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-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
againe unto the English For Edward who in regard of his holinesse was surnamed The Confessor the sonne of Etheldred by his second wife recovered the Crowne and royall Dignitie Now began England to take breath againe but soone after as saith the Poet Mores rebus cessêre secundis Prosperitie perverted manners The Priests were idle drowsie and unlearned the people given to riot and loose life they grew also through rest to be lither discipline lay as it were dead the commonwealth sick as one would say of an infinite sort of vices lay in consumption and pined away but pride above all whose waiting maid is destruction was come to a mightie head And as Gervasius Dorobornensis of that time speaketh They fell so fast to commit wickednesse that to be ignorant of any sinfull crimes was held to be a crime All which most evidently foreshewed destruction The Englishmen of those times as William of Malmesburie writeth went lightly appointed with their garments reaching but to the mid knee their heads shorne their beards shaven but the upper lip uncut where the mustaches grew continually wearing massie bracelets of gold about their armes carrying markes upon their skin pounced in of sundry colours The Clergie contenting themselves with triviall literature could scarsly back and hew out the words of the Sacrament THE NORMANS LIke as in ancient times out of that East coast of Germanie in respect of us which tendeth Northward the Franks first and then the Saxons grievously annoied both France Gaule and Britaine with their depredations so that in the end the one became Lords of Britaine the other of France even so in these later daies ensuing the Danes first and afterward the Normans succeeding in their place from out of the same coast did the like As if it were fatally given unto that tract by the dispose and providence of Almightie God to conceive still and often times to send out of her wombe nations to afflict France and Britaine yea and to establish new Kingdomes therein These Normans were so called of the Northerne quarter or climate from whence they came for Normans be nothing else but Men of the North in which sense also they are named Nordleudi that is a Northerne people for a mixt nation they were of the most valiant Norvegians Suedens and Danes In the time of Charles the Great they practised roving and piracie in such cruell manner about Frisia Belgia England Ireland and France that when the said Charles the Great saw their roving ships in the Mediterranean sea he shed teares abundantly and with a grievous deepe sigh said Heavie I am at the heart that in my life time they durst once come upon this coast and I foresee what mischiefe they will worke hereafter to my posteritie Yea and in the publique Processions and Letanies of Churches this afterwards was added to the rest From the race of Normans Good Lord deliver us They drave the French to that extremitie that King Charles the Bald was forced to give unto Hasting a Norman Arch-pirate the Earledome of Charters for to asswage the mans furie King Charles the Grosse granted unto Godfrey the Norman a part of Neustria with his daughter also in marriage But afterwards by force and armes they seated themselves neere unto the mouth of the river Sein in a country which before time was corruptly called Neustria because it had beene a parcell of Westrasia For so the writers of the middle time named that which the Germans used to call Westen-rijch that is the West-kingdome and doth comprise all that lieth betweene the rivers of Loyre and Seine Which tooke the name of Normandie afterwards of them as it were the region of Northerne men when King Charles the simple had confirmed it unto their Prince Rollo whose Godfather he was at his Baptisme to bee held in Fee by homage and withall bestowed upon him his daughter in marriage At which time as we reade in an old Manuscript belonging to the Monasterie of Angiers Charles surnamed Stultus gave Normandie to Rollo and his daughter Gista with it This Rollo daigned not to kisse the foote of Charles and when his friends about him admonished him to kisse the Kings foote as his homager for the receit of so great a benefit hee answered in the English tongue Ne se by God which they interpret thus NO BY GOD The King then and his Courtiers deriding him and corruptly repeating his speech called him Bigod whereupon the Normans be at this day called Bigodi Hence also peradventure it is that the Frenchmen even still use to call hypocrites and superstitious folke Bigod This Rollo who being baptised received therewith the name of Robert some writers report to have become a Christian but in shew and colour onely others upon good deliberation and in earnest and they adde moreover that hee was warned so to doe by God in a dreame which I pray you give me leave being a man for all this that doateth not upon dreames to relate without suspicion of vanitie from the credit of writers in those daies The report goeth that as he sailed he dreamed he saw himselfe fouly infected with the leprosie but when hee was washed once in a most cleare spring at the foot of an high hill hee recovered and was cleansed thereof and anon climbed up to the top of the said hill This Dreame when he reported a Christian that was a captive in the same ship with him interpreted it in this wise The Leprosie was the impious worship of Idol gods wherewith he was tainted that the spring betokned the holy Laver of Regeneration wherewith being once cleansed he should ascend up the hill that is attaine unto high honor and heaven it selfe This Rollo begat William surnamed Long-espee of the long sword which he used to weare and William begat Richard the first of that name Whose sonne and nephew by his son carrying both his name succeeded after him in the Duchie of Normandie but when Richard the third was dead without issue his brother Robert was Duke in his stead who of his concubine begat that William whom wee commonly name The Conquerour and the Bastard All these were every one for their noble acts atchieved both at home and abroad most renowned Princes Now whiles this William being of ripe yeares ruled Normandie Edward the holy surnamed CONFESSOR King of England and the last of the Saxons line departed out of this world unto his heavenly country to the great misse and losse of his people who being the sonne of Ladie Emma cosen to William and daughter to Richard the first of that name Duke of Normandie whiles hee remained in Normandie banished had promised unto him that he should succeed after him in the Crowne of England But Harold the sonne of Godwin and Great Master or Steward of King Edwards house usurped the Kingdome whom to dispossesse his brother Tosto of one side
Townes able to set out a great fleet of Ships the inland parts have rich and plenteous mines of tinne For there is digged out of them wonderfull store of tinne yielding exceeding much profit and commoditie where are made houshold pewter vessels which are used throughout many parts of Europe in service of the table and for their glittering brightnesse compared with silver plate The Inhabitants doe discover these mines by certaine tinne-stones lying on the face of the ground which they call Shoad being somewhat smooth and round Of these Mines or tinne-workes there be two kinds the one they call Lode-workes the other Stream-workes This lieth in lower grounds when by trenching they follow the veines of tinne and turne aside now and then the streames of water comming in their way that other is in higher places when as upon the hils they dig very deepe pits which they call Shafts and doe undermine In working both waies there is seen wonderfull wit and skill as well in draining of waters aside and reducing them into one streame as in the underbuilding pinning and propping up of their pits to passe over with silence their devices of breaking stamping drying crasing washing melting and fining the mettall than which there cannot be more cunning shewed There are also two sorts of Tinne Blacke tinne which is tinne-ore broken and washed but not yet founded into mettall and white tinne that is molten into mettall and that is either soft tinne which is best merchantable or hard tinne lesse merchantable That the ancient Britans practised these tinne-works to omit Timaeus the Historian in Plinie who reporteth That the Britans fetched tinne out of the Isle Icta in wicker boats covered and stitched about with leather appeareth for certaine out of Diodorus Siculus who flourished under Augustus Caesar. For hee writeth that the Britans who Inhabited this part digged tinne out of stonie ground and at a low water carried the same in carts to certaine Ilands adjoyning From whence Merchants transported it by ships into Gaule and from thence conveied the same upon horses within thirtie daies unto the spring-heads of the river Eridanus or else to the citie Narbone as it were to a Mart. Aethicus also who ever hee was that unworthily beareth title to be interpreted by S. Hierome out of the Sclavonian tongue insinuateth the very same and saith That hee delivered rules and precepts to these Tinne-workers But it seemeth that the English-Saxons neglected it altogether or to have used the workmanship and labour of Arabians or Saracens For the Inhabitants in their language terme the mines forlet and given over Attal Sarisin that is the leavings of the Saracens if they did meane by that name the ancient Panims After the comming in of the Normans the Earles of Cornwal gathered great riches out of these mines and especially Richard brother to King Henrie the Third and no marvell sith that in those daies Europe had tinne from no other place For the incursions of the Mores had stopped up the tinne mines of Spaine and as for the tinne veines in Germanie which are in Misnia and Bohemia they were not as yet knowen and those verily not discovered before the yeere after Christs nativitie 1240. For then as a writer of that age recordeth was tinne mett all found in Germanie by a certain Cornishman driven out of his native soile to the great losse and hindrance of Richard Earle of Cornwal This Richard began to make ordinances for these tin-works and afterward Edmund his sonne granted a Charter and certain liberties and withall prescribed certaine Lawes concerning the same which hee ratified or strengthened under his seale and imposed a tribute or rent upon tin to be answered unto the Earls These liberties priviledges and lawes King Edward the Third did afterwards confirme and augment The whole common-wealth of those Tinners and workmen as it were one bodie hee divided into foure quarters which of the places they call Foy-more Black-more Trewarnaile and Penwith Over them all hee ordained a Warden called L. Warden of the Stanniers of Stannum that is Tinne who giveth judgement as well according to equitie and conscience as Law and appointed to every quarter their Stewards who once every iij. weeks every one in his severall quarter minister justice in causes personall betweene Tinner and Tinner and betweene Tinner and Forrainer except in causes of land life or member From whom there lieth an appeale to the Lord Warden from him to the Duke from the Duke to the King In matters of moment there are by the Warden generall Parliaments or severall assemblies summoned whereunto Iurats are sent out of every Stannarie whose constitutions do bind them As for those that deale with tinne they are of foure sorts the owners of the soile the adventurers the merchants or regraters and the labourers called the Spadiards of their Spade who poore men are pitifully out-eaten by usurious contracts But the Kings of England and Dukes of Cornwall in their times have reserved to themselves a praeemption of tin by the opinion of the learned in the Law as well in regard of the proprietie as being chiefe Lords and Proprietaries as of their royall prerogative Lest the tribute or rent imposed should be embezelled and the Dukes of Cornwall defrauded unto whom by the old custome for every thousand pound waight of tinne there is paid forty shillings it is by a Law provided that all the tin which is cast wrought be brought to one of the foure appointed townes where twice in the yeere it is weighed and signed with a stampe they call it Coinage and the said impost according paid neither is it lawfull for any man before that to sell or send it abroad under forfeiture of their tin And now only tin is here found but therewith also gold and silver yea and Diamonds shaped and pointed anglewise smoothed also by nature it selfe whereof some are as big as walnuts and inferiour to the Orient Diamonds in blacknesse and hardnesse only Moreover there is found Eryngium that is Sea Holly growing most abundantly every where along the shore Furthermore so plentifull is this countrey of graine although not without great toile of the husbandman that it hath not onely sufficient to maintaine it selfe but also affoordeth often times great store of corne into Spaine Besides a most rich revenue and commoditie they have by those little fishes that they call Pilchards which swarming as one would say in mighty great skuls about the shores from Iuly unto November are there taken garbaged salted hanged in the smoake laied up pressed and by infinite numbers carried over into France Spaine and Italie unto which countreys they be very good chaffer and right welcome merchandise and are there named Fumados Whereupon Michael a Cornish Poet and of Rhymers in his time the chiefe in his Satyre against Henrie of Aurenches Archpoet to King Henrie the Third because he had unreverently plaied upon Cornishmen as if
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
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
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
pulcherrima quid tibi gemma Pallet gemma tibi nec diadema nitet Deme tibi cultus cultum natura ministrat Non exornari forma beata potest Ornamenta cave nec quicquam luminis inde Accipis illa micant lumine clara tuo Non puduit modicas de magnis dicere laudes Nec pudeat Dominam te precor esse meam When Muses mine thy beauties rare faire Adeliza Queene Of England readie are to tell they starke astonied beene What booteth thee so beautifull gold-crowne or pretious stone Dimne is the Diademe to thee the gemne hath beautie none Away with trimme and gay attire nature attireth thee Thy lovely beautie naturall can never bett'red be All Ornaments beware from them no favour thou do'st take But they from thee their lustre have thou doest them lightsome make I shamed not on matters great to set small praises heere Bash not but deigne I pray to be my Soveraigne Ladie deere She after the Kings death matched in marriage with William de Albeney who taking part with Maud the Empresse against King Stephen and defending this Castle against him was in recompence of his good service by the saide Maude the Empresse and Ladie of Englishmen for this title she used created Earle of Arundell and her sonne King Henrie the Second gave the whole Rape of Arundell to that William To hold of him by the service of fourescore and foure Knights fees and one-halfe And to his sonne William King Richard the first granted in such words as these The Castle of Arundell with the whole Honor of Arundell and the Third penny of the Plees out of Sussex whereof he is Earle And when after the fifth Earle of this surname the issue male failed one of the sisters and heires of Hugh the fifth Earle was married to Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Lord of Clun whose great grand sonne Richard For that he stood seised of the Castle Honour and Lordship of Arundell in his owne demesne as of Fee in regard of this his possession of the same Castle Honour and Seignorie without any other consideration or Creation to be an Earle was Earle of Arundell and the name state and honor of the Earle of Arundell c. Peaceably he enjoied as appeareth by a definitive judgement given in Parliament in the behalfe of Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan chalenging the Castle and tittle of Arundell by force of an entaile against Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the right Heire in the neerest degree Whereby it was gathered that the name state and dignitie of Earle was annexed to the Castle Honour and Seignorie of Arundell as it is to be seene in the Parliament Rolls of King Henry the Sixth out of which I have copied forth these notes word for word Of these Fitz-Alans Edmund second Earle sonne to Richard married the heire of the Earle of Surry and was beheaded through the malicious furie of Queene Isabell not lawfully convicted for that hee opposed himselfe in King Edward the Seconds behalfe against her wicked practises His sonne Richard petitioned in Parliament to be restored to bloud lands and goods for that his father was put to death not tried by his Peeres according to the law and great Charter of England neverthelesse whereas the attaindor of him was confirmed by Parliament hee was forced to amend his petition and upon the amendment thereof hee was restored by the Kings meere grace Richard his sonne as his grandfather died for his Soveraigne lost his life for banding against his Soveraigne King Richard the Second But Tho. his sonne more honourably ended his life serving King Henrie the Fifth valerously in France and leaving his sisters his heires generall Sir Iohn of Arundell Lord Maltravers his next cosin and heire male obtained of King Henrie the sixt the Earldome of Arundell as we even now declared and also was by the said King for his good service created Duke of Touraine Of the succeeding Earles I find nothing memorable Henrie Fitz Alan the eleventh and last Earle of that surname lived in our daies in great honor as you shall see After whom leaving no issue male Philip Howard his daughters sonne succeeded who not able to digest wrongs and hard measure offered unto him by the cunning sleights of some envious persons fell into the toile and net pitched for him and being brought into extreame perill of his life yeelded up his vitall breath in the Tower But his sonne Thomas a most honorable young man in whom a forward spirit and fervent love of vertue and glorie most beseeming his nobility and the same tempered with true courtesie shineth very apparently recovered his fathers dignities being restored by King Iames and Parliament authoritie Besides the Castle and the Earles Arundell hath nothing memorable For the Colledge built by the Earles which there flourished because the revenue or living is alienated and gone now falleth to decay Howbeit in the Church are some monuments of Earles there enterred but one above the rest right beautifull of Alabaster in which lieth in the mids of the Quire Earle Thomas and Beatrice his wife the daughter of Iohn King of Portugall Neither must I overpasse this Inscription so faire guilt set up heere in the Honor of Henrie Fitz-Alan the last Earle of this line because some there be whom liketh it well CONSECRATED TO VERTVE AND HONOVR THE MAGNANIMOVS AND VVORTHY KNIGHT VVHOSE PERSONAGE IS HERE SEENE AND VVHOSE BONES HERE VNDERNEATHLY ENTERRED VVAS BARLE OF THIS TERRITORIE ACCORDING TO HIS HOVSE AND LINAGE SVRNAMED FITZ ALAN LOKD MALTRAVERS CLVN AND OSVVALDESTRE PRINCIPAL HONOVRS STILED ALSO LORD AND BARON OF THAT MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER THE AVNCIENTEST COMPANION VVHILES HE LIVED OF WILLIAM EARLE OF ARVNDELL THE ONELY SONNE AND SVCCESSOR COMPARTNER ALSO OF ALL HIS VERTVES VVHO BEING OF THE PRIVY COVNSEL TO KING HENRIE THE EIGHT KING EDVVARD THE SIXT MARIE AND ELIZABETH KINGS AND QVEENES OF ENGLAND VVAS GOVERNOR ALSO OF THE TOVVNE OF CALES AND VVHAT TIME AS THE SAID KING HENRIE BESIEGED BVLLEN VVAS HIGH MARESCHAL OF HIS ARMY AND AFTER THAT LORD CHAMBERLAIN TO THE KING ALSO VVHEN EDVVARD HIS SONNE VVAS CROVVNED KING HE BARE THE OFFICE OF L. MARESCHAL OF THE KINGDOME AND VNTO HIM LIKE AS BEFORE VNTO HIS FATHER BECAME LORD CHAMBERLAINE MOREOVER IN THE REIGNE OF QVEENE MARIE DVRING THE TIME OF HER SOLEMNE CORONATION HE VVAS MADE LORD HIGH CONSTABLE AFTERVVARD STEVVARD OF HER ROIAL HOVSE AND PRESIDENT OF THE COVNCEL EVEN AS TO QVEENE ELIZABETH ALSO HE VVAS LIKEVVISE LORD HIGH STEVVARD OF HER HOVSHOLD THVS THIS MAN NOBLE BY HIS HIGH PARENTAGE MORE NOBLE FOR VVEL PERFORMING THE PVBLICKE OFFICES OF STATE â—OST NOBLE AND RENOVNED BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD FLOVRISHING STIL IN HONOVR BROKEN VVITH TRAVEL MVCH VVORNE VVITH YEERES AFTER HE VVAS COME TO THE LXVIII OF HIS AGE AT LONDON THE XXV DAY OF FEBRVARY IN THE YEERE OF OVâ— SALVATION BY CHRIST M. D. LXXIX GODLY AND SVVEETLY SLEPT IN THE LORD IOHN LVMLEY BARON OF LVMLEY HIS MOST
PONTIFICE DIRECTVS ET A DEO OPERATIONE MIRACVLORVM SVFFVLTVS ET ETHELBERTHVM REGEM AC GENTEM ILLIVS AB IDOLORVM CVLTV AD FIDEM CHRISTI PERDVXIT ET COMPLETIS IN PACE DIEBVS OFFICII SVI DEFVNCTVS EST SEPTIMO KALENDAS IVNIAS EODEM REGE REGNANTE HERE RESTETH DAN AVGVSTINE THE FIRST ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY VVHO BEING IN TIMES PAST DIRECTED HITHER FROM BLESSED GREGORIE THE BISHOP OF ROME AND THROVGH THE VVORKING OF MIRACLES SVPPORTED BY GOD BOTH BROVGHT KING ETHELBERT AND HIS PEOPLE FROM IDOLATRY TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST AND ALSO AFTER THE DAIES OF HIS FVNCTION ACCOMPLISHED IN PEACE DIED THE SEVENTH DAY BEFORE THE KALENDS OF IVNE IN THE SAME KINGS REIGNE Together with him in the same porch were buried sixe Archbishops next succeeding and in memoriall of these seven namely Austen Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius Deus-dedit and Theodosius were these verses such as they are engraven there in marble SEPTEM SVNT ANGLIS PRIMATES ET PROTO PATRES SEPTEM RECTORES SEPTEM COELOQVE TRIONES SEPTEM CISTERNAE VITAE SEPTEMQVE LVCERNAE ET SEPTEM PALMAE REGNI SEPTEMQVE CORONAE SEPTEM SVNT STELLAE QUAS HAEC TENET AREA CELLAE Seven Patriarchs of England Primates seven Seven Rectors and seven Labourers in heaven Seven Cesternes pure of life seven Lamps of light Seven Palmes and of this Realme seven Crownes full bright Seven Starres are heere bestow'd in vault below I may not forget another Church neere unto this built as Bede saith by the Romans and consecrated to Saint Martin wherein before Austens comming Bertha wife to King Ethelbert descended from the bloud Royall of France was wont to frequent divine Christian service Concerning the Castle on the South side of the Citie the Bulwarks whereof now are decaied it maketh no shew of any great antiquity and there is no memorable thing thereof come to my knowledge but only that it was built by the Normans as touching the dignitie of the See of Canterburie which in times past carried a great State I will say nothing but this that as in former ages during the Roman Hierarchie the Archbishops of Canterbury were Primates of all Britaine Legates to the Pope and as Vrbane the second said The Patriarches as it were of another world so when the Popes authoritie was abrogated a decree passed in the Synode Anno 1534. that laying aside the said title they should bee stiled Primates and Metropolitanes of all England Which dignitie the right reverend Father in Christ D. Iohn Whitgift lately held who devoutly consecrated both his whole life to God all his painefull labours to the Church and in the yeare 1604. slept in the Lord a Prelate much missed of all good men After whom succeeded Doctor Richard Bancroft a man of singular courage and counsaile in establishing and supporting the state Ecclesiasticall For the Latitude of Canterbury the Pole Artick is elevated above the Horizon there fifty one degrees and sixteene minutes and the Longitude is reckoned to be foure and twenty degrees and fiftie one minutes Stour by this time having gathered his waters all into one streame runneth beside Hackington where Dame Lora Countesse of Leicester a most honourable Lady in those daies having abandoned all worldly pleasures sequestred her selfe from the world devoutly to serve God wholy Afore which time Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury began a Church there in the honour of Saint Stephen and Thomas of Canterbury But being inhabited by the Bishop of Rome his authoritie for feare the same might prejudice the Monkes of Canterbury hee gave over the workes Howbeit ever since the name remained and the place is called Saint Stephens of which Sir Roger Manwood Knight L. cheife Baron of the Exchequer a man of exquisite knowledge in our common lawes unto whom for his bounteous liberalitie the poore inhabitants are much beholding was of late time a right great ornament and even so is his sonne at this day Sir Peter Manwood Knight of the Bath whom I cannot but mention when as he is a favourer of vertue and learning From thence Stour passeth by Fordich called the little Burough of Forewich in King William the Conquerours booke a place of note for excellent good trouts and so in former time to Stoure-mouth which it hath now forsaken a mile and more yet left and bequeathed his name to it But now by Stoure-mouth runneth a brooke which issuing our of Saint Eadburghs well at Liming where the daughter to King Ethelbert first of our nation tooke the veile while it seeketh the sea seeth Elham a mercate towne of which I have read nothing but that the Mannour was the inheritance of Iulian Leibourn a Ladie of great honour in her time who was mother of Laurence Hastings first Earle of Penbrooke of that surname and after wife to William Clinton Earle of Huntingdon Then it holdeth his course by divers villages which thereof receive the addition of Bourn as Bishops-bourn Hawles-bourn Patricks-bourn and Beakes-bourn This bourne is that river Stoure as Caesar calleth it as I have observed travailing lately in these parts which Caesar came unto when he had marched by night almost twelve Italian miles from the sea-coast and where hee had the first encounter in his second expedition into Britaine with the Britaines whom he drave into the woods where they had a place fortified both by nature and mens labour with a number of trees hewen downe and plashed to fore-close the entries But yet the Romans forced an entrie drave them out and there about encamped The place of campe as I heare is neare Hâ—rdes a place of ancien Gentlement of that surname descended from Esten grave Herengod and the Fitz-Bernards Belowe Stoure-mouth Stoure dividing his streame taketh two severall waies and leaving that name is called In-lade and Wantsume making the Isle of Tenet on the West and South side for on all other sides it is washed with the maine Sea This Iland Solinus named ATHANATON and in other copies THANATON the Britaines Iuis Ruhin as witnesseth Asserius happily for Rhutupin of Rhutupinae a Citie adjoining The English Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we Tenet All the Isle standeth upon a whitish maile full of goodly corne fields and being a right fertile soile carrieth in length eight miles and foure in breadth reckoned in old time to containe 600. Families in stead whereof it is corruptly read in Bede Milliarium Sexcentarum for Familiarum Sexcentarum But whereas Solinus writeth that there is not a snake creeping in this Isle and that the mould or earth carried from hence killeth snakes it is now proved to bee untrue That Etymologie therefore derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from the death of snakes falleth quite to the ground Here the English Saxons landed first here by the permission of Guortigern they first seated themselves here was their place of refuge and here Guortimor the Britaine made a great
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
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
Littons descended from Litton in Darbyshire I saw certaine round hils cast up and raised by mans hands such as the old Romanes were wont to reare for Souldiers slaine in the wars of which the Captaine himselfe laied the first turfe Unlesse some man would rather say they had a reference to the bounds For such like little hils in old time were reared to signifie the bounds of lands under which they used to lay ashes coales lime bricke and tile beaten to powder c. as I will shew else-where more at large Beneath this more Southward the river Lea by our forefathers named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his head who with a milde course passeth down first by Whethamsted a towne plentifull in wheate whereof it tooke name which place John of Whethamsted there borne and thereof named a man in King Henry the Sixth his daies much renowned by his due desert of learning made of more estimation From thence running by Brocket Hall the residence in late time of the Brockets Knights approcheth neere unto Bishops Hatfield situate upon the fall and hanging of a little hill in the upper part whereof stood a house of the Kings now the Earle of Salisburies in times past belonging to the Bishops of Ely whereupon it was named Bishops Hatfield which John Morton Bishop of Ely reedified For in this place King Eadgar gave unto the Church of Ely forty hides of land Afterwards it passeth under Hertford which in some Copies of Bede is named Herudford where he treateth of the Synode there holden in the yeare of our Salvation 670. which name some interprete The red Ford others The Ford of Harts This Towne in William the Conquerours time discharged it selfe for ten hides and in it were 26. Burgesses and at that time Ralph Limsey a Noble man built heere a Cell for Saint Albans Monkes But now it is neither greatly inhabited nor much frequented and in this respect most of all commended because it is ancient For why it hath given name to the whole County and is reputed the Shire-towne A Castle it hath upon the River Lea built as men thinke by King Edward the elder and enlarged first by the house of Clare whereunto it belonged For Gislebert of Clare about King Henry the Second his dayes was accounted Earle of this Hertford and Robert Fitz-walter of the same house of Clare what time as Stephen seized into his hands all the Castles of England wheresoever avouched franckly even to Stephen his face as we read in Mathew of Paris that the keeping of this Castle by ancient right appertained to himselfe Afterwards it was laid unto the Crowne and King Edward the Third granted unto Iohn of Gaunt his sonne then Earle of Richmond who afterward was Duke of Lancaster this Castle with the Towne and honour of Hertford where as the very words runne in the Graunt hee might according to his estate keepe house and decently make his aboade From hence Lea falleth downe forthwith to Ware so named of a barre or dam made to stay water streames which our Ancestours called a Weare or Ware This Towne even at the very first did much harme unto Hertford and afterwards by reason it became so greatly hanted darkened as it were the light thereof For when the Barons warre against King John was waxed hote this Ware presuming much upon their Lord the Baron Wake turned London high way to it whereas before it was but a little Village and knowne by a Friery which hee founded neither was it lawfull to passe that way with any Carts considering that the Bridge was chained up the Keyes whereof were in the custody of the Bailiffe of Hertford Neere about which time Gilbert Marescall Earle of Pembroch a principall and most potent Peere of the Realme proclaimed heere a disport of running on horsebacke with launces which they call Tourneaments under the name of Fortunie making a scorne of the Kings Authority whereby such Toureneaments were inhibited To which place when a great number of the Nobility and Gentry were assembled it fortuned that himselfe as hee ranne at tilt by occasion that his flinging horse brake bridle and cast him was trampled under foote and so pittifully dyed These Justs or Tourneaments were certaine publique exercises of Armes and more than flourishes practised among noble Gentlemen and instituted if wee beleeve Munster in the yeare of our Lord 934. having also speciall lawes thereto belonging which you may finde in the said Munster and the same exercises were used a long time in such an outragious manner and with such flaughter of Gentlemen in all places but in England most of all since that King Stephen brought them in that by divers Decrees of the Church they were forbidden upon paine that whosoever therein were slaine should want Christian Buriall in Church or Churchyard and heere with us King Henry the Third by advise of his Sages made an Act of Parliament that their heires who transgressed in this kinde should be disinherited Howbeit contrary to the said law so good and wholesome this naughty and wicked custome was practised a great while and grew not quite out of use before the happy dayes of King Edward the Third Betwixt these two Townes Hertford and Ware distant scarce two miles a sunder Lea is encreased by two rilles from the North Asserius termeth them Mimeram and Benefician I would guesse that to bee Benefician upon which standeth Benington where the notable family of Bensted had in old time a little Castle and also Woodhall an habitation of the Butlers who being branched from Sir Ralph Butler Baron of Wem in Shropshire and his wife heire to William Pantulfe Lord of Wem were Lords of Pulre-bach and enriched much by an heire of Sir Richard Gobion and another of Peletot Lord of this place in the time of King Edward the Third I take Mimeran to bee the other brooke whereupon Pukerich is seated which by the grant of King Edward the First at the mediation of William le Bland had a Mercate and Faire granted to it Whereupon also neighboureth Standon with a seemely house built by Sir Ralph Sadleir Chauncellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster Privie Counsellour to three Princes and the last Knight Baneret of England a man so advanced for his great services and staied wisedome At the backe of Pukerich Munden Furnivall sheweth it selfe a place to bee remembred if it were but for this that Geffrey Earle of Britaine gave it to Gerard de Furnivall of whom also it bare the name a younger sonne of Furnivall of Sheffeld But now let us returne to the River Lea and the Towne of Ware unto which the Danes being come with their light Pinnaces and Shallops raised a Fort as the said Asserius reporteth which when King Aelfred could not winne by force hee by digging three severall Chanels turned aside the water of Lea that they might not returne with their Vessels So as ever since it stood
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
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
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
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
his Successours by abridging the number of Monkes for from threescore and tenne they brought them downe to forty flowed with riches and wealth in great abundance even unto our time and their festivall and solemne Holydayes they celebrated with so sumptuous provision and stately pompe that they wonne the prayse and prize from all the Abbaies in England whereupon a Poet also in that age wrote these verses not unproperly Pravisis aliis Eliensia festa videre Est quasi praevisa nocte videre diem See after others Ely feasts and surely thou wilt say That having seene the night before thou seest now the day The Church likewise which now began for age and long continuance to decay they built up by litle and litle and brought it to that ample statelinesse which now it hath For large it is high and faire but somewhat defaced by reason of Noblemens and Bishops tombes not without most shamefull indignity are broken downe And now in stead of that great Covent of Monks there are established a Deane Prebendaries a Grammar schoole wherein 24. children are maintained and taught Foure speciall things there are about this Church that the Common people talke much of The Lanterne on the very toppe thereof just over the Quire supported with eight pillars and raised upon them right artificially by Iohn Hothum the Bishop Vnder the Church towards the North standeth Saint Maries Chappell a singular fine peece of worke built by Simon Montacute Bishop On the South side there is an huge heape of earth cast up round of a great heigth which they call the Mount having had a wind mill upon it And lastly a Vine bearing fruit in great plenty which now is withered and gone These 4. a Monk of this place in times past knit up within this Rhyme Haec sunt Eliae Lanterna Capella Mariae Atque molendinum Nec non dans vinea vinum These things you may at Ely see The Lanterne Chapell of Saint Marie A Winde-mill mounted up on hie A Vine-yard yeelding Wine yeerely As for Ely it selfe it is a small Cittie nor greatly to bee counted of either for beauty or frequency and resort as having an unwholsome Aire by reason of the Fens round about although it be seated somewhat higher Neere to it is Downham where the Bishop hath his retyring House with a Parke neere to Downham is Cowney the ancientest seat of the Family surnamed for their habitation heere L'isle and De Insula and first planted here by Nigellus the second Bishop of Ely their Allies in the time of King Henry the First as is set downe in a Lieger Booke of Ely Chateries or Cheaterich is not farre hence Westward were Alwena a devout woman founded a Nunnery upon a coppid ground encompassed with Fens while her husband founded Ramsey But higher Northward amidst the Fennes there stood another Abbay of very great name called Thorney of thornes and bushes that grow thicke about it but in times past Ankerige of Ankers or Eremites living there solitarily where as we finde in Peterborough booke Sexvulph a devout and religious man built a Monastery with little Cels for Eremits Which being afterwards by the Danes throwne downe Aetbelwold Bishop of Winchester that he might promote the Monasticall profession reedified stored it with Monkes and compassed it round about with trees The place as writeth William of Malmesbury Representeth a very Paradise for that in pleasure and delight it resembleth Heaven it selfe in the very Marishes bearing Trees that for their streight talnesse and the same without knots strive to touch the Stars a Plaine is there as even as the Sea which with greene grasse allureth the eye so smooth and level that if any walke along the fields they shall finde nothing to stumble at There is not the least parcell of ground that lies waste and void there Here shall you finde the earth rising somewhere for Apple trees there shall you have a field set with Vines which either creepe upon the ground or mount on high upon poles to support them A mutuall strife there is betweene nature and husbandry that what the one forgetteth the other might supply and produce What will be said of the faire and beautifull buildings which it is a wonder to see how the ground amid those Fens and Marishes so firme and sound doth beare with sure and stedfast foundations A wonderfull solitary place is there afforded to Monkes for quiet life that so much the more constantly settle their mindes upon Heavenly things for that they see men very seldome and so are they seene in their state more mortified and lower brought A wonder it is to have a Woman seene there if come men thither there is rejoycing as at so many Angels In a word I may truly say that this Island is an Hostell of Chastity an harbour of Honesty and a Schoole or Colledge of Divine Philosophie Touching Wisbich the Bishop of Elies Castle about 13. miles off situate among the fennes and rivers and made of late a prison to keepe the Papists in hold I have nothing else to say but that this towne together with Walepole was in old time given by the owner thereof unto the monastery of Ely what time as he consecrated Alwin his little son there to live a monkes life that King William the First built a Castle there when the outlawed Lords made rodes out of this fenny country and that in the yeere of our salvation 1236. when the Ocean being disquieted with violent windes for two dayes continually together had beaten upon the shore made an exceeding wide breach and overwhelmed both land and people But the Castle of bricke that now is seene there Iohn Morton Bishop of Ely built within the rememberance of our great grandfathers who also drew as streight as a line in this fenny country a ditch which they call the Newleame for better conveyance and carriage by water that by this meanes the towne being well frequented might gaine the more and grow to wealth Which fell out quite contrary For it standeth now in no great steed and the neighbour inhabitants complaine that the course of Nen into the Sea by Clowcrosse is by this meanes altogether hindred and stopped The first Earle of Cambridge that I can finde was William the brother of Ranulph Earle of Chester as wee read in a patent or instrument of Alexander Bishop of Lincolne bearing date in the yeere 1139. Afterwards those of the royall blood in Scotland that were Earles of Huntingdon wee may thinke to have beene Earles of Cambridge also For that it appeareth certainly out of the Records of the realme that David Earle of Huntingdon received the third penny of the County or Earledome of Cambridge Long time after King Edward the Third advanced Sir Iohn of Henault brother to William the third Earle of Holland and of Henault to this honour for the love of Queene Philip his wife who was cosin to the said Iohn For
whose sake also when Iohn was revolted from him and tooke part with the French hee honoured with the same title William Marquesse of Iuliers the said Queene Philips sisters son After the death of these two Forainers King Edward the Third translated this dignity to his fifth sonne Edmund of Langley which after he had held foure yeeres my warrant I have out of an old manuscript being in the hands of that skilfull Antiquary Francis Thinn the Earle of Henault cosin to Queene Philip came into Parliament house put in a claime for his right and returned backe well contented The said Edmund of Langly afterwards Duke of Yorke had two sonnes Edward Duke of Yorke who for a certaine time held the Earldome of Cambridge and was slaine in the battell of Agin-court and Richard by the grace and favour of King Henry the Fifth and consent of his brother Edward was created Earle of Cambridge But when he ungratefull and ambitious man that hee was contrived the destruction of that good and noble Prince and so lost his head the title of Cambridge died the same day that he did or lurked at least wise among other titles of his sonne Richard who was afterwards Duke of Yorke and restored to his blood and estate as being cosin and heire to his Unkle Edward Duke of Yorke This Shire containeth Parishes 163. HVNTINGDON Comitatus qui pars fuir ICENORVM HUNTINGDON-SHIRE NExt unto Cambridge-shire lyeth HUNTINGDON-SHIRE in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so situate that Southward it confineth upon Bedford-shire Westward upon Northamptonshire like as Northwards where by the River Avon it is parted and Eastward upon Cambridge-shire a Country good for corne and tillage and toward the East where it is fenny very rich and plentifull for the feeding of Cattaile elsewhere right pleasant by reason of rising hils and shady groves For the Inhabitants report that in ancient times it was throughout beset with woods and certaine it is that it was a Forest untill that king Henry the Second in the beginning of his raign disforested it as we find in an old perambulation all save Waybridge Sapple and Herthei which were Woods of the Lords demaine and remaine still forests The South part thereof the River Ouse that I have so often spoken of runneth by and bedecketh with flowers On which River among other of lesse note there stand some Townes of good note First after it hath left Bedford-shire and is entred into this County it visiteth Saint Neots commonly called Saint Needs so named of one Neotus a man both learned and holy who travailed all his life time in propagating of Christian Religion whose body was translated from Neotstok in Cornwall hither and in honour of him Alfrick converted the Palace of Earle Elfride unto a Monastery The which Dame Roisia Wife to Richard Lord of Clare shortly after the comming in of the Normas enriched with many faire Possessions But before it was named Ainulphsbury of one Ainulph likewise an holy and devout man which name continueth still also in one part of it A little beneath this at Aileweston a very small Village there are two little Springs the one fresh the other somewhat brackish of which the neighbours give out that this is good against scabs and leprosie the other against the dimnesse of the eye-sight From thence not farre Ouse passeth to Bugden a proper faire house of the Bishops of Lincolne and so by Hinchingbrok a religious house sometimes of Nuns whom King William the Conquerour translated hither from Eltesley in Cambridge-shire and now the dwelling house of the Cromwels knights commeth to Huntingdon in the English-Saxon tongue as Marianus reporteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the publique seale Huntersdune that is the hill or downe of hunters as Henry Archdeacon of this place who flourished 400. yeares since interpreteth it whence it used in their seale an hunter and Leland our Countriman alluding thereunto hath coined a new Latine word for it namely Venantodunum This is the chiefe Towne of all this Shire to which it hath given also the name farre excelling all the Townes about it the same Archdeacon saith as well for lightsome and pleasant situation as for the beauty and faire shew that it hath it selfe as well also for the vicinity of the Fennes as for great store of Deere and Fish In King Edward the Confessors time that I may note so much out of Domesday booke There were in this Borrough foure Ferlings that is Quarters or Wards In two of them were 116. Burgesses paying custome and gelt and under them 100. Bordarij in the other two 111. Burgesses for all customes and the Kings gelt It is seated upon the North-banke of Ouse somewhat high stretching out in length Northward adorned with foure Churches and it had a little Abbay founded by Maude the Empresse and Eustace Lovetoft the ruines whereof Eastward I have seene hard under the Towne By the River neere unto the Bridge which is faire built of stone the Mount and Plot of a Castle is to bee seene which in the yeare of our Redemption 917. King Edward the Elder built anew and David the Scotishman unto whom as an ancient Historiographer writeth King Stephen had given the Burrough of Huntingdon for an augmentation of his estate enlarged with many new buildings and Bulwarkes but in the end King Henry the Second both because it was a place of refuge for seditious Rebels and for that the Scots and the Saint Lizes had oftentimes raised quarrels and contention about it to cut off all occasions of strife laid it even with the ground when as hee provoked with their unreasonable variance swore an oath that neither they of Saint Lizes nor the Scottishmen should quarrell any more for it From these Castle hils where there is a goodly prospect a great way off a man may behold below a medow which they call Portsholme environed round about with the River Ouse the same very exceeding large and of all others that the Sunne ever shone upon most fresh and beautifull whereof in the Spring time this may be truly said Ver pingit vario gemmantia prata colore The pleasant Spring faire flowers doe yeeld Of divers colours in this field With such a delectable variety of gaye colours it pleaseth and contenteth the eye On the hither banke over against Huntingdon standeth the mother as it were thereof from whence it had his Originall called in Domesday booke Godmundcester and at this day Good-man-chester for Gormonchester A very great country Towne and of as great name for tillage situate in an open ground of a light mould and bending to the Sun Neither is there a Towne againe in all England that hath more stout and lusty husbandmen or more ploughs agoing For they make their boast that they have in former time received the Kings of England as they passed in their progresse this way with nine score ploughs brought forth in a rusticall kind
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
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
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
thereof For in this tenour runne the very words of the Charter She likewise bestowed it upon John de Lacy Constable of Chester and the heires whom hee should beget of the body of Margaret her daughter This John had issue Edmund who dying before his mother left this honour for Henry his sonne to enjoy who was the last Earle of that line For when his sonnes were taken away by untimely death and he had but one little daughter onely remaining alive named Alice hee affianced her being but nine yeeres old to Thomas the sonne of Edmund Earle of Lancaster with this condition That if he should fortune to dye without heires of her body or if they happened to dye without heires of their bodies his Castles Lordships c. should in Remainder come to the heires of Edmund Earle of Lancaster for ever But the said Alice had no childe at all by her husband Thomas But when Thomas her husband was beheaded shee that by her light behaviour had not a little steined her good name tooke Sir Eubul le Strange with whom she had lived before time too familiarly for her husband without the assent and privity of her Soveraigne who being hereat highly offended seised her possessions into his owne hands Yet both Sir Eubul Strange and Sir Hugh Frene her third husband are in some Records named Earles of Lincolne After Alice now very aged was departed this life without issue Henry Earle of Lancaster Nephew to Edmund aforesaid by his second sonne entred upon her large and faire patrimony by vertue of that conveiance which I spake of before and from that time it accrued to the House of Lancaster Howbeit the Kings of England at their pleasure have bestowed the name and honour of Earles of Lincolne as King Edward the Fourth gave it to Sir John De la Pole and King Henry the Eighth to Henry Brandon both the Sonnes of the Dukes of Suffolke who both ended this life without Issue the first slaine in the battaile at Stoke and the other taken away by the sweating sicknesse Afterward Queene Elizabeth promoted Edward Baron Clinton Lord high Admirall of England to the said honour which his sonne Henry enjoyeth at this day There are in this Shire Parishes much about 630. NOTINGAMIAE Comitatus olim pars CORITANORVM NOTTINGHAM-SHIRE VPon the West side of Lincolne-shire confineth the County of NOTTINGHAM in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English Nottingham-shire being farre lesse in quantity limited Northward with York-shire Westward with Darby-shire and in some parts with York-shire and on the South side with Leicester-shire The South and East part thereof are made more fruitfull by the noble and famous River Trent with other Riverets resorting unto it The West part is taken up with the Forest of Shirewood which stretcheth out a great way This part because it is sandy the Inhabitants tearme The Sand the other for that it is Clayish they call the Clay and so have divided their Country into these two parts The River Trent in the old English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some Antiquaries of small note and account have called Triginta in Latine for the affinity of the French word Trent that signifieth that number Triginta that is thirty having gone a long journey so soone as hee is entred into this Shire and hath recepto Souro flumine ex agro Leicestrensi taking in the River Soure from the field of Leicester runne by Steanford where I have learned there be many tokens remaining of old antiquity and peeces of Roman money oftentimes found and then by Clifton which hath given both habitation and sirname also to the ancient family of the Cliftons much enriched by one of the heires of Cressy taketh in from the West the little River Lin which rising neere unto Newsted that is New place where sometime King Henry the Second founded a small Abbay and which is now the dwelling house of the ancient Family of the Burons descended from Ralph de Buron who at the first comming in of the Normans flourished in great state both in this Countrey and also in Lancashire runneth hard by Wallaton rich in veines of cole where Sir Francis Willoughby a Knight nobly descended from the Greis Marquesse Dorset in our daies built out of the ground with great charges upon a vaine ostentation of his wealth a stately house with artificiall workemanship standing bleakely but offering a very goodly prospect to the beholders farre and neere Then runneth it by Linton or Lenton much frequented and famous in old time for the Abbay there of the Holy Trinity founded by William Peverell the base sonne of King William the Conquerour but now all the fame is onely for a Faire there kept Where on the other banke at the very meeting well neere of Lin and Trent the principall Towne that hath given name unto the Shire is seated upon the side of an hill now called Nottingham by softning the old name a little for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the English Saxons named it of certaine caves and passages under the ground which in old time they hewed and wrought hollow under those huge and steepe cliffes which are on the South side hanging over the little River Lin for places of receit and refuge yea and for habitations And thereupon Asserius interpreteth this Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Speluncarum domum that is An house of Dennes or Caves and in the British Tui ogo bauc which signifieth the very selfe same The Towne for the naturall site thereof is right pleasant as where on the one hand lye faire and large Medowes by the Rivers side on the other rise hils with a gentle and easie ascent and is plentifully provided of all things beside necessary for mans life On the one side Shirewood yeeldeth store of wood to maintaine fire although many use for that purpose stinking pit cole digged forth of the ground on the other Trent serveth it aboundantly with fish And hence hath beene taken up this od barbarous Verse Limpida sylva focum Triginta dat mihi piscem Shire-wood yeelds me fuell for fire As Trent yeelds fish what I require At a word for largenesse for building for three faire Churches a passing spacious and beautifull Mercat place and a most strong Castle it maketh a goodly shew The said Castle is mounted upon an huge and steepe worke on the West side of the City in which place it is thought that Castle stood in times past upon whose strength the Danes presuming held out against the Siege of Aethered and Aelfrid so long untill they frustrate of their purpose brake up their Siege trussed up bagge and baggage and dislodged For when the Danes had taken this Castle Burthred King of the Mercians as mine Authour Asserius writeth and the Mercians addresse their messengers to Aethered King of the West Saxons and to
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
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
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
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
with this Greeke Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is THE EMPEROUR CAESAR LUCIUS SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS PERTINAX And in the Reverse an Horseman with a Trophaee erected before him but the letters not legible save under him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Of the Elaians which kinde of great peeces the Italians call Medaglionj and were extraordinary coines not for common use but coined by the Emperours either to bee distributed by the way of Largesse in triumphes or to bee sent for tokens to men well deserving or else by free Cities to the glory and memory of good Princes What name this place anciently had is hard to be found but it seemeth to have beene the Port and landing place for Venta Silurum when as it is but two miles from it Then Throgoy a little River neere unto Caldecot entereth into the Severn Sea where we saw the wall of a Castle that belonged to the High Constables of England and was holden by the service of Constableship of England Hard by are seene Wondy and Penbow the seates in times past of the noble Family of Saint Maur now corruptly named Seimor For G. Mareshall Earle of Pembrock about the yeere of our Lord 1240. was bound for the winning of Wondy out of the Welsh mens hands to aide William Seimor From him descended Roger de Saint Maur Knight who married one of the heires of I. Beauchamp of Hach a very noble Baron who derived his Pedegree from Sibyl Heire unto William Mareshall that most puissant Earle of Pembrock from William Ferrars Earle of Darby from Hugh de Vivon and William Mallet men in times past most highly renowned The Nobility of all these and of others besides as may be evidently shewed hath met together in that right honourable personage Edward Saint Maur or Seimor now Earle of Hartford a singular favourer of vertue and good learning worthy in that behalfe to be honoured and commended to posterity Beneath this lyeth spred for many miles together a Mersh they call it the Moore which when I lately revised this worke suffered a lamentable losse For when the Severn Sea at a spring Tide in the change of the Moone what being driven backe for three dayes together with a South-West Winde and what with a very strong pirry from the sea troubling it swelled and raged so high that with surging billowes it came rolling and in-rushing amaine upon this Tract lying so low as also upon the like flats in Somerset-shire over against it that it overflowed all subverted houses and drowned a number of beasts and some people withall Where this Mersh Coast bearing out by little and little runneth forth into the sea in the very point thereof standeth Goldclyffe aloft that is as Giralaus saith A Golden Cliffe so called because the stones there of a golden colour by reverberation of the Sunne shining full upon them glitter with a wonderfull brightnesse neither can I bee easily perswaded saith hee that Nature hath given this brightnesse in vaine unto the stones and that there should bee a flower heere without fruite were there any man that would search into the Veines there and using the direction of Art enter in the inmost and secretest bowels of the Earth Neere to this place there remaine the Reliques of a Priory that acknowledge those of Chandos for their founders and Patron Passing thence by the Merish Country we came to the mouth of the River Isca which the Britans name Usk and Wijsk and some Writers terme it Osca This River as it runneth through the middest as I said before of this County floweth hard by three Townes of especiall antiquity The first in the limite of the Shire North-West Antonine the Emperour calleth GOBANIUM at the very meeting of Uske and Geveny whereof it had the name and even at this day keeping the ancient name as it were safe and sound is tearmed Aber-Gevenny and short Aber-genny which signifieth the confluents of Gevenny or Gobanny Fortified it is with Wals and a Castle which as saith Giraldus of all the Castles in Wales hath beene most defamed and stained with the foule note of treason First by William Earle Miles his sonne afterwards by William Breos for both of them after they had trained thither under a pretense of friendship certain of the Nobles and chiefe Gentlemen of Wales with promise of safe conduct villanously slew them But they escaped not the just judgement and vengeance of God For William Breos after he had beene stripped of all his goods and lost his wife and some of his children who were famished to death died in banishment the other William being brained with a stone whiles Breulais Castle was on fire suffered in the end due punishment for his wicked deserts The first Lord to my knowledge of Aber Gevenny was one Sir Hameline Balun who made Brien of Wallingford or Brient de L'isle called also the Fitz-Count his heire He having built heere a Lazarhouse for his two sonnes that were Lepres ordained Walter the sonne of Miles Earle of Hereford heire of the greatest part of his inheritance After him succeeded his brother Henry slaine by the Welshmen who seized upon his lands which the Kings Lieutenants and Captaines could not defend without great perill and danger By a sister of this Henry it descended to the Breoses and from them in right of marriage by the Cantelowes to the Hastings which Hastings being Earles of Pembrock enjoyed it for divers descents and John Hastings having then no childe borne devised both it and the Earledome of Pembrock as much as in him lay to his cosin Sir William Beauchamp conditionally that he should beare his Armes And when the last Hastings ended his life issuelesse Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin being found his Heire passed over the Barony of Aber-gevenny to the said William Beauchamp who was summoned afterward to Parliament by the name of W. Beauchamp de Abergevenny Hee entailed the said Barony reserving an estate to himselfe and his wife and to the lawfull issue male of their bodies and for default of such issue to his brother Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwick and his heires males This William Beauchamp Lord of Abergevenny had a sonne named Richard who for his martiall valour was created Earle of Worcester and slaine in the French warres leaving one onely daughter whom Sir Edward Nevill tooke to wife Since which time the Nevils have enjoyed the honorable title of the Barons of Abergevenny howbeit the Castle was by vertue of the entaile aforesaid detained from them a long time The fourth Baron of this house dying in our remembrance left one onely daughter Mary married to Sir Thomas Fane Knight betwixt whom being the heire generall and Edward Nevill the next heire male unto whom by a will and the same ratified by authority of the Parliament the Castle of Abergevenny and the greatest part
certaine dye after it CAERMARDIÌ„ Comitatus in quo DIMETAE Olim habitarunt Those latter words I reade thus Aeternali in domo that is In an eternall house For Sepulchres in that age were tearmed AETERNALES DOMUS that is Eternall habitations Moreover betweene Margan and Kingseage by the high way side there lyeth a stone foure foote long with this Inscription PUNP â—IUS CAR ANTOPIUS Which the Welsh Britans by adding and changing letters thus reade and make this interpretation as the right reverend Bishop of Landaff did write to mee who gave order that the draught of this Inscription should be taken likewise for my sake PIM BIS AN CAR ANTOPIUS that is The five fingers of freinds or neighbours killed us It is verily thought to bee the Sepulchre of Prince Morgan from whom the Country tooke name who was slaine as they would have it eight hundred yeeres before Christs Nativity But Antiquaries know full well that these Characters and formes of letters be of a farre later date After you are past Margan the shore shooteth forth into the North-East by Aber-Avon a small Mercate Towne upon the River Avons mouth whereof it tooke the name to the River Nid or Neath infamous for a quick-sand upon which stands an ancient Towne of the same name which Antonine the Emperour in his Itinerary called NIDUM Which when Fitz-Haimon made himselfe Lord of this Country fell in the partition to Richard Granvills share who having founded an Abbay under the very Townes side and consecrated his owne portion to God and to the Monkes returned againe to his owne ancient and faire inheritance which he had in England Beyond this River Neath whatsoever lieth betweene it and the River Loghor which boundeth this shire in the West wee call Gower the Britans and Ninnius Guhir wherein as he saith the sonnes of Keian the Scot planted themselves and tooke up a large roome untill that by Cuneda a British Lord they were driven out In the Raigne of Henry the First Henry Earle of Warwicke wonne it from the Welsh but by a conveyance and composition passed betweene William Earle of Warwicke and King Henry the Second it came to the Crowne Afterward King Iohn gave it unto William Breos who had taken Arthur Earle of Britaine prisoner to bee held by service of one Knight for all service and his heires successively held it not without troubles unto King Edward the Seconds daies for then William Breos when he had alienated and sold this inheritance to many and in the end by mocking and disappointing all others set Hugh Spenser in possession thereof to curry favour with the King And this was one cause among other things that the Nobles hated the Spensers so deadly and rashly shooke off their Allegeance to the King Howbeit this Gower came to the Mowbraies by an heire of Breos This is now divided into the East part and the West In the East part Swinesey is of great account a Towne so called by the Englishmen of Sea-Swine but the Britans Aber-Taw of the River Taw running by it which the foresaid Henry Earle of Warwicke fortified But there is a Towne farre more ancient than this by the River Loghor which Antonine the Emperour called LEUCARUM and wee by the whole name Loghor Where a little after the death of King Henry the First Howel Ap Meredic invading the Englishmen on a sudden with a power of the mountainers slew divers men of quality and good account Beneath this lyeth West-Gower and by reason of two armes of the Sea winding in on either side one it becommeth a Biland more memorable for the fruitfulnesse than the Townes in it and in times past of great name in regard of Kined canonized a Saint who lived heere a solitary life of whom if you desire to know more reade our Countryman Capgrave who hath set out his miracle with great commendation Since this Country was first conquered by the English The Lords thereof were those that lineally descended from Fitz-Haimon as Earle of Glocester Clares Spensers Beauchamps and one or two Nevils and by a daughter of Nevill who came likewise of the Spensers bloud Richard the Third King of England But when he was slaine king Henry the Seventh entred upon the inheritance of this Country and gave it to his unkle Iaspar Duke of Bedford and when hee dyed without issue the king resumed it unto his owne hands and left it to his sonne king Henry the Eighth whose sonne king Edward the Sixth sold the greatest part thereof to Sir William Herbert whom hee had created Earle of Pembrock and Baron of Cardiff But of the race of those twelve knights there remaine onely in this shire the Stradlings a notable house and of long continuance the Turbervills and some of the Flemings the greatest man of which house dwelleth at Flemingston now corruptly called Flemston as one would say Flemingstone which tooke the name of them And in England there are remaining yet the Lord Saint Iohn of Bletso the Granvills in Devonshire and the Siwards as I am enformed in Somerset-shire The issue male of all the rest is long since extinct and worne out and their lands by daughters passed over to divers houses with sundry alterations Parishes 118. DIMETAE PLinie was of opinion that the SILURES inhabited also the other part beside of this Country which bearing out farther Westward is called in English by some West-Wales and containeth Caermarden-shire Pembrock-shire and Cardigan-shire But Ptolomee who knew Britaine farre better placed heere another people whom he called DIMETAE and DEMETAE Gildas likewise and Ninnius both have used the name of DEMETIA for this Tract Whereupon the Britans that inhabite it changing M. into F. according to the propriety of their tongue commonly call it at this day Difed If it would not be thought strained curiosity I would derive this denomination of the Demetae from Deheu Meath that is A plaine champion toward the South like as the Britans themselves have named all this South-Wales Deheubarth that is The South part yea and those verily who inhabited another champion Country in Britaine were called in old time Meatae Neither I assure you is the site of this Region disagreeing from this signification For when you are come hither once by reason that the high hils gently settle downeward and grow still lower and lower it spreadeth by little and little into a plaine and even champion Country CAERMARDEN-SHIRE CAERMARDEN-SHIRE is plenteous enough in Corne stored abundantly with Cartaile and in some places yeeldeth pit cole for fewell On the East side it is limited with Glamorgan and Brechnock-shires on the West with Pembrock-shire on the North with Cardigan-shire severed from it by the River Tivie running betweene and on the South with the Ocean which with so great a Bay or Creeke getteth within the Land that this Countrey seemeth as it were for very feare to have shrunke backe and
Bishop of the heathen rites and ceremonies after he had once embraced Christian Religion First of all profaned this Temple the very habitation of impiety by launcing a speare against it yea he destroyed it and as Bede writeth Set it on fire with all the enclosures and Isles belonging unto it From hence something more Eastward the River Hull bendeth his course to Humber which River hath his spring head neere unto Driffeild a Village well knowne by reason of the Tombe of Alfred that most learned King of Northumberland and the mounts that be raised heere and there about it The said River hasteneth thitherward not farre from Leckenfielde an house of the Percies Earles of Northumberland neere unto which standeth the dwelling place of a very famous and ancient Progeny of the Hothams at Schorburg together with the rubbish of an old Castle of Peter Mauley at Garthum And now approcheth the River Hull neerer unto Beverley in the English Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Bede seemeth to name the Monastery in Deirwand that is In the word of the Deiri a great Towne very populous and full of trade A man would guesse it by the name and situation to be PETUARIA PARISIORUM although it affordeth nothing of greater antiquity than that John sirnamed de Beverley Archbishop of Yorke a man as Bede witnesseth both godly and learned after he had given over his Bishopricke as weary of this world came hither and ended his life in contemplation about the yeere of our Redemption 721. The Kings held the memoriall of this John so sacred and reverend especially King Athelstan who honoured him as his tutelar Saint after he had put the Danes to flight that they endowed this place with many and those very great priviledges and Athelstane granted them liberties in these generall words All 's free make I thee as heart may thinke or eye may see Yea and there was granted unto it the priviledges of a Sanctuary so that bankrupts and men suspected of any capitall crime worthy of death might bee free and safe there from danger of the Law In which there was erected a Chaire of stone with this Inscription HAEC SEDES LAPIDEA Freedstoll DICITUR .i. PACIS CATHEDRA AD QUAM REUS FUGIENDO PERVENIENS OMNIMODAM HABET SECURITATEM That is This seat of Stone is called Freedstooll that is The chaire of Peace unto which what Offender soever flieth and commeth hath all manner of security Heereby the Towne grew great and daily there flocked hither a number to dwell as inmates and the Townesmen for conveyance of commodities by sea made a chanell for a water course out of the River Hull sufficient to carry boats and barges For the chiefe Magistracy there it had twelve Wardens afterwards Governours and Wardens And now by the gracious grant of Queene Elizabeth a Major and Governours More Eastward there flourished Meaux Abbay so called of one Gamell borne at Meaux in France who obtained it at William the Conquerours hands for a place to dwell in and heere was founded an Abbay for the Monkes of the Cluniacke order by William Le Grosse Earle of Aulbemarle to bee released of his vow that hee had made to visite Jerusalem A little lower runneth out in a great length Cottingham a country Towne of husbandry where by licence granted from King John Robert Estotevill the Lord thereof built a Castle now utterly fallen to ruine Which Robert was descended from Robert Grondebeofe or Grandebeofe a Baron of Normandy and a man of great name and reputation whose inheritance fell by marriage to the Lord de Wake and by a daughter of John de Wake it came to Edmund Earle of Kent who had a daughter named Joane wife unto that most warlique Knight Edward Prince of Wales who so often victoriously vanquished the French in divers places The River Hull aforesaid after it hath passed sixe miles from hence sheddeth himselfe into Humber and neere unto his mouth hath a Towne of his owne name called Kingston upon Hull but commonly Hull This Towne fetcheth the beginning from no great antiquity For King Edward the First who in regard of his Princely vertues deserveth to bee ranged among the principall and best Kings that ever were having well viewed and considered the opportunity of the place which before time was called Wike had it by right of exchange from the Abbat of Meaux and in lieu of the Beasts stals and sheepe pastures as I conceive it which there he found built a Towne that he named Kingston as one would say The Kings Towne and there as wee reade in the Records of the Kingdome hee made an haven and free Burgh the Inhabitants thereof also free Burgesses and he granted divers liberties unto them And by little and little it rose to that dignity that for stately and sumptuous buildings for strong block-houses for well furnished ships for store of Merchants and abundance of all things it is become now the most famous towne of merchandise in these parts All which the inhabitants ascribe partly to Michael de la-Pole who obtained their priviledges for them after that King Richard the Second had promoted him to the honour of Earle of Suffolke and partly their gainfull trade by Island fish dried and hardened which they tearme Stockfish whereby they gathered a maine masse of riches Hence it came to passe that within a little while they fensed their City with a bricke wall strengthened it with many Towres and Bulwarkes where it is not defended with the river and brought such a deale of coblestones for ballais to their ships that therewith they have paved all the quarters and streets of the towne most beautifully For the chiefe Magistrate it had as I have beene enformed first a Warden or Custos then Bailives afterward a Major and Bailives and in the end they obtained of K. Henry the Sixth that they might have a Major and a Sheriffe and that the very towne should be a County as our lawyers use to say incorporate by it selfe Neither will I thinke it much to note although in Barbarous tearmes out of the booke of Meaux Abbay as touching the Major of this City William De la Pole knight was beforetime a merchant at Ravens-rod skilfull in merchandise and inferiour to no English merchant whatsoever He making his aboade afterwards at Kingston upon Hull was the first Major that ever the said towne had he began also and founded the monastery of Saint Michael hard by the said King-ston which now is an house of the Carthusian or Charter-house monkes And he had for his eldest sonne Sir Michael De la Pole Earle of Suffolke who caused the said Monasterie to bee inhabited by Carthusian Monkes And verily William De la Pole aforesaid lent many thousand pounds of gold unto King Edward whiles hee made his aboade at Antwerp in Brabant wherefore the King in recompence of the said
of the whole bloud marryed to Charles of Bloys King Edward the Third affecting the said John Earle of Montfort and to strengthen his owne party in France favoured the Title of the said John Earle of Montfort for that he was a man and neerer in degree and therefore seemed to have better right and to bee preferred before his Niece to whom the Parliament of France had adjudged it and which is more for that he sware fealty to him as King of France for the Dutchy of Britaine In these respects he granted the Earldome of Richmond unto the said Iohn untill he might recover his owne possessions in France which being soone after recovered by aide of the English the said King bestowed it upon Iohn of Gaunt his sonne And he afterward surrendred it againe into the King his fathers hands for other possessions Who forthwith created Iohn Earle of Montfort Duke of Britaine sirnamed The valiant Earle of Richmond unto whom hee had given his daughter to wife that thereby hee might more surely oblige unto him a warlique person and then ill affected to the French But in the fourth yeere of Richard the Second he by authority of the Parliament forfaited his Earldome because he adhered unto the French King against England howbeit hee kept still the bare Title and left it unto his posterity But the possession was granted to Dame Ioane of Britaine his sister and the widdow of Ralph Lord Basset of Draiton After her decease first Ralph Nevill Earle of Westmorland had the Castle and Earldome of Richmond for the tearme of his owne life by the gift of King Henry the Fourth And after him Iohn Duke of Bedford Then king Henry the Sixth conferred the Title of Earle of Richmond upon Edmund of Hadham his halfe brother by the mothers side with this speciall and peculiar prerogative To take his place in Parliament next unto Dukes After him succeeded Henry his sonne who was King of England by the name of Henry the Seventh But during his exile George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocester received the Signiory of Richmond but not the Title from their brother king Edward the Fourth Last of all Henry the base sonne of king Henry the Eighth was by his father invested Duke of Richmond who departed this life without issue 1535. As for Sir Thomas Grey who was made Baron of Richmount by king Henry the Sixth was not Lord of this Richmond but of a place in Bedfordshire called Rugemound and Richmount Greies There are contained in this Shire Parishes 104. beside Chappels BISHOPRICK OF DVRHAM THe Bishopricke of Durham or Duresme bordering on the North side upon Yorke-shire is shaped in fashion of a triangle the utmost angle whereof is made up toward the West where the Northren limit and the Spring-head of Tees doe meete One of the sides which lieth Southward is bounded in with the continued course of the river Tees running downe along by it the other that looketh Northward is limited first with a short line from the utmost point to the river Derwent then with Derwent it selfe untill it hath taken unto it Chopwell a little river and afterward with the river Tine The Sea coast fashioneth out the Base of the Triangle which lieth Eastward and the German Ocean with a mighty roaring and forcible violence beareth thereupon On that part where it gathereth narrow to the Westerne angle the fields are naked and barren the woods very thin the hills bare without grasse but not without mynes of iron As for the Vallies they are reasonably grassie and that high hill which I termed the Apennine of England cutteth in twain this angle But on the East part or Base of the Triangle as also on both sides the ground being well manured is very fruitful and the increase yeeldeth good recompence for the husbandmans toile it is also well garnished with meddowes pastures and corn-fields beset everywhere with townes and yeelding plenty of Sea coale which in many places we use for fewell Some will have this coale to be an earthy black Bitumen others to be Gagates and some againe the Lâ—pis Thracius all which that great Philosopher in Minerals George Agricola hath prooved to be one and the same thing Surely this of ours is nothing else but Bitumen or a clammy kind of cley hardned with heat under the earth and so throughly concocted For it yeeldeth the smell of Bitumen and if water bee sprinkled upon it it burneth more vehemently and the cleerer but whether it may bee quenched with oile I have not yet tried And if the Stone called Obsidianus be in our country I would take that to bee it which is found in other places of England and commonly called Canole cole For it is hard bright light and somewhat easie to be cloven piece meale into flakes and being once kindled it burneth very quickly But let us leave these matters to those that search more deeply into Natures closets All this country with other territories also thereto adjoyning the Monasticall writers tearme the Land or Patrimonie of Saint Cuthbert For so they called whatsoever belonged to the Church of Durham whereof S. Cuthbert was the Patron who in the primitive state of the English Church being Bishop of Lindefarn led all his life in such holinesse and so sincerely that he was enrolled among the English Saints Our kings also and Peeres of the Realme because they verily perswaded themselves that he was their Tutelar Saint and Protectour against the Scots went not onely in Pilgrimage with devotion to visite his body which they beleeved to have continued still found and uncorrupt but also gave very large possessions to this Church and endowed the same with many immunities King Edgfride bestowed upon Cuthbert himselfe whiles he lived great revenewes in the very City of Yorke and Creake also whereof I spake and the City Luguballia as wee reade in the History of Durham King Aelfred and Guthrun the Dane whom hee made Lieutenant of Northumberland gave afterwards all the Lands betweene the Rivers Were and Tine unto Cuthbert and to those who ministred in his Church to have and to hold for ever as their rightfull Possession These bee the very words in effect of an ancient Booke whence they might have sufficient maintenance to live upon and not be pinched with poverty over and besides they ordeined his Church to bee a safe Sanctuary for all fugitives that whosoever for any cause fled unto his Corps should have peaceable being for 37. daies and the same liberty never for any occasion to bee infringed or denyed Edward and Athelstan Kings Knute also or Canutus the Dane who came on his bare feete to Cuthberts Tombe not onely confirmed but enlarged also these liberties In like manner King William the Conquerour since whose time it hath alwayes beene deemed a County Palatine yea and some of the Bishops as Counts Palatine have engraven in their seales a Knight or man at armes in compleat harnesse sitting
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
Somewhat higher Irt a little river maketh way toward the sea wherein the muscles and cochles after they have with a kinde of yawning or gaping sucked in dew which they lust after to conceive by bring forth pearles or to speake as the Poet doth Shell-berries which the inhabitants there by search after at a low water and our Lapidaries and Jewellers buy of the poore needie people for a little but sell again at an high rate of these and such like Marbodaeus seemeth to speake in this verse Gignis insignes antiqua Britannia baccas And Britanie of ancient fame Breeds and brings forth pearles of great name Now by this time the shore extendeth out more and more and encloseth Westward where it maketh a little promontorie which the common sort for Saint Bega call St. Bees For Bega a devout and religious Irish woman led there a solitarie life unto whose holinesse are ascribed certain vain miracles as the taming of a wild bull and the procuring of a mightie deep snow which in the longest summers day by her praiers fell and lay thicke upon the vallies and tops of hills Scarce a mile hence standeth Egremont Castle on the top of an hill the seat in times past of William de Meschines unto whom King Henrie the first gave it to hold by one knights service and that he should serve at the Kings commandement in the army for Wales and Scotland Who left behind him a daughter the wife of William Fitz-Duncan of the blood roiall of Scotland by whose daughter also the inheritance came into the family of the Lucies from them likewise by the Moltons and Fitz-waters the title of Egremont descended unto the Ratcliffes Earles of Sussex And yet Sir Thomas Percie through the favour of King Henrie the sixth enjoyed it for a time being summoned to the Parliament by the name of Th. Percie of Egremont From hence the shore drawing it selfe backe by little and little and as it appeareth by the heapes of rubbish it hath beene fortified all along by the Romanes wheresoever there was easie landing For it was the outmost bound of the Roman Empire and the Scots lay sorest upon this coast and infested it most when as it were with continuall surges of warre they flowed and flocked hither by heapes out of Ireland and certaine it is that Moresby a little village where is a roade for ships was one of these fortifications For there are many monuments of antiquitie as vaults under the ground great foundations many caves which they use to tearme Picts-Holes many fragments of stones with inscriptions engraven in them are there often times found in the ground of which upon one I read this LUCIUS SEVERINUS ORDINATUS on another COH VII And this Altar I saw lately digged out there with a little horned image representing Sylvanus erected to his honour by the second Cohort of the Lingones DEO SILVAN COH II. LING CVI PRAEES G. POMPEIVS M SATVRNIN As also this fragment which I. Fletcher Lord of the place transcribed out for me and sent unto mee OB PROSPE RITATEM CVLMINIS INSTITVTI But no stone hitherto hath beene found that assureth us that it was MORBIUM where the Cataphractarii horsemen or men at armes served notwithstanding the name in some sort implieth as much Neither is Hay-castle which I saw hard by to be passed over with silence a place verily to be regarded for antiquity sake which by report of the inhabitants belonged successively in elder time to Gentlemen surnamed Moresby and Distinton After this the river Derwent hideth himselfe in the Ocean which having his first beginning in Borrodale a valley hemmed in with crooked hills creepeth betweene the mountains called Derwent Fels wherein at Newlands elsewhere copper mines were discovered by Thomas Shurland and Daniel Hotchstatâ—er a German of Auspurge in our daies and yet the same were knowne before as appeareth by closse rowles of King Henrie the third n. 18. Upon the discoverie of these mines there was a memorable case in law between the late QUEEN ELIZABETH of sacred memorie and Thomas Percie Earl of Northumberland in whose Lordship they were found but in regard of the Queenes royall prerogative and for that there were in them veins of gold and silver they were adjudged to the Queen But hereby it is well seene how untrue it was that Cicero wrote in his Epistles unto Atticus This is for certaine knowne saith he that there is not in the Iland Britaine so much as one scruple of silver Neither would Caesar if he had known of these mines have written That the Britans had use of copper brought in to them from other parts beyond sea seeing that the mines not onely serve all England over but also affoord great plentie beside that is carried yeerly forth of the realme Here also is commonly found that minerall kind of earth or hardned glittering stone we call it Black-lead with which Painters use to draw their lines and make pictures of one colour in their first draughts which whether it bee Pnigitis or Melanteria spoken of by Dioscorides or Ochre a kind of earth so burnt with heat that it becommeth blacke or whether it were unknowne unto the old writers I cannot certainly averre and let others for me search it out Derwent after it hath passed through these hills spreadeth abroad into a large lake Bede termeth it praegrande stagnum that is a very great poole wherein are three Ilands eminent above the water The one hath an house in it of the Ratcliffes a family of Knights degree the second is inhabited by the Dutch Minerall men the third is thought to be that wherein as Bede writeth Saint Herbert lived an Heremeticall life On the very skirt of this bottome in a pleasant soile compassed about with deawie hills and fensed on the North side with that high mountaine Skiddaw lieth Keswike a little towne which King Edward the first made a mercate by the procurement of S. Thomas of Derwentwater Lord of the place from whom it lineally descended to the family of the Ratcliffs It was well knowne many yeeres agoe by reason of the mines of copper as we may see in a certaine Charter of King Edward the fourth and is at this day much inhabited by Minerall men who have here their smelting house by Derwent side which with his forcible streame and their ingenuous inventions serveth them in notable steed for easie bellowes workes hammer workes forge workes and sawing of boords not without admiration of such as behold it As for that mountain Skiddaw aforesaid it riseth up to such an height with two heads like unto Parnassus and with a kind of emulation beholdeth Scruffel hill before it in Anandale within Scotland that from these two mountaines according as the mistie clouds arise or fall the people there by dwelling make their prognostication of the change of weather and commonly sing this note If
of antiquity In the inscription all is as plaine as may bee onely in the last line save one Et and AEDES are read by implication of the letters the last part being maimed may haply be amended in this wife DECURIONUM ORDINEM RESTITUIT c. These Decurions were in free townes called Municipia the same that Senators were in Rome and Colonies so called because they executed the office of Curiae whereupon they were named also Curiales who had the ordering and managing of civill offices On the back-side of this Altar in the upper edge border thereof are read as you see these two words VOLANTII VIVAS which doe perplexe me neither can I expound them unlesse the Decurions Gentlemen and Commons for of these three states consisted a Municipium or free Corporation added this as a well-wishing and votive inscription unto G. Cornelius Peregrinus who restored houses habitations and Decurions that so bounteous and beneficiall a man VOLANTII VIVERET that is might live at Volantium Hence I suppose if conjecture may carrie it that VOLANTIUM in times past was the name of the place Underneath are engraven instruments belonging to sacrifice an Axe or Cleaver and a chopping Knife On the left side a Mallet and a great Bason in that on the right side a platter a dish and a peare if my sight serve mee well or as others would have it a drinking cup or jugge for these were vessels pertaining to sacrifice and others beside as a Cruet an Incense pan or Censer a footlesse pot the Priests miter c. which I have seene expresly portraied upon the sides of other altars in this tract The second Altar which I have here adjoined was digged up at Old Carlile and is now to be seene in the Barhouses house at Ilkirk an inscription it had with that intricate connexion of letters one in another as the Graver hath here very lively portraied and thus it seemeth they are to be read Iovi Optimo Maximo Ala Augusta ob virtutem appellata cui praest Publius Aelius Publii filius Sergia Magnus de Mursa ex Pannonia inferiore Praefectus Aproniano fortasse Bradua Consulibus Unto most gracious and mightie Jupiter The Wing named for their vertue Augusta the Captaine whereof is Publius Aelius sonne of Publius Magnus of Mursa from out of the lower Pannonia Praefect When Apronianus and haply Bradua were Consuls The third Altar with an inscription to Belatucadrus the tutelar God of the place is in this wise to be read Belatucadro Iulius Civilis Optio id est Excubiis Praefectus votum solvit libens merito Unto Belatucadrus Iulius-Civilis Opiâ—o that is Prefect over the watch and ward hath performed his vow willingly and duly In the fourth Altar which is of all the rest the fairest there is no difficultie at all and this is the tenour of it Diis Deabusque Publius Posthumius Acilianus Praefectus Cohortis primae Delmatarum To the Gods and Goddesses Publius Posthumius Acilianus Prefect or Captain of the first Cohort of the Dalmatians Such Altars as these neither neede we think much to observe those ancient rites which now long since the most sacred Christian religion hath chased away and banished quite they were wont to crowne with greene branches like as they did the beasts for sacrifice and themselves and then they used with frankincense and wine to make supplication to kill and offer their sacrifices yea and their manner was to enhuile or anoint their very altars all over Concerning the demolishing and overthrow of which as Christian religion came in place and began to prevaile Prudentius the Christian Poet wrote thus Exercere manum non poenitet lapis illic Si stetit antiquus quem cingere sueverat error Fasciolis aut gallinae pulmone rigare Frangitur Men thought not much their hands thus to employ And if in place some antique stone there stood Which folke were wont in errour with much joy To garnish round with ribbands and with blood Of Hens to imbrue they brake it in that mood These inscriptions likewise hereunder I saw there PROSA ANTONINI AV-PII F P. AVLVS P. F. PALATINA POSTHVMIVS ACILIANVS PRAEF COH I. DELMATAR D M INGENVI AN. X. IVL. SIMPLEX PATER F C. D M. MORI REGIS FILII HEREDES EIVS SVBSTITVE RVNT VIX A. LXX HICEXSEGERE FATA ENVS SC GERMA S REG VIX AN S VIX AN IX D M LVCA VIX ANN. IS XX. D M IVLIA MARTIM A. VIX AN XII III D. XX. H. There is a stone also here seene workmanly cut and erected for some victorie of the Emperours in which two winged Genii hold up betweene them a guirland as here is represented That is for the victorie of the Augusti or Emperours our Lords When the shore hath passed on right forward a little way from hence it bendeth so backe againe with an arme of the sea retiring inward that it may seeme to bee that MORICAMBE which Ptolomee setteth here the nature of the place and the name doe so just agree For a crooked creeke it is of salt water and Moricambe in the British tongue signifieth a crooked sea Hard by this David the first King of Scots built the Abbey de Ulmo commonly called Holme Cultrain and the Abbots thereof erected Ulstey a fortresse neere unto it for a treasurie and place of suretie to lay up their books charters and evidences against the sodain invasions of the Scottish wherein the secrets workes they say of Michael the Scot lie in conflict with mothes which Michael professing here a religious life was so wholly possessed with the studie of the Mathematicks and other abstruse arts about the yeere of our Lord 1290. that being taken of the common people for a Necromancer there went a name of him such was their credulitie that hee wrought divers wonders and miracles Beneath this Abbey the brooke called Waver runneth into the said arme of the sea which brook taketh into it the riveret Wiza at the head whereof lye the very bones and pitifull reliques of an ancient Citie which sheweth unto us that there is nothing upon earth but the same is subject to mortalitie The neighbours call it at this day Old Carlile What name it had in old time I know not unlesse it were CASTRA EXPLORATORUM that is The Espialls or Discoverers Castle The distance put downe by Antonine who doth not so much seeke after the shortest waies as reckon up the places of greater note and name as well from Bulgium as Lugo-vallum suiteth thereto verie aptly the situation also to discover and descry afar off is passing fit and commodious for seated it is upon the top of a good high hill from whence a man may easily take a full view of all the country round about Howbeit most certaine it is that the wing of Horse-men which for their valour was named AUGUSTA and AUGUSTA GORDIANA kept resiance
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
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
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
either by dint of sword conquered or by surrender gat the whole into his owne hands and was the first that was stiled Earle of Ulster but when his great exploits and fortunate archievements had wrought him such envie that through his owne vertues and other mens vices he was banished out of the Realme Hugh Lacy the second sonne of Hugh Lacy Lord of Meth who had commandement to pursue him by force and armes was by King John appointed his successour being created Earle of Ulster by the sword of which honour notwithstanding the same King afterward deprived him for his tumultuous insolency and hee was in the end received into favour againe But for the sounder testimony hereof it were good to exemplifie the same word for word out of the records of Ireland Hugh de Lacy sometime Earle of Ulster held all Ulster exempt and separate from all other counties whatsoever of the Kings of England in chiefe by service of three Knights so often as the Kings service was proclaimed and be held all Pleas in his owne Court that pertaine to a Iustice and Sheriffe and held a Court of Chancery of his own c. And afterward all Ulster came into the hands of our Soveraigne Lord K. Iohn by the forfeiture of the foresaid Hugh unto whom after that K. Henry the third demised it for terme of the said Hughs life And when Hugh was deceased Walter de Burgo did that service unto Lord Edward K. Henries son Lord of Ireland before he was King And the same Lord Edward feoffed the aforesaid Walter in the said land of Ulster to have and to hold unto the same Walter and to his heires by the service aforesaid as freely and wholly as the above named Hugh de Lacy held it excepting the advowsons of Cathedrall Churches and the demesne of the same also the Pleas of the Crowne to wit Rape Forstall Firing and Treasure Trouve which our soveraigne Lord K. Edward retained to himselfe and his heires This Walter de Burgo who was Lord of Conaght and Earle of Ulster begat of the only daughter of Hugh de Lacy Richard Earle of Ulster who after hee had endured many troubles and calamities died in the yeere 1326. Richard had issue Iohn de Burgo who departed this life before his father having begotten upon Elizabeth sister and one of the heires of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester William who succeeded after his grandfather This William being slain by his own men when he was young left behind him a little daughter his only child who being married unto Leonell Duke of Clarence bare one daughter likewise the wife of Edmund Mortimer Earle of March by whom the Earledome of Ulster and Seigniory of Conaght came unto the Mortimers and from them together with the kingdome of England unto the house of Yorke and afterward Edward the fourth King of England adjoined it unto the Kings Domaine or Crowne land And when as at the same time England was divided into sides and factions whiles the civill warre grew hot and the English that abode here returned out of Ulster into England to follow the factions O-Neal and others of Irish blood seized these countries into their own hands and brought them to such wildnesse and savage barbarisme as it exceeded In so much as this province which in times past paied a mighty masse of money unto their Earles scarcely ever since yeelded any coin at all unto the Kings of England And verily in no one thing whatsoever pardon this my over-boldnesse have the Kings of England beene more defective in piety and policie than that they have for these so many ages seen so slightly to this Province yea and to all Ireland in the propagation of religion establishing the weale publike and reducing the life of the inhabitants to civility whether it was for carelesse neglect sparing or a fore-cast of dammage or some reason of state I am not able to say But that the same may be no longer thus neglected it seemeth of it selfe by good right to importune most earnestly being an Iland so great so neere a neigbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pastures more than credible beset with so many woods enriched with so many mineralls if they were searched watered with so many rivers environed with so many havens lying so fit and commodious for failing into most wealthy countries and thereby like to bee for impost and custome very profitable and to conclude breeding and rearing men so abundantly as it doth who considering either their mindes or their bodies might be of singular emploiment for all duties and functions as well of warre as of peace if they were wrought and conformed to orderly civility I Intimated even now that I would speak touching the O-Neals who carried themselves as Lords of Ulster and I promised not long since a friend of mine that I would write of their rebellions raised in our age And verily I will performe my promise to his Manes whom whiles he lived I observed with all respect and being now in heaven I will not forget Thus much onely I will promise by way of Preface that I have compendiously collected these matters out of my Annales and here conjoined them which there are severed and divided according to their severall times and withall that whatsoever I shall write is not upon uncertaine rumours but gathered summarily from out oâ— their owne hand writings who managed those affaires and were present in the actions And this will I doe with so sincere an affection to the truth and so uncorrupt fidelity that I doubt not but I shall have thanks at their hands who love the truth and desire to understand the late affaires of Ireland and not incurre the blame of any unlesse they be such as having done ill take it not well if themselves be accordingly censured THE O-NEALES AND THEIR REBELLIONS IN OUR TIME TO say nothing of that GREAT NEALE who ruled by force and armes in Ulster and a great part of Ireland before the comming of Saint Patricke nor of those in the middle times who were but of meane note and memoriall to speake of this family after the arrivall of the English in Ireland lay close and obscure in remote lurking corners unlesse it were when Edward Brus brother to Robert King of Scotland named himselfe King of Ireland For then in a troublesome time Dovenald O-Neale started and rowsed himselfe out of his lurking holes and in his missives unto the Pope used this title in his stile Dovenald O-Neale King of Ulster and in right of inheritance the undoubted heire of all Ireland But after these stirres and troubles were laid this new King soone vanished away and Dovenalds posterity pluckt in their hornes and hid their heads untill that whiles England was all in a combustion kindled by the furious firebrands of civill warres betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster for the Imperiall Crowne those English that served and lived here abandoning Ulster and
because they were more in number fresh and better furnished with all kinde of meanes whereas contrariwise the English were out-wearied with the inconveniences that follow a winter-siege excluded from victuals and their horses besides with travell and hunger together altogether unserviceable In these difficulties and distresses the Deputie consulteth with the Captaines what was to be done Some thought the best way was to break up the siege to retire into Corke and not to hazzard the whole Realme upon the fortune of one battell Contrariwise the Deputy adviseth and perswadeth to persist and not to degenerate from the approved vertue of their ancestors adding that valiant men could not have a more wished opportunity presented unto them than that which was now fallen into their laps namely either to spend their lives with glory or to vanquish their enemies with honour He urgeth therefore and plieth the siege with all the power he had with raising platformes and continuall battering he plaied upon the towne and withall fortifieth his Campe with new trenches Upon the one and twentieth day of December the Earle of Tir-Oen sheweth himselfe with his horse upon an hill about a mile from the campe and there encamping himselfe maketh a bravado likewise the next day in the same place the night following both the Spaniards sallied forth of the towne and the Irish also assayed to steale into the towne but both were forced to retire On the three and twentieth day the English men discharge their greater peeces upon the towne as if they had not cared for the Earle now so neere at hand and the very same day were the letters of D' Aquila unto the Earle intercepted wherein he importuned Tir-Oen that the Spaniards newly arrived might bee put into the towne and that they might assaile the campe on both sides When the Moone was ready to rise over the horizon the Deputy commanded Sir Henry Poer to leade forth into the field eight ensignes of old souldiers and to make a stand on the West side of the campe Sir Henry Greame who that night had the charge of the horsemen that watched very earely in the morning advertised the Deputy that the enemies for certaine would advance forward for that a great number of their matches were lighted Hereupon the al'arme was given throughout the campe and companies placed wheresoever there was any way to the towne The Lord Deputy himselfe with the President of Mounster and Sir Richard Wingfeld Marshall marched toward the watch and withall by the advise of Sir Olivar Lambart chooseth out a plot wherein he might give battell to the enemies Thither were brought the Ensignes and Regiments of Sir Henry Folliot and Sir Olivar Saint Iohn with sixe hundred sea souldiers under the conduct of Sir Richard Levison But the Earle of Tir-Oen who resolved as afterwards it was knowne to have brought into Kinsale by darke night the new supplie of Spaniards and eight hundred Irishmen when hee saw now the day to breake and beheld withall the Marshall and Sir Henrie Danvers with the power of horsemen and Poer with the Companies of old souldiers at the foot of the hill being disappointed of his hope stood still and soone after by his bag-pipers sounded the retreat No sooner was the Deputy certified of this retreat of his so confused and disordered but hee commanded the pursuit and himselfe advanced before the vantgard to marke the manner of their retreat and according to the present occasion to resolve what to doe but so thicke a mist with a storme beside fell upon the earth that for a time they could not see before them Within a while after the weather cleering up againe hee observed that they retired hastily for feare in three great battalions and with the horsemen placed behind at their backes hee fully determined therefore to charge upon them having sent backe the President of Mounster with three companies of horsemen into the campe to restraine the Spaniards if haply out of the towne they should sallie and breake out upon them And the Lord Deputie himselfe followed after the Rebels with such speed in their retreat that hee forced them to stand in the brinke of a bogge whereunto there was no accesse but at a foord but when those horsemen that kept the foord were by the valour of the Marshall and the Earle of Clan-Ricard discomfited and put to rout the other and courageously gave the onset upon the maine troupes of the enemies horsmen which charge when Sir William Godolphin who had the leading of the Deputies horse Sir Henry Daâ—vers Minshaw Taff Fleming and Sir John Barkly Sergeant Major of the Camp who joyned with them redoubled with so great alacrity that the Rebels presently brake and fell in disorder But it was not thought good to follow the chase but gathering their forces and power together they charged upon the maine battell now in feare and wavering which they also brake Tirell with his company and the Spaniards all this while kept their standing and made their ground good against whom the Deputy putteth forward his rereward and that he might accomplish not onely the part of a leader in commanding but also of a souldier in fighting with three companies of Oliver S. Iohns whereof Captaine Roe had the conduct chargeth violently upon them and so brake their arraies that in great disorder and confusion they reculed backe and betooke themselves to the Irish by whom they were presently left unto the edge of the sword and routed by the troupe of the Duputies horsemen whereof Sir William Godolphin had the leading Then Ter-Oen O-Denel and the rest on all sides put to flight flung away their weapons and made what shift they could to save themselves Alphonso O Campo was taken prisoner with three other Captaines of the Spaniards and six ensigne bearers slaine there were one thousand and two hundred nine ensignes taken whereof six were Spanish Of the English part scarce two men lost their lives many were wounded and among them Sir Henry Danvers Sir William Godolphin and Crâ—ft so little cost this so great a victory The Lord Deputy after he had founded the retreat and rendred thankes unto almighty God for this victory among the dead bodies of the enemies lying thicke in heapes gave the order of Knight-hood to the Earle of Clan-Ricard for his right valiant service in this battell and thus with lucky acclamations returned victor into his Campe which he found safe and found from all dangers For the Spaniards within the towne seeing all places every way made sure with guardes and having experience before time that all sallies were to their losse kept themselves at home in carefull expectation of the event A noble victory this was and in many regards important whereby Ireland most miserably distressed and ready to revolt was retained the Spaniards ejected the Arch-rebell Tir-Oen repulsed into his starting holes in Ulster O Donell driven into Spaine the rest of the rebellious rable scattered into sundry parts the
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-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
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-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
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-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-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-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
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
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-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-Thomas at Laraghbrine neere unto Mayneth and he was buried at Kildare among the Friers Minors Of which Lord John 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
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-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris 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-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-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
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-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-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-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
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-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-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
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
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
and reigned thirty yeeres In the third yeere of his reigne the people of Dublin sent for him and created him King of Dublin against whom Mure-card King of Ireland raised war and encamping himselfe before the Citie which is called Coridelis sent his halfe brother by the mothers side Osibeley with three thousand men of armes to Dublin who was by Godred and the Dublinians slaine and all the rest put to flight These exploits atchieved Godred returned to Man began to use tyranny and turned Noblemen out of their inheritances whereof one called Thorsin Oters Son mightier than the rest came to Sumerled and made Dubgall Sumerleds son King of the Ilands subduing unto him many Ilands When Godred had intelligence of these things by one Paul he prepared a navie and setteth forward to meet with Sumerled who was comming with a fleet of 80. saile And in the yeere 1156. there was a battell fought at sea on Twelfe day at night and after many a man slaine on both sides the next day after they grew to a pacification and divided among themselves the kingdome of the Ilands and so it became two severall kingdomes from that very day unto this present time And this was the cause of the overthrow of the kingdome of the Isles since time that Sumerleds son seized upon it MCLVIII Sumerled came to Man with a fleet of 53. saile put Godred to flight wasted the Iland Godred then crossed over to Norway to seek for aid against Sumerled MCLXIV Sumerled gathered together a fleet of 1060. ships and arrived at Rhinfrin coveting to subdue all Scotland But by the just judgement of God hee was vanquished by a few together with his sonne and an infinite number of people there slain The same yeere there was a field fought at Ramsae betweene Reginald brother of Godred and them of Man and by the deceitfull practice of a certaine Earle those of Man were put to flight Then Reginald began to reigne and on the fourth day after came Godred upon him out of Norway with a great multitude of armed men and tooke his brother Reginald whom he bereft both of his eyes and of his genitall members The same yeere died Malcolm King of Scotland and his brother William succeeded him in the kingdome MCLXVI Two Comets or blazing stars appeared before Sun-rising in the Moneth of August the one in the South the other in the North. MCLXXI Richard Earle of Penbrock sailed over into Ireland and subdued Develin with a great part of Ireland MCLXXVI John Curey conquered Ulster and Vivian Legate of the Apostolicke Sea came into Man and caused King Godred to bee lawfully espoused unto his wife Phingola daughter of Mac-Lotlen son to Murkartac King of Ireland to wit the mother of Olave then three yeers old Sylvan the Abbat married them unto whom the very same day Godred gave a piece of land at Miriscoge where he built a Monastery but at length the ground was together with the Monkes granted to the Abbey of Russin Reginald sonne to Eac-Marcat one of the royall blood comming into Man with a great band of men in the Kings absence at the first conflict put to flight certain warders that kept the shore and killed about 30. men Afterwards the Manksmen gathering their forces together the same day slew him and almost all his company MCLXXXIII O-Fogolt was Sheriffe of Man MCLXXXV There fell out to be an Eclipse of the Sun on Saint Philip and Jacobs day MCLXXXVII On the fourth Ides of November died Godred King of the Ilands and the next Summer was his body translated to the Isle of Hy. He left behind him three sonnes Reginald Olave and Tvar In his life he ordained his sonne Olave to be his heire because hee onely was borne in lawfull wedlock But the people of Man seeing that Olave was now scarce ten yeeres old sent for Reginald out of the Iles and set him up for their King MCLXXXVIII Reginald Godreds son began to raigne over the Ilands and Murchard a man of great power throughout all the kingdome of the Iles was slaine MCXCII A battell was fought betweene Reginald and Engus the sonnes of Sumerled but Engus won the victory The same yeere was the Abbey of Russin translated to Dufglas but after foure yeeres the Monks returned to Russin MCCIII Michael Bishop of the Isles died at Fontans after whom succeeded Nicolas MCCIV. Hugh Lacy came with an army into Ulster and gave John Curcy battell tooke him prisoner and conquered Ulster Afterward hee set John at liberty who came to King Reginald and he honourably entertained him because he was his brother in law for John Curcy had taken to wife Affrica Godreds daughter who founded the Abbey of S. Mary de Iugo Domini and was there buried MCCV. John Curcy and Reginald King of the Iles having entred into Ulster with one hundred ships in the haven which is called Stranford slackly besieged the fortresse of Rath but Walter Lacy comming upon them with an army put them to flight after this Curcy never recovered his land MCCX Engus Sumerleds son was with three of his sonnes slaine John King of England at the same time brought a navie of 500. saile to Ireland subdued it who sending a certaine Earle named Fulk unto Man in one fortnight and a day wholly in a manner wasted it and taking hostages returned thence into their country King Reginald and his Nobles were not in Man MCCXVII Nicolas Bishop of the Ilands departed this life and was buried in Ulster within the house of Benchor after whom succeeded Reginald Here I thinke good to write somewhat againe of Olave and Reginald Brethren REginald gave unto his brother Olave the I le called Lodhus which is said to be larger than the rest of the Ilands but slenderly inhabited because it stands much upon mountaines is stony besides and almost all unfit for tillage The inhabitants thereof live for the most part by hunting and fishing Olave therfore went to possesse himselfe of this Iland and dwelt in it leading a poore life And when he saw it would not suffice to maintaine himselfe and his army he came boldly unto his brother Reginald who then made his abode in the Ilands and spake unto him in this maner Brother saith hee my Soveraigne Lord the King thou knowest that the kingdome of the Ilands belonged unto me by inheritance but since the Lord hath elected thee to sway the Scepter thereof I envie thee not nor take it grievously that thou art exalted to that royall dignity Now thus much I heartily beseech thee that thou wouldest provide me some portion of land in the Iles wherein I may live honestly according to mine estate for the Iland Lodhus which thou gavest unto me is not sufficient to sustaine me Reginald his brother after he had given him the hearing said he would take counsell upon the point and the morrow after when Olave was sent for and came in place to parley of the matter Reginald commandeth
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
Botereaux * De Sancto Laudâ— Stow. Greenvils * Rous. Stratton The river Tamar * Canonâ—corum Launston Salt-Esse Saint Vrsula and 11000. Virgins Earles of Cornwall Robert de Monte. 1175. * Haeresinventus * â—ande d' Or d' Azur ala bordeure de Gueules Memoriales de Aquitaine Dukes of Cornwall Orig. 35. H. 6. Sand making grounds fruitfull Tavistoke The Charter of the foundation Lectures of the Saxon tongue Plimmouth 13. Henry 4. * De valle tarta * Valle tortis â—ive de valle torta * Custodias * Praetor Gogmagog Francis Drake * Narrow passage * Rous. The first tiâ— that Priests were forbidden marriagâ— Stert Caudâ— in Dutch a Taile Totnes * Non geldâ— * Cantlow Lord Zoâ— called usuâ— Dertmouth Stoke Fleming Briew See Sommersetshire Carie of Cockington Hacombe The familie of the Carews Danes when they first entred Britaine * The River Ex. Plinie Anticke stones Tiverton Poltimore * Ex. * Caer Leon or Vske in Monmouth shire Excester * Welchmen Caer what it signifieth Cornel. Nepos * Excester William Malmesbury * Domesday Weare Ch. 24. Ed. 3 Dukes of Eâ—cester See the Earâ—â— of Dorset Philip Comiâ—â—us cap. 50. Marquesse of Excester 1605. Pouderham * Redvers or Rivers Holcombe Burnet Exmouth Otterey Honnyton Moridunum Wiscomb See in Sommerset shire Axminster The Register of Newenham Hercules his Promontory Saint Nectan William of Malmesbury Dinham Whether ever Hercules came into Britaine * Expounders of Morall Tales * Terra di Laviro * Riviera di Genoa Poderidge Bediford Iohn Hooker of the Bishops of Excester Berstable * Se aequor refundit in â—quor John Jewell Thomas Harding Ralege Kinvith The Danes Banner Comb what iâ— signifieth Nicotius Bampton Paganelli or Painels * Fulconem Earles of Dâ—â—vonshire Register of Ford Abbey * Redvers or Rivers * Called Isâ—â—bella de Fortibus * Called Isâ—â—bella de Fortibus Claus. 9. Edw. tertii M. 35. â—â— dorso 9. Edward the Fourth 1603. Dwr what iâ— signifieth Setta what iâ— is Lime Carmouth Burtport Chesill Portland Historie of Winchester Weymouth A Stepdames hatred that is her husbands sonne * Good health Morton Strangwaies Bindon Newborougâ—â— Grand Serjeantie Middleton Forrest of White-hartâ— White hart silver Shirburne Chiston Shaftsbury * Domesday The prophecy of Aquila Barons Fit Payne Baron Briâ—â—â—â— Barons Poâ—â—nings Blandfordâ— Vindogladiâ— Winburn Burne in the Saxon tongue what it signifieth Annales of the English-Saxons * Or Painims Paganorum Badbury Kingston Lacy. Canford Coperose or Vitriol Alum Tho. Walsingham 1317. Cranburne Vicount Cranborne 1604. Filioll Earles and Marquesses of Dorset The life of Osmund manuscript See the Duk of Somerset * In Normandie 1553. Belgae from the Belgae in Gaule Low-countries The Netheâ— Lands Belgae whenc they were named * Or weather Denshire Dunster Castle The Familie of the Mohuns or Moions Commons Ischalis Ivelcester commonly Ilchester * Or Copper Mechelney The River Pedred Pedderton Montacute in Domesday booke Montaguâ— Annales of Glaston * Drogo Iuvenis Lords Montacute Odcombe * â—riceto Briewers Barons Register of Dunkeswell Gornays Newtons * Parret Faramuse of Bolen Fienes Aulre Wellington * Hides Lediard Iohn Popham Taunton * Penaltie fo peace-breaking Pacis Infractio Mallet Pointzes Beauchamps Barons * Forts Vicount Beauchamp Lovell Lupellus in Latin Castle Cary. Lord Saint Maure Earles of Bridge-water Vzella Selwood Bruiton William Malmesbury of Glastenburies antiquity See Romans in Britanie Iâ— confirm Henric. 2. These verses with some little change are found in the fourth booke of Venantius Fortunatus his Poems in the praise partly of the Church in Paris and partly of Nants Arthur the warlike Woâ—thy * Alexandrum Magnum The Pyramides of Glastenburie * Episcopus Edgar the Peaceable Godney Moore Mendip-hils Ochy hole Strabo See before among the Coines Cangi a people of Britaine Bonvill 1. Edward 4. Harpetre Welles Stephâ—n urbibus and Barletius Manentium XI Combes * Kirton 905. Historie of Bathe See in the Decretals Ne sede vacante aliquid innovetur 1193. Fareley Philips Norton Selwood Monney de la Mare Bathe Aqua Soâ—iâ— Hot Waters The Temple of Minerva Caer Palladur Britans addicted to Magicke Earles of Bathe Inquisit 31. Henrie 8. * Adjutric * Piae * Foelicis * Hic situs * Cobortis Equitum * Decurioni * Glevi that is Of Glocester Diiâ— Manibus that is To the dead ghost * Mâ—â—jâ—s that is Moneths * D. Dies that is Daies * Filia Charissâ—maefecerunt Percepier Bristow Barons de Barkley Earles and Dukes of Somerset Patents Anno primo Henric. tertii * De malo lacu * De Comitatu Earle Apostlicall See Earles o Dorset The river Isiâ— or Ouze Wansdike Dikes of the Marches Lediard Saint Iohn Wood-toun or Wotton Basset Breden Forrest * Prince of the bloud Malmesbury Ingleborne Maidulph the Scot. Aldeme William Malmesbury Conucell at Aix Dantesey Baron Danvers Calne A Synode as touching the single life of Priests Chippinham Cyppan what it is Cosham Castlecombe Dunstavile * Pernell Leckham Lacocke Saint Amand Barons The Vies Devizes Edindon * Bon-hommes Trubridge Bradford Anno 652. Long-Leat Maiden Bradley Dever-rill Verlucio Werminster Sarisburie Plaines Lord Hungerford of Heitesburie Yanesburie Wardour Castle Baron Arundell Aquaticâ—m 1595. Count Imperiall L. Hach Hindon Wilton Ellandunum Alan the river Sorbiodunum What Dunum signifieth among the Britaines and Gaules * Or for money weighed out and told * Of Bloys New Sarisburie 29. Edw. 3. Tearm Hillarii Combat for the Castle of Sarum or Shirburn as some will have it Earles of Salisburie Historie of Lacock Abbey Walsingham pag. 74. Pat. 2. Henr. 6. 1461. This name himselfe poetically devised Constitutions of Clarinders An ancient booke Stone-henge Made Stones * Puzzote * Magician Mathematicâ— * Scythia * Palamediâ— aves Ambresbury Ambrosius Aurelianus The Emperours before Leporarium Wolshal Estermie or Sturmy Savernac Forrest Kenet River Barrowes and Burrows Tombes In his Geomeotrie * 198. * Aibury Rockley * Famis rivulus * Kenet Cunetio a towne Marleborow * Kenet * Or nick-râ—â—med Iohn Lack-land The blacke Prince as they say Ramesburie William Malmesburie of Bishops Littlecot * Pro summario Haply a Sumpter horse Ore what it is Earles of Wilshire Queene Elizabeth See Basing in Hant-shire New forres Elogium Sanctuaries Exod. 21. Iosephus Antiquita uâ— lib. 4. Hurst Castle South-Anton Tibury some say for Titusbury Wallop Brige Rumsey Redbridge * Regesti Cynacium British dogs A Gasehound Agasaeus a British hounâ— See before in the Emperours The round Table Torneaments Dei pâ—osophist lib. 4. Bishops of Winchester William Malmesburie Hide Abbey Wickham Colledge William Wickham Saint Mary Abbey * Matildis Mawde wife to King Henry the first Earles of Winchester Pr. p. Pat. Anno 12. E. 4. Hamble Solente frith * Roche Portsey Portus Magnus Portesmouth * Roch. British salt Hexameron lib. 5. cap. 11. Meanvari Bede lib. 4. cap. 13. Warnford Adae hic Portu benedicat
Valentia Barle Clan-Caâ—r Beare O Swilivant O Mahon Notium Promontorium The river Iâ—rnus Earles of Desmond Vodiae a people Coriandi a people Muskeray Carbray Spaniard landed in Ireland and from thence driven Kerry-wherry Vicount Butiphant Baron Roch Vicount Fermoy Yoghall The Kay The kingdome of Corke Lismor Christian a Bishop Ard-mor Dessee Dungarvan Poers Barons of Curraghmore Waterford Earle of Waterford Steward of Ireland An. 28. H. 8. Conilagh Knoc-Patric Knight of the Valley Anno 11. Reg. Eliz. Limirick Clan-William Baron of Castle Conell Clan-Gibbon 13. Elizab. Fitz-Geralds Emely The lower Ossery The county of Holy Crosse of Tipperary Wood of the Crosse. Cassile Baron de Cahir Clomell Earle of Caricke Anno 9. Ed. 2. Ormond Butlers Earles of Ormond Anno 2. Ed. 3. Earle of Tipperary Wolf-men The disease Lycanthropia County of Kilkenny Upper Ossery Baron of upper Ossery Thomas Towne Callan Inis Teog The Statute of Absenties Barony Ydron Cavanaghs O More Out of a pamphlet of Patrick Finglas Hook-Tower Lease Mary Burgh Donemaws Rheba Baronet of Rheban Offaly Philips towne Kildar S. Brigid Ch. 9. Ed. 2. N. 12. Barons Fitz-Eustace Pat. 2. Ed. 4. Carausius Tintern Monastery Hieron a Promontory Cauci O Tooles O Birns Arklo Glynnes Wicklo lately made a county 1606. The Grounds Old-Court Poers Court Liffy river which Girald calleth Aven-Liff * That is the river Lâ—ff Eblana Dublin Who also is named Abloicus Aulafus and Olavus Ioscelin of Furnes in the life of S. Patricke Lib. 2. verum Anglicar c. 26. Kaies * Upon Ausonius l. 2. c. 22. Dammensis All-Hallowes An University begun 1591. 13. May was the foundation laid 1593. Scholars were first admitted 1320. A Manuscript of Baron Hoult Thomas Court Statut. Parli 18. H. 8. c. 15. Tole-stale Marquesse of Dublin Pr. p. Pat. anno 9. Rich. 2. m. 1. Saint Laurence Barons of Houth Malchid Fingall Th. Stukely Marquesse of Leinster Laberus Barnwell Baron Trimlet stoun Baron Slane Navan Baronet of Navan Bishop of Meth. Molingar Barons Delvin Nogents Lords of Meth. Genevile Constables of Ireland Anale O-Pharoll River Senus or Sineus Shannin and Shannon Macolicum Malc Rigia Which others call Mare Bredunicum Nagnatae Gangani Concani Auteri Killaloe Catarracta Bunraty Clare Earles of Twomond Ilands of Arran Bed l. 4. c. 4. Ecclesiast hist. Logh-Corbes Gallwey The battell of Knoctoe 1516. Aterith Birminghams Clan-Ricard Earles of Clan-Ricard Archbishoprick of Toam or Tuen Maio. Killaley Bishoprick of Killaley Lib 4. cop 4. Logh-Mesk Galloglasses Mac-William who also is called Mac-William Eughter Cuttings Coyne Liverey c. Cause of Rebellions in Ireland Richard Bingham Nagnata Diploma l. 2. c. 6 Girald Cambren de expugnatio Hibern p. 787. Curlew hills Barony of Boyle Balin Tober Rog. Hoveden Anno 1175. pag. 312. John Perot Lord Deputy 1585. Uriel in Latin Urgalia Tredagh Mellifont Abbey Dundalk Carlingford Birmingham who also is called Brimicham Earle of Louth Baron Louth East Breany O Reily Kilmore Bishopricke Poore Bishops Lough-Ern Bal-tarbet Belek Mac-Mahon Fitz-Urse 1590. Charles Blunt L. Mont-joy Fewes Orry Mont-Norris Armach S. Patricke Vita Patricii Marianus Scotus The Irish shaving See Bed l. 5. c. 22. S. Bernard in the life of Malachy Lib. 1. Ceremoniar sacrar Sect. 14. Isanium the Promontory Dunum Downe Saint Patricks Sepulcher Robert de Monts de Immutatione Ordinis Monachoâ—um Banchor Abbay Pelagius the Arch-heretick In the life of Malachias Bishoprick of Coner Savage Upper Clane-Boy Knoc-Fergus Nether Clane-Boy Isle of Magie Glinnes Bissets James Mac-Conell The Rowt Mac-Guilly Surley Boy Chairly Boy Donluse River Ban. Glan-Colkein Salmons O-Cahan Uraights The election of O-Neal Scottish Ilanders Upper Tit-Oen Bishopricke of Cloghter Dunganon Baron of Dunganon Fort of Black-water Patricks Purgatory Regia Reglis Derry Robogdii Robogdium Promontory Vennicnii River Vidua Boreum Promontory Sligah â— Donegall O-donell Scoti In the life of S. Patrick Earles of Ulster An. 7. Ioannis See pag. 624. and 725. Ireland neglected Scoto-Chronicon lib. 12. cap. 26. Shan or John O Neale Thomas Earle of Sussex Lord Deputy Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy 1565. 1567. Hugh O-Neal Earle of Tir-Oen 1588. 1595. Die 12. Iunii Lord Generall of the Army Baron Burough Lord Deputie 1597. 1598. Robert Earle of Essex Lord Lievtenant 1599. 8 September 1599. 28. Septemb. 1599. Charles Blunt Lord Deputy 1600. The manners of the Irishry or wild Irish. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the Epitome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is feeding upon herbes and weeds O prefixed to the names of the Noblest men in Ireland by way of excellency Brehons Professionâ— hereditary Tanistry Girald Cambren Galloglasses Kernes Barritus Water-cresses Shamroots This place is corrupted in the copie The whole yeere out of an old fragment Haply Hollâ—wood Gresholme Stockholme and Scalmey Silimnus Bernacles Annales of Th. Otterborn Anno 7. H. 4. Scottish or westerne Iles. Earles of Orkney Thule Thule for Britaine Island Lib. 2. belli Gothici Shetland which some call Hethland Bergos Nerigon The frozen sea or Cronium Lindis-farne Holy Iland Farn Isle Bede in the life of Cuthbert Saxon Ilands Lib. 7. Birchanis Borkun The British Armory or Store-house Holland coast Britten huis Portus Morinorum Britannicus The Chamavi dwelt thereby as appeareth out of the Embassages of Eunapius Burgus what it is Zosimus l. 4. Saxons in Holland Janus Douza in his Nomenclator Britten an herb Zeland See pag. 333. 441. Toliapis Caunus Canvey See in Essex Shepey Goodwin Sands Some call it Lomea The British narrow sea Alderney Casquettes Gerzey Castra Constantia Moritavum Uraic Fucus marinus Sarnia Garnsey Haply Granonâ— by a transposition of letters which the Nâ—â—titia placeth iâ— the Tract of Armorica Smyris Normandy lost Tillet Serke Set-Iles Barsa Basepole Where the British sea is deepest Lisia by transposition of leters Silia * Sacrum Promontorium Non usque navibus we read in the notes of Paris Stella Maria. Ulpian lib. 7. de Mathematicis Axantos Ushant Siambis Mariners cal it the Seame Veneti Insulae Vene cae Vannes Venna Caro i. Charles Fiâ—shing as Heâ—gardus saith Nesidae * Samnitum Bacchus Oleron Uliarus Lex Rhodia Admirall of England Hereditary territories in France belonging to the Crowne of England