length totally subdued by Edmund Monarch of the Saxons aided by Lewelin king of Dimetia or Southwales and giuen by Edmund vnto Malcolme king of the Scots to be held vnder the sief of the kings of England with condition to defend the Northerne frontire of the English against the Danes and forraine invaders After this time Cumberland and Westmoreland or the countrey hereof for aboue the space of one hundred yeares were possessed by the Scottish Nation whose Praefects as the Scottish writers tearme them or immediate Princes were the eldest sons or next Heires of Scotland By king William surnamed the Conquerour they were taken from the Scots and with the rest of England subjected to the Normans King Stephen ingaged in a dangerous war against Maâ—de the Empresse restored Cumberland to the Scots to be held with the old conditions recouered againe not long after by king Henry the second his successour disliking this liberalitie of Stephen and so great a diminution of his kingdome and incorporated with the Crown of England in which vnion the country hath euer since continued the name language and accompt of the Britons thorough their English and Scottish subjection being long since here worne out and extinguished THE VVELSH BRITONS THese in their natiue language call themselues Câ—mro Cymero and Cymbri as their Latihe Authours Cambri and their countrey Cambria which they would haue to be deriued from Camber one of the sonnes of Brutus their progenitour vnto whose share this part of the Iland should fall in the devision hereof with his brethren a fable begunne by Geffrey or Monmouth and yet maintained by all their Historians Commentatours men otherwise learned and skilfull in antiquities but over zealous to preferre the glory of this their Troian descent The name as before we haue shewed was common to the Britons of Cumberland and to the rest of the nation the words Britons Britaine not being British originally but imposed by the Greekes and forreiners The Etymologie hereof we cannot conjecture vnlesse from Gomar the sonne of Iapheth first peopling these VVesterne parts of Europe and from whom after Iosephus and Zonaras the Gaules were aunciently called Gomarenses and Gomares of which nation the first Britons were a colonie Their name of Welsh or Walsh was Dutch and of a later imposition signifying strangers with the Saxons in which accompt the English still held the Britons They were a more great strong remainder of the vanquished Britons vnder their King Careticus before mentioned driuen ouer the Severne by the victorious Saxons and sheltering themselues amongst the Silures Ordovices and the Mountaines of the VVest The name notwithstanding of the Welsh we finde not vntill afterwards and the yeare 708 at what time we first read in Henry of Huntington of one Gerent King of the Welshmen ouercome in so attaile by Ina the VVest-Saxon some 19 yeares after the decease of Cadwallader and end of the British kingdome The more auncient bounds hereof were vpon the South the sea of Severne by which they were diuided from the Cornish Britons vpon the West the Irish Ocean and vpon the North East the rivers Dee Severne from the Mercian Saxons By the raigne of Offa King of the Mercians succeeding in the yeare 758 all the plaine Country beyond the Severne where now is Herefordshire with parts of Glocestershire Shropshire and Worcestershire being subdued and taken in by the Saxons of Mercia they were wholy shut vp within their Mountaines for their better distinction enclosed by Offa and severed from his English with a wide and deep ditch continued from Basingwerk vpon the Dee betwixt Chester Ruthland in Flintshire along the hills vnto the mouth of the river Wye neere Bristoll whose tract in many places is yet seene and named Claudh Offa in their language or Offa's ditch afterwards the common bound of both nations Others notwithstanding as a more known limit make the river Wye to be the bounds of both Their government after Cadwallader was vnder diverse Lords whom their Histories call Kings Amogst these their Chronicle maketh mention of Edwall Roderique and Conan Tindaethwy descended from Cadwallader and following in a direct line the progenitours of the succeeding Princes Afterwards Roderique surnamed the Great grandchild by his mother vnto Conan Tindaethwy attained to a Monarchy of the whole Wales which about the yeare 870 he deuided into three parts or provinces which limited and distinguished with their meeres he left vnto his three sons with the authority name of Kings Guinedh or Northwales bounded with the Dee the Ocean the riuer Dovi the part of Anarawd his eldest sonne Deheubarth or South-wales lying beyond the riuer Dovi Powys extended vpon the East toward England the portions of Codelh and Mervin his two yonger sonnes These likewise subdeviding their estates amongst their numerous issue as did continually their successours after them for such was then the bad custome of the Welsh the countrey againe became shared amongst many petty Lords each sonne hauing a part of his fathers inheritance whereof some notwithstanding the eldest sonne most commonly or who otherwise overtopped the rest in power or favour with the people still bore the titles of their generall divisions knowne in their histories by the names of Kings of North and South-Wales and Lords of Powys continuing those stiles vntill towards their subiection to the English Amongst these likewise one was still accompted soveraigne or chiefe Lord to whom the rest were to pay tribute and to doe seruice which honour by the order of Roderique the great and of Howell Dha their lawgiuer was due vnto the succession of Anarawd before mentioned the Kings of Northwales the first borne or chiefe of the house of Cadwallader These their soueraigne lords are named kings in the Welsh historie vnto Owen surnamed Guyneth succeeding about the yeare 1137 who first is called Prince which title is continued vntill the time of Edward the first King of England to Lâ—evelyn their last prince taken vp since by the heires of the house of England By Egbert the great Saxon Monarch the nation is first made subject to the tribute and homage of the English ruled neuerthelesse after their owne lawes and free from forreine yoake vntill the Kings of England of the Norman race By Bernard de Neumarck a Norman gentleman assisted by the Aubryes and other of the French English nobility in the raigne of William Rufus king of England Brechiniauc now Brecknockshire after a long and hard warre is wrested herefrom and annexed to the English Empire By Robert Fitz-hamon in the same raigne Morganwc now Glomorganshire By Arnulph of Mountgomerie and Girald of Winsore his successour in the warre in the raigne of King Henry the first the Country of Dyvet now Pembrokeshire at what time a colonie of the Flemmings whose countrie had beene drowned by the Ocean by the permission hereof were planted in Ros a part of Dyvet continuing
Athelstan had for his share the countries of Kent and of the South East-Saxons and Ethelwolf the rest of England with the praerogatiue and title of Monarch or chiefe king of the whole At the same time likewise Burdred commaunded Mercia but substituted and vnder the right of Ethelwolf and the English Monarches Ethelbald and Ethelbert kings of England sons to Ethelwolf Hereof Ethelbert inherited Kent with the East and South-Saxons the portion of his vncle Athelstan The rest with the right of chiefe king or Monarch of the English fell to the lot of Ethelbald the elder brother This last tooke to his incestious bed his stepmother Iudith daughter to Charles surnamed the Bauld king of West-France widdow to his father Ethelwolf married after his death which hapned shortly after to Bauldwin the first Earle of Flanders He deceasing his brother Ethelbert remained sole king of the English Ethelbert sonne to Ethelwolf after the decease of Ethelbald sole Monarch of England Ethelred the first king of England brother to Ethelbald and Ethelbert During the troublesome raigne hereof through the advantage of the warres of the Danes the East-Angles shake off the yoake of the English Monarches creating holy Edmund their king martyred by Hungar Hubba two Danish Captaines and succeeded vnto by princes of this merciles Pagan Nation After stout resistance and many battails fought he was at last slaine against the Danes Alfrid king of England fourth sonne to Ethelwolf brother to the three preceding Kings Great was the valour amongst other vertues of this vnparaleld and matchles princes if not altogether vanquishing yet repressing the furie of the raging and vnconquerable Danes threatning now an vtter destruction of the English nation brought to a low ebbe through their long restles invasions frequent victories depopulations tyranny He founded or rather renewed the most auncient aud renowned Vniversity of Oxford and first parted the land into shires tithings and hundreds deceasing in the yeares 901. Edward surnamed the Elder king of England son to Alfred He made subject the East-Angles and all other parts possessed by the now languishing and droping Danes excepting Northumberland held yet by princes of that natiō Athelstan king of Englād son to Edward He twise vanquished in fight Constantine king of the Scots assisted with the Irish subdued the Britons of Cumberland with the remainder of the Danes inhabiting Northumberland made the Welsh tributary and confined the Cornish within the River Tamar their present bounds the greatest and most victorious of the English Monarches before his time deceasing in the yeare 940. Edmund the first king of England son to Edward and brother to Athelstan The Danes of Northumberland revolting he againe brought vnder annexed that province to his immediate government He also quite ouerthrew the kingdome of the Britons of Cumberland killing the two sons of Dummailus their last king whose country hee gaue vnto Malcolme the first king of Scotland with condition of homage to the English Crowne and of his defence of those Northerne parts against the Danish intruders Edred King of England son to Edward and brother to Athelstan He the third time tamed and brought vnder the ever restles rebellious Danes of Northumberland Edwy King of England son to Edmund the first Against this prince nothing gratious with his subjects Edgar his brother next successour vsurped the dominion of the still vnquiet Northumbrians Mercians Edgar King of England surnamed the peaceable in regard of his quiet raigne not molested with forraigne or domestique warres nor ordinarie in those tumultuous stirring times son to Edmund brother to Edwy He remitted the taxe of money imposed by Athelstan vpon the Welshmen for a tribute of wolues Edward the second king of England son to Edgar surnamed the Martyr from the manner of his death murthered by the treachery of his stepmother Elfrida coveting the kingdome for her son Ethelred Ethelred the second king of England son to Edgar Elfrida halfe brother to Edward In his time the Danes who had laine still during the late raigne of his victorious praedecessours subdued or beaten home through the high valour of Alfred Athelstan and other succeeding English Monarches renew their wonted outrages on all sides with furie vnresistable pillaging spoyling the countrie encouraged by the quarrells factions and bad affection of his disloyall subjects withdrawing or forslowing their aides or betraying his armies after much calamity and affliction compounded withall by Ethelred and not long after vpon Saint Brice his festivall and in the yeare 1002 massacred in one day by the commaund hereof and a joint conspiracy of the English drawing on a more sharpe revenge dreadfull warre of the nation vnder Sueno Canutus their potent much incensed kings not ending but with the English Monarchy of the West-Saxons and the finall conquest hereof by Canutus After a long but miserable raigne he deceased in the yeare 1016. Edmund the second from his hardie valour surnamed the Iron-side son to Ethelred the second succeeding his father in the kingdome of England in his vnfortunate warre with the Danes Having fought sundry stout battailes and one single combate with Canutus in the I le of Alney by Glocester comming to an agreement with the Dane he parted with him the kingdome of England contenting himselfe with the more Southern moity hereof deceasing after a seaven moneths raigne a short time for so many braue acts which in that space he atchieued in the yeare 1016 about 567 yeares after the first arrivall of the Dutch vnder Hengist some 197 yeares since the name beginning of the kingdome by Egbert Edmund Iron-side thus removed out of the way the whole kingdome of the English tyred out with long miseries of war yeelded to Canutus and the Danes whose estate and succession followeth during their rule government over the English THE KINGDOME OF ENGLAND VNDER THE DANES COncerning this Nation wee haue more fully related in the discourse of Germany They were a Dutch people for thus their Dutch dialect or language doth manifest Their name we conjecture from the bay Codanus Iland Codanonia of Mela now the Sundt Iland of Zelandt where and in the adjacent countries the Nation since their first mention hath alwayes continued When they begun we finde not Iornandes is the first of auncient authours by whom they are named living in the time of the Emperour Iustinian the first Their Countrey then he maketh to be the neighbouring Scanzia or Scandia most probably now Hallandt Schonen and Bleking or the part in that Continent of the present Denmarke We adde the Ilands of Zeland Funen with others lying in the straights of the Sundt Afterwards the exact time we know not they spread into the bordering Cimbrain Chersonese in the maine land of Germany taking vp the left roomes of the Iutes English departing into the Iland of Britaine vnder Hengist By the raigne of Charles
Metellanus Caratacus Corbredus Dardannus Corbredus the second Luctacus Mogaldus Conarus Ethodius Satrael Donaldus the first Ethodius the second Athirco Nathalocus Findochus Donaldus the second Donaldus the third Crathilinthus Fincormachus Romachus Angusianus Fethelmachus and Eugenius slaine with the whole strength and flowre of the Nation by the joint armes of the Picts and Romans vnder Maximus Lieftenant of the Province for the Emperour Gratian after whom the remainder of the vanquished Scots being banished their Countrey by an edict of the Romans should follow a vacancie or Interregnum of 27 yeares The vntruth and absurditie of this whole narration the consent of auncient and approued Authours doth sufficiently manifest placing here the Novantae Caledonij and other names of the Britons without mentioning the Scots vntill the raigne of the Emperour Honorius Wee adde that the Roman Historians as neither the more auncient Brittish or English relate not any such conquest of the Scots or Northerne part of Britaine vnder Gratian and Maximus of which more great and remarkeable victory they would not doubtlesse haue beene silent if any such had beene Their succession from more certaine and cleare times follow Fergusius named by the Scottish Historians Fergusius the second whom they suppose to be the son of Erthus son to Echadius or Ethodius brother to Eugenius slaine in battaile by Maximus and the Romans in the yeare 404 and raigne of the Emperour Honorius returning from exile and through the aide and confederacy of the Picts and the absence of the Roman Legions drawne out into the Continent against the barbarous Nations by Honorius with the rest of the banished Scots recouering their lost countrey created King in the yeare aforesaid some 27 yeares after the decease of Eugenius The more vnpartiall and judicious make this Prince to be the first king of the Scots of Britaine That the Scots were possessed of a part of Britaine in the raigne of Honorius we haue before proued The manner we leaue vnto the credit of our Scottish Relaters Beda otherwise calleth the King or Captaine of the Scots vnder whom they first inhabited this Iland by the name of Reuda The time he setteth not downe Eugenius eldest son to Fergusius The kingdome of the Scots contained at this time the part of present Scotland extended along the Westerne Ocean from the Frith of Dunbriton Northwards He deceased in the yeare 449 slaine in battaile against Hengist and the Saxons Dongaldus brother to Eugenius Constantinus brother to Dongaldus and Eugenius Congallus son to Dongaldus Goranus brother to Congallus Eugenius the second son to Congallus Congallus the second brother to Eugenius the second Kinnatellus brother to Engenius and Congallus the second Aidanus son to Goranus in the time of S. Columbanus and of Austine the Monke the Apostle of the English He deceased in the yeare 604. Kennethus the first Eugenius the third son to Aidanus Ferchardus the first son to Eugenius the third succeeding in the yeare 622. Donaldus brother to Ferchardus the first Ferchardus the second son to Ferchardus the first Maldvinus son to Donaldus Eugenius the fourth son to Donaldus and brother to Maldvinus Eugenius the fift son to Ferchardus the second Amberkelethus son to Findanus son to Eugenius the fourth Eugenius the sixt brother to Amberkelethus Mordacus son to Amberkelethus Etfinus son to Eugenius the sixt succeeding in the yeare 730. Eugenius the seauenth son to Mordacus Fergusius the second son to Etfinus Solvathius son to Eugenius the seauenth Achaius son to Etfinus he deceased in the yeare 809 Charles the great then commaunding ouer the French Empire Vnder these two Princes after my Authours begun first the auncient league betwixt the French Scottish Nations Congallus the third cosen German to Achaius Dongallus son to Solvathius Alpinus son to Achaius His mother was sister vnto Hungus king of the Picts in whose right the heires of Hungus being deceased he made claime to the Pictish kingdome the occasion of a long and bloody warre betwixt the two nations the issue whereof was the death of Alpinus overcome in battaill and slaine by the Picts and the finall ouerthrow and extirpation of the Picts not long after by king Kenneth and the Scots Scotland at this time contayned onely the Westerne moity of the present extending from Solway Frith Northwards together with the Redshanks or Westerne Ilands hauing the Picts vpon the East vpon the South the Britons of Cumberland and vpon the North and West the Ocean from Ireland Kennethus the second son to Alpinus He vtterly subdued droue out the Picts and enlarged the Scottish Empire ouer the whole North part of the Iland divided from the Britons and English by Solway Frith and the riuer Tweede He deceased in the yeare 854. Donaldus the second brother to Kennethus the second Constantinus the second son to Kennethus the second He was slaine in fight against the Danes in the yeare 874. Ethus brother to Constantine and son to Kenneth Gregorius son to Dongallus Donaldus the third son to Constantine the second Milcolumbus the first son to Donaldus He added to the Scottish dominions the Countryes of Westmoreland and Cumberland part sometimes of Northumberland given vnto him and his Successours by Edmund Monarch of the West Saxons to be held vnder the right and homage of the English Indulfus slaine against the Danes Duffus sonne to Milcolumbus the first Culenus sonne to Indulfus Kennethus the third brother to Duffus By the consent of the states assembled in Parliament he made the kingdome haereditary or to descend vnto the next ofkin to the deceased which vntill that time had vncertainely wandred amonst the princes of the royall blood the vncles most commonly being preferred before the nephewes the elder in yeares before those who were yonger He was slaine by the malice and treason of Fenella a woman in the yeare 994. Constantinus the third son to Culenus chosen king by his faction against the law of Kenneth the third opposed by Milcolumbus son to Kenneth He was slaine in fight by Kenneth base brother to Milcolumbus Grimus son or nephew to King Duffus elected against Milcolumbus and the law of Kenneth overthrown in battaill and slaine by Milcolumbus Milcolumbus the second sonne to Kenneth the third king by right of conquest and the law of Kenneth He confirmed by act of Parliament the Law touching the succession made by his father After this Prince the eldest sons of the Kings or the next of their blood ordinarily succeeded in the Scottish kingdome Hee deceased without male issue slaine by treason Duncanus son to Crinus chiefe Thane of the Westerne Ilands and Beatresse eldest daughter to Milcolumbus the second He was slaine by the treason of Macbethus Macbethus son to the Thane of Anguis and Doaca yonger daughter to King Milcolumbus the second after seventeene yeares tyranny and vsurpation overcome and slaine by Milcolumbus son to Duncanus Milcolumbus the third son to Duncanus succeeding in the yeare 1057. He marryed vnto Margaret
ominous cast off by a decree of the states vnluckie to the Scottish French and English Monarchs son to Robert the second Iames the first son to Iohn or Robert the third murthered in his bed at Perth by Walter Earle of Athol Iames the second sonne to Iames the first slaine at the siege of the Castle of Rosburg against the English Iames the third son to Iames the second slaine in battaill against his seditious and rebellious subjects neere the towne of Sterling Iames the fourth son to Iames the third He married the Lady Margaret eldest daughter to Henry the seaventh king of England He was slaine at the field of Floddon by Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey and the English Iames the fift son to Iames the fourth and Margaret daughter to king Henry the seaventh He deceased without male issue Mary daughter to Iames the fift Iames of happy memory son to Henry Stewart Lord Darly and Mary Queene of Scotland The famous and victorious Queene Elizabeth in the yeare 1602 deceasing vnmarryed the last descended from the male issue of Henry the seaventh and Elizabeth he succeeded in the English dominions descended from Lady Margaret aforesaid the right and vndoubted heire of the three princely houses of the Saxon Scottish and Norman Kings and the first sole Monarke of Great Britaine Ireland and the neighbouring Ilands Charles king of great Britaine France and Ireland son to Iames of happy memory whom God long preserue THE ENGLISH THey were a German people mentioned by Tacitus and Ptolemy contayning part of the great and populous nation of the Suevi Ptolemy placeth them in this time about the middle of that vast continent and the riuer Albis with which riuer they were bounded vpon the North having towards the West the people of the Longobards They inhabited then most probably according to his discription the parts where now lie the Bishopricke of Hall and the Higher Saxony about Wittenberg Their interpretations seeme absurd who in regard of the affinity of the names would haue them seated about Engerne in Westphalen or Angloen in Pomerania places farre distant from the river Elb or the heart of Germany Afterwards towards the waine of the Romane Empire they flitted to the German Ocean more Westwards Beda before their invasion of this Iland placed them there betwixt the Iutes lying vpon the North of them and the Saxons vpon the South Ethelwerd an auncient Authour liuing not long after Beda more distinctly maketh Sleswiick then to be their chiefe citie situated in the Cimbrian Chersonese betwixt the two nations now mentioned The name of Angelen in the present Dukedome of Schleswiick together with these authorities manifestly proue that to haue beene their country in Dutchland immediatly before their English arriuall THE IVTES THe Iutes doubtles were the Gutae of Ptolemy inhabiting the Southerne part of Scandia which he mistaketh to be an Iland and attributeth vnto Germany In the declining age of the Westerne Empire the exact time we finde not sayling ouer the Bay Codanus or the Straights of the Sundt they flitted into the neighbouring Cimbrian Chersonese subdued or made viode which is the more likely vpon the departure of the Cimbri and other Dutch people drawing more Southwards towards the Romane frontier vniting into the common names of Saxons French or Almans Beda placeth them in this Chersonese vpon the North of the English or of Sleswiick their chiefe towne Their memorie is here yet preserued in the name of Iutlandt the part of the Chersonese or of Denmarke lying vpon the North of the Dukedome of Schleswiick THE SAXONS OF this nation we haue spoken more fully in the relation of Germany They were likewise a Dutch people mentioned by Ptolemy inhabiting then the necke of the Cimbrian Chersonese now Holstein Afterwards passing the riuer Elbe and sundry other German names joyning into this common they spread Southwards as farre as the French These conquering and remouing into Gaule they enlarged vnto the right shore of the riuer Rhijn By the raigne of the Emperour Charles the great they extended along the German Ocean from the river Eydore deviding them from the Danes vnto the Rhijn from the fall of that river vpwards as high as Colen parting them from the French These three German nations since their affaire with the Britons are onely by Beda thus particularly named and distinguished By Ammianus Marcellinus Gildas and other Authours before his time the Dutch infesting Britaine are all called by one generall name of the Saxons After Beda and the more ancient English historians they are sometimes named the English by others the Saxons and English-Saxons That they were the different parts of one generall Dutch name or people it is by all agreed In the yeare 449 according to Beda if his accompt be right Valentinian the third and Theodosius the second then governing the Roman Empire after long pyracies vpon the sea-coasts hereof they first to any any purpose enter and inhabit Britaine called in by Vortigerne and the Britons to their aide against the Scots and Picts and vnder Hengist and Horsa their Captaines planted in the Iland of Thanet in Kent given vnto them by Vortigerne The Scots Picts being vanquished and overthrowne through their valour neere Stamford after Henry of Huntingdon and the weakenesse of the Ilanders discouered new supplies from Germany are sent for by Hengist with his faire daughter Rowena marryed shortly after to the lustfull prince Vortigerne bewitched with her beauty by whom for his consent and more firme friendship with the Saxons Kent is allotted to Hengist about the yeare 455 by him erected into a kingdome the first dominion of the Saxons in Britaine This forreine friendship and alliance with the daily intrusion of the Dutch growing suspected by the Britons Vortigerne deposed and Vortimer his son by a former wife elected king hot warres ensue betwixt the two nations continued with deadly hate furie for many hundred yeares betwixt them whose effect was the finall expulsion of the Britons beyond the Severne amongst the Welsh Mountaines which happened by the raigne of their King Caereticus about the yeare 586 and the conquest of the plaine and Easterne countrey by the Saxons with fresh companies continually invading the Iland vpon occasion of those warres or allured with the happy successe of those first adventurers and beginning sundry small kingdomes in the parts where they arrived or tooke vp to inhabite whereof some one notwithstanding still bore a sway over the rest whose King was accōpted soveraigne or Monarch the kingdomes of Kent the South-Saxons East-Saxons East-Angles Northumberland Mercia and of the West-Saxons whose originall continuance and fortunes vntill their vnion into the kingdome of the West-Saxons name of England come next in place THE KINGDOME OF THE KENTISH SAXONS THis contained onely Kent It was begunne by Hengist aforesaid the first Saxon Captaine that invaded Britaine vnto whom the countrey was
Christian king of Kent and through the preaching of Paulinus the Apostle of those Northern parts first Archbishop of Yorke He began at Yorke the Church of S. Peter appoiting it to bee the Cathedrall of that Metropolitane sea After Redwald he got the soveraignty or chiefe rule amongst the Saxons the eight Monarch of the English Hauing a long time raigned victoriously he was lastly about the yeare 633 slain in battaile by the joint armes of Penda king of the Mercians and of Cadwallo king of the Britons Osric king of Deira son to Alfrid brother to Ella and Eanfrid king of Bernicia son to Ethelfrid after the decease of Edwin returning out of Scotland where they had kept during the raigne hereof and succeeding in the two kingdomes of Northumberland noted by Beda Malmesburiensis for their apostacy from the faith of Christ wherein with Oswald who next succeeded they had been baptized during their exile amongst the Scots and the iust reuenge of God for this their impiety after some one yeares short raigne overcome and slaine by Cadwallo king of the Britons Oswald son to Ethelfrid and brother to Eanfrid hauing vanquished Cadwallo his Britons in a memorable bloudy fight succeeding in both Provinces of Deira and Bernicia He attained likewise to the chiefe rule of the Saxons the ninth Monarch of the English Hee restored in the parts of Northumberland the much decayed Christian Religion by the preachings and especiall industry of Aidan a Scottish man and the first Bishop of Lindisfarne to whom in regard of his ignorance of the Saxon tongue he serued as an interpretour He was slaine by Penda the cruell king of the Mercians in a battaile fought at Maserfield now from hence named Oswaldstree in Shropshire Oswy king of Bernicia naturall son to Ethelfrid and Oswyn king of Deira son to Osric succeeding about the yeare 643 in the two kingdomes of Northumberland Emulation and wars arising betwixt the two Princes and good Oswyn by the treason of Earle Hunwald being deliuered into the hands of Oswy by whom he is wickedly murthered Oswy attaineth to the Dominion of all Northumberland and by the strength and advantage hereof to the chiefe rule and soveraignty of the English the tenth and last Monarch of the English of the house of Northumberland He slew in fight the mercilesse and raging Penda and subdued the Mercians to his will rebelling notwithstanding shortly after and reassuming liberty vnder Vulfhere son to Penda He deceased about the yeare 670. After this Prince the two Provinces of Deira and Bernicia went still vnited vnder one onely king of Northumberland Egfrid king of Northumberland son to Oswy He lost the Monarchy or chiefe rule of the English to Vulf here and the Mercians He was slaine against the Picts entrapped amongst their mountaines Encouraged by this ouerthrow the remainder of the Britons inhabiting Cumberland the Westerne coasts along the Irish Ocean cast off the yoake of the Northumbrians and became a free estate Alkfryd king of Northumberlād naturall son to Oswy Osred king of Northumberland son to Alkfrid He was slaine in fight by Kenred and Osric aiming hereby at the Crowne and through the advantage of his licentious life and many vices Kenred king of Northumberland the murtherer of Osred descended from Ida the first king of Bernicia by his Concubine Osric king of Northumberland associate with Kenred in the treason against Osred Ceolwulph king of Northumberland brother to Kēred He voluntarily resigned the kingdome took the habit of religion in the Iland of Lindisferne now Holy Land Vnto this prince Venerable Bede dedicateth his Ecclesiasticall historie of the English Nation Egbert king of Northumberlād son to Eata brother to Ceolwulf He also left the kingdome and turned religious Oswulph sonne to Egbert after a short raigne slaine by treason Edilwald descended from king Ida by his Concubine slaine by Alured Alured descended from Ida and the same Concubine driven out by his seditious subjects Ethelred son to Edilwald expulsed by the faction of Edelbald and Herebert two noblemen of the Countrie Alswald brother to king Alured murthered by his ever wicked and rebellious subjects Osred son to Alured forced out by the same fury Ethelred son to Edilwald restored to the kingdome after Alswald and Osred in the yeare 794 slaine by his still bad and mutinous subjects long practised in treason and the murther of their princes the last king of Northumberland after Malmesburiensis Ethelred thus murthered the Countrie for the space of thirty and three yeares was much turmoyled with ciuill dissentions and continuall intrusions of petty tyrants contending for and vsurping the soveraignety of small power through this disorder and short continuance and not deserving the name of kings In the yeare 827 not able any longer to hold out or to resist so great a Monarch the Northumbrians were subdued or rather voluntarily yeelded vnto Egbert the most potent king of the VVest-Saxons After this subjection they were ruled by Vice-Royes or substitute kings vnder the VVest-Saxons of which ranke were Osbrict and Ella mentioned by Henry of Huntington in the raigne of Ethelwolf son and successour to great Egbert These two being slaine by the Danes they were made subject to that nation whose kings after Huntingdoniensis if they be worth the naming were Haldene Gudfert Nigellus Sidrik Reginald and Anlaf commaunding here in a confused and disorderly manner sometimes one ruling alone sometimes two or many together By Athelstan these Danish Northumbrians were driven out or subdued to the English Monarchy not long after by king Edred after sundry rebellions incorporated into the kingdome and accompt and name of the English THE KINGDOME OF THE WEST-SAXONS IT contayned more aunciently the Belgae Attrebatij and Durotriges of Ptolemy now Barkeshire Wiltshire Somersetshire Hantshire Dorset-shire with the I le of Wight having vpon the South the British Ocean vpon the East the South-Saxons vpon the North the Mercians and the river Thames and vpon the West the sea of Severne and the Cornish Britons Malmesburiensis addeth Devonshire and Cornwall or the parts belonging sometimes to the Danmonij or Cornish Britons subdued and annexed by Great Egbert a little before the period of the Heptarchie and the abolition of the kingdome and distinction of the West-Saxons The state was begun after those of Kent and Sussex but before the rest of the Heptarchie by Cerdic a Saxon Captaine about the yeare 495 landing with fresh German succours amongst the Iceni where now is Cerdic-shore neere Yarmouth and descending from thence towards the VVest and hauing vanquished and slaine Natanleod a British Commander fixing and establishing in the Westerne parts the kingdome named thus from its situation enlarged by the after conquests hereof and of his victorious Successours vpon the distressed neighbouring Britons Into this kingdome as into a more fresh liuely stocke all the rest of the kingdomes of the Saxons became at length engrafted mastered by the armes of great
the Great king of the Frenchmen vnder their king Godfrey wee finde them in Aymonius extended Southwards in the Chersonesse as far as the riuer Eydore dividing them from the Saxons beyond the Elb the present bounds now of Denmark from the land of Holstein and the German Empire In the yeare 787 and raigne of Brithric king of the West-Saxons agreeing with the 20 yeare of Charles the Great we first heare of them in England with three ships landing in the South-West parts hereof not so much attempting a conquest as making a discouery of the country In the next raigne of Great Egbert they first to any purpose invaded the Iland arriuing at seuerall times in the Iland of Lindisferne in the North in Wales and in the I le of Shepeye in Kent not without much difficulty driuen out by Egbert He deceasing they fell on with greater power and rage in the raignes of his sons Ethelwolf and Athelstan and of the succeeding English Monarches sons to Ethelwolf laying waste and beating downe all before them and subduing the Provinces of the Mercians East-Angles and Northumbrians where the English Governours or Princes being either slaine or beaten out they erected petty tyrannies of their owne Nation omitting no kinde of barbarous cruelty vpon the miserable and distressed inhabitants By the wisdome patience and great valour of learned Alfred this violent torrent is somewhat asswaged and the edge of their fury abated By Edward surnamed the Elder the East-Angles are recovered and vnited againe to the English Empire By Athelstan Northumberland or the rest of England the Danes being either wholy expulsed by him or made subject to his government mixing amongst and ioyning in alliance with the English By Edmund the first and Edred the Danes rebelling in Northumberland are againe vanquished and reduced into the English obedience after whom we heere read no more of them during the more peaceable raignes of Edwy Edgar and Edward surnamed the Martyr and vntil Ethelred the second In the vnfortunate raigne of this Prince they begin afresh their intermitted pyracies war which after the treacherous massacre of the Nation by Etheldred they maintained with a more eager pursuit and bloudie revenge managed in person by Swaine and Canutus their powerfull kings In the yeare 1016 both sides wearied with their continuall fights and mutuall butcheries they come to a composition with the English and the kingdome is divided betwixt the reconciled kings Canutus son to Swaine and Edmund Ironside son to Etheldred The death of the Iron-side hapning in the same yeare put shortly an end to this division and a beginning to the Monarchie of the Danes after whom the English loath as before any more to hazard submitted voluntarily to Canutus and the Danish government The time from the first arrivall of the Danes in the raigne of Brithricus king of the West-Saxons vnto the conquest of England by Canutus was 229 yeares The male issue of Canutus fayling in his son Hardi-canute the English in the person of Edward surnamed the Confessour resume the soveraignty the Danes thrust out The kings of England follow of the Danish descent off-spring Canutus surnamed the Great king of England Denmarke Norweye and Sweden son to Swaine He tooke to wife Emme sister to Richard the third Duke of Normandy widow to king Ethelred mother to Edward the Confessour Peace his kingdome established hee vnburthened the land of the multitudes of his Danish souldiers contented with a large salary at the request of Emme sent back into their Country Hauing governed with much piety iustice moderation for the space of 19 yeares hee deceased in the yeare 1035 buried at Winchester Harold king of England naturall son to Canutus intruding in the absence of his brother Hardi-canute to whom England with Denmarke had beene allotted by the will of Canutus He deceased without issue in the yeare 1040. Hardi-canute king of England son to Canutus Emma He deceased likewise sans issue in the yeare 1042 the last prince of the Danish bloud The house of Canutus being thus extinguished the Crowne of England all Danish forraine bloud by a present Decree of the States excluded returneth againe vpon the English Edward for his Saint-like life surnamed the Coufessour son to Ethelred Emma is sent for out of France where with Richard William Dukes of Normandy he had soiourned during the Danish vsurpation by a generall consent succeedeth in the kingdome to whom besides his nearenesse in regard of his English descent the right of the Danes did seeme in a manner to appertaine being halfe brother to the late deceased king THE KINGDOME OF ENGLAND recovered by the English or VVest-Saxons EDward surnamed the Confessour king of England son to king Ethelred the second Emma Daughter to Richard the second Duke of Normandy succeeding in the yeare 1042 Edward surnamed the out-law eldest son to Edmund Ironside the right heire remaining then in Hungarie passed ouer by the practise of Queene Emma very gracious in the subjects eyes or for that liuing in too forreine remote parts He deceased in the yeare 1066 marryed but hauing neuer vsed the company of his wife reputed in those blind times amongst his many true noble vertues deserving his accompt and name of Saint the last in the line masculine of the house of the West-Saxons Edward deceased Edgar Ethelinge the true heire son to Edward surnamed the out-law neglected as too young a forreiner borne in Hungary Harold son to Goodwin Earle of Kent Duke of the West-Saxons without either choyse or dislike of the irresolute English intrudeth into the Gouernment well approved for his great valour other Princely vertues befitting a king Harold king of England son to Goodwin Duke of the West-Saxons Earle of Kent succeeding in the yeare 1066 opposed by Harold Haardread king of Denmarke challenging the Crowne in the right of his Danish succession and by William surnamed the Bastard Duke of Normandy pretending the donation of Edward the Confessour The Dane vanquished slaine at Stamfordbridge in Yorkeshire with his torne and wearied troupes adventuring shortly after his person and the fortunes of the English against the Norman at the great battaile neare Hasting in Sussex he there most vnfortunately within the first yeare of his raigne lost both his kingdome and life the last English or Saxon king succeeded vnto by William the Conquerour and the Normans whose turne now falleth in the last place THE KINGDOME OF ENGLAND vnder the Normans THe word Normans or Nortmans signified Northerne men with the Dutch of which Nation and language they were The name was common to the Danes Norvegians and Swethlanders or to whatsoeuer German people inhabiting towards the Pole Artique and the North taken vp or giuen vnto them from such their more Northerly situation An ancient Frencb Historian liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Lewis the Godly about which time we finde them
first mentioned more distinctly boundeth Normannia or the Countrey of the first or Dutch Normans with the river Eydore including within this accompt Denmarke and other more Northerly Regions and excluding Saxony and the parts of Germany lying vpon the South of that riuer They were otherwise called the Nord-luidi in Helmoldus and the aforesaid Authour The derivation we know not vnlesse from the words Nord or North and Lieu which last with the French signifieth a place or country The names were begun vpon occasion of the pyracies and warres of certaine mixtures of all those Northerne together or of the Swethlanders Norvegians a part following the tracts of the Danes and invading and preying vpon the French and English towards the declining estate of those nations and called by these generall appellations either because their proper names were not yet so well knowne abroad or because then consisting of many We first read of the expresse name of the Normans in the raigne of Charles the Great by Eginhartus in his life of that Emperour infesting then the sea-coasts of France and Germany Their mentioÌ„ after this is frequent more especially in the French Histories with great cruelty fury vnresistable afflicting the kingdome of France in the raigne of Charles the Bauld vnder their Captaine Hastinge and vnder Godfrey an other of their Leaders in the raigne of Charles the Gros. In the yeare 912 they first fixe fast footing in this rich Continent vnder Rollo another of their Captains to whom king Charles surnamed the Simple vpon composition for his peace herewith gaue the country of Neustria together with his daughter Gista in marriage with condition to hold the same vnder the fief and homage of the French kings and to become Christian. After this time that part of France from the firme residence hereof hath ever since beene called Normandy as the inhabitants hereof Normans victoriously held for a long time by the heires of Rollo with the title of Dukes of Normandie succeeded vnto by William surnamed Long-espee or with the Long-sword son to this first Rollo Richard the first son to William surnamed Long-espee Richard the second son to Richard the first Richard the third son to Richard the second Robert brother to Richard the third and William surnamed the Bastard the seaventh Duke naturall son to Robert Vnder this last prince these French Normans France now growing too narrow for their ambition first attempt vpon invade England Their colour for this war was the pretended right of their Duke William to the Crowne hereof bequeathed vnto him by Edward the Confessour in the time of the Danes during his exile in France confirmed afterwards by Edward being king and now since his decease with-held by Harold Their hopes in so great an enterprise was the vnsetled state of England now vnder an vsurper Edgar Etheling the right heire excluded and the favour of the Bishop of Rome Alexander the second then succeeding in the Papacy siding to their cause of whose countenance in authorizing vniust claimes Pepin and the late kings of France had made profitable vse In the yeare 1066 the Armies of the English Normans assisted with many thousands of French adventurers in Sussex neere Hastings fatally encounter Harold not by valour but through the sins and many vices of the Nation is vanquished and slaine with the losse of aboue 67000 of his valiant and faithfull souldiers and the remainder of the miserable English none then further adventuring factious irresolute without head and terrified with Papall cursings without any more resistance become subiect to the Conquerours William the Norman obtayneth the Crowne with great happines maintained hitherto in his Norman posterity The kingdome of the English the growth hereof hauing beene long hindred by the Danish warres before this last Norman conquest exceeded not the auncient limits of the Saxons Heptarchie bounding vpon the West with Wales and the Countries of Westmoreland Cumberland enjoyed by the Scots Welsh princes vnder the homage of the kings of England By king William the first following his victories Cumberland and Westmoreland as before are taken in and incorporated into the accompt name hereof By William Rufus and the succeeding Monarches Wales In forreine parts by Henry the second Ireland is conquered and Aniou Touraine Maine Aquitaine and Guienne with Normandy their auncient inheritance contayning almost one halfe part of France are annexed to the house and right of the Norman-English By Edward the third and the fift sixt Henries the potent kingdomes of France The French hauing long since withdrawn their allegiance divided asunder by spacius seas language and affection the rest remaine subject parts or states appending of the English kingdome In Iames the first of happy memory both kingdomes of England and Scotland or the whole Britaine are vnited vnder one Monarch together with Ireland a Countrie depending vpon England or the dominion of all the British Ilands The Kings of England follow of the Norman blood and vntill this last and blessed vnion William duke of Normandy from this victories surnamed the Conquerour the first king of England of the house of the Normans naturall son to Robert Duke of Normandy by Arlet a Burgers daughter of Falaise in that Countrey Battle-field wonne by conquest and a pretended right from the gift of Edward the Confessour his cosen German by the mothers side succeeding in the yeare 1066. The subdued English stubborne male-contented vnquiet and ill brooking forreine gouernment he oppressed with servitude and hard Lawes dispossessing the nobility of their goods places and revenues which he assigned to his French Normans the root of the present more auncient English gentrie He deceased in the yeare 1087. william the second surnamed Rufus from his more ruddy colour a younger son to the Conquerour king of England by the will of his father his elder brother Robert succeeding in the Dukedome of Normandy He deceased in the yeare 1100 slaine vnawares in New-Forrest in Hamshire as he was following his game vnmarried and without issue Henry the first surnamed Beauclercke or the good Scholler for such he was by meanes of his education borne at Selby in Yorkeshire yongest son to the Conquerour king of England through the advantage of his brother Roberts absence warring then abâ—ad in the Holy Land and by the favour of the people in regard of his English birth and his sugred promises which in part hee performed to remit those heavy lawes taxations wherewith they had beene burthened during the raignes of his father and brother To better his title and the more to insinuate into the English affections he tooke to wife Maude daughter to Malcolme the third king of Scotland and S t Margaret daughter to Edward surnamed the Out-law eldest son to Edmund Iron-side hereby vniting together the Norman and English blood in his issue posterity Warres arising betwixt the two brethren he with his English subdued the Normans vpon the same day after forty yeares
surnamed the Stammerer joynt Kings created in the minority of Charles the Simple Lewis the second deceasing Carloman raigned alone who dyed not long after Lewis the third surnamed le Fay-neant sonne to Carloman His raigne was but short deposed for his slought many vices and shorne Monke of Saint Denys Charles surnamed the Fat son to Lewis the Auncient King of Germany and Emperour of the Romans called in by his faction elected King of West-France in the minority of Charles the Simple Hee was deposed not long after and deprived of all his estates dying in great misery and want nere vnto Constance in Germany in the yeare 889. Eudon guardian to Charles the Simple son to Robert Earle of Aniou son to Witichind prince of the Saxons in the raigne of the Emperour Charles the Great in the minority of his pupill after the Emperour Charles the Fat created French King After some two yeares raigne he was likewise deposed by this factious vnconstant nation succeeded vnto by Charles the Simple By meanes notwithstanding of this election there followed afterwards long quarrels and contention for the kingdome betwixt his kindred the house of Aniou and Charles the Simple and his issue during the whole Caroline line a chiefe pretence of Capets vsurpation Charles the Simple the legitimate son of the Emperour Lewis surnamed the Stammerer He had warres with Robert Earle of Aniou brother to King Eudon in regard of the election of Eudon pretending right to the kingdome and slaine by him in a battaill After a short and troublesome raigne caught imprisoned at Peronne by Hebert Earle of Vermandois and forsaken by the nobility hee resigned the kingdome to Rodulph Duke of Burgundy Transiuraine Rodulph Duke of Burgundy Transiuraine son to Conrade Earle of Burgundy Transiuraine brother to Robert the first Earle of Aniou vncle to King Eudon vpon the imprisonment and forced resignation of Charles the Simple elected French King Lewis the fourth son to Charles the Simple and Elgina daughter to Edward surnamed the Elder and sister to Athelstan Kings of England surnamed the Forreiner for that during the captivity of his father and the vsurpation of Rodulph he lived exiled with his vncle Athelstan in England after the death of the vsurper called home and restored to the kingdome Hee had wars with Hugh surnamed the Great Earle of Paris Majour of the Palace son to Robert the second jealous of the popularity greatnes and the ambition of that house Lothaire son to Lewis the fourth In the raigne hereof Hugh Capet heire of the house of Aniou son to Hugh the Great begun againe to renew the auncient quarell of his family touching the kingdome the which not long after he obtayned Lewis the fift son to Lothaire He dyed young without issue the last French King of the house of Charles the Great Hugh Capet son to Hugh the Great Earle of Paris and Majour of the Palace after much quarrell betwixt the houses of Aniou and of Charles the Great thorough a long basenes slougth and pusillanimity of the degenerate princes of that line the present dislike of Charles Duke of Lorraine the next heire the long greatnes and still growing popularity of his house his flattery and crafty insinuations with the nobility and people and religious pretences and of his right and succession to King Eudo and Rodulph in the yeare 965 elected king by this wavering nation Charles Duke of Lorraine excluded caught afterwards by him and imprisoned during life Robert son to Hugh Capet Henry the first younger son to Robert preferred by his father before Robert his elder brother succeeding in the Dukedome of Burgundy Philip the first son to Henry the first Lewis the sixt son to Philip the first Lewis the seaventh son to Lewis the sixt About the raigne of this prince dyed Iohn de Temporibus by the stiffe consent of the French and German writers reported to haue lived from the Emperour Charles the Great vnto this time for aboue the space of 300 yeares Philip the second surnamed Augustus sonne to Lewis the seaventh Lewis the eight son to Philip the second Lewis the ninth surnamed the Saint son to Lewis the eight Philip the third son to Lewis the ninth Philip the fourth surnamed the Faire son to Philip the third Lewis the tenth surnamed Hutin son to Philip the Faire Hee deceased without male issue Philip the fift surnamed the Tall brother to Lewis the tenth Hee also dyed without issue male Charles the fourth brother to Lewis Hutin and Philip the Tall. He also deceased without male issue Philip the sixt surnamed of Valois the next prince of the blood of the line masculine succeeding by the pretence of a Salique Law In the raigne hereof began those long and fierce wars betwixt the French Edward the third King of England descended of Isabel daughter to Philip the fourth pretending in this right for the kingdomes the issue whereof was the great overthrowes of the French at the battails of Crecy and Poictiers the captivity of Iohn French King and the restitution of Normandy and other parts of France taken from the English by King Philip Augustus lost notwithstanding not long after to King Charles the fift with Aquitaine Guienne vntill that time still held by the English nation Iohn French King sonne to Philip the sixt taken prisoner in the English warres by Edward Prince of Wales son to Edward the third at the battaile of Poictiers Charles the fift son to Iohn He recovered againe the countries of Normandy Aquitaine and Guienne and whatsoever else the English held in the continent of France the towne and forts about Calis onely excepted Charles the sixt son to Charles the fift In the raigne hereof fell out that fatall discord betwixt the houses of Orleans and Burgundy by the advantage whereof the weakenes of this phrenetique king and their victory at Agincourt Charles the Dolphin disinherited and Henry the fift King of England having married Catherinne his daughter made Regent of France the English again got seazed of the chiefest parts of the kingdome hereof Henry the sixt King of England being afterwards crowned king of France at Paris Charles the seaventh son to Charles the sixt After long trouble warres Philip the Good and the faction of Burgundy reconciled hee againe cleered France of the English the towne countrey of Calis excepted Lewis the eleaventh son to Charles the seaventh Charles the eight son to Lewis the eleaventh He dyed sans issue Lewis the twelth Duke of Orleans and Valois the next prince of the blood of the line masculine Hee marryed vnto Anne Dutchesse of Bretaigne and deceased without heire male Francis the first Duke of Engoulesme the next prince of the blood of the race masculine He marryed vnto Claude Dutchesse of Bretaigne daughter to Lewis the twelth Anne and incorporated Bretaigne to the crowne of France Henry the second son to Francis the first He wonne the towne countrey of
or Vannes the inhabitants speake only the British language for this cause named by the French la Bretaigne Bretonant Blavet a little haven towne at the mouth of the riuer thus called Vannes Dariorigum of Ptolemie and civitas Venetûm of Antoninus a Bishops sea seated vpon a goodly bay nere vnto the mouth of the riuer Vilaine The towne is old ruinous and much decayed The country hereabouts were the Veneti of Strabo Caesar Ptolemy Pliny and Antoninus from whom proceeded the ancient Veneti in Italie seated vpon the coast of the sea Adriaticke drawne thither in those passages of the Gaules vnder Belovesus and occasioning afterwards the name of the famous citty and people of the Venetians In the time of Caesar they were the mightiest people and of greatest authority amongst the Armorici strong in shipping and of great skill and experience in sea-faring matters Nere herevnto in an Iland within the bay hereof standeth the strong castle of Sussinio Guerrande Croisic little haven townes beyond the riuer Vilaine at the mouth of the Loire Nantes Condivincum of Ptolemie civitas Namnetum of Antoninus a Bishops sea and Bailliage seated vpon the Loire The citty is large faire strong and populous the chiefest in Bretaigne The country hereabouts were the Nannetes of Caesar and Plinie the Namnitae of Ptolemie and the Namneti of Antoninus Clisson a strong towne castle in the Dutchie of Raiz which is the part of Bretaigne lying beyond the Loire or betwixt that riuer and Poictou Moncontour S. Brieu a Bishops sea and a well frequented port seated vpon the English chanell betwixt two little rivulets Trieu and Arguennon supposed by Bertrand to be the rivers Titius and Argenis of Ptolemie Lamballe The people hereabouts are excellent deluers or pioners vnto which trade they chiefly addict themselues thought by Bertrand to be the Ambiliates of Caesar. Hitherto or in the dioceses of Vannes Nantes and S. Brieu both the French and British tongues are spoken or as in Chesne a mixed language of these two which part for this cause is named by the French la Bretaigne Mesle Dinan a rich and pleasant towne vpon the riuer Rance S. Malo a Bishops sea and a noted Port strongly seated vpon a rocke within the sea wherewith at every flowing water it is encompassed being ioined to the continent only by an artificiall narrow causey or neck of land Montfort in the diocese of S. Malo Dol a Bishops sea vnwholsomely situated amongst marishes Renes Condate of Ptolemie and civitas Redonum of Antoninus a Bishops sea and Baâ—lliage and the Parliament of Bretaigne The citty is not very large containing onely some mile and an halfe in compasse yet strong and populous accounted the next after Nantes The country hereabouts were the Rhedones of Caesar Ptolemie and Plinie the Redones of Antoninus Chasteau-Briand La Vitre Fougeres vpon the river Covesnon strong frontire places towards Normandie Maine Aniou In this more Easterly part of Bretaigne towards France or in the diocese of S. Malo Dol and Renes the inhabitants speake only the French named herevpon la Bretaigne Gallicant THE PARLIAMENT OF ROVEN COntaining only the Dukedome of Normandie NORMANDIE HAving vpon the West the river Covesnon dividing it from Bretaigne vpon the North the English Chanell vpon the East Picardie and vpon the South and South-East the countries of Maine and France Speciall The country for fertilitie and large extent number strength state of townes the nobilitie multitude of people their wit courage and valour aboue the ordinary of the nation may deseruedly be accounted the chiefe Province of the kingdome It is divided into the Higher and the Lower Normandie whereof this containeth the sea-coasts the other the more inland parts The Lower Normandie againe is subdiuided into the parts called la Caux lying betwixt the Seine and Picardie and the countries Bessin and Constantin contained betwixt the Seine and Bretaigne Chiefer townes are Auranches Ingena of Ptolemie and civitas Abrincantum of Antoninus now a Bishops sea seated vpon a scalpe or rocke overlooking the English Chanell from the which it is not farre distant as neither from Bretaigne The country hereabouts were the Abrincatui of Ptolemie and Plinie the Abrincanti of Antoninus Constances Constantia of Antoninus a Bishops sea and Bailiage naming the country called from hence le Pais Constantin The town ever since the English warres hath layen opne without either wall or fortificatioÌ„ to defend it coÌ„trary to the custome of France maner of the French cities Cherbourg a strong seacoast town in a sandy shote vnapt to plant Ordinance vpon making it thereby vneasie to be besieged It was the last place the English held in Normandie in the vnfortunate raigne of king Henry the sixt S. Lo a strong inland place vpon the river Vire Bayeux civitas Baiocassium of Antoninus a Bishops sea naming le Pais Bessin Caen a Bishops sea and Bailliage vpon the rivers Ouden and Orne The citty is large populous and strong the second of the province graced with an Vniversity founded by Henry the fift king of England In an Abbey church in the subvrbs hereof are seene the tombes statues and epitaphs of William the Conquerour the first king of England of the race of the Normans and of Maude his wife their enterred Falaise vpon the river Ante the country of the Conquerour borne here of a meane Burgers daughter The towne is strong in shew resembling a ship whose poupe might be the castle seated vpon a high rocke at the end hereof Alençon a Bailliage Hereof were entituled the Dukes of Alençon Sees civitas Salarum and Saiorum of Antoninus a Bishops sea vpon the river Orne Lyseux civitas Lexoviorum of Antoninus a Bishops sea The country here abouts were the Lexovij of Caesar Pliny and Antoninus and the Lexubij of Ptolemy Eureux a Bishops sea and Bailliage Mediolanium of Ptolemy vpon the river Iton The towne is rich populous and flourishing the third in Normandy The country were the Eburonices of Caesar the Aulercij Eburaici of Ptolemy the Aulerci Eburovices of Pliny Gisors a Bailliage and a strong frontire towne towards France speciall Roven Rothomagus of Ptolemy and civitas Rotomagensium of Antoninus vpon the Seine an Arch-bishops sea and the Parliament and chiefe citty of the country The towne is rich great populous and well traded by Merchants by meanes of the river here navigable the best of the kingdome after Paris and Lions The country were the Venellocasses of Caesar the Vellocasses of Pliny the Veneliocassij of Ptolemie the Rotomagenses of Antoninus Haure de Grace a noted Port strong towne of warre at the mouth of the Seine environed vpon the other sides with the sea and with deepe vnpassible marishes towards the land The towne is new built by king Francis the first to affront the English In the beginning of the raigne of Queene
Duke of Kiovi In the minority of Ladislaus son to the Emperour Albert the second he was elected king of Hungary slaine in the battle of Varna by Amurath the second king of the Turkes young and without heires Casimir the fourth king of Poland and great Duke of Lithuania son to Iagello and Sconza and brother to Vladislaus the sixt Iohn Albert one of the younger sonnes of Casimir the fourth king of Poland He deceased vnmarried His elder brother Vladislaus after the decease of King George and of Matthias Corvinus succeeded in the kingdomes of Bohemia and Hungary Alexander Duke of Lithuania younger brother to Iohn-Albert Sigismond the first younger brother to king Alexander Hee conquered the land of Prussen from the Dutch-knights euer since annexed to the crowne of Poland with the part of East Pomeren belonging sometimes to that order Sigismond the second great Duke of Lithuania sonne to Sigismond the first He tooke from the Dutch-knights of Lieflandt the parts which the Kings of Poland now hold in that country He died without heires in whom ended the race masculine of the kings of Poland descended from the great Iagello By so many great enlargements the dominions of the kings of Poland are become at this day extended besides the two Polands over Prussen Lithuania Black Russia and Podolia with part of Pomeren and Lieflandt Henry Duke of Aniou brother to Francis the second and Charles the ninth French kings elected king of Poland after Sigismond the second His brother Charles the ninth deceasing without heires he voluntarily left the kingdome of Poland contented with his hereditarie of France Stephen Bathori Vaiwood of Transylvania after the departure of Henry the third French king elected king of Poland hauing married Anne sister to Sigismond the second Sigismond the third sonne to Iohn king of Sweathland by Catharine sister to Sigismond the second elected king of Poland after Stephen Bathori now raigning THE DVKEDOME OF SCHLESI THe name after Cromerus seemeth to haue beene giuen herevnto from the meeting here of sundry different people for thus the word Slezaci signifieth in the Polonian tongue It was sometimes part of Poland rent there frō by the diuision of that country amongst the numerous issue of Prince Boleslaus the 3 d the share of Vladislaus the 2 d his eldest son The maner we haue shewed in the succession of Poland Vladislaus deceasing during his banishment before he could returne home his part or divisiō in the year 1163 was surrēdred to his three sons Boleslaus Conrade Miezeslaus to be held vnder the homage right of the soveraigne Lords of Poland the first Dukes of Schlesi roote in a maner of all the succeeding commaunding in their severall divisiōs By Wenceslaus the second the Dukes of Schlesi of Breslaw Oppolen Ratibor Cessin and Bithom were made subject to the kings of Bohemia iealous of the power hereof distrusting the ability of the factious and divided Poles By king Iohn of Lutzenburg the Dukes of Glogaw Zegan Olentz Steinaw and Falkenburg for many then commanded togithet every son of a prince after the custome of those parts having his share and in their severall divisions bearing the title of the whole By the Emperour Charles the fourth the Dukedome of Schlesi of Sweinitz bequeathed vnto him by Boleslaus the last Duke In this maner the whole Schlesi quitting the part of the Poles became annexed to the crowne of Bohemia in which right it now resteth THE DANES THese were sometimes otherwise called the Normans signifying with the Dutch as in our moderne English tongue Northren-men named thus from such their situation the word being then common herevnto and to the Norweies and Sweathlanders and to all other vnknowne Barbarians issuing from the frozen tract of Scandia and the North. The word Dane Saxo Grammaticus Crantzius and others from their authoritie fabulously deriue from one Dan who should be king hereof about the yeare of the world 2898. Becanus no lesse absurdly but further about and with more trouble from Henen or Denen signifying in the Danish language a Cock the device or armes sometimes of the Alans their progenitours I marvell through what extraordinary pleasure of the heavens or clime c and fruitfulnesse of the soile or by what secret and vntroden waies invited and disbourding hither Andreas Velleius in Camden from the Dahi a people of Asia and the word Marck signifying a border Ethelwardus from Donia a towne sometimes situated herein Montanus vpon Mercator conjecturally from the Dutch word Aha signifying water in regard of the situation of their country being wholy either insulary or bounding vpon the Ocean The more judicious fetch their name from the baye or straight of the sea lying betwixt the Cimbrian Chersonese and Scandia called by Mela Sinus Codanus about which straight and in the Ilands thereof the nation since their first notice haue still to this day inhabited Of these we read not in any of the more ancient Greeke and Latine authors excepting Iornandes and Venantius Fortunatus who yet but sleightly passe them over In the French and English histories they are more frequently remembred by occasion of their long piracies and spoiles vpon the coasts hereof Their first cleare mention is in the raigne of Theodorick king of Austrasia about the yeare 516 agreeing with the time of Anastasius Emperour of the East vnder their King Cochliarius forraging vpon the Sea-coast of Gaule Belgicke belonging to the kingdome of Austrasia slaine in the returne by Theodebert sonne to Theodoricke After this we heare no more of them vntill the raigne of the Emperour Charles the Great vnder their Prince Godfrey then warring vpon the neighbouring Obotriti invading Freistandt with a fleet of 200 saile threatning the neighbouring Saxons with subjection and servitude and much endangering the Empire of the French if by the suddaine and vnexspected death hereof and their after dissention about the succession to the kingdome this mischiefe had not beene prevented Their mention afterwards is very frequent and famous during the race of the French kings of the Caroline line and of the Monarches of the English Saxons with sundry fleetes and armies and with might and furie vnresistable invading France and England conquering and subduing the English nation and occasioning in France the name and people of the Normans Their naturall and first country were the Ilands of the Sundt now Zealandt Funen and others with part of the neighbouring continent of Scandia But how farre they enlarged herein it is vncertaine Afterwards they overspread the adioining Cimbrian Chersonese as Becanus conjectureth not long after their slaughter and overthrow vnder Gochliarius by Theodebert disharmed thorough this diaster for attempting any more so hastily vpon the French and remoter provinces and in regard of their pestering multitudes thrusting into this next land made voide by the departure of the Iutes and English accompanying the Saxons into Great Brittaine A time notwithstanding more neere vnto the Emperour
hereof hath after Ptolemy almost that proportion to a Meridian or Greater Circle as hath eleven to twenty It comprehendeth two Kingdomes of England and Scotland of late yeares vnited vnder one Prince of which seuerally with their Ilands ENGLAND The bounds hereof are vpon the South West and East the same with those of great Brittaine vpon the North frō Scotlād the Tweede and Solway Frith with the riuer of Eske running into the Solway It is situated betwixt the 50⅙ and 55 48 60 degrees of Northern Latititude and is subiect to the 8 9 and 10 Climes The longest day in the most Southerly point hereof is 16 houres and a quarter At Berwicke the point most Northerly it contayneth 17 houres and 48 minutes It hath in length after this computation 340 Italian miles The Aire is close thicke moyst and much subiect to winds and stormy weather yet very healthfull sweet and exceedingly temperate not molested with those vehement and piercing colds of Winter or scorching heats of Summer vsuall to regions of the same Clime or of more Northerly Latitudes In regard hereof the people ordinarily here liue very long if not broken with surfeits and bad diets healthie and not much encombred with diseases The Country is plaine for the most part or rising with easie downes seeming plaines a farre of Wales and the English Apennine excepted pleasant and most fruitfull flourishing with a perpetuall greenesse of meadowes corne-fields woods and grassie hills and stored with all varieties both for necessitie and ornament which the colder Clime can bring forth The cloath and wools hereof for quantity and finenesse exceed those of all other parts much desired abroad and cloying forreine markets with an ouer great abundance No Countrey yeeldeth such plenty of beeues sheepe and cattell Corne serueth here for both vses of bread and drinke yet not with that superfluity that much can be spared through the luxurie of the Nation or their neglect of tillage and the iniury of the great ones turning arable to green swarths ouermuch addicted to pasturage and feeding The hilly and more barren parts swell with profitable and rich minerals of silver copper iron sea-coale allom but more especially of tinne and lead The seas swarme with fish but not much regarded by the Natiues through their inexcusable slouth or glutted with their flesh and store of land provision The Inhabitants most commonly are tall and bigge of stature compared with Southerne Nations fayre especially the women commended for their lasting beauties proper well proportioned and surpassing others in a more apt posture and gracefull carriage of their bodies graue witty pleasant well spoken generous bountifull or rather prodigall spending aboue their ranke and meanes lavish and vnconstant in their apparrell and liberall dainty and neate feeders In war they are accompted valiant but not so hardie feirce vndaunted fearelesse of danger not accustomed to fly resolute constant and quickly disciplined No nation hath afforded more braue and expert Sea-men with stout and swiftships failing in all weathers Seas and Oceans The Learned in all ages haue beene much deseruing and no lesse esteemed Beda Alensis Scotus Occam the two Bacons Bradwardine other auncients to omit those of latter times From hence Germany and the Westerne parts were first recouered from ignorance and barbarisme overwhelmed with a deluge of the rude Northerne Natitions From hence more especially France at two severall times by the Brittish Druides vnder the Gaules and by Alcuinus vnder Charles the Great and the French the first publicke reader at Paris the occasion and Authour of that most auncient and flourishing Vniversity At this day in the iudgment of vnpartiall relaters amongst other learning they not so much equall as exceed all others in Poetry Oratory close deepe and substantiall penning and composing of those subiects which they vndertake sermons practique Devinity but whose most best writings being English are not so well knowne abroad The Vulgar languages here spoken are the Welsh and Cornish remanders as are the people of the ancient Brittish and the English originally Dutch brought hither by the Saxons although now much differing frō the present Dutch or German through a long disunion of the 2 nations the mixture hereof with the Norman or French Latine The religion of the Pagan Britons was the same with the auncient Gaules who first planted the Christian it is vncertaine The Magdeburgenses in their 1 Century and 2 booke and Chapter bring in S. Paule heare preaching the Gospel out of the 9 sermon of Theodoret ad Groecos Infideles Surius S. Peter in his 29 of Iune out of Simeon Metaphrastes The second of these their authorities I haue not yet seene The first of them in the place recited relateth no such matter An old manuscript in the Vatican remembred by Baronius maketh otherwise Ioseph of Aramathaea to haue beene the first confirmed by Malmesburiensis in his Antiquities of the monastery of Glastenbury Higher proofes in this wee haue none Of something better authority Nicephorus Callistus Dorotheus and the Menologie of the Greekes mention Simon Zelotes who here should suffer martyrdome the time they set not downe contradicted by the Roman Martyrologie and that of Beda both which affirme that he dyed in Persia. Besids these Dorotheus nameth Aristobulus remembred by S. Paule in the last Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans whom he entitleth Bishop of the Britons Eusebius Socrates and all the more approued Ecclesiasticall writers are wholy silent in this argument In the raigne of the Emperours Antoninus Verus Aurelius Commodus after Beda or more rightly of Commodus vnder king Lucius Eleutherius being then Bishop of Rome the Gospell in Britaine is first publikly receiued continuing from that time in full rest and without molestation vntill the tenth persecution vnder Dioclesian and the holy Martyrdome of S. Alban a Citizen of Verolamium amongst others put to death neare vnto that citty in the place where afterwards was built by great Offa the famous Monastery of S. Alban in time occasioning the towne thus named In what manner this Lucius was King of the Britons Nennius and Beda who first tell the story mention not Baronius in his Annalls seemeth to stand doubtfull betwixt three opinions I either that he commaunded amongst the Britons beyond the Roman pale 2 or that he was some substitute king in the Province vnder the Romans 3 or newly elected by the seditious Roman Britons rebelling then against Commodus The second opinion is the most probable the custome of the Romans being considered hauing aunciently kings for their subjects and that he ruled ouer only a part of the Roman Province That about or before this tyme the Britons had receiued the Christian faith the words of Tertullian liuing in the raigne of Commodus and Severus doe sufficiently witnesse Under the Emperour Constantine the Great borne in this
some 470 yeares after their first invasion hereof by C. Iulius Caesar. The Province at this time after Beda extended Northwards beyond the wall of Severus vnto the Friths of Edenborough Dunbriton for thus we interpret the two armes of the East and Westerne seas mentioned by my Authour the bounders then of the Picts and Scots from the Roman or Southerne Britons BRITAINE RECOVERED BY THE NATIVES THe Romans hauing quite abandoned the Iland the dominion of the Southerne part vnder their king Vortigern returned vnto the natiue Britons These become lazie effoeminate through their long ease and disvse of armes vnder the Roman government and being vnable to withstand the fury of the Scots and Picts pressing vpon them with great violence from the North at their earnest suite a new Legion is sent from the Emperour Honorius and the Romans not now so much their Lords as confederates by whom the enimy is beaten backe By the meanes and perswasion hereof with better advantage to exclude these forragers a fourth trench or wall of turfes is raised vpon or neere vnto the wall of Lollius Vrbicus betwixt the two seas of Edenborough and Dunbriton so often before mentioned They returning home and the Scots and Picts falling to their wonted spoile and outrages another Roman Legion vnder Gallio of Ravenna is obtained from the Emperour Valentinian the third by whom againe with great slaughter the enimy is repulsed and a fift more firme wall of stone erected more Southwards vpon the old trench of the Emperour Severus famous almost entire in the time of Beda my Authour which done the Legion departeth againe into the Continent busied in the defence of Gaule invaded by Attilas and the Huns. After this time the Westerne Empire miserably languishing and drawing towards its last period the distressed Britons destitute of their Roman succours although with teares and much importunity desired of them implore the aide of the neighbouring Saxons and English inhabiting the opposite shore of Germany with whose valour through their long piracies vpon the Eastern coasts hereof they formerly had bin well acquainted In the yeare 449 and raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third in the I le of Thanet vnder two brethren Hengist and Horsa their Captaines ariue first those Dutch rovers who the common enimy the Scots Picts beatē home suppressed by them after the manner of forreine aides when they grow too strong for their friends turning their swords hereagainst by force and agreement with King Vortigern got seazed of the countrie of Kent which vnder Hengist they erected into a kingdome re-enforced and followed by sundry new Colonies of the same nations planting in other parts of the Iland encouraged by the good fortune of those first intruders the weakenes of the natiues and the riches and fertility of the land Not long after this first inroade his brother Otha and sonne Ebusa are sent for by Hengist by the good leaue of Vortigern taking possession of the Northerne parts beyond Humber pretending their defence against the Picts Scots occasioning afterwards the kingdome of Northumberland About the yeare 488 by Ella another Saxon Captaine is begun the kingdome of the South-Saxons named thus from their situation In the yeare 519 by Cerdicus the kingdome of the West-Saxons by Erchenwin about the yeare 527 the kingdome of the East-Angles by Vffa in the yeare 575 the kingdome of the East-Saxons Lastly by Crida in the yeare 582 the kingdome of the Mercians In this manner the more Easterne plaine countrey being subdued by the Saxons the dominion of the Britons after stoute long resistance became straitned within the Severne and the Westerne Mountaines which after Florilegus hapned by the raigne of Caretius their King succeeding in the yeare 586 some 4 yeares after the beginning of the Mercian kingdome oppressed and driven ouer that bounder by a ioynt war of the Saxon Kings In Cadwallader their last Prince ended the kingdome hereof quitting his Realme departing vnto Rome where he turned Votary deceasing in the yeare of Christ 689. The Brittish Kings vnto Cadwallader followe out of Mathew of Westminster for better authority we haue not or continuing their succession Vortigern elected King of the Britōs after the departure of the Romans noted for his vnchast life vnnaturall lust slougth and many vices the husband of his own daughter in whose raigne the Saxons first entred Britaine Marrying to Rowena daughter vnto Hengist hee gaue Kent by way of composition vnto this his father in law By the permission hereof another English Colony vnder Octa Abissa before mentioned are planted in the North beyond Humber Exasperated against him in regard of this his Dutch affinity and friendship the daily incroaching of the Saxons through his badde gouernment he is deposed by his subiects in the yeare 454 succeeded vnto by Vortimer Vortimer king of the Britons sonne to Vortigern by a former wife VVarring vpon the Saxons he forced them backe after my Authour into Germany their first countrey after Fabian onely into the Iland of Thanet in Kent Malmesburiensis otherwise whom I rather beleeue maketh mention of the death of Horsa brother vnto Hengist slaine in fight by Vortimer and of diverse battailes then fought betwixt the Brittish and English Nations but in most whereof the English still should haue the better He deceased in the yeare 460 after he had raigned six yeares according to my Authour poysoned by his stepmother Rowena after 20 yeares warre according to Malmesburiensis Vortimer deceasing his father Vortigern reassumed the kingdome pursued not long after and burnt in his castle named Genorium by my authour seated amongst the Welsh Mountaines by Aurelius Ambrosius by fire from heauen after Henry of Huntington In this last raigne of Vortigern hapned after my authour the murther of the British nobility to the number of 460 persons perfidiously slaine by Hengist after his returne from Germany recalled by Vortigern at a parlee of the two Nations in the towne of Ambri neere Sarisbury at a banquet or feast after Huntingdonensis Aurelius Ambrosius sonne to that Constantine who vsurped the VVesterne Empire against the Emperour Honorius about the yeare 464 called home out of Gaule Armorique and electesd king Vortigerne being againe deposed To this Prince my Author ascribeth the erection of the monument now called Stone-henge by Ambresoury in VViltshire set vp in memory of the Brittish Nobles slaine there by Hengist in the raigne of Vortigerne Vter surnamed Pendragon brother to Aurelius Ambrosius succeeding in the yeare 498. Arthur son to Vter Pendragon succeeding in the yeare 516. Of this Prince Geffrey of Munmouth and his followers report wonders not onely false but for the most part monstrous and incredible besides his great conquests against the Saxons advancing the Christian banner his victorious ensignes ouer the chiefe parts of the continent of Europe subduing Princes people which neuer were or then were not in being His high
valour and many and great victories against the English vnpartiall graue authors haue willingly acknowledged Constantine sonne to Cador Duke of Cornwall by the appointment of King Arthur whose kinsman he was succeeding in the yeare 542. He was slaine in battaile after Fabian by Aurelius Conanus Aurelius Conanus Nephew to Constantine succeeding in the yeare 545. Vortoporius after Fabian sonne to Aurelius Conanus in the yeare 581. These foure last Princes seeme otherwise out of Gildas who liued about those times to haue ruled together and not successiuely one after another since spoken vnto and personally reprehended by him in his invectiue Epistle de excidio Britanniae Wee adde that Gildas in the same place expressely mentioneth diuerse Kings of the Britons and nameth Vortoporius the tyrant of Dimetia containing a part onely of the present Wales In the raigne of Malgo and yeare 585 after my authour or according to others in the yeare 582 vnder their king Creodda or Crida begun the kingdome of the Mercians the last and greatest of the seauen kingdomes of the Saxons the victorious English by this time ouer-spreading the whole East and Southerne part of the Iland and the Britons confined within a narrow compasse along the Irish or Westerne Ocean much weakned doubtlesse since the decease of king Arthur through the euill and licentious gouernment of the Princes here mentioned called tyrants by Gildas vehemently taxed by him for their cruelty injustice lust and other sinnes and impieties Caretius or Caereticus after others king of the Britons succeeding in the yeare 586. Set vpon after my Authour by the joint Armes of the Saxon Princes he was forced out of the plaine Country beyond the riuer Severne amongst the Welsh mountaines Since this time the Severne was the furthest bounds Eastwards of the Brittish Dominions The Author of the Welsh History maketh mention of one Gurmund an arch-pirate and Captaine of the Norvegians assisting the Saxons in this their war against Caereticus Geffrey of Munmouth more absurdly would haue this Gurmund to haue beene a king of Afrique Neither people or names were at that time extant Cadwan succeeding according to Fabian after many yeares civill dissention in the yeare 613. Cadwallin succeeding in the yeare 633. By Beda he is named Cedwallo by Malmesouriensis Cedwalla Cadwallader sonne to Cadwallin succeeding in the yeare 676. Moued with a superstitious zeale he went vnto Rome to receiue the habit of Religion where shortly after he died in the yeare 689 and Papacy of Sergius Bishop of that sea the last king of the Britons The like voyage during the Papacy of Sergius and agreeing in euery circumstance with this of Cadwallader Venerable Bede to whom more credit is to be giuen relateth of Ceadwalla king of the West-Saxons With no better certainly the Scholiast of the Welsh history attributeth this pilgrimage vnto Edwal son to Cadwallader The relations of the Brittish affaires since the Romans are very vncertaine and many times fabulous through the impudent liberty of Geffrey of Monmouth followed by the vulgar Historians and the ordinary vanity of other their Writers more zealous to maintaine and encrease the honour of their Nation then carefull to preserue the truth After this sort the kingdome of the Britons begun by Vertigern being extinguished and the weake remainders hereof shut vp within the mountaines of the West the Iland became divided amongst many different and for the most part stranger names and inhabitants the Britons Picts Scots Saxons Iutes and English whose fortunes we are in the next place to relate The Britons scattered and divided asunder by the interveening of the Saxons became after this better knowne by the names of the Cornish Welsh and Cumbri or Britons of Cumberland of whom severally THE CORNISH BRITONS THey were named Cornwealer by the auncient Saxons by the Latin authors from hence Cornwalli and their country Cornwallia by later writers Cornubia Malmeshuriensis would haue them thus called from their situation to Cornu-Galliae or Cournovaille in France The more judicious fetch their name frō the word Corn which in the British language as almost in the Latin signifieth a horne or wedge in regard of such a resemblance of their country inhabiting a long narrow promontory from the word Walsh signifying strange or forrein with the Saxons as they accounted all the Britons VVhen this name begun we finde not as neither what was the forme of their gouernement The British authours make mention of Dukes of Cornwall before Cadwallader but of whose truth we much doubt Vpon the conquest of the country where now is Somersetshire by the VVest-Saxon kings they became severed from the rest of the Britons divided afterwards from the Welsh by the Sea of Severne They contained the present Cornwall the whole or part of Devonshire or the country of the Danmonij of Ptolemy By great Egbert the first Monarch of the English in the yeare 809 after Matthew of Westminster they were subdued and made a Province of the Saxon Empire euer since continuing English although to this day in part retaining the British language By King Athelstan succeeding about the yeare 924 at that time extending Eastward as farre as Excester which Citty then they inhabited together with the English they were after Malmesburiensis remoued more VVestward confined within the river Tamar the moderne bounds of Cornwall from Devonshire and the rest of England THE BRITONS OF CVMBERLAND THE word Cumberland signifieth the country of the Kimbri or Cymbry by which appellation the auncient Britons as now are the Welshmen were called in their natiue language By the taking in of Caer-Legion or Chester the neighbouring Regions by the Northumbrian and Mercian Saxons they were excluded from the vnion commerce of the other Britons They contained then the parts where now lye Cumberland Westmorland and Fournesse Fells in Lancashire with part of Scotland beyond Solway Frith secured by their mountaines and wastes wherewith those countryes are on all sides environed Afterwards notwithstanding wee finde them subject to the Saxon kings of Northumberland About the yeare 685 and in the raigne of king Allfrid they shooke off the yoake hereof for of those onely can we interpret the Britons mentioned by Beda assuming liberty after the decease of Ecgfrid his predecessour ouerthrowne and slaine in a great battaile by the Picts VVe doe not reade notwithstanding of the name of Cumbri or Cumbria vntill the Monarchie of the West Saxons and the great warres hereof with the Danes In the Scottish Histories about the yeare 875 we heare of one Constantine king of the Britons of Cumbria invading the Scottish Dominions and slaine in fight by Gregorius king of that Nation succeeded vnto by his brother Hebert More distinctly in Malmesburiensis we finde mention of Eugenius king of the Cumbri made subject to great Atheistan Monarch of the English Vnder Dummailus their last king in the yeare 946 after Matthew of Westminster they were at
of Northumberland vpon the West with the Scots and vpon the East and North with the German and Northerne Oceans The kingdome of the Northumbrians after their last Ethelred and the yeare 794 becomming extinct or miserably languishing through a 33 yeares ciuill dissention and the invasion of the Danes by the advantage hereof they enlarged their bounds Southwards as farre as the river Tweed gotten from the English The contayned a little before their finall ouerthrow by the Scots the Countryes now of Tividale Tweedale Merch Lauden Fife Cuningham Merne Anguish Straith-ern and Marre with others or the whole Easterne part of the present Scotland from the Tweede Northwards By the Scots vnder their King Kenneth after a fierce and bloody warre about the yeare 830 they were totally subdued and their name and memory quite rooted out their countrey hauing beene since added to the accompt and name of Scotland Their language most probably was the British Beda maketh it distinct herefrom and one of the fower generall of the Iland But whom the more iudicious interpret not of languages but of Dialects That the Dialect and many words hereof should in Beda his time be much different from those of the Cornish or Welsh Britons their long disvnion through the comming betwixt of the Northumbrian Saxons and the ancient subiection and commerce of the other with the Romans must necessarily enforce Their government was vnder Kings Their order and succession we finde not Their last was Druskenus slaine with the extirpation of the whole Nation by Kenneth and the Scots THE SCOTS THE Scots after Giraldus Cambrensis were a Colony of the neighbouring Irish. Orosius liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Honorius calleth the many people in his time inhabiting Ireland by the generall name of the Scots The like doth Beda in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall story of the English and first Chapter Eginhartus in his life of the Emperour Charles the Great nameth Ireland an Iland of the Scots Isidore more plainly maketh Ireland and Scotland onely to be two different names of one and the same Iland distinct from Britaine Gildas more to our purpose tearmeth the Scots then inhabiting Britaine and infesting the Natiues with their dayly forragings Irish grassatores or free-booters That the Scots originally were Irish besides these authorities the present language habit and barbarous manners of the High-landers or Westerne Scots agreeing with the present Irish doe plainly demonstrate The Scots in Ireland Ptolemy and the auncient Geographers mention not The name doubtlesse was new affected vpon some accident which we know not giuen vnto or taken vp by the Irish towards the waine of the Romane Empire in that manner as were about the same times those of the Picts Almans French Sclaues with others by the Britons Germans Sarmatians leauing their former old names and vniting into these common Concerning the Etymologie hereof learned Camden after much search professeth himselfe to be ignorant Porphyrius is the first of ancient Authours in whom we finde the Scots mentioned liuing in the time of the Emperour Aurelian and as he is cited vpon an other occasion by S. Hierome in his Tract against the Pelagians ad Ctesiphontem In auncient and approued Histories we first reade of them with the Picts with whom they are still joyned in the raignes of the Emperours Constantius the second Honorius and the first and third Valentinians Their mention after this is common vnto this present The time of their first plantation in Britaine is vncertaine In the 20 26 and 27 bookes of Ammianus Marcellinus wee heare of them ransacking and spoyling the Roman Province but from what parts my Authour setteth not downe whether from Caledonia and the Northerne parts of Britaine or rather from Ireland which is more probable Claudian in his second booke de laudibus Stiliconis relateth of them attempting vpon the Continent hereof from Ireland and stopped and driuen home by Stilico where also hee accompteth them amongst the neighbouring Nations infesting Britaine which maketh it almost manifest that in the beginning of the raigne of Honorius vnder whom Stilico then serued they had not yet arriued here or set firme footing Shortly afterward notwithstanding before the intrusion of the Saxons we find them in Beda with the Picts possessing the Northerne part of Britaine invading from hence the Province and the Britons being vnable to withstand them twice ouercome and beaten off by fresh Roman supplies sent from Honorius and Valentinian the third From these proofes wee strongly conjecture their first descent hither and fixed dwelling to haue hapned towards the latter end of the raigne of the Emperour Honorius The part here they first tooke vp was the Westerne moity of Caledonia formerly inhabited by the Picts bounding vpon the East with this Nation and vpon the South with the Roman Province from the which they were diuided by the Glota now the Frith of Dunbriton which they held without any sensible addition till after the time of Beda After the yeare 794 and the decease of King Ethelred before mentioned through the advantage of a long ciuill dissention amongst the Saxons of Northumberland of the Danish wars which together hapned they got seazed of the parts lying betwixt the Friths of Solway Dunbriton belonging aunciently to the Northumbrian kingdome of Bernicia They contained by that time the present Countries of Carict Galloway Cantire Argile Braid-Albin Lorn Rosse with others or the whole Westerne part of the present Scotland from Solway Frith coasting Northwards along the Irish Ocean King Kenneth the second about the yeare 830 the Picts being subdued enlarged the Dominion hereof and the name and accompt of Scotland Eastward vnto the German Ocean extended by this meanes ouer the whole Northerne part of the Iland and seuered from England by the Frith of Solway and the River Tweede the more certaine bounds euer after betwixt the two kingdomes Malcolme the first about the yeare 946 added Cumberland and Westmoreland parts of England to the Dominion of the Scottish Kings by the gift of Edmund King of England to bee held vnder the fief of the English Monarches recouered by Henry the second and incorporated with the English Crowne Their government was Monarchicall yet where more aunciently not alwayes the next of bloud but the ripest in yeares and the most fit to rule of the kingly Race succeeded Kenneth the third succeeding about the yeare 976 by the consent of the States made the Kingdome first haereditary and to descend vnto the next ofkin confirmed by his son Malcolme the second and continued vnto our times Their first King after the Scottish Historians was Fergusius the son of Ferchard an Irish Scot chosen by the Nation shortly after their arrivall in Britaine about the yeare 330 before Christs Incarnation succeeded vnto by Ferithariâ— Mainus Dornadilla Nothatus Reutherus Reutha Thereus Iosina Finnanus Durstus Evenus the first Gillus Evenus the second Ederus Evenus the third
eldest daughter to Edward surnamed the Outlaw eldest son to Edmund Ironside King of England by which meanes the right of the house of the Saxons Edgar Atheling the only son of Edward deceasing vnmarried and without issue descended vpon the Kings of Scotland the posterity hereof and Margaret continued herein vnto our times and the vnion of the two kingdomes in Iames our late Soveraigne of happy memory He first as is thought brought into Scotland the titles of Earles Barons with others borrowed from the neighbouring English with whom vnder Edward the Confessour during the vsurpation of Macbeth he had for a long time remained He was slaine at the taking of Anwick Castle in Northumberland after some yeares warre maintained against William the Conquerour and the Normans occasioned through his protection and ayde of the banished English Donaldus the fourth son to Duncanus yonger brother to Milcolumbus the third vsurping the kingdome by the aide of Magnus king of Norwey He was driven out by Duncanus naturall son to Milcolumbus the third Duncanus the second naturall son to Milcolumbus the third slaine by the treason of Macpendirus Earle of Merne corrupted by Donaldus the fourth liuing then exiled amongst the Westerne Ilands He thus murthered Donardus the fourth resumed the kingdome vanquished and taken prisoner not long after by Edgar the right heire son to Milcolumbus the third and Margaret ayded by his vncle Edgar and the English Edgar son to Milcolumbus the third and Margaret daughter to Edward surnamed the Outlaw His sister Maude was marryed vnto Henrie the first king of England yongest son to the Conquerour vniting hereby the royall blood of the Saxons with that of the Normans Hee deceased without issue Alexander the first son to Milcolumbus and Margaret and brother to Edgar He also deceased sans issue David the first brother to Edgar and Alexander and son to Milcolumbus and Margaret succeeding in the yeare 1124. He annexed to the Crowne of Scotland the Earledomes of Northumberland and Huntingdon acruing through his marriage with Maude daughter to Earle Waldeofus He recouered likewise Cumberland and Westmoreland from the English taken from his predecessours by William the Conquerour restored vnto him by the liberality of king Stephen Milcolumbus the fourth son to Henrie prince of Scotland son to king David Vnable to withstand the ambition and greater power hereof he quitted Northumberland Westmoreland and Cumberland vnto Henry the second king of England retaining onely the Earledome of Huntingdon of all his English possessions left for a time vnto his successours He deceased without issue vnmarried VVilliam brother to Malcolme the fourth Taken prisoner at the battaill of Anwijck to procure his libertie peace with the English he did homage and sweare fealty vnto king Henry the second for the Crowne of Scotland Alexander the second son to William Alexander the third son to Alexander the second He deceased in the yeare 1285 without heires of his body or not long surviving The whole issue hereof and of king Alexander the second and William extinguished their contended for the soveraignety Iohn Balliol Lord of Galloway son to Iohn Balliol and Dornagilla daughter to Alan Lord of Galloway and Margaret eldest daughter to David Earle of Huntingdon brother to king William great vncle to Alexander the third and Robert Bruce Lord of Annandale son to Robert Bruce and Isabell second daughter to David Earle of Huntingdon and sister to Margaret both parties challenging a chiefer right and interest before the other Balliol as descended from the elder sister and Bruce as nearer by one degree to Earle David The Scots not able to determine the controversie or without armes Edward the first king of England is chosen vmpire After 6 yeares vacancy the right is adiudged on the behalfe of Balliol by king Edward with condition of his acknowledgment and homage to the English Crowne Iohn Balliol Lord of Galloway king of Scotland by the arbitration of king Edward the first He did homage to king Edward at the towne of Newcastle vpon Tine according to the agreement made betwixt them Discontenting his subjects through this his English subjection to regaine their lost loues or after my Scottish Authours provoked with some disgrace iniuries receiued from Edward he renounced not long after his homage and fealty sworne to the English warred vpon by Edward and after some ouerthrowes vnable to withstand so valiant and great a Monarcke forced to resigne into the hands hereof the whole right and interest he had or might claime to the Crowne of Scotland imprisoned afterwards in the towre of London and set at liberty by the mediation of Pope Boniface the eight and sent ouer to his inheritance and possessions in France where in a private fortune he dyed After this king Edward the first of England made a full conquest of the Scots whō he kept vnder hard subjection during his whole raigne although not without sundry defections and rebellions of this fierce stirring nation moued by William Walleys Robert Bruce and others most commonly to their losse He deceasing through their great victorie at Banocks-bourne neare Striueling obtained against Edward the second and the English and the tumults disorders hapning in England during the raigne of this weake and vnfortunate prince the Scots againe recouer their libertie Robet Bruce formerly crowned in the raigne of Edward the first is confirmed king Robert the first son to Robert Bruce lord of Anandale competitour of the kingdome with Iohn Balliol king of Scotland by right of warre his birth and the voluntary cession of Balliol the restorer of the Scottish name and liberty after a victorious and happy raigne deceasing in the yeare 1329. David the second king of Scotland son to Robert the first In the minority hereof Edward Balliol son to Iohn Balliol invadeth and by the helpe of the English obtayneth the Scottish Crowne to be held by him vnder the homage and protection of Edward the third king of England opposed by the faction of David Balliol and his Enhlish after long miserie and war being thrust out king David recovereth his almost lost kindgome taken prisoner shortly after at the battaill of Nevills crosse neere Durham invading England in favour of his auncient friends the French distressed through the many victories of Edward the third and the English He deceased without issue in the yeare 1370 the second and last king of Scotland of the house and name of Bruce Robert the second the first of the familie name of the Stewarts descended from Walter created Stewart of Scotland by Malcolme the third which name of office grew afterwards a surname to his house and ofspring king of Scotland in right from his mother eldest daughter to Robert the first and sister to Dauid the second Since this time the name and house of Stewarts haue still worne the regall Crowne of the Scottish dominions Iohn the second called Robert after his inauguration the name of Iohn as
Egbert and through their owne intestine broyles and in the yeare 819 by the decree of Egbert at an assembly of the states at VVinchester joyned into one entire state or common name of England continued through many successions of princes vnto our times The order of the kings of the VVest-Saxons followeth vntill the Heptarchy determined and the vnion and name of England Cerdic before mentioned the first king of the West-Saxons about the yeare 502 and 43 yeares after the first arrivall of Hengist After Ella of the South-Saxons he attayned to the chiefe rule or soueraignety amongst the Saxon princes the third Monarch of the English continued in his successours for two descents Kenrik king of the West-Saxons and Monarch or chiefe king of the English son to Cerdic Cheulin king of the West-Saxons chiefe king or Monarch of the English son to Kenrik After sundry conquests and great victories against the Britons and Kentish Saxons he was lastly ouerthrowne and driuen out by a joynt warre of the Welsh and his seditious subjects discontented with his insolent government drawne on through the treason and ambition of his nephew Cealic Cealic king of the West-Saxons son to Cuthwolf brother to Cheulin and son to Kenric He lost the Monarchy or chiefe rule of the English vnto Ethelbert king of the Kentish men Chelwolf king of the VVest-Saxons son to Cuth brother to Cheulin Kingils son to Chel brother to Chelwolfe king of the VVest-Saxons succeeding in the yeare 612. He first of the VVest-Saxon princes embraced the Christian Religion won to the faith by the preaching of Berinus an Italian the first Bishop of Dorchester in Oxfordshire and through the holy zeale and endeavours of Oswald king of Northumberland He tooke for his companion in the government his son Quincheline who deceased before him Kenwald king of the VVest-Saxons son to Kengils he founded the rich abbey of Malmesburie and the great Church of VVinchester He deceasing without issue his wife Segburg a manly woman for a time mannaged the affaires of the kingdome succeeded vnto by Eskwin Eskwin king of the VVest-Saxons descended from Cerdic Kenwin king of the VVest-Saxons brother to Kenwald and son to Kingils He much enlarged the kingdome of the VVest-Saxons vpon the Bordering Britons or VVelsh Ceadwalla king of the VVest-Saxons descended from Kenric He slew in fight Edilwalch the last king of the South-Saxons After much cruelty and outrage committed against the neighbouring South and Kentish-Saxons to expiate his sinnes following the manner of those superstitious times he departed on holy pilgrimage to Rome baptized there by Sergius Bishop of that sea where shortly after he dyed Ina king of the West-Saxons descended from Cheulin He annexed to his dominions the Countrie of the South-Saxons and founded the Colledge of Wels and the great Monastery of Glastenbury Ambitious of the honour of his predecessour hee went to Rome and put on the habit of religion deceasing in a private fortune hauing first subjected his kingdome to the payment of Peter-pence to that sea Ethelard king of the West-Saxons descended from Cheulin Cuthred king of the West-Saxons brother to Ethelard About this time after Beda the dead corps of the deceased begun first to bee enterred within townes and cities formerly after the manner of the Turkes at this day buried in the fields Sigebert of vnknowne parentage king of the West-Saxons driven out by his seditious subjects pretending his tyrannie and many vices Kenwulf king of the West-Saxons descended from Cerdic He was slaine by Kineard brother to Sigebert Brithric descended from Cerdic king of the West-Saxons succeeding in the yeare 784. In the time hereof and yeare 787 the Danes first arriue and discover the Westerne coasts of the Iland followed with greater forces in the raigne of Egbert and the succeeding English Monarches He was poysoned by his Queene Ethelburga daughter to Offa the great king of the Mercians In regard of this treason the wiues of the succeeding West-Saxon Monarches were by law afterwards excluded from all state place and title of princes Egbert king of the VVest-Saxons descended from Cheulin and succeeding in the yeare 800. He subdued the Cornish Britons and the Kentish and East-Saxons with those of Mercia East-England and Northumberland Of these Kent and the East-Saxons with the Cornish Britons he immediatly incorporated with his kingdome of the West-Saxons The rest which were Northumberland with the East-Angles and Mercians he commaunded by his substitutes or Vice-royes All notwithstanding he vnited into one entire Monarchie which he named of England from the Angli or English of whom himselfe was descended or in regard of the greater extent of that people contayning after Beda the Mercians Northumbrians and Mercians or some two thirds of the whole Dutch Nation whereof he was Crowned king in the yeare 819 some 370 yeares after the arrivall of Hengist In this sort the Heptarchy extinguished the whole Southerne part of the Iland tooke the name of England Wales the Britons of Cumberland excepted whose fortunes vntill the returne hereof into the vnion of Britaine vnder Lames out late Soveraigne of happy memory remaine in the next place to bee related THE KINGDOME OF ENGLAND THis was begun by Egbert aforesaid The manner and yeare wee haue even now shewed It was bounded more aunciently with the German Ocean vpon the East vpon the South with the English channell from France vpon the West with the Welsh and Britons of Cumberland with part of the Westerne or Irish Ocean from Ireland and vpon the North with the river Tweede from the Picts or Scotland King William surnamed the Conquerour added Cumberland and VVestmoreland parts of the auncient kingdome of the Cumbri wrested from the Scots His son Rufus and the succeeding princes of the Norman bloud added VVales By the raigne of king Edward the first VVales then being totally subdued the accompt and name of England enlarged ouer all the part of the Iland lying vpon the South of the river Tweede and Solway Frith the present extent of the kingdome It hath suffered sundry changes since this its first name and erection being twise conquered by forreine power and made subject to three different successions of Monarches 1 Of the race of the VVest-Saxons 2. Of the Danes 3 and of the Normans THE KINGDOME OF ENGLAND VNDER THE VVEST-SAXONS THe Kings of England follow of the house of the West-Saxons and vntill the Danish subiection Egbert king of the West-Saxons the Heptarchy destroyed crowned king of England at a Parliament of the states held at Winchester in the yeare 819. In the raigne of this prince the Danes begin their fierce invasions of the English continued with variable successe during the whole time of Englands Monarches of the race of the West-Saxons and vntill the yeare 1016 and conquest of the whole by Canutus He deceased in the yeare 836. Ethelwolf and Athelstan sons to Egbert succeeding to their father in the kingdome of England and the Danish warres Of these
to king Edward the third by Anna his wife daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March son to Edmund Mortimer Philippa daughter and sole heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence third son to king Edward king of England and France Lord of Ireland by conquest and the right of his house Edward the fift king of England and France and Lord of Ireland son to Edward the fourth deposed and afterwards murthered by his vnnaturall vncle Richard the third deceasing without issue Richard the third son to Richard Duke of Yorke and yonger brother to Edward the fourth He was slaine at Bosworth field against Henry the seaventh the last king of the name of Plantagenet Henry the seaventh king of England France and Lord of Ireland son to Edmund Earle of Richmund and Margaret his wife daughter to Iohn Duke of Somerset sonne to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Catherine Swinford the next and almost onely surviuing person of the house of Lancaster butchered in the late warres The better to assure the kingdome to his posterity and to prevent all future quarrells he tooke to wife Elizabeth eldest daughter to king Edward the fourth vniting in his issue the vndoubted rights of both factions of Lancaster Yorke Henry the eight son to Henry the seaventh He made Ireland a kingdome and first assumed the title of Defendour of the faith Edward the sixt king of England France and Ireland son to Henry the eight Mary Queene of England France and Ireland daughter to Henry the eight sister to Edward Elizabeth of famous memory Queene of England France Ireland sister to Edward Mary Iames of happie memory the sixt of that name king of Scotland in the yeare 1602 the whole issue of king Henry the eight being extinguished in Elizabeth succeeding in the kingdome of England and the dominions therevnto belonging son to Henry Stuart Lord Darly and Mary Queene of the Scots daughter to Iames the fift son to Iames the fourth Margaret eldest daughter to king Henry the seaventh the first sole Monarch of Great Britaine and of the neighbouring Ilands Charles king of Great Britaine France Ireland whom God long preserue sonne to Iames of happie memorie In this sort the Iland of Great Britaine having suffered so many alterations is at length now become devided into two onely kingdomes governed by one Monarch but not any wise depending or subordinate to another the kingdome of England lying vpon the South of the river Tweede Solwey Frith and the kingdome of Scotland lying beyond The kingdome of England our present subject hath beene formerly devided into 52 Shires or Counties Kent Sussex Surrey Barkeshire Hantshire Wiltshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Devonshire Cornwall Glocestershire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Hartfordshire Middlesex Essex Suffolke Norfolke Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire Northamptonshire Rutlandshire Leicestershire Lincolneshire Nottinghamshire Darbyshire Cheshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire Shropshire Herefordshire Monmouthshire Glamorganshire Brecknockshire Radnorshire Caermardenshire Penbrokeshire Cardiganshire Merioneihshire Caernarvonshire Anglesey Denbighshire Flintshire Lancashire Yorkeshire the Bishopricke of Durham Westmoreland Cumberland Northumberland Of these Kent retayneth yet the auncient name Essex Sussex haue bin thus called from the East South-Saxons Midlesex from the situation of the English or Dutch inhabitants planted betwixt the West South East Mercian Saxons Devonshire or Denshire from the Danmonij the auncient British inhabitants Westmoreland from the more Westerne position and quality of the countrey being hilly and full of fruitles wasts named Mores by the Northerne English Northumberland from the English kingdome of Northumberland whereof it was a part Rutlandshire most probably from the ruddie colour of the soile Barkeshire from the wood Berroc after Asser Menevensis Glamorganshire from the word Mor signifying the sea with the Britons or Welsh vpon which it lyeth Wiltshire and Somersetshire from Wilton and Somerton decayed townes sometimes the chiefe of the Shires Anglesey from the English since the possession hereof by the Nation Suth-rey or Surrey signifyeth with the English the Southerne kingdome a part of the kingdome of the South-Saxons Suffolke Norfolke the more Southerne and Northerne people compared thus together the parts sometimes of the kingdome of the East-Angles The occasion of the names of Cornwall and Cumberland we euen now related Merioneth was the auncient name given by the Welsh The reason hereof we finde not The rest haue beene named from the chiefe townes of each devision Their descriptions follow L. D. THE THIRD BOOKE Contayning the Chorographicall description of England KENT BOunded vpon the South and East with the English channell and the German Ocean vpon the North with the river Thames from Essex and vpon the West with Surrey and Sussex The country is hilly shaded with hedge-rowes woods populous and fruitfull planted with a frugall and industrious inhabitant The aire is thick and in many places agueish and vnholsome for this cause or in regard of some bad vapours from a wet cold and vnhealthfull ground Places of better note are Canterbury vpon the river Stour Darvernum of Ptolemy Durovernum of Antoninus Durovernia of Beda the chiefe towne and an Archbishops sea the Primate of the kingdome founded by Ethelbert the first Christian king of Kent in the person of S. Austine the Apostle of the English Vpon the Ocean Reculver a country village Regulbium of the Notitia the Station of the 1 Cohort named of the Vetasii Sandwich a Cinque Port. In the neighbouring fields stood the towne Rhutupiae of Ptolemy and Rhitupae of Antoninus the tract of whose streets are yet discovered by a more thin growth of corne in those places named S. Augustines crosse by the vulgar people a famous port of the Romans and the Mansion of their 2 d Legion surnamed Augusta drawne hither in the waine of that Empire from Isca Silurum now Caer Leon in South-Wales to defend the coast against the pyracies and incursions of the Saxons North hereof lyeth the I le of Tenet Thanatos of Ptolemy made by the river Stour here dividing and falling into the Ocean with two branches or channels The foreland a promontory of the Iland is named Cantium by Ptolemy in some editions corruptly Nucantium and Acantium Dover vnder the cliffs and where they divide Dubris of Antoninus and Dubrae of the the Notitia the Station of a foot company of the Tungricani a noted passage into France and one of the Cinque ports defended with a spacious and strong castle mounted vpon a high and praecipitous rocke commaunding the subject Ocean The Constable hereof is Warden of the Cinque ports The straight of the sea betwixt this and the Continent named by the French Le Pas de Calais by the Latines Fretum Caletanum containeth about 30 miles in breadth At the castle of Deale a low shore in the way towards Sandwich Caesar is thought to haue landed when he first invaded Britaine Along the cliffs Folkeston Hide a cinque port
Below Binchester a small hamlet Binovium of Ptolemy Antoninus Further dowue Durham vpon a hill or rising ground almost encompassed with the riuer a Bishops see and the cheif towne Gateshead vpon the Tine quart of New-castle Vpon the Ocean Hartle poole a noted emporie and roade for ships It contayneth 6 Market townes 118 parishes The auncient inhabitants were the Brigantes of Tacitus afterwards the Bernicij of Beda part of the Northumbrian Saxons WEST-MORE-LAND BOunded vpon the East with the Bishoprick of Durham Yorkeshire vpon the South with Lancashire and vpon the West and North with Cumberland The countrey is mountainous seated vpon the height of the English Apennine The more fruitfull parts are those about Kendall or the Southerne encluded betwixt the Lune Winandermeere a deepe spacious lake extended for some 10 miles in length betwixt this countrey Fournesse Fels in Lancashire Places of better and more memorable note are Ambleside vpon Winandermeere the carkase of an auncient Roman towne not vnprobably Amboglanna of the Notitia the station of the first Cohort named Aelia of the Daci Kendall vpon the riuer Can the chiefe towne and a rich populous and well traded empory Kirkby Lons-dale vpon the riuer Lune Burgh vnder Stanemere neere vnto the head of the Eden Verterae of Antoninus and Veterae of the Notitia the station of a foote company named the Directores by my Authour Vpon the river Eden Apelby Aballaba of the Notitia the station of a foote company of Moores Further downe Whellep-castle probably Calatum of Ptolemy and Gallatum of Antoninus Brougham vpon the same riuer Brocavum of Antoninus and Braboniacum of the Notitia Here are contayned 4 Market towns and 26 parishes The inhabitants are part of the Brigantes of Tacitus named afterwards the Cumbri CVMBERLAND BOunded vpon the South with the riuer Dudden from Fournesse Fells in Lancashire vpon the West with the Irish Ocean vpon the North with Solway Frith and the Eske from Galloway and Annandale in Scotland and vpon the East with Northumberland and Westmoreland Copeland or the more Southerne parts swell with thicke asperous rough Mountaines rich in mineralls of Copper Lead from whence likewise much silver is extracted distinguished in their bottomes with sundry faire lakes The part towards the North is plaine or rising with grassie downes amongst other profits affording good pasturage for sheepe Places of more note are in Copeland and vpon the Ocean Ravenglas at the fall of the riuer Eske The sea-coasts hereabout yeeld good pearle Beyond the Promontory S t Bees the solitarie recesse sometimes of S t Bega or S t Bees an Irish Virgin and Anchoret Moresby a country village conjecturally Morbium of the Notitia the station of a troupe of great horse amongst other forts and garrisons many of whose tracts are yet seene defending the shore hereof against the Irish-Scots the vsuall place of their descent and invasions in the raigne of the Emperour Honorius and before their fix'd plantation amongst the Picts or Caledomians beyond the Glota or Frith of Dun briton At the mouth of Solway Bulnesse a small village Blatobulgium of Antoninus the first stage of his British Itineraries Here begun the Picts wall Vallum of Antoninus continued thorough this Country and Northumberland by Carlile Naworth-Castle Haltâ—wesell Hexham and New-castle and ending at Walls-end a village vpon the Tine short of Tinmouth whose tract is euery-where most conspicuous and the wall in some places almost entire strengthned with sundry forts and bulwarkes named now Castle-steeds by the neighbouring inhabitants manned somtimes with Roman garrisons their best defence against the barbarous Caledonians and the more certaine bounder Northwards of the British Province and their Empire first raised of Earth or Turfe by the Emperour Adrian repaired by Severus and lastly more firmely built of stone by the weake distressed Britons a little before their English or Dutch invasion More within the land Burgh vpon the Sands fatall to the English by the vntimely death of the most valiant and victorious Prince king Edward the first Carlile vpon the Eden Lugwallum of Antoninus Lugobalia of Beda a Bishops See and the chiefe towne Beyond the riuer Esk is receiued into the Solway the most knowne limit of the two kingdomes By the natiues otherwise the Sarke a rivulet beyond the Eske is reputed the English border The part of the country betwixt this the Leven a river vpon this side of the Eske is named the Batable ground in the language of the inhabitants as controversed betwixt the two nations of late yeares possessed by the Grahams a numerous and potent family of out-lawes since belonging to the Earles of Cumberland by the gift of King Iames of happy memory Brampton vpon the river Irthing and the Scottish borders Bremetenracum of the Notitia the Station of a troupe of heavy-armed horse Higher vpon the Eden Linstock castle Olenacum of the Notitia the station of a wing of Horse named the first Herculea Warwic not vnprobably Virosidum of the same Authour the station of the sixt Cohort of the Nervians Penreth vpon the same riuer Close by is old Penreth the ruines of some auncient city conjecturally Petrianae of the Notitia the station of a wing of Horse from hence named Petriana by my Authour More Westwards Ierbye Arbeia of the Notitia the Station of a foot company of the Barcarij Tigrienses Cockermouth at the confluence of the riuer Cockar and Derwent Keswick vpon a deep and spacious lake amongst mountaines vnder Skiddaw a biforced hill ouer-topping the rest enriched with Copper and Lead-workes The inhabitants are the Brigantes of Ptolemy and Tacitus after the English invasion named otherwise the Kimbri or Cumbri a generall appellation of the Britons distinguished thus from the Dutch or Saxons of Northumberland to whose Empire they at length became subject In the raigne of king Alkfrid with VVestmoreland and Fournesse in Lancashire parts likewise of the auncient Cumbri rebelling against the English they are made a free estate knowne by the name of the kingdome of Cumberland subdued long after by Edmund Monarch of the English-Saxons and giuen to Malcolâ—e and the Scots recovered by VVilliam the Conquerour and Henry the Second and vnited to the English Crowne Here are numbred 9 market townes and 58 parishes NORTHVMBERLAND BOunded vpon the East with the German Ocean vpon the South with the riuers Tine and Derwent from the Bishoprick of Durham vpon the VVest with Mores from Cumberland and vpon the North with the mountaine Cheviot and the riuer Tweed from Scotland The country is hilly and full of wastes the soile barren in most places commended chiefly for horses plenty of Sea-coale The more fertile parts and better inhabited are the Sea-coasts The people are hardie fierce valiant and excellent riders the gentry gallant the commons poore More remarkable places are vpon the Tine Hexham Axelodunum of the Notitia the Station of the 1
warres or more honourable and gainefull conquests Towards the waine of the Romans Empire they are named the Scots the occasion or reason hereof we finde not subduing the neighbouring Picts and Caledonians and giuing the name of Scotland to the Northern part of the Brittish Continent Leauing there this new affected name they lastly resume and returne here vnto their first and more wonted name of Irish. Their gouerment anciently was vnder many petty kings or tyrants In the raigne of king Henry the second occasioned through the quarrels hereof they are first made subiect to the English whose princes were stiled Lords of Ireland King Henry the eight by the good likeing of the natiues first assumed the title of King continued euer since in his successours More lately they were distinguished into the Irish and the English Pales or the Wild and Civill Irish whereof these obeyed the English lawes the other were let loose to their barbarous customes and liuing The happy successe of the last warres against Tir-oën and the wisdome and zeale of King Iames of happy memory put an end to this diuision the country being now every where planted with ciuill inhabitants and the whole reduced to an English Province The lawes whereby the people are governed are their Acts of Parliament and the Municipall or Common Lawes of England executed by the Lord Deputy or Vice-roy for the king Presidents Iudges Sheriffs other English names of Magistrates Their Religion which only is allowed is the Reformed or Protestant yet where the pretended Catholique or Roman doth more prevaile amongst the vulgar through their discontent or an inbred and rooted superstition Their Cleargie are Archbishops Bishops and Inferiour rankes whose Primate is Armagh and first Apostle S. Patricius or Patrick in the yeare 432 and the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third a Scot or Irishman after my author nephew to S. Martin Bishop of Tours and Disciple to S. German The Religious of this nation Monkes of an ancient institution haue been no lesse deseruing then their neighbours of Great Brittaine chast and holy Seminaries of pietie and religion during the Primitiue times of the English French and Dutch Churches but who passing vnder the generall name of the Scots for both then were thus called are oftentimes mistaken by their readers for the Scots of the Continent The country is divided into 5 greater names or Provinces petty kingdomes sometimes of the Irish Vlster Leinster Meth. Conaght Mounster VLSTER BOunded vpon the East North and West with the Ocean and vpon the South with Leinster Meth and Conaght The country is large the soil good deepe pasturages but otherwise vntill the English last plantation lesse fruitfull through the sloathfulnesse of the wild natiues overgrowne with vast and thicke woods bogs lakes and marishes Chiefe townes are Knocfergus in Antrim within a spacious bay Vinderius of Ptolemie a garrison towne and a commodious Port neere to Cantire and Scotland Vpon the same Easterne shore and in Louth Carlingford Dundalk Tredah at the mouth of the riuer Boine a faire and populous towne the next to Leinster Within Armagh neere to the river Kalin an Archbishops sea the Primate of the kingdome The Province containeth ten shires or counties Louth Cavon Fermanagh encompassing the great Lake Erne Monaghan Armagh Down Antrim Colran Tir-oen and Tir conell or Donegall The ancient inhabitants were the Darnij Voluntij Robognij and Erdini of Ptolemy LEINSTER EXtended along the Irish Ocean from Tredah Vlster and the river Boine vnto the Neure and Mounster vpon the South and bounded towards the West with Meth and the riuer Shaâ—on from Canaght The soile is fruitfull better manured and lesse encombred with woods the inhabitants more civill descended for a great part from the English and conforming to their habit and custome of living Chiefe townes are Dublin Eblana of Ptolemie vpon the Ocean at the fall of the river Liff Libnius of Ptolemy an Archbishops sea and the seat of the Lord Deputy or Viceroy of the kingdome rich strong populous and beautified with faire buildings Without standeth a College consecrated to the Muses and the name of the holy Trinitie a small Vniversitie founded by Queene Elizabeth of happy memory Weisford Menapia of Ptolemie at the mouth of the Slane the river Modona of the same author the first place in Ireland subdued by the English and peopled with their Colonies Within the land Kildare a Bishops sea Kilkenny vpon the river Neure the best towne of all the inland parts The whole containeth 7 divisions or shires Dublin Weisford Kildare Kings-Countie Queenes countie or the Lease Caterlogh and Kilkenny The ancient inhabitants were the Menapij Cauci Blanij and Brigantes of Ptolemy METH SEated in the middle of the Iland betwixt Leinster Conaught and Vlster It containeth East-Meth West-Meth and the countie of Longford Towns here are Trim in East-Meth vpon the river Boyne and Molingar in West-Meth The ancient inhabitants were part of the Blanij of Ptolemy CONAGHT BOunded vpon the West with the Irish Ocean vpon the North with Vlster and vpon the East and South with Meth Leinster and Mounster by the great river Shanon Senus of Ptolemie arising out of the mountaines of Letrim and after a long course hauing made sundry great lakes by the way falling into the Westerne Ocean some 60 miles below Limerick In the North hereof rise Curlew Mountaines fatall to the English by their slaughter and overthrow during the late Irish warres It containeth 6 shires or Counties Letrim Roscoman Slego Maio Galway and Twomund The chiefe towne and the third citty of the kingdome is Galway a Bishops sea a faire rich and well frequented Port neere vnto the fall of the great lake or river Corbes into the Westerne Ocean The ancient inhabitants were the Gangani Auteri and Nagnatae of Ptolemie MOVNSTER BOunded vpon the South-East and West with the Ocean and vpon the North with Leinster and the river Shanon from Conaght divided amongst 6 Counties Limerick Tipperarie Corck Waterford Desmond and Kerry Chiefe townes are Limerick in an Iland encompassed with the riuer Shanon a Bishops sea and a well traded Empory Waterford a rich Port and the second citty of the kingdome vpon the river Suire Corck a Bishops sea Kinsale a walled towne and a commodious Port at the mouth of the river Bany The ancient inhabitants were the Velibori Vodiae Vterni and Coriondi of Ptolemie Other more noted Ilands of Great Brittaine are 1 those of Orkney 2 those of Schetland lying in 63 degrees of Latitude 3 the Westerne Ilands belonging to the Crowne of Scotland 5 Subject to the English Crowne Man 6 Those of Silly 7 Wight and Holy Iland c. THE FIFTH BOOKE COntayning the present bounds situation and quality of Spaine The Inhabitants Their manners languages and religion The institution power and courts of their Inquisition The number and order of their Bishops The Religious del
the Great and his son Lewis the Godly were Sole commaunders of all Gaule of Germany vnto the rivers Eydore Elb Saltza of Pannony of a great part of Italy and of Barcelona or Catalonia in Spaine Since the vsurpation of Capet he for a long time held subject in the Low-countries the great Earledome of Flanders with that other of Artois held alwayes by the Princes thereof vnder the fief and soveraignety of this Crowne by the late league of Cambray in the raignes of Henry the second French King and Philip the second King of Spaine quitted from all right and acknowledgment hereof At this day he onely retayneth moderne France limited as aboue together with the bare title of Navarre the countrey ever since Ferdinand the fift being witheld from him by the Spaniard The greater causes of the declining hereof haue beene 1 that improvident devision of the French Empire by the sons of the Emperour Lewis the Godly whereby not only Gaule or France within the Rhijn became parted into divers lesser seigneuryes but Italy and Germany quite rent herefrom their kingdomes with the honour and title of Roman Emperour being translated to forraine stranger families 2 The monstrous alienations of many the chiefer provinces hereof graunted by former Kings with a bare reservation of homage vnto themselues by which meanes the great Dukedomes of Aquitaine and Guienne Bretaigne Normandy and Burgundy the Earledomes of Champaigne and Provençe with others contayning aboue one halfe part of the whole France became for a long time free and loose from the immediate commaund and jurisdiction hereof which by marriages otherwise comming into the hands of straungers or of some not so well affected to this Crowne haue much disabled him for any great performance and oftentimes turning their armes here-against haue much endangered the ruine of the whole kingdome a no small advaÌ„tage of the English cause of the many victories which they atchieved in times past against this Nation 3 The infinite factioÌ„s wherevnto this vnconstant and stirring people haue beene still subject and from the which they haue beene almost never cleare whereof their wiser neighbours haue still knowne to make good vse 4 The jealousies of neighbouring princes especially since the great attempts and conquests vpon Milan and Naples by Charles the eight and Lewis the twelth bending their leagues and setting vp enabling the Spaniard against him But as his power and auncient greatnes haue beene hereby much abated so yet neither haue they beene so empared but that for solide true strength he remayneth now nothing inferiour to any Christian prince of Europe Indeed he is not Lord of such huge and spacious dominions as some others are Yet if we consider the generall fertility and riches of his countries their compaction and vnitednes not broken into diverse kingdomes or parted by Sees or the intervening of forraine states his store of strong and well fortified cites and townes in every province the infinite number of his French subjects in regard of the extraordinary populousnes of the countrie the substance of war the wall of kingdomes estimated at 15 millions of inhabitants and that harmony and good agreement which should be amongst a people of the same law nation countrey and language wee shall finde him to haue sundry advantages aboue many of his neighbours firme strong great and not easily to be endangered by the mainest combination of his adversaries An especiall strength and advantage of the present aboue the former kings hath beene the incorporation of the many alienated great Dukedomes and Estates before mentioned thorough the great wisedome of his Predecessours still as they were gotten in by warre or marriage being inseparably vnited to the crowne hereof What his revenues might be from so rich a kingdome we wil not define Monsieur Froumenteau in his book entitled les Secrets des Finances accompteth them for 31 yeares space during the late raignes of Henry the second of the three brethren kings at 15623655 17 31 Escus or French Crownes one yeare with an other but whereof a great part being then made by the confiscation of Protestants goods alienations of their demaines by the like casualties incident to troubled States cannot be accompted ordinary The country conteineth now 24 greater divisions or Provinces of Bretaigne Normandy Picardy Champaigne Brie France Special Beausse Poictou Engoulmois Berry Bourbonois Forest Beauiolois Lionois Auvergne Limousin Perigort Guienne Gaiscoigne Quercy Rovergne Languedoc Provençe Daulphine and Bourgogne divided amongst 8 iuridicall resorts or Parliaments of Paris Roven Renes Bourdeaux Tholouse Aix Dijon and Grenoble whose descriptions follow hauing first set downe the auncient estate hereof with the sundry changes and successions people nations and gouerments hapning vnto our times occasioning the present names state and divisions THE NINTH BOOKE COntayning the description of the more famous Mountaines and Rivers of France Their auncient and moderne names The auncient name and Etymologie of Gaule The distinction hereof into Gaule on this side and beyond the Alpes The beginning and occasion of the name of Gaule on this side the Alpes The bounds situation and auncient estate of Gaule on this side the Alpes before the subiection thereof to the Romans and revnion with Italy The auncient limits and extent of Gaule beyond the Alpes The first inhabitants of Gaule beyond the Alpes The intrusion of the neighbouring Germans and of the Greekes Phocenses The foundation of the auncient and noble city of Marseilles The conquest of Gaule beyond the Alpes by the Romans The description and face hereof during the Roman government out of Ptolemy Pliny Antoninus and others The history invasion and conquests of the Britons VVisigothes Burgundians Almans and Frenchmen The conquest of the whole by the French The large extent aunciently of the French dominions The reestablishment of the Roman Empire of the VVest in Charles the Great and the French nation The name of France The distinction hereof into the parts and names of Oosten-reich and VVest-reich The division of the grand Monarchy of the French by the sons and posterity of the Emperour Lewis the Godly The French kingdomes of Germany and Italy Their rent from the nation and name of the French The kingdomes of Burgundy Lorraine and VVest-France The Dukedomes of Lorraine Iuliers Cleue Brabant Luxemburg Limburg and Gelderlandt the Palatinate of the Rhijn the Bishopricks of Liege and Vtreicht the Lantgraueship of Elsatz the Earledomes of Namur Hainault Holland and Zealandt parts sometimes of the auncient French kingdome of Lorraine The vniting of Brabant Luxemburg Limâ—urg Gelderlandt Namur Hainault Holland Zealandt Vtreicht vnto the Netherlands and family of Burgundy and of the rest to the Empire of the Germans The Dukedomes of Savoy and of Burgundy on this side the Soasne and beyond the Iour the Earledomes of Lions and Mascon the free counrye of Burgundy the kingdome of Arles the Earledome of Provence Daulphiny and the Common-wealth and League of the
Elizabeth of most famous memory it was surprised by the English and for a time held by that nation for Calice detained by the French surrendred thorough sicknes amongst the souldiers and for want of fresh water which is altogether conveyed hither from the hils without by conduit pipes cut of by the enemie the onely weakenes of the towne Within the land not farre of is the towne of Yvetot sometimes stiled a kingdome in regard of the ancient exemptions and priviledges of the Lords thereof from al homage and subjection to the kings of France It is now a principality in the house of Bellay Diepe at the mouth of a little river so called a well frequented Port especially for the trade of the West-Indies and New-found-land S. Valerie an other haven towne lying betwixt Diepe and Havre de Grace Caux the country hereof were the Caletes of Caesar the Caleti of Strabo THE PARLIAMENT OF PARIS COmprehending Picardie Champaigne Brie France Special Beausse Poictou Engoulmois Berry Bourbonois Forest Beaujolois Lionois and Auvergne PICARDIE BOunded vpon the West with Normandy and the British Ocean vpon the North with Artois and Hainault of the Low Countries vpon the East with Luxemburg and Lorraine and vpon the South with Champaigne and France Speciall The countrie is fruitfull in corne the store-house of Paris Chiefer townes are Abbe-ville a Bishops sea and Bailliage the best towne of Ponthieu vpon the river Some Monstreul Nere herevnto is Crecie the French Cannae famous for their great overthrow and the victorie of the English in the raigne of Philip the sixt These two lie in Ponthieu which is a low fenny country named thus frō the many bridges made over the moorish flats thereof Boulogne Portus Gessoriacus of Caesar Gesoriacum Navale of Ptolemie Portus Morinorum of Plinie and civitas Bononensium of Antoninus a Bailliage and Bishops sea vpon the English chanell The towne hath beene made strong especially since the surprisall thereof by K. Henry the eight and the English divided into the Higher the Lower Boulogne distant about an hundred paces asunder and severally walled and fortified The haven serveth rather for passage into England then for traficke and negotiation The country neighbouring is named from hence le Pais Boulognois Pagus Gessoriacus of Plinie and the Bononenses of Antoninus part of the Morini of Caesar Strabo and Plinie Calais Portus Iccius of Caesar Portus Britannicus Morinorum of Pliny and Promontorium Itium of Ptolemy a strong sea-coast towne at the entrance of the English chanell and the borders of Artois After the battaill of Crecy and a whole yeares siege it was taken by Edward the third king of England held afterwards and peopled by the English with the neighbouring forts and townes of Oye Hams Ardres and Guisnes vntill the late lesse prosperous raigne of Queene Mary when it was surprised by Henrie the second French king Here the passage is shortest betwixt the continent of Europe and the Iland of Great Bretaigne accompted some thirty miles over named by the French le Pas de Calais Amiens Samarobrina of Caesar Samarobriga of Ptolemy and civitas Ambianensis of Antoninus a Bishops sea and Bailliage and the chiefe cittie in Picardie vpon the riuer Some with whose divided streames it is round encompassed the occasion as some conjecture of the name The towne is strong and well fortified the bulwarke of France on this part towards Netherland The country were the Ambiani of Caesar Pliny and Ptolemy occasioning most likely the name of the towne Corbie Peronne vpon the Some Roie Mondidier strong frontire places opposing the same enemie The three last lie in the district or territory named Santerre Noion Noviodunum of Caesar a Bishops sea the country of reverent Calvin S. Quintini Augusta Romanduorum of Ptolemie and civitas Veromannorum of Antoninus a strong towne in the same broder the chiefe of the country of Vermanduois Fere a strong towne against the same enemie the chiefe of the country of Tartenois part of the Vermanduois the Veromandui of Caesar and Pliny the Rhomandues of Ptolemy and the Veromanni of Antoninus Laon a Bishops sea The Bishop is one of the 12 Peers of France Soissons Augusta Vessonum of Ptolemie a Bishops sea vpon the river Aisne the last place the Romanes held in Gaule vnder Siagrius driven out by Clovys he fift king of the French Afterwardes in the division of the French Monarchie by the sonnes and posterity of Clovys the Great it was made the head of a particular kingdome called from hence the Kingdome of Soissons Soissonois or the country hereof were the Suessones of Caesar the Suessiones of Strabo and Pliny the Vessones of Ptolemy and the Suessiani of Antoninus with Noion and Laon now part of the more general country or name of Vermanduois Retel frontiring vpon Lorraine From hence the neighbouring country is called le Pais Retelois Guise a strong towne and castle vpon the same border and the river Oyse in the particuler country of Tirasche Hereof were entitled the late Dukes of Guise descended from the house of Lorraine CHAMPAIGNE SVrrounded with Picardy Barrois Lorraine Charolois the dukedome of Burgundy and France Speciall The country is plaine pleasant and fruitfull affording plenty of corne wines shadie woods meadowes riuers all sorts of pleasing and vsefull varieties Chiefer townes are Chaalon Civitas Catalaunorum of Antoninus a Bishops sea Pairry vpon the Marne The countrie about Chaalon were the Catalauni of Antoninus In the neighbouring plaines Campi Catalaunici of Cassiodorus was fought that great and famous battaile betwixt Aetius generall of the Romans for the Emperour Valentinian the third assisted by the Gothes and other barbarous nations and Attila king of the Huns. Rheims Durocortum of Caesar Durocottum of Ptolemy and Ciuitas Remorum of Antoninus a Metropolitan sea a Bailliage and the chiefe citty of Champaigne seated vpon the riuer Vasle The Archbishop is one of the. 12. Peeres of France Hither come the French kings to be consecrated The country were the Rhemi of Caesar Strabo Pliny Ptolemie and Antoninus Ligny vpon the riuer Sault Vitry sirnamed le Franeois vpon the rivers Sault and Marne the Bailliag◠and chiefe towne of Parthois Didier Perte naming the country Parthois both seated in Parthois and vpon the Marne Ian-ville a Seneschaussee vpon the Marne in the country of Vallage In the castle hereof magnificently seated vpon the top of an inaccessable high hil is seene the the tombe of Claude Duke of Guise one of the most costly monuments in France Vassey lying also in Vallage vpon the river Bloise enioying a most pleasant situation environed with shady forrests and woods Chaumont vpon the Marne the Bailliage for the country of Bassigny The castle here is very strong mounted vpon an high and steepe scalpe or rocke Trois Augustomana of Ptolemie and civitas Tricaffium of Antoninus a Bishops
Aurelius Cepio and Manlius over throwne in Gaule and Italie by Marius and Luctatius Catulus The Marsi not improbably now Ditmarse and Stormarse in the Dukedome of Holstein The Semnones the Semnones of Strabo and Ptolemie now after Willichius the diocese of Hâ—velbâ—â—g after Glareanus Lusatz after Althamâ—â— Lâ—sâ—tz or part hereof and of Meissen continued betwixt the rivers Elb the Spreee after Pirckhermerus part of the Marquisate of Brandenburg betwixt the Elb and the Spree the Dukedome of Pomereâ— after Montâ—â—â— Here begun the great and famous nation of the Suevi containing all the North and East-parts of Germany and besides these comprehending the sundry different names and people following in my author The Longobardi the Longobardi of Ptolemy and Lancosargi of Strabo after Willichius and Ph. M. inhabiting the Diocese of Meydburg and Halberstaâ—t in Saxony Meissen or VVestphalâ—n after Glareanus after Pirckhermerus the parts only of Westphâ—lia where lie the countries of Marck and Bergen These afterwards removed into Pannonia from whence after a short abode they againe flitted into Italy called in by Narses Lieutenant in the Gothish warres for the Emperour Iustinian occasioning their the name nation and kingdome of the Lombards The Reudigni now after Willichius the part of Pomereâ— neighbouring vnto Dâ—ntzijck with the Aviones now part of Pomeren and Mecklenburg after Glareanus adioining to the Wixel after Pirckhermerus The Angli the Angili of Ptolemy Birtius seemeth to place these in the Dukedome of Schleswijck where is the towne now called Angelen In the waine of the Romane Empire and in the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third with the Saxons these removed into the Iland of Great Brittaine giving afterwards the name vnto the most renowned English nation The Varini the Varini of Pliny and Viruni of Ptolomy after Willichius now the New Marches of Brandenburg The Eudoses The Suardones now part of Meissen after Althamerus The Nuithones the Teutones of Ptolemy and Mela after Ph. M. now the Diocese of Havelburg in the Midle Marches of Brandenburg after Pirckhermerus with the Avarpi the countrie about the townes of Berlin Brandenburg The Hermunduri the Hermunduri of Pliny the Hermondori of Strabo after Willichius now part of Bohemia and Meissen extended along the course of the river Elb from the head thereof vnto the Semnones after Althamerus the part of Bohemia about the head of the Elb Meissen after Montanus The Narisci after Willichius Voitlandt and Nortgow Nortgow after Althamerus The Marcomanni the Marcomanni of Ptolemy and Strabo after Willichius now the country of Moravia about Olmuntz Brin and vnto Presburg in Hungary and the Danow after Glareanus part of Moravia after Althamerus inhabiting first Moravia afterwards Bohemia the Boij being vanquished and driven out after Pirckhermerus Moravia with part of Hungary vnto the Danow and the towne of Presburg Moravia after Montanus The Quadi the Quadi of Ptolemy after Willichius now the part of Moravia about Glocow and Iegersdorff with part of the Lesser Poland and of Schlesi about Sweinitz part of Moravia after Glareanus after Ph. M. Moravia and part of Sclesi Moravia and Schlesi after Althamerus after Montanus the Lower Austria The Marsigni after Willichius with the Gothini now part of Schlesi of the Vpper Hungary Schlesi and Poland after Glareanus Duringen after Althamerus after Pirckhermerus with the Turoni the parts of Nortgow about Amberg and to the Mountaines of Bâ—hâ—imerwald with the Turoni now Schlesi after Montanus The Burii after Ph. M. now the farthest part of Schlesi towards the river Wixel Poland towards the head of the Wixel after Althamerus after Pirckhâ—â—merus now Schlesi about Presâ—â—w with part of Poland on this side of the river Wixel The Osi part now of Morâ—via after Ph. M Ditmarse after Althamerus The Gothini The Arij 〈…〉 Elysij and Naharvali parts of the Suevi Lygij after Willichius now the part of Poland neighbouring to the Wixel where lie the townes of Petroâ—â—w Posna Gnesna and Cur with others The Gothoâ—es the Guttones of Pliny and not vnprobably the Batones of Strabo after Glareanus now Prussen after Althamerus part of Prussen 〈…〉 The Rugij now the Iland of Rugen belonging to the Dukes of Pomeren The Suiones situated in the Ocean now Norwaie after Birtiuâ— Sweathland after Willichius with the Sitones Sweathland after Glareanus and Althâ—merus after Pirckhermerus Sweathland and Denmarke From hence doubtles hath proceeded the name of the Succi or the Sweathlanders with the Sitones the inhabitants of the greater Scandia of Ptolomie containing now Swethen Norway and part of Denmarke bounded vpon the North after Tacitus with a slow immoueable sea now the Frozen The Lemouij now Pomeren or part thereof after Willichius with the Rugij Leistandt in Glareanus after Althamerus Leiflandt The Aestyi on the right shore of the Suenian sea now Leiflandt after Willichius after Althamerus Pomeren or Prussen The Sitones neighbouring to the Suiones now Finlandt in Swethen after Willichius after Pirckhermerus Leiâ—â—andt after Birtinâ— Sweathlandt part of Sweathlandt after Althamerus Here ended the Sâ—evi and Germans of Tacitus for concerning the Pencini Veneâ—i and Fenni which people he likewise here mentioneth they lay beyond the riuer Wixel on the side of the Sarmatae reckned by my author amongst the Dutch onely in regard of their affinity with them in language maners and custome of liuing Ptolemy addeth vnto these of Tacitus the Sycambri Sicambri of Caesar extended after Pontanus most probably betwixt the Ysel and the riuers Lippe and the Roer and containing now Aâ—nheim and Veluwe in Gelderland with part of Cleve on the further shore of the Rhijn The Ingriones with the Tencteri after Pirckhermerus now part of the Land of Hessen bordering vpon the Rhijn containing Hochruck the Earledomes of Nassaw Koningstein and Wederaw Wester-wald with other places The Intuergi after Pirckhermerus now the part of the Lower Palatinâ—â—â— lying without the Rhijn The Caritni after Ph M now the Dukedome of Wirtenberg after Pirckhermerus the Dukedome of Wirtenberg with the neighbouring part of Schwaben The Saxones feated vpon the neck of the Cimbrian Cherfonese and containing now the Dukedome of Holstein or the part thereof lying next to the Elb. In succeeding times these grew very mighty and famous with the Angli before mentioned disbourding into Great Britaine where they conquered the best and greatest part of that Noble Iland since called England and in this continent spreading along the Ocean from the riuer Eydore vnto the Rhijn amassed of sundry other of the Dutch nations vnâ—â—â—ng into this name The Sigâ—â—ones Subalingij Cobandi Châ—li Phandusij and Charâ—â—des with the Cimbri inhabiting the Cimbrian Chersonese now the two 〈◊〉 The Sident after Pirckhermerus now parts of the Dukedomes of Micklenburg and Pomeren The Pharodeni now part of Saxony after Pirckhermerus The Bugunti inhabiting betwixt the rivers Odera and Wixel The Châ—â—mae containing now after Pirckhermerus with the 〈◊〉 Mâ—iores and Angrivarij the parts of Westphalia and Saxony
of was S. Willehade an Englishman the Apostle of those more Northerne parts of Saxonie The country is subiect to the Lay Bishops or Administratours of Bremen The more ancient inhabitants were the Chauci Maiores of Ptolemie afterwards part of the Saxons Ostphalians THE COVNTRY OF LVNENBVRG LYing betwixt the riuers Elb and Alre and bounded vpon the West with the Diocese of Bremen vpon the North with the Elb and the Dukedome of Lawenburg vpon the East with the Olde Marches of Brandenbrg and vpon the South with the Dukedome of Brunswijck The country is plaine the aire sharpe and healthfull and the soile fruitfull the part adjoyning to the Old Marches of Brandenburg excepted The chiefe towne is Lunenburg standing in a square forme vpon the riuer Elmenow one of the six prime Hanse-townes large populous and adorned with faire buildings containing six Parishes a mile and a halfe in length and about a mile in breadth whose chiefest truck and commoditie is falt made here in great abundance from the Salt-springs bought vp by the Hamburgers and Lubecers and from thence transported abroad The country belongeth to the Dukes of Lunenburg being of the same house with Brunswijck desended from Henry surnamed the Lion and the more ancient Dukes of Saxonie The more ancient inhabitants were parts of the Cherusci and Chauci of Tacitus THE COVNTRY OF BRVNSWIICK COntained betwixt the riuers Alre and the Weser It hath the Dukedome of Lunenburg vpon the North vpon the East the Diocese of Meydburg and the Earledome of Mansfeldt vpon the South Duringen and Hessen and vpon the West and Weser and Westphalen The South and East parts towards Hessen Duringen and Mansfeldt swell with woodie Mountaines and hills parts of the ancient Hercynian called now Hundsrucke Hartzwald Hainsette and by other names The Northern and more proper Brunswijck is more plaine exceedingly fruitfull for corne and all other commodities which the colder clime is well capable of Chiefer townes are Grubenhagen From hence the Dukes of Brunswijck of Grubenhagen were stiled Goslar a towne Imperiall vpon the riuer Gose. Halberstat Hildesheim Bishops seas Quedelburg occasioned by the rich Nunnery thus called whose Abbatesse was sometimes Princesse of the Empire The towne now is subiect to the house of Saxonie Brunswijck vpon the river Onacter the chiefe of the country and one of the six chiefe Hanse-townes The towne is large containing about seauen miles in compasse faire populous and strongly fortified encompassed with a double wall peopled with industrious and stout inhabitants iealous of their liberty and gouerned in manner of a free estate held vnder the right of the Princes The greatest part of the country is subiect to the Dukes of Brunswijck The more ancient inhabitants were the Dulgibini of Tacitus with part of the Chauci Maiores of Ptolemie afterwards part of the Saxons Ostphalians THE DIOCESE OF MEYDENBVRG EXtended vpon both sides of the riuer Elb betwixt the Marquisate of Brādenburg and the proper Saxonie The chiefe towne is Meydenburg an Archbishops sea and naming the country seated vpon the left shore of the Elb built or rather reedified by Edith wife vnto the Emperour Henry the first and daughter to Edmund King of England and named thus in honour of her sexe The Towne is of great State large faire and strongly fortified famous in the Protestants warres for a whole yeares siege which it sustained against the Emperour Charles the Fift amongst the Protestant states remaining onely vnconquerable the rest being subdued to the will of that mighty Prince The country is subject to the Lay Bishops or Administratours of Meydenburg of the house now of Brandenburg The more ancient inhabitants were the Lacobardi of Tacitus part afterwards of the Saxons Ostphalians The countries hitherto from Mecklenburg are accompted the parts of the Lower Saxony and containe the ninth circle of the Empire FREISLANDT THe name is at this day enlarged along the shore of the Germane Ocean from the Zuyder Zee parting the same from Hollandt vnto the riuer Weser It containeth the West and the East-Freislandts OOST-FREISLANDT COntinued betwixt the riuer Eems and the Weser and bounded vpon the other sides with the Ocean and the land of West-phalen The country is plaine and exceedingly populous the soile fat rich in corne and pasturages Chiefer townes are Aurich a rich and pleasant inland towne much frequented by the Frison nobility in regard of the commodity of hunting in the adioyning woods and forrests Embden vpon the Dollaert or the mouth of the Eems a noted port and Empory the chiefe towne and the seat of the prince residing here in a magnificent and strong castle seated at the entrance of the hauen environed with sea-waters Here not long since was the staple for Germany of the English Merchant-adventurers removed since to Stadt and Hamburg The country belongeth to the Earles of Oost-Freistandt The ancient inhabitants were the Chauci Minores of Ptolemy of later times through the neighbourhood of that nation lying vpon the farther side of the Eems falsely named Frisons WEST-FREISLANDT THis belongeth to the description of the Netherlandts accompted now amongst the 17 provinces thereof WESTPHALEN COntaining the parts of the ancient Saxony which were included betwixt the riuers Weser and Rhijn the two Freislandts Over-ysel and the parts hereof in Hollandt and Gelderlandt excepted It is bounded vpon the North with Oost-Freislandt and the Diocese of Bremen vpon the East with the Weser and the Dukedome of Brunswijck vpon the South with the Land of Hessen and vpon the West with the Rhijn from the Diocese of Colen and with Clevelandt Over-ysel and West-Freislandt The aire is sharpe and colde The soile generally is fruitfull rather in pasturages and in commodities seruing for the fatting of beasts then for the nourishment of man apples nuts akomes and sundry sorts of wilde fruits wherewith amongst other kindes infinite heards of Swine are fed whose bacon is much commended and desired in forraine parts The most firtill parts for corne are about the Lippe Paderborn and Soest The most desert and barren those adioining to the Weser Surlandt and the Dukedome of Bergen are hilly and full of woods The Diocese of Munster yeeldeth the best pasturages Chiefer townes are Duseldorp vpon the right shore of the Rhijn in the Dukedome of Bergen In the country of Marck Vnna Dortmund and Soest Paderborn a Bishops sea Munster a Bishops sea seated in a plaine vpon the riuer Eems The towne hath beene made very strong since the surprisall thereof by the Anabaptists It belongeth to the Bishops thus stiled Mynden a Bishops sea vpon the Weser Osenburg a Bishops sea Of these the Dukedome of Bergen and the Earledome of Marck appertaine to the Marques of Brandenburg and the Duke of Nuburg the heires generall of the house of Cleue Engern and Surland belong vnto the Bishops of Colen who are titulary Dukes of Westphalen The rest is divided amongst
held with this title vnder the soueraignty and right of the kings of Denmarke The line masculine of the Dukes extinguished it returned againe to the crowne giuen not long after by Queen Margaret vnto Gerard Count of Holstein whose male succession in the yeare 1459 failing in Adolph the last Earle it was lastly incorporated with the kingdome by Christierne the first as it now continueth Chiefer townes are Sleswijck before mentioned a Bishops sea named thus from the river Slea vpon which it is situated Close by standeth the faire Castle of Gottorp the seat of the Dukes of Sleswijck where tol is paid of the many droues of Oxen passing yearely this way out of the Chersonese into Germany From hence in imitation of the Picts wall in England hath beene drawne westward ouer land a long trench or wall called now by the inhabitants Dennewerck raised after Aymonius for the better defence of the Chersonese against the neighbouring Saxons by Godfrey king of the Danes in the raigne of the Emperour Charles the Great Husem vpon the German or westerne Ocean not far froÌ„ the mouth of the riuer Eydore Flensborch a noted empory seated amongst hills vpon a nauigable creeke or inlet of the Sundt Hadersleue a Bishops sea vpon a nauigable inlet of the sea Baltick where with it is round encompassed against the Iland Funen graced with the beautiful castle of Hansburg begun by Iohn duke of Holstein but finished by Frederick the 2 d K. of Denmarcke These lye in Suder-Iutland or the dukedome of Sleswijck Beda seemeth to place here the famous Angli the founders of the moderne English nation during the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the 3 d departing froÌ„ hence into the Iland of Great Bretaine In Nort-Iutland Kolding vpon a creeke of the sea Balticke Arhusen a Bishops sea and a noted port vpon the Sundt Against this and the great promontory Hellenis lie the Ilands Samsoe Hielm Hilgenes with others belonging to the continent hereof Wiborch within the land a Bishops sea and the chiefe place of iudicature of the Chersonese Alborch vpon the baye Limfort which is a long creeke of the sea Baltick extending through the maine land westwards almost as farre as the German Ocean The part of the Chersonese lying vpon the North of this bay is named by the inhabitants Wendsyssel West hereof the country is called Hanhaeret where is the high rock Skarringklint a noted sea marck The German Ocean coasting Iutland especially the part neighbouring to this rock is full of sholes and quicksands for this cause carefully avoided by marriners sayling towards Norwey and the Ilands of the Sundt Tysted Nicoping Ripen a Bishops sea vpon the German Ocean The length of both the Iutlands with the neighbouring dukedome of Holstein or from the riuer Elb vnto the towne of Schagen the most Northerly point of the Chersonese Cellarius accompteth at 80 German miles the breadth at twenty of the same miles THE ILANDS OF THE SVNDT THese lye in the mouth of the Sundt betwixt Iutlandt and Schonen The more remarqueable and greater Ilands are Funen and Zelandt FVNEN LYing against the townes of Kolding and Hadersleue in Iutland containing 12 Dutch miles in length and 4 in breadth The chiefe towne is Odensee a Bishops sea ZELANDT SEated betwixt Funen and the maine land of Schonen the greatest of the Ilands and the seat of the Prince Chiefer townes here are Rotschilt a Bishops sea The Bishops hereof haue the honour to annoint the kings at the time of their inauguration Helschenor or Elsenor at the entrance of the Sundt The narrow sea betwixt this and Schonen containeth only a Dutch mile in breadth commaunded by two castles lying vpon each side of the straight that of Helsenburg in Schonen and of Cronenburg in Zealandt Here all the ships which in great numbers passe continually towards Swethen Prussen and the East-lands stop and pay custome the best part of the princes revenues In the strong and magnificent castle of Cronenburg founded by Fredericke the second the king more commonly resideth Koppen hagen farther downe vpon the Sundt a noted port the chiefe towne of the kingdome where flourisheth an Vniversity of the Danes and Norvegians begun by Eric the ninth but perfected by Christian the first and the succeeding princes endowed with liberall revenues Vpon the East hereof lyeth the Iland Amagger making a safe road for ships which ride at ancher betwixt it and the towne Other Danish Ilands are Alsen against Flensborch and Suder-Iutland vnto the which it appertaineth containing 4 Dutch miles in length and two in breadth Aar having three parishes and seated betwixt Alsen and Zelandt Langeland betwixt Aar and Zelandt in length 7 Dutch miles Falstre in length 8 Dutch miles vpon the South of Zelandt Lawland vpon the West of Falstre from the which it is divided by a narrow creeke of the sea besides almost infinite others whose names wee know not or which are not worth relating These Ilands are togither called by Meâ—a the Hemodes Zealandt he nameth the Iland Codanonia the greatest of the Hemodes HALLANDT LYing in the maine land of Scandia against North-Iutlandt The onely place of note is the strong castle of Warsberg SCHONEN COntaining the part of the same continent against the Iland of Zelandt Places of better note are Helsenburg a towne and castle opposite to Elsenor Lunden an Arch-bishops sea Malmuyen or Ellebogen a noted Empory vpon the Sundt against Koppen-hagen BLEKING PArt of the same continent and having vpon the West Schonen The chiefe place is Vsted THE KINGDOME OF NORWEY BOunded vpon the South with Denmarck vpon the West and North with the Ocean and vpon the East with the kingdome of Swethen from the which it is divided by a perpetuall ridge of asperous and high mountaines The sea here is exceeding deepe and affordeth plenty of good fishing The land is very large and spacious but rockie mountainous and barren full of thicke wild and vast woods cold and ill inhabited It yeeldeth but little corne and in the parts more neere to Lapland and the Pole Articke not any at all in regard of which want the inhabitants eat bread made of Stockfish It chiefly venteth abroad fish furres and skinnes of wild beasts masts raft pitch tarre and the like commodities issuing from wood The people are plaine honest louers of strangers hospitall for their ability haters of pilfering theeuing They are not suffered by the Danes to vse shipping or to export their owne merchandise out of the kingdome which profit these solely engrosse vnto themselues Their religion is the Lutheran or Protestant the same with the Danes belonging in matters Ecclesiasticall vnto the Archbishop of Trundtheim and the Bishops of Bergen Anslo Staffanger and Hammar They were sometimes commanded by Princes of their owne now by the kings of Denmarck diuided into 5 Prefectures or juridicall resorts of Bahuys Aggerhuys Bergerhuys Trundtheim
and Wardhuys named thus from such Castles royall wherein their governours reside Townes of better note are Congel a towne of merchandising vpon the Sundt or sea Balticke opposite to Schagen in Denmarcke Anslo Hammar Staffanger Bishops seas Bergen the chiefe towne of the country seated amongst high mountaines at the bottome of a nauigable and deepe arme or creeke of the maine Ocean named Carmesunt a Bishops sea and a noted port much resorted vnto by forrainers bringing in corne meale bread beere wine and Aqua vitae to supply the want that way of the country and transporting from hence fish furres and wood with London Bruges in the Lowe Countries and Novogrod in Russia one of the foure chiefe Staple townes of the Dutch Hanse marchants The inhabitants in regard hereof are a mixed people compounded of the natiues Dutch and other strangers The meaner sort of houses after the rude fashion of the Country are couered with sods or turfes of earth West of the towne standeth Bergenhuys one of the fiue castles royall the seat of the governour of the Province thus named Trundtheim an Archbishops sea beautified with a faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to S. Olave The towne otherwise is meane Ward-huys within the circle Artick in the Iland Ward from whence it hath beene thus called a meane castle with a little towne adjoyning in the summer time for in the winter by reason of the extremity of the cold and the long darknesse and absence of the Sunne it is not well habitable the seat of the governour for these more cold and frozen parts The Pole Articke is here elevated 71½ degrees The longest continuance of the sunne aboue the Horizon lasteth two whole months three weekes one day and some 7 houres the farthest point North-wards of Norwey the continent of Europe THE ILANDS OF NORWEY VNto the Crowne of Norwey belong Islandt Freislandt and Groenlandt Ilands situated in the wide Ocean held now in this right by the kings of Denmarke ISLANDT LYing vnder the Circle Articke and containing 100 German miles in length and about 60 in breadth The country is cold rockie mountainous barren and ill inhabited yeelding not any corne neither trees except the Iuniper In regard hereof the common people eate bread made of stockfish in steed of houses built with timber dwell in cells cauernes digged in the bottomes of their rocks mountaines Through the benefit notwithstanding of the sea and the accesse of strangers they haue brought vnto them corne meale bread wine beare iron tinne mony timber wood and all other commodities which they need whereof the richer sort make vse The sea coasts are better stored with inhabitants through the advantage of their trade with forrainers and of their fishing the chiefe reuenue of the Ilanders The natiue profits the Land affordeth are flesh of beeues and mutton butter skinnes of wild beasts horses haukes a course kinde of cloath they call Watman and brimstone It containeth foure main divisions named from their situations West fiordung Auslending a fiordung Norlending a fiordung and Sundlending a fiordung signifying the Westerne Easterne Northerne and Southerne quarters The only places of note are Halar in the Northerne part of the Iland Schalholt in the Southerne Bishops seas having petty schooles wherein the Latine tongue is taught whereof each containeth 24 schollers maintained by the Bishops Bestede a castle the seat of the gouernour for the king of Denmarck The more eminent mountaines are Hecla feareful with apparitions of dead men nourishing the opinion of Popish Purgatory Helga that of the Crosse Aethna-like flaming with fires Not farre from Hecla brimstone is digged in great abundance sent into forraine parts The inhabitants are originally Norvegians thought first to haue ariued here about the yeare 1000 driuen out of their country by king Harold sirnamed with the faire locks Wee heare not of them notwithstanding vntill the time of Adelbert Bishop of Bremen whom they should send vnto desiring Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell whereby they might be instructed deceasing about the yeare 1070. Their religion is the confession of Augspurg or that of the Danes gouerned by two Bishops of Halar Schalholt before mentioned brought vp in the Vniversitie of Copen-hagen Their language is the Danish or an old corrupt Dutch Most authors place here Thyle of Tacitus and the ancients Ortelius iudgeth this rather to be Norway Others Schetland neere the Orcades It wanteth altogether probabilitie that the Romans by whom sailing about Great Bretaigne that Iland should be first discouered aduanced ever thus farre Northwards FREISLANDT STanding vpon the Southwest of Islandt vnknowne to the ancients and bigger in quantitie then Ireland like Islandt cold barren and without corne and fruits The principall towne is of the same name with the Iland The inhabitants liue most vpon fish got in their sea their chiefe food and truck with forrainers They obey the kings of Denmarck GROENLANDT NAmed thus from the greenenesse thereof affording good pasturage in Summer as are the other two Ilands from their Ice and Frosts It is seated betwixt the 65 and 77 degrees of Northerne Latitude and lieth for the greatest part within the Circle Articke and Frigid Zone large and of great extent much resorted vnto by the English and Dutch nations fishing there for Whales Here is a monastery of Predicant Friers seated in the North-East part of the Iland not farre from a flaming or burning mountaine vpon hot scalding springs whose waters serue the Monastery as a stoue and to boyle the meat of the order The gardens hereof a thing miraculous in such a latitude in regard of this heat qualifying the naturall temper of the ayre flourish all the yeare long with hearbs and sweet smelling flowers The neighbouring Ocean also by meanes hereof never freezeth affording great plenty of fowle and fish for the reliefe of the Monkes and bordering Ilanders Here is likewise Alba situated not farre from the Monastery Other habitations either are not or not hitherto knowne the Iland not being yet fully discouered All places where the marriners touch yeeld Deere white beares plenty of wood cast vpon the shore The kings of Denmarck challenge the right hereof SVVEATHLAND BOunded vpon the South with Denmarcke the sea Balticke and Leifland vpon the West with Norwey vpon the North with Myrmanskoy More or the Frozen sea and vpon the East with the dominions of the Great Duke of Muscovia The country is large extended aboue a thousand miles in length betwixt the Balticke and the Frozen seas full of mountaines and vast woods yet well inhabited and firtill for these Northerne parts Lapland and the regions lying within the Circle Arcticke almost excepted which yeeld no corne or any other fruits as doe all lands else of that miserable and cold Latitude No place affordeth greater plenty of minerals especially of brasse whence infinite store of great ordinance are made It hath many great lakes and rivers but in regard