Kings bench And if the said erroneous judgment shall be in any Action personal the same shall be reversed by bill before the Lord president of the Marches and councel there Officers Ministers Clerks and Writers for the expediting of the said great Sessions First there are the Chamberlains of every the said circuits as hath been said who are properly and Originally the Treasurers of the Revenue within their charge and by the said Statutes are also Keepers of the seals as aforesaid therein they do undertake in part the Office of a Chancellour And in every of the said circuits there is the Atturney or Regius Advocatia and Sollicitor There is a Protonotary or chief Register who draweth all the pleadings Protonotary Clâ—rk of the Crown entereth and engrosseth the Records and Judgments in civil causes and ingrossing Fines And there is also a Clerk of the Crown which draweth and ingrosseth all inditements and proceedings arraignments and judgments in criminal causes and these two Officers are at the King or States appointment There is a Marshal to attend the persons of the Judges at their common sitting and going from the Sessions or Court There is a Marshal There is a Cryer Tanquam publicus preco to call forth such persons whose apparences are necessary and to impose silence to the people And these two Officers last remembred are deposed by the Justices And thus much touching the Justices of the great Sessions There are also other ordinary Officers appointed for every Shire in Wales by the said Statute 34. Henry 8. such and in like manner as in other the Shires in England There is a commission under the great Seal of England to certain Gentlemen What a Justice of peace giving them power to preserve the peace and resist and punish all turbulent persons whose misdemeanour may tend to the disquiet of the people and these are called Justices of peace and every of them may well be termed Eirnarcha the chief of them is called Custos Rotulorum in whose custody all the Records of their proceedings are resident Others there are of that number called Justices of the peace and Quorum because of their Commissions whereby they have power to sit and determine causes concerning breach of peace and misbehaviour the words of the Commission are conceived thus Quorum such and such Vnum vel duos c. Esse volumus and without some one or more of them of the Quorum no Sessions can be holden and for the avoiding of the superfluous number of such Justices 8. Justices onely allowed in every County of Wales for through the ambition of many it is accounted a credit to be burthened with that Authority The Satute of 34 Hen. 8. hath expresly prohibited that there shall be above eight Justices of Peace within every of the Counties and Shires of Wales which if the number were not indefinite for the Shires in England it were the better These Justices do hold their Sessions quarterly And it is further ordained by the Statute of 34 Hen 8. that two Justices of peace whereof one to be of the Quorum may hold their Sessions without any greater number In every of the said Shires where the said Commission of peace is established There is also a Clerk of the peace for the entring and engrossing of all proceedings before the said Justices and this Officer is appointed by the Custos Rotulorum Sr. John Dod fol. 49. Every of the said Shires hath a Sheriff which word being of the Saxon English is as much as to say a Shire-Reeve or Minister or Bailiff of the County his Function or Office is twofold Ministerial and Judicial As touching his Ministerial Office he is the Minister and Executioner of all the Process and Precepts of the Courts of Law and thereof ought to make return and certificate Why the Tourne Court so called and as touching the Judicial Office he hath Authority to hold two several Courts of distinct natures the one called the Tourne because he keepeth a Tourne or Circuit about the Shire holding the same in several places wherein he doth enquire of all offences perpetrated against the common Law and not forbidden by any Statute or Act of Parliament The County Court derived from Justice Communicative And the Jurisdiction of this Court is derived from justice distributive and is for criminal offences The other is called the County Court where he doth determine all petty and small causes civil under the value of 40 s. arising within the said County and thereof it is called the County Court And the Jurisdiction of this Court is drawn from Justice Communicative and is held every Moneth The Office of the Sheriff is annual by the Statute of 34 Hen. 8. it is ordained that the Lord President Councel and Justices of Wales or three of them at the least whereof the President to be one shall yearly nominate three fit persons for that Office of whom the King or State may elect one who thereupon shall have his Patent and be Sheriff of the said Shire Escheator why so called Every of the said Shires hath an Officer called an Escheator which is an Officer to attend the Kings Revenue and to seize into his hands all lands either Escheated goods or lands forfeited therefore he is called Escheator and he is to enquire by good enquest of the death of the Kings Tenants and to whom the lands are descended and to seize the bodies and lands for Ward if they be within age and is accountable for the same And this Officer in Wales is nominated Escheator 34 Hen. 8. cap. 16. by the Lord Treasurer of England by the advice of the Lord President Councel and Justices or three of them at least whereof the Lord President to be one There are also in every of the said Shires two Officers called Coroners they are to enquire by enquest in what manner and by whom every person dying a violent death came to his death and to enter the same of Record which is matter criminal and a plea of the Crown Coroners why so called and thereof they are called Coroners or Crowners as one hath written because their enquiries ought to be publick Et in Corona Populi These Officers are are chosen by the Free-holders of the Shire by vertue of a Writ out of the Chancery De Coronatore Eligendo And of them I need not speak more because these Officers are elsewhere The Goal Forasmuch as every Shire hath one Goal or Prison appointed for the restraint of liberty of such persons as for their offences are thereunto committed until they shall be delivered by course of Law Finally in every hundred of every of the said Shires the Sheriffs thereof shall nominate sufficient persons to be Bailiffs of that hundred and under Ministers of the Sheriff and they are to attend upon the Justices in every of their Courts and Sessions The Government of the Marches of Wales
to Conquer the whole a thing common to them with other Nations who have found the like effects to proceed from the like cause for the most part of the Brittains in those dayes delighted in War neglecting Husbandry or perhaps not then knowing the use of it Their manner of living and customes were much like to those of the Inhabitants of Gallia Their Diet was such as nature yielded of her self without the industry of man for though they had great store of Cattle yet they lived especially in the Inland Country with Milk It was held among them as a thing unlawful to eat of a Hare a Hen or a Goose and yet they nourished them for Creation sake Their apparel was made of the skins of Beasts though their bodies were for the most part naked and stained with woad which gave them a blewish colour and as they supposed made their Aspect terrible to their Enemies in Battail Their b Yet had they Cities wald and strong this must be understood of those which we now call Peasants and Cottagers Houses were compact of stakes reeds and boughes of trees fastned together in a round Circle They had ten or twelve wives a piece common among them though the issue were alwayes accounted his that first married the Mother being a Maiden They were in stature taller then the Gauls by this time Volusenus who durst not set foot on land to hazard himself among the Ilanders returned to Caesar to wit the fifth day after his setting forth and made relation of such things as he had seen and heard by report in roving up and down the Coast in view of the Iland Caesar having composed some Tumults in the hither part of Gallia that he might leave no Enemy behind him to annoy him in his absenee pursued the Enterprize of Brittain having to that end prepared a Navy which consisted of about fourscore Ships of burden a number sufficient as he thought for the transportation of two Legions besides his long Boats wherein the Questor the Lieutenant and other Officers of the Camp were to be embarked There were also eighten ships of burden that lay wind bound about eight miles from the Port appointed to waft over the Horse-men P. Pulpitius Rufus a Lieutenant of a Legion was commanded to keep the Haven it self with such power as was thought sufficient These things being thus ordered and a good part of the summer being now spent Caesar put out to Sea about the third watch of the night having given direction that the Horsemen should embarke in the upper Haven and follow him wherein while they were somewhat slack Caesar with his shipping about the fourth hour of the day Arrived upon the Coast of Brittain where he beheld the Clifts possessed with a multitude of people rudely armed but ready to make resistance The nature of the place was such as by reason of the steep hills encloasing the Sea on each side in a narrow strait it gave great advantage to the Brittains in casting down their darts upon their Enemies underneath them Caesar finding this place unfit for landing his Forces put off from the shore and cast Anchor expecting the rest of his Fleet and in the mean time calling a Council of the Lieutenants and Tribunes of the Souldiers he declared unto them what he had understood by Volusenus and directed what he would have done warning them that as the state of War and especially the Sea service required they would be ready to weigh Anchor and to remove Too and Fro upon all occasions at a beek and in an instant This done having advantage both of Wind and Tide he set forward with his Navy about four League from that place and then lay at Anchor in view of the open and plain shore But the Ilanders upon intelligence of the Romans purpose had sent thither before Caesars coming a company of Horsemen and Chariots called Esseda which they then used in their Wars and following afterwards with the rest of their Forces empeached their Enemies from Landing whose ships by reason of their huge bulks drawing much water could not come near to the shore so as the Roman Souldiers were thereby enforced in places unknown their bodies being charged with their Armour to leap into the water and encounter the Brittains who assailed them nimbly with their Darts and drove their Horses and Chariots with main force upon them The Romans being therewith terrified as Men unacquainted with that kind of Fight failed much of the wonted courage which they had shewed in their former land Services and Caesar perceiving it caused the long boats which seemed more strange to the Brittaines and were more serviceable by reason of the swiftnesse of their motion to put off by little and little from the great Ships and to Row towards the shore from whence they might more easily charge the Ilanders with their Arrowes Slings and other Warlike Engines which being then unknown to the Inhabitants as also the fashion of the ships and motion of the Oares in the long Boats having stricken them with fear and amazement caused them to make a stand and afterwards to draw back a little But the Roman Souldiers making no haste to pursue them by reason of the water which they suspected in some place to be deep and dangerous the Standerd-bearer of the Eagle for the tenth Legion praying that his attempt might prove succesful then the Legion cryed out with a loud voice saying Fellow Souldiers leap out of your Boats and follow me except you mean to betray your Standard to the Enemy for my own part I mean to discharge the duty I owe to the Commonwealth and to my Generall This said he cast himself into the water and carried the Standard boldly against the Brittains whereupon the Souldiers exhorting one another to follow the Ensign what fortune so ever befel with a common consent leapt out of their long Boats one seconding another and so wading through the water at length got to shore where began a sharp and bloody Fight on both sides The Romans were much Incumbred by reason that they could neither keep their ranks nor fight upon firm ground nor follow their own Standard for every one as he came on Land ran confusedly to that which was next him some of the Brittains who knew the flats and shallow places espying the Romans as they came single out of their ships pricked forward their horses and set upon them overlaying them with number and finding them unwieldy and unready to make any great resistance by reason of the depth of the water and weight of their Armour while the greater part of the Natives with their Darts assailed them fierely upon the shore which Caesar perceiving commanded the Cock-boats and Scouts to be Manned with Souldiers whom he sent in all haste to rescue their Fellows There was a Souldier of Caesars Company called Cassius Scaeva who with some other of the same Band was carried in a small Boat unto the Rock
rest of the Voyage he made by Land to a Bolein in Picardie Gessoriacum in Gallia where he embarked His forces being safely transported into the Isle were led towards the River Thamesis where Plantius and Vespasian with their power attended his coming so the two Armes being joyned together crossed the River again the Brittains that were assembled to encounter them began to Fight which was sharply maintained on both sides till in the end a great number of the Ilanders being slain the rest fled into the woods through which the Romans pursued them even to the Town of b Malden in Essex Camolodanum which had been the Royal seat of Canobeliâ—â— and was then one of the most defensible places in the Dominions of the Trynobâ—bâ— this town they supprized and afterwards fortifyed planting therein a Colony of old Souldiers to strengthen those parts and to keep the Inhabitants therein obedience Then were the Brittains disarmed howbeâ—â— Claudius remitted the confiscation of their goods for which favour the Ilanders erected a Temple and an Altar unto him honouring him as a God Now the states of the Country round about being so weakned by the losse of their Neighbours and their own civil dissensions as they were unable to resist the Roman power any longer began to offer their submission promising to obey and live peaceably under the Roman Government and so by little and little the hither part of the Isle was reduced into the form of a Province In honour of this Victyro Claudius was divers times saluted by the name of Imperator contrary to the Roman custome which permitted it but once for one expedition The Senate of Rome also upon advertisement of his successe decreed that he should be called Brittanicus and that his son should have the same Title as a surname proper and hereditary to the Claudian Family Massilina his Wife the monster of her sex for impudency and lasciviousnesse had the first place in council assigned her as Sivia the Wife of Augustas sometime had and was also licensed to ride in a Chariot at his return to Rome which was the sixth month after his departure thence having continued but sixteen dayes onely in this Isle he entred the City in triumph performed with more then usual ceremonies of state whereat certaine Presidents of Provinces and banished men were permitted to be present On the top of his pallace was placed a crown set with stems and fore-parts of ships which the Romans called Corona Navalis as a sign of the conquest of the Ocean divers Captains that had served under him in Brittany were honoured with Triumphal ornaments yearly playes were appointed for him and two Arches of Triumph adorned with Trophies were erected the one at Rome the other at Gessoriacum where he embarked for Brittany to remain to succeeding Ages as perpetual records of his victory and a work of such merit to have subdued so small a part of this Island About this time as it may be probably conjectured Christian Religion being yet green and of small growth began to cast forth some small sparkes of her brightnesse in the Isle of Brittain whether Christians of Rome and other countries then flying persecution resorted for safety and quietnesse as to a place remote and by reason of the Wars and Troubles there not much subjected to inquisition whereas also divers Brittains remaining at Rome where Christianity then increased either for Hostages The History of Great Brittain part 1. fol. 35. or detained as Prisoners or haply for some private respects of profit and pleasure had opportunity and liberty to converse with the Roman Christians and to be by them instructed and confirmed in the Faith of Christ The gate being now set open by this Author to discourse of our Famous and Saintly Brittains who even with the very first submitted themselves to the most heavenly and sweet yoak of their divine Master and Lord eternal Redeemer of Mankind God and Man Christ Jesus I shall endeavour to make it evident by the Testimony of Learned and apporved Antiquities to the great glory of the Brittish Nation that divers of them were the adopted sons and children of their eternal Father and the never-erring Catholick Church their Mother within few years after the Death and Passion of our most blessed Redeemer To begin therefore this intended Relation I will begin with St. Mansuetus the Disciple of St. Peter the Apostle and by him ordained the first Bishop of Tullum or Teul in Lorain who was born in that part of Brittain which now and for many years hath been called Scotland but whether he was a Brittain or a Scot will more fully appear hereafter and that he was by birth that part of the I le now called Scotland being at that time a part of Brittain and long after which among others Martial the Poet maketh manifest for that time who writing to Quintus Ovidius who was to to travel into those parts saith Quinte Caledonios Ovidi visure Britannos a Caius Calig Quintus Ovidius Roman called so To view the Caledonian Brittains now doth go St. Mansuetus a Brittain by St. Peter Consecrated Bishop of Tullum In the time of this Emperor we read that St. Peter the Apostle consecrated our holy Countryman St. Mansuctus whom he had Christened before in the time of Tiberius a Bishop and sent him to Tullum in Loraine The inhabitants of Tullum in Loraine had for their Apostle and first Bishop of their Faith in Christ St. Mansuetus a Scot by Nation the Disciple of St. Peter the Apostle and companion of St. Clement This is testified also by many others as Gulielmus Eisengrenius Antonius Democharez Petrus de Natalibus with others saying Mansuetus by Nation a Scot so they term our Northern Brittains according to the last Name thereof born of a Noble Family the Disciple of Simon Bar-Jonas the chief of the Apostles fellow of Saint Clement the Bishop of Metz was consecrated by Saint Peter the first Bishop in the city of Tullum Hitherto these Authors onely the difference I find between them is this Mr. Bro. f. 31.3 that Arnoldus Mirmanunus saith St. Clement whose companion Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz by St. Peters appointment in the 40 year of Christ when Caius Caligula was Emperor and Eisengrenius tells us that St. Mansuetus was Bishop of Tullum in the year 49. eight or nine years after which may easily be reconciled together by saying St. Mansuetus was sent by St. Peter in the year of Christ 40. and took not upon the charge of Tullum untill the year 49. in the mean time being otherwise or elsewhere imployed in preaching the Gospel of Christ Neither will it avail or prove any thing to the contrary for any man to object that S. Peter was not yet come to Rome nor after until the beginning of the Empire of Claudius for although he came not thither to make any residence there til about that time yet this nothing hindred
so testifie So did the great number of Councels gathered to condemn him so did also the particular best learned men in those daies St. Aug. Jerom Innocentius Orosius Genadius and others which wrote against him all the Errors wherewith he was charged he at length renounced though dissembled for fear as appears by him after I think it not convenient to set down his errors the world being so apt to broach new doctrines lest any giddy brain-sick new molded Saint make use of them both to the destruction of his own Soul and of many other the ordinary sort of people being so prone to follow after new Preachers Yet to free our Kingdom of Brittain Wales also of giving life to such a man St. Hier. saith he was by nation a Scot as Isidore Pelusiota noteth and also a voluptuous Monk both which may be reconciled if we say he was born among the Scots and bred in our great Monastery of Bangor and there long time a holy Monk but after falling both into heresie and lewdnesse of life he was often condemned in divers Councels in Asia Africa and Europe whether he had spread his heresies but not perfectly untill the time of Pope Zosimus about the year of Christ 418 being by him finally condemned both he and his followers were driven into exile by Honorius the Emperor and that heresie condemned in all the World This Pelagius though he had many followers yet were they all strangers for the great honour to this Nation that it had such learned men that even one of them falling into error did so much prevail and dilate it both in Europe Africa and Asia and yet in his own Country could nothing prevail but was at the first convinced rejected and exiled and did only indeavour to infect Brittain his native Country but could not effect his desire therein Now the Romans about four hundred and seventy yeares after their first enterance into this Isle waxed weary of the Government of Brittain and Brittains that had been many times assailed by their uncivil neighbours consorted with strangers of divers Nations perceived themselves unable to make resistance as in the former times whereupon they sent Embassadors to Rome requiring aid and promising fealty if the Romans would rescue them from the oppression of their enemies Then was there a Legion sent over into the Island to expulse the barbarous people out of the province which being with good successe effected the Romans counselled the Brittaines for their better defence to make a stone wall betwixt * The firth of Dunbretton in Scotland Glota and ‖ Edenbur Firth Bedatria the two armes of the Sea that ran into the Island and so departed thence but this Wall was only afterwards made of Turves and not of stone as they were directed the Baittains then not having any skill in such kind of buildings by which means it served to little purpose for the Scotshmen and Picts understanding that the Romans were gone passed over the water in boats at both ends of the Wall invaded the borders of the province and with main force bare down all before them whereupon the Embassadors were sent again out of Brittain to declare the miserable state of the Province which without speedy succour was likely to be lost Upon the complaint and earnest sollicitation of the Brittains there was another Legion sent over by Aetius the President of Gallia under the Conduct of Gallio of Ravenna to aid the distressed Brittains and the Romans having reduced the Povince into her former state did tell the Brittains that it was not for their ease to take any more such long Journies being costly and paineful considering that the Empire it self was assailed and in a manner overrunne by Strangers and therefore that from thenceforth they should provide for their own safety that they should learn to use Armour and Weapons and trust to their own valour Howbeit the Romans in regard of the good service done by the Brittish Nation in former times began to build a Wall of Stone from East to West in the self same place where Severiâ—s the Emperor had cast his Trench the labour and charges of the work being born partly by the Romans and partly by the Brittains themselves This Wall contained eight foot in bredth and twelve in hight some Reliques thereof saith the Brittish History remaine to this day upon the Sea-coast towards the South they raised Bulwarks one somewhat distant from another to empeach the Enemies landing in those parts and this done they took their last farewell transporting their Legions into Gallia as men resolved to return hither no more As soon as they were gone the barbarous people having intelligence thereof presumed confidently that without any great assistance they might now enter the Province and thereupon accounting as their own whatsoever was without the Wall they gave an assault to the Wall it self and with Graples and such like Engines pulled down to the ground a great part thereof while the Brittains inhabiting the borders being awaked with the suddenness of the Enterprise gave warning to the rest of their Countreymen within the Land to arm themselves with speed and to make resistance About this time also which was about the year of our Redemption 430 the state of the Church in Brittain was much incumbred by the Heresie of Pelagius of which a little before yet I here again repeat it in another Authors Language for fuller satisfaction of my Reader which being by birth a Brittain by profession a Monk and as some think trained up in the Monastery of Bangor travelled first into Italy Brittish Hist fol. 152. l. 3. then into Sicilia Egypt and other East parts of the World to learn and study as he professed whereby he wound himself into the good opinion of many men of great fame in those daies for learning and piety as namely of Paulinus Bishop of Nola and by his means of S. Augustine till the Heretical assertions which himself and his Disciple Celestinus a Scotch-man secretly taught being by St. Hierom discovered were afterwards condemned by the Bishop of Rome Innocentius the first whereupon they returned again into Brittain being obstinately bent to maintain their former Heresie which Agricola the Son of Severianus a Bishop of that Sect had not long before brought thither whereby the same in short time was received and approved among the Christians in divers parts of the Isle so that betwixt Heresie among the Brittains themselves and Paganism professed by their Enemies the light of Christian Religion seemed for a time to be eclipsed Howbeit some of the Brittains disliking those heretical Opinions which as yet they were unable by knowledge in the Scriptures to confute and perceiving withal what dangerous inconveniences to the State arose oft times by reason of their disagreement one from another in matters of Religion earnestly required the Bishops of France to send over some godly wise and learned men that might defend the
truth of Christianity which seemed to be born down by the subtil allegations of humane Reason Hereupon the Bishops called a Synod wherein Germanus the Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troyes in Champaigne were appointed to go into Brittain and to undertake the Cause which they afterwards prosecuted with so good success as many Hereticks among the Brittains were openly convinced and Christians confirmed in faith About the same time Ninianus Bernitius of the Race of the Brittish Princes was sent into Pictland to convert the Inhabitants there to Christianity Brittish Hist l. 3. f. 153. Palladius a Grecian was likewise appointed by Celestine Bishop of Rome to Preach the Gospel in Scotland unto such there as yet remained in Infidelity and to suppress the Pelagian Heresie new sprung up in that Kingdom to be the first and chief Bishop of the Church there for which purpose also Patricius surnamed Magonius born in Brittain was sent to the Irish and Scotch men that then dwelt in the Isles of the Orcades and Hebrides these three Religious Fathers were much honoured in those dayes for the reverend opinion which most men had of their Learning and Integrity of life and they are accounted the Apostles and Patrons of the Scotish Irish and Pictish Nations as being the several Instruments of the general Conversion of each of them Within few years after the Brittains were again hotly pursued by the Scotchmen and Picts who swarmed over a great part of the Land taking from the Brittains for a time all opportunities of convening and assembling themselves together as in former dangers they had been accustomed whereby no small number of the Inhabitants of the Province dispairing of better success retired themselves giving way unto the present necessity while each man as in common calamities oft times it falleth out laying aside the care of the publick made provision for his own safety leaving the Enemy in the mean time to take and kill such as resisted Some of the Brittains being driven out of their own houses and possessions fell to robbing one another encreasing their outward troubles with inward tumult and civil dissention by which means a great number of them had nothing left to sustain them but what they got by hunting and killing of wild beasts Others burying their Treasures under ground whereof great store hath been found in this Age Brit. Hist l. 3. fol. 158. did flee themselves either into the Countrey of the a Southwales Silures and b Northwales Ordâ—nices and into the West part of the Isle where the c Cornwall Devonshire Damonians then inhabited or else into Amorica in France the rest being hemmed in with the Sea on the one side and their Enemies on the other sent to the Emperor for aid which they could not obtain for that the Goths and Hunns invading Gallia and Italy the greatest part of the Forces of the Empire was drawn thither for defence of those places by reason whereof the State of Brittain now declining with the Empire and shrinking under the burthen of barbarous Oppression the Brittains sent Embassadors again to Aetius the President in Gallia desiring him to relieve their necessities declaring withall that themselves were the small remnant which survived after the slaughter of so many thousands whom either the Sword or the Sea had consumed for the barbarous Enemy drave them upon the Sea the Sea again upon the Enemies between both which they suffered two kindes of death as being either killed or drowned that it imported the Majesty of the Roman Empire to protect them who had so many hundred years lived under their obedience and were now plunged into the depth of intollerable miseries for besides the calamities of War both civil and foreign at one instant they were afflicted with dearth and famine which forced them sometimes to yield themselves to the merciless Enemy But their complaints availed nothing for the Romans plainly denied to send them any more succour whereof the Scotishmen and Picts being certainly advertised and knowing how small a number of able men remained in the Province to withstand their attempts assailed first such places of strength as guarded the borders and afterwards entred the Province it self where by continual course of Conquests they found a passage into the heart of the Isle spoyled the People of their wealth burnt their Cities and brought the Inhabitants thereof under a miserable Servitude Thus about five hundred years after the Romans first Entrance and four hundred forty six after our Saviours birth the Isle of Brittain which had been not only the principal Member of the Empire but also the seat of the Empire it self and the Seminary of Soldiers sent out into most parts of the World was now in the time of Honorius bereaved of the greatest part of her ancient Inhabitants and left a prey to barbarous Nations SHREWSBURY SHREWSBURY is the principal Town in Shâ—opshire and stands neatly upon a Hill and iâ— almost encompassed round by the River Severus that part thereof which is not fenced by the River being fortified by a very strong Castle built by Roger de Montgomery the first Earl thereof A fair and goodly Town it is well traded and frequented by all sorts of people both Welsh and English by reason of the Trade of Gloath and other Merchandise this being the commont Mart and Empory between England and Wales it standeth in the very midst or centre as it were of the whole Countrey which generally is inferiour to none about it for delight and plenty for the number of Towns and Castles standing exceeding thick on every side as having formerly been a frontier Countrey very far above them It belonged anciently to the Cornavii and at the Norman Conquest was bestowed on Roger de Montgomery who first made it â—eminent and with his Successors and sinâ—e them the honorable Family of the Talbots enjoyed the Stile and Title of Earls of Shrewsbury 1. Roger de Montgomery 2. Hugh de Montgomery 3. Robert de Montgomery 4. John Talbot Marshal of France created Earl of Shrewsbury by K. H. 6. 5. John Talbot L. Tre. 6. John Talbot 7. Geo. Talbot 8. Francis Talbot 9. Geo. Talbot 10. Gilbert Talbot 11. Edward Talbot 12. Geo. Talbot 13. John Talbot now living and Earl of Shrewsbury 1661. The Earl of DERBY Thomas Stanley Earl of Derby Knight of the Garter c. Elinor Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury Tho. Earl of Derby c. Anne Daughter to Ed. L. Hastings which Family descends from the Brittish line as shall appear in its proper place Edward Earl of Derby c. Dorothea Daughter to Thomas Howward Duke of Norfolk by which March this honorable Family descends from the Brittish line as in the Pedegree of the Duke of Norfolk Henry Earl of Derby c. Margaret Daughter to Henry Clifford Earl of Cumberland and Elinor his Wife Daughter and Coheir to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and Mary Queen of France
ordained that the lands so conquered should be holden of the Crown of England in Capite and upon this and such like occasions divers of the nobility of England having lands upon the said borders of Wales made roads and incursions upon the Welsh whereby divers parts of that Country neer or towards the said borders were won by the sword from the Welshmen and were planted partly with English Collonies and the said lands so conquered were holden per Baroniam Another policy and were called therefore Baronies Marchers In such manner did Robert Fitz Hamon acquire unto himself and such others as assisted him the whole Lordship of Glamorgan using in some resemblance the Roman Policy to enlarge Territories by stepping in between two Competitors and by helping the one he subdued the other and afterward turning his sword against him whom he had assisted making this the pretence of his quarrel alledged that he whom he had assisted had denyed to make unto him sufficient recompence for his sustained travels and so made himsel absolute owner of all Likewise Bernard Newmarsh conquered the Lordship of Brecknock containing three cantreds and established his conquest by a marriage in the Welsh blood The Original of the Baronies Marchers but she proved a blemish to her country Hugh Lacy conquered the lands of Ewyas called after his name Ewyas Lacy and others did the like in other places of the borders all which were Baronies Marchers and were holden by such the conquerours thereof in capite of the Crown of England and because they and their posterity might the better keep the said lands so acquired Sr. J. Dod. fol. 38. 13 Fitzh Jur. 23 47 Ed. 1. 5 6 7 6 H. 5. Fitzh Juris 34 7 H. 6. 35. 36. 30. b 6. 6. b and that they might not be withdrawn by sutes of law from the defence of that which they had thus subdued the said Lordships and Lands so conquered were ordained Baronies Marchers and had a kind of palatine Jurisdiction erected in every of them and power to administer Justice unto their Tennants in every of their territories having therein courts with divers priviledges franchises and immunities so that the writs of Ordinary Justice out of the Kings Court were for the most part not currant amongst them Nevertheless if the whole Barony had come in question or that the strife had been between two Baron Marchers touching their Territories or Confines thereof for want of a superiour they had recourse unto the King their supreme Lord and in these and such like cases where their own jurisdiction failed justice was administred unto them in the superiour Courts of this Realme And this was the state of the Government of the Marches of Wales both before and after the general conquest thereof made by K. Edw. I. untill the 27 year of K. Henry VIII And as touching the first councel established in the Marches of Wales it is conceived by the best and most probable opinions amongst Antiquaries that the same began in or about 17o. Edw. IV. when as prince Edward his son was sent into the Marches of Wales under the tuition of the L. Rivers his Unckle by the mothers side at what time also John Bishop of Worcester was appointed L. president of Wales Prince Arthur the son of K. Henry VII in the 17. of his reign went into VVales at what time Dr. VVill. Smith after Bishop of Lincolne and there buried was then president of the Councell of the Marches he founded Brasonnose Colledge in Oxford and bore for his arms arg a fess dancette inter gules This man was also president in the time of King Henry VIII untill the fourth year of the reign of the said King At what time Geffry Blyth Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield succeeded in the Office of president in the said Councel There succeeded him in the office of president of the councel of the Marches of VVales Rowland Lee Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and this was the state and government of the principality of VVales 27o. H. 8. The said King by a Statute made 27o. regni Wales annexed to England the English laws brought into Wales united and annexed the principality and Dominion of VVales unto the Realme of England altering in many parts the former Jurisdiction and Government thereof bringing the same to the like administration of Justice as was and yet is usual in England apponting that the lawes of England should take place there and that all Welsh law Welsh lawes abrogated sinister customes and tenures not agreeable to the Lawes of England should be thenceforth abrogated and abolished Of which union and Annexion First for that thereof hath ensued great peace tranquility and infinite good to the inhabitants of that country of Wales Secondly because in some respect it may serve as a project and president in some other union and annexion of as much of more consequence and importance Peradventure the annexion of Scotland was meant And thirdly because the said union doth contain an expresse Image of the politique Government of this Realme of England I have presumed with convenient brevity upon this good occasion here in this place to expresse the same Therefore whereas in former time there had been in Wales anciently 8 several Shires or Counties Judge Dod. fol 40. Statutum de 24. b. 8. cap. 26 besides the county of Monmoth which was the ninth and that some other Territories in Wales were then no Shire Grounds by reason whereof the Lawes of England could have no currant passage therein For all the ordinary Ministers and Executioners of the processe of the Lawes of England or which have Viscountile Jurisdiction are the Officers of particular Shires as the Sheriffs the Coroners the Escheaters and such like Therefore by the said Act of Parliament there were erected in Wales 4 other new ordained shires of the lands not formerly so divided namely the several shires of Radnor Brecknock Montgomery and Denbigh so that now the shires are 13. viz. 1 Radnor shire 2 Brecknock shire 3 Monmoth shire 4 Glamorgan shire 5 Carmarthyn shire 6 Pembrock shire 7 Cardigan shire 8 Montgomery shire 9 Merionith shire 10 Caernarvon shire 11 Denbigh shire 12 Flint shire 13 Anglesey shire And these four last also with the former antient Shires together are by that Act of Parliament and by Statute of 38. H. 8. subdivided into Cantreds The Marches divided betwixt the Welsh and English Shires and all the March ground being then neither any part of Wales although formerly conquered out of Wales neither any part of the Shires of Engl. The said King by the said Act of Parliament did annex unite partly unto the said Shires of Engl. partly unto the Shires of Wales next adjoyning as was thought then by reason of vicinity of place other correspondency most convenient as by the said Act of Parliament appeareth which the said King was the rather occasioned to do for most of