave this to others John Lord of Moriton and of Lancaster afterwards King of England confirmed by Charter to his Burgesses of Lancaster all the liberties which he had granted unto the Burgesses of Bristoll And King Edward the third in the sixe and thirtieth yeere of his reign granted unto the Mayor and Bailives and Commonalty of the towne of Lancaster that Plees and Sessions should not elsewhere bee holden This towne seeth the Pole Arcticke that I may note so much elevated foure and fifty degrees and five minutes and standeth removed from the utmost line of
the West twenty degrees and forty eight minutes in Longitude Whiles I looked round about from the top of the said castle hill to see the mouth of Lone that issueth it selfe into the sea a little lower Fornesse the other part of this shire appeared in sight which the sea hath after a sort violently rent apart from the rest For when as the shore did from hence shoote out a maine way into the West the Ocean as it were much displeased and angry hereat obstinately ceased not to flash and mangle it nay which is more hath with his fell flowing at boisterous tides devoured the shore and thereby maketh three wide creâ—kes or bayes namely Kent-sand at which the river Ken powreth it selfe forth Leven-sand and Dudden-sand betweene which two the land beareth out so much that thereupon it tooke the name For with us in our language For-nesse Foreland is all one with the Latine Promontorium anterius that is a Fore-promontory All this part unlesse it be hard by the sea side mounteth up aloft with high topped hils and huge fels standing thicke together which they tearme Forness-fells Among which the Britans lived safe a great while trusting upon these strong naturall fenses although the victorious English Saxons made way through all in the end For in the yeere 228. after there comming in I gather that the Britans had their abode here because Egfride King of Northumberland gave unto Holy Saint Cuthbert the land called Carthmell and all the Britans in it thus we finde written in his life and it is very well knowne that Carthmell is a part of this shire by Kentsand and a little towne in it retaineth yet the same name Wherein William Mareschall the elder Earle of Pembroch built a Priory and endowed it with living If you read in Ptolomee SETANTIORUM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Mere as some Copies have and not Setantiorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Haven I durst boldly avouch that these Britans here were called SETANTII For among these mountaines the greatest standing water in all England now called Winander-mere in the English Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haply of his winding and turning in and out lieth stretched out for the space of ten miles or thereabout with crooked bankes and is all paved as it were with stone in the bottome in some places of wonderfull depth and breeding a peculiar kinde of fish found no where else which the inhabitants there by call A Chare And a little village standing hard by carrieth the name thereof In which Eathred King of Northumberland in the yeer of Christ 792. when he had by force fetched King Elfwolds sonnes out of Yorke flue them that by his owne wickednesse and their blood hee might secure the Kingdome to himselfe and his Betwixt this Mere and the river Dudden the promontory runneth out which wee commonly call Fornesse and hath the Iland Walney as a fore-fence or countremure lying along by it with a small arme of the sea betweene The gullet or entry into which is defended with a fort called the Pile of Fouldrey standing in the midst of the waves upon a rocke erected there by the Abbot of Fornesse in the first yeere of King Edward the third As for the Promontory it selfe there is nothing worth the sight in it unlesse it be the ruines of a monastery of Cistertian Monkes called Fornesse Abbey which Stephen Earle of Bullen afterwards King of England in the yeere of our redemption 1127. built in a place called sometimes Bekensgill or translated rather from Tulket in Andernesse Out of the Monkes whereof and from no place else as they themselves have reported the Bishops of the Isle of Man that lieth just over against were by an ancient custome wont to bee elected as having beene the mother as it were of many Monasteries in the said Man and in Ireland More Eastward standeth Aldingham an ancient hereditament belonging to the family of the Haveringtons or Harringtons unto whom it came from the Flemmings by the Cancefelds and whose inheritance descended by a daughter unto William Bonvill of Somersetshire and at last by him unto the Greies Marquesses of Dorset And somwhat higher is Ulverston in this regard not to bee passed over in silence for that King Edward the third gave a moity thereof unto Sir John Coupland a most brave warriour whom also he advanced to the dignity of a Banaret because in the battaile at Durham he took David the second King of the Scots prisoner But after his decease the same King granted it with other faire lands in this tract and the title also of Earle of Bedford unto Ingelram Lord Coucy of France as who had married his daughter Isabel and whose ancestours in right of Christiana Lindsey had great revenewes in England Touching the noble men which have borne the title of Lancaster there were in the first infancy of the Norman Empire three stiled Lords of the Honour of Lancaster namely Roger of Poictou the sonne of Roger Mont-gomery who was surnamed Pictavensis as William of Malmesbury writeth because hee had married a wife from out of Poictou in France But when he had by his perfidious disloyalty lost this honour William the sonne of King Stephen and Earle of Moriton and Warren had the same given unto him by his Father After whose death King Richard the first bestowed it upon his brother John who was afterward King of England For thus we read in an old History King Richard declared his singular love to his brother Iohn For beside Ireland and the Earledome of Moriton in Normandy he heaped upon him so many dignities in England that he was in maner a Tetrarch there Finally he conferred upon him Cornwall Lancaster Notingham Derby with the country adjoining and many more beside A good while after King Henry the third the sonne of John first advanced Edmund his second sonne called by some Crouth-backe to the title of Earle of Lancaster unto whom hee conveyed and made over the inheritances and honours of Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester Robert Ferrars Earle of Derby and John of Monmouth because they had risen and rebelliously born armes against him and he gave this Honor of Lancaster unto him in these words The Honour County Castle and Town of Lancaster with the Cow-pastures forrests of Wiresdale Lownsdale New castle under Lime the manour forrest and Castle of Pickering the manor of Scaleby the towne of Gomicester and the rents of the towne of Huntendon c. After hee the said Edmund had missed the kingdome of Sicily in which the Pope had invested him in vaine by a ring and not without ridiculous disgrace to the English nation caused in honour of him certaine peeces of gold to bee stamped with this title AIMUNDUS REX SICILIAE having first cunningly suckt a great masse of money from the credulous King in this regard This Edmund
the country lyeth the Barony of Gillesland a little region so encombred by reason of sudden rising brookes which they call Gilles that I would have deemed it tooke the name of them had I not read in a booke belonging to the Abbey of Lanercost that one Gill Fitz-Bueth who is called also Gilbert in a Charter of King Henry the second held it as Lord in old time of whom it is probable this name was rather given to it Through this Gillesland the wall of Severus that most famous monument of all Britaine runneth streight as it were by a line from Carlile Eastward by Stanwicks a little village by Scalby castle belonging in times past to the Tilliols sometimes a name in this tract of good worship and reputation from whom it came to the Pickerings then Cambec a small brooke runneth under the wall Neere unto which the Barons of Dacre built Askerton castle a little pile where the Governour of Gillesland whom they call Land-Sergeant had a ward Beneath the wall it conjoyneth it selfe with the river Irthing where standeth Irthington a chiefe Manour as they tearme it of this Barony of Gillesland And great ruins are here to be seen at Castle-steed Neere unto it is Brampton a little mercate towne which we suppose to bee BREMETURACUM at the very line and range of the wall for it is scarce a mile from the said wall where in times past lay the first Band of the Tungri out of Germanie in the declining state of the Romane Empire and a company of Armaturae under the generall of Britaine These were horsemen armed at all peeces But whether these Armatures were Duplar or Simplar it is doubtfull Duplar or Duple Armaturae they were called in those daies who had double allowances of corne Simplar that had but single Neither verily must I overpasse in silence that hard by Brampton there mounteth up an high hill fortified in the verie top with a trench they call it the Mote from which there is a faire prospect every way into the country Beneath this and by Castle-steeds like as at Trederman joining unto it were found these inscriptions exemplified for me by the hand of the right honourable Lord William Howard of Naworth third sonne unto Thomas late Duke of Norfolke a singular lover of venerable antiquitie and learned withall who in these parts in right of his wife a sister and one of the heires of the last Lord Dacre enjoieth faire possessions This stone also was found there in an old Hot-house wherein by ill fortune the name of the Emperours Lievtenant and Propretour of Britaine is worne out Neere to Brampton Gelt a riveret runneth downe by the banke whereof in a crag called Helbecke are read these antiquities wherein the words hang not well together erected as it seemeth by a Lievtenant of the second Legion Augusta under Agricola the Propraetour and others beside which the injurie of time hath envied us In the same rocke these words also are read written in a more moderne and newer letter OFFICIUM ROMANORUM This Gelt emptieth himselfe into the river Irthing which with a swift and angry streame holdeth his course by Naworth Castle belonging unto the Lord William Howard aforesaid who now repaireth it but lately to the Barons of Dacre of whom when the last died in his tender yeeres Leonard Dacre his Unkle who chose rather to try the title of inheritance with his Prince by force of armes than with his Nieces by wager of law seized into his hands this Castle and levied a band of rebels against his Prince whom the Lord of Hunsdon with the garrison souldiers of Berwick soone discomfited and put to flight in which conflict many were slaine but more ranne away amongst whom Leonard himselfe escaped But of him more in my Annales Neerer unto the wall beyond the river Irthing was lately found this faire votive altar erected to the Goddesse Nymphe of the Brigantes for the health of the Empresse Plautilla wife to M. Aurelius Antoninus Severus and the whole Imperiall family by M. Cocceius Nigrinus a Treasurer to the Emperour when Laetus was second time Consull with intricate connexion of letters which I read thus DEAE NYMPHAE BRIGantum QUOD VOVERAT PRO SALUTE PLAUTILIAE COnjugis INVICTAE DO Mini NOSTRI INVICTI IMP. M. AURE Lii SEVERI ANTONINI PII. FE Licis C AE Saris AU Gusti TOTIUSQUEDO MUS DIVINAE EJUS M. COCCEIUS NIGRINUS Questor AU Gusti Numini DEVOTUS LIBENS SUSCEPTUM Solvit LAETO II. Here by was the Priory of Lanercost founded by R. de Vaulx Lord of Gillesland and hard by the wall Burd Oswald Beneath which where that Picts wall passed over the river Irthing by an arched bridge was the station of the first band Aelia Dacica or of the Dacians the place is now named Willoford which the booke of Notice of Provinces and many altars bearing inscriptions to Iupiter Optimus Maximus reared by that Cohort here doe plentifully prove Of which I thought good to adde these unto the rest although time hath almost worne them out I. O. M. OH I. AEL DA C. C. A. GETA IRELSAVRNES I. O. M. CoH. I. AEL DAC C. P. STATU LoN GINUS TRIB PRO SALUTE D. N MAXjMIANO FOR CAE VA OAED LEG VI VIC P.F F. I. O. M. COHIAEL DAC TETRICIANORO C. P. LUTIC V S. DESIG NATUS TRIB I.O.M. COH I. AEL DAC GORD ANA. C. P EST I. O. M. H. I. AEL DAC C. PRAEE SI FLIUS FA S TRIB PETUO COS. The first Lord of Gillesland that hitherto I have read of was William Meschines the brother of Ralph Lord of Cumberland I meane not that William brother to Ranulph Earle of Chester from whom came Ranulph de Ruelent but the brother of Ralph yet could hee never wrest it wholly out of the Scots hands for Gill the sonne of Bueth held the greatest part of it by force and armes After his death King Henry the second gave it to Hubert de Vaulx or de Vallibus whose shield of Armes was Chequy Or Gueles His sonne Robert founded and endowed the Priory of Lanercost But the inheritance after a few yeeres was by marriage translated to the Moltons and from them by a daughter to Ranulph Lord Dacre whose line hath flourished unto our daies in very great honour Having now in some sort surveied the maritime coasts and more inward parts of Cumberland the side that lieth more Easterly being leane hungry and a wast remaineth to bee viewed and yet it sheweth nothing but the spring-head of South-Tine in a moorish place and an ancient Romane high-way eight ells broad paved with great stone commonly called Mayden Way which leadeth out of Westmorland and where the riveret Alon and the aforesaid South Tine meet together in one channell by the side of an hill of gentle descent there remaine yet the footings of a very great and ancient towne which was toward the North enclosed within a fourefold rampier
to Henrie Earle of Lancaster who being descended of ancient bloud and renowned for his martiall prowesse was rewarded also by King Edward the third with faire possessions in Scotland created Earle of North-humberland by King Richard the second on the day of his Coronation and much enriched by his second wife Dame Maud Lucie although by her hee had no issue upon a fine levied unto her that hee should beare quarterly the Armes of the Lucies with his owne and lived in great honour confidence and favour with King Richard the second Yet full badly hee requited him againe for all his singular good demerits For in his adversitie hee forsooke him and made way for Henrie the fourth to the kingdome who made him Constable of England and bestowed upon him the Isle of Man against whom within a while hee feeling the corrosive and secret pricke of conscience for that King Richard by his meanes was unjustly deposed and besides taking at the heart indignantly that Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the true and undoubted heire of the Kingdome and his neere ally was neglected in prison hee conceived inward enmity grievously complaining and charging him with perjury that whereas hee had solemnly sworne to him and others that hee would not challenge the Crowne but onely his owne inheritance and that King Richard should be governed during his life by the good advice of the Peeres of the realme he to the contrary had by imprisonment and terror of death enforced him to resigne his Crown and usurped the same by the concurrence of his faction horribly murthering the said K. and defrauding Edmund Mortimer Earle of March of his lawfull right to the Crown whom he had suffered to languish long in prison under Owen Glendour reputing those traitours who with their owne money had procured his enlargement After the publication of these complaints he confident in the promises of his confederates who yet failed him sent his brother Thomas Earle of Worcester and his courageous sonne Henry surnamed Hot-Spurre with a power of men against the King who both lost their lives at the battaile of Shrewesbury Whereupon he was proclaimed traitour and attainted but shortly after by a kind of connivency received againe into the Kings favour unto whom he was a terrour yea and restored to all his lands and goods save onely the Isle of Man which the King resumed into his owne hands Howbeit within a while after being now become popular and over forward to entertaine new designes and having procured the Scots to bandy and joyne with him in armes himselfe in person entred with banner displayed into the field against the King as an Usurper and on a sudden at Barrhammore in a tumultuary skirmish in the yeere 1408. was discomfited and slaine by Thomas Rokesby the high Sheriffe of Yorke-shire Eleven yeeres after Henry this mans nephew by his sonne Henry Hot-Spur whose mother was Elizabeth daughter to Edmund Mortimer the elder Earle of March by Philippa the daughter of Leonel Duke of Clarence was restored in bloud and inheritance by authority of Parliament in the time of King Henry the fifth which Henry Percie whiles he stoutly maintained King Henry the sixth his part against the house of Yorke was slaine at the battell of Saint Albans like as his sonne Henry the third Earle of Northumberland who married Aelenor the daughter of Richard Lord Poinings Brian and Fitz-Pain in the same quarrell lost his life in the battaile at Towton in the yeere 1461. The house of Lancaster being now kept under and downe the wind and the Percies with it troden under foot King Edward the fourth made Iohn Nevill Lord Montacute Earle of Northumberland but he after a while surrendred this title into the Kings hands and was created by him Marquesse Montacute After this Henry Percy the sonne of Henry Percy aforesaid recovering the favour of King Edward the fourth obtained restitution in bloud and hereditaments who in the reigne of Henry the seventh was slaine by the countrey people that about a certaine levie of money exacted by an Act of Parliament rose up against the Collectours and Assessours thereof After him succeeded Henry Percy the fifth Earle whose sonne Henry by a daughter and Coheire of Sir Robert Spenser and Eleanor the daughter likewise and Coheire of Edmund Beaufort Duke of Somerset was the sixth Earle who having no children and his brother Thomas being executed for taking armes against King Henry the eighth in the first difference about Religion as if now that family had beene at a finall end for ever prodigally gave away a great part of that most goodly inheritance unto the King and others Some few yeeres after Sir Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwick got to himselfe the title of Duke of Northumberland by the name of Iohn Earl of Warwick Marshal of England Vicount Lisle Baron Somery Basset and Ties Lord of Dudley Great Master and Steward of the Kings house when as in the tender age of King Edward the sixth the Chieftaines and leaders of the factions shared titles of honour among themselves their fautors and followers This was that Duke of Northumberland who for the time like unto a tempestuous whirlewind began to shake and teare the publicke peace of the state whiles he with vast ambition plotted and practised to exclude Mary and Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the eighth from their lawfull right of succession and to set the Emperiall Crowne upon Lady Jane Grey his daughter in law being seconded therein by the great Lawyers who are alwaies forward enough to humour and sooth up those that bee in highest place For which being attainted of high treason he lost his head and at his execution embraced and publikely professed Popery which long before either seriously or colorably for his own advantage he had renounced When he was gone Queene Mary restored Thomas Percy nephew unto Henry the sixth Earle by his brother Thomas unto his bloud and by a new Patent created him first Baron Percy and anon Earle of Northumberland to himselfe and the heires males of his body and for default thereof to his brother Henry and his heires males But this Thomas the seventh Earle for his treason to Prince and country under maske of restoring the Romish religion againe lost both life and dignity in the yeere 1572. Yet through the singular favour and bounty of Queen Elizabeth according to that Patent of Queene Mary his brother Henry succeeded after him as the eighth Earle who in the yeere 1585. ended his dayes in prison and had for his successor Henry his sonne by Katherin the eldest daughter and one of the heires of John Nevill Lord Latimer the ninth Earle of Northumberland of this family Parishes in Northumberland about 46. SCOTLAND SCOTIA Regnum SCOTLAND NOw am I come to SCOTLAND and willingly I assure you will I enter into it but withall lightly passe over it For I remember well that said saw In places not well knowne lesse while wee must stay
time and from out of them three hundred yeeres agoe and thirtie Robert Stewart by Marjorie his mother daughter to King Robert Brus obtained the Kingdome of Scotland and now lately James Stewart of that name the sixth King of Scots by Margaret his great grandmother daughter to King Henrie the seventh the divine power of that most high and almightie Ruler of the world so disposing is ascended with the generall applause of all nations to the height of Monarchicall majestie over all Britaine and the Isles adjacent ROSSIA THe Province ROSSE so called by an old Scottish word which some interpret to be a Promontorie others a Biland was inhabited by the people named CANTAE which terme in effect implieth as much in the time of Ptolomee This extendeth it selfe so wide and large that it reacheth from the one sea to the other What way it beareth upon the Vergivian or Western Ocean by reason of huge swelling mountaines advancing their heads aloft and many woods among them it is full of stagges roe buckes fallow Deere and wilde foule but where it butteth upon the German sea it is more lovely bedect with corne fields and pastures and withall much more civill In the very first entrance into it Ardmanoch no small territorie whereof the second sonnes of the Kings of Scotland beare the title riseth up with high mountaines that are most trustie preservers of snow As touching their height some have reported unto me strange wonders and yet the ancient Geometers have written that neither the depth of sea nor height of hills exceed by the plumbe line ten stadia that is one mile and a quarter Which notwithstanding they that have beheld Tenariffe amongst the Canarie Ilands which is fifteene leagues high and sailed withall the Ocean neere unto them will in no wise admit for truth In this part standeth Lovet Castle and the Baronie of the worthy family of the Frasers whom for their singular good service for the Scottish kingdome King James the second accepted into the ranke of Barons and whom the Clan-Ranalds a most bloodie generation in a quarrell and braule between them had wholly destroied every mothers sonne but that by the providence of God fourescore of the principall persons of this family left their wives at home all great with child who being delivered of so many sonnes renewed the house and multiplied the name againe But at Nesse mouth there flourished sometimes Chanonrie so called of a rich Colledge of Chanons whiles the Ecclesiasticall state stood in prosperitie in which there is erected a See for the Bishop of Rosse Hard by is placed Cromartie where Urqhuart a Gentleman of noble birth by hereditarie right from his ancestours ministreth justice as Sheriffe to this Sheriffdome and this is so commodious and safe an harbour for any fleet be it never so great that both Sailers and Geographers name it PORTUS-SALUTIS that is The Haven of safetie Above it is LITTUS ALTUM whereof Ptolomee maketh mention called now as it seemeth Tarbarth for there indeed the shore riseth to a great height enclosed on the one side with Cromer a most secure and safe haven and on the other with CELNIUS now Killian the river and thus much of the places toward the East Ocean Into the west sea the river LONGUS mentioned in Ptolomee at this day named Lough Longus runneth then the CERONES anciently dwelt where now is Assinshire a countrey much mangled with many inlets and armes of the sea in bosoming it selfe with manifold commodities As for the Earls of Rosse it is full of difficulty to set them down in order successively out of writers About foure hundred yeers past we read that Ferqhuard flourished enjoied this title But for default of issue male it came by a daughter to Walter Lesley who for his noble feats of armes courageously atchieved under Lewis the Emperour was worthily named The Noble Knight he begat Alexander Earle of Rosse and a daughter married unto Donald Lord of the Islands Hebrides This Alexander had issue one onely daughter who made over by her deed all her owne title and right unto Robert Duke of Albany whereat the said Donald of the Islands being highly enchafed and repining stiled himselfe in the reigne of James the third King of the Islands and Earle of Rosse having with fire and sword laied waste his native country far neere At length the said K. James the third by authoritie of Parliament in the yeere 1476. annexed the Earldome of Rosse to the crowne so as it might not be lawfull for his successours to alienate by any meanes from the crowne either the Earldome it selfe or any parcell thereof or by any device to grant the same unto any person save onely to the Kings second sonnes lawfully borne whence it is that Charles the Kings second sonne Duke of York at this day holdeth an enjoieth the title of Earle of Rosse SUTHERLAND BEyond Rosse Sutherland looketh toward the East Ocean a land more meet to breed cattell than to beare corne wherein there be hills of white marble a wonderfull thing in this so cold a climate but of no use almost considering excesse in building and that vain ostentation of riches is not yet reached to these remote regions Here is Dunrobin a castle of very great name the principall seat of the ancient Earles of Sutherland descended if I be not deceived out of the family of Murray Among whom one William under King Robert Brus is most famous who married the sister of the whole blood to K. David and had by her a son whom the said David declared heire apparant of the crown and compelled his Nobles to sweare unto him alleageance but he within a little after departed without issue and the Earldome in the end came by a daughter and heire hereditarily unto A. Gordon one of the line of the Earles of Huntly CATHANES HIgher lieth CATHANES butting full upon the said East sea bending inward with a number of creakes and compasses which the waves as it were indent In which dwelt in Ptolomees time the CATINI but written falsly in some copies CARINI among whom the selfe same Ptolomee placeth the river Ila which may seem to be the Wifle at this day The inhabitants of this province raised their greatest gaine and revenues by grazing and raising of cattell and by fishing The chiefe castle therein is called Girnego in which the Earls of Catnesse for the most part make their abode The Bishops sea is in Dornock a little meane town otherwise where also King James the fourth appointed the Sheriffe of Catnesse to reside or else at Wik as occasions should require for the administration of justice The Earles of Catnesse in ancient times were also Earles of the Orcades but at last they became distinct and by the eldest daughter of one Malise given in marriage to William Seincler the Kings Pantler his heires successively came to be Earls of Catnesse
thither MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuit by the fall of a towre at Alone was crushed and whindred to death This Richard was founder of the Monasterie de Grenard MCCXII The Abbey of Grenard was founded In the same yeere died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was buried within the quire of the Church of the Holy Trinitie who was founder of Saint Patricks Church of Dublin after whom succeeded Henrie Londres who is called Scorch Villeyn by occasion of a certaine act of his for that one day he called his tenants before him to answer by what teâ—nure they held of him And those tenants shewed their deeds and charters but he commanded the charters or deeds of these husbandmen his tenants to be burned and then the Freeholders evermore called him Henrie Scorch-Villein which Henrie Archbishop of Dublin was Justice of Ireland and built Dublin castle MCCXIII William Petit and Petre Messet departed this life This Petre Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trym but because he died without heire male the inheritance passed unto three daughters the eldest of whom the Lord Vernail married the second Talbot wedded and the other Lounders espoused and so they parted the inheritance betweene themselves MCCXIX The Citie of Damieta in the Nones of September was about the still time of midnight miraculously wonne so that in the forcing and taking thereof there was not one Christian lost his life In the same yeere died William Mareshal the elder Earle Mareshall and of Pembroch who begat on the daughter of Richard Strongbow Earle of Stroghul five sonnes the name of the first sonne was William the named of the second Walter the name of the third Gilbert the name of the fourth Anselme the name of the fifth Richard who was slaine in the warre of Kildare and everie one of these five sonnes was Earle after their father by succession in their fathers inheritance and none of these had issue wherefore the inheritance went away unto the sisters namely the daughters of their father the first was named Maud Mareschal the second Isabel Clare the third Eva Breos the fourth Johan Mount Chensey the fifth Sibill Countesse Ferrers Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolk espoused Maud Mareschal he in the right of his wife was Earle Mareschal of England which Hugh begat Raufe Bigod father of John Bigod who was the sonne of the Ladie Bertha Furnival also Isabell Lacie wife to Lord John Fitz-Gefferey and when Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke was dead she bare John de Gâ—aren Earle of Surrey and his sister Isabell Albeney Countesse of Arundell Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester espoused Isabel the second sister who between them had issue Richard de Clare Earle of Glocester and she was mother to the Ladie Anise Countesse of Denshire who was mother to Isabel wife of the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke in Scotland and was afterwards King of the same Scotland Of Eva Brus the third sister was begotten Maud who was the mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer and mother to the Ladie Eve Cauntelow mother of the Ladie Milsond Mohun who was mother of Dame Eleanor mother to the Earle of Hereford The Lord Guarin Mont Chensey espoused Johan Mareschall the fourth sister of whom came Johan Valens Sibyll the Countesse of Ferrers to wit the fourth had issue five daughters the first Agnes Vescie mother to the Lord John and the Lord William Vescie the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Mohun wife to the Lord John Mohun son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyll Mohun wife to Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus who was wife unto the Earle of Winchester the sixth Agatha Mortimer wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer the seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Carbry All these abovesaid as well males as females are of the genealogie of the said William Earle Mareschal MCCXX. The translation of St. Thomas of Canterburie In the same yeere died the Lord Meiler Fitz Henrie founder of the house of Connall who is buried in the Chapter house of the same house MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieged and the Castle of Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Roger Pippard died And Anno MCCXXVIII died William Pippard sometime Lord of the Salmons-leap There departed likewise Henrie Londres alias Scorch villeyn Archbishop of Dublin and is interred in the Church of the Holy Trinitie at Dublin MCCXXX Henrie King of England gave unto Hubert Burk the Justiceship of Ireland and a third pennie of rent and made him Earle of Kent And afterward the same Hubert was imprisoned and great trouble arose between the King and his subjects because he adhered to strangers more than to his owne naturall people MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke died who is buried within the Quire of the Friers Preachers in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke or Stroghull on the first day before the Ides of April was wounded in battell upon the plaine of Kildare and some few dayes after died in Kilkenny and there hard by his naturall whole brother to wit William lieth buried within the Quire of Friers Preachers of whom it is thus written Cujus sub fossa Kilkenia continet ossa Whose bones bestow'd in grave so deep Kilkenny towne doth safely keepe MCCXI. Walter Lacie Lord of Meth departed this life in England leaving behind him two daughters his heires whereof Sir Theobald Verdon married the first and Geffery Genevile espoused the second MCCXLII The Castle of Slegah was built by Morice Fitz-Gerald Justice of Ireland King Edward the first marched into Wales with a great army and sent to the said Justice that he would come to him with some forces out of Ireland who accordingly came with the flower of the English in Ireland and Phelin O-Conor who was then King of Conacht in his company and shortly returned with victorie honour Afterward the said Justice preied the countrey Tirconnell and gave a moitie thereof to Cormac Mac-Dermot Mac-Rory and carried with him pledges for the other moitie and left them in the castle of Sleagh Another expedition was made by the said Justice and the English first he came to Sleigagh thence to Hohosserovie Mac Morin the Tuesday after the feast of Peter and Paul and Cormac-Mac-Dermot Mac-Rorie accompanied them At that time O Donnel assembled all Kineoill Conail against them at the ford of Ath-Shany so that hee permitted neither English nor Irish to passe over the ford whereupon the English resolved to send Cormac Mac-Rory O-Conor with a company of horse into the champion Westward and they returned by an higher plaine over the moores Eastward to the ford of Quilvain upon the water Earne so that O-Donnel knew nothing of those companies of horse untill he saw them on that side of the river that he himselfe encamped and when he saw the English at his backe hee encountred them but his army was put to rout Moyls Haghlin O-Donnel commonly called King of Kineoil Conail was slain
with Gylly Cavinelagh Obugill and Mac-Derley King of Oresgael with the principall men of Kineoil Conail And many of the army of the said Justice were drowned as they passed over the water of Fin Northward and among them in the rescuing of a prey there were slaine Atarmanudaboge Sir W. Brit Sherif of Conacth and the young knight his brother And afterward the said army spoiled the country and left the Seigniorie of Kineoil Conail to Rory O-Coner for that time There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tirconnell and great spoiles made and O-Canamayu was expelled out of Kenoilgain he left the territory of Kenail Conail with Gorry Mac-Donald O-Donnel There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tireogaine against O-Neale but he gave pledges for the preservation of his countrey There was another expedition by the said Justice in Leinster against the Irishry whom he pitifully outraged and spoiled their land In another expedition also the said Justice destroied Kenoilgain and all Ulster in despite of O-Neale tarrying three nights at Tullaghoge MCCXLIII Hugh Lacy Earle of Ulster died and is buried at Crag-fergous in the covent of the Friers Minours leaving a daughter his heire whom Walter Burk who was Earle of Ulster espoused In the same yeere died Lord Girald Fitz-Moris and Richard Burk MCCXLVI An earthquake over all the West about 9. of the clocke MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Gefferey knight came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long Espee with many other are taken prisoners by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a sonne of Beliol was slaine in Leys as he well deserved MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacie was borne Likewise upon Christmas day Alexander King of Scotland a childe eleven yeeres old espoused at Yorke Margaret the King of Englands daughter MCCLV Alan de la Zouch is made Lord Justice and commeth into Ireland MCCLVII The Lord Moris or Maurice Fitz-Gerald deceaseth MCCLIX Stephen Long Espee commeth Lord Justice of Ireland The Greene castle in Ulster is throwne downe Likewise William Dene is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his son are slaine in Desmund by Mac-Karthy likewise William Dene Lord Justice of Ireland dejected after whom succeeded in the same yeere Sir Richard Capell MCCLXII Richard Clare Earle of Glocester died Item Martin Maundevile left this life the morrow after Saint Bennets day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz Gerald and Maurice Fitz Maurice took prisoners Rich. Capell the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David Barrie is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz Maurice is drowned Item Lord Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXIX The castle of Roscomon is founded Richard of Excester is made Lord Justice MCCLXX The Lord James Audeley came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the Kings sonne of Almain is slaine in the Court of Rome The same yeere reigned the plague famine and the sword and most in Meth. Item Nicholas de Verdon and his brother John are slain Walter Burk or de Burgo Earle of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audeley Justice of Ireland was killed with a fall from his horse in Twomond after whom succeeded Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice in the office of chiefe Justice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffrey Genevile returned out of the holy land and is made Justice of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the sonne of King Henrie by the hands of Robert Kelwarby a Frier of the order of Preaching Friers and Archbishop of Canterburie upon S. Magnus the Martyrs day in the Church of Westminster was anointed K. of England and crowned in the presence of the Lords and Nobles of all England whose protestation and oath was in this forme I Edward son and heire to King Henrie professe protest and promise before God and his Angels from this time forward to keep without respect the law justice and peace unto the holy Church of God and the people subject unto me so far forth as we can devise by the counsell of our liege and loiall ministers also to exhibite condigne and canonicall honour unto the Bishops of Gods Church to preserve inviolably whatsoever hath bin bestowed by Emperors and Kings upon the Church committed unto them and to yeeld due honour unto Abbats the Lords vessels according to the advise of our lieges c. So help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. In the same yeer died the Lord Iohn Verdon likewise the Lord Thomas Clare came into Ireland Item William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitalers with many others are taken prisoners at Glyndelory and more there slaine MCCLXXV The castle of Roscoman is erected againe In the same yeere Moydagh was taken prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland the second time Geffrey Genevile gave place and departed MCCLXXVII O-Brene is slaine MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died Likewise the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert Ufford entred into England and appointed in his roome Frier Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford in whose time the money was changed likewise the Round table was holden at Kenilworth by the Lord Roger Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert Ufford returned out of England Lord Justice as before Also the wife of Robert Ufford deceased MCCLXXXI Adam Cusack the younger slew William Barret and many others in Connaght Item Frier Stephen Fulborne is made Justice of Ireland Item the Lord Robert Ufford returned into England MCCLXXXII Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his brother are slaine at Arclowe on the Even of Saint Marie Maudlen Likewise the Lord Roger Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The citie of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfray of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin the third day before the Nones of Januarie MCCLXXXIIII The castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the Potentates or Lords of Offaly the morrow after Saint Barnabe the Apostle his day Alphonsus the Kings sonne twelve yeeres old changed his life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald Botiller died the sixth day before the Kalends of October in the castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the covent of the Friers preachers Item Girald Fitz-Maurice was taken prisoner by his own Irish in Offalie and Richard Petit and Saint Doget with many other and a great overthrow was given at Rathode with much slaughter MCCLXXXVI Norragh and Arstoll with other townes were one after another continually burnt by Philip Stanton the 16. day before the Calends of December In these daies Alianor Queen of England mother of King Edward tooke the mantle and the ring at Ambresburie upon the day of Saint Thomas his translation having her dower in the kingdome of England confirmed by the Pope to be possessed for ever Likewise Calwagh is taken prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this life MCCLXXXVII Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam died after whom there succeeded in the office of Lord chiefe Justice for a time John
the Lord the Pope From the one side and the other were sent certaine messengers to the Court of Rome but whiles King Edward abode in Flanders William Walleis by the common counsell of the Scots came with a great armie to the bridge of Strivelin and gave battle unto John Earle Warren in which battell on both sides many were slaine and many drowned But the Englishmen were discomfited and defeated Upon which exploit all the Scots at once arose and made an insurrection as well Earls as Barons against the King of England And there fell discord betweene the King of England and Roger Bigod Earle Mareschall but soone after they were agreed And Saint Lewis a Frier minor sonne of the King of Sicily and Archbishop of Colein died Also the sonne and heire of the King de Maliagro that is of the Majoricke Ilands instituted the order of the Friers minors at the information of Saint Lewis who said Goe and doe so Item in Ireland Leghlin with other townes was burnt by the Irish of Slemergi Item Calwagh O-Hanlan and Yneg Mac-Mahon are slaine in Urgale MCCXCVIII Pope Boniface the fourth the morrow after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul after all tumults were appeased ordained and confirmed a peace betweene the King of England and the King of France with certaine conditions that after followed Item Edward King of England set forth with an armie againe into Scotland for to subdue the Scots under his dominion Item there were slaine in the same expedition about the feast of Saint Marie Maudlen many thousands of the Scots at Fawkirk The sunne the same day appeared as red as bloud over all Ireland so long as the battell continued at Fawkirke aforesaid Item about the same time the Lord King of England feoffed his Knights in the Earldomes and Baronies of the Scots that were slaine More in Ireland peace and concord was concluded between the Earle of Ulster and Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas about the feast of the Apostles Simon and Iude. Also on the morrow after the feast of the 7. Saints sleepers the sun-beames were changed almost into the colour of bloud even from the morning so that all men that saw it wondred thereat Moreover there died Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice Knight and Sir Robert Bigod sometime Lord chiefe Justice of the Bench. Item in the Citie Artha as also in Reathe in the parts of Italie whiles Pope Boniface abode there at the same time there happened so great an Earthquake that towres and palaces fell downe to the ground The Pope also with his Cardinals fled from the Citie much affrighted Item upon the feast of the Epiphany that is Twelfe day there was an earthquake though not so violent in England from Canterburie as farre as to Hampton MCCXCIX Lord Theobald Botiller the younger departed this life in the Manour de Turby the second day before the Ides of May whose corps was conveied toward Weydeney that is Weney in the countie of Limeric the sixth day before the Calends of June Item Edward King of England tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sister to the noble King of France in the Church of the holy Trinitie in Canterburie about the feast of the holy Trinitie Item the Soldan of Babylon was defeated with a great armie of Saracens by Cassian King of the Tartars MCCXCIX The day after the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie there was an infinite number of the Saracens horsemen slaine besides the footmen who were likewise innumerable Item in the same yeere there was a battell or fight of dogges in Burgundie at Genelon castle and the number of the dogges was 3000. and everie one killed another so that no dogge escaped alive but one alone Item the same yeere many Irishmen came to trouble and molest the Lord Theobald Verdon to the Castle of Roch before the feast of the Annuntiation MCCC The Pollard money is forbidden in England and Ireland Also in the Autumne Edward King of England entred Scotland with a power of armed men but at the commandement of Pope Boniface hee was stayed and he sent solemne messengers unto the Court of Rome excusing himself of doing any injurie Item Thomas the Kings sonne of England was the last day of May born at Brotherton of Margaret sister to the King of France Item Edward Earle of Cornwall died without leaving behind an heire of his owne bodie and was enterred in the Abbey of Hales MCCCI. Edward King of England entred into Scotland with an armie unto whom failed over sea Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland and Sir John Fitz-Thomas Peter Bermingham and many others to aide the King of England Also a great part of the Citie Dublin was burnt together with the Church of Saint Warburga on S. Columbs day at night More Sir Geffrey Genevil espoused the daughter of Sir John Montefort and Sir John Mortimer espoused the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Genevil And the Lord Theobald Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Roger Mortimer At the same time the men of Leinster made warre in winter burning the towne of Wykynlo and Rathdon with others but they escaped not unpunished because the more part of their sustenance was burnt up and their cattell lost by depredation and the same Irish had beene utterly almost consumed but that the seditious dissention of certaine Englishmen was an hinderance thereto Item a defeature and slaughter was made by the Toolans upon a small companie assembled of the Brenies in which were slaine almost three hundred robbers Item Walter Power wasted a great part of Mounster burning many ferme houses MCCCII There died the ladie Margaret wife to Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland the third day before the Ides of April and in the week following Maud Lacy wife to Sir Geffery Genevil died also Edward Botiller recovered the manour de S. Bosco with the pertenances from Sir Richard Ferenges Archbishop of Dublin by a concord made between them in the Kings bench after the feast of S. Hilarie Item the Flemings gave an overthrow at Courteray in Flanders unto the army of the French the Wednesday after the feast of the Translation of S. Thomas wherein were slaine the Earle of Arthois the Earle of Aumarle the Earle of Hue Ralph Neel Constable of France Guy Nevil Mareschal of France the sonne of the Earle of Hennaund Godfrey Brabant with his sonne William Fenys and his son Iames S. Paul lost his hand and fortie Baronets lost their lives that day with Knights Esquires and others sans number Item the tenths of all Ecclesiasticall benefices in England and Ireland were exacted by Boniface the Pope for 3. yeeres as a Subsidie to the Church of Rome against the King of Aragon Also upon the day of the Circumcision Sir Hugh Lacie raised booties from Hugh Vernail In the same yeere Robert Brus then Earle of Carrick espoused the daughter of Sir Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Item Edward Botiller espoused the daughter of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas also
seas into England out of Ireland the Earle of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas Item Sir Theohald Verdon died MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Piers Gaveston tooke their journey toward Scotland to fight against Robert Bruâ— Item in the said yeere great dearth there was of corn in Ireland an eranc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings and above Also the Bakers of Dublin for their false waight of bread suffered a new kinde of torment which was never seen there before for that on S. Sampson the Bishops day they were drawne upon hurdles through the streets of the Citie at horse-tailes More in the Abbey of S. Thomas Martyr at Dublin died Sir Neile Bruin Knight Escheator to the Lord the King in Ireland whose bodie was committed to the earth at the Friers minors with so great a pompe of tapers and waxe lights as the like was never seene before in Ireland The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Kildare where Sir Arnold Pover was acquit for the death of the Lord Bonevile because he had done this deed in his owne defence Likewise on S. Patricks day by assent of the Chapter M. Alexander Bickenore was elected Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Roger Mortimer returned into Ireland within the Octaves of the Nativitie of the blessed Virgin Marie Also the same yeere the Lord Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne died MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie there was a wonderfull and miraculous discomfiture given by the Lord Richard Clare unto the side of the Earle of Ulster Which Lord Richard aforesaid tooke prisoner in the field the Lord William Burke and John the sonne of the Lord Walter Lacie and many others In which battaile verily there were slaine a great number as well of the English as the Irish the 13. day before the Galends of June Item Taslagard and Rathcante were invaded by the robbers to wit the O-Brines and O-Tothiles the morrow after the Nativitie of S. John Baptist. Whereupon soon after in Autumne there was a great armie assembled in Leinster to make head and fight against the said robbers lurking in Glindelory and in other places full of woods Also a Parliament was holden at London in August betweene the King and the Barons to treat about the State of the kingdome and of the Kings houshold according to the ordinance of sixe Bishops sixe Earles and sixe Barons as they might best provide for the good of the Realme Item on the second day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare slew sixe hundred of Galegalaghes More on All-Saints day next going before Piers Gaveston was banished the Realme of England by the Earles and Barons and many good Statutes necessarie for the commonwealth were by the same Lords made Which Piers abjured the Realme of England about the Feast of All-Saints and entred into Flanders foure moneths after the said Piers returned presently upon the Epiphanie and by stealth entred into England keeping close unto the Kings side so that the Barons could not easily come neere unto him And hee went with the King to Yorke making his abode there in the Lent whereupon the Bishops Earles and Barons of England came to London for to treat about the State of the kingdome for feare lest by occasion of Piers his returne the Common wealth should bee troubled with commotions Item Sir John Cogan Sir Walter Faunt and Sir John Fitz-Rerie Knights died and were buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin Item John Mac-Goghedan is slaine by O-molmoy Item William Roch died at Dublin with the shot of an arrow by an Irish mountainer Item Sir Eustace Power Knight died Item in the Vigill of Saint Peters Chaire began a riot in Urgaly by Robert Verdon Item Donat O-Brene is traiterously slaine by his owne men in Tothomon MCCCXII Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston entred the castle of Scardeburgh resisting the Barons But soone after the Calends of June hee yeelded himselfe unto Sir Aumare Valence who had besieged him yet upon certaine conditions named before hand who brought him toward London But by the way he was taken prisoner at Dedington by the Earle of Warwicke and brought to Warwicke whereupon after counsell taken by the Earles and Barons he lost his head the thirteenth day before the Calends of July whose bodie lieth buried in the coventuall Church of the Friers Preachers at Langley Item John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland led forth an armie to bridle the malice of Robert Verdon and his abettors which was miserably defeated the sixth day before the Ides of July in which fight were slain Nicolas Avenel Patrick Roch and many others For this fact the said Robert Verdon and many of his complices yeelded themselves unto the Kings prison at Dublin in expectance of favour and pardon Also on Thursday the morrow after Saint Lucie Virgin in the sixth yeere of King Edward the Moone was wonderfully seene of divers colours on which day determined it was that the order of Templars should be abolished for ever More in Ireland Lord Edmund Botiller was made the Lievtenant of Lord John Wogan Justice of Ireland which Edmund in the Lent following besieged the O-Brynnes in Glindelorie and compelled them to yeeld yea and brought them almost to confusion unlesse they had returned the sooner unto the peace of the Lord the King Item the same yeere on the morrow after Saint Dominickes day Lord Maurice fitz-Fitz-Thomas espoused Katherin daughter of the Earle of Ulster at Green-castle And Thomas Fitz-Iohn espoused another daughter of the same Earle the morrow after the Assumption in the same place Also the Sunday after the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse the daughter of the Earle of Glocester wife to the Lord Iohn Burke was delivered of a sonne MCCCXIII Frier Roland Joce Primate of Ardmach arrived at the Iland of Houth the morrow after the annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Marie and rising in the night by stealth tooke up his Crosier and advanced it as farre as to the Priorie of Grace Dieu whom there encountred certaine of the Archbishop of Dublins servants debasing and putting downe that Crosier and the Primate himselfe of Ardmagh they chaced with disgrace and confusion out of Leinster Item a Parliament was holden at London wherein little or nothing was done as touching Peace from which Parliament the King departed and tooke his journey into France at the mandate of the King of France and the King of England with many of his Nobles tooke the badge of the Crosse. Also the Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas knighted Nicolas Fitz-Maurice and Robert Clonhull at Adare in Mounster More on the last day of May Robert Brus sent certaine Gallies to the parts of Ulster with his rovers to make spoile whom the men of Ulster resisted and manfully chased away It is said that the same Robert arrived with the licence of the Earle to take truce Item in the same summer Master John Decer a Citizen of Dublin caused a necessarie bridge to
bee made from without the towne of Batiboght unto the Causey of the Mil-poole of Clontarf whereas before time the passengers that way were much endangered But after he had defraied great charges thereabout by reason of a mightie inundation and floud the bridge with the arches fell downe Also Master John Leeks Achbishop of Dublin in the feast of St. Laurence ended this mortall life Then in a schisme and division of sides were elected for to bee Archbishop of Dublin Master Walter Thornbury the Kings Chancellor in Ireland and Master Alexander Bicknore Treasurer of Ireland but Walter Thornbury was drowned and many others to wit about one hundred fiftie and sixe took the sea and the night following were all drowned At the time of the foresaid Walters death Alexander Bicknore expected at home the Popes favour The same Alexander was made Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Miles Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Richard Excester Item the same yeere the Lord Robert Brus overthrew the Castle of Man and vanquished the Lord Donegan O-Dowill on S. Barnabes day And the Lord John Burck heire unto Richard Earle of Ulster died at Galwey on the feast of St. Marcellus and Marcellianus Also the Lord Edmund Botiller dubbed thirtie Knights in Dublin Castle on Sunday and St. Michaels day MCCCXIV The Knights Hospitallers had the lands given unto them of the Templars in Ireland Item Sir John Parice is slaine at Pount Also Lord Theobald Verdon came Lord Justice of Ireland on Saint Sylvesters day Item Sir Gefferey Genevile a Frier died the twelfth day before the Calends of November and was buried in his owne order of the Friers Preachers of Trym who was Lord also of the libertie of Meth. More in the same yeere and upon S. Matthew the Apostles day Loghseudy was burnt and on the friday following the Lord Edmund Botiller received his Commission to be Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCXV On St. John Baptists day the Earle of Glocester had his deaths wound given him and died when many others as it were without number were slaine in Scotland and more taken prisoners by the Scots For which cause the Scots became bold and carried their heads aloft and gat good land and tributes out of Northumberland Item shortly after this came the Scots and besieged the towne of Carlile where James Douglas was squized to death by misfortune of a certaine wall falling upon him The same yeere the Scots not contented with their owne land arrived in the North part of Ireland at Clondonne with sixe thousand fighting men and expert warriours to wit Edward Brus whole brother to Robert King of Scots and with him the Earl of Morreff John Meneteth John Steward the Lord John Cambel Thomas Randolfe Fergus Andressan John Bosco and John Bisset who seized Ulster into their hands and drave the Lord Thomas Mandevile and other liege men out of their owne possessions The Scots entred Ireland first on St. Augustines day that was the Englishmens Apostle in the moneth of May neere unto Crag-fergus in Ulster betweene whom and the English the first conflict was neere unto Banne in which the Earle of Ulster was put to flight there were taken prisoners William Burk John Stanton and many others and the Scots having slaine a number of the English prevailed and had the day The second conflict was at Kintys in Meth wherein Roger Mortimer with his followers was put to flight The third conflict was at Sketheris hard by Arstoll the morrow after the conversion of S. Paul wherein the Englishmen were chaced and the Scots had the better hand And the foresaid Edward Brus soone after the feast of Philip and Jacob caused himselfe to be crowned King of Ireland and they tooke Greene Castle and left their men there whom the Dublinians quickly after expelled and recovered the said Castle to the Kings behoof and finding Sir Robert Coulragh the Keeper of the Castle there brought him with them to Dublin who being imprisoned and put to short diet ended his dayes Item upon Peter and Paul the Apostles day came the Scots before Dundalk and won the towne spoiled and burnt it killing as many as made resistance and a great part of Urgale was burnt by the Scots The Church of the blessed Virgin Mary in Atterith being full of men women and little children was burnt by the Scots and Irish. In the same yeere the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland about the feast of S. Mary Maudlen assembled together a mightie power out of Mounster Leinster and other parts and the Earle of Ulster on the contrarie side as it were comming from the parts of Connaght with an infinite army met all together about Dundalk and consulted among themselves to kill the Scots but how it is not knowne the Scots fled otherwise as hope was they had been taken prisoners Which done the Earle of Ulster with the foresaid Justice and other great Lords tooke in hand after they had slaine the Scots to bring the Lord Edward le Brus quicke or dead to Dublin which Earle followed them in chase as far as to the water of Branne and afterwards the said Earle retired backe toward Coyners which the said Brus perceiving warily passed over the said water and followed him whom with some other of the Earles side hee put to flight having wounded George Roch and slaine others namely Sir John Stanton and Roger de sancto Bosco that is Holy-wood likewise on the part of Brus many were slaine and the Lord Wiliam Burk was taken prisoner the tenth day of the moneth of September and the Earle was defeated neere unto Coyners and then the Irish of Connaght and Meth rose up in armes against the King and against the Earle of Ulster and burnt the Castle of Atholon and of Raudon and many other Castles in the said war of Coyners The Baron of Donell bare himselfe there right valiantly but he lost much goods there and the said Scots manfully chased them as far as to Cragfergus and there on the Earls side they fled and some entred the Castle and valiantly kept it and afterwards came mariners from the havens and Port townes of England and on a night surprised the Scots and slew fortie of them and had away their tents and many things else And the morrow after the exaltation of the holy Crosse the Earle of Morreff passed the seas into Scotland and took the Lord William Brus with him seeking for more warlike and armed men with foure Pirats ships full of the goods of Ireland whereof one was sunke all which time the said Brus laid siege to the Castle of Cragfergus At the same time Cathill Roge razed three Castles of the Earles of Ulster in Connaught and many townes in the same Connaught he burnt and sacked And at the same time the said mariners went to the said Castle and the Lords there skirmished and in the meane time slew many Scots at which time Richard Lan de O-ferivill was by a certaine Irishman
with their fellowes of the Counsell treat upon this point In the same yeere before Lent the Irish of Leinster gathered themselves together and set up a certain King namely Donald the sonne of Arte Mac-Murgh Who being made King determined to set up his banner two miles from Dublin and afterwards to passe through all the lands of Ireland Whose pride and malice God seeing suffered him to fall into the hands of the Lord Henry Traharn who brought him to the Salmons leaps had of him 200. pound for his lives ransome then led him to Dublin to wait there untill the Kings Counsell could provide and take order what to doe with him and after his taking many infortunities lighted upon the Irish of Leinster to wit the Lord John Wellesley took David O-Thothiel prisoner and many of the Irish were slaine The same yeere Adam Duff the sonne of Walter Duff of Leinster and of the kinred of the O-Tothiles was convicted for that against the Catholike faith hee denied the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and held that there could not bee three persons and one God and hee affirmed that the most blessed Virgin Mary mother of our Lord was an harlot hee denied also the resurrection of the dead and avouched that the sacred Scriptures were fables and nothing else and he imputed falsitie upon the sacred Apostolicall See For which and for every of these articles the same Adam Duff was pronounced an hereticke and blasphemer whereupon the same Adam by a decree of the Church was on the Munday after the Outas of Easter the yeere 1328. burnt at Hoggis Greene by Dublin MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter week Thomas Fitz-John Earle of Kildare and Justice of Ireland died after whom succeeded in the office of Justice Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynok The same yeere David O-Tothil a strong thiefe and enemy to the King a burner of Churches and destroier of people was brought forth of the Castle of Dublin to the Tolstale of the Citie before Nicolas Fastoll and Elias Ashbourne Justices in the Kings bench which Justices gave him his judgement that he should first be drawne at horses tailes through the midst of the Citie unto the gallowes and afterward be hanged upon a jebbit which was done accordingly Item in the same yeere the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas raised a great army to destroy the Bourkeins and the Poers The same yeere also the Lord William Bourk was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave unto him his Seignory Also in the same yeere Iames Botiller in England espoused the daughter of the Earle of Hereford and was created Earle of Ormund who before was called Earle of Tiperary The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Northampton where many of the Lords and Nobles of England assembled and a peace was renewed betweene Scotland England and Ireland by marriages between them and it was ordained that the Earle of Ulster with many Nobles of England should goe to Barwick upon Tweed to the espousals and assurance making The same yeere after the said espousals and contract made at Barwicke the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland and the Lord William Burk Earle of Ulster the Earle of Meneteth and many of the Scottish nobility arrived at Cragfergus peaceably and sent unto the Justices of Ireland and to the Counsell that they would come to Green Castle to treat about a peace of Scotland and Ireland Now because the said Justices of Counsell failed to come as the said King desired he took his leave of the Earle of Ulster and returned into his owne country after the feast of the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary And the Earle of Ulster came to Dublin unto the Parliament and there stayed sixe dayes and made a great feast and after this went into Connaght The same yeere about the feast of Saint Katherin Virgin the Bishop of Osserie certified the Kings Counsell there that Sir Arnald Pover was convicted before him upon divers articles of perverse heresie Whereupon at the suit of the said Bishop the said Sir Arnald by vertue of the Kings writ was arrested and layed up in the Castle of Dublin and a day was given unto the Bishop for to come unto Dublin to follow the foresaid suit and action against the foresaid Lord Arnald who made his excuse that hee could not then come because his enemies lay in wait for his life in the way whereupon the Kings Counsell knew not how to make an end of this businesse and so the Lord Arnald was kept in duresse within the Castle of Dublin untill the Parliament following which was in Mid-lent where all the Nobles of Ireland were present In the same yeere Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of the Hospitall of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellour of Ireland was disfamed by the said Bishop and slandered to bee a favourer of heresie a Counsellour also and a better of the said Lord Arnold in his hereticall naughtinesse And because his person was thus villanously delamed the said Prior went to the Counsell of the King and put up a petition that hee might purge himselfe Whereupon they of the Kings Counsell tooke advice and upon consultation had granted unto him that he might make his purgation And they caused it to be proclaimed for three dayes That if there were any person who would follow suit and give information against the said Frier Roger he might come in and put in his pursuit But no man was found to follow the matter Whereupon at the procurement of Sir Roger the Frier there went out the Kings writ to summon the Elders of Ireland to wit Bishops Abbots Priors and foure Maiors of foure Cities namely Dublin Corke Limerick and Waterford and of Tredagh also the Sheriffes and Seneschals yea and the Knights of the shire with the Free-holders of the countie that were of the better sort for to repaire unto Dublin And there were chosen sixe examiners in the said cause to wit M. William Rodyard Deane of the Cathedrall Church of St. Patrick in Dublin the Abbat of Saint Thomas the Abbat of St. Maries the Prior of holy Trinitie Church in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and M. Peter Willebey These Inquisitours convented those that were cited and they examined every one severally by himselfe which examinats all upon their oathes deposed that he was honest and faithfull a zealous embracer of the faith and readie to die for the faith and in regard of this great solemnity of his purgation the said Frier Roger made a royall feast to all that would come Also the same yeere in Lent died the said L. Arnald Pover in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the preaching Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nobles of Ireland came unto the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earle of Ulster the Lord Thomas Fitz-Moris the Earle of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Lords and
in part is newly erected Also the Lord Antony Lucy Justice of Ireland is put out of his office and returneth into England with his wife and children in the month of November In whose place also is set Iohn Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland and he entred Ireland the thirteenth day of February Item the English of the pale gave a great overthrow to Briene O-Brene and Mac-Karthy and slew many Irish in the parts of Munster Item there deceased John Decer a citizen of Dublin and lieth buried in the Church of the Friers Minors a man that did many good deeds Also a certain maladie named Mauses reigned all over Ireland as well in old men and women as in young and little ones Item the hostages abiding in the castle of Lymericke slew the Constable of the same castle and seized the castle into their owne hands but after that the castle was recovered by the citizens the same hostages were put to the sword and killed Likewise the hostages tooke the castle of Nenagh and when part of it was burnt recovered it was againe and the hostages were reserved Also one P ... of wheat about Christmas was commonly sold for 22. shillings and straight after Easter and so forward for twelve pence Item the towne of New-castle of Lions was burnt and sacked by the O-Tothiles MCCCXXXIII The L. John Darcy arrived Lord Justice of Ireland at Dublin Item O Conghirs lost a great bootie two thousand cowes and above by the Berminghams of Carbery Item the Lord John Darcy Justice of Ireland caused the Pas at Ethergovil in Offaly to be cut downe against O-Conghir Item the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond is taken forth of the prison of Dublin after he had beene imprisoned one yeere and a halfe having gotten many mainprisers first even the greatest and noblest personages of the land to be bound for him in the forfeiture of life losse of all their goods if then the said Lord Moris attempted ought against the King and if those Nobles abovesaid presented not his person unto the King for his demerits Also William Burk Earle of Ulster betweene the New-towne and Cragfergus in Ulster was traiterously the more pitty slaine by his owne company in the twentieth yeere of his age and the sixth day of the month Iune Robert the sonne of Mauriton Maundevil was hee that gave him his first wound Upon the hearing of which rumours the Earles wife being then in the parts of Ulster with her daughter and heire presently embarked and went over into England After whose murdering John L. Darcy Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland to revenge the Earles death by advice of all the States of the land assembled in the said Parliament forthwith with his army took his journy and by ship arrived at Cragfergus upon the first day of July Now the people of the country rejoicing at the Lord Justice his comming and thereby taking heart unto them against the murderers of the said Earle of Ulster with one assent rose up to revenge the killing of him and in a pitched field obtained victory some they tooke prisoners others they put to the sword The things thus dispatched the said Justice with his said army went into Scotland leaving in his place M. Thomas Burgh Treasurer at that time of Ireland Item many Nobles of the land and the Earle of Ormond with their retinue and followers assembled together at the house of the Carmelite Friers in Dublin the 11. day of June and during this said Parliament whereas they were going out of the Court yard of the said Friers sodainly within the presse of the people Murchard or Moris the sonne of Nicolas O-Tothil was there murdered At whose sodaine killing all the Elders of the land fearing and supposing there was some treason were strucken with an extraordinary and strange affright and much troubled And he that killed the same Murchard stoutly escaped all their hands but neither the party himselfe nor his name they ever knew Also John Lord Darcy returned Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham sonne to the Lord William Bermingham is delivered out of the castle of Dublin in the month of February More the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond by a fall off his Palfrey brake his legge Item it fell out to be a faire and dry summer in so much as at the feast of St. Peter advincula bread made of new wheat was eaten and a peck of wheat was sold for sixpence in Dublin Also Sir Reimund Archdekon Knight and many others of the same kinred were slaine in Leinster MCCCXXXVII In the Vigill of S. Kalixt Pope seven partridges and unknown it is what spirit moved them leaving the plaine field made way directly unto the City of Dublin and flying most swiftly over the mercate places setled on the top of the Brew-house belonging to the Canons of holy Trinity in Dublin To which sight some Citizens came running and wondered much at so strange a prodigie But the boyes of the city caught two of them alive a third they killed and the rest scared therewith mounting up higher took their swift flight and escaped into the fields over against them Now what this accident not heard of in the ages before did portend I leave to the judgement of those that are cunning and skilfull Also Sir John Charleton Knight and a Baron with his wife sonnes and daughters and his whole family came at the feast of S. Calixtus Pope as chiefe Justice of Ireland and of his sonnes and houshold some died Also Lord Thomas Charleton Bishop of Hereford brother in the whole blood unto the said Justice came the same day with his brother as Chancellour of Ireland together with Master John Rees Treasurer of Ireland and Doctor in the Decretals bringing with them many Welshmen to the number of two hundred and arrived in the haven of Dublin Also whiles John Charleton was Lord Justice and held a Parliament at Dublin Doctor David O-Hirraghey Archbishop of Ardmagh being called to the Parliament made his provision for housekeeping in the Monastery of S. Mary neere unto Dublin but because hee would have had his Crosier before him hee was impeached by the Archbishop and his Clerkes and permit him they would not Item the same yeere died the same David Archbishop of Ardmagh after whom succeeded Doctor Richard Fitz-Ralfe Deane of Lichfield a notable Clerke who was borne in the towne of Dundalke Item James Botiller the first Earle of Ormond departed this life the sixth day of January and lieth buried at Balygaveran MCCCXXXVIII Lord Iohn Charleton at the instigation of his whole brother to wit Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King discharged of his office and returneth with his whole houshold into England and Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King ordained Custos and Justice of Ireland Item Sir Eustace Pover and Sir John Pover his Unkle are by the said Justice brought out of Mounster to Dublin and committed to prison in the castle the
and chastised the Irish very well MCCCLVI And in the one and thirty yeere of the foresaid King Sir Thomas Rokesby was made the second time Justice of Ireland who tamed the Irish very well and paied as well for the victuals he tooke saying I will eat and drinke out of Treen vessels and yet pay both gold and silver for my food and apparel yea and for my pensioners about me The same yeere died that Sir Thomas Justice of Ireland within the Castle of Kilka MCCCLVII Also in the two and thirty yeere of the same Kings raigne Sir Almarick de Saint Aimund was made chiefe Justice of Ireland and entred into it At this very time began a great controversie between Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh and the foure Orders of the begging Friers but in the end the Friers got the mastery and by the Popes meanes caused the Archbishop of Armagh to hold his peace MCCCLVIII In the 33. yeere of the same King Sir Almarick Sir Amund chiefe Justice of Ireland passed over into England MCCCLIX In the 34. yeere of the same King Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond was made chiefe Justice of Ireland Item the Lady Ioan Burke Countesse of Kildare departed this life on St. Georges day and was buried in the Church of the Friers Minors of Kildare neere unto her husband the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare MCCCLX And in the 35. of the foresaid King died Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh in Hanault the sixteenth day of December whose bones were conveied into Ireland by the reverend father Stephen Bishop of Meth to be bestowed in S. Nicolas Church at Dundalk where he was born But doubted it is whether they were his bones or some other mans Item Sir Robert Savage a doughty knight dwelling in Ulster departed this life who with a few Englishmen slew of the Irish three thousand neere unto Antrim but before that he went forth to that battell he tooke order that there should be given unto every Englishman one good draught or pot of wine or ale whereof hee had a number of hogsheads and barrels full and the rest he saved against the comming of his friends he caused also to be killed sheepe oxen tame foule crammed fat wilde foule and for venison red Deere that they might bee dressed and made ready for such as returned winners out of the field whosoever they were And he was wont to say a shame it were if guests should come and not finde what to eate and drinke But when it pleased God to give the English victorie he invited them all to supper and they rejoiced with thanksgiving and himselfe said I give God thanks For better it is thus to keep it than to let it run forth upon the ground as some gave me counsell Buried he was in the covent Church of the preaching Friers of Coulrath neere to the river of Banne Also the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland entred England in whose place Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare was made Lord Justice of Ireland by this Charter and Commission as appeareth Omnibus ad quos c. that is To all whom these letters shall come unto Greeting Know ye that we have committed to our sweet and faithfull subject Moris Earle of Kildare the office of our L. Justice of our land of Ireland and our land of Ireland with the Castle and all pertenances thereto to keep and governe so long as it shall please us and to receive at our Exchequer in Dublin yeerely so long as hee shall remaine in that office five hundred pounds for which he shall keep that office and land and he shall be himselfe one of the twenty men in armes whom he shall finde with as many horses armed continually during our foresaid commission In witnesse whereof c. Given by the hands of our beloved in Christ Frier Thomas Burgey Prior of the Hospitall of S. John of Ierusalem in Ireland our Chancellour of Ireland at Dublin the thirtieth day of March and of our reigne the thirty five yeere Also Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond came again out of England Lord Justice of Ireland as before unto whom the Earle of Kildare resigned up the office of Justiceship MCCCLXI Leonell Earle of Ulster in right of his wives inheritance and being the Kings sonne of England came into Ireland as the Kings Lievtenant and arrived at Dublin the eighth day of September being the feast of the blessed Virgins nativitie bringing his second wife Elizabeth daughter and heire of the Lord William Burke Earle of Ulster In the same yeere was the second pestilence There died in England Henry Duke of Lancaster the Earle of March the Earle of Northampton Also on the sixth day of January Mons Doncref a Citizen of Dublin was buried in the Churchyard of the Friers Preachers of the same City unto which covent or brotherhood he gave forty pounds toward the glazing of their Church Item there departed out of this life the Lady Ioan Fleming wife to the Lord Geffery Trevers and the Lady Margaret Bermingham wife to the Lord Robert Preston on the Vigill of St. Margaret and were buried in the Covent Church of the preaching Friers of Tredagh Also the Lord Walter Bermingham the younger died on S. Laurence day who divided his inheritance between his sisters the one part thereof the foresaid Preston had for his share Item the foresaid Lord Leonell after hee was entred into Ireland and had rested some few daies made warre upon O-Brynne and proclaimed throughout his army that no man borne in Ireland should come neere unto his campe and an hundred of his owne Pensioners were slaine Leonell seeing this forthwith reduced the whole people as well of England as of Ireland into one and so hee prospered and strucke many battailes round about in all places with the Irish by the helpe of God and the people of Ireland Hee made also many Knights of English and Irish and among them Robert Preston Robert Holiwood Thomas Talbot Walter Cusacke Iames de La Hide Iohn Ash or de Fraxius Patricke and Robert Ash or de Fraxius and many besides Also he removed the Exchequer from Dublin to Carlagh and gave five hundred pounds to the walling of that towne Item on the feast of Saint Maur Abbat there rose a mighty wind that shooke and overthrew pinnacles battlements chimneys and other things higher than the rest trees without number divers Steeples and namely the Steeple of the Preaching Friers MCCCLXII Also in the 36. yeere of the same King the Church of St. Patricke in Dublin through negligence was set on fire and burnt the eighth of Aprill MCCCLXIV And in the 38. yeere of the foresaid King the Lord Leonel Earle of Ulster entred England the 22. of Aprill and left his Deputy-Justice of Ireland the Earle of Ormond and the same Leonell Duke of Clarence returned the eighth of December MCCCLXV Also in the 39. yeere of the said King the same Leonell Duke of Clarence
Solis ab Ortu Gens Deo dicata per quem sic sum renovata Let Church-men and religious folke from time that Sun doth rise Blesse Adam Port by whom I am rebuilded in this wise Segontiaci Basingstoke Basing Saint Iohn Out of an old Missall of the Family of Powlet Vines in Britaine Vopiscus Barons Sands Odiam Matthew Paris Vindonum Silcester Sepulchres of honour Constantine Emperour chosen in hope of his name * Bononia * Heire apparant Iulianus Nobilissimus Sel what it is Armes of the Blewets Bainards and Cusantes Kings-cleare Sidmanton * Specula Beacon Newport The Inhabitants In Vespati cap. 4. Anno D. 5 Bede lib. 4. cap. 13. Bede lib. 4. cap. 16. Lords of the Isle of Wight Christ-Church * Or Gaule France Comius Attrebatensis In stratagemat Asserius * Ouze Farendon Guil. New brigâ—sis Abbenduâ— or Abingâ— Hâ—â—icâ—â— Quintus quarto fundaverat anno Rex 〈◊〉 Burford super undas atque Culhamford K. Henry of that name the fifth the fourth yeare of his reigne both Burford Bridge and Culhamford did found on River mayne Now Ashbury neere to White horse hill Besides Lee. Fetiplace * Ouse Vicount Lisle See the Earles of Shrewsbury Pusey Denchworth Wantage Fitzwarin Tamisis or Tamis the River Sinodum Bretwell Robert Montensis Gallena Wallengfor Domesday booke Records of Wallengford 〈◊〉 Coâ—itis Of the honor of Wallengford in Testa â—evilli in the Exchequer A most grievous Pestilence Moules-ford Carew Aldworth The River Kenet Hungerford 1. pâ—rs dupl patent Norm 6. â— 5. Barons of Hungerford Widehay * De S. Amâ— Barons de Amand. Beauchaâ— De S. â—maâ— Spine Newbury Lambor * Almeshouse Aldermaston Reading Maude the Empresse King Henry the second King Richa the first Sunning Bisham Grandison Maidenhead Bibroci * Bray Windesore Order of the Garter Shame to hâ— that evill thinketh Soveraigâ— Founders of the Order Almes-Knights Wickham his Apophthegm * Or free Eaton Barons of Windsore Queene Elizabeth Queene Elizabeths Mot or Empresse * Flowing or rolling * Or the 〈◊〉 Windsor Forrest Chases or Forrests Forrest what it is and whence so called Protoforestarius Iustices of the Forrests The Kings Knight The Kingdome of West-Saxons Geguises Rhey Oking or Woking William Ockham Pater Noâ—â—nalium Where Caeâ— crossed the Tamis Coway-stakes The river Mole Anas a river in Spaine Ockley Gatton Rhie-gate Holmesdale Holmecastle * Or Inquisitions * In Baronia sua de Conquesta Angliae Effingham The Swallow or Swallow hole A bridge on which flockes of sheepe are pastured L. Bray Richmond Both the place and the village before the time of King Henry the Seventh called Shene Edward the Third The death of Queene Elizabeth 1603. How farre the Tamis ebbeth and floweth Why Tamis ebbeth and floweth so far within Land * The seventh * The Third None-such * Vandalis Woodcote Noviomagi Noviomagus Croidon Beddington * Addington Aguilon Merton Wimbledon Putney See Earles of Essex Kennington Lambith * Hardy-Cnute Southworke Barons Saint Iohn of Lagham Sterborow Lord Borough or Burgh Earles of Surrie who also are called Earles of Warren Earles of March in France Downes Anderida wood Iron Glasses Selsey Scales Here be the best Cockles slaves Amberley See the Earles of Shrewsburie * D' aubeney some write him de Albinetâ— and de Albiniacâ— Earles of Arundell and of Sussex Charta antiqua X. in 29. Parl. 11. H 6 229. 4. Edw. 3 See before the Earles of Surrey * As having married his daughter Spigurnell what it is Petworth The Percies See in the end of Northumberland Dautry Burton Horsham Michelgrove Shelley Offington The familie of the Wests * De Cantelupâ— Barons de la Ware Cisburie Cimenshore Brood-water Lord Camois Camois A wife given and granted to another Parlam 30. Edw. primi The forme of a Bill of a kind of Divorcement called Kepudiuâ— Shoreham Ederington Slaugham Lewes * For custome or rent and roll Domesday booke * Or redeemeth the offence * Cluniaco The monument of Magnus a Dane 1263. The battaile of Lewes 232. Others call it The three Charles Downes Pevensey Florentius wigorniensis pag. 452. Composition betweene King Stephen and Henrie of Anjoy Honor de Aquila Robert de Monte Herst Monceaux Herst what it is Regist of the Monasterie of Roberts-bridge The familie of the Fienes Patent 37. Henrie 6. An. 14. Ed. 4. See Normans before A mercate kept on the Sunday Ashburnham Hastings * Cinqueports 21. Edw. 1. 3946. 1578. Ancenses Earles of Ew * Esc. 7. H. 6. Enquisition 5. Edw. 1. William Lord Hastings 26. Henry 6. Baron of Hoo and Hastings Winchelsey Camber-Castle * Rhie * The River Rother Barons Burghersh Baron Echingham Roberts Bridge or Rotherbridge Bodiam Baron Buckhurst Earles of Sussex See Earles of Arundell * With the beard 21. Henry 8. The Kingdome of the South-Saxons Carion corruptly read in Diodorus Siculus Hereof commeth Canton in Heraldrie for a corner and the Helvetians countreys were bâ— the French called Canton Rumney Marsh. Pâ—aâ— 15. ca. 25. Cherries were brought over into Britaine about the yeare of our Lord 48. 236. Prowesse of Kentishmen Iulius Cesar. See Romans in Britaine Page 34. * Ravensburn An old great Campe. Depe-ford Magnignot Green-wich The same that Danes Eltham The Booke of Durham The Breach 1527. Leisnes * Scurvy-grasse 1527. The herbe Britannica * Friseland * See afterward in the British Isles concerning the Arrenat or Armory of the Britaines * Sevenoke Knoll Otford Dartford Swane-scomb that is King Swanes Campe. Graves-end Inquis 35. E. 3 Barons of Cobham Clive at Ho. Medway Weald Penshurst Sidney Vicount Lislâ— See in Barke shire Philip Sidney Tunbridge * The Lowy of Tunbridge * Whet-stones Mereworth Vagniacae Madus Lenâ—hâ—â— Bocton Mâ—lherb Baron Wotton Fin. Mich. xi E. 2. Leeds castle The family â— Crevequer * Ailesford Horsted Catigern his Sepulchre Boxley Wrotham Malling Leibourn Baron Leibourn Briling Baron Say Durobrevis In an ancient table set forth by Welser Roibis Ceaster what it is Rochester * Niding William of Malmesbury Textus Roffensis An antient Manuscript booke of that church * The French called him Canol The Kings Navy Toliatis an Isle Shepey Iu. â—et Queene Borough Tenham Chery gardens Feversham Pits made in Kent * Reculver Regulbium * Hadrianâ—â— Iunius Stoure river Ashford Wie Page 4157. Chilham Fulbert of Dover 1306. * Fel-borough As we call Iuliana Gilian Laberias Durus a Tribune Durovernum * Welsh Canterbury Augustine the Apostle of the Englishmen Pall what it is Anno. 7093. Hackington Saint Stephens Fordich * The first English Nunne Elham Inq. 2. E. 3. Herdes * Hides in English An hides as it is thought consisteth of an hundred acres called in latine in old time Familia Mansa and Manens Lapis tituli Now Elflet 596. Minster 1217. Lewis of France Chronicles of W. Thorn Rhutupia Portuâ— Trutuâ—ensiâ— * The youngeâ— * Caer Leon Clemens Maximus * See how these verses are englished in pag. 83. There bee that under 〈◊〉 name of Rhiâ—â—tupine would
East and West flourished sometime in great honour It paid no tribute as we find in Doomesday the survey-book of England but when Exceter paid and then it yielded xl d. and did service if any expedition marched by land or went by sea and Totnes Barnestaple and Lidford served and paid as much as Exceter King John granted unto it power to chuse a Major for the chiefe Magistrate Edward the First enriched it with sundry liberties and about that time it was fortified with a Castle by the Zouches as the Inhabitants are perswaded The possession it was in times past of one Iudaël surnamed De Totnais afterwards of William Briwer a right noble personage by one of whose daughters it came to the Breoses and from them by a daughter likewise to George De Cantelupo Lord of Abergeveny whose sister Melicent wedded unto Eudo De la Zouch brought it in by her marriage to the family of the Barons La Zouches and theirs it was untill that John Lord Zouch being attaint and proscribed because hee tooke part with King Richard the Third Henry the Seventh bestowed it franckly as I have heard say upon Peter Edgecombe a noble and wise gentleman Adjoyning to this towne is Berie Pomerie so called of the Pomeries a right noble house in those parts which a little more Eastward and somewhat farther from the river side had a very proper Castle of their owne These derive their pedigree from Radulph Pomerie who in William Conquerors time held Wich Dunwinesdon Brawerdine Pudeford Horewood Toriland Helecom and this Berie c. Of this Totnes the strond or shore adjoyning was called in old time Totonese where as the British Historie saith Brutus the founder of the British nation first landed and Havillanus as a Poet relying thereon versified in this wise Inde dato cursu Brutus comitatus Achate Gallorum spoliis cumulatis navibus aequor Exarat superis auraque faventibus usus Littora foelices intrat Totonesia portus Thence hoising sailes with Gaulish spoiles the fleet fraight sea doth take Our Brutus with his trustiest friend and through waves way doth make The Gods lookt cheerefull on his course the wind he had at will At Totnesse shore that happy haven arriv'd he and stood still But that river Dert whereof I spake having passed beyond Totnes bridge at which it leaveth whole heape of sands brought downe by his streame from out of the Tin mines hath for prospect on both sides nothing but fruitfull fields untill hee come all weary with his long course to his mouth over which upon an hill reaching forth in length standeth Dertmouth a Port Towne by reason of the commodious haven defended with two Castles much frequented with Merchants and furnished with very good shipping A Major it hath by the grant of King Edward the Third For Lords it acknowledged long since the Zouches Nicolas of Teukesbury and the Brients according to the variable change of the times and hath sundry times defended it selfe stoutly against the French but especially in the yeare of Christ 1404. Monsieur De Castell a Frenchman who by his men of warre and piracies had stopped all intercourse of traffique in those parts and burnt Plimmouth whiles hee invaded this place was by women and country people intercepted and slaine with all his companie And heere I must not passe over in silence Stoke Fleming that lieth hard by and which taking that name of a noble man of Flanders sometime Lord thereof came by the daughter of Mohun to the Carewes From this place as the shore giveth backe Northward the sea followeth in upon it and by that meanes with a large and spacious creeke which taketh about ten miles in circuit maketh a bay called now Torbay a very safe rode and harbour for ships when the South-west wind is aloft and hath fast by it a little village so called where sometime the Briewrs dwelt and built a religious house who in the daies of King Richard the First and King John were men of great renowne and revenue and afterward the habitation it was of the Wakes Neere unto it is Cockington where the family of the Caries a different house from that of the Carewes hath flourished a long time in great honour and estimation out of which the Barons of Hunsdon concerning whom I will speake more in due place are descended A little higher appeares in sight Hacombe the habitation in old time of Sir Iordan Fitz-Stephen Knight surnamed of this place de Hacombe by whose daughter and heire Cecilie it came into the familie of the Archdeacons From which likewise by Hugh Courtney in processe of time it was devolved upon the Carewes whose house in these parts is reputed very worshipfull and spred into many branches For Jane the daugther of the said Hugh and heire to her mother being joyned in mariage to Nicolas Baron Carew brought him many children and when the eldest of them named Thomas used not his mother with such dutifull respect as a sonne ought she made a conveyance of that great and wealthy inheritance to her three younger sonnes from whom those three families of the Carews de Hacombe Anthony and Bery are sprung and to Iohn Vere a sonne that she had by a second husband from whom the Earles of Oxford are issued Then meet you with Teignemouth a little village at the mouth of the river Teigne whereof it hath also the name where the Danes that were sent before to discover the scituation of Britaine and to sound the landing places being first set a shore about the yeare of Salvation 800. and having slaine the governour of the place tooke it as an ominous good token of future victorie which indeed afterward they followed with extreme crueltie through the whole Island More inward neere unto the source of the river Teigne is Chegford seated where flourished sometime the noble family of the Prows then Chidley which gave the name to that great house and linage of the Chidleyes and next unto the very mouth thereof Bishops Teignton so called because it belonged to the Bishops in which because there was a Sanctuarie Iohn Grandison descended out of Burgundy Bishop of Exceter as presaging what would ensue in future time built a very faire house to the end that his Successors these are the very words of his testament might have a place whereon to leane and lay their heads if happily their Temporalities should be seized into the Kings hands But so farre was it off that his purpose tooke effect that his successors have not onely lost that house but also beene quite desseized now well neere of all the rest About six miles from thence the river Isc whereof Ptolomee maketh mention which the Britaines call Isc and the English-Saxons Ex with a large channell runneth into the Ocean Whether it tooke this name of Iscaw that signifieth in the British tongue Elders trees I wot not Some fetch it from
Honnyton a Towne not unknowne to those that travell into these parts and was given by Isabell heire to Earles of Devonshire to King Edward the First when her issue failed and doth import his name to certaine places Among which these are of greatest note above Honnyton Mohuns Ottery the possession in times past of the Mohuns from whom by right of marriage it came to the Carews beneath Honyton Saint Maries Otterey so called of Saint Maries Colledge which Iohn Grandison Bishop of Excester founded who drew the whole estates of all the Clergie men in his Diocesse to himselfe For he perswaded them in their Wils to give up and make over all that they had unto his hands as who would bestow the same to godly uses in endowing Churches and in building of Hospitals and Colledges therewith which verily he by report performed accordingly very devoutly From the mouth of this Otterey the shore runneth Eastward with many winding reaches and turning creekes by Budley Sidmouth and Seaton famous Ports in times past but now the havens there are so choked up with sand brought in with the reciprocall course of the tides and heaped up against them that they have almost utterly lost all that benefit As for Seaton I would ghesse it to bee that MORIDVNVM which Antoninus speaketh of and is placed betweene DVRNOVARIA and ISCA if the booke be not faultie and called in Peutegerius table by a name cut short RIDVNVM considering both the distance and the signification of the name For Moridunum in the British tongue is the very same that Seaton in English to wit A Towne upon an hill by the Sea Hereto adjoyneth Wiscomb a Towne memorable in this respect that in it there dwelt William Lord Bonevill whose heire Cecilie by her mariage brought the titles of Lord Bonevill and Harington with a goodly inheritance in these parts unto Thomas Grey Marquesse Dorset Under these Townes the River Ax dischargeth it selfe at a very small channell after it hath passed downe by Ford where Adelize daughter to Baldwine of Okchampton founded an Abbey for Cistercian Monkes 1140. and by Axanminster a Towne renowned in the ancient Histories onely for their Tombes of the Saxon Princes who were slaine in that bloudy battell at Brunaburg and translated hither and scituate it is in the very frontire and limit of this Province Neere unto which Reginald Mohun of Dunster unto whom the Mannour of Axminster in right of inheritance fell by the Fourth daughter of William de Briewr built the Abbey of Newenham in the yere of Grace 1246. Hence the East-bound runneth crookedly north-westward by villages of no fame toward Severn side along w ch now let us take our way From Cornwall the first shore in this shire that stretcheth out it selfe in length to the Severn Sea is by Ptolomee called THE PROMONTORIE OF HERCVLES and retaineth still some little remnant of that name being called at this day Hertypoinct and hath in it two pretty townes Herton and Hertlond famous in old time for the reliques of that holy man Saint Nectan In honour of whom there was erected heere a little Monasterie by Githa Earle Goodwins wife who had this Nectan in especiall reverence for that she was perswaded that for his merits her husband had escaped the danger of shipwracke in a violent and raging tempest Howbeit afterwards the Dinants who also are named Dinhams that came out of Bretagne in France whose demeans as in â—ee it was were counted the founders thereof and from them descended Baron Dinham Lord high Treasurer of England under K. Henry the Seventh by whose sisters and heires the inheritance was divided between Lord Zouch Bourchier Fitz-warin Carew and Arundell The name of this Promontorie hath given credit to a very formall tale That Hercules forsooth came into Britaine and vanquished here I wot not what Giants But if it be true as Mythologers affirme that there was never any Hercules but that by him the power of humane wisedome is understtod whereby wee overcome pride lust envie and such like monsters or if according to the Gentiles divinitie by Hercules they meane the Sunne and by those twelve Labours endured and performed by Hercules the twelve signes of the Zodiack which the Sunne in his yearely course passeth through what it is they say let them looke to it themselves But for mine owne part I willingly believe that there was an Hercules nay I could be content to grant with Varro that there were of them fortie and three all whose acts were ascribed to that Hercules who was the sonne of Alcmena yet can I not perswade my selfe that ever Hercules came hither unlesse haply hee sailed over the Ocean in that Cup which God Nerius had given him whereof Athenaeus maketh mention But you will say that Franciscus Philelphus in his Epistles and Lilius Giraldus in his Hercules averre no lesse Pardon mee I pray you these latter writers may well moove mee but they are not able to remoove mee considering that Diodorus Siculus who went on with the Greekish historie in order even from the most remote and first records of all Antiquitie in plaine termes affirmeth that neither Hercules nor Father Bacchus went ever into Britaine I am therefore verily perswaded that the name of Hercules even to this place came either through the vanitie of Greekes or from the superstitious Religion of Britaines For as these beeing a most warlike Nation themselves had valiant men in marvellous admiration and as highly esteemed of such as vanquished Monsters so the Greekes againe whatsoever was any where stately and magnificent that they referred to the glory of Hercules and because hee had beene a great traveller such as travelled were wont to offer sacrifice unto him and to him likewise consecrate the places where they first arrived Hereof came Hercules-rocke in Campania Hercules Hauen in Liguria Hercules Grove in Germanie hence likewise the Promontories of Hercules in Mauritania Galatia and Britaine As the shore giveth backe againe from this Promontorie of Hercules the two Rivers Towridge and Taw which are the onely Rivers in this north part of the Countie discharge themselves into the sea at one mouth Towridge springing not farre from Henry poinct above said runneth South-Eastward and taking into him the river Ock whereof Ock-hampton a little market towne tooke the name where Baldwine the Vicount had his Castle in William the Conquerour time as appeareth out of Domesday booke from whom it descended to the Courtneys suddenly turning his channell maketh way Northward insulating in a manner Potheridge the Mansion of the Familie surnamed Monke Happily for that some one of them being a professed Monke by dispensation to continue his house returned to temporall state as that Noble house in France surnamed Archevesque that is Archbishop tooke that name to continue the memorie that one of the Progenitours of an Archbishop returned by dispensation to be a
deed repenting herselfe when it was too late she sought afterward maruellously to wash out that sinfull staine by taking her selfe to the mantle and ring in the habite of an holy Votarie and to building religious houses This Purbeck is called an Isle although it be onely a Demy Island compassed round about with the sea save onely on the West-side For on the East the sea bendeth the bankes inward and breaking in at a very narrow straight betweene the two shores against which a small Isle with a block house called Brensey standeth maketh a broad and wide bay On the North side wherof in the said Biland there standeth over it the towne Poole so as it is wholly environed with waters except it be on the North-side where it closeth with the continent hath one gate and no more leading unto it We may well thinke it so named because that bay aforesaid lying under it in calme weather whē the waters be still resembleth a pond such as we call a poole in our language This of a Sedgeplot of a few fishermens cotages in the last foregoing age grew to be a mercate towne exceeding rich and wealthy beautified also with goodly houses and K. Henry the Sixth by consent of the Parliament granted unto it the priviledges of a port or haven towne which he had taken from Melcomb and licensed the Major thereof to wall it about which worke afterward was begun at the haven by King Richard the Third a Prince who deserved to be rancked among the worst men and the best Kings But ever since that time by what fatall destinie I know not or rather through the idlenesse and sloth of the townesmen it is decaied in so much as for want of Inhabitants the very houses at this day runne to ruine Into the West Angle of this Bay falleth the greatest and most famous river of all this tract commonly called Frome but the English-Saxons as witnesseth Aerius named it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereupon perhaps for that this Bay was in old time called Fraumouth the posteritie ensuing rooke the rivers name to be Frome The head thereof is at Eureshot neere unto the West limit of this shire From whence he taketh his course Eastward by Frompton whereto it gave the name and from the North receiveth a little river running downe by Cerne Abbey which Augustine the Apostle of the English nation built when hee had broken there in pieces Heil the Idol of the heathen English-Saxons and chased away the fog of paganish superstition Here was first bred among the religious men as I have read Iohn Morton Cardinall and Archbishop of Canterbury borne at S. Andrews Milborne worthily advanced to so high places for his good service in working Englands happinesse by the union of the two houses of Lancaster and York and of this family there hath issued both R. Bishop of worcester and many gentlemen of very good note in this country and elsewhere Under this somewhat lower the Frau or Frome chuse whether you will maketh an Island and so goeth to see that most ancient towne Dorchester which in Antoninus his Itinerarium is termed DVRNOVARIA that is the river Passage or Ferry and seemeth by Ptolomee to be named untruly in sundry copies DVRNIVM and DVNIVM This is the head Towne of the whole Shire and yet is neither great nor beautifull being long since despoiled of the walles by the Danes who raised as it is thought certaine trenches whereof one is called Maumbury being an acre inditched an other Poundbury somewhat greater and the third a mile off as a Camp with five trenches containing some ten acres called Maiden castle which a man may easily conjecture to have beene a summer station or campe of the Romans But of her antiquitie it sheweth daily expresse tokens namely the Roman causey of the Fosse high way and coine of the Romans both copper and silver found there and especially at Fordington hard by which the common people there call King Dorn his pence whom by some allusion to the name they dreame full sweetly to have beene the founder of the towne It had anciently a castle in that place where the Grey-friers built their Convent out of the ruines thereof and hath now but three parish Churches whereas the compasse of the old towne seemeth to have beene very large But the most grievous hurt that it tooke was when Sueno the Dane had in most outrageous crueltie renewed the Danish warre and Hush the Norman who ruled these countries a man of a persidious and treacherous mind suffered all to be spoiled and harried But in what estate it stood soone after the Normans first comming in take knowledge if it please you out of Domesday booke being the Survey of England In King Edwards daies there were in Dorchester 170. houses and these for all the Kings service discharged themselves and paid according to te◠Hides but to the use of Houscarles one marke of silver excepting the customes which pertaine ad firmam noctis that is to the entertainment of the King for one night There were in it two Mint Masters Now there be therein but 82. houses and one hundreth have beene utterly destroyed since the time of Sheriffe Hugh If these termes seeme to be very obscure as Sextus Cecilus said in the like matter impute it not to the fault of the writers but to their ignorance who cannot conceive the meaning From hence Frome runneth by Woodford where in old time Guy Brient a Baron and renowned warriour had a little Castle of his owne which afterward was the habitation of Hugh Stafford of Suthwick by one of whose daughters Inheritrices it came as I have heard to Thomas Strangwaies who being borne in Lancashire and brought hither by the first Marquesse Dorset obtained a great and rich inheritance in these parts and his issue built a very faire house at Milbery Then holdeth hee on his course besides Byndon in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also had a monasterie where Kinegilsus in the yeare 614. in a doubtfull and dangerous battell vanquished the Britaines Not long since it was the seat of the Lord Marney now it giveth the honourable title of Vicount unto the Lord Thomas Howard Knight of the order of S. George whose father Thomas the second sonne of Thomas Howard the second of that name Duke of Norfolk Queene Elizabeth created Vicount Howard of Bindon when he having matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Baron Marney was seized heere of a very great inheritance of the Newborows These who were anciently named de Novo Burgo and commonly Newboroughs derive their pedigree from a younger soone of Henry the first Earle of Warwick of the Norman line and held heere Winfrott with the whole Hundred of the gift of King Henry the First per servitium Camerarii these be the words out of the booke of the Offices in Capite de Domino Rege that is by
which Elfgiva a most godly and devout Lady wife to Edmund that was King Aelfrids nephews sonne had erected and of ten parish Churches besides or there about But most famous in this place by occasion of a prety fable that our Historians doe report of Aquila prophecying here of the conversion or change of the Britaines Empire For some will have the bird Aquila that is an Eagle others a man so named to have foretold here that the British Empire after the Saxons and Normans should returne againe to the ancient Britaines and these men affirme and maintaine that this place is of greater antiquitie than Saturne himselfe whereas most certaine it is that it was first built by Alfred For the Historiographer of Malmesbury hath recorded that in his daies there was an old stone translated from the ruines of the wall into the Chapter house of the Names which had this Inscription ANNO DOMINICAE INCARNATIONIS AELFREDVS REX FECIT HANC VRBEM DCCC.LXXX REGNI SVI VIII That is In the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord King Aelfred built this Citie 880. of his raigne the eighth This Inscription I have the more willingly put down here for proofe of the Truth because in all the copies which I have seen it is wanting save only in that in the Librarie of the late Lord Burghley high Treasurer of England and I have beene informed that it continued there untill the time of King Henry the Eighth Yet the Inhabitants have a tradition that an old Citie stood upon the place which is called the Castle-Greene and by some Bolt-bury now a faire plaine so scited that as of one side it joyneth to the Towne so of another it is a strange sight to looke downe to the vale under it whereby in the West end of the old Chappell of S. Iohn as I heare now standeth a Roman Inscription reversed From thence the Stoure by Marnhill of which place L. Henry Howard brother of Thomas last Duke of Norfolke received of King Iames the title of Baron Howard of Mernhill before that he was created Earle of Northampton makes speed to Stourminster which is as much to say as the Monasterie or Minster upon Stoure A small towne this is standing somewhat with the lowest from which there is a stone bridge built reaching to Newton Castle where offreth it selfe to be seene a loftie mount cast up as they say to that heighth with great labour but of the Castle there remaineth nothing at all but onely the bare name Of these I have nothing of more antiquitie to say than this that King Aelfred bequeathed Stoureminster to a younger sonne of his Hard by at Silleston there rise two good great hilles the one named Hameldon the other Hodde and both of them fortified with a three fold Ditch and rampier And not far from thence but the very place I cannot precisely set downe stood Okeford the Capitall honour of the Baronie of Robert the sonne of Pagan commonly named Fitz-Payne who married the daughter of Guido de Brient who also in this West part enjoyed the honor of a Baron under King Edward the Third but for default of heire males of those Fitz-Paynes it came to the Poynings Barons likewise in those daies and at length by a daughter and heire of Poynings in the raigne of Henry the Sixth these Barons titles Fitz-Payne Brient and Poinings were conjoyned in the Percies Earles of Northumberland Howbeit within our fathers remembrance through the favour of King Henry the Eighth the title of Baron Poinings reflourished in Sir Thomas Poinings sonne of Sir Edward Poinings a martiall man and fruitfull father of much base brood but with him it soone vanished away as bastardly slips seldome take deepe root From hence Stoure passeth on by Brienston that is Brients towne where the Rogerses dwell an ancient family of Knights degree to Market Blandford which since in our time it chanced to be burnt downe arose againe built more elegantly and is better peopled with Inhabitants Then Stoure from thence by Tarrent where Richard Poer Bishop of Sarisbury founded a Cell for Virgins Votaries speedeth himselfe apace to that most ancient towne VINDOGLADIA where Antoninus maketh mention Which in the Saxons tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly Winburne and of the Monasterie Wenburnminster and from hence to Dorcester are counted sixteene miles just so many as the Emperour Antonine in his Itinerarie reckoneth betweene Vindogladia and Durnovaria The name as I conjecture it taketh of the scituation because it is seated betweene two rivers for so in the British tongue Windugledy soundeth as much as betweene two Swords now that the Britaines by a peculiar phrase of their owne terme rivers Swords it appeareth by Aberdugledian the British name of Milford Haven which is as much to say as the mouth of two rivers for that two rivers named with them Gledian that is Swords runne into it The latter name also of this town seemeth to be set from Rivers For Winburn is compounded of Vin a parcell of the old name and the Saxon word Burne which among them betokeneth a river and by the addition thereof the Saxons were wont to name places standing upon rivers The very town it selfe is seated upon the piece of an hill large in compasse replenished with Inhabitants but few faire buildings In the Saxons time right famous it was and much frequented for no other cause I believe but for that in those daies there remained divers tokens of the Romans majestie In the yeare 713. Cuthburga sister to Ina King of the West-Saxons when upon a loathing wearinesse of wedlocke she had sued out a Divorce from her owne husband King of Northumberland built heere a Nunnerie which yeilded unto the injurie of time and fallen to decay there arose in the very place thereof a new Church with a faire Vault beneath under the quier and an high spire besides the Toure-steeple In which were placed Prebendaries in liew of those Nuns Over whom in our fathers daies Reginal Pole was Deane who afterwards being Cardinal and Archbishop of Canteburie over and above the nobilitie of his house for descended he was of the Royall bloud became highly renowned for pietie wisedome and eloquence King Etheldred a right good and vertuous Prince brother of Aelfred slaine in the battell at Wittingham against the Danes lieth enterred in this Church upon whose Tombe which not long since hath beene repaired this new Inscription is to be read IN HOC LOCO QVIESCIT CORPVS S. ETHELDREDI REGIS WEST SAXONVM MARTYRIS QVI ANNO DOMINI DCCC LXXII XXIII APRILIS PER MANVS DANORVM PAGANORVM OCCVBVIT That is Heere lieth at rest the bodie of Etheldred King of the West-Saxons Martyr who died in the yeare of our Lord 872. the 23. of April by the hands of the Danes Infidels Neere unto whom lieth entombed Gertrude Blunt Marchionesse of Excester daughter to William Lord Montjoy and
begot of the Lady Margaret Howard Daughter to the late Duke of Norfolk In this Countie are numbred Parishes 248. BELGAE VPon the North and East side of the Durotriges bordered in times past the Belgae who as it is by the name probable and by authority of writers very likely passed over from the Belgae a people in Gaule into Britaine For those Belgae having their beginning as Caesar according to the information he had from the men of Rhemes of the Germans and in old time being brought over the Rhene finding the sweetnesse and fertility of the place expelled the Gaules and planted themselves there From whence as the same Caesar saith they gat them over into Britaine for to spoile and in warlicke manner to invade the country and were all of them called after the name of those countryes from whence they came where after they had made warre they remained and began to till the grounds But at what time they came hither to dwell it is not certainly knowen unlesse Divitiacus King of the Suessones who flourished before Caesars time brought over the Belgae hither For a great part as well of Gaule as of Britaine he had under him Whence also they were named Belgae it is not sufficiently shewed Hubert Thomas of Liege a great learned man supposed Belgae to be a German word for that the Germans use to call the French and the Italians Wallen as strangers yea and some of them Welgen Iohn Goropius himself a Belgian maintaineth it to be derived of the word Belke which in the Belgicke tongue signifieth wrath or anger as if they would be sooner incensed with choler than others But seeing that the name of the Belgae seemeth not to be sought for out of that tongue which the Germans of the Low-countries use at this day and is almost the same that our English-Saxon language for from the Saxons it came whom Charles the Great brought over into Brabant and Flanders for my part I will in no wise diminish their credit who fetch it forth of the ancient Gaules tongue which remayneth in manner uncorrupt among our Welch-Britans and will have them called Belgae of Pell which in that tongue betokeneth Remote or far off For of all Gaule they were the furthest and as they were furthest from the civill behaviour and humanity of the Roman Province so they were also in situation and seat and the Poet hath shewed that the Morini were the people of all Belgica most remote when he wrote thus Extremique hominum Morini that is The morini of all men furthest But come we now to our Belgae who inhabited far and wide in Somersetshire Wiltshire and the inner parts of Hantshire SOMERSETSHIRE THe Countie of Somerset commonly called Somersetshire is a verie large and wealthy Region the North side whereof the Severne Sea beateth upon the West part confineth with Denshire in the South it bordereth first upon Devonshire and then upon Dorsetshire Eastward upon Wiltshire and North-east upon part of Glocestershire The Soile verie rich yeelding for the most part thereof passing great plentie both of pasture and corne and yet not without stonie hilles Exceeding populous and full of Inhabitants furnished also with commodious havens and ports sufficiently Some thinke it was so called for that the aire there is so mild and summer-like and in that sence the Welch Britans at this day terme it Gladerhaf borrowing that name out of our English tongue And verily howsoever in summer time it is a right summer-like Country yet surely in winter it may worthily be called a winterish Region so wet and weely so miry and moorish it is to the exceeding great trouble and encombrance of those that travell in it But I will beleeve that this name without all question grew from Somerton a famous Towne in ancient time and of all others in the shire most frequented considering that Asserius a writer of great antiquitie calleth this Countie in every place Somertunensis that is Somertunshire In the very first limit of the shire Westward where Ex riseth in a solitarie and hilly moore first appeareth Dulverton a silly market according to the soile and neere unto it was a small religious house of Black-chanons at Barelinch who in latter times acknowledged the Fetyplaces their founders Higher upward on the Severne side where this shire confineth upon Devonshire first we meet with Porlock in the English-Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Watchet in times past Wecedpoort roades both and harbours for ships the which in the yeere 886. were most grievously afflicted by the Danish cruell piracies Betwixt them standeth Dunster Castle upon a flat and low ground enclosed round about with hilles saving to the Sea-ward built by the Moions or Mohuns From whose heires by agreements and compositions it came in the end to the Lutterels A right noble and mightie house this of the Mohuns was for a long time and flourished from the verie Conquerours daies under whose raigne that Castle was built unto the time of King Richard the Second Two Earles there were of this Countie out of that familie as I shall shew hereafter William and Reginald who in the Barons warre lost that honor The Posteritie afterwards were reputed Barons of whom the last named Iohn left three daughters Philip wife to Edward Duke of Yorke Elizabeth wedded to William Montacute Earle of Sarisburie the second of that name and Maud Joyned in marriage to the Lord Strange of Knokin The Mother of which three Ladies as the report goes obtained of her husband so much pasture-ground in Common by the Towne side for the benefit of the Inhabitants as she could goe about in one day barefoot SOMERSETTENSIS Comitatus Vulgo Somersett Shyre Qui â—lim pars fuit BELGARVM Now to returne the river Ivel from hence runneth to ISCHALIS mentioned by Ptolomee now Ivelcester named in the Catalogue of Ninnius if I be not deceived Pontavel Coit for Pont-Ivel Coit that is Ivel bridge in the wood by Florentius of Worcester Givelcester at this day of small account but onely for the antiquitie and the market there kept for peeces of the Roman Caesars or Emperours money of gold brasse and silver are other whiles here digged up That in old time it had been a great towne and on some sides strengthned with a double wall the ruines declare and two towers upon the Bridge About the time of the Normans comming in well peopled it was and much frequented For reckoned there were in it one hundred and seven Burgesses A sure place also in those daies and well fortified for in the yeere of Grace 1088 when the Nobles of England had conspired plotted against King William Rufus to put him downe and set up his brother Robert Duke of Normandie in his Roiall throne Robert Mowbray a warlike man having burnt Bathe forcibly assaulted this towne but with lost labour yet what hee could not doe then long processe of time
hath now partly effected and in some sort over-mastred it A little beneath by Langport a proper market town the Rivers Ivel and Pedred running together make betweene them an Iland called Muchelney that is to say The great Iland wherein are to bee seene the defaced walles and ruines of an old Abbey built by King Athelstane as writers reporr This Pedred commonly named Parret hath his beginning in the verie edge or skirt of the shire southward and holding on a crooked and winding course thorow Crockhorne in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Pedderton to whom it gave the name sometime Pedridan the Roiall seat of King Ina â— which towne now adayes is of none account unlesse it be for the market and Faire there held which Henrie Daubeney obtained of King Henrie the Sixth at this place runneth into Ivel and robbeth him of his name when hee is come downe three miles Eastward and hath bidden farewell to Montacute so termed by the Earle of Moriton brother by the Mothers side to King William the Conquerour who built a Castle upon the verie hill top and at the foot thereof a Priorie because the said hill riseth up by little and little to a sharpe pâ—int for before time it was called Logoresburgh and Biscopeston As for the Castle it came to nothing many yeeres since the stones thereof being had away to the repairing of the Monasterie and other houses Upon the pitch of the said hill there was a Chapell afterwards set and dedicated unto Saint Michael built with arch-worke and an embowed roofe overhead all of stone right artificially to which for halfe a mile wel nere men ascended upon stone-staires which in their ascent fetched a compasse round about the hil But now that the Priorie and chapell both be pulled down the faire and goodly house which Sir Edward Philips Knight and the Kings Sargeant at Law built lately at the hill foote maketh a very beautifull shew This high place Mont-acute hath given surname to that right honourable family of Montacute which had their beginning of Dru the younger Out of which there were foure Earles of Sarisburie the last of them left one daughter onely Alice who by Richard Nevil pare Richard that renowned Earle of Warwick who kept such stirres and made all England to shake also Iohn Nevil Marquesse Montacute who were both slaine at Barnet field in the yeere 1472. Afterward King Henrie the Eighth conferred the title of Lord Montacute upon Henrie Poole sonne of Margaret daughter to George Duke of Clarence that came of the daughter of that Richard Nevill aforesaid Earle of Warwicke and when hee had so done straightwaies made him shorter by the head afterwards Queene Marie advanced Anthonie Browne whose Grandmother was a daughter of Iohn Nevill Marquesse Montacute to the title and honour of Vicount Montacute which his Grandchild Anthonie who succeeded him now honourably enjoyeth And here I must not forget neither Preston sometime the seat of Iohn Sturton younger sonne to the first Lord Sturton one of whose heires was married to Sidenham of Brimton thereby neither Odcombe adjoyning thereto as small a towne as it is seeing it had a Baron of the owne William de Briewer for so was his father named in the Norman-French because he was borne in an heath who being taken up in the new Forrest by King Henrie the Second in a hunting journey prooved a great man and gratious in the Court as whom King Richard the First highly favored as his minion and all the world embraced and loved grew unto a verie wealthy estate married Beatrix of Vannes widow to Reginald Earle of Cornwall and his daughters for that his sonne died without issue by their marriages brought great possessions to their husbands Breos Wake La-fert and Piercy Under this towne hard by lieth Stoke under Hamden where the Gornaies had their Castle and built a Colledge This familie de Gornaico commonly named Gornay was verie ancient and of good account descended from the same stocke out of which the Warrens Earles of Surrie and the Mortimers are sprung but in the fore-going age it failed and some of their lands descended by the Hamptons to the house of the Newtons Knights who willignly acknowledge themselves to bee come out of Wales and not long since to have beene named Caradocks Neither must I passe over in silence how Matthew Gournay a most famous warriour in the raigne of Edward the Third was buried heere who in the fourescore and sixteenth yeere of his age ended this life when as appeareth by his Epitaph he had fought at the siege of Algizer against the Saracens in the battels of Benamazin Scluse Cressie Ingenos Poictiers and Nazars in Spaine Then Pedred watereth Martocke a litle market Towne which in times past William of Boloigne King Stephens sonne gave unto Faramuse of Boloigne whose sole heire Sibyll was wedded to Ingelraine Fienes from whom descended the Fienes Barons of Dacre and Lords Say and Sele Parret from hence thorow the mire and moorish plaine countrey holding his course Northward passed by Langport a market Towne well frequented and Aulre a Village consisting of a few poore Cottages which seemeth to have beene a Towne of good account for when King Elfred had given the Danes such an overthrow in battell and by strait siege compelled them to yeeld so farre forth that they tooke an oath immediatly to depart out of his dominions and Godrus their King promised to become Christian as writeth Asserius at this very place he with great pompe was Godfather to the said Godrus at the sacred Font. Beneath this place from the West Parret receiveth into it the river Thone which springing farre of in the West part of this Countrey very neere unto Devonshire runneth thorow most rich and pleasant fields passing downe neere Wivelscomb assigned anciently to the Bishops of Bathe and by Wellington which in the time of King Edward the elder was a land of â—ix Manentes what time hee granted it together with Lediard that had twelve Manentes Hides unto the Bishop of Shirburne Now a prettie market Towne it is and graced most by the habitation there of Sir Iohn Popham For vertuous men and such as have so well deserved of their countrey are not to bee passed in silence a man of an ancient worshipfull house and withall a most upright Iusticer and of singular industry who being Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench administreth his office toward malefactours with such holesome and available severity that England hath beene beholden unto him a long time for a great part of her private peace and home-securitie For thence with a soft streame and gentle fall Thone runneth by Thonton commonly Taunton and giveth it his name A very fine and proper Towne this is indeed and most pleasantly seated in a word one of the eyes of this shire where Ina King
of the West Saxons built a Castle which Desburgia his wife raced and laid even with the ground after shee had expelled from thence Eadbritch King of the South-Saxons who now had made himselfe Lord thereof and used it as a bridle to keepe the countrey under that he had subdued When Edward the Confessour was King it paid tribute as wee find in the Kings Survey-Booke of England after the rate of fiftie and foure Hides and had in it threescore and three Burgers The Bishop of Winchester held it as Lord and his courts or Pleas were kept heere thrice in the yeere And these Customes appertaine to Taunton Burgherists Theeves Breach of peace hannifare pence of the Hundred and pence of Saint Peter de Circieto thrice in the yeere to hold the Bishops Pleas without warning to goe forth to warfare with the Bishops men The Countrey heere most delectable on every side with greene medowes flourishing with pleasant Gardens and Orchards and replenished with faire Mannour houses wonderfully contenteth the eyes of the beholders And among these houses those of greatest note are these Orchard which had in times past Lords of that name from whom in right of Inheritance it descended unto the Portmans men of Knights degree Hach Beauchamp and Cory Mallet bearing those additions of their Lords For this was the seat of the Mallets that came of the Norman race and from them in short time it fell by the female heire to the Pointzes From among whom in the raigne of Edward the First Hugh was ranged in the rank of Parliament Barons and out of that familie some remaine at this day of great reputation and Knights in their Countrey As for those Beauchamps or de Bello Campo they flourished in high places of honour from the time of King Henrie the Second but especially since that Cecilie de Fortibus which derived her pedigree from the Earles de Ferrarijs and that great Marshall of England William Earle of Pembroke matched in marriage with this familie But in the raigne of Edward the Third the whole inheritance was by the sisters divided betweene Roger de S. Mauro or Seimore I. Meries men of ancient descent and great alliance And hereupon it was that King Henrie the Eight when he had wedded Iane Seimor mother to King Edward the Sixth bestowed upon Edward Seimor her brother the titles of Vicount Beauchamp and Earle of Hertfort whom King Edward the Sixth afterwards honoured first wiâ—h the name of Lord and Baron Seimor to bee annexed to his other titles lest as the King saith in the Patent the name of his mothers familie should bee overshadowed with any other stile and yet afterward created him Duke of Sommerset As you goe from thence where Thone windeth himselfe into Parret it maketh a pretty Iland betweene two rivers called in times past Aethelingey that is The Isle of Nobles now commonly knowen by the name of Athelney a place no lesse famous among us for King Alfreds shrowding himselfe therein what time as the Danes now had brought all into broile then those Marishes of Minturny among the Italians wherein Marius lurked and lay hidden For touching that King an ancient Poet wrote thus Mixta dolori Gaudia semper erant spes semper mixta timori Si modó victor erat ad crastiná bella pavebat Si modó victus erat ad crastina bella parabat Cui vestes sudore jugi cui sica cruore Tincta jugi quantum sit onus regnare probarunt With dolour great his joyes were mixt his hope was joyn'd with dread If now he victour were next day of warres he stood affraid If vanquisht now the morrow next forthwith hee thought it good For to prepare for warre his sword was aye begoard in blood His garments eke with painfull sweat were evermore bestain'd Which well did shew what burden great he bare while that he raign'd And in truth this Isle afforded him a very fit shrowding corner for that by reason of waters partly standing there in plashes and partly resorting reflowing thither which Asserius termed Gronnas Latinizing a Saxon word there is in manner no accesse into it It had sometime a bridge betweene two castles built by Aelfred and a very large grove of Alders full of goates and wild beasts but of firme ground scarce two acres in breadth on which as saith William of Malmesbury whose words these are and not mine hee founded a little Monasterie the whole frame whereof hanged upon foure maine posts pitched fast in the ground with foure round isles of Sphaerick work contrived and brought round about the same Not far from this Isle Parret having received the said river runneth alone swelling with certaine sandy shelfes sometime in his channell by the Hundred of N. Pederton anciently acknowledging the Bluets to have beene Lords thereof who are thought to have brought that name from Bluet in litle Britaine Heere it taketh into him an other river from East to beare him company which openeth it self neere Castle Cary which William Lovell Lord thereof held against K. Stephen in the behalfe of Mawd the Empresse right inheritrix of the Crown of England whose issue male failing in the time of King Edward the Third by heire female it came to Nicolas de S. Maure a Baron of a distinct familie from that which was a few lines before mentioned and shortly after about the time of Henrie the Fift by an heire female againe to the Lord Zouches of Harringworth as a moitie of the lands of Lord Zouch of Ashby de la Zouch came before by coheires to the house of this S. Maures But when the Lord Zouch was attainted by K. Henrie the Seventh for assisting King Richard the Third this Castle was given by the K. to Robert Willoughby Lord Brooke as his lands at Bridge-water to the Lord Daubency and then hee was restored in bloud From Castle Cary this water passeth by Lites-Cary to bee remembred in respect of the late owner Thomas Lyte a gentleman studious of all good knowledge and so to Somerton the Shire towne in times past as which gave the name thereto A Castle it had of the West Saxon Kings which Ethelbald King of Mercia forcing a breach through the wals sieged and kept But now time hath gotten the mastry of it so as that there is no apparance at all thereof and the very Towne it selfe would have much a doe to keepe that name were it not for a Faire of oxen and other beasts which is kept there from Palme-Sunday untill the midst of Iune with much resort of people for that the countrimen all there about are very great Grasiers breeders and feeders of cattell No sooner hath Parret entertained this river but he speeds him apace toward a great and populous towne commonly called Bridg-water and is thought to have taken that name of the Bridge and water there but the old records and evidences gaine say this opinion wherein it is
alwayes called in plaine words Burg-water that is Walters burgh or Burgh-walter and as we may very probably conjecture of that Walter de Duaco or Doway who served under William Conqueror in his wars and received at his hands many faire mannors in this shire Neither carrieth it any other name in that grant or donation whereby Fulke Paynes Lord of Bampton passed the possession of the place over unto William Briwer to curry favour with him being so great a man and so gracious a favourite with King Richard the First This Williams sonne and bearing his name bettered this haven having obtained licence of King Iohn to fortifie a Castle built heere a Fortresse which now time hath wrought her will of and began a bridg which one Strivet a gentleman of Cornwall with infinite cost finished founded also the Hospitall of S. Iohn heere and Dunkeswell Abbay But when this William Briwer the younger left this life without issue in the partition of his heritage it fell to Margaret his sister in right of whose daughter that she had by William De la fort it came to the house of Cadurci or Chaworths and from it hereditarily to the Dukes of Lancaster as some lands heereabout by an other sister came to Breos and so by Cantalupe to Lord Zauch But the greatest honor that this place had was by the title of an Earldome that King Henrie the Eight adorned it withall what time as he created Henrie Doubeney Earle of Bridge-water whose sister Cecilie was married unto Iohn Bourchier the first Earle of Bath out of that house Beneath this some few miles off Parret voideth it selfe into the Severne sea at a wide mouth which as we said Ptolomee called Vzella aestuarium and some even at this day Evelmouth but the old English-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at which place as Marianus mine author writeth Ealstan Bishop of Shirburne about the yeere of Salvation 845. discomfited the Danish forces as they were stragling abroad At the same mouth where we saw Honispell an ancient Mannour of the Coganes men of great fame in the conquest of Ireland there meeteth it another river called of some Brius which ariseth out of that great and wide wood in the East-side of this shire which the Britans named Cort Maur the Saxons Selwood that is by Asserius interpretation The great wood but now not so great This river first visiteth Bruiton to which he leaveth his name a place memorable for that the Mohuns there entombed who built a religious house of the Fitz-Iames runneth a long way by small villages and encreased with some other brooks it watereth goodly grounds untill it meete with softer soile then and there it maketh certaine marshes and meres and when the waters rise environeth a large plot of ground as an Isle so called of old time in the British tongue the Isle of Aualon of Appulis afterwards named Inis Witrin that is The Glassy Isle like as in the Saxon Idiome the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Gloscania Of which a Poet of good antiquity writeth thus Insula pomorum quae fortunata vocatur Ex re nomen habet quia per se singula profert Non opus est illi sâ—lcantibus arva colonis Omnis abest cultus nisi quem natura ministrat Vltró foecundas segetes producit herbas Nataque poma suis praetonso germine sylvis The Apple-Isle and Fortunate folke of the thing so call For of it selfe it bringeth forth corne Forage fruit and all There is no need of country clowns to plough and till the fields Nor seene is any husbandry but that which nature yeelds Of the owne accord there commeth up corne grasse and herbs good store Whole woods there be that apples beare if they be prun'd before In this Isle under a great hill rising in great height with a tower theron which they call the Tor flourished the famous Abbay of Glastenbury the beginning whereof is very ancient setched even from that Ioseph of Arimathaea who enterred the bodie of Iesus Christ and whom Philip the Apostle of the Gaules sent into Britaine for to preach Christ. For thus much both the most ancient records and monuments of this Monasterie testifie and also Patrick the Irish Apostle who lived there a Monke thirtie yeeres in an Epistle of his hath left to memorie Whereupon this place was by our Ancestors named The first land of God The first land of Saints in England The beginning and fountaine of all religion in England The tombe of Saints The mother of Saints The Church founded and built by the Lords Disciples Neither is there any cause why we should much doubt thereof sithence I have shewed before that the beames of Christian religion in the very infancie of the primitive Church were spred and shined upon this Iland yea and Freculphus Lexoviensis hath written that the said Philip conducted barbarous nations neere unto darknesse and bordering just upon the Ocean to the light of knowledge and port of faith But to our Monasterie and that out of Malmesburie his booke touching this matter When that old Cell or litle chappell which Ioseph had built by continuance of time was in the end decaied Devi Bishop of Saint Davids erected a new one in the same place which also in time falling to ruine twelve men comming out of the North part of Britaine repaired it and lastly King Ina who founded a schoole in Rome for the training up and instruction of English youth to the maintenance thereof as also for almes to be distributed at Rome had laid an imposition of Peter-pence upon every house thorowout his realme having demolished it built there a very faire and stately Church to Christ Peter and Paul and under the very highest coping thereof round about caused to bee written these verses Syderei montes speciosa cacumina Sion A Libano geminae flore comante cedri Caelorum portae lati duo lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celsior ille gradu Corda per hunc hominum reserantur astra per illum Quos docet iste stylo suscipit ille polo. Pandit iter coeli hic dogmate clavibus alter Est via cui Paulus janua fida Petrus Hic Petra firma manens ille Architectus habetur Surgit in hijs templum quo placet ara Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat A facie hostili duo propugnacula surgunt Quod fidei turres urbs caput orbis habet Haec pius egregio Rex Ina refertus amore Dona suo populo non moritura dedit Totus in affectu divae pietatis inhaereus Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchi-sedech noster meritó Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae religionis opus Publica jura regens celsa palatia servans Vnica Pontificum gloria norma
elsewhere is called Cangton But of these matters let the reader be judge my selfe as I said doth no more but conjecture whiles I seeke to trace out these their footsteps and hope to find them out some where-else Among these hils standeth Chuton which was the habitation if I take not my markes amisse of William Bonvill whom King Henrie the Sixth called by his writ of Summons to the Parliament by the name William de Bonvill and Chuton among other Barons of the Realme made him Knight of the Garter and richly matched his sonne in marriage with the sole daughter of Lord Harington But when he unthankefull man that he was in the heate of civill warre revolted and tooke part with the house of Yorke as if vengeance had pursued him hard at heeles that onely sonne of his he saw taken from him by untimely death and his nephew by the same sonne Baron of Harington slaine at the battell of Wakefield and immediately after that his old age might want no kind of miserie whiles he waited still and long looked for better daies was himselfe taken prisoner in the second battell of Saint Albans and having now run through his full time by course of nature lost his head leaving behind him for his heire his Grand-childs daughter Cecilie a Damsel of tender yeares who afterwards with a great inheritance was wedded to Thomas Greie Marquesse Dorset But his bloud after his death was by authoritie of Parliament restored Under Mendip hills northward there is a little village called Congersburie so named of one Congar a man of singular holinesse Capgrave hath written that hee was the Emperours sonne of Constantinople who lived there an Eremite also Harpetre a Castle by right of inheritance fell to the Gornaies and from them descended to the Ab-Adams who as I have read restored it to the Gornaies again Southward not farre from the foresaid hole where Mendip slopeth downe with a stony descent a little citie with an Episcopall See is scituate beneath at the hill foot sometime called as saith Leland but whence he had it I wot not Theodorodunum now Welles so named of the Springs or Wels which boile and walme up there like as Susa in Persia Croia in Dalmatia and Pagase in Macedonia were named of the like fountaines in their countrey speech whereupon this also in Latin is called Fontanensis Ecclesia as one would say Fountain-Church Fot multitude of Inhabitants for faire and stately buildings it may well and truely chalenge the preheminence of all this Province A goodly Church it hath and a Colledge founded by King Ina in honour of Saint Andrew and soone after endowed by Princes and great men with rich livings and revenewes among whom King Kinewolph by name in the yeare of our Lord 766. granted unto it very many places lying thereabout For in a Charter of his wee reade thus I Kinewolph King of the West-Saxons for the love of God and that which is not openly to be spoken for some vexation of our enemies those of the Cornish Nation with the consent of my Bishops and Nobles will most humbly give and consecrate some parcell of Land to Saint Andrew the Apostle and servant of God that is to say as much as commeth to Eleven Hides neere to the River called Welwe for the augmentation of that Monasterie which standeth neere the great fountaine that they call Wiclea This Charter have I set downe both for the antiquitie and because some have supposed that the place tooke name of this River verily neere the Church there is a Spring called Saint Andrewes Well the fairest deepest and most plentifull that I have seene by and by making a swift Brooke The Church it selfe all throughout is very beautifull but the Frontispiece thereof in the West end is a most excellent and goodly piece of worke indeede for it ariseth up still from the foot to the top all of imagerie in curious and antike wise wrought of stone carved and embowed right artificially and the Cloisters adjoyning very faire and spacious A gorgeous pallace of the Bishops built in manner of a Castle fortified with walles and a moate standeth hard by Southward and on the other side faire houses of the Prebendaries For Seven and Twenty Prebends with nineteene other petty Prebends beside a Deane a Chaunter a Chancellour and three Archdeacons belong to this Church In the time of K. Edward the elder a Bishops See was here placed For when the Pope had suspended him because the Ecclesiasticall discipline and jurisdiction in these westerne parts of the Realme began openly to decay then he knowing himselfe to be a maintainer and Nurse-father of the Church ordained three new Bishopricks to wit of Cridie Cornwall and this of Welles where hee made Eadulph the first Bishop But many yeares after when Giso sate Bishop there Harold Earle of the West-Saxons and of Kent who gaped so greedily for the goods of the Church so disquieted and vexed him that hee went within a little off quite abolishing the dignitie thereof But King William the Conquerour after hee had overthrowne Harold stretched out his helping hand to the succour of banished Giso and reliefe of his afflicted Church At what time as witnesseth Doomesday booke the Bishop held the whole towne in his owne hands which paid tribute after the proportion of fiftie Hides Afterwards in the raigne of Henry the First Iohannes de Villula of Tours in France being now elected Bishop translated his See to Bathe since which time the two Sees growing into one the Bishop beareth the title of both so that hee is called The Bishop of Bathe and Welles Whereupon the Monkes of Bathe and Canons of Welles entred into a great quarrell and skuffled as it were each with the other about the choosing of their Bishops Meane while Savanaricus Bishop of Bathe being also Abbat of Glastenbury translated the See of Glastenbury and was called Bishop thereof but when hee died this title died with him and the Monkes and Canons aforesaid were at length brought to accord by that Robert who divided the Patrimonie of Welles Church into Prebends instituting a Deane Sub-deane c. Joceline also the Bishop about the same time repaired the Church with new buildings and within remembrance of our Grand-fathers Raulph of Shrewsburie so some call him built a very fine Colledge for the Vicars and singing-men fast by the North side of the Church and walled in the Bishops Palace But this rich Church was dispoiled of many faire possessions in the time of King Edward the Sixth when England felt all miseries which happen under a Child-King As ye goe from the Palace to the market-place of the towne Thomas Beckington the Bishop built a most beautifull gate who also adjoyned thereto passing faire houses all of uniforme height neere the Market-place in the middest whereof is to be seene a Market-place supported with seven Columnes or pillar without arched
hasteneth toward VERLVCIO a most antient towne whereof the Emperor Antonine maketh mention in his Itinerarie which having not quite lost the name is called Werminster compounded of that old name and the English Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Monasterie In times past it enjoyed great immunities and freedomes For as wee reade in the Booke of King William the Great Nec geldavit nec hidata fuit that is It paid no tribute nor was rated by the Hide Now onely for a round Corn-market it is exceeding much frequented for hardly a man would believe what a mightie deale of Corne is weekely brought hither and quickly sold. But for remnants of Roman Antiquities I could discover none here onely on the East side are seene some trenches upon the hills and on the West a naturall round and high copt hill called Clay-hill Heere by beginneth North South and Eastward through the midst of the Shire the Plaines so wide and open that hardly a man can see from one side to another and doe limit the Horizon whereupon they are named The Plaines they are but rarely inhabited and had in late time a bad name for robberies there committed On the South side thereof there runne quietly two most still Rivers Willey-borne which Asserius nameth Guilou and Nadder commonly called Adder-bourne Wille-bourne rising at Werminster runneth neere Heitesburie or Hegtresburie an ancient mansion place of the Family of Hungerford but in the Church which hath beene Collegiate there is seene but one defaced monument of them The last Lord Hungerford created by King Henry the Eighth had his denomination of this place but enjoyed that honour a short while being condemned of a crime not to bee uttered Hence it hieth to Willy a Village some few miles distant over against it a very large warlike fence or hold and the same fortified with a deepe and duple Ditch the neighbour-dwellers call it Yanesburie Castle And by the forme and manner of making a man may easily know it was a Roman Campe. There are who verily thinke it was Vespasians Campe considering that hee being Lieutenant of the twentieth Legion under Claudius the Emperour subdued unto the Roman Empire two nations in this tract and they suppose that in the name Yanesburie there remaine some reliques still of Vespasians name Opposit to this on the other side the water is another lesse camp-place singly ditched called Dun-shat and about one mile and a halfe from Yanesburie another likewise with a single trench named Woldsbury I have noted the names as the country people tearme them that other may collect some matter thereby more than I can As for Nadder that springeth out of the South limit of the shire it creepeth with crooked windings like an Adder whereof it may seeme to have beene so called not farre from Wardour a proper fine Castle appertaining sometime to the Progenie surnamed Saint Martins But to say nothing of many owners betweene and amongst them of the Lord Brooke who repaired it and died at it now it belongeth to Thomas Arundell who being of late by King Iames created Baron Arundell of Wardour is worthy to be with praise remembred For that being a young Gentleman hee of a pious and godly mind undertaking a journey to serve in the warres against the Turkes sworne enemies of Christendome for his singular prowesse shewed at the winning of Strigonium in Hungarie deserved by honourable Charter from Rodolph the Second of that name Emperour to bee made a Count of the Empire the tenour of which Patent is thus For that hee had borne himselfe valiantly and manfully in the field and in assaults of Cities and Castles and shewing good proofe of valour in forcing of the water tower neere Strigonium tooke from the Turkes with his owne hand their Banner both himselfe and all and every one his children heires and issue whatsoever of both sexes descending from him lawfully either borne already or that ever shall from generation to generation bee borne wee have created made and named Counts and Countesses have endowed and adorned and with the title honour and dignitie of a Count imperiall Over against it lieth Hach a place at this day of small reckoning but which in the time of King Edward the First had his Lord Eustach de Hach summoned among the Peeres of the Realme for a Baron unto the high Court of Parliament And a few miles from thence is Hindon a quicke market and knowne for nothing else that I could see At the meeting of these two rivers Willey giveth his name to Wilton a place well watered and sometime the head towne of the whole Shire which thereof tooke the name In ancient times it was called Ellandunum for so we are enformed by the testimonie of old parchment records which have in expresse termes Weolsthan Earle of Ellandunum that is to say of Wilton and in another place that hee founded a little Monasterie at Ellandunum that is at Wilton By this name Ellan I am partly induced to thinke that this is the river Alan which Ptolomee mentioneth in this coast of the Countrey At this towne it was that in the yeare of our redemption 821. Egbert King of the West-Saxons obtained a victorie against Beor Wulf of Mercia but so mortall a battell it was to both parties that the river flowed commixt with the bloud of those who were allied in bloud and dissevered in faction At this towne also in the yeare of salvation 871. Aelfrid joyning battell with the Danes had the better hand at first but immediately the alternative fortune of war comming about hee was put to the worst and driven to retire In the Saxons time it flourished with the best in numbers of Inhabitants and King Eadgar as our Chronicles beare witnes beautified it with a Nunnery whereof he made his owne daughter Edith Prioresse But by the ancient Charter of Eadgar himselfe bearing date An. 874. it appeareth certainly to bee of more antiquitie For therein it is thus written The Monasterie which by King Edward my great Grandfathers Grandfather was founded in a well frequented and peopled place that by a knowne name is by the Inhabitants called Wilton And in the life of Saint Edward the Confessor we read thus Whiles S. Edward went in hand with the building of the Monasterie of S. Peter in Westminster Editha his wife began at Wilton where shee was brought up a Monastery princely built of stone in lieu of the Church made of timber following the Kings good affection with the like devotion of her owne And albeit Sueno the Dane spoiled this towne most grievously in the raging heate of hostilitie yet fell it not so greatly to decay untill the Bishops of Salisbury turned another way the common passage that lay before through it into the West countries For then by little and little it fell to ruine and is now as it were a small
which the unskilfull rurall people envie us the having Onely one was brought from hence to London which was to be seene in the gardens of the right honourable Sir William Cecill Lord Burghley and high Treasurer of England to wit MEMORIAE FL. VICTORINAE T. TAM VICTOR CONJUX POSVIT That this Tombe was erected for that Victorina which was called Mater Castrorum that is The mother of the Campe and who against Gallienus the Emperour excited in Gaule and Britaine the two Victorini her sonne and sonnes sonne Posthumus likewise Lollianus Marius and Tetricus Caesars I would not with others affirme Yet I have read that two of the VICTORS were in some place here in Britaine and those at one and the selfe-same time the one Maximus the Emperour his soone the other Praefectus Praetorio to the same Emperour of whom Saint Ambrose maketh mention in his Epistles but I dare avouch that neither of these twaine reared this monument for his wife As one high way or street of the Romans went straight from hence Southward to Winchester so there was another ran west-ward through Pamber Forrest very full of trees and other by-places now standing out of the way hard by Litchfield that is the field of dead bodies to the Forrest of Chute pleasant for coole shade of trees plentifull game in which the Hunters and Forresters themselves do wonder at the banke or ridge thereof so evident to be seene paved with stone but broken here and there More toward the North in the very edge and frontier of this Shire we saw Kings-Cleare a market towne in these daies well frequented the residence in times past of the Saxon Kings by it Fremantle in a parke where King Iohn much haunted also Sidmanton the habitation of the Kingsmils Knights and Burgh-Cleare scituate under an high hill in the top whereof a warlike rampire such as our countreymen called a Burgh hath a trench taking a great compasse about it from whence there being a faire and open prospect every way ever the countrey lying underneath there standeth a Beacon that by light burning fire the enemies comming may bee shewed to all the neighbour-Inhabitants round about And verily such watches or signals as this we terme in common speech Beacons of the old word Beacnian that is to shew by a signe and for these many hundred yeares they have beene in right great request and much used among us in some places by heaping up a deale of wood in others by barrels full of pitch fastened to the top of a mast or pole in the highest places of the countrey at which by night some doe evermore watch and in old time there were set horsemen as posts in many places whom our Ancestors called Hobelers who in the day time should give notice of the enemies approach This shire like as the rest which hitherto we have run over belonged to the west-Saxon Kings and when they had deposed Sigebert from his Kingdome for his tyrannie evill entreating and lewd managing of his province this countrey as Marianus writeth was assigned unto him least hee should seeme altogether a private person Whom notwithstanding afterward for his wicked deeds they likewise expelled from hence and so far was it off that this afflicted state of a King moved any man to take pitie of him that a Swine-heard in the end slew him in the wood Anderida where he had lurked and hidden himselfe This Shire can reckon but very few Earles besides those of Winchester which I have already named In the first time of the Normans Bogo or Beavose the English man who fought against the Normans in the battell at Cardiff in Wales is reputed to have beene Earle of South-hampton a man for warlike prowesse much renowned whom while the Monks laboured to set out with their fained fables they have obscured his doughtie deeds in greater darkenesse From which time unto the daies of K. Henry the Eight there was no Earle of South-hampton that I read of but he created William Fitz-williams descended from the daughter of Marquesse Montacute both Earle of South-hampton and also Admirall of England when he was now well stricken in yeares Who dying straight after without issue King Edward the Sixth in the first yeare of his raigne conferred the said honour upon Thomas Wriotheosley Lord Chancellor whose grand-child Henrie by his sonne Henrie enjoyeth the same at this day and in the prime and flowre of his age hath by good literature and militarie experience strengthned his honorable parentage that in riper yeares he might be more serviceable to his Prince and countrey There be found in this shire Parishes 253. and mercate townes 18. VECTA INSVLA ISLE OF WIGHT TO this Countie of South-hampton belongeth that Island which lieth out in length over against the midst of it South-ward called by the Romans in times past VECTA VECTIS and VICTESIS by Ptolomee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Britaines Guith by English-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For an Island they termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by us in these daies the Isle of Wight and the Whight by so small a streight running betweene anciently called Solent It is severed from the maine land that it may seeme to have beene conjoyned to it whereof that British name of it Guith which betokeneth a separation as Ninnius saith is thought to have beene given even as Sicilie also being broken off as it were and cut from Italie got the name from Secando the Latin word which signifieth cutting as the right learned Iulius Scaliger is of opinion Whereupon under correction alwaies of the Iudicious Criticks I would read in the sixt Quest. Naturall of Seneca thus Ab Italia Siciliaresecta that is Sicilie cut from Italie wheras it is commonly read there rejecta By this Vicinitie of Scite Affinitie of name we may well thinke this Vecta to be that Icta which as Diodorus Siculus writeth seemed at every tide to be an Island but when it was ebbe the ancient Britaines were wont that way to carry tinne thither by carts which should bee transported into France But yet I would not deeme it to be that MICTIS in Plinie which likewise commeth very neere unto VECTA For that in it there was plentie of tinne but in this of ours there is not to my knowledge any veine at all of mettall This Isle betweene East and West in ovall forme stretcheth out twentie miles in length and spreadeth in the midst where it is broadest twelve miles having the one side turning to the North and the other Southward The ground to say nothing of the sea exceeding full of fish consisteth of soile very fruitfull and is thankefull to the husbandman in so much as it doth affoord corne to be carried forth breeding every where store of conies hares partridges and phesants One little forrest it hath likewise and two parkes replenished with deere for game and hunting pleasure Through the midst thereof
in the North side to the river Tamis King Offa usurped and seized into his owne hands Neere unto it Northwest lieth Lee which by the daughter of a certaine worshipfull Knight surnamed thereupon de Lee fell to the familie of Besiles and thereof it came to bee called Besiles Lee and from that house in right of marriage to Richard Fetiplace whose Progenitor Thomas brought some honor to his posterity by matching with Beatrice the base daughter of Iohn the first King of Portugall and widdow to Gilbert Lord Talbot of whom they are descended But now let us returne Hard by Abendon Ocke a little river that runneth by the South side of the towne over which in times past Sir Iohn of Saint Helenes Knight built a bridge gently falleth into Isis This Ocke springeth in that vale of Whitehorse scarce a mile or two from Kingston-Lisle in olde time the possession of Warin de Insulâ or Lisle a noble Baron From whom when as Sir Iohn Talbot the younger sonne of that renowned warrior Iohn Earle of Shrewsburie was descended by his mother hee was created by King Henrie the Sixth Lord Lisle like as Warin de Insula in times past in regard of the possession of this place as if that dignity were annexed thereto and afterwards Vicount Lisle by a Patent without any such regard This title through the gratious favor of Kings flourished still in his posterity one after another successively For breifly to knit up their succession When Sir Thomas Talbot sonne of the said Iohn departed this life without issue beeing deadly shot into the mouth with an arrow in a skirmish defending his possessions against the Lord Barkley Sir Edward Grey who had married his sister received the same at the hands of King Richard the third and left it to Iohn his sonne and successour Whose onely daughter and heire King Henrie the Eighth assured to Sir Charles Brandon and thereupon created him Vicount Lisle But when as shee died in tender yeeres before the marriage was solemnized hee also relinquished that title Which King Henrie afterward bestowed upon Sir Arthur Plantagenet base sonne to King Edward the fourth Who had wedded Elizabeth sister to Sir Iohn Grey Vicount Lisle and widdow of Edmund Dudley And when hee deceased without heires male the said King honoured therewith Sir Iohn Dudley sonne of Edmund by the same Elizabeth Grey who in the time of King Edward the sixth was created Duke of Northumberland and afterward attainted by Queene Marie His sonne Sir Ambrose Dudley beeing restored in bloud was by Queene Elizabeth on one and the selfe same day created Lord Lisle and Earle of Warwicke who ended his life issuelesse And now lately Sir Robert Sidney his sisters sonne was honoured with the stile of Vicoun Lisle by King Iames who had before created him beeing Chamberlaine to the Queene his wife Baron Sidney of Pensherst Then runneth the river Ocke aforesaid betweene Pusey which they that are named de Pusey hold it yet by the horn from their ancestors as given unto them in ancient time by K. Canutus the Dane and the two Dencheworths the one and the other where flourished for a long time two noble and auncient houses to wit de Hide at the one and Fetiplace at the other which families may seeme to have sprung out of one and the same stocke considering they both beare one and the same coat of armes Then entertaineth Ock a namelesse river which issueth out of the same vale at Wantage called in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where some time there was a Manour house of the Kings and the place wherein Aelfred that most noble and renowned King was borne and bred which at his death he bequeathed to Alfrith Long time after it became a mercate towne by the meanes and helpe of Sir Fulke Fitzwarin that most warlike Knight upon whom Roger Bigod Mareschall of England had bestowed it for his martiall prowesse and at this daie it acknowledgeth for Lords thereof the Bourchiers Earles of Bath descended from the race of the Fitzwarins of whose familie some were here buried Isis being departed once from Abbendon straight waies receiveth into it out of Oxfordshire the river Tame of which elsewhere and now by a compound word being called Tamisis first directeth his course to Sinodun an high hill and fenced with a deepe trench were stood for certaine in old time a fortresse of the Romanes for the ground being now broken up with the plough yeeldeth otherwhiles to the ploughmen store of Roman pieces of coine as tokens of antiquitie Under it at Bretwell there was a Castle if it were not that upon this hill which King Henry the Second wonne by force a little before that he made peace with King Stephen From hence Tamis holdeth on his way to the chiefe Citie in times past of the Attrebatians which Antonius termeth GALLEVA of Attrebats Ptolomee GALEVA but both of them through the carelessnesse of the Scriveners name it wrong for GALLENA and they likewise in their Greeke copies have thrust upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Gallena by transposition of letters I have thought it was so named in the British tongue as it were Guall hen that is The old rampier or fort Which name being still kept and Ford added thereto which is a shallow place in the river the Englishmen in old time called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we at this day shorter Wallengford In King Edward the Confessors time it was counted a Burgh and contained as we find in that Book wherein K. William the Frst tooke the Survey of all England two hundred threescore and sixteene Hages that is to say Houses yielding nine pounds de Gablo and those that dwelt there did the King service on horsebacke or by water Of those Hages eight were destroyed for the Castle In old time it was compassed about with walles which as men may see by their tract tooke up a mile in circuit It hath a Castle scituate upon the river very large I assure you and stately so fortitified in times past that the hope in it as impregnable and invincible made divers over-bold and stout For when England burned as a man may say in a generall flame of warres we read that it was by King Stephen belaied once or twise with sieges but all in vaine The greatnesse and magnificence thereof I much wondered at when I was young and removed thither from Oxford for a place it is now for the Students there of Christ Church to retire unto as having a double range of walles about it and being compassed round likewise with a duple rampier and ditch and in the midst of it there standeth a tower to keepe raised upon a mightie high mount in the steepe ascent whereof by steps we saw a Well of an exceeding depth The Inhabitants are verily perswaded that it
puissance about the river Garumna and laying siege to Tolose with fortunate successe terrified not onely those of Province as farre as to Rhosne and the Alpes but also by raising fortresses subduing nations he made the princes of Spaine and France to quake for feare as if he had beene ever more at the point to set upon them all I will also if it please you adjoyne heereto a word or two concerning the same King out of Giraldus Combrensis From the Pyrenean mountaines saith hee unto the Westerne bounds and furthest limits of the North Ocean This our Alexander of the West hath stretched forth his arme As farre therefore as nature in these our parts hath enlarged the land so farre hath hee marched with Victories If the bounds of his expeditions were sought for sooner would the globe of earth faile than they end For where there is a valiant and courageous minde howsoever earth and land faile victories cannot faile well may there bee wanting matter of triumph but triumphs will never bee wanting How great an addition to his glorious titles and triumphs was Ireland with how great valour and praise-worthy prowesse pearced he through the very secrets and hidden places of the Ocean But lo heere an old verse of his death which briefely in one word containeth fully both all this and also the renowne of his sonne King Richard the first Mira cano Sol occubuit nox nulla sequuta est A wonder great the Sunne was set and night there followed none For so farre was King Richard his sonne from bringing darknesse with him that with the beames of his victories atchieved in Cypres and Syria he made our countrey of England most famous and renowned through the world But these are things without our Element Let us returne againe from persons to places This Monastery wherein that noble King Henrie the first was buried is now converted to bee the Kings house which hath adjoyning unto it a very goodly stable stored to the full with princelike and most generous steeds But as touching this place listen also to the Poet describing the Tamis as he passeth heereby Hinc videt exiguam Chawsey properatque videre Redingum nitidum texendis nobile pannis Hoc docet Aelfredi nostri victricia signa Begscegi caedem calcata cadavera Dani Vtque superfuso maduerunt sanguine campi Principis hîc Zephiro Cauroque parentibus ort Cornipides crebris implent binnitibus auras Et gyros ducunt gressus glomerantque superbos Dum cupiunt nostri Martis servire lupatis Haeccine sed pietas heu dira piacula primum Neustrius Henricus situs hîc inglorius urna Nunc jacet erectus tumulum novus advena quaerit Frustra nam regi tenues invidit arenas Auri sacra fames Regum metuenda sepulchris From hence he little Chawsey seeth and hastneth for to see Faire Reading towne a place of name where Cloth's ywoven be This shewes our Aelfrids victorie what time Begsceg was slaine With other Danes whose carcasses lay trampled on the plaine And how the fields ydrenched were with bloud upon them shed Where as the Prince in Stable now hath standing many a steed Of noblest kind that neigh and snort into the aire a lowd Tracing the ring and keeping pace that stately is and prowd Whiles they desire to learne with all in our warres for to serve But where alas is piety Such cursed deeds deserve Purged to be by sacrifice A King of Normans race Henry the first enterred heere now turn'd out of his place An out cast lies dishonoured Who seekes his tombe shall misse For Covetise envied that King the small mould which was his See see how Princes monuments it ransacks where it is Scarce halfe a mile from Reading betwixt most greene and flowring medowes the Kenet is coupled with the Tamis who now runneth with a broader streame by a small village called Sunning which a man would mervaile to have beene the See of eight Bishops who had this shire Wiltshire for their Diocesse yet our Histories report as much the same afterwards by Herman was translated to Shirburne and in the end to Salisburie unto which Bishopricke this place still belongeth Heereby falleth Ladden a small water into the Tamis and not farre off standeth Laurents Waltham where are to be seene the foote foundations of an old fort and divers Romane coines often times digged up and next to it Billingsbere the inhabitation of Sir Henry Nevill issued from the Lords Abergevenny From Sunning the Tamis passeth by Bistleham now called short Bisham at first a Lordship of the Knights Templars then of the Montacutes and amongst them William the first Earle of Salisburie of his familie founded a Priory wherein some say hee was buried Certes his wife the daughter of the Lord Grandison was buried there and in the Inscription of her tombe it was specified that her father was descended out of Burgundie cosin-german to the Emperour of Constantinople the King of Hungary and Duke of Baveire and brought into England by Edmund Earle of Lancaster Now is the possession of Sir Edward Hoby Knight of me especially to be observed whose singular kindnesse toward me the often consideration thereof shall keepe so fresh that it shall never vanish out of my remembrance Tamis having now left Bisham behind it fetcheth it selfe with a compasse about to a little towne named in the former ages Southe-alington afterward Maiden-hith and at this day Maindenhead of the superstitious worshipping of I wote not what British Maidens head one of those eleven thousand Virgins who as they returned from Rome into their country with Vrsula their leader suffered as Martyrs at Colein in Germanie under that scourge of God Attila Neither is this towne of any antiquity for no longer agoe then in our great Grandfathers daies there was a Ferry in a place somewhat higher at Babhams end But after they had built heere a bridge of timber piles it beganne to flourish with Innes and goe beyond her mother Bray hard by which notwithstanding is farre more ancient as having given name to the whole Hundred This parcell of the shire I have beene of opinion that the BIBROCI who yeelded themselves under Cesars protection inhabited in times past And why should I thinke otherwise The reliques of them remaine yet most evidently in the name For BIBRACTE in France is now also drawen shorter into Bray and not far from hence Caesar passed over the Tamis with his armie as I will shew in due place what time as the people of that small Canton put themselves to the devotion of Caesar. Certes If a man should hunt for these Bibroci elsewhere he should I beleeve hardly find them Within this Hundred of the Bibroci Windesore beareth a goodly shew in the Saxon tongue haply of the winding shore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it is named downe in the Charter of King Edward the Confessour who in this
said Richard and by impious cruell meanes usurped the kingdome that hee might by his benefits oblige unto him the house of the Howards created in one and the same day Iohn Lord Howard Duke of Norfolke as next cosin and heire to the Mowbraies and his sonne Thomas Earle of Surrie in whose of-spring this honour hath ever since beene resplendent and so continueth at this day This County hath in it Parish Churches 140. SVSSEX VNder Suth-rey toward the South lieth stretched out in a great length Suth-sex which also in times past the Regni inhabited in the Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day Sussex which is as much to say as the Region of the South Saxons a word compounded of the site thereof Southward and of the Saxons who in their Heptarchie placed here the second kingdome It lieth upon the British Ocean all Southward with a streight shore as it were farre more in length than bredth Howbeit it hath few harbours by reason that the sea is dangerous for shelves and therefore rough and troublous the shore also it selfe full of rocks and the South-west wind doth tyrannize thereon casting up beach infinitely The sea coast of this countrie hath greene hils on it mounting to a greater height called the Downes which because they stand upon a fat chalke or kinde of marle yeeldeth corne aboundantly The middle tract garnished with medowes pastures corne-fields and groves maketh a very lovely shew The hithermore and Northern side thereof is shaded most pleasantly with woods like as in times past the whole country throughout which by reason of the woods was hardly passable For the wood Andradswald in the British language Coid Andred taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning tooke up in this quarter a hundred and twentie miles in length and thirtie in bredth memorable for the death of Sigebert King of West Saxons who being deposed from his royall throne was in this place stabbed by a Swineheard and so died Many pretty rivers it hath but such as springing out of the North-side of the shire forthwith take their course to the Ocean and therefore not able to beare any vessell of burden Full of iron mines it is in sundry places where for the making and fining whereof there bee furnaces on every side and a huge deale of wood is yearely spent to which purpose divers brookes in many places are brought to runne in one channell and sundry medowes turned into pooles and waters that they might bee of power sufficient to drive hammer milles which beating upon the iron resound all over the places adjoyning And yet the iron here wrought is not in every place of like goodnesse but generally more brittle than is the Spanish iron whether it be by the nature or tincture and temper thereof Howbeit commodious enough to the iron Maisters who cast much great ordnance thereof and other things to their no small gaine Now whether it bee as gainefull and profitable to the common-wealth may bee doubted but the age ensuing will bee better able to tell you Neither want here glasse-houses but the Glasse there made by reason of the matter or making I wot not whether is likewise nothing so pure and cleare and therefore used of the common sort onely SVSSEXIA Siue Southsex olim pars REGNORVM Selsey before said is somewhat lower in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The Isle of Sea calves for these in our language wee call Scales which alwaies seeke to Islands and to the shore for to bring forth their young but now it is most famous for good cockles and full Lobsters A place as Beda saith compassed round about with the Sea but onely in the West side where it hath an entrie into it by land as broad as a slings cast It was reckoned by Survey taken to containe fourscore and seven Hides of Land when Edilwalch King of this Province gave it to Wilfride Bishop of Yorke whiles hee was in exile who first preached Christ unto this people and as he writeth not only by baptisme saved from thraldome under the divell two hundred and fiftie bond-men but also by giving freedome delivered them from the yoke of bondage under man Afterwards K. Cedwalla who vanquished Edilwalch founded here a Minster and beautified it with an Episcopall See which by Stigand the two and twentieth Bishop was translated to Chichester where it now flourisheth and doth acknowledge Cedwalla to bee the founder In this Isle remaineth onely the dead carkasse as it were of that ancient little citie wherein those Bishops sat and the same hidden quite with water at everie full sea but at a low water evident and plaine to be seene Then maketh the shore way for a river which out of Saint Leonards Forrest runneth downe first by Amberley where William Read Bishop of Chichester in the raigne of Edward the third built a castle for his successours and so from thence by Arundell seated on the hanging of an hill a place greater in name than deede and yet is not that name of great antiquitie for before Aelfreds dayes who bequeathed it by testament to Anthelme his brothers sonne I have not read it so much as once named Unlesse perhaps I should thinke that Portus Adurni is corruptly so called by transposition of letters for Portus Arundi The reason of this name is fetched neither from that fabulous horse of Sir Beavois of Southampton nor of Charudum a promontorie in Denmarke as Goropius Becanus hath dreamed but of the valley or dale which lieth upon the river Arun in case Arun bee the name of the river as some have delivered who thereupon named it in Latine Aruntina vallis that is Arundale But all the fame it hath is of the Castle that flourished under the Saxon Empire and which as we read presently upon the comming in of the Normans Roger Montgomerie repaired who thereupon was 〈◊〉 Earle of Arundell For a stately place it is both by naturall situation and also by mans hand verie strong But his sonne Robert de Belismo who succeeded his brother Hugh being by King Henrie the First proscribed lost that and all his other dignitie For when he had perfidiously raised warre against the King he chose this Castle for his surest hold whiles the warre lasted and fortified the place with many munitions but spedde no better than traitours use to doe For the Kings forces environing it everie way at the last wonne it Whenas Robert now had forfeited his estate and was banished the King gave this castle and all his Lands besides unto * Adeliza daughter to Godfrey Barbatus of Lovaine Duke of Loraine and Brabant for her Dowrie whom he tooke to be his second wife In whose commendation a certaine English man in that unlearned age wrote these not unlearned verses Anglorum Reginatuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi
it selfe into a channell yet often times it overfloweth the low lands about it to no small detriment Not farre from the said mere Furle sheweth it selfe a principall mansion of the Gages who advanced their estate by the marriage of one of the heires of Saint Clare Princes favour and Court Offices The shore next openeth it selfe at Cuckmere which yet affordeth no commodious haven though it be fed with a fresh which insulateth Michelham where Gilbert de Aquila founded a Priory for black Chanons And then at East-bourn the shore ariseth into so high a Promontory called of the beach Beachy-points and Beau-cliffe for the faire shew being interchangeably compounded with rowe of chalke and flint that it is esteemed the highest cliffe of all the South coast of England As hitherto from Arundell and beyond the countrey along the coast for a great breadth mounteth up into high hilles called the Downes which for rich fertilitie giveth place to few valleys and plaines so now it falleth into such a low levell and marsh that the people think it hath been over-flowed by the sea They call it Pevensey Marsh of Pevensey the next towne adjoyning which lieth in the plaine somewhat within the land upon a small river which often times overlaieth the lands adjacent In the old English Saxon Language it was walled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Norman speech Pevensell now commonly Pemsey It hath had a meane haven and a faire large castle in the ruinous walles whereof remaine great bricks such as the Britans used which is some argument of the antiquitie thereof It belonged in the Conquerours time to Robert Earle of Moriton halfe brother by the mothers side to the Conquerour and then had fiftie and six Burgesses After the attainder of his Sonne William Earle of Moriton it came to King Henrie the First by Escheat In the composition betweene Stephen and King Henrie the second both towne and castle with whatsoever Richard de Aquila had of the Honor of Pevensey which after his name was called Honor de Aquila and Baronia de Aquila or of the Eagle was assigned to William Sonne to K. Stephen But he surrendred it with Norwich into King Henrie the Seconds hand in the yeere 1158 when he restored to him all such Lands as Stephen was seased of before hee usurped the crowne of England After some yeeres King Henrie the third over-favouring forrainers granted the Honor de Aquila which had fallen to the crowne by Escheat for that Gilbert de Aquila had passed into Normandie against the Kings good will to Peter Earle of Savoy the Queenes uncle But he fearing the envie of the English against forrainers relinquished it to the King and so at length it came to the Dutchy of Lancaster Inward from Pevensey is seated Herst in a Parke among the woods which name also it hath of the woody situation For the ancient English-men called a wood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was immediately after the Normans entry into England the seat of certaine noble gentlemen who of that place were a good while named de Herst untill William the sonne of Walleran de Herst tooke unto him the name Monceaux of the place haply where he was borne an usuall thing in that age whereupon that name also was adnexed unto this place which ever since was of the Lord termed Herst Monceaux From whose Posteritie by heire generall it descended haereditarily to the Fienes These Fienes called likewise Fenis and Fienles derive their pedigree from Ingelram de Fienes who had wedded the heire of Pharumuse of Boloigne of the house of the Earles of Boloigne in France About the time of King Edward the Second Sir Iohn Fienes married the heire of Monceaux his sonne William married one of the heires of the Lord Say his sonne likewise the heire of Batisford whose sonne Sir Roger Fienes married the daughter of Holland and in the first yeare of King Henrie the Sixt built of bricke the large faire uniforme convenient house heere Castle-like within a deepe moate The said King Henrie the Sixt Accepted declared and reputed Sir Richard Fienis sonne of the said Sir Roger to be Baron of Dacre And the same tittle King Edward the fourth chosen Arbitratour and Umpire betweene him Sir Humfrey Dacre awarded confirmed to the said S. Richard Fienis and to the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten for that he had married Ioane the cousin and next heire of Thomas Baron Dacre and to have praecedence before the L. Dacre of Gilesland heire male of the family Since which time the heires lineally descending from him being enriched by one of the heires of the Lord Fitz-Hugh have enjoyed the honor of Baron Dacre untill that very lately George Fienis Lord Dacre sonne to the unfortunate Thomas Lord Dacre died without issue whose onely sister and heire Margaret Sampson Lennard Esquire a man both vertuous and courteous tooke to wife and by her hath faire issue In whose behalfe it was published declared and adjudged by the Lords Cōmissioners for Martiall causes in the second yeere of the raigne of King Iames with his privity and assent Royall That the said Margaret ought to beare have and enjoy the name state degree title stile honor place and precedency of the Baronie of Dacre to have and to hold to her and the issue of her bodie in as full and ample manner as any of her ancestors enjoied the same And that her children may and shall have take and enjoy the place and precedence respectively as the children of her ancestors Barons Dacre have formerly had and enjoyed Now to returne to the Sea-coast about three miles from Pevensey is Beckes-hill a place much frequented by Saint Richard Bishop of Chichester and where he died Vnder this is Bulver-hith in an open shore with a rooflesse Church not so named of a bulles hide which cut into thongs by William the Conquerour reached to Battaile as they fable for it had that name before his comming But heere he arrived with his whole fleete landed his armie and having cast a rampier before his campe set fire on all his ships that their onely hope might be in manhood and their safety in victorie And so after two daies marched to Hastings then to an hill neere Nenfeld now called Standard hill because as they say he there pitched his Standard and from thence two miles farther where in a plaine the Kingdome of England was put upon the hazard and chance of a battaile and the English-Saxon Empire came to a full period and finall end For there King Harold in the yeere of our Lord 1066. the day before the Ides of October albeit his forces were much weakened in a former fight with the Danes and his soldiers wearied besides with a long journey from beyond Yorke encountred him in a place named Epiton When the Normans had sounded the Battaile first the skirmish continued for a pretty while with shot of arrowes
word which signifieth a strond or Banke I cannot easily say But seeing that in Records it is very often called in Latine Ripa and they who bring fish from hence be termed Ripiers I encline rather this way and would encline more if the Frenchmen used this word for a stroud or shore as Plinius doth Ripa These two townes neither may it seeme impertinent to note it belonged to the Abbey of Fescampe in Normandie But when King Henry the Third perceived that religious men intermingled secretly in matters of State he gave them in exchange for these two Chiltenham and Sclover two Manours in Glocester-shire and other lands adding for the reason that the Abbat and Monkes might not lawfully fight with temporall armes against the enemies of the Crowne Into this haven the River Rother or Rither sheddeth it selfe which issuing forth at Ritheram fieldes for so the Englishmen in ancient times called that towne which wee doe Rotherfield passeth by Burgwash in old time Burghersh which had Lords so surnamed thereof among whom was that Sir Bartholomew Burgwash a mightie man in his time who being approved in most weighty Ambassages and warres in Aquitaine for his wisedome and valour deserved to be created a Baron of the Realme to be admitted into the Order of the Garter at the very first institution even among the Founders thereof and to bee made Constable of Dover Castle and Warden of the Cinque-ports And his sonne carrying the same fore-name not degenerating from his father lived in high honour and estimation but hee left behind him one daughter and no more issue married into the house of Le Despencer of which there remaineth still a goodly of-spring of Noble personages Echingham next adjoyning had also a Baron named William de Echingham in the time of King Edward the Second whose ancestours were the hereditarie Seneschals of this Rape And their inheritance in the end by the heires females name to the Barons of Windsor and to the Tirwhits Then the Rother dividing his water into three channels passeth under Roberts bridge where Alured de S. Martin in King Henrie the seconds daies founded a Monasterie and so running beside Bodiam a Castle belonging to the ancient Family of the Lewknors built by the Dalegrigs here falleth as I said into the Ocean Now I have passed along the Sea coast of Sussex And as for the mid-land part of the shire I have nothing more to relate thereof unlesse I should recount the woods and forrests lying out faire in length and breadth which are a remnant of the vast wood Anderida Among which to begin at the West those of greatest note are these The forrest of Arundill Saint Leonards forrest Word forrest and not farre off East Gren-sted anciently a parcell of the Barony of Eagle and made a Mercate by King Henry the seventh Ashdowne forrest under which standeth Buckhurst the habitation of the ancient house of the Sackviles out of which race Queene Elizabeth in our daies aduanced Thomas Sackvile her allie by the Bollens a wise Gentleman to be Baron of Buckhurst took him into her Privie Councell admitted him into the most honorable Order of the Garter and made him Lord Treasurer of England whom also of late K. Iames created Earle of Dorset Waterdown forrest where I saw Eridge a lodg of the Lord Abergevenny and by it craggie rocks rising up so thicke as though sporting nature had there purposed a sea Here-by in the very confines of Kent is Groomebridge an habitation of the Wallers whose house there was built by Charles Duke of Orleance father to K. Lewis the 12. of France when he being taken prisoner in the battaile at Agincourt by Richard Waller of this place was here a long time detained prisoner As touching the Earles Sussex had five by the line of Albiney who were likewise called Earles of Arundell but had the third pennie of Sussex as Earles then had The first of them was William D' Albiney the sonne of William Butler to King Henrie the first and Lord of Buckenham in Norfolk who gave for his armes Gules a Lion rampant Or and was called one while Earle of Arundell and another while Earle of Chichester for that in those places he kept his chiefe residence This man of Adeliz the daughter of Godfrey Barbatus Duke of Lorraine and of Brabant Queen Dowager or Widdow of K. Henrie the First begat William the second Earle of Sussex and of Arundell father to William the third Earle unto whom Mabile the sister and one of the heires of the last Raulph Earle of Chester bare William the fourth Earle Hugh the fifth who both died without issue and also foure daughters married unto Sir Robert Yateshall Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Sir Roger de Somery and Sir Robert de Mount-hault After this the title of Arundell budded forth againe as I said before in the Fitz-Alans but that of Sussex lay hidden and lost unto this our age which hath seene five Ratcliffes descended of the most Noble house of the Fitz-walters that derived their pedigree from the Clares bearing that honour to wit Robert created Earle of Sussex by King Henrie the Eight who wedded Elizabeth daughter of Henry Stafford Earle of Buckingham of whom he begat Henrie the second Earle unto whom Elizabeth the daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk brought forth Thomas who being Lord Chamberlaine to Queene Elizabeth died without issue a most worthy and honourable personage in whose mind were seated joyntly both politike wisedome and martiall prowesse as England and Ireland acknowledged Him succeeded Sir Henrie his brother and after him Robert his onely sonne now in his flower This Province containeth parishes 312. THus farre of Sussex which together with Suth-rey was the habitation of the Regni in the time of the Britaines and afterwards the kingdome of the South-Saxons called in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the two and thirty yeare after the Saxons comming was begun by Ella who as Beda writeth First among the Kings of the English Nation ruled all their Southern Provinces which are severed by the River Humber and the limits adjoyning thereto The first Christian King was Edilwalch baptized in the presence of Wulpher King of Mercia his Godfather and he in signe of adoption gave unto him two Provinces namely the Isle of Wight and the Province of the Meanvari But in the 306. yeare after the beginning of this Kingdome when Aldinius the last King was slaine by Ina King of West-Saxons it came wholly under the Dominion of the West-Saxons CANTIVM NOw am I come to Kent which Countrey although master WILLIAM LAMBARD a man right well endued with excellent learning and as godly vertues hath so lively depainted out in a full volume that his painefull felicitie in that kind bath left little or nothing for others yet according to the project of this worke which I have taken in hand I will runne it over also and
least any man should thinke that as the Comicall Poet saith I deale by way of close pilfering I willingly acknowledge him and deserve he doth no lesse to have beene my foundation and fountaine both of all well-neere that I shall say Time as yet hath not bereft this Region of the ancient name but as it was called CANTIVM by Cesar Strabo Diodorus Siculus Ptolomee and others so that Saxons named it as Ninnius witnesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The countrey of the people inhabiting Cantium and wee Kent This name master Lambard deriveth from Caine which among the Britaines soundeth as much as a greene Bough because in old time it was shadowed with woods But it may be lawfull for mee to put in my conjecture whereas Britaine heere runneth out with a mightie nooke or corner into the East and I have observed that such a kind of nooke in Scotland is called Cantir Againe that the Inhabitants of another Angle in that part of the Island are by Ptolomee termed Cantae as also that the Cangani in Wales were possessed of another corner to say nothing of the Cantabri who likewise dwelt in an angle among the Celtiberians who as they came from one originall so likewise they were of the same language with our Britans I would guesse that the name was given by reason of the forme and scituation and so much the rather both for that our Frenchmen have used Canton for a Corner and that as it is probable from the old Language of the Gauls for it comes not from the Germane or Latine tongue which together with that old tongue be the mothers of this latter French tongue and also because this Countrey by all the old Geographers is called Angulus For it looketh full upon France with a huge Angle compassed with the aestuarie of Tamis and with the Ocean sea saving that Westward it hath Surrey and southward Sussex to confine upon it KENT THe Region which we call Kent extendeth it selfe in length from West to East fifty miles and from South to North 26. For scituation it is not uniforme as being more plaine toward the West and full of shady woods but higher Eastward by reason of hils mounting up with easie ascents The Inhabitants distinguish it as it lyeth South-east-ward from the Tamis into three plots or portions they call them steps or degrees the upper whereof lying upon Tamis they say is healthfull but not so wealthy the middle they account both healthfull and plentifull the lower they hold to bee wealthy but not healthy as which for a great part thereof is very moist yet it bringeth forth ranke grasse in great plenty Howbeit every where almost it is full of meadowes pastures and cornefields abounding wonderfully in apple-trees and cherrie-trees also which being brought out of Pontus into Italie in the 608. yeare after the foundation of Rome and in the 120. yeare after translated from thence into Britaine prosper heere exceeding well and take up many plots of land the trees being planted after a direct manner one against another by square most pleasant to behold It hath villages and townes standing exceeding thicke and well peopled safe rodes and sure harbours for ships with some veines of iron and marle but the aire is somewhat thicke and somewhere foggie by reason of vapours rising out of the waters At a word the revenues of the Inhabitants are greater both by the fertilitie of the soile and also by the neighbourhood of a great citie of a great river and the maine sea The same commendation of civilitie and courtesie which Cesar in old time gave the Inhabitants is yet of right due unto them that I may not speake of their warlike prowesse whereas a certaine Monke hath written How the Kentishmen so farre excelled that when our armies are ready to joyne battaile they of all Englishmen are worthily placed in the Front as being reputed the most valiant and resolute souldiers Which Iohn of Salisburie verifieth also in his Polycraticon For good desert saith he of that notable valour which Kent shewed so puissantly and patiently against the Danes it retaineth still unto these daies in all battailes the honour of the first and fore-ward yea and of the first conflict with the enemie In praise of whom William of Malmesbury hath likewise written thus The country people and towne-dwellers of Kent above all other Englishmen retaine still the resent of their ancient worthinesse And as they are more forward and readier to give honour and etertainment to others so they be more slow to take revenge upon others Cesar to speake briefly by way of Preface before I come to describe the particular places when he first attempted the conquest of our Island arrived at this countrey but being by the Kentish Britans kept from landing obtained the shore not without a fierce encounter When he made afterward his second voyage hither here likewise hee landed his armie and the Britaine 's with their horsemen and wagons encountred them couragiously but beeing soone by the Romans repulsed they withdrew themselves into the woods After this they skirmished sharpely with the Roman Cavallery in their march yet so as the Romans had every way the upper hand Also within a while after they charged the Romans againe and most resolutely brake through the midst of them and having slaine Laberius Durus Marshall of the field retired safe and the morrow after set upon the Foragers and victualers of the campe c. which I have briefly related before out of Cesars owne Commentaries At which time Cyngetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax were great Commanders of Kent whom he because he would be thought to have vanquished Kings termeth Kings whereas indeed they were but Lords of the countrey or Noble men of the better marke CANTIVM Quod nunc KENT But when the Romans were departed quite out of Britaine Vortigern who bare soveraigne rule in the greatest part of Britaine placed over Kent a Guorong that is to say a Vice Roy or Freed man under him and unwitting to him hee forthwith freely granted this region as Ninnius and William of Malmesbury write unto Hengist the Saxon for his daughter Rowens sake upon whom hee was exceedingly enamoured Hence it came that the first Saxon Kingdome erected in Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 456. was called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kingdome of the Kentishmen which after three hundred and twenty yeares when Baldred their last King was subdued fell to bee under the Dominion of the West Saxons to whom it continued subject untill the Normans Conquest For then if we may beleeve Thomas Spot the Monke for none of the more ancient Writers have recorded it the Yeomanrie of Kent at Swanes-comb a village this is where they say Suene the Dane sometime pitched his campe carrying before them in their hands every one a great greene bough representing a farre of a moving wood yeilded themselves
unto William the Conquerour upon this condition that they might retaine their ancient customes unviolated and especially that which they call Gavelkind that is Give all kinne by which they are not so bound by Copyhold customarie tenures or Tenant-right as in other parts of England but in manner every man is a free-holder and hath some part of his owne to live upon For lands of this nature are equally divided among the male children or if there be no sonnes among the daughters By vertue of this also they are at full age and enter upon their inheritance when they come to be fifteene yeares old and lawfull it is for them to alienate and make it over to any one either by gift or by sale without the Lords consent By this likewise the sonne though their parents were condemned for theft succeede them neverthelesse in such kind of Lands c. which I leave to Lawyers So that it is truely though not purely written in Latine in an old book thus The County of Kent avoucheth that this County ought by right to be free from such kind of grievance for it saith that this County was never conquered as the residue of England was but by concluding of a peace subjected themselves to the dominion of the Conquerour retaining to themselves all their liberties immunities and customes which they had and used before time After this William the Conquerour that hee might more firmely assure to himselfe Kent which is the very key of England placed a Constable over Dover Castle and according to the ancient order of the Romans made him also Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports And these bee they Hastings Dover Hith Rumney and Sandwich unto which Winchelsey and Rie are joyned as principall ports and other small townes as Members Which because they are bound to serve in the warres by sea enjoy many great immunities as who are free from payment of Subsidies and from Wardship of their children as touching the bodie neither are they sued in any court but within their owne townes and of the inhabitants therein such as they call Barons at the Coronation of Kings and Queenes support the Canopies over them yea and have a table by themselves that day spred and furnished on the Kings right hand c. And the Lord Warden himselfe who is alwaies one of the Nobilitie of most approved trust hath within his jurisdiction the authoritie of a Chancellour and Admirall in very many cases and enjoyeth other rights besides But now returne we to the places The Northside of this Country Tamis the soveraigne of all Rivers in Britaine runneth hard by as I have said before which having held on his course past Surrey forthwith being with a winding reach almost retired into himselfe doth there admit into his channell into the first limit of this shire Ravensburne a small water and of short course which riseth in Keston heath hard under the pitching of an ancient campe strange for the height of double rampiers and depth of double ditches of all that I have seene doubtlesse the worke of many Labouring hands Of what capacitie it was I could not discover for that the greatest part thereof is now severall and overgrowne with a thicket but verily great it was as may bee gathered by that which is apparent We may probably conjectture that it was a Roman Campe but I might seeme to rove if I should thinke it that Campe which Iulius Caesar pitched when the Britans gave him the last battaile with their whole forces and then having bad successe retired themselves and gave him leave to march to the Tamis side And yet certes Keston the name of the place seemeth to retaine a parcell of Kesars name for so the Britaine 's called him and not Caesar as wee doe As for the other small intrenchment not farre of by W. Wickham it was cast in fresh memory when old Sir Christopher Heydon a man then of great command in these parts trained the country people This water having passed by Bromeley a Mansion house of the Bishops of Rochester when it hath gathered strength the depth of his ford giveth name to Depe-ford a most famous Ship-docke where the Kings ships are built and such as be decaied repaired there also is a goodly Store-house and a Colledge as it were or incorporation ordained for the use of the navie The place was sometime called West-Greenwich and at the conquest of England fell to Cislebert Mamignot for his share whose Grand-child Walkelin defended Dover Castle against King Stephen and left behind him one onely daughter living who when her brother was dead by her marriage brought a rich inheritance called the Honor of Mamignot into the family of the Saies From hence the Tamis goeth to Green-wich that is the Greene Creeke for the creek of a river in the old English tongue was called Wic a place in times past famous for the Danish Fleet that lay there often at Rode and for the Danes crueltie shewed unto Ealpheg Archbishop of Canterbury whom in the yeare of our Lord a thousand and twelve they cruelly executed with most exquisite torments Whose death together with the cause thereof Ditmarus Mersepurgius who about the same time lived hath thus in the eighth booke of his Chronicles described I understood saith he by the relation of Sewald a pitifull deede and therefore memorable namely That the perfideous crew of Northman souldiours under Thurkil as yet their Captaine tooke that excellent prelate Archbishop of the Citie of Canterburie named Ealphâ—g with the rest and them after their wicked manner emprisoned and bound yea and put him to endure famine and unspeakeable paines This good man moved with humane frailtie promiseth unto them a summe of money and for the obtaining thereof did set downe a time betweene that if in this space he could not by some acceptable ransome escape this momentany death hee might yet in the meane while purge himselfe with many a groane to be offered as a lively sacrifice unto the Lord. But when all the time space appointed were come gone this greedy gulfe of Pirates called forth the servant of the Lord in threatning wise demands this tribute promised unto them to be spedily and out of hand paid Then he as a meeke Lamb Here am I quoth he ready to undergoe even for the love of Christ whatsoever ye presume now to doe against me that I may deserve to become an example of his servants And nothing am I troubled at this day And whereas I seeme unto you a lyer it is not mine owne will but great neede and povertie that hath done it This body of mine which in this exile I have loved overmuch I present as culpable unto you and I know it is in your power to doe with it what yee intend but my sinfull soule that regardeth not you I humbly commend to the Creator of all things As hee was thus speaking the whole rabble of these
prophane wretches hemmed him round about and getteth together divers and sundry weapons to kill him Which when their leader Thurkill saw a farre off he came quickly running and crying Doe not so in any wise I beseech you and heere with my whole heart I deliver unto you all my gold and silver and whatsoever I have heere or can by any meanes come by save my ship onely that yee would not sinne against the Lords annointed But this unbridled anger of his mates harder than yron and flint was nothing mollified with so gentle words and faire language of his but became pacified by shedding his innocent bloud which presently they altogether confounded and bleanded with Ox-heads stones as thicke as haile and billets hurled at him And to the memorie of this Saint Ealpheg is the Parish Church heere consecrated But now is the place of very great name by reason of the Kings house which Humfrey Duke of Glocester built and named Placence which also King Henrie the Seventh most sumptuously enlarged who adjoyned thereto a little house of observant Friers and finished that towre famous in Spanish fables which the said Duke of Glocester begun on an high hill from whence there is a most faire and pleasant prospect open to the river winding in and out and almost redoubling it selfe the greene meddowes and marshes underlying the Citie of London and the Countrie round about Which being now enlarged and beautified by the L. Henrie Howard Earle of Northampton Lord Privie Seale c. cannot but acknowledge him a well deserving benefactor But the greatest ornament by far that graced this Green-wich was our late Queene Elizabeth who heere most happily borne to see the light by the resplendent brightnesse of her royall vertue enlightned all England But as touching Green-wich have heere these verses of Leland the Antiquarian Poet Ecce ut jam niteat locus petitus Tanquam syderea domus cathedrae Quae fastigia picta quae fenestrae Quae turres vel ad astra se efferentes Quae porro viridaria ac perennes Fontes Flora sinum occupat venusta Fundens delicias nitentis horti Rerum commodus aestimator ille Râ—pae qui variis modis amoenae Nomen contulit eleganter aptum How glittereth now this place of great request Like to the seate of heavenly welkin hie With gallant tops with windowes of the best What towres that reach even to the starry skie What Orchards greene what springs ay-running by Faire Flora heere that in this creeke doth dwell Bestowes on it the flowers of garden gay To judge no doubt of things he knew full well Who gave this banke thus pleasant every way So fit a name as did the thing bewray Nothing else have I here to note but that for I would not have the remembrance of well deserving benefactors to miscarry William Lambard a godly good Gentleman built an Almeshouse here for the sustentation of poore persons which hee named The Colledge of Queene Elizabeths poore people and as the prying adversaries of our religion then observed was the first Protestant that built an Hospitall At the backe of this as ye turne out scarce three miles off standeth Eltham a retyring place likewise of the Kings but unholsomly by reason of the moate Anthony Becke Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Ierusalem built this in a manner new and gave unto Queene Eleanor wife to King Edward the First after hee had craftily conveyed unto himselfe the inheritance of the Vescyes unto whom this place before belonged For that Bishop whom the last Baron of Vescy had made his foefie for trust of all his inheritance to the use of William Vescy his little base sonne dealt not so faithfully as he should with this orphane and ward of his but dispoiled him of Alnwick Castle this and other faire lands Beneath Greenwich the Thames having broken downe his bankes hath by his irruption surrounded and overwhelmed many acres of land For the inning whereof divers have as it were strugled with the waters now many yeares and yet with great workes and charges cannot overmaster the violence of the tides which the Chanons of Liesnes adjoyning kept sound and sweete land in their times This Abbey was founded 1179. by Lord Richard Lucie chiefe Iustice of England and by him dedicated to God and the memorie of Thomas of Canterburie whom hee so admired for his piety while other condemned him for pervicacie against his Prince as hee became here a devoted Chanon to him Heere in the marshes groweth plentifully the hearbe Cochlearia called by our Countrey men Scurvy-grasse which some Phisicians would have to be the same which Plinie calleth Britannica by which name I have already made mention thereof but heare what Plinie saith In Germany when as Germanicus Caesar had removed his campe forward beyond Rhene in the maritime tract there was one fountaine and no more of fresh water whereof if a man dranke within two yeares his teeth would fall out of his head and the joynts in his knees become loose and feeble Those diseases the Phisicians tearmed Stomacace and Sceletyrbe For remedie hereof there was found an hearbe called Brittannica holesome not onely for the sinewes and maladies of the mouth but also against the Squincie and stinging of serpents c. They of Frisia what way our campe lay shewed it unto our souldiours And I marvaile what should bee the cause of that name unlesse peradventure they that confine upon the Ocean dedicated the name thereof to Britaine as lying so nere vnto it But that most learned Hadrian Iunius in his booke named Nomenclator bringeth another reason of the name whom you may have recourse unto if you please For this word Britannica hath here diverted me a side from my course From thence the Thames being contained within his bankes meeteth with the river Darent which falling downe out of Suthrey runneth with a soft streame not farre from Seven-oke so called as men say of seven exceeding great Okes now cut downe which commendeth Sir William Sevenok an Alderman of London who being a foundling and brought up here and therefore so named built heere in gratefull remembrance an Hospitall and a schoole On the East side of it standeth Knoll so called for that it is seated upon a hill which Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury purchasing of Sir William Fienes Lord Say and Seale adorned with a faire house and now lately Thomas Earle of Dorset Lord Treasurer hath fourbished and beautified the old worke with new chargeable additaments Darent then passeth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now Otford a place famous in former ages for an overthrow and slaughter of the Danes which happened there in the yeare 1016. and lately by reason of the Kings house which William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury built for himselfe and his successours so sumptuously that for to avoid envie Cranmer who next succeeded him was constreined to exchange
it with King Henrie the Eighth Somewhat lower hard by Darent standeth Lullingstone where there was sometime a Castle the seat of a family of the same name but now of Sir Percival Hart descended from one of the coheires of the Lord Bray Then Darent giveth name unto Darentford commonly Dartford a great mercat towne well frequented and well watered where King Edward the Third built a Nunnery which King Henry the Eighth converted into a house for himselfe and his successours Heere the rivelet Crey anciently called Crecan intermingleth it selfe with Darent when in his short course hee hath imparted his name to five townelets which hee watereth as Saint Mary Crey Pauls Crey Votes-Crey North Crey and Crey-ford in former ages Crecanford where Hengist the Saxon the eighth yeare after his arrivall joyned battaile with the Brittaines and after he had slaine their captaines brought them under with so great a slaughter that afterwards hee never stood in feare of them but established his kingdome quietly in Kent From the river Darent or Dart unto the mouth of Medway the Thames seeth nothing above him but little townes pleasantly seated which to passe over in silence were no prejudice either of their fame or any thing els Yet amongst them is Swans-combe of which I have heretofore spoken of honorable memorie among the Kentish men for obtaining their the continuance of their ancient franchises afterward it was well knowne by the Montceusies men of great Nobility the owners therof who had there Barony here-about And by it Graves-end so called as Master Lambert is my author as the Gereves-end that is the limit of the Gereve or Reve. A towne as well knowne as any other in England for the usuall passage by water betweene it and London since the Abbat of Grace by the tower of London to which it appertained obtained of King Richard the second that the inhabitants of it and Milton onely should transport passengers from thence to London King Henrie the Eighth when he fortified the sea coast raised two Platformes or Block-houses here and two other opposite on Essex side Beyond Graves-end is Shorn held anciently by Sir Roger Northwood by service to carry with other the kings tennants a white ensigne fortie daies at his owne charges when the King warred in Scotland Somewhat more within the land lieth Cobham the habitation for a long time of the Barons of Cobham of whom Iohn Cobham the last of that name founded a Colledge here and a castle at Cowling who left one onely daughter wife to Sir Iohn de la Pole Knight Shee likewise bare but one daughter though married in her time to many husbands But by Sir Reginald Braibrooke onely had shee issue As for her husband Sir Iohn Old Castle whiles hee endeavoured to bring in innovation in religion was both hanged and burnt Ioane her onely daughter by Sir Reginald Braybrooke was wedded unto Thomas Broke of Somersetshire from whom six Lord Cobhams have lineally descended and flourished in honorable reputation untill our time From Graves-end a little country called Ho lying as a demy Island between rivers Thames and Medway stretcheth it selfe into the East and is for situation but unholsome At the entry hereof is Cowling Castle built by Iohn Lord Cobham in a moorish ground and Cliffe a good bigge towne so called of a cliffe upon which it standeth But whether it bee that Clives at Ho so famous in the tender age and infancie of our English Church by reason of a Synode there holden I dare not as others doe affirme considering that in regard of the site it is a place inconvenient for such an assembly and besides that Clives at Hoo seemeth to have beene within the Kingdome of the Mercians As for the river Medweg now called Medway and in the British tongue unlesse I misse of the truth Vaga whereunto afterward was added Med hath his spring head in the wood Anderida which is termed the Weald that is a Wood-land country and taketh up the South-part of this region farre and wide At first whiles it carrieth but a slender streame it receiveth the Eden by Penshurst the seat anciently as it seemeth by the name of Sir Stephen de Penherst who also was called de Penshester a famous Warden of the Cinque ports but now the house of the Sidneies who derive their race from William de Sidney Chamberlaine to King Henrie the second out of which came Sir Henrie Sidney that renowned Lord deputy of Ireland who of the daughter of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland and Earle of Warwicke begat Philip and Robert This Robert Iames our soveraigne King made right honorable first by the title of Baron Sidney of Penshurst and afterwards of Vicount Lisle But Sir Philip whom I cannot passe over in silence beeing the glorious starre of this familie a lively patterne of vertue and the lovely joy of all the learned sort fighting valerously with the enemy before Zutphen in Gelderland died manfully This is that Sidney whom as Gods will was he should be therefore borne into the world even to shew unto our age a sample of ancient vertues so his good pleasure was before any man looked for it to call for him againe and take him out of the world as beeing more worthy of heaven then earth Thus wee may see Perfect vertue sodainely vanisheth out of sight and the best men continue not long Then the river Medway branching it selfe into five streamlets is joyned with as many stone Bridges and thereof giveth the name of Tunbridge to the towne there situate as the towne of Bridges This about King William Rufus his time Richard sonne of Count Gilbert Grandchild to Godfrey Earle of Ewe Lord of Briony obtained in requitall for Briony in Normandie when there had bin long debate about Briony This Richard as William Gemeticensis writeth in recompence for the same castle received in England the towne of Tunbridge for it And the report goeth that the Lowy of Briony was measured round about with a line and with the same line brought into England hee received so much groūd measured out at Tunbridge Shortly after he built here a faire large castle fenced with the river a deepe ditch and strong walles and albeit it is now ruinous and 〈◊〉 Keepe attired with Ivie yet it manifestly sheweth what it was His posteritie who were Earles of Glocester and surnamed De Clare for that they were Lords of Clare in Suffolke built here a priorie for Chanons of Saint Augustines order founded the parish Church which was impropriated to the Knights of Saint Iohn of Hierusalem and compounded about the tenure of the Mannour for which there had beene long suit to hold it of the Archbishop of Canterburie by Knights fee and to be their high Stewards at their inthronizations From these Clares Earles of Glocester it came by an heire generall to Sir Hugh Audley Earle of Glocester and
these very same of which we now speake And verily no where else are they found but in a chalkie and marly soile Vnlesse a man would thinke that our English-Saxons digged such caves and holes to the same use and purpose as the Germans did of whom they were descended For they were wont as Tacitus writeth to make holes and caves under the ground and those to charge aloft with great heapes of dung as harbours of refuge for Winter and garners of receit for corne because by such like places they mitigate the rigour of cold wether and if at any time the enemie commeth hee wasteth onely the open ground but as for those things that lie hidden and buried under the earth they are either unknowne or in this respect doe disappoint the enemies for that they are to be sought for From above Feversham the shoare runneth on plentifull of shel-fish but especially oisters whereof there are many pits or stewes as far as Reculver and farther This Reculver is a place of ancient memorie named in the old English-Saxon Reaculf but in elder time REGVLBIVM For so it is named in the Roman Office booke Notitia Provinciarum which reporteth that the captaine of the primer band of the Vetasians lay heere in garrison under the Lieutenant of the Saxon-shoare for so was the sea coast a-long this tract called who had the command then of nine Ports as the L. Warden now hath of five Ports And verily the Roman Emperours coines digged up there give testimony to this antiquitie of the place In it Aethelbert King of Kent when he had made a grant of Canterbury to Augustine the Monk built himselfe a Palace and Bassa an English-Saxon beatified it with a Monasterie out of which Brightwald the Eighth Archbishop of Canterbury was elected Of this Monastery or Minster it was named Raculf-Minster what time as Edred brother to King Edward the Elder gave it to Christ-church in Canterbury Howbeit at this day it is nothing else but an uplandish country towne and if it bee of any name it hath it for the salt savory Oisters there dredged and for that Minster the steeples whereof shooting up their loftie spires stand the Mariners in good stead as markes whereby they avoide certaine sands and shelves in the mouth of the Thames For as he versifieth in his Philippeis Cernit oloriferum Thamisin sua Doridi amarae Flumina miscentem It now beholds swann-breeding Thames where he doth mix his streame With brackish sea Now are we come to the Isle Tanet which the river Stour by Bede named Wantsum severeth from the firme land by a small channell running betweene which river made of two divers rivelets in the wood-land called the Weald so soone as it goeth in one entire streame visiteth Ashford and Wye two prety Mercate townes well knowne Either of them had sometimes their severall Colledges of Priests the one built by Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury who was there borne the other to wit of Ashford by Sir R. Fogge Knight Wye also had a speciall fountaine into which God infused a wonderfull gift and vertue at the instant prayer of Eustace a Norman Abbat if we may beleeve Roger of Hoveden whom I would advise you to have recourse unto if you take delight in such like miracles As how the blind by drinking thereof recovered sight the dumbe their speech the deafe their hearing the lame their limbes And how a woman possessed of the devill sipping thereof vomited two toades which immediately were first transformed into huge blacke dogs and againe into asses and much more no lesse strange than ridiculous which some in that age as easily believed as others falsely forged Thence the Stour leaving East-well the inhabitation of the family of the Finches worshipfull of it selfe and by descent from Philip Belknap and Peoplesham goeth on to Chilham or as other call it Iulham where are the ruines of an old Castle which one Fulbert of Dover is reported to have built whose issue male soone failed and ended in a daughter inheritrice whom Richard the base sonne of King Iohn tooke to wife and had with her this Castle and the lands thereto belonging Of her hee begat two daughters namely Lora the wife of VVilliam Marmion and Isabell wife first to David of Strathbolgy Earle of Athole in Scotland afterward to Sir Alexander Baliol who was called to Parliament by the name of Lord of Chilham mother to that Iohn Earle of Athole who being condemned oftentimes for treason was hanged at the last upon a gibbet fifty foot high as the King commanded because he might be so much the more conspicuous in mens eies as he was of higher and nobler birth and being cut downe halfe alive had his head smitten off and the truncke of his body throwen into the fire a very cruell kinde of punishment and seldome seene among us And after his goods were confiscate King Edward the first bounteously bestowed this castle together with Felebergh Hundred upon Sir Bartholomew Badilsmer who likewise quickly lost the same for his treason as I have before related There is a constant report among the inhabitants that Iulius Caesar in his second voiage against the Britans encamped at this Chilham and that thereof it was called Iulham that is Iulius his Mansion and if I be not deceived they have the truth on their side For heere about it was when at his second remove he in his march staied upon the intelligence that his ships were sore weather-beaten and thereupon returned and left his army encamped tenne daies while he rigged and repaired the decaies of his Navy And in his march from hence was encountered sharply by the Britans and lost with many other Laberius Durus a Marshall of the field A little beneath this towne there is a prety hillocke to be seene apparelled in a fresh suit of greene sord where men say many yeeres agoe one Iullaber was enterred whom some dreame to have beene a Giant others a Witch But I conceiving an opinion that some antiquity lieth hidden under that name doe almost perswade my selfe that the foresaid Laberius was heere buried and so that the said hillocke became named Iul-laber Five miles from hence the river Stoure dividing his Channell runneth swiftly by DVROVERNVM the chiefe Cittie of this Countie and giveth it his name For Durwhern in the British tongue signifieth a swift river Ptolome calleth it in steed of Durovernum DARVERNVM Bede and others DOROBERNIA the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kentishmens citie Ninnius and the Britans Caer Kent that is the Citie of Cent wee Canterbury and the later writers in Latine Cantuaria A right antient citie this is and famous no doubt in the Romans time not over great as William of Malmesbury said 400. yeares since nor verie small much renowned both for the situation and exceeding fertility of the soile adjoining as also for
rivelet Over the bridge whereof when the Danes with rich spoiles passed as Aethelward writeth in battail-ray the West-Saxons and the Mercians received them with an hote battaile in Woodnesfield where three of their Pettie Kings were slaine namely Heatfden Cinvil and Inguar On the same shore not much beneath standeth Barkley in the Saxon-tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of great name for a most strong Castle a Major who is the Head Magistrate and especially for the Lords thereof descended from Robert-Fitz-Harding to whom King Henry the second gave this place and Barkely Hearnes Out of this house are branched many Knights and Gentlemen of signall note and in the reigne of King Henry the seventh flourished William Lord Barkely who was honoured by King Edward the fourth with the stile of Viscount Barkely by King Richard the third with the honour of Earle of Nottingham in regard of his mother daughter of Thomas Moubray Duke of Norfolke and Earle of Nottingham and by King Henry the Seventh with the office of Marshall of England and dignity of Marquis Barkely But for that he died issuelesse these his titles died together with him If you be willing to know by what a crafty fetch Goodwin Earle of Kent a man most deeply pregnant in devising how to do injury got the possession of this place you may read these few lines out of Wal. Mapaeus who flourished 400. yeares ago and worth the reading believe me they are Barkley neere unto Severn is a towne of 500. pounds revenew In it there was a Nunnery and the Abbesse over these Nunnes was a Noble woman and a beautifull Earle Goodwin by a cunning and subtill wile desiring not her selfe but hers as he passed that way left with her a Nephew of his a very proper and beautifull young Gentleman pretending that hee was sickly untill he returned backe Him he had given this lesson that hee should keepe his bed and in no wise seeme to be recovered untill he had got both her and as many of the Nunnes as hee could with child as they came to visite him And to the end that the young man might obtaine their favour and his owne full purpose when they visited him the Earle gave unto him pretty rings and fine girdles to bestow for favours upon them and thereby to deceive them Hee therefore being willing entred into this course of libidinous pleasure for that the way downe to hell is easie was soone taught his lessons and wisely playeth the foole in that which seemed wise in his own conceit With him they were restant all those things that the foolish virgins could wish for beauty daintie delicates riches faire speech and carefull he was now to single them alone The Devill therefore thrust out Pallas brought in Venus and made the Church of our Saviour and his Saints an accursed Temple of all Idols and the Shrine a very stewes and so of pure Lambes hee made them foule shee-wolves and of pure virgins filthy harlots Now when many of their bellies bare out big and round this youth being by this time over wearied with conquest of pleasure getteth him gone and forthwith bringeth home againe unto his Lord and Master a victorious Ensigne worthy to have the reward of iniquitie and to speake plaine relateth what was done No sooner heard he this but he hieth him to the King enformeth him how the Lady Abbesse of Barkely and her Nuns were great with child and commonly prostitute to every one that would sendeth speciall messengers of purpose for enquirie heereof proveth all that he had said Hee beggeth Berkley of the King his Lord after the Nuns were thrust out and obtained it at his hands and he left it to his wife Gueda but because she her selfe so saith Doomes-day booke would eat nothing that came out of this Manour for that the Nunnery was destroied he purchased for her Vdecester that thereof she might live so long as she made her abode at Barkley Thus wee see a good and honest mind abhorreth whatsoever is evill gotten How King Edward the second being deposed from his Kingdome through the crafty complotting and practise of his wife was made away in the Castle heere by the wicked subtiltie of Adam Bishop of Hereford who wrote unto his keepers these few words without points betweene them Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est that by reason of their diverse sense and construction both they might commit the murther and he also cleanly excuse himselfe I had rather you should seeke in Historians than looke for at my hands Beneath this Barkley the little river Avon closely entereth into the Sea at the head whereof scarse eight miles from the waterside upon the hils neere Alderley a small towne there are found certaine stones resembling Coccles or Periwinckles and Oysters which whether they have beene sometimes living creatures or the gamesom sports of Nature I leave it to Philosophers that hunt after natures works But Fracastorius the principall Philosopher in this our age maketh no doubt but that they were living creatures engendred in the Sea and by waters brought to the mountaines For he affirmeth that mountaines were cast up by the Sea with the driving at first of sand into heapes and hillocks also that the sea flowed there where now hilles doe rise aloft and that as the said Sea retired the hilles also were discovered But this is out of my race TRAIECTVS that is The ferry whereof Antonine the Emperour maketh mention over against Abone where they were wont to passe over Severne salt water by boate was in times past as I guesse by the name at Oldbury which is by interpâ—eâ—â—tion The Old Burgh like as we doe ferry in these daies at Aust a little towne somewhat lower This in ancient times was called Aust clive for a great craggy cliffe it is endeed mounting up a great height And verily memorable is the thing which that Mapaeus whom I spake of writeth to have beene done in this place Edward the elder saith he Lay at Austclive and Leolin Prince of Wales at Bethesley now when Leolin would not come downe to parley nor crosse Severn Edward passeth over to Leolin whom when Leolin saw and knew who he was hee cast off his rich robe for hee had prepared himselfe to sit in judgement entred the water brest-high and clasping the boat with an embrace said Most wise and sage King thy humility hath overcome my insolency and thy wisedome triumphed over my folly Come get upon my necke which I have foole as I am lifted up against thee and so shalt thou enter into that land which thy benigne mildnesse hath made thine owne this day and after he had taken him upon his shoulders hee would needs have him sit upon his roabe aforesaid and so putting his owne hands joyntly into his did him homage Upon the same shore also is situate Thornebury where are to be seene the foundations brought up above ground
birth parentage and Filiation whose wisdome also whose justice princely courage warlike exploits most valiantly atchieved in the defence of the State and whose roiall birth and bloud as who was descended from the bloud roiall of the three most renowned Kingdomes of England France and Spaine they knew assuredly Wherefore having throughly weighed these and such like motives they willingly and withall hearty affection tendring the welfare of the land by that their petition and one generall accord of them all elected him for their King and with prayers and teares lying prostrate before him humbly craved and besought his gracious favour to accept and take upon him the Kingdomes of England France and Ireland appertaining to him by right of inheritance and now presented to him by their free and lawfull election and so for very pitty and naturall zeale to reach forth unto his Countrey now forlorne his helping hand that after so great and grievous stormes the sonne of grace might shine upon them to the comfort of all true hearted English men This supplication being tendred privately to himselfe before that he entred upon the Kingdome was presented also afterwards unto him in the publike assembly of all the States of the Realme and there allowed and so by their authoritie enacted and published with a number of words as the maner is heaped up together that according to the law of God the law of Nature the lawes of England and most laudable custome Richard was and is by lawfull election Inauguration and Coronation the undoubted King of England c. and that the Kingdomes of England France and Ireland appertained rightfully to him and the heires of his body lawfully begotten And to use the very words as they stand penned in the originall Record By the authority of the Parliament it was pronounced decreed and declared that all and singular the contents in the foresaid Bill were true and undoubted and the Lord the King with the assent of the three States of the Kingdome by the foresaid authoritie pronounceth decreeth and declareth the same for true and undoubted These things have I laid forth more at large out of the Parliament Rowle that yee may understand both what and how great matters the power of a Prince the outward shew of vertue the wily fetches of Lawyers fawning hope pensive feare desire of change and goodly pretenses are able to effect in that most wise assembly of all the States of a Kingdome even against all Law and right But this Richard is not to be accounted worthy to have bin a Soveraigne had he not bin a Soveraigne as Galba was reputed who when he was a Soveraigne deceived all mens expectation but most worthy indeed of Soveraigntie had he not being transported with ambition which blasteth all good parts by lewd practises and mischievous meanes made foule way thereunto For that by the common consent of all that are wise he was reckoned in the ranke of bad men but of good Princes Now remembring my selfe to be a Chorographer I will returne to my owne part and leave these matters unto our Historiographers when God shall send them In this Countie there are Parishes 280. OXONIENSIS Comitatus vulgo Oxfordshyre qui pars olim DOBUNORUM OXFORD-SHIRE OXFORD-SHIRE in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as we said belonged also to the Dobuni on the West side joyneth upon Glocester-shire on the South which way it runneth out farthest in breadth is dissevered from Bark-shire by the River Isis or Tamis Eastward it bordereth upon Buckingham-shire and Northward where it endeth pointed in manner of a Cone or Pine-apple hath North-hampton-shire of one side and Warwick-shire on the other side confining with it It is a fertile Country and plentifull wherein the Plaines are garnished with Corne-fields and meddowes the Hilles beset with Woods stored in every place not onely with Corne and fruites but also with all kinde of game for Hound or Hawke and well watered with fishfull Rivers For ISIS or OUSE which afterwards comes to bee named Tamis maketh a long course and runneth under the South side Cherwell also a prety River well stored with fish after it hath for a time parted North-hampton-shire and Oxford-shire passeth gently with a still streame through the middest of the Country and divideth it as it were into two parts And Tamis with his waters conforteth and giveth heart to the East part untill both of them together with many other Riverets and Brookes running into them bee lodged in Isis. This Isis when it hath passed a small part of Wil-shire no sooner is entred into Oxford-shire but presently being kept in and restrained with Rodcot bridge passeth by Bablac where Sir R. Vere that most puissant Earle of Oxford Marquesse of Dublin and Duke of Ireland who as he stood in most high favour and authority with King Richard the Second so he was as much envied of the Nobles taught us as one said that no power is alwaies powerfull Who being there discomfited in a skirmish by the Nobles and constrained to take the River and swimme over found the Catastrophe of his fortune and subversion of his state For immediately he fled his country and died distressed in exile Of whom the Poet in his Marriage of Tame and Isis made these verses Hic Verus notissimus apro Dum dare terga negat virtus tendere contrà Non sinit invictae rectrix prudentia mentis Vndique dum resonat repetitis ictibus umbo Tinnitúque strepit circum sua tempora cassis Se dedit in fluvium fluvius laetatus illo Hospite suscepit salvum salvúmque remisit Heere VERE well knowne by badge of savage Bore While man-hood shames to yeeld yet strive againe Stout heart may not restrain'd by wisdomes lore Whiles shield resounds by doubled blowes amaine And helmet rings about his eares is faine The streame to take The River glad therefore His Guest tooke safe and set him safe on shore Isis from thence overflowing many times the flat and low grounds is first encreased with the Brooke Windrush which springing out of Cotteswold hath standing upon the banke side Burford in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Cuthred King of West-Saxons at that time by curtesie of the Mercians when hee could endure no longer the most grievous exactions of Aethelbald the Mercian who began to oppresse his people and sucke their bloud came into the field against him and put him to flight having won his Banner wherein by report of Authours there was a golden Dragon depainted Then passeth it by Minster Lovell the habitation in times past of the great Barons Lovels of Tichmerch who being descended from Lupellus a Noble man of Normandy flourished for many ages and augmented their estate by rich marriages with the daughters and heires of Tichmerch with the heires of the Lords Holland D'eyncourt and the Vicounts Beaumont But their line expired in Francis Vicount Lovell Lord
tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other lying under it North-ward is named the Vale. Chiltern got that name according to the very nature of the soile of Chalky marle which the ancient English men termed Cylt or Chilt For all of it mounteth aloft with whitish hills standing upon a mixt earth of Clay and Chalke clad with groves and woods wherein is much Beech and it was altogether unpassable in times past by reason of trees untill that Leofstane Abbot of Saint Albans did cut them downe because they yeelded a place of refuge for theeves In it where the Tamis glideth at the foote of those hills with a winding course standeth Marlow a prety towne of no meane credite taking name of the said Chalke commonly tearmed Marle which being spred upon Corne ground eaten out of heart with long tillage doth quicken the same againe so as that after one yeeres rest it never lieth fallow but yeeldeth againe unto the Husband-man his seed in plentifull measure Nere unto this a rill sheaddeth it selfe in the Tamis making way through low places and where it turneth hath a towne upon it called High Wickham or Wicombe rather which happily thereof tooke the name considering that the German Saxons terme any winding reach of river and sea a Wicke and Combe a low Valle. And very many places wee meet withall in England named in that respect This towne for largenesse and faire building is equall to the greatest townes in this shire and in that it hath a Major for the Head-Magistrate worthily to bee preferred before the rest About the time of the Normans comming in Wigod of Wallengford was Lord both of the Burgh of Wicomb and also of the Villa forinseca I speake according to the Record of the ancient Inquisition that is The out Hamlet or Bery After whose death King Henry the first laid it unto the Crowne But King John at the length divided the said Out Berry betweene Robert de Vi-paâ—â—t and Alane Basset North off Wicomb mounteth up aloft the highest place of this Region and thereof it retaineth still the British name Pen. For the head or eminent top of a thing is with them called Pen and hence it is that the Pennine Alpes the Apâ—â—nine and many Mountaines among us tooke their names Nere unto this Wickham or Wicomb is Bradenham seated in a very commodious and wholsome place which now is become the principall habitation of the Barons of Windesor concerning whom I have already spoken in Barke-shire ever since that in the memory of our fathers William Lord Windesor seated himselfe here whose father S. Andrew descended from the old stemme of ancient Barons King Henry the Eighth dignified with the honour of Baron Windesor Tamis having entertained the said Riâ—â— commeth downe with a rolling streame by Aelan famous for a Colledge the nourâ—e garden as it were or plant plot of good letters which that most vertuous and godly Prince K. Henry the Sixt as I have already said first founded And some few miles forward the river Cole entreth into Tamis which running here betweene Buckinghamshire and Middlesexe giveth name unto the towne Colbroke which was that PONTES whereof Antonine the Emperour maketh mention as the distance on both sides from Wallingford and London doth witnesse Neither is there any other place else in the way that leadeth from Wallingford to London to which the name of Pontes that is Bridges might be more fitly applied For this Cole is here parted into foure channels over which stand as many bridges for the commodity of passengers whereof that it tooke this name the very signification of the word doth plainly shew Like as Gephyrae a towne in Boâ—etia and another Pontes in France where the County of Ponthieu our Tunbridg and others are so called of Bridges This County of Ponthieu to note so much by the way descended to the Kings of England in the right of Aeleanor the wife of King Edward the First who by her mothers right was sole and entire Heire of the same Cole by these severall partitions of his streames compasseth in certaine pleasant Ilands into which the Danes fled in the yeere of our Lord 894. when Aelfred preassed hard upon them and there by the benefit of the place defended themselves untill the English for want of provisions were forced to breake up Siege and leave them At this divorce and division of the waters Eure or Ever a little Towne sheweth it selfe which when K. Richard the First had given unto Sir Robert Fitz-Roger Lord of Clavering his younger sonnes of this place assumed their surname to wit Hugh from whom the Barons of Eure and Robert from whom the Family of Eure in Axolme is sprung and spred Farther within Land are these places which I may not passe over Burnham better knowne by the Hodengs Lord Huntercombs and Scudamores who were Lords thereof and of Beacons-field successively by inheritance than by it selfe Stoke Pogeis so called of the Lords thereof in old time named de Pogeis and from them hereditarily devolved upon the Hastings of whose race Edward Baron Hastings of Loughborrow founded here an Hospitall for poore people making himselfe one of their society and his nephew by the brother Henry Earle of Huntingdon built a very faire house and Fernham the very same if I bee not deceived which was called Fernham Roiall and which in times past the Barons Furnivall held by service of finding their Soveraigne Lord the King upon the day of his Coronation a glove for his right hand and to support the Kings right arme the same day all the while hee holdeth the regaâ—â— Verge or Scepter in his hand From the Furnivalls it came by the daughter of Thomas Nevill unto the Talbots Earles of Shrewsbury who although by exchange they surrendred up this Manour unto King Henry the Eight yet they reserved this honourable Office still to them and their Heires for ever This Cole carrieth downe with him another riveret also which somewhat above from the West sheddeth it selfe into it upon it we saw first Missenden where stood a religious House that acknowledged the D'Ollies their founders and certaine Gentlemen surnamed De Missenden their especiall benefactours upon a vow for escaping a ship-wracke And then in the Vale Amersham in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which vaunted it selfe not for faire buildings nor multitude of inhabitants but for their late Lord Frâ—ncis Russeâ—â— Earle of Bedford who being the expresse paterne of true Piety and noblenesse lived most dearely beloved of all good men But the principall seate of the Earles of Bedford is called Cheineis standing more East-ward where both Iohn the first Earle out of this Family and that noble Francis his sonne lye entombed together Unto which adjoyneth on the one side Latimers so named of the Lords thereof I meane those more ancient Barons Latimer before time called Islehamsted where Sir Edwin Sands Knight who
tooke to wife the onely daughter of the Baron Sands dwelt while he lived in a very faire house and on the other Chesham Bois where and at Draiton Beauchamp the Family of Cheneis hath anciently flourished From hence I passed scarse three miles North-ward but I came to the ridge of Chilturne-hils which divideth the whole region a crosse from the South-west to the North-east passing by many villages and small townes among which that of greatest note is Hamden which gave name to an ancient and well spred Family in these parts In the very East corner of these hils Ashridge a retiring house sometime of the kings standeth upon an ascent where Edmund Earle of Cornewall sonne to Richard king of the Romans founded a religious house for a new Order of religious men in those daies called Bon Hommes by him first brought into England Who professed the rule of S. Augustine and were according to the manner of the Order of the Eremitans clad in skie coloured garments From this ridge or edge of the Hils there is a large prospect every way downe into the Vale beneath which I said was the other part of the Shire This almost throughout is a plaine Champion standing likewise upon a clay-soile stiffe tough and fruitfull with pasture medowes most plentifull of grasse and fodder feeding innumerable flockes of sheepe whose soft and passing fine fleeces are in request even as farre as to the Turkish Nations in Asia But it is all naked and bare of woods unlesse it bee on the West side where among others is Bernewood whose Forresters surnamed de Borstall were famous in former times About this Forrest the yeare after Christs Nativity 914. the Danes furiously raged and then happily it was that the ancient Burgh was destroied whose antiquity Romane coined peeces of money there found doe testifie which afterwards became the royall house of King Edward the Confessour But now it is a Country Village and in stead of Buri-Hill they call it short Brill In this Vale although it be exceeding full of Townes and Villages yet very few of them are memorable and those either upon the River Tame or Vsa that is Ouse Not far from Tame which watereth the South part of the Vale upon the rising of a prety hill standeth a faire Mercat Towne well occupied and compassed about with many most pleasant greene medowes and pastures commonly called Ailesbury of which the whole Vale is termed the Vale of Ailesbury The Engish-Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Cuthwulf the Saxon won it in the yeare of our Lord 572. For the Brittish name whereby it was knowne before in continuance of time is utterly lost Famous it hath beene in times past especially for Ediths sake there fostered who having obtained of her Father â—rewald this Towne for her Dowry forthwith by persuasion of the religious people bad the world and her husband farewell and taking her selfe to the Vale for opinion of holinesse and devotion in that most pregnant and fruitfull age of Saints became wonderfully renowned even as farre as to working of miracles together with her sister Eadburg of whose name there is a little Towne among the Hils as yet called Eadburton In the time of King William the Conquerour it was a Manour of the Kings and certaine yard-lands were here given by the King with this condition that the Possessour or Holder thereof marke ye nice and dainty ones should finde 〈◊〉 for the Kings bed when the King came thither In the Raigne of Edward the First certaine Gentlemen named de Ailesbury who bare for their Armes Aâ—ure a Crosse Argent were by report but I know not how truely the Lords thereof certaine it is they were in those daies men of the better sort and of great good note and such as by marriage with the daughter and heire of the Caihaignes who were in times past Lords of Meddleton Caihaignes came to a faire and goodly inheritance which at last by heires generall came to the Chaworths the Staffords of Graâ—ton c. But now the greatest name and reputation that it hath is by grazing and feeding of Cattaile Very much beholden also it is unto Justice Baldwin who not onely adorned it with publique aedifices but also made a passing faire causey to it where the way was very deepe and cumbersome for three miles or thereabout in length Heere round about in every side flockes of sheepe pasture most plenteously in mighty numbers loden with fleeces to the great gaine and commodity of their Masters especially at Quarendon a Lordship belonging to Sir Henry Lee an honourable Knight of the Order of the Garter Eythorp which sometime was the Dinhams and now the Dormâ—â—s Knights and also Winchindon appertaining to the Family of the Godwins Knights likewise c. Lower wee meet with nothing memorable upon Tame unlesse Cheardesley be as many thinke it is the place which was called in the Saxon-tongue Cerdick-flega of Cerdic the Saxon who fought a very sharpe and bloudy battaile there with the Britans Neere unto it standeth Credendon now Crendon which was the Capitall house belonging to the Honour of Giffard for so were those lands termed which fell unto Walter Giffard at the Conquest of England whose sonne the second Earle of Buckingham and Ermingard his wife built the Abbay of Noteley thereby in the yeare 1112. But his cozen Hugh de Bolebec from whom by the females the Earles of Oxford are descended held of him no small possessions in these parts And the ruines of Bolebec Castle are seene hard by within the Parish of Whitchurch Neere unto which is Ascot the principall Mansion house of the Dormers from whence descended the Dutches of Feria in Spaine and others of noble note Usa or Ouse in times past Isa and the second Isis which with a soft and still streame passeth through the North part of this Province arising in Northampton-shire and presently from his head when being yet but small he closely entereth into this Shire runneth beside Bittlesden which Robert de Mapertshall Lord of the place gave unto Osbert de Clinton Chamberlaine to King Henry the First a powerfull Courtier that he might not be punished as a Fellon for stealing away one of the Kings Hounds But he restored it unto him againe with a cozin of his in marriage yet lost he the same in the hot broile of the civill war under King Stephen and Ernald Bois by way of a benefit and courtesie received it at the hands of Robert Earle of Leicester And hee in the yeare of Christ 1127. founded there a little Monastery for the Cistertien Monks Then Ouse saluteth Buckingham the Shire Towne which as Marian saith King Edward the elder in the yeare of our Lord 915. fortified with a Rampire and Sconces on both bankes against the Invasions and assaults of the Danes Yet was it of no great name as it may seeme in the
in the Hole so named of the miry way in Winter time very troublesome to Travellers For the old Englishmen our Progenitors called deepe myre hock and hocks So passing along fields smelling sweet in Sommer of the best Beanes which with their redolent savour doe dull the quicke sent of Hounds and Spaniels not without fuming and chaâ—ing of Hunters we mounted up by a whitish chalkey hill into the Chiltern and streightwaies were at Dunstable This Towne seated in a chalkey ground well inhabited and full of Innes hath foure Streetes answering to the foure quarters of the world in every one of which notwithstanding the Soile bee most dry by nature there is a large Pond of standing water for the publique use of the Inhabitants And albeit they bee fed onely by raine water yet they never faile nor become dry As for spring-veines there are none to bee found unlesse they sinke Wells or pits foure and twenty Cubits deepe In the middest of the Towne is a Crosse or Columne rather to be seene with the Armes of England Castle and Ponthieu engraven thereon adorned also with Statues and Images which King Edward the First erected as he did some others in memoriall of Aeleoner his Wife all the way as hee conveyed her Corps out of Lincoln-shire with funerall pompe to Westminster That this Dunstable was the very same Station which the Emperour Antonine in his Itinerary calleth MAGIONINIUM MAGIOVINIUM and MAGINTUM no man needs to make doubt or to seeke it else where For besides that it is situate upon the Romanes high way there are peeces of the Roman Emperours moneies found otherwhiles in the fields adjoyning round about by the Swine-heards which as yet they terme Madning mony and within a little of the very descent of the Chiltern hils there is a military modell raised up round with a Rampire and Ditch such as Strabo writeth the Britans Townes were containing nine Acres of ground which the people use to call Madning-boure and Madin-boure in which very name with a little change MAGINTUM most plainly sheweth it selfe But when the said MAGINTUM by the injury of warre or time was decayed king Henry the First heere reedified a Towne built a royall house at Kings-bury and planted a Colony to represse the boldnesse of Theeves that heere beset the wayes and lay in wait as the private History of the Priory that himselfe founded for the ornament of this his Colony doth evidently beare witnesse But heare the very words out of that private History although they savour of the Barbarisme of that age Note that the plot of ground where the two high waies Watling and Ikening meet was first by Henry the elder King of England cleered to keepe under and bridle the wickednesse of a certaine most notorious Theefe named Dun and his Companions and of that Dun the said place was named Dunstable The King our Lord built there the Burgh of Dunstable and made for himselfe a royall Manour or house neere under that place The King had in the same Towne both Faire and Mercat Afterwards hee founded a Church and by authority of Pope Eugenius the Third placed therein Regular Chanons and feoffed the said Religious Chanons in the whole Burgh by his Charter and bestowed upon them very many liberties As for Leighton Buzard on the one side of Dunstable and Luton on the other neither have I reade nor seene any thing memorable in them unlesse I should say that at Luton I saw a faire Church but the Quier then Roofelesse and overgrowne with Weedes and adjoyning to it an elegant Chappell founded by I. Lord Wenlocke and well maintained by the Family of Rotheram planted heere by Thomas Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke and Chancellour of England in the time of King Edward the Fourth As touching the Lords Dukes and Earles of Bedford First there were Barons of Bedford out of the Family of Beauchamp who by right of inheritance were Almners to the Kings of England upon their Coronation day Whose inheritance being by females parted among the Mowbraies Wakes Fitz-Ottes c. King Edward the Third created Engelrame de Coucy Earle of Suesons in France sonne to Engelrame Lord of Coucy and his Wife daughter to the Duke of Austria the first Earle of Bedford giving unto him his daughter in marriage Afterwards King Henrie the Fifth advaunced Bedford to the title of a Dukedome and it had three Dukes the first was John the third sonne of King Henrie the Fourth who most valiantly vanquished the French men in a Sea-fight at the mouth of Seyne and afterwards being Regent of France slaine in a battaile on land before Vernoil who was buried in Roan and together with him all the Englishmens good fortune in France At which time he was Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alaunson and Anjou Earle of Maine Richmond and Kendall and Constable of England For so was his stile Whose Monument when Charles the Eighth King of France came to see and a Noble man standing by advised him to rase it Nay answered he let him rest in peace now being dead of whom in war while he lived all France had dread The second Duke of Bedford was George Nevill a very child sonne to John Marquesse Mont-acute both whom King Edward the Fourth so soone as hee had raised them to that type of Honours threw downe againe and that by authoritie of the Parliament the Father for his perfidious disloyaltie in revolting from him the Sonne in dislike of his Father Howbeit there was a colourable pretense made that his estate was too weake for to maintaine the port and dignity of a Duke and because great men of high place if they be not wealthy withall are alwaies grievous and injurious The third was Iasper of Hatfield Earle of Pembroch Honoured with that title by his Nephew King Henrie the Seventh for that hee was both his Unckle and had delivered him out of extreame dangers who being aged and a Bachelar departed this life some ten yeeres after his Creation But within the remembrance of our Fathers it fell backe againe to the title of an Earledome what time as King Edward the Sixth created Iohn Lord Russell Earle of Bedford after whom succeeded his Sonne Francis a man so religious and of such a noble courteous nature that I can never speake ought so highly in his commendation but his vertue will far surpasse the same He left to succeed him Edward his Nephew by his Sonne Sir Francis Russell who was slaine a day or two before his Father departed this life by Scotishmen in a tumult upon a True-day in the midle marches 1585. This small Province hath Parishes 116. HERTFORDIAE Comitatus A. Cattifuclanis olim Inhabitatus HERTFORD-SHIRE HERTFORD-SHIRE which I said was the third of those that belonged to the Cattieuchlani lieth on the East and partly on the South side of Bedford-shire The West side is enclosed with Bedford-shire and Buckingham-shire The South with Middlesex
the Church of Ely for to expiate and make satisfaction for the wicked act hee had committed in murdering his owne mother then by Angre where upon a very high Hill are the tokens of a Castle built by Richard Lucy Lord Chiefe Justice of England in the Raigne of Henry the Second of which Family a daughter and one of the heires King Iohn gave in marriage to Richard Rivers who dwelt hard by at Stranford Rivers So it passeth by Lambourn Manour which is held by service of the Wardstaffe viz. to carry a load of strawe in a Carte with sixe horses two ropes two men in harnesse to watch the said Wardstaffe when it is brought to the Towne of Aibridge c. and then by Wansted Parke where the late Earle of Leicester built much for his pleasure From the mouth of this Roding this Tamis hasteneth through a ground lying very flat and low and in most places otherwhiles overflowne whereby are occasioned strong and unwholsome vapours exceeding hurtfull to the health of the neighbour Inhabitants to Tilbury neere unto which there bee certaine holes in the rising of a chalky Hill sunke into the ground tenne sathome deepe the mouth whereof is but narrow made of stone cunningly wrought but within they are large and spacious in this forme which hee that went downe into them described unto mee after this manner Of which I have nothing else to say but what I have delivered already As for Tilbury Bede nameth it Tilaburgh it consisteth of some few cottages by the Tamis side yet was it in ancient time the seate of Bishop Chad when about the yeare of our Salvation 630. hee ingrafted the East-Saxons by Baptisme into the Church of Christ. Afterwards this River passing by places lying flat and unwholesome with a winding returne of his Water severeth the Island CONVENNON which also is called COUNOS whereof Ptolomee maketh mention from the firme land This hath not yet wholly foregone the old name but is called Canvey It lyeth against the Coast of Essex from Leegh to Hole Haven five miles in length some part whereof appertaineth to the Collegiat Church of Westminster But so low that oftentimes it is quite overflowne all save hillocks cast up upon which the Sheepe have a place of safe refuge For it keepeth about foure hundred Sheepe whose flesh is of a most sweet and delicate taste which I have seene young lads taking womens function with stooles fastened to their buttockes to milke yea and to make Cheeses of Ewes milke in those dairy sheddes of theirs that they call there Wiches There adjoyne to this Island along in order first Beamfleot fortified with deepe and wide Trenches as saith Florilegus and with a Castle by Hasting the Dane which King Aelfred wonne from them Then Hadleigh sometime the Castle of Hubert de Burgo afterwards of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester now defaced with ruines and in the last place Leegh a proper fine little Towne and very full of stout and adventerous Sailers with Pritlewel fast by where Sweno de Essex built long since a Cell for Monkes And here the land shooteth forward to make a Promontory which they call Black-taile Point and Shobery Nesse of Shobery a Village situate upon it which sometime was a City an Havenet named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in old Annales of the English-Saxons wee reade thus The Danes being driven from Beamfleot goe to a City seated in East-sex called in the English Tongue Sceobirig and there built themselves a sure and strong Fort. Heere by reason that the bankes on both sides shrinke backe the Tamis at a huge and wide mouth rowleth into the sea This doth Ptolomee terme Aestuarium TAMESAE and corruptly in some other Copies TEMESAE and we commonly the Tamis Mouth More inward is Rochford placed that hath given name to this Hundered Now it belongeth to the Barons Rich but in old time it had Lords of ancient Nobility sirnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the Eighth created Vicount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose Progeny sprung that most gracious Queene ELIZABETH and the Barons of Hunsdon Heere I have heard much speech of a Lawlesse Court as they called it holden in a strange manner about Michaelmasse in the first peepe of the day upon the first cocke crowing in a silent sort yet with shrowde fines eftsoones redoubled if not answered which servile attendance they say was imposed upon certaine Tenants there-about for conspiring there at such unseasonable time to raise a commotion But I leave this knowing neither the originall nor the certaine forme thereof Onely I heard certaine obscure barbarous rhymes of it Curia de Domino Rege tenetur sin◠lege Ante ortum solis luceat nisi polus c. not worth remembring Leaving the Tamis Banke and going farther within the countrey yea from West to East these places of name above the rest standing thus in order shew themselves Havering an ancient retiring place of the Kings so called of a Ring which in that place a Pilgrime delivered as sent from S. J. Baptist for so they write unto K. Edward the Confessor Horn-Church named in times past Cornutum Monasterium that is the horned Minster for there shoot out at the East end of the Church certaine points of leade fashioned like hornes Rumford the glory whereof dependeth of a swine mercat and Giddy-hall an house adjoyning to it which belonged to that Sir Thomas Cooke Major of London whose great riches hoorded up together wrought him his greatest danger For being judicially arraigned innocent man as he was of high treason and through the incorrupt equity of Judge Markham acquit in a most dangerous time yet was he put to a very grievous fine and stript in manner of all that he was worth Brentwood called by the Normans Bois arse in the same sense and by that name King Stephen granted a Mercat and a Faire there to the Abbat of S. Osith and many yeares after Isabell Countesse of Bedford daughter to King Edward the Third built a Chappell to the memory of S. Thomas of Canterbury for the ease of the Inhabitants Engerstone a Towne of note for nothing else but the Mercat and Innes for Travailers Heere am I at a stand and am halfe in a doubt whether I should now slip as an abortive fruite that conjecture which my minde hath travailed with Considering there hath beene in this Tract the City CAESAROMAGUS and the same doubtlesse in the Romanes time of especiall note and importance for the very name if there were nothing else may evict so much signifying as it doth Caesars City as DRUSOMAGUS the City of Drusus which also should seeme to have beene built in the honour of Caesar Augustus For Suaetonius writeth thus Kings that
Empresse gave it to Alberic Vere to assure him to her Party The infinite deale of ancient Coine daily gotten out of the ground there doth most plainly shew that this flourished in the Roman time in happy estate Yet have I light of no peeces more ancient than of Gallienus For the most were such as had upon them the Inscriptions of the Tetrici and the Victoriâ—i of Posthumus C. Carausius Constantine and the Emperours that followed him The Inhabitants affirme that Flavia Iulia Helena the mother of Constantine the Great was borne and bred there being the daughter of King Coel and in memory of the Crosse which shee found they give for their Armes a Crosse enragled betweene foure Crownes whence it is that our Necham as touching her and this place came out with these Verses although Apollo was not greatly his friend therein Effulsit sydus vitae Colcestria lumen Septem Climatibus lux radiosa dedit Sydus erat Constantinus decus imperiale Servijt huic flexo poplite Roma potens From out of thee O Cholchester there shone a Starre of life The raies whereof to Climats seven gave great and glorious light This Starre was Constantine the Great that noble Emperour Whom Rome in all obedience lay prostrate to adore Verily shee was a woman of life most holy and of invincible resolution and constancy in propagation of Christian Religion Whereupon in ancient Inscriptions she is every where named PIISSIMA and VENERABILIS AUGUSTA that is Most DEVOUT and VENERABLE EMPRESSE Beneath this where the River Coln runneth into the Sea standeth to be seene Saint Osithes a little Towne whose ancient name which was Chic is growne out of use by reason of Osith the Virgin of royall Parentage who being wholy devoted to the Service of God and stabbed there to death by the Danish Pirates was of our Ancestours honoured for a Saint and in her memoriall Richard Bishop of London about the yeare 1120. built a religious house of Regular Chanons But now it is the chiefe seate of the right honourable Lords Darcy called De Chich whom King Edward the Sixth advanced to the honour of Barons when hee created Sir Thomas Darcy his Counsellour Vice-chamberlaine and Captaine of the Guard Lord Darcy of Chich. From hence the Shore shooting out buncheth foorth as farre as to the Promontory Nesse which in the English-Saxon tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What hath beene found in this place have heere out of the words and credit of Ralphe the Monke of Coggeshall who wrote 350. yeares agoe In King Richards time on the Sea-shore at a Village called Eadulphnesse were found two teeth of a certaine Giant of such a huge bignesse that two hundred such teeth as men have now a daies might bee cut out of them These saw I at Coggeshall quoth hee and not without wondering And such another Giantlike thing I wot not what as this was in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths Raigne digged up by R. Candish a Gentleman neere unto this place Neither doe I deny but there have beene men that for their huge bodies and firme strength were wonderous to behold whom God as S. Austin saith would have to live upon the earth thereby to teach us that neither beauty of body nor talnesse of stature are to bee counted simply good things seeing they bee common as well to Infidels as to the godly Yet may we very well thinke that which Suetonius hath written namely that the huge limmes of monstrous Sea-creatures else where and in this Kingdome also were commonly said and taken to have beene Giants bones From this Promontory the shore bendeth backe by little and little to the mouth of Stoure a place memorable for the battaile at Sea there fought betweene the English and Danes in the yeare 884. where now lyeth Harewich a most safe Road whence it hath the name For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the English-Saxon tongue betokeneth a Station or a creeke where an Army encamped The Towne is not great but well peopled fortified by Art and Nature and made more sensible by Queene Elizabeth The salt water so creeketh about it that it almost insulateth it but thereby maketh the Springs so brackish that there is a defect of fresh water which they fetch some good way off This is the Stoure that running betweene Essex and Suffolke serveth as a bound to them both and on this side watereth nothing else but rich and fruitfull fields But not farre from the head thereof standeth Bumstead which the Family of Helion held by Barony from whom the Wentworths of Gosfield are descended And what way this Country looketh toward Cambridge-shire Barklow sheweth it selfe well knowne now by reason of foure little hils or Burries cast up by mans hand such as in old time were wont to be raised so some would have it as Tombes for Soldiers slaine whose Reliques were not easie to be found But when a fifth and sixth of them were not long since digged downe three troughes of stone were found and in them broken bones of men as I was informed The country people say that they were reared after a field there fought against the Danes For Dane-wort which with bloud-red berries commeth up heere plenteously they still call by no other name than Danes-bloud of the number of Danes that were there slaine verily beleeving that it blometh from their bloud A little below standeth upon a hill Walden of Saffron called Saffron Walden among the fields looking merily with most lovely Saffron A very good Mercat towne incorporated by King Edward the Sixth with a Treasurer two Chamberlaines and the Commonalty Famous in times past it was for a Castle of the Magnavilles which now is almost vanished out of sight and an Abbay adjoyning founded in a place very commodious in the yeare 1136. wherein the Magnavilles founders thereof were buryed Geffrey de Magnavilla was the first that gave light and life as it were to this place For Mawde the Empresse in these words out of her very Patent I copy them gave unto him Newport a good bigge Towne this is hard by For so much as hee was wont to pay that day whereon as her words are my father King Henry was alive and dead and to remove the Mercat from Newport into his Castle of Walden with all the customes that before time in better manner appertained to that Mercat to wit in Toll passage and other customes and that the waies of Newport neere unto the water banke bee directed streight according to the old custome into Walden upon the ground forfeited unto me and that the Mercat of Walden be kept upon Sunday and Thursday and that a Faire bee holden at Walden to begin on Whitsunday even and to last all the Whitson weeke And from that time by occasion of this Mercat for a great while it was called Cheping Walden Also as it is in the Booke of Walden Abbay hee
money and Title by his wife Beatrice the eldest daughter of William de Say who was the sisters sonne of that great Geffrey de Magnavill the first Earle of Essex This Fitz-Petre a man as an old Authour writeth Passing well monied had formerly dealt with the Bishop of Ely the Kings chiefe Justicer for a great peece of money presently paid and by intreaty beside and then claimed and demanded the Earledome in his wives right as being the daughter of William Say eldest brother to Geffrey Say Who gave him full Seisin thereof against Geffrey Say and required the money that hee promised which within a short time hee received of him every penny well and truely paid for to bee brought into the Kings coffers Thus being admitted and confirmed by the Kings Letters Patent hee held and possessed it taking Homage of all that held of him in Knights service And so was girt with the sword of the Earledome of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geffrey Fitz-Petre was advanced to the high estate of Justicer of England by King Richard the First when hee removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that Office by the Popes peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermedle in secular affaires This Place the said Geffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisedome the Realme from that confusion which it after fell into by King Johns unadvised carriage His two Sonnes Geffrey and William assumed unto them the sirname of Magnavill or Mandevill and enjoyed this honour successively As for Geffrey hee by his wife was Earle of Glocester also and being a young man lost his life at a Turneament William tooke part with Lewis of France against King John and departed out of this World without issue These being thus dead childelesse their sisters sonne Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and high Constable of England succeeded in their roome Of this mans Posterity male there succeeded many yeares together one after another Earles of Hâ—reford and of Essex of whom I will speake among the Earles of Hereford seeing that they wrote themselves Earles of Hereford and of Essex Aeleonor the eldest daughter of the last of these Bohuns being given in marriage together with the Title of Essex unto Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester bare unto him a daughter named Anne who had for her first Husband Edmund Earle of Stafford from whom came the Dukes of Buckingham and for her second Sir William Bourchier unto whom King Henry the Fifth gave the Earledome of Ew in Normandie This William of her body begat Henry Bourchier whom King Edward the fourth invested in the Dignity of the Earledome of Essex in regard hee had marryed his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstocke Hee had to succeede him another Henry his Grand-childe who being cast out of the sadle by a flinging horse lost his life leaving behinde him one onely daughter Anne who being then little respected King Henry the Eighth presently and all at once made Thomas Cromwell whom hee had used as his Instrument to suppresse and abolish the Popes authority Earle of Essex Lord Great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Order of Saint George whom before for his reaching politique head hee had made Baron Cromwell of Okâ—ham The Kings Vicar generall in Spirituall matters and Lord of the Privie Seale and all these honours were heaped upon him within the compasse of five yeares But in the fifth moneth after hee was Earle hee lost his head and so had the enterlude of his life a bloudy Catastrophe as most of these have who are busie managers of the greatest affaires And then the same King thought Sir William Parr upon whom hee had bestowed in marriage Anne the onely daughter and heire of the foresaid Henry Bourâ—â—ier worthy also to be entituled Earle of Essex But at the last after Parr was dead without issue Walter D'Eureux Vicount Hereford whose great Grandmother was Cecilie Bourgchier Sister to Henrie Bourgchier whom I named right now through the gracious favour of Queene Elizabeth received this dignitie of the Earledome of Essex and left it to his Sonne Robert Who being adorned with singular gifts of nature and supported besides with the speciall favour of his most gracious Prince grew so fast unto such honour that all England conceived good hope hee would have fully equalled yea and farre surpassed the greatest vertues and praises of all his Progenitours But alas whiles he was carried away with popularity and made hast to out goe his hopes hee cast himselfe headlong into destruction as many more have done who despising that which might come by patience with securitie have made choise to hasten thereto before time with their finall overthrow But our most gracious Soveraigne King Iames of his Royall benignitie hath restored his sonne Robert to his bloud and honours by Parliament authority There be counted in this County Parish Churches 415. ICENI THe Region next unto the Trinobantes which afterwards was called East-England and containeth Suffolke Norfolke and Cambridge-shire with Huntingdon-shire was inhabited in times past by the ICENI called elsewhere amisse TIGENI and in Ptolomee more corruptly SIMENI whom also I have thought heeâ—etofore to have been in Caesar by a confused name termed CENIMAGNI and so to thinke induced I was partly by that most neere affinity betweene these names ICENI and CENI-MAGNI and in part by the consent of Caesar and Tacitus together For Caesar writeth that the Cenimagni yeelded themselves unto the Romans which Tacitus recordeth that the Iceni likewise did in these words They willingly joyned in amity with us But that which maketh most to the cleering of this poynt in a Manuscript old booke for CENIMAGNI we finde written with the word divided in twaine CENIAGNI For which if I might not be thought somewhat too bould a Criticke I would reade instead thereof ICENI REGNI Neither verily can you finde the Cenimagni elsewhere in all Britain if they be a diverse people from the Iceni and Regni But of this name ICENI there remaine in this tract very many footings if I may so tearme them as Ikensworth Ikenthorpe Ikbortow Iken Ikining Ichlingham Eike c. Yea and that high street-way which went from hence the Historians of the former age every where doe name Ichenild-Street as one would say the Icenes street What should be the reason of this name so love me Truth I dare not guesse unlesse one would fetch it from the Wedge-like-forme of the country and say it lieth Wedgwise vpon the Sea For the Britans in their language call a Wedge Iken and for the same cause a place in Wales by the Lake or Meere Lhintegid is of that forme named Lhan-yken as Welsh-Britans enformed me and in the very same sense a little country in Spaine as Strabo writeth is cleped SPHEN that is The wedge and yet the same seemeth not to resemble a wedge so neere as this of
of the Mint purchased the liberty of Mercat and Faire by whose Heires there fell no small Possessions unto the Boutetorts Lords of Wily in Worcestershire and from them againe in the Raigne of Richard the Second unto Frevil Barkley of Stoke Burnel and others This River Deben first floweth hard unto the little Mercat Towne Debenham and giveth it the name which others would have to be called more truly Depenham for that the waies every where about it by reason of a clay ground and the same over moist are very deepe and cumberous From thence it runneth by Vfford the seat in times past of Robert de Vfford Earle of Suffolke and by a Towne over against it on the other side of the River named Rendelisham that is as Beda interpreteth it Rendils Mansion place where Redwald King of the East Saxons kept usually his Court who was the first of all his Nation that was baptised and received Christianity but afterwards seduced by his Wife he had in the selfe same Church as saith Beda one Altar for Christs Religion and another for sacrifices unto Devils In this place also Swidelm a King of the East-Angles was likewise afterwards baptised by Bishop Chadda From hence the River Deben passeth downe to Woodbridge a little Towne beautified with faire houses where at certaine set times are holden Assemblies for Saint Andrees Liberty and after it hath gone some few miles it is received into the Ocean at Bawdsey Haven By this time now the Shore creepeth by little and little Eastward to the mouth of the River Ore which runneth neere to Framlingham Castle belonging sometime to the Bigods by the bounty of King Henry the First and forthwith on the West side thereof spreadeth as it were into a lake A very faire and beautifull Castle this is fortified with a banke ditch and walles of great thicknesse wherein are thirteene towres and inwardly furnished with buildings right commodious and necessary From hence it was that in the yeare of our Redemption 1173. what time as King Henry the Second his rebellious sonne tooke armes against his father Robert Earle of Leicester with his mercenary Flemings infested this Country farre and neere from this Castle also in the yeare 1553. Queene Mary entred upon her Kingdome for all the ambitious fretting and fuming of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland against King Henry the Eighth his Daughters Then commeth the River to Parrham a little Towne the Lord whereof William Willoughby King Edward the Sixth honoured with the Estate of a Baron and afterwards running by Glemham which gave name to an ancient Family descended from the Bacons and Brandons at Oreford that tooke the name of it disburdeneth himselfe into the Sea A bigge Towne this was and of great resort fenced also with a Castle of a reddish stone and appertained in times past to the Valoineis and afterwards to the Willoughbies but complaineth at this day of the seas unkindnesse which shrinketh backe from it by little and little and beginneth to envie the commodity of an Haven unto the Towne Neither have I any thing else to say of Oreford unlesse it please you to runne over these few words of Ralph Cogeshall an old Writer In King Henry the Seconds daies saith hee when Bartholmew Glanvile kept the Castle of Oreford it happened that the Fishermen caught a wilde man within their nets who in all parts and members of his body resembled a man had haire on his head a huge beard with a Piloe devant about the breast exceeding hairy and rough who notwithstanding slipt away secretly to the Sea and was never seene after So that it may bee very true which is so rise with the common people That there is nothing bred in any part of Nature but the same also is in the Sea and that it is not altogether a fained Fable that Plinie hath reported of a Triton taken on the Shore of Portugall and of the Seaman caught in the Streights of Gibraltare Not much higher lyeth Aldborough for Situation right safe and very pleasant within Slaughden vale where from the East the Sea and from the West the River beateth This name Aldburgh is by interpretation the Old Burgh or as others would have it The Burgh upon the River Ald. Now it is an harbour very commodious for Sailers and Fishermen and thereby well frequented and acknowledgeth the Ocean Sea to be favourable unto it how spitefull soever and malicious it is to other Townes in this Coast. Neere unto it what time as in the yeare 1555. by reason of unseasonable weather the Corne throughout all England was choked and blasted in the eare there grew Pease miraculously among the rocks without any earth at all about them about the end of September and brought downe the price of Corne. Yet the wiser sort of men doe say that Pulse being cast upon the Shore by Shipwracke is wont otherwhiles to come up againe there so that the thing is not to bee thought miraculous But that the like usually every yeare grow of their owne accord among the stones on the Shore of Kent I have shewed already From hence coasting along the Shore at ten miles end wee met with Dunwich in the English Saxon tongue Dunmoc whereof Beda maketh mention where Faelix the Burgumdium that reduced the Eastangles againe into the faith when they were backesliding from Christ in the yeare of Grace 630. placed an Episcopall See whose Successours for many yeares together were Bishops over all East England But Bise the Fourth Bishop after Faelix when hee became very aged and sickly withall being not able to discharge so great a Jurisdiction divided it into two Sees the one continued still in this Dunwich the other hee placed in North Elmham a little Towne In the Raigne of William the Conquerour Dunwich had in it two hundred and sixe and thirty Burgesses an hundred poore people it was valued at fifty pounds and threescore thousand Herings of gift For so wee reade in Domes-day Booke In the foregoing Age it was well peopled and frequented with Inhabitants famous also for a Mint therein and in the Raigne of Henry the Second as William of Newborough writeth It was a Towne of good note and full stored with sundry kindes of Riches At which time when England was all on a light fire with new stirres and broiles it was so fortified that it made Robert Earle of Leicester affraid who with his Army over-ranne all the parts there-about at his pleasure But now by a certaine peculiar spite and envie of Nature that suffereth the greedy Sea to have what it will and encroche still without all end the greatest part thereof is violently carried away with the waves and by reason that the Bishops many yeares agoe translated their Seat to another Place it lyeth as it were desolate A little above it the River Blith voideth it selfe into the Sea on whose banke Southward wee saw Blithborow
a great summe of money and pledges withall of his loyalty that it might not be overthrowne and rased Not farre thence from the banke you may see Mettingham where upon a plaine Sir Iohn sirnamed De Norwich Lord of the place built a foure square Castle and a Colledge within it whose daughter and in the end the Heire of the same Family Robert de Vfford aforesaid Earle of Suffolke tooke to Wife with a goodly Inheritance Now Waveney drawing neerer unto the Sea whiles hee striveth in vaine to make himselfe a twofold issue into the Ocean the one together with the River Yare and the other by the meere Luthing maketh a pretty big Demy Isle or Biland which some name Lovingland others more truely Luthingland of Luthing the lake spreading in length and bredth which beginning at the Ocean Shore is discharged into the River Yare At the entrance whereof standeth upon the Sea Lestoffe a narrow and little Towne and at the issue of it Gorlston where I saw the towre steeple of a small suppressed Friery which standeth the Sailers in good stead for a marke Within the land hard by Yare is situate Somerley towne the habitation in ancient time of Fitz Osbert from whom it is come lineally to the worshipfull ancient family of the Iernegans Knights of high esteeme in these parts farther up into the land where Yare and Waveney meet in one streame there flourished Cnobersburg that is as Bede interprereth it Cnobers City we call it at this day Burgh-Castle Which as Bede saith was a most pleasant Castle by reason of woods and Sea together wherein a Monastery was built by Fursaey a holy Scot by whose perswasion Sigebert King of the East-Angles became a Monke and resigned up his Kingdome who afterwards being drawne against his will out of this Monastery to encourage his people in battaile against the Mercians together with his company lost his life In that place now there are only ruinous wals in forme as it were foure square built of flint stone and British Bricke but all overgrown with briers and bushes among which otherwhiles are Romane peeces of coines gotten forth So that it may seeme to have been one of those fortifications that the Romans placed upon the River Y are to represse the piracies of the Saxons or rather that it was the ancient GARIANONUM it selfe where the Stablesian Horsemen had their Station and kepe Ward at the declination of the Romane Empire in Brittaine Suffolke hath had Earles and Dukes out of sundry families There bee of the later writers who report that the Glanvils in times past were honoured with this title But seeing they ground upon no certain authority whereas men may easily mistake and I have found nothing of them in the publike records of the Kingdome they must pardon me if I beleeve them not untill they produce more certainty Yet in the meane while I confesse that the family of the Glanvils in this tract was of right good note and high reputation Neither have I hitherto learned by witnesses of credite that any one was entituled Earle of this Province severally before the daies of King Edward the Third who created Sir Robert Vfford Earle of Suffolke a man much renowned both in peace and warre the sonne of Sir Robert Vfford Steward of the Kings house under King Edward the Second by Cecily de Valoniis Lady of Orford After him succeeded his sonne William who having foure sonnes that were taken away by untimely death during his life died himselfe suddenly in the Parliament house as he was about to report the minde of the Commonalty And then Sir Robert Willoughby Roger Lord Scales and Henrie Ferrars of Groby the next of his blood and his Heires divided the Inheritance betweene them Afterward King Richard the Second promoted Michael De-la-Pole to this Title and made him L. Chancellor of England Who as Thomas Walsingham writeth imployed himselfe more in trafficke and Merchandise as having beene a Merchant and a Merchants sonne than in martiall matters For he was the sonne of William De-la-pole that first Maior of Kyngston upon Hull and for his wealthy Estate adorned by King Edward the Third with the dignity of a Baneret But when as in the prosperous confluence of so many advancements the mans nature was not capable of so great fortunes he was enforced by his adversaries envy to depart out of his Country and so died a banished man His sonne Michael being restored died at the siege of Harflew and againe within one moneth his son Michael was slaine in the battell of Agincourt leaving daughters onely Then William his brother succeeded whom King Henry the sixt so favoured that hee made him also Earle of Penbroke and then Marquesse of Suffolke to him and the heires males of his body And that both hee and the heires of his body should carry the golden rod having a Dove in the top thereof on the Coronation day of the King of England and the like rod or verge Yuory at the Coronation of the Queenes of England And afterwards hee advanced the same William for his great service and deserts to the honour and title of Duke of Suffolke Certes hee was an excellent man in those dayes famous and of great worth For whereas his father and three brethren had in the French wars lost their lives for their Country he as we finde in the Parliament Rols of the 28. of King Henry the Sixth in the same war served full 34. yeeres For seventeene yeeres together he never returned home from warfare being once taken prisoner when he was as yet no better than a private Knight hee paid downe for his ransome twenty thousand pounds of our English mony hee was of the Kings privy Counsell 15. yeeres and a Knight of the Order of the Garter 30. Hereupon as he stood in especiall grace and favour with his Prince so he incurred therefore the greater envy of the common people and some emulatours being grievously charged with treason and misprisions And therefore called before the King and Lords of the Parliament after he had answered the Articles objected referred himselfe to the Kings order Whereupon the Chancellor by the Kings commandement pronounced that whereas the Duke did not put himselfe upon his Peeres the King touching the Articles of treason would be doubtfull and as for the Articles of misprision not as a Judge by advice of the Lords but as one to whose order the Duke had submitted himselfe did banish him the realme and all other his dominions for five yeeres But when he was embarked for France he was by his adversaries intercepted upon the sea and beheaded He left a son nam'd Iohn De-la-Pole who wedded K. Edward the fourth his sister and of her begate Iohn Earle of Lincolne by K. Richard the Third proclaimed heire apparant of the Crowne whose ambitious minde puffed up and giddy therewith could not containe it selfe but soone after brake out
of Hereford for uttering inconsiderately certaine reprochfull and derogatory words against the king And when they were to fight a combat at the very barre and entry of the Lists by the voice of an Herauld it was proclaimed in the kings name That both of them should be banished Lancaster for ten yeares and Mowbray for ever who afterwards ended his life at Venice leaving two sonnes behind him in England Of which Thomas Earle Marshall and of Nottingham for no other Title used hee was beheaded for seditious plotting against Henry of Lancaster who now had possessed himselfe of the Crowne by the name of King Henry the Fourth But his brother and heire John who through the favour of King Henry the Fifth was raised up and for certaine yeares after called onely Earle Marshall and of Nottingham at last in the very beginning of Henry the Sixth his Raigne By authority of Parliament and by vertue of the Patent granted by King Richard the Second was declared Duke of Norfolke as being the sonne of Thomas Duke of Norfolke his father and heire to Thomas his brother After him succeeded John his sonne who died in the first yeare of Edward the Fourth and after him likewise John his sonne who whiles his father lived was created by King Henry the Sixth Earle of Surry and of Warren Whose onely daughter Anne Richard Duke of Yorke the young sonne of King Edward the Fourth tooke to wife and together with her received of his father the Titles of Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall Earle of Warren and Nottingham But after that he and his wife both were made away in their tender yeares Richard the Third King of England conferred this Title of the Duke of Norfolke and the dignity of Earle Marshall upon John Lord Howard who was found next cozen in bloud and one of the heires to the said Anne Dutchesse of Yorke and Norfolke as whose mother was one of the daughters of that first Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke and who in the time of King Edward the Fourth was summoned a Baron to the Parliament This John lost his life at Bosworth field fighting valiantly in the quarrell of King Richard against King Henry the Seventh His sonne Thomas who being by King Richard the Third created Earle of Surry and by King Henry the Seventh made Lord Treasurer was by King Henry the Eighth restored to the Title of Duke of Norfolke and his sonne the same day created Earle of Surry after that by his conduct James the fourth King of the Scots was slaine and the Scottish power vanquished at Branxton In memoriall of which Victory the said King granted to him and his heires males for ever that they should beare in the midst of the Bend in the Howards Armes the whole halfe of the upper part of a Lion Geules pierced through the mouth with an arrow in the due colours of the Armes of the King of Scots I translate it verbatim out of the Patent After him succeeded his sonne Thomas as well in his honours as in the Office of Lord Treasurer of England and lived to the time of Queene Mary tossed to and fro betweene the reciprocall ebbes and flowes of fortune whose grand sonne Thomas by his sonne Henry the first of the English Nobility that did illustrate his high birth with the beauty of learning being attainted for purposing a marriage with Mary the Queene of Scots lost his life in the yeare of our Lord 1572. and was the last Duke of Norfolke Since which time his off-spring lay for a good while halfe dead but now watered and revived with the vitall dew of King James reflourisheth very freshly In this Province there be Parish Churches about 660. CAMBRIDGE Comitatus quem olim ICENI Insederunt CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE called in the English-Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyeth more inward and stretched out in length Northward On the East it butteth upon Northfolke and Suffolke on the South upon the East-Saxons or Essexe and Hertfordshire on the West upon Bedford and Huntingdon shires and Northward upon Lincoln-shire being divided into two parts by the river Ouse which crosseth it over-thwart from West to East The lower and South-part is better manured and therefore more plentifull being some-what a plaine yet not altogether levell for the most part or all of it rather save onely where it bringeth forth saffron is laid out into corne fields and yeeldeth plentifully the best barly of which steeped in water and lying wet therein untill it spurt againe then after the said sprout is full come dried and parched over a Kill they make store of mault By venting and sending out whereof into the neighbor-countries the Inhabitants raise very great gaine The farther and Northerne part because it is Fennish ground by reason of the many flouds that the rivers cause and so dispersed into Islands is called The Isle of Ely a tract passing greene fresh and gay by reason of most plenteous pastures howbeit after a sort hollow by occasion of the water that in some places secretly entreth in yea and otherwhile when it overfloweth surroundeth most part of it Along the West side of the lower part runneth one of the two highwayes made by the Romans Ely booke calleth it Ermingstreet which passeth forth right to Hâ—ntingdon through Roiston that standeth in the very edge and entry of the Shire a towne well knowne yet but of late built whereof I have already spoken also by Caxton in times past the seate of the Barony of Stephen de Eschalâ—ers and from whose Posterity in the reigne of King Henry the Third it descended to the Frevills and from them by the Burgoins to the Iermins Neither is Gamlinghay far distant from hence where dwelt the Avenells whose Inheritance came by marriage to the ancient Family of Saint George out of which there flourished many Knights since the time of King Henry the First at Hatley which of them is called Hatley Saint George Above Caxton before mentioned is Eltesley where was in elder Ages a Religious house of Holy Virgines among whom was celebrated the incertaine memory of Saint Pandionia the daughter of a Scottish King as the tradition is But long since they were translated to Hinchinbroke And againe above Eltesley was the Priory of Swasey founded for blacke Monkes by Alan la Zouch brother to the Vicount of Rohan in the Lesser Britaine and was the common Sepulture a long time for the Family of Zouch More Westward a little river runneth through the middle of this part which issuing downe out of Ashwel hastneth from South to North with many turnings to joyn it selfe with the Ouse running by Shengay where be the goodliest medows of this Shire a Commandery in old time of the Knights Templars which Shengay Sibyl the daughter of Roger Mont-gomery Earle of Shrewsbury and wife of I. de Raines gave unto them in the yeere 1130. nor farre from Burne Castle in ancient times the Barony of
Domaine of King William After the Normans time it valiantly withstood the Siege layed unto it by the Barons when they disquieted and troubled the whole Realme with injurious wrongs and slaughters being maliciously bent against King John for private causes which notwithstanding they so cloked with pretenses of Religion and the common good that they tearmed themselves The Army of God and the holy Church at which time they say that Trench and Rampire was made which they call Hunshil but it stood not out with like successe against Henry the third their lawfull King as it did against these rebels for when those Barons being nuzzelled up in sedition and rebellion from hence displaied their banners and sounded the battaile against him he made a breach through the Wall and soone wonne it by assault After this diverse times like as before the kings held their Parliaments here because it standeth very nere in the midst of England and in the yeere after Christ was borne 1460. here was a wofull and bloody field fought wherein such was the civill division of England in it selfe Richard Nevil Earle of Warwick after many a noble man slaine led away captive that most unhappy king Henry the Sixth in a piteous spectacle who was now the second time taken prisoner by his subjects To conclude the Longitude of Northampton our Mathematicians have described by 22. degrees and 29. scruples and the Latitude by 52. degrees and 13. scruples From hence Nen maketh haste away by Castle Ashby where Henry L. Compton began to build a faire sightly house close unto which lieth Yardley Hastings so named of the Hastings sometimes â—arles of Pembroch unto whom it belonged And to turne a little aside I may not omit Horton when as king Henry the Eighth created Sir W. Par Lord thereof unckle and Chamberlaine to Queene Catharin Par Baron Par of Horton which honor shortly vanished with him when he left only daughters who were married into the families of Tresham and Lane But to returne Nen goeth forward to Mercat Wellingborow in old time Wedlingborough and Wodlingborough made a mercat by K. John at the suit of the Monks of Crowland where there runneth into it a Riveret comming downe by Rushton and Newton belonging to the Treshams by Geddington also where the King had a Castle and where there remaineth yet a Crosse erected in the honour of Queene Aeleonor wife to King Edward the First by Boughton the seat of the Montacutes Knights by Kettering a Mercat Towne well frequented neere unto which standeth Rouwell much talked of for the horse Faire there kept by Burton likewise the Barony if I mistake not the name of Alane de Dinant For king Henry the First gave unto him a Barony of that name in this Shire for that in single fight he had slaine the French Kings Champion at Gizors and by Harrouden the Lord whereof named Sir Nicolas Vaulx Captaine of Guines in Picardy king Henry the Eighth created Baron Vaulx of Harrouden From hence goeth the Aufon or Nen to Higham a Towne in times past of the Peverels and after by them of the Ferrers from whom it is named Higham Ferrers who had heere also their Castle the ruines and rubbish whereof are yet seene nere unto the Church But the excellent ornament of this place was Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury who built All-soules College in Oxford and another here wherein he placed Secular Clerkes and Prebendaries and withall an Hospitall for the poore Then runneth it by Addington the possession in old time of the Veres and by Thorpston commonly called Thrapston belonging likewise to them and over against it Draiton the house in the foregoing age of Sir H. Greene but afterwards by his daughter of John and Edward Staffords Earles of Wiltshire but now the habitation of the Lord Mordaunt unto whom it descended hereditarily from those Greenes noble Gentlemen and of right great name in this Country in their time Then runneth it in manner round about a proper little Towne which it giveth name unto Oundale they now call it corruptly in stead of Avondale where there is nothing worth sight but a faire Church and a free Schoole for the instruction of children and an Almeshouse for poore people founded by Sir William Laxton sometime Major of London Neere adjoyning to this stands Barnewell a little Castle which now of late Sir Edward Mont-acute of the ancient family of the Mont-acutes as may be collected by his Armes hath repaired and beautified with new buildings In times past it was the possession of Berengary le Moigne that is Monke and not as some thinke of Berengary of Touraine the great Clerke whose opinion of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was condemned in a Synode of an hundred and thirteene Bishops assembled by the Bishop of Rome After this it passeth on by Fotheringhay Castle environed on every side with most pleasant medowes which in the Raigne of Henry the Third when the strong holds encouraged the Lords and Nobles to revolt William Earle of Aumarl surprised upon the sodaine and laied all the Country about waste as Mathew of Paris recordeth At which time it belonged unto the Earles of Huntingdon who were of the royall Race of Scotland A good while after King Edward the Third assigned it as it were for an inheritance or appennage as the French tearme it unto his sonne Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke who reedified the Castle and made the highest fortification or Keepe thereof in forme of an horse-fetter which both of it selfe and with a Faulcon in it was his Devise or Emprese as implying that hee was locked up from all great hope as a younger brother His sonne Edward Duke of Yorke in the second yeere of Henry the Fift his Raigne and in the yeere of Christ 1415. as appeareth by an inscription there in rude and barbarous Verses founded a passing faire Collegiat Church wherein himselfe when he was slaine in the battaile at Agâ—ncourt as also Richard Duke of Yorke his brothers sonne who lost his life at Wakefield and his wife Cecily Nevil had stately and sumptuous Tombes which were profanely subverted together with the upper part of the Church in King Edward the Sixth his time Yet in memoriall of them Queene Elizabeth comming thither commanded two Monuments to be erected in the nether part of the Church that now standeth which notwithstanding such was their pinching and sparing that had the charge of this worke are thought scarce beseeming so great Princes descending from Kings and from whom Kings of England are descended The forme of the Keepe beforesaid built like a fetter-locke occasioneth mee to digresse a little and I hope with your pardon when the gravest Authours in as small matters have done the like Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke who built that Keepe and garnished the glasse-windowes there with Fetter-lockes when hee saw his sons being young scholers gazing upon the
Castle named Humel before time into a Monastery called Finisheved Their issue male failed about two hundred yeares since but of their heires the eldest was wedded unto Sir Iohn Goldington the second to Sir Laurence Pabenham and the third to Sir William Bernak all right worthy Knights Heere also is to bee seene Apthorp the seat of a most worthy knight Sir Anthony Mildmay whose father Sir Walter Mildmay late one of Queene Elizabeths Privie Counsell for his vertue wisdome piety and bounty to learning and learned men by founding Emanuel College in Cambridge hath worthily deserved to bee registred among the best men in this our age Hard by standeth Thornhaugh sometimes belonging to the Family De Sancto Medardo contracted into Semarâ— and now to the right honorable Sir William Russell sonne to Francis Earle of Bedford descended from Semare whom King James for his vertues and faithfull service in Ireland whiles hee was Lord Deputy there advanced to the Dignity of Baron Russell of Thornhaugh Neither is the Towne Welledon to bee passed over in silence considering that it went in old time for a Barony which by Mawde the Daughter and heire of Geffrey de Ridell who together with King Henry the First his sonne was drowned did descend to Richard Basset sonne of Ralph Basset Lord Justice of England in whose race it continued unto King Henry the Fourth his dayes For then by the females it accrued to the Kneveis and Alesburies Welland being past Haringworth goeth to visit Colliweston where Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond King Henry the Seaventh his mother built a goodly faire and stately house Under which the neighbour inhabitants use to digge great plenty of sclate stones for their buildings From whence Wittering Heath a plaine runneth out farre into the East wherein the people there dwelling report that the Danes long since were discomfited in a memorable battaile and put to flight Now by this time is Welland come to Burghley whereof the most prudent and right honorable Councellour Sir William Cecil Lord high Treasurer of England yea a singular treasure and supporter of the same received the Title of Baron Burghley for his great good deserts at the hands of Queene Elizabeth Which Title hee adorned with the lustre of his vertues and beautified this place with magnificent sumptuous buildings adjoyning thereto a large Parke encompassed about with a stone wall of a great circuite Beneath it there are ancient Quarries of stone at Bernack out of which the Abbayes of Peterburgh and of Ramsey were built For heere to write the very words out of the History of Ramsey The toyling strength of the Quarriers is often tried and held to worke yet ever still there remaineth worke for them behinde wherein they being refreshed betweene whiles with rest may bee exercised and kept in ure And thus wee reade in the Charter of king Edward the Confessour In consideration of foure thousand Eeles in Lent the Monkes of Ramsey shall have out of the Territory of Saint Peter so much square astiler stone as they need at Berneck and of rough building stone for wals at Burch Under Berneck that high-way made by the Romanes which the neighbour Inhabitants of the breadth that it carrieth call The forty foot-way from Caster to Stanford cutteth and divideth this Shire and is to bee seene with an high Causey especially by the little Wood of Bernack where it hath a Beacon set upon the very ridge and so runneth forth along by Burghley Park wall toward Stanford Some five miles hence Welland running downe by Maxey Castle belonging sometime to the noble house of Wake and by Peag-Kirk where in the Primitive Church of the English Nation Pega an holy woman who gave name to that place and sister of Saint Guthlak with other Nuns and devout virgins by their life and example gave good documents of piety and chastity commeth to the Fennes so often mentioned And for as much as the banke on the South side thereof is in many places neglected the River lieth sore upon the lands thereabout with great detriment and thus being put out of his owne Chanell that before time went by Spalding he entreth closely into Nen or Aufon and over-chargeth it exceedingly Now the lesse Avon which is the other of the limits as I said of this shire Northward but serveth for a limit onely about five or six miles in length breaking out of the ground at Avon-well by Naseby neere by the Spring-head of Welland runneth Westward by Suleby sometimes an Abbay of Black-Monkes and by Stanford upon Avon the habitation of the Caves Family out of which there is spread a notable off-spring with many branches in all that Tract adjoyning also by Lilborne the seate in times past of the Canvilles Which that it hath beene in old time a Mansion place or Station of the Romans I am induced to thinke by the site thereof hard by one of their Port-waies by the ancient Trenches there and a little piked hill cast up into which when of late dayes some digged in hope of old hid treasure in stead of gold they found coles And when this river being as yet but small is once gone under Dowbridge it leaveth Northampton-shire and entreth Warwick-shire By those coles digged forth from under the said hill what if I should conjecture that this hill was raised up for a limit or bound-marke seeing Siculus Flaccus writeth that either ashes or coles or pot-sherds or broken glasses or bones halfe burnt or lime or plaster were wont to be put under land-markes and limits and S. Augustine writeth thus of coles Is it not a wonderfull thing saith hee whereas considering Coles be so brickle that with the least blow they breake with the least crushing they are crushed yet no time bee it never so long conquereth them in so much as they that pitch Land-markes and limits were wont to couch them underneath to convince any litigious fellow whatsoever that should come never so long time after and avouch that a limit was not there pitched And so much the rather incline I to this my conjecture because they that have written of limits doe write that certaine hillockes or piles of earth which they termed Botontines were set in limits so that I suppose most of these mounts and round hils which we every where see and call Burrowes were for this purpose raised and that ashes coles pot-sherds c. may be found under them if they were digged downe a good depth into the earth The first Earle that this County had to my knowledge was Waldeof sonne of that warlike Siward who being also Earle of Huntingdon for his disloyall treachery unto William the Conquerour lost his head leaving two daughters onely behinde him by Iudith the Conquerours Niece by a sister of his mothers side Simon de Saint Liz being scornfully rejected by Iudith the mother for that hee was lame-legged married Mawd
the eldest Daughter and hee built Saint Andrewes Church and the Castle at Northampton After him succeeded his sonne Simon the second who a long time was in suite about his mothers possessions with David King of Scots his mothers second husband and having sided with King Stephen in the yeere of our Lord 1152. departed this life with this testimoniall that went of him A Youth full fraught with all unlawfull wickednesse and as full of all unseemely lewdnesse His sonne Simon the third having gone to law with the Scots for his right to the Earldome of Huntingdon wasted all his estate and through the gracious goodnesse of King Henry the Second married the Daughter and Heire of Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincolne and in the end having recovered the Earledome of Huntingdon and disseized the Scots dyed childelesse in the yeare 1185. Whereas some have lately set downe Sir Richard Gobion to have beene Earle of Northampton afterward I finde no warrant thereof either in Record or History Onely I finde that Sir Hugh Gobion was a Ringleader in that rebellious rable which held Northampton against king Henry the Third and that the inheritance of his house came shortly after by marriage to Butler of Woodhall and Turpin c. But this is most certaine that King Edward the Third created William de Bohun a man of approved valour Earle of Northampton and when his elder brother Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and of Essex High Constable also of England was not sufficient in that warlike age to beare that charge of the Constable he made him also High Constable of England After him his sonne Humfrey succeeding in the Earledome of Northampton as also in the Earledomes of Hereford and of Essex for that his Unckle dyed with issue begat two Daughters the one bestowed in marriage upon Thomas of Woodstocke the youngest sonne of King Edward the Third the other upon Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford who afterwards attained to the Crowne by the name of King Henry the Fourth The Daughter of the said Thomas of Woodstocke brought by her marriage this Title of Northampton with others into the Family of the Staffords But when they afterwards had lost their honours and dignities King Edward the Sixth honoured Sir William Parr Earle of Essex a most accomplished Courtier with the Title of Marquesse of Northampton who within our remembrance ended this life issuelesse And while I was writing and perusing this Worke our most sacred Soveraigne King James in the yeere of our Salvation 1603. upon one and the same day advanced Lord Henry Howard brother to the last Duke of Norfolke a man of rare and excellent wit and sweet fluent eloquence singularly adorned also with the best sciences prudent in counsell and provident withall to the state of Baron Howard of Marnehill and the right honourable name title stile and Dignity of Earle of Northampton There belong unto this Shire Parishes 326. LECESTRIAE COMITATVS SIVE Leicestershyre PARS OLIM CORITANORVM LEICESTER-SHIRE ON the North side of Northampton-shire boundeth LEICESTER-SHIRE called in that Booke wherein William the Conquerour set downe his Survey of England Ledecester-shire a champian Country likewise throughout bearing corne in great plenty but for the most part without Woods It hath bordering upon it on the East side both Rutland-shire and Lincoln-shire on the North Nottingham and Derby-shires and Warwick-shire on the West For the high Rode way made by the Romanes called Watling-streat directly running along the West skirt separateth it from Warwick-shire and on the South side as I noted even now lyeth Northampton-shire Through the middle part thereof passeth the River Soar taking his way toward the Trent but over the East-part a little River called Wreke gently wandereth which at length findeth his way into the foresaid Soar On the South side where it is divided on the one hand with the River Avon the lesse and on the other with the River Welland we meet with nothing worth relation unlesse it be on Wellands banke whiles he is yet but small and newly come from his head with Haverburgh commonly called Harborrow a Towne most celebrate heereabout for a Faire of Cattaile there kept and as for Carleton as one would say the husband-mens Towne that is not farre from it wherein I wote not whether it be worth the relating all in manner that are borne whether it bee by a peculiar property of the Soile or the water or else by some other secret operation of nature have an ill favoured untunable and harsh manner of speech fetching their words with very much adoe deepe from out of the throat with a certaine kinde of wharling That Romane streete way aforesaid the causey whereof being in some other places quite worne and eaten away heere most evidently sheweth itselfe passeth on directly as it were by a streight line Northward through the West side of this Province The very tract of which street I my selfe diligently traced and followed even from the Tamis to Wales purposely to seeke out Townes of ancient memory laugh you will perhaps at this my painfull and expencefull diligence as vainly curious neither could I repose my trust upon a more faithfull guide for the finding out of those said townes which Antonine the Emperour specifieth in his Itinerary This Street-way being past Dowbridge where it leaveth Northampton-shire behinde it is interrupted first with the River Swift that is indeed but slow although the name import swiftnesse which it maketh good onely in the Winter moneths The Bridge over it now called Bransford and Bensford Bridge which heere conjoyned in times past this way having been of long time broken downe hath beene the cause that so famous a way for a great while was the lesse frequented but now at the common charge of the country it is repaired Upon this way lyeth of the one side Westward Cester-Over but it is in Warwick-shire a place worth the naming were it but in regard of the Lord thereof Sir Foulke Grevill a right worshipfull and worthy knight although the very name it selfe may witnesse the antiquity for our ancestours added this word Cester to no other places but only cities On the other side of the way Eastward hard by water Swift which springeth neere Knaptoft the seat of the Turpins a knightly house descended from an heire of the Gobions lieth Misterton belonging to the ancient family of the Poulteneis who tooke that name of Poulteney a place now decaied within the said Lordship Neere to it is Lutterworth a Mercate Towne the possession in times past of the Verdons which onely sheweth a faire Church which hath beene encreased by the Feldings of knights degree and ancient gentry in this Shire That famous John Wickliffe was sometime Parson of this Church a man of a singular polite and well wrought wit most conversant also in the holy Scripture who for that he had sharpened the neb of his pen against the Popes authority the Church
of Rome and religious men was not onely in his life time most grievously troubled but also one and forty yeeres after his death his dead Corps was cruelly handled being by warrant from the Councell of Siena turned out of his grave and openly burned Neither is it to be forgotten that neere to this Towne is a spring so cold that within a short time it turneth strawes and stickes into stones From that Bensford bridge the foresaid old High way goeth on to High-crosse so called for that thereabout stood sometime a Crosse in stead of which is erected now a very high post with props and supporters thereto The neighbours there dwelling reported unto me that the two principall High-waies of England did here cut one another overthwart and that there stood a most flourishing City there named Cleycester which had a Senate of Aldermen in it and that Cleybrooke almost a mile off was part of it also that on both sides of the way there lay under the furrowes of the corne fields great foundations and ground workes of foure square stone also that peeces of Roman money were very often turned up with the Plough although above the ground as the Poet saith Etiam ipsae periere ruinae that is Even the very ruines are perished and gone These presumptions together with the distance of this place from BANNAVENTA or Wedon which agreeth just and withall the said Bridge leading hitherward called Bensford are inducements unto me to thinke verily that the station BENNONES or VENONES was heere which Antonine the Emperour placeth next beyond BANNAVENTA especially seeing that Antonine sheweth how the way divided it selfe heere into two parts which also goeth commonly currant For Northeastward where the way lieth to Lincolne the Fosse way leadeth directly to RATAE and to VERNOMETUM of which I will speake anon and toward the Northwest Watlingstreet goeth as streight into Wales by MANVESSEDUM whereof I shall write in his due place in Warwick-shire Higher yet neere the same streetside standeth Hinkley which had for Lord of it Hugh Grantmaismill a Norman high Steward or Seneschall of England during the Raignes of king William Rufus and Henry the First The said Hugh had two daughters Parnell given in marriage to Robert Blanch-mains so called of his faire white hands Earle of Leicester together with the High-Stewardship of England and Alice wedded to Roger Bigot Verily at the East end of the Church there are to be seene Trenches and Rampires yea and a Mount cast up to an eminent height which the inhabitants say was Hughes Castle Three miles hence standeth Bosworth an ancient Mercat Towne which liberty together with the Faire S. Richard Harecourt obtained for it at the hands of king Edward the First Under this towne in our great grandfathers daies the kingdome of England lay hazarded upon the chance of one battaile For Henry Earle of Richmond with a small power encountred there in pitched field king Richard the Third who had by most wicked meanes usurped the kingdome and whiles he resolved to die the more valiantly fighting for the liberty of his country with his followers and friends the more happy successe he had and so overcame and slew the Usurper and then being with joyfull acclamations proclaimed King in the very mids of slaughtered bodies round about he freed England by his happy valour from the rule of a Tyrant and by his wisdome refreshed and setled it being sore disquieted with long civill dissentions Whereupon Bernard Andreas of Tholous a Poet living in those daies in an Ode dedicated unto King Henry the Seventh as touching the Rose his Devise writ these Verses such as they are Ecce nunc omnes posuere venti Murmuris praeter Zephyrum tepentem Hic Rosas nutrit nitidósque flores Veris amoeni Behold now all the windes are laid But Zephyrus that blowes full warme The Rose and faire spring-floures in mead He keepeth fresh and doth no harme Other memorable things there are none by this Street unlesse it bee Ashby de la Zouch that lyeth a good way off a most pleasant Lordship now of the Earles of Huntingdon but belonging in times past to the noble Family De la Zouch who descended from Alan Vicount of Rohan in Little Britaine and Constantia his wife daughter to Conan le Grosse Earle of Britaine and Maude his wife the naturall daughter of Henry the First Of this house Alane De la Zouch married one of the heires of Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester and in her right came to a faire inheritance in this Country But when hee had judicially sued John Earle of Warren who chose rather to try the Title by the sword point than by point of Law he was slaine by him even in Westminster Hall in the yeere of our Lord 1269. and some yeeres after the daughters and heires of his grand sonne transferred this inheritance by their marriages into the Families of the Saint Maures of Castle Cary and the Hollands Yet their father first bestowed this Ashby upon Sir Richard Mortimer of Richards Castle his cozin whose younger issue thereupon tooke the sirname of Zouch and were Lords of Ashby But from Eudo a younger sonne of Alane who was slaine in Westminster Hall the Lords Zouch of Harringworth branched out and have beene for many Descents Barons of the Realme Afterward in processe of time Ashby came to the Hastings who built a faire large and stately house there and Sir William Hastings procured unto the Towne the liberty of a Faire in the time of King Henry the Sixth Here I may not passe over the next neighbour Cole-Overton now a seat of the Beaumontes descended from Sir Thomas Beaumont Lord of Bachevill in Normandy brother to the first Vicount This place hath a Cole prefixed for the forename which Sir Thomas as some write was hee who was slaine manfully fighting at such time as the French recovered Paris from the English in the time of King Henry the Sixth This place of the pit-coles being of the nature of hardned Bitumen which are digged up to the profit of the Lord in so great a number that they serve sufficiently for fewell to the neighbour Dwellers round about farre and neere I said before that the River Soar did cut this Shire in the middle which springing not farre from this Street and encreased with many small rils and Brookes of running water going a long Northward with a gentle streame passeth under the West and North side of the cheife Towne or City of this County which in Writers is called Lege-Cestria Leogora Legeo cester and Leicester This Towne maketh an evident faire shew both of great antiquity and good building In the yeere 680. when Sexwulph at the commandement of King Etheldred divided the kingdome of the Mercians into Bishoprickes hee placed in this an Episcopall See and was himselfe the first Bishop that sat there but a few yeeres after when the See was translated to
another place this Dignity had an end and therewith the stately part of the Towne by little and little was empaired untill that Edelfleda a most vertuous and noble Lady in the yeere after our Saviours Nativity 914. repaired and strongly walled it new about in so much as Matthew of Paris in his lesser Story wrote thus Legecester is a right wealthy City and notably well fenced with an indissoluble Wall which if it had a strong foundation were inferiour to no City whatsoever About the Normans entring into this Land it was well peopled and frequented yea and had very many Burgesses in it out of whom they were bound by an ancient custome as we reade in William the Conquerours booke To send twelve with the King so often as he â—ent in person to the warres But if hee made a voyage by sea against his enemies they sent foure horses to carry armour as farre as to London This City paid yeerely to the King 30. pounds by tale and twenty in ora that is by weight also 25. measures called Sextaries of hony But in the time of King Henry the Seconds Raigne it was sore overpressed with a world of great and grievous calamities and the wals throwne downe what time as Robert sirnamed Bossu that is Crouch backe Earle of Leicester conspired and rebelled against the King Which Matthew of Paris sheweth in these words For the obstinate stubbornesse of Earle Robert spurning against the King the noble City of Leicester was besieged and overthrowne by King Henry and the Wall which seemed indissoluble was utterly cast downe all round about For that I may adde thus much out of the lesser History abovesaid when the Wall of the City wanting a good foundation was undermined and the props that sustained it at length burnt the peeces and fragments of the Wall fell downe which even to this day such is the indissoluble tenacity and stifnesse of the morter remaine fast and retaine the bignesse of sound rockes Miserable also was the imposition of a fine upon the Citizens at that time and their banishment as lamentable who having obtained by paying summes of money licence to depart tooke Sanctuary for extreame feare in Saint Albans and Saint Edmundsbury The Castle likewise was dismantled of all Fortifications which verily was a large and strong peece Beneath which there is a very faire Hospitall or house for receit of poore people and a Collegiat Church wherein Henry Earle of Lancaster and Henry of Lancaster his sonne who was the first Duke of Lancaster lie buried For the said Duke when he was now stepped farre in yeeres of a pious minde built this Hospitall for the maintenance of poore folke and to that end dedicated it Concerning which Henry Knighton of Leicester who lived in that age writeth thus in his story Henry the first Duke of Lancaster built a Collegiat Church and an Hospitall without the South Gate of Leicester wherein hee ordained a Deane with 12. Canons Prebendaries as many Vicars and other Officers an hundred poore and feeble people and ten poore able women to give attendance upon the said feeble folke and this Hospitall hee endowed with sufficient revenewes As for this Hospitall it continueth in some good state as an other Bede-house in the Towne built by W. Wigeston But the Collegiat Church which was a magnificent worke and the greatest ornament of Leicester was demolished when religious houses were granted to the King At the other side of the City among most goodly and pleasant medowes which the River Soar watereth there was an Abbay called of that place De Pree of which the said Knighton hath written thus Robert de Bossu Earle of Leicester when he begun Gerondon Abbay for Cistertians founded the Monastery of S. Mary De Pratis at Leicester endowed it richly with Lands Possessions and Revenewes and himselfe with the consent of Amice his Wife became a Chanon Regular in the same and for the space of fifteene yeeres in habite of a Chanon served God there and so slept in the Lord That thus forsooth he might make amends by repentance in a Chanons weed of that offence which beforetime hee had committed by rebelling with a traiterous minde against his Liege Prince What name Leicester had in the Romans time it is not knowne In the Catalogue of Ninnius I thinke it to bee that which is called Caer Lerion But that Leir a King of whom there goe many tales built it they that will may beleeve it for mee But the situation thereof upon the Foss-way and the distance both from BENNONES and VEROMETUM agreeth so just with the description of Antonine that I cannot but thinke it to be that RATAE which Ptolomee nameth RAGAE although there is neither tippe nor toe remaining in it of the name RATAE unlesse peradventure it be in that old long Ditch and Rampire which they call Rawdikes scarce halfe a mile without the South Gate Heere am I at a stand and looke about me what way to follow for the seeking out of ancient Townes Ranulph a Monke of Chester recordeth that the ancient street way went through the wasts from hence to Lincolne but hee telleth us not through what Wasts The common voice goeth that it went on still full North through Nottingham-shire Antonine the Emperour if I have any insight at all seemeth to insinuate that it passed North-Eastward through this County into Lincoln-shire And verily this way there are places of antique memory that by some of their remaines and tokens shew themselves but the other way I could not my selfe ever yet meete with any what others have done I know not and would willingly learne North-West from Leicester and not farre off is Grooby a large Lordship and Manor which from Hugh Grantmaismill whom King William the Conquerour had enriched with great possessions and revenewes came by the Earles of Leicester and the Quincies unto the house of the Ferrers out of which the Lord Ferrers of Grooby flourished a long time in the honorable state of Barons and in the end Isabel the only daughter remaining of the right line brought it by her marriage into the name of the Greies from whence it fell againe at the last by Attainder into the Kings hands But whiles I was revising of this Worke our Soveraigne Lord King James restored Sir Henry Grey a worthy Knight to the ancient honour of his noble Progenitors creating him Baron Grey of Grooby in the first yeare of his Raigne Now let us returne to the River Soar which being past Leicester first giveth name to Montsorell or rather Mont-Soar-hill a name compounded of Norman and English both which now is famous onely for a Mercate there kept but in old time most renowned for the Castle seated upon a steepe and craggy Hill hanging over the River which before time belonged to the Earles of Leicester but afterwards to Saer de Quincy Earle of Winchester in the Barons warre at this day nothing
spirituall benefits in that Church as praiers blessings c. and so when he had entertained them with a very sumptuous feast hee gave them his blessing and dismissed them chearefully every man to his owne home But I will dwell no longer in this matter But hereby you may see how by small contributions great workes arose From Crowland there goeth a Cawsey planted on both sides with Willowes betweene the River Welland and the deepe Marishes Northward upon which two miles from Crowland I saw the fragment of a Piramis with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I SAY THAT SAINT GUTHLAKE THIS STONE HIS BOVND DOTH MAKE Higher yet upon the same River is seated Spalding enclosed round about with Riverets and draines a fairer Towne I assure you than a man would looke to finde in this Tract among such slabbes and water-plashes where Ivo Talbois whom Ingulph elsewhere calleth Earle of Anjou gave an ancient Cell to the Monkes of Angiers in France From hence as farre as to Deeping which is ten miles off Egelrick Abbat of Crowland afterwards Bishop of Durham made for the ease of travailers as saith Ingulphus through the middest of a vast Forest and of most deepe Fennes a sound causey of wood and sand after his owne name called Elrich-road which notwithstanding at this day is not to be seene In higher Hoiland that bendeth more into the North first we have in sight Kirkton so named of the Church which is passing faire and then where the River Witham hemnd in strongly with bankes on both sides runneth in a maine and full streame toward the sea flourisheth Boston more truely named Botolphs-towne For it carried that name from one Botolph a most holy and devout Saxon who at Icanhoe had a Monastery A famous Towne this is standing on both sides of the River Witham which hath over it a wooden bridge of a great height and well frequented by the meanes of a commodious haven unto it the Mercat place is faire and large and the Church maketh a goodly shew as well for the beautifull building as the greatnesse thereof the towre-steeple of it which riseth up to a mighty height doth as one would say salute passengers and travailers a great way off and giveth direction also to the sailers A lamentable overthrow it sustained in the Raigne of Edward the first For when bad and Ruffian-like behaviour rufled at that time over all England certaine military lusty fellowes having proclaimed heere a Justs or running at Tilt at a Faire time when there was much resort of people thither came apparelled in the habit of Monkes and Chanons set fire on the Towne in most places thereof brake in upon Merchants with sodaine violence tooke away many things by force burnt a great deale more in so much as our Historians write that as the ancient Writers record of Corinth when it was destroied molten gold and silver ran downe in a streame together The Ring-leader Robert Chamberlan after hee had confessed the act and what a shamefull deed had been committed was hanged yet could he not be wrought by any meanes to disclose his complices in this foule fault But happier times raised Boston againe out of the ashes and a staple for wooll here setled did very much enrich it and drew thither merchants of the Hanse Society who had here their Guild At this day it is for building faire and by good trade rich For the Inhabitants give themselves both to merchandise and also to grasing Nere unto this was the Barony de Croeun or de Credonio out of which family Alan de Croeun founded the Priory of Freston and at length Parnel heire of the family being twice married transferred no small inheritance first to the Longchamps which came to the Pedwardins and secondly to John Vaulx from whom the Barons Roos are descended Beyond it scarce six miles reacheth Holland all which Ivo Talboys of Anjo◠received at the bountifull hands of king William the Conqueror but Herward an English man of good hope and full of douty courage being sonne to Leofrick Lord of Brane or Burne not brooking his insolency when he saw his owne and his Country mens safety now endangered after he had received the cincture with a military Belt by Brann Abbat of Peterborough whose stomacke rose also against the Normans raised warre against him oftentimes put him to flight and at length carried him away captive and suffered him not to bee ransomed but with such conditions that he might be received into the Kings favour wherein he dyed his liege man For so deserved his valour which is alwayes commended even in a very enemy His Daughter being wedded to Hugh Enermeve Lord of Deping enjoyed his lands which afterwards as I understand was devolved upon the Family of Wake which being mightily enriched with the Possessions of the Estotevills was of right great honour in these parts untill the Raigne of Edward the Second for then by an heire Generall their inheritance came by right of marriage unto Edmund of Woodstocke youngest sonne to King Edward the First and Earle of Kent But of a younger sonne the ancient Family of the Wakes of Blisworth in Northampton-shire yet remaining is descended The second part of this Country commonly called Kesteven and by Aethelward an ancient Authour Ceostefnewood adjoyning to Hoiland on the West side is for aire farre more wholesome and for Soile no lesse fruitfull Greater this is and larger than the other yea and garnished every where with more faire Townes At the entry thereinto upon the river Welland standeth Stanford in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 built of rough stone whence it hath the name A Towne well peopled and of great resort endowed also with sundry immunities and walled about It gave Geld or Tribute as wee reade in Domesday Booke for twelve hundreds and an halfe in the army shipping and Danegeld and in it were sixe Wards What time as King Edward the elder fortified the South bankes of Rivers against the Danes breaking by force into the Land out of the North parts Marianus recordeth that hee built a very strong Castle just over against this Towne also on the South banke which now is called Stanford Baron yet there appeareth not any one token thereof at this day for that Castle which in time of the civill Warre Stephen strengthened against Henry of Anjou was within the Towne as both the generall report holdeth and the very plot also whereon it stood as yet remaining sheweth But soone after the said Henry being now King of England gave the whole Towne of Stanford which was in his Demaine excepting the fees or Feifs of the Barons and Knights of the same Towne unto Richard de Humez or Homets who was Constable to the King his Soveraigne Lord for his homage and service And the same afterwards held William Earle of Warren by the will and pleasure of King John Under the
of the aforesaid came another Gilbert his sonne and heire who gave the Manour of Folkingham with the Appertenances to Edward the sonne of Henry King of England This Gilbert as wee finde in the Plees out of which this Pedegree is prooved claimed service against Wil. de Scremby And at length it came by gift of the Prince to Sir Henry Beaumont For most certaine it is that he held it in the Raigne of Edward the Second Neere unto this is Screkingham remarkable for the death of Alfrick the second Earle of Leicester whom Hubba a Dane slew Of which place it seemeth that Ingulph spake writing thus In Kesteven were slaine three great Lords or petty Kings of the Danes whom they buryed in a Village which was called before Laundon but now for the Sepulture of three Kings Tre-King-ham And more into the East is Hather in this regard onely to be mentioned that the Busseis or Busleis heere dwell who deduce their Race from Roger de Busly in the Conquerours time Then Sleford a Castle of the Bishops of Lincolne built by Alexander the Bishop where Sir John Hussy the first and last Baron of that name created by King Henry the Eighth built himselfe an house who having unwittingly and unadvisedly in the yeere 1537. engaged himselfe with the common people in a tumultuous commotion what time as the first dissention brake out in England about Religion lost his head Not many miles from hence standeth Kime which gave name to a noble family called De Kime but the possession of the place came at length to the Umfranvils of whom three were called to the Parliament by the name of the Earles of Anguse in Scotland But the first of them the learned in our common lawes would not acknowledge to be Earle for that Anguse was not within the limits of the Realme of England untill hee produced openly in Court the Kings Writ by vertue whereof he had been summoned by the King to the Parliament under the Title of Earle of Anguse From the Umfravils this came unto the family of Talbois of whom Gilbert was created by King Henry the Eighth Baron Talbois whose two sonnes dying without issue the inheritance was by the females transferred to the Dimocks Inglebeies and others More Westward wee saw Temple Bruer that is as I interprete it Temple in the Heath For it seemeth to have beene a Commaundery of the Templers considering that the decayed broken Walles of the Church there are seene in forme of the New Temple at London Hard to it lyeth Blankenay the Barony in times past of the D'incourts who flourished successively a long time one after another from the Normans comming in unto King Henry the Sixth his time For then their male line determined in one William who had two sisters for his heires the one married to Sir William Lovell the other to Sir Ralph Cromwell The more willingly have I made mention of this Family to give satisfaction in some measure unto the longing desire of Edmond Baron D'eincourt who long since being carefull and earnest about the preservation of the memory of his name as having no male Issue put up an humble Petition to King Edward the Second Whereas hee foresaw that his sirname and Armes after his death would bee quite forgotten and yet heartily desired that after his decease they might bee still remembred that hee might bee permitted to enfeoffe whomsoever it pleased him both in his Manours and Armes also Which request hee obtained and it was graunted under the Kings Letters Patents yet for all that is this sirname now quite gone to my knowledge and had it not beene continued by the light of learning might have beene cleane forgotten for ever In the West part of Kesteven and the very confines of this Shire and Leicestershire standeth Belvoir or Beauvoir Castle so called of the faire prospect what name soever it had in old time mounted upon the top of a good steepe hill built by Robert De Todeneie a Norman Nobleman who also beganne the little Monastery adjoyning from whom by the Albeneies out of little Britaine and the Barons Roos it came by inheritance to the Mannors Earles of Rutland of whom the first that is to say Thomas as I have beene enformed raised it up againe with newbuildings from the ground when as it had for many yeeres lien buryed as it were in his owne ruines For in despite of Thomas Lord Roos who tooke part with King Henry the Sixth it was much defaced by William Lord Hastings unto whom after that the said Baron Roos was attainted King Edward the Fourth had graunted it with very faire Lands But Edmond Baron Roos sonne of the said Thomas by the gracious favour of king Henry the seventh recovered this ancient Inheritance againe About this Castle are found the Stones called Astroites which resemble little Starres joyned one with another wherein are to bee seene at every corner five Beames or Rayes and in every Ray in the middest is small hollownesse This Stone among the Germanes got his name of Victorie for that as George Agricola writeth in his Sixth Booke of Mineralls they are of opinion that whosoever carryeth it about him shall winne his suite and get victory of his enemies But whether this Stone of ours as that in Germany being put in vineger will stirre out of his place and turne it selfe some-what round I could never yet make tryall Under this Castle lyeth a Vale and presenteth a most pleasant prospect thereunto whereupon it is commonly called the Vale of Belver which is very large and passing pleasantly beautified with Corne fields and no lesse rich in pastures lying stretched out in three Shires of Leicester Nottingham and Lincolne If not in this very place yet hard by it in all probability stood that MARGIDUNUM which Antonine the Emperour placeth next after VERNOMETUM as both the name and the distance also from VERNOMETUM and the Towne PONT or Paunton betweene which Antonine placeth it may most plainly shew It should seeme that ancient name Margidunum was borowed from Marga and the situation of it For Marga among the Britans is a kinde of earth named Marle wherewith they nourished and kept their grounds in heart and DUNUM which signifieth an Hill agreeth onely to places higher mounted than others And yet in this Etymology of the name I am in a doubt seeing that Marle in this place is very geason or skant happily because no man seeketh for it unlesse the Britans by the name of Marga tearmed Plaister-stone which is digged uppe hard by as I have learned the use whereof in white pargetting and in making of Images was of especiall request among the Romans as Plinie witnesseth in his Naturall History Witham a River plentifull in Pikes but carrying a small streame watereth this part of the Shire and on the North-side encloseth it It hath his beginning by a little towne
hidden within the net But these things I leave to their observation who either take pleasure earnestly to hunt after Natures workes or being borne to pamper the belly delight to send their estates downe the throat More Westward the River Trent also after he hath ended his long course is received into the Humber after it hath with his sandy banke bounded this shire from Fossedike hither having runne downe first not farre from Stow where Godive the wife of Earle Leofricke built a Monastery which for the low site that it hath under the hills Henry of Huntingdon saith to have beene founded Vnder the Promontory of Lincolne Then neere unto Knath now the habitation of Baron Willoughy of Parrham in times past of the family of the Barons Darcy who had very much encrease both in honor and also of possessions by the daughter and heire of the Meinills This Family of the Darcyes proceeded from another more ancient to wit from one whose name was Norman de Adrecy or Darcy de Nocton who flourished in high reputation under King Henry the Third and whose successours endowed with lands the little Nunnery at Alvingham in this County But this dignity is as it were extinct for that the last Norman in the right line which is more ancient left behinde him onely two sisters of which the one was married to Roger Pedwardine the other to Peter of Limbergh Then runneth the Trent downe to Gainesborrow a towne ennobled by reason of the Danes ships that lay there at rode and also for the death of Suene Tiugs-Kege a Danish Tyrant who after he had robbed and spoiled the country as Matthew of Westminster writeth being heere stabbed to death by an unknowne man suffered due punishment at length for his wickednesse and villany Many a yeere after this it became the possession of Sir William de Valence Earle of Pembroch who obtained for it of king Edward the First the liberty to keepe a Faire From which Earle by the Scottish Earles of Athol and the Piercies descended the Barons of Bourough who heere dwelt concerning whom I have written already in Surry In this part of the Shire stood long since the City Sidnacester which affoorded a See to the Bishops of this Tract who were called the Bishops of Lindifars But this City is now so farre out of all sight and knowledge that together with the name the very ruines also seeme to have perished for by all my curious enquiry I could learne nothing of it Neither must I overpasse that in this Quarter at Melwood there flourished the family of Saint Paul corruptly called Sampoll Knights which I alwaies thought to have beene of that ancient Castilion race of the Earles of Saint Paul in France But the Coat-Armour of Luxemburgh which they beare implieth that they are come out of France since that the said Castilion stocke of Saint Paul was by marriage implanted into that of Luxemburgh which happened two hundred yeeres since or thereabout Above this place the Rivers of Trent Idell and Dane doe so disport themselves with the division of their streames and Marishes caused by them and other Springs as they enclose within them the River-Island of Axelholme in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a parcell of Lincolne-shire It carryeth in length from South to North ten miles and in breadth not past halfe so much The flat and lower part of it toward the Rivers is marish ground and bringeth forth an odoriferous kinde of shrub which they tearme Gall. It yeeldeth also Pets in the Mores and dead rootes of fir-wood which in burning give a ranke sweet savour There also have beene found great and long firre-trees while they digged for Pet both within the Isle and also without at Laâ—ghton upon Trent banke the old habitation of the family of D'alanson now contractly called Dalison The middle parts of this Isle where it riseth gently with some ascent is fruitefull and fertile and yeeldeth flax in great aboundance also the Alabaster stone and yet the same being not very solide but brittle is more meet for pargetting and plaister-worke than for other uses The chiefe Towne called in old time Axel is now named Axey whence by putting to the Saxon word Holme which they used for a River-Island the name no doubt was compounded But scarce deserveth it to bee called a Towne it is so scatteringly inhabited and yet it is able to shew the plot of ground where a Castle stood that was rased in the Barons warre and which belonged to the Mowbraies who at that time possessed a great part of the Isle In the yeere 1173. as writeth an old Chronographer Roger de Mowbray forsaking his Allegeance to the Elder King repaired the Castle at Kinard Ferry in the Isle of Axholme which had beene of old time destroyed Against whom a number of Lincoln-shire men making head when they had passed over the water in barges laid siege to the Castle forced the Constable thereof and all the souldiers to yeeld and overthrew the said Castle Somewhat higher is Botterwic the Lord whereof Sir Edmund Sheffeld King Edward the Sixth created the first Baron Sheffeld of Botherwic who for his country spent his life against the Rebels in Norfolke having begotten of Anne Vere the Earle of Oxfords daughter a sonne named John the second Baron and father to Edmund now Lord Sheffeld a right honourable Knight of the Garter President of the Councell established in the North. But more into the North I saw Burton Stather standing upon the other side of Trent whereof I have hetherto read nothing memorable This Shire glorieth in the Earles which have borne Title thereof After Egga who flourished in the yeere 710. and Morcar both Saxons and who were Earles by office onely William de Romara a Norman was the first Earle after the Conquest in whose roome being dead for neither his sonne whereas he died before his father nor his grand-child enjoied this title King Stephen placed Gilbert de Gaunt After whose decease Simon de Saint Lyz the younger the sonne of Earle Simon you reade the very words of Robert Montensis who lived about that time Wanting lands by the gracious gift of King Henry the Second tooke his onely daughter to wife with her his honour also After this Lewis of France who was by the seditious Barons brought into England girt a second Gilbert out of the Family de Gaunt with the sword of the Earldome of Lincolne but when the said Lewis was soone after expelled the land no man acknowledged him for Earle and himselfe of his owne accord relinquished that title Then Raulph the sixth Earle of Chester obtained this honour of King Henry the Third who a little before his death gave unto Hawise or Avis his sister the wife of Robert De Quincy by Charter the Earledome of Lincolne so farre forth as appertained unto him that shee might bee Countesse
the Conquerour appointed over this Shire William Peverell his base sonne not with the Title of Earle but of Lord of Nottingham who had a sonne that dyed before his father and hee likewise had a sonne of the same name whom king Henry the Second disinherited for that he went about to poison Ranulph Earle of Chester Much about this time Robert de Ferrarijs who rifled and ransacked Nottingham in a Donation which he made unto the Church of Tuttesbury stiled himselfe thus Robertus Comes junior de Nottingham that is Robert the younger Earle of Nottingham But afterwards King Richard the First gave and confirmed unto his brother John the Earledome and Castle of Nottingham with all the Honour of Peverell Many yeeres after King Richard the Second honoured John Lord Mowbray with this Title of Earle of Nottingham who dying a young man without issue his brother Thomas succeeded after him He being by king Richard the Second created Earle Mareshall and Duke of Norfolke and soone after banished begat Thomas Earle Mareshall whom king Henry the Fourth beheaded and John Mowbray who as also his sonne and Nephew were likewise Dukes of Norfolke and Earles of Nottingham But when as their male issue failed and that Richard the young sonne of King Edward the Fourth being Duke of Yorke had borne this Title with others by his Wife the heire of the Mowbraies but a small while King Richard the Third honoured William Vicount Barkley descended from the Mowbraies with this Title of Earle of Nottingham and whereas hee dyed without issue king Henry the Eighth bestowed the same honour upon his illegitimate sonne H. Fitz Roy when hee created him Duke of Richmond but hee departed this life in the flower of his age leaving no childe Afterward this Title lay extinct untill in the yeere of our Lord 1597. Queene Elizabeth by solemne investiture adorned therewith Charles Lord Howard of Effingham and High Admirall of England descended from the Mowbraies in regard of his service as appeareth in the Charter of his Creation right valiantly and faithfully performed against the Spanish Armado in the yeere 1588. as also at the winning of Caliz in Spaine where he was Lord Generall of the forces by sea like as the Earle of Essex of those by land There are in this County Parish Churches 168. DARBY-SHIRE DARBY-SHIRE called in old English-Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth close to Nottingham-shire Westward confining with Leicester-shire upon the Southside like as with Stafford-shire on the West and York-shire in the North resembling as it were the forme of a Triangle but not with equall sides For whereas about the point of it lying Southward it is scarce sixe miles broad it so enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe on both sides that where it looketh into the North it carrieth much about thirty miles in breadth The River Derwent that runneth along the middest of it divideth it after a sort in two parts which River breaking out of the North limit thereof and taking his course Southward sometimes with his blacke waters stained with the Soile and earth that it passeth by rumbleth downe apace into the Trent For Trent overthwarteth the said narrow point that I spake of lying Southward The East side and the South parts are well manured not unfruitfull and besides well stored with Parkes The West part beyond Derwent which they call the Peake being all of it hilly or a stony and craggy ground is more barraine howbeit rich in lead iron and coles which it yeeldeth plentifully and also feedeth Sheepe very commodiously In the South corner the first place worth the naming that offereth it selfe to sight is Greisely Castle more than broken downe which together with a little Monastery was founded in times past in honour of Saint George by the Greiseleies Lords thereof who fetching their descent from William the sonne of Sir Niele of Grieseley about the very Conquest of England by the Normans have flourished unto these dayes in great worship the which they have not a little augmented long since by marrying with the daughter and heire of the ancient family of Gasteneys Upon the River Dove which untill it entreth into Trent divideth this Country from Stafford-shire we meet with nothing in this Shire but small country Villages and Ashburne a Mercate towne where the house of the Cokains flourished a long time and Norbury where the right ancient family of the Fitz-Herberts have long inhabited out of which Sir Anthony Fitz-Herbert hath deserved passing well of the knowledge and profession of our Commons law Not farre from which is Shirley an ancient Lordship of the well renowned Family of the Shirleys who derive their pedegree from one Fulcher unto whom beside the antiquity of their house much honor and faire lands have accrued by marriage with the heires of the Breoses the Bassets of Brailesford the Stantons Lovets c. And heere stand round about many places which have given name and Habitation to worshipfull Families as Longford Bradburne Kniveton from whence came those Knivetons of Mercaston and Bradley of which house Saint Lo Kniveton is one to whose judicious and studious diligence I am deeply endebted also Keidelston where the Cursons dwelt as also at Crokhall But whether Sir Robert Curson knighted by King Henry the Seventh made a Baron of the Empire by Maximilian the Emperour in the yeere 1500. for his singular valour and thereupon by King Henry the Eigth made a Baron of England with a liberall pension assigned was descended from these Cursons I dare not affirme Heereby is Radborn where Sir John Chandos knight Lord of the place laid a goodly foundation of a great and stately house from whom by a daughter it came by hereditary succession unto the Poles who dwell heere at this day But these particularities I leave for him who hath undertaken the full description of this Shire But upon Trent so soon as ever he hath taken to him the river Dove is Repandunum to bee seene for so doe our History-writers call it the Saxons named it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we at this day Repton which from a great and faire Towne is become a poore small Village For in old time very famous it was by reason both of the buriall of Aethelbald that good King of the Mercians who through the treachery of his owne people lost his life and of the other Kings of Mercia as also for the unfortunate calamity of Burthred the last King of the Mercians who when hee had enjoyed his kingdome partly by way of entreaty and partly by meanes of bribery full twenty yeeres was heere deprived of his kingdome by the Danes or rather freed and exempted from the glittering misery of princely State and so became an example to teach men in how ticklish and slippery a place they stand which are underpropped onely with money Then not farre from Trent is Melborn a Castle of the Kings now decaying wherein John Duke of
Burbon taken prisoner in the battaile of Agincourt was detained nineteene yeeres under the custody of Sir Nicholas Montgomery the younger Scarce five miles hence Northward the River Derwent hath his walke who in the utmost limit as I said before of this Shire Northward deriving his head out of the Peak hils being one while streitned betweene crags and sometimes another while watering and cherishing the fresh greene medowes by mossie and morish grounds holdeth on his course for thirty miles or thereabout directly as it were into the South Howbeit in so long a course hee passeth by nothing worth looking on except Chattesworth a very large faire and stately house which Sir William Candish or Cavendish descended out of that ancient house of Gernon in Suffolke beganne and which his Wife Elizabeth and after Countesse of Shrewesbury hath of late with great charges fully finished But where Derwent turneth somewhat Eastward when it is once past Little Chester that is Little City where old peeces of Roman money are often times gotten out of the ground Darby sheweth it selfe in the English-Saxon Tongue named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Danes as Athelward that ancient Writer witnesseth Deoraby the chiefe Towne of all this Shire which name being taken from the River Derwent and contracted from Derwentby it hath bestowed upon the whole County A proper Towne it is none of the least not without good trade and resort unto it On the East side of it the River Derwent making a very faire shew runneth downe carrying a full and lofty streame under a beautifull stone Bridge upon which our devout forefathers erected a faire Chappell which now is neglected and goeth to decay Through the South part thereof runneth a prety cleere Riveret which they call Mertenbrooke Five Churches there be in it Of which the greatest named All Hallowes dedicated to the memory of All-Saints hath a Towre Steeple that for height and singular fine Workemanship excelleth In which Church the Countesse of Shrewesbury of whom erewhile I spake trusting her selfe better than her heires providently erected a Sepulture for her selfe and as religiously founded an Hospitall hard by for the maintenance of twelve poore folke eight men and foure women Memorable in old time was this place because it had beene a lurking hole and a Rendevous for the Danes untill Ethelfleda that victorious Lady of the Mercians by a suddaine forceable surprise made a slaughter of the Danes and became Mistresse of it In the time of King Edward the Confessour as wee finde in Domesday booke it had 143. Burgesses whose number notwithstanding decreased so that in William the Conquerours Raigne there remained onely an hundred And these paid unto the King at the feast of Saint Martin 12. Trabes of Corne. But now all the name and credit that it hath ariseth of the Assisses there kept for the whole shire and by the best â—appy ale that is brewed there a drinke so called of the Danish word Oela somewhat wrested and not of Alica as Ruellius deriveth it the Britans termed it by an old word Kwrw in steade whereof Curmi is read amisse in Dioscorides where hee saith that the Hiberi perchance he would have said Hiberni that is The Irishmen in lieu of wine use Curmi a kinde of drinke made of Barly For this is that Barly-wine of ours which Julian the Emperour that Apostata calleth merrily in an Epigramme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the ancient and peculiar drinke of the Englishmen and Britans yea and the same very wholsome howsoever Henry of Aurenches the Norman Arch-poet to King Henry the Third did in his pleasant wit merrily jest upon it in these Verses Nescio quod Stygiae monstrum conforme paludi Cervisiam plerique vocant nil spissius illa Dum bibitur nil clarius est dum mingitur unde Constat quòd multas faeces in ventre relinquit Of this strange drinke so like to Stygian lake Most tearme it Ale I wote not what to make Folke drinke it thicke and pisse it passing thin Much dregges therefore must needs remaine within Howbeit Turnebus that most learned Frenchman maketh no doubt but that men using to drinke heereof if they could avoid surfetting would live longer than those that drinke wine and that from hence it is that many of us drinking Ale live an hundred yeeres And yet Asclepiades in Plutarch ascribeth this long life to the coldnesse of the aire which keepeth in and preserveth the naturall heat in bodies when he made report that the Britans lived untill they were an hundred and twenty yeeres old But the wealth of this Towne consisteth much in buying of corne and selling it againe to the mountaines for all the Inhabitants be as it were a kinde of hucksters or badgers Not farre from hence doth Derwent carry his streame where by Elwaston Sir Raulph Montjoye had lands in the time of Edward the First from whence came Sir Walter Blunt whom King Edward the Fourth advanced to the honour of Baron Montjoye with a pension whose posterity have equalled the nobility of their birth with the ornaments of learning and principally among them Charles late Earle of Devonshire Baron Montjoy Lord Lieutenant Generall of Ireland and Knight of the Order of the Garter Beneath this Elwaston Derwent disburdeneth himselfe into the chanell of Trent which within a while admitteth into it the River Erewash that in this part serveth as a limit to divide this country from Nottingham-shire Neere unto this River standeth Riseley a possession of the Willoughbeies of which family was that Sir Hugh Willoughby as I have heard say who whiles hee endevoured to discover the Frozen Sea neere unto Wardhous in Scandia was frozen to death together with his company in the same ship Hard by it also is Sandiacre or as others will have it Sainct Diacre the seat of the Family of the Greies of Sandiacre whose inheritance Sir Edward Hilary in right of his wife was first possessed of and whose sonne became adopted into the name of the Greies and a few yeeres after the one of his daughters and heires wedded to Sir John Leake and the other to John Welsh On the East side of this Shire there follow in order Northward these places Codenor in old time Coutenoure Castle which belonged to the Barons Grey called thereupon Lords Grey of Codenor whose inheritance in the foregoing age came to the Zouches by the marriage that Sir John de la Zouch the second sonne of William Lord de la Zouch of Haringworth contracted with Elizabeth the heire of Henry Grey the last Lord of Codenor Then Winfeld a very great and goodly Manour where Raulph Lord Cromwell in the Raigne of Henry the Sixth built a sumptuous and stately house for those daies After it you see Alffreton which men thinke to have beene built by King Alfred and of him to have taken that name which Towne had also Lords entituled
of Woodstock his Daughter who was after remarried to Sir William Burchier called Earle of Ew And in our memorie King Edward the Sixth Honoured Walter D'Eureux the Lord Ferrars of Chartley descended by the Bourgchiers from the Bohuns with the title of Vicount Hereford whose Grand-sonne Walter Vicount Hereford Queene Elizabeth created afterwards Earle of Essex There are contained in this County Parishes 176. RADNOR Comitatus quem SILVRES Osim Incosuerunt RADNOR-SHIRE VPon Hereford-shire on the North-West joyneth Radnor-shire in the British tongue Sire Maiseveth in forme three square and the farther West it goeth the narrower still it groweth On the South-side the River Wy separateth it from Brecknock-shire and on the North part lieth Montgomery-shire The East and South parts thereof bee more fruitfull than the rest which lying uneven and rough with Mountaines is hardly bettered by painfull Husbandry yet it is stored well enough with Woods watered with running Rivers and in some places with standing Meres The East-side hath to beautifie it besides other Castles of the Lords Marchers now all buried well neere in their owne ruines Castle Paine built and so named of Paine a Norman and Castle Colwen which if I be not deceived was sometime called the Castle of Maud in Colewent For a very famous Castle that was and Robert de Todeney a great Noble man in the reigne of Edward the Second was Lord of it It is verily thought that it belonged aforetime to the Breoses Lords of Brechnoc and to have taken the name from Maude of Saint Valeric a very shrewd stout and malapert stomackfull woman wife to William Breos who discovered a rebellious minde against King John Which Castle being cast downe by the Welsh King Henry the Third in the yeere 1231. reedified strongly with stone and called it in despight of Lhewellin Prince of Wales Maugre Lhewellin But of especiall name is Radnor the principall Towne of the whole Shire in British Maiseveth faire built as the maner of that Country is with thatched houses In times past it was firmely fensed with a Wall and Castle but after that Owen Glendower dwy that notable Rebell had burnt it it began by little and little to decrease and grow to decay tasting of the same fortune that the mother thereof did before I meane Old Radnor called in British Maiseveth hean and for the high situation Pencrag which in the reigne of King John Rhese Ap Gruffin had set on fire If I should say that this Maiseveth or Radnor was that ancient Citie MAGI which Antonine the Emperour seemeth to call MAGNOS where as we finde in the booke of Notices the Commander of the Pacensian Regiment lay in garrison under the Lieutenant or Lord Generall of Britaine in the reigne of Theodosius the younger in mine owne opinion surely and perhaps in other mens conceit also I should not vary from the truth For we reade in Writers of the middle age of inhabitants of this coast called MAGESETAE also of Earles Masegetenses and Magesetenses and the distance if it be counted both from Gobannium or Abergevenny and also from Brangonium or Worcester differeth scarce an haire bredth from Antonines computation Scarce three miles Eastward from hence you see Prestaine in British Lhan Andre that is Saint Andrews Church which of a very little village within the memorie of our Grandfathers is by the meanes of Richard Martin Bishop of Saint Davids growne now to be so great a mercate Towne and faire withall that at this day it dammereth and dimmeth the light in some sort of Radnor From whence also scarce foure miles off stands Knighton a Towne able to match with Prestaine called in British as I have heard say Trebuclo in steed of Trefyclaudh of a famous ditch lying under it which Offa King of the Mercians with admirable worke and labour caused to be cast from Dee-Mouth unto Wy-Mouth by this Towne for the space of foureskore and ten miles to separate the Britans from his Englishmen whereupon in British it is called Claudh Offa that is Offaes ditch Concerning which John of Salisbury in his Policraticon writeth thus Harald ordained a law that what Welshmen soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offaes Dike he should have his right hand cut off by the Kings Officers When yee are past this place all the ground that lieth toward the West and South limits being for the most part barren leane and hungry is of the inhabitants called Melienith for that the Mountaines be of a yellowish colour Yet remaine there many footings as it were of Castles to be seene heere and there but especially Kevenles and Timbod which standing upon a sharpe poynted hill Lhewellin Prince of Wales overthrew in the yeere 1260. This Melienith reacheth as farre as to the River Wy which cutteth overthwart the West corner of this shire and being hindered in his streame with stones lying in his way upon a suddaine for want of ground to glide on hath a mighty and violent downefall whereupon the place is tearmed Raihader Gowy that is The fall or Fludgates of Wy And I cannot tell whether thereupon that British word Raihader the English men forged this name first for the whole shire and afterwards for the chiefe Towne By this Floudgate or fall of the water there was a Castle which Rhese Prince of Southwales as we reade repaired under King Richard the First Hard by there is in some sort a vast and wide wildernesse hideous after a sort to behold by reason of the turning and crooked by-waies and craggie Mountaines into which as the safest place of refuge Vortigern that pestilent wretch and bane of his native Country odious both to God and man and whose memory the Britains may wish damned withdrew himselfe when after he had called the Saxons into this Iland and in horrible incest married his owne daughter And heere he fell at length too too late into serious consideration of the greatnesse of his vile and wicked acts But by revenging fire from Heaven the flying dart of God above he was burnt with his Citie Caer Guortigern which he had heere built for his refuge And not farre from hence as if the place had been fatall not onely this Vortigern the last Monarch of British bloud but also Lhewellin the last Prince of Wales of the British race being forelaid was slaine by Adam Francton in the yeere of our Redemption 1282. Of the said Vortigern Ninnius nameth a little Country heere Guortiger-maur neither is that name as yet altogether lost but of the Ciâ—ie there remaineth no memory at all but our of writers Some are of opinion that Guthremion Castle arose out of the ruins and rubbish thereof which in the yeere 1201. the Welsh for malice they bare to Roger Lord Mortimer and in spight of him laid even with the ground Moreover this part of the Country was
now spoiling and harrying the whole Island and Vortigern had withdrawne himselfe into these parts Pascentius his sonne ruled all as Lord by the permission of Aurelius Ambrose as Ninnius writeth who in his Chapter of Mervails reporteth I wot not what wondrous thing heere of a heape of stones wherein forsooth was plainly to be seene the footing of King Arthurs hound And as for Hay which in British is called Trekethle that is The Towne in a grove of Hasell trees in the very utmost skirt of this Shire next unto Hereford-shire it standeth hard by the river Wye well knowne as it seemeth to the Romans whose coines is often digged up there and it sheweth also by the ruines that in old time it was walled But being now as it were decaied it complaineth of that most lewde Rebell Owen Glendowerdwy for his furious outrages who in wasting and spoiling all those Countries most villanously did depopulate it and set it on fire As this River Wy washeth the North side of this Shire so doth Vske a notable River likewise runne through the middest thereof which Vske springing out of the Blacke-Mountaine passeth along with a shallow streame beside Brechnock the Shire Towne standing in the very heart in manner of the Country which the Britans call Aber-Hodney because the two Rivers Hodney and Uske doe meet in that place That this Towne was inhabited in the Romans time appeareth by the Coines of Roman Emperours now and then digged up heere Bernard Newmarch who conquered this little Shire built heere a goodly great Castle which the Breoses and Bohuns repaired and in our fathers remembrance King Henry the Eighth in the Friery of the Dominicans appointed a Collegiat Church of foureteene Prebendaries which hee translated hither from Aberguilly in Caer-Marden-shire Two miles hence Eastward there spreads it selfe abroad a large Poole which the Britans call Linsavethan and Linsavathen that is A Lake of standing water Giraldus tearmeth it Clamosum that is Clamorous or Crying loud because it maketh a strange noise like thunder as often as the Yce thereon doth thaw In English we name it Brecknock-Meere Two miles it is in length and as much in bredth breeding in times past many Otters now full of Pearches Tenches and Eeles which the Fishers rowing in small pliant botes doe take Leveney a little River after it is runne into this Poole keepeth his owne hew and color still by himselfe as disdaining to be mingled therewith which the very color sheweth is thought to carry out his owne water entertained a while there by the way and no more than hee brought in with him It hath beene a currant speech of long continuance among the neighbours thereabout that where now the Meere is there was in times past a City which being swallowed up in an earthquake resigned up the place unto the waters And beside other reasons they alleage this for one that all the high waies of this shire come directly hither on every side Which if it be true what other City should a man thinke stood by the River Leveney than LOVENTIUM which Ptolomee placeth in this tract and in no place hitherto could I finde it albeit I searched diligently for it either by the name or situation or ruines remaining Marianus Scotus which I had almost forgotten seemeth to call this Lake Bricenaâ— Meere who recordeth that Edelfled the Mercian Lady in the yeere 913. entred into the land of the Britans to win by assault a Castle at Bricenau Meere and that she tooke there the King of the Britans wife prisoner Whether this Castle were Brechnock it selfe or Castle Dinas which standeth over it upon a rockey hill and which the higher it riseth the slenderer and smaller it becommeth it is not certainely knowne But that Blean Laveney Castle hard by was the chiefe place of the Barony that Petre Fitz Herbert the sonne of Herbert Lord of Dean-forest by Lucy the daughter of Miles Earle of Hereford held appeareth evidently upon Record In the Raigne of King William Rufus Bernard Newmarch the Norman a man both hardy and politique withall having levied a great Army of Englishmen and Normans together was the first that entred into this territory by force and armes won it and wrested it out of the Welshmens hands by bloudy encounters raised fortresses heere for his fellow souldiers among which the chiefe were the Aubreeis Gunters Haverds Waldbeofes and Prichards allotted lands and lordships and that hee might set sure footing and establish his seat among the Welsh who repined maliciously at him he tooke to wife Nesta the daughter of Gruffin who being a woman of a shamelesse and revengefull spirit both bereft her selfe of her owne good name and also defeated her sonne of his inheritance For when Mahel the said Bernards onely sonne did shake up in som hard and sharpe termes a young Gentleman with whom she used more familiarly than was beseeming shee as the Poet saith iram atque animos à crimine sâ—mens growing angry and stomackfull upon this imputation tooke her corporall oath before King Henry the Second and protested that her sonne Mahel was begotten in adultery and not by Bernard her Husband whereupon Mahel being disinherited Sibyl his sister entred upon that faire Inheritance and with the same enriched her Husband Miles Earle of Hereford But after that five sonnes of Miles died without issue this Brechnock-shire in the partition of the inheritance fell to Bertha his daughter who by Philip de Breos had a sonne William de Breos Lord of Brechnock upon whom the seditious spirit and shrewd tongue of his wife drew a world of calamities For when shee had with her intemperate and unbridled language contumeliously abused King John the King thereupon because her Husband William was very deepely indebted unto him fell to bee quicke and rigorous in demanding the debt But he not able to make payment after he had shifted it off many times and by breaking day still made default in the end mortgaged unto the King three of his Castles namely Hay Brecknock and Radnor and put them into his hands But soone after levying certaine forces such as he could muster up in haste upon a suddaine surprised them slew the Garison Souldiers and wrested the said peeces perforce from them burnt the Towne of Lemster and thus killing slaying and driving away booties he made foule worke and havocke every way with all such outrages as Rebels doe commonly commit But when the King pursued him hee conveyed himselfe and all that he had into Ireland complotted and combined with the Kings enemies there yet under a colour as if hee would make submission hee came unto the King upon protection and assurance given of safety when he was upon his returne into Ireland And notwithstanding many goodly promises of the contrary he raised new stirres and troubles eftsoones in Wales But forced in the end to leave his native Country he died a banished man
after he had rebelled against Rhese his Prince and not able to make his part good with him very rashly and inconsiderately which hee afterward repented too late sent Enion a Nobleman to whom he had affianced his daughter to procure Robert Fitz Haimon sonne to Haimon Dentatus Lord of Corboil in Normandy to come out of England and aide him against Rhese who forthwith having mustered certaine forces and taking for to associate him in his journey twelve Knights first gave Rhese Battaile and slew him and afterwards being allured with the fertility of the Country whereof before hand he made full account to be Lord turning his power upon Jestine himselfe because hee had not kept touch with Enion nor performed his promise easily thrust him out of his ancient Inheritance and shared the Country among his Companions The hard and barraine hill Country he granted to the said Enion the more fertile parts he divided betweene him and those twelve Knights whom he tearmed Peres on this condition that they should hold them in Fee and vassallage of him as their chiefe Lord to maintaine one another in common with their aides and auxiliary forces to defend every one his owne Ward in his Castle of Caerdiffe and to bee present and assist him in his Courts in the administration of Justice It shall not be amisse to put downe their names out of a little Pamphlet which Sir Edward Stradling or Sir Edward Mounsel both Knights men of ancient descent and most skilfull in Antiquity I wot not whether for it goeth abroad under both their names wrote concerning this matter And these be their names William of London or de Londres Richard Granvil Pain Turbervill Oliver Saint John Robert de Saint Quintin Roger Bekeroul William Easterling for that he was borne in Germanie whose heires are now called Stradlings Gilbert Hamfranvill Richard Siward John Fleming Peter Soore Reinald Sully The River Remnie falling from the Mountaines is the limite on the East side whereby this Country is divided from Monmouth-shire and Remnie in the British tongue signifieth to Divide Not farre from it where the River holdeth on his course through places hardly passable among the hilles in a Marish ground are to bee seene the tottering walles of Caer-philli Castle which hath beene of so huge a bignesse and such a wonderfull peece of worke beside that all men well neere say it was a garison for t of the Romans Neither will I deny it although I cannot as yet perceive by what name they called it and yet it may seeme to have beene re-edified anew considering it hath a Chappell built after the Christians manner as I was enformed by John Sanford a man singular well learned and of exact judgement who diligently tooke view of it In later ages it was the possession of the Clares Earles of Glocester descended from Fitz-Haimon aforesaid neither doe any of our Chronicles make mention thereof before king Edward the Seconds time For then after that the Spensers by underhand practises had set the King Queene and Barons at debate the Barons besieged a long time Hugh Spenser the yonger whom they called Hugolin herein and could not prevaile By this river also but the place is not certainely knowne Faustus a very good sonne as Ninnius writeth of Vortigern so bad a father built a great Place where with other holy men hee prayed daily unto God that himselfe whom his father committing most abominable incest had begotten of his owne daughter might not be punished grievously for his fathers faults also that his father might at length repent heartily and his native Country be eased from the bloudy warres of the Saxons A little beneath hath Ptolomee placed the mouth of RATOSTABIUS or RATOSTABIUS using a maimed word in stead of Traith Taff that is The sandy Trith of the River Taff. For there the said River Taff sliding downe from the Hilles runneth toward the Sea by Landaff that is The Church by Taff a small City and of small reputation situate somewhat low yet a Bishops See having within the Dioecesse 154. Parishes and adorned with a Cathedrall Church consecrated to Saint Telean Bishop of the same which Church German and Lupus French Bishops then erected when as they had suppressed the Heresie of Pelagius that was dangerously spread all Britaine over and preferred Dubricius a most holy man to bee the first Bishop there unto whom Meurioke a British Lord freely gave all the land that lyeth betweene the Rivers Taff and Elei From hence goeth Taff to Caer diff called of the Britans Caerdid a proper fine Towne as Townes goe in this Country and a very commodious Haven which the foresaid Fitz Haimon fortified with a Wall and Castle that it might bee both a seat for warre and a Court of Justice wherein beside a Band of choise soldiers those twelve Knights were bound to keepe Castle-guard Howbeit a few yeeres after Yuor Bach a British Mountainer a little man of person but of great and resolute courage marching with a Band of men by night without any stirre suddenly surprised tooke Prisoner William Earle of Glocester Fitz Haimons daughters sonne together with his wife and young sonne and detained them in hold with him untill he had made him full satisfaction for all wrongs and losses But how Robert Curthose William the Conquerours eldest sonne a man over venterous and foole hardy in warlique exploits quite put by his hope of the Crowne of England by his younger brethren and bereft of both his eyes lived untill he was an old man in this Castle you may see if you please in our Historians and understand withall that royall Parentage is never assured either of ends or safe security Scarce three miles from the mouth of Taff in the very bending in of the shore there lye aflote as it were two small but pleasant Islands separated one from another and from the maine Land with narrow in-lets of the Sea The hithermore is called Sullie of the Towne right over against it which tooke the name as it is thought of Robert Sully for it fell to his part in the division if you would not rather have him to take his name of it The farther more is named Barry of Baruch an holy man buried there who as he gave name to the place so the place gave the sirname afterwards to the Lords thereof For that noble Family of Vicounts Barries in Ireland had their originall from hence In a Rocke or cliffe heereof by the sea side saith Giraldus there appeareth a very little chincke into which if you lay your eare you shall heare a noise as it were of Smithes at worke one while the blowing of bellowes another while the striking of sledge and hammer sometime the sound of the Grindstone and iron tooles rubbing against it the hissing sparkes also of steele-gads within holes as they are beaten yea and the puffing noise of fire burning in the
withdrawne it selfe more inwardly Upon this Bay Kidwelly first offereth it selfe to our sight the Territory whereof Kâ—tani the Scot his sonnes held for a time untill they were driven out by Cuneda the Britan. But now it is counted part of the inheritance of the Dutchy of Lancaster by the heires of Maurice of London or De Londres who making an outroad hither out of Glamorgan-shire after a dangerous war made himselfe Lord heereof and fortified old Kidwelly with a wall and Castle to it which now for very age is growne to decay and standeth as it were forlet and forlorne For the Inhabitants having passed over the little River Vendraeth Vehan built a new Kidwelly entised thither by the commodity of the haven which notwithstanding at this day being choked with shelves and barres is at this present of no great use Whiles Maurice of London invaded these parts Guenliana the wife of Prince Gruffin a stout and resolute woman in the highest degree to recover the losses and declining state of her husband came with displaied banner into the field and fiercely assailed him but the successe not answerable to her courage shee with her sonne Morgan and other men of especiall note as Girald recordeth was slaine in battaile By Hawis or Avis the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas of London this passing faire and large patrimony together with the Title of Lord of Ogmor and Kidwelly came unto Patricke-Chaworth and by his sonne Patrickes daughter unto Henry Earle of Lancaster Now the heires of the said Maurice of London as we learne out of an old Inquisition for this inheritance were bound to this service that if their Soveraigne Lord the King or his chiefe Justice came into the parts about Kidwelly with an Army they should conduct the foresaid Army with their banners and their people through the middest of Nethland as farre as to Loghar A few miles beneath Kidwelly the River Tovie which Ptolomee calleth TOBIUS falleth into the the Sea after he hath passed through this Region from North-East to South first by Lanandiffry so called as men thinke of Rivers meeting together which Hoel the sonne of Rhese overthrew for malice that hee bare unto the English then by Dinevor a princely Castle standing aloft upon the top of an hill and belonging unto the Princes of South Wales whiles they flourished and last of all by Caer Marden which the Britans themselves call Caer-Firdhin Ptolomee MARIDUNUM Antonine MURIDUNUM who endeth his Journeies there and through negligence of the transcribers is in this place not well used For they have confounded the Journeies from Galena to Isca and from Maridunum to Viriconium This is the chiefe City of the country for medowes and woods pleasant and in regard of antiquity to be respected Compassed about very properly as Giraldus saith with bricke walles which are partly yet standing upon the famous river Tovit able to beare small ships although there be now a barre of sand cast up against the very mouth thereof In this City was borne the Tages of the Britans I meane Merlin For like as Tages being the sonne of an evill Angell taught his Countrimen the Tuscans the art of Sooth saying so this Merlin the sonne of an Incubus Spirit devised for our Britans prophesies nay rather meere phantasticall dreames Whereby in this Island he hath been accounted among the credulous and unskilfull people a most renowned Prophet Straight after the Normans entring into Wales this City was reduced but I wot not by whose conduct under their subjection and for a long time sore afflicted with many calamities and distresses being oftentimes assaulted once or twice set on fire first by Gruffin ap Rise then by Rise the said Gruffins brother at which time Henry Turbervill an Englishman succoured the Castle and hewed downe the Bridge But afterwards by the meanes of Gilbert de Clare who fortified both the walles thereof and the Castles adjoyning it was freed from these miseries and being once eased of all grievances and in security endured afterwards more easily from time to time the tempests of warre and all assaults And the Princes of Wales of the English bloud I meane the first begotten sonnes of the Kings of England ordained heere their Chauncery and Exchequer for all South Wales Neere unto this City on the East side lyeth Cantred-Bichan that is The lesse Hundred for the Britans terme a portion of land that containeth 100. Villages a Cantred in which beside the ruines of Careg Castle situate upon a Rocke rising on every side steepe and upright there are many under-mines or caves of very great widenesse within the ground now covered all over with green-sord and turfe wherein it is thought the multitude unable to beare armes hid themselves during the heate of warre there is also heere a Fountaine that as Giraldus writeth Twice in foure and twenty houres ebbing and twice flowing resembleth the unstable motions of the maine Sea But on the North-East side there stretcheth it selfe a great way out Cantredmaur that is The great hundred a most safe refuge for the Britans in times past as being thicke set with woods combersome to travaile in by reason the waies are intricate by the windings in and out of the hils Southward stand Talcharn and Lhan-Stephan Castles upon rockes of the Sea which are most notable witnesses of martiall valour and prowesse as well in the English as in the Welsh Beneath Talcharn Taff sheddeth it selfe into the Sea by the side whereof was in times past that famous Twy Gwin ar Taff that is The white house upon the River Taff because it was built of white Hazels for a summer house where in the yeere of our Redemption 914. Hoel sirnamed Dha that is Good Prince of Wales in a frequent Assembly of his States for there met there beside others of the Clergie one hundred and forty abrogated the ancient ordinances and established new lawes for his Subjects as the Prooeme to the very lawes themselves doe witnesse In which place afterward a little Abbay named White land was built Not farre from whence is Killmayn Lhoyd where of late daies certaine country people hapned upon an earthen Vessell in which was hourded a mighty deale of Romane Coine of embased silver from the time of Commodus the Romane Emperour who first embased silver unto the fifth Tribuneship of Gordian the third which fell just with the yeere of Christ 243. Among these were certaine peeces of Helvius Pertinax of Marcus Opellius of Antoninus Diadumenianus of Julius Verus Maximus the sonne of Maximinus of Calius Balbivus of Clodius Pupienus of Aquilia Severa the wife of Elagabalus and of Sall. Barbia Orbiana which among Antiquaries are of greatest price and estimation as being most rare of all others Now it remaineth that I should relate how upon the river Tivy that separateth this County from Cardigan-shire there standeth New-Castle for so they call
the earth which had lien covered many ages before was discovered Also the trunkes of trees standing in the very Sea that had aforetime been lopped on every side yea and the strokes of axes as if they had been given but yesterday were seene apparantly Yea and the earth shewed most blacke and the wood withall of the said trunkes like in all the points to Hebeny so as it seemed now no shore but a lopped grove as well empaired through the wonderfull changes of things either haply from the time of Noahs floud or long after but doubtlesse long agoe as worne by little and little and so swallowed up with the rage of the Sea getting alwaies more ground and washing the earth away Neither were these two lands severed here with any great Sea betweene as may appeare by a word that King William Rufus cast out who when he kenned Ireland from the rocks and cliffes of this Promontory said as we read in Giraldus that he could easily make a bridge with English Sips on which he might passe over the Sea on foote into Ireland A noble kinde of Falcons have their Airies here and breed in the Rocks which King Henry the Second as the same Giraldus writeth was wont to preferre before all others For of that kinde are those if the inhabitants thereby doe not deceive me which the skilfull Faulconers call Peregrines for they have that I may use no other words than the verses of Augustus Thuanus Esmerius that most excellent Pâ—et of our age in that golden booke entituled HIERACOSOPHIOY Depressus capitis vertex oblongique totâ— Corpore pennarum series pallentia crura Et graciles digiti ac sparsi naresque rotundae Head flat and low the plume in rewes along The body laid legges pale and wan are found With slender clawes and talons there among And those wide spread the bill is hooked round But from this Promontory as the land draweth backward the Sea with great violence and assault of waters inrusheth upon a little Region called Keimes which is reputed a Barony In it standeth First Fishgard so called in English of the taking of fish in British Abergwain that is the mouth of the River Gwain situate upon a steepe Cliffe where there is a very commodious harbour and rode for Ships then Newport at the foote of an high Mountaine by the River Neverns side in British Tref-draeth i. the Towne upon the sands and in Latine Records Novus Burgus which Martin of Tours built his posterity made an incorporation adorned with priviledges and set over it for governement a Portgreve and Bailive erected also for themselves a Castle over the Towne which was their principall seate Who founded likewise Saint Dogmales Abbay according to the order of Tours by the River Tivy low in a vale environed with hils unto which the Borrough adjoyning as many other Townes unto Monasteries is beholden for the originall thereof This Barony Martin of Tours first wrested out of the Welsh mens hands by force and armes from whose heires successively called Martins it came by marriage to the Barons of Audley who held it a long time untill that in the reigne of Henry the eighth William Owen that derived his pedigree from a daughter of Sir Nicholas Martin Knight after long suit in law for his right in the end obtained it and left it to his sonne George who being a singular lover of venerable antiquity hath informed me that in this Barony ouer and above three Borroughs Newport Fishgard and Saint Dogmaels there are twenty Knights fees and twenty sixe Parishes More inward upon the River Tivy aforesaid is Kilgarran which sheweth the reliques of a Castle built by Girald but being at this day reduced unto one onely street it is famous for nothing else but the most plentifull fishing of Salmon For there have you that notable Salmon Leap where the River from on high falleth downright and the Salmons from out of the Ocean coveting to come up further into the River when they meete with this obstacle in the way bend backe their taile to the mouth other whiles also to make a greater leap up hold fast their taile in the mouth and as they unloose themselves from such a circle they give a jerk as if a twig bended into a rondle were sudainely let goe and so with the admiration of the beholders mount and whip themselves aloft from beneath as Ausonius hath most elegantly written Nec te paniceo rutilantem viscere Salma Transierim latae cujus vaga verbera caudae Gurgite de medio summas reseruntur in undas Nor can I thee let passe all red within Salmon that art whose jerkes and friskes full oft From mids of streame and chanell deepe therein With broad taile flirt to floating waves aloft There have beene divers Earles of Pembroke out of sundry houses As for Arnulph of Montgomery who first wonne it and was afterwards outlawed and his Castellan Girald whom King Henry the First made afterward President over the whole Country I dare searcely affirme that they were Earles The first that was stiled Earle of Penbroke was Gilbert sirnamed Strongbow sonne of Gislebert de Clare in the time of King Stephen And hee left it unto his sonne Richard Strongbow the renowned Conquerour of Ireland who as Giraldus saith was descended ex clarâ Clarentium familiâ that is out of the noble Family of Clare or Clarence His onely daughter Isabell brought the same honour to her Husband William named Mareschall for that his Ancestours had beene by inheritance Mareschals of the Kings Palace a man most glorious both in warre and peace and Protector of the Kingdome in the minority of King Henry the Third Concerning whom this pithie Epitaph is extant in Rodburns Annales Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hibernia Solem Anglia Mercurium Normannia Gallia Martem Whom Ireland once a Saturne found England a Sunne to be Whom Normandy a Mercurie and France Mars I am he After him his five sonnes were successively one after another Earles of Penbroke viz. William called The younger Richard who after hee had rebelled against King Henry the Third went into Ireland where hee was slaine in battaile Gilbert who in a Tournament at Ware was unhorsed and so killed Walter and Anselme who enjoyed the honour but a few dayes who every one dying in a short space without issue King Henry the Third invested in the honour of this Earledome William de Valentia of the house of Lusignian in Poicta his brother by the mother side who had to wife Joan the daughter of Gwarin de Mont-chensy by the daughter of the foresaid William Mareschall After William of Valence succeeded his sonne Aimar who under King Edward the First was Regent of Scotland whose eldest sister Elizabeth and one of his heires wedded unto John Lord Hastings brought this Dignity unto a new Family For Laurence Hastings his grandsonne Lord of Welshford and Abergevenny was made Earle of
the publike records of the Kingdome were buried a daughter of King Iohn a sonne of the King of the Danes the bodies also of the Lord Clifford and of other Lords Knights and Squires who in the time of the noble and renowned Kings of England were slaine in the Warres against the Welsh The next Towne in name to Beau-Marish is Newburg called in British Rossur standing ten miles off Westward which having been a long time greatly annoyed with heaps of sand driven in by the Sea complaineth that it hath lost much of the former state that it had Aber-fraw is not farre from hence which is now but an obscure and meane Towne yet in times past it excelled all the rest farre in worth and dignity as having been the Royall seat of the Kings of Guineth or North-Wales And in the utmost Promontorie Westward which wee call Holy-head there standeth a little poore Towne in British Caer-Guby so named of Kibie a right holy man and a disciple of Saint Hilarie of Poitiers who therein devoted himselfe to the service of God and from whence there is an usuall passage over into Ireland All the rest of this Island is well bespred with Villages which because they have in them nothing materially memorable I will crosse over into the Continent and view Denbigh-shire In this County there are reckoned Parishes 74. DENBIGH Comitatus pars Olim ORDOVICVM DENBIGH-SHIRE ON this side of the River Conwey DENBIGH-SHIRE in Welsh Sire Denbigh retyreth more within the Country from the Sea and shooteth Eastward in one place as farre as to the River Dee On the North North-West first the Sea for a small space and then Flint-shire on the West Merionith and Montgomery-shires on the East Cheshire and Shropp-shire encompasse it The West part is barraine the middle where it lyeth flat in a Valley most fruitfull The East side when it is once past the Valley hath not Nature so favourable unto it but next unto Dee it findeth her farre more kinde The West part but that it is somewhat more plentifull and pleasant toward the sea side is but heere and there inhabited and mounteth up more with bare and hungry hils but yet the painfull diligence and witty industry of the husbandmen hath begunne a good while since to overcome this leannesse of the soile where the hilles settle any thing flattish as in other parts of Wales likewise For after they have with a broad kinde of spade pared away the upper coat as it were or sord of the earth into certaine turfes they pile them up artificially on heapes put fire to them and burne them to ashes which being throwne upon the ground so pared and flayed causeth the hungry barrainnesse thereof so to fructifie that the fields bring forth a kinde of Rhie or Amel corne in such abundance as it is incredible Neither is this a new devise thus to burne the ground but very ancient as we may see in Virgil and Horace Among these Hilles there is a place commonly called Cerigy Drudion that is The stones of the Druidae and certaine little columnes or pillars are seene at Yvoellas with inscriptions in them of strange Characters which some imagine to have beene erected by the Druides and not farre from Clocainog this inscription is read in a stone AMILLIN TOVISATOC By the Vale side where these mountaines beginne now to wax thinner upon the hanging of a rocke standeth Denbigh called of our Britans by a more ancient name Cled Fryn-yn Ross that is A rough hill in Ross for so they call that part of the Shire which King Edward the First gave with other faire lands and possessions to David the brother of Lhewellin But when he soone after being found guilty of high treason was beheaded Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne obtained it by the grant of the said King Edward and he fortified it with a wall about not large in circuit but strong and on the South side with a proper Castle strengthned with high Towres In the well whereof after that his onely sonne fortuned to be drowned the most sorrowfull father conceived such griefe that he gave over the worke and left it unfinished And after his death the Towne with the rest of the possessions descended unto the house of Lancaster by his daughter Alice who survived From whom notwithstanding it came first through the liberality of King Edward the Second when the said house was dejected unto Hugh Spenser Earle of Winchester then to Roger Mortimer by covenant and composition with King Edward the Third and the said Mortimers Armes are to be seene upon the chiefe gate But after that he was executed it with the Cantreds of Ross and Riewinoc c. were granted to William Montacute after Earle of Salisbury for supprising of Mortimer and shortly after it was restored unto the Mortimers and by them at length descended to the Family of Yorke At which time they of the House of Lancaster for the malice they bare unto Edward the Fourth who was of the family of Yorke did much hurt unto it And then either because the inhabitants like not the steepe situation thereof for the carriage up and downe was very incommodious or by reason that it wanted water they remooved downe from thence by little and little so as that this ancient Towne hath now few or none dwelling in it But a new one farre bigger than it sprung up at the very foote of the hill which is so well peopled and inhabited that by reason that the Church is not able to receive the multitude they beganne to build a new one in the place where the old Towne stood partly at the charges of their Lord Robert Earle of Leicester and partly with the money which they have gathered of many well disposed throughout England For the said Robert in the yeere 1564. was created by Queene Elizabeth Baron of Deubigh to him and the heires of his body lawfully begotten Neither is there any one Barony in all England that hath more Gentlemen holding thereof in fee and by service Now are we come into the very heart of the shire where Nature having removed the hils out of the way on both sides to shew what she could doe in a rough country hath spred beneath them a most beautifull pleasant vale reaching 17. miles in length from South to North and five miles or thereabout in bredth which lyeth open only toward the sea and the cleering North winde otherwise environed it is on every side with high hilles and those from the East side as it were embatled For such is the wonderfull workmanship of nature that the tops of these mountaines resemble in fashion the battlement of walles Among which the highest is Moilenlly on the top whereof I saw a warlike fense with trench and rampire also a little fountaine of cleere water This vale for wholsomenesse fruitfulnesse and pleasantnesse excelleth The colour and complexion of the Inhabitants is healthy their
County of YORKE in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly YORKE-SHIRE the greatest Shire by farre of all England is thought to bee in a temperate measure fruitfull If in one place there bee stony and sandy barraine ground in another place there are for it Corne-fields as rich and fruitfull if it bee voide and destitute of Woods heere you shall finde it shadowed there with most thicke Forests so providently useth Nature such a temperature that the whole Countrey may seeme by reason also of that variety more gracefull and delectable Where it bendeth Westward it is bounded with the Hilles I spake of from Lancashire and Westmorland On the North side it hath the Bishopricke of Durham which the River Tees with a continued course separateth from it On the East side the Germaine Sea lieth sore upon it and the South side is enclosed first with Cheshire and Darby-shire then with Nottingham-shire and after with Lincoln-shire where that famous arme of the Sea Humber floweth betweene into which all the Rivers well neere that water this shire empty themselves as it were into their common receptacle This whole Shire is divided into three parts which according to three Quarters of the world are called The West-Riding The East-Riding and The North-Riding West-Riding for a good while is compassed in with the River Ouse with the bound of Lancashire and with the South limits of the shire and beareth toward the West and South East-Riding looketh to the Sunne-rising and the Ocean which together with the River Derwent encloseth it North-Riding reacheth Northward hemmed in as it were with the River Tees with Derwent and a long race of the River Ouse In that West part out of the Westerne Mountaines or Hilles in the Confines issue many Rivers which Ouse alone entertaineth every one and carryeth them all with him unto Humber Neither can I see any fitter way to describe this part than to follow the streames of Done Calder Are Wherse Nid and Ouse which springing out of these Hilles are the Rivers of most account and runne by places likewise of greatest importance The River Danus commonly called Don and Dune so termed as it should seeme for that it is carried in a chanell somewhat flat shallow and low by the ground for so much signifieth Dan in the British language after it hath saluted Wortley which gave sirname to a worshipfull Family as also Wentworth hard by whence beside other Gentlemen as well in this Country as elsewhere the Barons of Wentworth have derived both their originall and name runneth first by Sheafield a Towne of great name like as other small Townes adjoyning for the Smithes therein considering there bee many iron Mines thereabout fortified also with a strong and ancient Castle which in right line descended from the Lovetofts the Lords Furnivall and Thomas Lord Nevill of Furnivall unto the Talbots Earles of Shrewesbury From thence Don clad with alders and other trees goeth to Rotheram which glorieth in Thomas Rotheram sometime Archbishop of Yorke a wise man bearing the name of the Towne being borne therein and a singular benefactor thereunto who founded and endowed there a College with three Schooles in it to teach children writing Grammar and Musicke which the greedy iniquity of these our times hath already swallowed Then looketh it up to Connisborrow or Conines-borrough an ancient Castle in the British tongue Caer Conan seated upon a Rocke into which what time as Aurelius Ambrosius had so discomfited and scattered the English Saxons at Maisbelly that they tooke them to their heeles and fled every man the next way hee could finde Hengest their Captaine retired himselfe for safety and few daies after brought his men forth to battaile before the Captaine against the Britans that pursued him where hee fought a bloudy field to him and his For a great number of men were there cut in peeces and the Britans having intercepted him chopt off his head if wee may beleeve the British History rather than the English-Saxon Chronicles which report that he being outworne with travell and labour died in peace But this Coningsborough in latter ages was the possession of the Earles of Warren Afterwards hee runneth under Sprotburg the ancient seat of that ancient family of the Fitz-Williams Knights who are most honourably allied and of kin to the noblest houses of England and from whom descended Sir William Fitz-Williams Earle of Southampton in our fathers remembrance and Sir William Fitz-Williams late Lord Deputy of Ireland But in processe of time this is fallen to the Copleys like as Elmesly with other possessions of theirs in this Tract are come by right of inheritance to the Savils From hence Done running with a divided streame hard to an old towne giveth it his owne name which we at this day call Dan-castre the Scots Don-Castle the Saxons Dona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ninius Caer Daun but Antonine the Emperour DANUM like as the booke of Notices which hath recorded that the Captaine of the Crispinian Horsemen lay there in Garison under the Generall of Britaine This about the yeere of our Lord 759. was so burnt with fire from heaven and lay so buried under the owne ruines that it could scarce breath againe A large plot it sheweth yet where a Citadell stood which men thinke was then consumed with fire in which place I saw the Church of S. Georges a faire Church and the onely Church they have in the Towne Beneath this Towne Southward scarce five miles off is Tickhill which I am not willing to omit an old towne fensed with as old a Castle large enough but having onely a single Wall about it and with an high Mount whereon standeth a round Keepe It carryed in old time such a Dignity with it that the Manours and Lords belonging thereto were called The Honour of Tickhill In the Raigne of Henry the First Roger Busly held the possession thereof Afterwards the Earles of Ewe in Normandy were long since Lords of it by the gift of King Stephen Then King Richard the First gave it unto John his brother In the Barons Warre Robert de Vipont deteined it for himselfe which that hee should deliver unto the Earle of Ewe King Henry the Third put into his hands the Castle of Carleol and the County But when the King of France would not restore unto the English againe their possessions in France the King of England retained it unto himselfe when as John Earle of Ewe in the right of Alice his great Grandmother claimed of King Edward the First restitution thereof At length Richard the Second King of England liberally gave it unto John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster But now by this time Done that often riseth heere and overfloweth the fields gathering his divided waters into one streame againe when he hath for a while runne in one Chanell through Hatfeld Chace where there is great
this house of housen all About the same time also the Citizens fensed the City round about with new walles and many towres and bulwarkes set orderly in divers places yea and ordained very good and holsome lawes for the governement thereof King Richard the Second granted it to bee a County incorporate by it selfe and King Richard the Third beganne to repaire the Castle And that nothing might be wanting King Henry the Eighth within the memory of our fathers appointed heere a Councell not unlike to the Parliaments in France for to decide and determine the causes and controversies of these North parts according to equity and conscience which consisteth of a Lord President certaine Counsellers at the Princes pleasure a Secretary and under Officers As touching the Longitude of Yorke our Mathematicians have described it to be two and twenty Degrees and twenty five Scruples the Latitude 54. degrees and 10. scruples Hitherto have we treated of the West part of this shire and of Yorke City which is reckoned neither in the one part nor the other but enjoyeth peculiar liberties and hath jurisdiction over the Territory adjoyning on the West side Which they call the Liberty of Ansty others the Ancienty of the Antiquity but other have derived it very probably from the Dutch word Anstossen which betokeneth limits And now for a conclusion have heere what Master John Jonston of Aberden hath but a while since written in verse of Yorke Praesidet extremis Arctoae finibus orae Urbs vetus in veteri facta subinde nova Romanis Aquilis quondam Ducibúsque superba Quam post barbarica diripuere manus Pictus atrox Scotus Danus Normannus Anglus Fulmina in hanc Martis detonuere sui Post diras rerum clades tótque aspera fata Blandiùs aspirans aura serena subit LONDINUM caput est regni urbs prima Britanni EBORACUM à primâ jure secunda venit In parts remote of Northren tract there stands as soveraine A City old but yet of old eftsoones made new againe Whilom of Romane Legions and Captaines proud it was But since by forces barbarous sacked and spoil'd alasse The Picts so fierce the Scots and Danes Normans and Englishmen 'Gainst it their bolts of dreadfull war have thundred now and then Yet after sundry bitter blasts and many a cursed clap A milder gale of peacefull daies hath brought it better hap Of British Kingdome LONDON is chiefe seat and principall And unto it there goes by right Yorke City next of all Ouse now leaving Yorke being otherwhiles disquieted and troubled with that whirling encounter of contrary waters and forceable eddies which some call Higra runneth downe through Bishops Thorpe called Saint Andrewes Thorpe before that Walter Grey Archbishop of Yorke purchased it with ready money and to prevent the Kings Officers who are wont rigorously to seize upon Bishops Temporalties when the See is vacant gave it to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke with this condition that they should alwayes yeeld it to his Successours Of whom Richard Le Sicrope Archbishop of Yorke a man of a firy spirit and ready to entertaine rebellion was condemned in this very place of high Treason by King Henry the Fourth against whom he had raised an insurrection Afterward Cawood a Castle of the Archbishops standeth upon the same River which King Athelstan as I have read gave unto the Church Just against which on the other side of the River lyeth Ricall where Harald Haardread arrived with a great Fleet of Danes Then Ouse passeth hard by Selby a little Towne well peopled and of good resort where King Henry the First was borne and where his father King William the First built a faire Abbay in memory of Saint German who happily confuted that venemous Pelagian Heresie which oftentimes as the Serpent Hydra grew to an head againe in Britaine The Abbats of this Church as also of Saint Maries in Yorke were the onely Abbats in the North parts that had place in the Parliament house And so Ouse at length speedeth away to Humber leaving first Escricke a seat of the Lascelles sometimes to be remembred for that King James advanced Sir Thomas Knivet the owner thereof Lord Knivet to the honour of Baron Knivet of Escricke in the yeere 1607. And afterward passing by Drax a little Village famous long since for a Monastery founded there by Sir William Painell and whereas William of Newburgh writeth Philip of Tollevilla had a Castle most strongly fensed with Rivers Woods and Marishes about it which he confident upon the courage of his followers and his provision of victuals and armour defended against King Stephen untill it was wonne by assault EBORACENSIS Comitatus ovius Incolae olin Brigantes appellabantur pars Orientalis vulgo EAST RIDING EAST-RIDING EAST-RIDING the second part of this Region wherein Ptolomee placed the PARISI lyeth Eastward from Yorke On the North side and the West it is bounded with the River Darwent that runneth downe with a winding course on the South with the Salt water of Humber and on the East with the German Ocean Upon the Sea side and along Darwent the Soile is meetly good and fertile But in the mids it is nothing else but an heape of Hilles rising up on high which they call Yorkes wold Darwent springing not farre from the shore first taketh his way Westward then hee windeth into the South by Aiton and Malton whereof because they belong to the North part of the Shire I will speake in due place No sooner is hee entred into this Quarter but downe hee runneth not farre from the ruines of the old Castle Montferrant The Lords whereof were in times past the Fossards men of noble parentage and wealthy withall But when William Fossard Ward to the King being committed unto William le Grosse Earle of Aumarle as to his Guardian and now come to his yeeres abused his sister the Earle in wreckfull displeasure for this fact of his laid this Castle even with the ground and forced the young Gentleman to forsake his Country Howbeit after the Earles death he recovered his inheritance againe and left one onely daughter behinde him who being marryed unto R. de Torneham bare a daughter marryed to Peter de Mauley whose heires and successours being bettered in their estate by this inheritance of the Fossards became great and honourable Barons Not farre from hence is situate upon the River side Kirkham as one would say of Church-place For a Priory of Chanons was there founded by Walter Espec a man of high place and calling by whose daughter a great estate accrewed to the family of the Lord Rosses Then but somewhat lower Darwent had a City of his owne name which Antonine the Emperour calleth DERVENTIO and placeth it seven miles from YORKE The booke of Notices maketh mention of a Captaine over the Company Derventiensis under the Generall of Britaine that resided in it and in the Saxons Empire it seemeth to have beene
named Percies From thence Rhie carrieth with him the streames of many a brooke into Derwent which watereth in this vale Malton a Market towne well knowne and frequented for corne horses fish and implements of husbandry where are to be seene the foundations of an old Castle belonging as I have heard say in old time to the Vescies Barons in these parts of great estate and honor Their pedigree as appeareth evidently by the Kings records is derived from William Tyson who being Lord of Malton and of Alnewicke in Northumberland was slain in the battaile at Hastings against the Normans Whose onely daughter was given in marriage to Ivo de Vescy a Norman and hee left behind him his only daughter likewise named Beatrice with whō Eustach the son of Fitz Iohn with one eie contracted marriage who in the raigne of Stephen founded the religious houses at Malton and Watton For his second wife daughter to William Constable of Chester was Ladie of Watton William the sonne of Eustach by Beatrice being ripped out of his mothers wombe assumed unto him the name of Vescy and the Armes a Cross-floury Argent in a shield Gueles This William begat of Beatrice daughter to Robert Estotevill of Knaresburg two sonnes Eustach de Vescy who tooke to wife Margaret daughter to William King of the Scots and Sir Warin de Vescy Lord of Knapton As for Eustach father hee was of William who begat John that died without issue and William so renowned for his exploits in Ireland and these changed the Armes of their house into a shield Or with a crosse Sables But William after that his legitimate sonne John died in the warre of Wales granted unto King Edward certaine lands in Ireland that his illegitimate sonne William surnamed of Kildare might inherit his fathers estate And hee ordained Anthony Bec Bishop of Durrham his feofie in trust to the use of his sonne but he was scarce trusty as touching Alnewic Eltham in Kent and other lands which he is reported to have conveied indirectly to his owne use This illegitimate sonne young Vescy was slaine in the Battaile of Sterling in Scotland And at length the title fell backe unto the line of the Attons considering that Margaret the only daughter of Sir Gwarin Vescy was wedded unto Gilbert de Atton But heereof enough if not too much and of it I have spoken before Neere unto this vale there flourished two famous Abbaies Newborrough unto which we are indebted for William of Newborrough a learned and diligent writer of the English Historie now the habitation of the worshipfull family of Bellasise descended out of the Bishopricke of Durrham and Bellelanda commonly Biland both founded and endowed by Robert Mowbray This family of the Mowbraies was for power nobility and wealth comparable to any other and possessed very faire lands with the Castles of Slingesby Threske and others in this Tract The originall of this race if you desire to understand I will compendiously set it downe When Roger de Mowbray Earle of Northumberland and R. de Grunde-beofe for their disloialtie were dissezed of all their possessions King Henry the First bestowed a great part thereof upon Nigell or Niele de Albenie of the same family that the Albeneis Earles of Arundell were descended a man of very high birth in Normandie who had bin Bowbearer to King William Rufus and so enriched him thereby that he held in England 140. Knights fees and in Normandie 120. He commanded also that Roger his sonne should assume the name of Mowbray from whom flowred out the Mowbraies Earles of Nottingham and Dukes of Norfolke To these Mowbraies also belonged in times past Gilling Castle standing hard by but now unto that ancient and worshipfull family which of their faire bush of haire got their name Fairfax For Fax in the old English tongue signifieth haires or the haire of the head whereupon our progenitours called a Comet or blasing starre A Faxed starre like as a place whereof I have spoken before Haly-fax of holy haires Then beneath these Southward lieth Calaterium Nemus commonly called The Forest of Galtres shaded in some places with trees in other some a wet flat full of moist and moorish quavemires very notorious in these daies by reason of a solemne horse running wherein the horse that outrunneth the rest hath for his prise a little golden bell It is almost incredible what a multitude of people conflow hither from all parts to these games and what great wagers are laid on the horses heads for their swift running In this Forest standeth Creac which Egfrid King of Northumberland in the yeer 684 gave with three miles round about unto Saint Cuthbert by whom it came to the Church of Durrham Scarce foure miles hence is situate most pleasantly among little woods and groves Sherry-Hutton a very proper Castle built by Sir Bertrand Bulmer and reedified by Raulph Nevil the first Earle of Westmorland Neere unto which standeth Hinderskell a little Castle built by the Barons of Greystocke which others call Hunderd-skell of a number of fountaines that spring up and rise there Behind the hilles Westward where the country spreadeth it selfe out againe into a more fresh and plaine champion lieth Alverton-shire commonly called Northallerton-shire a little countrie watered with the riveret Wiske and taking the name of Northalverton a towne sometime called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is nothing else but a long broad street howbeit having in it on S. Bartholomewes day the greatest Faire of Kine and Oxen and of most resort that ever I saw in all my life King William Rufus gave this with the territory adjoining unto the Church of Durrham to the Bishops of which See it is very much beholden For William Comin who by force held the Bishopricke of Durrham built the Castle there and granted it unto his nephew which now is in manner quite decaied and gone The Bishops likewise his successors granted unto it certaine liberties and immunities For in the Booke of Durrham we read that Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durrham fortified the towne having obtained licence of the King that among those unlawfull castles which by Commandement were then destroyed in many places of England this onely should have the priviledge to stand still which notwithstanding the King commanded afterward to be layd even with the ground Hard by this was that field foughten which they commonly call the Battaile of the Standard in which David King of Scots who with his unexampled cruelty had made this country almost a wildernesse was after so great a slaughter of his people put to flight that then and never before our countrimen thought they were fully revenged For that indeed came to passe in this battaile which Raulfe the Bishop said when before the battaile in an oration he encouraged the English to fight A confused multitude untrained is an impediment to it selfe in prosperous successe to hurt others and in adverse
clawbackes BRITANNICUS even when the Britans would have elected an Emperour against him And then it may seeme was this Statue of his set up when he prizing himselfe more than a man proceeded to that folly that he gave commandement he should be called The Romane Hercules Iupiters sonne For hee was portraied in the habite of Hercules and his right hand armed with a club under which there lay as I have heard such a mangled Inscription as this broken heere and there with voide places betweene the draught whereof was badly taken out and before I came hither was utterly spoiled CAESARI AUGUSTO MARCI AURELII FILIO SEN IONIS AMPLISSIMI VENTS PIUS This was to be seene in Nappa an house built with turrets and the chiefe seat of the Medcalfs thought to be at this day the greatest family for multitude of the same name in all England for I have heard that Sir Christopher Medcalfe knight and the top of this kinred beeing of late high-Sheriffe of the shire accompanied with three hundred men of the same house all on horsback and in a livery met and received the Justices of Assizes and so brought them to Yorke From hence runneth Vre downe a maine full of Creifishes ever since Sir Christopher Medcalfe in our remembrance brought that kinde of fish hither out of the South part of England and betweene two rockes whereof the place is named Att-scarre it runneth head long downe not far from Bolton a stately Castle the ancient seat of the Barons Scrops and which Richard Lord le Scrope and Chancellour of England under king Richard the Second built with exceeding great coste and now bending his course Eastward commeth to Midelham the honour whereof as wee reade in the Genealogie or Pedegree of the Nevils Alan Earle of Richmond bestowed upon his younger brother Rinebald with all the lands which before their comming belonged to Gilpatrick the Dane His nephew by his sonne Raulph named Robert Fitz-Raulph had all Wentsedale also by gift of Conan Earle of Britaine and of Richmond and at Midleham raised a most strong Castle His sonne Ranulph erected a little Abbay for Chanons at Coverham called now short Corham in Coverdale whose sonne Raulph had a daughter named Mary who being wedded to Robert Lord Nevill with this marriage translated this very faire and large inheritance as her portion into the family of Nevils Which Robert Nevill having had many children by his wife was taken in adultery unknowne and by the husband of the adulteresse being for revenge berest of his genitours shortly after dyed with extremity of paine Then Ure after it hath passed a few miles forward watereth Iervis or Iorvalle Abbay of Cistertians founded first at Fo rs and after translated hither by Stephen Earle of Britaine and Richmond but now wholly ruinated and after that Masham which was the possession of the Scropes of Masham who as they sprung from the stocke of the Scropes of Bolton so they were by marriages ingraffed againe into the same On the other side of this River but more inward standeth Snath the principall house of the Barons Latimer who derived their noble descent from George Nevill younger sonne of Raulph Nevill the first Earle of Westmorland and he received this Title of honour from king Henry the Sixth when as the ancienter house of the Latimers expired in a female and so by a continued succession they have flourished unto these our daies when for default of male issue of the last Baron Latimer that goodly and rich inheritance was divided among his daughters marryed into the families of the Percies Cecils D'anvers and Cornwallis Neither are there any other places in this part of the shire worth the naming that Ure runneth by unlesse it bee Tanfeld the habitation in times past of the Gernegans knights from whom it descended to the Marmions the last of whom left for his heire Amice second wife to John Lord Grey of Rotherfeld by whom he had two sonnes John that assumed the sirname of Marmion and died issuelesse and Robert who left behinde him one onely daughter and sole heire Elizabeth wife to Sir Henry Fitz-Hugh a noble Baron After this Ure entertaineth the River Swale so called as Th. Spot writeth of his swiftnesse selfe into it with a maine and violent streame which Swale runneth downe Eastward out of the West Mountaines also scarce five miles above the head of Ure a River reputed very sacred amongst the ancient English for that in it when the English Saxons first embraced Christianity there were in one day baptized with festivall joy by Paulinus the Archbishop of Yorke above tenne thousand men besides women and little children This Swale passeth downe along an open Vale of good largenesse which of it is called Swal-dale having good plenty of grasse but as great want of wood first by Marrick where there stood an Abbay built by the Askes men in old time of great name also by Mask a place full of lead ore Then runneth it through Richmond the chiefe towne of the Country having but a small circuit of walles but yet by reason of the Suburbs lying out in length at three Gates well peopled and frequented Which Alan the first Earle thereof built reposing small trust in Gilling a place or Manour house of his hard by to withstand the violence of the Danes and English whom the Normans had despoiled of their inheritance and hee adorned it with this name as one would say The rich Mount he fensed it with a wall and a most strong Castle which being set upon a rocke from an high looketh downe to Swale that with a mighty rumbling noise rusheth rather than runneth among the stones For the said house or Manour place of Gilling was more holy in regard of devout religion than sure and strong for any fortification it had ever since that therein Beda calleth it Gethling Oswy King of Northumberland being entertained guest-wise was by his hoste forelaid and murthered for the expiation whereof the said Monastery was built highly accounted of among our ancestours More Northward Ravenswath Castle sheweth it selfe compassed with a good large wall but now fallen which was the seat of the Barons named Fitz-Hugh extracted from the ancient line of the English Nation who were Lords of the place before the Normans Conquest and lived in great name unto King Henry the Seventh his daies enriched with faire possessions by marriage with the heires of the noble houses of Furneaux and Marmion which came at last by the females unto the Fienes Lords Dacres in the South and to the Parrs Three miles beneath Richmond Swale runneth by that ancient City which Ptolomee and Antonine call CATURACTONIUM and CATARRACTON but Bede Catarractan and in another place the Village neere unto Catarracta whereupon I suppose it had the name of Catarracta that is a Fludfall or water-fall considering hard by there
as I have often said heeretofore shoote along through the middle of England and interpose themselves as umpires and Bounders betweene divers shires Lanca-shire lyeth toward the West in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly termed Lonka-shire Lanca-shire and The County Palatine of Lancaster because it is notably knowne by the title of a County Palatine It is so enclosed betweene Yorke-shire on the East side and the Irish sea on the West that on the South side where it boundeth upon Cheshire it is broader and by little and little the more Northward it goeth where it confineth upon Westmorland the narrower it groweth And there by an Arme of the sea insinuating it selfe is interrupted and hath a good part of it which butteth upon Cumberland beyond the said Arme. Where the ground is plaine and champion it yeeldeth good store of Barly and Wheat that which lieth at the botom of the hilles is better for Otes The soile every where is meetely good and tolerable unlesse it be in certaine moist places and unwholsome called Mosses which notwithstanding make amends for these their discommodities with more plentifull commodities For if their upper coate bee pared away they yeeld certaine unctuous or fattish Turffes for fewell and some times under-ground trees or which have lien a long time buried there Underneath also in divers places they affourd abundance of marle which serveth in stead of mucke to enrich their grounds Whereby the soile that in mans opinion was held most unapt to beare Corne beginneth now to be so kinde and arable that it may be justly thought mens idlenesse in times past was greater than any naturall barrainesse of the soile But a man may judge of the goodnesse of the soile partly by the constitution and complexion of the Inhabitants who are to see to passing faire and beautifull and in part if you please by the Cattaile For in their Kine and Oxen which have goodly heads and faire spread hornes and are in body well proportionate withall you shall finde in manner no one point wanting that Mago the Carthaginian doth require as Columella specifieth out of him On the South part it is separated from Cheshire with the River Mersey which springing forth of the midland hilles having passed a little from his head becommeth a bound to distinguish the Shires and with a slow current runneth Westward calling as it were other rivers to use the words of the Poet into his skie coloured and azure lappe and forthwith gladly biddeth welcome unto Irwell from the North which river bringeth along with him all the rivers of this Easterne part Among these Roch is of greatest name which hath standing upon it in the Vale Rochdale a Mercate Towne well frequented like as Irwell it selfe hath situate upon it Bury a Mercate Towne nothing inferiour to the other and hard by whiles I carefully sought for COCCIUM mentioned by Antonine the Emperour I saw Cockley a Chapell built of timber beset round about with trees Also Turton Chapell among very steepe downfalls and overgrowne unpleasant places Turton Towre and Entweissoll a proper faire house which had in times past Gentlemen of that name as Turton is the seate at this day of the right ancient family of Orell But where Irke and Irwell meet together on the left hand banke raised of a reddish kinde of stone scarce three miles from Mersey flourished that Towne of right great antiquity which we now call Manchester and Antonine the Emperour called MANCUNIUM and MANUCIUM according to the variety of the Copies This retaining the first part of his ancient name farre excelleth the Townes lying round about it for the beautifull shew it carrieth for resort unto it and for clothing in regard also of the Mercate-place the faire Church and College founded by Thomas Lord De-la-ware a Priest the last heire male of his Family and summoned to the Parliament among the Lords Temporall by the name of Magister Thomas de-la-ware For he descended from the Greleies who were the ancient Lords of this Towne and by Ioane sister of the said Sir Thomas it came to Wests now Lords De-la-ware But in the foregoing age this Towne was of farre greater account both for certaine wollen clothes there wrought and in great request commonly called Manchester Cottons and also for the liberty of a Sanctuary which under King Henry the Eighth was by Parliamentary authority translated to Chester In a Parke of the Earle of Derbies neere adjoyning called Alparke where the Brooke Medlocke entreth into Irwell I saw the plot and ground-worke of an ancient Fortresse built foure square commonly called Mancastle which I will not in any wise say was that ancient MANCUNIUM it is contained in so narrow a peece of ground but rather the Fort of Mancunium and station of the Romanes where they kept watch and ward at which I saw this ancient Inscription in a long stone to the memory of Candidus a Centurion ◠CANDIDI FIDES XX. IIII. As for this other Iohn Dee that most famous Mathematician and Warden of Manchester College who had a sight of the same heere copied it out for me COHO I. FRISIN ◠MASA VONIS P. XXIII Both which may seeme erected in honour of those Centurious for their loyalty and honesty so many yeeres approoved In the yeere of our Salvation 920. King Edward the Elder as Marianus writeth sent an Army of Mercians into Northumberland To reedifie the City of Manchester and to place a Garison there for it belonged formerly unto the Kings of Northumberland and seemeth to have beene quite destroyed in the Danish warre against whom because the inhabitants had borne themselves as valiant men they will have their towne to be called Manchester that is as they expound it The City of Men and in this conceit which implieth their owne commendation they wonderfully please and flatter themselves But full little know the good honest men that MANCUNIUM was the name of it in the Britans time so that the Etymologie thereof out of our English tongue can by no meanes seeme probable I for my part therefore would derive it rather from Main a British word which signifieth a Stone For upon a stony hill it is seated and beneath the very Towne at Colyhurst there are very good and famous quarries of stone But to returne againe Mersey now by this time carrying a fuller streame by reason of Irwell consociating with him holdeth on in his journey toward the Ocean by Trafford from whence the Traffords a Family of great good note tooke their name as they had their habitation also by Chatmosse a low mossie ground lying a great way in length and bredth a good part whereof the Brookes swelling high within our fathers remembrance carried quite away with them not without much danger Whereby the Rivers were corrupted and a number of fresh fish perished In which place now lyeth a Vale somewhat low watered with a little Brooke and trees
an Attourney a Receiver a Clerke of the Court sixe Assistants a Messenger two Auditors 23. Receivers and three Supervisors c. There are counted in this shire beside very many Chappels Parishes 36. and no more but those wonderfull populous and which for multitude of inhabitants farre exceed the greatest parishes elsewhere WESTMORLANDIAE Comitatus qui olim Spectaint ad BRIGANTAS WEST-MOR-LAND BEYOND the furthest part of Lancashire more Northward lieth another lesser countrey of the Brigantes called by late Latine writers Westmaria and Westmorlandia in our tongue West-more-land and of some later Latine writers Westmoria bounded on the West and North side with Cumberland on the East with Yorke-shire and the Bishopricke of Durham Which because it lyeth all of it among moores and high hilles reaching one to another for our Apennine waxeth here broader and broader still as it runneth and was for the most part un-manured came by this name in our language For such barren places which cannot easily by the painfull labour of the husbandman bee brought to fruitfulnesse the Northren Englishmen call Moores and West-more-land is nothing else with us but A westerne moorish country Let that dreame therefore as touching King Marius bee excluded out of the schoole of reverend antiquity who forsooth as our Chroniclers have dreamed subdued the Picts and called this countrey after his owne name The more Southerly part of this shire contained in a narrow roome betweene the river Lone and Winander mere is reputed fruitfull enough in the vallies although it can shew many felles with rough and stony rockes lying ever bare without grasse and is all tearmed by one name The Barony of Kendale and Candale that is The Dale by Can for it took name of the river Can which running rough upon stones cutteth through it On the west banke whereof standeth Kandale or Kendale called also Kirke by Kandale a towne of very great trade and resort with two broad and long streets crossing the one over the other and a place for excellent clothing and for industry so surpassing that in regard thereof it carrieth a great name For the inhabitants have great trafficke and vent of their woollen clothes throughout all parts of England They count it also much for their credit that it hath dignified Barons and Earles with the title thereof As for their Barons they were the offspring of Iuo Taleboys of whose race William by consent of King Henry the second called himselfe William of Lancaster whose Niece and heire was wedded unto Gilbert the sonne of Roger Fitz-Reinfrid by whose daughters after her sonne William was dead the inheritance went to Peter Brus Lord of Skelton the second of that forename and unto William Lindesay from whom by the mothers side as we learne out of the Lieger book of Fornesse Abbey Ingelram Lord of Coucy in France fetched his descent By which Peter Brus his daughter the sister and heire of Peter Brus the third came this Barony to the Rosses of Werke and from them by right of inheritance this possession was devolved upon the Parres of whom Sir William Par was made Lord Par by King Henry the eighth As for the Castle the ancient seat of these Lords standing over against the towne it runneth to decay through age and neglect As for Earles of Kendale there have beene three in number John Duke of Bedford advanced to that honour by his brother King Henry the fifth John Duke of Somerset and John de Foix of that most noble and honorable family of the Foix in France whom King Henry the sixth for his faithfull service in the French warres had preferred to that dignity Whence perhaps it is that some of this house of Foix in France retain the name still of Candale As for any glory else of antiquity Kendall to my knowledge challengeth none And yet I was once of opinion that it was CONCANGII a station place sometimes of the Romanes but time hath now instructed mee better Somewhat beneath in the river Can are two Catadupae or water falls where the waters have a downefall with a mighty noise the one is by Levens a little village the other more Southward neere to Betham which to the neighbour inhabitants are as good as true prognostications for when that which standeth North from them soundeth more cleere and aloud in their eares they looke certainely for faire weather when that on the South side doth the same they expect no other than showers of raine and foggy mists Thus much for the South and narrower part of this region which Westward is bounded with the river Winster and the spatious Lake Winander-mere whereof I spake erewhile and Eastward with the river Lone or Lune At the upper corner of Winander-mere lieth the dead carcasse as one would say of an ancient City with great ruines of walls and many heapes of rubbish one from another remaining of buildings without the walls yet to bee seene The fortresse thereof was somewhat long fensed with a ditch and rampire for it tooke up in length 132. Ells and in bredth 80. That it had beene the Romans worke is evident by the British brickes by the mortar tempered with little peeces of bricke among by small earthen pots or pitchers by small cruets or vials of glasse by peeces of Roman money oftentimes there found and by round stones as much as milstones or quernstones of which layed and couched together they framed in old time their columnes and by the paved high waies leading unto it Now the ancient name thereof is gone unlesse a man would ghesse at it and thinke it were that AMBOGLANA whereof the booke of Notices maketh mention seeing at this day it is called Ambleside On the East side the river Lone serveth for a limit and after his name the tract lying about it is called Lonsdale the principall towne whereof is Kirkby Lonsdale whither all the people round about repaire to Church and mercate Above the Spring-head of Lone the countrey spreadeth broader and the hills shoot out with many turnings betweene which there lye some vallies marvellous steepe and deepe withall with many hollow places in manner of caves Among these hills that notable river Eden which Ptolomee calleth ITUNA shewing his head first in Yorkshire carrying a small and faint streame in the beginning but afterwards growing by little and little bigger with sundry beckes still augmenting it seeketh a way Northwest by Pendragon Castle which hath nothing left unto it unconsumed by time besides the bare name and an heape of stones From thence hee passeth by Wharton Hall the seat of the Barons Wharton of whom the first was Sir Thomas Wharton advanced to that dignity by King Henry the Eighth whom succeeded his sonne of the same name and after him Philip that now liveth the third Baron a right honourable person Afterwards it runneth downe by Kirkby Stephen a mercate towne well knowne and both the Musgraves two little villages
Romane high-way goeth straight into the West by Whinfield a large Parke shaded with trees hard by BROVONIACUM standing twentie Italian miles or seventeene English miles from VERTERAE as Antonine hath set it who also hath called it Brovocum like as the book of Notices Broconiacum which specifieth that a companie or band of Defensors had here their abode The beautie and buildings of this towne although time hath consumed yet the name remaineth almost untouched for we call it Brogham Here the river Eimot flowing out of a great lake for a good space dividing this shire from Cumberland receiveth the river Loder into it neere unto the spring head whereof hard by Shape in times past Hepe a little monasterie built by Thomas the sonne of Gospatrick sonne of Orms there is a Well or Fountaine which after the manner of Euripus ebbeth and floweth many times in a day also there be huge stones in forme of Pyramides some 9. foot high and fourteene foot thick ranged directly as it were in a row for a mile in length with equall distance almost betweene which may seeme to have beene pitched and erected for to continue the memoriall of some act there atchieved but what the same was by the injurie of time it is quite forgotten Hard by Loder there is a place bearing the same name which like as Stricland neere unto it hath imparted their names to families of ancient gentrie and worship Somewhat above where Loder and Eimot meet in one chanell in the yeere of our Lord 1602. there was a stone gotten out of the ground erected in the honour of Constantine the Great with these words IMP. C. VAL. CONSTANTINO PIENT AUG When Eimot hath served a good while for a limit betweene this shire and Cumberland neere unto Isan-parles a rocke full well knowne unto the neighbour inhabitants whereunto nature hath left difficult passage and there framed sundry caves and thosefull of winding crankes a place of safe refuge in time of danger hee lodgeth himselfe after some few miles both with his owne streame and with the waters of other rivers also in Eden so soone as he hath entertained Blencarne a brook that boundeth this county on Cumberland side Neere unto which I have heard there be the strange ruines of an old Castle the people call them the hanging walls of Marcantoniby that is of Marke Antony as they would have it As for such as have borne the title of Westmorland the first Lord to my knowledge was Robert de Vipont who bare Guels sixe Annulets Or in his coat armour For King John gave unto him the balliwicke and revenues of Westmorland by the service of foure Knights whereupon the Cliffords his successors untill our daies held the office of the Sherifdome of Westmorland For Robert de Vipont the last of that name left behind him only two daughters Isabel wife to Roger Lord Clifford and Idonea married unto Sir Roger Leybourne Long time after K. Richard the second created Ralph Nevill of Raby the first Earle of Westmorland a man of the greatest and most ancient birth of English nobility as descended from Ucthred Earl of Northumberland whose heires successively by his former wife Margaret daughter to the Earle of Stafford flourished in that honour untill that Charles by his wilfull stomack and wicked conspiracy casting off his allegeance to Q. Elizabeth and covering treason under the mantle of religion most shamefully dishonoured that most noble house and foully steined his owne reputation by actuall rebellion in the yeere 1599. Whereupon hee fled into the Low countries led a miserable life and died as miserably The said first Earle to note so much incidently by his second wife Catharine daughter to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster had so faire issue and the name of Nevill thereby so greatly multiplied that almost at one and the same time there flourished out beside the Earle of Westmorland an Earle of Salisbury an Earle of Warwicke an Earle of Kent Marquesse Montacute a Duke of Bedford Lord Latimer and Lord Abergevenny all Nevils In this shire are conteined Parishes 26. CVMBRIA Sive CVMBERLANDIA Quae olim pars Brigantum CUMBER-LAND WEstward Northward from Westmorland lieth CUMBERLAND the utmost region this way of the realme of England as that which on the North side boundeth upon Scotland on the South side and the West the Irish sea beateth upon it and Eastward above Westmorland it butteth upon Northumberland It tooke the name of the inhabitants who were the true and naturall Britans and called themselves in their owne language Kumbri and Kambri For the Histories testifie that the Britans remained here a long time maugre the English Saxons howsoever they stormed thereat yea and Marianus himselfe recordeth as much who tearmed this countrey Cumbrorum terram that is Thâ— land of the Cumbri or Britans to say nothing of the places that everie where here beare British names as Caer-Luel Caer-dronoc Pen-rith Pen-rodoc c. which most evidently declare the same and as cleerly prove mine assertion The country although it be somewhat with the coldest as lying farre North and seemeth as rough by reason of hills yet for the varietie thereof it smileth upon the beholders and giveth contentment to as many as travaile it For after the rockes bunching out the mountaines standing thicke together rich of metall mines and betweene them great meeres stored with all kindes of wilde foule you come to prettie hills good for pastorage and well replenished with flockes of sheepe beneath which againe you meet with goodly plaines spreading out a great way yeelding come sufficiently Besides all this the Ocean driving and dashing upon the shore affoordeth plentie of excellent good fish and upbraideth as it were the inhabitants thereabouts with their negligence for that they practise fishing no more than they doe The South part of this shire is called Copeland and Coupland for that it beareth up the head aloft with sharpe edged and pointed hills which the Britans tearme Copa or as others would have it named Copeland as one would say Coperland of rich mines of copper therein In this part at the very mouth of the river Duden whereby it is severed apart from Lancashire standeth Millum Castle belonging to the ancient house of the Hodlestones from whence as the shore fetcheth about with a bent Northward two rivers very commodiously enclose within them Ravenglasse a station or roade for ships where also as I have learned were to be â—eene Roman inscriptions some will have it called in old time Aven-glasse as one would say the blew river and they talke much of King Eueling that here had his Court and royall palace One of these rivers named Eske springeth up at the foot of Hard-knot an high steepe mountaine in the top whereof were discovered of late huge stones and foundations of a castle not without great wonder considering it is so steep and upright that one can hardly ascend up to it
and Westward with one and an halfe the name of the place is now Whiteley Castle and for to testifie the antiquity thereof there remaineth this imperfect inscription with letters inserted one in another after a short and compendious manner of writing whereby wee learne that the third Cohort of the Nervians erected there a Temple unto the Emperour Antonine sonne of Severus IMP. CAES. Lucii Septimi Severi AraBICI ADIABENICI PARTHICI MAX. FIL. DIVI ANTONINI Pii Germanici SARMA NEP. DIVIANTONINI PII PRON. DIVI HADRIANI ABN DIVI TRAIANI PARTH ET DIVI NERVAE ADNEPOTI M. AURELIO ANTONINO PIO FEL AUG GERMANICO PONT MAX. TR. POT X IMP. COS. IIII. P. p. PRO PIETATE AEDE VOTO COMMUNI CURANTE LEGATO AUG PR COH III. NERVIO RVM G. R.POS Whereas therefore the third Cohort of the Nervii served in this place which Cohort the booke of Notices in a latter time placeth at ALIONE or as Antonine nameth it ALONE and the little river running underneath is named Alne if I should thinke this were ALONE it might seeme rather probable than true considering the injury of devouring time and the fury of enemies have long agoe outworne these matters out of all remembrance Albeit when the State of the Romane Empire decaied most in Britain this country had been most grievously harried and spoiled by the Scots and Picts yet it preserved and kept long the ancient and naturall inhabitants the Britans and late it was ere it became subject to the English Saxons But when againe the English Saxons state sore shaken by Danish warres ran to ruine it had peculiar Governors called Kings of Cumberland unto the yeere of our Lord 946. at what time as the Floure-gatherer of Westminster saith King Edmund by the helpe of Leoline Prince of South-wales wasted and spoiled all Cumberland and having put out the eyes of both the sonnes of Dunmail King of the same Province hee granted that kingdome unto Malcolme King of Scots to be holden of him that he might defend the North parts of England by land and sea from the inrodes and invasions of the common enemies Whereupon the eldest sons of the Kings of Scotland were for a while under the English Saxons and Danes both called the Prefects or Deputy Rulers of Cumberland But when England had yeelded it selfe into the hands of the Normans this part also became subject unto them and fell unto the lot of Ralph de Meschines whose eldest sonne Ranulph was Lord of Cumberland and partly in his mothers right and partly by his Princes favour together Earle also of Chester But King Stephen to purchase favour with the Scots restored it unto them againe that they should hold it of him and the Kings of England Howbeit K. Henry the second who succeeded after him perceiving that this over great liberality of Stephen was prejudiciall both to himself and his realme demanded againe of the Scot Northumberland Cumberland and Westmorland And the K. of Scots as Newbrigensis writeth wisely considering that the King of England had in those parts both the better right and also greater power although he might have pretended the oath which he was said to have made unto his grandfather David what time hee was knighted by him yet restored he the foresaid marches according to his demand fully and wholly and received of him againe the Earledome of Huntingdon which by ancient right appertained to him As for Earles of Cumberland there were none before the time of King Henry the eighth who created Henry Lord Clifford who derived his pedigree from the Lords Vipont the first Earle of Cumberland who of Margaret the daughter of Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland begat Henry the second Earle hee by his first wife daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk had issue Margaret Countesse of Derby and by a second wife the daughter of Lord Dacre of Gillesland two sonnes George and Francis George the third Earle renowned for sea-service armed with an able body to endure travaile and a valorous minde to undertake dangers died in the yeere 1605. leaving one onely daughter the Lady Anne now Countesse of Dorset But his brother Sir Francis Clifford succeeded in the Earledome a man whose ardent and honorable affection to vertue is answerable in all points to his honourable parentage As for the Wardens of the West-marches against Scotland in this County which were Noblemen of especiall trust I need to say nothing when as by the union of both kingdomes under one head that office is now determined This shire reckoneth beside chappels 58. Parish Churches VALLUM SIVE MURUS PICTICUS That is THE PICTS VVALL THrough the high part of Cumberland shooteth that most famous Wall in no case to be passed over in silence the limit of the Roman Province the Barbarian Rampier the Forefence and Enclosure for so the ancient writers termed it being called in Dion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a crosse Wall in Herodian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Trench or Fosse cast up by Antonine Cassiodore and others VALLUM that is the Rampier by Bede MURUS that is the Wall by the Britans Gual-Sever Gal-Sever Bal Val and Mur-Sever by the Scottish Scottishwaith by the English and those that dwell thereabout the Picts Wall or the Pehits Wall the Keepe Wall and simply by way of excellencie The Wall When the ambitious and valiant Romans finding by the guidance of God and assistance of vertue their successe in all their affaires above their wishes had enlarged their Empire every way so as that the very unwealdinesse thereof began now to be of it selfe fearefully suspected their Emperours thought it their best and safest policie to limit and containe the same within certaine bounds for in wisedome they saw That in all greatnesse there ought to be a meane like as the heaven in selfe reacheth not beyond the limited compasse and the seas are tossed to and fro within their owne precincts Now those limits or bounds according to the natures of the places were either naturall as the sea greater rivers mountaines wasts and desart grounds or artificiall as frontier-fenses namely trenches or dikes castles keeps or fortresses wards mounds and baricadoes by trees cut downe and plashed bankes rampiers and walls along which were planted garrisons of souldiers against the barbarous nations confining Whence it is that we read thus in the Novellae of Theodosius the Emperour Whatsoever lieth included within the power and regiment of the Romans is by the appointment and dispose of our Ancestors defended from the incursions of Barbarians with the rampier of a Limit Along these limits or borders souldiers lay garrisoned in time of peace within frontier-castles and cities but when there was any feare of waste and spoile from bordering nations some of them had their field-stations within the Barbarian ground for defence of the lands others made out-rodes into the enemies marches to discover how the enemies stirred yea and
of Anguish in Scotland in the reign of K. Edward the first and left that honour to his posterity But Eleanor daughter to the sister and heire of the last Earle was married at length into the family of Talebois and afterward this castle by the Princes bountifull gift came to the Duke of Bedford But to retire to the Wall Beyond Saint Oswalds there are seene in the wall the foundations of two sorts which they call Castle-steeds then a place named Portgate where there stood a gate in the wall as may appeare by the word that in both languages importeth as much Beneath this more within the country is Halton-Hall where flourisheth the family of the Carnabies in great name for their antiquity and military prowesse neere unto which is seated Aidon castle sometimes part of the Barony of that Hugh Balliol before named But for as much as many places about the wall carry this name Aidon and the very same signifieth a Militare Wing or a troupe of horsemen in the British tongue of which sort there were many wings placed along the Wall as plainely appeareth by the booke of Notices in their stations I would have the reader throughly to consider whether this name was not thereupon imposed upon these places like as Leon upon those townes where the Legions had their standing campe Well hard by there was digged up the fragment of an antique stone wherein is the expresse portrait or image of a man lying in bed leaning upon his left hand and with the right touching his right knee with these inscriptions NORICI AN. XXX ESSOIRUS MAGNUS FRATER EJUS DUPL. ALAE SABINIANAE M. MARI US VELLI ALONG US A QUI SHANC POSUIT V. S. L. M. Then the river Pont having his spring head more outwardly and running downe neere to Fenwick-Hall the dwelling house of the worthy and martiall family of the Fenwickes for certaine miles together gardeth the wall and upon his banke had for a defence in garison the first Cohort of the Cornavii at a place called PONS AELII built as it seemeth by Aelius Hadrianus the Emperor now called Pont-eland at which King Henry the third in the yeere 1244. concluded a peace and neere unto this the first Cohort of the Tungri had their abode at Borwick which in the Notice of Provinces is called BORCOVICUS From Port-gate the wall runneth along to Waltowne which seeing the signification accordeth so well with the name and that it standeth twelve miles from the East sea I beleeve verily it is the same royall town which Bede called ADMURUM wherein Segbert King of the East Saxons was by the hands of Finanus baptized and received into the Church of Christ. Neere unto this was a fortification called Old Winchester I would gladly take it to be that VINDOLANA which that Booke of Notice so often cited recordeth to have beene the Frontier-station in times past of the fourth Cohort of the Gaules And then have yee Rouchester where we beheld very plainly the expresse footings in form four square of a garison Castle that joined hard to the wall Neere unto it Headon sheweth it selfe which was part of the Barony of Sir Hugh de Bolebec who fetched his descent by his mother from the noble Barons of Mont-Fichet and had issue none but daughters matched in wedlock with Ralph Lord Greistock I. Lovel Huntercomb and Corbet Now where the wall and Tine almost meet together New-Castle sheweth it selfe gloriously the very eye of all the townes in these parts ennobled by a notable haven which Tine maketh being of that depth that it beareth very tall ships and so defendenth them that they can neither easily bee tossed with tempests nor driven upon shallowes and shelves It is situate on the rising of an hill very uneven upon the North-banke of the river which hath a passing faire bridge over it On the left hand whereof standeth the Castle after that a steepe and upright pitch of an hill riseth on the right hand you have the Mercat place and the better part of the City in regard of faire buildings From whence the ascent is not easie to the upper part which is larger by farre It is adorned with soure Churches and fortified with most strong walls that have eight gates in them with many towres what it was in old time it is not knowne I would soone deeme it to have beene GABROSENTUM considering that Gates-head the suburbe as it were thereof doth in the owne proper signification expresse that British name Gabrosentum derived from Goates as hath been said before The Notice also of Provinces placeth Gabrosentum and the second Cohort of the Thracians in it within the range of the wall And most certaine it is that both the Rampier and the Wall went through this City and at Pandon gate there remaineth as it is thought one of the turrets of that wall Surely for workmanship and fashion it is different from the other Moreover whereas it was named before the Conquest Monk-chester because it was as it seemeth in the possession of Monkes this addition Chester which signifieth a place fortified implyeth that it was anciently a place of strength But after the Conquest of the New castle which Robert the sonne of William the Conqueror built out of the ground it got this new name New-castle and by little and little encreased marveilously in wealth partly by entercourse of trafficke with the Germans and partly by carrying out sea-coales wherewith this country aboundeth both into forraine Countries and also into other parts of England In the reigne of Edward the first a rich man chanced to bee haled way prisoner by the Scottish out of the middle of the towne who after hee had ransomed himselfe with a great summe of money began with all speed to fortifie the same and the rest of the inhabitants moved by his example finished the worke and compassed it with faire strong walls Since which time it hath with security avoided the force and threats of the enemies and robbers which swarmed all over the country and withall fell to trading merchandise so freshly that for quick commerce wealth it became in very flourishing estate in which regard King Richard the second granted that a sword should bee carried before the Maior and King Henry the sixth made it a County incorporate by it selfe It is distant from the first Meridian or West line 21. degrees and 30. minutes and from the Aequinoctiall line toward the North pole 34. degrees and 57. minutes As touching the suburbs of Gateshead which is conjoyned to New-castle with a faire bridge over the river and appertaineth to the Bishops of Durham I have already written Now in regard of the site of New-castle and the abundance of sea-cole vented thence unto which a great part of England and the Low Countries of Germanie are beholden for their good fires read these verses of Master John Ionston out of his Poem of the Cities of
of the river Annan which lost all the glorie and beautie it had by the English warre in the reigne of Edward the sixth In this territorie the Ionstons are men of greatest name a kinred even bred to warre betweene whom and the Maxwels there hath beene professed an open enmitie over long even to deadly feud and blood-shed which Maxwels by right from their ancestours have the rule of this Seneschalsie for so it is accounted This vale Eadgar King of Scots after hee was restored to his kingdome by auxiliarie forces out of England gave in consideration and reward of good service unto Robert Bruse or Brus Lord of Cliveland in Yorke-shire who with the good favour of the King bestowed it upon Robert his younger sonne when himselfe would not serve the King of Scots in his warres From him flowered the Bruses Lords of Annandale of whom Robert Brus married Isabel the daughter of William King of Scots by the daughter of Robert Avenall his sonne likewise Robert the third of the name wedded the daughter of David Earle of Huntington and of Gariosh whose sonne Robert surname The Noble when the issue of Alexander the third King of Scots sailed challenged in his mothers right the Kingdome of Scotland before Edward the first King of England as the direct and superiour Lord of the Kingdome of Scotland so the English give it out or an honourable Arbitratour for to say the Scots as being neerer in proximitie in degree and blood to King Alexander the third and Margaret daughter to the King of Norway although bee were the sonne by a second sister who soon after resigning up his own right granted and gave over to his son Robert Brus Earle of Carrick and to his heires I speak out of the verie originall all the right and claime which he had or might have to the Kingdome of Scotland But the action and suit went with John Balliol who sued for his right us descended of the eldest sister although in a degree farther off and sentence was given in these words For that the person more remote in the second degree descending in the first line is to bee preferred before a nâ—â—erer in a second line in the succession of an inheritance that cannot be parted How beit the said Robert sonne to the Earle of Carrick by his own vertue at length recovered the Kingdome unto himself and established it to his posteritie A Prince who as he flourished notably in regard of the glorious ornaments of his noble acts so he triumphed as happily with invincible fortitude and courage over fortune that so often crossed him NIDISDALL CLose unto Annandale on the West side lyeth NIDISDALE suficiently with corne-fields and pastures so named of the river Nid which in Ptolomee is wrongly written NOBIUS for NODIUS or NIDIUS of which name there bee other rivers in Britaine full of shallow foords and muddie shelves like as this NID is also It springeth out of the Lake Logh-Cure by which flourished CORDA a towne of the Selgova He taketh his course first by Sauqhuera Castle of the Creightons who a long time kept a great port as enjoying the dignitie of the Barons of Sauqhuer and the authoritie besides of hereditarie Sheriffs of Nidisdale then by Morton which gave title of Earle to some of the family of Douglas out of which others of that surname have their mansion and abiding at Drumlanrig by the same river neere unto the mouth whereof standeth Danfreys betweene two hills the most flourishing towne of this tract which hath to shew also an old Castle in it famous for making of woollen clothes and remarkable for the murder of John Commin the mightiest man for manred and retinew in all Scotland whom Roberts Brus for feare he should foreclose his way to the kingdome ranne quite through with his sword in the Church and soon obtained his pardon from the Pope for committing that murder in a sacred place Neerer unto the mouth Solway a little village retaineth still somewhat of the old name of Selgova Upon the verie mouth is situate Caer Laverock which Prolomee I supposed called CARBANTORIGUM accounted an imprenable sort when King Edward the first accompanied with the floure of English Nobilitie besieged and hardly wonne it but now it is a weake dwelling house of the Barons of Maxwell who being men of an ancient and noble linage were a long time Wardens of these West matches and of late advanced by marriage with the daughter one of the heires of the Earle of Morton whereby John Lord Maxwell was declared Earle of Morson as also by the daughter and heire of Hereis Lord Toricles whom I a younger sonne took to wife and obtained by the title of Baron Hereis Moreover in this vale by the Lake side lyeth Glencarn whence the Cunninghams of whom I am to write more in place convenient bare a long time the title of Earle This Nidisdale together with Annandale nourisheth a warlike kind of men who have beene infamous for robberies and depredations for they dwell upon Solway Frish a fourdable arme of the sea at low waters through which they made many times outrodes into England for to fetch in booties and in which the inhabitants thereabout on both sides with pleasant pastime and delightfull sight on horse-backe with speares hunt Salmons whereof there is abundance What manner of cattailestealers these be that inhabite these vales in the marches of both kingdomes John Lesley himselfe a Scottish man and Bishop of Rosse will tell you in these words They go forth in the night by troops out of there own borders through desart by-waies and many winding crankes All the day time they refresh their burses and recreate their owne strength in lurking places appointed before band until they be come thither as length in the dark night where they would be When they have laid hold of a bootie back again they returne home likewise by night through blinde waies onely and fetching many a compasse about The more skilfull any leader or guide is to passe through those wild desarts crooked turnings and steep downe-falls in the thickest mists and deepest darknesse hee is held in greaâ—â—ter reputation as one of an excelling wit And so craftie and 〈◊〉 these are that seldome or never they forgo their bootie and suffer it to be taken out of their hands unlesse it happen otherwhiles that they be caught by their adversaries following continually after and tracing them directly by their footing according as quick-senting Slugh-bounds doe lead them But say they be taken so faire spoken they are and eloquen so manie sugred words they have at will sweetly to plead for them that they are able to move the Iudges and adversaries both he they never so austere and severe if not to mercie yet to admiration amd some commiseration withall NOVANTES GALLOWAY FRom Nidisdale as you goe on Westward the NOVANTES inhabited in the vales all that tract which
runneth out far and wide toward the West between the sea and Dunbritain Frith or Clyds-forth yet so indented and hollowed with nookes and creekes that here and there it is drawne into a narrow roome and then againe in the verie utmost skirt it openeth and spreadeth it selfe broad at more libertie whereupon some have called it the CHERSOMESUS that is The Biland of the NOVANTES But at this day their countrey containeth Galloway Carick Kyle and Cunningham Galloway in the Latine Writers of the middle time Gaelwallia and Gallovidia so called of the Irish who in times past dwelt there and terme themselves short in their owne language Gael is a countrey rising up everie where with bills that are better for feeding of cattell than bearing of corne the inhabitants practice fishing as well within the sea lying round about them as in little rivers and the Loches or meeres in everie place standing full of water at the foot of the hills out of which in September they take in Weeles and Weere-ners an incredible number of most sweet and favourite eeles whereby the make no lesse gain than others do by their little nagges which for being well limmed fast knit and strongly made for to endure travaile are much in request and bought from hence Among these the first place that offereth itselfe by the river DEA mentioned in Prolomee which keeping the name still full and whole they call d ee is Kircoubright the most commodious port of this coast the second Stewartie of Scotland which belongeth also to the Maxwels then Cardines a sort set upon a craggie and high rocke by the river Fleet and fensed with strong walls Neere unto it the river Ken corruptly read in Ptolomee IENA runneth into the sea after it is Wigton an haven towne with a narrow entrance unto it between the two rivers Bluidnoo and Crea which also is counted a Sheriffdome over which Agnew is Sheriffe In times past it had for Earle Archibald Douglasse renowned in the French warre and at this day by the favour of King James the sixth John Lord Fleming who deriveth his pedegree from the ancient Earles of Wigton Neere unto this Ptolomee placed the Citie LEUCOPIBIA which I know not to say truth where to seeke Yet the place requireth that it should be that Episcopall seat of Ninian which Bede calleth Candida Casa and the English and Scottish in the verie same sense whit-berne what say you then if Ptolomee after his manner translated that name in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is white-houses in stead whereof the Transcribers have thrust upon us Leucopibia which the Britans tearmed Candida Casa In this place Ninia or Ninian the Britan an holy man the first that instructed the South-Picts in Christian saith in the reigne of the Emperour Theodofius the younger had his seat and built a Church consecrated to the memorie of Saint Martin after a manner unusuall among the Britans as Bede saith who wrote that the English in his time held this country and when the number of the faithfull Christians multiplied an Episcopall See was erected at this Candida Casa A little higher there is a Bi-land having the sea insinuating it selfe on both sides with two Bayes that by a narrow neck it is adjoined to the firme land and this is properly called CHERSONESUS and PROMONTORIUM NOVANTUM commonly the Mull of Galloway Beyond this Northward there is a Bay taking a great compasse and full of Ilands into which very many rivers on everie side doe out-lade themselves But first of all from the verie cape or top of the Promontarie is ABRAVANUS which being set little out of his own place is so called of Ptolomee for Aber-Ruanus that is The mouth of Ruan For at this day that river is named Rian and the lake out of which it floweth Logh-Rian exceeding full of Herrings and Stone-fishes This Galloway had in times past Princes and Lords over it of whom the first recorded in Chronicles was Fergus in the reigne of Henrie the first King of England who gave for his Armes A Lion rampant Arg crowned Or in a shield Azur who after many troubles that he had stirred was driven to this exigent by King Malcolm that he gave his sonne Ucthred to the King for an hostage and himselfe wearie of this world tooke the habit of a Chanon at Holy Rood house in Edenburgh As for Ucthred Gilbert his younger brother tooke him prisoner in battaile and when hee had cut out his tongue and plucked his eyes forth of his head he cruelly bereaved him both of life and inheritance But within some few yeeres when Gilbert was dead Ucthreds sonne recovered his fathers inheritance who of a sister of William Morvill Constable of Scotland begat Alan Lord of Galloway and Constable of Scotland This Alan by Margaret the eldest daughter of David Earle of Huntingdon had Dervolgilda wife to Iohn Balliol and the mother of John Balliol King of Scotland who contended with Robert Brus for the Kingdome of Scotland and by a former wife as it seemeth hee had Helen married to Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester who thereby was Constable of Scotland like as William Ferrars of Groby the Nephew of the said Roger by a daughter and one of the heires But these Englishmen soone lost their inheritance in Scotland as also the dignitie of Constable which the Comnins Earles of Bucquan descended likewise from a daughter of Roger Quincie obtained until it was translated unto the Earls of Arroll But the title of the Lords of Galloway fell afterward to the family of the Douglasses CARRICTA CARRICT NOw followeth Carrict upon Dunbritain Frith faire to be seene with fresh pastures supplyed both by land and sea with commodities abundantly In this province Ptolomee placed RERIGONIUM a Creeke and RERIGONIUM a Towne For which BERIGONIUM is read in a verie ancient copie of Ptolomee printed at Rome in the yeere 1480. so that wee cannot but verily thinke it was that which now is called Bargeney A Lord it hath out of the family of the Kennedies which came forth of Ireland in the reigne of Robert Brus and is in this tract of high birth spread into many branches and of great power The chiefe of which linage is Earle of Cassile for this is the name of a Castle wherein he dwelleth by the river Dun upon the banke whereof he hath also another Castle named Dunnur and he is the hereditarie Bailiffe of this Countrey For this Carrict together with Kyle and Cunningham are counted the three Baillerries of Scotland because they that governe these with an ordinarie power and jurisdiction are called Ballives by a tearme that came up in the middle times and among the Greeks Sicilians and Frenchmen signifieth a Conservatour or Protector But in the age aforegoing Carrict had Earles for to say nothing of Gilberts of Galloway sonne unto whom King William gave all Carrict to bee possessed for
condemned to perpetuall oblivion I may seeme to have said overmuch although it concerneth posteritie also for a Caveat that wicked generations be notified as well as noisome weeds and venemous plants As for the countrey Gourie aforesaid famous for the corn-fields and singular fertilitie of the soile it lyeth more plaine and flat along the other banke of Tay. In this tract over against Perth on the farther side of Tay standeth Scone a renowned monasterie in old time and of reverend respect for the coronation therein of the Kings of Scotland since that time K. Keneth having hard by put the Picts for the most part to the sword placed a stone here enclosed within a chaire of wood for inauguration of the Kings of Scotland that had beene transported out of Ireland into Argile which stone Edward the first King of England caused to bee conveied unto Westminster Touching which I have put down this prophesie so rise in everie mans mouth since it hath now proved true and taken effect as verie few of that sort doe Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inveniunt lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Except old sawes be vaine And wits of wisards blind The Scots in place must raigne Where they this stone shall finde But now Scone giveth title of Baron of Scone to Sir David Murray whom K. James for his good service advanced lately to that honour Where Tay now growne bigger enlargeth himselfe there appeareth over it Arrol the habitation of the noble Earles of Arrol who ever since the Bruses daies have beene by inheritance the Constables of Scotland and verily they deduce an ancient pedegree from one Hay a man of exceeding strength and excellent courage who together with his sonnes in a dangerous battaile of Scots against the Danes at Longcartie caught up an Oxe yoke and so valiantly and fortunately withall what with fighting and what with exhorting re-enforced the Scots at the point to shrinke and recule that they had the day of the Danes and the King with the States of the kingdome ascribed the victorie and their owne safetie unto his valour and prowess Whereupon in this place the most battle fruitfull grounds were assigned unto him and his heires who in testimony hereof have set over their coat a yoke for their crest over their Armes Three Escotcheons Geules in Argent Touching Huntley castle that joyneth unto it I have nothing to write but that it hath given title to a very potent great and honourable family whereof I am to speake hereafter ANGUSIA or ANGUS BY the out-let or mouth of Tay and more within beside the river North-Eske Anguis called by the naturall and true Scots Aeneia lyeth extended with goodly fields bearing wheat and corne of all kinds plentifully with large hills also and pooles forrests pastures and meadowes and also garnished with many forts and castles In the very first entry into it from Goury standeth Glamis a castle and the Baronie of a family surnamed Lions which arose to honour and reputation ever since that Sir I. Lion standing in the high favour of King Robert the Second received this and the dignity of a Baron with the Kings daughter for her marriage portion and therewith as I finde written the surname of Lion with a Lion in his Armes within a Treassure Floury as the Kings themselves doe beare but in different colours like as Sir Patrick Lion Lord Glamis who now liveth was advanced very lately by King James the Sixth of that name to the honour of the Earle of Kinghorn Not farre hence standeth Forfare where for the administration of justice the Barons Greies are hereditary Sheriffs who being descended from the Greies of Chillingham in the county of Northumberland came into Scotland with King James the first at his returne out of England upon the first of whom named Andrew the King of his bounteous liberality bestowed the Seigniorie of Foulis together with Helen Mortimer in marriage for his advancement Hard by the mouth of Tay is situate Dundee sometimes called Alectum others tearme it in Latin Taodunum a towne verily of great resort and trade and the Constable whereof by a speciall priviledge is Standard-bearer to the King of Scots Hector Boetius who was here born expoundeth this name Dundee by way of allusion to Donum Dei that is Gods gift This Hector in the reflourishing time of learning wrote the Scottish historie elegantly and that out of such hidden and farre fetched monuments of antiquitie that Paulus Iovius wondered in his writings there should be records extant for above a thousand yeeres of these remote parts of the world Scotland the Hebrides and the Orcades considering that Italy the nource of fine wits for so many ages after the Goths were cast out was defective of writers and records But of this place Master Ionston borne not farre from it writeth thus TAODUNUM OR DEIDONUM Quâ Notus argutis adspirat molliter auris Hâc placidè coeunt Taus Oceanus Hîc facili excipiens venientes littore puppes Indigenis vasti distrahit orbis opes Saepè dolis tentata belli exercita damnis Invictis animis integra praestat adhuc Fama vetus crevit cum Relligione renatâ Lucis hinc fulsit para nitela aliis Alectum dixêre priùs si maxima spectes Commoda fo rs Donum dixeris esse Dei. Tu decus aeternum genrisque urbisque Boeti Caetera dic patriae dona beata tuae DONDEE or DUNDEE Where South wind with his whistling blasts aloft doth mildly blow There Tay with streame and sea with tide doe friendly meet below And here Dundee ships under saile harbring in gentle road The wide worlds wealth to Inlanders both sells and sends abroad By wiles betraied by force assailed oft times like to have beene With heart undaunted to this day it stands sound to be seene With new spring of religion her old fame more did grow Hence shone pure light hence to the rest cleere beames full bright did show At first Alectum clep'd it was but if you marke withall Her gifts so great perhaps you will it Donum Dei call Thou Boeth now this peoples praise and Cities joy for aye The blessings all besides of thine owne native place shalt say From hence standeth within sight Brochty-cragge a good fortresse which the English garrison souldiers manfully defended and made good for many moneths together what time as in their affectionate love to a perpetuall peace they desired and wished for a marriage betweene Marie heire apparent of Scotland and Edward the sixth King of England and upon promise thereof demanded it by force of armes and in the end of their owne accord abandoned the said piece Then there lieth full against the open Ocean Aberbroth short Arbroth a place endowed with ample revenues and by King William dedicated in old time to Religion in honour of Thomas of Canterburie beside which the Red-head
departed out of this life an aged man The second promontorie enclosed within two baies Maire and Bantre is named Beare standing for the most part upon hungry gravell and a leane stony soile In which live O Swillivant Beare and O Swillivant Bantre descended both of one and the same stocke men of great nobility in their country The third is called Eraugh lying betweene Bantre and Balatimore or Baltimore a Bay or Creeke passing well knowne by reason of the abundance of Herrings taken there whereunto resorteth every yeere a great fleet of Spaniards and Portugals even in the mids of winter to fish for Cods In this the O Mahons by the beneficiall gift of M. Carew received faire lands and Lordships This is that Ptolomee calleth NOTIUM that is the South-Promontorie at this day named Missen-head under which as we may read in him the river IERNUS is disgorged into the Ocean But what name the said river now hath in so great obscurity I hardly dare divine unlesse it be that which they call Maire and runneth hard under Dunk-eran aforesaid Neither wot I how to ghesse at those people whom the same Ptolomee placeth upon these promontories seeing that according to the varietie of copies they have sundry names as IBERNI OUTERNI IBERI and IVERNI unlesse peradventure like as their neighbours the LUCENI and CONCANI did they flitted hither from among the Iberi of Spaine Well this name of Desmond in the foregoing ages stretched farre and wide in this tract even from the sea unto the river Shanon and was called also South-Mounster The Fitz-Giralds descended out of the house of Kildare having subdued the Irish became Lords here of very large and goodly possessions and of them Maurice fitz-Fitz-Thomas unto whom T. Carew heire unto the Seigniory of Desmond had before passed away his right of Desmond was in the third yeere of King Edward the third created the first Earle of Desmond Among whose posterity many there were great men for their valour and wealth whose credit also and reputation reached farre But a bad name there went and still doth of James who having excluded his nephew from the inheritance entred himselfe by force upon it and imposed upon the people those most grievous tributes of Coyne Livery Cocherings Bonaghty c. for the maintenance of Galloglasses and Souldiers to spoile and harry the countrey Which when his sonne Thomas exacted and gathered of the poore people hee was by the commandement of John Tiptoft Deputy Lievtenant beheaded in the yeere 1467. and so suffered due punishment for his owne and his fathers wickednesse Howbeit when his children were restored againe in their off-spring this honour continued and descended in right of inheritance unto Girald that rebell whom erewhile I named who wilfully overthrew a most noble and potent family And when hee was attainted by Parliamentary authority Desmond was adjudged and annexed to the Crowne land reduced into the ranke of counties and a Sheriffe was ordained to governe it from yeere to yeere Neverthelesse in the last rebellion the rebells erected a titularie Earle and against him Queene Elizabeth granted the title of Earle of Desmond unto Iames Fitz-Girald sonne to the foresaid rebell who shortly after died issuelesse in the yeere 1601. They that herein beare the greatest name and most puissance are of the race of the Giraldines or Fitz-Giralds although they have for sundry respects assumed unto themselves divers sirnames VODIAE and CORIONDI AFter the Iberi there dwelt farre in the countrey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are tearmed also VODIAE and UDIAE the footing of which name doth more expresly shew it selfe in Idou and Idouth two small territories like as the name of CORIONDI in the countie of Corke bordering upon them These nations inhabited the counties of Corke Tipperary Limericke and Waterford COMITATUS CORCAGIENSIS commonly called THE COUNTY OF CORK THe County of Corke which in old time was reputed a Kingdome comprised the whole tract along the sea from Lismore unto Saint Brend where it affronteth Desmond Westward hath in the midland parts thereof Muâ—keray a wild and woody country wherein Cormac Mac-Teg is of great name and toward the sea coast Carbray in which the Mac-Carties beare the most sway By the sea side the first place that we meet with is Rosse a road and port in times past well frequented but now lesse resorted unto by reason of a bar of sand From thence with a narrow neck runneth out a biland called the Old head of Kinsale neere unto which the family of the Curcies flourished in ancient times famous for their wealth descended from a brother of Iohn Curcy the Englishman that subdued Ulster and out of which there remaineth here still Curcy Baron of Ringrom but at this day this is the world of weak and meane estate After it at the mouth of the river Bany in a fertile soile and well woodded standeth Kinsale a very commodious port and a towne fortified with old walls under which in the yeere 1601. the kingdome of Ireland lay a bleeding and put it was upon the hazzard as it were of one cast of a die whether it should be subject to England or Spaine what time as the Iland was endangered both with forraine and domesticall warre and eight thousand old trained souldiers under the conduct of Don Iohn D' Aquila had of a sudden surprized and fortified it confident upon the censures and excommunications of Pius the fifth Gregorie the thirteenth and Clement the eighth Popes of Rome discharged like thunderbolts upon Queene Elizabeth and presuming confidently upon the aides of rebells who had sent for them under a goodly shew of restoring religion which in this age and variance about religion is every where pretended for to maske and cloak most ungracious and wicked designes But Sir Charles Blunt Baron Mountjoy L. Deputy presently belaied it round about both by sea and land albeit his souldiers were tired toiled out and the season of the yeere most incommodious as being midwinter and withall made head also against a rabble of rebels whom the Earle of Tir-Oen O-Donel Mac-Gwyre and Mac-Mahound had raised and gotten thither and with such valour and fortitude so fortunately daunted and repressed their malapert boldnesse that with one victory hee both had the towne with the Spaniards in it yeelded unto him and also wrested as it were out of the hands of all Ireland throughout now at the point of revolt for they that deliberate are revolted already both sword and fire On the other side of the river from Kinsale lieth Kerry-Wherry a little territorie of late belonging to the Earles of Desmond Just before which runneth the river that Ptolomee calleth DAURONA Giraldus Cambrensis by changing onely one letter Sauranus and Saveranus which issuing out of Muâ—kerey mountaines passeth along by that principall Citie of the countie graced with an Episcopall dignitie whereunto is annexed the Bishops See of Clon
at the hands of King Henry the sixth the title and honour of Earle of Wiltshire to him and to the heires of his body who being Lord Deputy of Ireland as divers others of this race and Lord Treasurer of England standing attainted by King Edward the fourth was straight waies apprehended and beheaded but his brethren John and Thomas likewise proclaimed traytors kept themselves close out of the way John died at Jerusalem without issue Thomas through the speciall favour of King Henry the seventh was in the end restored to his blood who departed this life in the yeere 1515. leaving behinde him two daughters Anne married to Sir Iames de sancto Leodegano called commonly Sellenger and Margaret unto Sir William Bollein who bare unto him Sir Tho. Bollein whom King Henry the eighth created first Viscount Rochfort afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and of Ormond and afterward took Anne Bollein his daughter to wife who brought forth for England Queene Elizabeth a Prince of most happy memory and with all thankfulnesse to be alwaies remembred by the English and Irish. When Thomas Bollein was dead leaving no issue male Sir Pierce Butler a man of great power in Ireland descended of the Earles race whom Henry the eighth had before time created Earle of Osserie attained also to the title of Ormond and left the same unto his sonne James who had issue by the daughter and heire of James Earle of Desmond a sonne named Thomas Earle of Ormond now living whose faith and loyaltie hath been passing well tried and approved in many troubles and dangerous affaires who also hath joined in marriage his only daughter unto Theobald Butler his brothers son whom King James hath advanced lately to the title of Vicount Tullo Whereas some of the Irish and such as would be thought worthy of credit doe affirme that certaine men in this tract are yeerely turned into Wolves surely I suppose it be a meere fable unlesse haply through that malicious humour of predominant unkind Melancholy they be possessed with the malady that the Physicians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which raiseth and engendereth such like phantasies as that they imagine themselves to bee transformed into Wolves Neither dare I otherwise affirme of those metamorphosed Lycaones in Liveland concerning whom many Writers deliver many and marvellous reports Thus farre as touching the Province of Mounster for the government whereof Queene Elizabeth when shee bethought herselfe most wisely politickly and princely which way she might procure the good and wealth of Ireland ordained a Lord President to be the reformer and punisher of inconsiderate rashnesse the director also and moderator of duty together with one Assistant two learned Lawyers and a Secretary and the first President that shee made was Sir Warham S. Leger Knight a man of great experience in Irish affaires LAGENIA or LEINSTER THe second part of Ireland which the inhabitants call Leighnigh the Britans Lein the English Leinster and Latine writers Lagenia and in the ancient lives of the Saints Lagen lieth all of it on the Sea-side Eastward bounded toward Mounster with the river Neor which notwithstanding in many places it passeth beyond on Connaght side for a good space with Shanon and toward Meath with the peculiar knowne limits The Countrey is fertile and fruitfull the aire most milde and temperate and the people there inhabiting come neerest of all other to the gentle disposition and civill conversation of England their neighbour Iland from whence they are for the most part descended In Ptolomees dayes therein were seated the BRIGANTES MENAPII CAUCI and BLANI and peradventure from these Blani are derived and contracted these later and moderne names Lein Leinigh and Leinster But now it is divided into the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlogh Queenes County Kings County Kildare Weisford and Dublin to say nothing of Wicklo and Fernes which either be already or else are to be laid thereto BRIGANTES or BIRGANTES THe BRIGANTES seeme to have planted themselves betweene the mouth of the river and the confluence of Neor and Barrow which in Ptolomee is called BRIGUS Now because there was an ancient City of the Brigantes in Spaine named BRIGANTIA Florianus del Campo laboureth tooth and naile to fetch these BRIGANTES out of his owne countrey Spaine But if such a conjecture may take place others might with as great probality derive them from the Brigantes of Britaine a nation both neere and also exceeding populous But if that be true which I finde in certaine copies that this people were called BIRGANTES both hee and the other have missed the marke For that these tooke their denomination of the river BIRGUS about which they doe inhabite the very name is almost sufficient to perswade us These BRIGANTES or BIRGANTES whether you will dwelt in the Counties of Kilkenny Ossery and Caterlogh watered all with the river BIRGUS THE COUNTIE OF KILKENNY THe Countie of Kilkenny is bounded West with the countie of Tipperary East with the counties of Weisford and Caterlogh South with the countie of Waterford North with Queenes Countie and Northwest with upper Osserie A countrey that with townes and castles on every side maketh a very goodly shew and for plenty of all things surpasseth the rest Neere unto Osserie the mighty and huge mountaines Sleiew Bloemy which Giraldus calleth Bladinae Montes with their rising toppes mount up to a wonderfull heigth out of the bowels whereof as from their mothers wombe issue the rivers Shour aforenamed Neor and Barrow which running downe in severall chanels before they enter into the Ocean joine hand in hand all together whereupon they in old time tearmed them The three sisters The Neor commonly called also Neure runneth in manner through the midst of Kilkenny county and when it is passed with a forward course by the upper Osserie the first Baron whereof was Barnabas Fitz-Patrick promoted to that honor by King Edward the sixth and hath watered many fortresses on both sides floweth beside Kilkenny which is as much to say as the Cell or Church of Canic which for the sanctimony of his solitary life in this country was highly renowned a proper faire and wealthy Burrough towne this is and far excelling all other midland Boroughs in this Iland divided into the Irish towne and the English towne The Irish towne is as it were the Suburbs and hath in it the said Canicks Church which both gave name unto it and now also affordeth a See unto the Bishop of Osserie But the English towne is nothing so ancient built as I have read by Ranulph the third Earle of Chester and fortified with a wall on the West side by Robert Talbot a Nobleman and with a castle by the Butlers And sure it is that in the division of lands between the daughters of William Mareschal Earle of Penbroch it fell unto the third daughter whom Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester married Somewhat beneath the same Neore standeth a little walled towne named in English Thomas Towne
in Irish Bala-Mac-Andan that is The towne of Antonies sonne For it tooke both names of the founder Thomas Fitz-Anthonie an Englishman who flourished under King Henry the third whose heires are yet acknowledged the Lords thereof Beneath this towne the river Callan voideth his streame into Neore upon which standeth the third Burrough or incorporate towne of this county bearing the same name Callan Like as Inise-Teog which is the fourth The family of Butlers hath spread and branched farre and wide throughout this County men that with much honour bare a great port and for their worth and vertues were adorned with the titles of Earles of Carick Ormond Wiltshire in England and of Ossorie as is before said and at this day there remaine of their line beside the Earle of Ormond Vicount Thurles and Knight of the Order of Saint George Vicount Montgarret Vicount Tullo the Barons of Dunboyn and of Cahir a goodly race also and progenie of Noble Gentlemen The rest of the Gentry in this Tract that are of better birth and parentage be likewise of English descent as the Graces Walshes Lovells Foresters Shortels Blanch-felds or Blanchevelstons Drilanas Comerfords c. THE COUNTY OF CATERLOGH THe County of CATERLOGH by contraction Carlogh toward the Sunne rising adjoineth to the County of Kilkenny wholly in manner situate betweene the rivers Barrow and Slane of a fertile soile and shaded well with woods hath two townes in it of better note and importance than the rest both standing upon the West banke of Barrow namely Caterlogh which Leonel Duke of Clarence began to wall and Bellingham a most renowned Lord Deputy fortified with a castle Also Leighlin called in Latine Lechlinia where there was an Episcopall Chaire now united to the See of Fernes These townes have both of them their wards or garrisons and Constables over them And whereas the greatest part of this County belonged in right of inheritance unto the Howards Dukes of Norfolke who by the Earles of Warren drew their descent from the eldest daughter of William Mareschall Earle of Penbroch King Henry the eighth by a generall consent of the States of the Realme tooke unto himselfe both from them and also from other Noblemen yea and from Monasteries in England all their lands and possessions in Ireland for that the Lords thereof by neglecting in their absence their owne private estates carelesly brought therewith the publike state into danger as is already shewed From hence Barrow passeth through the Baronie Ydron which by right belonged to the Carews for Sir John Carew an English Knight died seised thereof in the time of King Edward the third and which Peter Carew within our memorie recovered as it were by a writ of remitter after it had been unlawfully usurped and a long time in the occupation of unjust detainers Upon the river Slane appeareth Tullo memorable in this regard that King James hath lately honoured Theobald Butler the Earle of Ormonds brothers sonne with the title of Vicount Tullo The Cavanaghs dwell a great many of them every way hereabouts who being descended from Dovenald a younger sonne as they say the Bastard of Dermot the last King of Leinster are spred and branched out into a very great sept or linage a warlike generation renowned for their good horse-manship and who as yet though they bee exceeding poore beare themselves in spirit answerable to their ancient nobilitie But being at deadly feud amongst themselves for I wot not what man-slaughters which many yeeres agoe they committed one upon another they daily work their owne mischiefe by mutuall wrongs and hurts When as the English had set some of these to oversee and mannage the possessions they had in this part of Ireland about King Edward the seconds time they by little and little usurped the whole country unto themselves and assumed the name of O-Mores and taking into their societie the Toles and Brenes by little and little disseized the English of all the territorie betweene Caterlogh and the Irish sea Among these is the confluence of Neore and Barrow which after they have travailed in a joint streame some few miles from hence in one channell present both their name and their waters unto their eldest sister the Shour which straightwaies is swallowed up at a mouth full of rockes within the gulfe of the Ocean where on the left hand there shooteth out a little promontorie with a narrow necke that sheweth a prettie high tower unto the sailers erected by the merchants of Rosse what time they were in their prosperity for their direction and safer arrivall at the rivers mouth QUEENES COUNTIE ABove Caterlogh toward the North-west there spreadeth out a little country full of woods and bogs named in Irish Lease and QUEENES Countie in English which Queene Mary ordained to be a Countie by Commission given unto Thomas Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex then Lord Deputie who reduced it into the tearmes of civill order and governement whence it is that the chiefe towne thereof is called Mary-Burgh where certaine garrison souldiers with their Seneschall keep ward and have much adoe to defend themselves against the O-Mores who beare themselves as the ancient Lords thereof against Mac-Gilpatric the O-Dempsies and others a mischievous and tumultuous kind of people who daily practise and plot all they can to annoy the English and to shake off the yoke of lawes For to subdue this wilde and hostile part of the countrey at the first entrie of the English thither Meilere was sent For whom Hugh Lacie governour of Ireland erected one Castle at Tahmelio like as a second at Obowy a third likewise upon the river Barrow and a fourth at Norrach But among the rest he fortified Donemaws an ancient Castle standing in the most plentifull part of the territorie which came hereditarily unto the Breoses Lords of Brecknocke by Eua the younger daughter of William Mareschall Earle of Pembroch and what way as Barrow which rising out of Slew Blomey hills Westward runneth solitarie alone amongst the woods he visiteth that ancient RHEBA mentioned by Ptolomee which keeping the name still intire is called at this day Rheban but insteed of a citie it is altogether as one saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A citie citilesse or The remaines of that which was a citie even a few little cottages with a fortresse Notwithstanding it giveth the title of a Baronet unto that Nobleman Nicholas of Saint Michael the Lord thereof who is commonly called the Baronet of Rheban KINGS COUNTIE LIke as the Queenes Countie aforesaid was so named in honour of Queene Marie so the territorie bordering next unto it Northward divided with Barrow running betweene and called in times past Offalie was in honour of Philip King of Spaine her husband tearmed Kings Countie and the principall towne in it Philips Towne where is placed a Seneschall with a ward and divers Gentlemen of English blood are here planted
honour of Earle of Louth to have unto him and his heires males and withall the dignity of Baron of Athenry to him and his heires But this honourable title as it began so it ended in him for he that in warre vanquished his enemies was soone after in a tumult of rebellious people vanquished and slaine by his owne men in this territory with many other of his sirname leaving no issue behinde him But in our fathers remembrance King Henry the eighth honoured Sir Oliver Plonket with the title of Baron of Louth There remaine in this county the Verdons Tates Clintons Bellews Dowdals Gernons Hadsors Wottons Brandons Mores Warrens Chamberlanes and very many besides of English blood and of the Irish the Mac-Mathons c. THE COUNTY OF CAVON THe county of CAVON lieth next unto Louth to the West called in times past East Breanny the habitation of the O-Reilyes who vaunt themselves to have had their beginning of the Ridleys in England whereas in their whole course and maner of life they be meere Irish. These O-Reileys not long since were of great power in horsemen but to the end they might be that way lesse powerfull Sir Henry Sidney in his policy divided their county into seven Baronies whereof the Lords out of that family should immediately hold the same by service in fee from the Crowne of England They dwell scattering in piles and forts not in towns A Bishop they have of their own and him a poore one God he knoweth whose See is at Kilmore and yet is not he so poore as those Irish Bishops were who had no other rents and revenues than three milch kine which the parishioners exchanged for others new milch when they went dry according as Adam Bremensis from their owne relation when they returned by Germany out of Italy learned and put downe in writing THE COUNTY OF FERMANAGH BEyond Cavan West and North FERMANAGH presenteth it selfe where sometimes the ERDINI dwelt a country full of woods and very boggish In the midst whereof is that most famous and the greatest Meere of all Ireland Logh Erne stretching out 40. miles bordred about with shady woods and passing full of inhabited Ilands whereof some containe an hundred two hundred and three hundred Acres of ground having besides such store of Pikes Trouts and Salmons that the fishermen complain oftner of too great plenty of fishes and of the breaking of their nets than they doe for want of draught This Lake spreadeth not from East to West as it is described in the common Maps but as I have heard those say who have taken a long and good survey thereof first at Bal-Tarbet which is a little towne farthest North of any in this county of Cavon it stretcheth from South to North foureteene miles in length and foure in bredth Anon it draweth in narrow to the bignesse of a good river for six miles in the chanell whereof standeth Inis Killin the principall castle in this tract which in the yeere 1593. was defended by the rebels and by Dowdall a most valiant Captaine won Then turning Westward it enlargeth it selfe most of all twenty miles long and ten broad as far as to Belek neere unto which is a great downefall of water and as they terme it that most renowned Salmons Leape A common speech is currant among the inhabitants there by that this Lake was once firme ground passing well husbanded with tillage and replenished with inhabitants but suddenly for their abominable buggery committed with beasts overflowne with waters and turned into a Lake The Almighty God saith Giraldus Creator of Nature judged this land privie to so filthy acts against Nature unworthy to hold not only the first inhabitants but any others for the time to come Howbeit this wickednesse the Irish Annales lay upon certaine Ilanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their owne Countrey lurked there Among the Lords in this tract Mac-Gwir was most noble and powerfull untill he overthrew himselfe and his state in the late rebellion And they that be of that Sept dwell on both sides yet so as that those beyond the Lake are reckoned of Ulster and they on this side of Conaght THE COUNTY MONAGHAN ALong the Lough-Erne on the East side stretcheth out the Countie Monaghan mounting aloft with hills well attired with woods but knowne by no towne at all unlesse it be Monaghan which imparted the name unto the whole country It is divided into five Baronies containeth Iriel Dartre Ferey Loughty which by authority of Parliament were for rebellion given away from the Mac-Mahons with the little territory Donemain which Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon Walter D'Evereux Earle of Essex Those Mac-Mahons that is if we interpret it out of the Irish language The Sons of Ursus or the Beare ruled here as tyrannicall Lords a long time and derive their Genealogy from Walter Fitz-Urse who imbrued his hands with the bloody murdering of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury The most puissant of these after the manner of that nation tooke upon him to Lord it over the rest and by way of excellency was termed Mac-Mahon About which preheminence when as of late daies they of that Sept or Family were at most bitter debate by way of hard words open armes foule practises yea and close corruptions Sir William Fitz-William the Lord Deputy came hither among them and judicially convented Hugh-Roe Mac-Mahon whom he by his authority had set up in this Seigniory and being upon his triall condemned of treason caused him to be hanged and to the end that he might suppresse for ever both the name and soveraignty of Mac-Mahon he divided the territory betweene the kinred of the said Hugh and certaine Englishmen to have and to hold after the English tenure to them and theirs THE COUNTY ARMAGH ON the East side again lieth out in length the county of Armagh so as that it is compassed as it were about with the river Neury by East with the county of Louth by South and with the Black-water by North. A County as I have sundry times heard the Earle of Denshire Lord Lievtenant Generall say that for a most rich and battle soile passeth all other parts of Ireland insomuch as if any compost be laid upon it to make it more fruitfull it scorneth and disdaineth as one would say the same and becommeth barren The first place in it that we meet with is Fewes a little territory belonging to Turlogh Mac-Henry one of the family of O-Neale thicke set with woods and by reason of loughs and bogs unpassable Then have you Orry as scarce of woods where dwelleth O-Hanlan and the fort Mont-Norris built by Charles Baron Mont-joy when he was Lord Deputy and so named in honour of Sir Iohn Norris under whom he had served first and was trained in military discipline Eight miles from hence neere unto the river Kalin Armach maketh a poore shew
committing it to the keeping of the O-Neals returned home to follow the factions For then Henry O-Neal the sonne of Oen or Eugenius O-Neal espoused the daughter of Thomas Earle of Kildare and his son Con-More that is Con the great married the daughter of Girald Earle of Kildare his mothers brother These supported by the powerfull authority of the Earles of Kildare who verily for many yeeres were Deputies of Ireland carried their heads aloft tyrannizing cruelly upon the people transported with the insolent spirit of pride disdained all the titles of Prince Duke Marquesse and Earles in comparison of the name of O-Neal Con the sonne of Con surnamed Bacco because hee halted succeeded his father in the dignity of O-Neale who cursed all his posterity in case they either learned to speake English or sowed wheat or built houses being sore affraid left by these inducements the English might bee allured to enter againe into their Lands and possessions often saying that language bred conversation and consequenly their confusion that wheat gave sustenance with like effect and by building they should doe but as the crow doth make her nest to be beaten out by the hawke When as the greatnesse of this Con O-Neale became very much suspected of King Henry the Eight and the Kings power having now troden under foot the familie of Kildare in whose rebellion O-Neale had engaged himselfe deepe grew dreadfull to O-Neale also into England he comes and there renouncing the name of O-Neale put his whole estate into the Kings hands which within a while after was granted againe by letters Patent under the great seale of England to hold as in fee together with the title of the Earle of Tir-Oen to him and to Matthew his false reputed sonne and to the heires of their bodies lawfully begotten And Matthew at the same time was created Baron of Dunganon This Matthew being taken untill he was fifteene yeeres old for the sonne of a blacksmith in Dundalk was by the said Smiths wife whom Con had sometime kept as his concubine tendred unto Con as his owne sonne and hee accepting him for his owne sonne in deed rejected John Shan they call him with the rest whom he had begotten on his owne lawfull wife Hereupon Shan seeing a bastard preferred before him so much made of and highly honoured suddenly set his heart wholly against his father and withall burned in such hatred with most bitter malice against Matthew that hee murdered him out of the way and so plagued and vexed his father with injurious indignities whiles he went about to deprive him of his Seigniorie disseized him of his dwelling house and stript him out of all he had that the old man for very thought and griefe of heart pined away and died Straightwayes Shan being chosen proclaimed and inaugured O-Neal by an old shooe cast over his head seized upon his fathers inheritance and with all diligence sought after the sonnes of Matthew that he might be secured from them but they were fled and gone Howbeit Brian the eldest sonne not long after was slaine by Mac-Donel Totan one of the O-Neals race suborned as some give it out by Shan to doe that feat Hugh and Cormack by the meanes and helpe of the English escaped and yet remaine alive Shan having thus gotten all into his owne hands as hee was a man cruell and barbarous began to exercise excessive cruelty over the great men of Ulster and made his vaunt that Mac-Gennys Mac-Guyr Mac-Mahon O Reali O-Hanlon O Cahan Mac-Brien O Hagan O Quin Mac-Canna Mac-Carton and all the Mac-Donels the Galloglasses were his subjects and vassels And when as Sir Henry Sidney Justice for the time being in the absence of the Earle of Sussex Lord Deputy expostulated with him about these points he answered that hee the undoubted and lawfull sonne and heire of Con O-Neale as being borne of his lawfull wife had entred upon his fathers inheritance that Matthew was a Blacke-Smiths sonne of Dundalke and by the said Smith begotten and borne after his mariage with Alison his Wife yet craftily obtruded upon Con as his son thereby to intervert another way and to alienate the inheritance and honour of O-Neale which howsoever he would endure yet none besides of the Sept of O-Neals would ever beare and digest As for the letters Patent of King Henry the eighth they were of no validity considering that Con had no right in that hee surrendred into the Kings hands longer than his owne life neither could he surrender up the same without the consent of the Nobles and people of Ulster by whom hee had beene elected O-Neale Neither were such Patents of any force unlesse there were an undoubted heire apparent of the family authentically signified before by inquisition and the oath of twelve men which in this matter was never certified Also that himselfe was by law both of God and man the true heire as being the first begotten sonne of his father lawfully borne in wedlocke that with the generall assent and consent of Peeres and people he was chosen declared and proclaimed O-Neale according to the ancient law of Tanistry whereby a man at his full yeeres is to be preferred before a boy and an uncle before that nephew whose grandfather survived the father neither had he arrogated unto himselfe any authority over the Peeres or Nobles of Ulster other than his ancesters as hee was able to prove by plaine proofes produced had exercised in times past out of minde most rightfully Howbeit soone after he outraged and overthrew O-Raily in the field tooke Callagh O-Donell Lord of Tir-Conell prisoner and cast him with his children into prison carried away his wife on whom hee begat children in adultery seized upon his fortresses lands and goods and bare himselfe as absolute King of all Ulster But so soone as Thomas Earle of Sussex the Lord Deputy came with a power into the field for to abate this insolency of his hee was strangely terrified and by the perswasion of Girald Earle of Kildare whom Queene Mary had restored to his former estate came into England unto Queene Elizabeth cast himselfe prostrate at her feet in all submissive and humble maner and being received with all curtesie after he had promised his allegeance returned home and for a while in his feeding and apparell conformed himself to all kind of civility he assailed the Scottish and drave them quite out of Ulster slew Iames Mac-Conell their leader kept himself and all his people in good order and the poorer sort he carefully protected from wrongs Howbeit he tyrannized most cruelly and insolently over the Nobility who when they had craved aid of the L. Deputy for to represse his intolerable violence he thereupon growing more outrageous in furious maner with fire and sword drave Mac-Guir Lord of Fermanagh who underhand had accused him out of house and home set fire upon the Metropolitane Church of Armach and burnt it yea and laied siege unto Dundalik
the same so prone is mans nature to entertain the worst that one would not beleeve in how short a time some English among them degenerate and grow out of kinde A PRAEFACE TO THE ANNALES OF IRELAND THus far forward was the Printers presse a going when the Honourable Lord William Howard of Naworth for the love that he beareth unto the studies of Antiquity willingly imparted unto me the Manuscript Annales of Ireland from the yeere of our Salvation MCLII unto the yeere MCCCLXX Which I thought good to publish considering that after Giraldus Cambrensis there is nothing to my knowledge extant better in this kind and because so noble and worthy a person whose they were by right in private before permitted so much Unto whom the very same thankes in manner are duly to bee yeelded for bringing them to light that were to be given unto the authour himselfe who first recorded them in writing And albeit they are penned in a stile somewhat rude and barrain as those times required yet much matter is therein contained that may illustrate the Irish Historie and would have given good light unto mee if they had not come to my hands so late Take them here therefore truly and faithfully exemplified even as I found them with all their imperfections and faults and if you have any better impart them with semblable courtesie unto us if not make use of these with us untill some one come forth and shew himselfe that will helpe us to a fuller Chronicle and happilie continue the same in length even unto our daies with more elegancie of phrase which verily would be no painfull work to be performed THE ANNALES OF IRELAND ANno Domini MCLXII Gregorie the first Archbishop of Dublin a man praise worthy every way slept in the Lord after whom succeeded holy Laurence O-Thothil who was Abbat of St. Kemnus de Glindelagh Thomas is made Archbishop of Canterburie MCLXVI Rothericke O-Conghir Prince of Connaght was made King and Monarch of Ireland MCLXVII Died Maud the Empresse The same yeere Almaricke King of Jerusalem tooke Babylon And in the same yeere Dermoc Mac-Murrogh Prince of Leinster whiles O-Rorke King of Meth was in a certaine expedition carried away his wife who was willing enough to be ravished For her selfe made meanes to be taken as a prey as we find in Cambrensis MCLXVIII Donate King of Uriel founder of Mellifont Monasterie departed in Christ. In the same yeere Robert Fitz-Stephen neither unmindfull of his promise nor a breaker of his faith came into Ireland with thirtie Knights MCLXIX Earle Richard of Stroghul sent before him into Ireland a certaine young Gentleman of his owne family named Remund with ten Knights about the Calends of May. The same yeere the said Earle Richard accompanied with two hundred Knights or thereabout and others to the number as one would say of a thousand arrived on the even of S. Bartholmew the Apostle Which Richard verily was the sonne of Gilbert Earle of Stroghul that is Chippestow sometime Strogull This Richard also was the sonne of Isabell Aunt by the mothers side of K. Malcome and William King of Scotland and of David the Earle a Gentleman of good hope and the morrow after the same Apostles day they tooke the said Citie and there Eva Dermots daughter was lawfully joined in marriage unto Earle Richard and her father gave her MCLXXI S. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie was slaine In the same yeere the Citie of Dublin was by the Earle and his companie taken And the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Castro Dei that is of Gods Castle MCLXXI Dermot Mac-Morrogh full of dayes was taken out of this world at Fernys about the Calends of May. MCLXXII The courageous King Henrie with 500. Knights arrived at Waterford and among other things gave Meth unto Sir Hugh Lacie The same yeere was founded the Abbey de Fonte vivo MCLXXIV Gelasius Archbishop of Armagh the first Primate of Ireland an holy man aged and full of daies rested in Christ. This Gelasius is said to bee the first Archbishop that wore the first pale but others before him were in name onely called Archbishops and Primates for the reverend regard and honour of St. Patricke as being the Apostle of that nation whose See was from the beginning had of all men in so great reverence that not onely Bishops and Priests and those of the Cleargie but Kings and Princes universally were subject to the Bishop thereof in all obedience After whom succeeded in the Archbishopricke Gilbert a Prelate of good memorie MCLXXV William King of Scotland was taken prisoner at Alnewicke MCLXXVI Bertram Verdon founded the Abbey of Crokisdenne MCLXXVII Earle Richard about the Calends of May died at Dublin and was buried in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin The same yeere Vivian a Priest Cardinall entituled of S. Stephan in Mount Caelius came as Legat of the Apostolicall See into Ireland sent from Pope Alexander MCLXXVIII The ninth day before the Calends of December the Abbey de Samaria was founded The same yeere was founded Rose Vale that is Rosseglasse MCLXXIX Miles Cogan and Ralph the sonne of Fitz-Stephen his daughters husband were slaine betweene Waterford and Lismore c. as we read in Cambrensis The same yeere Hervie Mont-Marish entred the Monasterie of Saint Trinitie in Canterburie who founded the Monasterie of Saint Marie de Portu that is Of Donbroth MCLXXX The Abbey of the Quire of Benet was founded The same yeere was founded the Abbey of Geripount The same yeere Laurence Archbishop of Dublin upon the 18. day before the Calends of December happily slept in the Lord within the Church of Saint Marie of Aux After whom succeeded John Cumin an Englishman borne in England at Evesham chosen with good agreement and accord by the Cleargie of Dublin the King by his industry procuring the same and confirmed by the Pope which John afterwards founded the Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin MCLXXXIII The order of the Templars and Hospitallers is confirmed The same yeere is founded the Abbey de Lege Dei that is Gods Law MCLXXXV John the Kings sonne Lord of Ireland by his fathers gift came into Ireland in the 12. yeere of his age in the thirteenth yeere after his fathers comming after the comming of Fitz-Stephen the fifteenth in the 14. yeere from the comming of Earle Richard and in the same fifteenth yeere returned MCLXXXVI The order of the Cartusians and of the Grandians is confirmed In the same yeere Hugh Lacie was killed at Dervath treacherously by an Irishman because the foresaid Hugh would build a castle there and as he was teaching of an Irishman how to labour with an iron toole to wit a Pykax when Hugh bowed himselfe forward he stroke him to the ground with both hands and as he held down his head the said Irishman with an axe chopt off Hugh Lacie his head and there was an end of the conquest In the same yeere Christian Bishop of
Lismore sometime Legate of Ireland an earnest follower of the vertues which he had seen and heard of his devout father Saint Bernard and Pope Eugenius a venerable man with whom hee was in the Probatorie at Clarevall who also ordained him to be the Legate in Ireland after his obedience performed within the monasterie of Kyrieleyson happily departed to Christ. Jerusalem was taken with the Lords Crosse by the Soldan and the Saracens after many Christians slaine MCLXXXVII Upon the Calends or first day of July was the Abbey of Ynes in Ulster founded MCLXXXIX Henry Fitz-Empresse departed this life after whom succeeded his sonne Richard and is buried in Font-Ebrard In the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Colle victoriae that is of Cnokmoy MCXC. King Richard and King Philip make a voiage into the holy land MCXCI. In the Monasterie of Clarevall the translation of Malachie Bishop of Armagh was honourably celebrated MCXCII The Citie of Dublin was burnt MCXCIII Richard King of England in his return from the holy land was taken prisoner by the Duke of Austrich and he made an end by composition with the Emperour to pay for his ransome one hundred thousand markes and with the Empresse to pay thirtie thousand also with the foresaid Duke 20. thousand markes in regard of an obligation which he had made unto them for Henrie Duke of Saxonie Now hee remained in the Emperours prison a yeere sixe moneths and three daies For whose ransome all the Chalices in manner throughout England were sold. In the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Iugo Dei that is of Gods yoke MCXCIIII The reliques of S. Malachie Bishop of Clareval were brought into Ireland and with all honour that might be received in the Monasterie of Mellifont and the rest of the Monasteries of the Cistertian order MCXCV. Matthew Archbishop of Cassile Legate of Ireland John Archbishop of Dublin carried away the corps of Hugh Lacie the conquerour of Meth from the Irish and solemnely enterred it in the Monasterie of Blessednesse that is Becty But the head of the said Hugh was bestowed in the Monastery of Saint Thomas in Dublin MCXCVIII The order of Friers Preachers began in the parts about Tolouse by Dominicke the second MCXCIX Richard King of England died after whom succeeded John his brother who was Lord of Ireland and Earle of Mortaigne which John slew Arthur the lawfull heire sonne of Geffrey his whole brother And in this manner died Richard When K. Kichard besieged the Castle of Chaluz in little Britaine wounded he was to death with an arrow by one of those in the said Castle named Bertram Gurdon And when he dispaired of his life hee demised the Kingdome of England and all his other lands unto his brother to keep All his Jewels and one fourth part of his Treasure he gave unto his Nephew Otho and another fourth part of his Treasure he gave and commanded to be dealt among his servants and the poore Now when the said Bertram was apprehended and brought before the King the K. demanded of him in these termes what harme have I done thee that thou hast slaine me Unto whom without any manner of feare he answered thus Thou killedst my father and two of my brethren with thine owne hand and me also thou wouldest now have killed Take therefore what revenge so ever thou wilt of me for I passe not so thou maist be slaine that hast wrought so many mischiefes to the world Then the King forgave him his death and commanded that hee should be let goe at libertie and to give him besides one hundred shillings sterling But after the King was dead some of the Kings ministers slayed the said Beâ—â—â—am and hung him up And this King yeelded up his vitall breath the eighth day before the Ides of April which fell out to be the fourth day of the weeke before Palme-Sunday and the eleventh day after he was wounded and buried hee was at Foâ—â— Eâ—â—ard at the feet of his father Touching whose death a certaine versifier saith thus Istiâ— in morte perimit formica leonem Proh dolor in tanto funere mundus obit In this mans death as is well seene the Ant a Lion slaies And in so great a death alas the world doth end her daies The Corps of which King Richard is divided into three parts Whence was this verse made Viscera Carceolum Corpus Fons servat Ebrardi Et Cor Rhothomagum magne Richarde tuum Thy bowels onely Carceol keeps thy Corps Font-Everard And Roan hath keeping of thy heart O puissant Richard When King Richard was departed this life his brother John was girt with the sword of the Duchy of Normandie by the Archbishop of Rhoan the seventh day before the Calends of May next ensuing after the death of the aforesaid King which Archbishop did set upon the head of the said Duke a Circle flower with golden roses in the top round about Also upon the sixth day before the Calends of June hee was anointed and crowned King of England all the Lords and Nobles of England being present within the Church of Saint Peter in Westminster upon the day of the Lords Ascension and afterwards was John King of England called to a Parliament in France by the King of France to answer as touching the death of his Nephew Arthur and because he came not he deprived him of Normandy The same yeere was the Abbey of Commerer founded MCC Cathol Cronerg King of Conaght founder of the Monastery de Colle Victoriae that is of the Hill of Victorie is expelled out of Conaght The same yeere was founded the Monasterie de Voto that is Tynterne by William Marshall Earle Marshall and of Pembroch who was Lord of Leinster to wit of Weisford Ossory Caterlagh and Kildare in regard and right of his wife who espoused the daughter of Richard Earle of Stroghul and of Eve the daughter of Dermot-Mac-Murogh But because the foresaid William Earle Marshall was in exceeding great jeopardie both day and night in the sea he vowed a vow unto our Lord Jesus Christ that if he might be delivered from the tempest and come to land hee would make a Monasterie unto Christ and Marie his mother and so it came to passe when hee was come safe to Weisford he made I say the Monasterie of Tyntern according to his vow and called it the Monasterie De voto that is Of the vow In the same yeere was founded the Monasterie de Flumine Dei that is Of Gods river MCCII. Gathol Cronerg or Crorobdyr King of Conaght was set againe in his kingdome The same yeere is founded the house of Canons or Regular Priests of St. Marie by Sir Meiler Fitz-Henrie MCCIII The Abbey of S. Saviour that is Dowiâ—ky being founded was in this yeere and the next following built MCCIV. There was a field fought betweene John Curcie Earle of Ulster and Hugh Lacie at Doune in which battell many on both sides lost their lives But John Curcie had the upper
William Vescy fled into France and would not fight Then the King of England gave all the Seigniories and Lordships which were the Lord William Vescies unto Sir John fitz-Fitz-Thomas to wit Kildare Rathemgan and many others The same yeere Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester returned out of Ireland into England likewise Richard Earle of Ulster soon after the feast of S. Nicholas was taâ—en prisoner by Sir John Fitz-Thomas and kept in ward within the Castle of Ley unto the feast of Saint Gregorie the Pope whose enlargement was then made by the counsell of the Lord the King in a Parliament at Kilkenny for the taking of whom the foresaid Sir Iohn fitz-Fitz-Thomas gave all his lands to wit Slygah with the pertenances which he had in Connaght Item the Castle of Kildare was won Kildare and the country round about it is spoiled by the English and Irish. Caluagh burnt all the Rolls and Tallies of the said Earle Great dearth and pestilence there was throughout Ireland this yeere and the two next ensuing Item Lord William Odyngzele is made Justice of Ireland MCCXCV Edward King of England built the Castle de Bello-Marisco that is Beaumaris in Venedocia which is called mother of Cambria and of the common sort Anglesey entring unto the said Anglesey straight after Easter and subduing the Venodotes that is the able men of Anglesey under his dominion and soone after this time namely after the feast of St. Margaret Madock at that time the elect Prince of Wales submitting himselfe to the Kings grace and favour was brought by Iohn Haverings to London and there shut up prisoner in the towre expecting the Kings grace and benevolence This yeere died Lord William Odingzele Justice of Ireland the morrow after S. Mary of Aegypt whom succeeded Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice in the Justiceship Item about the same time the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster burning New-castle with other townes Item Thomas Torbevile a traitor of the King and the realm being convicted was drawne through the middest of London lying along prostrate guarded with foure tormentors disguised under vizzards taunting and reviling him and thus in the end was hanged upon a jibbet in chaines so as his carcase might not be committed to sepulture but kites carrion crowes and ravens celebrated his funerals This Thomas was one of them which at the siege of the Castle of Rions were taken prisoners and brought to Paris Who spake unto the Peeres of France and said that he would betray the King of England into their hands and leaving there his two sonnes for hostages returned from the parts beyond-sea joining himself unto the King of England and his counsell relating unto them all how craftily he escaped out of prison and when hee had gotten intelligence of the Kings designement and the ordering of the kingdome hee put all in writing and directed the same unto the Provost of Paris For which being in the end convicted he received the sentence of judgement aforesaid Item about the same time the Scots having broken the bond of peace which they had covenanted with the Lord Edward King of England made a new league with the King of France and conspiring together rose up in armes against their owne soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Balliol and enclosed him within the inland parts of Scotland in a castle environed and fensed round about with mountaines They elected unto themselves after the manner of France twelve Peeres to wit foure Bishops foure Earles and foure Lords of the Nobilitie by whose will and direction all the affaires of the kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite and to disgrace the King of England for that against the will and consent of the Scots the said John was by the King of England set over them to be their Soveraigne Item the King of England brought an armie againe toward Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancie and presumption of the Scots against their owne father and King Item Sir Iohn Wogan was made Justice of Ireland and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Maurice gave place unto him Item the said John Wogan Justice of Ireland made peace and truce to last for two yeeres betweene the Earle of Ulster and Iohn Fitz-Thomas and the Geraldines Item in these dayes about the feast of Christ his Nativitie Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester finished this life Item the King of England sendeth his brother Edmund with an armie into Gascoigne MCCXCVI The Lord Edward King of England the third day before the Calends of Aprill to wit upon Friday that fell out then to be in Easter weeke wonne Berwicke wherein were slaine about 7000. Scots and of the English one onely Knight to wit Sir Richard Cornwall with seven footmen and no more Item shortly after namely upon the fourth of May he entred the Castle of Dunbar and tooke prisoners of the enemies about fortie men alive who all submitted themselves to the Kings grace and mercie having before defeated the whole armie of the Scots that is to say slaine seven hundred men of armes neither were there slaine of the English men in that service as well of horsemen as of footmen but ... footmen onely Item upon the day of Saint John before Port-Latin no small number of Welshmen even about fifteene thousand by commandement of the King went into Scotland to invade and conquer it And the same time the great Lords of Ireland to wit Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Theobald Butler and Iohn fitz-Fitz-Thomas with others came to aide and sailed over sea into Scotland The King of England also entertaining them upon the third day before the Ides of May to wit on Whitsunday made a great and solemne feast in the Castle of Rokesburgh to them and other Knights of England Item upon the next Wednesday before the feast of Saint Barnabe the Apostle hee entred the towne of Edeâ—burgh and wonne the Castle before the feast of Saint John Baptist and shortly after even in the same summer were all the Castles within the compasse of Scotland rendred up into his hands Item the same Lord John Balliol King of Scotland came though unwilling upon the Sunday next after the feast of the translation of Saint Thomas the Archbishop to the King of England with Earles Bishops and a great number of Knights beside and submitted themselves unto the Kings grace and will saving life and limbe and the Lord John Balliol resigned up all his right of Scotland into the King of England his hand whom the Lord the King sent toward the parts about London under safe conduct Item Edmund the King of Englands brother died in Gascoigne MCCXCVII Lord Edward King of England sailed over into Flanders with a power of armed men against the King of France for the warre that was raised betweene them where after great expences and much altercation a certaine forme of peace was concluded betweene them with this condition that they should submit themselves unto the ordinance of
the Citie of Burdeaux with other Cities lying round about it which by the sedition of the Frenchmen had been at any time alienated from Edward King of England were restored unto him againe upon St. Andrewes even by the industrie of the L. Hastings MCCCIII The Earle of Ulster to wit Richard Bourk and Sir Eustace Pover entred Scotland with a puissant armie but after that the Earle himselfe had first made thirtie three Knights in the Castle of Dublin hee passed over into Scotland to aide the King of England Item Gerald the sonne and heire of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas departed out of this world In the same yeere Pope Boniface excommunicated the King and Queene of France and their children Hee renewed also all the priviledges granted at any time unto the Universitie of Paris and straight after the Pope was taken prisoner and kept as it were in prison three whole daies And soone after the Pope died likewise the Countesse of Ulster deceased Also Wulfrane Wellesly and Sir Robert Percivell were slaine the 11. day before the Calends of November MCCCIIII A great part of Dublin was burnt to wit the Bridge street with a good part of the Key and the Church of the Friers Preachers and the Church of the Monks with no small part of the Monasterie about the Ides of June to wit on the Feast day of S. Medard Also the first stone of the Friers Preachers Quire in Dublin was laid by Eustace Lord Pover on the Feast of S. Agatha Virgin Likewise after the Feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie the King of France invaded Flanders againe in proper person with a puissant armie Then bare he himselfe bravely in the war and fought manfully so long untill two or three horses of service were slaine under him but at last he lost his cap that under his helmet was put upon his head which the Flemings taking up carried by way of scornfull derision upon a lance as a banner and in all the famous Faires of Flanders put it out at the high window of some place or stately house like the signe of an Inne or Taverne and shewed it in token of victorie MCCCV Jordan Comyn with his complices slew Moritagh O-Conghir King of Offalie and Calwagh his whole brother and certain others in the Court of Sir Piers Brymgeham at Carrick in Carbrey likewise Sir Gilbert Sutton Seneschal of Weisford was slaine by the Irish neere unto a village or House of Haymund Grace which Haymund verily in the said skirmish manfully carried himselfe but stoutly escaped Item in Scotland the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke forgetting his oath made to the King of England slew Sir John Rede Comyn within the cloisture of the Friers Minors of Dunfrese and soone after caused himselfe to be crowned King of Scotland by the hands of two Bishops to wit of S. Andrewes and of Glasco in the towne of Scone to the confusion of himselfe and of many others MCCCVI A great discomfiture was made in Offaly neere unto the Castle of Gesbill on the Ides of Aprill upon O-Conghor by O-Dympcies in which was slaine O-Dympcey Leader of the Regans with a great traine accompanying him Also O-Brene King of Towmond died Item Donald Oge Mac Carthy slew Donald Ruff that is the Red King of Desmund Item a lamentable defeature fell upon the part of Piers Brymegham the fourth day before the Calends of May in the Marches of Meth. Item Balymore in Leinster was burnt by the Irish where at the same time Henry Calfe was slaine and there arose war betweene the English and the Irish in Leinster for which cause there was assembled a great armie from divers parts of Ireland to bridle the malice of the Irish in Leinster in which expedition Sir Tho. Mandevil Knight and a brave warriour had a great conflict with the Irish neere to Clenfell in which conflict he behaved himselfe valiantly untill his horse of service was slaine and won much praise and honour by saving many a man and himselfe also Item M. Thomas Cantock Chancellour of Ireland was consecrated Bishop of Ymelasen in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin with great honour at whose consecration were present the Elders of all Ireland where there was so sumptuous and so great a feast made first unto the rich and afterwards to the poore as the like had never been heard of before in Ireland Item Richard Feringes Archbishop of Dublindied in the Vigile of Saint Luke after whom succeeded Master Richard Haverings who occupied the Archbishoprick almost five yeeres by Apostolicall dispensation Who also resigned up his Archbishoprick after whom succeeded John Leth. The occasion and cause of his giving over as the Arch-deacon of Dublin of good memorie his Nephew hath reported was this for that one night hee dreamed that a certaine Monster heavier than the whole world stood eminently aloft upon his brest from the weight whereof he chose rather to be delivered than alone to have all the goods of the world but when he wakened hee thought with himselfe this was nothing else but the Church of Dublin the fruits whereof hee received and tooke no paines for the same As soone as hee could therefore he came unto the Lord the Pope of whom hee was much beloved and there renounced and gave over the Archbishopricke For hee had as the same Archdeacon avouched fatter benefices and livings than the Archbishopricke came unto Item Edward King of England in the feast of Pentecost that is Whitsontide made Edward his son Knight in London at which feast were dubbed about 400. Knights and the said Edward of Caernarvan newly knighted made threescore Knights of those abovesaid and kept his feast in London at the New Temple and his father gave unto him the Dutchy of Aquitaine Item the same yeere in the feast of Saint Potentiana the Bishop of Winchester and the Bishop of Worcester by commandement from the Lord the Pope excommunicated Robert Brus the pretended King of Scotland and his confederates for the death of Iohn Rede Comyn In the same yeere upon S. Boniface his day Aumarde Valence Earle of Pembroch and Lord Guy Earle ............ slew many Scots and the Lord Robert Brus was defeated without the town of S. Iohns And the same yeere about the feast of the Nativitie of St. Iohn Baptist King Edward went toward Scotland by water from Newarke to Lincolne Item the same yeere the Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell and the Countesse of Carricke the pretended Queene of Scotland daughter of the Earle of Ulster were taken prisoners The Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell were first torne and mangled As for the Countesse she remained with the King in great honour but the rest died miserably in Scotland Item about the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie two brethren of Robert Brus professing pyracie went out of their gallies a land to prey and were taken with sixteen Scots besides and those two themselves
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
slaine Item afterwards upon St. Nicolas day the said Brus departed out of Cragfergus unto whom the Earle of Moreff presented himselfe with 500. men unto the parts about Dundalk they came together and to them many fled and some gave unto them their right hands and from thence they passe on to Nobee where they left many of their men about the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle and Brus himselfe burnt Kenlys in Meth and Grenard Abbey and the said Monastery he rifled and spoiled of all the goods in it Also Finnagh and New-castle he burnt and all that countrey and they kept their Christmas at Loghfudy and then burnt it And after this they marched forward by Totmoy unto Rathymegan and Kildare and the parts about Tristeldermot and Athy and Reban not without losse of their men And then came Brus to Skethy neere Arscoll in Leinster where there encountred him in fight the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland and Sir John fitz-Fitz-Thomas and Thomas Arnald Power and other Noble-men of Leinster and of Mounster insomuch as one of those Lords with his army was sufficient to vanquish the said Edw. and his forces But there arose a discord among them and so being disordered and in confusion they leave the field unto the said Edward according to that which is written Every kingdome divided in it selfe shal be made desolate There also was slaine a noble esquire and faithfull to the King and the Realme Haymund Grace and with him Sir William Prendregest Knight On the Scots part were slaine Sir Fergus Andressan Sir Walter Morrey and many others whose bodies were buried at Athy in the Covent of the Friers Preachers Afterwards the said Brus in his returne toward Meth burnt the castle de Loy and then the said Scots depart away from Kenlis in Meth against whom the Lord Roger Mortimer came with a great armie well neere 15000. but as it is thought not true and faithfull among themselves but now confederate with the Lord Roger who about three of the clock began to flie and turned their backs and principally the Lacies leaving the Lord Roger alone with a few whom it behoved then to flie toward Dublin and to Sir Walter Cusake at the Castle of Trim leaving with the Scots that countrey and the towne of Kenlis Also at the same time the Irish of the South to wit the O-Tothiles and the O-brynnes burnt all the South-country namely Arclo Newcastle Bree and all the villages adjoining And the O-Morghes fired and wasted part of the Leys in Leinster whom for the most part the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland slew whose heads to the number of fourescore were brought to the castle of Dublin Item in the same yeere about the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Marie certain Lords of Ireland and the Lord fitz-Fitz-Thomas the Lord Richard Clare Lord John Pover and the Lord Arnald Pover for to establish peace greater securitie with the King of England came to Sir John Hothom assigned there by the said King of England which said Lords and Nobles sware to hold with the King of England come life come death and to their power to quiet the countrey and make peace and to kill the Scots For the performance whereof by the leave and helpe of God they gave hostages and so returned which forme if other Nobles of the land of Ireland would not keepe they were generally held for the Kings enemies Item there died Sir John Bisset And the Church of the new towne of Leys with the steeple and belfray was by the Scots burnt The Scots won the Castle of Northburgh in Ulster Also Fidelmic O-Conghir King of Connaght slew Rorke the sonne of Cathol O-Conghir More Sir William Maundevile died and the Bishop of Conere fled to the Castle of Crag-fergus and his Bishoprick was liable to an interdiction and Sir Hugh Antonie is killed in Connaght Item in the same yeere on Saint Valentines day the Scots abode neere Geshil and Offaly and the armie of the English about the parts of Kildare and the Scots endured so great famine that many of them were starved to death and for the same cause they tooke their way closely toward Fowier in Meth. The Sunday following so feeble they were what with hunger and what with travaile that most of them died And afterwards the Nobles came unto the Parliament and did nothing there but as they returned spoiled all the countrey and the Lord Walter Lacie came to Dublin for to cleere himselfe of an imputation touching his credit laied upon him and to tender hostages unto the Lord the King as other Nobles had done and the same time Edward Brus peaceably abode in Ulster Item the O-Tothiles and O-Brynnes the Archibaulds and Harolds conspired and banded together the towne of Wicklo and the whole countrey they laied wast And in the first weeke of Lent the Earle of Moreff sailed over into Scotland and Brus held plees in Ulster and caused many to be hanged Also in the midst of Lent Brus held Plees and slew the Logans and took Sir Alan Fitz-Warin and carried him into Scotland Also in the same yeere Fennyngher O-Conghir slew Cale-Rothe and with him of Galloglaghes and others about three hundred The same yeere in Mid-Lent wheat was sold for 18. shillings and at Easter following for 11. shillings MCCCXVI Lord Thomas Mandevile with many others came from Tredagh to Crag-fergus upon Maunday Thursday and joyned battaile with the Scots put them to flight and slew thirtie of the Scots and afterward on Easter even the said Lord Thomas with his men charged upon the Scots and slew many of them about the Calends and there was slain the said Lord Thomas Maundevile in his own country in defence of his right Item in the parts of Connaght many Irish were slaine by Lord Richard Clare and Lord Richard Bermingham Item on Saturday after the Lords Ascension Donnyger O-Brynne a strong thiefe with twelve of his confederates was slain by Sir William Comyn and his followers keepers of the peace whose heads were carried to Dublin Item the Dundalkers made a rode against O-Hanlan and slew of the Irish about two hundred and Robert Verdon a warlike esquire there lost his life Item at Whitsontide the same yeere Richard Bermingham slew of the Irish in Mounster about three hundred or more and afterwards at the feast of the Nativitie of S. John Baptist came Brus to the Castle of Crag-fergus and commanded the keepers to render up the Castle unto him according to the covenant between them made as he said who answered that they ought indeed so to doe and willed him to send thirtie of his men about him and required that he would grant them within life and limbe who did so but after they had received thirtie Scots into the Castle they shut them up and kept them in prison At the same time the Irish of O-mayl went toward the parts of Tullogh fought a battell whereupon of the Irish
were slaine about foure hundred whose heads were sent to Dublin and wonders were afterwards seene there The dead as it were arose and fought one with another and cried out Fennokabo which was their signal And afterward about the feast of the translation of S. Thomas there were rigged and made ready eight ships and set out from Tredagh to Crag-fergus with victuals Which were by the Earle of Ulster much troubled for the delivery of William Burk who had been taken with the Scots and the Saturday following there were made friends and united at Dublin the Earle of Ulster and the Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas and many of the Nobles sworne and confederate to live and die for the maintenance of the peace of Ireland The same yeere newes came out of Connaght that O-Conghir slew many of the English to wit Lord Stephen of Excester Miles Cogan and many of the Barries and of the Lawlies about fourescore Item the weeke after Saint Laurence feast there arose in Connaght foure Irish Princes to make warre against the English against whom came the Lord William Burk the Lord Richard Bermingham the Lord of Anry with his retinue of the country and of the same Irish about eleven thousand fell upon the edge of the sword neere unto Anry which town was walled afterwards with the mony raised of armor and spoile gotten from the Irish because every one of the English that had double armours of the Irish gave the one halfe deale toward the walls of the towne Anry Slaine were there Fidelmic O-Conghir a petty King or Prince of Connaght O-Kelley and many other Princes or Potentates John Husee a butcher of Anry fought there who the same night at the request of his Lord of Anry stood among the dead to seek out and discover O-Kelley which O-Kelley with his Costrell or esquire rose out of their lurking holes and cried unto the foresaid man to wit Husee come with mee and I will make thee a great Lord in my countrey And Husee answered I will not goe with thee but thou shalt goe to my Lord Richard Bermingham Then said O-Kelley Thou hast but one servant with thee and I have a doughtie esquire therefore come with mee that thou maist bee safe unto whom his owne man also said Agree and goe away with O-Kelley that wee may be saved and inriched because they are stronger than we But the said John Husee first killed his owne servant and O-Kelley and his Esquire and cut off all their three heads and carried them to his Lord Richard Bermingham and that Bermingham gave unto the said John Hussee faire lands and dubbed him Knight as he well deserved The same yeere about the feast of S. Laurence came O-Hanlan to Dundalk for to destreine and the Dundalkers with their men killed a number Item on Monday next before the feast of the nativitie of Saint Mary came David O-Tothill with foure more and hid himselfe secretly all night long in Coleyn wood which the Dublinians and Sir William Comyn perceiving went forth and manfully pursued them for sixe leagues and slew of them about seventeen and wounded many to death Also there ran rumors to Dublin that the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland entred Ireland to aid Edward Brus his brother and the Castle of Crag-fergus in Ulster was besieged by the foresaid Scots The Monasteries of St. Patrick of Dune and of Seball and many other houses as well of Monkes as of regular preaching Friers and Minors were spoiled in Ulster by the Scots Item the Lord William Burk leaving his son for an hostage in Scotland is set free The Church of Brught in Ulster being in manner full of folke of both sexes is burnt by the Scots and Irish of Ulster At the same time newes came from Crag-fergus that those which kept the Castle for default of victuals did eat hides and leather yea and eight Scots who before were taken prisoners great pity and griefe that no man relieved such And the Friday following newes were brought that Thomas the sonne of the Earle of Ulster was dead Also the Sunday following the feast of the nativitie of the blessed Virgin died Lord Iohn fitz-Fitz-Thomas at Laraghbrine neere unto Mayneth and he was buried at Kildare among the Friers Minors Of which Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas it is said that a little before his death he was created Earle of Kildare after whom succeeded his sonne and heire the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn a prudent and wise personage And afterwards newes came that the Castle of Crag-fergus was rendred to the Scots and granted there was to the keepers of it life and limbe Also upon the day of the exaltation of the holy Crosse Conghar and Mac-keley were slaine with five hundred of the Irish by the Lord William Burke and Richard Bermingham in Connaght Item on Munday before Holloughmas happened a great slaughter of the Scots in Ulster by John Loggan and Hugh Bisset to wit one hundred with double armour and two hundred with single armour The number of those men of armes that were slaine in all was three hundred beside footmen And afterward in the Vigill of Saint Edmund King there fell a great tempest of winde and raine which overthrew many houses and the Steeple of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin and did much harme on land and sea Also in the Vigill of S. Nicholas Sir Alan Stewart taken prisoner in Ulster by John Loggan and Sir John Sandale was brought unto the Castle of Dublin In the same yeere newes arrived out of England that the Lord King of England and the Earle of Lancaster were at variance and that they were desirous one to surprize the other for which cause the whole land was in great trouble Item in the same yeere about the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle sent there were to the Court of Rome the Lord Hugh Despencer the Lord Bartholmew Baldesmere the Bishop of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely about important affaires of the Lord King of England for Scotland who returned into England about the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Also after the said feast the Lacies came to Dublin and procured an inquisition to prove that the Scots by their meanes came not into Ireland which inquisition acquitted them Whereupon they had a charter of the Lord the King of peace and upon the Sacrament given unto them they tooke an oath to keepe the peace of the Lord King of England and to their power to destroy the Scots And afterwards even in the same yeere after the feast of Shrovetide the Scots came secretly as farre as to Slane with twenty thousand armed men and the armie of Ulster joyned with them who spoiled the whole countrey before them And after this on munday next before the feast of S. Matthias the Apostle the Earle of Ulster was taken in the Abbey of St. Mary by the Maior of the Citie of Dublin to wit Robert Notingham and brought to the castle of Dublin where
he was kept in hold a long time and the chamber wherein hee lay was burned and seven of the said Earles men were there killed In the same weeke and upon the Vigill of St. Matthias came Brus with his armie toward Dublin and because he had quickly intelligence of the said Earles apprehension he tooke his journey toward the castle of Knocke and entred the said castle and tooke the Lord Baron of the same namely the Lord Hugh Tirell and his wife who for a peece of money were delivered And the same night by common consent the men of Dublin for feare of the Scots burnt St. Thomas street and with the said fire the Church of St. Iohn with the chappell of S. Marie Maudlen was by casualtie burnt yea and all the suburbs of Dublin were set on fire together with the Monasterie of S. Mary and the Church of St. Patricke in Dublin was by the said villaines spoiled Item the said Maior with the Communaltie destroied the Church of St. Saviour which is the place of the Friers Preachers and carried away the stones of the same place toward the building of the Citie wall which hee then enlarged on the North side above the Key because the wall at first went along by the Church of St. Owen where a tower is to be seene beyond the gate and in the Vintners street appeareth another gate But afterwards the King of England commanded the Maior and Communalty to make a covent Church of Friers as before And after the feast of Saint Matthias Brus understanding that the Citie was strongly walled and fortified took his journey toward the Salmon leape and there they pitched their tents namely Robert Brus King of the Scots Edward Brus the Earle of Morrey Iohn de Menteth the Lord Iohn Steward the Lord Philip Mountbray and abode there foure daies and burnt part of the towne brake downe the Church and spoiled it and afterwards marched on toward the Naas and the Lacies against their oath conducted them and gave them counsell and Sir Hugh Canon appointed Wadin White his wives brother to be their guide through the countrey and they came to the Naas and sacked the towne brake into the Churches opened the tombes in the Church-yard to seeke for treasure and did much mischiefe while they remained there for two daies together And afterwards they went on toward Tristeldermot in the second week of Lent and destroied the Friers minors the books vestiments and other ornaments they had away and then departed from thence to Baligaveran and from Baligaveran leaving the towne of Kilkenny they came as far as to Kallan about the feast of St. Gregorie the Pope At the same time there came letters from the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare the Lord Richard Clare the Lord Arnald Pover and the Lord Maurice fitz-Fitz-Thomas for the delivery of the Earle of Ulster by mainprise and by a writ of the Kings about which nothing was then done And afterward the Ulster men came with an armie about two thousand and craved the Kings aide for to destroy the Scots as they said for which cause the Kings standard was delivered unto them and when they had it they did more harme than the Scots and fell to eating of flesh all Lent long and wasted in manner the whole countrey whereby they purchased the curse of God and man Item a great overthrow was given unto the Irish neere unto the desert of Dermot that is Trostil-Dermot by Edmund Botiller Also the same Edmund Botiller Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being gave a great overthrow to O-Morgh at Balilethan Then Brus with the Scots marched forward as faâ—â—e as Limericke But after that the bravest forces of the English in Ireland were assembled together at Ledyn they retired privily by night from the castle of Conniger And about Palme-sunday there came newes to Dublin that the Scots were at Keâ—â—ys in 〈◊〉 and the Nobles of Ireland at Kilkenny and there levied a power to set forward against Brus and the munday following the King gave commandement to the men of Ulster to speed them against the Scots whose leader and head the Earle of Kildare to wit Thomas Fitz-John was appointed to bee and so they put themselves on their journey and then was Brus at Cashill and hee marched from thence to Nanath and there abode and all the lands of the Lord Butler hee burnt and destroied quite MCCCXVII Upon Mandie thursday the Lord Edm. Botiller the Lord Justice of Ireland and Sir Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kyldare because the King gave unto them the jurisdiction and liberty of the countie of Kildare also Richard Clare with the army of Ulster Sir Arnold Poâ—â—r Baron of Donnoyll Maurice Roch-fort Thomas Fitz-Moris and the Caâ—ntons with their retime assembled themselves together about the Scots and for one whole weeke abode about them and did nothing whose forces were reckoned to be about 30000. strong And afterwards upon thursday in Easter weeke arrived Roger Mortimer at Yoghall with the Kings power because hee was Lord Justice and the munday following speedily took his journy toward the army and sent his letters unto Edmund Botiller late as it hath beene said Justice that hee should attempt nothing against the Scots before his comming But before that Mortimer came Brus was forewarned by some to depart from thence who the night following tooke his journey toward Kildare and afterwards in the weeke following every one of the English returned hence into their countrey and the army of Ulster came to the Naas And at the same time two messengers were dispatched from the city of Dublin who passed the seas toward the King of England to aske advice and to advertise as touching the State of Ireland and about the deliverance of the Earle of Ulster Also at the same time the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland and the Nobles of Ireland were at Kilkenny to dispose of Brus but nothing effected they there at that time And about a moneth after Easter Brus advanced with his army about 4. leagues neere unto Trim in a certain wood and there staied a weeke and more to refresh his men who with 〈◊〉 and travaile were almost perished and for that many of them died there And afterwards on Philip and Jacob the Apostles day the said Brus entred on his journy toward Ulster and after the said feast came the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland to Dublin accompanied with the Lord John Wogan and Sir Fulk Warin with thirtie Knights and their traines and they held a Parliament with all the Lords and Potentates of the land at Kylmainan but did nothing there save onely treat about the deliverance of the Earle of Ulster And on the sunday before the feast of our Lords ascension there repaired again unto the Parliament at Dublin the said Nobles of the land and there they delivered the Earle of Ulster by mainpriâ—e and hostages and upon an oath And
brought letters to the Lord Roger Mortimer that he should addresse himselfe to repaire unto the King who did so and substituted the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Custos of Ireland who at one and the same time was Lord Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellour and Archbishop And afterward at the three weekes end after Easter there came newes to Dublin that the Lord Richard Clare was slaine and with him foure Knights namely Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Cannon and Sir John Caunton also Adam Apilgard with 80. other men by O-Brene and Mac-Carthy on the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus And it was reported that the said Lord Richard his body was in despightfull malice cut into small pieces but his reliques were enterred in Limerick among the Friers Minors Item on sunday in Mense Paschae that is a moneth after Easter Iohn Lacy was led forth of the castle of Dublin and brought to Trim for to be arraigned and to heare and receive his judgment there who was adjudged to be strait dieted and so he died in prison Item the sunday before the Lords Ascension Lord Roger Mortimer sailed over into England but paied nothing for his victuals that he had taken up in Dublin and elsewhere which amounted to the value of one thousand pounds Also the same yeere about the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the great grace and mercy of God was shewed in that wheat which before was sold for 15. shillings was now not worth above seven shillings and oates were bought for five shillings great plentie there was of wine salt and fish and that in such sort that about St. Iames day there was new bread to be had of new corne a thing that never or seldome had been seen afore in Ireland and this was a signe of Gods tender mercy and all through the praier of the poore and other faithfull folke Item the Sunday after the feast of Saint Michael newes came to Dublin that Lord Alexander Bykenore then the Kings Justice in Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arrived at Yoghall On S. Denis day he came to Dublin and with great procession and honourable pompe of the religious persons and of others as well of the Clergy as the Laity he was received Item on Saturday falling out to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a field was fought betweene the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from the towne of Dundalk to which battell came of the Scots part the Lord Edward Brus who named himselfe King of Ireland the Lord Philip Mowbray the Lord Walter Soules the Lord Alan Stewart with his three brethren also Sir Walter Lacy Sir Robert and Sir Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White and about 3000. others Against whom came into the field of the English side the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir Iohn Cusack Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who assoiled them all Sir Walter Larpulk and certain came from Tredagh to the number of twenty well appointed and choice souldiers whom John Maupas accompanied and so they joined the said battell The English were the first that entred with great vigour upon the front and vaward where the said John Maupas manfully and with much honour in this conflict slew the Lord Edward Brus which John also was found slaine upon the body of the said Edward and all the Scots in manner were killed up even to the number of two thousand or thereabout whereby few of the Scots escaped beside the Lord Philip Mowbray who also was wounded to death and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy with some few others that were with them made shift hardly to save themselves This fortuned between Dundalk and Faghird Now the head of the foresaid Edward the said Lord John Bermingham brought unto the said Lord King of England upon whom the King bestowed at the same time the Earledome of Louth to him and to his heires males and the Barony of Aterith And one quarter with the hands and heart of the foresaid Edward were carried to Dublin and the other quarters divided and sent to other places MCCCXIX The Lord Roger Mortimer returned out of England and is eftsoones made Lord Justice of Ireland The same yeere at the feast of All-Saints came a Bull from the Pope to excommunicate Robert Brus King of Scotland at every Masse Also the towne of Athisell and a great part of the country was burnt by the Lord John fitz-Fitz-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas In this yeere the foresaid Iohn Bermingham was created Earle of Louth Also the Stone bridge of Kil-Coleyn was built by Master Moris Iacke Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of Pope John the 22. and of the Lord Edward sonne to King Edward which Edward after the comming of Saint Austin into England was the 25. King also under Alexander Bicknore then Archbishop of Dublin beganne the Universitie of the said Citie of Dublin The first that proceeded Master in the same Universitie was Frier William Hardite of the order of preaching Friers which William under the said Archbishop solemnly commenced Doctor in Divinity The second Master that proceeded in the same faculty was Frier Henry Cogry of the order of the Friers Minors the third Master that went forth was William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin who solemnly commenced Doctor in the Canon law And this William was made the first Chancellour of the said University The fourth Master in sacred Theologie or Divinity that went out was Frier Edmund Kermerdin Item Roger Mortimer Lord Justice of Ireland returned into England leaving in his place the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare Item the Lord Edmund Botiller entred into England and so came to Saint James Also the bridge of the towne of Leghelyn was built by Master Moris Iack Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXXI A very great overthrow with much slaughter of the O-Conghors was given at Balibogan the ninth day of May by the men of Leinster and of Meth. Item the Lord Edmund Botiller died in London and lieth buried at Balygaveran in Ireland Also Iohn Bermingham Earle of Louth is made Lord Justice in Ireland Likewise Iohn Wogan departed this life MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicolas de La-Lond Knight and many others are slaine by O-Nalan on St. Michaels day MCCCXXIII A truce is taken betweene the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland for 14. yeeres Also Iohn Darcie came chiefe Justice of Ireland Item John the first begotten sonne of the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare in the ninth yeere of his age ended this life MCCCXXIV Nicolas Genevile sonne and heire to the Lord Simon Genevile departed out of this world and was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers of Trym Item there hapned a great wind on twelfe day at night Item a generall murrain
there was of oxen and kine in Ireland MCCCXXV Richard Lederede Bishop of Ossorie cited Dame Alice Ketyll upon her perverse hereticall opinion and caused her to make personall appearance before him and being examined as touching sorceries he found by an enquest that she had practised sorceries among which this was one foule fact of hers that a certaine spirit named Robyn Artysson lay with her and that she offered unto him nine red cockes at a stone bridge in a certaine foure crosse high way Item that she swept the streets of Kilkenny with beesomes between Complin and Courefew and in sweeping the filth toward the house of William Utlaw her sonne by way of conjuring mumbled these words Unto the house of William my sonne Hie all the wealth of Kilkenny towne Now the complices of the said Alice and those that agreed unto this divelish and wretched practise of hers were one Pernill of Meth and Basilia the daughter of the same Pernil When the above named Alice was by inquisition attainted of these foresaid imputations the Bishop punished her by the purse and caused her utterly to abjure all sorcerie and witch-craft But when afterwards shee stood convict eftsoones of the same crime herselfe with the foresaid Basilia fled but was never after found As for the said Pernill she was burnt at Kilkenny but at the houre of death shee avouched that the foresaid William deserved death as well as her selfe affirming that he for a yeere and a day wore the divels girdle upon his bare bodie Whereupon the Bishop caused the said William to bee apprehended and laid in prison for eight or nine weekes within the Castle of Kilkenny and by the Bishops decree and appointment hee had two men to give attendance and to minister unto him with expresse commandement not to speake unto him but once a day nor to eat or drinke with him At length the said William by the helpe of the Lord Arnald Poer Seneschall of the Countie of Kilkenny was delivered forth of prison and the foresaid William gave a great summe of money unto the abovenamed Arnold to imprison the Bishop aforesaid The Lord Arnold before named caused the Bishop aforesaid to lye in prison about three moneths Now among the goods and implements of the said Alice there was a certaine holy Wafer-cake found having the name of the Divell imprinted upon it there was found also a boxe and within it an ointment wherewith she used to besmear or grease a certaine piece of wood called a Coultree which being thus annointed the said Alice with her complices could ride and gallop upon the said Coultree whethersoever they would all the world over through thick thin without either hurt or hindrance And because the foresaid things were so notorious Alice was cited againe to appeare at Dublin before M. Deane of the Church of St. Patricke there to finde greater favour Who there made her appearance and craved a day of answer under a sufficient mainprise and suretiship as it was thought But shee was no more to be seene for by the counsell of her sonne and others that were not knowne was she kept hidden in a farme house or village untill the winde served for England and so she passed over and never was it knowne whither she went Now because it was found by the inquisition and recognizance of the said Parnell condemned to be burnt that William Utlaw was consenting to his mother in her sorcerie and with-craft the Bishop caused him to be arrested and taken by the Kings writ and to be kept in prison who in the end through the supplication of great Lords was set free yet with this condition that he should cause the Church of S. Maries in Kilkenny to be covered all over with lead and to doe other almes-deeds by a certaine time which almes-deeds if he performed not within the said terme then he should be in the same state wherein he stood when he was taken by vertue of the Kings Processe MCCCXXVI A Parliament was holden at Whitsontide in Kilkenny unto which Parliament came the Lord Richard Burk the Earle of Ulster although he was somewhat weake and crazie thither repaired also all the Lords and Potentates of Ireland and there the said Earle made a great and noble feast unto the Lords and the people Afterwards the Lord Earle taking his leave of those Nobles and Lords went to Athisell where he ended his life And a little before the feast of S. John Baptist he was there enterred The Lord William Burk became his heire MCCCXXVII There arose a quarrell and a fray betweene the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Arnald Pover and the Lord Moris had in his traine and company the Lord Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham and the Lord Arnald had in his retinew the Bourkeins of whom the said Lord Morrice fitz-Fitz-Thomas slew many and some he chased into Connaght In the same yeere after Michaelmas the Lord Arnald came to aide the Bourkeins and by occasion of certaine rude and uncivill tearmes which the Lord Arnald had given out in calling him Rymour the said Morice raised an armie againe and together with Botiller and the said William Bermingham with a puissant hoast burnt the lands and possessions of the said Lord Arnâ—ld in Ofath Also the said William Bermingham fired the lands and man our houses of the Lord Arnald Pover in Mounster and Kenlys in Osserie he burnt so that the Lord Arnald was forced to fly with the Baron of Donnyl to Waterford and there they remained a moneth untill that the Earle of Kildare then Lord Justice of Ireland and others of the Kings Counsel took a day betweene them which day the Lord Arnald kept not but came to Dublin and passed the seas into England about the feast of the Purification and after that Arnald had sailed over the said Moris Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham with a great armie came spoiled harried and burnt the lands of the said Arnald and by reason of those puissant forces that they had led and the many mischiefes which they had done the Kings ministers of his Counsell feared lest he would besiege Cities and therefore the Cities made provision with more warding and watching the while betweene And when the said Lord Moris Botiler and William heard that the Cities made such provision and preparation before hand they gave intelligence unto the Kings Counsell that they would come to Kilkenny and there cleere himselves that they never thought to doe any noisance to the lands of their soveraigne Lord the King but onely to be revenged of their enemies Unto which Parliament came the Earle of Kildare then Justice of Ireland the Prior of Kilmaynon to wit Roger Outlaw Chancellour of Ireland Nicholas Fastoll Justice in the Bench and others of the Kings Counsell and the foresaid Moris and William demanded the Kings Charter of peace but they of the Kings Counsell warily making answer tooke day unto the moneth after Easter that they might
a peace was renewed there betweene the Earle of Ulster and the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas the said Lords with the Kings Counsel ordained there that the Kings peace should be fully kept so that every Nobleman and Chieftaine should keep in his owne sept retinew and servants and the said Earle of Ulster made a great feast in the Castle of Dublin and the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas the morrow after kept a great feast within the Church of St. Patrick in Dublin and Frier Roger Outlaw Justice of Ireland feasted likewise upon the third day at Kylmaynon and so they departed The same yeere on the Virgill of St. Barnabee the Apostle Sir John Bermingham Earle of Louth was slaine at Balybragan in Urgal by those of Urgal and with him Peter Bermingham the said Earles legitimate and whole brother also Robert Bermingham the same Earles putative brother Sir John Bermingham the son of his brother Richard Lord of Anry William Finne Bermingham the Unkles sonne by the mothers side of the foresaid Lord of Anry Simon Bermingham the same Williams sonne Thomas Bermingham the son of Robert of Conaght Peter Bermingham the sonne of Iames of Conaght Henry Bermingham of Conaght and Richard Talbot of Malaghide a valiant man at armes and two hundred with them whose names are not knowne Item after the foresaid slaughter the Lord Simon Genevile his men invaded the country of Carbry for to spoile and harry them in regard of their robberies and manslaughters committed many times in Meth but before the said invasion they of Carbry arose and slew of the said Simons men threescore and sixteen Also the same yeere on the morrow after holy Trinitie Sunday there came to Dublin John Gernon and Roger Gernon his brother in the behalfe of those of Urgal and made humble request that they might stand to be tried at the Common Law And on Tuesday which was the morrow after the feast of St. John Baptist John and Roger hearing that the Lord William Bermingham was comming departed out of Dublin The same yeere on the Vigill of St. Laurence the Lord Thomas Botiller went with a great power into the parts of Ardnorwith and there encountred the said Lord Thomas Williams Mac-Goghgan with his forces and there was the said L. Thomas to the great losse of the land of Ireland with him were killed the Lord John Ledewich Roger Ledewich Thomas Ledewich John Nangle Meiler Petit Simon Petit David Nangle Sir John Waringer James Terel Nicholas White William Freines Peter Kent John White and together with them one hundred and forty men whose names are unknowne And on the tuesday next before the feast of St. Bartholomew the body of the said Lord Thomas Botiller was conveied to Dublin and bestowed in the house of the preaching Friers but as yet not buried and the sunday next ensuing the feast of the beheading of St. Iohn Baptist the said Lord Thomas his corps was very honourably carried through the city and enterred in the Church of the preaching Friers and the wife of the said Lord John that day made a feast In the same yeere John Lord Dracy came Justice of Ireland the second time and the said Lord John espoused the Lady Joan de Burk Countesse of Kildare the third day of July at Maynoth Item Philip Stanton is slaine Also Henry Lord Traham is treacherously taken in his owne house at Kilbego by Richard the sonne of Philip Onolan More the Lord Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond burnt Foghird against Onolan for the foresaid Henries sake brother of Botiller The same yeere on wednesday next after the feast of the Ascension of the blessed Virgin Mary John Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland went toward the parts of Newcastle of Mac-Kingham and Wikelow against the O-Brynns and the monday following certain of Lawles were slaine and many wounded and namely Robert Locam was hurt and of the Irish the better sort were slaine many likewise wounded and the rest fled But Murkad O-Brynne yeelded himselfe an hostage together with his son unkle and unkles sonne and they were brought to the castle of Dublin But afterwards delivered for other hostages the better sort of their sept and kin The same yeere the Lord Justice namely the Lord John Darcy and those of the Kings Counsell in Ireland about the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord charged the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas of Desmund that himselfe should come into the field with his forces for to vanquish the Kings enemies giving him to understand that their soveraigne Lord the King would provide for to defray the charges of him and of his army and the said Moris came with his power and Briene O-Brene was in his company and their army consisted of ten thousand men and the said Lord Moris advanced with his army first against the O-Nolanes vanquished them gat a great bootie and wasted their lands with fire and the O-Nolanes fled and afterwards delivered hostages who were sent unto the castle of Dublin And afterwards the said Lord Moris made a journy against the O-Morches who did put in their hostages for to keepe the Kings peace The same time the castle of Ley which O-dympcy had won and kept was rendred up to the said Moris The same yeere after the Epiphany of our Lord Donald Arts Mac-Murgh made an escape out of the castle of Dublin by a cord which one Adam Nangle had bought for him which Adam afterwards was drawne and hanged MCCCXXX Mighty winds were up in divers places about the feast daies of St. Katherine S. Nicolas and of the Nativitie of our Lord by which wind part of the wall of a certain house fell downe and killed the wife of Sir Miles Verdon with his daughter on S. Nicolas even such winds as the like were never seene in Ireland Item there was such an inundation of the water of Boyn as never had been known before by which flood all the bridges as well of stone as of timber standing over the said water were utterly cast downe unlesse it were Babe bridge The water also carried away divers mills and did much hurt to the Friers Minors of Trym and Tredagh in breaking down their houses The same yeere about the feast of S. John Baptist there began a great dearth of corne in Ireland and continued untill Michaelmas Item a cranoc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings also a cranoc of oats for eight shillings and one cranoc of peason beanes and of barly for 8. shillings And this dearth hapned by occasion of abundance of raine so that much of the standing corne could not be reaped before the feast of St. Michael The same yeere the English of Meth made a slaughter of the Irish to wit of Mac-Goghigans people about Lent neere unto Loghynerthy whereupon the said Mac-Goghigan in anger burnt in those parts 25. small villages and sacked them which the English seeing gathered themselves together against him and of his men slew one hundred and among whom were slaine three Lords sons of
the Irish. Item the Lord William Burgh Earle of Ulster led forth an army out of Ulster into Mounster against Briene O-Brene Also the Lady Joan Countesse of Kildare was at Maynoth delivered of William her first sonne that the Lord John Darcy had by her whiles the Lord John abode in England Item Reymund Lawles is slaine treacherously at Wickelow More a Parliament was holden at Kilkenny by Frier Roger Utlaw the Prior of Kylmainon then Lievtenant under the Lord Justice at which were present Alexander Archbishop of Dublin the Lord William Earle of Ulster the Lord James Earle of Ormond the Lord William Bermingham and Walter Burk of Conaght and every of them with a great power set forward to expell Brien O-Brene out of Urkiff neere Cashill Also Walter Burk with his army of Connaght harried the lands of the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas bringing back with him the booty to Urkiff Item the Lord Earle of Ulster and the Earle of Desmund namely the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas for this is the first time that I call him Earle are appointed to the safe keeping of the Marshall at Lymeric by Frier Roger Utlaw Justice of Ireland But the Earle of Desmond by a wile escaped out of the custody of the said Marshall and went his way MCCCXXXI The Lord Hugh Lacy with the Kings pardon and peace entred Ireland Also the Earle of Ulster entred England Also there was given an overthrow to the Irish in Okenseley by the English the one and twenty day of April Item the same day on the Vigill of Saint Marke the Evangelist the O-Tothely came to Tanelagh and robbed Alexander Archbishop of Dublin tooke away three hundred sheepe and slew Richard White and other honest men of his company Then ran rumours to Dublin of that depredation and slaughter and Sir Philip Bryt knight and Frier Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight of the order of Knights Hospitalers Hamnud Archdekyn Iohn Chamberlane Robert Tyrell and the two sons of Reginald Bernewall and many others but especially of the retinew of the Lord Archbishop of Dublin were by a traine or ambush slaine by David O-Tothill in Culiagh Also the Lord William Bermingham led forth a great army against the foresaid Irish and did much harme unto them but more would have done had he not beene empeached by the false promises of the Irish. Item those of the English pale at Thurles gave a great overthrow unto Briene O-Brene and slew many of the Irish in the moneth of May. Item at Finnagh in Meth the English of the said pale defeated the Irish upon the eleventh day of June Also when famine encreased much in Ireland the mercy of God so disposed that upon the seven and twenty day of June there came to land a mighty multitude of great sea fishes to wit Thurlhedis such as in many ages past had never beene seene which by the estimation of many men amounted to the number of five hundred and this hapned neere unto Connyng and the water called Dodyz in the haven of Dublin about evening and Anthony Lord Lucy then Justice of Ireland with his owne people and certain citizens of Dublin amongst whom was Philip Cradock killed of the foresaid fishes above 200. and no man was forbidden to carry away the same Justice giving order therefore Item Antony Lord Lucy Justice of Ireland ordained a common Parliament at Dublin in the Utas of Saint Iohn Baptist unto which certaine of the Ancients of the land came not Then the said Justice removed to Kilkenny proroging the said Parliament from the foresaid Octaves unto the feast of Saint Peter ad Vincula Unto which place there repaired the Lord Thomas Fitz-Thomas and many other Nobles of the land who came not in before submitting themselves to the Kings grace and mercy And the King for his part as much as concerned himselfe under a certaine forme of pardon gratiously forgave all the mischiefes committed by the foresaid persons in the land Also the castle of Fernis is taken by the Irish perfidiously and burned in the month of August Item the said Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas of Desmund is taken by order from the counsell at Lymerick by the said Lord Justice the morrow after the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary and with the Justice brought to the castle of Dublin the seventh day of October Item Henry Mandevile is apprehended in the month of September and led to the castle of Dublin by vertue of a warrant from Simon Fitz-Richard Justice in the Kings Bench. Item Walter Burck who with his two brethren of whole blood are taken in Connaght by the Earle of Ulster in November and conveied by the same Earle unto the castle of North-burg in the month of Februarie Also the Lord William Bermingham with his son Walter Bermingham are attached at Clomell by the said Justice in the moneth of February notwithstanding the Kings charter or pardon given unto them before by the Justice above named and are brought unto the Castle of Dublin the nineteenth day of Aprill Item the Irish of Leinster made spoile of the English and burnt Churches and in the Church of Freineston they burnt about fourescore men and women and a certain Chaplain of the said Church arraied in his sacred vestiments and with the body of our Lord they repelled backe with their javelins when he would have gone forth and burnt him with the rest in the Church These newes came unto the eares of the Lord Pope who sent his Bull or briefe unto the Archbishop of Dublin commanding him to excommunicate the said Irish and all their adherents together with their retinue and followers and to interdict their lands Now the Archbishop fulfilled the commandement of the Lord Pope but the said Irish contemning the said Bull excommunication interdiction and chastisement of the Church and continuing still in their wickednesse drew themselves againe together and invaded all the county of Weis ford as farre as to Carcarne and spoiled the whole country Whom the English made head against to wit Richard White and Richard Fitz Henry with the Burgesses of Weisford and other English slew of the Irish about 400. and many others of them as they fled were drowned in the river which is called Slane MCCCXXXII William Bermingham is put to death and hanged at Dublin by the said Lord Justice the eleventh day of July and Walter his sonne is set free The foresaid Sir William was a noble Knight and among many thousand knights most renowned and excellent for feats of armes Alas the day great pity it was of him for who relating his death can forbeare teares But at length enterred hee was in Dublin among the preaching Friers Also the castle of Bonraty was forced and rased to the very ground by the Irish of Totomon in July Also the castle of Arclo by the said Justice with the citizens of Dublin and the help of the English within the pale was won from the Irish and in the Kings hand on the eighth day of August
third day of February Also in the parts of Ireland the frost was so vehement that Aven-Liffie the river of Dublin was so frozen that very many danced and leaped upon the Ice of the said river they played at foot-ball and ran courses there yea and they made fires of wood and of turfe upon the same Ice and broyled herrings thereupon This Ice lasted very many dayes And as for the snow also in the parts of Ireland that accompanied the same frost a man need not speake any more seeing it was knowne to lye on such a wonderfull depth This hard time of weather continued from the second day of December unto the tenth day of February the like season was never heard of before especially in Ireland MCCCXXXIX All Ireland was generally up in armes Item an exceeding great slaughter there was of the Irish and a number of them drowned even 1200. at the least by the meanes of the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and the rest of the Geraldines in the parts of Kernige Item the Lord Moris Fitz-Nicolas Lord of Kernige was apprehended and imprisoned by the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and died in prison being put to strait diet for that he openly went out and rebelled with the said Irish against the Lord King of England and against the Lord Earle Item a number of the O. Dymcies and other Irish were killed and drowned in the water of Barrow by the English and the hot pursuit of the Earle of Kildare Also a great booty of cattell of sundry sorts and such a booty as had not been seen in the parts of Leinster by the said Lord Thomas Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland and with the helpe of the English of that country was taken from the Irish in the parts of Odrone in the end of February MCCCXL The said Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland being sent for by the King returned into England the tenth day of Aprill leaving in his place Frier Roger Outlaw Priour of Kylmaynon Also this Sir Roger Lord Priour of Kylmainon Justice and Chancellour of the said land died the thirteenth day of February Item the King of England granted by his letters patents unto Iohn Darcy the office of Lord Justice of Ireland for terme of life MCCCXLI Sir John Moris Knight came Lord Justice of Ireland in the moneth of May as Lievtenant unto Iohn Darcy in the foresaid land Item this wondrous prodigie following and such as in our age had not been heard of before hapned in the county of Leinster where a certain waifaring man as he travelled in the Kings high way found a paire of gloves fit as he thought for his owne turne which as he drew upon his hands forthwith instead of a mans voice and speech he kept a strange and marvellous barking like unto a dogge and from that present the elder folke and full growne yea and women too throughout the same county barked like bigge dogges but the children and little ones waughed as small whelpes This plague continued with some 18. daies with others a whole moneth and with some for two yeeres Yea this foresaid contagious malady entred also into the neighbour shires and forced the people in like manner to barke Also the King of England revoked all those gifts and grants that by him or his father had bin conferred by any meanes upon any persons whatsoever in Ireland were they liberties lands or other goods for which revocation great displeasure and discontent arose in the land and so the land of Ireland was at the point to have beene lost for ever out of the King of Englands hand Item by the Kings Councell there was ordained a generall Parliament of Ireland in the moneth of October To the same Parliament Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond came not Before which time there was never knowne so notable and manifest a division in Ireland between those that were English by birth and English in blood The Maiors besides of the Kings cities in the same land together with all the better sort of the Nobility and Gentry of the said land with one consent upon mature deliberation and counsell had among other their conclusions decreed and appointed a common Parliament at Kilkenny in November to the utility and profit both of the King and the land before named without asking any counsell at all of the Lord Justice and the Kings officers aforesaid in this behalfe Now the Lord Justice and the rest of the Kings Ministers in no wise presumed to come unto the same Parliament at Kilkenny The Elders therefore of the land aforesaid together with the Ancients and Maiors of the cities agreed and ordained as touching solemne Embassadours to be sent with all speed unto the King of England about relieving the State of the land and to complaine of his Ministers in Ireland as touching their unequall and unjust regiment of the same and that from thenceforth they neither could nor would endure the realme of Ireland to be ruled by his Ministers as it had wont to be And particularly they make complaint of the foresaid Ministers by way of these Questions Imprimis How a land full of warres could be governed by him that was unskilfull in warre Secondly how a Minister or Officer of the Kings should in a short time grow to so great wealth Thirdly how it came to passe that the King was never the richer for Ireland MCCCXLII The eleventh day of October when the moone was eleven dayes old there were seen by many men at Dublin 2. moones in the firmament well and early before day The one was according to the course of nature in the West and appeared bright the other to the quantity of a round loafe appeared in the East casting but a meane and slender light MCCCXLIII St. Thomas street in Dublin was casually burnt with fire upon the feast of S. Valentine Martyr Item the 13. day of July the Lord Ralph Ufford with his wife the Countesse of Ulster came Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland Upon whose entring the faire weather changed sodainly into a distemperature of the aire and from that time there ensued great store of raine with such abundance of tempestuous stormes untill his dying day None of his predecessours in the times past was with griefe be it spoken comparable unto him For this Justicer bearing the office of Justice-ship became an oppressor of the people of Ireland a robber of the goods both of Clergy and Laity of rich and poore alike a defrauder of many under the colour of doing good not observing the rights of the Church nor keeping the lawes of the kingdome offering wrongs to the naturall inhabitants ministring justice to few or none and altogether distrusting some few onely excepted the inborne dwellers in the land These things did hee still and attempted the like misled by the counsell and perswasion of his wife Item the said Justice entring into Ulster in the moneth of March through a Pas called Emerdullan
was fiercely set upon by Mac-Carton the which Mac-Carton verily having encountred with the said Justice spoiled him of his clothes mony utensils silver plate and horses yea and slew some of his men But in the end the foresaid Justice with the helpe of the men of Ergale got the victory and entred into the parts of Ulster MCCCXLV The seventh of Iune a common Parliament was holden at Dublin unto which the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas came not Item the Lord Ralph Ufford Justice of Ireland after the feast of S. John Baptist with the Kings standard raised yet without the assent of the Elders of the land against the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond marcheth forthwith into Mounster and there seized into the Kings hands the Earles lands and these lands so seized letteth out to farme unto others for a certain yeerly rent to be carried unto the King Item the said Justice being in the parts of Mounster delivered unto Sir William Burton Knight two writs the one whereof the said William should deliver unto the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare the contents of which was this That upon paine of forfeiting all his lands he should with all speed repaire unto him to aid the King and him with a strong power Now in the other writ contained it was that the said Sir William should apprehend the said Earle of Kildare and so apprehended commit him to prison But Sir William seeing that this could not possibly be brought about and effected accordingly by himselfe with colourable words framed for the nonce perswaded the said Earle whiles he was preparing himselfe with his army and levying a power unto the foresaid Justice that before his departure out of the countrey hee should repaire unto the Kings Counsell at Dublin and that by the unanimity and joint counsell of the same so deale as to provide for the safe keeping of his owne lands in his absence and if after that any hurt should befall unto his lands whiles he was absent it should be imputed unto the Kings counsell and not to him The Earle therefore giving credit unto the Knights words and thinking of no treacherous practice in this behalfe disposed and addressed himself to come unto Dublin When he was come altogether ignorant of any treachery toward whiles himselfe sat in consultation with others of the King Councell in the Exchequer-court sodainly he was by the said Sir William betraied attached or arrested and apprehended and brought to the castle of the said city and there clapt up in prison Item the said Justice entred with his army the parts of O. Comill in Mounster and by a treacherous device taketh two castles of the Earle of Desmonds to wit the castle of Yniskisty and the castle of the Iland in which castle of the Iland thus taken the Knights being within the said castle namely Sir Eustacele Bâ—re Sir William Graunt and Sir Iohn Cotterell were first drawne and afterward in October openly hanged untill they were dead Also the said Earle of Desmond with some other of his Knights were by the said Justice banished The foresaid Justice having attchieved these exploits in Mounster returned in the moneth of November with his company unto his wife then great with child remaining at Kilmaynon which is neere to Dublin over and beside those things which had beene done against the Laity by inditing and emprisoning some of them and turning them out of their goods he also caused the Ecclesiasticall persons as well Priests as Clerkes to be endited and standing endited attached and imprisoned them and fetched no small summes of money out of their purses Item as touching the grants and demises of their lands to wit whom before hee had deprived of their lands he bestowed the same upon divers tenants as hath beene said as also the very writings concerning those grants so sealed as they were by him and with the Kings seale he revoked tooke the same from them cancelled defaced and wholly annulled them Item all the mainpernours of the said Earle of Desmond in number twenty sixe as well Earles as Barons Knights and others of the countrey whose names be these to wit Lord William Burke Earle of Ulster Lord Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond Sir Richard Tuit Knight Sir Eustace Le Poer Knight Sir Gerald De Rochfort Knight Sir Iohn Fitz-Robert Poer Knight Sir Robert Barry Knight Sir Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight Sir Iohn Wellesley Knight Sir Walter Lenfaunt Knight Sir Roger de la Rokell Knight Sir Henry Traharn Knight Sir Roger Pover Knight Sir Iohn Lenfaunt Knight Sir Roger Pover Knight Sir Matthew Fitz-Henry Knight Sir Richard Wallis Knight Sir Edward Burk Knight the sonne of the Earle of Ulster David Barry William Fitz-Gerald Fulke Ash Robert Fitz-Moris Henry Barkley Iohn Fitz-George Roch and Thomas de Lees de Burgh their own travels and proper expences which some of them with the said Justice in his warre had beene at and in pursuing the said Earle of Desmond notwithstanding he by definitive sentence deprived of their lands and dis-inherited and awarded their bodies to the Kings pleasure excepting foure persons only of all the foresaid sureties whose names be these William Burk Earle of Ulster Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond c. MCCCXLVI Upon Palme-Sunday which fell out to be the ninth day of Aprill the above named Lord Ralph Ufford Justice of Ireland went the way of all flesh for whose death his owne dependants together with his wife sorrowed not a little for whose death also the loiall subjects of Ireland rejoice no lesse The Clergy and people both of the land for joy of his departure out of this life with merry hearts doe leap and celebrate a solemn feast of Easter At whose death the floods ceased and the distemperature of the aire had an end and in one word the common sort truely and heartily praise the onely Son of God Well when this Justice now dead was once fast folded within a sheet and a coffin of lead the foresaid Countesse with his treasure not worthy to be bestowed among such holy reliques in horrible griefe of heart conveied his bowels over into England there to be enterred And againe in the month of May and on the second day of the same month behold a prodigious wonder sent no doubt miraculously from God above For lo she that before at her comming entred the city of Dublin so gloriously with the Kings armes and ensignes attended upon with a number of souldiers in her guard and traine along the streets of the said city and so from that time forward a small while though it were living royally with her friends about her like a Queen in the Iland of Ireland now at her going forth of the same city privily by a posternegate of the castle to avoid the clamour of the common people calling upon her for debts in her retire homeward to her owne countrey departed in disgrace sad and mournfull with the dolefull badges of death sorrow and heavinesse Item after the
death of the said Justice of Ireland the Lord Roger Darcy with the assent of the Kings Ministers and others of the same land is placed in the office of Justice for the time Also the castles of Ley and Kylmehede are taken by the Irish and burnt in the moneth of April Item Lord Iohn Moris commeth chiefe Justice of Ireland the fifteenth day of May. Also the Irish of Ulster gave a great overthrow unto the English of Urgale wherin were slaine three hundred at the least in the moneth of June Also the said Lord Iohn Moris Justice of Ireland is discharged by the King of England from that office of Justiceship and the Lord Walter Bermingham set in the same office by the foresaid King and a little after the foresaid slaughter committed entreth with Commission into Ireland in the month of June Item unto the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond the maintenance of peace for a certain time is granted by the King of England Which being granted upon the Vigill of the exaltation of the holy Crosse hee together with his wife and two sonnes take sea at the haven of Yoghal and crosseth over into England where he followeth the law hard and requireth instantly to have justice for the wrongs done unto him by Raulph Ufford late Lord Justice of Ireland above named Item unto the said Earle by commandement and order from the Lord King of England there are granted from his entrance into England twenty shillings a day and so day by day still is allowed for his expences Also the Lord Walter Bermingham Justice of Ireland and the Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare rose up in armes against O-Merda and his complices who burnt the Castle of Ley and Kilmehed and they with their forces valiantly set upon and invade him and his complices spoiling killing and burning in so much as the said O-Morda and his complices although at the first they had manfully and resolutely made resistance there with many thousands of the Irish after many wounds and a great slaughter committed were constrained in the end to yeeld and so they submitted to the Kings grace and mercy and betake themselves full and whole unto the said Earles devotion MCCCXLVII The Earle of Kildare with his Barons and Knights goeth unto the King of England in the moneth of May to aide him lying then at the siege of Caleys Also the towne of Caleys was by the inhabitants upon the fourth day of June rendred up into the King of Englands hands Item Walter Bonevile William Calfe William Welesley and many other noble Gentlemen and valiant Knights as well of England as of Ireland died of the sicknesse in Caleys Also Mac-Murgh to wit Donald Mac-Murgh the sonne of Donald Art Mac-Murgh King of Leinster upon the fifth day of June is treacherously slain by his own people More Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare is by the King of England made Knight Also the towne called Monaghan with all the territorie adjoining is by the Irish burnt on the feast day of S. Stephen Martyr Item Dame Joane Fitz-Leoues sometime wife to the Lord Simon Genevile departed this life and is buried in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Trim the second day of Aprill MCCCXLVIII And in the 22. yeere of King Edward the third reigned the first pestilence and most of all in Ireland which had begunne afore in other Countries Item in this yeere Walter Lord Bermingham Lord Justice of Ireland came into England and left Iohn Archer Prior of Kylmainon his Lievtenant in his roome And he returneth againe in the same yeere Justice as before and the King conferred upon the same Walter the Barony of Kenlys which is in Osserie because he led a great army against the Earle of Desmond with Raulfe Ufford as before is said which Barony belonged in times past unto the Lord Eustace Pover who was attainted and hanged at the castle of the Isle MCCCXLIX Lord Walter Bermingham the best Justice of Ireland that ever was gave up his office of Justiceship after whom succeeded the Lord Carew Knight and Baron both MCCCL. And in the 25. yeere of the foresaid King Edward Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight was made Lord Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham Knight Lord Bermingham that right good Justice sometime of Ireland died in the Even of S. Margaret Virgin in England MCCCLI Kenwrick Sherman sometime Maior of the Citie of Dublin died and was buried under the Belfray of the preaching Friers of the same City which Belfray and Steeple himselfe erected and glazed a window at the head of the Quire and caused the roofe of the Church to be made with many more good deeds In the same Covent he departed I say the sixth day of March and at his end he made his Will or Testament amounting to the value of three thousand Marks and bequeathed many good Legacies unto the Priests of the Church both religious and secular that were within twenty miles about the City MCCCLII Sir Robert Savage Knight began in Ulster to build new castles in divers places and upon his owne Manours who while he was a building said unto his sonne and heire Sir Henry Savage let us make strong walls about us lest happily the Irish come and take away our place destroy our kinred and people and so we shall be reproached of all Nations Then answered his sonne where ever there shall be valiant men there is a Castle and Fortresse too according to that saying The sonnes encamped that is to say valiant men are ordained for warre and therefore will I be among such hardy men and so shall I be in a castle and therewith said in his vulgar speech A castle of Bones is better than a castle of Stones Then his father in a fume and chafe gave over his worke and swore an oath that he would never build with stone and morter but keepe a good house and a very great family and retinew of servants about him but he prophesied withall that hereafter his sonnes and posterity should grieve and waile for it which indeed came to passe for the Irish destroyed all that country for default of castles MCCCLV And in the thirty yeere of the same King Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight went out of his office of Justice the sixe and twenty day of July after whom succeeded Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmund and continued in the office untill his death Item on the day of Saint Pauls conversion the same Lord Moris fitz-Fitz-Thomas died Justice of Ireland in the castle of Dublin not without great sorrow of his friends and kinsfolke and no lesse feare and trembling of all other Irish that loved peace First he was buried in the quire of the preaching Friers of Dublin and at last enterred in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Traly This man was a righteous Justicer in that hee stucke not to hang up those of his owne blood for theft and rapine and misdemeanours even as soone as strangers
passed over into England leaving behind him Sir Thomas Dale Knight his Deputy-Custos and Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVII Great warre began between the Berminghams of Carbry and the men of Meth because many robberies by the foresaid were committed in Meth. Then Sir Robert Preston Knight and Lord chiefe Baron of the Exchequer set a strong guard in the castle of Carbry and laid forth a great deale of money against the Kings enemies to defend his owne right in regard of his wife Item Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond was made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVIII And in the 42. yeere of the same King in Carbry after a certaine Parliament ended betweene the Irish and English there were taken prisoners Frier Thomas Burley Prior of Kylmaynon the Kings Chancellour in Ireland Iohn Fitz-Reicher Sheriffe of Meth Sir Robert Tirell Baron of Castle-knoke with many besides by the Berminghams and others of Carbry Then James Bermingham who had been kept in the castle of Trim in yron manacles and fetters as a traytour was delivered out of prison in exchange for the foresaid Chancellour the other were put to their ransomes Item the Church of Saint Maries in Trim was burnt with the fire of the same Monastery Also in the Vigill of St. Luke the Evangelist the Lord Leonell Duke of Clarence died at Albe in Pyemont First he was buried in the City of Papie hard by St. Augustin the Doctor and afterward enterred at Clare in the covent Church of Austin Friers in England MCCCLXIX And in the 43. yeere of the foresaid King Sir William Windesore Knight a doughty man in armes and courageous came as the Kings Lievtenant into Ireland the twelfth day of July unto whom gave place in the office of Justice-ship Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond MCCCLXX And in the 44. yeere of the same King began the third pestilence and the greatest in Ireland in which died many Noblemen and Gentlemen Citizens also and children innumerable The same yeere Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond the Lord Iohn Nicolas and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn and many other noble persons were taken prisoners upon on the sixth of July neere unto the Monastery of Maio in the county of Limerick by O-Breen and Mac-Comar of Thomond and many were slaine in regard of which occurrent the said Lievtenant went over to Limericke to the defence of Mounster leaving the warres against the O-Tothiles and the rest in Leinster In this yeere died Lord Robert Terel Baron of castle Knock the Lady Scolastica his wife and their sonne and heire by reason whereof Joan Terel and Maud Terel sisters of the said Robert parted the inheritance between themselves Item there departed this life Lord Simon Fleming Baron of Slane Lord John Cusake Baron of Colmolyn and Iohn Tailour somtime Maior of Dublin a rich and mighty monied man That which followeth was copied out of the Manuscript Chronicles of Henry Marleburgh MCCCLXXII Sir Robert Asheton came Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXXIII Great warring there was between the English of Meth and O-Ferdle in which warre many of both sides were slaine Item in May Lord John Husse Baron of Galtrim John Fitz Richard Sheriffe of Meth and William Dalton in Kynaleagh were killed by the Irish. MCCCLXXV Thomas Archbishop of Dublin died and in the same yeere was Robert of Wickford consecrated Archbishop of Dublin MCCCLXXXI There departed this life Edmund Mortimer the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland Earle of March and Ulster at Cork MCCCLXXXIII There was a great pestilence in Ireland MCCCLXXXV The bridge of the city of Dublin fell downe MCCCXC Robert Wickford Archbishop of Dublin died The same yeere Robert Waldebey Archbishop of Dublin of the order of Austen Friers was translated MCCCXCVII There hapned the translation and death of Frier Richard Northalis Archbishop of Dublin one of the Carmelites order Also in the same yeere Thomas Crauley was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin The same yeere the Lord Thomas Burgh and the Lord Walter Bermingham slew sixe hundred of the Irish and their captain Mac-Con Item Roger Earle of March Lievtenant of Ireland wasted the country of O-Bryn with the help of the Earle of Ormund and dubbed there seven Knights to wit Christopher Preson John Bedeleu Edmund Loundris John Loundris William Nugent Walter de la Hyde and Robert Cadell at the forcing and winning of a most strong Manor house of the said O-Bryn MCCCXCVIII Upon the Ascension day of our Lord the Tothils slew forty English among whom John Fitz-William Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn were killed which was a pitifull mishap In the same yeere on St. Margarets day Roger Earle of March the Kings Lievtenant was with many others slaine at Kenlys in Leinster O Bryn and other Irish of Leinster in whose place and office Roger Grey is chosen Justice In the same yeere upon the feast of S. Marke Pope and Confessor came to Dublin the noble Duke of Sutherey as the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland with whom at the same time arrived Master Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin MCCCXCIX And in the 23. yeere of King Richard upon Sunday which fell out to be the morrow after S. Fetronill or Pernill the Virgins day the same glorious King Richard arrived at Waterford with two hundred saile Item the sixth day of the same weeke at Ford in Kenlys within the country of Kilâ—are were slaine of the Irish 200. by Ieâ—icho and other English and the morrow after the Dublinians made a rode in the country of O-Bryn and slew of the Irish 33. and fourescore men and women with their little children they took prisoners The same yeere the said King came to Dublin the fourth day before the Calends of July where hee heard rumours of Henrie the Duke of Lancaster his comming into England whereupon himself passed over with speed into England MCCCC In the first yeere of King Henry the fourth at Whitsontide the Constable of Dublin castle and many others encountred the Scots at sea before Stranford in Ulster whereupon fell out a lamentable accident for that many of the English were slaine and drowned there MCCCCI In the second yeere of King Henry the fourth Sir John Stanley the K. Lievtenant passed over into England in the month of May leaving in his roome Sir William Stanley In the same yeere upon the Vigill of Saint Bartholomew there entred into Ireland Stephen Scroop as deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland The same yeere on the day of S. Brice Bishop and Confessor the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived at Dublin Lievtenant of Ireland MCCCCII On the fifth of July was the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin dedicated by the Archbishop of Dublin and the same day John Drake the Maior of Dublin with the citizens and men of the countrey slew in battell of the Irish neere unto Bree 493. and were victorious over the Irish. The same yeere in the moneth of September a Parliament was holden at Dublin at which time in Uriel Sir
Bartholomew Verdon James White Stephen Gernon and their complices slew John Dowdal Sheriffe of Louth MCCCCIII In the fourth yeere of King Henry the fourth and in the moneth of May was killed Sir Walter Beterley a valiant Knight then Sheriffe there and with him thirty men In the same yeere about the feast of S. Martin there passed over into England Thomas the Kings sonne leaving Stephen Scroop his Deputy who also himself upon the first day of Lent returned into England and then the Lords of the land chose the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCIV In the fifth yeere of King Henry died Iohn Cowlton Archbishop of Armagh the fifth of May whom Nicholas Fleming succeeded The same yeere on S. Vitalis day began a Parliament at Dublin before the Earle of Ormond then Lord Justice of Ireland wherein where confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin also the charter of Ireland In the same yeere Patrick Savage in Ulster was treacherously slaine by Mac-Kilmori and Richard his brother given for an hostage who likewise was murdred in prison after he had payed two hundred Marks MCCCCV In the sixth yeere of King Henry and in the month of May were taken three Scottish Galions or Barkes two at Green-castle and one at Dalkey with the captaine Thomas Mac-Golagh The same yeere the merchants of Tredaght entred Scotland tooke pledges and preies The same yeere Stephen Scroope crossed the seas into England leaving the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland And the same yeere in the month of June the Dublinians entred Scotland at Saint Ninians and there behaved themselves manfully then landed they in Wales and did much hurt to the Welshmen there yea and carried away the Shrine of S. Cubie unto the Church of the holy Trinitie in Dublin Also the same yeere on the Vigill of the blessed Virgin died James Botiller Earle of Ormond whiles he was Lord Justice to the griefe of many at Baligauran unto whom there succeeded in the office of Lord Justice Gerald Earle of Kildare MCCCCVI And in the seventh yeere of King Henry on Corpus Christi day the Dublinians with the people of the Countrey about them manfully overcame the Irish and killed some of them they tooke three ensignes and carried away divers of their heads to Dublin The same yeere the Prior of Conall fought valiantly in the plaine of Kildare and vanquished two hundred Irish well armed killing some and putting others to flight there were in the Priors company not above twenty English and thus God regardeth those that repose trust in him In the same yeere after the feast of S. Michael Sir Stephen Scroop Deputy Justice under the Lord Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland entred into Ireland The same yeere died Pope Innocentius the seventh after whom succeeded Pope Gregory The same yeere beganne a Parliament at Dublin on Saint Hilaries day which ended at Trym in Lent and Meiler Bermingham slew Cathol O-Conghir in the end of February and Sir Gefferey Vaulx a noble Knight in the countie of Carlagh died MCCCCVII A certaine Irishman a most false villaine named Mac-Adam Mac-Gilmori who caused fortie Churches to be destroied one that was never christened and therefore termed Corbi tooke Patricke Savage prisoner and received of him for his ransome two thousand Marks and yet killed him afterwards with his brother Richard The same yeere in the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Crosse Stephen Scroop Deputy under Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland accompanied with the Earles of Ormond and Desmond and the Prior of Kylmaynon with many out of Meth set forth from Dublin and in hostile manner invaded the land of Mac-Murgh where the Irish had the better of the field in the forepart of the day but afterwards they were manfully by the said Captaines repulsed where O-Nolam with his sonne and others were taken prisoners But hearing then and there that the Burkeins and O-Keroll in the countie of Kilkenny had for two daies together done much mischiefe sodainly the said Captaines rode in all haste with bridle on horse necke unto the towne of Callan and there meeting with the said enemies manfully put them to flight O-Keroll and to the number of eight hundred they killed in the place The same yeere Stephen Scroop sailed over into England and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond was by the country chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCVIII The said L. Justice held a Parliament at Dublin in which Parliament were confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin and a Charter granted under the great seale of England against Purveyouris The same yeere the morrow after S. Peters day ad Vincula the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived as Lievtenant of Ireland at Cartingford and in the weeke following came to Dublin and arrested the Earle of Kildare as he came unto him with three of his house and all his goods he lost by the servants of the said Lievtenant and in the castle of Dublin he imprisoned him untill he made paiment of 300. Marks for a fine The same yeere on Saint Marcellus day died the Lord Stephen Scroop at Tristel-Dermot The same yeere the said Thomas of Lancaster was wounded at Kylmainon and hardly escaped death and afterwards caused Proclamation to be made that whosoever by his tenures owed service to the King should appeare at Rosse And after Saint Hilaries feast he held a Parliament at Kilkenny for to have a tallage granted And afterwards upon the third day before the Ides of March he passed over into England leaving the Prior of Kylmainon his Deputy in Ireland In this yeere Hugh Mac-Gilmory was slaine at Cragfergus within the Oratory or Church of the Friers Minors which Church he before had destroyed and broken the glasse windowes thereof for to have the iron barres therein at which his enemies to wit the Savages entred MCCCCIX In the tenth yeere of King Henry and in the month of June Ianico of Artoys with the English slew fourescore of the Irish in Ulster MCCCCX On the thirteenth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and continued three weeks the Prior of Kylmainon sitting as Lord Justice The same yeere on the tenth day of July the same Justice beganne the castle of Mibracly in O-Feroll and built De la Mare and a great dearth there was of corne In the same yeere the Justice entred the land of O-brin with a thousand and five hundred kernes of whom eight hundred departed unto the Irish and had not the Dublinians beene there there would have beene wailing and many a woe and yet Iohn Derpatrick lost his life there MCCCCXII About the feast of Tiburce and Valerian O-Conghir did much harm to the Irish in Meth and tooke prisoner 160. men The same yeere O-Doles a knight and Thomas Fitz-Moris Sheriffe of Limerik killed one another In the same yeere the ninth of June died Robert Monteyn Bishop of Meth after whom succeeded Edward Dandisey sometime Archdeacon of
Cornwall MCCCCXIII The seventh of October there landed in Ireland at Cloncarfe Iohn Stanley the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland who died the sixth of January in Atterith The same yeere after the death of Iohn Stanley Lord Lievtenant Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin was chosen on the eleventh day of February Lord Justice of Ireland A Parliament eftsoons began at Dublin the morrow after Saint Matthias the Apostles day and lasted fifteene daies during which time the Irish fell to burning in divers places as they had done often in Parliament times wherefore a tallage was demanded but not granted MCCCCXIIII The English slew of the Irish the O-Mordries and O-Dempsies neer to Kilka even whiles the Justice of Ireland Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin went in Procession at Tristeldermot praying with his Clerks and his servants with their countrimen overthrew of the Irish an hundred Upon the feast day of Saint Gordian and Saint Epimachus a foile or discomfiture was given to the English of Meth and there was slaine Thomas Maurevord Baron of Scrin and taken prisoners there were Christopher Fleming Iohn Dardis and many others slaine by O-Conghir and the Irish. In the vigill of Saint Martin arrived the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord Furnivall as Lievtenant of Ireland at Dalkay MCCCCXV In the moneth of November died Robert Talbot a Nobleman who walled the Suburbs of Kilkenny Item after the feast of All-Saints died Frier Patricke Baret Bishop of Ferne and a Canon of Kenlis where he was buried MCCCCXVI On the feast day of Gervasse and Prothasius the Lord Furnivall had a sonne borne at Finglas About this time the reverend Lord Stephen Fleming Archbishop of Armagh departed this life unto whom succeeded Iohn Suanig And at the same time the Lord Bishop of Ardachard Frier Adam Lyns of the order of preaching Friers Item on Saint Laurence day died Thomas Talbot Lord of Furnivall lately borne at Finglas is interred in the quire of the preaching Friers Church of Dublin within the Covent of the said Preachers A Parliament was holden at Dublin in the time whereof the Irish fell upon the English and slew many of them among whom Thomas Balimore of Baliquelan was slaine This Parliament lasted in that place sixe weekes and then was removed to Trym the eleventh day of May and there it continued eleven daies and granted there was unto the Lievtenant a subsidy of foure hundred Markes MCCCCXVII On the Eve of Philip and Iacob Apostles Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin passed over into England and died at Farindon he was buried in the New Colledge at Oxford a liberall man he had beene and an almes-giver a great Clerke a Doctor in Divinity and excellent Preacher a builder of the places wherein he dwelt beautifull sumptuous of sanguine complexion and tall of stature so that in his time it might well be said unto him Faire art thou and of a goodly presence above the sons of men grace is seated all over thy lips for the eloquence of thy tongue Fourescore yeeres old he was and for the space almost of twenty yeeres he governed the Church of Dublin peaceably MCCCCXVIII The feast of the Annuntiation of our Lady fell out to be on good Friday and straight after Easter the Lord Deputy spoiled the tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethat Item at Slane on the day of S. John and S. Paul were arrested the Earle of Kildare Sir Christopher Preston and Sir John Bedleu and committed to ward within the castle of Trym because they were desirous to common with the Prior of Kylmainon The fourth of August died Sir Matthew Husee Baron of Galtrim who lieth buried at the Preaching Friers in Trim. MCCCCXIX The eleventh of May Edmund Brel sometime Maior of Dublin departed this life and was buried at the Friers preachers of the same Citie A Counsell royall was holden at Naas and there a subsidie of 300. Markes was granted to the Lord Lievtenant At the same time died Sir Iohn Loundres On the fifth day of the week falling out to be Maunday Thursday O-Thoill tooke 400. kine that belonged to Balimore so breaking the peace against his oath The fourth of May Mac-Morghe chiefe Captaine of his owne Sept and of all the Irish in Leinster was taken prisoner And the same day Hugh Cokesey was made knight The last day of May the Lievtenant the Archbishop of Dublin and the Maior together rased the castle of Kenini The morrow after the feast of Processus and Martinian the Lord William Burgh and other of the English slew 500. of the Irish and tooke O-Kelly prisoner On the feast of Mary Magdalen the Lievtenant John Talbot passed over into England leaving for his Deputy the Archbishop of Dublin carrying with him the curses of divers for that he paid a little or nothing for his victuals and was indebted unto many About the feast of Saint Laurence divers there were that died in Normandy and by name Frier Thomas Botiller Prior of Kilmainon with many others After whom succeeded in the Priory Frier John Fitz-Henry The Archbishop being Deputy fell upon the Scohies and slew of the Irish thirty neere unto Rodiston Item upon the Ides of February died Frier John Fitz-Henry Prior of Kylmainon whom succeeded Frier William Fitz-Thomas elected and confirmed the morrow after S. Valentines day Also the morrow after the feast of Saint Peter in Cathedra the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord of Furnivall yeelded the place into the hands of the Lord Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin who afterward was chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCXX Upon the fourth day of Aprill the Lord Iames Butler Earle of Ormond arrived at Waterford Lievtenant of Ireland and quickely caused a combat to bee fought between two of his cousins of whom the one died in the field and the other was carried forth of the place sore hurt and lamed unto Kilkenny On St. Georges feast day the same Lievtenant held a Counsell at Dublin and summoned a Parliament there And in the meane while he raised great booties from O-Raly Mac-Mahon and Mac-Guyr And the eighth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and there were granted unto the Lievtenant 700. Markes and that Parliament continued for 16. dayes and the same was prorogued unto the munday after St. Andrewes day also in the foresaid Parliament were cast up the debts of the Lord Iohn Talbot late Lievtenant which arose to a great summe Also the morrow after St. Michaels day died Michaell Bodley On the Vigill of Saint Francis there departed this life Frier Nicholas Talbot Abbot of St. Thomas the Martyr in Dublin After whom succeeded Frier John Whiting The morrow after the Apostles Simon and Iudes day was the castle of Colnolin taken by Thomas Fitz-Geffery Also in the Vigill of S. Katherine Virgin Botiller the sonne and heire of the Earle of Ormund was borne Item on munday after the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the said Parliament began at Dublin and continued 13. daies and granted there was to the
Lievtenant there 300. markes and the Parliament was adjourned eftsoones unto the munday after St. Ambrose day Then rumours resounded that the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Desmund died at Paris on St. Laurence feast day and was buried there at the Friers Preachers covent the King of England being present at his funerals After whom succeeded in that Seigniorie James Fitz-Gerald his Unkle by the fathers side who had three times thrust him out of his patrimonie and laid an imputation upon him that he was a prodigall spend-thrift and had wasted his patrimony both in Ireland and England and that he gave or would give lands to the Abbey of St. Iames at Kernisham 1421. The Parliament began upon prorogation the third time at Dublin the munday after the feast of S. Ambrose and there certain persons were ordained to be sent in message to the King as touching the redresse of the land namely the Archbishop of Armagh and Sir Christopher Preston Knight At the same time Richard O-Hedian Bishop of Cassell was accused by John Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford upon thirtie Articles laid to his charge After all that hee charged him that hee made very much of the Irish and loved none of the English that hee bestowed no benefice upon any Englishman and gave order likewise unto other Bishops that they should not conferre the least living that was upon them Item that hee counterfeited the King of Englands seale and the Kings letters patents that he went about to make himselfe King of Mounster also that he tooke a ring away from the image of S. Patrick which the Earle of Desmund had offered and bestowed it upon an harlot of his beside many other enormities which he exhibited in writing And the Lords and Commons were much troubled betweene these twaine Now in the same Parliament there was debate between Adam Pay Bishop of Clon and another Prelate for that the said Adam went about to unite the others Church unto his but the other would not and so they were sent and referred unto the Court of Rome and this Parliament lasted 18. daies In the Nones of May there was a slaughter committed by O-Mordris upon the family or retinue of the Earle of Ormund Lievtenant neere unto the Monastery of Leys where were slaine of the English 27. The principall parties were Purcell and Grant Then Gentlemen of good birth were taken prisoners and 200. fled unto the foresaid Monastery and so were saved In the Ides of May died Sir Iohn Bodley Knight and Geffery Galon sometime Maior of Dublin and was buried in the house of the preaching Friers of the same City About this time Mac-Mahon an Irishman played the divell in Urgal wasting and burning where ever he went The seventh of Iune the Lievtenant entred into the country to wit of Leys against O-Mordis and led thither a most puissant army having the killing of his enemies for foure daies together and untill the Irish promised all peace and quietnesse Upon the feast of Michael the Archangel Thomas Stanley accompanied with all the Knights and Squires of Meth and Iriel took Moyle O-Downyll prisoner and slew others in the 14. yeere of King Henry the sixth his reigne Thus far forth were continued the Annales of Ireland which came to my hands and upon which I have bestowed these few pages to gratifie them that may delight therein As for the nice and dainty readers who would have all writings tried to the touch of Augustus his dayes I know they can yeeld no pleasing rellish to them in regard of the harsh words and the saplesse dry stile familiar unto that age wherein they were penned Neverthelesse I would have those to remember That HISTORIE both beareth brooketh and requireth the Authors of all ages Also That they are to look as well for reall and substantiall knowledge from some as for the verball and literall learning from others THE SMALLER ILANDS IN THE BRITISH OCEAN NOw will I at length waigh anchor and set saile out of Ireland and lanching forth take survey of the Ilands scattered here and there along the coasts of Britaine If I durst repose any trust in my selfe or if I were of any sufficiencie I would shape my course to every one But sith it is my purpose to discover and inlighten Antiquity such as are obscure and of lesse account I will lightly coast by and those that carry any ancient name and reckoning above the rest I will enter and visite yea and make some short stay in them that now at last in a good and happy houre they may recover their ancienty againe And that in this voiage I may at first set out orderly and take a straight and direct course I will to begin saile out of Ireland into the Severn sea and by the Irish sea after I have doubled the utmost point of Scotland follow my course down into the Germai◠Ocean and so from thence through the British sea which extendeth as far as to Spaine hold on my race as prosperously as I can But I am afraid lest this my ship of Antiquity steared by me so unskilfull a Pilot either run and be split upon the rockes of errours or else be overwhelmed with the waves of ignorance yet venter I must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Antiphilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Adventure is a good sea Captain and he that saileth the same voiage a second time may haply speed much better and finish his desired course First and formost because it seemeth not impertinent to my matter I will set down what Plutarch out of a fabulous narration of Demetrius who seemeth to have lived in Hadrians time reporteth generally as touching the Ilands lying neer to Britain Demetrius made report that most of those Ilands which coast upon Britain lie desert desolate and scattering here and there whereof somewere dedicated to the Daemones and Heroes also that himself by commission from the Emperour sailed toward one that was neerest of those desert Iles for to know and discover somewhat the which he found to have in a few inhabitants and those he understood were reputed by the Britans sacred and inviolable Within a while after he was landed there the aire and weather as he said became foully troubled many portenteous signes were given by terrible tempests with extra-ordinary stormes flashing and violent lightnings and fiery impressions which after they were appeased the Ilanders certified him that some one of great eminency was dead And a little after Now he said moreover that there was a certain Iland there wherein Saturn was by Briareus closed up and kept in prison sound asleep for sleep was the means to hold him captive about whose person there were many Daemones at his feet that stood attending as servitours Thus they took pleasure in old time as now also at this day boldly to devise strange wonders and tales of places far remote in a certain secure veine of lying as it were by authoritie In the narrow sea
that hee should be apprehended and brought unto William King of Scotland that with him he might be kept in prison And Olave lay prisoner in irons and chaines almost seven yeeres In the seventh yeere died William King of Scotland after whom succeeded his sonne Alexander Now before his death he gave commandement that all prisoners should be set free Olave therefore being enlarged and at liberty came to Man and soone after accompanied with no small traine of Noblemen he went to S. James and after he was thus returned Reginald his brother caused him to marry a Noble mans daughter of Kentyre even his owne wives whole sister named Lavon and gave him Lodhus in possession to enjoy Some few daies after Reginald Bishop of the Ilands having called a Synod canonically divorced Olave the sonne of Godred and Lavon his wife as being the cousin german of his former wife After this Olave wedded Scristine daughter of Ferkar Earle of Rosse For this cause Reginalds wife Queene of the Ilands was wroth and directed her letters in the name of Reginald the King into the I le Sky unto Godred her sonne that he should kill Olave As Godred was devising meanes to worke this feat and now entring into Lodhus Olave fled in a little cog-boat unto his father in law the Earle of Rosse aforesaid Then Godred wasteth and spoileth Lodhus At the same time Pol the son of Boke Sheriffe of Sky a man of great authority in all the Ilands because he would not give his consent unto Godred fled and together with Olave lived in the Earle of Rosses house and entring into a league with Olave they came both in one ship to Sky At length having sent forth their spies and discoverers they learned that Godred lay in a certain Iland called St. Columbs Ile having very few men with him misdoubting nothing Gathering therefore about them all their friends and acquaintance with such voluntaries as were ready to joine with them at midnight with five shippes which they drew from the next sea-shore distant from the Island aforesaid some two furlongs they beset the Isle round about Godred then and they that were with him rising by the dawning of the day and seeing themselves environed on every side with enemies were astonied but putting themselves in warlike armes assaied right manfully to make resistance but all in vaine For about nine a clocke of the day Olave and Pol the foresaid Sheriffe set foot in the Iland with their whole army having slain all those whom they found without the enclosure of the Church they tooke Godred put out his eyes and gelded him Howbeit to this deed Olave did not yeeld his consent neither could he withstand it for Bokes sonne the Sheriffe aforesaid For this was done in the yeere 1223. The Summer next following Olave after he had taken hostages of all the Lords and potentates of the Isles came with a fleet of 32. saile toward Man and arrived at Rognolfwaht At this very time Reginald and Olave divided the kingdome of the Ilands between themselves and Man was given to Reginald over and beside his owne portion together with the title of King Olave the second time having furnished himselfe with victuals from the people of Man returned with his company to his portion of the Iland The yeere following Reginald taking with him Alane Lord of Galway went with his souldiers of Man to the Iland parts that hee might disseize his brother Olave of that portion of land which hee had given unto him and bring it under his owne dominion But because the Manksmen were not willing to fight against Olave and the Ilanders for the love they had to them Reginald and Alan Lord of Galway returned home without atchieving their purpose After a little while Reginald under pretence of going to the Court of his Soveraigne the Lord King of England tooke up of the people of Man an hundred Markes but went in very deed to the Court of Alan Lord of Galway At the same time he affianced his daughter unto the son of Alan in marriage Which the Manksmen hearing tooke such snuffe and indignation thereat that they sent for Olave and made him their King MCCXXVI Olave recovered his inheritance to wit the kingdome of Man and of the Ilands which his brother Reginald had governed 38. yeeres and reigned quietly two yeeres MCCXXVIII Olave accompanied with all the Nobles of Man and a band of the strongest men of the country sailed over into the Ilands A little after Alan Lord of Galway and Thomas Earle of Athol and King Reginald came unto Man with a puissant army all the South part of Man they wasted spoiled the Churches and slew all the men they could lay hold of so that the South part of Man was laid in manner all desolate After this returned Alan with his army into his owne country and left his bailiffes in Man to gather up for him the tributes of the country But King Olave came upon them at unwares put them to flight and recovered his owne kingdome Then the people of Man which before time had been dispersed every way began to gather themselves together and to dwell with confidence and security In the same yeere came King Reginald out of Galway unlooked for at the dead time of night in winter with five ships and burnt all the shipping of his brother Olave and of the Lords of Man at Saint Patrickes Iland and suing to his brother for peace stayed forty daies at the haven of Ragnoll-wath Meane while he won and drew unto him all the Ilanders in the South part of Man who sware they would venture their lives in his quarrell untill hee were invested in the one halfe of the kingdome On the contrarie part Olave had the Northren men of the Isle to side with him and upon the 14. day of February at a place called Tingualla there was a battell strucke betweene the two brethren wherein Olave had the victorie and King Reginald was by some killed there without his brothers knowledge And certaine rovers comming to the South part of Man wasted and harried it The Monks of Russin translated the body of King Reginald unto the Abbey of S. Mary de Fournes and there enterred it was in a place which himselfe had chosen for that purpose After this went Olave to the King of Norway but before that hee was come thither Haco King of Norway ordained a certaine Noble man named Huâ—bac the sonne of Owmund for to bee King of the Sodorian Ilands and called his name Haco Now the same Haco together with Olave and Godred Don Reginalds son and many Norwegians came unto the Ilands and at the winning of a fort in the Iland Both Haco chanced to be smit with a stone whereof he died and lieth buried in Iona. MCCXXX Olave came with Godred Don and the Norwegians to Man and they divided the kingdome among themselves Olave held Man and Godred being gone unto the Ilands was slaine in the
Lord of the kingdome of Scotland But none other answer could he have than this if I may speake the words out of the very authenticall Records Sequatur coram Iustitiariis de Banco Regis c. that is Let him sue before the Iustices of the K. Bench let him be heard and let justice be done But that which he could not obtaine by right Sir William Montacute his kinsman for come he was of the race of the Kings of Man wonne by his sword For with a band of English mustered up in hast he drave all the Scots out of the Iland But being by this warre plunged deeply in debt and not having wherewith to make some paiment thereof he mortgaged it for seven yeeres to Antonie Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem and made over the profits and revenues thereof unto him yea and soone after the King granted it unto the said Antonie for tearme of life Afterwards King Edward the second passed a grant thereof unto his minion Piers Gaveston what time as he created him Earle of Cornwall and when the said Piers was rid out of the way hee gave it unto Henry Beaumont with all the domaine and regall jurisdiction thereto belonging But shortly after the Scots under Robert Brus recovered it and Robert Randulph that right warlike Scot like as a long time after Alexander Duke of Albany used to stile themselves Lords of Man and bare the same coat of Armes as did the later Kings of Man namely three armed legges of a man linked together and bending in the hammes such for all the world as the Isle Sicilia gave the three legges naked in like forme in her coines of money in old time to signifie three Promontories Notwithstanding before time the Kings of Man used for their armes as we have seene in their Seales a ship with the saile hoised up with this title in the circumference Rex Manniae insularum that is King of Man and of the Islands Afterward about the yeere 1340. William Montacute the younger Earle of Salisbury wrested it by strong hand and force of armes from the Scottish who in the yeere of our Lord 1393. as Thomas Walsingham saith sold for a great summe of money Man with the crowne thereof unto William Scrope Who being for high treason beheaded and his goods confiscate it came unto the hands of Henry the fourth King of England who granted this Iland unto Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland as a conqueror triumphing over William Scrope whom he as yet a private person had intercepted and beheaded when he aspired to the crowne with this condition that himselfe and his heires should when the Kings of England were enstalled and crowned carry before them that sword which the said Henry wore by his side what time he came backe againe out of exile into England commonly called Lancaster sword But I think it good to set this down out of the Record in the very words of the K. himself De nostra gratia speciali dedimus that is Of our speciall grace we have given and granted unto Henry Earle of Northumberland the Isle Castle Pile and Seigniory of Man and all the Ilands and Lordships to the said Isle belonging which were Sir William le Scropes Knight now deceased whom in his life time we conquered and have decreed him so to be conquered and which by reason of our conquest of him we tooke into our hand as conquered which conquest verily and decree in our present Parliament with the assent of the Lords Temporall in the same Parliament being as touching the person of the foresaid William and all the lands tenements goods and chattels of his as well within our kingdome as without at the petition of the Communalty of our kingdome stand confirmed c. To have and to hold unto the said Earle and his heires c. by service of carrying at the daies of our coronation and of our heires at the left shoulder and the left shoulder of our heires either by himself or a sufficient and honourable Deputy of his that sword naked which we ware and were girt with when we arrived in the parts of Holdernesse called Lancaster sword c. But in the fifth yeere following the said Henry Percie entred into open rebellion and the King sent Sir Iohn Stanley and William Stanley to seize the Isle and castle of Man the inheritance whereof he granted afterward to Sir Iohn Stanley and his heires by letters Patents with the patronage of the Bishopricke c. And so his heires and successours who were honoured with the title of Earles of Derby were commonly called Kings of Man From Man untill we come to the Mull of Gallaway we meet with none but very small Ilands But after we be once past it in the salt water of GLOTTA or Dunbritton Frith appeareth the Iland GLOTTA whereof Antoninus maketh mention which the Scots now call Arran whereof the Earles of Arran in Scotland were stiled and neighbouring unto it is that which was in times past named Rothesia now Buthe of a sacred Cell which Brendan erected for so they terme a little Cell in Scottish thence come we to Hellan in times past called Hellan Leneaw that is as Iohn Fordon interpreteth it The Isle of Saints and to Hellan Tinoc that is The Isle of Swine and these Ilands are seen in the same Frith or Forth But of these I have spoken before Without this Bay or Frith lye a number of Ilands very thicke together which the Scots themselves that inhabite them call Inch-Gall that is haply The Isles of the Gallicians the English and the rest of the Scots The Western Isles the writers of the former age HEBRIDES but the ancient Ethnickes Bettoricae and Giraldus other where Inchades and Leucades Pliny Solinus and Ptolomee name them EBUDAS HEBUDAS and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which names have some consonant affinity with Epidium the promontory of Britain opposite unto them and an Isle among these so named The reason of the name I cannot picke out unlesse I should thinke they were so called because there groweth here no corne or graine For Solinus writeth that the inhabitants of these Ilands are not acquainted with corne and live onely upon fish and milke and Eb eid in British soundeth as much as without corne The inhabitants as saith the same Solinus have no skill or knowledge of corne they live of fish and milke onely They all have but one King For how many soever they be they are severed one from another by a narrow enterflow of the Sea betweene The King hath nothing that hee may say is his owne all things are common to them all and held hee is to equity by certaine lawes and lest hee should for covetousnesse swarve aside from the truth by his poore estate he learneth justice as who hath no house furniture and provision of his owne but all his maintenance is from the common coffer No woman is he allowed to have in
Bridge alias Stanford Bridge 709 e Battell Abbey founded 317 b Battell of the Standard 724 a Battell field 596 c Battell at Nevils crosse 741 b Battell at Solon Mosse 782 a Battell a towne 317 c Bauchadae 19 Bawdes a family in Essex 426 b Bawdsey haven 465 d Beachy point 313 d Beacons 272 d Beavons of Southhampton 250 e Beamfleot 441 b Beare the badge of the Earles of Warwicke 570 b Beanfield 695 a Beauchamps 399 d Henry Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke his stile 570 b. Duke also of Warwicke ibid. Iohn Beauchamp Baron of Keddermister 574 b Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke 563 e. his tombe and epitaph 564 a Beauchamps Barons Lords Brooke 223 f William Beauchamp the blind Baron 574 b Beauchamps court 565 f Beauchamp Baron of Pewich 565 f Beauchiefe Abbey 555 e Beaucliffe 313 d Beaudley 573 e Beaudesert 585 a Sir Thomas Beaufoe of ancient descent 564 e Iohn de Beaufort Earle of Sommersert 230. refuseth the title of Marquesse Dorset 217 d Beauforts Dukes of Sommerset 414 e Beaulieu 260 b Beaumanour parke 521 d Beaumarish 672 d Beaumeis 594 a Iohn Beaumont the first Vicount in England 521 Beaumonts of Cole Orton aunciently and highly descended 519 Beaumont a family in Yorkeshire 693 a Rob. Beaumont of Pont Audomar Earle of Mellent and of Leceister 523 c his race or progenie ibid. e Beavior or Belvior castle 536 b Beauvoir or Belvoir vale 535 d Bebba 813 f Bebham ibid. e Ant. Bec or Beck Bishop of Durham untrusty to his Ward 328 a. 723. a Tho. Becket slaine by Courtiers 337 b Becco 20 Beda 6. a learned Englishman 137 Beda venerabilis 744 a Bedw 19 Beddington 302 c Bedfordshire 399 Bedford towne ibid. e Bedford Lords Earls and Dukes 402 f Iohn Duke of Bedford his style and monument 403 a Bedifoyd 208 a Bedingfeild a place and family 468 b De la Beech Knights 282 e Beeston a castle and family 607 b Saint Bees 766 a Saint Bega a devout Irish woman ibid. Beichiad 19 Belerium what cape 1 Belgae in Gaule and Britaine 219 b. whence so named ibid. d King Beleus his Habergeon 11 Robert de Belesmo rebelleth 591 d. a cruell man 599 b Bellisma aestuarium a frith 752 Bellister castle 799 e Beln Melin Phelin all one 98 Belingsgate in London 423 e Belinuntia 98 Belinus a god ibid. what it signifieth 391 e Belleland or Biland 723 b Bellasise a family 723 b Bellers a noble family sometime 522 f Bellotucadrus 691 d Benefician what towne 478 f Benedictine Monks 226 d Benington 407 f S. Benno 680 c S. Bennaventa is Wedon 508 c d S. Bennit in the Holme an Abbey 478 c Bengley 815 b Ben-Gorion 125 Bensted a family 407 f Bensbury for knebensbury 302 f Benson 388 d Bently 463 e Bere park or Beau park nere to Durham 741 Bericus a tratour to Britaine 40 Berengarius le Moigne that is Monke 510 c Berkhamsted 414 c Bermingham or Bremicham a towne and family 567 b Bermondsey Abbey 434 b Bernack 514 e Benrers a family 405 d Berniciae 817 a. 797 b Bernwood 393 e. 395 Berohdon or Baradon 525 f Berosus confuted 10 Berry by Wicomb 393 c Berstaple 208 b Bertelin an Eremite 584 d Berwick towne 816 e Berwicks what they be ibid. f Berwic in Elmet 696 b Bery 594 d Bery Pomerie 202 a Betula or Betulla 19 Betheney See Stafford Betony 20 Beverley a towne 711 d Iohn of Beverley ibid. Bevers in Tivy river what creatures they be 657 e Beverston castle 364 d Beufes of Lancashire 745 e Bevils a family 192.562 a Bezants or Bezantines what they be 421 a Bibroci 286 d Bie what it signifieth 543 b Begleswade 401 c Bigod the name of Rollo the Norman 144 Hugh Bigod Lord chiefe Iustice of England 482 c Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke 482 b Bigod the name of hypocrites and superstitious persons 144 Bigods a family 465 d Bigots a family 633 c Bigrames a family 501 c Billesdun 812 f Biland or Belleland 723 b Th. Billing Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench 505 e Bindon 212 b Binchester 738 e Binchester penis ibid. Binbrige Isle 274 a Birdlip hill 365 f. 366 c Pirinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons 384 c Birling 332 d Birthin a river 636 c Birtport or Burtport 210 e Biscaw wonne 188 Bisham 286 b Bishops of Durham 735 Bishops of Bath and Wells 232 c Bishops castle 189 e Bishops Thorps 707 c Bishops whether they might hold castles 244 c Bishops gate in London 423 d Bishops their place and precedency in England 161 Bissemed 401 b Bissets an honourable familie 245.574 a Bittlesden 396 d Bitumen that is Sea cole 735 c Biwell castle 808 c Bihan castle 537 a Bithric Lords of Glocester 368 Bizacium in Africke 478 e Blackborne 752 d Blackburne shire ibid. e Blacklow hill 564 d Blackelead 767 b Blackemere a Baronie 598 d Blackemore forest 213 f Blackeamore 717 b Blacketaile Poincts 213 Blackewater a Creeke 443 e Rob. Blanchmains 518 b Blackeney 479 a Mercate Blandford 215 e Blatum Bulgium 775 c Blean Leveney castle 628 d Blatherwicke 514 b Blechindon 377 a Blencarn a brooke 763 c Blenkensop a place and family 800 b Blestium 617 c Blickling 478 b Bletso 399 d Blewets 224 c Blisworth 507 a Blith 551 a Blith a river 586 d. 466 e 812 a Bliphborough 486 e Blithfield 586 e Charles Blount or Blunt Lord Montjoy Earle of Devonshire 208 d Blounts or Blunts of Kinlets 574 why so called 591 b Blunts Barons Montjoy 555 c Gilbert Blund 461 d Boadicia or Bunduica wife to King Prasutaegus 49 Boadicia or Bunduica a noble and warlike Lady 406 e. 51 is vanquished and poisoneth herselfe 52 Bocking a fat Personage 446 a Bocton Malherb 331 b Bodine what he conceiveth of the name Britaine 5 Sir Th. Bodley a singular benefactor to Oxford Librarie 382 c Bodman 191. Boduarie 679 c Boeth what it signifieth 732 c Bohuns Earles of Hereford c. 621 e Humfrey de Behun Earle of Essex 454 Hugh de Bolebec 396 a Bolebec Baronie 809 e Bolebec Castle 396 a Bolerium 187 Bollin a river 610 b Bollingbrooke 541 f Bolsover Castle 556 c Bonosus a notorius bibber hangeth himselfe 71 Boniface See Winifride Bonvill Lord 206 c. 231 b. his calamities ibid. c Bolton castle 729 a Borrodale 767 a Bone-well 619 f Bonhommes a religious order 395 a Bonhommes Colledge 244 Bonium 602 e Booth a family 610 c Borsarse alias Brentwood 442 Borwick 809 d Borrovicus ibid. Boscastle 195 Boseham 306 f Bostoke a place and family 609 d Boston 532 c burnt and ransacked 532 d Bothal castle 812 d Bosworth towne 518 d Bosworth field ibid. d Botereux castle 195 Botereux a family 566 b Botherwic 544 d Botontines 515 d Bottlebrig or botolph Bridg 502 Bought on 510 a Bovium 643 c Bourchiers Earls of bath 598 c 207 c Bourchier Baron of Berners 405 d Bourchiers de Berners Lords 472 d Bourchiers an honorable
family 450 d Bowes or Bough a worshipfull family 731 c. 737 a. why so called 732 e Bowland forest 750 b Bowtetorts a family 465 b Boxley 332 c Brachae 19 Bradenham 393. e Brance 19 Briti ibid. Bridburn a place and family 553 Bradford 244 f Bradewardin a place 6â—8 c Bradwardin the profound Doctor 618 c Bradstons Ancestors of Vicount Montacute and Barons Wentworth 364 a Braibrooke castle 1513 e Braibrookes Barons ibid. e Brackley 505 d Braibrook 329 c Brakenbake 724 e Brackenburies a family of good note 737 c Brambles 274 c Brampton 783 a Bramton 815 b Bramton Brian castle 619 c Bramish a river 815 b Bancaster 408 a Brian de Brampton 619 c Brand 568 e Brandons a family Suffolke 465 e Branspeth castle 739 Branonium 575 a Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke 470 c Brannodunum 480 a Bransford or Bensford-bridge 517 e Brasen weapons 188 Brasen nose Colledge in Oxford 383 a Brasmatias a kinde of Earthquake 620 c Bray 286 d. Lord Bray 297 b. The breach by Greenwich 328 a Nicolas Breakspeare That is Pope Adrian the forth 414 f Breakspeare a place and family 419 b Brechanius his 24. daughters all Saints 627 a Breden forest 224 a Breedon hils 577 e Breedon a village ibid. Breertons a family 608 f. their death foreshewed 609 b Breerton a place 609 Brechnockshire 627 Brechnock towne 628 a Brechnock meere ibid. Brechnock Lords ibid. Brechnock made a shire 677 e Bremenium 803 Brember castle 313 c Bremetonacum 753 c Bremicham or Bermingham a town and familie 567 Bren what it signifieth 677 Bremin what it is 33 Brennus 677 Brennus a renowmed King 33 Bretenham 463 b Breton a river ibid. Brent a river 421 Brent See Falkes de Brent Brentmarsh 230 e Brentford 421 Brentwood 442 a Brentwell or Brounswell 421 Broses Barons 113 c. 201 f Breoses a family 553 d Will. de Breos or Braus a strong Rebell 629 b Breoses Lords of Brechnock 623 Bretons a family 556 b Bretts 128 f Breusais 138 f Brian who so called 117 Bridlington 714 d Iohn of Bridlington ibid. Brewood 583 a Bricols 400 e Bridge Casterton 534 b Bridgford by Nottingham 548 Brig for Glansford 543 a Brigantes in Britaine rebelled 43 Brigantes 685. whereof they took name ibid. Brill for Burihill 395 b Breint Fitz Conty 282 a Brients 202 c d Brients Barons 215 d Brinlo 568 f Brienston 215 e Brimsfeild 365 f Bridgewater 225 a Earle of Bridgewater 225 c Bridkirk 768 b Briewer Baron 222 e Bristoll or Bristow a Citie 237 a the reason of the name ibid. b Bret the Primitive of the Britains 26 Brit or Brith the first name of the Britains 25 Brith what it signifieth 26 Britaine or Britannie whence it tooke name 27. why late discovered and knowne 33. mentioned by Lucretius first of any Latin writer ib. twice Schoole-Mistres to France 138 Britaine the great that is England 155 Britaine the lesse that is Scotland ibid. Britaine how divided 154.155 Britaine what names it hath 1. the site thereof 1. the forme of it ibid. why called another world 24. the division and compasse of it 2.4 Britaine hath sundry names 23 the position thereof in respect of the Heavens 4. how fruitfull and commodious 3. her first inhabitants 4. the name 5 Britaine under what signe or Planet 182 Britain portracted in womans habite 24. the Roman world 45 discovered to be an Iland 61 a province Presidial 62. How it was governed under and after Constantine the Great 62 76. how it became subject to the Romans 62. infected by Barbarians 79. brought to civilitie 63. called Romania and Romaine Ile 88 Britains ruin and downfall 107 Britaine and France whether ever conjoyned 346 a Britains came first out of Gaule 11.12 Britans in Religion language and maners agree with the Gauls 13.14.15.16.17 Britans emploied by Caesar in base services 38 Britans generally rebell 49. their grievances ibid. Britains cast off the Romans yoke 86 Britains how they may derive their descent from the Troians 88 Britans in Armorica 110 Britans of Wales and Cornewale 112.113 Britans send Embassadours to the Saxons 128 Britans retaine their ancient language 23 Britans long lived 555 b Britans painted themselves blue with wood 20 Britans maners and customes out of Iulius Caesar 29. out of Strabo ibid. out of Diodorus Siculus 29. out of Pomponius Mela ibid. out of Cernelius Tacitus 30. out of Dio Nicaus ibid. out of Herodian ibid. out of Pliny 3â— out of Solinus ibid. Britaine Burse 428 d Britannica the herbe See Scorby or Scurvigrasse Britanniciani what they were 111 Briten huis 40 Brithin a kind of drinke 5 British tongue full of Greeke words 28 British States submit to Caesar 37 British Iles mentiond by Polibius 33 Of British Perle a brestplate 38 British names import colours 26 British townes what they were 29 Britwales or Welshmen 113 Briva what it signifieth 414 Brockets knights 406 f Brocovum 762 d Broge 19 Brokes by a place 522 f. a family 523 a Brome 467 f Bromesgrave 574 â— Bromefield 677 a Wolter Bronscorn Bishop of Excester 190 Brookes a family of ancient descent 611 a Brooke L. Cobham 329 c Barons Brooke 244 c Bronholme 478 e Brougham 762 d Brotherton 695 b Sir Anthonie Browne first Vicount Montacute 482 b Sir Ant. Browne Marquesse Montacute 222 d Broughton 376 e Broughton in Hantshire 262 c Brundenels a family 514 b Bruges Baron Chandos 365 b Bruin a family 442 b Burg-morfe or Bridg-North 591 b Robert Brus the noble 500 e Baron Brus of Skelton 720 c Bruses a noble family 526 b Brutus 5. why so called 8 Bucken that is Beech trees 393 George Buck 22 d Buchonia and Buckenham 393 a Buckinghamshire 393 Buers a family 463 b Walter Buc and his race 812 b Buckingham town 396 c. Earles 397 d Buckhurst Baron 320 Buelth 627 e Bugden 497 d Bulchobaudes 79 Buldewas or Bildas 593 e Bulkley a towne and family 607 Anne Bullen or Bollen Marchianesse of Penbroch 655 e Bullen or Bollen Earle of Wiltshire 256 e Bullen or Bollogne in France the same that Gessoriacum and Bonoia 348 d Th. Bullen Earle of Wiltshire died for sorrow 257 Bulleum Silurum 627 e Bulley or Busley a noble Norman 551 a Bulverith 316 e Buly castle 76â— c Bulnesse 775 c Bumsted Helion 452 a Bungey 468 b Burdos or Burdelois 473 a Burford in Shropshire 590 f Burnt Elly 463 d Burgesses 177 Burgh under Stanemore 760 Burgh castle 468 e Burgh Clere 72 c Burgi what they were 760 f Burly a faire place 526 b Burons an ancient family Burrium 636 c S. Buriens in Cornwal 188. why so called ibid. Burnel Baron 330 c Burcester 337 b Burdet 566 c Bunbury for Boniface burry 607 Burghersh alias Burgwash 320 Bartholomew Burgwash a Baron 320 b Burghley 514 â— Burgh 727 f Burghsted 442 e Burgh or Burrow Barons 543 f Burne a Barony ibid. Burnels a family 591 f Burrowes what they are 515 e Burrow banke 452 e Burrow hill
is ibid. Hertlebury castle 574 b Hertford shire 405 Hertford towne 407 a Hertford Earles 415 e called Earles of Clare ibid. Herty point 207 b Doctor Hervey his Causey 489 c Hervey first Bishop of Ely 493 d Herward a valiant Englishman 533 a Heston 420 a Hesus 17 Hesselwood 696 c Hous 17 Heveningham a towne and family 467. c Hexhamshire 799. d Hextold a river 807. d Hextoldesham ibid. Heyford Warin 377. a Heyford Purcell 377. a Hides a family 281. a Hide what it is 158 339. e Highgate Castle 778. c High Crosse 518. a High Dike a streete-way 534. a 64 High ridge ibid. Highham a towne and family 463. c Highham Ferrars 510. b High-land men 119.126 Higra 707. c. What it is 357. e Saint Hilda a shee Saint and her miracles 718. e Hills erected for what purpose 406. e Hildersham 489. e Hildeards ancient Knights 713. f Hilton a Castle and familie 742. e Himilco never in Britaine 33. Hinchingbrooke 497. d Hindersket or Hunderdskell a Castle 723. e Hinkley a Baronie 518. c Hith or Hide a towne 349. b Hith what it signifieth ibid. Hitching 406. c Ho 329. c Baron Ho 318 319. Hoes a family 542. c Hobarts Knights and Atturneys Generall to Kings 476 Sir Edward Hoby Knight 286. b 334. a Hobelars 272.275 b Hocke and Hocks old English for mire and dirt 402. a Hoch Norton 375. a Hockley in the hole 402. c Hodde hils 215. c Hodesdon 408. d Hodingdon 578. c Hodlestons an ancient familie 699. e. 765. d Hodengs a family 394. c Hodnet a towne and family 594. b Hodney a river 628. a Hoel the good Prince of Wales 650. c Holburne or Oldburn 432. f Holcrofts an ancient family 608. d Holcroft a place and family 747. d Holdernesse a promontorie 713. c Holdenby house 508. e Holdernesse a promontory 713. c Holdernesse honour 715. b Holes within the Ground 440. d Holland a part of Lincoln-shire 529. why so called ibid. Hollands a great family 519. b and most noble 749 Iohn Holland of Denshire 205. a his coate of armes ibid. d Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter and Earle of Huntingdon 205. d Henrie Holland Duke of Excester ibid. his miserable case ibid. f Iohn Holland halfe brother to King Richard the second beheaded at Plaisi 445. b Hollands Knights 353. b Hollands Earles of Kent ibid. Iohn Holland the younger his stile 502. f Henrie Holland Duke of Excester his fall 502. f Thomas Holland Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey 304. â— beheaded 304. c Holme Cultraine Abbey 773. a Holmesdale 294. b Holme Pier Pount 548. f Holme castle 296. f Holmes Chappell a towne 609. a Holme Lacy 621. a Holt in Denbigh shire 677. b Holt castle 594. b Holly head 673. a Holy Island 814. e Hooten 606. e Hope castle 681. a Horne church 441. f Horne castle 541. c Hornby castle 753. f Honorius Emperor 83. succoureth the distressed Britains against invasion of Barbarians 86 Honoriaci what Souldiours 118 Honoriani 127 Horse running 723. d Horse the badge or cognisance of the old Dukes of Saxonie 135 Horse heath 489. e Horton 691. f Hote-Spur 596. c Hothams a family 711. d. 721 Howards a Noble Family 472. c Henrie Lord Howard Earle of Northampton 516. e Henry Baron Howard of Marnhil 215. c Charles Lord Howard Earle of Nottingham 551. d Tho. Vicount Howard of Bindon 213. a Howards Earles of Surrey 304. e Thomas Lord Howard of Walden 452 e. 470. d. Earle of Suffolke ibid. William Lord Howard of Naworth 783. b Iohn Lord Howard duke of Norfolk the first of that house 483 slaine ibid. Thomas Howard his sonne vanquished the Scots 483. c Henrie Howard Earle of Surry a learned Nobleman ibid. Tho. Howard last duke of Norfolke ibid. Houden and Houden-shire 710. c Houghton 480. a Howgill castle 762. c Howley 693. e Howty a brooke 608. e Hubert de Burge Earle of Kent 352 Hubba the Dane 208. f Hubbestow ibid. Huckstow forest 592. c Huddleston 696. c Huesi 23 Hugh the Norman 212. d. a traitour 205. a Hugolin or Hugh Spenser 642 b Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury slain 672. d Hull the river 711. c Hull the towne 712. d Humfrey Duke of Glocester and his stile 369. c. The good duke and a favorer of learning 382 his death 561. c Humber an arme of the Sea 689 542. e Humel or Hymell castle 514. b Hundreds or Centuries appointed 158. d Hungerbourne 255. c Hungerfords 195 Hungerford towne 282. e Hungerford Barons 245. d. 282 Hunibald a bald writer 6 Hunshâ—l â— forâ— 509. d Hunstanston 418. b Hansdon a Barons seate 408 c Hunt Cliffe 720. e Huntercombs a family 394 c 815 d Huntingdon castle in Hereford shire 620. c Huntingdon shire 497. e Huntingdon towne 497. d Huntingdon Earles 502. c Huntingfeld towne and Baron 467. c Huntly Nab 720 f Hurling 186 Hurlers 193 Hurst castle 260. d Huscarles what they be 576. e Hussy the first and last Baron of that name 535. d Hyeritha a Shee-Saint 208. b I. JAmes the sixth of Scotland stiled King of great Britaine 141. a mild and gracious Prince 298. b Iames the fourth King of Scotland slaine 483. c Tho. Iames of Oxford a stâ—dious Antiquarian 639. â— Ianus with two foreheads 97 Iaphets progenie how it was propagated 10 Iarrow 743 d Iberi whence they tooke name 20 Iccius portus in France a port townelet 3â— Iceni 456 Ichnild-street 456. d Iceniiâ— Britaine discomfited 43 Idle a river 550. d Iermins Knights 461. d Iermegans Knights 468. e Ierby a towne 769. c Iervis or Iorvalle Abbey 729. c Ierusalem in hand to be re-edified 79. Iestine a rebell against Prince Rhese 641. e Iesu of Bethlems house 297. e 410. f Iesus Colledge in Oxford 383. b Iohn Iewell Bishop of Salisbury 208. e. a profound Clerke 248. e S. Iies 193 Ikborowgh 482. b Ikeâ—ild street 64 Ikening street 402. d Ikesworth 461. d Ilands of what use 478. d An Iland floating 478. d Isle of Ely 485. c. why so called 492. f Il-bre an Isle 607. a Ilcester or Ivelcester 221. e Ilfarcomb 207. a Ilkley 697. c Il-street 603. e K. Ina 226. c Innes of Court and Chancery in London 427. c Inborow what it is 815. b Incubi 17 Infants of Spaine 164 Inglebeys a family 535. f. 699. f Ingleborne 242. c Ingleborrow Hill 749. e Inglefields an ancient family 284. c Inglini bipenniferi 154 Inis wen 24 Insula Caeruli ibid. Inundations in Monmouth shire and Somerset shire 634. d Ioan the faire maide of Kent 353. b Ioan de Acres 369. b Iohannes de Sacro bosco 692. c Iohn of Weathamsted 7 Iohn Earle of Athol cruelly executed 336. a Iohn of Gaunt his stile 757. b King Iohn his sword at Lin. 480. f King Iohn called judicially into question in France and endited for murdering his Nephew Arthur 733. d Saint Iohns Knights of Ierusalem 428. a. 433. a Ioseph of Arimathea 68 Ioseph Iscanus a Poet 204. d Ioseph Scaliger 10 Ipres
called Knights of the Rhodes and now of Malt. Templars * Lords of S. Johns Charter-house Barbacan Galâ—ottus Martius London Bridge See of Southwarke in Suthrey Saint Saviour Suffolkehouse S. Thomas Hospitall Stewes Band-dogges or Mastives Societies or Companies of Citizens â—â—ibus Wards * Or Portgrave Praetor or Major 1411. 1405. The Burse 1567. Royall Exchange Grehams College Guicciardin * Orpheus harpe a star * Or beyond Radcliffe Isle of Dogs Edmonton Waltham Crosse. Enfield Chase. Waltham Forest. Waltham Abbay Baron Deny Copthall Durolitum Berking Roding the river The Booke of Ely Chipping Angre Liber Inq. de Ripariu * Marshes Holes cut out In Kent pag. 334. Tilbury Convennos thâ— Isle Canvey Beamfleot S. Shobery Anno 894. Rochford Lord Rochfoâ— * Lawlesse Court Havering Rumford See the the Annalles Brent-wood Caesaromagus called in the Itinerary table Baromagus South-Okindon Bruin Thorndon Baron Petre. Ashdowne Arpen Wine Radulphus de Dicero The family of the Essex Dengy hundred Essex cheese The Normans call him Peverell In the Records Saint Hilary terme E. 2.17 in the keeping of the Treasurer and Chamberlaine of the Exchequer Seales or signets first taken up among Englishmen Barons Rich. The Booke of Saint Martins in London Canonium Cogeshall Tirell Easterford Whitham Camalodunum Maldon Camulus a God Claudius in Britannia Servius * Deified The Altar and Temple of Claudius Dio saith fourescore thousand Idumanuâ— * Domesday The bounds of Colonies Cogeshall Lib. 9. cap. 54. Hawkwood * 4. Verses * 14. H. 4. Colonia Colchester 1105. Helen Great Constantines mother S. Osith Chic Barons Darcy of Chich. Nesse Giants Giants bones Harewich * Barklow * Ancient tombes Danes-bloud Walden Commonly called Mandevilles Baron Audley of Walden 1597. Burrow-banke Saffron Barons of Clavering See in Northumberland Barons Montfichet The Montfichet Coat of Armes Playz Haslingbury Barington Hatefield Brad-oke Earles of Essex Register of Walden Register of Walden Monastery See the Earles of Hereford Eliz. sister to Rich. Duke of Yorke Ichenild-street Sphen Seneca his usury in Britanny Andates or Andrastes The Goddesse Victory In Kent * Earle or Lieutenant * Seven kingdomes East-Angle Uff kines Ralph President of East-Angle Cheeses Novus mercatus Newmercate Newmarket Heath S. Edmunds Bury Guord or worth Bery the Britan. Malmesburiensis Eversden * Now but two * Or Scâ—eschal * Humfrey Duke of Glocester Ikesworth Blund * Drury 1173. Hengrave Culfurth Sir Nicholas Bacon Lidgate John Lidgate Stoke Clare Earles of Clare * Ad Albam Pompiam * Aucensis or Ewâ— Guliel Gemiâ—icensis Lib. 7. c. 37. Rob. Montensis Dukes of Clarence 1421. Sudbury Edwardeston * Barones Monte-chensie Minor Histor. Matth. Paris * Waldgrave Buers Cumbretonium Bretenham Barons Wentworth * Lancham Hadley Gathrum or Garmo the Dane Bentley Arwerton Wulpet Vera narratio Norton Hagoneth Farter A prety conceited tenure Ipswich Domesday booke Waleton Langerston * Others call it Thredling Boutetort Rendelisham * Cedde * Some name it Winchell Framlingham Parrham Barons Willoughbey of Parrham Oreford Tritons and Monsters of the Sea Aldburgh Pease growing out of the Rockes Dunwich Allectum or Halecum Blithborrow * De Casineto Easton-Nesse Extensio A Promontory Lib. 3. de Natura Deorum Wingfield Philips Huntingfield Henningham Halesworth Hoxon King Edmunds Martyrdome Cornwalleis Eaye Liber inquisitionum * By intrusion reaping the commodities thereof Bedingfield Flixton Bungey Mettingham Luthingland Lestoffe Somerley towne Cnoberi urbs Dukes and Earles of Suffolke Inquisit 5. Rich. 2. Leland in his Commentary upon his Cygnea Cantio Walsingham pag. 358. Regist. Monal de Melsâ— See Hull in Yorkeshire Sitomagus Thetford Magus The Family of the Knevets Barons Bourchiers of Berners Hengham Lord of Rhia * Sculton Wood rising Windham Attilborough Mortimers Venta Icenorum Caster Horsford * De Casineto Norwich Wic in the Saxons tongue what it signifieth * In the English Saxon Grammer Augusta Raâ—racorum * Fine as some take it * Or Dutchmen of the Low countries A Ruffe De Rariorum animatium Historia * Halles-hall Hobart Garieniâ— Ostium Yarmouth Garianonâ—â— * Caurus * Aquilo Cerdicus the Saxon. Cerdick sand William Worcester * Domesday booke * Portuenses * Lieutenant Hertings * Halecum Portuenses The river Thyrn Blickling Ailesham * Worsted Worsted Stuffe Saint Benets in the Holme Ludham Clipsby A most fat and battle ground Bronholme * Paston Gimmingham Wauburne Blackney 1321. John Baconthorp The Resolute Doctor Meales oâ— Miles Walsingham Regulares Houghton The Neirfords * Petronillae Vaâ—lx Brannodunum Brancastor Hunstanton Le Strange Sharnborn Foelix a Bishop The Washes Mecaru Aestuarium Lynne * Welâ—h Tilney S. Maries Reports Neirford Wormegay Bardolphs Barons Greshenhall Elsing Folliots Ickborrough Iciani Earles and Dukes of Norfolke Composition betwixt King Stephen and Henry Duke of Anjou Parliament 21. Richard 2. Rot. Parl. 3. Hen. 6. Floddon field See in the Adages of Hadrianus Junius Achilleum Voâ—um * Byne Mault Roiston See in Hertfordshire Caxton Hatley Saint George * Shengay A Commandery Burne Barones de Burne Barnwell Historie The King heire to private persons Camboritum Rith what it signifieth in British and French Grantcester Cambridge Colledges John Caiuâ— * Decently magnificent Barnewell Historia Barnewallensis Historia Barnwellensis * Paganut Joffred made Abbot of Crowland Anno 1109. Studium Aurelianense * Stourbridge Faire Gogmagog Hills A Military Fort. Wandlesbury Salston Horsheath See in Hertfordshire Castle Camps Magistra Cameraria Angliae Lord Great Chamberleine * Inq. 6. E. 2. Ditches Fleamdyke * De Rubeo monte De Insula Divels Dyke Abbo died anno 1003. Canutus began his reigne Anno. 1018. Anno. 905. Burwell Lanheath Wicken * Isleham Peyton Kirtling Barons North. 977. The Fennes and Isle of Ely Girviâ— Scordium Pausanias in Corinth Audre Ely Saint Etheldreda commonâ—y S. Audrye Saint Audrieâ— Libertie Ely booke The Lanterne Thorney Wisbich Walepoole Newleame Clowcrosse Earle of Cambridge * Or Aufon 1. Nen. Saint Needs Ainsbury Holsome and medicinable welâ— Huntingdon Godman-chester Durosiponte Saint Ives Somersham Ramsey Ramsey Mere. Hakeds Kingsdelfe Sawtry commonly Cunnington Saltria Turkill the Dane Edwardus Exul Bruse or Bruis Mosses Wittlesmere Lake The little History of Ely The foundation of Saltry Swerdesdelfe differing from Kings Delfe Kimbolton Stephen Segrave Mat. Paris Leighton Elton Walmsford Durobrivae Stilton Ermingstreet Caster in Northampton-shire Bottle Bridge * Nigellus Earles of Huntingdon See the Earles of Northampton In the last booke cap. 16. Iohn Forden in Scotocronico l. 8. c. 3.6 39. Mat. Paris 1243. * See Dukes of Excester Paâ— 26. H. 6. Utopia of Sir Thomas More Barony of the Pinkeneys Parliament 27. H. 6. 7. Edw. 4. Constable of England Sacy Forest. Foresta de Salceto Fines 18. Rich. 2. Bannavenna which untruly is called Isannaventa and Isanavatia Althorp or Oldthorp Baron Spenser Sir Christopher Hatton He died anno 1591. Northampton 1075. Register of Saint Andrewes * De Pratis Gods hoast or Army * Yardley Lord Parr of Horton Kettering The booke of Inquisit in