it was feared either that the people must yéeld to the enemye or perish with famin How beit the Magistrates though sory in such destesse yet hauing a speciall regarde of their dutie toward the Prince and their charge to the common welth left no meanes vnsought to quiet the people and stay them in their deutye and obidience Wherfore comforting the people with fair promises and liberall reléeuing their necessities did in such sort and order handle the matter that euery body with one assent was resolued in hope of some spéedy reléef to abide the end and in no wise to giue place to the â—â—â—mye but to continue faithful to the Prince and trusty to â—heir common welth And yet in the meane while the gouernours left no deuises and prouisions which might be for the reléefe and comfort of the poore hungrye bellyes wherfore the corne and Meale consumed they caused of course and olde refused Bran bread to be moulded vp in clothes for otherwise it would not stick togither Also they caused some excurtions to be made out of the Cittie for the praying and taking of such Cattel as were néer about the walles which béeing taken was distributed emong the poor Likewise the Prisoners in captiuitie were contented to be fatisfied with such victualles as could bée prouided and albeit mannes nature can scarcely abide to féed vpon the flesh of a Horse yet these poor men were fed therwith and wel contented The noble King and Councel aduertised of this distresse did at length after .xxxv. dayes send the honorable S. Iohn Russel Knight Lord Russel Lord priuy Seale and afterwards Earle of Bedford with a company and band of Souldiers who after sundry conflicts had with the enemyes came to this Cittie the vj. of August reskewing and deliuering the same from the enemye and set them at libertie For the which as God was moste worthy of all praise and glory so is the same his deliueraunce at this present had in perpetuall memory the vj. of August béeing a holy day in the remembraunce therof Thus this little Cittie which in antiquitie is not inferiour to other hath from time to time felt the smartes and chauÌ„ges of all times and indured great troubles daungers extremities and perilles and yet God regarding their faith obedieÌ„ce to their Prince and common welth before all other sacrifices hath defended an preserued them alwaies rewarding them with immortall Fame for which his great benefits his name be praised for euer and euer The sundry and seuerall names of the Ciâ—â— of Excester and the interpretation of the same COrinea or Corinia is the first and eldest name of this Cittie and so named by Corineus who ariuing with Brutus into this laÌ„d and seasing or taking laÌ„d vpon these west parteê was by brutus Lord of the same And he then building Cittie as is thought called it by his owne name Corinia whiche béeing so then is this Cittie one of the first Townes or Cittyes buylded by the Brittons in this land Cayrpenhuelgoite is compounded of foure woords Cayr is a Fortresse or a walled Town pen is a hed or the chéef of any thing hovvel is good luck prosperitie or knowledge goyed is wood a forest or timber woork now these put togither after the English phrase is the prosperouse chéef Town in the wood Penhaltcayr is compounded of thrée woords Pen is the hed or chéef halt is high a top of hil or the brim or edge of a thing cayr is a Town walled or a Fortresse these put togither doo signify the hed Town or Cittie vpon the Hil. Pencayr is compounded of two woords of Pen and Cayr which signify the cheef Cittie Cayrruthe Cayrrith is compounded of Cair and Rith Rith is tawnish or a dark red and so it signifyeth the red town Cittie or Fort. Cayrriske is likewise a compound of two words Iske signifieth a fresh water also a quil or a wing but in this place it is the name of the Riuer which fléeteth by the Cittie and so 〈◊〉 signifieth the Cittie of Iske Isca was also the name of the Town and Isaca the name of the Riuer which fleeteth by it as Ptolomeus and certain latter writers folowing him doo suppose write though it should séeme rather the Cittie to be called Isaca and the Riuer Isca Muncketon was so called by the Saxons but vpon what reason it dooth not appeer others theÌ„ that they did at their comming chaunge and alter the names of all or moste parte of places in this land giuing new names either of Townes or places of the Contrey from wheÌ„ce they came or of their owne deuise or els King Etheldred or King Edgar when they had builded eche of them a Monastery for Muncks did giue that name Exeter was the name which King Adelstane gaue vnto it when he soiourned in this Town calling it so of the riuer Exe and then it is to say Exeterra the town or soyle of Exe. Exancestre is thought to be so called by the Saxons who commonly and for the moste parte named such Fortes and holdes as they buylded by this woord Cestria as Cicestria Dorcestria Osestria and many other like for Cestir in the Saxon tung is a Forte a Town or a Cittie Excestrum or Excestre is the name moste now in vse and so named as some write of the Riuer whiche they write to be named Excestrum Brutus Cadwalader Corinnia Cairpenhulgoit Penhaltcair Pencayr Cayrruth Cayrriske king Coil Bale Muncketon Adlestane Exeterra Excestre Exancestre Caesar. Courtney Churche of Exon. Ethelvvolphus Etheldred Edgar Canutus S. Edward Leofricus Aruiragus Edvvin Cadvvalline Alphred Svveno VVilliam CoÌ„querer king Stephen Baldwin Ridiuers King Richard Duke of York Duke of Glocestre Vere Delapole Lord Dinham Lord Fitzvvarren Baron of Carevve Duke of Clarence Neuel erle of VVarvvick king Henry King Edvvard
they shall come into the Parlement house in armoure or with their Swoordes but because they should be suche as haue good experience and knowledge in feates of Warre and of martiall affayres whereby they may in suche caces giue the King and Realme good aduise and councel likewise they ought to be Lay men and of good fame honestie and credit béeing not vtlawed excoÌ„municated or periured or otherwise infamose for such persons ought not to haue place or to be admitted into the Parlement house The degrees of the Parlement IN times past there were six degrées or estates of the Parlement whiche euery of them had their seuerall officers and ministers of attendaunce but now the same are reduced into foure degrées The first is the King who in his personage is a ful and whole degrée of him self and without whome nothing can be doon The second degrée is of the Lords of the Clergie and of the Temporaltie and are all called by the names of Barons The third is of knights Citizens and Burgesses and these be called by the names of the communaltie The fourth is of the Clergie which are called by the name of conudcacion and these persons haue no voice in the Parlement nether can they doo any thing other theÌ„ to intreat in causes of Religion which from them is to be commended to other estates Of the places and houses of the Parlement AS it lyeth in the King to assigne and appoint the time when the Parlement shall begin so that he giue at the least forty dayes summons so likewise he may name and appoint the place where it shal be kept but wheresoeuer it bée kept th' olde vsage and maner was that all the whole degrées of the parlement sat togither in one house and euery man that had there to speak did opeÌ„ly before the king and his whole Parlement but héerof did growe many inconveniences and therfore to auoid the great confusions which are in such great assemblies as also to cut of th' occasions of displeasures which eftsoones did happen when a mean man speaking his conscience fréely either could not be heard or fel into the displeasure of his betters and for sundrye other great gréefs did deuide this one house into thrée houses that is to wit the higher house the lower house and the conuocation house In the first sitteth the King and his Lords spirituall and Temporall called by the name of Barons and this house is called the higher house The second is where the Knights Citizens and Burgesses doo sit and they be called by the name of Commons and this house is called the lower house The third is where the prelats and Proctors of the Clergie sit béeing called by the name of the Clergie and this house is called the conuocation house of euery of these houses their orders and officers we wil bréefly subuect and declare perticulerly in order as foloweth Of the higher house THe higher house as is said is where the King and his Barons doo sit in Parlement where the King sitteth highest and the Lords and Barons beneath him eche man in his degrée the order is this The house is much more in length then in breadth and the higher end therof in the middle is the Kingê seat or Throne hanged richly with cloth of estate and there the king sitteth all waies alone On his right haÌ„d there is a long bench next to the wall of the house whiche reacheth not so farre vp as the Kings seat and vpon this sit the Archbishops and Bishops euery one in his degrée On his left hand there are two like beÌ„ches vpon the inner sit the Dukes Marquesses Erles and Vicounts On the other which is the hindermoste next to the wall sit all the Barons euery man in his degrée In the middle of the house betwéen the Archbishops seat and the Dukes seat sitteth the Speaker who commonly is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale of England or the L. chéef Iustice of England as pleaseth the King who dooth appoint him and he hath before him his two Clarks sitting at a Table before them vpon which they doo write and lay their Bookes In the middle rowme beneath them sit the chéef Iustices and Iudges of the Realme the Barons of the Eschequer the Quéenes Sergeants and all such as be of the Kings learned Councel either in the common Lawes of the Realme or of the Ecclesiasticall lawes and all these sit vpon great Wool sacks couered with red cloth At the lower end of all these feates is a bar or a Rail betwéen which and the lower end of the house is a void rowme seruing for the lower house and for all Sutors that shall haue cause and occasion to repair to the King or to the Lords This house as it is distinct from the others so there bée distinct Officers to the same belonging and appertaining whiche all be assigned and appointed by the King and all haue allowances for their charges at the Kings hands of which Officers what they are what is euery of their offices and what allowances they haue shal be written in order héerafter Of the Officers of the higher house and first of the Speaker and of his office THe chéefest Officer of the higher house is the Speaker who is appointed by the King and commonly he is the Lord Chaunceller or kéeper of the great Seale or Lord chéef Iustice of England his office consisteth in diuers points First he must on the first day of the Parlement make his oration in the higher house before the king his Lords and commons then there declare the causes why the King hath summoned that parlement exhorting and aduising euery man to do his office and duty in such sorte as may be to the glory of God honor of the King and benefit of the common welth Also he must make one other oration but in way of answere to the Speakers Oration when he is presented to the King. Likewise he must make the like on the last day of the Parlement and you shall vnderstand that vpon these thrée dayes he standeth on the right hand of the King néer to his seat at a bar there appointed for him but at all other times he sitteth in the middle of the house as is before said When he hath ended his oration vpon the first day he must giue order vnto the lower house in the Kings behalf willing them to repair vnto their house and there according to their ancient order and customes make choice of their Speaker All Billes preseÌ„ted vnto the higher house he must receiue which he hath foorthwith to deliuer to the Clarkes to be safely kept All Billes he must cause to be red twise before they be ingroced and béeing red thrée times he must put the same to question If any Bil put to question doo passe with their conseÌ„t then the same must be sent to the lower house vnlesse it came first from thence and in that cace it
se dederunt 7 Also in the second yéer of King Stephen Anno. 1137. the Lords and Péeres of the Realme remembring the othe they had made to King Henry the first to whome they swore to bée true to Maude the Kings daughter and to her heires and yet contrary to the same had sworne them selues to King Stephen began to repent them selues and consulted how to restore Maude the Empresse wherfore assembling togither in armour did deuide them selues and took sundry Cities Castels And Baldvvin Ridiuers Earle of Deuon with force of Armes tooke this Cittie whom King Stephen pursuing did driue him out of the same to the Islle of VVight then his Lordship But the King when he had receiued the Cittie into his faith did march towards the Isle of VVight and taking the same did banish the said Earle But Maude the Empresse remembring this Cittie for this faith did enlarge the liberties for whom euer after an aniuersary was kept at the charges of the Cittie Howebeit some say that this Baldvvin took Oxforde or Westchester and not Excester and from thence fled to VVight 8 It was also in some trouble in the xi yéere of King Richard the second Anno. 1387. For a controuersie béeing befall betwéen the King and his Vncles the Dukes of York and Glocestre none were then so much in the Kings fauour as Robart Vere Marques of Doublin Michael Dalapool Earle of Suffolke and others of their faction whome the King commaunded to collect and assemble an Armye in and for his defence agaiÌ„st his vncles but they whether they mistrusted their owne parte or whether they were minded to make them selues stronger leuing their iorney towards London came to this Cittie the Dukes vnderstaÌ„ding the same pursued theÌ„ with all spéed and at this Cittie ioyned battail and fought with them but the Marques and the Earle trusting better to their féet then to their hands did preuily flée away into Scotland and froÌ„ thence into flanders where they dyed 9 It was also in great troubles in the time of King Edvvard the fourth for in the x. yéer of his reign Anno. 1469. when the states of King Henry the vj. and King Edvvard the fourth were doutful The Duchesse of Clarence the Lord Dinham the Lord Fitzvvarren and the Baron of Carewe with others who took parte with Henry the vj. came to this Cittie accompanyed with a thousand fighting men the Duches béeing great with childe and lodged in the Bishops place But Sir Hugh Courtney Knight who fauored and was of the parte of King Edward hearing of this raised an armye of his fréends and Allies besieged the Cittie brake down the Bridges and stopped all the waies comming towards the same by meanes wherof no Victualles could come to the market And béeing encamped about the Cittie sent vnto the Mayor requiring him either to open the Gates or to deliuer the gentlemen whiche were within The gentlemen which were within they of their parties either mistrusting the Mayor or Comons or not willing to be ruled vnder his gouernment requied the keyes of the gates to be deliuered into their custody and all things to be doon as at their appointment In which perplexitie and doutful estate the Mayor and his brethern consulting did resolue and determine neither to yéeld to the request of them which were without nor yet to satisfie their requests which were within but pacifying bothe partyes with such honest and quiet meanes as they might did conclude to kéep the Cittie and them selues as to their allegiance appertained to the vse of the Crown wherfore foorthwith they rampred the Gates fortified the Walles and armed their Souldiers and set all things in good order leauing nothing vndoon which might be for the preseruation of the state and common welth of the Cittie But in small processe of time the prouision waxed short and victualles began to be scant where of it was feared a famine would insue the same béeing so hard a thing as so great a number of people would not endure and abide Yet notwithstanding partely by the good peswasions of the Magistrates and hauing a regarde of their owne dutyes and estates and hoping this troublesome time would not long indure did continewe firme and trusty in their cause vntil at length by way of intreatie and mediation of certain Chanons of the Close the siege was after xij dayes remooued and raised whervpon very shortly did insue the féeld at Edgecourt where the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of VVarwick beâ—â—ng put to the worst did flée to this Cittie entring in the third of April lying in the Bishops Pallaice for a few dayes vntil they prouided Shippes at Dartmouth fit for their passage to Calleys The King hauing vnderstanding whiche wayes his enemyes were gon followed and pursewed them with an armye of xl thousand men and came to this Cittie the xiiij of Aprill Anno. 147â— but he came to late the Duke and the Earle beeing gone to the Seaes before his comming wherfore the King after he had reposed him self heer three dayes returned 10 It was likewise in great trouble béeing besieged the xâ—j yéere of the reign of King Henry the vij Anno 1498. by one Parkin VVarbeck who in the beginning of September came to this Cittie and encamped it with Ordinaunce battred the walles fired the gates vndermined the walles and sealed the same but by the noble courage of the Citizens he had small successe béeing manfully resisted vntil suche time as the King aduertised therof did send the Lord Edvvard Courtney Earle of Deuon and the Lord VVilliam his Sonne with other Noble men who reskewed the Cittie and deliuered it from the enemye 11 Finally and last of all it was besieged in the third yéere of King Edvvard the sixt Anno. 1549. by the Commons of Deuon and Cornvvall who not contenting them selues with the state of Religion then established clustered them selues in companyes appointed to them selues Captaines and minded by their force to vndoo that which the Prince by Lawe and Act of Parlement had established wherfore to redéeme all such places of force welth and defence into their owne hands whiche might in any respect serue for their ayde and defence came to this Cittie the second of Iuly 1549. and encamped them selues about the same in great numbers during the time of their abode besieging great troubles arose soÌ„etimes assaultê made sometimes the gates fired soÌ„etimes the walles vndermined some times skirmishes made some great laromes to defeÌ„d the walles against scaling finally nothing was left vndoon which the enemyes might deuise for the obteining of their purpose And albeit there waÌ„ted not lusty stomakes of the Citizens to withstaÌ„d this outward force yet in processe of time such scarcitie of Vitualles did encrease Bread wared so scant that the people began to waxe wery and lothe to abide the extremitie therof whiche was so extreme that
by the space of thrée hundreth and od yéeres vntil the time and comming of King Adlestane For he about the yéer of our Lord. 932. beeing muche gréeued with the Rebellion of the Cornish people because they refused and denyed to acknowledge him for their lawful King did bend his power and conducted his armie against them and with force when he had subdewed them returned to this Cittie and for a perpetuall memory to this common welth whiles he soiorned him self therin repaired and new builded the Cittie and the walles therof whiche before with force and fire were vtterly destroyed And then altred and chaunged the name therof calling it after the name of the Riuer Esseterra or Exeterra that is to say Exeter For so writeth Polidorus Est Exonia vrbs Deuonie comitatus loco precelso ad occidentem versus posita abluiturque flumine Exi a quo nomen habet Others therbe which name it Excestrum and thinketh it to be so called of the Riuer whiche is named Exestrum for this write they Clarissima vrbum est Excestria que ab amni Excestro qui eandem preterfluit est sic nuncupata I finde it also in an olde written Cronicle that it is named Exancestria or Exancestre which name should séem to be so giuen by the Sarons at their abode and béeing in this land for commonly the names which they gaue to such Townes Citties and Fortes as they either builded or reedified did end in Cestre as Chestre as Glocestre Lecestre MaÌ„chester winchestre worcestre Oscestre Colchestre Cicestre Ilcestre Bicestre and this Cittie of Exancestre with others for Cair in British and Cestre in Saxony is in English a Fort Town or Castle This Cittie is walled round about and so is thought was from the begininig It is all togither foure square but declineth towards a roundnes and containeth in circuite or compasse xvj hundred whole paces after fiue foot to the pace which accounting one thousand paces to a Mile is a mile and halfe and some what more The scituation of it is very plesaunt and amenous béeing set vpon a little hil emong many hilles the Contrie round about béeing Mountanose and ful of hilles It is pendeÌ„t towards the Sowth and West partes after and in such sort that be the Stréets neuer so foule or filthy yet with a shower of rain they are clensed aad made swéet And albeit commonly hilles are dry yet nature is so beneficial to this hil that it is ful of springê and by that menes euery parte of the Cittie is furnished with welles and Tyepittes the commoditie wherof hath wel appéered in sundry times of necessitie but especially in the late Commotion whiche was in the yéer of our Lord. 1549. for though then the enemy by spoiling of the Pipes wherby water was conuayed to the fountains of the Cittie from certaine Springs distant not a Mile from the same did abridge them of that water yet moste comfortably did they inioy the welles and Tyepittes within the walles whiche abundantly fléeted with waters to the satisfying of all the people therin There are also within this Cittie certain Fountains called Conduits vnto which through certain canalis or Pipes of Lead waters are conueyed from Springs rising out of certain places and féelds without this Cittie and these waters are of moste price the same by reason of the cariage béeing purified and made lighter then the waters springing within the Cittie and by that menes more fit for the dressing of meates Of these Fountains one béeing of great antiquitie and of late réedifyed staÌ„deth in the middle of the Cittie at the méeting of foure principall Stréets therof and wherof it taketh his name beeing called the Conduit at Quarterfoies of Carsoxe and this serueth eche parte of the Cittie a like At the higher parte of this Cittie is a very olde and auncient Castle called by the name of Rugemont that is to say the red hil taking that name of the red Earth whervpon it standeth The Cite of it is eminent and aboue bothe the Cittie and countrie adioyning for they doo all lye as vnder the lée ther of It hath a goodly prospect towards the Seas for betwéen that and it is no hil at all it is strongly diched round about and was so builded as is thought by Iulius Caesar â–ª or rather by the Romains after him for they had their recourse to it for their defence and refuge many yéeres The same also was sometimes the Palaice of such Kings as to whome the Kingdome of west Sex or west Saxons was alloted vnto After that it was the habitation of the Earles of Cornwall and last of all to the Dukes of Exon and of Cornwall for to those estates the signiory of this Cittie did appertain the same béeing parcel sometimes of the Earledome but now of the Duchie of Cornewall It. is now in meruelous ruin and decay not easely by force to be gotten were it réedified and inuironed At the lower end and parte of this Cittie without the walles fléeteth a goodly Riuer called in British Iske Ptholomeus by misinformation calleth it Isaca but the olde writers name it Esse Exe Exa or Excestrum which names be yet retained It hath his spring or hed in a certain Moer or desert distant from this Cittie néer about xxiiij miles called Exemore it floweth into the main Seas but by the way is increced with sundry Riuers Brookes and Lakes namely Creedy Collome and others in it is great plenty of Salmon Trout Peal dace Pike and other fresh water Fish whiche are had in the lesse price for that the Seas béeing so néer doo furnish the Cittie and the cuntrey abundantly with sundry kindes of Sea Fish moste delicate The main Sea it self is not distant from the Cittie abooue eight miles out wherof commeth an Arme seruing for the Port of the same which sometimes as appéereth by olde and auncient records did flow vp to the walles of the Cittie where bothe Shippes were wunt to be laden and vnladen of all kinde of Merchandise at a proper place appointed for the same which at this presents kéepeth his olde and ancient name béeing callen the VVatergate The decay therof happened in the yéer of our Lord. 1312. by one Hugh Courtney the third of that name and Earle of Deuon who béeing offended and incenced against this Cittie his wrathful humour could not be satisfied vnlesse he might impair the state of that common welth and therfore séeing and vnderstanding emong other commodities the vse of the Hauen to be one of the chéefest did neuer quiet him self vntil he had destroyed the same Wherfore in the yéer of our Lord. 1313. béeing the fifth yéer of the reign of King Edward the second he enterprised his pretenced deuise and mischéef For where as the Lady Awmerle Countesse of Deuon his Ancestrix had builded certain Weares vpon the Riuer of Exe th' one within the mannor of Exminster béeing in the