this Countie where Princes of State haue borne the Titles both of Deuonshire and Excester of which Citie there haue beene entituled Dukes the last of whom namely Henry Holland Grand-childe to Iohn Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the second siding with Lancaster against Edward the fourth whose Sister was his wife was driuen to such misery as Philip Comineus reporteth that he was seene all torne and bare-footed to beg his liuing in the Low Countries and lastly his body was cast vpon the shore of Kent as if he had perished by shipwracke so vncertaine is Fortune in her endowments and the state of man notwithstanding his great birth 9 Religious houses in this Shire built in deuotion and for Idolatry pulled downe were at Excester Torbay Tanton Tauestoke Kirton Ford Hartland Axmister and Berstable CORNWALL CHAPTER X. CORNWALL as Matthew of Westminster affirmeth is so named partly from the forme and partly from her people for shooting it selfe into the Sea like a Horne which the Britaines call Kerne and inhabited by them whom the Saxons named Willia of these two compounded words it became Cornwallia Not to trouble the Reader with the Fable of Corineus cousin to King Brute who in free gift receiued this Countie in reward of his prowesse for wrastling with the Grant Gogmagog and breaking his necke from the Cliffe of Deuer as â—e of Monmouth hath fabuled 2 Touching the temperature of this Countie the ayre thereof is cleansed as with Bellowes by the Billowes that euer worke from oâ—t her enuironing Seas where thorow it becommeth pure and subtill and is made thereby very healthfull but withall so 〈◊〉 and sharâ—e that it is apter to preserue then to recouer health The spring is not so early as in the more Easterne parts yet the Summer with a temperate heat recompenceth his slow fostering of the fruits with their most kindly ripening The Autumne bringeth a somewhat late haruest and the Winter by reason of the Seas warme breath maketh the cold milder then else-where Notwithstanding that Countrey is much subiect to stormy blasts whoâ—e violence hath freedome from the open waues to beat vpon the dwellers at Land leauing many times their houses vncouered 3 The Soile for the most part is lifted vp into many hilles parted a sunder with narrow and short vallies and a shallow earth doth couer their out-side which by a Sea-weede called Orewood and a certaine kinde of fruitfull Sea-sand they make so ranke and batten as is vncredible But more are the riches that out of those hilles are gotten from the Mines of Copper and Tinne which Countrey was the first and continueth the best stored in that Merchandize of any in the world Timaeus the Historian in Plinie reporteth that the Britaine 's fetched their Tinne in wicker-boats stitched about with Leather And Dâ—octoâ—us 〈◊〉 of Augustus Caesars time writeth that the Britaine 's in this part digged Tinne out of 〈◊〉 ground which by Merchants was carried into Gallia and thence to Narborne as it were to a Maâ— Which howsoeuer the Englis-Saxons neglected yet the Normans made great benefit thereof especially Richard brother to King Henry the third who was Earle of Cornwall and by those Tinne 〈◊〉 became exceedingly rich for the inâ—â—â—sions of the Moâ—res hauing stopped vp the Tinne-Mines 〈◊〉 and them in Germany not discouered before the yeare of Christ 1240. these in Cornwall 〈…〉 the want in all parts of the world This Earle made certaine Tinne-Lawes which with liberties and priuiledges were confirmed by Earle Edmund his sonne And in the dayes of King Edâ—â—â— the third the Common-weale of Tinne-workes from one body was diuided into foure and a 〈…〉 of the Stanâ—â—â—rs appointed then Iudge 4 The Borders of this Shire on all parts but the East is bound in with the Sea and had Tamer 〈◊〉 his course but foure miles further to the North betwixt this Countie and Deuonshire it might haue beene rather accounted an Iland then stood with the Mayâ—e Her length is from Launston to the 〈◊〉 containing by measure 60 miles and the broadest part stretching along by the Tamer is fully fortie lâ—sâ—ening thence still lesser like a horne 5 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romans were the Danmonij that spread themselues 〈◊〉 into Deuonshire also by the report of Diodorus Siculus a most courteous and ciuill people and by Mechael their Poet extolled for 〈◊〉 and strength of limâ—â—es nor therein doth he take the libertie that Poets are allowed to adde to the subiect whereof they write but truly reporteth what we see by them performed whom actiuitie surmount many other people When the Heathen Saxons had seated themselues in the best of this Land and forced the Christian Britaines into these rockie parts then did Cornwall abound in Saints vnto whose honor most of the Churches were erected by whose names they are yet knowne and called To speake nothing of Vrsula that Counties Dukes daughter with her company of canonized virgin-Virgin-Saints that are now reputed but to trouble the Calendar These Britaine 's in Cornwall so fenced the Countrey and defended themselues that to the raigne of King Athelstant they held out against the Saxons who subduing those Western Parts made Tamar the Bounder betwixt them and his English whose last Earle of the British Bloud was called Candorus 6 But William the Bastard created Robert his halfe-brother by Herlotta their mother the first Earle of the Normans race and Edward the Blacke Prince the ninth from him was by his Father King Edward the third inuested the first Duke of Cornwall which Title euer since hath continued in the Crowne 7 The commodities of this Shire ministred both by Sea and Soile are many and great for besides the abundance of Fish that doe suffice the Inhabitants the Pilchard is taken who in great skuls swarme about the Coast whence being transported to France Spaine and Italie yeeld a yearely reuenew of gaine vnto Cornwall wherein also Copper and Tinne so plentifully grow in the vtmost part of this Promontory that at a low water the veynes thereof lie bare and are seene and what gaine that commoditie begets is vulgarly knowne Neither are these Rockes destitute of Gold nor Siluer yea and Diamonds shaped and pointed Angle-wise and smoothed by Nature her selfe whereof some are as bigge as Walnuts inferiour to the Orient onely in blacknesse and hardnesse Many are the Ports Bayes and Hauens that open into this Shire both safe for arriuage and commodious transport whereof Falmouth is so copious that an hundred Ships may therein ride at Anchor apart by themselues so that from the tops of their highest Masts they shall not see each other and lie most safely vnder the winds 8 This Countie is fruitfull in Corne Cattle Sea-fish and Fowle all which with other prouisions for pleasures and life are traded thorow twentie-two Market-Townes in this Shire whereof Launston and Bodman are the best from which last being the middle of the Shire the Pole is eleuated to the degree of Latitude 50
passe ouer and to smoother farre greater exployts of the Britaines which notwithstanding long in these parts they could not doe for the wrongs of the Icenians growing intolerable who by the Romane Souldiers were put out of their rightfull possessions their Princes accounted no better then Slaues and their Queene whipped in most ignominious manner vnder Boduo they wrought their reuenge as in the History Christ assisting shall be further related Next to these Icenians were the Saxons that got their footing into these parts and of them this with Norfolke Cambridge shire and the I le of Ely was made their East-Angles Kingdome though as it seemeth euer in subiection either to the Mercians or to the Kings of Kent whose off-spring ending in S Edmund the Martyr after the Danes had laid it most desolate Edward the Elder subdued it vnto his West-Saxons Monarchy and that likewise ending in King Edward the Confessor many Noble Normans got their possessions in these parts whose off-spring are plenteously replenished in this Shire to this day 5 The commodities of this Shire are many and great whereof the chiefest consisteth in Corne in Cattle Cloth Pasturage Woods Sea-fish and Fowle and as Abbo Floricensis hath depainted this Countie is of a greene and passing fresh hue pleasantly replenished with Orchards Gardens and Grouesâ— thus he described it aboue six hundred yeares since and now we finde as he hath said to which we may adde their gaine from the Paâ—le whose Cheeses are traded not onely thorowout England but into Germany France and Spaine and are highly commended by Pantaleon the Physitian both for colour and taste 6 And had Ipswich the onely eye of this Shire beene as fortunate in her Surname as she is blessed with Commerce and buildings she might 〈◊〉 haue borne the title of a Citie neither ranked in the 〈…〉 and seat doth equall most places of the Land beâ—â—◠〈…〉 about both by a Rampire of earth mounted along her North and West parts and places of entrance where gates haue stood which no doubt by the Danes were cast downe in the yeare of Iesus Christ 991. when they sacked with spoyle all these Sea-coasts and againe in the yeare one thousand laid the streets desolate and the houses on heapes yet afterwards recouering both breath and beautie her buildings from Stâ—ke-Church in the South to Saint Margarets in the North now containe 19â—0 paces and from S Helens in the East to S. Matthewes Church in the West are no lesse then 2120. full of streets plenteously inhabited wherein are twelue Parish-Churches seated besides them suppressed such were Christ-Church S Georges S. Iames the White the Blacke and Gray Fryers The Site of this Towne is remoued from the Equator vnto the degree 52. 25 minutes and by Mercators obseruation from the first West points 22. degrees 9 minutes and is yearely gouerned by two Bailiffes and ten Port-men all wearing Scarlet with twenty-foure of their Common-Councell in purple a Recorder a Towne-Clerke fiue Sergeants whereof one is for the Admiraltie a Beadle and Common Cryer all in blew with the Townes Armes on their Sleeue The other Eye of this shire is S. Edmundâ—bury By Abbo the Royall Towne wherein at the day-breake of the Saxons conuersion Sigebert King of the East-Angles founded a Christian Church and vpon the occasion of King Edmounds buriall who at Hoxon was shot to death hath beene euer since called S Edmunds-bury where was built to his honour one of the fairest Monasteries in the world begun by King Canute much affrighted with the seeming appearance of that Martyrs Ghost who to expiate the Sacrilegious impietie of his Father Suenus enriched the place with many endowments and offred vp his owne Crowne vpon the 〈◊〉 Martyrs Tombe For the beautie and buildings of this Abbey and Towne let Leyland for me declare 〈…〉 finely seated so delicately vpon the easie ascent of an hill 〈…〉 stately Abbey either for reuenewes or incomparable 〈…〉 then a Monastery so many Gates for entrance and some of them brasse so many Towers and a most glorious Church vpon which attend three others standing all in the same Church-yard all of them passing fine and of a curious workmanship Whose ruines lie in the dust lamenting their fall mouing the beholders to pietie their case Neere vnto this Towne a great Battle was fought by Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester against his Soueraigne King Henry the second but was worthily ouercome by Richard Lucy the Kings high Iustice himselfe and wife taken with many Flemings and Englishmen slaine 7 Other places worthy of remembrance this Countie affords such is Exâ—ing in the West formerly famous for the birth of S. Andrey daughter to King Anna one of the three names of the Shires diuision Rendlâ—sham in the East where Redwald the first Christian in this Kingdome held his Court and Hadley in her South where Guthrum the Dane whom Elfred baptized was buried And things of stranger note are the limits of the East-Angles Territories running along New-market heath vulgarly called the Diuels-ditch the like fable is formally told by Nubrigensis that at Wulpet in the heart of this Shire two greene boyes of Satyres kinde arose out of the ground from the Antipodes beleeue it if you will and Ralfe Coggeshall in the Monuments of Câ—lâ—hester declareth that a Fish in all parts like a man was taken neere Orford and for sixe moneths was kept in the Castle whence after he escaped againe to the Sea As strange but most true was a crop of Pease that without tillage or sowing grew in the Rockes betwixt this Orford and Aldebrough in the yeare 1555 when by vnseasonable weather a great dearth was in the Land there in August were gathered aboue one hundred Quarters and in blossoming remained as many more where neuer grasse grew or earth euer seene but hard solide Rockes three yards deepe vnder their rootes 8 Places separated from common vse and deuoted to God and his seruice by religious Princes were at S. Edmunds Ipswich Ikleworth Blithborow Clare Iaeston Burgh Castle wherein Sigebert King of the East-Angles entered the profession of a Monke but was thence forced by his people to fight against the Mercians in which Battle he was slaine And Dunwich where Foelix founded his Episcopall See These with many others in this Countie were suppressed in the fall of the Monasteries and their Reuenewes assumed by King Henry the Eight NORTHFOLKE CHAPTER XVII NORTHFOLKE is an Iland inclining to an ouall forme closed on the South part with the Riuers of Waueney and the lâ—sser Ouse which diuides it from Suffolke On the East and North with the Germane Ocean on the West toward Cambridge-shire with some branches of the greater Ouse toward Lincolne-shire with that part of the neue which passeth from Wisbitch into the Washes It containeth in length from Yarmouth to Wisbitch about fiftie miles In breadth from Thetford to Wels about thirtie The whole Circuit is about two hundred fortie two miles The Name ariseth from the
pleasantly seated hauing the Ouse running thorow the Towne in the middest and a faire Stone-bridge built ouer the same whereon are two Gates to locke and impeach the passage as occasion shall serue At the first entrance standeth S. Leonards Hospitall for Lazars and further inwards S. Iohns and S. Maries Churches within the Towne S. Pauls a most beautifull Church S. Cuthberis and S. Peters without the Towne standeth the Fryers S. Loyes Alhallowes and Caudwell Abbey not farre whence sometimes stood a Chappell vpon the Banke of Ouse wherein as Florilegus affirmeth the body of Offa the great Mercian King was interred but by the ouer-swelling of that Riuer was borne downe and swallowed vp whose Tombe of Lead as it were some phantasticall thing appeared often to them that seeke it not but to them that seeke it saith Rosse it is inuisible This Towne is gouerned yearely by a Mator two Bailiffes two Chamberlaines a Recorder a towne-Clerke and three Sergeants with Mases 8 A tale of vaine credit is reported of Dunstable that it was built to bridle the outragiousnesse of a theefe named Dun by King Henry the first but certaine it is the place was formerly held by the Romanes whose Legions there lay as appeareth by the Coines there vsually found which from Magmium are corruptly called Madning-money 9 Castles in this Shire are Woodhill Eaton Temsford and Amphill an honour now appertaining to the Crowne And places of Religion built by deuout persons but for Idolatrous Abuses againe abolished were at Bedford Harwood Helenflow Newenham Chicksand Wardon Woborne and Dunstable All these with their like felt the hand of Henry the Eight to lie so heauie vpon them that they were not able to sustaine the waight but were crushed to peices and fell to the ground 10 The Graduation of this Countie taken for the Shire-Towne is placed from the Equator in the degree of 52. and 30. minutes for Latitude and is remoued from the first West point of Longitude 20. degrees and 16. minutes BVCKINGHAM-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI BVCKINGHAM for the plentie of Beech-trees there growing and those in the elder times of the Saxons called Eucken may well be supposed from them to haue the name as afterwards the whole Shire had hers from this Towne Buckingham 2 In forme it somewhat resembleth a Lyon Rampant whose head or North-point toucheth the Counties of Northampton and Bedford whose backe or East-part is backed by Bedford and Hertford-shires his loines or South-borders rest vpon Bark shire and his breast the West side is butted vpon wholly by Oxford-shire The length thereof from Waisbury in the South to Bradfeild in her North are thirtie nine miles the breadth at the broadest from Ashridge in the East to 〈◊〉 wood Forrest in the West are eighteene the whole in Circumference one hundred thirtie 〈◊〉 miles 3 The ayre is passing good temperate and pleasant yeelding the body health and the minde content The soile is rich fat and fruitfull giuing abundance of Corne Grasse and Meate It is chiefly diuided into two parts by the Chiltren billes which run thorow this Shire in the middest and before timâ— where so postered with Beâ—â—h that they were altogether vnpassable and became a receptacle and refuge for theeues who daily endammaged the way-faring man for which cause 〈◊〉 Abbot of S. Aâ—baâ—s caused them to be cut downe since when those parts are paâ—â—able without any great incumbrances of trees from whose tops a large and most pleasing prospect is 〈◊〉 The Vale beneath is plaine and champion a clayie soile stiffe and tough but withall marueilous 〈◊〉 full naked of woods but abounding in medowes pastures and tillage and maintaining an infinite number of sheepe whose soft and fine fleeces are in great esteeme with the Turkes as farre as Asia 4 The ancient Inhabitants that were seated in this Shire were the Catlieuchlani mentioned by Ptolemie and them dispersed thorow the Tract of Bedford Hertford and this These yeelded themselues with the first to Caesar vnder the Romanes subiection whose ouer-worne Empire ending in Britaine the Saxons by strong hand attained this Prouince and made it a part of their Mercian Kingdome yet was it first subdued vnto them by Cherdike the West-Saxon whose memory is in part continued in the Towne Chersey vpon the West of this Countie where in a sharpe and bloudy battle he was Victor ouer the Britaines So also Cuthwulfe a West-Saxon at Alesbury in the yeare of Grace 592. ouer came the Britaines and bare downe all things before him yet no sooner was their Hepâ—archie wained and their Monarchie able to stand alone but that the Danes before their strength and growth was confirmed waxed vpon them and they not able in so weake a hand to hold fast that weight of greatnesse they had so grasped gaue place to their conquerours who did many harmes in this Prouince for in the yeare 914. the Danes furiously raged as farre as Brenwood where they destroyed the City Burgh the ancient seat of the Romanes afterwards a royall house of King Edward the Confessor which they vtterly destroyed 5 The Shire-Towne Buckingham fruitfully seated vpon the Riuer Ouse was fortified with a Rampire and Sconses on both bankes by King Edward the elder saith Marianus the Scotish Writer where in the heart of the Towne hath stood a strong Castle mounted vpon a high hill which long since was brought to the period of her estate now nothing remaining besides the signes that there she had stood The Riuer circulates this Towne on euery side that onely on the North excepted ouer which three faire stone-bridges lead and into which the springs of a Well run called S. Rumalds a child-child-saint borne at Kings-Sutton canonized and in the Church of this Towne enshrined with many conceited miracles and cures such was the happe of those times to produce Saints of all ages and sexes This Towne is gouerned by a Bayliffe and twelue principall Burgesses and is in the degree remoued from the first point of the West for Longitude 19. 33. scruples and the North-pole elenated in Latitude for the degree of 52. 18. scruples 6 A Towne of ancient note is Stony-Stratford the Romans Lactorodum being built vpon that ancient Causey-way which is called Watling-street where remaine the markes thereof euen vnto this day At this place Edward the elder stopped the passage of the Danes whiles he strengthened Torcester against them and herein King Edward the eldest since the Conquest reared a beautifull Crosse in memory of Eleanor his dead Queene as he did in euery place where her Corps rested from Herdby in Lincolne-shire till it was receiued and buried at Westminster 7 Places intended for Gods true worship built by deuout persons and sequestred from worldly imployments were at Launden Luffeld Bidlesden Bradwell Nothey Ankerne Missenden Tekeford Partrendune Ashridge and Alesburie Ashridge in great repute for the bloud supposed out of Christs sides brought out of Germany by Henry the eldest sonne of Richard King of the Romanes and Earle
Penbroke Tenby Hereford West with the goodly and many branched Hauen of Milford called in Welsh Aberdangledhett S. Dauids or Meneuiâ— which is the chiefest See in Wales Fiscard called Aberwayn and Newport named Tresdreth 18 The third part was Caermarden-shire which is a Country accounted the strongest part of all South-Wales as that which is full of high Mountaines great Woods and faire Riuers 19 The fourth called Morganwe now Glamorgan-shire hath on the South the Seuerne Sea which diuideth it from Deuonshire and Cornewall vpon the West and North-west Carmarden-shire vpon the North-east Breckneck-shire and vpon the East Monmouth-shire 20 The fift now called Gwent and in Monmouth-shire hath in it the ancient Citie of Caerlbeon vpon Vske There are also diuers Townes and Castles Chepstow Glynstrygul Râ—s Tynterne vpon the Riuer Wye c. This is a faire and fertile Country It hath on the West Glamorgan and Brecknock-shires vpon the North Hereford-shire vpon the East Glocester-shire with the Riuer Wye and the Riuer Seuerne vpon the South and South-east 21 The last is Brecknock-shire for the most part full of Mountaines Woods and Riuers This Country is both great and large being full of faire plaines and vallyes for Corne it hath plentie of the thicke Woods Forrests and Parkes It is full also of cleere and deepe Riuers of which Seuerne is the chiefest although there be other faire Riuers as Vske and the like 22 Thus farre concerning the ancient Welsh diuision by Talaiths but the present diuision distributeth them more compendiously into two Countries and twelue Shires enacted so by Parlament vnder King Henry the eight The Countries are North-Wales and South-Wales which haue shared and as it were deuoured betweene them all Powysland each of which Countries containes sixe Shires North-Wales Anglesey Caâ—â—â—aruon Merionyth Denbigh Flint Montgomery South-Wales Caerdigan Pembroke Carmarden Glamorgan Brecknocks Radnâ—r PEMBROKE-SHIRE CHAPTER II. PEMBROKE-SHIRE the furthest Promontory of all West-Wales lieth parted on the North from Cardigan-shire with the Riuers Tyâ—y and Keach and on the East is confronted by Caermarden-shire the South and West shooting farre into the Irish Seas is with the same altogether washed 2 The forme thereof is longer then it is broad for from S 〈◊〉 South-point to Cardigan-bridge in the North are twentie-sixe miles the Easterne Landenie to S. Dauids point in the West are twentie miles the whole in circumference is nintie three miles 3 The Aire is passing temperate by the report of Giraldus who confirmeth his reason from the site of Ireland against which it butteth and so neere adioyned that King Rufus thought it possible to make a Bridge of his Shippes ouer the Sea whereby he might passe to Ireland on foot 4 Anciently it was possessed by the Demetia further branched into Cardigan and Caermarden-shires as in that County hath beene said and in the Saxons Conquest and Heptarchte by the Britaine 's forced into those parts for refuge whither Henry the first and third of the Normans King sent certaine Flemings whose Country was ouer-whelmed with the breaking 〈◊〉 of the Seas to inhabite the maritine Tract called Rosse lying West vpon the Riuer Dougledye Thess Dutchmen saith Giraldus were a strong and stout Nation inured to Warres and accustomed to seeke gaine by Clothing Traffique and Tillage and euer readie for the Field to fight it out adding withall that they were most loyall to the English and most faithfull to the English-men Whereupon Malmesbury writeth thus Many a time did King William Rufus assaile the Welsh but euer in vaine which is to be wondred at considering his other fortunate successe But saith he it may be the vneuennesse of the ground and sharpnesse of the aire that maintained their courage and impeached his valour which to redresse King Henry his brother found meanes for those Flemings who in regard of his mothers kindred by the fathers side sorely pestred and endammaged the English he sent into Wales both to purge and disburden his owne Kingdome and to quell and keepe backe the courage of his enemies These men here seated deceiued not his expectation but so carried themselues in his quarrell that they seldome communicated with their neighbours so that to this day they speake not the Language and the Country is yet called Little England beyond Wales 5 The commodities of this Shire are Corne Cattle Sea-Fish and Fowle and in Giraldus his dayes of saleable Wines the Hauens being so commodious for Ships arriuage such is that at Tenby and Milford an Hauen of such capacitie that sixteene Creekes fiue Bayes and thirteene Roades knowne all by seuerall names are therein contained where Henry of Richmond of most happie memory arriued with signall hopes of Englands freedome from vnder the gouernment of an vsurping Tyrant 6 Neere vnto this is Pembroke the Shire-Towne seated more ancient in shew then it is in yeares and more houses without Inhabitants then I saw in any one Citie thorowout my suruey It is walled long-wise and them but indifferent for repaire containing in circuit eight hundred and fourescore pases hauing three Gates of passage and at the West end a large Castle and locked-causey that leads ouer the water to the decayed Priory of Monton The site of this Towne is in the degree of Longitude as Mercator doth measure 14. and 55. minutes and the eleuation from the North-pole in the degree of Latitude 52. 7 A Citie as barren is old Saint Dauids neither clad with Woods nor garnished with Riuers nor beautified with Fields nor adorned vvith Meadowes but lieth alwayes open both to winde and stormes Yet hath it beene a Nursery to holy men for herein liued Calphâ—â—rnius a Britaine Priest whose wife was Concha sister to Saint Martin and both of them the parents of Saint Patricke the Apostle of Ireland Deus a most religious Bishop made this an Archiepiscopall See remoued from Isâ—a Legionum This the Britaines call Tuy Dewy the house of Deui we Saint Dauids a Citie with few Inhabitants yet hath it a faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to Saint Andrew and Dauid in the middest of whose Quire lieth intombed Edmund Earle of Richmond father to King Henry the seuenth whose Monument as the Prebends told me spared their Church from other defacements when all went downe vnder the hammers of King Henry the eight About this is a faire wall and the Bishops Palace all of free stone a goodly house I assure you and of great receit whose vncouered tops cause the curious workes in the walles daily to weepe and them to feare their downefall ere long 8 But Monton the Priorie and S. Dogmels places of deuout pietie erected in this Countie found not the like fauour when the commission of their dissolutions came downe against them and the axes of destruction cut downe the props of their walles RADNOR-SHIRE CHAPTER III. RADNOR-SHIRE lieth bordered vpon the North with the County Monmouth vpon the East toucheth Shropshire and Herefordshire the Riuers Clarwen and Wye diuide it from Breknock in the
Imaus in Schithia For all the yeare long these lye mantelled ouer with Snow hard crusted together though otherwise for their height they are open and liable both to the Sunne to dissolue them and the windes to ouer-sweepe them 5 The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Ordouices of whom we haue sufficiently spoken in the description of the former Prouinces neither need I insist either vpon the pleasures or profits that this Country yeeldeth by reason of the great affinity it hath both of Climate and Commodities with Denbigh-shire and Flint-shire before mentioned But this beyond the other in some places breeds certaine Shel-fishes which being conceiued by an heauenly dew bring forth Pearles in ancient times 〈…〉 of then now they are 6 Touching places of note that Citie is very ancient which the Emperour Antonine calleth Segontium taking name of a Riuer running by which at this day is called Seront some reliques of the walls whereof doe yet appeare neere vnto a little Church consecrated to the honour of Saint Publicius This Citie Ninius calleth Caer Custenith which some interpret the Citie of Constantine Indeed Mathew Westminster saith how true I know not that Anno 1283. here was found the body of Constantius Father to great Constantine which King Edward the first caused to be sumptuously bestowed in the Church of the new Citie which he raised out of the ruines of the old and is now called Caâ—â—naruon which giueth name to this whole Shire The Towne it selfe yeeldeth a most excellent prospect towards the Sea and is incompassed in a manner round with the wals of the Castle so as we may say it is a Citie within a Castle which taketh vp the whole West-side of it and great pitie it is that so famous a worke should not be perpetuous or euer become the ruine of time which is much feared for the mercilesse vnderminings of the Sea that with her daily and forcible irruptions neuer ceaseth to wash away the foundations of the Key The people of this Towne are well approued for courteâ—ie and also Ciuill gouernment which is administred by the Constable of the Castle who is euer Maior by Patent hauing the assistance of one Alderman two Bailiffes two Sergeants at Mace and one Towne-Clerke The Townesmen doe not a little glory that King Edward the second was borne there in a Tower of the Castle called Eagle-Tower and surnamed of Caer-nar-uon he being the first Prince of Wales of the English line The site of this Towne according to Mathematicall obseruation is in the degree of Longitude 15. and 50. scruples from the first West-point and the Pole eleuated in Latitude 53. and 50. Bangor the Bishops See though it be now but a small Towne yet it was in time past so large that for the greatnesse thereof it was called Banchor Vaur that is Great Banchor which Hugh Earle of Chester fortified with a Castle But it hath beene long since vtterly ruinated and laid leuell with the ground in so much as there is not any footing to be found or other monuments left thereof although they haue beene sought with all diligent enquiry This Bishops See hath within the Dioces ninetie six Parishes But the ancient Church which was consecrated vnto Daniel sometime Bishop thereof was defaced and set on fire by that notorious Rebell Owen Glendowerdwy who had a purpose also to destroy all the Cities of Wales for that they stood for the King of England And though the same Church was since repaired about the time of King Henry the seauenth yet hath it scarce recouered the resemblance of her former dignitie The Riuer Conwey which limitteth this Shire on the East-side is in Ptolemy by corruption or ignorance of Transcribers called Toisonius in stead of Cononius whence Canonium a Towne mentioned by Antonine tooke name and albeit both it and its name be now vtterly extinct yet is there a couert remembrance thereof in the new name of a poore Village standing among the rubbish thereof called Caer-hean that is The ancient Citie Out of the spoyle whereof King Edward the first built a new Towne at the Riuers mouth termed thereupon Aber-Conwey that is the mouth of Conwey which being formerly fortified by Hugh of Chester and strongly situate and fenced both with wals a faire Castle by the Riuers side deserues rather the name of a Citie then a Towne if it were more populous and traffiqued with Inhabitants Neither must I here forget Newin though but a small Market-Towne for that it pleased the English Nobles Anno 1284 to honour it and the memory of King Arthur with triumphant celebritie after they had subdued the rebellious Ring-leaders of Wales 7 Other matters of memorable note this Country affordeth not much vnlesse perhaps this That iust ouer against the Riuer Conwey where it iflueth into the Sea there sometimes stood an ancient Citie named Diganwey which many yeares agoe was consumed by lightning and so made vtterly desolate as many other monuments haue beene of ancient and worthy memory As likewise that in the Poole Lin-Peris there is a kinde of Fish called there Torcoâ—h hauing a red belly no where else seene For touching these two other miracles famoused by Giraldus and Geruasius that on those his high hils there are two Pooles called the Meares the one of which produceth great store of fish but all hauing onely one eye and in the other there is a moueable Iland which as soone as a man treadeth on it forthwith floateth a great way off whereby the Welsh are said to haue often scaped and deluded their enemies assailing them these matters are out of my Creed and yet I thinke the Reader had rather beleeue them then to goe to see whether it be so or no. SCOTLANDS GENERALL DESCRIPTION CHAPTER I. SCOTLAND the second Kingdome of Great Britaine and the North part of the Iland hath on the East the Germane Ocean on the North the Orkneys and Deucalidon Sea the West affronted with Ireland and the South hath the Riuer Tweed the Cheuiot Hils and the adiacent Tract reaching to the Sulway Sands whereby it is separated from England 2 This Kingdome is faire and spacious and from these South-borders spreadeth it selfe wide into the East and West till againe it contracts it selfe narrower vnto the Northerne Promontories furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdome both for Ayre and Soyle Riuers Woods Mountaines Fish Fowle and Cattle and Corne so plenteous that it supplyeth therewith other Countryes in their want The people thereof are of good feature strong of body and of couragious minde and in warres so venturous that scarce any seruice of note hath beene performed but that they were with the first and last in the field Their Nobilitie and Gentry are very studious of learning and all ciuill knowledge for which end they not onely frequent the three Vniuersities of their owne Kingdome S. Andrewes Glasco and Edenbrough the Nurseries of Pietie and Mansions of the sacred Muses but also much
35. minutes and for Longitude from the first West point 15. 13. minutes as Mercator hath measured them 9 Memorable matters both for antiquitie and strangenesse of sight are these At Boskeâ—â—â— vpon the South-west of her Promontorie is a Trophy erected which are eighteene Stones placed round in compasse and pitched twelue foot each from others with another farre bigger in the very center These doe shew some Victory there attained either by the Romans or els King Athelstane At the foot of the Rockes neere vnto S. Michaels Mount in the memory of our fathers were digged vp Speare-heads Axes and Swords of Brasse wrapped in linnen the weapons that the Cimbrians and ancient Britaines anciently vsed At Camelford likewise peices of Armours both for horse and man are many times found in digging of the ground imputed to be the signes of that fight wherein Mordred was slaine and wherein great Arthur receiued his deaths wound And at Casâ—le-Dennys are the Trenches wherein the Danes lodged when they first minded to subdue the Land In the Parish S Clare two stones are pitched one of them inscribed with a strange Character and the other called the other halfe stone The Hurlers also fabuled to be men metamorphosed into stones but in truth shew a note of some Victory or else are so set for Land-markes Bounders There also the Wring-cheese doth shew it selfe which are huge Rockes heaped one vpon another and the lowest of them the least fashioned like a Cheese lying pressed vnder the rest of those Hils which seemeth very dangerous to be passed vnder 〈◊〉 neere to Pensans and vnto Mounts-bay a faâ—â—e more strange Rocke standeth namely Main Amber which lyeth mounted vpon others of meaner size with so equall a counterpoize that a man may moue it with the push of his finger but no strength remoue it out of his place 10 Religious houses built and suppressed within the limits of Cornwall the fairest and greatest for account were Launston S. Neotes S. Buriens S. Michaels Mount and S. Germans a Bishopâ— See so was Bodman also from whence King Edward the Confessor remoued it vnto the Citie of Encester SVMMERSET-SHIRE CHAPTER XI SVVMMERSET-SHIRE is both a rich and spacious Countrey hauing the Seuerne Sea beating vpon it on the North-side the South part bordering vpon Deuon and Dorset shires the West confined with Deuon-shire and the East and North-East vpon Wiltshire and Gloucester-shire It tooke the name of Sommerton sometime the chiefe Towne of this Shire whence in the ancient Historian Asserius this Countie is called Sommertunensis that is Sommertun-shire 2 The forme thereof is large bearing it selfe still wider as it stretcheth into the middle part thereof and containes in length from Brackley neere vnto Frome-Selwood Eastward to Oure in the West Miles 55. In breadth from Porshut point in the North to Chard Southward is somewhat aboue fortie miles The whole circumference is about 204. miles 3 The ayre is milde and pleasing and for the most part subiect to such temperate dispositions as the Sommer-season affordeth whence some haue erroniously conceited that the Region borrowed her name from the nature of her Clime yet how delightefull so euer it is in the time of Sommer with change of the season it may well change her pleasing name and borrow some Winterly denomination so full of wet so myrie and moorish it is in so much as the Inhabitants can hardly trauell to and fro without their great encumbrance 4 Howbeit they passe ouer this with all patience knowing their ensuing seasonable profits farre to exceede any present detriments and displeasures for as it is foule so it is fruitfull which makes them comfort themselues with this Prouerbe that What is worst for the Rider is best for the Abider the Soyle and Globe thereof being very fertile and euery side garnished with Pastures and delightfull Meadowes and beautified with Mannor houses both many and fayre and in a word hath euery thing in it to content the purse the heart the eye at home and sufficient Ports to giue entertainment to commodities from abroad 5 The ancient Inhabitants that possessed this Prouince were the Belgae who spread themselues farre and wide as well here as in Wiltshire and the inner parts of Hamshire who being branched from the Germans conferred the names of those places from whence they came vpon these their seats where they resided 6 The generall profits of this Prouince are Corne and Cattle wherewith it is so plentifully stored as it may challenge any neighbouring Country for the quantitie to make shew of Cattle so fat or Graine so rich Some places are peculiarly enriched by Lead-mines as Mindiphiis perchance so called of the deepe Mynes by Leiland aptly tearmed Minerarij Minerall-hils which yeeld plenty of Lead the most Merchantable Commoditie that is in England and vented into all parts of the world Some are beautified with Diamons as S Vincent Rocke whereof there is great plentie and so bright of colour as they might equalize Indian Diamonds if they had their hardnesse yet being so many and so common they are lesse sought after or commended 7 This Country is famoused by three Cities Bath Wels and Bristow The first takes name of the hot Bathes which Antonine called Aqua Solis The waters of of the Sunne Stephanus Badiza we at this day Bathe and the Latinists Bathonia a place of continuall concourse for persons of all degrees and almost of all diseases whence it was sometimes called Akâ—man cester who by diuine prouidence doe very often finde reliefe there the Springs thereof by reason of their Minerall and sulphurous passage being of such exceeding power and medicinable heat as that they cure and conquer the rebellious stubbornnesse of corrupt humors in respect of which admirable vertues some haue fabled that they were first conuayed by Magicke Art To testifie the antiquitie of this place mâ—ny Images and Romane Inscriptions are found in the walles which can now be hardly read they are so worne and eaten into by age Wels as Leiland reporteth was sometimes called Theodorodunum but from whence it had that denomination he makes no mention The name it now beareth is taken as some thinke from the Riuer there which King Kinewulph in his Charter An 766. calleth Welwe or as others from the Welâ— or Springs which there breake forth and whereupon that See vnder whose Iurisdiction is also the Citie of Bath hath beene anciently called Pontanensis Ecclesiâ— the Fountaine-Church where the Cathedrall built by King Inas to the memory of S. Andrew is very beautifull and richly endowed The Citie is likewise well replenished both with Inhabitants and seemly buildings Whose gouernment is managed by a Major yearely elected a Recorder and seuen Maisters hauing the assistance of sixteene Burgesses a Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants at Mace Whose Latitude is 51. 20. minutes and Longitude 17. 31. minutes Bristow is not so ancient as it is faire and well seated The beautie of it being such as for the bignesse
and therein detained the space of nineteene yeares 8 Things of stranger note are the hot Water-springs bursting forth of the ground at Buxton where out of the Rocke within the compasse of eight yards nine springs arise eight of them warme but the ninth very cold These run from vnder a faire square building of free-stones and about three-score paces off receiue another hot spring from a Well inclosed with foure flat stones called Saint Annes neere vnto which another very cold spring bubled vp The report goeth among the by-dwellers that great cures by these waters haue beene done but daily experience sheweth that they are good for the stomacke and sinewes and very pleasant to bathe the body in Not farre thence is Elden hole whereof strange things haue beene told and this is confidently affirmed the waters that trickle from the top of that Caue which indeed is very spacious but of a low and narrow entrance doe congeale into stone and hang as ickles in the roofe Some of them were shewed at my being there which like vnto such as the frost congealeth were hollow within and grew Taper-wise towards their points very white and somewhat Crystall-like And seauen miles thence vpon a mounted hill standeth a Castle vnder which there is a hole or Caue in the ground of a marueilous capacitie which is commonly called The Deuils Arse in the Peake whereof Geruase of Tilbury hath told many pretie tales and others doe make it one of the wonders of our Land 9 As in other Counties the deuotions of the religious haue beene made apparent in the erection of places for Gods peculiar seruice so in this haue beene founded eight of that nature which were Dale Detelege Darby Repâ—on Bechif Graiâ—sley Fauerwell and Pollewerke whose peace and plentie stood secure from all danger till the blustering windes arising in the Raigne of King Henry the eight blew off the pinacles of their beauteous buildings and shooke asunder the reuenewes of those Foundations which neuer are like againe to be laid STAFFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIIII STAFFORD-SHIRE whose situation is much about the middle of England meeteth vpon the North with Chesse-shire and Darby and that in a Triangle point where three stones are pitched for the bounds of these Shires it is parted from Darby shire on the East with Dowe and with Trent the South is confined with Warwicke and Worcester-shires and the West butteth against the Countie of Shrop-shire The forme thereof is somewhat Lozeng-like that is sharpe at both ends and broadest in the midst The length extending from North to South is by measure fortie foure miles and the bredth from East to West twenty seauen miles the whole in circumference one hundred and fortie miles 3 The ayre is good and very healthfull though ouer-sharpe in her North and Moreland where the snow lyeth long and the winde bloweth cold 4 The Soile in that part is barren of Corne because her hilles and Mores are no friends vnto Tillage the middle is more leuell but therewithall wooddie as well witnesseth that great one called the Cank But the South is most plenteous in Corne and Pasturage 5 Her ancient Inhabitants were the CORNAVII whom Ptolemie placeth in the Tract that containeth Shrop-shire Worcester-shire Chesse-shire and this all which were possessed by the Mercian-Saxons when their Heptarchy flourished And Tameworth in this Shire was then held their Kings Court The Danes after them often aflayed herein to haue seated as witnesseth Ternall then Thâ—â—tenhall by interpretation The habitation of Pagans â—â—brued with their bloud by King Edward the elder But the Inhabitants of this Prouince Beda tearmes The midland Englishmen because to his seeming it lay in the heart of the Land which when the Normans had made Conquest of all many of them set downe their rest here whose posteritie at this day are fairely and further branched into other parts 6 The Commodities of this Countie consist chiefly in Corne Cattle Alablaster Woods and Iron if the one proue not the destruction of the other Pit-coale Flesh and Fish whereof the Riuer Trent is said to swarme and others arising and running thorow this Shire doe so batten the ground that the Meadowes euen in the midst of Winter grow greene such are Dowe Manifold Churnot Hunsye Yenden Tean Elith Trent Tyne and Sowe whereof Trent is not onely the principall but in esteeme accounted the third of this Land 7 Stafford the Snire-Towne anciently Betheney from Bertelin a reputed holy man that therein lead an Hermits life was built by King Edward the elder incorporated by King Iohn and vpon the East and South parts was walled and trenched by the Barons of the place the rest from East to North was secured by a large Poole of water which now is become faire Meadow grounds The tract and circuit of these welles extended to twelue hundred and fortie pases thorow which foure Gates into the foure winds haue passage the Riuer Sowe running on the South and West of the Towne King Edward the sixt did incorporate the Burgesses and gaue them a perpetuall succession whose gouernment is vnder two Bailiffes yearely elected out of one and twentie Assistants called the Common Counsell a Recorder whereof the Dukes of Buckingham haue borne the Office and as yet is kept a Court of Record wherein they hold Plea without limitation of summe a Towne-Clerke also from whose Pen I receiued these Instructions and to attend them two Sergeants at Mace This Towne is sited in the degree of Latitude 53. 20. scruples and of Longitude 18. and 40. scruples 8 But Leichfield more large and of farre greater same is much her ancient knowne vnto Beda by the name of Licidfeld which Rosse doth interpret to be The field of deadbodies for the number of Saints vnder the rage of Dioclesiaâ— there slaine vpon which cause the Citie beareth for her Armes an Eschocheon of Landskip with diuers Martyrs in diuers manner massacred Here Oswin King of Northumberland ouer-comming the Pagan-Mercians built a Church and made it the See of Duina the Bishop whose successors growne rich with golden reasons so ouercame King Offa and the Adrian the Pope that an Archiepiscopall Pale was granted Bishop Eadulph to the great disgrace of Lambert Arch-bishop of Canterbury In this Church were interred the bodies of Wulshere and Celred both of them Kings of the Mercians But when the mindes of men were set altogether vpon gorgeous building this old foundation was new reared by Roger Clinton Bishop of this See and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Chad and the Close inwalled by Bishop Langton The gouernment of this Citie is by two Bailiffes and one Sheriffe yearely chosen out of twentie-foure Burgesses a Recorder a Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants their Attendants 9 Houses of Religion erected in this Shire were at Leichfield Stafford De la Crosse Cruâ—den Trentham Burton Tamworth and Woluer-hamptâ—n These Votaries abusing their Founders true pieties and heaping vp riches with disdaine of the Laitie laid themselues open
reaching aboue an hundred miles in length 4 Siluester Giraldus makes the Riuer Wye to be the Meare betweene England and Wales on the South part called South-Wales whence he ascribeth the breadth of Wales vnto Saint Dauids in Meneuia to be an hundred miles and the length from Caerleon vpon Vske in Gwentland to Holly head in Anglesey an hundred miles he might haue said thirtie more 5 About the yeare of Christ 870. our Alfred raigning in England Rodericus Magnus King of Wales did diuide it into three Talaiths Regions or Territories which were called Kingdomes This Rodericus Magnâ—â— gaue Venedotia Gwineth or North-Wales to Anarawd his eldest sonne to Cadeth his second sonne Demetia Deheubarth or South-Wales and to Meruin his third sonne Powys 6 North-Wales had vpon the North side the Irish Sea from the Riuer Dee at Bassingwerke to Aberdyni vpon the West and South-West the Riuer Dyni which diuideth it from South-Wales and in some places from Powysland And on the South and East it is diuided from Powys sometimes with high hils and sometimes with Riuers till it come againe to the Riuer Dee It is generally full of high mountaines craggie rockes great woods and deepe vallies many straight dangerous places deepe and swift Riuers 7 This Land was of old time diuided into foure parts Môn Aruon Meryonyth and y Beruedâ—wlan or the middle Country and each of these were againe diuided into seuerall Cantrenes and they subdiuided into their Cymeden or Commots wherein we follow that diuision which was in the time of Llewylyn ap Gruffin last Prince of Wales according to a Copie imparted to me by a worshipfull friend and learned Antiquarie as seeming farre more exact then that of Doctor Powels 8 Anglesey the chiefest is separated from the maine Land with the Riuer 〈◊〉 wherein at Aberfraw was the Princes Court now a meane village In this Iland is a faire Towne called Beaumarish and a common passage to Ireland at Caergyâ—i in English Holly-head 9 Aruon the second part of North-Wales is now called Carnaruonshire the strongest Country within that Principalitie giuing place to none for fertilitie of the ground of for plentie of Wood-Castle Fish and Fowle c. Here are the Townes of Caâ—â—naruon in old time called Caer-Segonâ— and Bangor the Bishops See with diuers other ancient Castles and places of memory This portion hath on the North the Sea and Moenaâ— vpon the East and South-east the Riuer 〈◊〉 which diuideth it from Denbigh-shire and on the South-west is separated from Merioneth by Riuers Mountaines and Meares 10 Merioneth was the third part of Gwyneth and keepeth the name till this day is full of hilles and much noted for the resort of people that repaire thither to take Hertings Vpon the North it hath Aruon and Denbigh-land vpon the South Caerdigan-shire and vpon the East Montgomery-shire heretofore part of Powys In this Countie standeth the Towne of Harleth and a great Lake called Ilyn Tegyd This Country is likewise full of Cattle Fowle and Fish and hath in it great store of redde Deere and Roes but there is much scarcitie of Corne. 11 Y Beruedhwlad was the fourth part of Gwyneth and may be called in English The middle Country is inclosed with hilles on the East West and South-parts and with the Sea Northward It is plentifull of Cattle Fish and Fowle as also of Corne and is diuided in the middest with the Riuer Clwyd to which run a number of other Riuers from the hilles In this part is Dyffryn Clwyd the fairest Valley within Wales containing eighteene miles in length and seauen in breadth In which is the Towne and Castle of Ruthlan neere vnto the Sea and not farre thence S. Assaph an Episcopall seat betweene the Riuers Clwyd and Elwy Herein stands the faire Towne and goodly Castle of Denbigh situated vpon a Rocke the greatest Market-Towne of North-Wales and from thence is seene the Towne and Castle of Ruthyn faire for prospect and fruitfull for site This part of North-Wales hath the Sea vpon the North d ee toward the East Aruon the Riuer Conwey and Merionyth vpon the West and the Country then called Powys vpon the South And these were the Meares and bounds of the foure parts of Venedotia Gwyneth or North-Wales 12 The second Talaith or Kingdome was Mathraual or Powys To this belonged the Country of Powys and the Land betweene Wye and Seuerne It had South-Wales vpon the South and West with the Riuers Wye and Tywy and other Meares vpon the North Gwyneth and vpon the East the Marches of England from Chester to Wye a little aboue Hereford This part was diuided into Powis Vadoc Powis betweene Wye and Seuerne and Powis Wenwynwyn In Powis Vadoc is the Castle of Holt in Bromefeild and the Castle of Chirke in Chirkeland the Castle likewise of Whittington and Lordship of Oswestrie with others 13 The second part of Powis or the Territory belonging to Mathraual is Powis betweene Wye and Seuerne or Gwy and Hauren whereof some is at this day in Montgomery-shire some in Radnor-shire and some in Brecknock-shire and among sundry other hath these Townes and Castles following Montgomery The Castle of Clyn The Towne of Knighton The Castle of Cymaron Presteyn The Towne and Castle of Radnor called in Welsh Maesyuet which is at this day the Shire-Towne The Towne of Kinton and the Castle of Huntingdon 14 The third part belonging to Mathranal chiefe seat of Powys after the Welsh were driuen from Pengwern or Shrewsburie was Powys Wenwynwyn a Country full of Woods Hilles and Riuers hauing in it among others the Townes of Welsh-Poole Newtowne Machinhaeth Arustly was anciently in this part but afterward it came to the Princes of Gwyneth This may suffice for the description of that which in old time was called Gwyneth and Powys 15 It now remaineth that we describe the last kingdome of Wales called Demetia Deheubarth or the Talaith of Dineuowr which although it was the greatest yet was it not the best because it was much molested with Flemings and Normans and for that also diuers parts thereof would not obey their Prince as in Gwent and in Morganwâ— 16 This was diuided into sixe parts of which Caerdigan was the first and is a Champion Countrey without much Wood. It hath Merionyth-shire on the North part of Powys vpon the East Carmarden-shire and Pembroke-shire with the Riuer Tiuâ— vpon the South and vpon the West the Irish Sea In this part is the Towne of Caerdigan vpon Tiuâ— not farre from the Sea as also the Towne of Aberstwyth vpon the Riuer Istwyth and Lhanbadarneuowr which in times past was a great Sanctuary there were also many Castles as of Stratneyrie of Walter of Lhanrysted of Dyuerâ—h and of Aber Roydell c. 17 The second part was called Dyuet and at this day Penbroke-shire It hath vpon the North and West the Irish Sea vpon the East Carmarden-shire and vpon the South Seuerne There are in it sundry Townes and Hauens among others these
South and the West part doth shorten point-wise into Caerdigan-shire 2 The forme thereof is in proportion triangle euery side almost containing a like distance for from West to North are twentie miles from North to South twenty two miles and from South to West are twentie foure miles the whole in circumference extending to fourescore and ten miles 3 The Aire thereof is sharpe and cold as most of Wales is for that the snow lyeth and lasteth long vnmelted vnder those shadowing high Hils and ouer-hanging Rockes 4 The Soile is hungry though not barren and that in the East and South the best the other parts are rough and churlish and hardly bettered by painfull labour so that the riches of the North and West consisteth chiefly in the brood of Cattell 5 Anciently this County was possessed by the Silures a 〈◊〉 people and great withstanders of the Romans impositions who had not onely them to fight against 〈◊〉 withall the vnaccessible Mountaines wherewith this Shire is so ouerpressed and burdened 〈◊〉 many times I feared to looke downe from the hanging Rockes whereunder I passed into those deepâ— and darke dales seeming to me an entrance into Limbo Among these as say our Historians that hatefull Prince to God and Man Vortiger his Countries scourge and last Mâ—narke of the British bloud by fire from Heauen was consumed with his incestuous wife for whom 〈◊〉 nameth the Country where 〈◊〉 Castle stood Guartiger-Maur of whose rubbish the Castle Guthremion was raised as some are of opinion Yet they of North-Wales will haue his destruction and Castel to stand in their parts â—eere vnto Beth-Kelleck whereof we will further speake in the relation of his life Fatall was this place also to Llewellin the last Prince of the British Race who being betrayed by the men of Duelth fled into those vast Mountaines of Radnor where by Adam Francton he was slaine and his head crowned with Iuy set vpon the Tower of London Places most worthy of note in this Shire are as ensueth The first is Radnor from whom the County receiueth her Name anciently Magi where the Commander of the Pacensian Regiment lay and thought to be the Magnos in Antonine the emperours Suruey This Towne is pleasantly seated vnder a hill whereon standeth mounted a large strong Castle from whose Bulwarke a Trench is drawne along the West of the Towne whereon a wall of stone was once raised as by the remaines in many places appeareth This Trench doth likewise inuerge her West side so farre as the Riuer but after is no more seene whose Graduation is obserued to haue the Pole eleuated for Latitude 52. degrees and 45 minutes and for Lâ—ngitude from the first point of the West set by Mercator 17. degrees and one minute Presiayn for beautious building is the best in this Shire a Towne of Commerce wonderfully frequented and that very lately Next is Knighton a Market-Towne likewise vnder which is seene the Clawdh-Offa or 〈…〉 whose tract for a spaâ—e I 〈…〉 along the edge of the Mountaine which was a bound 〈…〉 the Welsh from the English by the Mercian King Offa and by Egbert the Monarke a Law 〈◊〉 by the instigation of his Wife that it should be present death for the Welsh to passe ouer the same as Iohn Beuer the Monke of Westminster reporteth and the like vnder Harald as Ioha of Salisbury writeth wherein it was ordained that what Welsh-man soeuer should be found with any weapon on this side of that Limit which was Offaes Ditch should haue his right hand cut off by the Kings Officers The fourth place for account is Raihader Gowy who besides the great fall of Wye with a continuall noise hath her Markets there kept vpon the Sabbath which I there obserued and here note for an offence 7 Many Riuers arise and run thorow this Shire which were it not that the hils so cluster together might make the soyle both fertile and fat Such are Teme Lug Ithon Clowdok Dulas Comarton Somegill Guithel Arro Machaway Edway Hawye Eland Clarwen and Wye besides other Loughs that stand betwixt the hilles This Shire is diuided into sixe Hundreds wherein are seated three Forrests foure Market-Townes sixe Castles and fiftie two Parish-Chrches BREKNOCK-SHIRE CHAPTER IIII. BREKNOCK-SHIRE in the British language Brechineau so called as the Welshmen relate of a Prince named Brechanius the father of an holy off-spring whose twentie foure daughters were all of them Saints is a County neither very large not greatly to be praysed or disliked of whose bounds vpon the North is parted from Radnor with the Riuers Clarwen and Wye the West lieth butted vpon by Cardigan and Caermarden-shires the South is confined by Glamorgan and the East with Monmouth and Radnor-shire is wholly bound 2 The length of this Shire from North to South betwixt Llanuthâ— and Istradgunies are twentie eight English miles and her bredth from East to West extended betwixt Fentrisso and Eâ—ywell are twentie miles the whole in circumference about one hundred and two miles This County is full of hils and vneuen for trauell which on the South part mount in such height that as Giraldus hath written They make the aire much colder and defend the Country from the excessiue heat of the Sunne whereby acertaine naturall whole 〈◊〉 of aire maketh it most temperate and on the East side the Mountaines of Edgar and Ewias doe as â— were fore-fence the same Among which there arise and run so many fruite springs that their vallies are thereby made most fertile yeelding in plentie both Corne and Grasse 4 The ancient Inhabitants and possessors of this Shire with the rest in this South Tract were the Silures much spoken of and grâ—at opposites to the Romanes whose Countries were first made subiect by Iulius Froutinus who besiâ—â—s the valour of the enemy had to struggle with the Mountaines and Straits as Tacitus tels vs neither any more hard we may well say then them of this Shire whereof one in the South and three miles from Breknock is of such height and operation as is vncredible and were it not that I haue witnesse to affirme what I shall speake I should blush to let the report thereof passe from my pen In my perambulations in these parts remaining in Breknock to obserue the site of that Towne the Aldermen or chiefe Seniors thereof regarding my paines with friendly and courteous entertainments at my departure no lesse then eight of them that had beene Bailiffes of the Towne came to visit me where they reported vpon their credit and trials that from the top of that hill in the Welsh called Mounch-denny or Cadier Arthur they had oftentimes cast from them and downe the North-East Rocke their Cloakes Hats and Staues which notwithstanding would neuer fall but were with the aire and winde still returned backe and blowne vp neither said they will any thing descend from that Cliffe being so cast vnlesse it be stone or some metalline substance affirming the cause to be the Clouds
it gaue vnto the third It was founded by Henry the second finished by Edward the first and long after gaue harbour and entertainment to that noble but vnfortunate Prince Richard the second comming out of Ireland being within her walles a free and absolute King but no sooner without but taken prisoner by Henry Bullingbrooke Duke of Lancaster losing at that time his libertie and not long after his life This standeth in the graduation of Latitude 53. 55. minutes in Longitude 17. For the Castle of Hawarden no record remaines of the first founder but that it was held a long time by the Stewards of the Earles of Chester Howbeit their resistances did not so generally consist in the strength of their Castles and Fortifications as in their Mountaines and Hils which in times of danger serued as naturall Bulwarkes and Defences vnto them against the force of enemies As was that which standeth in a certaine strait set about with woods neere vnto the Riuer Alen called Coles-hull that is Coles-hill where the English by reason of their disordered multitude not ranged close in good array lost the field and were defeated when King Henry the second had made as great preparation as might be to giue battle vnto the Welsh and the very Kings Standard was forsaken by Henry of Essex who was Standard-bearer to the Kings of England in right of inheritance 8 This Country hath many shallow riuers in it but none of fame and note but d ee and Cluyde Howbeit there is a Spring not farre from Rudland Castle of great report and antiquitie which is termed Fons Sacer in English Holy-Well and is also commonly called S. Winefrids Well of whom antiquitie thus reporteth That Winefrid a Christian Virgin very faire and vertuous was doated vpon by a young lustfull Prince or Lord of the Country who not long able to rule his head-strong affections hauing many times in vaine attempted and tryed her chastitie both by rich gifts and large promises could not by any meanes obtaine his desires he therefore in a place of aduantage suddenly surprized and rauished her weake yet resisting body After the deed done the cruell Tyrant to stop her cries and acclamations slew her and cut off her head out of which place did suddenly arise a Spring that continueth to this day carrying from the Fountaine such a forcible streame and current as the like is not found in Christendome Ouer the head of the Spring there is built a Chappell of free stone with Pillars curiously wrought and engraued in the Chancell whereof and glasse window the picture of the Virgin is drawne together with the memoriall of her life and death To this Fountaine Pilgrims are accustomed to repaire in their zealous but blind deuotion and diuers others resort to bathe in holding firmely that the water is of much vertue There be many red stones in the bottome of this Well and much greene mosse growing vpon the sides the superstition of the people holding that those red spots in the stones were drops of the Ladies bloud which all the water in the Spring can neuer wash away and that the mosse about the wall was her haire which though some of it be giuen to euery stranger that comes yet it neuer wasteth But howsoeuer this be carried for truth by the tradition of time the mosse it selfe smels exceeding sweet There is also hard by Kilken a small village within this Countie a little Well of no great note that at certaine times riseth and falleth after the manner of Sea-tydes 9 In the South part of this Country diuided from the rest is a place in some written Coppies of Antonine called Bouium which we now terme Banchor first a Citie and afterwards a Monastery of famous memory and the first that is read of in the world wherein as Beda saith were a great number of Monkes and them diuided into seauen Companies euery one hauing his seuerall Ruler assigned None of these Companies had lesse then three hundred persons deuoted to prayer and to get liuing by their owne labour for themselues and the poore although it hath long since beene vtterly ruinate so as now there is scarce seene the face and outward shew of a dead Citie or Monastery It hath onely the names of two Gates remaining one standing a mile distant from another and betwixt which the Riuer Dee now runneth where are often times found many pieces of Romane Coyne and other tokens of antiquitie But of these shall be more mention made in the following History Another like Monastry but of lesser account stood in the Vale beneath Varis a little Citie placed the Romans in the confines of this Shire and Deabigh-shire and vpon the Ranke of Elwy and Cluyd This the Britaines call 〈◊〉 of the Riuer the Englishmen Asuph of the Founder and the Historiographers Asphensis It is more famouse for antiquitie then for building o◠brauery for about the yeare 560 Kentigein Bishop of Glas◠being fled 〈◊〉 out of Scotland placed here a Bishops See and erected a Monastry gathering together 66◠in a religious brotherhood whereof 300. that were vnlearned gaue themselues to husbandrie and to worke within the Monastery the rest to prayer and meditations When he returned into Scotland he ordained Asaph a godly and vpright man to be gouernous ouer this Monastery of whom it tooke the name and is called Saint Asaphs Another Monastry of great account was at Basingwarke in this County neere vnto which began that admirable Ditch drawne thence vnto the mouth of 〈◊〉 by King Offa the Tract whereof I haue expressed thorow this Shire and will further speake thereof in the following History ANGLESEY CHAPTER XIII ANGLESEY was in the time of the Romans called Mona by the Britaines Mon and Tir-Mon that is the Land of Mon of the ancient English-Saxons Moneg And at last after the Englishmen had by their sharpe and seuerall assaults brought it vnder their rules and became Lords thereof it was termed Anglesey as one would say The Englishmens Iland 2 For an Iland it is albeit it be seuered from the Continent of Britaine but with a small and narrow streight of the riuer Menai and on all other parts beaten vpon with the surging and troublous Irish Sea in which it lyeth somewhat square-wise not much different in length and breadth being where it reacheth out in length from Beau-marish Eastward to the vtmost Promontory West-ward which we call Holy-head twentie miles and in breadth from Llanbaderik North-ward to the point of Menai South-ward seauenteene miles the whole circuit or circumference amounting towards seauentie miles 3 The aire is reasonable gratefull and healthfull and not generally subiect to diseases excepting certaine Agues at some times which are occasioned by the sogs and misty exhalations which arise from the Sea called Mare Virginium with the which this Ile is encompassed 4 The Commodities that commend or rather beautifie this Country are in Corne and Cattle wherewith it not onely enricheth it selfe exceedingly
addict themselues to trauell into forraine Countries 4 Yet in the meane while lest I should seeme too difectiue in my intendments let me without offence in this third though short Booke giue onely a generall view of that Kingdome vpon obseruations from others which to accomplish by mine owne suruey if others should hap to faile and my crazy-aged-body will giue leaue is my chiefe desire knowing the Iland furnished with many worthy remembrances appertaining both vnto them and vs whom God now hath set vnder one Crowne and the rather for that their more Southerne people are from the same Originall with vs the English being both alike the Saxon branches as also that the Picts anciently inhabiting part of that Kingdome were the inborne Britaines and such as thither fled to auoid the Romane seruitude whose names began first to be distinguished vnder Dioclesian the Emperour when they were termed Picts for painting their bodies like the Britaines as such Flauius Vigetius which is more strengthened for that the Northerne Britaines conuerted by Saint Columb are called Britaine Picts 6 Their manner were alike saith Diodorus Siculus and Strabo and their garments not much different as by Sidonius Apollinaris may be gathered where he seemeth rather to describe the moderne Wild-Irish then the antike Gete Notwithstanding this Nations Originall by some hath beene deriued from Scota the supposed Daughter of the Egyptian King Pharoah that nourished Moses afterwards married vnto Gaithelus the son of Cecrops Founder of Athens who first seating in Spaine passed thence into Ireland and lastly into Scotland where his Wife Scota gaue Name to the Nation if we beleeue that they hit the marke who shoot at the Moone 7 But that the Scythians came into Spaine besides the Promontory bearing their Name Scythiâ—um Silius Italicus a Spanyard borne doth shew who bringeth the Concani a Nation therein seated from the Massagetae which were the Scythians and the Sarmatae whom all confesse to haue bin Scythians were the builders as he saith of the Citie Susanna in Spaine And how from Spaine they possessed themselues of Ireland at the time when the Kingdome of Iulah flourished Ninius the Disciple of Eluodugus doth tell and their owne Histories of Nemethus and Delas besides Cisnerus and others doe shew who were first knowne by the name of Scots as is gathered out of Prophyry alledged by S. Ierome in the raigne of Aurelianus the Emperour Gildas calleth them the Irish-Spoilers Giraldus A Scotish Nation descended from Ireland which in regard of them by Eginbardus is termed The I le of Scots by Beda The I le inhabited by the Scots and by other Historians Scotland the great as their seate in Britaine was called Scotland the lesse 9 Scotlands South part in Galloway washed with the warer of Solway Bay toucheth degree 56. of Latitude and thence inbosoming many Loughes and In-lets vpon the East and West extendeth it selfe vnto the degree 60 and 30 minutes whose Longitude is likewise laid betwixt the degree 13 and 19 and the same growne very narrow being so neere the North-Pole as lying directly vnder the hindermost Starres of the Greater Beare 11 And these againe are subdiuided into Sherifdomes Stewardships and â—â—â—wickes for the most part inheritory vnto honourable Families The Ecclesiasticall Gouernment is also subiect vnder two Metropolitan Arch-bishops which are of S. Andrewes the Primate of Scotland and of Glasco whose Iurisdictions are as followeth S. Andrewes Dunkeld Aberdon Murray Dunblan Brechin Rosse Cathanes Orkeney Glasco Galloway Argile Iles. Amongst the things worthy of note of Antiquitie in this Kingdome most memorable was that Fortification drawne from Abercorne vpon the Frith of Edenborough vnto Aleluya how Dunbritton opening vpon the West Sea where Iulius Agricola set the limit of the Romane Empire past which saith Tacitus there was no other bounds of Britaine to be sought for and that here the second Legion Augusta and the 20. Legion Victrix built a part of the Wall certaine Inscriptions there digged vp and reserued at Dunloyr and Cader doe witnesse as also an ancient coped monument of an high and round compasse which as some thinke was a Temple consecrated vnto the God Terâ—â—â— others a Trophey raised by Carausius who fortified this Wall with seauen Castles as Ninius doth declare 13 Ninian a Britaine is recorded to haue conuerted the South-Ficts vnto the Faith of Christ in the raigne of Theodosius the younger and the Church in Galloway bearing his name doth witnes it so likewise in the same age Palladius sent from Pope Coelestine became an Apostle vnto the Scots whose reliques lay enshrined at Fordoâ— in Mernis as was verily supposed but that Christianitie had beene formerly planted in this vttermost Prouince is testified by Tertuilian in saying the Britaines had embraced the faith farther then the Romans had power to follow or persecute them whereupon Peter Monke of 〈◊〉 Spaine concludeth their conuersion to be more ancient then the Southerne Britaines 14 But touching things obseruable for the present surely admirable is the report of the plenty of Cattle Fish and Fowle there abiding their Neat but little yet many in number Fish so plentifull that men in some places for delight on horse-backe hunt Salmons with Speares and a certaine Fowle which some call Soland-Geese spreading so thicke in the ayre that they euen darken the Suns light of whose flesh feathers and oyle the Inhabitants in some parts make great vse and gaine yea and euen of fishes brought by them abundant prouision for diet as also of the stickes brought to make their nests plentifull prouision for fuell 16 No lesse strange then any the fore-mentioned waters but more lamentable is the remembrance of the great inâ—ndation happing by the sodaine rising of Tay. which bare away the Walles and Towne of Berth and with it the Cradle and yong sonne of King William into the Sea wherein the Royall Insant with many others perished the King and his Courtiers hardly escaping the danger with life The ruine of this Towne raised another more famous and more commodiously seated euen Perth since called Saint Iohns-Towne 17 Ilands and Ilets yeelding both beautie and subiection to this Scotish Kingdome are the Westerne the Orknayes and the Shetlands reckoned to be aboue three hundred in number the Inhabitants for the most part vsing the frugalitie of the ancient Scot. 18 The Westerne lying scattered in the Deucalidoman Sea were anciently ruled by a King of their owne whose maintenance was out of their common Coffers and the Regall Authoritie neuer continued in line all succession for to preuent that their Kings were not permitted to haue wiues of their owne but might by their Lawes accompany with other mens as the like Law was in the other parts of Scotland that the Virginitie of all new wiues should be the Landlords prey till King Malcolme enacted that halfe a marke should be paid for redemption The residence of those fore-mentioned Kings was chiefly in Ila Bunals and Iona now Columbkill where as Donald Munrâ—
who trauelled through these Ilands reporteth are three Tombes hauing the seuerall Inscriptions of the Kings of Scotland of Ireland and of Norway 19 Among these Westerne Ilands the Hebrides Skie Mula Ila and Arran are the greatest All of them plentifull of Corne Woods Salmons and Fâ—errings as others of Conies Deere Horses and Sheepe where in some they are wilde and in others without any owners but the people vnciuill and lacking Religion they rather liue rudely in state of necessitie then as Lords of these portions which God hath allotted them and with a sufferable ease ignorant of ambition enioy those contentments which some others though they no great summe doe more laboriously attaine vnto by the precepts of Philosopie for feeding themselues with competencie without any excesse they returne all the ouer-plus vnto their Lords as doe the Inhabitants of Hirta and Rona but alas Religion not knowne among them these penurious vertues are rather the curses of Cham then the followings of Christ who forbids vs to be too carefull for the morrow 20 The Iles of Orkenay vpon the North of Scotland lying in a most raging and tempestuous Sea are about three and thirtie in number whereof thirteene are inhabited and the other replenished with Cattle in these are no venomous Serpents nor other vgly vermin the aire sharpe and healthfull and the soile apt to beare onely Oats and Barley but not a sticke of wood among these Pomonia is the greatest accounted and called the Maine-land affording sixe Minerals of Lead and Tinne and in her chiefe Towne a Bishops See wherein are seated twelue Parish-Churches one of them very magnificent for so remote a Country 21 Of all the Romanes Iulius Agricola first discouered the Orkenays yea and subdued them if we will beleeue Tacitus but Pomponius Mela that wrote thirtie yeares before him doth mention them and Iuuenal in Hadrians time after him tels vs the Romanes had won them and lastly Claudian nameth Saxons that were slaine in them and so doth Ninius name Octha and Ebissus Saxon Commanders who in their rouing Pinnaces wasted the Orknays These Ilands Donald Bane the vsurper of the Scotish Crowne gaue to the King of Norway for his assistance and by the Norwegians were they held the space of an hundred and sixtie yeares vntill that Alexander the third King of Scotland with sword and composition got them from Magnus the fourth King of Norway which afterward King Haquin confirmed vnto King Robert Bruce but lastly Christian the first King of Norway and Denmarke vtterly renounced all his right to those Ilands when he gaue his daughter in marriage vnto King Iames the third which deed was further ratified by the Pope who openeth the way to the possession of Kingdomes with his owne key IRELAND DESCRIBED CHAPTER I. THe Traditions of time haue deliuered vnto vs diuers names whereby this famous Iland is recorded to haue beene called yet none of more faire probabilitie then that of Orpheus Aristotle and Claudian by whom it is named Ierna by Iuuenal and Mela called Iuuerna by Diodorus Siculus Iris by Martian of Heraclea Ioyepnia by Eustachius Oyernia and Bernia by the natiue Inhabitants Eryn by the Britaines Yuerdon the Welsh-Bards in their Ballads Tiruolas Totidanan and Banno and by the English Ireland But from whence these diuersities were deriued arise many opinions Doubtlesse it is that Hibernia Iuuerna and Ouernia came from Ierna spoken of by Oâ—pheus and Aristotle and the same Ierna as also Iris Iuerdhon and Ireland from Erin the terme that the Inhabitants now vse From this Erin therefore a word proper to the Nation the originall is most likely to be deduced 2 Some deriue Hiberâ—â—a from Hiberno tempore that is from the winter season some from Hiberus a Spaniard some from a Duke named Irnalph some againe from the ancient Riuer Iberus and 〈◊〉 from Hiere an Irish word which signifieth the west or a westerne coast whence Erin may also seeme to setch the deriuation for it lieth furthest Westward of any Region in all Europe As also for that the Riuer running in the most remote west-part of this Iland is in Ptolemy called Iernus like as the furthest Westerne Promontory in Spaine from whence our Irish men came is by Strabo called Ierne and the Riuer next vnto it by Mela Ierna yea and Spaine it selfe for the Westerne situation is called Hesperia the West-Cape of Africke Hesperium and in Germany Westrich and Westphaleâ— from their position haue their names Postelius a man that rather followed his owne fancy then the iudgement of others fetcheth the originall of Ireland from the Hebrewes as if Irin should be as much as Iurin that is the Iewes land which opinion I hold no better then those that would haue it from the Winter-like stormes although vpon euery winde the aire is cold there 3 Festus Auienus in that little booke which he entituled Ora maritima calleth Ireland Sacram Insulam that is the holy Iland to which opinion the people are soone drawne by reason of the many Saints that the Iland is said to produce and the blessed soile that affords no venomous creatures to retaine life It is thought that Plutarch meant Ireland by his Ogygia for her great antiquitie and of latter times by â—sidore and Bede it was called Scots of those Scots that inhabited it and that thence the name of Scotland together with the Scots themselues came into Britaine 4 For largenesse and circuit in times past this Iland challenged the third place in ranke of all the Iles of the then knowne world for thus haue Geographers left vs that the Indian Taprobaâ— for greatnesse was the first the I le of Britaine the next and this of Ireland the third and for that cause doth Ptolemy call it the little Britaine But how soeuer Strabo hath extended the bredth as broad as the length and others haue formed it in shape like an egge yet latter dimensions haue found it farre otherwise twice longer then broad and may be compared to the forelegge of a Beare if the Siâ—ile breed no offence Whose East-side hath on it that tempestuous Sea that cutteth her channell betwixt England and this Ireland the West is washed with the Westerne Ocean the North with the 〈◊〉 Caledonian and the South with the Vergiuian Sea 5 The aire of this Iland is delectable and wholesome though neither so cleere nor subâ—â—â— of England which as Mela saith is nothing fauourable for the ripening of Corâ—e but so gratefull to the ground that it causeth grasse to grow abundâ—ntly not onely fresh and long but withall very sweet for all Cattle and in Winter is more subiect to winde then snow and that I may vse the words of Giraldus It is of all Countries most temperate neither forcing the Inhabitants to seeke shade from the frying heat of Cancer nor the chilling cold of Capricorne to driue them to the fire but at all seasons most milde betwixt a sufferable cold and gentle warme heat 6 The soile
infants mouth vpon the point of her husbands sword and with he atâ—enish imprecations wisheth that it may die no otherwise then in warre or by sword 15 But from these ancient and barbarous manners let vs come to the conditions of their middle time whom Giraldus Cambrensis describeth as followeth The Irish saith he are a strong and bold people martiall and prodigall in warre nimble stout and haughtie of heart carelesse of life but greedie of glory courteous to strangers constant in loue light of beliefe impatient of iniurie giuen to fleshly lusts and in enmitie implacable At the baptizing of their Infants their manner was not to dip their right armes into the water that so as they thought they might giue a more deepe and incurable blow neuer calling them by the names of their Parents whilest they liued together but at their death tooke it vpon them Their women nursed not the children they bare and they that nursed others did affect and loue them much more then their owne 16 So much were they giuen to fantasticall conceits that they held it very ominous to giue their neighbours fire vpon May-day to eat an old egge endangered the death of their horse and before they cast in their seed they send salt into the field to hang vp the shelles in the roofe was a preseruatiue of the chickens from the kite to set vp greene boughes at their doores in the Moneth of May increased their kines milke and to spit vpon Cattle they held it good against Witchery whereof Ireland was full 17 Superstitious Idolatry among the wilde Irish was common yeelding diuine honour vnto the Moone after the change vnto whom they both bowed their knees and made supplications and with a loud voice would thus speake vnto that Planet Wee pray thee leaue vs in as good estate as thou foundst vs. Wolues they did make their Godsibs terming them Chari Christ and so thought themselues preserued from their hurts the hoofes of dead horses they accounted and held sacred about childrens necks they hung the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospell a crooked naile of an horse-shooe or a peece of a Wolues skinne and both the sucking-childe and nurse were girt with girdles finely plated of womans haire so farre they wandred into the wayes of errour in making these armes the strength of their healths 18 Their wiues were many by reason of diuorcements and their maids married at twelue yeares of age whose customes were to send to their louers bracelets plated and curiously wrought of their owne haire so farre following Venus in the knots of these aâ—â—urements The men wore linnen shirts exceedingly large stained with Saffron the sleeues wide and hanging to their knees strait and short trustes plated thicke in the skirts their breeches close to the thighes a short skeine hanging point downe before and a mantle most times cast ouer their heads The women wore their haire plated in curious manner hanging downe their backes and shoulders from vnder soulden wreathes of fine linnen rolled about their heads rather loading the wearer then delighting the beholder for as the one was most seemely so the other was vnsightly their neckes were hung with chaines and carkaneths their armes wreathed with many bracelets and ouer their side-garments the shagge rugge mantles purfled with a deepe Fringe of diuers colours both sexes accounting idlenesâ—e their onely libertie and ease their greatest riches 19 In warres they were forward and fought with battle-axes whose bearers were called Galloglasses the common Souldier but lightly armed who serued with darts and sharpe skeines their Trumpet was a Bagge-pipe and word for encounter Pharroh which at the first onset with great acclamation they vttered and he that did not was taken into the ayre and carried into the vale of Kerrâ— where transformed as they did beleeue he remained vntill he was hunted with Hounds from thence to his home 20 For the dying and dead they hired women to mourne who expostulated with the sicke why he would die and dead at his Funerall such out-cries were made such clapping of hands such howlings and gestures that one would thinke their sorrowes vnrecouerable holding the opinion of Pythagoras for the soules departed 21 Their dyet in necessitie was slender feeding vpon water-cresses rootes mushromes shamrogh butter tempered with oat-meale milke whey yea and raw flesh the bloud being crushed out their vse was also to let their kine bloud which standing a while and comming to a ielly with butter they did eat as a very good dish 22 That the Gospell of Christ should be preached in Ireland by Iames the Apostle I will not affirme though Vincentius hath said it neither will I with the Scots bring the Ilands conuersion from a Christian woman who as their Historians doe auouch first instructed the Queene and the Queene her husband and he againe his Subiects till all became Christians But most true it is that the Scots first receiued the doctrine of Christ in this Kingdome of Ireland for thus writeth Prosper Coelestin Pope of Rome sent his Archdeacon Palladius into Britaine to withstand the Pelagian heresie who at one time did driue out these enemies of grace and ordained a Bishop among the Scots whereby that barbarous Nation embraced Christianitie Yet Ninius reporteth that Palladius did nothing in neither being taken away by vntimely death but that S. Patricke borne at Eâ—burne in Cluedsdale the sonne of Calphurus by the sister of S. Martin was the first Apostle for Ireland who sowed his heauenly seede with such plentifull increase that the soile it selfe shortly was called Sanctorum Patria the Country of Saints for whose Sepulchre after his death rose as great variance as was for Homer amongst them of Greece they of Downe challenged his graue to be with them vpon certaine Verses written on a Tombe which ascribes Patricke Briget and Columbe to be buried therein they of Armagh lay claime by the warrant of S. Bernard who saith that Patricke in his life time there ruled and after death there rested Glascenbury in England by ancient records will haue his bodie interred with them and Scotland auoucheth his birth to be at Glasco and bones to rest at Kirk-Patricke with them of such reuerent esteeme was this Irish Apostle THE PROVINCE OF MOVNSTER CHAPTER II. THis Prouince called in Irish Mown in a more ordinary construction of speech Wown in Latine Momonia and in English Mounster lieth open South ward to the Verginian Sea North-ward it affronteth part of Connaught The East is neighboured by Lâ—iâ—ster and the West is altogether washed with the West Ocean 2 The length thereof extended from Ballatimore-Bay in her South vnto the Bay of Galway in her North are about nintie miles Her broadest part from East to West is from Waterford-Hauen to Feriter Hauen and containeth an hundred miles The whole circumference by following the prometaries and indents are aboue fiue hundred and fortie miles 3 The forme thereof is quadrant or foure-square The 〈◊〉 milde and temperate neither
too chilling cold not too scorching hot The soyle in some parts is hilly looking 〈◊〉 with wooddy wilde and solitary mountaines yet the vallies below are garnished with Corne-fields And generally all both pleasant for fight and fertile for soile 4 This Prouince is at this day diuided into two parts that is the West Mounster and the South Mounster The West Mounster was inhabited iâ— old 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 the Velabri and the Vteriâ—â— the South Mounster by the Oudiâ—â— or 〈◊〉 and the Coriâ—ndi The Velabri and 〈◊〉 are said by Orosius to haue dwelt in that part of the Country where it lyeth outmost Westward and passing towards the Cantabrian Ocean looketh a farre off to Gallitia in Spaine The Luceni of Ireland who seeme to haue deriued their name and originall from the Lucenâ—â— of Gallâ—tia and of whom there still remaine some reliques in the Barony of Lyxnoâ—â— are supposed to haue bin seated in those parts that lie neighbouring vpon the banke of the Riuer Shemon 5 The generall Commodities of this Prouince are Corne Cattle Wood Wooll and Fish The last whereof it affords in euery place plenty abundance of all sorts But none so well knowne for the store of Herrings that are taken there as is the Promontory called Eraugh that lies betweene Bantre and Ballatimore Bay whereunto euery yeare a great Fleet of Spaniards and Portugals resort euen in the middest of Winter to fish also for Cods 6 The principall Citie of the Prouince is Limericke which the Irish call Loumeagh compassed about with the famous Riuer Shennon by the parting of the Channell This is a Bishops See and the very Mart-Towne of Mounster It was first wonne by Reymond le Grosse an Englishman afterwards burnt by Duncnald an Irish petty King of Thuetmond Then in processe of time Philip Breos an Englishman was infeoffed in it and King Iohn fortified it with a Castle which he caused therein to be built In this Castle certaine Hostages making their abode in the yeare 1332 grew as is reported so full of pride and insolency that they flew the Constable thereof and seized the Castle into their owne hands But the resolute Citizens that could neither brooke nor beare with such barbareus crueltie did in reuenge then shew such manly courage and viuacitie as they soone after recouered the Castle againe repaying the Hostages in such hostile manner as that they put them all to the sword without partialitie The position of this Towne is by Mercator placed for Latitude 53. degrees 20. minutes and for Longitude 9. degrees and 34. minutes Neere vnto the Riuer that Ptolemy calleth Daucona and Giraldus Cambrensis by the alteration of some few letters nameth Sauranus and Sauarenus which issueth out of Muskerey Mountaines is seated the Citie Corke graced also with another Episcopall dignitie and with the Bishops See of Clon annexed vnto it which Giraldus calleth Corragia the Englishmen Corke the natiue Inhabitants of the Country Coreach This Towne is so beset on euery side with neighbouring molesters as that they are still constrained to keepe watch and ward as if there lay continuall siege against it The Citizens of this place are all linkt together in some one or other degree of affinitie for that they dare not match their daughters in marriage into the Country but make contracts of matrimony one with another among themselues In this place that holy and religious man Briock is said to haue his birth and breeding who flourished among the Gaules in that fruitfull age of Christianitie and from whom the Diocesse of Sanbrâ—och in Britaine Armorua commonly called S Brieu had the denomination 7 The Citie which the Irish and Britaines call Porthlargy and the English Waterford though it be last in place yet is it not least in account as being the second Citie of all Ireland as well for the conuenience and commodiousnesse of the Hauen that affords such necessary aptitude for trade and traffique as also for the faithfull loyaltie which it hath alwayes shewed to the Imperiall Crowne of England for euer since it was wonne by Richard Earle of Pembrookâ— it still performed the obedience and peaceable offices of dutie and seruice vnto the English as they continued their course in the conquest of Ireland whence it is that the Kings of England haue from time to time endowed it with many large Franchises and Liberties which King Henry the seauenth did both augment and confirme 8 Although since the time of S. Patricke Christianitie was neuer extinct in this Country yet the gouernment being haled into contrary factions the Nobility lawlesâ—e and the multitude wilfull it hath come to passe that Religion hath waxed with the temporall common sort more cold and feeble being most of them very irreligious and addicted wholly to superstitious obseruations for in some parts of this Prouince some are of opinion that certaine men are yearely turned into Wolues and made Wolfe-men Though this hath beene constantly affirmed by such as thinke their censures worthy to passe for currant and credible yet let vs suppose that happily they be possessed with the disease and maladie that the Physicians call Lycanthropy which begetteth and engendreth such like phantasies through the malicious humours of Melancholy and so oftentimes men imagine themselues to be turned and transformed into formes which they are not Some againe embrace another ridiculous opinion and perswade themselues that he who in the barbarous acclamation and outcry of the Souldiers which they vse with great forcing and straining of their voices when they ioyne battaile doth not howte and make a noise as the rest doe is suddenly caught from the ground and carried as it were flying in the ayre out of any Country of Ireland into some desert vallies where he feedeth vpon grasse drinketh water hath some vse of reason but not of speech is ignorant of the present condition he stands in whether good or bad yet at length shall be brought to his own home being â—aught with the helpe of Hounds and Hunters Great pitie that the foule fiend and father of darknesse should so grieuously seduce this people with misbeliefe and that these errours be not chased away with the truth of Christian Religion whereby as they carry much grace in their countenances they may also not be void of the inward grace of their soules and vnderstanding 9 This Prouince hath beene fore wasted in the rebellions of Desmond to whose ayde Pope Gregory the thirteenth and Philip King of Spaine sent certaine companies of Italians and Spaniards who arriued not farre from Dingle fortified themselues gaue it the name of Fort de Ore founding loud threats against the whole Country But Aâ—â—â—ur 〈◊〉 Grey Lord Deputie of Ireland at the first onset decided their quarrell by sheathing his sword in their bowels and Desmond fearefully flying into the woods was by a Souldier cut shorter by the head And againe when the Kingdome of Ireland lay bleeding and put almost to the hazard of the last
cast Don Iohn D' Aquila with 8. thousand Spaniards vpon confidence of the excommunications of Pius the fift Gregory the thirteenth Clement the eight Popes all of them discharging their curses like vnto thunder bolts against Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory landed neere vnto Kinsale presuming that the rebellions of Tyrone had turned the hearts of the Irish for Rome Sir Charles Blunt Lord Montioy in the depth of Winter and with his tired Souldiers so dâ—â—nted their Spanish hearts that with one victory he repressed their bragging boldnesse and recouered the Irish that were ready to reuolt 10 God hath oftentimes shewed his tender loue and affection to this people in laying his fatherly chastisements and afflictions vpon them sometimes by windes sometimes by famine and dearth and sometimes againe by opening his hand of plenty into their laps to conuert them to himselfe and to diuert their hearts from superstitions In the yeare 1330 about the Feast of Saint Iohn 〈◊〉 there be an such a deaâ—th of Coâ—â—e in this Country by the abundance of raine and the inundation of waters which continued vntill Michaelmas following that a Cranoc of Wheat was sold for 〈…〉 a Cranoc of Oats for eight shillings a Cranoc of Pease Beanes and Barley for as much 〈◊〉 windâ—s the same yeare were so mightie that many were hurt and many slaine outright by the fall of houses that was forced by the violence of the same The like whereof were neuer seene in Ireland In the yeare 1317 there was such a dearth of Corne and other victuals that a Cranoc of Wheat was sold for twentie three shillings And many Housholders that before time had sustained and 〈◊〉 a great number were this yeare driuen to beg and many famished In the time of which â—â—mine the mercy of God so disposed that vpon the 27. day of Iune in the yeare 1331 there came to land such a mightie multitude of great Sea-fishes that is Thursheds such as in many ages past had neuer beene seene that the people were much comforted in this distresse and receiued great reliefe and sustenance by the same 11 Places of Relâ—gion in this Country were the two Abbies at Yoghall called the North-Abbey and South-Abbey The two Abbies at Limericke S. Francis Abbey and S Dominicke Abbey The two Abbies at Corke the Abbey of the I le and S. Frances Abbey and the famous Abbey in times past of the holy Crosse which hath had many priuiledges and liberties granted vnto it in honour of a peece of Christs Crosse that was as they say sometimes preserued there Thus were Christians perswaded in ancient times And it is a wonder in what Troopes and Assemblies people doe euen yet conflow thither vpon deuotion as vnto a place of holinesse and sanctâ—â—e so firmely are they settled in the Religion of their Fore-fathers which hath beene increased beyond all measure by the negligent care of their Teachers who should instruct their ignorance and labour to reduce them from the errors they perseuere in LEINSTER CHAPTER III. THis Country the Natiues call Leighnigh the Britaines Lein in Latine Lagenia in the ancient liues of the Saints Lagen and in English Leinster It lieth Eastward along Hibernicum Sea on Connaught side Westward it is bounded with the Riuer Shanon the North with the Territorie of Louth and the South with part of the Prouince of Mounster This Country butteth vpon England as Mounster and Connaught doe vpon Spaine 2 The forme thereof is triangle and sides not much vnequall from her South-East vnto the West-point about 80. miles from thence to her North-West about 70. miles and her East Coast along the Irish Sea-shore eightie miles the circumference vpon two hundred and seauentie miles 3 The aire is cleare and gentle mixt with a temperate disposition yeelding neither extremitie of heat or cold according to the seasonable times of the yeare and the naturall condition of the Continent The soile is generally fruitfull plentifull both in fish and flesh and in other victuals as butter cheese and mile It is fertile in Corne Cattle and pasture grounds and would be much more if the husbandman did but apply his industry to which he is inuited by the commodiousnesse of the Country It is well watered with Riuers and for the most part well woodded except the Countie of Diuelin which complaines much of that want being so destitute of wood that they are compelled to vse a clammie kinde of fat turffe for their fuell or Sea-coale brought out of England 4 The Inhabitants of these parts in Ptolemies dayes were the Brigantes Menaâ—â—â— Cauci and Blain from which Blani may seeme to be deriued and contracted the latter and moderne names of this Country Lein Leighnigh and Leinster The Menaâ—â—â— as the name doth after a sort imply came from the Menapians a Nation in Low Germany that dwelt by the Sea-Coasts These Brigantes caâ—â—ed also Birgantes Florianus del Campo a Spaniard labours to fetch from the Brigants of his owne Country of whom an ancient Citie in Spaine called Brigantia tooke the name But they may seeme rather to deriue their denomination from the Riuer Birgus about which they inhabited for to this the very name is almost sufficient to perswade vs. 5 The commodities of this Country doe chiefly consist in Cattle Sea-fowle and Fish It breeds many excellent good horses called Irish Hobbies which haue not the same pace that other horses haue in their course but a soft and round amble setting very easily 6 This Country hath in it three Riuers of note termed in old time the three sisters Shour Neor and Barraeo which issue out of the huge Mountaine called by Giraldus Bladina Montes as out of their mothers wombe and from their rising tops descending with a downefall into seuerall Channels before they emptie themselues into the Ocean ioyne hand in hand all together in a mutuall league and combination 7 Places very dangerous for shipping are certaine fiats and shallowes in the Sea that lie ouer against Holy-point which the Marriners call the Grounds Also the shelues of sand that lie a great way in length opposite to Newcastle which ouer-looketh them into the Sea from the top of an high hill adioyning 8 In this Prouince are placed many faire and wealthy Townes as Kilkenny which for a Burrough-Towne excels all the midland Burroughs in this Iland Kildare which is adorned with an Episcopall See and much graced in the first infancy of the Irish Church by reason of Saint Bridgid a venerable Virgin had in great account and estimation for her virginitie and deuotion as who was the Disciple of S. Patricke of so great fame renowne and antiquite Also Weisford a name giuen vnto it by these Germans whom the Irish terme Oustmans a Towne though inferiour to some yet as memorable as any for that it became the first Colony of the English and did first submit it selfe vnto their protection being assaulted by Fitz Stephen a Captaine worthily made famous for his valour and
impure are not vnwholesome nor of long continuance the rough windes holding them in continuall agitation 4 This equall temperature causeth the ground to bring forth great store of seuerall Trees both fit for building and bearing of fruit plentifull of grasse for the feeding of Cattle and is abundantly furnished with Horses Sheepe and Oxen the Riuers likewise pay double tribute deepe enough to â—arry Vessels either for pleasure or profit and Fish great store both for their owne vses and commoditie of others Salmons in some Riuers of this County abound more in number then in any Riuer of Europe To speake in generall though in some places it be somewhat barren troubled with Loughes Lakes and thicke Woods yet is it euery where fresh and full of Cattle and forrage ready at all times to answer the husbandmans paines But nature is there so little beholding to Art or Industry that the various shew vpon bankes the shady groues the greene meadowes hanging hilles and fields fit for Corne if they were manured doe seeme to be angry with their Inhabitants for suffering all to grow wild and harbarous through their owne negligence 5 This Country in Ptolemies dayes was wholly possessed by the Volutij Darni Robogdji and Erdini who branched and spred themselues into the seuerall parts that Island 6 The people of this Prouince were accustomed in controuersies and solemne protestations to sweare by S. Patrickes Staffe which oath they feared more to breake then if they had sworne by the holy Euangelist Their ancient custome in making their King was this A white Cow was taken which the King must kill and seeth the same in water whole then must he bathe himselfe therein starke naked and sitting in the Cawdron wherein it was sod accompanied with his people round about him he and they vsed to eat the flesh and drinke the broath wherein he sate without cup or dish or vse of hand How farre these prescriptions and customes were different from the conformities of other ciuill Monarchies we may well perceiue by these and other like obseruations of those grosse times and as yet they are more barbarous then is any other part of the Island besides 7 Historians relating of Ireland tell of seuerall Islands in the seuerall Prouinces some full of Angels some full of Deuils some for male onely some for female some where none may liue some where none can die and such effects of trees stones and waters that a man but of easie conceit may well esteeme them as heedlesse as vncertaine So also S. Patrickes Purgatorie a thing of much note in the Tract of this Prouince is a vault or narrow caue in the ground 〈…〉 called Erne Liffer much spoken of by reason of I wot not what fearefull walking spirits and dreadfull apparitions or rather some religious horrour which as some ridiculously dreame was digd by Vlysses when he went downe to parley with those in hell This is the caue which the Inhabitants in these dayes call â—llanuâ— Frugadory that is The Isle of Purgatory and S. Patricks Pargatory for some persons lesse deuout then credulous affirme that S. Patricke or rather Patricius Secundus an holy Abbot of that name labouring the conuersion of the people of this Prouince and much inforcing the life to come they replied contemptuously vnto him that vnlesse they saw proofes of those joyes and paines he preached they would not lose the possession of their present pleasures in hope or feare of things to come they wist not when Whereupon as they say he obtained at Gods hands by earnest prayer that the punishments and torments which the godlesse are to suffer after this life might be there presented to the eye that so he might more easily root out the sinnes and Heathenish errours that stucke so fast in the hearts of the Irish But touching the credit hereof although common fame and some records doe vtter it I neither will vrge the beliefe nor regard seeing it is no Article of our Creed 8 Matters memorable within this Prouince are these first that the Bishops of Ireland were wont to be consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in regard of the 〈◊〉 which they had in this Country vntill such time as Iohn Papâ—â—â— a Cardinall was sent thither from Popâ— Eugenius the fourth to reforme Ecclesiasticall discipline in this Iland which 〈…〉 so looâ—â— that there were translations and pluralities of Bishops according to the 〈◊〉 and pleasure of the Metropolitane Also that the Irish-men were accustomed to leaue and forsake 〈◊〉 wedded wiues at their owne free willes whereof Lanfrancke Archbishop of Canterbury complained vnto Theraeluaâ— a King of Ireland And had not this Nation beene corrupted with this vice euen vnto these our dayes both the right of lineall succession had beene more certaine among them and the Gentry and Comminaltie had not in such cruelties imbrued themselues with such effusion of their owne kindreds bloud about their inheritances and legitimation 9 The principall place in this Tract is Armagh neere vnto the Riuer Kalin which albeit it maketh a poore shew is the Archiepiscopall See and Metropolitane of the whole Island Before Saint Patricke had built there a faire Citie for site forme quantitie and compasse modelled out as he saith by the appointment and direction of Angels this place was named Drumfalrch the Irish tell much that it receiued the name of Queene Armacha but the better opinions are that it is the same which Bede calleth Dearmach and out of the Scotish and Irish language interpreteth it The Field of Oakes Here as S. Bernard writeth S. Patricke the Apostle of Ireland ruled in his life time and rested after death in honor of whom it was of such venerable estimation in old time that not onely Bishops and Priests but Kings also and Princes were in generall subiect to the Metropolitane thereof in all obedience and to his gouernment alone Among the Archbishops of this Prouince S. Malachy is famoused who first prohibited Priests marriage in Ireland and as S. Bernard saith who wrote his life at large borrowed no more of the natiue barbarousnesse of that Country then Sea-fishes doe saltnesse of the Seas Also Richard Fitz Ralf commonly called Armachanus is of famous memory who turning the edge of his stile about the yeare 1355. began to oppose his opinion against the Order of Mendicant Friers as detesting in Christians such voluntary begging The chiefe Fort in this Tract is Enis Kelling defended by the Rebels in the yeare 1593 and wonne by Dowdall a most valiant Captaine neere vnto which is a great downfall of water termed The Salmon Leape of which there is a common speech currant among the Inhabitants that it was once firme ground very populous and well husbanded with tillage till it was suddenly ouer flowne with waters and turned into a Lake for some filthy abominable acts of the people against Nature committed with beasts 10 The places of Religion sequestred from other worldly seruices and consecrated to holy purposes erected in this Prouince were The Abbey which sheweth it selfe at Donegal The Monastery of Derie where the Irish Rebell Shane O-Nâ—al receiued such an ouerthrow by Edward Randolph renowned for his seruice in the behalfe of his Country that he could neuer after recouer the losse he sustained at that time The Monastery neere vnto the Riuer Laffer The famous Monastery at the Bay of Knockfergus of the same institution name and order as was that ancient Abbey in England neere vnto Chester called Danchor Also Mellifont Abbey founded by Donald a King of Vriel and much commended by S Bernard And lastly the most renowned Monastery built at Armagh in the yeare of our Saluation 610. out of which very many Monasteries were afterwards propagate both in Britaine and Ireland These places were farre and neere frequented and sought vnto by great confluences of Pilgrims till Time proued their deuotions to be erronious and the pure light of the word reuealed opening the eyes of their vnderstanding hath taught them to shake off the shame of such Superstitions 11 That the people of this County might be kept within the bounds of their dutie this Prouince hath beene secured with fiftie sixe Castles and Forts and for trade of commerce nine Market-Townes appointed being diuided into these Counties ensuing Counties Dunghall or Tyr-connell Vpper Tyrone Nether Tyrone Fermanagh Canan Monaghan Colrane Autrim Downe Armagh Lough FINIS The Table to find the Maps as appeareth by folio ENgland Scotland and Ireland 1 England 2 Kent 3 Sussex 4 Surrey 5 Southhampton 6 The Isle of Wight 7 Dorcetshire 8 Deuon-shire 9 Cornewall 10 Somersetshire 11 Wiltshire 12 Barkeshire 13 Middlesex 14 Essex Countie 15 Suffolke 16 Norfolke 17 Cambridgeshire 18 Hartfordshire 19 Bedfordshire 20 Buckinghamshire 21 Oxfordshire 22 Glocestershire 23 Merefordshire 24 Worcestershire 25 Warwickeshire 26 Northamptonshire 27 Huntingtonshire 28 Rutlandshire 29 Leicestershire 30 Lincolneshire 31 Nottinghamshire 32 Darbishire 33 Staffordshire 34 Shropshire 35 Chester 36 Lancashire 37 Yorkeshire 38 The Bishopricke of Durham 39 Westmorland Cumberland 40 Northumberland 41 The Isle of Man 42 Holy 〈…〉 Wales 44 Pembrokeshire 45 Radnor Breknock Cardigan and Caâ—rmarden described 46 Glamorganshire 47 Monmouthshire 48 Montgomery c. 49 Denbigh and Flint described 50 Anglesey and Carnarâ—an 51 The Kingdome of Scotland 52 The Southyart of Scotland 53 The Southern part of Scotland 54 The Easterne part of Scotland 55 Part of Scotland Stranauern 56 The Isles of Hebrides 57 Cathanes and Orknay 58 Ireland Described 59 Mounster 60 Leinster 61 Connaught 62 Vlster 〈◊〉 MIDIA