in old time called Guarthenion as Ninnius restifieth who wrote that the said wicked Vortigern when he was plainely and sharply reprooved by that godly Saint German did not onely not turne from his lewd and licentious life to the worship and service of God but also let flie slanderous speeches against that most holy man Wherefore Vortimer the sonne of Vortigern as Ninnius saith for the slander which his Father had raised of Saint German decreed that he should have the land as his owne for ever wherein he had suffered so reprochfull an abuse whereupon and to the ened that Saint German might be had in memory it was called Guarthenion which signifieth in English A slander justly retorted The Mortimers descended from the Niece of Gonora Wife of Richard the First Duke of Normandie were the first Normans that having discomfited the English Saxon Edricke Sylvaticus that is The wild wonne a great part of this little Country to themselves And after they had a long time been eminent above all others in these parts at length King Edward the Third about the yeere of Salvation 1328. Created Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore Earle of this Welsh limit or according to the common speech Earle of March who soone after was sentenced to death because he had insulted upon the Common-wealth favoured the Scots to the prejudice of England conversed over familiarly with the â—ings mother and contrived the destruction and death of King Edward the Second the Kings Father He by his Wife Joan Jenevell who brought him rich revenewes as well in Ireland as in England had Edmund his Sonne who felt the smart of his Fathers wickednesse and lost both patrimonie and title of Earle Howbeit his Sonne Roger was fully restored recovered the title of Earle of March and was chosen a fellow of the order of the Garter at the first institution thereof This Roger begat of Philip Montacute Edmund Earle of March and he tooke to Wife Philip the only daughter of Leonell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the Third whereby came unto him the Earldome of Vlster in Ireland and the Lordship of Clare After he had ended his life in Ireland where he governed with great commendation his sonne Roger succeeded being both Earle of March and Vlster whom King Richard the Second declared heire apparent and his successour to the Crowne as being in right of his Mother the next and undoubted heire But he dying before king Richard left issue Edmund and Anne Edmund in regard of his Royall bloud and right to the Crowne stood greatly suspected to Henrie the Fourth who had usurped the kingdome and by him was first exposed unto dangers in so much as he was taken by Owen Glendour a Rebell and afterward whereas the Percies purposed to advance his right he was conveyed into Ireland kept almost twenty yeeres prisoner in the Castle of Trim suffering all miseries incident to Princes of the bloud while they lie open to every suspition and there through extreame griefe ended his daies leaving his sister Anne his heire She was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge in whose right his heires and posterity were Earles of March and made claime to the kingdome which in the end also they obtained as wee will shew in another place In which respect King Edward the Fourth created his eldest Sonne being Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall c. Earle of March also for a further augmentation of his Honour As for the title of Rad-nor no man ever bare it to my knowledge In this are Parishes 52. BRECKNOC Comitaus pars Osim SILVRVM BRECHNOCK-SHIRE BEneath Radnor-shire Southward lyeth BRECHNOCK-SHIRE in the British Brechineau so named as the Welshmen relate of a Prince named Brechanius whom they report to have had a great and an holy Offspring to wit twenty foure Daughters all Saints Farre greater this is than Radnor-shire but thicker set with high Hilles yet are the valleies fruitfull every where On the East side it is bounded with Hereford-shire On the South with Monmoâ—th and Glamorgan-shires ond on the West with Caermarden-shire But seeing there is nothing memorable or materiall to the description of this small Province which is not set downe by the curious diligence of Giraldus Cambrensis who was an Archdeacon heereof above foure hundred yeeres since I thinke I may doe well for my selfe to hold my peace a while and to admit him with his stile into the fellowship of this labour Brecknocke saith hee in his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae is a Country having sufficient store of Corne and if there bee any defect thereof it is plentifully supplied out of the fruitefulnesse of England bordering so neere upon it a Country likewise well stored with pastures and Woods with wilde Déere and heards of Cattaile having abundance beside of fresh water fish wherewith Vske on the one side and Wy on the other serveth it For both these Rivers are full of Salmons and Trouts but Wy of the twaine is the better affording the best kinde of them which they call Vmbras Enclosed it is on every side with high hilles unlesse it be on the North part In the West it hath the mountaines of Canterbochan On the South-side likewise the Southern mountaines the chiefe whereof is called Cadier Arthur that is Arthurs chaire of the two toppes of the same for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shaped with two capes resembling the forme of a Chaire And for that the Chaire standeth very high and upon a steepe downefall by a common tearme it was assigned to Arthur the greatest and mightiest King of the Britans In the very pitch and top of this hill there walmeth forth a spring of water And this fountaine in manner of a Well is deepe but foure square having no brooke or Riveret issuing from it yet are there Trouts found therein And therefore having these barres on the South side the aire is the colder defendeth the Country from the excessive heat of the Sunne and by a certaine naturall wholsomnesse of the aire maketh it most temperate But on the East side the mountaines of Talgar and Ewias doe as it were foresense it On the North side as he said it is more open and plaine namely where the River Wy severeth it from Radnor-shire by which stand two Townes well knowne for their antiquity Buelth and Hay Buelth is pleasantly situate with Woods about it fortified also with a Castle but of a later building by the Breoses and Mortimers when as Rhese ap Gruffin had rased the ancient Castle Now the Mercate much resorted unto maketh it more famous thereabout but in times past it seemeth to have beene for the owne worth of great name because Ptolomee observed the position therof according to the Longitude and Latitude who called it BULLEUM Silurum Of this towne the country lying round about it being rough and full of hils is named Buelth wherein when as the Saxons were
Isle Lodhus So obtained Olave the kindgome of the Isles MCCXXXVII On the twelfth Calends of June died Olave the sonne of Godred King of Man in S. Patricks Iland and was buried in the Abbey of Russin He reigned eleven yeeres two by his brothers life and nine after his death Harold his sonne succeeded him being 14. yeeres of age and reigned 12. yeeres In the first yeere of his reigne he made a journey to the Ilands and appointed Loglen his cousin Custos of Man In the Autumne following Harald sent three sonnes of Nell namely Dufgald Thorquill Mormore and his friend Ioseph to Man for to consult about affaires On the 25. day therefore they meet at Tingull and by occasion of a certaine envious quarrell that arose between the sonnes of Nell and Loglen there was a sore fight on both sides wherein were slaine Dufgald Mormore and the foresaid Joseph In the spring ensuing King Harald came to the Isle of Man and Loglen as he fled toward Wales perished by Shipwracke with Godred Olaves sonne his foster child and pupill with 40. others MCCXXXVIII Gospatricke and Gillescrist the sonne of Mac-Kerthac came from the King of Norway into Man who by force kept Harald out of Man and tooke tributes to the Kings behoofe of Norway because he refused to come unto the King of Norwaies Court. MCCXL Gospatric died and is buried in the Abbey of Russin MCCXXXIX Harald went unto the King of Norway who after two yeeres confirmed unto him his heires and successours under his seale all the Ilands which his predecessours had possessed MCCXLII Harald returned out of Norway to Man and being by the inhabitants honourably received had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland Harald like as his father before him was by the King of England dubbed Knight and after he had been rewarded with many gifts returned home The same yeere he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his daughter And in the yeere 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife and Laurence King elect of Man and many other Nobles and Gentlemen he was drowned in a tempest neere unto the coasts of Radland MCCXLIX Reginald the sonne of Olave and brother to Harald began his reigne the day before the Nones of May and on the thirtieth day thereof was slaine by one Yvar a Knight and his company in a medow neere unto the Holy Trinity Church on the South side and lieth buried in the Church of Saint Mary of Russin At that time Alexander King of Scots rigged and brought together many ships meaning to subdue the Iland and in the I le Kerwaray he died of an ague Harald the sonne of Godred Don usurped the name of King in the Ilands all the Nobles of Harald King Olaves sonne hee banished and placed in their stead all the Princes and Peeres that were fled from the said Harald MCCL. Harald the sonne of Godred Don being by missives sent for went unto the King of Norway who kept him in prison because he had unjustly intruded himselfe into the kingdome The same yeere there arrived at Roghalwaght Magnus the son of Olave and John the sonne of Dugald who named himselfe King but the people of Man taking it to the heart that Magnus was not nominated would not suffer them to land there many of them therefore were cast away and perished by shipwracke MCCLII Magnus the sonne of Olave came to Man and was made King The next yeere he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeere MCCLIV Haco King of Norway ordained Magnus Olaves sonne King of the Isles and confirmed the same unto him and his heires and by name unto his brother Harald MCCLVI. Magnus King of Man went into England and was knighted by the King of England MCCLVII The church of S. Maries of Russin was dedicated by Richard of Sodore MCCLX Haco King of Norway came unto the parts of Scotland and without any exploit done turned to the Orkneys where at Kirwas he ended his daies and lyeth enterred at Bergh MCCLXV Magnus Olaves sonne King of Man and of the Ilands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buried in the Church of S. Mary de Russin MCCLXVI The kingdome of the Ilands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots That which followeth was written in another hand and of a later character MCCLXX The seventh day of October a navy set out by Alexander King of Scots arrived at Roghalwath and the next morrow before sun rising a battaile was fought between the people of Man and the Scots in which were slain of the Manksmen 537. whereupon a certaine versifier played thus upon the number L. decies X. ter penta duo cecidere Mannica gens de te damna futura cave L. Ten times told X. thrice with five beside and twaine Ware future harmes I reed of thy folke Man were slaine MCCCXIII Robert King of Scots besieged the Castle of Russin which Dingawy Dowyll held against him but in the end the King won the castle MCCCXVI On the Ascension day Richard le Mandevile and his brethren with other Potentates of Ireland arrived at Ramaldwath requesting to be furnished with victuals and silver for that they had been robbed by the enemies warring upon them continually Now when the commonality of the country had made answer that they would not give them any they advanced forward against those of Man with two troops or squadrons untill they were come as far as to the side of Warthfell hill in a field wherein John Mandevile remained and there in a fought battell the Irish vanquished the Manksmen spoiled the Iland and rifled the Abbey of Russin and after they had continued in the Iland one whole moneth they returned home with their ships fraught with pillage Thus endeth the Chronicle of the K.K. of Man The Processe or course of the Historie following I will now continue summarily out of other Writers WHen Alexander the third King of Scots had gotten into his hands the Westerne Ilands partly by way of conquest and in part for ready money paid unto the King of Norway hee attempted the I le of Man also as one of that number and through the valiant prowesse of Alexander Stewart brought it under his dominion yea and placed there a petty King or Prince with this condition that hee should be ready alwaies at his command to serve with ten ships in his warres at sea Howbeit Mary the daughter of Reginald King of Man who was become the Liege-man of John King of England entred her suit for the Iland before the King of England but answer was made unto her that shee should demand it of the King of Scots for that he then held it in possession And yet her grand-child John Waldebeof for the said Mary married into the house of Waldebeofe sued for his ancient right in Parliament holden in the 33. yeere of King Edward the first before the K. of England as the superiour
Earles of Anjou Poictou Maine and Bulloigne and unto them he promiseth faire Lands and possessions in England Philip also the French King he goeth unto and solliciteth voluntarily promising in case he aided him to become his vassall and leege man and for England to take the oath of fealtie unto him But it being thought nothing good for the state of France that the Duke of Normandie who already was not so pliable and obedient to the French King as he ought should bee bettered in his state by the addition of England for the power of neighbour potentates is alwaies suspected of Princes so far was the King from yeelding any helpe that he disswaded him rather from invading England But by no meanes could the Duke be reclaimed from his enterprise nay much more encouraged he was now and set on being once backed with warrant from Alexander the Bishop of Rome for even now began the Pope to usurpe authority over Princes who allowing of his cause and quarrell had sent unto him a sacred and hallowed banner as a luckie fore-token of gaining both the victory and Kingdome yea and with all cursed whosoever should oppose themselves against him He assembled therefore all the forces he could possibly raise and gathered together a mighty navie before the Towne of Saint Valeries which standeth upon the mouth of the river Some where he lay a long time windbound For the procurement whereof with many a vow he importuned Saint Valeric the patron-Saint of the Towne and heaped upon him a number of gifts and oblations Harold who with his forces had waited very long in vaine for his comming determined to dissolve his armie to withdraw his navie and to leave the sea-coast both for that he was compelled thereto for want of provision as also because the Earle of Flanders had written unto him that William would not stirre that yeere whom he soone beleeved as thinking that the time of the yeere was such as had locked up the seas and barred all navigation forasmuch as the autumnall Aequinox was neere Whiles he thus deviseth with himselfe driven he was upon an unexpected necessity of new warre to call backe his armie for Harold surnamed the Hard and Harfager king of Norway who had practised piracie in the North parts of Britaine and already subdued the Isles of Orknes being by Tosto sollicited and called forth in hope of the Kingdome of England arrived within the mouth of the river Tine with a fleet of 500. flibotes or thereabout where Tosto also came and joined his owne fleet When they had a good while forraged and spoiled the countrey heere they weighed anchor and sailing along the coast of Yorkshire put into Humbre and there began to commit outrages with all manner of hostility For the repressing of whom the two Earles Edwin and Morcar led forth a power of soldiers whom they had raised suddainly and in tumultuary haste but they not able to abide the violent charge of the Norwegians fled for the most part as fast as they could and together with the Earles made shift to escape howbeit many of them passing over the river Ouse were swallowed up with the waves thereof The Norwegianâ—â—hen goe in hand to lay siege unto the Citie of Yorke which straight waies they get by surrender hostages being given on both sides But after some few dayes King Harold having gathered his whole power from all parts together speedeth him to Yorke and from thence marcheth against the Norwegians who lay encamped strongly in a most safe place for backed they were with the Ocean flanked on the left hand with Humber wherein their fleet rid at anchor and had for their defence on the right side and afront the river Derwent Howbeit King Harold couragiously setteth upon them where first there was a cruell conflict at the Bridge standing over the river Darwent which one Norwegian souldier by report made good for a time against the whole armie of the Englishmen and held out so long untill he was shot through with a dart and died after this continued the battell a good while within the very campe fought with equall valour and indifferent fortune on both sides But in the end the Norwegians were disarraied and scattered and in the midst of the battell Harold himselfe King of the Norwegians and Tosto with the greater part of the Armie lost their lives Vpon this Victorie there fell unto King Harold an exceeding rich bootie a great masse both of gold and silver and that huge Armado except twentie small Barques onely which he granted unto Paul Earle of Orkney and Olave the Sonne of Harold who was slaine for to carry away those that were hurt taking their oath first that from thence forward they should not attempt any hostilitie agaist England This happie victorie encourged Harold and set him aloft now he thought that he should bee a terrour yea to the Normans howsoever hee grew odious unto his owne people because hee had not divided the spoile among his souldiers Howbeit wholly hee employed himselfe to reforme the disordered state of the countrey which in this part was pittifully out of frame and lay neglected Meane while Willam Duke of Normandie finding a fit season for his purpose about the end of September weighed anchor and launched forth then with a gentle gale of winde he sailed with all his shipping and arrived at Pevensey in Sussex where being landed upon the naked shore for to cut off all hope of return from his men he did set fire on his ships and having erected a fortresse there for his men to retire thither in safetie forward he marcheth to Hastings where also he raised another strong hold and placed therein a garrison Now by this time he maketh proclamation declaring the causes of this warre namely to revenge the death of Alfred his Cousin whom together with many Normans Godwin the Father of Harold had murthered Item to bee avenged of the wrongs that Harold had done who when he had banished Robert Archbishop of Canterburie even then by intrusion entred upon the Kingdome of England now pertaining to him treading under foot the religious respect of his oath Howbeit by an Edict he straightly charged his souldiers not in hostile manner to spoile the English men Newes hereof in all hast was brought to King Harold who by all meanes thinking it good to use prevention and as spedily as might be to encounter the Duke sendeth out his messengers every way calleth earnestly upon his subjects to continue in their faithfull allegiance assembleth all his forces in every place and with great journies hasteneth to London where there presented himselfe unto him an Embassadour from Duke William but as he made many words in claiming the Kingdom Harold in a furious fit of anger and indignation went within a little of laying violent hands upon the very person of the Embassadour For a hard matter it was to bereave a fresh Victour
is The high hill in the wood which some would have to be Exceter But the situation in Ptolomee and the name remaining still prove this to be the ancient Vzella In these our dayes a small towne it is and nothing populous because the river Fawey which aforetime was wont at every tide or high water to flow unto the very towne and to beare and bring in ships hath his channell so choked and damned up now with sands comming from the tin-workes wherewith all the havens in this province are like in processe of time to be choked up as that it is hardly able to beare the least barge that is Howbeit the chiefe towne it is of the whole countie where the Shiriffe sitteth judicially every moneth and determineth causes and there the Warden of the Stannaries hath his prison It enjoyeth also the priviledge by the bounteous favour as themselves say of Edmund Earle of Cornwall who there in times past had his honor to seale or coyne the tin But there bee two townes above the rest that hinder the light and eclipse the fame of this to wit on the East side thereof Leskerd situat on the top of a very high hill much frequented for the mercat and renowned for an ancient castle there and on the North side Bodman which standeth on the side hand of it scarse two miles off and is named if I be not deceived Bosuenna in the Cornish tongue and Bodminian in old Deeds and Charters This towne situate thus in no healthy seat between two hils and lying out in length East and West is for the mercat there kept of great resort for the inhabitants populous beautifull enough for building and of name for their priviledge of coinage of tin but more famous in ancient time for the Bishops See there For about the yeere of our salvation 905 when the State of the Church lay in this tract altogether neglected by vertue of a decree from Pope Formosus King Edward the Elder erected heere a Bishops See and granted at that time unto the Bishop of Kirton three villages in this countrie Polton Caeling and Lanwitham that from thence every yeere he should visit the people of Cornwall to fetch out of them their errours for before time they did what they could to resist the truth and obeied not the Apostolicall decrees But afterwards in the furious heat of that terrible Danish warre the Bishoprick was translated to Saint Germans Hard by Leskerd lyeth that which sometime was the Church of S. Guerir that is if you interpret it out of the British speech S. Leech or Physician where as writeth Asserius King Alfred lying prostrate at his prayers recovered out of a sicknesse But when Neotus a man of singular holinesse and learning was afterwards entombed in the same Church hee outshone the light of the other Saint so as that in his memorie it was named Neotestow that is The place of Neotus and now Saint Neoths and the religious men that served God therein were named Saint Neoths Clerkes and had for their maintenance rich and large revenues as we may see in William Conquerours booke Neere unto this as I have learned within the parish of Saint Clare there are to be seene in a place called Pennant that is The head of the vale two monuments of stone of which the one in the upper part is wrought hollow in manner of a Chaire the other named Otherhalfe stone hath an inscription of Barbarous characters now in manner worne out in this wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which as I take it should be read thus DONIERT ROGAVIT PRO ANIMA unlesse it please you to give this conjecture that those little pricks after DONIERT are the reliques of the letter E and then to read it after this manner DONIERT EROGAVIT as if he had given and bestowed upon those religious men that peece of land for his soule As for Doneert I cannot but thinke he was that Prince of Cornwall whom the Chronicles name Dungerth and record that he was drowned in the yeere of our Salvation 872. Hard by there is a number of good big rockes heaped up together and under them one Stone of lesser size fashioned naturally in forme of a cheese so as it seemeth to be pressed like a cheese whereupon it is named Wring-cheese Many other Stones besides in some sort foure square are to be seene upon the plaine adjoyning of which seven or eight are pitched upright of equall distance asunder The neighbour Inhabitants terme them Hurlers as being by a devout and godly error perswaded they had beene men sometimes transformed into Stones for profaning the Lords Day with hurling the ball Others would have it to be a Trophee as it were or a monument in memoriall of some battell And some thinke verily they were set as meere stones or land marks as having read in those authors that wrote of Limits that stone were gathered together of both parties and the same erected for bounders In this coast the river Loo maketh way and runneth into the sea and in his very mouth giveth name to two little townes joyned with a bridge together That on the West side which is the newer flourisheth most but the other Eastward time hath much decayed although it bee a Corporation retaining still the priviledge of a Maior and Burgesses Somewhat West-ward from this lieth Kilgarth the habitation of the Bevils of especiall good note for antiquity and gentry From Loo East-ward you meet with no memorable thing but a small river passing by Minhevet whereby is Pole the seat of the Trelawnies to whom with others the inheritance of the Courtneys Earles of Devon accrewed untill you come to the Liver a little river stored with oisters that runneth under S. Germans a small towne unto which during the tempestuous Danish warre the Bishops Sees were for feare translated where there is a prety Church dedicated unto S. German of Antiziodorum who rooted out the heresie of Pelagius that sprung up againe in Britaine Wherein after that some few Bishops had sitten Levinus the Bishop of Kirton who was in great favour with Canutus the Dane obtained by vertue of the Kings authoritie that it should be Joyned to his See Since which time there hath beene but one Bishop over this Province and Denshire both whose seat is now at Exceter and who appointed the little Towne of S. Germans to be the seat of his Suffragan For at this day it is nothing else but a village consisting of fishermens cabins that make a good gainfull trade by catching store of fish in the Ocean and rivers neere adjoyning Some few miles from hence upon the same river standeth Trematon bearing the name of a Castle though the wall bee halfe downe in which as we find in Domesday booke William Earle of Moriton had his Castle and held his mercate and was the capitall seat of the Baronie belonging to the Earles
elsewhere is called Cangton But of these matters let the reader be judge my selfe as I said doth no more but conjecture whiles I seeke to trace out these their footsteps and hope to find them out some where-else Among these hils standeth Chuton which was the habitation if I take not my markes amisse of William Bonvill whom King Henrie the Sixth called by his writ of Summons to the Parliament by the name William de Bonvill and Chuton among other Barons of the Realme made him Knight of the Garter and richly matched his sonne in marriage with the sole daughter of Lord Harington But when he unthankefull man that he was in the heate of civill warre revolted and tooke part with the house of Yorke as if vengeance had pursued him hard at heeles that onely sonne of his he saw taken from him by untimely death and his nephew by the same sonne Baron of Harington slaine at the battell of Wakefield and immediately after that his old age might want no kind of miserie whiles he waited still and long looked for better daies was himselfe taken prisoner in the second battell of Saint Albans and having now run through his full time by course of nature lost his head leaving behind him for his heire his Grand-childs daughter Cecilie a Damsel of tender yeares who afterwards with a great inheritance was wedded to Thomas Greie Marquesse Dorset But his bloud after his death was by authoritie of Parliament restored Under Mendip hills northward there is a little village called Congersburie so named of one Congar a man of singular holinesse Capgrave hath written that hee was the Emperours sonne of Constantinople who lived there an Eremite also Harpetre a Castle by right of inheritance fell to the Gornaies and from them descended to the Ab-Adams who as I have read restored it to the Gornaies again Southward not farre from the foresaid hole where Mendip slopeth downe with a stony descent a little citie with an Episcopall See is scituate beneath at the hill foot sometime called as saith Leland but whence he had it I wot not Theodorodunum now Welles so named of the Springs or Wels which boile and walme up there like as Susa in Persia Croia in Dalmatia and Pagase in Macedonia were named of the like fountaines in their countrey speech whereupon this also in Latin is called Fontanensis Ecclesia as one would say Fountain-Church Fot multitude of Inhabitants for faire and stately buildings it may well and truely chalenge the preheminence of all this Province A goodly Church it hath and a Colledge founded by King Ina in honour of Saint Andrew and soone after endowed by Princes and great men with rich livings and revenewes among whom King Kinewolph by name in the yeare of our Lord 766. granted unto it very many places lying thereabout For in a Charter of his wee reade thus I Kinewolph King of the West-Saxons for the love of God and that which is not openly to be spoken for some vexation of our enemies those of the Cornish Nation with the consent of my Bishops and Nobles will most humbly give and consecrate some parcell of Land to Saint Andrew the Apostle and servant of God that is to say as much as commeth to Eleven Hides neere to the River called Welwe for the augmentation of that Monasterie which standeth neere the great fountaine that they call Wiclea This Charter have I set downe both for the antiquitie and because some have supposed that the place tooke name of this River verily neere the Church there is a Spring called Saint Andrewes Well the fairest deepest and most plentifull that I have seene by and by making a swift Brooke The Church it selfe all throughout is very beautifull but the Frontispiece thereof in the West end is a most excellent and goodly piece of worke indeede for it ariseth up still from the foot to the top all of imagerie in curious and antike wise wrought of stone carved and embowed right artificially and the Cloisters adjoyning very faire and spacious A gorgeous pallace of the Bishops built in manner of a Castle fortified with walles and a moate standeth hard by Southward and on the other side faire houses of the Prebendaries For Seven and Twenty Prebends with nineteene other petty Prebends beside a Deane a Chaunter a Chancellour and three Archdeacons belong to this Church In the time of K. Edward the elder a Bishops See was here placed For when the Pope had suspended him because the Ecclesiasticall discipline and jurisdiction in these westerne parts of the Realme began openly to decay then he knowing himselfe to be a maintainer and Nurse-father of the Church ordained three new Bishopricks to wit of Cridie Cornwall and this of Welles where hee made Eadulph the first Bishop But many yeares after when Giso sate Bishop there Harold Earle of the West-Saxons and of Kent who gaped so greedily for the goods of the Church so disquieted and vexed him that hee went within a little off quite abolishing the dignitie thereof But King William the Conquerour after hee had overthrowne Harold stretched out his helping hand to the succour of banished Giso and reliefe of his afflicted Church At what time as witnesseth Doomesday booke the Bishop held the whole towne in his owne hands which paid tribute after the proportion of fiftie Hides Afterwards in the raigne of Henry the First Iohannes de Villula of Tours in France being now elected Bishop translated his See to Bathe since which time the two Sees growing into one the Bishop beareth the title of both so that hee is called The Bishop of Bathe and Welles Whereupon the Monkes of Bathe and Canons of Welles entred into a great quarrell and skuffled as it were each with the other about the choosing of their Bishops Meane while Savanaricus Bishop of Bathe being also Abbat of Glastenbury translated the See of Glastenbury and was called Bishop thereof but when hee died this title died with him and the Monkes and Canons aforesaid were at length brought to accord by that Robert who divided the Patrimonie of Welles Church into Prebends instituting a Deane Sub-deane c. Joceline also the Bishop about the same time repaired the Church with new buildings and within remembrance of our Grand-fathers Raulph of Shrewsburie so some call him built a very fine Colledge for the Vicars and singing-men fast by the North side of the Church and walled in the Bishops Palace But this rich Church was dispoiled of many faire possessions in the time of King Edward the Sixth when England felt all miseries which happen under a Child-King As ye goe from the Palace to the market-place of the towne Thomas Beckington the Bishop built a most beautifull gate who also adjoyned thereto passing faire houses all of uniforme height neere the Market-place in the middest whereof is to be seene a Market-place supported with seven Columnes or pillar without arched
for all England right happy For it brought forth to us Queene Elizabeth a most gracious and excellent Prince worthy of superlative praise for her most wise and politique government of the Common-wealth and for her heroicke vertues farre above that sexe But when the said Thomas Bullen overcome with the griefe and sorrow that hee tooke for the infortunate fall and death of his children he ended his daies without issue this title lay still untill that King Edward the Sixth conferred it upon William Powlet Lord Saint Iohn whom soone after hee made Marquesse of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England in whose family it remaineth at this day This Countie containeth in it Parishes 304. HANTSHIRE NExt to Wilshire is that Country which sometimes the Saxons called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is now commonly named Hantshire of which one part that beareth farther within the land belonged no doubt to the Belgae the other which lieth upon the sea appertained without question to the Regni an ancient people of Britaine On the West it hath Dorsetshire and Wilshire on the South the Ocean to bound it on the East it joyneth to Sussex and Surrie and on the North it bordereth upon Barkshire A small province it is fruitfull in corne furnished in some places with pleasant woods standing thicke and well growne rich in plenteous pasture and for all commodities of sea most wealthy and happie It is thought that it was with the first brought under subjection to the Romans For our Histories report that Vespasian subdued it and very probable reasons there are inducing us to beleeve the same For Dio witnesseth that Plautius and Vespasian when they were sent by the Emperour Claudius against the Britaines did give the attempt upon this Island with an armie divided into three parts least if they should have ventured to land in one place onely they might have beene driven backe from the shore Suetonius also writeth that in this expedition Vespasian fought thirtie battailes with the enemie and subdued the Isle of Wight which lieth against this country and two other right puissant nations with it For which his victories as also for passing over the Ocean so safely Valerius Flaccus speaketh unto Vespasian himselfe as one more fortunate than Iulius Caesar in this manner Tuque O Pelagi cui major aperti Fama Caledonius post quam tua Carbasa vexit Oceanus Fhrigios prius indignatus Iülos And thou for Seas discoverie whose fame did more appeare Since that thy ships with sailes full spred in Northren Ocean were Which skorn'd before of Phrygian line the Julii to beare And of the very same Vespasian Appolonius Collatius Novariensis the Poet versified thus Ille quidem nuper faelici Marte Britannos Fuderat He verily of late by happy flight Had won the field and Britains put to flight But how in this war Titus delivered Vespasian his father when he was very streightly besieged by the Britans and how at the same time likewise an adder grasped him about and yet never hurt him which he tooke as a lucky foretoken of his Empire you may learne out of Dio and Forcatulus I for my part to come to my purpose beginning at the West side of this province will make my perambulation along the sea-coast and the rivers that runne into the Ocean and after that survey the more in-land parts thereof HAMSHIRE OLIM PARS BELGARVM A long the East banke of this river in this Shire King William of Normandie pulled downe all the townes villages houses and Churches farre and neere cast out the poore Inhabitants and when he had so done brought all within thirty miles compasse or there about into a forrest and harbour for wild beasts which the Englishmen in those daies termed Ytene and we now call New forrest Of which Act of his Gwalter Maps who lived immediately after wrote thus The Conquerour tooke away land both from God and men to dedicate the same unto wild beasts and Dogs-game in which space he threw downe sixe and thirtie-Mother-Churches and drave all the people thereto belonging quite away And this did he either that the Normans might have safer and more secure arrivall in England for it lieth over against Normandie in case after that all his wars were thought ended any new dangerous tempest should arise in this Island against him or for the pleasure which he tooke in hunting or else to scrape and rape money to himselfe by what meanes soever he could For being better affected and more favourable to beasts than to men he imposed verie heavie fines and penalties yea and other more grievous punishments upon those that should meddle with his game But Gods just judgement not long after followed this so unreasonable and cruell act of the King For Richard his second sonne and William Rufus King of England another sonne of his perished both in this Forrest William by chance shot through with an arrow by Walter Tirell the other blasted with a pestilent aire Henrie likewise his Grand-child by Robert his eldest sonne whiles hee hotely pursued his game in this Chase was hanged amongst the boughes and so died that wee may learne thereby How even childrens children beare the punishment of their Fathers sonnes There goe commonly abroad certaine verses that Iohn White Bishop of Winchester made of this Forrest Which although they falsly make William Rufus to have ordained the same yet because they are well liked of many I am likewise well content heere to set them downe Templa adimit Divis fora civibus arva colonis Rufus instituit Beaulensi in rure forestam Rex cervum insequitur Regem vindicta Tirellus Non bene provisum transfixit acumine ferri From God and Saint King Rus did Churches take From Citizens town-court and mercate place From Farmer lands New forrest for to make In Beaulew tract where whiles the King in chase Pursues the Hart just vengeance comes apace And King pursues Tirrell him seeing not Unawares him slew with dint of arrow shot He calleth it Beauley tract for that King Iohn built hard by a pretty Monasterie for the pleasant scituation called Beaulieu which continued ever unto our Fathers memorie of great fame as being an unviolated sanctuarie and a safe refuge for all that fled to it in so much that in times past our people heere thought it unlawfull and an hainous offence by force to take from thence any persons whatsoever were they thought never so wicked murtherers or traitours so that our Ancestors when they erected such Sanctuaries or Temples as they terme them of Mercie every where throughout England seemed rather to have proposed unto themselves Romulus to imitate than Moses who commanded that wilfull murtherers should bee plucked from the Altar and put to death and for them onely appointed Sanctuarie who by meere chance had killed any man But least the sea coast for so long a tract as that forrest is heere should lie without defence all open
they boyle untill it bee exceeding white And of this sea or Bay-salt and not of ours made out of salt springs is Saint Ambrose to bee understood when hee writeth thus Consider we those things which are usuall with many very grace-full namely how water is turned into salt of such hardnesse and soliditie that often-times it is hewed with axes This in the salts of Britaine is no wonder as which carrying a shew of strong marble doe shine and glitter againe with the whitenesse of the same mettall like unto snow and bee holesome to the bodie c. Farther within the land the MEANVARI dwelt whose countrey togither with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South Saxons received in token of Adoption from Wlpher King of Mercians Godfather unto him at the Font when he was baptized The habitations of these Meanvari scarce changing the name at this day is divided into three hundreds to wit Means-borow East-mean and West-mean and amongst them there mounteth up an high Hill environed in the top with a large rampier and they call it old Winchester at which by report there stood in old time a citie but now neither top nor toe as they say remaineth of it so as a man would quickly judge it to have beene a summer standing campe and nothing else Under this is Warnford seated where Adam de Portu a mightie man in this tract and of great wealth in the raigne of William the first reedified the Church a new as a couple of rude verses set fast upon the wall doe plainly shew Upon these more high into the land those SEGONTIACI who yeilded themselves unto Iulius Caesar had their seate toward the North limite of this shire in and about the hundred of Holeshot wherein are to bee seene Mercate Aultim which King Elfred bequeathed by his will unto the keeper of Leodre also Basingstoke a mercate towne well frequented upon the descent of an hill on the North side whereof standeth solitarie a very faire Chappell consecrated unto the holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was buried there In the arched and embowed roofe whereof is to be seene the holy history of the Bible painted most artificially with lively portraicts and images representing the Prophets the Apostles and the Disciples of Christ. Beneath this Eastward lieth Basing a towne very well knowne by reason of the Lords bearing the name of it to wit Saint Iohn the Poinings and the Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was likewise daughter and heire to the right noble house of Saint Iohn William his sonne to doe honour unto that familie assumed to him the surname of Saint Iohn and they who lineally descended from him have still retained the same But when Edmund Saint Iohn departed out of this world without issue in King Edward the third his time his sister Margaret bettered the state of her husband Iohn Saint Philibert with the possessions of the Lord Saint Iohn And when she was dead without children Isabell the other sister wife unto Sir Luke Poinings bare unto him Thomas Lord of Basing whose Neice Constance by his sonne Hugh unto whom this fell for her childs part of Inheritance was wedded into the familie of the Powlets and she was great Grandmother to that Sir William Powlet who being made Baron Saint Iohn of Basing by King Henrie the Eighth and created by King Edward the Sixth first Earle of Wilshire and afterward Marquesse of Winchester and withall was Lord Treasurer of England having in a troublesome time runne through the highest honours fulfilled the course of nature with the satietie of this life and that in great prosperitie as a rare blessing among Courtiers after he had built a most sumptuous house heere for the spacious largenesse thereof admirable to the beholders untill for the great and chargeable reparations his successors pulled downe a good part of it But of him I have spoken before Neere unto this house the Vine sheweth it selfe a very faire place and Mansion house of the Baron Sands so named of the vines there which wee have had in Britaine since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit For hee permitted the Britaines and others to have vines The first of these Barons was Sir William Sands whom King Henrie the Eighth advanced to that dignitie being Lord Chamberlaine unto him and having much amended his estate by marrying Margerie Bray daughter and heire of Iohn Bray and cousin to Sir Reinold Bray a most worthy Knight of the Order of the Garter and a right noble Baneret whose Sonne Thomas Lord Sands was Grandfather to William L. Sands that now liveth Neighbouring hereunto is Odiam glorious in these daies for the Kings house there and famous for that David the Second King of Scots was there imprisoned a Burrough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester the fortresse whereof in the name of King John thirteene Englishmen for fifteene daies defended most valiantly and made good against Lewis of France who with his whole armie besieged and asted it very hotly A little above among these Segontiaci toward the North side of the countrey somtimes stood VINDONVM the chiefe citie of the Segontiaci which casting off his owne name hath taken the name of the Nation like as Luteria hath assumed unto it the name of the Parisians there inhabiting for called it was by the Britaines Caer Segonte that is to say the Citie of the Segontiaci And so Ninnius in his catalogue of cities named it wee at this day called it Silecester and Higden seemeth to clepe it of the Britaines Britenden that this was the ancient Vindonum I am induced to thinke by reason of the distance of Vindonum in Antoninus from Gallena or Guallenford and Venta or Winchester and the rather because betweene this Vindonum and Venta there is still to bee seene a causey or street-way Ninnius recordeth that it was built by Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great and called sometime Murimintum haply for Muri-vindum that is the wals of Vindon For this word Mur borrowed from the provinciall language the Britaines retained still and V. the consonant they change oftentimes in their speech and writing into M. And to use the verie words of Asinnius though they seeme ridiculous the said Constantius sowed upon the soile of this citie three seedes that none should be poore that dwelt therein at any time Like as Dinocrates when Alexandria in Egypt was a building strewed it with meale or flower as Marcellinus writeth all the circular lines of the draught which being done by chance was taken for a fore-token that the citie should abound with al manner of victualls He reporteth also that Constantius died here and that his Sepulchre was to be seene at one of the gates as the Inscription
gave encrease to another towne of the same name whereof the greater part also being drowned and made even with the sea is no more to bee seene and the commodiousnesse of the haven by reason of bankes and bars of sand cast up at the rivers mouth quite gone whereas in foregoing times it was wont to carrie ships with full saile as farre as to Brember which is a good way from the sea This Brember was a castle sometime of the Breoses For King William the first gave it unto William de Breose from whom those Breoses are descended who were Lords of Gower and Brechnok and from them also both in this County and in Leicestershire are come the Families of the Shirleys Knights But now in stead of a Castle there is nothing but an heape of rubble and ruines A little from this Castle lieth Stening a great mercate and at certaine set daies much frequented which in Aelfrids will unlesse I be deceived is called Steningham in latter times it had a Cell of Black-Monkes wherein was enshrined S. Cudman an obscure Saint and visited by pilgrimes with oblations That ancient place also called PORTVS ADVRNI as it seemeth is scarce three miles from this mouth of the river where when the Saxons first troubled our sea with their piracies the Band called Exploratorum under the Roman Emperours kept their Station but now it should seeme to bee choked and stopped up with huge heapes of beach gathered together For that this was Ederington a pretie village which the said Aelfred granted unto his younger sonne both the name remaining in part and also certaine cottages adjoyning now called Portslade that is The way to the Haven doe after a sort perswade to say nothing how easily they might land heere the shore being so open and plaine And for the same cause our men in the reigne of King Henrie the Eighth did heere especially wait for the Frenchmens gallies all the while they hovered on our coasts and upon the sudden set one or two cottages on fire at Brighthelmsted which our ancestours the Saxons termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very next road or harbour thereunto Some few miles from hence there dischargeth it selfe into the sea a certaine river that hath no name arising out of S. Leonards forrest neere unto Slaugham the habitation of the Coverts who in King Henrie the third his daies flourished in this quarter with the degree of Knight-hood thence by Cackfield to Linfeld where in former ages was a small Nunnery and so by Malling some-time a Manour appurtaining to the Archbishops of Canterburie to Lewis which peradventure hath his name of pastures called by the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This for frequencie of people and greatnesse is reputed one of the chiefest townes of the County Seated it is upon a rising almost on every side That it hath beene walled there are no apparant tokens Southward it hath under it as it were a great suburb called South-over another Westward and beyond the river a third Eastward called Cliffe because it is under a chalkie cliffe In the time of the English Saxon government when King Athelstan made a Law that money should not be coyned but in good townes he appointed two minters or coyners for this place In the reigne of King Edward the Confessor it paid sixe pounds and foure shillings de Gablo et Theloneo The King had there one hundred twenty seven Burgars Their custome and manner was this If the King minded to send his souldiers to sea without them of all them whose lands soever they were was collected twenty shillings and all those had they that in their ships kept armour Who selleth an horse within the Burgh giveth to the Provost one penny and the buier another For an oxe or cow one halfe penny in what place so ever he buieth within the Rape He that sheddeth bloud maketh amends for seven shillings Hee that committeth adulterie or a rape for eight shillings and foure pence and the woman as much The King hath the Adulterer The Archbishop the woman when the mint or money is made new every minter giveth twentie shillings Of all these paiments two third parts went to the King and one third part to the Earle William de Warren the first Earle of Surrie built here a large Castle on the highest ground for most part with flint and chalke In the bottom of the towne called Southover he founded to the honour and memory of Saint Pancrace a Priorie and stored it with Cluniach Monkes In regard of the holinesse religion and charitie which he found in the Monasterie of Clugni in Burgundie for these be the words taken out of the very originall instrument of the foundation Whiles going in pilgrimage together with his wife for religion he turned in and lodged there But this is now turned into a dwelling house of the Earle of Dorset Howbeit there remaine still in the towne sixe Churches amongst which not farre from the Castle there standeth one little one all desolate and beset with briers and brambles in the walles whereof are ingraven in arched worke certaine rude verses in an old and over-worne character which implie thus much that one Magnus descended from the bloud roiall of the Danes who imbraced a solitarie life was there buried But behold the verses themselves imperfect though they be and gaping as I may so say with the very yawning joynts of the stones Which peradventure should be thus read Clauditur hic miles Danorum regia proles Magnus nomen ei magnae nota progeniei Deponens Magnum prudentior induit agnum Praepete pro vita fit paruulus Anachorita A noble Knight Sir Magnus hight a name of great of-spring Is shut up here Though borne he were in line of Danish King He wiser man Puts Agnus on and laies downe Magnus quite For swift life this Become he is a little Anchorite About 346. yeeres since this place became famous for the mortall and bloudie battaile betweene K. Henrie the third and the Barons in which the prosperous beginning of the fight on the kings side was the overthrow of the kings forces For whiles prince Edward the kings son breaking by force through certain of the Barons troups carelesly pursued the enemies over far as making sure account of the victory the Barons having reinforced themselves giving a fresh charge so discomfited and put to flight the Kings armie that they constrained the King to accept unequall conditions of peace and to deliver his sonne Prince Edward with others into their hands From Lewis the river as it descendeth so swelleth that the bottom cannot containe it and therefore maketh a large mere and is fed more full with a brooket falling from Laughton a seat of Pelhams a family of especiall respect by Gline that is in the British tongue the vale the habitation of Morleyes whose antiquitie the name doth testifie And afterward albeit it gathereth
word which signifieth a strond or Banke I cannot easily say But seeing that in Records it is very often called in Latine Ripa and they who bring fish from hence be termed Ripiers I encline rather this way and would encline more if the Frenchmen used this word for a stroud or shore as Plinius doth Ripa These two townes neither may it seeme impertinent to note it belonged to the Abbey of Fescampe in Normandie But when King Henry the Third perceived that religious men intermingled secretly in matters of State he gave them in exchange for these two Chiltenham and Sclover two Manours in Glocester-shire and other lands adding for the reason that the Abbat and Monkes might not lawfully fight with temporall armes against the enemies of the Crowne Into this haven the River Rother or Rither sheddeth it selfe which issuing forth at Ritheram fieldes for so the Englishmen in ancient times called that towne which wee doe Rotherfield passeth by Burgwash in old time Burghersh which had Lords so surnamed thereof among whom was that Sir Bartholomew Burgwash a mightie man in his time who being approved in most weighty Ambassages and warres in Aquitaine for his wisedome and valour deserved to be created a Baron of the Realme to be admitted into the Order of the Garter at the very first institution even among the Founders thereof and to bee made Constable of Dover Castle and Warden of the Cinque-ports And his sonne carrying the same fore-name not degenerating from his father lived in high honour and estimation but hee left behind him one daughter and no more issue married into the house of Le Despencer of which there remaineth still a goodly of-spring of Noble personages Echingham next adjoyning had also a Baron named William de Echingham in the time of King Edward the Second whose ancestours were the hereditarie Seneschals of this Rape And their inheritance in the end by the heires females name to the Barons of Windsor and to the Tirwhits Then the Rother dividing his water into three channels passeth under Roberts bridge where Alured de S. Martin in King Henrie the seconds daies founded a Monasterie and so running beside Bodiam a Castle belonging to the ancient Family of the Lewknors built by the Dalegrigs here falleth as I said into the Ocean Now I have passed along the Sea coast of Sussex And as for the mid-land part of the shire I have nothing more to relate thereof unlesse I should recount the woods and forrests lying out faire in length and breadth which are a remnant of the vast wood Anderida Among which to begin at the West those of greatest note are these The forrest of Arundill Saint Leonards forrest Word forrest and not farre off East Gren-sted anciently a parcell of the Barony of Eagle and made a Mercate by King Henry the seventh Ashdowne forrest under which standeth Buckhurst the habitation of the ancient house of the Sackviles out of which race Queene Elizabeth in our daies aduanced Thomas Sackvile her allie by the Bollens a wise Gentleman to be Baron of Buckhurst took him into her Privie Councell admitted him into the most honorable Order of the Garter and made him Lord Treasurer of England whom also of late K. Iames created Earle of Dorset Waterdown forrest where I saw Eridge a lodg of the Lord Abergevenny and by it craggie rocks rising up so thicke as though sporting nature had there purposed a sea Here-by in the very confines of Kent is Groomebridge an habitation of the Wallers whose house there was built by Charles Duke of Orleance father to K. Lewis the 12. of France when he being taken prisoner in the battaile at Agincourt by Richard Waller of this place was here a long time detained prisoner As touching the Earles Sussex had five by the line of Albiney who were likewise called Earles of Arundell but had the third pennie of Sussex as Earles then had The first of them was William D' Albiney the sonne of William Butler to King Henrie the first and Lord of Buckenham in Norfolk who gave for his armes Gules a Lion rampant Or and was called one while Earle of Arundell and another while Earle of Chichester for that in those places he kept his chiefe residence This man of Adeliz the daughter of Godfrey Barbatus Duke of Lorraine and of Brabant Queen Dowager or Widdow of K. Henrie the First begat William the second Earle of Sussex and of Arundell father to William the third Earle unto whom Mabile the sister and one of the heires of the last Raulph Earle of Chester bare William the fourth Earle Hugh the fifth who both died without issue and also foure daughters married unto Sir Robert Yateshall Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Sir Roger de Somery and Sir Robert de Mount-hault After this the title of Arundell budded forth againe as I said before in the Fitz-Alans but that of Sussex lay hidden and lost unto this our age which hath seene five Ratcliffes descended of the most Noble house of the Fitz-walters that derived their pedigree from the Clares bearing that honour to wit Robert created Earle of Sussex by King Henrie the Eight who wedded Elizabeth daughter of Henry Stafford Earle of Buckingham of whom he begat Henrie the second Earle unto whom Elizabeth the daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk brought forth Thomas who being Lord Chamberlaine to Queene Elizabeth died without issue a most worthy and honourable personage in whose mind were seated joyntly both politike wisedome and martiall prowesse as England and Ireland acknowledged Him succeeded Sir Henrie his brother and after him Robert his onely sonne now in his flower This Province containeth parishes 312. THus farre of Sussex which together with Suth-rey was the habitation of the Regni in the time of the Britaines and afterwards the kingdome of the South-Saxons called in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the two and thirty yeare after the Saxons comming was begun by Ella who as Beda writeth First among the Kings of the English Nation ruled all their Southern Provinces which are severed by the River Humber and the limits adjoyning thereto The first Christian King was Edilwalch baptized in the presence of Wulpher King of Mercia his Godfather and he in signe of adoption gave unto him two Provinces namely the Isle of Wight and the Province of the Meanvari But in the 306. yeare after the beginning of this Kingdome when Aldinius the last King was slaine by Ina King of West-Saxons it came wholly under the Dominion of the West-Saxons CANTIVM NOw am I come to Kent which Countrey although master WILLIAM LAMBARD a man right well endued with excellent learning and as godly vertues hath so lively depainted out in a full volume that his painefull felicitie in that kind bath left little or nothing for others yet according to the project of this worke which I have taken in hand I will runne it over also and
Castle adjoyning hard unto it now named Stutfall which in the side and descent of a pretty hill tooke up about tenne acres of ground in compasse and the reliques of the wall remaine still of British bricke and flint so close laid and couched together with a kind of strong mortar made of lime sand and pibles that as yet time hath not given it the check and now although it be not an haven towne yet it retaineth still no small shew of the ancient dignitie it had For heere the Warden of the Cinque Ports at a place called Shipway useth to take his solemne oath when hee first entreth into his office and heere upon certaine set daies the custome was to decide causes betweene the inhabitants of the said Ports Some have thought that in this place a great river discharged it selfe into the sea for that one or two writers have made mention of the river Leman and the mouth of Leman at which the Danes Fleet in the yeare of our salvation 892. arrived But I suppose they are deceived in the description of the place both because there is no river heere but a very small one which streight waies being of no reckoning at all vanisheth as also for that the Archdeacon of Huntingdon a compendious authour and of good approved credit writeth that the said fleet arrived at the Haven Leman and saith not a word of the river Vnlesse a man would thinke with whom I dare not accord that the river Rother which intermingleth it selfe with the Ocean under Rhieine ran downe this way and changed his course by little and little when that champian plaine called Rumney Marsh grew unto the firme land this Marsh-country which from Lime containeth 14. miles in length and 8. in bredth and reckoneth two townes nineteene parishes and 44200. acres or there about by reason of ranke greene grasse most convenient for the grasing and feeding of beasts hath beene by little and little laied unto the land by the benefit of the sea Whereupon I may well and truely terme it the Seas-gift like as Herodotus called Aegypt the gift of the river Nilus and a very learned man termed the pastures of Holland the gifts of the North-wind and the river Rhene For the sea to make amends yeilded that againe in this place which it swallowed up else where in this coast either by retyring backe or by laying oze thereto from time to time as some places which in the remembrance of our grandfathers lay close unto the sea shore are now dis-joyned a mile or two from the sea How fruitful the soile is what a number of heards of cattel it feedeth that are sent thither from the furthest parts of Wale and England to be fatted what art and cunning is used in making of bankes to fence it against the violent risings of the sea one would hardly believe that hath not seene it And that it might be the better ordered certaine lawes of Sewers were made in the time of King Henry the third And King Edward the fourth ordained that it should be a Corporation consisting of a Bailive Iurates and the Communalty In the Saxons time the inhabitants thereof were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Marshmen and verily the signification of that name accordeth passing well with the nature of the place Neither can I understand and conceive that ancient writer Aethelward when he reporteth That Cinulph King of the Mercians wasted Kent and the country which is called Mersc-warum And in another place That Herbyth a Captaine was by the Danes beheaded in a place named Mersc-warum if he meant not this very Marsh-country Rumney or Romeney and in former time Romenal which some conjecture by the name to have beene the Romans worke is the principall towne of this Marsh and one of the Cinque-ports whereof Old Romeney and Lid are accounted members which joyntly were charged with the setting forth of five ships of warre in that manner and forme as I have before said It is seated upon an hill of gravell and sand and had on the West side an haven of good receit and commodious withall for most of the winds before the sea with-drew it selfe from it The inhabitants as we read in King William the Conquerours booke were in regard of their sea service quitte and quiet from all custome beside for robbery peace-breach and Foristell And in those daies it flourished with the best For it was divided into twelue wards it had also five Parish-churches it had a Priorie and an Hospitall for sicke persons But in the reigne of Edward the first when the sea raging with violence of windes overflowed this tract and made pittifull waste of people of cattell and of houses in every place as having quite drowned Promhil a prety town well frequented it made the Rother also forsake his old channel which heere before time emptied himselfe into the sea and stopped his mouth opening a new and neerer way for him to passe into the sea by Rhie So as by little and little hee forsoke this towne Which ever since hath decreased and lost much of the forme frequency and ancient dignity Beneath this the land tending more East-ward maketh a Promontory we call it the Nesse as it were a nose before which lieth a dangerous flat in the sea and upon which standeth Lid a towne well inhabited whereunto the inhabitants of Promhill after that inundation aforesaid betooke themselves And in the very utmost point of this Promontory which the people call Denge-nesse where there is nothing but beach and pible stones Holme-trees grow plentifully with their sharp prickey leaves alwaies greene in manner of underwood for a mile and more Among the said beach neere unto Ston end is to be seene an heape of greater stones which the neighbour Inhabitants call Saint Cryspins and Crispinians tombe whom they report to have beene cast upon this shore by ship-wracke and from hence called into the glorious companie of Saints From thence the shore retyring it selfe is directly carried into the West bringing foorth peason among the beach which grow up naturally like clusters of grapes a number together and in tast little differ from our field peason and so runneth on as farre as to the Rother-Mouth by which for some space Kent is divided from Sussex The course of this river on Sussex side wee have in part briefely spoken of before On Kent side it hath Newenden which I almost parswade my selfe was that haven so long sought for and which the booke Notitia Provinciarū called ANDERIDA the old Britains Caer Andred and the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first because the Inhabitants by a continued tradition constantly affirme it was a most ancient towne and Haven whereof they shew the plot then for that it is situate by the wood Andredswald that tooke the name of it lastly because the English-Saxons seeme to have termed it Brittenden that is The
erected and whose immortall soules in them doe speake to the end that Time might not have power and prevaile against men of worth and the desires of mortall men might be satisfied who do all long to know what their persons and presence were The Earle of Dorset late Chancellor of this Vniversity that he might also leave some memoriall of himselfe hath in the very place dedicated unto Sir Thomas Bodley so passing well deserving of the Learned Common-wealth his representation with this inscription THOMAS SACKUILLUS DORSETTIAE COMES SUMMUS ANGLIAE THESAURARIUS ET HUJUS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIUS THOMAE BODLEIO EQUITI AURATO QUI BIBLIO THE CAM HANC INSTITUIT HONORIS CAUSSA PIE POSUIT That is THOMAS SACKUIL EARLE OF DORSET LORD HIGH TREASURER OF ENGLAND AND CHANCELOR OF THIS UNIVERSITIE UNTO SIR THOMAS BODLEY KNIGHT WHO INSTITUTED THIS LIBRARY OF A PIOUS MIND ERECTED THIS MONUMENT TO DO HIM HONOUR In the Raigne of Henry the Seventh for the better advancement of learning William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built new out of the ground Brasen Nose College which that good and godly old man Master Alexander Nowell Deane of Saint Paules in London lately augmented with Revenewes and Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected likewise that which is named Corpus Christi College and Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke following their example beganne another where the Monastery of Frideswide stood the most stately and fairest of them all for Professors and 200. Students which Henry the Eighth joyning unto it Canterbury College assigned to a Deane Prebends and Students endowed it with livings and named it Christs Church And the same most puissant Prince with money disbursed out of his owne Treasury ordained both for the Dignity of the City a Bishop and for the ornament and advancement of the University publique Professours Likewise within our remembrance for the furtherance of learning with new and fresh benefits Sir Thomas Pope Knight reared a new Durrham College and Sir Thomas White Knight Citizen and Alderman of London raised Bernard College both which lay buryed in the rubbish They reedified them repaired them with new buildings enriched them with faire lands and gave them new names For the one of them they dedicated to Saint Iohn Baptist and that other to the holy and sacred Trinity Queene Mary also built the common Schooles And now of late Hugh Prise Doctor of the Lawes hath begunne a new College with good speede and happy successe as I wish to the honor of Iesus With these Colleges which are in number 16. and eight Haulls beside all faire and decently built richly endowed and furnished with good Libraries Oxford at this day so flourisheth that it farre surmounteth all other Universities of Christendome And for Living Libraries for so may I well and truely with Eunapius terme great Scholers and learned men for the discipline and teaching of the best Arts and for the politique government of this their republicke of Literature it may give place to none But to what end is all this Oxford needeth no mans commendation the excellency thereof doth so much exceede and if I may use Plinies word superfluit that is Surmounteth Let this suffice to say of Oxford as Pomponius Mela did of Athens Clarior est quà m ut indicari egeat that is More glorious it is of it selfe than that it needeth to bee out shewed But have heere for an upshot and farewell the beginning of Oxford story out of the Proctors booke By the joint testimony of most Chronicles many places in divers Coasts and Climats of the world we read to have flourished at sundry times in the studies of divers sciences But the Vniversity of Oxford is found to be for foundation more ancient for plurality of sciences more generall in profession of the Catholike truth more constant and in multiplicity of Privileges more excellent than all other Schooles that are knowne among the Latines The Mathematicians of this University have observed that this their City is from the Fortunate Islands 22. Degrees and the Arcticke or North Pole elevated 51. Degrees and 50. Scruples high And thus much briefly of my deare Nurse-mother Oxford But when a little beneath Oxford Isis and Cherwell have consociated their waters together within one Chanell Isis then entire of himselfe and with a swifter current runneth Southward to finde Tame whom so long he had sought for And gone he is not forward many miles but behold Tame streaming out of Buckinghamshire meeteth with him who is no sooner entred into this Shire but he giveth name to Tame a Mercate Towne situate very pleasantly among Rivers For Tame passeth hard by the Northside and two Riverers shedding themselves into it compasse the same the one on the East and the other on the West Alexander that liberall Bishop of Lincolne Lord of the place when his prodigall humor in sumptuous building of Castles was of every body privily misliked to wash out that staine as Newbrigensis saith built a little Abbay neere unto the Towne and many yeares after the Quatremans who in the age foregoing were men of great reputation in these parts founded an Hospitall for the sustentation of poore people But both of these are now decayed and quite gone and in stead thereof Sir Iohn Williams Knight whom Queene Mary advanced to the Dignity of a Baron by the Title of Lord William of Tame erected a very faire Schoole and a small Hospitall But this Title soone determined when he left but daughters marryed into the Families of Norris and Wenman From hence Tame runneth downe neere unto Ricot a goodly house which in times past belonged to those Quatremans whose stocke failing to bring forth Males it was devolved at length after many sailes and alienations passed by the Foulers and Herons unto the said Lord Williams and so by his daughter fell to Sir Henry Lord Norris whom Queene Elizabeth made Baron Norris of Ricot a man of good marke in regard of his noble birth and parentage for he descended from the Lovells who were neere allied by kinred unto the greatest houses in England but most renowned for that right valiant and warlike Progeny of his as the Netherlands Portugall little Bretagne and Ireland can witnesse At the length Tame by Haseley where sometimes the names of Barentines flourished as at Cholgrave commeth to Dorchester by Bede termed Civitas Dorcinia by Leland Hydropolis a name devised by his owne conceit yet fit enough considering that Dour in the British tongue signifieth water That this Towne was in old time inhabited by Romanes their coined peeces of money oftentimes turned up doe imply and our Chronicles record that it was for a long time much frequented by reason of a Bishops See which Birinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons appointed to be there For when hee had baptised Cinigilse a pety King of the West-Saxons unto whom Oswald King of Northumberland was Godfather both these Kings as saith Bede gave this City unto the same Bishop
yeare of our Lord 1086. when as before time it had beene consumed by a woefull accidentall fire whereof William of Malmesbury writeth thus The beauty thereof is so magnificent that it deserveth to bee numbered in the ranke of most excellent Edifices so large is that Arched Vault underneath and the Church above it of such capacity that it may seeme sufficient to receive any multitude of people whatsoever Because therefore Maurice carried a minde beyond all measure in this project he betooke the charge and cost of so laborious a peece of worke unto those that came after In the end when B. Richard his Successour had made over all the Revenewes belonging unto the Bishopricke to the building of this Cathedrall Church sustaining himselfe and his Family otherwise in the meane while hee seemed in a manner to have done just nothing so that hee spent his whole substance profusely heereabout and yet small effect came thereof The West Part as also the Crosse-yle are spacious high built and goodly to bee seene by reason of the huge Pillars and a right beautifull arched Roufe of stone Where these foure Parts crosse one another and meete in one there riseth uppe a mighty bigge and lofty Towre upon which stood a Spire Steeple covered with Leade mounting uppe to a wonderfull height for it was no lesse than five hundered and foure and thirty foote high from the Ground which in the yeare of our Lord 1087. was set on fire with Lightning and burnt with a great part of the City but beeing rebuilt was of late in mine owne remembrance when I was but a Childe fired againe with Lightning and is not as yet reedified The measure also and proportion of this so stately building I will heere put downe out of an old Writer which you may if it please you reade Saint Pauls Church containeth in length sixe hundered ninety foote the breadth thereof is one hundered and thirty foote the height of the West Arched Roufe from the Ground carrieth an hundered and two foote and the new Fabrique from the Ground is foure score and eight foote high The stoneworke of the Steeple from the plaine ground riseth in height two hundred and threescore foote and the timber frame upon the same is two hundred seaventy foure foote high c. That there stood of old time a Temple of Diana in this place some have conjectured and arguments there are to make this their conjecture good Certaine old houses adjoyning are in the ancient records of the Church called Dianaes Chamber and in the Church-yard while Edward the First reigned an incredible number of Ox-heads were digged up as wee finde in our Annals which the common sort at that time made a wondering at as the Sacrifices of Gentiles and the learned know that Taurapolia were celebrated in the honour of Diana I my selfe also when I was a boy have seene a stagges head sticking upon a speare-top a ceremony suting well with the sacrifices of Diana carried round about within the very Church in solemne pompe and procession and with a great noise of Horne-blowers And that Stagge or Hart which they of the house de Bawde in Essex did present for certaine lands that there held as I have heard say the Priests of this Church arrayed in their sacred vestiments and wearing Garlands of flowers upon their heads were wont to receive at the steps of the quire Now whether this were in use before those Bawds were bound to exhibite such a Stagge I wote not but surely this rite and ceremony may seeme to smell of Diana's worship and the Gentiles errours more than of Christian Religion And verily no man neede to doubt that from them certaine strange and foraine and heathenish rites crept into Christian religion Which Ceremonies the first Christians as mankinde is naturally a pliant Sectary to superstition either admitted or else at the first tolerated thereby to traine and allure the Heathen from Paganisme by little and little to the true Service and Worship of God But ever since this Church was built it hath beene the See of the Bishops of London and the first Bishop that it had under the English about fifty yeares after that Theoâ— of the British Nation was thrust out was Melitus a Roman consecrated by Austin Archbishop of Canturbury In honour of which Austin flat against the Decree of Pope Gregorie the Great the Ensignes of the Archbishopricke and the Metropolitane Sec were translated from London to Canturbury Within this Cathedrall Church to say nothing of Saint Erkenwald and the Bishops there lye buryed Sebba King of the East Saxons who gave over his kingdome for to serve Christ Etheldred or Egeldred who was an Oppressour rather than a Ruler of this Kingdome cruell in the beginning wretched in the middle and shamefull in the end so outragious hee was in his connivency to a Parricidie committed so infamous in his flight and effeminacy and so miserable in his death Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Sir Simon de Burlie a right noble Knight of the Garter executed by encroched Authority without the kings assent Sir Iohn de Beauchamp Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Iohn Lord Latimer Sir Iohn Mason knight William Herbert Earle of Pembroch Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England a man of a deepe reach and exquisite judgement Sir Philip Sidney and Sir Francis Walsingham two famous knights c. and Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour of England for whose perpetuall memory Sir William Hatton his Nephew by sister descended from the ancient Family of the Newports whom hee adopted into the name of Hatton dutifully erected a sumptuous monument well beseeming the greatnesse of his adoptive father Beside this Church there is not to my knowledge any other worke of the English Saxons extant in London to bee seene for why they continued not long in perfect peace considering that in short space the West-Saxons subdued the East-Saxons and London became subject to the Mercians Scarcely were these civill Warres husht when a new Tempest brake out of the North I meane the Danes who piteously tore in peeces all this Country and shooke this City sore For the Danes brought it under their Subjection but Aelfred recovered it out of their hands and after he had repaired it gave it unto Aetheldred Earle of the Mercians who had married his daughter Yet those wastefull depopulators did what they could afterwards many a time to winne it by Siege but Canut especially who by digging a new Chanell attempted to turne away the Tamis from it Howbeit evermore they lost their labour the Citizens did so manfully repulse the force of the enemy Yet were they not a little terrified still by them untill they lovingly received and saluted as their King William Duke of Normandy whom God destined to bee borne for the good of England against those Spoilers Presently then the windes were laid
number of pooles two or three miles over Which Fennes doe afford to a multitude of Monkes their wished private retyrings of a recluse and solitary life wherein as long as they are enclosed they need not the solitarinesse of any desert Wildernesse Thus farre Abbo SVFFOLâ—IAE Comitatus cuius Populi olim icâ—m Dicti Continens inse oppida mercatoria xxv Pagos et Villas CCCCLXIIII Vna cum singulis Hundredis et fluminibus in codeâ—e Auc Fore Christâ—phâ—râ— Saxton SOUTH-FOLKE or SUFFOLKE SUFFOLKE which wee must speake of first in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is South-folke or people in respect of Northfolke hath on the West side Cambridge-shire on the South the River Stoure which divideth it from Essex on the East side the German Sea and on the North two little Rivers Ouse the least and Waveney which flowing out as it were of the same Fountaine runne divers wayes and sever it apart from Norfolke A large country it is and full of havens of a fat and fertile Soile unlesse it be Eastward being compounded as it is of clay and marle by meanes whereof there are in every place most rich and goodly corne fields with pastures as battable for grazing and feeding of cattell And great store of cheeses are there made which to the great commodity of the Inhabitants are vented into all parts of England Nay into Germany France and Spaine also as Pantaleon the Physitian writeth who stucke not to compare these of ours for color and tast both with those of Placentia but he was no dainty toothed scholar out of Apicius schoole Neither bee there wanting woods heere which have beene more plentifull and parkes for many there are lying to Noble mens and Gentlemens houses replenished with game This County was divided politically into three parts whereof one is called the Geldable because out of it there is gathered a Tribute a second Saint Edmunds liberty for that it belonged to his Abbay the third Saint Audries liberty because it appertained to Ely Abbay unto which our Kings in times past granted certaine territories with Sach and Soch as saith Ely Booke without any exception either of Ecclesiasticall or secular jurisdiction But let us survey it Chorographically and beginning at the East side take a view of the better and more remarkeable places Where it lyeth West and toward Cambridgeshire in the very limite standeth Ixning more famous in times past than now For Audre the Virgin K. Annas daughter and canonized for a Saint was heere borne Ralph also Earle of this East England heere entred into conspiracy against William the Conquerour and Hervey the first Bishop of Ely made a causey or high way from hence to Ely But now for that Newmercate is so neer whither men resort with their wares and commodities more frequently it hath begunne to decay That this Newmercate is a Towne of late dayes built the very name it selfe doth import and it is situate in such sort that the South part therof belongeth to Cambridgeshire the North side to Suffolke and both of them have their severall small Churches whereof this acknowledgeth Ixning the former Ditton or Dichton for their mother Heereof I have found by reading nothing but that under King Henry the Third Sir Robert L' Isle gave one part of it in franke marriage with his daughter Cassandra unto Sir Richard de Argenton from whom the Alingtons are descended Heere lyeth out a great way round about a large Plaine named of this Towne Newmarket Heath consisting of a sandy and barren ground yet greene withall wherein is to bee seene that wonderfull Ditch which as if it had beene cast by the devill the common sort call Devils Dike whereas in very trueth most certainly it is knowne to be one of them wherewith the Inhabitants as Abbo writeth fenced themselves against the inrodes of their enemies as shall bee shewed more at large when we are come to Cambridgeshire Yet in the meane time I am heere to advertise the Reader that the least of all these ditches sheweth it selfe two miles from hence betweene Snaile-well and Moulton More within the Country is that renowned Towne of Saint Edmund which in the Saxons age men called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the time of the Britans as it should seeme was that VILLA FAUSTINI whereof Antonine maketh mention for of that opinion was Talbot a man right skilfull in antiquities and very much conversant in this part of England The distance also as well from the Iciani as from Colonia in Antonine agreeth well enough And as Villa in the Latine Tongue signifieth some Gentlemans house standing upon his land so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in old English betokened the same For that Abbo aforesaid interpreteth Bederics-gueord by these words Bederici Cortis that is Villa that is to say Bederics-Court Farme or Mansion house Besides that the Englishmen may seeme to have brought the significancy of that Latine word into their owne Language For as Faustinus in Latin implieth a certaine meaning of prosperity so doth Bederic in the German tongue as writeth that most learned Hadrianus Iunius where he interpreteth the name of Betorix who in Strabo was the sonne of Melo the Sicambrian Full of happinesse and favour But if these were divers persons I willingly confesse that I am ignorant who that Faustinus and who this Bedericus was Sure I am that it was not that VILLA FAUSTINI which Martiall in his Epigrammes depainteth and if I said it was the habitation of that Beric who being driven out of Britaine as Dio writeth persuaded the Emperour Claudius to warre upon the Britans I should not beleeve my selfe But whatsoever it was if it be not that Faustini Villa yet seemeth it to have beene of famous memory considering that when Christian Religion began to spring up in this Tract King Sigebert here founded a Church and Abbo called it Villam regiam that is A royall towne But after that the people had translated hither the body of Edmund that most Christian King whom the Danes with exquisite torments had put to death and built in honour of him a very great Church wrought with a wonderfull frame of timber it beganne to bee called Edmundi Burgus commonly Saint Edmundbury and more shortly Bury and flourished marveilous much But especially since that King Canutus for to expiate the sacrilegious impiety of his father Suenus against this Church being affrighted with a vision of Saint Edmunds built it againe of a new worke enriched it offered his owne Crowne unto the holy Martyr brought into it Monkes with their Abbot and gave unto it many faire and large Manours and among other things the Towne it selfe full and whole over which the Monkes themselves by their Seneschall had rule and jurisdiction Whereupon Ioscelin de Branklond a Monke of this house writeth thus The men as well without the Burgh as within are ours and all within Banna Leuca enjoy the same libertie
Holt or tuft of trees and for the Mercat well knowne running about five miles distant from Yare holdeth on a joynt course a great way and keepeth pace with him by Blickling now the seat of the ancient Family of Clere who in former times dwelt at Ormesby and by Ailesham a Mercat Towne of good resort where the Earle of Athole in Scotland had lands not farre from Worsted whereas I reade the Stuffe Worsted in so great request amongst our Ancestours was first made and hence so named as Dornicks Cameric Calecut c. had in like manner their denomination from the places where they were first invented and made Then passeth Thyrn nere the decayed great Abbay called Saint Benet in the Holme which Knut the Dane built and the Monkes afterward so strengthned with most strong wals and bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloister In so much that William the Conquerour could not winne it by assault untill a Monke betraied it into his hands upon this condition that himselfe might bee made Abbot thereof Which was done accordingly but forthwith this new Abbot for being a Traitour as the Inhabitants make report was hanged up by the Kings commandement and so justly punished for this treason But the ground in this Island or Holme is so fenny and rotten that if a man cut up the strings and rootes of trees and shrubs there growing it floteth aloft on the water and is ready to follow one whither he will have it And some there be who thinke by the Perwinkles and Cocles that other while are digged up there that the Sea had broken in thither From thence runneth this River downe by Ludham an house of the Bishops of Norwich and by Clipsby which gave name to a Family of ancient note in his Tract and straightway uniteth his owne streame with the Yare From the mouth of Yare the shore goeth directly as it were North to Winterton a point or cape very well knowne to Sailers which tooke that name I suppose of the cold and winterly Situation For it lieth full upon the Ocean the father of windes and cold who with exceeding violence rusheth against the bankes and piles that are opposed against him Howbeit the Country adjoyning round about in many mens opinion hath the fattest Soile and softest mould of any country in all England as which asketh least labour and yeeldeth most fruit For with a silly jade as Plinie writeth of Bizacium in Africke and a poore old woman at one side of the yoake drawing the plough it is easily broken up and eared From Winterton immediately the shore turning Westward the sea retireth without any bearing out in manner at all along a flat and low coast as farre as to Eccles which is almost overflowed and drowned with the Ocean From thence it carrieth an higher shore by Bronholme sometime a Priory founded and enriched by G. Glanvill and seated upon the sharpe top of an hill the Crosse whereof our ancestours had in holy reverence I know not for what miracles Next it is Paston a small townlet which yet hath given sirname to a Family growne great both in Estate and alliance since they matched with an Heiresse of Beary and Maultbye Not far hence is Gimmingham which with other Manors John Earle of Warren and Surrie gave in times past to Thomas Earle of Lancaster and by Cromer where the neighbour Inhabitants with great expense went about to make an Havenet but to small purpose the Ocean so furiously played the Tyrant and made resistance Thence the Shore runneth forth to Wauburne-hope a Creeke fortified in our time so called of Wauburne a little Towne unto which by the intercession of Oliver de Burdeaux King Edward the Second granted the Liberty of keeping a Mercat Next unto it is Clay and over against it with a little River running betweene Blackney our Country man Bale calleth it Nigeria a famous House of Carmelite Friers in this late age afore going built by Sir Robert de Roos Sir Robert Bacon and John Bret out of which came John Baconthorp so named of the place of his nativity which now is the habitation of the Heidons an ancient Race of Knights degree A man in that age of such variety and depth withall of excellent learning that hee was had in exceeding great admiration among the Italians and commonly called The Resolute Doctor Whence it is that Paulus Pansa thus writeth of him If thy minde stand to enter into the secret power of the Almighty and most mercifull God no man hath written of his Essence more exactly If any man desireth to learne the causes of things or the effects of Nature if hee wish to know the sundry motions of Heaven and the contrary qualities of the Elements this man offereth himselfe as a store-house to furnish him The Armour of Christian Religion of better proofe and defence than those of Vulcans making against the Iewes this resolute Doctour alone hath delivered c. When you are past Wauburne the Coast lieth more low and flat as farre as to Saint Edmunds Point cut through and distinguished with many a rillet and hardly defended from the injury of the Sea by heapes of sand which they use to call Meales opposed against it More within the Country is Walsingham scarce foure miles from hence whereupon it is that of the vicinity unto the Sea Erasmus calleth it Parathalassia Very famous now is this Village by reason of the best Saffron growing there but of late time as much renowned through all England for a Pilgrimage to our Ladie the Virgin Mary whom hee who had not in that former Age visited and presented with offerings was reputed irreligious But this shall Erasmus an eye-witnesse describe in his owne very words Not farre from the Sea saith hee about foure miles there standeth a Towne living almost of nothing else but upon the resort of Pilgrimes There is a Colledge of Chanons yet such as unto whom the Latinists have given the addition of Regulares a middle kinde betwixt Monkes and those Chanons whom they terme Secular This Colledge hath scarce any other Revenewes than from the liberality of the said Virgin For certaine of the greater Presents and Oblations are layed up and preserved But if there be any money offered or ought else of small value that goeth unto the maintenance of the Covent and their Head or President whom they call Prior. The Church is faire and neat yet in it the Virgin dwelleth not that honour forsooth shee hath done unto her Sonne shee hath her Church by her selfe but so as that shee may bee on the right hand of her Sonne Neither doth shee dwell heere for all this for why the Building is not yet finished and the place hath a through light and ayre on all sides with open doores and wide open windowes the Ocean Sea withall the father and foster of windes
is hard by In that Church which I said was unfinished there is a small Chappell but all of wood whereinto on either side at a narrow and little Doore are such admitted as come with their Devotions and Offerings Small light there is in it and none other in manner but by tapers or wax-candles yeelding a most dainty and pleasant smell Nay if you looke into it you would say it were the Habitation of heavenly Saints indeed so bright shining it is all over with pretious Stones with Gold and Silver But within the memory of our fathers when King Henry the Eighth had set his minde and eye both upon the Riches and Possessions of Churches all this vanished quite away Touching Walsingham I have nothing else to say more but that the Family of the Walsinghams Knights as they will have it that curiously search after Genealogies fetched first their name and Originall from hence Out of which house flourished that Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary unto Queene Elizabeth a man as of deepe insight so also of as rare and painfull industry in the weightiest affaires of the Realme But hard by it at Houghton flourished sometime the noble Family of the Neirfords who by matching in marriage with Parnel de Vallibus who had about Holt Cley and elsewhere a goodly Inheritance was greatly enriched But now let us looke backe againe to the Shore Neere unto Walsingham Westward upon the Sea side was that ancient Towne BRANNODUNUM where when the Saxons first molested Britaine with their Invasions The Dalmatian Horsemen lay in Garrison under the Lieutenant of the Saxon Shore But now it is a country Village reteining nought but the remaines of that name and shewing a Trench and Rampire the neighbour Inhabitants call it the Castle that containeth within it a plot of ground much about eight Acres and is named Brancaster where peeces of Romane money are many times gotten out of the earth Very commodiously was there a Garrison planted in this place for at S. Edmunds Chappell neere adjoyning and Hunstanton built by that holy King Saint Edmund the coast draweth backe into the South and so admitteth a larger creeke for the Sea to enter into lying open for Pirats into which many Rivers also doe void themselves As for Hunstanton it is to be remembred in this regard if there were nothing else for that it hath beene the Habitation of the Family of Le Strange Knights by degree ever since that in the Raigne of Edward the Second Iohn Baron Le Strange of Knockin gave the same unto Hamon his younger Brother The catching of Hawkes and the plentifull fishing the Ieat and Amber also found oftentimes in this Shore I wittingly omit seeing that there is great store of these things else where along this Tract Yet Sharnborn in this Coast is not to be omitted both for that Foelix the Burgundian who brought these East Englishmen to the Christian Faith and state of perpetuall Felicity built in this place the second Church of Christians in this Country for the first he founded at Babingley where he landed as also because it is verily thought and that by the faithfull testimony of old deeds and evidences that an old Englishman Lord of this place before the comming of the Normans by vertue of sentence given judicially in open Court by William Conquerour himselfe recovered this Lordship against Warren unto whom the Conquerour had given it Which argument they enforce hard who would prove that the said William entred upon the Possession of England by Covenant and agreement and not by right of warre and Conquest The foresaid Creeke or Bay our Country men call the Washes Ptolomee termed it AESTUARIUM METARIS haply for Malthraith by which name the Britains called the like Frithes and Armes of the Sea in other places neither doth it signifie among them any other thing than an Arme of the Sea uncertainly changing the chanell such as this is Upon this where the River Ouse striveth forcibly against the Ocean standeth Linne peradventure so named of the waters broad spreading For that doth Lhyn import in the British tongue A large Towne this is encompassed with a deepe trench and wals for the most part thereof divided by two small Rivers that have fifteene bridges or thereabout over them and although it be of no great antiquity and not long since called Linnum Episcopi that is Bishops Linne because it appertained to the Bishops of Norwich untill King Henry the Eighth his daies for it had beginning out of the ruines of an elder Towne which stood over against it in Marshland and is at this day called Old Linne and Linnum Regis that is Kings Linne yet by reason of the safe Haven which yeeldeth most easie accesse for the number also of Merchants there dwelling and thither resorting for the faire and the goodly houses the wealth also of the townesmen it is doubtlesse the principall towne of this Shire except Norwich onely It hath likewise most large franchises and immunities which the Inhabitants bought with their owne bloud of King John whiles they tooke part with him and defended his quarrell who ordained there a Major and delivered unto them his owne sword to be carried before him yea and gave unto them a silver cup all gilt which they still doe keep These their liberties being afterwards lost they redeemed not without bloud also of King Henry the Third when siding with him and serving under his Banner they fought an unfortunate battaile against the outlawed Lords in the Isle of Ely as the booke of Ely and Mathew Paris doe both joyntly witnesse Over against Linne on the farther side of the River lieth Mershland a little moist mersh country as the name implieth divided and parted every where with ditches trenches and furrowes to draine and draw the waters away a soile standing upon a very rich and fertile mould and breeding abundance of cattell in so much as that in a place commonly called Tilneysmeth there feed much about 30000. sheepe but so subject to the beating and overflowing of the roaring maine Sea which very often breaketh teareth and troubleth it so grievously that hardly it can be holden off with chargeable wals and workes The places of greater note in this Mershland are these Walpole which the Lord of the place gave in times past unto the Church of Ely together with his sonne whom he had made a Monke there Wigenhall the possession of I. Howard in the Raigne of Edward the First whose Posterity spred and became a most honorable and noble Family whereof I have already spoken Tilney whence in old time the stocke of the Tilneys Knights tooke name and Saint Maries the seat of the ancient race of the Carvils Now have we passed along all the Sea-coast As for the inner part of the Country there are also very many Townes toward the West side but because they bee of later
is fenny and therefore impassable and it endeth nere to Cowlidge where the passage by reason of woods was more cumbersome And it was the limit as well of the Kingdome as of the Bishopricke of the East Angles Who was the author of so great a peece of worke it is uncertaine Some later writers say it was King Canutus the Dane whereas notwithstanding the said Abbo made mention of it who died before that Canutus obtained the Kingdome of England and the Saxon Chronicle where it relateth the rebellion of Athelwolph against King Edward the Elder calleth it simply Dyke and sheweth That King Edward laid waste whatsoever lieth betweene the Dyke and the river Ouse as farre as to the North Fennes also that Aethelwold the rebell and Eohric the Dane were at that time slaine there in battell But they who wrote since Canutus times termed it Saint Edmunds limit and Saint Edmunds Dyke and verily thinke that King Canutus cast it up who being most devoted to Saint Edmund the Martyr granted unto the religious Monkes of Saint Edmunds Bury for to make satisfaction for the wicked cruelty of Swan his father wrought upon them very great immunities even as farre as to this Dyke whence it is that William of Malmesbury in his booke Of Bishops writeth thus The Customers and Toll gatherers which in other places make foule worke and outrage without respect or difference of right and wrong there in humble manner on this side Saint Edmunds Dike surcease their quarrels and braules And certaine it is that these two fore-fences last named were called Saint Edmunds Dykes For Mathew Florilegus hath recorded that the said battell against Aethelwolph was fought betweene the two Dykes of Saint Edmund Nere unto Rech standeth Burwel a Castle in later times of the Lord Tiptoft which in those most troublesome times of King Stephen Geffrey Mandevill Earle of Essex who by violent invasion of other mens possessions lost much honour valiantly assaulted untill that being shot through the head with an arrow he delivered those countries from the feare they had stood in a long time Scarce two miles off stands Lanheath where for these many yeeres the Cottons right worshipfull Gentlemen of Knights degree have dwelt From which Wicken is not farre distant which came to the Family of the Peytons by a daughter and coheire of the Gernons about Edward the Thirds time as afterward Isleham descended to them by a coheire of Bernard in Henry the Sixth's time which Knightly Family of Peytons flowred out of the same Male-stocke whence the Vffords Earles of Suffolke descended as appeareth by their Coate-armour albeit they assumed the surname of Peyton according to the use of that age from their Manour of Peyton-hall in Boxford in the County of Suffolke Upon the same Dyke also is seated Kirtling called likewise Catlidge famous in these dayes by reason of the principall house of the Barons North since Queene Mary honoured Sir Edward North with that title for his wisedome but in times past it was famous for a Synode held there what time as the Clergy men were at hot strife among themselves about the celebration of the feast of Easter The higher and Northerly part of this Shire is wholly divided into river Isles and being distinguished by many Ditches Chanels and Draines with a pleasant greene hew all Summer time contenteth the eyes of the beholders but in Winter wholly in manner over-covered with water farther every way than a man is able to ken resembleth in some sort a very Sea They that inhabited this fennish Country and all the rest beside which from the edge and borders of Suffolke as farre as to Wainflet in Lincolne-shire conteineth threescore and eight miles and millions of acres lying in these foure Shires Cambridge Huntingdon North-hampton and Lincolne were in the Saxons time called Girvii that is as some interpret it Fen-men or Fen-dwellers A kind of people according to the nature of the place where they dwell rude uncivill and envious to all others whom they call Vpland-men who stalking on high upon stilts apply their mindes to grasing fishing and fowling The whole Region it selfe which in winter season and sometimes most part of the yeere is overflowed by the spreading waters of the rivers Ouse Grant Nen Welland Glene and Witham having not loades and sewers large enough to voide away But againe when their Streames are retired within their owne Channels it is so plenteous and ranke of a certaine fatte grosse and full hey which they call Lid that when they have mowen downe as much with the better as will serve their turnes they set fire on the rest and burne it in November that it may come up againe in great abundance At which time a man may see this Fennish and moyst Tract on a light flaming fire all over every way and wonder thereat Great plenty it hath besides of Turfe and Sedge for the maintenance of fire of reed also for to thatch their Houses yea and of Alders beside other watery Shrubbes But chiefly it bringeth forth exceeding store of willowes both naturally and also for that being planted by mans hand they have serv'd in good steed and often cut downe with their manifold increase and infinit number of heires to use Plinies word against the violent force of the waters rushing against the bankes Whereof also as well here as in other places there be baskets made which seeing the Britains call Bascades I for my part that I may note so much by the way do not understand the Poet Martiall in that Distichon unlesse hee meaneth these among the Presents and Gifts sent to and fro Barbara de pictis veni Bascauda Britannis Sed me jam mavult dicere Roma suam By barbarous name a Baskaud I from painted Britans came But now Rome faine would call me hers although I be the same Besides al this the herb Scordiū which also is called Water Germāder groweth plentifully here hard by the ditches sides but as for these Fenny Ilands Foelix a writer of good antiquity hath depainted them forth in these words There is a Fen of exceeding great largenesse which beginning at the bankes of the river Gront arising somewhere with sedge plots in other places with blacke waters yeelding a duskish vapour with woods also among the Isles and having many winding turnes of the banke reacheth out in a very long tract from South to North-East as farre as to the Sea And the very same Fenne William a Monke of Crowland in the life of Guthlake hath thus described in verse Est apud Angligenas à Grontae flumine longo Orbe per anfractus stagnosos fluviales Circumfusapalus Orientalisque propinqua Littoribus Pelagi sese distendit ab Austro In longum versus Aquilonem gurgite tetro Morbosos pisces vegetans arundine densa Ventorum strepitus quasi quaedam verba susurrans A spatious Fenne in England lies from
Raigne of Edward the Third an University and publique profession of good learning beganne heere which the Inhabitants count no small credit unto them For when there was such hote debate and contention betweene the Northren and Southren Students at Oxford a great number of Scholers withdrew themselves hither but after a small while they returned upon the Kings Proclamation to Oxford and as they sodainely beganne so they ended as soone this new University And thenceforward provided it was by oth That no Student in Oxford should publiquely professe or reade at Stanford to the prejudice of Oxford Neverthelesse it flourished with fresh trading and merchandise untill the civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke grew so hore that the Northren Souldiers breaking into the Towne destroyed all with fire and sword Neither could it ever since that time fully recover the ancient Dignity And yet now it is in good estate and the civill government thereof consisteth of an Alderman and foure and twenty Burgesses his brethren Beautified it is with seven Parish Churches or thereabout and sheweth an old Hospitall and that a very faire house founded by William Browne a Burgesse there besides another new one on this side the Bridge lately built by that Nestor of Britaine Sir William Cecill Baron Burghley what time as hee raised that stately and sumptuous house at Burghley whereof I have spoken already in Northampton-shire who lieth enterred here in a goodly and gorgeous Tombe within the Parish Church of Saint George a man to say nothing else of him who by course of nature and for his owne glory lived long enough but in regard of his Country died oversoone Although some tokens remaining of antiquity and the High-street made by the Romans which so soone as you are without the Towne leadeth you the direct way into the North may sufficiently shew that sometimes there was a Ferry or Waterfare heere Yet that this Towne should be that GAUSENNAE which Antonine the Emperour placeth not farre from hence the said tokens of Antiquity doe not affoord sufficient proofe But seeing that a mile from hence there is a little Village called Bridge-casterton which very name carryeth with it the marke of Antiquity where the River Guash or Wash crosseth the said High-street the affinity of this name Guash with Gausenna and the distance also making not against it hath made mee to thinke that Gausennae was it which now is called Bridge-casterton untill time bring truth to light If I should thinke that Stanford grew out of the ruines of this Towne and that this part of the Shire was named Kesteven of GAUSENNAE like as another part Lindsey of the City Lindum let this I pray you bee but mine opinion and judge yee thereof accordingly It is supposed that this Gausennae was overthrowne when as Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon writeth the Picts and Scots had spoiled all the Country as farre as to Stanford where Hengist and his English-Saxons with their unwearied force and singular prowesse hindered the passage of those furious Nations so that after many of them were slaine and more taken prisoners the rest betooke themselves to flight But let us proceed to the rest On the East side of Kesteven which bendeth toward Hoiland as wee goe Northward these places stand in order First Deping that is to say as Ingulph interpreteth it Deepe Medow Where Richard de Rulos Chamberlaine to William Conquerour excluding the River Welland with raising up an high banke for that it often overflowed and building upon the said Banke many Tenements made a great Village This Deping or Deepe Medow was very fitly so called for the plaine lying under it and which taketh up in compasse many miles is of all this fenny Country the deepest and the very receptacle of most waters And that which a man would mervaile at it lyeth farre under the Chanell of the River Clen which being held in with forced bankes passeth by from out of the West Then have you Burne well knowne by occasion that King Edmund was crowned and the Wakes had a Castle there who obtained unto this Towne from King Edward the First the liberty of a Mercate More Eastward is Irnham a seat of the Barony in times past of Sir Andrew Lutterell Beyond it is Sempringham famous in these daies by reason of that passing faire house which Edward Lord Clinton afterwards Earle of Lincolne built but renowned in old time for the religious Order of the Gilbertines instituted by Gilbert Lord of the place for he a wonderfull man in custodia mulierum gratiae singularis that is of singular grace in taking charge of women in the yeere after Christs Nativity 1148. contrary to Justinians Constitutions which forbad Double Monasteries that is to say of men and women together howbeit well backed with the authority of Eugenius the third Bishop of Rome ordained a Sect consisting of men and women which so grew and encreased that himselfe laied the foundations of thirteene religious houses of this Order and whiles hee lived had in them 700. Gilbertine Brethren and eleven hundred Sisters but no honester than they should be if wee may beleeve Niele a scoffing Poet in those daies who wrote thus of them Harum sunt quadam steriles quaedam parientes Virgineóque tamen nomine cuncta tegunt Qua pastoralis baculi dotatur honore Illa quidem meliùs fertiliúsque parit Vix etiam quaevis sterilis reperitur in illis Donec eis aetas talia posse negat Some barren are of these some fruitfull be Yet they by name of Virgins cover all More fertile sure and better beareth she Who blest is once with croysier pastorall Now scarce of them is found one barren Doe Till age debarre whether they will or no. Then see you Folkingham which also is now a Lordship of the Clintons the Barony in times past of the Gaunts who were descended from Gilbert de Gaunt nephew to Baldwin Earle of Flaunders unto whom by the liberality of King William the Conquerour there fell great revenewes For thus we reade in an old manuscript Memorandum that with William Conquerour there came in one Gilbert de Gaunt unto whom the said William gave the Manour of Folkingham with all the Appertenances and the Honour thereunto belonging and they expelled a certaine woman named Dunmoch Of the said Gilbert came one Walter de Gaunt his sonne and heire and of the said Walter came Gilbert de Gaunt his sonne and heire also Robert de Gaunt a younger sonne And from the said Gilbert the sonne and heire came Alice his daughter and heire who was espoused to Earle Simon and shee gave many Tenements to religious men and dyed without heire of her owne body Then descended the inheritance to Robert de Gaunt aforesaid her unckle and of the foresaid Robert came Gilbert his sonne and heire and of the aforesaid came another Gilbert his sonne and heire and
single life For then Oswald Bishop of this City who promoted the Monasticall life as busily as any whosoever remooved the Priests and brought in Monkes Which King Eadgar testifieth in these words The Monasteries as well of Monkes as of Virgins have beene destroied and quite neglected throughout England which I have now determined to repaire to the glory of God for my soules health and so to multiply the number of Gods servants and hand-maides And now already I have set up seven and forty Monasteries with Monkes and Nunnes in them and if Christ spare me life so long I am determined in offering my devout munificence to God for to proceed to fifty even the just number of a Iubilee Whereupon at this present that Monastery which the reverend Bishop Oswald in the Episcopall See of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amply enlarged to the honour of Mary the holy Mother of God and by casting out those Clerkes c. hath with my assent and favour appointed there Monkes the religious servants of God I my selfe doe by my royall authority confirme and by the counsell and consent of my Peeres and Nobles corroborate and consigne to those religious men living a sole and single life c. Long time after when the state of the Church and Clergy here partly by the Danes incursion and in part by civill dissentions was so greatly weakened and brought upon the very knees that in lieu of that multitude of religious persons whom Oswald had heere placed scarce twelve remained Wolstan Bishop of this Church about the yeer of the worlds redemption 1090. put to his helping hand raised it up againe and brought them to the number of 50. yea and built a new Church for them Wolstan I say a man not so learned the times then were such but of that simple sincerity without all hypocrisie so severe also and austere of life that as he was terrible to the wicked so he was venerable to the good and after his death the Church registred him in the number of Saints But King Henry the Eighth suppressed and expelled the Monkes after they had in all plenty and fulnesse lived more than 500. yeeres and in their roomes he substituted a Deane and Prebendaries and withall erected a Grammar-schoole for the training up of youth Hard by this Church the bare name and plot of a Castle remaineth which as wee reade in William of Malmesburies booke of Bishops Ursus appointed Sheriffe of Worcestershire by William the Conquerour built under the very nose and in the mouth well neere of the Monkes in so much as he cut away from them a part of their Church-yard But this Castle through the iniquity of time and casuality of fire was consumed many yeeres ago The City it selfe also hath been burnt more than once as being set on fire in the yeere of Christ 1041. by Hardy-Cnute who exceedingly incensed against the Citizens because they had slaine his Huscarles for so they tearmed those domesticall Gatherers of the Danes tribute did not only set fire on the City but slew the Citizens every mothers sonne unlesse it were those that saved themselves in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Island compassed in with the River Howbeit as we finde written in King William the Conquerours booke in King Edward the Confessours time It had many Burgesses and for fifteene Hides discharged it selfe when the Mint went every Minter gave twenty shillings at London for to receive coyning stamps of money In the yeere 1113. a skarfire that came no man knew how burnt the Castle caught also with the flames to the roofes of the Church Likewise in the Raigne of Stephen in the time of Civill Warres it was twice on fire but most dangerously when King Stephen who had to his owne damage given this City unto Wallerand Earle of Mellent seized it into his owne hands howbeit he was not able at that time to winne the Castle Neverthelesse it raised it selfe up againe out of the ashes in a goodlier forme alwaies than it had before and flourished in a right good state of civill government governed by two Bailiffes chosen out of 24. Citizens two Aldermen and two Chamberlains with a Common Counsell consisting of 48. Citizens As touching the Geographicall position of this City it is distant in Longitude from the West Meridian 21. Degrees and 52. Minutes and the North Pole is elevated 52. Degrees and 12. Minutes From Worcester the River Severn running on still Southward passeth beside Powicke the seat in times past of Sir Iohn Beauchamp whom King Henry the Sixth raised up to the state of a Baron and within a small time the female heires brought the inheritance to the Willoughbeies of Broke the Reads and the Lygons then runneth it through most rich and redolent medowes by Hanley Castle belonging sometimes to the Earles of Glocester and by Upton a Mercate Towne of great name where peeces of Romane money are oftentimes found Not farre from hence upon the banke on the right hand the Severn beholdeth Malvern-Hills hills in deed or rather great and high mountaines which for the space of seven miles or thereabout doe as it were by degrees rise higher and higher dividing this Shire from the County of Hereford On the brow of which Hills Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester did cast a Ditch in times past to make a partition betweene his possessions and the lands of the Church of Worcester a peece of worke which is at this day seene not without wonder Over against those hils and in like distance almost from the other banke Bredon Hills being farre lesse yet in emulation as it were to match them mount aloft among which Elmsley Castle belonging sometimes to Ursus or Urso D' Abtot maketh a goodly shew by whose daughter and heire Emeline it came hereditarily to the Beauchamps At the foote of these hills lieth Bredon a Village concerning the Monastery whereof Offa King of the Mercians saith thus I Offa King of the Mercians will give land containing seven times five Acres of Tributaries unto the Monastery that is named Breodun in the Province of the Wiccij and to the Church of blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles there and in that place standing which Church Eanwulph my grandfather erected to the praise and glory of the everliving God Under these Bredon hils Southward you see two villages named Washborne whence came the sirname to a very ancient and worshipfull Family in this Tract standing in a parcell of this Province dismembred as it were from the rest of the body of which kinde there be other parcels here and there scattering all about But what should be the cause I am not able to resolve unlesse haply those that in old time were governours adjoined to their government their owne lands that lay neere unto the Region which they then governed Now Avon from above runneth downe and speeds himselfe to Severn who in this shire
certaine dye after it CAERMARDIÌ„ Comitatus in quo DIMETAE Olim habitarunt Those latter words I reade thus Aeternali in domo that is In an eternall house For Sepulchres in that age were tearmed AETERNALES DOMUS that is Eternall habitations Moreover betweene Margan and Kingseage by the high way side there lyeth a stone foure foote long with this Inscription PUNP â—IUS CAR ANTOPIUS Which the Welsh Britans by adding and changing letters thus reade and make this interpretation as the right reverend Bishop of Landaff did write to mee who gave order that the draught of this Inscription should be taken likewise for my sake PIM BIS AN CAR ANTOPIUS that is The five fingers of freinds or neighbours killed us It is verily thought to bee the Sepulchre of Prince Morgan from whom the Country tooke name who was slaine as they would have it eight hundred yeeres before Christs Nativity But Antiquaries know full well that these Characters and formes of letters be of a farre later date After you are past Margan the shore shooteth forth into the North-East by Aber-Avon a small Mercate Towne upon the River Avons mouth whereof it tooke the name to the River Nid or Neath infamous for a quick-sand upon which stands an ancient Towne of the same name which Antonine the Emperour in his Itinerary called NIDUM Which when Fitz-Haimon made himselfe Lord of this Country fell in the partition to Richard Granvills share who having founded an Abbay under the very Townes side and consecrated his owne portion to God and to the Monkes returned againe to his owne ancient and faire inheritance which he had in England Beyond this River Neath whatsoever lieth betweene it and the River Loghor which boundeth this shire in the West wee call Gower the Britans and Ninnius Guhir wherein as he saith the sonnes of Keian the Scot planted themselves and tooke up a large roome untill that by Cuneda a British Lord they were driven out In the Raigne of Henry the First Henry Earle of Warwicke wonne it from the Welsh but by a conveyance and composition passed betweene William Earle of Warwicke and King Henry the Second it came to the Crowne Afterward King Iohn gave it unto William Breos who had taken Arthur Earle of Britaine prisoner to bee held by service of one Knight for all service and his heires successively held it not without troubles unto King Edward the Seconds daies for then William Breos when he had alienated and sold this inheritance to many and in the end by mocking and disappointing all others set Hugh Spenser in possession thereof to curry favour with the King And this was one cause among other things that the Nobles hated the Spensers so deadly and rashly shooke off their Allegeance to the King Howbeit this Gower came to the Mowbraies by an heire of Breos This is now divided into the East part and the West In the East part Swinesey is of great account a Towne so called by the Englishmen of Sea-Swine but the Britans Aber-Taw of the River Taw running by it which the foresaid Henry Earle of Warwicke fortified But there is a Towne farre more ancient than this by the River Loghor which Antonine the Emperour called LEUCARUM and wee by the whole name Loghor Where a little after the death of King Henry the First Howel Ap Meredic invading the Englishmen on a sudden with a power of the mountainers slew divers men of quality and good account Beneath this lyeth West-Gower and by reason of two armes of the Sea winding in on either side one it becommeth a Biland more memorable for the fruitfulnesse than the Townes in it and in times past of great name in regard of Kined canonized a Saint who lived heere a solitary life of whom if you desire to know more reade our Countryman Capgrave who hath set out his miracle with great commendation Since this Country was first conquered by the English The Lords thereof were those that lineally descended from Fitz-Haimon as Earle of Glocester Clares Spensers Beauchamps and one or two Nevils and by a daughter of Nevill who came likewise of the Spensers bloud Richard the Third King of England But when he was slaine king Henry the Seventh entred upon the inheritance of this Country and gave it to his unkle Iaspar Duke of Bedford and when hee dyed without issue the king resumed it unto his owne hands and left it to his sonne king Henry the Eighth whose sonne king Edward the Sixth sold the greatest part thereof to Sir William Herbert whom hee had created Earle of Pembrock and Baron of Cardiff But of the race of those twelve knights there remaine onely in this shire the Stradlings a notable house and of long continuance the Turbervills and some of the Flemings the greatest man of which house dwelleth at Flemingston now corruptly called Flemston as one would say Flemingstone which tooke the name of them And in England there are remaining yet the Lord Saint Iohn of Bletso the Granvills in Devonshire and the Siwards as I am enformed in Somerset-shire The issue male of all the rest is long since extinct and worne out and their lands by daughters passed over to divers houses with sundry alterations Parishes 118. DIMETAE PLinie was of opinion that the SILURES inhabited also the other part beside of this Country which bearing out farther Westward is called in English by some West-Wales and containeth Caermarden-shire Pembrock-shire and Cardigan-shire But Ptolomee who knew Britaine farre better placed heere another people whom he called DIMETAE and DEMETAE Gildas likewise and Ninnius both have used the name of DEMETIA for this Tract Whereupon the Britans that inhabite it changing M. into F. according to the propriety of their tongue commonly call it at this day Difed If it would not be thought strained curiosity I would derive this denomination of the Demetae from Deheu Meath that is A plaine champion toward the South like as the Britans themselves have named all this South-Wales Deheubarth that is The South part yea and those verily who inhabited another champion Country in Britaine were called in old time Meatae Neither I assure you is the site of this Region disagreeing from this signification For when you are come hither once by reason that the high hils gently settle downeward and grow still lower and lower it spreadeth by little and little into a plaine and even champion Country CAERMARDEN-SHIRE CAERMARDEN-SHIRE is plenteous enough in Corne stored abundantly with Cartaile and in some places yeeldeth pit cole for fewell On the East side it is limited with Glamorgan and Brechnock-shires on the West with Pembrock-shire on the North with Cardigan-shire severed from it by the River Tivie running betweene and on the South with the Ocean which with so great a Bay or Creeke getteth within the Land that this Countrey seemeth as it were for very feare to have shrunke backe and
to recover the Holy Land That part of this Country which lyeth beyond the Haven and hath onely these two Rivers to water it the Britans doe call Ros making the name answerable to the thing for that it lyeth for the most part all low on a flat and greene plaine This Tract was inhabited by Flemings out of the Low Countries who by the permission of King Henry the First were planted heere when the Ocean by making breaches in the bankes had overwhelmed a great part of the said Low Countries These are distinctly knowne still from the Welsh both by their speech and manners and so neere joyned they are in society of the same language with Englishmen who come nighest of any Nation to the low Dutch Tongue that this their little Country is tearmed by the Britans Little England beyond Wales A Nation this is as saith Giraldus strong and stout and continually enured in warres with the Welsh a Nation most accustomed to seeke gaine by clothing by traffique also and merchandise by sea and land undertaking any paines and perills whatsoever A Nation of very great power and as time and place requireth ready by turnes to take plough in hand and till the ground as ready also to goe into the field and fight it out And that I may adde thus much moreover a Nation most loyally devoted to the Kings of England and as faithfull to Englishmen and which in the time of Giraldus was wonderfull skilfull in Sooth-saying by the Inspection of Beasts inwards whose worke also is heere seene as they are a people passing industrious namely The Flemish High way reaching out a great length The Welshmen have many a time banded all their Forces in one and to recover this country belonging sometimes unto their ancestors have violently set upon these Flemings and overrunne their lands spoiling and wasting where ever they went yet they most courageously have alwayes from time to time defended their estates their name and life Whereupon concerning them and King William Rufus the Historian Malmesbury writeth thus Many a time and often King William Rufus had but small successe against the Welsh men which any man may well mervaile at considering that alwaies otherwise he spread most fortunately in all adventures of Warre But I take it that as the unevennesse of the ground and sharpnesse of the ayre maintained their Rebellion so the same empeached his valour But King Henry who now Reigneth a man of an excellent wit found meanes to frustrate all their devices by placing Flemings in their Country who might be alwaies ready to represse and keepe them in And in the fifth booke King Henry with many a warlike expedition went about to force the Welsh men who ever and anon rose up in Rebellion for to yeeld and submit themselves and resting in the end upon this good and holsome policie for to take downe and abate their swelling pride he brought over thither all the Flemings that dwelt in England For a number of them who in those daies in regard of his Mothâ—rs 〈◊〉 by her Fathers side flocked thither were closely shrowded in England in so much 〈◊〉 they for their multitude seemed burdensome unto the Realme Wherefore he sent them altogether with their substance goods Wives and Children unto Ros a Country in Wales as it were â—â—to a common avoidance thereby both to purge and clense his owne Kingdome and also to quaile and represse the rash boldnesse of his enemies there By the more westward of these two Rivers is Harford West called by the English men in times past Haversord and by the Britans Hulphord a faire Towne and of great resort situate upon an hill side having scarce one even streete but is steepe one way or other which being a Countie by it selfe hath for Magistrates a Major a Sheriffe and two Bailiffs The report goeth that the Earles of Clare fortified it with Rampier and Wall on the North side and we read that Richard Earle of Clare made R. Fitz-Tancred Castellan of this Castle Beyond Ros there shooteth out with a mighty front farre into the West Ocean a great Promontory which Ptolomee called OCTOPITARUM the Britans Pebidiauc and Cantred Devi we Saint Davids land A stony barren and unfruitfull ground as Giraldus saith Neither clad with Woods nor garnished heere and there with Rivers ne yet adorned with Medows lying alwaies open to windes onely and stormes Yet a retyring place for most holy men and a nurserie of them For Calphurnius a Britaine Priest as some I know not how truly have written heere in the vale of Ros begat of his Wife Concha Sister to Saint Martin of Tours Patricke the Apostle of Ireland and Devi a most religious Bishop translated the Archiepiscopall See from Isca Legionum into the most remote and farthest angle heereof even to Menew or Menevia which afterwards the Britans of his name called Twy Dewy that is Devi his house the Saxons Dauy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English men at this day Saint Davids and was for a long time an Archbishops See But by occasion of a pestilence that contagiously raged in this Country whereby the Pall was translated into little Britaine in France to Dole this Archiepiscopall dignity had an end Yet in the foregoing ages the Welsh men commensed an action heere about against the Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitane of England and Wales but they were cast in the Law What this Saint Davids was and what maner of thing in times past a man can hardly tell considering it hath beene so often by Pirates rased but now it is a very small and poore Citie and hath nothing at all to make shew of but a faire Church dedicated to Saint Andrew and David which having been many times overthrowne Petre the Bishop in the reigne of King John and his successors erected in that forme which now it sheweth in the vale as they tearme it of Ros under the Towne and hard by it standeth the Bishops Pallace and faire houses of the Chaunter who is next unto the Bishop for there is no Deane heere of the Chauncellor Treasurer and foure Archdeacons who be of the number of the XXII Canons all enclosed round within a strong and seemely wall whereupon they call it the Close This Promontorie thrusteth it selfe so farre Westward that in a cleere Sunshine day a man may from thence see Ireland and from hence is the shortest cut to Ireland and by Plinies measure which he tooke false was from the Silures for he thought that the Silures reached thus farre thirty miles But that this land ran out farther and that the forme of the Promontory hath been changed it may be gathered out of these words of Giraldus What time saith he as King Henry the Second made his abode in Ireland by reason of an extraordinary violence of stormes the sandy shores of this coast were laide bare as farre as to the very hard ground and the face of
land of Mon and Ynis Dowil that is A shadowy or darke Island of the ancient Anglo-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at last after that the English men became Lords of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ea and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say The English mens Island being severed from the Continent of Britaine with the small narrow streight of Menai and on all parts besides beaten upon with that surging and troublous Irish Sea lieth in forme unequall in length from East to West reaching out twenty miles in breadth scarce seventeene And albeit as Giraldus saith the ground may seeme dry and stonie nothing sightly and unpleasant and for the outward qualitie resembleth wholy the land Pebidiaâ—c that lieth hard unto Saint Davids yet for the inward gift of nature it is farre unlike For above all the Coasts of Wales it is without comparison most plentifull of Wheat in so much as by way of a Proverbe they are wont to say of it in the Welsh language Mon Mam Cymbry which is as much in English As Mon is the mother of Wales because when all other Countries round about doe faile this alone with the exceeding fat soile and plentifull encrease of Corne was wont to sustaine all Wales In Cattaile also it is passing rich and sendeth out great multitudes It yeeldeth also Grind stones and in some place an earth standing upon Alum out of which some not long since beganne to make Alum and Coperose But when they saw it not answerable to their expectation at first without any farther hope they gave over their enterprise This is that most notable Isle MONA the ancient seat of the Druides attempted first by Paulinus Suetonius and brought under the Romane Empire by Iulius Agricola This Suetonius Paulinus under the reigne of Nero as Tacitus writeth made all preparation to invade the Isle Mona inhabited by a strong and stout Nation and then the receptacle of Fugitives He built Flat-bothom vessels because the Sea is shalow the landing-shore uncertaine Thus their footmen passed over and after them the Horsemen following by the shallow fourd or swimming where the waters were deepe with their Horses Against them stood the Enemies armies on the shore thicke set in aray well appoynted with Men and weapons and Women also running in to and fro among them like furies of Hell in mourning attyre their hayre about their eares and with firebrands in their hands Round about them also were the Druida who lifting up their hands to Heaven and powring out deadly curses with the strangenesse of the sight so daunted the Souldiers as they stood stock-still and not able to stirre their joynts presented their bodies unto wounds At length what with the exhortation of their Captaine and what with encouraging and animating one another not to feare a flocke of Franticke Women and fanaticall persons they displaied and advaunced forward their Ensignes Downe they goe with all in their way and thrust them within their owne fires Which done Garisons were placed in their Townes and the Groves consecrated to their cruell Superstitions cut downe For they accounted it lawfull to Sacrifice with the bloud of Captives and by inspection of Mens fibres and bowels to know the will of their gods But as Paulinus was busie in these exploits newes came unto him of a sudden revolt through the whole Province which stayed his enterprise Afterwards as the same Tacitus writeth Iulius Agricola purposed with himselfe to subdue the Island Mona from the possession whereof as I said before Paulinus was revoked by a generall rebellion of all Britaine But as in a purpose not prepensed before vessels being wanting the policie and resolutenesse of the Captaine devised a passage over causing the most choise of the Auxiliaries to whom all the shallowes were knowne and who after the use of their Country were able in Swimming to governe themselves with their Armour and Horses laying aside their carriage to put over at once and suddenly to invade them Which thing so amazed the Enemies who supposed they would passe over by Shipping and therefore attended for a Fleet and the tide that they beleeved verily nothing could be hard or invincible to men that came so resolute to Warre Whereupon they humbly intreated for Peace and yeelded the Island Thus by this service Agricola became famous indeed and of great reputation Many ages after it was Conquered by the English men and tooke their name as being called in old time in the Saxons language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now commonly Anglesey as one would say The English mens Island But seeing that Humfrey Lhuid in a very learned Epistle to that learned Ortelius hath restored this Island to the due name and dignitie there is no reason that any man heere should require my diligence Yet thus much will I adde unto the rest When the Empire of the Romanes in Britaine now was in declining and going downward some out of Ireland entred in by stealth into this Isle also and nestled there For besides certaine Mounts of earth entrenched about which they call The Irish mens cotages there is a place also named Yn Hericy Gwidil of the Irish men who as we finde it recorded in the booke of Triades under the leading of Sirigus put the Britans to flight in that place Neither was it grievously infested onely by the English men but also by the Norvegians Likewise in the yeere of our redemption 1000. King Aethelreds fleete having skoured the Seas round about the said Isle wasted it in all hostile maner After this the two Norman Hughes the one Earle of Chester and the other Earle of Shrewsburie greatly afflicted it and built Castle Aber-Llienioc for to restraine and keepe under the Inhabitants But Magnus the Norwegian arriving heere at the very same time shot the said Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury through with an Arrow and after he had ransacked the Island departed The English men moreover afterward from time to time invaded it untill that King Edward the First brought it wholly under his subjection There were in ancient time reckoned in it 363. Villages and even at this day it is well peopled The principall Towne therein at this time is Beaumarish which King Edward the First built in the East-side of the Isle vpon a marish ground and for the situation thereof gave it this goodly faire name whereas before time it was called Bonover who also fortified it with a Castle which notwithstanding may seeme never to have been finished the Governour whereof is the right Worshipfull Sir Richard Bulkley Knight whose courtesie toward me when I came to visite these places I cannot chuse but evermore acknowledge with most hearty thankfulnesse Hard unto Beau-Marish lieth Lhan-vays a famous religious house in times past of the Friers Minors unto whom the Kings of England shewed themselves very bountifull Patrons as well in regard of the Friers holinesse who there conversed as also because there that I may speake out of
this house of housen all About the same time also the Citizens fensed the City round about with new walles and many towres and bulwarkes set orderly in divers places yea and ordained very good and holsome lawes for the governement thereof King Richard the Second granted it to bee a County incorporate by it selfe and King Richard the Third beganne to repaire the Castle And that nothing might be wanting King Henry the Eighth within the memory of our fathers appointed heere a Councell not unlike to the Parliaments in France for to decide and determine the causes and controversies of these North parts according to equity and conscience which consisteth of a Lord President certaine Counsellers at the Princes pleasure a Secretary and under Officers As touching the Longitude of Yorke our Mathematicians have described it to be two and twenty Degrees and twenty five Scruples the Latitude 54. degrees and 10. scruples Hitherto have we treated of the West part of this shire and of Yorke City which is reckoned neither in the one part nor the other but enjoyeth peculiar liberties and hath jurisdiction over the Territory adjoyning on the West side Which they call the Liberty of Ansty others the Ancienty of the Antiquity but other have derived it very probably from the Dutch word Anstossen which betokeneth limits And now for a conclusion have heere what Master John Jonston of Aberden hath but a while since written in verse of Yorke Praesidet extremis Arctoae finibus orae Urbs vetus in veteri facta subinde nova Romanis Aquilis quondam Ducibúsque superba Quam post barbarica diripuere manus Pictus atrox Scotus Danus Normannus Anglus Fulmina in hanc Martis detonuere sui Post diras rerum clades tótque aspera fata Blandiùs aspirans aura serena subit LONDINUM caput est regni urbs prima Britanni EBORACUM à primâ jure secunda venit In parts remote of Northren tract there stands as soveraine A City old but yet of old eftsoones made new againe Whilom of Romane Legions and Captaines proud it was But since by forces barbarous sacked and spoil'd alasse The Picts so fierce the Scots and Danes Normans and Englishmen 'Gainst it their bolts of dreadfull war have thundred now and then Yet after sundry bitter blasts and many a cursed clap A milder gale of peacefull daies hath brought it better hap Of British Kingdome LONDON is chiefe seat and principall And unto it there goes by right Yorke City next of all Ouse now leaving Yorke being otherwhiles disquieted and troubled with that whirling encounter of contrary waters and forceable eddies which some call Higra runneth downe through Bishops Thorpe called Saint Andrewes Thorpe before that Walter Grey Archbishop of Yorke purchased it with ready money and to prevent the Kings Officers who are wont rigorously to seize upon Bishops Temporalties when the See is vacant gave it to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke with this condition that they should alwayes yeeld it to his Successours Of whom Richard Le Sicrope Archbishop of Yorke a man of a firy spirit and ready to entertaine rebellion was condemned in this very place of high Treason by King Henry the Fourth against whom he had raised an insurrection Afterward Cawood a Castle of the Archbishops standeth upon the same River which King Athelstan as I have read gave unto the Church Just against which on the other side of the River lyeth Ricall where Harald Haardread arrived with a great Fleet of Danes Then Ouse passeth hard by Selby a little Towne well peopled and of good resort where King Henry the First was borne and where his father King William the First built a faire Abbay in memory of Saint German who happily confuted that venemous Pelagian Heresie which oftentimes as the Serpent Hydra grew to an head againe in Britaine The Abbats of this Church as also of Saint Maries in Yorke were the onely Abbats in the North parts that had place in the Parliament house And so Ouse at length speedeth away to Humber leaving first Escricke a seat of the Lascelles sometimes to be remembred for that King James advanced Sir Thomas Knivet the owner thereof Lord Knivet to the honour of Baron Knivet of Escricke in the yeere 1607. And afterward passing by Drax a little Village famous long since for a Monastery founded there by Sir William Painell and whereas William of Newburgh writeth Philip of Tollevilla had a Castle most strongly fensed with Rivers Woods and Marishes about it which he confident upon the courage of his followers and his provision of victuals and armour defended against King Stephen untill it was wonne by assault EBORACENSIS Comitatus ovius Incolae olin Brigantes appellabantur pars Orientalis vulgo EAST RIDING EAST-RIDING EAST-RIDING the second part of this Region wherein Ptolomee placed the PARISI lyeth Eastward from Yorke On the North side and the West it is bounded with the River Darwent that runneth downe with a winding course on the South with the Salt water of Humber and on the East with the German Ocean Upon the Sea side and along Darwent the Soile is meetly good and fertile But in the mids it is nothing else but an heape of Hilles rising up on high which they call Yorkes wold Darwent springing not farre from the shore first taketh his way Westward then hee windeth into the South by Aiton and Malton whereof because they belong to the North part of the Shire I will speake in due place No sooner is hee entred into this Quarter but downe hee runneth not farre from the ruines of the old Castle Montferrant The Lords whereof were in times past the Fossards men of noble parentage and wealthy withall But when William Fossard Ward to the King being committed unto William le Grosse Earle of Aumarle as to his Guardian and now come to his yeeres abused his sister the Earle in wreckfull displeasure for this fact of his laid this Castle even with the ground and forced the young Gentleman to forsake his Country Howbeit after the Earles death he recovered his inheritance againe and left one onely daughter behinde him who being marryed unto R. de Torneham bare a daughter marryed to Peter de Mauley whose heires and successours being bettered in their estate by this inheritance of the Fossards became great and honourable Barons Not farre from hence is situate upon the River side Kirkham as one would say of Church-place For a Priory of Chanons was there founded by Walter Espec a man of high place and calling by whose daughter a great estate accrewed to the family of the Lord Rosses Then but somewhat lower Darwent had a City of his owne name which Antonine the Emperour calleth DERVENTIO and placeth it seven miles from YORKE The booke of Notices maketh mention of a Captaine over the Company Derventiensis under the Generall of Britaine that resided in it and in the Saxons Empire it seemeth to have beene
powreth forth into it a mighty masse of water having not yet forgotten what adoe it had to passe away struggling and wrestling as it did among the carcasses of free-butters lying dead in it on heapes in the yeere of salvation 1216. when it swallowed them up loaden with booties out of England and so buried that rabble of robbers under his waves This river Eden when it is entred into this shire receiveth from the West the river Eimot flowing out of Ulse a great lake heretofore mentioned neer unto the bank whereof hard by the riveret Dacor standeth Dacre Castle of signall note for that it hath given sirname to the honourable family of the Barons Dacre and mentioned anciently by Bede for that it had a monastery in those dayes as also by William of Malmesbury in regard that Constantine King of Scots and Eugenius or Ewain King of Cumberland yeelded themselves there together with their kingdomes unto Athelstane King of England upon condition to be protected by him Not much higher and not farre from the confluence of Eimot and Loder where is seene that round trench of earth which the countrey people tearme Arthurs Table stands Penrith which is if you interpret it out of the British language The Red head or hill for the soile and the stones there are of a reddish colour but commonly called Perith a little towne and of indifferent trade fortified on the West side with a castle of the Kings which in the reigne of King Henry the sixth was repaired out of the ruines of a Romane fort thereby called Maburg adorned with a proper Church and the mercate place is large with an edifice of timber therein for the use of those that resort thither to mercate garnished with Beares at a ragged staffe which was the devise of the Earles of Warwicke It belonged in times past unto the Bishops of Durham but when Antony Bec the Bishop overweening himselfe with over much wealth waxed proud and insolent King Edward the first as wee finde in Durham book took from him Werk in Tividale Perith and the Church of Simondburne But for the commodious use of this Towne William Stricland Bishop of Carlile descended from a worshipfull Family in this tract at his owne charges caused a channell for a water-course to be made out of Petter-rill that is the little Petter which neer unto the bank had Plumpton park a very large plot of ground which the Kings of England allotted in old time for wild beasts but King Henry the eighth disparked it and wisely appointed it for habitation of men as being in the very merches well neere where the Realmes of England and Scotland confine one upon the other Just by this place I saw many remaines of a decayed towne which they there for the vicinity thereof doe now call Old Perith I for my part would deeme it to be PETRIANAE For the fragment of an antique inscription erected by ULPIUS TRAIANUS EMERITUS an old discharged and pensionary souldier of the Petreian wing doth convince and prove that the wing Petriana made abode here But behold both it and others which wee copied out here GADUNO ULP TRAI EM AL. PET MARTIUS F P. C. D M. AICETU OS MATER VIXIT A XXXXV ET LATTIO FIL. VIX A XII LIMISIUS CONJU ET FILIAE PIENTISSIMIS POSUIT D M FL. MARITO SEN IN C. CARVETIOR QUESTORIO VIXIT AN XXXXV MARTIOLA FILIA ET HERES PONEN CURAVIT D M. CROTILO GERMANUS VIX ANIS XXVI GRECA VIX ANIS IIII. VINDICIANUS FRA. ET FIL. TIT. PO. After that Eden hath now given Eimot entertainment hee turneth his course Northward by both the Salkelds watering as hee goes obscure small villages and fortresses Amongst which at the lesse Salkeld there bee erected in manner of a circle seventy seven stones every one ten foot high and a speciall one by it selfe before them at the very entrance riseth fifteene foot in height This stone the common people thereby dwelling name Long Megge like as the rest her daughters And within that ring or circle are heapes of stones under which they say lye covered the bodies of men slaine And verily there is reason to thinke that this was a monument of some victory there atchieved for no man would deeme that they were erected in vaine From thence passeth Eden by Kirk-Oswald consecrated to Saint Oswald the possession in old time of that Sir Hugh Morvill who with his associates slew Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in memoriall of this fact the sword which hee then used was kept here a long time and so goeth on by Armanthwayte a Castle of the Skeltons by Corby Castle belonging to the worthy and ancient family of the Salkelds well advanced by marriage with the heire of Rosgill by Wetherall sometime a little Abbey or Cell which acknowledged the Abbey of Saint Mary in Yorke for her mother where within a rocke are to bee seene certaine little habitations or cabbins hewed hollow for a place of sure refuge in this dangerous countrey Thence by Warwic VIROSIDUM as I supposed where the sixt Cohort of the Nervians in old time held their station within the limit of that Wall against the Picts and Scots and there in the latter age was built a very strong bridge of stone at the charges of the Salkelds and Richmonds by Linstock castle also belonging to the Bishop of Carlile in the Barony of Crosby which Waldeof the sonne of Earle Gospatrick Lord of Allerdale granted unto the church of Carlile And now by this time Eden being ready to lodge himselfe in his owne arme of the sea taketh in two rivers at once namely Peterill Caud which keeping an equall distance asunder march along from the South and hold as it were a parallel pace just together By Peterill beside PETRIANAE which I spake of standeth Greistock a castle belonging not long since to an honorable house which derived their first descent from one Ranulph Fitz-Walter of which line William called de Greistock wedded Mary a daughter and one of the coheires of Sir Roger Merley Lord of Morpath and hee had a sonne named John who being childlesse by licence of King Edward the first conveighed his inheritance to Ralph Granthorpe the sonne of William and his Aunts sonne by the fathers side whose male progeny flourished a long time in honor with the title of Lord Greistock but about King Henry the seventh his dayes expired and came to an end and so the inheritance came by marriage unto the Barons of Dacre and the female heires generall of the last Baron Dacre were married unto Philip Earle of Arundell and Lord William Howard sonnes of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolke Upon Caud beside the coper mines neere unto Caudbeck standeth Highgate a castle of the Richmonds of ancient descent and a proper fine castle of the Bishops of Carlile called the Rose castle it seemeth also that
in the end to the Scottish For Sir Henry Percy for his overforward spirit and youthfull heat by-named Hot-Spurre who had the leading of the English lost 15. hundred of his men in fight and was himselfe led away prisoner William Douglas also the leader of the Scots with most of his company was slaine so that the martiall valour of both nations was never more illustrious There is also another towne beneath of ancient memory which Rhead watereth or rather hath now well neare washed away they call it at this day Risingham which is in the ancient English and German language The Giants Habitation as Risingberg in Germany the Giants Hill Many shewes are there and those right evident of antiquity The inhabitants report that God Magon defended and made good this place a great while against a certaine Soldan that is an Heathenish Prince Neither is this altogether a vaine tale For that such a God was here honoured and worshipped is plainly proved by these two altar stones lately drawne out of the river there with these Inscriptions DEO MOGONTI CAD ET N. DN AUG M. G. SECUNDINUS BF COS. HAâ—ITA NCI PRIMAS TA PRO SE ET SUIS POSUIT DEO MOUNO CAD INVENTUS DO V. S. Out of the former of these wee may in some sort gather that the name of the place was HABITANCUM and that he who erected it was Beneficiarius to a Consull and Primate beside of the place For certaine it is out of Codex Theodosii that the chiefe Magistrates of Cities Townes and Castles were called Primates Now whether this God were the tutelar and appropriate Genius of the Gadeni whom Ptolomee placed as next neighbours to the Ottadini I cannot averre let others sift and search it out Moreover these inscriptions also were here found for which with others we are to thanke the right worshipfull Sir Robert Cotton of Connington Knight who very lately both saw them copied them out and most kindly imparted them to this worke D. M. BLESCIVS DIOVICVS FILIAE SVAE VIXSIT AN. I. ET DIES XXI CUIPRAEEST M. PEREGRINIUS SUPER TRIB COH I. VANG FECIT CURANTE JUL. PAULO TRIB DEAETER TIANAESA CRUM AEL TIMOTHEA P. V. S. LL. M. HERCU LIJUL PAULLUS TRIB V. S. VR ANTONI NI PII AVG. M MESSORIVS DILIGENS TRI BVN VS SACRVM DEO INVICTO HERCVLI SACR L. AEML SALVANVS TRB. COH IVANGI V. S. P. M. And that which farre surmounteth all the rest for curious workmanship a long table in this forme artificially engraven set up by the fourth Cohort of the Gauls-Horsmen and dedicated to the sacred Majestie of the Emperours But now leaving these particularities Rhead a little lower carrieth both his owne streame and also other swelling brookes that hee receiveth unto him by the way into Tine and so farre reacheth Rhedesdale Which as we find in a book of the Kings Exchequer the Umfran Vills held of ancient feofament by regall power and service that they should keep the vale from theeves and robbers Here every way round about in the Wasts as they tearme them as also in Gillesland you may see as it were the ancient Nomades a martiall kinde of men who from the moneth of April unto August lye out scattering and summering as they tearme it with their cattell in little cottages here and there which they call Sheales and Shealings Then North-Tine aforesaid passing downe by Chipches a towre belonging sometime to the Umfranvills afterward to the Herons and not farre from Swinborne a little Castle or Pile which gave name unto a worthy family and was in old time parcell of the Baronie of the Hairuns now commonly called Heron a warlike generation now a seat of the Wodering tons and so commeth to the Wall running under it beneath Collerford where a bridge of arches was made over and where now are seen the ruins of a large castle Which if it were not CILURNUM wherein the second wing of the Astures lay in garrison it was hard by at Scilicester in the wall where after that Sigga a noble-man had treacherously murdred Ethwald King of North-Humberland there was a Church built by the faithfull Christians in honour of Saint Cuthbert and King Ofwald whose name so obscured the light of the other that the old name being quite gone it is now called Saint Oswalds This Oswald King of Northumberland being at the point to give battaile unto Cedwall the Britan for so Bede calleth him whom the Britans themselves named Caswallon King as it seemeth of Cumberland erected a Crosse and humbly upon his knees prayed unto Christ that he would vouchsafe his heavenly aide unto his devoted servants and presently with a loud voice cried unto the army in his wise Let us all kneele downe and beseech the Almightie living and true God of his mercie to defend us from our proud and cruell enemie No signe saith Bede doe we finde of Christian faith no Church no altar throughout the whole nation to have bin erected before that this new leader conducter of an armie directed thereto by faithfull devotion did set up this sign of the holy Crosse when he was to fight against a most savage bloodie enemie For when Oswald perceived in this battell the present assistance of Christ which he had so earnestly implored streightwaies he bacame a professed Christian and sent for Aidan the Scot to catechise and instruct his people in the Christian religion The very place of victorie was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Heaven-field which at this day in the same sense as some will have it is named Haledon Concerning which have here these verses such as they be out of the life of the said Oswald Tune primum scivit causam cur nomen haberet Heafenfeld hoc est caelestis campus illi Nomen ab antiquo dedit appellatio gentis Praeteritae tanquam belli praesaga futuri Nominis caussam mox assignavit ibidem Caelitùs expugnans caelestis turba scelestam Neve senectutis ignavia possit honorem Tam celebris delere loci tantÃque triumphi Ecclesiae fratres Hangustaldensis adesse Devoti Christúmque solent celebrare quotannis Quoque loci persistat honos in honore beati Oswaldi Regis ibi construxêre capellam Then wist he first and not before why this place tooke the name Of Heafenfield that is the field of Heaven for the same By those that liv'd in alder time unto it given had beene As if by skill divine they had this future warre fore-seene And even the reason of this name he there streightwaies expressed For that from heaven an heavenly troupe a wicked crew suppressed Now that in time through negligence the same might not miscarry Both of the place so memorable and this so noble victory The Monkes of Hangustald-Church in great devoutnesse here Are wont to be and Christ to praise duely from yeere to yeere And that the honour of this
the Fresian sea and the Scottish sea and the Eulogium Morwiridh Upon this after you be past Tantallon are seated first North-Berwick a famous place sometime for an house there of religious Virgins and then Dyrlton which belonged in times past to the notable family of the Haliburtous and now to S. Tho. Ereskin Captain of the guard whom James K. of great Britain for his happy valour in preserving him against the traiterous attempts of Gowrye first created Baron of Dirlton and afterward advanced him to the honourable title of Vicount Felton making him the first Vicount that ever was in Scotland Against these places there lyeth in the sea not far from the shore the Iland Bas which riseth up as it were all one craggy rocke and the same upright and steep on every side yet hath it a Block-house belonging to it a fountaine also and pastures but it is so hollowed with the waves working upon it that it is almost pierced thorough What a multitude of sea-foules and especially of those geese which they call Scouts and Soland geese flocke hither at their times for by report their number is such that in a cleere day they take away the sunnes light what a sort of fishes they bring for as the speech goeth a hundred garrison souldiers that here lay for defence of the place fed upon no other meat but the fresh fish that they brought in what a quantity of stickes and little twigges they get together for the building of their nests so that by their meanes the inhabitants are abundantly provided of fewell for their fire what a mighty gaine groweth by their feathers and oyle the report thereof is so incredible that no man scarcely would beleeve it but he that had seene it Then as the shore draweth backe Seton sheweth it selfe which seemeth to have taken that name of the situation by the sea side and to have imparted the same unto a right noble house of the Setons branched out of an English family and from the daughter of King Robert Brus out of which the Marquesse Huntley Robert Earle of Wentoun Alexander Earle of Dunfirmling advanced to honors by K. James the sixth are propagated After this the river Eske dischargeth it selfe into this Frith when it hath runne by Borthwic which hath Barons surnamed according to that name and those deriving their pedegree out of Hungary by Newbottle that is The new building sometimes a faire monasterie now the Barony of Sir Mark Ker by Dalkeith a very pleasant habitation of the late Earles of Morton and Musselborrow hard under which in the yeere of our Lord 1547. when Sir Edward Seimor Duke of Somerset with an army royall had entred Scotland to claime and challenge the keeping of a covenant made concerning a marriage betweene Marie Queene of Scotland and Edward the sixth King of England there happened the heaviest day that ever fell to the adventurous youth of the most noble families in all Scotland who there lost their lives Here I must not over-passe in silence this Inscription which John Napier a learned man hath in his Commentaries upon the Apocalyps recorded to have beene here digged up and which the right learned Knight Sir Peter Young teacher and trainer of King James the sixth in his youth hath in this wise more truely copied forth APOLLINI GRANNO Q. LUSIUS SABINIA NUS PROC AUG V. S.S.L.V.M Who this Apollo Granus might bee and whence hee should have this name not one to my knowledge of our grave Senate of Antiquaries hitherto could ever tell But if I might be allowed from out of the lowest bench to speak what I think I would say that Apollo Granus amongst the Romans was the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Apollo with long haire amongst the Greekes for Isidor calleth the long haire of the Gothes Grannos But here I may seem to wander out of my way and therefore will returne to it Lower yet and neere unto the Scotish Forth is seated EDENBUROUGH which the Irish Scots call Dun Eaden that is the towne Eaden or Eden Hill and which no doubt is the very same that Ptolomee named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Winged Castle for Adain in the British tongue signifieth a wing and Edenborrow a word compounded out of the British and Saxon language is nothing else but The Burgh with wings From Wings therefore wee must fetch the reason of the name and fetched it may be if you thinke good either from the Companies of Horsemen which are called Wings or else from those Wings in Architecture which the great Master builders tearme Pâ—eromaâ—â— that is as Vetruvius sheweth two Wallâ— so rising up in heigth as that they resemble a shew of Wings which for that a certaine City of Cyprus wanted it was called in old time as wee read in the Geographers Aptera that is Without Wings But if any man beleeve that the name was derived from Ebrâ—â—k a Britaine or from Heth a Picâ— good leave have he for me I will not confront them with this my conjecture This Citie in regard of the high situation of the holsome are and plentifull soile and many Noble mens towred houses built round about it watered also with cleere springing fountaines reaching from East to West a mile out in length and carrying halfe as much in bredth is worthily counted the chiefe Citie of the whole Kingdome strongly walled adorned with houses as well publike as private well peopled and frequented by reason of the opportunity from the sea which the neighbour haven at Leth affordeth And as it is the seat of the Kings so is it the oracle also or closet of the Lawes and the very Palace of Justice For the high Courts of Parliament are here for the most part holden for the enacting or repealing of Lawes also the Session and the Court of the Kings Justice and of the Commissariat whereof I have spoken already are here settled and kept On the East side hard unto the Monastery of Saint Crosse or Holy ruide is the Kings palace which King David the first built over which within a Parke stored with game riseth an hill with two heads called of Arthur the Britaine Arthurs Chaire On the West side a most steepe rocke mounteth up aloft to a stately heigth every way save onely where it looketh toward the City on which is placed a Castle with many a towre in it so strong that it is counted impregnable which the Britans called Castle Myned Agneâ— the Scots The Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle of certaine young maidens of the Picts royall blood who were kept there in old time and which may seeme in truth to have beene that Castrum Alatum or Castle with AVVING abovesaid How Edenborrow in the alternative fortune of warres was subject one while to the Scots and another while to the English who inhabited this East part of Scotland untill
tongue the Isle of Masses hereby may bee remembred when as it was a most famous Abbey of the order of Saint Augustin founded by the Earle of Strathern about the yeere 1200. When Ern hath joined his water with Tau in one streame so that Tau is now become more spatious hee looketh up to Aberneth seated upon his banke the royall seat in old time of the Picts and a well peopled Citie which as we read in an ancient fragment Nectane King of the Picts gave unto God and S. Brigide untill the day of Doom together with the bounds thereof which lye from a stone in Abertrent unto a stone nigh to Carfull that is Loghfoll and from thence as farre as to Ethan But long after it became the possession of the Douglasses Earles of Anguse who are called Lords of Aberneth and there some of them lye enterred The first Earle of Strathern that I read of was Malisse who in the time of King Henrie the third of England married one of the heires of Robert Muschamp a potent Baron of England Long afterward Robert Stewart in the yeere 1380. Then David a younger sonne of King Robert the second whose onely daughter given in marriage to Patricke Graham begat Mailise or Melisse Graham from whom King James the first tooke away the Earledome as escheated after that he understood out of the Records of the Kingdome that it was given unto his mothers grandfather and the heires males of his bodie This territorie as also that of Menteith adjoining the Barons Dromund governe hereditarily by Seneschals authority as their Stewarties Menteith hath the name of Teith a river which also they call Taich and thereof this little province they tearme in Latin Taichia upon the banke of which lieth the Bishopricke of Dunblan which King David the first of that name erected At Kirkbird that is Saint Brigids Church the Earles of Menteith have their principall house or Honour as also the Earles of Montrosse comming from the same stocke at Kin-Kardin not farre off This Menteith reacheth as I have heard unto the mountaines that enclose the East side of the Logh or Lake Lomund The ancient Earles of Menteith were of the family of Cumen which in times past being the most spred mightiest house of all Scotland was ruinated with the over-weight and sway thereof but the latter Earles were of the Grahams line ever since that Sir Mailise Graham attained to the honour of an Earle ARGATHELIA OR ARGILE BEyond the Lake Lomund and the West part of Lennox there spreadeth it selfe neere unto Dunbriton Forth the large countrey called Argathelia Argadia in Latin but commonly ARGILE more truely Argathel and Ar-Gwithil that is Neere unto the Irish or as old writings have it The edge or border of Ireland For it lyeth toward Ireland the inhabitants whereof the Britans tearme Gwithil and Gaothel The countrey runneth out in length and breadth all mangled with fishfull pooles and in some places with rising mountaines very commodious for feeding of cattell in which also there range up and downe wilde kine and red Deere but along the shore it is more unpleasant in sight what with rockes and what with blackish barraine mountaines In this part as Bede writeth Britain received after the Britans and Picts a third nation of Scots in that countrey where the Picts inhabited who comming out of Ireland under the leading of Reuda either through friendship or by dint of sword planted here their seat amongst them which they still hold Of which their leader they are to this very day called Dalreudini for in their language Dal signifieth a part And a little after Ireland saith hee is the proper Countrey of the Scots for being departed out of it they added unto the Britans and Picts a third nation in Britaine And there is a very great Bay or arme of the sea that in old time severed the nation of the Britans from the Picts which from the West breaketh a great way into the land where standeth the strongest Citie of all the Britans even to this day called Alchith In the North part of which Bay the Scots aforesaid when they came got themselves a place to inhabite Of that name Dalreudin no remaines at all to my knowledge are now extant neither finde wee any thing thereof in Writers unlesse it bee the same that Dalrieta For in an old Pamphlet touching the division of Albanie wee read of one Kinnadie who for certaine was a King of Scots and subdued the Picts these very words Kinnadie two yeeres before hee came into Pictavia for so it calleth the countrey of the Picts entred upon the Kingdome of Dalrieta Also in an historie of later time there is mention made of Dalrea in some place of this tract where King Robert Brus fought a field unfortunately That Justice should be ministred unto this Province by Justices Itinerant at Perth whensoever it pleased the King King James the fourth by authoritie of the States of the Kingdome enacted a law But the Earles themselves have in some cases their roialties as being men of very great command and authoritie followed with a mightie traine of retainers and dependants who derive their race from the ancient Princes and Potentates of Argile by an infinite descent of Ancestours and from their castle Cambell tooke their surname but the honour and title of Earle was given unto them by King James the second who as it is recorded invested Colin Lord Cambell Earle of Argile in regard of his owne vertue and the worth of his family Whose heires and successours standing in the gracious favour of the Kings have bin Lords of Lorn and a good while Generall Justices of the Kingdome of Scotland or as they use to speake Iustices ordained in Generall and Great Masters of the Kings royall household CANTIRE LOgh Fin a lake breeding such store of herrings at a certaine due season as it is wonderfull severeth Argile from a Promontorie which for thirtie miles together growing still toward a sharpe point thrusteth it selfe forth with so great a desire toward Ireland betwixt which and it there is a narrow sea scarce thirteene miles over as if it would conjoine it selfe Ptolomee termeth this the Promontorie EPIDIORUM betweene which name and the Islands EBUDAE lying over against it there is in my conceit some affinitie At this day it is called in the Irish tongue which they speake in all this tract CAN-TYRE that is The lands Head inhabited by the Mac-Conells a family that here swayeth much howbeit at the pleasure and dispose of the Earle of Argile yea and otherwhiles they make out their light pinnaces and gallies for Ireland to raise booties and pillage who also hold in possession those little provinces of Ireland which they call Glines and Rowts This Promontorie lyeth annexed to Knapdale by so thin a necke as being scarce a mile broad and the same all sandie that the mariners finde it the neerer
creeke it retaineth still the taste of the naturall freshnesse saving his owne water entire and voide of all brackishnesse even as far as to the maine sea COMITATUS DUBLINIENSIS The Countie of Divelin BEyond the CAUCI inhabited the EELANI where now lieth the county of DUBLIN or DIVELIN which on the East side is wholly washed with the Irish sea on the West bounded with the county of Kildare on the South joyning to the little territories of the O-Tooles and O-Birns and those which they tearme the Glynnes and limited Northward with the county of Meth and Nanny a little river the soile thereof bringeth forth corne abundantly and yeeldeth grasse and fodder right plenteously besides it is well stored with all sorts of living creatures that are gotten by hunting and hawking for the table but so destitute for the greatest part of woods that in most places they use a clammy kind of fat turfe or Sea-coale out of England for their fewell In the South part thereof which is lesse inhabited and more uncivill and riseth up here and there with an hilly ridge full enough of woods and under which lye hollow vallies shaded with trees which they call Glynnes every place is sore annoied with the two pernicious and mischievous septs or kinreds of the O-Tooles and the O-Birnes Among these Glynnes appeareth the Bishopricke of Glandilaw but utterly desolate ever since it was annexed to the Archbishopricke of Divelin All this county besides is passing well replenished with inhabitants and townes and for wealthy port and a certain peculiar finenesse and neatnesse that they use surpasseth all other parts of Ireland and is divided into five distinct Baronies namely Rath down New castle Castle-Knoc Cowloc and Bal-rodry which not withstanding I am not able to goe through as I would for that their bounds are unknown to mee First therefore I will runne along the sea coast only and from thence as the courses of the rivers lead me survey the more in-land places for there is no part of this county twenty miles from the shore To beginne then at the South side the first place that sheweth it selfe upon this coast is Wicklo where there standeth over the narrow haven a rocke enclosed within a strong wall in stead of a castle over which as divers other castles besides of this kingdome there can none by authority of Parliament bee set as Constable but an Englishman borne because to the hurt of the State the Irishmen that were Constables had both defended the same badly and also by a certaine connivencie suffered the prisoners to make escapes As touching this haven hearken what Giraldus saith who tearmeth it Winchiligillo There is an haven at Winchiligillo on that side of Ireland where it lieth neerer unto Wales that ordinarily and usually at every ebbe of the sea receiveth waters flowing into it and again at every return of tide dischargeth and voideth the said water which it entertained and when as the sea in the ebbe hath now by the going away of the tide forsaken the creeke yet the river that runneth in by every chinke and winding cranke becommeth bitter and salt with continuall brackishnesse Then from the toppe of an hill New-castle looketh into the sea and seeth the shelves of sand which they call The Grounds lying opposite a great way in length Howbeit betweene them and the shore it is reported to bee seven fathom deepe of water A little higher where the riveret Bray commeth into the sea appeareth Old-Court the possessions of the Walshes of Caryckmain who as they are of ancient stocke and gentry so their family hath shot forth many branches in this tract Next unto it is Powers or Poers-Court belonging in times past as appeareth by the name unto the Poers a large and great castle untill that Tirlough O Toole after hee had revolted and rebelled undermined and overthrew it From Bray mouth the shore for to let in a creeke bendeth and windeth it selfe inward and at the very bent of the elbow lieth a little Island called Saint Benets belonging to the Archbishop of Divelin This creeke or Bay is called Dublin Haven into which Liffy the noblest river of this county out-powreth his streame who albeit his spring head where hee riseth bee but fifteene miles from his mouth yet with so many winding crankes he fetcheth such a compasse that first hee turneth into the South by Saint Patrickes land then Westward afterwards North watering the county of Kildare and at length into the East by Castle-Knoc the Barony in times past of the Tirils whose inheritance by the females was devolved upon other about the yeere 1370. and so by Kilmainam an house in old time of Saint Iohns Knights of Jerusalem now converted to a retiring place of the Lords Deputies This Liffy doubtlesse is mentioned by Ptolomee but through carelesnesse of the transcribers banished out of his owne due place For the river LIBNIUS is set downe in the copies of Ptolomee at the very same latitude or elevation of the Pole in the other part of the Iland where there is no such river at all but let him if it please you by a writ of recovery returne out of exile now to his owne city EBLANA from whence uniustly he hath been for a time alienated and take withall if you think good these verses of Necham as touching this river Visere Castle-Knoc non dedignatur Istum Dublini suscipit unda maris To see and visit Castle-Knock Liffy doth not disdaine At Dublin ready is the sea this streame to entertaine For seated it is seven miles from his mouth which alone fame may celebrate for all the cities of Ireland This is that very city which Ptolomee called EBLANA we DIVELIN the Latine writers Dublinium and Dublinia the Welsh Britans Dinas Dulin the English Saxons in times past Duplin and the Irish Bala-cleigh that is The towne upon Hurdles for men say when it was built the foundation was laid upon Hurdles the place was so fennish and moorish like as Hispalis or Sivill in Spaine which Isidore reporteth to have been so named because it stood in a marish ground upon piles and stakes deepely pitched into the earth For the antiquity of Dublin I finde no certainty but that very ancient it is the authority of Ptolomee perswadeth me to thinke Saxo Grammaticus writeth how it was pitifully rent and dismembred in the Danish warres afterwards it came under the subjection of Edgar King of England which his Charter before mentioned confirmeth wherein hee calleth it the most Noble City of Ireland Then the Norwegians possessed themselves of it Whence in the life of Gryffith Ap Cynan Prince of Wales we read that Harald of Norway when he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Develin This may seeme to be that Harald Harfager that is with the faire lockes or tresses who was the first King of Norway whole line in descent goeth thus in the life of Gryffith
warble upon with their nimble fingers most melodiously Doe any of them betake themselves to religion a wonder it is to see how they mortifie and keepe their bodies under with a devout kind of austerity watching praying and making themselves leane with much fasting so that it is no marvell which is written of their monkes in the age afore going Yea the very women and young maidens fast duely upon every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the whole yeere Some of them also fast upon Saint Katharines festivall day and this they faile not to doe upon Christmas day if it so fall out even when they be most grievously sicke Some make this to bee the cause for maidens that they may be sped with good husbands for wives that they may change for a better marriage either by the death of their husbands or by forsaking them or at leastwise by alteration of their conditions But they that have once given themselves over to lewdnesse are more lewd than lewdnesse it selfe Their garments they die with the barkes of trees that English men name Alders they use also Elder-berries to colour their wooll yellow With the boughes barke and leaves of the poplar tree bruised and stamped they staine their large wide shirts with a saffran colour which now are almost out of use and adding thereunto the rine of the wild Arbut tree salt together with saffran And whatsoever they die they doe not so much boile it long over the fire as drench and steepe the same for certaine daies together among other things in cold urine of man or woman that the yellow colour may be more durable They account it no shame or infamie to commit robberies which they practise every where with exceeding cruelty When they goe to rob they poure out their prayers to God That they may meet with a booty and they suppose that a cheat or booty is sent unto them from God as his gift neither are they perswaded that either violence or rapine or manslaughter displeaseth God for in no wise would he presens unto them this opportunitie if it were a sinne nay a sin it were if they did not lay hold upon the said opportunitie You shall heare these Cut-throats and Incendiaries come out with these words God is mercifull and will not suffer the price of his blood to be of no effâ—ct in me Moreover they say that they walke in their fathers steps that this maner of life was left unto them also that it were a disparagement of their nobility if they would get their living by handie labour and forbeare committing such facts As they are setting forth to a boot-haling or to doe any other businesse they marke whom they meet first in the morning if they speed well they lay for to meet with him oft if otherwise they heedfully avoid him To sleepe and snore in a most stormie night and not to dispatch a very long way by night on foot nor to adventure upon any danger whatsoever in spoiling and robbing they take to be tokens of a base and abject minde Of late daies they spare neither Churches nor hallowed places but thence also they fill their hands with spoile yea and sometimes they set them on fire and kill the men that there lie hidden And the cause hereof is the most filthy life of their Priests who of Churches make profane houses and keepe harlots who follow them whithersoever they goe but when they are cast off seeke cunning devises to doe mischiefe by poisons The Priests Lemans and their bastards abide within the circuit of a Church drinke untill they be drunke lie together shed blood and keepe up their cattell there Among those wild Irish there is neither divine service nor any forme of Chappell but outwardly no Altars at all or else they be filthily polluted the image of the Rood or Crosse defaced if there be any at all The sacred vestiments are so foule and nasty that they would make one to cast up his stomacke The alter portable without any crosses emprinted upon it and by some abuse or other polluted The Missal or Masse booke all torne and bereft of the Canon yet the same is tendred to all oathes and perjuries the Chalice of lead without a cover to it the samll vessels for wine made of a horne The Priests mind nothing but gathering of goods and getting of children The Parsons play the Vicars and that of many Parishes together they make it great shew of the Canon-Law but have never a jot of learning They have their children to succeed them in their Churches for whose illegitimation they are dispenced with These will not take the order of Priest-hood but commit the charge to the Curates without any stipend that they may live by the booke that is upon some small gift or oblation at the baptisme inunction and buriall wherewith God wot they live most bare and miserable These Priests sonnes that follow not their studies prove for the most part notorious theeves For they that carry the name of Mac-Decan Mac-Pherson Mac-Oâ—pac that is the Deanes or Deacons son the Parsons son and the Bishops sonne are the strongest theeves that be and the more able by their Parents liberality to raise a power of unruly rebels and the rather because following their fathers steps they maintaine hospitality As for the daughters of these Priests if their fathers be living they are set forth with good portions in case they wed but if their fathers be dead either they begge or prostitute their bodies At every third word t is ordinary with them to lash out an oath namely by the Trinity by God by S. Patrick by S. Brigid by their Baptism by Faith by the Church by my God-fathers hand and by thy hand And albeit by these they sweare with the sacred Bible or Missal laid most religiously upon their bare heads yea and be forsworne yet if one say they stand in danger of damnation for perjury you shall heare them straightwaies cry aloud The Lord is mercifull and will not suffer the price of his blood shed for me to be of no effect in me Never shall I goe to hell repent I or repent I not But for the performance of promise and that a man may beleeve them these three points with them be of greatest weight to bind them First if one sweare at the altar touching the booke lying open and the same laid on the crown of his head Secondly if he take to record some Saint whose crooked staffe or bell he toucheth and kisseth Thirdly if he sweare by the hand of an Earle or of his owne Lord or some mighty person for then if he be convict of perjury by the two former he incurreth infamy but in case hee be forsworne by the third the said mighty man will wring from him perforce a great summe of mony and a number of Cowes as if by that perjury the greatest abuse and injury that might be were offered unto his name For cowes are their
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
of Severn there peep up first of all two small Ilands whereof the one because it lieth flat and with an even ground is by us called Flatholme in the same sense that Planarie is named Italy the other Step-holme because it riseth steep in the British tongue Reoric both of them when the Britans bare rule were tearmed Echni like as in our age Holmes for so the Anglo-Saxons called greene plaines enclosed within water neither were they in ancient times famous for any thing else but for that the Danes lay there at road and for the tomb of one Gualchus a Britan of singular devoutnesse whose Disciple Barruch left his name to the Iland Barry in Wales as an ancient monument of the Church of Landaff witnesseth which Iland in like manner hath given name to a noble house of the Barraies in Ireland This hath lying hard to it the little Iland Silly upon the coast of the ancient Silures of whose name it seemeth to retaine still more than a shadow like as a small town over against it in Glancorgan-shire yet dare I not avouch it to be Silura or Insula Silurum the Iland that Solinus mentioneth seeing there be other Ilands bearing the same name yet farre distant from the Silures From thence we come to Caldey in the British Imis-Pix lying neer unto the shore and to Londey farther within the sea over against Caldey belonging unto Devonshire from the promontory or cape whereof named Hert-nesse it lieth 14. miles Larger this is counted of the twaine howbeit reported to bee not much more than two miles long and one mile broad so encircled with rockes and cliffes round about that there is no avenue unto it but in one or two places A fort or sconce it had the ruines whereof like as of S. Helens Chappell are yet to be seene That it had beene in time past eared with the plough the ridges and furrowes in it doe evidently shew now all the commodity and profit that it yeeldeth doth arise from sea-fowle whereof it hath great store Trees it hath none but stinking Elders which the Stares haunt in such multitudes that uneth for their dung there is any comming unto them But what meane I to stand hereupon considering that Sir Thomas Delamere Knight in reporting how that silly king Edward the second when his froward and unreasonable wife together with the unruly Barons thundred out threats and denounced terrible menaces was minded to withdraw himselfe hither as to a place of refuge hath in old time described it in this wise Londay saith he is an Iland lying in the mouth of Severn two miles long over way full of pleasant pastures it affoordeth Connies in great store doves and stares which Alexander Necham tearmeth Ganimedes birds it hath continually from time to time ready to lay it serveth the inhabitants besides with fresh water walming abundantly out of springs though it selfe be on all sides compassed with the sea One way of entrance it hath into it wherein two men can hardly goe afront together on foot on every part besides the dreadfull rockes bearing out a mighty heighth hinder all ingresse But scarcely doe our Historians make any mention of it save only how William de Marisco a most leud and mischievous rover in the reign of king Henry the third from hence sore infested these coasts in times past and that in King Edward the third his daies it was part of the Lutterels inheritance From thence in the very bent and turning of Pembroch-shire we meet with Gresholme Stockholme and Scalmey in which is plentie of grasse and wild thyme groweth very fresh and pleasant The day was when I thought Scalmey to have been that SILIMNUS which Plinie in old time wrote of but the truth hath now made me change my opinion For that SILIMNUS of Pliny as the affinity of the word implieth seemes to be Ptolomee his LIMNI That this here is the Britans Lymen the word it selfe if I should say nothing sheweth evidently which the Englishmen by a new name have now a daies termed Ramsey This lieth full against the Episcopall Sea of Saint Davids whereunto it belongeth and was in the foregoing ages very famous for the death of one Iustinian a most holy man who after he had withdrawne himselfe hither out of little Britaine in France in that age that brought forth so many Saints and led a long time an Eremits life wholly devoted to the service of God being in the end slaine by a page was registred in the roll of Martyrs In whose life we finde it oftentimes written Lemenâ—ia Insula Which denomination verily together with the British name Limen by which name it is knowne unto the Britains themselves checketh and taxeth his drowsinesse who maketh this Iland lying next above it to be Ptolomees Limnon which the Britains now name Enhly and English Berdsey as one would say the Isle of Birds But that this should be it that Ptolomee calleth EDRI and Plinie ANDROS or ADROS as it is in some place read I durst more boldly ghesse by the signification of the word for Ader in the British tongue signifieth a Bird and in the very same sense the Englishmen afterward called it Berdsey As for Enhly it is a name of a later stampe and came by occasion of a certaine holy and devout man who here lived as an Eremite For this Iland which toward the East mounteth aloft with an high promontory but Westward lieth plaine and is of a fertile mould harboured in old time so many holy men that beside Dubrith and Merlin the Caledonian ancient histories record there were twenty thousand Saints buried here Next unto this lieth MONA that is Anglesey which the Britans also name Mon Tir-Mon and Ynis Dowyll that is A darke or shady Iland the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof I have treated already in the page 671. To Mone or Anglesey there adjoine three smaller Ilands Moyl-Rhoniad that is The Isle of Seales upon the North-west which after it had beene with-held by certaine that unjustly seized upon it from the Bishops of Bangor unto whom it belonged Henry Deney Bishop of Bangor as we reade in the history of Canterbury with a fleet manned with souldiers in King Henry the seventh his time recovered Eastward lieth Ynis Ligod that is The Isle of mice and more beneath Prest-home that is The Isle of Priests and nothing saw we in it but the tower steeple of Saint Cyriacs chappell which sheweth it selfe to the beholders afarre off Incredible it is what the neighbours report of the infinite multitude of sea fowle that here doe breed as also what they tell of a causey or banke which went from hence through the sea to the foot of that huge mountaine Pen-Maen-Maur for their use who of devotion went on pilgrimage to visit this place held in times past so holy and religious I passe over Lambey a little Iland opposite unto this toward the coast of Ireland although our Metall-men have to
the French Gallies gave the attempt to invade it but with the losse of many of his men had the foile and desisted from his enterprise As touching the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction they were under the Bishop of Constance in Normandy untill that hee in our remembrance refused to abjure the Popes authority in England as our Bishops doe Since which time they were by Queene Elizabeth severed from the Diocesse of Constance and united for ever to the Diocesse of Winchester so as the Bishop of Winchester and his successours execute every thing appertaining to the Episcopall jurisdiction yet their Ecclesiasticall discipline is conformable to the Church of Geneva which the French Ministers have brought in As for the civill customes of these Ilands I could now note some of them out of the Kings records namely How King Iohn instituted twelve Coroners sworn to keepe the pleas and rights belonging to the Crowne and granted for the security of the Ilanders that the Bailiffe henceforth by advice of the Coroners might plead without writ of a new disseisin made within the yeere of the death of any ancestours and predecessours within a yeere of dowry likewise within a yeere c. Moreover that the said Iuries may not delay their judgements beyond the tearme of one yeere likewise that in Customes and other things they should be dealt withall as naturall inborn inhabitants and not as strangers or forrainers But these points I think good to leave unto others who may search more curiously into particulars Generally the customes of Normandy take place here in most cases Touching Serke a little Iland that lieth betweene these above named walled about as it were with mighty steepe rockes in which I. de S. Owen of Iarsey whose antiquity of descent some avouch I know not upon what credit and authority from before Saint Owens time by commission from Queene Elizabeth and for his owne commodity as the report goeth made a plantation whereas before time it lay desolate As touching Iethow which for the use of the Governour of Garnsey serveth in steed of a parke to feed cattell to keepe Deere conies and phesants as also touching Arme which being larger than the other was first a solitary place for Regular Chanons and after for the Franciscan Friers seeing they are not mentioned by the old writers I have no reason to speake much of them After these upon the same coast LIGA whereof Antonine maketh mention shooteth up his head which retaineth the name still and is now called Ligon Then lye there spread and scattered seven Ilands termed by Antonine SIADAE of the number for Saith in the British tongue betokeneth seven which the Frenchmen at this day terme Le set Isles And I suppose these Siades to be corruptly called Hiadatae by Strabo for from these as hee saith it is not a daies sailing into the Iland of Britaine From these SIADAE to BARSA whereof Antonine also hath made mention there is the distance of seven furlongs The Frenchmen call it the Isle de Bas and the English Basepole For the Britans tearme that Bas which is shallow and the Mariners by sounding finde the sea in this place to bee more ebbe and shallow as which lieth not above seven or eight fathomes deepe whereas along all the shore beside the sea carrieth 12.18 and twenty fathoms of water as we may see in their Hydrographicall cards Howbeit betweene these Ilands and Foy in Cornwall this our British sea as Mariners have observed is of a mighty depth which they measure to be in the channell fifty eight fathoms deepe or thereabout From hence I will now cut over to the coasts of our owne Britaine and keeping along the shore as I passe by Ideston Moushole and Longships which be rather infamous and dangerous rocks than Ilands at the very utmost point of Cornwall lieth Antonines LISIA now called of them that dwell thereby Lethowsow but of others The Gulfe seene onely at a low water when the tide is returned I take this to be that Lisia which ancient writers doe mention because Lis as I have heard among our Britans in Wales signifieth the same For Lis◠soundeth as much as to make a noise with a great rumbling or roaring such as commonly we heare in Whirlepits and in that place the current or tide of the Ocean striveth amaine with a mighty noise both Northward and Eastward to get out as being restrained and pent in betweene Cornwall and the Ilands which Antonine calleth SIGDELES Sulpitius Severus SILLINAE Solinus SILURES Englishmen Silly the low country Sea-men Sorlings and the ancient Greeke writers tearme HESPERIDES and CASSITERIDES For Dionisius Alexandrinu◠named them Hesperides of their Westerne situation in these verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Priscian translated thus Sed summam contra Sacram cognomine dicunt Quam caput Europae sunt stanni pondere plenae Hesperides populus tenuit quas fortis Iberi Which may be englished thus Now just beneath that Isle which Sacred High And head of Europe men are wont to call The Ilands nam'd Hesperides do lie And those well stor'd with Tin a rich metall But would ye know the people then note well The glorious wealthy Spaniards therein dwell These also Festus Avienus in his poeme entituled Orae Maritimae that is The sea coasts called Ostrymnides touching which he inserted these verses as they are found in the Paris edition and the notes upon the same In quo insulae sese exerunt Oestrymnides Laxe jacentes metallo divites Stanni at que plumbi multa vis his gentis est Superbus animus efficax solertia Negotiandi cura jugis omnibus Nolusque cumbis turbidum late fretum Et belluosi gurgitem Oceani secant Non hi carinas quippe pinu texere Facere morem non abiete ut usus est Curvant phasello sed rei ad miraculum Navigia junctis semper aptant pellibus Corioque vastum saepe per currunt salum Wherein the Isles Oestrymnides doe spread And shew themselves broad lying all about In metals rich as well of tin as lead The people strong their stomacks high and stout Active and quicke fresh merchants all throughout No troublous waves in Frith or Ocean maine Of monsters full with ships cut they in twaine For why no skill at all have they to frame Of Pine tree keels for barke or gallion Nor know they how to make oares to the same Of fyrre or maple wood where sailes are none As others use But which is wonder one Of stitched hides they all their vessels make And oft through sea in leather voiage take Like vessels unto which were used in this our sea in the yeere of salvation 914. For we read of certaine devout men that in a Carab or carogh made of two tanned hides onely and an halfe sailed out of Ireland into Cornwall Afterwards also of the said Ilands the
same Avienus wrote thus Tartesiisque in terminos Oestrymnidum Negotiandi mos erat Carthaginiâ— Etiam colonis Those of Tartessus eke as well As they in Carthage towne that dwell Were wont to trade for merchandise To skirts of Isles Oestrymnides Other Greeke writers tearmed these Cassiterides of Tinne like as Strabo nameth a certaine place among the Drangi in Asia CASSITERON of Tinn and Stephanus in his booke of Cities reporteth out of Dionysius that a certaine Iland in the Indian sea was called CASSITERIA of Tinne As for that MICTIS which Pliny citeth out of Timaeus to bee sixe dayes sailing inward from Britaine and to yeeld Mines of white lead that it should be one of these I dare scarcely affirme Yet am I not igrant that the most learned Hermolaus Barbarus read it in manuscript books Mitteris for Mictis and doth read for Mitteris Cartiteris But that I should avouch these to be those CASSITERIDES so often sought for the authority of the ancient writers their site and the mines of Tinne are motives to perswade me Full opposite unto the Artabri saith Strabo over against which the West parts of Britain doe lye appeare those Ilands Northward which they call Cassiterides placed after a sort in the same clime with Britaine And in another place The sea between Spaine and the Cassiterides is broader than that which lieth between the Cassiterides and Britain The Cassiterides look toward the coast of Celtiberia saith Solinus And Diodorus Siculus in the Ilands next unto the Spanish sea which of Tinne are called Cassiterides Also Eustathius There be ten Islands called Cassiterides lying close together Northward Now seeing these Isles of Silly are opposite unto the Artabri that is Gallitia in Spaine seeing they bend directly North from them seeing they are placed in the same clime with Britaine seeing they looke toward the coast of Celtiberia seeing they are dis-joined by a farre broader sea from Spaine than from Britaine seeing they are next unto the Spanish sea seeing they lye hard one by another toward the North and ten onely of them bee of any good account namely Saint Maries Annoth Agnes Sampson Silly Brefer Rusco or Trescaw Saint Helens Saint Martins and Arthur and that which is most materiall seeing they have veines of Tinne as no other Iland hath beside them in this tract and considering that two of the lesse sort to wit Minan Witham and Minuisisand may seeme to have taken their names of Mines I would rather think these to be CASSITERIDES than either the Azores which beare too far West or Cisarga with Olivarius that lieth in maner close unto Spaine or even Britain it selfe with Ortelius considering there were many Cassiterides and Dionysius Alexandrinus after he had treated of the Cassiterides writeth of Britaine apart by it selfe If any man by reason of the number deny these to be CASSITERIDES for that they be more than ten let him also number the Haebudes and the Orcades and if after the account taken he finde neither more nor fewer with Ptolomee than five Haebudes and 30. Orcades let him search in any other place but where they are now extant and with all his searching by reckoning of the numbers I know for certaine he shall not easily finde them But the ancient writers had no certaine knowledge of these most remote parts and Ilands of the earth in that age no more than wee in these daies of the Isles in the Streights of Magellane and the whole tract of New Guiney And that Herodotus had no knowledge of these it is no marvell for himselfe confesseth that hee knew nothing for certaine to make report of the farthest parts of Europe But lead was brought first from hence into Greece Lead saith Plinie in his eight Booke and in the Chapter of the first Inventours of things Midacritus first brought out of the Island Cassitiris But as touching these Islands listen what Strabo saith in his third Booke of Geography toward the end The Ilands Cassiterides be in number ten neere one unto another situate in the deepe sea Northward from the haven of the Artabri One of them is desert the rest are inhabited by men wearing blacke garments clad in side-coats reaching downe to their ankles girt about the breast and going with staves like unto the Furies in Tragedies They live of their cattell straggling and wandring after a sort as having no certaine abiding place Metall mines they have of tinne and of lead in lieu whereof and of skins and furres they receive by exchange from the Merchants earthen vessels salt and brasen workes At the beginning the Phoenicians only traded thither from Gades and concealed from others this their navigation But when the Romanes followed a certaine Master of a shippe that they themselves might learne this trafficke of merchandise he upon a spitefull envie ran his ship for the nonce upon the sands and after hee had brought them that followed after into the same danger of destruction himselfe escaped the shipwracke and out of the common Treasury received the worth of the commodities and wares that he lost Howbeit the Romans after they had tryed many times learned at length the voiage hither Afterwards Publius Crassus when hee had sailed thither and seene how they digged not very deepe in these Mines and that the people were lovers of peace and lived quietly desirous also to saile upon the sea he shewed the feat thereof to as many as were willing to learne although they were to saile a greater sea than that which reacheth from thence to Britain But to discourse no farther whether these were the ancient Cassiterides or no and to returne to Silly There bee about an hundred forty and five Ilands carrying this name all clad with grasse or covered with a greenish mosse besides many hideous rockes and great craggy stones raising head above water situate as it were in a circle round eight leagues from the lands end or utmost point of Cornewall West-South-West Some of them yeeld sufficient store of corne but all of them have abundance of conies cranes swannes herons and other sea-foule The greatest of them all is that which tooke the name of Saint Marie having a towne so named and is about eight miles in compasse offereth a good harbour to Saylers in a sandie Bay wherein they may anchor at sixe seven and eight fathom but in the entry lye some rockes on either side It hath had anciently a castle which hath yeelded to the force of time But for the same Queene Elizabeth in the yeere 1593. when the Spaniards called in by the Leaguers of France began to nestle in little Britain built a new castle with faire and strong ravelines and named the same Stella Maria in respect both of the ravelines which resemble the raies of a starre and the name of the Isle for defence whereof shee there placed a garrison under the command of Sir Francis Godolphin Doubtlesse these are those Ilands which as Solinus writeth a
Constables a great family ibid. High Constables of England 621. c Constantius Chlorus riddeth Britaine of Usurpers 73. elected Emperor 74. espoused Helena mother of Constantine the great 74. putteth her away ibid. weddeth Theodora ib. a godly Emperour ibid. died at Yorke ibid. buried there 703 Constantine the Great Emperor 74. his warlike exploits 75. advanceth Christian religion 75 proclaimed Emperor in Yorke 703. e. f. his renowned titles 76. first entituled Dominus Noster 76. taxed for subverting the Roman Empire ibid. altereth the state of the government ibid. Constantine the younger ruleth Britaine 77. slaine by his brother Constans ibid. Constans an Emperiall Monke 264. c. 85. is killed ibid. Constans Emperour in Britaine 77. holdeth a councell at Sardica ibid killed by Magnentius ibid. Constantius the yonger Emperor ibid. favoureth Arianus 78. holdeth a councell at Ariminum 79 Constantine created Emperor in Britaine for the name sake 270. d. 85. his exploits ibid. his gourmandise ibid. Constantine a tyrant among the Danmoniâ— in Britaine 113 Constitutions of Clarinton 251 Conwey a river 667. b. 669. d Conwaie a towne 669 â— Convocation 181 Converts their house 428. b Sir Th. Cooke a rich Maior of London 441. f Counts Palatine See Earles Th. Cooper Bishop of Lincolne 540. c Copes a family 376. e Copper or Brasse mynes 767. a Coper as made 217. â— Copland or Coupland 765. d Iohn Copland or Coupland a brave warrior 775. e. made Baneret 171 Coquet the river 812. e Copthall 439. â— Corbets a great family 592 e 594 e Corbet a forename ibid. Sir Wil. Cordall Knight 462. e Corinaea and Corinaeus 184 Corinaeus and Gogmagog 200 c Coritani 504 Cornden hill 662 b Cornelius Nepos for Ioseph of Excestre 32 Cornavii 614 560 Cornovaille in little Britaine 184 Cornage 787 a Cornwalleies a family 467 f Cornwailes of Burford highly descended 590 f Cornwall a dukedome 198 c why so called 184 Cornwallians soone subjected to the Saxons 114 Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford 383 a Court Barons 168 Cornishmens manners 186 Cornish Chough 188 Corham in Coverdale 729 Corbridge 808 b Corby Castle 777 f Corstopitum ibid. Corve a river 590 c Corvesdale ibid. Coway stakes 296 a Cowling Castle 329 d Cosham 243 c Coughton 565 â— Covinus 18 Costrells See Esquires Coy-fi a convert Bishop of the heathen 711 c Coteswold why so called 364 c Henry Courtney Marquesse of Excester 206 a Courtneyes knights 206 b. Earls of Denshire 207 208. Courtneyes 190 f Cottons knights 313 â— Coverts knights ibid. Cottons of Cambridge-shire knights 491 a Cottons of Cunnington 526 c Sir Robert Cotton of Cunnington a learned knight highly descended 500 d Covetousnesse complained of 562 â— Coventry 567 c Coventry Lords 568 a Councell of the Marches 590 e Cow a Towne West and East 274 c Cowbridge 643 c Cradiden 493 a Cranburn 217 b Crecan or Crey a river 328 f Creeke Lade 241 e Credendon or Credon 396 Creplegate in London 413 d Cressy a family 550 â— Crevequeurs 331 c Crawdundale 761 f Crew a place and notable family 608 c Creden a river 203 d Crediantun or kirton ibid. Craven 694 b Creake in Cliveland 723 e Le Craux 21 Croco or Croke a river 609 b De Croeun or de Credonio a Barony 532 f Crococalana 537 b Croidon 302 b Cromwells knights 497 d Sir Th. Cromwell 526 b. Earle of Essex 454 e Cromer 479 a Croft Castle 619 Crofts knights an ancient family 619 f Crophuls a family 620 c Crouch a creekâ— 443 b Crowland 530 b Crowland Abbey 530. the foundation and building of it 531 c. d. e Cruc Maur 537 c Cruc Occhidient ibid. Cuckmere 315 d Cucul 19 Saint Cudman 313 c Cuentford a brâ—oke in Coventry 567 d Culchil 747 c Culfurth 461 â— Cumberland 765 Kings and Earls of Cumberland 788 a Cumbermer Abbey 607 e. 799 Cumero 21 Cuneglasus a Tyrant in Britain 113 Cuno what it signifieth 98 Cunobelinus 418 a Cunobelin 447 b Curia Ottadinorum 818 b Curiales what they were 771 a Cursons a family 553 c Sir Rob. Curson Baron Imperiall ibid. Robert Curthose an unfortunate Prince 361 d Curcies 221 a Iohn Curcie his vertues ibid. Curtius Montanus a dainty teothed glutton 342 e Saint Cuthberts parcimony 735 Saint Cuthbert Bishop of Lindefarn ibid. Cworwf 20 Curwens knights 769 a Custodes or captaines in every shire 159 Cuthred King of the West Saxons 373 f Cyprus called Keraftis 184 Cyrch 18 Cythariftes 21 D DAbernoun 297 b D'acre Barons of Gillesland 594 c Dacre castle 776 c D'acre Baron ibid. Leonard D'acre a Traitour and Rebel 784 f Dacor a river 776 c D'airells or D' Hairells 369 e Dalaley castle 593 Dalison or D'alanson a family 544 c Dalrendini 126 Dan or Daven a river 608 d Danby 721 f Danbury 446 b Dancastre 690 b Danewort See Walwort Danes infest the coasts of England 139. why so called 141 they land in England c. 142 Danes massacred by the English 143 Their detestable sacrifice 142 Danegelt atribute ibid. Danmonii 183. whence their name commeth ibid. Daning-schow a riveret 608 e Dantesey a town 243 c Danteseys knights ibid. Dantrey towne 508 a. the fort there ibid. Henry Baron Danvers of Dantesey 243 c Darby shire 553 Darby towne 554 c Darby Lords and Earles 558 d Darcies de Nocton c. 543 c Darcies Barons de Chich 451 c Darent river 328 d Darenford or Dartford 328 â— Darwent a river and city 709 Davenport or Damport a place and notable family 609 a Saint Davids land 653 c Saint Davids an Archbishops See 653 d David bishop refuteth the Pelagians 657 b Davery or de alta rupe 312 b Dawnes of Utkinton foresters of Delamere 607 a Deben a river 465 b Depenham or Dapenham ibid. d ee a river 594 c. whence so called 602 c. Dee-mouth 604 b Dee head 666 b Devonshire or Denshire 199 a Walter and Robert Devreux Earles of Essex 455 a Iohn Dee a famous Mathematician 746 c Decimes See Tithings Decuman a Saint 220 e. murdered ibid. Decuriones what they were 771 Saint Decombs 220 e Deale or Dole 343 a Deanries how many in England 161 Deanforest 358 b Deane a place 514 a Deanes a family ibid. Deifying of Roman Emperours 70 Deiri that is Hol-der-Nesse 136 De la-mares 233 a De la mere forest 607 a De-la-pree a Nunnery 509 b D' eincourts Barons of Blankenay 535 f Edmund Baron D'eincourt desirous to perpetuate his name 536 a De la cres Abbay 787 c Iohn De la Pole Earle of Lincolne slaine 549 a. 388 f De la bere an ancient family 620 c D'elveseyes a family 607 e Delgovitia 711 b Delgwe what it signifieth 711 b De la val Baronie 811 f De la ware 364 c Dench-worth townes 281 a Denelage 153.159 Dengy or Dauncing hundred 443 c Dengy towne ibid. Dengy Nesse 352 a Dennington castle 284 a Edward Deny Baron of Waltham 439 b Denisses 206 c Denbigh-shire 675 Denbigh towne 675 d Denbigh Baron