word without offence profaned The Degrees of ENGLAND AS to the division of our State it consists of a King or Monarch the Nobles Citizens Free-men which we call Yeomen and Tradesmen The KING The King stiled by our Ancestors Coning and Cyning e Either relating to cene which in Saxon signifies stout valiant c. or to cunnan which signifies to know or understand from whence a designing subtle man is called a Cunning man a name under which is coucht both power and wisdom by us contracted into King has in these Kingdoms the supreme power and a meer government nor holds he his Empire by vassalage neither does he receive Investiture from another nor own any superior Bracton l. 1. c. 8. but God And as that Oracle of Law has delivered it Every one is under him and himself under none but only God He has very many Rights of Majesty peculiar to himself which the learned in the law term The Holy of Holies and Individuals because they are inseparable but the common people The King's Prerogative and those they tell us are denoted by the flowers in the King's Crown Some of these the King enjoys by a written Law others by Right of custom which without a law is established by a tacit consent of the whole body and surely he deserves them Seneca since by his watchfulness every man's house by his labour every man's ease by his industry every one's pleasure and by his toil every one's recreation is secured to him But these things are too sublime to belong properly to my business Next the King is his eldest son and as he amongst the Romans that was designed for the Successor The Prince was first called Prince of the youth * Princeps juventutis and as flattery prevail'd afterwards Caesar Noble Caesar and the most noble Caesar so ours was by our Saxon Ancestors termed Aetheling Aetheling i.e. noble and in Latin Clyto Clyto from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famous that age affecting the Greek tongue Upon which that saying concerning Eadgar the last heir male of the English Crown is still kept up Eadgar Eðeling Englands Searling i.e. Eadgar the noble England's darling And in the antient Latin Charters of the Kings we often read Ego E. vel AE Clyto the King's son But the name of Clyto I have observed to be given to the King's children in general After the Norman Conquest he had no standing honorary title nor any other that I know of but barely The King's Son or The King's eldest Son till Edward I. summoned to Parliament his son Edward under the title of Prince of Wales Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester to whom he granted also afterwards the Dukedom of Aquitain And this when he came to be King Edward II. summoned his son Edward to Parliament then scarce ten years old under the title of Earl of Chester and Flint But that Edward coming to the Crown created Edward his son a most accomplisht soldier Duke of Cornwal since which time the King 's eldest son f If he be eldest son but if the first dies the second is not born to the same Title See concerning this in the Notes upon Cornwall p. 15 is born Duke of Cornwall And a little after he honoured the same person with the title of Prince of Wales by a solemn Investiture The Principality of Wales was conferred upon him in these words to be held by him and his heirs Kings of England And as the heirs apparent of the Roman Empire were as I observed but just now called Caesars of the Grecian Despotae Lords those of the Kingdom of France Dauphins and of Spain Infantes so those of England have been since that time stiled Princes of Wales And that title continued till the time of Henry VIII when Wales was entirely united to the Kingdom of England But now the formerly divided Kingdoms of Britain being reduced into one under the government of the most potent King James his eldest son Henry the darling and delight of Britain is called Prince of Great Britain whom as nature has made capable of the greatest things so that God would bless him with the highest virtues and a lasting honour that his success may outdo both our hopes of him as also the atchievements and high character of his forefathers by a long and prosperous Reign is the constant and hearty prayer of all Britain Our Nobles are divided into Greater and Less The Greater Nobles we call Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons who either enjoy these titles by an hereditary claim or have them conferred on them by the King as a reward of their merits A DUKE A Dukâ— is the next title of honour to the Prince At first this was a name of office not of honour About the time of Aelius Verus those who were appointed to guard the Frontiers were first called Dukes and this title in Constantine's time was inferiour to that of a Count. After the destruction of the Roman Empire this title still continued to be the name of an Office and those amongst us who in the Saxon times are stiled Dukes in such great numbers by the antient Charters are in the English tongue only called Ealdormen The same also who are named Dukes are likewise termed Counts for instance most people call William the Conqueror of England Duke of Normandy whereas William of Malmesbury writes him Count of Normandy However that both Duke and Count were names of Office Mar. â—â— Formaâ— is plain from the form of each's creation which we find in Marculph an antient writer The Royal clemency is particularly signalized upon this account that among all the people the good and the watchful are singled out nor is it convenient to commit the judiciary power to any one who has not first approved his loyalty and valour Since weâ—t therefore seem to have sufficiently experienced your fidelity and usefulness we commit to you the power of a Count Duke or Patriciâ—us President in that Lordship which your predecessor governed to act in and rule over it Still upon this condition that you are entirely true to our government and all the people within those limits may live under and be swayed by your government and authority and that you rule justly according to law and their own customs that you zealously protect widows and orphans that you severely punish the crimes of robbers and malefactors so that those who live regularly under your government may be cheerful and undisturbed and that whatever profit arises from such actions to the Exchequer you your self bring yearly into our coffers It began to be an honorary title under Otho the Great â—gâ—ius l. 〈◊〉 Regni â—â—lici about the year 970. For he in order to bind valiant and prudent persons more effectually to his own interest honour'd them with what he call'd Râ—gelia Royalties Those Royalties were either Dignities or Lands in Fee The
this name of Esquire which in ancient times was a name of charge and office only crept first in among the titles of honour as far as I can find in the reign of Richard the second Gentlemen Gentlemen are either the common sort of nobility who are descended of good families or those who by their virtue and fortune have made themselves eminent Citizens Citizens or Burgesses are such as are in publick offices in any City or elected to sit in Parliament The common people or Yeomen are such as some call ingenui the Law homines legales i.e. freeholders Yeomâ— Gemâ—◠〈◊〉 Saxo◠〈◊〉 common people those who can spend at least forty shillings of their own yearly Labourers are such as labour for wages sit to their work are Mechanicks Artizans Smiths Carpenters c. term'd capite censi and Proletarii by the Romans The Law-Courts of ENGLAND AS for the Tribunals or Courts of Justice in England there are three several sorts of them some Spiritual others Temporal and one mixt or complicate of both which is the greatest and by far the most honourable call'd the Parliament Parliament a French word of no great antiquity The Saxons our fore-fathers nam'd it a Witenâ— gemot â—s the true Saxon word Ç·ittenagemot that is an assembly of wise-men and Geraedniss or Council and Micil Synod from the greek word Synod signifying a great meeting The Latin writers of that and the next age call it Commune Concilium Curia altissima Generale Placitum Curia Magna Magnatum Conventus Praesentia Rogis Praelatorum Procerumque collectorum Commune totius regni concilium c. And as Livy calls the general Council of Aetolia Panetolium so this of ours may be term'd very properly Pananglium For it consists of the King the Clergy the Barons and those Knights and Burgesses elected or to express my self more plainly in Law-language the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons who there represent the body of the Nation This Court is not held at certain set times but is call'd at the King's pleasure when things of great difficulty and importance are to be consider'd in order to prevent any danger that may happen to the State and then again is dissolv'd when-ever he alone pleases Now this Court has the sovereign power and an inviolable authority in making confirming repealing and explaining laws reversing Attainders determining causes of more than ordinary difficulty between private persons and to be short in all things which concern the State in general or any particular Subject â—he Kings â—â—urt The next Court to this immediately after the coming in of the Normans and for some time before was the King's Court which was held in the King's Palace and follow'd the King where-ever he went For in the King's Palace there was a peculiar place for the Chancellor and Clerks who had the issuing out of Writs and the management of the great Seal and likewise for Judges who had not only power to hear pleas of the Crown but any cause whatsoever between private persons There was also an Exchequer for the Treasurer and his Receivers who had charge of the King's revenues These each of them were counted members of the King's family and had their meat and cloaths of the King Hence Gotzelin in the life of S. Edward calls them Palatii Causidici and Joannes Sarisburiensis Curiales But besides these and above them likewise â—â—e Chief â—â—â—tice was the Justitia Angliae and Justitiarius Angliae Capitalis i.e. the Lord Chief Justice who was constituted with a yearly stipend of 1000 marks by a Patent after this form The King to all the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Counts Barons Viscounts Foresters and all other his faithful subjects of England greeting Whereas for our own preservation and the tranquillity of our Kingdom and for the administration of justice to all and singular of this our Realm we have ordain'd our beloved and trusty Philip Basset Chief Justice of England during our will and pleasure we do require you by the faith and allegiance due to us strictly enjoyning that in all things relating to the said office and the preservation of our peace and Kingdom you shall be fully obedient to him so long as he shall continue in the said Office Witness the King c. But in the reign of Henry the third it was enacted that the Common Pleas should not follow the King's Court but be held in some certain place and awhile after the Chancery the Pleas of the Crown and the Exchequer also were remov'd from the King's Court and establisht apart in certain set places as some how truly I know not have told us Having premis'd thus much I will now add somewhat concerning these Courts and others that sprung from them as they are at this day And seeing some of them have cognizance of â—uris Law namely the King's Bench Common Pleas Exchequer Assizes Star-Chamber Court of Wards and the Court of Admiralty others of Equity as the Chancery the Court of Requests the Councils in the Marches of Wales and in the North I will here insert what I have learnt from others of each of them in their proper places The King's Bench â—â—e Kings â—â—â—ch so call'd because the Kings themselves were wont to preside in that Court takes cognizance of all pleas of the Crown and many other matters relating to the King and the well-being of the publick it has power to examine and correct the errors of the Common-pleas The Judges there besides the King himself when he is pleas'd to be present are the Lord Chief Justice of England and four others or more as the King pleases â—â—mmon â—â—â—as The Common-Pleas has this name because the common pleas between subject and subject is by our law which is call'd the Common law there triable The Judges here are the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and four others or more to assist him Officers belonging to this Court are the Custos Brevium three Prothonotaries and many others of inferior rank â—â—â—hequer The Exchequer deriv'd that name from a table at which they sat For so Gervasius Tilburiensis writes who liv'd in the year 1160. The Exchequer is a squarâ— table about ten foot long and five broad contriv'd likâ— a table to sit round On every side it has a ledge of four fingers breadth Upon it is spread a cloath of black colour with stripes distant about a foot or spanâ— it bought in Easter term A little after This Court 〈◊〉 report has been from the very Conquest of the Realm by King William the design and model of it being taken â—â—m the Exchequer beyond Sea Here all matters belongiâ—â—â— to the King's revenues are decided The Judges of it are the Lord Treasurer of England the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Chief Baron and three or four other Barons The Officers of this Court are the King's Remembrancer the Treasurer's Remembrancer the Clerk
amongst which is a pulpit of stone and a Chappel wherein they say that Jordan Companion to St. Austin the English Apostle was bury'd but 't is now a free-school This place not to mention the private houses is beautify'd on all sides with publick and stately buildings On one side with a Collegiate Church call'd Gaunts from its founder Sir Henry Gaunt Knight who quitting the affairs of this world here dedicated himself to God now by the munificence of T. Carre a wealthy citizen it is converted into a Hospital for Orphans On the other side over against it are two Churches dedicated to St. Austin the one but small and a Parish-Church the other larger and the Bishop's Cathedral adorn'd by King Henry 8. with six Prebendaries Now the greatest part of it is pull'd down and the College gate which indeed is curiously built has this Inscription REX HENRICVS II. ET DOMINVS ROBERTVS FILIVS HARDINGI FILII REGIS DACIAE HVIVS MONASTERII PRIMI FVNDATORES EXTITERVNT That is King Henry 2. and Lord Robert the son of Harding son to the King of Denmark were the first founders of this Monastery This Robert 42 Call'd by the Normans Fitz Harding Harding's son of the blood-roâ—al of Denmark was an Alderman of Bristol and was so great with King Henry 43 The second that by his favour Maurice his son marry'd the daughter of the Lord de Barkley from whence his posterity Barons of Barkley who flourish'd in great state are to this day call'd Barons of Barkley Register of the Monastery some whereof are bury'd in this Church aa From hence where the Avon runs are high rocks on both sides the river as if Nature had industriously design'd them One of these which hangs over the river on the east-side is call'd S. Vincent's and is so stock'd with Diamonds British Diamonds that one may get whole bushels of them But the great plenty lessens their true value among us for besides that by their transparency they even vie with those from the Indies they do not yield to them in any respect save hardness but their being smooth'd and fil'd by nature into six or four corners does in my mind render them more admirable bb The other rock on the western bank is likewise full of Diamonds which by a wonderful artifice of nature are contain'd in hollow reddish flints for the ground here is red as if they were big with young The Avon after it has pass'd by these rocks is at last with a full channel unloaded into the Severn-Aestuary cc It remains now that I reckon up the Earls and Dukes of this County of Somerset Earls and Dukes of Somerset The first Earl of Somerset is said to have been William de Mohun or Moion the same probably that b Vid. Hist Matth. Paris Minor Maud the Empress in her Charter whereby she created William de Mandevil Earl of Essex makes use of as a witness under the name of Comes W. de Moion i.e. Earl W. de Moion From this time there occurs no distinct mention of the Earls of Somerset unless it be in this Rescript of King Hen. 3. Patents an 1 Hen. 3. to Peter de Mawley which I will set down in order to incite others to spend their judgments upon it Know ye that we have receiv'd the homage of our belov'd Uncle William Earl of Sarum for all the lands which he holds of us especially for the County of Somerset which we have given to him with all the Appurtenances for homage and service reserving still to our selves the Royalties and therefore we command you that you grant him a full seisin of the said County with all it's Appurtenances and for the future not to intermeddle with any thing belonging to the said County c. And we charge all our Earls Barons Knights and Freetenents of the County of Somerset that they pay Fealty and Homage to the said Earl with reserve only of fidelity to the King and that for the future they be obedient and answerable to him as their Lord. Whether one may from hence conclude that he was Earl of Somerset as also of Devonshire for he writ too in the same words to Robert Courtney concerning this William I leave to the judgment of others Under this Henry 3. as we read in a Book in French belonging to the family of the Mohuns Knights 't is said that Pope Innocent on a solemn festival made Reginald Mohun Earl of Este i.e. as our Author interprets it of Somerset delivering him a golden Rose and granting an annual pension to be paid yearly at the altar of S. Paul's in London So that this man seems not so much to have been properly Earl as Apostolical Earl An Apostolical Eâ—â—â— for so such were term'd in that age who were created by the Pope as those created by the Emperour Imperial Earls having a power of licensing Notaries and Scribes making Bastards legitimate c. under some certain conditions A considerable time after John de Beaufort natural son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Catharine Swinford See the Earls of Dorset being with his brothers and sister made legitimate by K. Richard 2. by the assent of Parliament was advanc'd to the honour of Earl of Somerset and afterwards created Marquess of Dorset but was presently depriv'd of that honour by Henry 4. and had only the title of Somerset left him He had three sons Henry Earl of Somerset who dy'd young John created by K. Henry 5. first Duke of Somerset who had an only daughter Margaret mother to K. Henry 7. and Edmund who succeeded his brother in the Dukedom and was for some time Regent of France But being recall'd he was accus'd of having lost Normandy upon which account he suffer'd many indignities from the people and in that lamentable war between the two houses of Lancaster and York was slain in the first battle of S. Albans Henry his son succeeded him who being a time-server and one while siding with the house of York another with the house of Lancaster was by the York-party taken prisoner in the battle of Hexam and had his levity punish d with the loss of his head And his brother Edmund who succeeded him in this honour the last Duke of Somerset of this family after the defeat of the Lancastrian party at Tewksbury was dragg'd being all over blood out of the Church wherein he had taken Sanctuary and beheaded The legitimate heirs male of this family being thus extinct first Henry 7. honour'd Edmund his young son with this title who soon after dy'd and next Henry 8. his natural son Henry Fitz-Roy who dying without issue Edward 6. invested 44 Sir Edward c. Edward de Sancto Mauro commonly call'd Seimor with the same who being full of Honours and as it were loaded with Titles for he was Duke of Somerset Earl of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp Baron of S. Maur Uncle to the King Governour to
dark stars with her refulgent train There Earth and Ocean their embraces join Here Ganges Danube Thermadon and Rhine And fruitful Nile in costly sculpture shine Above the rest Great Britain sits in state With golden fleeces cloath'd and crown'd with wheat And Gallick spoils lye trampled at her feet c. Here awful Isis fills his liquid throne Isis whom British streams their monarch own His never-wearied hands a spatious urn Down on his azure bosom gravely turn And flaggs and reeds his unpoll'd locks adorn Each waving horn the subject stream supplies And grateful light darts from his shining eyes His grizzly beard all wet hangs dropping down And gushing veins in wat'ry chanels run The little fish in joyful numbers crowd And silver swans fly o'er the crystal flood And clap their snowy wings c. Now as to what relates to the Earls of Glocester Earls of Gâ—ocester some have obtruded upon us William Fitz-Eustace for the first Earl Who this was I have not yet met with in my reading and l believe there was never such an one extant kk but what I have found I will not conceal from the Reader 'T is said that about the Norman Invasion one Bithrick a Saxon was Lord of Glocester Hist Monast against whom Maud the wife of William the Norman was highly exasperated Tewkesbury for the contempt of her beauty for he refus'd to marry her and so maliciously contrived his ruin and when he was cast into prison his estate was granted by the Conquerour to Robert the son of Haimon of Curboyle in Normandy commonly call'd Fitz-Haimon Fitz. Haimon who receiving a blow on the head with a Pole Guil. Malm. lived a great while raving and distracted His daughter Mabel by others call'd Sybil was married to Robert natural son of King Henry 1. who was made first Earl of Glocester and by the common writers of that age is call'd Consul of Glocester a man above all others in those times of a great and undaunted spirit that was never dismay'd by misfortunes and performed heroick and difficult actions with mighty honour in the cause of his sister Maud against Stephen the usurper of the crown of England His son William succeeded in the honour 31 Who dejected with comfortless grief when death had deprived him of his only son and heir assured his estate with his eldest daughter to John son to K. Henry 2. with certaine proviso's for his other daughters whose 3 daughters conveyed the dignity to so many families †John when he had obtained the kingdom repudiated her upon pretences as well that she was barren as that they were within prohibited degrees of consanguinity and reserving the castle of Bristow to himself after some time passed over his repudiated wife with the honour of Glocester to Geoffrey Mandevile son of Geoffrey Fitz-Peter Earl of Essex for 20000 marks who thus over marrying himself was greatly impoverished and wounded in Tournament died soon after without issue she being re-married to Hubert of Burgh died immediately The eldest Isabella brought this title to John the son of K. Henry 2. but when he had possessed himself of the throne he procured a divorce from her and sold her for 20000 marks to Geoffry de Mandeville son of Geoffry son of Peter Earl of Essex Pat. 15. Joan. R. 4. and created him Earl of Glocester He being dead without issue Almaric †Ebroicensis son to the Earl of Eureux had this honour conferred upon him as being born of Mabil 32 The eldest the youngest daughter of Earl William aforesaid But Almaric dying also childless the honour descended to Amicia the second daughter who being married to Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford was mother to Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester 33 Who was stiled Earl of Glocester and Hertford and mightily enrich'd his house by marrying one of the heirs of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke His son and successor Richard in the beginning of the Barons Wars against K. Hen. 3. ended his life having Gilbert his son to succeed him who powerfully and prudently swayed much in the said wars as he inclined to them or the King He obnoxious to K. Edw. 1. surrendred his lands unto him and received them again by marrying Joan the King's daughter sirnamed of Acres in the Holy Land bâ—cause she was there born to his second wife who bore unto him Gilbert Clare last Earl of Glocester of this sirname slain in the flower of his youth in Scotland at the battel of Sterling in the sixth year of K. Edw. 2. Earls of Glocester and Hertford whose son Richard and his grandson Gilbert 2. and great grandson Gilbert 3. who fell in the battel at Sterling in Scotland successively inherited this title But in the minority of Gilbert 3. 34 Sir Ralph Ralph de Montehemer who did clandestinely espouse the widow of Gilbert 2. and * Call'd Jeanna D'Acres because born at Acon daughter of Edward 1. 35 For which he incurred the King's high displeasure and a short imprisonment but after reconciled was summoned to Parliaments by the name of Earl of Glocester and Hertford But when Gilbert was out of his minority he was summoned among the Barons by the name of Sir Ralph de Mont-hermer as long as he lived which I note more willingly for the rareness of the example for some time enjoy'd the title of Earl of Glocester But when Gilbert had arrived at the age of 21 years he claimed the title and was call'd to serve in Parliament amongst the Barons After Gilbert 3. who died childless 36 Sir Hugh Le de Spencer Hugh de Spencer or Spencer jun. is by writers stiled Earl of Glocester in right of his wife who was the eldest sister of Gilbert 3. But he being hang'd by the Queen and her Lords in despight to Edward 2. Tho. de la Marc in the life of Ed. 2. whose Favourite he was 37 Sir Hugh Audley Hugh de Audley who married the other sister by the favour of Edward 3. obtained the honour After whose death King Richard 2. erected this title into a Dukedom of which there were three Dukes with one Earl between and to them all it was unfortunate and fatal and brought them to their ruin Thomas of Woodstock Earl of Buckingham the youngest son of King Edward 3. Dukes of Glocester was the first that was dignify'd with the title of Duke but presently fell into the displeasure of King Richard 2. for being an ambitious man of an unquiet spirit he was surprised and sent to Calais and there smothered he with a Feather-bed having before made a confession under his hand as appears in the Parliament Rolls that by virtue of a Patent which he had extorted from the King he had arrogated to himself Regal Authority appear'd armed in the King's presence contumeliously revil'd him consulted with learned men how he might renounce his Allegiance and
the French King put in a golden little Urn upon a Pyramid 53 Sir Charles Blunt Earl c. instead of Charles Earl of Devon c. Charles Earl of Devonshire Lord Deputy of Ireland and Geoffrey Chaucer who being Prince of the English Poets ought not to be pass'd by as neither Edmund Spencer who of all the English Poets came nearest him in a happy genius and a rich vein of Poetry There are also several others both Clergy and Gentlemen of quality r Hard by there was another College 54 Of a Dean and c. of 12 Canons dedicated to S. Stephen which King Edw. 3. rais'd to such a royal magnificence and endow'd with such large possessions after he had carry'd his victories thro' France that he seems rather to have been Founder than only the Repairer devoutly considering as the Foundation-Charter has it the great benefits of Christ whereby out of his rich mercy we have been prevented upon all occasions delivering us altho' unworthy of it from divers perils and by the right hand of his power mightily defending us and giving us the victory in all the assaults of our enemies as also comforting us with unexpected remedies in the other tribulations and difficulties we have labour'd under Near this was a Palace the ancient habitation of the Kings of England from the time of S. Edward the Confessor which in the reign of K. Hen. 8. was burnt down by a casual fire This Palace was really large and magnificent Fitz-Steph a building not to be equall'd in that age having a * Anteâ—â—rale vawmure and bulwarks For the remains of this are the Chamber wherein the King the Nobility and great Ministers of State meet in Parliament and that next to it wherein our Forefathers us'd to begin their Parliaments call'd the painted Chamber of S. Edward 55 Because the Tradition holds that the said King Edward therein died How bloody black hainous and horrible how odious to God and man that act was whereby certain brutes in the shape of men under that Arch-traitor Fr. Catesby by undermining Fr. Catesby's Plot and placing a vast quantity of gun-powder under those buildings lately contriv'd the destruction of their Prince Country and all the Estates of the Kingdom out of a specious pretence of Religion my very heart quakes to consider and I cannot reflect without the greatest horrour and astonishment into what an inevitable darkness and lamentable ruin they would have thrown this most flourishing Kingdom in a moment But what an old Poet said in a matter of less concern we may mournfully apply to our case Excidat illa dies aevo ne postera credant Secula nos certè taceamus obruta multa Nocte tegi propriae patiamur crimina gentis May that black day ' scape the record of fate And after-ages never know 't has been Or us at least let us the time forget And hide in endless night our guilty nation's sin Near these is the White-hall wherein is at this day the Court of Requests Below which is that Hall larger than any of the rest Westminster-Hall the Praetorium and Hall of Justice for all England s In this there are held Courts of Justice namely King's-Bench Common-Pleas Chancery and in places round it The Star-Chamber the Exchequer Court of Wards Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster c. In these are heard Causes at the set seasons or Terms of the year whereas before the reign of Hen. 3. the General Court of Justice was moveable and always follow'd the King's Court. Guil Lâ—â—bard But he in his Magna Charta made a law in these words The Common-Pleas shall not follow our Court but be held in some one certain place Tho' there are some who understand only by this that the Common-Pleas should from that time forward be held in a distinct Court and not in the Kings-bench as formerly The * Praetorium Hall which we now have was built by K. Rich. 2. as we learn from his Arms in the stone-work and the †Lacunaribus beams which having pull'd down that more ancient Hall built in the place by William Rufus he made his own habitation For then the Kings us'd to hear causes themselves as being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Judges Prov. c. 1â— whose mouth as the Royal Pen-man has it shall not err in judgment But this Palace being burn'd down in the year 1512. lay desolate and a little after Henry 8. remov'd the Royal Seat to a neighbouring house that not long since was Cardinal Wolsey's which they now call White-hall This is a truly Royal Palace enclos'd on one side with a Park reaching to another house of the King 's 56 Robert Catesby built by K. Henry 8. and call'd S. James's 57 Where anciently was a Spittle for Maiden Lepeus on the other with the Thames A certain Poet from it's Whiteness has term'd it Leucaeum Regale subintrant Leucaeum Reges dederant memorabile quondam Atria quae niveo candebant marmore nomen Quod Tamisis prima est cui gloria pascere cygnos Ledaeos rauco pronus subterluit aestu To the Leuceum now the Princes came Which to it's own white marble owes it's name Here Thames whose silver swans are all his pride Runs roaring by with an impetuous tide Hard by near the Mues The Mâ—â—s so call'd because 't was formerly a place for keeping of Hawks but is now a beautiful stable for the King's horses there stands a monument which King Edw. 1. erected in memory of Queen Eleanor Châ—ring-cross the dearest husband to the most loving wife The tenderness oâ— wife whose tender affection will stand upon record to all posterity She was daughter to Ferdinand 3. King of Castile and marry'd to Edward 1. King of England with whom she went into the Holy Land When her husband was treacherously wounded by a Moor with a poyson'd sword and rather grew worse than receiv'd any ease by what the Physicians apply'd to it Rodâ—ricus Tâ—â—â—tanus lâ—b 1. she found out a remedy as new and unheard of as full of love and endearment For by reason of the malignity of the poyson her husband's wounds could not possibly be clos'd but she lick'd them dayly with her own tongue and suck'd out the venomous humour thinking it a most delicious liquor By the power whereof or rather by the virtue of a wife's tenderness she so drew out the poysonous matter that he was entirely cur'd of his wound and she escap'd without catching any harm What then can be more rare than this woman's expression of love or what can be more admirable The tongue of a wife anointed if I may so say with duty and love to her husband draws from her beloved those poysons which could not be drawn by the most approv'd Physician and what many and most exquisite medicines could not do is effected purely by the love of a wife And thus
so naturally arising from the use of the Grant I cannot imagine there should be any thing more in 't * Ibid. p. 368. But though this do not much countenance the opinion yet ought it not to be altogether rejected as receiving some confirmation from the pieces of Antiquity dugg up hereabouts For in making the foundation of this new Fabrick among other things they cast up the teeth of Boars and of other beasts a piece of a Buck's horn with several fragments of Vessels which by the figure one would imagine to have been us'd in their Sacrifices A great number of these with an entire Urn a Lamp and other things belonging to the Roman Funerals and dugg up in Goodman's-fields are in the hands of my ingenious Friend Henry Worsley of Lincolns-Inn Esq Persons buried in this Church m To conclude the History of St. Paul's our Author gives us a breviat of the royal and noble persons interr'd in it to whom we must needs add Robert Braybrook Bishop of London and sometime Lord high Chancellor of England Dugd. Hist of St. Pauls who dy'd Aug. 27. Anno 1404. 5 Hen. 4. above 260 years before the ruin of this Church in 1666. yet upon pulling down the stone-work and removal of the rubbish his body was found entire the skin still inclosing the bones and fleshy parts only in the breast there was a hole made I suppose by accident through which one might either view or handle his lungs The skin was of a deep tawny colour and the body very light as appear'd to all who came to view and handle it it being expos'd in a Coffin for some time without any thing of an ill smell and then reinterr'd To which Mr. * Survey p. 227. Stow gives us a parallel History in this very City in the corps of one Alice Hackney wife of Richard Hackney Sheriff of London 15 Edw. 2. An. 1321. whose body being dugg up by the Labourers in April Anno 1497. as they were working the foundations of a Wall in the Parish Church of St. Mary-hill was found with her skin whole her bones all in their natural posture and the joynts of her arms pliable but yielding an ill smell after it had been kept four days above ground In which two last points this though equally entire differ'd from the former whence 't is very evident they had in ancient times more ways than one of preserving the dead from corruption as well as now Increase of London n And lastly to conclude his account of the whole City he gives us relations out of Malmsbury and Fitz Stephen of its excess in trade and magnitude at the time of the Conquest and increase in both since the Subuâ—bs in his time having extended themselves in one continued range of building as far as Westminster To which let me add its further advancement in our days which hath been so very great that as the ingenious †Politic Essâ—y Sir William Petty hath probably computed it from the number of the burials and houses in each City the City of London in Anno 1683. or thereabout was as big as Paris and Rouen the two best Cities of the French Monarchy put together and that now above 7 parts of 15 having been new built since the great fire and the number of inhabitants increased near one half the total amounting to near 700000 it is become equal to Paris and Rome put together o In the Suburbs he takes notice of the most eminent buildings and amongst them of the Rolls Rolls in Chancery-lane which was founded by King Hen. 3. Anno 1233. in the 17th of his reign in the place of a Jews house to him forfeited for the support of converted Jews and therefore stiled Domus Conversorum where all such Jews and Infidels converted to the Christian Faith had sufficient maintenance allowed them were instructed in the Doctrine of Christ and liv d under a Christian Governour till Anno 1290. when all the Jews were banisht out of the realm by which means the number of Converts necessarily decaying and the house becoming as it were depopulated it was granted to William Burstall Custos Rotulorum by Letters Patents bearing date 51 Edw. 3. for keeping of the Rolls which Grant was ratified in Parliament 1 Rich. 2. and by other Letters Patents 6 Rich. 2. Notwithstanding which Grant and Ratifications all converted Jews have ever since been allowed and will be hereafter as often as any such shall appear one penny half penny per diem toward their maintenance which allowance was paid to Peter Samuel and John Maza two converted Jews Anno 1685. 2 Jac. 2. as appears by the Master of the Rolls account in the Hannaper and a Constat out of the Pell-office both of the date above-mention'd who were the two last I can find that ever enjoy'd this benefit * MS. in Capel Roâ— p In the Suburbs lying along the Thames-side betwixt Temple-barr and Westminster were many other houses as well of the spiritual as temporal Nobility beside those mention'd by our Author For the Bishops of Exeter Bath and Wells Salisbury Lichfield and Coventry Worcester Norwich Landaff Carlisle Durham and the Archbishop of York had all anciently houses here and so had the Dukes of Buckingham and the Earls of Exeter Worcester and Northumberland as the Dukes of Somerset and Beaufort the Earls of Bedford Salisbury and Rivers have all still houses remaining here q From the Suburbs our Author proceeds next to the Abbey-Church of Westminster Westminster and the magnificent Chapel of King Henry 7. which he erected in the place of the Chapel of our Lady built before with the Church by King Henry 3. and a Tavern near adjoyning both which being pull'd down he laid the foundation of this Jan. 24. 1502 fetching most of the stone from Huddlestone quarrey in Yorkshire The whole charge of it amounted to no less than 14000 pound sterling His own Tomb of brass is here richly gilt made and finisht Anno 1519. by one Peter a painter of Florence for which he had paid him for materials and workmanship a thousand pound sterling by the King's Executors †Stow's Survey p. 499. The School The School as it is famous for the great service it has done both to Church and State so is it more particularly memorable for the relation our Author had once to it and for Dr. Busbey its present Master whose worth and learning has these many years supported its reputation To the latter of these it is beholding for its Museum and for several improvements both in beauty and convenience as is the Master's house wherein he has all along liv'd for its enlargement The same person has built his Prebend's house there anew has pav'd the Quire of Westminster-Abbey with white and black marble stone and added a building to the King's Hospital of Green-coats in Turtil-fields In Buckinghamshire he hath rais'd from the ground the Church of
they hanged him upon a tree 39 For in a reverent awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he died excommunicated To him succeeded his 2 sons 40 Geoffrey his son who was restored by Hen. 2. to his father's Honours and Estate for him and his heirs William who by his wife was also Earl of Albemarle Geoffrey and William both taken off without issue Afterwards K. John in consideration of a good sum of money 〈◊〉 Pierz 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—z-â—â—â—re promoted Geoffrey Fitz-Pierz L. Ch. Justice a very prudent and grave man to this dignity He had took to wife Beatrice eldest daughter to William de Say descended from the sister of Geoffrey de Magnavil first Earl of Essex A great mony'd man saith an old Author and very rich who with a round sum of money and many entreaties made his application to the Bishop of Ely the King's Justice and laid claim to this Earldom in right of his wife daughter of William brother to Geoffry de Say eldest son by an hereditary title Who admitted him into full seizin thereof and demanded the promis'd sum which he receiv'd within a little time to put into the King's Exchequer He being thus admitted and confirm'd by the King's Letters Patents held and possess'd this honour and receiv'd the Homage of those that held of him by Knight's service 41 And so was girt with the sword of the Earldom of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geoffrey Fiz-Petre was advanced to the high Estate of Justicer of England by King Richard 1. when he removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that office by the Pope's peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermeddle in secular affairs This place the said Geoffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisdom the Realm from that confusion which it after fell into by King John's unadvised carriage Geoffrey and William the two sons of this Geoffrey Fitz-Piers taking the sirname of Magnavil or Mandevil enjoy'd this honour The former of these 42 By his wife was Earl of Glocester also and c. died young Register of Walden-Abbey being unfortunately kill'd at a publick Tilting The other took part with Prince Lewis of France against King John and died without issue So that the honour now fell to 43 Their sisters son Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Constable of England For thus writes the Chronologer of Walton-Abbey In the year 1228. the 6th of the Ides of January William de Mandevil Earl of Essex died c. In the same year Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford the Constable of England espoused Maud daughter to Geoffrey Earl of Essex and so succeeded in that honour But from the Archives it is evident that Henry de Bohun father to this Humfrey married the said heiress And such a mistake might easily creep in for in the Writers of that age the Christian-names are only marked with great Letters as See the Earls of Hereford H. for Henry or Humfrey G. for Gilbert or Geoffrey c. Of this family the male heirs succeeded in the dignity of Earls of Hereford and Essex for several years whom I have already reckon'd up among the Earls of Hereford because they wrote themselves Earls of Hereford and Essex Eleanor eldest daughter to the last of the Bohuns given in marriage with the honour to Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester had by him one daughter Anne first married to Edmund Earl of Stafford from whom sprang the Dukes of Buckingham and then to 44 Sir William William Bourgchier to whom K. Henry 5. gave the County of Ewe in Normandy This last had by her a son of his own name advanced to the dignity of Earl of Essex by Edw. 4. 45 In regard he had married his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstock He was succeeded by another Henry his son's son who died in his old age by a fall from his horse leaving issue only one daughter Anne who being laid aside King Henry 8. that he might make new additions to his honours and preferments created Thomas Cromwell who had been his main assistant in baffling the Pope's authority at the same time Earl of Essex High Chamberlain of England and Knight of the Garter Before this for his extraordinary prudence he had made him Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Baron Cromwell of Okeham Vicar General to the King in spiritual concerns and Lord Keeper and all this in five years time But after five months enjoyment of his Earldom he like most great favourites in the State concluded his scene of life with a most tragical end losing his head for treason The same King promoted to the Earldom of Essex 46 Sir William William Par to whom he had given in marriage Anne the only daughter and heir of Henry Bourgchier But he too at last dying without issue Walter Devreux Viscount Hereford whose great grandmother was Cicely Bourgchier sister to Henry Bourgchier of whom we spoke but now receiv'd the honour of Earl of Essex by the favour of Queen Elizabeth and left it to his son Robert who being for his excellent natural endowments highly in favour with that admirable Princess sail'd with such a smooth and prosperous gale into honours and preferments as to make it the common hope and expectation of the Kingdom that he would equal if not exceed the greatest characters of his Ancestors But at last being carried away with vain ambition and popularity and endeavouring to get the start of his own hopes he hurried himself into a sad destruction As several persons who condemn slow methods though secure choose sudden ones to their utter ruin But his young son Robert was restor'd to full possession of his father's honour by authority of Parliament through the special favour of our present most Serene Soveraign King James There are reckoned in this County 415 Parish-Churches ADDITIONS to ESSEX a THE County of Essex is so bounded with waters that by the help of the Ocean on one side and Rivers on others it makes a Peninsula As to Viscountile Jurisdiction it seems formerly to have been annext to Hertfordshire for in the 8th of Edward 3. John de Cogshall was Sheriff of them both about which time also one Escheator discharg'd the office in both b Our Author begins with Waltham-forrest Waltham-forrest which might very well be call d as he observes the Forrest of Essex reaching formerly through this County as far as the Sea * Norden's Essex MS. as appeareth by Edward the Confessor's gift to one Randolph Peperkin It still is so large as to thrust it self out into a great many Hundreds c Near the Thames is Leyton Leyton where Mr. Camden is enclin'd to settle the Durolitum Durolitum of Antoninus though he professes himself altogether at a loss for the places mention'd hereabouts by the Ancients And 't is no wonder that
heath a little beyond Wrauby in the way to Hull Rhamnus Salicis folio angusto fructu flavescente C. B. Secundus Clusii Ger. emac. primus Dioscoridis Lobelio sive litoralis Park Rhamnus vel Oleaster Germanicus J. B. Sallow-thorn On the sea-banks on Lindsey coast plentifully NOTTINGHAMSHIRE THE County of Nottingham borders upon that of Lincoln on the west but is of much less extent call'd by the Saxons a Snotingaham-scyre is it's name in our most ancient Saxon Records Snottengaham-rcyne by us Nottinghamshire bounded on the north by Yorkshire on the west by Derbyshire and in some parts by Yorkshire and on the south by the County of Leicester The south and east parts are enrich'd by that most noble river the Trent and the rivulets which run into it The west part is entirely took up with the forest of Shirwood which is very large This part because it is sandy the inhabitants call the Sand the other because it is clayish they call the Clay and thus have they divided their County into these two parts a The Trent The Trent in Saxon Tneonta which some Antiquaries of less note have call'd in Latin Triginta from its affinity with that French word which is used to signifie this number after it has run a long way 1 And receiv'd into it's chanel the river Soure running hither from the County of Leicester where it first enters into this County passes by Steanford Steanford where there are many b Whatever there was in our Author's time 't is not famous at present for either Roman or other Antiquity It 's greatest ornament is a Church lately repair'd and beautify'd at the charge of Thomas Lewes the present Patron thereof remains of Antiquity yet extant and many Roman Coyns found as I am informed and then by Clifton Clifton which has given both a seat and name to the ancient family of the Cliftons 2 Much enrich'd by one of the heirs of Cressy Then it receives the little river Lin River Lin. from the west which rising near Newsted i.e. a new place where formerly King Hen. 2. built a small Monastery now the seat of the Byrons Byrons an ancient family descended from Ralph de Buron who in the beginning of the Norman times flourish'd in great state both in this County and Lancashire it runs near Wollaton Wollaton where in this age Sir Francis Willoughby Kt out of ostentation to show his riches built at vast charges a very stately house both for splendid appearance and the curious workmanship of it After this it washes Lenton Lenton formerly famous for a Monastery built in honour of the Holy Trinity by William Peverel the natural son of King William the Conquerour at present only for the throng Fairs there Where on the other side almost at the confluence of the Lin and Trent and upon the side of a hill stands Nottingham Nottingham which has given name to this County and is the chief town in it the word being nothing but a soft contraction of Snottenga-ham For so the Saxons call'd it from the caves and passages under ground which the Ancients for their retreat and habitation mined under these steep rocks in the south part toward the little river Lin. Hence Asser renders the Saxon word Snottengaham Speluncarum domum in Latin and in British it is c See Florence of Worcester An. 890. Tui ogo bauc which signifies the very same namely a house of dens In respect of situation the town is very pleasant there lie on this side toward the river very large meadows on the other hills of easie and gentle ascent it is also plentifully provided with all the necessaries of life On this side Shirewood supplies them with great store of wood for fire tho' many burn pit-coal the smell whereof is offensive on the other the Trent serves them with fish very plentifully Hence this its barbarous verse Limpida sylva focum ‖ Trent Triginta dat mihi piscem Shirewood my fuel Trent my fish supplies To wind up all by its bigness building three neat Churches an incomparable fine market-place and a very strong castle the town is really beautiful The Castle stands on the west side of the city upon an exceeding steep rock in which very spot that tower is believ'd to have been which the Danes relying upon held out against the siege of Aethered and Alfred till without effecting any thing they rose and ‖ Vasa conclamarint retir'd For when the Danes had got this castle d His true name is Burhred Burthred King of the Mercians as Asser says e Florence of Worcester An. 890. tells us the same and the Mercians sent messengers to Aethered King of the West-Saxons and to Alfred his brother humbly intreating that they would aid them so that they might engage the foresaid army This request they easily obtain'd For the two brothers having drawn together a great army from all parts with as much dispatch as they had promis'd enter'd Mercia and march'd as far as Snottenga-ham unanimously desiring to fight them But when the Pagans refus'd to give them battel securing themselves in the castle and the Christians were not able to batter down the walls of the castle a peace was concluded between the Mercians and the Pagans and the two brothers return'd home with their forces Afterwards Edward the Elder built the village Bridgesford Bridgesford over against it and rais'd a wall which is now fallen quite round the city The only remains extant of it are on the west part A few years after this namely in Edward the Confessor's time as it is in Domesday there were reckon'd 173 Burgesses in it and †De duobus Monetartis from the two Mints there was paid forty shillings to the King Moreover the water of Trent and the Foss dike and the way towards York were all lookt after that if any one hinder'd ships from passing * Emendare habuit he might he amerc'd four pounds As for the castle which now stands there both the founder and the bigness of it make it remarkable For William the Norman built it to awe the English b by nature and art together it was so strong as William of Newburrow tells us That it seem'd invincible by any thing but famine provided it had but a sufficient garrison in it Afterwards Edward the fourth rebuilt it at great charge and adorn'd it with curious buildings to which Richard the third also made some additions Nor has it ever in any revolution undergone the common fate of great castles for it was never taken by down-right force Once only it was besieg'd and that in vain by Henry of Anjou at which time the garrison burnt down all the buildings about it 1175. Rog. Hoveden p. 307. It was once also taken by surprize by Robert Count de Ferrariis in the Barons war who depriv'd the citizens of all they
at this day Garnsey Garnsey perhaps Granonâ— by transposal of letters which the Notitia mentions in Armorica running from east to west in the form of a harp but much inferior to the Caesarea aforesaid both in extent and fruitfulness for it has only 10 parishes Yet in this respect that nothing venomous will live here 't is to be preferr'd to the other Nature has also fortified it much better being fenced quite round with a ridge of steep rocks among which is found smyris a very hard sharp stone which we call Emeril wherewith Lapidaries polish and shape jewels and Glaziers cut glass This Island has also a better haven and greater concourse of Merchants For almost in the farthest point eastward but on the south side the shore falls in like a half moon and thereby makes a bay capable of receiving very large ships Upon which stands S. Peter a little town consisting of one long and narrow street which has a good magazine and is throng'd with merchants upon the breaking out of any war For by an ancient priviledge of the Kings of England this place enjoys a kind of perpetual truce so that in times of war the French or any others may come hither without danger and trade with their commodities The mouth of the haven which is pretty well set with rocks is defended by a castle on each side on the left by an old castle and on the right by another they call the Cornet standing just opposite upon a high rock and encompassed by the sea when the tide is in This in Queen Mary's time was repaired by Sir Leonard Chamberlan Kt. and Governor of the Island and has been since strengthen'd with new works by Thomas Leighton his successor 5 Under Queen Elizabeth Here lives generally the Governor of the Island with a garison to defend it who suffer neither French-men nor women to enter upon any pretence whatsoever On the north-side joins La Val a Peninsula which had a Priory or Convent in it In the west part near the sea there is a lake of a mile and a half in compass well stored with fish Carp especially which for size and taste are very much commended The Inhabitants are not so industrious in improving their grounds as the people of Jersey but yet they follow navigation and commerce for a more uncertain gain with much toil and application Every man here takes care to till his own land by himself only so that the whole Island is enclosure which is not only of great profit to them but secures them against a common enemy Both Islands are adorned with many gardens and orchards so that they generally use a wine made of * Pyris Apples which some call Sisera we Cydre The Inhabitants of both are originally either Normans or Britains but they speak French Yet they will not suffer themselves to be thought or called French without disdain and willingly hear themselves counted English Both Islands use Uraic for fewel or else sea-coal from England They enjoy great plenty of fish and have both of them the same form of government These with other Islands hereabouts belonged formerly to Normandy but after Henry the first King of England had defeated his brother Robert in the year 1108 he annexed Normandy and these Islands to the Crown of England From that time they have stedfastly adhered to England even at that juncture wherein King John was found guilty of the death of his nephew and by judgment thereupon was deprived of all Normandy which he held of the King of France and the whole Province revolted from him As also after that when King Henry the third sold his title to Normandy for a sum of money From that moment they have to their great honour continued firm in their allegiance to England and are all of William the Conqueror's inheritance and the Dukedom of Normandy that now remains in this Crown and that notwithstanding several attempts made upon them by the French who for this long time have hardly cast their eyes upon them from their own coast without envy 6 Aâ—d verily Evan a Welsh Gâ—ntleman descended from the Princes of Wales and serving the French King surprised Garnsey in the time of K ng Edward the thiâ—â— but soon lost it In Edward the 4th's reign it appears by the Records of the Kingdom that they got possession of Guernsey but were soon beat out again by the valour of Richard Harleston Valect of the Crown as they term'd them in those days for which the King rewarded him with the government of both the Island and the Castle Fâ—anciâ—a 16. Edw 4. Again likewise in the year 1549 the King being in minority and the Kingdom embroiled with civil wars Leo Strozzi commander of the French Galleys invaded this Isle but was repulsed with great loss and so this design vanished As for the Ecclesiastical State here they continued under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Constance in Normandy till within the memory of this age when he refused to abjure the Pope's authority in England as our Bishops had done From that time they were taken from the Diocess of Constance by Queen Elizabeth and laid to the Diocess of Winchester so that the Bishop of Winchester and his successors may exercise all the offices that pertain to an Episcopal Jurisdiction herein Yet their Church Discipline is according to that of Geneva introduced here by the French Ministers As for the Civil Customs of these Islands some of them are to be found in the Records of the Tower namely That King John instituted twelve Coroners upon oath to keep the rights and hold the pleas belonging to the Crown and granted for the security of the Islanders that their Bailiffs hence-forward * Per Visum by advice of the Coroners might plead without writ of Novel Disscisin made within the year without writ of Mordancaster within the year or brief De Dower likewise c. That the Jurors shall not defer their sentence in any cause above a year and that they shall be respected in Customs and other things as subjects born and not as foreigners Cl. 25 E. 3 An. 9. Ed. 3. But I leave these matters to such as may perhaps search more nicely into the detail of them observing only that the Customs of Normandy hold here in most cases Serke a small Island lying between these two Serk and fenced round with steep rocks lay desolate till J. de S. Owen of Jarsey the antiquity of whose family some I know not upon what authority assert to be above the times of S. Owen planted a Colony here upon a commission from Queen Elizabeth and other aims of private profit as the report goes As for Jethow Jethow which serveth the Governor instead of a Park to feed cattle and to keep deer rabbets and pheasants and Arme Arme. which is larger than Jethow and was first a solitary place for Franciscans these I say
the Key the Church of the Preaching Friers the Church of the Monks and no small part of the Monastery about the Ides of June namely on the feast of S. Medard Item This year was laid the foundation of the Quire for Friers-Predicants in Dublin by Eustace Lord Pover on the feast of the Virgin S. Agatha Item After the purification the King of France invaded Flanders in person with a brave Army He behav'd himself gallantly in this War and in one Battel had two or three Horses kill'd under him But at last he lost the Cap under his Helmet which the Flemings carried off upon a Spear in derision and in all the great Fairs in Flanders it was hung out at a high Window of some great House or other like the Sign of an Inn or Tavern as the Token of their Victory MCCCV Jordan Comyn and his Accomplices kill'd Moritagh O Conghir King of Offaley and Calwagh his * Germanum whole Brother and certain others in the Court of Sir Peter Bymgeham at Carryck in Carbery Likewise Sir Gilbert Sutton Seneschal of Weisford was slain by the Irish near the Village of Haymond Grace which Haymond fought stoutly in this Skirmish and escap'd by his great Valour Item In Scotland the Lord Robert Brus Earl of Carrick without regard to his Oath of Allegiance to the King of England kill'd Sir John Rede Comyn within the Cloister of the Friers-minors of Dunfrese and soon after got himself crown'd King of Scotland by the hands of two Bishops the one of S. Andrews and the other of Glasco in the Town of Scone to the ruin of himself and many others MCCCVI In Offaley near Geshil-castle a great defeat was given to O Conghor by O Dympcies on the Ides of April O Brene K. of * Tothomoniae Towmond died this year Donald Oge Mac-carthy Donald Ruff King of Desmond A sad overthrow was given to a Party of Piers Brymegham in the Marches of Meth on the fourth day before the Kalends of May. Balimore in Leinster was burnt by the Irish and Henry Calfe slain there at the same time whereupon a War broke out between the English and the Irish in Leinster and a great Army was drawn together from all parts against the Irish Sir Thomas Mandevil a gallant Soldier in this Expedition had a sharp conflict with the Irish near Glenfell wherein he fought bravely till his Horse was slain and won great honour for the saving the lives of several others as well as his own Item Thomas Cantok Chancellour of Ireland was consecrated Bishop of Ymelasen in Trinity-Church at Dublin with great honour the Elders of Ireland were present at this Consecration and there was such great feasting both for the rich and for the poor as had never been known before in Ireland Item Richard Feringes Archbishop of Dublin died on S. Luke's-eve and was succeeded by Master Richard Haverings who held that See almost five years by the Pope's dispensation At last he resign'd his Archbishoprick and was succeeded by John Lech The cause of this resignation as the Archdeacon of Dublin his nephew a man of note hath said was a dream which he had one night wherein he fancied That a certain monster heavier than the whole world stood upright upon his breast and that he renounc'd all the goods he had in this world to be rid of it When he waken'd he began to reflect how this was certainly the Church of Dublin the fruits whereof he had received without taking pains to deserve them Upon this he went to the Lord the Pope as soon as he could with whom he was much in favour and relinquish'd his Archbishoprick For he had as the same Archdeacon averr'd other benefices of greater value than the Archbishoprick itself Item On the feast of Pentecost at London King Edward conferr'd Knighthood upon his son Edward and four hundred more sixty of whom were made by the said Edward of Carnarvan as soon as he was knighted He held his feast in London at the new Temple and his father gave him the Dutchy of Aquitain Item On the feast of S. Potentiana the Bishops of Winchester and Worcester by an order from the Pope excommunicated Robert Brus the pretended King of Scotland and his party for the death of John Rede Comyn This year upon S. Boniface's day Aumar de Valence Earl of Pembroch and Lord Guy Earl cut off many of the Scots and the Lord Robert Brus was defeated near the town of S. Johns This year about the nativity of S. John baptist King Edward went by water from Newark to Lincoln toward Scotland Item This year the Earl of Asceles the Lord Simon Freysell the Countess of Carryck and the pretended Queen of Scotland daughter to the Earl of Ulster were taken Prisoners The Earl of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell were torn to peices The Countess remain'd with the King in great honour but the rest died miserably in Scotland Item About the feast of the Purification two brothers of Robert Brus that were both pyrats were taken prisoners with sixteen Scots besides as they landed to plunder the country the two brothers were torn to pieces at Carlile and the rest hanged Item Upon S. Patrick's day Mac Nochi and his two sons were taken prisoners near the New Castle in Ireland by Thomas Sueterby O boni and there Lorran Obons a great robber was beheaded MCCCVII On the third before the kalends of April Murcard Ballagh was beheaded by Sir David Caunton a valiant Knight near Marton and soon after Adam Dan was slain On Philip and Jacob's day Oscheles gave the English a bloody defeat in Connaght Item The castle of Cashill was pull'd down by the rapparies of Offaly and on the eve of the translation of S. Thomas they also burnt the town of Lye and besieg'd the castle but this was soon rais'd by John Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item This year died King Edward the first and his son Edward succeeded him who buried his father in great state at Westminster with honour and reverence Item Edward the younger married the Lady Isabell the King of France's daughter in S. Mary's church at Bologn and shortly after they were both crown'd in Westminster Abby Item The Templars in foreign parts being condemn'd for heresie as it was reported were apprehended and clapt in prison by the Pope's mandate In England likewise they were all taken the very next day after Epiphany In Ireland also they were taken into custody the day after the Purification MCCCVIII On the second of the ides of April died the Lord Peter de Bermingham a noble champion against the Irish Item On the 4th of the ides of May the castle of Kenin was burnt down and some of the guards slain by William Mac Balthor Cnygnismy Othothiles and his partisans Item On the 6th day before the ides of June the Lord John Wogan Justiciary of Ireland was defeated with his army near Glyndelory In this encounter were slain John
call'd Hogelyn John de Northon John de Breton and many others Item On the 16th before the kalends of July Dolovan Tobyr and other towns and villages bordering upon them were burnt down by the said malefactors Item Soon after this a great Parliament was held at London wherein a sad difference arose between the Barons upon the account of Pieirs Gaveston who was banish'd out of the Kingdom of England the day after the feast of S. John the baptist's nativity and went over into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countess of Glocester and came to Dublin in great state and there continued Item William Mac Baltor a stout robber and incendiary was condemn'd in the court of our Lord the King at Dublin by the Lord Chief Justice John Wogan on the 12th before the kalends of September and was drawn at a horse's tail to the gallows and there hang'd as he deserv'd Item This year a marble cistern was made to receive the Water from the conduit-head in Dublin such as was never before seen here by the Mayor of the City Master John Decer and all at his own proper expences This same John a little before made a bridge to be built over the river Aven-Liffie near the priory of S. Wolstan He also built the Chappel of S. Mary of the Friers minors wherein he was buried and the Chappel of S. Mary of the Hospital of S. John in Dublin Item This John Decer was bountiful to the convent of Friers Predicants in Dublin For instance he made one stone-pillar in the Church and laid the great stone upon the high altar with all its ornaments Item He entertain'd the friers at his own table on the 6th day of the week out of pure charity as the seniors have reported to their juniors Item The Lord John Wogan took ship in Autumn to be at the parliament of England and the Lord William Bourk was appointed Keeper of Ireland in his room Item This year on the eve of S. Simon and Jude the Lord Roger de Mortimer and his Lady the right heir of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter son of Sir Gefferey Genevil arriv'd in Ireland As soon as they landed they took possession of Meth Sir Gefferey Genevil giving way to them and entring himself into the order of the Friers predicants at Trym the morrow after S. Edward the Archbishop's day Item Dermot Odympsy was slain at Tully by the servants of Sir Piers Gaveston Item Richard Bourk Earl of Ulster at Whitsontide made a great feast at Trym and conferr'd Knighthood upon Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie In the vigil of the Assumption the Earl of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earl of Cornwal at Drogheda and at the same time turn'd back towards Scotland Item This year Maud the Earl of Ulster's daughter imbark'd for England in order for a marriage with the Earl of Glocester which within a month was consummated between them Item Maurice Caunton kill'd Richard Talon and the Roches afterwards kill'd him Item Sir David Caunton was hang'd at Dublin Item Odo the son of Cathol O Conghir kill'd Odo O Conghiâ— King of Connaght Item Athi was burnt by the Irish MCCCIX Peter Gaveston subdued the O Brynnes in Ireland and rebuilt the new castle of Mackingham and the castle of Kemny he also cut down and scour'd the pass between Kemny castle and Glyndelagh in spite of all the opposition the Irish could make and sâ— march'd away and offer'd in the Church of S. Kimny The same year the Lord Peter Gaveston went over into Englanâ— on the eve of S. John Baptist's Nativity Item The Earl of Ulster's son's wife daughter of the Earl oâ— Glocester came into Ireland on the 15th of October Item On Christmas-eve the Earl of Ulster returned out of England and landed at Drogheda Item On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevil was slain near the town of Arstol by Sir Arnold Pover and his accomplices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Frierâ— predicants Item A Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the octaves of thâ— Purification of the Blessed Mary by the Earl of Ulster John Wogan Justiciary of Ireland and others of the nobility wherein a difference among certain of the great men was adjusted and many proviso's made in the nature of statutes that might havâ— been of good consequence to the Kingdom if they had been observ'd Item Shortly after Sir Edward Botiller return'd out of England where he had been knighted at London Item The Earl of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir John Fitz-Thomas went over into England Item This year died Sir Theobald Verdon MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Peter Gaveston took theiâ— march for Scotland against Robert Brus. Item There was this year a great scarcity of corn in Ireland * Eranca an eranc of corn sold at the rate of twenty shilling and upwards Item The Bakers of Dublin were punish'd after a new way foâ— false weights For on S. Sampson the Bishop's day they werâ— drawn upon hurdles at the horses tails along the streets of thâ— City Item In the Abby of S. Thomas the Martyr at Dublin Sir Neiâ— Bruin Knight Escheator to our Lord the King in Ireland departed this life his corps was buried at the Friers-minors in Dublin witâ— such a pomp of tapers and wax-lights as never was before seen iâ— this Kingdom This year a Parliament was held at Kildare wherin Sir Arnold Pover was acquitted of the death of the Lord Bonevil for it waâ— found Se defendendo Item On S. Patrick's day Mr. Alexander Bickenor was witâ— the unanimous consent of the Chapter made Archbishop of Dublin Item The Lord Roger Mortimer in the octaves of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin return'd into Ireland Item This year died Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie the Lord Richarâ— Clare gave the Earl of Ulster's party a very strange defeat Thâ— Lord William Bourk and John the Lord Walter Lacy's Son werâ— taken prisoners with many others This battle was fought on thâ— 13th before the kalends of June and great numbers both of thâ— English and the Irish slain in it Item Tassagard and Rathcante were invaded by the rapperies namely the O Brinnes and O Tothiles the day after S. John Baptist's nativity Whereupon in the Autumn soon after a greaâ— army was rais'd in Leinster to defeat them both in Glindelory anâ— in other woody places Item In August a Parliament was holden at London between thâ— King and the Barons to consider the state of the Kingdom and thâ— King's houshold and a committee of six Bishops six Earls and six Barons was appointed to consult the good of the Realm Item On the 2d day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare cut off 600 Galegolaghes Item On All saints day last past Peter Gaveston was banished out of England by the Earls and Barons and many good statutes were
supplicated the Convocation by the name of William Camden Batchelor of Arts of Christ-church That whereas from the time he had taken the Degree of Batchelor he had spent 16 years in the study of Philosophy and other Liberal Arts he might be dispens'd with for the reading of three solemn Lectures and so be admitted to proceed His Supplication was granted upon condition he stood in the following Act which it seems his other occasions would not permit him to do nothing appearing of it in the Publick Records of that time When he attended the Funeral of Sir Thomas Bodley he had the Degree of Master of Arts voluntarily offer'd him by the University but then he had no occasion for 't having establish'd his reputation upon a better bottom and so it seems So Mr. Wood's but Dr. Smith seems to intimate that he accepted it declin'd it This was all the relation Mr. Camden had to the University of Oxford which he left in the year 1571. From thence he betook himself immediately to London but with what prospect he went or what encouragement he found we have no distinct account I cannot believe that he fell into any particular employment because himself has told us that upon his leaving the University he survey'd a considerable part of England Relictâ Academiâ studio incitato satis magnam Angliae partem fide oculatâ obivi are his own words in his In the beginning of that Treatise Answer to Brooke And he must mean that interval of four or five years between his bidding adieu to Oxford and his advancement to the second Mastership of Westminster-School He had powerful motives to induce him to this search after Antiquities His own natural genius lay so strong that way Ex quo primùm animum studiis excolere coepi inclinatione nescio quâ ad investigandam Antiquitatem totus propendi velim nolim huc me nà tura tulit adeò ut puer in Schola quaecunque huc spectare videbantur avidè arripuerim adolescens in Academiâ cum Philosohpicis pensis vnexus essem omnes cogitationes motusque animi huc contulerim Answer to Brooke pag. 1. that even when he was a School-boy he could neither hear nor see any thing of an antique appearance without more than ordinary attention and notice While he was in the University not a spare hour but it went upon the same business When he came to be engag'd in the tedious business of teaching School Posteà ad urbem accessi ubi etsi laboriosissimo docendi munere fungebar hoc Antiquarium Studium exuere volebam minimè tamen potui Neque enim potest quisque nostrûm subitò fingi aut natura converti Animum semper in haec tanquam arcum intentum habui cùm feriarer non potui non haec studia recolere subinde in has vel illas Angliae parte◠exspatiari Ibid. he would fain have wean'd himself from his old Trade have drawn back his inclinations and have confin'd his thoughts as well as body to the narrow bounds of a School But all was in vain the itch still return'd and stuck so fast by him that he could not get rid of it When a Vacation gave him liberty to look abroad he declares it was not in his power to keep within doors the bent of his own Genius was always pulling him out not to impertinent visits and idle diversions but to entertainments which he relish'd above all these stately Camps and ruinous Castles those venerable Monuments of our Fore-fathers This propensity of nature was seconded by the importunity of Friends and receiv'd very early encouragement from persons of the best rank Answer to Brooke The noble Sir Philip Sidney was always pushing him forward whilst in Oxford and after his removal Britannia in Middlesex the two Goodmans Gabriel and Godfrey Doctors in Divinity kept up his spirits with supplies both of Books and Money The interest also which the former of these had in the Collegiate Church of Westminster procur'd him the place of second Master in that School We cannot imagine but his fame spread in the Kingdom proportionable to his knowledge of it and consequently must not doubt that a person of so great attainments could want applications from all hands to undertake the Antiquities of his native Country But the difficulties on one hand appear'd so very great and the helps on the other so very inconsiderable that nothing could prevail upon him to engage in such a frightful task So that what Collections and Observations he had hitherto made seem to have been only design'd for private satisfaction and to quench a secret thirst which Nature had brought along with him into the world In the mean time Ortelius Answer to Brooke that great restorer of Geography as he terms him took a journey into England and apply'd himself particularly to Mr. Camden as the best Oracle one could possibly consult about the state and affairs of the Kingdom The tender regard he had for the honour of his Country back'd with the authority and perswasion of this great Man wrought him by degrees into some sort of compliance and at last over-rul'd him into a resolution of improving his stock and digesting his Papers in order to the use and satisfaction of the Publick Now he is engag'd in the Work give me leave to trace him through the several steps and advances he made in it and to suspend a little the consideration of other Heads any farther than as they fall in with this Design It was the glory of his Life and therefore his honour is concern'd that it be set in a true Light it is the Work we now publish and upon that score calls for a more particular account He enter'd upon it with almost all the disadvantages that could attend any Undertaking It was a sort of Learning that was then but just peeping into the world when that heat and vehemence of School-Divinity which had possess'd all hearts and hands for so many hundred years before began to cool by little and little For while that humour of Metaphysical nicities continu'd it was so entirely the entertainment and study of the Age that little else could edge in with it No room for Poetry Oratory History But when polite Learning came upon the stage and the sweetness of a Greek or Roman Author began to out-relish the crabbed notions of the School-men the vein turn'd wholly the other way and this latter was thrown out of doors Then the industry of Learned men was entirely employ'd upon publishing and refining such Authors as had lately got footing in the world And yet after all the Historians did not yield that pleasure and satisfaction which might be expected from so much niceness both in language and composition because they could not follow them through all the Scenes of Action nor frame their conceptions to the several marches of the Armies To remove this inconvenience they began to make particular Surveys to fix the old places in their proper
perswasion and a well-grounded zeal let the world judge After so many testimonies Mr. Camden might very well say Epist 19â— My Life and my Writings shall apologize for me and despise the reproaches of one Ibid. Who did not spare the most Reverend and Learned Prelates of our Church Epist 195. nor was asham'd to bely the Lords Deputies of Ireland and others of honourable rank In his Writings he was candid and modest in his conversation easie and innocent and in his whole Life eaven and exemplary He dy'd at Chesilhurst the ninth day of November 1623. in the 'T is by a mistake in his Monument 74. 73d year of his Age. Being remov'd from London on the nineteenth of the same Month he was carry'd to Westminster-Abbey in great pomp The whole College of Heralds attended in their proper habits great numbers of the Nobility and Gentry accompany'd and at their entrance into the Church the Prebends and the other Members receiv'd the Corps in their Vestments with great solemnity and conducted it into the Nave of the Church After the Funeral-Sermon preach'd by Dr. Sutton one of the Prebends they buried him in the South-Isle hard by the learned Casaubon and over against the ingenious Chaucer Over the place is a handsome Monument of white Marble with his Effigies to the middle and in his hand a Book with BRITANNIA inscrib'd on the Leaves Under this is the following Inscription QUI FIDE ANTIQUA ET OPERA ASSIDUA BRITANNICAM ANTIQUITATEM INDAGAVIT SIMPLICITATEM INNATAM HONESTIS STUDIIS EXCOLUIT ANIMI SOLERTIAM CANDORE ILLUSTRAVIT GUILIELMUS CAMDENUS A B. ELIZABETHA R. AD. REGIS ARMORUM CLARENTII TITULO DIGNITATEM EVOCATUS HIC SPE CERTA RESURGENDI IN CHRISTO S. E. Q. OBIIT AN. DNI 1623. 9 NOVEMBRIS AETATIS SUAE 74. M R CAMDEN's PREFACE I Think I may without the least scruple address the courteous Reader in the same words I made use of twenty years ago upon the first Edition of this Book with some very small additions The great Restorer of the old Geography Abraham Ortelius thirty years ago did very earnestly sollicit me to acquaint the World with Britain that ancient Island that is to restore Britain to its Antiquities and its Antiquities to Britain to renew the memory of what was old illustrate what was obscure and settle what was doubtful and to recover some certainty as much as possible in our affairs which either the carelesness of Writers or credulity of vulgar Readers had totally bereft us of A great attempt indeed not to say impossible to which undertaking as no one scarce imagines the Industry requisite so no one really believes it but he who has made the experiment himself Yet as the difficulty of the design discourag'd me on the one side so the honour of my native Country encourag'd me on the other insomuch that whilst I dreaded the task and yet could not decline doing what I was able for the Glory of my Country I found I know not how the greatest contrarieties Fear and Courage which I thought could never have met in one man in strict confederacy within my own Breast However by the blessing of God and my own Industry I set about the work full of resolution thought study and daily contrivance and at spare times devoted my self wholly to it I have made but a timorous search after the Etymology of Britain and its first Inhabitants nor have I positively asserted what admits of doubt for I very well know that the original of Countries are obscure and altogether uncertain over-run as it were with the rust of age and like objects at a great distance from the beholders scarce visible Thus the courses and mouths of great Rivers their turnings their confluence are all well known whilst their Springs for the generality lye hid and undiscover'd I have traced the ancient divisions of Britain and have made a summary Report of the States and judicial Courts of these flourishing Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland I have compendiously settl'd the bounds of each County but not by measure and examin'd the nature of the soil the places of greatest antiquity what Dukes what Earls what Barons there have been I have set down some of the most ancient and honourable Families for 't is impossible to mention them all Let them censure my performance who are able to make a true judgment which perhaps will require some consideration but Time that uncorrupted witness will give the best information when Envy that preys upon the living shall hold its peace Yet this I must say for my self that I have neglected nothing that could give us any considerable light towards the discovery of hidden Truth in matters of Antiquity having gotten some insight into the old British and Saxon Tongues for my assistance I have travell'd very near all over England and have consulted in each County the men of best skill and most general intelligence I have diligently perus'd our own Writers as well as the Greek and Latin ones that mention the least tittle of Britain I have examin'd the publick Records of this Kingdom Ecclesiastical Registers and Libraries Acts Monuments and Memorials of Churches and Cities I have search'd the ancient Rolls and cited them upon occasion in their own stile tho' never so barbarous that by such unquestionable evidence Truth might be restor'd and vindicated Yet possibly I may seem guilty of imprudence and immodesty who tho' but a smatterer in the business of Antiquities have appear'd a scribler upon the stage of this learned age expos'd to the various censures of wise and judicious men But to speak the truth sincerely the natural affection I have for my Country which includes the good will of all the glory of the British original and perswasion of Friends have conquer'd that shyness of mine and forc'd me whether I would or no against my own judgment to undertake a work I am so unfit to prosecute for which I expect on all sides to be attack'd with prejudice censure detraction and reproach Some there are who cry down the study of Antiquity with much contempt as too curious a search after what is past whose authority as I shall not altogether slight so I shall not much regard their judgment Nor am I wholly without reasons sufficient to gain the approbation of men of honesty and integrity who value the honour of their native Country by which I can recommend to them in these studies a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction of mind becoming men of breeding and quality But if there are such men to be found who would be strangers to Learning and their own Country and Foreigners in their own Cities let them please themselves I have not wrote for such humours There are others perhaps who will cavil at the meanness and roughness of my language and the ungentileness of my stile I frankly confess Neither is every word weigh'd in Varro's scale nor did I design to gratifie the Reader with a nosegay
Devonshire weighing 60 pound c. Philosoph Transact Numb 23. 1666. DVRHAM THe Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of Durham collected out of ancient Manuscripts about the time of the Suppression and publisht by Jo. Davies of Kidwelly 1672. The Legend of St. Cuthbert with the Antiquities of the Church of Durham by B. R. Esq 1663. A short Treatise of an ancient Fountain or Vitriolin-Spaw near the City of Durham by E. W. Dr. of Physick 1675. Large Collections relating to the Antiquities of this Bishoprick were made by Mr. Mickleton a very excellent Antiquary ESSEX THe History of Waltham-Abbey by Dr. Fuller then Curate there Lond. 1655. fol. Printed at the end of his Church-History Survey of the County of Essex in a thin Folio MS. by John Norden now in the Library of Sir Edmund Turner 'T is said that Mr. Strangman of Hadley-Castle in Suffolk hath written the Antiquities of Essex It still remains in Manuscript but in what hands I know not A Description of Harwich and Dover-Court by Silas Tailor MS. Mr. John Ouseley Rector of Pantfield a person admirably well verst in the History of our Nation has spent many years in collecting the Antiquities of this County wherein he has been very much assisted by that hopeful young Gentleman Mr. Nicholas Zeakill of Castle-Hedingham who freely communicated the Copies of many publick Records and 't is his request to all who are possest of any Papers relating to Essex that they would likewise please to communicate them It is not long before the World may expect the Work if it meet with that encouragement from the Gentry which an Undertaking of this Nature may justly require GLOCESTERSHIRE THe Laws and Customs of the Miners in the Forest of Dean in the County of Glocester Lond. 1687. 12o. Proposals for printing the Antiquities of Glocestershire were publisht An. 1683. by Mr. Abel Wantner Citizen of Glocester and inhabitant of Minchin-Hampton in the same County He had been twelve years in the collecting but not meeting I suppose with answerable encouragement the Book remains still in Manuscript Annalia Dubrensia upon the yearly celebration of Mr. Robert Dover's Olympick-Games upon Cotswold hills written by 33 of the best Poets of that time Publisht 1636. The Military Government of the City of Glocester by John Corbet Publisht 1651. Certain Speeches made upon the day of the yearly Election of the Officers of the City of Glocester publisht by Jo. Dorne Esq Town-Clerk of the said City An. 1653. Collections relating to the Antiquities of this County were made by Judge Hales which are now I think in Lincolns-Inn-Library London among his other Manuscripts A Description and Draught of Pen-park-hall by Sir Robert Southwell Philosoph Transact Numb 143. 1682 3. A strange and wonderful Discovery of Houses under ground at Cottons-field in Glocestershire HAMSHIRE THe Antiquities and Description of Winchester with an Historical Relation touching several memorable Occurrences relating to the same with a Preamble of the Original of Cities in general Folio MS. by Mr. Trussel A Treatise of the Antiquities of the same City is written by Dr. Bettes MS. Some Remarkables concerning the Monuments in the ancient City of Winchester by Mr. Butler of S. Edmonds-bury The Lieger-Book of S. Crosse MS. in Vellam in the hands of Henry Worsley of Lincolns-Inn Esq HERTFORDSHIRE THe Antiquities of this County are now prepared for the Press by Sir Henry Chancey Kt. Serjeant at Law HVNTINGDONSHIRE HUntingdon-Divertisement or an Interlude for the general Entertainment of the County-feast held at Merchant-Tailors-hall June 30. 1678. Sir Robert Cotton made some progress towards a Survey of this County KENT PErambulation of Kent by William Lambert of Lincolns-Inn Gent. Lond. 1576. 1596. c. A brief Survey of the County of Kent by Richard Kilbourn Lond. 1657. 1659. Philpot's Survey of Kent Another Survey of this County was writ by Mr. Norden and is still in Manuscript The Monuments in this County are collected by John Wever in his Funeral Monuments The History of Gavelkind or the Local Customs of Kent by Mr. Somner An. 1660. The Forts and Ports in Kent by Mr. Somner with the Life of the Author by Mr. Kennet Publish't by Mr. James Brome Oxon. 1693. The Antiquities of Canterbury by Mr. Somner 4o. 1640. Mr. Somner's Vindication of himself about building the Market-house at Canterbury His Treatise about the Fish-bones found in Kent 4o. The Chronicle of Rochester wrote by Edmund Bedenham MS. Textus Roffensis a very ancient MS. belonging to that Church See a more particular account of it in Dr. Hickes's Catalogue MSS. at the end of his Saxon-Grammar Descriptio Itineris Plantarum investigationis ergo suscepti in agrum Cantianum 1632. Survey of the Monastery of Feversham by Tho. Southouse Lond. 1671. 12o. A Philosophical and Medicinal Essay of the Waters of Tunbridge by P. Madan M. D. 1687. LANCASHIRE MAnner of making Salt of Sea-Sand in Lancashire Ray's Northern-words pag. 209. The state of this County in respect of Religion about the beginning of King James 1. by Mr. Urmston MS. in the hands of Thomas Brotherton of Heye Esq Holingsworth's History of Manchester MS. in the Library there Borlaces Latham-Spaw LEICESTERSHIRE THe Antiquities of Leicestershire by William Burton Esq Fol. 1622. The late learned Mr. Chetwind of Staffordshire had a Copy of this in his possession with considerable Additions under the Author 's own hand A brief Relation of the Dissolution of the Earth in the Forest of Charnwood in one sheet 1679. LINCOLNSHIRE SIr William Dugdale's History of Imbanking gives a large account of several Fenns and Marshes in this County The Survey and Antiquities of the Town of Stamford in this County by Richard Butcher Gent. Publisht 1646. A Relation of the great damages done by a Tempest and Overflowing of the Tides in Lincolnshire and Norfolk 1671. MIDDLESEX NOrden's Survey of Middlesex Fitz-Stephens Survey of London The Customs of London Londonopula by James Howel Fol. The present state of London by De Laund 8o. Domus Carthusiana or the Foundation of the Charter-house by Samuel Herne Lond. 1677. Stow's Survey of London 1598. The City-Law translated out of an ancient MS. and printed 1647. Descriptio Plantarum in Ericete Hampstedi per Tho. Johnson in 12o. 1632. The Kings Queens and Nobility buried in Westminster-Abbey 1603. by Mr. Camden The same enlarged by Henr. Keepe 8o. History of S. Paul's by Sir William Dugdale 1658. Fol. The third University of England viz. London being a Treatise of all the Foundations of Colleges Inns of Court c. by Sir George Buck. 1615. Origines Juridiciâ—les by Sir William Dugdale History of Tombs and Monuments in and about the City of London 1668. A Relation of the late dreadful Fire in London as it was reported to the Committee in Parliament 1667. Narrative of the Fire of London by Mr. Edward Waterhouse 1667. London King Charles's Augusta by Sylvanus Morgan A Poem 1648. Grant's Natural and Political Observations upon the Bills of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Near the great pillars on the farthest land The old Iberians haughty souls command Along the Continent where Northern Seas Rowl their vast tides and in cold billows rise Where British nations in long tracts appear And fair-skinn'd Germans ever fam'd in war For these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Britains seem to have respect to those other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Eustathius who wrote a Comment upon him thinks the Britains in Gaul to be here meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are his words and of these Britains the Isles of Britain over against them took their denomination But Avienus and Stephanus in his book of Cities are of another opinion Reâ—igâ—on Moreover there was one and the same Religion in both these Nations Among the Britains saith Tacitus you will find in use the Religion of the Gauls and the people possess'd with the same superstitious persuasions The Gauls saith Solinus after a detestable manner to the injury rather than the honour of Religion offer'd human Sacrifices That the Britains did the very same amongst others Dio Cassius assures us in his Nero. That both Nations had also their Druids Drâ—ids appears plainly by Caesar and Tacitus Out of the first I shall here insert an entire place concerning this subject The Druids are present at all divine offices look after all both publick and private sacrifices and interpret the mysteries of religion The youth in great numbers apply themselves to these Druids for education and all people have a great reverence for them For generally in all controversies as well publick as private it is they that make the determination And whenever there is any outrage or murder committed when any suites arise about estates or disputes about bounds all is left to their judgment They appoint rewards and punishments at their discretion If any either private person or body of people abide not by their decree they forbid him the Sacrifices This among them is esteem'd the most grievous of all punishments Those who are thus interdicted are reckon'd the most profligate of mankind all men studiously decline their company and conversation and shun their approach as if they feared some real infection They are excluded from the benefit of the law can sue no man and are uncapable of all honours Amongst all these Druids there is one chief who hath the supream authority Upon his death his Successor is some one that hath the best repute amongst them if there be any such but if there be several of equal worth and merit he succeeds by the election of the Druids Sometimes the sword decides which party shall carry it These Druids at a set time every year have a general assembly in the territories of the Carnutes that lyes about the midst of Gaul in a certain place consecrated to that purpose Hither resort from all parts such as have any controversies depending and are wholly determin'd by the Druids Å¿ The Britains and Gauls having the same Religion does plainly argue an Alliance as Mr. Camden urges but if the discipline of the Druids so considerable both for religion and Government were as Caesar observes first found in Britain and thence convey'd into Gaul does it not seem to intimate that Britain must have been peopled before Gaul as having by longer experience arrived at a more compleat scheme of religion and government Besides if our Island had been peopled from Gaul would it not look probable to say they must bring along with them the religion and discipline of the place This sort of religious profession is thought to have been first in Britain and from thence carry'd over into Gaul And even now those that desire throughly to be instructed in their mysteries for the most part travel into Britain The Druids are exempt from all military duties nor do they pay tribute like the rest of the people And as they are excused from serving in the wars so are they also from all other troublesome charges whatsoever These great privileges are a cause that they have many disciples some address themselves to be admitted others are sent to them by their parents or kindred There they make them as it is said learn by heart a great number of verses and thus they continue under this discipline for several years not being allow'd by their rules to commit what they are taught to writing although almost in all other their affairs both publick and private they make use of the t But from hence we must not conclude that they had any knowledge of the Greek tongue Nay Caesar himself when he writ to Quintus Cicero besieg'd at that time somewhere among the Nervians penn'd his Letter in Greek lest it should be intercepted and so give intelligence to the Enemy Which had been but a poor projâ—ct if the Druids who were the great Ministers of State had been masters of the language The learned Selden is of opinion that the word Graecis has crept into the copies and is no part of the original And it was natural enough for Caesar in his observations of the difference between the management of their discipline and their other affairs to say in general that in one they made use of letters and not in the other without specifying any particulars Greek Character This rule they have settl'd amongst them I suppose for two reasons First because they would not have the vulgar made acquainted with their mysterious learning and next because they would have their scholars use and exercise their memories and not trust to what they have in writing as we see it often happen that when men rely too much upon that help both their diligence in learning and care in retaining do equally abate One of the principal points they teach is the Immortality and Transmigration of Souls And this doctrine removing the fear of death they look upon as most proper to excite their courage They also make discourses to their Scholars concerning the stars and their motions concerning the magnitude of the heaven and the earth the nature of things and the power and majesty of the immortal Gods Whereupon Lucan thus addresses himself to them Et vos barbaricos ritus moremque sinistrum Sacrorum Druidae positis repetistis ab armis Solis nosse Deos coeli sydera vobis Aut solis nescire datum Nemora alta remotis Incolitis lucis vobis authoribus umbrae Non tacitas Erebi sedes Ditisque profundi Pallida regna petunt Regit idem spiritus artus Orbe alio longae canitis si cognita vitae Mors media est Certe populi quos despicit Arctos Foelices errore suo quos ille timorum Maximus haud urget lethi metus inde ruendi In ferrum mens prona viris animaeque capaces Mortis ignavum est rediturae parcere vitae And you O Druids free from noise and arms Renew'd your barbarous rites and horrid charms What Gods what Powers
represented by them and hence that of Virgil Purpureaque intexti tollant aulaea Britanni And how the tap'stry where themselves are wrought The British slaves pull down And the Britains were not only appointed to serve the theater In the Gardens of Cardinal de Carpento but also tho' this is by the by the Emperor's Sedan as appears by an old Inscription of that age which makes mention of a Decurio over the British * Lecticartorum Sedan-men Of this Conquest of Caesar's thus an ancient poet Vis invicta viri reparata classe Britannos Vicit hostiles Rheni compescuit undas Unconquer'd force his fleet new rigg'd o'recame The British Troops and Rhine's rebellious Stream To this also may be referr'd that of Claudian concerning the Roman valour Nec stetit oceano remisque ingressa profundum Vincendos alio quaesivit in orbe Britannos Nor stop'd he here but urg'd the boundless flood And sought new British Worlds to be subdued Moreover Cicero in a poem now lost intitl'd Quadrigae extols Caesar for his exploits in Britain to the very skies in a poetical chariot as it were and this we have upon the authority of Ferrerius Pedemontanus For thus he writes I will draw Britain in your colours but with my own pencil However others are of opinion that he only frighted the Britains by a successful battle or as Lucan says who was hardly just to Caesar Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis Fled from the Britains whom his arms had sought Tacitus a grave solid Author writes that he did not conquer Britain but only shew'd it to the Romans Horace hints as if he only touch'd it when flattering Augustus he says the Britains were * Iâ—tactum not meddled withall Intactus aut Britannus ut descenderet Sacra catenatus via Or Britains yet untouch'd in chains should come To grace thy triumph through the streets of Rome And Propertius Te manet invictus Romano Marte Britannus Britain that scorn'd the yoak of our command Expects her fate from your victorious hand So far is that of the Court-historian Velleius Peterculus from being true Caesar pass'd twice through Britain when it was hardly ever enter'd by him For many years after this expedition of Caesar this Island was subject to its own Kings Dio. and govern'd by its own Laws Augustus Augustus seems out of policy to have neglected this Island for he calls it wisdom as Tacitus says and perhaps it really seem'd so to him that the Roman Empire should be bounded i.e. that the Ocean the Istre and the Euphrates were the limits which nature had set to it that so it might be an adamantine Empire for so Augustus expresses it in Julian and not In the Caeâ—ars like a ship which is too big prove unweildly and sink under its own weight and greatness as it has usually happen'd to other great States Or else as Strabo thinks he contemn'd it as if its enmity was neither worth fearing nor its benefit worth having and yet they thought no small damage might be done them by those other Countreys about it But whatever might be the cause this is certain that after Julius and the Civil Wars of the Empire broke out Britain for a long while was not heeded by the Romans even in peaceful times Yet at last Augustus was on his Journey from Rome to invade Britain Whereupon Horace at that time to Fortune at Antium Serves iturum Caesarem in ultimos Orbis Britannos Preserve great Caesar while his arms he bends To seek new foes in Britain's farthest lands And after he had gone as far as Gaul the Britains sent their addresses to him for peace and some petty Princes of them having obtained his favour by Embassies and their good services made oblations in the Capitol Strabo and made the whole Island almost intimate and familiar to the Romans so that they paid all imposts very contentedly as they do at this day for such commodities as were convey'd to and fro between Gaul and Britain Now these were ivory bridles * Torques Chains amber and glass Vessels and such like poor common sort of ware And therefore there needs no garison in that Island For it would require at least one Legion and some hâ—rse if tribute was to be rais'd out of it and that would hardly defray the charge of the garison for the imposts must necessarily be abated if a tribute was impos'd and when violent courses are once taken danger may be look'd for The next year likewise he intended to make a descent into Britain for breach of treaty and covenants but he was diverted by an insurrection of the Cantabri and others in Spain And therefore there is no reason to believe Landinus Servius or Philargirus who would conclude that Augustus triumph'd over the Britains from those verses of Virgil Et duo rapta manu diverso ex hoste trophaea Bisque triumphatas utroque a littore gentes Gain'd from two foes two trophies in his hands Two nations conquer'd on the neighbouring strands To that surrender of the Britains without question this of Horace relates Caelo tonantem credidimus Jovem Regnare praesens divus habebitur Augustus adjectis Britannis Imperio gravibusque Persis When thundring Jove we heard before Trembling we own'd his heavenly power To Caesar now we 'll humbly bow Caesar's a greater god below When conquer'd Britain sheaths her sword And haughty Persia calls him Lord. Tiberius Tiberius seems to have follow'd the counsel of Augustus and not to have been ambitious of extending the bounds of his empire for he produc'd a book written by Augustus's own hand containing the account of the Empire how many citizens and allies were in arms the number of fleets kingdoms provinces tributes or imposts belonging to the State with his advice at last of keeping the Empire within bounds VVhich in particuar as Tacitus says pleas'd him so well that he made no attempt upon Britain nor kept any garison there For where Tacitus reckons up the legions and in what countreys they were garison'd at that time he makes no mention of Britain Yet the Britains seem to have continued in amity with the Romans For Germanicus being on a voyage at that time and some of his men being driven by stress of weather upon this Island the petty Princes here sent them home again It is evident enough that Caius Caesar did design to invade this Island C. Caligula but his own fickle and unsteady temper and the ill success of his great armies in Germany prevented it Suetonius in Caligula For to the end he might terrifie Britain and Germany to both which he threaten'd an invasion with the same of some prodigious work he made a bridge between the Baiae and the Piles of Puteoli three miles and six hundred paces in length But did nothing more in this expedition than receive Adminius Adminius the son of Cunobellin a King of the
once in one war To conclude Claudius having disarmed the Britains leaves Plautius to govern them and to subdue the rest and returns himself to Rome having sent Pompeius and Silanus his sons in law before him with the news of his victory Thus Dio. But Suetonius says that he had a part of the Island surrender'd to him without the hazard of a battle or the expence of blood His stay in Britain was about sixteen days and in that time he remitted to the British Nobility the confiscation of their goods for which favour they frequented his temple and adored him as a God And now after six months absence he returns to Rome It was esteemed so great an action to conquer but a small part of Britain that anniversary games triumphal arches both at Rome and at Bullogne in France and lastly a glorious triumph was decreed by the Senate in honour of Claudius and to see it the governors of provinces and some outlaws were permitted to be present Upon the top of the Emperor's palace was fixed a naval crown to imply his conquest and sovereignty of the British sea The provinces contributed golden crowns Gallia Comata one of nine pound weight and the hither-Spain one of seven His entry up into the Capitol was upon his knees supported by his sons in law on each side into the Adriatick sea in a great house triumphant rather than in a great ship The first seat was allowed to his consort Messalina and it was farther ordain'd by the Senate that she should be carried in a * Carpento Chariot After this he made triumphal games taking the Consulship upon him for that end These plays were shew'd at once in two theatres and many times upon his going out they were committed to the charge of others Horse-races were allowed as many as could be run that day yet they were in all but ten matches for between every course there was bear-baitings wrestlings and pyrrhick dancings by boys sent from Asia for that purpose He also conferr'd triumphal honours upon Valerius Asiaticus Julius Silanus Sidius Geta and others for this victory Licinius Crassus Frugi was allowed to ride next after him in trappings and in a * Veste palmatā robe of date-tree-work Upon Posidius Spado he bestow'd * Hastam puram a Spear without an head to C. Gavius he gave chains bracelets horse-trappings and a crown of gold as may be seen in an antient marble at * Taurini Turin In the mean time Aulus Plautius carries on the war with such success that Claudius decree'd him an Ovation and went to receive him as he enter'd into the city giving him the right-hand both as he rid to the Capitol and return'd from it And now Vespasian Vespasian began to appear in the world who being made an Officer in this war in Britain by Claudius partly under Claudius himself and partly under the conduct of Plautius fought the enemy thirty times subdu'd two of their most potent nations took above twenty towns and conquer'd the Isle of Wight Sueton. in Vespasian c. 4. Upon this account he was honour'd with triumphal Ornaments and twice with the Priesthood in a short time and then besides with the Consulship which he enjoy'd the two last months of the year Here also Titus serv'd as Tribune under his father with the reputation of a laborious stout soldier for he valiantly set his father at liberty when besieg'd and no less famous for the character of a modest man Suet. Titus c. ◠as appears by the number of his Images and the titles to them throughout Germany and Britain What was transacted afterwards in Britain till towards the latter end of Domitian's reign Tacitus who is best able shall inform you P. Ostorius Propraetor in Britain P. Ostorius Propraetor found affairs in disorder by reason of the many inrodes into the Country of their Allies and those the more outragiously because they did not expect that a General but newly made and unacquainted with the army would take the field in the winter to oppose them But Ostorius being sensible that first events would either cast or raise his reputation with such Cohorts as were next at hand sets out against them slew those who withstood him and pursu'd the rest who were dispers'd and routed that they might not unite again and rally And because an odious and slight peace would be neither easie to the General nor his Army he prepares to disarm the suspicious and to post his forces so upon the rivers Antona and Sabrina as to check them upon all occasions But first the Iceni Iceni could not brook this a potent nation and not yet diminish'd by wars having before sought alliance with the Romans By their example the other bordering nations rise likewise encamping in a proper place fenc'd with an earthen rampier and accessible by a narrow passage only to prevent the entrance of the horse The Roman General though without his Legions drew up his Auxiliary troops to attack the Camp and having posted his Cohorts to the best advantage for the assault brings up the Horse likewise for the same service Thus upon the signal given they forc'd the rampart and disorder'd the Enemy pent up and hinder'd by their own entrenchments However they defended themselves with great valor being conscious of their own baseness in revolting and sensible that their escape was impossible M. Ostorius the Lieutenant's son had the honor of saving a citizen in this battle By this defeat of the Iceni other States that were then wavering were compos'd and setled and so he marches with his army among the Cangi Cangi wasting the fields and ravaging the Country Nor durst the enemy engage us or if by ambuscade they happen'd to fall upon our rear they suffer'd for their attempt And now he was advanc'd * Quod hyberniam Insulam aspectat Brigantes as far almost as the Irish Sea when a sedition among the Brigantes drew him back again resolving to make no new conquests till he had secur'd the old The Brigantes were soon quieted the more factious of them being punished and the rest pardoned But the Silures were neither by severity nor mercy to be reclaim'd from their resolutions to a continual war and therefore a Legion was encampt there to awe and restrain them The Colony of Camalodunum To further this Camalodunum a Roman Colony with a strong body of Veterans was planted in the new conquests as a ready aid to withstand revolts and a means to induce their Allies to observe laws Some cities were after the old Roman manner given to King Cogidunus that Kings themselves migh be their tools to enslave others From hence they marched into the country of the Silures who besides their own natural fierceness rely'd much upon the valor of Caractacus Caractacus eminent above all the Commanders in Britain for his experience in affairs either doubtful or prosperous He knowing the Country as
Caelius him with the ruine and beggery of the Legions During these quarrels and contentions all sense of respect and deference was lost in the Army At last the disorder was so great that Trebellius being deserted by the wings of his Army and the cohorts who went over to Caelius and lastly reviled and affronted by the Auxiliaries was forced to fly to Vitellius Notwithstanding the absence and removal of the Consular Lieutenant the Province continued quiet and peaceable govern'd by the Lieutenants of the particular Legions all of equal authority though Caelius's boldness gain'd him more sway than the rest During the civil war between Galba Otho and Vitellius Vectius Polanus Propraetor Vectius Bolanus was sent by Vitellius to succeed him He made no reformation of discipline was as little troublesome to the enemy as his predecessor and as careless of the licentiousness of his army only this difference there was that Bolanus was innocent and free from crimes which might make him odious so that instead of awe and authority he had gain'd the love of his Army And although Vitellius sent for some supplies out of Britain yet Bolanus deferred it upon a pretence that Britain was not so well quieted as to admit it But soon after the great esteem of Vespasian in this Province induc'd Britain to declare for him for he had commanded the second Legion here under Claudius and was eminent for his bravery and conduct Yet this revolt was not without opposition from the other Legions in which many Captains and soldiers being advanc'd by Vitellius were very loth to change a Prince who was so well known among them The soldiers of the fourteenth Legion call'd the Conquerors of Britain being remov'd from hence to the Caspian war by Nero and after as they sided with Otho defeated were sent into Britain again by Vitellius but recall'd by Mutianus During this civil war there was no mutinies in the British army And indeed in all the civil wars of the Empire the troops there were more peaceable and quiet than in any other provinces perhaps their distance and separation from the rest of the world by the ocean might cause it or possibly by the many expeditions they had made they might the less relish the entertainment of an enemy Yet by these publick dissentions and the frequent news of them the Britains upon Venusius 's instigation began to think how they might shake off the yoke of that Empire for besides a fierce heady temper that was natural to him and a hatred to the Romans he was spurr'd on in this attempt by a peculiar spight at his Queen Cartismandua Cartismâ—â—dua Cartismandua govern'd the Brigantes nobly descended and more powerful than ever since she had treacherously taken King Caractacus and done Claudius Caesar a kind of triumph by presenting him to that Emperor for that famous shew of Caractacus to the people was a sort of Triumph From hence grew riches and from them luxury so that despising her husband Venusius and having intercepted his relations she made Vellocatus her husband's armour-bearer partner of her bed and throne The Royal family was soon shaken with this wickedness the city adhering to the husband and the Queen's lust and cruelty to the adulterer Venusius therefore having drawn in all the assistance he could and joyn'd the Brigantes who themselves had revolted to him reduc'd her to the last extremities She applied her self to the Romans for relief and after many engagements was at last rescu'd out of dangerous circumstances by our forces However the Kingdom fell to Venusius and the War to us Now Vespasian the Emperor Julius Agricola Lâ—gio xx while Mutianus govern'd the City under Vespasian Julius Agricola who had declar'd for Vespasian and was a person of great integrity and valour was made Commander of the twentieth legion in Britain which had declin'd the Oath for a long time and there he heard that his predecessor had carried himself seditiously For that legion had run a-head and became formidable even to the Consular Legats The Praetorian Legat was not able to rule them but whether through his own ill dispositions or those of the souldiers is uncertain Thus being appointed to succeed him and to punish them he took such an admirable mean as to seem rather to have found them dutiful than to have made them so And though Vectius Bolanus was then Lieutenant here and govern'd more mildly than was fit for so fierce a Province yet Agricola laid a restraint upon himself and smother'd the heat of his own temper that it might not increase and grow visible knowing very well the necessity of complaisance and of mixing his profit with his honour But when Vespasian with the rest of the world had gain'd Britain also he sent great Captains and brave Armies here and the enemies hopes were abated Petilius Cereaiis Propraetor Petilius Cerialis enter'd the country of the Brigantes with great terrour possess'd by the most numerous people of this Province to whom he gave many and some of them very bloody defeats and indeed either spoil'd or conquer'd the greatest part of their country Thus Cerialis seem'd to have eclipsed the fame and conduct of any that could come after him when Julius Frontinus Julius Frontinus Propraetor a great man and as eminent as could be after such a predecessor succeeded to the same charge with like glory He subdued the strong and warlike nation of the Silures where he had not only a stout enemy but great difficulties also from the situation and nature of the country to cope with In this state was Britain and in this posture was the war when Agricola was sent over in the middle of summer Our souldiers minds and hopes were bent upon rest and an end of the war for that year and the enemy intent upon a fair opportunity to begin it The Ordovices a little before the arrival of Agricola had almost entirely routed a wing of ours that was quartered in the frontiers of their country and by this means the whole Province was ready to break out all approving the example either as desirous of war or to see the mind and worth of the new Lieutenant Agricola though the summer was almost over and though his souldiers lay dispers'd up and down the Province expecting no farther trouble for that year all which retarded and cross'd his expedition and though some thought it more advisable to secure such places as were suspicious yet he resolves to forestall these dangers and having drawn together the Ensigns of the Legions and a pretty good body of Auxiliaries and finding the Ordovices durst not come down into the plains he drew up his men and put himself at the head of them that by exposing himself a-like in danger he might make them equally couragious Having almost cut off this whole nation and knowing he must push on to gain a reputation and that every thing hereafter would fall answerable to the event of his
of Atilius Rufus Lieutenant and reserv'd for some persons of quality was designed for him 'T was also commonly thought that he sent a Free-man one of his Cabinet-Council to Agricola with a Commission for Syria and instructions that if he were in Britain it should be delivered and that the messenger meeting Agricola upon the sea spoke not one word of it but returned with it to Domitian yet whether this be true or a bare surmise as agreeable enough by the carriage of that Prince is uncertain However Agricola had surrendered up his Province peaceable and quiet to his Successor And now that his entry to Rome might be obscure and private he came as he was order'd by night into the city and at night was admitted into the Palace where the Emperor receiv'd him with a dry kiss and spoke not one word to him and so drew off among the rest of the Attendants Agricola's successor according to some was Cn. Trebellius in my opinion Salustius Lucullus Sallustius Luâ—â—â—lus Lieutenant of Bâ—itain Arviragus the Britain who was soon put to death by Domitian for suffering a new sort of spears to be called Lameae Luculleae At which time f Stilling sleet's Orig. Britan. p. 35. Arviragus flourisht in this Island and not in Claudius's time as Geffry of Monmouth imagines For that of Juvenal is to be understood of Domitian Omen habes inquit magni clarique triumphi Regem aliquem capies aut de temone Britanno Excidet * Calâ—â—d Arbela in an old Scholiast of Juvenal Arviragus The mighty omen see He cries of some illustrious victory Some captive King thee his new Lord shall own Or from his British chariot headlong thrown The proud Arviragus comes tumbling down Then also flourished at Rome Claudia Rufina a British Lady eminent for her extraordinary beauty and learning commended by Martial in these verses Claudia caeruleis cum sit Rufina Britannis Edita cur Latiae pectora plebis habet Quale decus formae Romanam credere matres Italides possunt Atthides esse suam Among the painted Britains Claudia born By what strange arts did you to Roman turn What shapes what heavenly charms enough to raise A noble strife in Italy and Greece This is she that St. Paul mentions in his second Epistle to Timothy according to J. Bale and Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury nor is it inconsistent with Chronology though others differ from that opinion And thus in Domitian's time Britain a Province the farther part of this Island was left to the Barbarians as neither pleasant nor fruitful but this hither part was fairly reduced to a compleat Province which was not govern'd by Consular or Proconsular Deputies Britain â— Praesidiâ—l Province but was counted Praesidial and appropriate to the Caesars as being a Province annext to the Empire after the division of Provinces made by Augustus and having Propraetors of its own Afterwards when Constantine the Great had new model'd the Commonwealth this Province was govern'd by a Deputy under the Praetorian Lieutenant of Gaul together with the Count of Britain the Count of the Saxon shore throughout Britain and the Duke of Britain in times of war besides praesidents receivers c. But farther out of those 29 Legions which were the constant and standing guard of the Roman Empire What Legions were in Britain Dio 55. three of them were garison'd here namely the Legio secunda Augusta the Legio sexta victrix and the vicesima victrix But this is to be understood of Severus's time for before that we find there were other Legions here and many more And although Strabo writes that one * Ordo Legion of soldiers was sufficient to command Britain yet under Claudius the Legio secunda Augusta the Legio 9. of Spain and the 14th Legion call'd Gemina Martia victrix were kept here nay even in Vespasian's time Josephus tells us there were four Legions garison'd in this Island The words are Britain is encompassed with the sea and is not much less than our world The inhabitants are subject to the Romans who keep the numerous people of that Island in subjection with four Legions â—â—iâ—ine of Cities And doubtless these stations and garisons of the Legions and Roman soldiers a Upon this account it is that so many of our famous Towns end in châ—ster which is nothing but the remains of the old Roman Castra prov'd very often the foundations of Towns and Cities and that not only in other Provinces â—he Roâ—an yoke but in Britain too Thus the yoke of subjection was first laid upon the Britains by troops and garisons which were constantly kept here to the great terror of the Inhabitants and then by tribute and imposts upon which account they had their Publicans that is to say Cormorants and Leeches to suck the blood out of them to confiscate their goods and exact tribute Mortuo â—um noâ—â—ne in the name of the dead They were not permitted so much as to enjoy the laws of their own country but had their courts and benches fill'd by such Magistrates as the Romans sent them â—owardus 〈◊〉 his Proâ—â—bunalia with their rods and axes For the Provinces had their Propraetors Legats Praesidents Praetors and Proconsuls and each particular City its peculiar Magistrates The Praetor held a kind of Assize once every year and then decided all causes of more than ordinary consequence sitting in great state upon a high Tribunal with his Lictors round him bearing rods and axes for the awe and punishment of the people This Magistrate was every year to be appointed anew but that was not all neither they fomented discord and faction among the people giving great countenance to such as they could make tools of to enslave others Yet however grievous this yoke was it prov'd of very good consequence to us For together with it came in the blessed Doctrine of Christ Jesus of which hereafter and upon the light of his glorious Empire barbarism soon vanish'd from among the Britains as it had done in all other places upon the approach of it For Rome as Rutilius says Legiferis mundum complexa triumphis Foedere communi vivere cuncta facit Triumphant all the world commands And with new laws unites the conquer'd lands And in another place very elegantly and very truly to the same Fecisti patriam diversis gentibus unam Profuit injustis te dominante capi Dumque offers victis proprii consortia juris Urbem fecisti quod priùs orbis erat All countries now in one vast nation joyn And happily subdu'd their Rites resign Thy juster laws are every where obey'd And a great city of the world is made For not to mention the other Provinces the Romans by planting their Colonies here and reducing the natives under the forms of Civil Government and Society by instructing them in the liberal Arts and sending them into Gaul to learn the laws of the Roman Empire whence that of
design he openly declares him an enemy and with all the dispatch he could marches into Gaul against him where Albinus with the choice of his British army had posted himself to receive him Upon engaging the Albinianites fought so stoutly that Severus threw off his purple and was put to the rout with his whole army But the Britains pursuing the enemy in some disorder as if the victory was already theirs Laetus who was one of Severus's Captains and stood expecting the issue with his men fresh and untouch'd now hearing that Severus was cut off and thinking that he himself might set up for Emperor fell upon them and put them to flight Upon this Severus having rallied his men and reassum'd his purple pursued them likewise with great eagerness and so came off with success having among many others slain Albinus himself And now Severus sole Emperor of the whole world first sent Heraclianus Heraclianus Propraetor D. l. 28. Tit. 6. Virius Lupus Propraetor and then Virius Lupus Propraetor and Legate call'd by Ulpian the Lawyer President of Britain to take possession of Britain This Virius Lupus as we shall observe in its proper place repaired many Castles here However he was at long run forc'd to buy a peace of the Maeatae at a great rate having made some of them prisoners because the Caledonii who had promised to check the excursions of the Maeatae had not perform'd that Article And finding himself unable to curb them in their inroads after much calamity suffer'd from 'em he sent for Severus himself in person to his assistance Severus embraced the occasion very joyfully both that he might wean his sons who grew luxurious and debauch'd from the pleasures of the City and add the name of Britannicus to his other titles and though now above sixty years old and withall gouty he resolves upon this expedition together with his sons Bassianus whom he call'd Antoninus and Augustus and Geta Caesar with the legions The Britains sent Embassadors immediately to offer peace whom after he had designedly stay'd a long time till all things were prepar'd and ready for the war he dismiss'd without coming to any conclusion and having left his son Geta whom at his first arrival in Britain he made Augustus in the hither part of the Island which was in subjection to the Romans that he might administer justice and government among them he himself with Antoninus march'd into the remoter parts of the country where without coming to any battle he employ'd himself in cutting down the woods building bridges and draining the fens and yet by ambuscade and sickness lost fifty thousand of his men Thus Dio. But Herodian makes him to have had several skirmishes with success while the Barbarians from the fens and thick woods where they had posted themselves sallied out upon the Romans At last however he forc'd them to a league upon condition that they should part with no small share of their country to him And that which is the most glorious action in his reign he built a wall from sea to sea quite cross the Island Upon the account of these victories he stamp'd his coins with this Inscription VICTORIA BRITANNICA and assum'd the title of Britannicus Maximus His son Geta had also the title of Britannicus as appears by his coins Yet without observing this league the Britains began afterwards to revolt which gall'd him to that degree that in an Oration to his soldiers he recommended the utter extirpation of them in those Verses of Homer Nemo manus fugiat vestras caedemque cruentam Non faetus gravida mater quem gestat in alvo Horrendam effugiat caedem Let none your mercy share Let none escape the fury of the war Children unborn shall die Having in some sort quieted these Rebels he dy'd at York not so much out of any infirmity of body as out of grief and concern at the wickedness of his son Antoninus who with his own hands had made two several attempts upon his life with these words in his mouth I receiv'd the Commonwealth disorder'd in all parts of it and I leave it in peace even among the Britains His corps was after their military way carried out by the souldiers put in the fire and the day solemniz'd with races by the souldiers and his sons Perhaps it would look like a piece of levity in me if I should relate the prodigies that happen'd before his death namely the blackness of the sacrifices the cypress crown offer'd him by a saucy buffoon in these words You have been every thing now be a God The method since it may divert the reader I will here subscribe The Apotheosis or Deification of the Emperor It is a custom among the Romans to consecrate those Emperors who die leaving either sons or successors behind them And they who are thus honour'd are thought to be rank'd among the Divi. Now the city is to be all in mourning Herodian with some allay of festival solemnity For they bury his body as they do those of others in great state The Image of the deceased person they draw as near as they can and lay the same in the entry to the palace upon an ivory bed very large and high with a cloth of gold spread over it And this Image lies pale here to resemble the deceased person The bed is attended the greatest part of the day on both sides of it on the left side all the Senators in mourning habits and on the right the Matrons whether honourable by descent or marriage Of these no one is either to wear gold or jewels but to be dress'd in a thin white garment like mourners This solemnity continues for seven days Physicians coming in daily to visit him and as if the body were a real patient still signifying they have less and less hopes of him At length when they find the party to be quite dead the young men of best quality among the Knights and Senators take up the said bed upon their shoulders and carry it by the via sacra into the old Forum where the magistrates of Rome us'd to lay down their offices Now on both sides the Forum were certain steps like stairs upon these on the one side stood the young sons of the senators and most eminent men in the city on the other the principal Ladies singing hymns and sonnets after a melancholy and mournful manner in praise of the dead person When this is done they take up the bed again and carry it into Mars's Field in the broadest part whereof is erected a square Rostrum eaven on all sides and built of nothing but great timber like a tabernacle The inside of it is stuff'd with combustible matter the outside of it is adorn'd with hangings richly embroider'd with gold and works of ivory and beautified with several pictures Within this stood another much less but of the same make and furniture with wide gates and doors in it Above that likewise a
base and vile she was thought so she but gained Christ. Constantius her husband is no less commended for his piety Eusâ—bâ—uâ— A man who rejecting the superstition and impiety of worshipping many Gods has frankly own'd the being but of one God Governour of all things Whereupon to discover the creed of his own Courtiers he gave them free liberty either to sacrifice to their Gods and stay with him or to refuse and be gone But those that chose to go rather than leave the worship of the true God he retain'd with him cashiering those who had hereupon declin'd the worship of the true God imagining that such would prove treacherous and disloyal to him also This excellent Emperor dy'd in his last expedition in Britain against the Caledonians and others of the Picts at York and was as he had appointed succeeded by his Son Constantine See Suidas why he was câ—lled Poor who had been declared Caesar Some few days before the death of Constantius his Son Constantine went post from Rome to York Constantine the Great Em. having fresh horses provided him at every stage for that purpose and that no one might follow him he took care to lame all the horses belonging to the state for those services save only such as were for his own use and there he received the last gasp from his dying father Hence an antient Orator thus to him You enter'd the sacred Palace not as ambitious of the Empire but as one ordain'd and appointed and forthwith your father's family had the happiness of seeing you in right succeed him Fâ—r there was no doubt but he had the right and title who was the first son that providence bestowed upon the Emperor However he seem'd to be forced upon this great dignity by the soldiers and particularly by the importunity of Erocus King of the Almans who went along with him to assist him The Soldiers with regard to the publick A Panâ—gyrick spoken to Constantine the Great and not out of private affection put the royal robes upon him he wept at it and spurr'd away his horse that he might avoid the importunity of the army c. but his modesty at last yeilded to the good and happiness of the Commonwealth Hence the Panegyrist exclaims O fortunate Britain and now happy above all lands in first seeing Constantine Caesar Caesar as soon as settled in the throne prosecuted those wars his father had carried on against the Caledonians and Picts sell upon the remoter parts of Britain that as one says Gelasius Cizicenus l. 1. Act. Conc. Nicen c. 3. are the witnesses of the sun's setting and the people of the Islands thereabouts conquer'd some of them by dint of force others for he had Rome and greater things in his eye at that time he drew to his alliance by sums of money nay some that were his enemies he so reconciled as to be his friends and others who were his inveterate adversaries he drew over to be his perfect intimates After that he made such a glorious Conquest of the Franks in Batavia that golden coins whereof I have seen one were stamp'd with the image of a woman sitting under a trophy resting one hand upon a Cross-bow with this subscription FRANCIA and GAUDIUM ROMANORUM round it So having defeated the other Barbarians in Germany and reconcil'd the Germans and the Gauls to him he drew his soldiers out of Britain Gaul and Germany amounting to the number of 90000 foot and 80000 horse and set forward for Italy Maxentius who at Rome then laid claim to the Empire was likewise overcome by him and thus having defeated the tyrant and reduc'd Italy he restor'd the world to the blessings of peace and liberty And as it is in an old Inscription INSTINCTU DIVINITATIS MENTIS MAGNITUDINE CUM EXERCITU SUO TAM DE TYRANNO QUAM DE OMNI EJUS FACTIONE UNO TEMPORE JUSTIS REMPUBLICAM ULTUS EST ARMIS i.e. By divine instinct and the greatness of his own soul he managed his forces so as to triumph both over the Tyrant and all his adherents and so at once by a just war did revenge the quarrel of the Republick However that he return'd to Britain is hinted to us by Eusebius in these words At last Constantine sailed over to Britain surrounded by the sea and having overcome them he began to think of other parts of the World that he might relieve them who were in distress and needed it Likewise in another place After he had instill'd the pious principles of humanity and modesty into his army he invaded Britain as a country enclosed by the sea which as it were terminates the Sun's setting with its coasts Of Britain those Verses of Optatianus Porphyrius to Constantine are to be understood Omnis ab Arctois plaga finibus horrida Cauro Pacis amat cana comperta perennia jura Et tibi fida tuis semper bene militat armis Resque gerit virtute tuas populosque feroces Propellit ceditque lubens tibi debita rata Et tua victores sors accipit hinc tibi fortes Teque duce invictae attollant signa cohortes The Northern nation vex'd with Western storms To your commands and peaceful laws conforms Serves in your arms and to your colours true Subdu'd herself helps others to subdue Her easie tribute uncompell'd she pays While your brave troops your conq'ring Eagles raise And heaven rewards you with deserv'd success About this time as is manifest from the Theodosian Code Pacatianus was Vicegerent in Britain Pacatiaâ—â—â— vicegerenâ— of Britaâ—â— in the 13 year of Constantine the Great for then there was no such thing as a Propraetor and Legate but in lieu thereof a Vicarius This Emperor was very happy in the enjoyment of much praise and commendation and he highly deserv'd it For he not only set the Roman Empire at liberty but dispelling the clouds of superstition which were great at that time he introduc'd the pure light of the Gospel opened temples for the worship of the true God and shut up those that were dedicated to the false For as soon as the storm of that persecution was over those faithful servants of Christ who had withdrawn in those dangerous times and absconded in the woods deserts and private caves began to appear in publick They rebuilt the Churches that were thrown down laid the foundations of Temples in honour of the holy martyrs and continued to go on and finish them and as if it were to manifest and display the banners of their victory they celebrated festivals and with pure hearts and hands performed their holy solemnities And therefore he is honoured with these Titles IMPERATOR FORTISSIMUS AC BEATISSIMUS PIISSIMUS FOELIX URBIS LIBERATOR QUIETIS FUNDATOR REIPUBLICAE INSTAURATOR PUBLICAE LIBERTATIS AUCTOR RESTITUTOR URBIS ROMAE ATQUE ORBIS MAGNUS MAXIMUS INVICTUS INVICTISSIMUS PERPETUUS SEMPER AUGUSTUS RERUM HUMANARUM OPTIMUS PRINCEPS VIRTUTE FORTISSIMUS ET PIETATE CLEMENTISSIMUS Et
his power But he was soon after recalled and succeeded by Jovinus who sent back †Possibly a place corrupted Theodosius Proventusides with all speed to intimate the necessity there was of greater supplies and how much the present state of affairs required it At last upon the great distress that Island was reported to be in Theodosius was dispatch'd hither eminent for his exploits and good fortune He having selected a strong body of men out of the Legions and Cohorts began this expedition with great hopes The Picts Picts were at that time divided into two nations the Dicalidonae and Tecturiones and likewise the Attacotti a warlike people and the Scots Attacots Scots were ranging up and down the country for spoil and booty As for Gaul the Franks and Saxons who border upon it were always making inroads both by land and sea and what by the spoil they took the towns they burnt and the men they kill'd were very troublesome there If fortune would have favoured this brave Captain now bound for the remotest part of the world was resolved to have curbed them When he came to the Coast of Bologn which is severed from the opposite Country by a narrow sea apt to run high at some times and again to fall into a plain and level surface like a champaign country at which time 't is navigable without danger he set sail and arrived at Rhutupiae a safe harbour over against it When the Batavians Herulians the Jovii and Victores brave bold men who followed him were landed likewise he set forward for London an ancient town London called Augusta called in after ages Augusta Having divided his army into several bodies he fell upon the enemy dispersed up and down the country and laden with spoil and booty They were soon routed and forced to leave their prey which was nothing but cattle and prisoners they had took from this miserable Country After he had made restitution of the booty to the respective owners saving only some small part to refresh his army he entered the City in great state which though in the utmost affliction and misery at that time soon revived upon it in hopes of recovery and protection for the future This success soon put him upon greater designs yet to proceed warily he considered upon the intelligence he had got from fugitives and captives that so great a multitude as the enemy composed of several nations and those of a fierce heady temper were not to be routed but by stratagem and surprise Having published his declaration and a pardon therein to such as would lay down their arms he order'd all deserters and others dispers'd up and down the country for forage and provision to repair to him This brought in many upon which reinforcement he thought to take the field but deferred it upon other considerations till he could have Civilis Civilis sent to be his Deputy a man somewhat passionate but very just and upright and also Dulcitius Dulcitâ—s a gallant Captain and experienced in the arts of war Afterwards taking heart he went from Augusta formerly called Londinum with a good army which with much ado he had raised and thereby proved a great support to the sinking state of the poor Britains He took in all such places as might favour him in cutting off the enemy by ambuscade and imposed nothing upon the common souldiers but what he would do himself Thus he discharged the office of an active and hardy souldier as well as of a brave General and by that means defeated several nations who had the insolence to invade the Roman Empire laid the foundation of a lasting peace and restored both Cities and Castles that were reduced to great streights to their former happiness In this juncture there happened an ill accident which might have been of dangerous consequence if it had not been timely prevented One Valentinus Valentine raises a disturbance in Britain of Valeria Pannonia a proud man and brother-in-law to Maximinus that intolerable Deputy afterwards Lieutenant was banished for an heinous crime into this Island where like some savage of a restless temper he put all things in disorder by plots and insurrections against Theodosius and that purely out of pride and envy he being the only man that could cope with him However that he might proceed with conduct and security in these ambitious pursuits he endeavoured to draw in all exiles and deserters to him with the encouragement and prospect of much booty But these designs taking air and coming to the General 's ear before they were full ripe for execution he took care like a wise Captain to be before hand with him both to prevent and punish the conspirators Valentinus himself with some of the chief of his cabal he committed to Dulcitius to see executed but upon laying things together for he was the wisest and most experienced souldier of his time he would suffer no farther enquiry after the other Conspirators lest the general terror which it would strike might again imbroil the Province which was now in peace and quietness From this he turned his thoughts upon the reformation of some things which now grew intolerable being freed from all dangers that might divert him and sensible that fortune was ever favourable to his designs and so he applied himself to the repairing of Cities and garison-towns as we have already said and the strengthening the Frontiers and Castles with watches and intrenchments Having thus recovered the Province which was possessed by the enemy he restored it so compleatly to its former state that upon his motion it had a * Rector Legitimus Valentia lawful Governor set over it and was afterwards by the Prince's order called Valentia The Areans a sort of men instituted by the ancients were displaced by him as corrupt and treacherous being plainly convict of giving intelligence of our affairs to the Barbarians for rewards and bribery For their business was to run to and fro with news from the neighbouring Countreys to our Captains After these regulations and some others made by him with great applause he was sent for to Court leaving the Provinces in such a calm and happy condition that he was no less honoured for his success and victories than Furius Camillus or Cursor Papirius And so being attended with the acclamations of all as far as the sea he sailed over with a gentle gale and arrived at the Prince's camp where he was received with great joy and commendation For these famous exploits here a statue on horseback was erected in honour of him as Symmachus to his son Theodosius the Emperor informs us The founder of your stock and family was one that was General both in Africa and Britain honoured by the Senate with his Statues on horse-back among the ancient Heroes Thus Claudian likewise in his Commendation Ille Caledoniis posuit qui castra pruinis Qui medio Libyae sub casside pertulit aestus Terribilis Mauro
more cheerfully than most other nations submitted to the laws and customs of the Romans as appears by Tacitus in the life of Agricola And though it may be that the doctrine of the Druids despising the heathen Gods acknowleding only one God and rewards and punishments after death might contribute to their embracing the Gospel yet I think that the very great courage high generosity and excellent parts of the people did more being once convinced that the Roman laws and government was better than their own Of the fifth the letters are too imperfect if the reverse be not a pavilion or seat of state I know not what it is The sixth seems to be a visor the letters now not visible or it might be ill-made in imitation of Commodus usually set forth with his head wrap'd in a Lion's skin feigning himself to be Hercules The seventh is a British rough uncomb'd head the letters are vanished Those above the Horse on the reverse seem to be set the averse way from the right to the left hand The eighth as likewise the twenty fourth and thirty sixth seem to be a Ship or Galley with oars Vid. Mons Bouteroue in Clothaire An. Ch. 511. the figure is better there expressed than in ours It was coined by a Christian Prince or City because all of them are adorned with crosses either upon the stern or yards S. Aug. Ser. 22. de diversis saith It is necessary for us to be in the ship and to be carried in the wood that can pass through the sea of this world This wood is the Cross of our Lord. S. Paulinus seems to refer it to the yards Et rate ornata titulo salutis S. Chrys rather to the stern Quod Christus sit Deus Crux navigantium gubernaculum The same doth Ephr. Syrus Upon divers Coins of the Roman Emperors is a stern joyned to a globe as if they steer'd the whole world On the reverse is Duro which I question not was Durobernia or Canterbury now the chief seat of the great Archbishop and Primate of the Nation The ninth is an Horse under the Sun and Moon whether it signified according to their opinion that beast to be chiefly subject to those Planets or that next the Sun and Moon the chiefest benefit they reaped was from the Horse or any other imagination I am ignorant The tenth is an Head and I think foreign and not British most of those being without ornament but this hath a Crown or Garland And what if Dubno should be mistaken for Dumnorix or some other Prince unknown to us The eleventh hath an Head with a Diadem of two rows of Pearls perhaps for some of the Oriental Emperors and not unlikely of Constantine the Great both for the goodness of the face and his being one of the first who carried that sort of Diadem He may well be placed here as being born of a British Lady The reverse is a Dove hovering over a Cross an emblem not unusual in the first times of Christianity intimating that the Cross is made beneficial unto us by the Holy Spirit Masseius and Osorius testifie that the Christians at their first coming to Meliapor the city of St. Thomas found such a one there engraved in stone in his own time as was verily believed The like is reported by Bosius in the vault of St. John Lateran and by Chiffletius upon an Altarstone in Besançon The twelfth of Cunobeline the letters upon the reverse begin the name of some place but what I know not The thirteenth by the letters BR seems to be the head of Britannia as there were many the like of Rome and other places the reverse is also according to many Roman Coins a man on horseback as in that exercise they called Decursio The fourteenth seems a Woman's Head with a Crown the letters worn out On the reverse compared with the sixteenth twenty fourth and thirty fifth seems to be inscribed some sacred vessel or utensil The fifteenth seventeenth and eighteenth having no inscriptions are to us unintelligible The sixteenth seems an ill-shapen Galley with the keel upwards The nineteenth seems to be the head of some Town or Country some say that Julius Caesar but 't is more certain that Claudius brought one or more Elephants into Britain against their enemies The twentieth hath an Head covered with an antick sort of Helmet The reverse seems an ill-fashioned Gryphon It is somewhat strange that those fond kind of imaginations should have lasted so long and in these remote parts of the world Concerning the twenty first vid. Tab. 1. c. 29. what it or the twenty second signifies I cannot imagine The twenty third seems the figure of an ordinary British foot-soldier armed with a head-piece and armour down to his thighs and a club upon his shoulder The twenty fourth hath a Galley with a Cross upon the stern yet not at the handle of the stern being upon the wrong side of it Vid. Coin 8. The letters I understand not as neither the reverse The twenty fifth also is utterly unknown The twenty sixth seems to be the head of some of the Gothic kings of Spain the like being found in Ant. Augustinus and Monsieur le Blanc On the reverse is a kind of Dragon seen also upon the Greek and Gallick Coins as well as British Such a one as this is by Monsieur le Blanc described for Childeberts pag. 58. The twenty seventh twenty eighth and twenty ninth having Runic inscriptions might probably be made for some of the kings of Cumberland in which County are still extant some Runic Monuments The thirtieth hath an Head which I would gladly believe to be of Arviragus because on the reverse is an Essedarius or Covinarius a fighter upon a chariot with his dart or like weapon in one hand and his quiver of arrows at his back A kind of fight which was strange to Julius Caesar and forced him to turn his back Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis Great Caesar flies the Britains he had sought So terrible was it to the Romans that his flatterers upon some imagin'd prodigy took it to be an omen of the overthrow of Arviragus a very couragious and warlike Prince De temone Britanno Excidet Arviragus The thirty first is in the learned Monsieur Bouteroue's judgment from whom it is copied supposed to be king Lucius the first Christian king of Britain The truth of whose story is largely discoursed by Archbishop Usher in his Primord Eccles Britan. where he seems to say that it is confirmed by all Historians that king Lucius king in Britain was the first Christian king in the world Which also seems strongly confirmed by what he saith That the Scots beyond the wall under Victor I. immediate successor to Euaristus under whom Lucius was converted received also the Christian Faith pag. 41 42. But that there is some difference about the time when king Lucius lived but greater about what part of Britain he reigned in As likewise
In Burgundy the use of this name is very antient for we find in Gregory of Tours Abou◠〈◊〉 year 5â— The Barons of Burgundy as well Bishops as those of the Laity The first mention of a Baron with us that I have met withal is in a Fragment of the Laws of Canutus King of England and Denmark and even in that according to different copies it is read Vironis Baronis and Thani But that the Barons are there meant is plain from the Laws of William the Conqueror amongst which are inserted those of Canutus translated into Norman where it is writ Baron Take the whole passage But let the * Hâ—â—iâ—â— or Reâ—â— Exercituals be so moderated as to be tolerable An Earl shall provide those â—hings that are fitting eight horses four saddled and four unsaddled four steel caps and four coats of mail eight javelins and as many shields four swords and two hundred maucae of gold But a King 's Viron or Baron who is next to him shall have four horses two saddled and two unsaddled two swords four javelins and as many shields one steel cap and fifty †Possiâ—â— for â—â—â—usae iâ— 30 pâ—â—â— Many Thâ—â—â—â— Englâ—â— in the Câ—queroâ— time maucae of gold In the beginning also of the Norman times the Valvasors and Thanes were reckoned in dignity next the Earls and Barons and the Greater Valvasors if we may believe those who have writ concerning Feudal-tenures were the same as Barons are now So that Baro may seem to come from that name which time has by little and little made better and smoother But even then it was not so very honourable for in those times there were some Earls who had their Barons under them and I remember I have read in the antient Constitutions of France that there were ten Barons under one Earl and as many * Câ—â—inâ—â— Chieftans under a Baron 'T is likewise certain that there are extant some Charters since the Norman Conquest wherein the Earls write thus To all my Barons as well French as English greeting c. Nay even citizens of the better rank were called Barons so in Domesday-book the citizens of Warwick are stiled Barons and the citizens of London with the Inhabitants of the Cinque Ports enjoyed the same title But a few years after as Senators of Rome were chosen by their estates so those were accounted Barons with us who held their lands by an entire Barony or 13 Knights fees and one third of a Knight's fee every fee as we have it in an antient Book being computed at twenty pounds which in all make 400 Mark For that was the value of one entire Barony and they that had lands and revenues to this value were wont to be summoned to Parliaments It seems to have been a dignity with a jurisdiction which the Court-Barons Court â—â—rons as they call them do in some measure show And the great number of Barons too would persuade us that they were Lords who could give judgment within their own jurisdiction such as those are whom the Germans call Free-heirs especially if they had their castles for then they answered to the definition of Baldus that famous Lawyer who calls him a Baron that had a †Morâ— mixtuâ—â— impeâ—â—â— mere and mixt government in some one Castle by the grant of the Prince And all they as some would have it who held Baronies seem to have claimed that honour so that some of our Lawyers think that Baron and Barony Earl and Earldom Duke and Dukedom King and Kingdom Matth. Parts pag. 1262. were as it were Conjugates 'T is certain in that age K. Henry 3d reckoned 150 Baronies in England Upon which it comes to pass that in the Charters and Histories of that age almost all Noblemen are stil'd Barons a term in those times exceeding honourable â—aâ—onage 〈◊〉 Engâ—and the Baronage of England including in a manner all the prime Orders of the Kingdom Dukes Marquisses Earls and Barons But that name has come to the greatest honour since King Henry 3d out of such a multitude of them which was seditious and turbulent summoned to Parliament by his Writs some of the best only For he the words are taken out of an Author of considerable Antiquity after those great disturbances and enormous vexations between the King himself Simon de Montefort and other Barons were laid appointed and ordained that all such Earls and Barons of the Kingdom of England to whom the King should vouchsafe to direct his Writs of summons should come to his Parliament and no others unless their Lord the King please to direct other Writs to them also But what he begun only a little before his death was strictly observed by Edward the First and his successors From that time those were only looked upon as Barons of the Kingdom â—ummons 〈◊〉 Parliaâ—ent whom the King by such Writs of summons as they term them should call to Parliament 5 And it is noted that the said prudent King Edward I. summoned always those of antient families that were most wise to his Parliaments but omitted their sons after their death If they were not answerable to their Parents in understanding Hol. until Richard the 2d the 10th of October in the eleventh year of his reign created John de Beauchamp of Holt Baron of Kederminster by the delivery of a Diploma From which time the Kings have often conferred that honour by a Diploma or rather honorary Letters and the putting on of a long robe And at this day this way of creating Barons by a Diploma and that other of Writs of summons are in use though they are greeted not under the name of Baron but of Chevalier 6 For the Common Law doth not acknowlege Baron to be a name of dignity Hol. Those that are thus created are call'd Barons of Parliament Barons of the Kingdom and Barons honorary to distinguish them from those which are commonly call'd Barons according to the ancient constitution as those of Burford and Walton and such as were Barons to the Count Palatines of Chester and of Penbroch who were feudal and Barons by tenure Those Parliamentary Barons are not like those of France and Germany call'd barely by that name but are by birth Peers Noblemen Great States and Counsellors of the Kingdom and are summon'd by the King in this form to treat of the weighty affairs of the nation and to deliver their judgment upon them They have their peculiar immunities and privileges as in criminal causes to be judged by their Peers only not to have an oath demanded of them but in such case 't is sufficient if they deliver any thing upon honour not to be called among the Jury of twelve to enquire into matters of fact not to be liable to the Writs Supplicavit Capias Essoins and a great many other privileges which I leave to the Lawyers whose proper business it is to treat of these and things of the like nature Besides
of the Pipe the Comptroler of the Pipe the five Auditors of the old Revenues the Foreign Opposer Clerk of the Estreats Clerk of the Pleas the Marshal the Clerk of the Summons the Deputy-Chamberlains two Secondaries in the office of the King's Remembrancer two Deputies in the office of the Treasurer's Remembrancer two Secondaries of the Pipe four the other Clerks in several Offices c. In the other part of the Exchequer call'd * Recepta the Receiving-Office two Chamberlains a Vice-treasurer Clerk of the Tallies Clerk of the Pells four Tellers two Joyners of the Tallies two Deputy-Chamberlains the Clerk for Tallies the Keeper of the Treasury four Pursevants ordinary two Scribes c. The Officers likewise of the Tenths and First-fruits belong to this Court. For when the Pope's authority was rejected and an Act pass'd that all Tithes and First-fruits should be paid to the King these Officers were Instituted Besides these three Royal Courts of Judicature Justices Itinerant for the speedy execution of Justice and to ease the subject of much labour and expence Henry the second sent some of these Judges and others every year into each County who were call'd Justices Itinerant or Justices in Eyre These had jurisdiction as well in Pleas of the Crown as in common causes within the Counties to which they were sent For that King as Matthew Paris says by the advice of his son and the Bishops appointed Justices over six parts of the Kingdom to every part three who took an oath to do every man right and justice This institution expir'd at length in Edward the third's time but was in some measure reviv'd by an Act of Parliament soon after For the Counties being divided into so many Circuits two of the King's Justices are to go those Circuits twice every year for the trial of prisoners and Gaol-delivery Hence in Law-latin they are call'd Justiciarii Gaolae deliberandae They are likewise to take cognizance of all Assizes of novel disseisin and some others from which they are call'd Justices of Assize and also to try all issues between party and party in any of the King 's three great Courts by Recognitors of the same Peerage as the custom is Hence they are call'd Justices of Nisi prius from the Writs directed to the Sheriff for these tryals which have the words Nisi prius in them The b This Court is since Mr. Camden's time taken away Star-Chamber The Star-Chamber or rather the Court of the King's Council takes cognizance of all matters criminal perjuries Impostures Cheats Excesses c. This Court if we consider it in respect of standing and dignity is ancient and honourable above all others For it seems to be as early as Appeals from the Subjects to their Sovereign and the very birth and rise of the King's Council The Judges of it are men of the greatest honour and eminence being those of the King 's Privy Council It has had the name of the Star-Chamber ever since this Court was held in the Star-Chamber in Westminster which has now been a long time set a part to that use For in an Act of Parliament in Edward the third's time we find Conseil en le Chambre des Estoielles pres de la receipte al Westminster i.e. The Council in the Star-Chamber near the Receipt at Westminster The authority and jurisdiction of this Court was enlarg'd and confirm'd by an Act of Parliament procur'd by that wise Prince Henry the 7th so that some have falsly ascribed the institution of it to him The Judges of this Court are the Lord Chancellor of England the Lord Treasurer of England the Lord President of the King's Council the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal and all those of the King's Council whether persons spiritual or temporal also sâ—n of the Barons of the Realm as the King will â—ppoint with the two Chief Justices or two othâ—â— Judges in their absence The Officers are tâ—â— Clerk of the Council the Clerk of the Writs and â—f the process in the Star-Chamber c. Causes of tâ—â—s Court are not try'd per Pares according to the Common-Law but after the method of the Civil-Law Thâ—â—â—urt oâ— Wards The Court of c The Court of Wards is now taken away Wards and Liveries which is so call'd from Minors whose causes are here try'd was instituted by Henry the 8. whereas before all business of this nature was determined in the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer For by an old Custom derived from Normandy and not as some write instituted by Henry the third when any one dies holding lands of the King in capite by Knight's service both the heir and the whole estate with the revenues of it are in Ward to the King till he has compleated the age of one and twenty and then he may sue out his livery The judge in this Court is the Master-General under him a Supervisor of the Liveries an Attorney-General a Receiver-General an Auditor a Clerk of the Liveries a Clerk of the Court forty Feudaries and a Messenger In after-ages were institued two other Courts for correcting of errors the one for those of the Excheqeur the other for those of the King's Bench. The Judges of the first were the Chancellor and the Treasurer of England taking such of the Judges to their assistance as they should think fit those of the latter were the Judges of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer The Court of Admiralty has jurisdiction in marine affairs The Court of Admiralty and is administred by the Admiral of England his * Locum-tenens Lieutenant a Judge two Clerks a Serjeant of the Court and the Vice-Admirals Now for the Courts of Equity The Court of Chancery The Chancery takes its name from the Chancellor a title of no great honour under the old Roman Emperors as may be learnt from Vopiscus At present it is a name of the greatest dignity and the Chancellors are raised to the highest honours in the State Cassiodorus derives the word it self a cancellis i.e. rails or Balisters because they examine matters †Intra sâ—creta Cancellorum Epist 6. Lib. 11. in a private apartment enclos'd with rails such as the Latins call'd Cancelli Consider says he by what name you are call'd What you do within the rails cannot be a secret your doors are transparent your cloysters lye open and your gates are all windows Hence it plainly appears that the Chancellor sat expos'd to every one 's within the rails or cancels so that his name seems to be deriv'd from them Now it being the business of that Minister who is as it were the mouth the eyes and ears of the Prince to strike or dash out with cross lines * Cancellation lattice-like such writs or judgments as are against law or prejudicial to the state not improperly call'd Cancelling some think the word Chancellor to be deduc'd from it And thus we find it in a
person still living had done the same in Oxford for the Northern Languages in general but that a sudden change of Affairs prevented him This place has been lately honour'd by giving the title of Marquess to the Right Honorable William Earl of Bedford now created Duke of Bedford This town has given several great Lawyers to the State as Sir John Glanvill a Judge Serjeant Glanvill his son and Sir John Maynard who was lately one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal of England Two miles from hence is Lamerton Lamerton parish in the Church whereof is an ancient monument of the Tremaines where may be seen the effigies or Nicholas and Andrew Tremaine twins alike in all lineaments suffer'd like pain tho' at a distance desir'd to sleep walk eat and drink together and were slain together at New-haven in France An. 1663. Nearer to the sea is Beare-Ferris Beare-Ferris so nam'd from the family call'd De Ferrariis anciently famous in this County In this parish there were Silver-mines in the reign of K. Hen. 6. which were lately re-enter'd by Sir John Maynard but have since been discontinu'd e From hence the river carries us down to Plimouth Plimouth mention'd by our Author as a town lately risen and a haven well fortify'd We may add that it had anciently but one Church till the 16 of Ch. 1. when a new one was erected and consecrated in the time of Ch. 2. Here is also a Royal Cittadel built by that King consisting of five regular Bastions and 165 guns The guns of the other fortifications added to these make up in all 253. There are two Docks begun in 1691. and finish'd in 1693. As Sir Francis Drake was born here so both he and Mr. Candish began their voyage from this town for discovery of the unknown parts of the world By his contrivance and his own proper chargo there was brought to this town a large stream from a great distance through many windings and turnings which is a great benefit to the Town carrying several Mills and serving for other common uses of the Inhabitants This place has been honour'd since Mr. Camden's time by giving the title of Earl to Charles Fitz-Charles natural son of K. Ch. 2. created July 29. in the 27th of that King f Eastward from hence is Modbery Modbery and of the Fortescues of Wimpston in that Parish was descended Chancellour Fortescue Author of the famous book De Laudibus Legum Angliae Between Modbery and Kings bridge there is a fair bridge over the river Avon about a quarter of a mile long At the mouth of the river stands S. Michael's Rock several acres over in which are to be seen the remains of an old Chappel This ancient Rhyme seems to refer to it Where Avon's waters with the sea are mixt St. Michael firmly on a rock is fixt Kings-bridge Kingsbridge is a pretty market town pleasantly situated and particularly deserves our notice for the benefaction of Mr. Crispin a late citizen of Exeter who founded here a Free-school and endow'd it Near which is Dodbrooke Dodbrooke singular for a custom of paying tithe to the Parson for a certain sort of liquor call'd White-Ale g The river Dert first runneth thro' Dertmore Dertmore a large Forest 20 miles long and 14 broad It was first made a Forest by K. John and had anciently in it many tinn-works It now yields pasture every summer to near 100000 sheep with a proportionable number of other cattle and supplies the North West and South with variety of pleasant rivers h Then to Totnes Totnes which in K. Charles the first 's time gave the title of Earl to George Lord Carew of Clopton son of Dr. George Carew Dean of Windsor Torr bay i Directly East-ward lies Torr-bay memorable for the landing of the Prince of Orange now K. William on the 5th of November An. 1688. Where we must not pass by Mary-Church being the first Church founded in this County according to tradition Near this bay is a remarkable well call'd Lay-well which ebbs and flows several times in an hour and bubbles up sometimes like a boiling pot the water as clear as crystal very cold in summer and never freezing in winter accounted by the neighbours to be medicinal in some fevers Farther up in the country is Moreley Moâ—â—ley remarkable for it's Church built upon this occasion In the time of Edw. 1. Sir Peter Fishacre Knight upon a controversie between him and the Parson of Woodley about tythes kill'd the Parson in a rage and being constrain'd to answer the same at Rome was by the Pope condemn'd to build this Church where he lies bury'd From hence towards Dertmore lies Wythicombe Wythicombe where in the 14 Car. 1. in a violent storm of thunder and lightning a ball of fire came into the Church in divine Service kill'd three persons wounded 62. turn'd the seats upside down c. the damages amounting to above 300 l. A like storm hapn'd at Crews Morthard Crews Morthard in this County An. 1689. which rent the steeple melted the bells lead and glass and nothing escap'd but the Communion Plate k Returning to the shore we meet with Teignmouth Teignmouth which as it formerly suffer'd by the Danes so was it of late burnt by the French l North-east from which is the river Ex upon it stands Tiverton Tiverton where Peter Blundell a Clothier built a free-school and endow'd it with a liberal maintenance for a sâ—hool-master and usher He gave also two fellowships and as many scholarships to Sidney College in Cambridge and one fellowship and two scholarships to Baliol College in Oxford for scholars bred up in this school m Upon the river Creden lies Kirton Kirton now no more famous for the Bishop of Exeter's house than it was in Camden's time for the College of Prebendaries For the house together with the mannour was alienated to the Killigrews so that now there do not remain the least footsteps of the Bishop's having any thing there except the name of a great meadow call'd My Lord's Meadow n The river Ex carries us to Exeter Exeter the Cathedral Church whereof our Author observes to have been enlarg'd by several hands 'T was for a long time no bigger than our Lady's Chappel An. 1112. William Warlewast Bishop of Exon. laid the foundation of the present Quire Two hundred years after Peter Quivell Bishop began the Nave of the present Church to which John Grandison Bishop made an Isle on each side An. 1450. Edmund Lacy Bishop built the Chapter-house and about the same time the Dean and Chapter built the Cloyster So that this Church was about 400 years in building and yet the symmetry of it such as one might easily imagine it the work of a single man The organ of this Church is accounted the largest in England the greatest pipe being 15 inches diameter which is two more than that of
affectu divae pietatis inhaerens Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchisedech noster merito Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae religionis opus Publica jura regens celsa palatia servans Unica Pontificum gloria norma fuit Hinc abiens illinc meritorum fulget honore Hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit The two fair tops that lofty Sion grace Cedars of Libanus that all surpass The world 's great lights and the two gates of heav'n Thunder from one from one is light'ning giv'n Among the blest Apostles they excel Peter in honour and in learning Paul One ope's mens hearts and one the starry sphere One guides to heav'n and one receives us there One's doctrine shew's our journey and one's keys One is the way and one the gate of bliss The builder one one the foundation laid By both a temple for kind heav'n is made England be glad and pay just thanks to Rome Eternal health to Glastenbury's come Against our foes two fortresses are shown That all the world the Faith 's great tow'rs shall own Blest Ina faithful servant of his God These lasting gifts upon his realm bestow'd Virtue and goodness all his thoughts possest The Church's old revenues he encreast Our great Melchisedech our prince and priest His equal care of piety and state To Crowns and Mitres an example set In heav'n his works their blest reward receive And here his worthy praise shall ever live In those early times several very devout persons serv'd God here and especially Irish who were maintain'd at the King's charge and instructed the youth in Religion and the liberal sciences For they made choice of a solitary life that they might prosecute their divine studies with more retiredness and inure themselves to a severe course of life to qualifie them for taking up the Cross But at length Dunstan a man of excellent wit and judgment after his reputation of sanctity and learning had given him access to the conversation of Princes instead of these brought in Monks of a newer Order namely Benedictines and was himself first made Abbot over that large body settl'd there and these by the bounty of good and pious Princes got so much wealth as even exceeded that of Kings After they had for about 600 years together as it were reign'd in great abundance for all their neighbours were at their beck they were driven out by Henry 8. and the Monastery which by degrees had grown into a little city 24 Environ'd with a large-wall a mile about and replenish'd with stately buildings demolish'd and laid level with the ground how large and how stately it has been may be gather'd from the ruines I shall be reckon'd among those in our age who are taken with every fable should I speak any thing of the Wallnut-tree 25 In the holy Church-yard here which never buds before the feast of S. Barnabas and on that very feast day shoots out leaves 26 But that is now gone and a young tree in the place or the †Corrâ— Hawthorn-tree 27 In Wirral-park hard by which buds on Christmas-day as if it were in May f and yet if any one may be trusted these things are affirm'd by several credible persons Before I leave this head take in short what Giraldus Cambrensis an eye-witness has deliver'd at large concerning Arthur's Grave in this Church-yard When Henry 2. King of England had learn'd from the songs of the British Bards The we like Artâ— that Arthur the most noble heroe of the Britains whose courage had so often shatter'd the Saxons was bury'd at Glassenbury between two Pyramids he order'd search to be made for the body and they had scarce digged seven foot deep but they light upon a * Cippus cross'd stone or a stone in the back-part whereof was fasten'd a rude leaden Cross something broad This being pull'd out appear'd to have an Inscription upon it and under it almost nine foot deep they found a Coffin made of hollow'd oak wherein were reposited the bones of the famous Arthur As to the Inscription which being taken from the original was formerly writ in the monastery of Glassenbury I thought it proper to give a draught of it because of the Antiquity of it's letters The letters have a sort of barbarous and Gothick appearance and are a plain evidence of the barbarity of the age which was so involv'd in a fatal sort of mist that no one was found to celebrate the name of K. Arthur A subject without all dispute worthy the parts and invention of the most learned who by praising so great a Prince might have procur'd to themselves the reputation of wit For that strong bulwark of the British government may justly reckon this amongst his greatest misfortunes that the age did not afford a Praecoâ—â—m Panegyrist equal to his Virtues But now take a view of the Cross and Inscription Nor will it be improper to subjoyn what our Countryman Josephus Iscanus no mean or ordinary poet has said of Arthur in his Antiocheis 28 Wherein he describ'd the wars of the Christians for recovery of the Holy land and was there present with King Richard 1. speaking of Britain Hinc celebri fato foelici claruit ortu Flos Regum Arthurus cujus cùm facta stupori Non micuere minùs totus quòd in aure voluptas Et populo plaudente favus Quemcunque priorum Inspice Pelaeum commendat fama tyrannum Pagina Caesareos loquitur Romana triumphos Alcidem domitis attollit gloria monstris Sed nec pinetum coryli nec sydera solem Aequant Annales Latios Graiósque revolve Prisca parem nescit aequalem postera nullum Exhibitura dies Reges supereminet omnes Solus praeteritis melior majórque futuris From this blest place immortal Arthur sprung Whose wondrous deeds shall be for ever sung Sweet musick to the ear sweet honey to the tongue Look back turn o're the great records of fame Proud Alexander boasts a mighty name The Roman Annals Caesar's actions load And conquer'd monsters rais'd Alcides to a god But neither shrubs above tall pines appear Nor Phoebus ever fears a rival star So would our Arthur in contest o'recome The mightiest heroes bred in Greece or Rome The only Prince that hears this just applause Greatest that e're shall be and best that ever was But this Heroe to observe it by the way out of Ninnius if it be worth our notice was call'd Mab-Uter i.e. a horrible son because from his childhood he was of a cruel temper and Arthur which signifies in British a horrible bear or an iron hammer to break the †Molae grinders of Lyons Take also if you please some other monuments of this place tho' not altogether so ancient being out of William of Malmsbury What is a mystery to all mankind I would willingly set down if the truth could only be hammer'd out i.e. what those Pyramids mean Pyramids at
educated besides many other learned men William from this town called Malmsburiensis William of Malmesbury to whose learned industry the civil and ecclesiastical History of England are greatly indebted The town entirely supported by the abbey was fortify'd by Roger Bishop of Salisbury who when the War broke out between Henry of Anjou and King Stephen strengthen'd it with walls and a Castle which was once in vain besieg'd by King Henry 2. l A. D. 1152. The Castle indeed made a brave defence but all the Historians say it was taken at last by Duke afterwards King Henry This magnificent Bishop erected buildings here and at Salisbury for space very large for cost very chargeable for shew very beautiful The stones are set in such exact order that the joynts cannot be seen and the whole structure seems to be but one stone But the castle not long after by the permission of King John was rased for the convenience of the Monks that so the abbey might be enlarg'd which daily increas'd in building and revenues till the fatal dissolution of Monasteries Then the lands and riches which had been so many years in gathering were dissipated tho' in ancient times they were thought to be the good works of pious Christians Concil Aquisgran penance for sins and the patrimony of the poor And the Church it self had suffered the same fate had not one Stump a rich clothier by a great deal of intercession and more money recover'd it for the use of the Town 's folks who turn'd it into a Parish-Church and a great part of it is yet remaining f From Malmsbury the Avon runs to Dantesey Dantesey which gave name to the Lords of it Knights once very eminent in these parts from whom it descended to the Easterlings commonly known by the name of Stradlings and from them to the family of Danvers Of which Henry Danvers was lately dignified by the favour of K. James with the title and honour of Baron Danvers of Dantesey g Baron Danvers Six miles from hence the Avon receives from the east a rivulet which runs through Calne Caln an ancient little town on a stony ground adorned with a neat Church where during the contentions between the Monks and secular Priests about the Coelibacy of the Clergy A Synod about the Coelibacy of the Clergy a great Synod was conven'd A. D. 977. But in the midst of the dispute the Convocation-house in which the States of the Kingdom were assembled the beams breaking and the timber-frame bursting asunder suddenly fell to the ground together with the Bishops and Nobility of the Kingdom by which fall most were bruis'd and some kill'd but Dunstan alone President of the Synod and of the Monks party escaped unhurt By which miracle for so it was accounted in those times m Malmesbury indeed makes it a miracle to confirm the cause of the Monks but Huntingdon and Bromton say it was a Judgment upon the Nobility for betraying and murdering their late K. Edward the cause of the Monks was probably very much confirmed From hence the Avon now grown bigger runs to Chippenham Chippenham by the Saxons call'd Cyppanham now only famous for its market from whence it had it's name for Cyppan in the Saxon language signifies to traffick Cyppan what it is and Cypman a Merchant and we yet retain Cheppen and Chappman or as the Germans say Coppman n Of the same original is Cheapside in London In those times it was the Country-house of the Saxon Kings which King Alfred by his Will bequeathed to his younger daughter Now there is nothing worth seeing but the Church built as is evident from their Coats of Arms on the Walls by the Lords Hungerford h Over against this town tho' at some distance from the river lies Cosham Cosham now a small village heretofore honour'd with the Country palace of King Ethelred and the retiring-house of the o The inhabitants still enjoy several privileges granted them by Richard Earl of Cornwall and Edmund Earl of the same place obtain'd a Charter for a weekly market Since the Restoration Margaret Hungerford built here an Alms-house and Free-school Earls of Cornwall From hence one may see Castlecomb Castlecomb an ancient castle famous upon the account of the Walters of Dunstavill Lords of it 6 Men of great renown in their time from whom the Wriothesleys Earls of Southampton derive their pedigree For Petronilla 7 Or Parnel the daughter and heir of the last Walter married Rob. de Montford and had a son named William who sold this castle and the rest of his lands to Bartholomew Badilsmer from whom it came as I have heard to the Scroops who have held it ever since But let us now again follow the course of the river on which lieth Leckham Leckhâ—â— the estate of the noble family of the Bainards where Roman coins are very often found as also Lacock p Leland says that in a field by Lacock much Roman money us'd to be found and it is call'd Silverfield Lacock where that pious matron Ela Countess of Salisbury in her widowhood built as she did likewise at Henton q In the County of Somerset a Monastery A. D. 1232. to the honour of the Blessed Virgin and S. Bernard in which she devoted her self soul and body to the service of God The Avon whose banks are thick set with trees hath not run far beyond Brumham once the seat of the Lord 8 Or truly De S. Amando St. Amand. Afterward of the Bainton from them * De â— Amaâ—â— Samond before it receives a rivulet from the east which riseth near the castle De Vies Devises or the Vies the Divisio of Florentius Wigorn. The Vies Devâ—â—â— The Divisae of Neubrigensis It was once a noble castle strongly fortify'd by art and nature but now ruin'd by the injury of time This was built at the vast expence of Roger Bishop of Sarum that it might excell all the castles in England This man's fortune had advanc'd him from a poor Mass-priest to be the second man in the kingdom But fortune as one saith hath favour'd no man so far as to exempt him from the fear of losing whatever she gave him For K. Stephen being angry with him took from him this castle and that of Shirburn together with all his great riches and so plagu'd the poor old man in prison with hunger and other troubles that between the fear of death and the torments of life he was unwilling to live and knew not how to die About this time it was very much controverted whether it is lawful for Bishops by the Canon-law to hold Castles and if this by permission was allow'd whether in troublesome times they ought not to be at the King's disposal i The Avon conjoyn'd with this rivulet bends it's course toward the west and presently another brook from the south runneth into it
has been a long series of successors no less eminent for wealth and honour than for piety and devotion 5 But among others St. Swithin continues yet of greatest fame not so much for his sanctity as for the rain which usually falls about the feast of his translation in July by reason the Sun then is Cosmically with Praesepe and Aselli noted by ancient writers to be rainy Constellations and not for his weeping or other weeping Saints Margaret the Virgin and Mary Magdalen whose feasts are shortly after as some superstitiously credulous have believed and by a peculiar privilege are Chancellors to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prelates of the Garter Some of these at great expence have beautify'd and enlarg'd this Church particularly Edington and Walkeling but above all Wickham who with incredible cost built the West part of the Church from the Choire a neat and curious piece of work in the middle of which between two pillars is his own monument The Church has been accordingly dedicated to new Patrons Amphibalus Peter Swithin and lastly to the Holy Trinity by which name it is at present call'd Among the Saxons it was in great repute for being honour'd with the Sepulture of some of their Kings whose bones were gathered by Richard Fox Bishop and put into little gilded Coffins which with their several Inscriptions he placed upon a wall that runs along the upper part of the Quire It was formerly call'd h Ealdan-Mynster Chron. Sax. Ealden-mynster i.e. the old Monastery or Minster to distinguish it from the more modern one i Niwan-Mynster Chron. Sax. NeÆ¿an-mynster i.e. New Minster which King Aelfred founded and to build the Offices belonging to it bought of the Bishop a certain peice of ground for every foot whereof he paid one Mark according to the publick Standard This new College as well as the old one was first founded for marry'd Priests who were afterwards expelled by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury upon the miracle of a Cross speaking and condemning the Order and so Monks were brought into their room These two Monasteries had their walls so near one another that when they were singing in one the noise was a disturbance to the other upon which arose some quarrels between the two Societies that afterwards broke out into feuds This reason and another inconvenience of a great confluence of waters which ran down the streets from the West-gate and making a standing pool at this new Monastery did infect the air with unwholsome vapours caus'd the Church 200 years after it's first building to be remov'd into the northern suburbs to a place call'd Hide Hide-Abby where by the licence of Henry 1. the Monks built a large and beautiful Monastery which within a few years by the treachery of Henry of Blois Bishop of Winchester as a private little History of that place tells us was miserably burnt down in which fire was consum'd that famous Cross the gift of Canute the Dane that as some old Records deliver it cost him the yearly revenue of all England But the Monastery was raised again to a noble fabrick as the present ruines testifie and grew by degrees till that fatal period for the destruction of Monks For then this house was demolished and the other of St. Trinity which is the Cathedral Church upon ejection of the Monks had a new foundation of a Dean and 12 Prebendaries At the East-side of the Cathedral stands a spacious k It was built A. D. 1137. by Henry Bishop of Winchester Leiger-Book of St. Cross in the hands of Mr. Worsley palace of the Bishop's call'd Wolvesey fortify'd by several turrets almost surrounded by the river and reaching to the City-walls m In the south suburbs there is a neat College that answers it which William of Wickham Bishop of this See the greatest patron and encourager of Learning that was in England A College bâ—â—â—â— by William of Wickham and whose memory shall be celebrated through all ages in the Monuments of Learning built for a publick school which affords great numbers of learned men both to Church and State In this are maintain'd gentilely a Warden 10 Fellows 2 Masters 70 Scholars l Particularly 3 Chaplains 3 Clerks an Organist 16 Choristers and the statutable servants with some others There are also other eminent buildings in this City most of them consecrated to religious uses which because time has destroy'd I have no mind to mention n tho' I cannot but take notice of that * Partheâ—â—â—m St. Mary's Abby Nunnery or Monastery for Virgins which Aelfwide wife to King Alfred founded it having been so noble a piece of building as the ruines of it still shew and the place out of which Henry 1. Maud wife to Henry 1. took his wife Maud daughter of Malcolm King of Scots by whom the Royal families of the Saxons and Normans were united and by which means that Prince gain'd much on the affections of the English For she was great grand-daughter to Edmund Ironside by his son Edward The banished and a Lady not only endow'd with all the vertues becoming a Queen but more especially eminent for piety and devotion Whereupon this old Tetrastick was made in her commendation Prospera non laetam fecêre nec aspera tristem Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbum Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Nor bless'd rejoyc'd nor when unhappy mourn'd To laughter grief and joy to fear she turn'd Nor beauty made her frail nor sceptres proud Humble tho' great and scarce more fair than good As to Guy Earl of Warwick so famous in story who in a single combat here conquer'd Colbrand that Danish †Typhoëus Giant and Waltheof Earl of Huntingdon beheaded in this place where afterward was the Chapel of St. Giles and as to the famous adjoyning Hospital of St. Cross founded by Henry de Blois Brother of King Stephen and Bishop of this City and farther endow'd by Henry de Beaufort Cardinal I shall say nothing of all these because a full relation is already given of them in our common Histories As to the Earls of Winchester Earls of Winchester to pass by Clito a Saxon who at the coming in of the Normans was depriv'd of this ancient honour King John made Saer Quincy Earl of Winchester The Quincy's Arms. whose Arms were * Baltheus militaris a Fesse with a †Lemniscus label of seven as I learn'd from his seal To him succeeded Roger his son who bore in a field Gules seven ‖ Rhombos Mascles voided Or. But he dying without Issue male the honour was extinct in him for he marry'd the oldest daughter and co-heir by a former wife of Alan Lord of Galloway in Scotland in whose right he was Constable of Scotland But by her he had only 3 daughters of whom the eldest was marry'd to William de Ferrariis Earl of
eorundem C. B. French Mercury the male and female On the baich near Ryde in the Isle of Wight plentifully Nidus avis flore caule violaceo-purpureo colore an Pseudo-limodoron Clus hist p. 270. Ger. emac. p. 228. Found in the border of a Field call'd Marborn near Habridge in Haliborn a mile from Alton Mr. Goodyer Pulmonariia foliis Echii Ger. rubro flore foliis Echii J. B. angustifolia coeruleo rubente flore C. B. Bugloss Cowslips or long-leaved Sage of Jerusalem Found by Mr. Goodyer flowring May 25. in a wood by Holbury House in the new forest Hamshire Rapunculus corniculatus montanus Ger. flore globoso purpureo J. B. folio oblongo spica orbiculari C. B. Alopecuroides orbiculatus Park Horned Rampions with a round head of flowers Found by Mr. Goodyer in the enclosed chalky hilly grounds by Maple-Durham near Petersfield in Hamshire It grows in divers places of the Downs in Sussex As for the Genistella Anglica spinosa supina sive Chamaespartum supinum which Lobel is said to have observed growing not far from Southsea castle where it flower'd July and August with slender trailing branches of a span long And the Genistella sive Chamaespartum rectum flore acutis spinis sparto supino paribus similibus found by the same Lobel flowring in July near Portsmouth both which he is said to have describ'd in the Margin of his Dutch Herbal P. B. We could not find any such Plants in those places neither heard we of them BARK SHIRE by Robt. Morden ATTREBATII THE Attrebatii as in France so likewise in Britaine border upon the Belgae Now that name is wholly disus'd and the countrey they inhabited is commonly call'd Barkshire But it ought to be taken for granted since Caesar informs us that the Foreigners which came out of Gallia Belgica inhabited the sea-coasts of Britaine and still retain'd the names of their own countries that these our Attrebatii remov'd hither from amongst the Attrebates in Gaule who according to Ptolemy possess'd the maritime parts of Gaule upon the Sein to wit that very country which may be said in a manner to lye opposite to our Attrebatii Therefore Caesar wrote not without good grounds that Comius Attrebatensis was of great authority in these parts that is amongst his own country-men and that after his being conquer'd by Caesar he fled hither when as we have it in Frontinus his ships being run a-ground he commanded his sails to be hois'd up and by that means hindred Caesar's pursuit who seeing his full sails afar off and supposing he made away with a fresh gale desisted from following him farther Whence they had this name of Attrebatii is a matter still in dispute as for those that derive it from Attrech which they would have to signifie a land of bread in the old Gaulish Tongue I am afraid they are mistaken Let it be sufficient for me that I have shewn from whence they came into Britaine as for the Etymology of their name I leave it to the search of others BARKSHIRE THAT County which we call Barkshire was term'd by the Latin writers Bercheria and anciently by the English-Saxons Berrocscyre a Which name Asserius Asserius Menevensis derives from Berroc a certain Wood where Box grew in great abundance others from an Oak disbark'd so the word Beroke signifies to which when the State was in more than ordinary danger the inhabitants were wont in ancient times to resort and consult about publick matters The north-side of this County is wash'd by the winding but pleasant and gentle streams of the Isis or Ouse which a little after gets the name of Thamisis the Thames and first separates it from Oxfordshire and afterwards from Buckinghamshire The south-side where it looks towards Hamshire is water'd by the river Kenet till it runs into the Thames Westward where it touches upon Wiltshire and is broadest as likewise in its middle parts it is rich in it self and full of commodities yielding abundance of Corn especially where it sinks into a Valley which they call the Vale of White Horse from I know not what shape of a White Horse fancy'd on the side of a whitish chalky hill b But the east-side which borders upon Surrey is downright barren or at least bears very little and is very much taken up with woods and forests â—arendon On the west-side near the Ouse stands Farendon seated high now noted for it's Market but formerly for a certain Fortification built by Robert Earl of Glocester against K. Stephen â—â—il Neuâ—igens who nevertheless took it at the expence of much blood and labour and laid it so level with the ground that it is not now to be seen But as we find in the Chronicles of Waverley-Abbey King John in the year MCCII. mov'd by divine inspiration granted the place wherein it was seated with all it's appurtenances to the building of an Abbey for the Cistercian Order â—â—bandune 〈◊〉 Abingâ—n From hence the Ouse fetching a great compass and as it were with much strugling making it 's way out towards the North waters many villages of little note till winding inwards again and dividing it's stream it arrives at Abbendon a handsome town and well frequented call'd first by the English-Saxons Sheovesham then Abbandune no doubt from the Abbey rather than one Abbenus I know not what Irish Hermit as some have written It was a place as we have it in the old book of Abbendon upon the plain of an hill extreamly pleasant to the eye a little beyond the village which is now call'd Suniggewelle between two very fine rivulets which enclosing within them the place it self as it were a sort of bay yield a delicate prospect to the beholders and a convenient subsistence to the Inhabitants It was in ancient times call'd Sheovesham a famous City goodly to behold full of riches encompass'd about with very fruitful fields with green meadows spacious pastures and flocks of cattel abounding with milk Here the King kept his Court hither the people resorted to consult about the greatest and most weighty affairs of the kingdom c But assoon as Cissa King of the West-Saxons had built the Abbey it began by degrees to lay aside it 's old name and to be called Abbandun and Abbington that is the Abbey's Town This Abbey had not long flourish'd ere it was thrown down in an instant as it were by the violent fury of the Danes Yet it soon after recover'd it self thro' the liberality of King Edgar and afterwards by the industry of the Norman Abbots grew to that magnificence by degrees as to stand in competition almost with any Abbey in Britaine for riches and greatness as it 's present ruines still declare But the town tho' it had it's dependance for a long time on the Abbey yet since the year 1416. when K. Henry 5. Henricus quintus quarto fundaverat anno Rex pontem Burford super undas atque Culhamford built Bridges over the
humane frailty promises them money fixing a time against which he would procure it that if within that no acceptable ransom offer'd it self whereby he might escape a momentary death he might however purge himself by frequent groans to be offer'd a lively sacrifice to the Lord. When the time appointed was come this greedy gulf of Pirates calls forth the servant of the Lord and with many threatnings presently demands the tribute he had promis'd His answer was Here am I like a meek lamb ready to undergo all things for the love of Christ which you presume to inflict upon me that I may be thought worthy of being an example to his servants This day I am no way disturb'd As to my seeming a lier to you it was not my own will but the extremity of want that brought me to it This body of mine which in this exile I have lov'd but too much I surrender to you as criminal and I know it is in your power to do with it what you please but my sinful soul over which you have no power I humbly commit to the Creator of all things While he spake thus a troop of profane villains encompass'd him and got together several sorts of weapons to dispatch him Which when their Captain Thurkil perceiv'd at some distance he ran to them in all haste crying I desire you would not by any means do so I freely divide among you my gold silver and whatever I have or can procure except the ship only on condition you do not offend against the Lord 's ‖ Ciâ—â—â— Anointed But this fair language did not soften the unbridled anger of his fellows harder than iron and rocks nor could it be appeas'd but by the effusion of innocent blood which they presently and unanimously spilt by pouring upon him Ox-heads and showres of stones 8 And to the memory of this S. Eâ—lpheg is the Parish-Church here consecrated and sticks Now the place is famous for being a Royal seat built by Humfrey Duke of Glocester and call'd by him Placentia K. Hen. 7. very much enlarg'd it added to it a small house of Friers Mendicants and finish'd that tower 9 Famous in Spanish fables which Duke Humfrey had begun on the top of a high hill from which there is a most pleasant prospect down to the winding river and the green meadows that lie below 10 To the City of London and the country round about It is now much enlarg'd and beautify'd for which it is indebted to it 's new inhabitant Henry Howard Earl of Northampton 11 Lord Privy-Seal c. But the greatest ornament by far that Greenwich has is our Elizabeth who being born here by a happy providence did so enlighten Britain nay and even the whole world with the rays of her royal virtues that no praise can equal her merit But as to what concerns Greenwich take the verses of our Antiquary Leland Ecce ut jam niteat locus petitus Tanquam sydereae domus cathedrae Quae fastigia picta quae fenestrae Quae turres vel ad astra se efferentes Quae porro viridaria ac perennes Fontes Flora sinum occupat venusta Fundens delicias nitentis horti Rerum commodus aestimator ille Ripae qui variis modis amoenae Nomen contulit eleganter aptum How bright the lofty seat appears Like Jove's great palace pav'd with stars What roofs what windows charm the eye What turrets rivals of the sky What constant springs what smiling meads Here Flora's self in state resides And all around her does dispence Her gifts and pleasing influence Happy the man who'ere he was Whose lucky wit so nam'd the place As all it's beauties to express I have nothing else to observe in this place unless it be not to let the memory of deserving and worthy persons perish that William Lambard a person of great learning and singular piety built a hospital here for relief of the poor which he call'd Queen Elizabeth's College for the poor 12 And as the prying Adversaries of our Religion then observ'd was the first Protestant that built an Hospital â—m Behind this at scarce three miles distance lies Eltham a retiring place also of the Kings 13 But unwholsomly by reason of the moate built by Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem and bestow'd upon Eleanor wife to K. Edward 1. after he had craftily got the estate of the Vescies to whom it formerly belong'd For 't is said that this Bishop whom the last Baron of Vescy made his Feoffee in trust 〈◊〉 of â—am that he might keep the estate for William de Vescy his young son but illegitimate scarce dealt so fair with this Orphan as he should have done 14 But despoil'd him of Alnwick Castle this and other fair lands breach Below Greenwich the Thames throwing down it's banks has laid several acres of ground under water and some for many years endeavouring to keep it out at vast expence scarce find their works and walls able to defend the neighbouring fields against the incursions of the Tide 15 Which the Canons of Liesnes adjoyning kept sweet and found land in their times This Abbey was founded 1179. by Lord Richard Lucy Chief Justice of England and by him dedicated to God and the memory of Thomas of Canterbury whom he so admired for his piety while others condemned him for pervicacy against his Prince as he became here a devoted Canon to him There is great plenty of Cochlearia or Scurvygrass â—â—ygrass growing here which some Physicians will have to be Pliny's Britannica and upon that account I mention it in this place f But take Pliny's own words In Germany when Germanicus Caesar remov'd his Camp forward beyond the Rhine in the maritime tract there was one fountain and no more of fresh water which if one drank of his teeth would drop out in two years time and the joynts of his knees become loose and feeble Those evils the Physicians term'd Stomacace and Sceletyâ—be The herb Britannica For remedy hereof the herb call'd Britannica was found out not only good for the sinews and mouth but also against the Squinsie and stinging of serpents c. The Frisians where our Camp was show'd it to our soldiers and I wonder what should be the reason of that name unless the Inhabitants of the sea-coasts dedicated it to the name of Britain as lying so near it But the learned Hadrianus Junius in his Nomenclator brings another See in the British liles concerning the Armamentarium Britaâ—nâ—â—cum and indeed more probable reason of the name whom for your satisfaction please to consult for this word Britannica has drawn me out of my road The Thames afterwards growing narrower is met by the river Darent which coming out of Surrey flows with a gentle chanel not far from Seven-oke Seven-oke so call'd as they say from seven Oaks of an exceeding height
under is Ulcomb anciently a Mansion of the family De Sancto Leodegario commonly called Sentieger and Sellinger and Morinden where Sir R. Rockesley descended from Kriol and Crevecer built a house who held Lands at Seaton by Serjeanty to be Vantraâ—â—s Regis Fin. Mic. 11 E. 2. when the King goeth into Gascoin donec perusus fuerit pari solutarum pretii 4 d. which as they that understand Law-Latin for I do not translate that he should be the King's fore-footman until he had worn our a pair of shooes prized 4 d. Nor hath this river any other thing memorable upon it besides Leeds-castle Leeds-castle Famâ—y the Câ—â—queâ— built by the noble Crevequers call'd in ancient Charters de Crâ—uecuer and de Crepito corde Afterwards it was the unfortunate seat of Bartholomew Baron of Badilsmer who treacherously fortify'd it against King Edward 6. that had given it him but afterwards had the rewards of his treachery upon the gallows Take if you please the whole relation out of a little history of Thomas De-la-More a Nobleman of the same time which I lately publish'd In the year 1321. came Queen Isabel to the castle of Leeds about Michaelmas where she had design'd to lodge all night but was not suffer'd to enter The King highly resenting this as done in contempt of him call'd together some neighbouring inhabitants out of Essex and London and gave orders to besiege the Castle Bartholo mew de Badilsmer was he who own'd it and having left his wife and sons in it was gone with the rest of the Barons to spoil the estate of Hugh De-Spenser The besieg'd in the mean time despairing of succour the Barons with their Associates came as far as Kingston and by the mediation of the Bishops of Canterbury and London and the Earl of Pembroke petition'd the King to raise the Siege promising to surrender the Castle after the next Parliament But the King considering that the besieg'd could not hold out and moreover incens'd with their contumacy would not listen to the petition of the Barons After they had betook themselves to other parts he gain'd the Castle tho' with no small difficulty the rest of them that were in it he hang'd and sent his wife and sons to the Tower of London Thus the Medway after it has receiv'd the little river Len passes through fruitful Corn-fields and by Allington-Castle where Tho. Wiat senior a most learned Knight â—â—ford rebuilt a fair house 40 Now decay'd whose son Sir Thomas enrich'd by an heir of Sir T. Haut proposing to himself great hopes upon fair pretences pitifully overthrew himself and his state to Ailesford in Saxon Eaglesforð call'd by Henry Huntingdon Elstre by Ninnius Epifford who also has told us that 't was call'd Saissenaeg-haibail by the Britains because of the Saxons being conquer'd there as others have in the same sense call'd it Anglesford For Guor-timer the Britain son of Guortigern fell upon Hengist and the English Saxons here and disordering them so at first that they were not able to stand a second charge he put them to flight so that they had been routed for ever had not Hengist by a singular art of preventing dangers betook himself into the Isle of Thanet till that resolute fierceness of the Britains was a little allay'd and fresh forces came out of Germany In this battel the two Generals were slain Catigern the Britain and Horsa the Saxon the latter was buried at Horsted a little way from hence â—d and left his name to the place the former was bury'd in great state â—â—en's as 't is thought near Ailesford where 41 Under the side of a hill but not so artificially with mortis and tenents those four vast stones are pitch'd on end with others lying cross-ways upon them much of the same form with that British monument call'd Stone-henge And this the ignorant common people do still from Catigern name Keith-coty-house 42 In Ailsford it self for the religious house of the Carmelites founded by Richard Lord Grey of Codnor in the time of K. Henry 3. is now seen a fair habitation of Sir William Siddey a learned Knight painfully and expencefully studious of the common good of his country as both his endow'd house for the poor and the bridge here with the common voice do plentifully testifie p Nor must we forget Boxley â—â—y hard by where William de Ipres a Fleming Earl of Kent built a monastery in the year 1145. and supply'd it with monks from Clarevalle in Burgundy 43 Medway having wound himself higher from the east receiveth a brook springing near Wrotham or Wirtham so named for plenty of worts where the Archbishops had a place until Simon Islip pull'd it down leaveth Malling which grew to be a town after Gundulph Bishop of Rochester had there founded an Abbey of Nuns and watereth Leibourn which hath a Castle sometime the seat of a family thereof sirnamed out of which Sir Roger Leibourn was a great Agent in the Barons wars and William was a Parliamentary Baron in the time of K. Edw. 1. and not far from the opposite bank â—g just over against this is Birling 44 Now the habitation of the Lord Abergeveny formerly the Barony of the Maminots then of the Saies whose estate at last came by females to the families of Clinton Fienes and Aulton On the east-side of the Medway after it has pass'd by Halling â—â—g where Hamo de Heath Bishop of Rochester built a seat for his successors a little higher up is an ancient city call'd by Antoninus Duro-brus Duro-brivae and in some other places more truly Duro-provae â—â—revâ—s â—anciâ—ble â—sh'd â—elfer 〈◊〉 â—r 〈…〉 â—ester or Durobrovae Bede has it Duro-brevis and in the decline of the Roman Empire time did so contract this name that it was call'd Roibis whence with the addition of Ceaster which being deriv'd from the Latin castrum was us'd by our Forefathers to signifie a city town or castle they call'd it Hroueceaster and we more contractly Rochester as the Latins Roffa from one Rhoffus as Bede imagines tho' to me there seems to be some remains of that in the old Duro brovis And as to the name there is no reason to doubt of that since beside the course of the Itinerary and Bede's authority in an old Foundation-Charter of the Cathedral Church it is expresly call'd Durobrovis Only this I would have observ'd that the printed Copies of Bede read Daruervum where the Manuscripts have Durobrovis It is plac'd in a valley on some sides encompass'd 45 With a marsh river with walls but not very strong and as Malmesbury says is pent within too narrow a compass so that 't was formerly look'd upon as a Castle rather than a City for Bede calls it Castellum Cantuariorum i.e. the castle of the Kentish men But now it runs out with large suburbs towards west east and south It has had a great many
much of Westminster which tho' as I observ'd is a City of it self and of a distinct Jurisdiction I have taken in along with London because it is so joyn'd to it by continu'd buildings that it seems to be but one and the same City Hoâ—burn On the west-side of the City the Suburbs runs out with another row of beautiful buildings namely Holborn or rather Oldburn 58 Wherein stood anciently the first House of Templers only in the place now called Southampton House wherein are some Inns for the study of the Common Law and a house of the Bishops of Ely becoming the State of a Bishop which they owe to John Hotham Bishop of that See under Edward 3. The Suburbs grew likewise on the north-side where Jordan Brisset a pious and wealthy man built an House for the Knights Hospitalers of S. John Hoâ—pitalers of S. John of Jerusalem that was afterwards improv'd into the stateliness of a Palace and had a very beautiful Church with a high tower so neatly carry'd up that while it stood 't was a singular ornament to the City At their first Institution 59 About the year 1124. and long after they were so humble while but poor that their †Governour was call'd Servant to the poor Servants of the Hospital at Jerusalem as that of the Templers Templâ—â—s who arose a little afteâ— The humble Minister of the poor Knights of the Temple 60 This religious Order was instituted shortly after Geoffry of Bollen had recover'd Jerusalem The Brethren whereof wore a white Cross upon their upper black garment and by solemn profession were bound to serve Pilgrims and poor people in the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem and to secure the passages thither they charitably buried the dead they were continual in prayer mortified themselves with watchings and fastings they were courteous and kind to the poor whom they called their Masters and fed with white bread while themselves liv'd with brown and carried themselves with great austerity Whereby they purchased to themselves the love and liâ—ing of all sorts But what for their piety and bravery in war their condition came to be so much alter'd from this mean state by the bounty of good Princes and private persons that they even abounded in every thing For about the year 1240. they had nineteen thousand Lordships or Manours within Christendom as the Templers had nine thousand whose revenues here in England fell also afterwards to the Hospitalers Mâ—tth Par. And this vast increase of revenues made them so effectual a passage to great honours that their Prior was reckon'd the first Baron of England and liv'd in great state and plenty till King Henry 8. by the instigation of bad Counsellors seis'd upon all their lands as he did also upon those belonging to the Monasteries which out of a pious design were dedicated to God's glory and by the Canons of the Church were to be expended upon the maintenance of Priests relief of the poor redemption of Captives and the repair of Churches Near this place where there is now a stately circuit of houses was formerly a rich House of the Carthusians Câ—â—ter-hâ—â—se built by 61 Sir Walter Many Walter Many of Hainault who got great honour by his service in the French War under Edward 3. And before that there was a very famous Church-yard which in that plague of London in the year 1349. had above fifty thousand men bury'd in it as appear'd by an Inscription in brass whereby it was convey'd to posterity t The Suburbs also which runs out on the north-west side of London is large and had formerly a watch-tower or military ‖ Praetentura fence from whence it came to be call'd by an Arabick name Barbacan Barbacan By the gift of Edw. 3. it became a seat of the Uffords Gâ—leottus Martius from whom by the Willoughbies it descended to 62 Sir Peregrine Berty Peregrine Bertie Lord Willoughby of Eresby a person every way of a generous temper and a true martial courage Nor are the Suburbs that shoot forth towards the north-east and east less considerable in the fields whereof whilst I am upon this work there are digg'd up many sepulchral Vessels Seals and Urns with Coins in them of Claudius Nero Vespasian c. Glass Vials also with small earthen vessels wherein was a sort of liquid Substance which I should imagine to be either an oblation of wine and milk us'd by the Romans at the burning of their dead or those odoriferous Liquors mention'd by Statius Phariique liquores Arsuram lavêre comam And precious odours sprinkled on his hair Prepar'd it for the flames This was a place set apart by the Romans for burning and burying their dead being oblig'd by the Twelve Tables to carry them without the Cities and to bury them by the military high-ways 63 To put passengers in mind that thâ—y are as those were subject to mortality And thus much of the land-side of the City u But upon the river-side and the south part of it Borough of Southwark See Surrey p. 160. that large Borough of Southwark before-mention'd is joyn'd to the city with a bridge first built on wooden piles where formerly instead of a bridge they pass'd the water in a ferry Afterwards The Bridge in the reign of K. John they built a new one of free-stone and admirable workmanship with 19 Arches beside that which makes the * Versatilis Draw-bridge and so continu'd it all along like a street with most handsome buildings that it may claim a preheminence over all the bridges in Europe whether you look upon the largeness or beauty In this Borough of Southwark the things that have been remarkable are a noble Abbey for Monks of the Benedictine Order call'd Bermondsey erected formerly to our Saviour by Aldwin Child S. Saviour Citizen of London and a stately house built by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Suffolk-house which was pull'd down again after it had been for a little time the delight of its Master There still remains the Hospital of S. Thomas St. Thomas Hospital repair'd or rather founded by the City of London for the lame and infirm and the Church of the Priory of St. Mary which because it is seated over the Thames is with respect to the City of London call'd a The learned Dr. Hicks in his Saxon Grammar has observ'd that the Church's name is not taken from it's being over the river but from standing upon the banks of it ofre in Saxon signifying a bank S. Mary Over-Rhe founded for 64 Black Canons Canons by William Ponte del Arche a Norman as also the house of the Bishops of Winchester built by William Gifford Bishop about the year 1107. for the use of his successors From this along the Thames-side there runs westward a continu'd line of houses in which compass within the memory of our fathers there
seat of the Constables of England in the latter end of the Saxons and afterwards too as the Ely-book informs us 12 At this town the first William Mandevill Earl of Essex began a castle and two c. To the sâ—me place two very powerful Nobles when they could not keep themselves between the two extreams of base flattery and down-right obstinacy to their Prince do owe their death Thomas de Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Earl of Essex 13 Who founded here a College and John Holland Earl of Huntingdon brother by the Mother's side to King Richard 2. and once Duke of Exeter though he was afterwards depriv'd of that honour The former for his rash contumacy was hurried from hence to Calais and strangled the other was beheaded in this very place for rebeilion by command of Henry 4. So that he seems as it were to have satisfied Woodstock's ghost of whose fall he was accounted the main procurer Hence the Chelmer not far from Leez runs by a little Monastery built by the Gernons at present the seat of the Lords Rich who owe their honour to Richard Rich Bâ—â—ons â—â—ch a man of great prudence and Chancellour of England under Edward the sixth Hatfâ—â—ld-Peverel al. Peperking A little lower is seated Hatfield-Peverel call'd so from the owner of it Ranulph Peverel who had to wife one of the most celebrated beauties of the age daughter to Ingelric a noble Saxon. The Book of St. Martins in London She founded here a College now ruin'd and lyes in-tomb'd †In fenestrâ in the window of the Church whereof a little still remains By her he had William Peverel Governour of Dover-castle and 14 Sir Payne Pain Peverel L of Brun in Cambridgeshire The same woman bore to William the Conquerour whose Concubine she was William Peverel L. of Nottingham But to return to the Chelmer Next it visits Chelmerford vulgarly Chensford Chensford which by the distance from Camalodunum should be the old Canonium Canonium f This is a pretty large town seated almost in the middle of the County between two rivers which here joyn their friendly streams Chelmer from the east and another from the south of which if as some will have it the name be Can we may safely enough conclude this place to have been Canonium It was famous in the memory of our fathers for a little Monastery built by Malcolm King of Scotland At present 't is remarkable only for the Assizes which are here kept This place began to recover some repute when Maurice Bishop of London to whom it belong'd in the time of Henry 1. built here a bridge and brought the great road through this town Before it lay through Writtle Writle formerly Estre famous for the largeness of the parish which King Henry the third gave to Robert Bruce Lord of Anandale in Scotland who had married one of the daughters and heirs of John 15 Sirnamed Scot. the last Earl of Chester because he was unwilling the County of Chester should be possessed only by a couple of women But the posterity of Bruce forsaking their Allegiance Edward the second granted this place to Humfrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex Of late when King James at his first coming to the Crown advanced several deserving persons to the honourable degree of Barons among others he created John Petre a very eminent Knight Baron Petre of Writtle whose father 16 Sir William William Petre a man of extraordinary prudence and learning was not so famous for the great offices he had bore in the Kingdom having been of the Privy Council to Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth and often Embassador to foreign States as for his liberal education and encouragement to learning at Oxford and for the relief of the poor at d This Place in the Bull of Pope Paul 4. whereby he granted the aforesaid William Petre the sale of several Monasteries belonging to Religious-houses dissolv'd by King Henry 8. is call'd Ging-Abbatissâ—e alià s Ging ad Petram vel Ingerstone And in the neighbourhood are several Villages whereof Ging or inge make part of the name as Ging-grave Menas-inge Marget-inge and Frier-inge Engerston 17 Where he lyeth buried near this place Froshwell call'd more truly Pant and afterwards Blackwater rising out of a little spring near Radwinter which belong'd to the Lords Cobham after it hath run a great way and met with nothing considerable except e Dr. Fuller is mistaken when he says it is in the gift of the Lords of the Manour of Dorewards-hall for it ever was in the Patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury as the learned Mr. Ousley inform'd me from Records and the whole Town belong'd to the Priory of Christ's-Church at Canterbury till the dissolution The relation it has to this See has made it been always fill'd with men eminent for learning and the present Incumbent Nathaniel Sterry B. D. is inferiour to none of his Predecessors Bocking a very rich Parsonage Cogshal built by King Stephen for Cluniack Monks And the habitation of ancient Knights thence sirnamed de Cogeshall from whose Heir-general married into the old family of Tirrell there branched forth a fair propagation of the Tirrels in this shire and elsewhere Then goeth on this water by Easterford some call it East-Sturford and Whittam built by Edward the elder in the year 914. which is said to have been the Honour of Eustace Earl of Bologn meets with the Chelmer which coming down with its whole stream from a pretty high hill not far from Danbury that was long the habitation of the noble family of the Darcies passeth by Woodham-Walters Woodham-Walters the ancient seat of the Lords Fitz-Walters as eminent for the nobility as the antiquity of their family Barons Fitz-Walters being descended from Robert younger son to Richard Fitz-Gislbert Earl And in the last age grafted by marriage into the family of the Ratcliffs who being advanced to the dignity of Earls of Sussex have now a noble seat not far from hence call'd New-hall New-hall This belong'd formerly to the Butlers Earls of Ormond then to 19 Sir Thomas Thomas Bollen E. of Wiltshire of whom King Henry 8 procur'd it by exchange Leland in Cygnea-Cantio and having been at a great deal of charge to enlarge it gave it the new name of Beau-lieu though this never obtain'd among the common people Now the Chelmer with the confluence of the other waters being divided by a river-Island and losing its old name for that of Blackwater or Pant salutes the old Colony of the Romans Camalodunum Câ—maloduâ—â—m which has made this shore famous call'd by Ptolemy Camudolanum by Antoninus Camulodunum and Camoludunum but that the true name is Camalodunum we have the authority of Pliny Dio and of an ancient marble to evince In the search of this City how strangely have some persons
was a famous Mart town and very populous If this be allow'd there is no doubt but that Adelphius de Civitate Colonia Londinensium one of the British Bishops at the first Council of Arles had his Seat here though it be deny'd by some Learned men for no other reason but an imaginary supposition of a mistake committed by some ignorant Transcriber l Beside the Roman Coyns the remains of Antiquity mention'd by our Author †Aubr MS. there are also old Roman bricks aequilaterally square like paving-bricks but thinner and some huge thick ones 'T is likewise observable that the Towers and Churches are built of Roman bricks and ruins And at the Queens-head inn in the market-place the stable as also the room above it is of Roman building m At some distance from the river is Lair-Marney Lair-Marney ‖ Norden MS. Essex so call'd from the Lord Marney to whom it belong'd and who with some others of that name lye interr'd in very fair tombs in the Church there Upon the sea-coast lies Mersey-Island Mersey Island containing eight parishes It is a place of great strength and may almost be kept against all the world for which reason the Parliament clapt in a thousand men to guard it from being seiz'd by the Dutch about the beginning of the Dutch-war n Beyond which to the east is Great Clackton Great Clackton * Norden where was sometime a stately house of the Bishops of London and a park but the house is now fallen and the Park dispark'd o To the north-east upon the sea coast is Harwich Harwich †Sylas Tayloâ—'s Hist of Harwich MS. the walls of which town are for the most part built and the streets generally pitcht with a petrify'd sort of clay falling fâ—om the Cliffs thereabouts For from the side of the Cliff between the beacon and the town issues a spring of excellent clear water and thereabouts is a sort of bluish clay which tumbling down upon the shore notwithstanding it is wash'd by the sea at high-water is in a short time turn'd into stone Some that are new fallen are as soft as the clay in the Cliff others that have lain longer crusted over and hard but if open'd or broke the clay is still soft in the middle Others that have lain longest are petrify'd to the very heart This water doth petrifie wood as well as clay a large piece sent from hence is reserved in the Repository of the Royal Society After what has been said in Kent under the title of Arsenals for the Royal Navy it will not be wonder'd at that our learned Author enlargeth no farther in his observations upon this place than what relates to the security of the Road without ought mention'd of the importance which through the growth of the Marine Action of England since his time it has been of to the Crown for 40 years past and now is from its present Conveniences for the ready cleaning and refitting of Ships of War resorting thither on that behalf and its capacity for New-Erections to the degree of second and third Rates Divers whereof have been since then built and others said to be at this day in hand there to the great accommodation of the State and total extinction of the use our Ancestors did to the beginning of this Century generally make of Colne-water in the neighbourhood of this place for the harbouring of the Royal Navy Over-against it at Langerfort Langerfort contracted from Land-guard-fort which tho' it may seem to be in Suffolk is notwithstanding by the Officers of his Majesty's Ordnance in the Tower of London writ in Essex according to former Precedents are the reliques of an ancient fortification which shew great labour and antiquity The line of it runs southerly from a little without the town gate to the Beacon-hillfield about the midst of which is a round artificial hill cast up probably either for placing their Standard upon or else for a Tumulus over some one of their Commanders deceas'd for that we find common in a great many parts of England Another work runs a-cross from the first easterly but they are both broke off by the encroachings of the Sea Thorp Kirkby Walton South of Harwich are Thorp Kirkby and Walton ‖ Norden's Essex MS. included within the ancient Liberty call'd the Liberty of the Soke In these no man may be arrested by any kind of Process but of the Bailiff of the Liberty and not by him but with the consent of the Lord first obtain'd The Sheriff hath no power within this Liberty in any cause whatsoever but the Bailiff executeth all matters as if he had Viscountile Authority Continuation of the EARLS Robert the last Earl mention'd by our Author being restor'd in blood and honour 1 Jac. 1. was twice marry'd and by his second wife had only issue Robert who dy'd young So that dâ—parting this life Sept. 14. 1646. without issue that honour became vacant till shortly after the Restoration K. Charles 2. created Arthur Capel Baron of Hadham and Viscount Maldon Earl of Essex whose son Algernon now enjoys that honour More rare Plants growing wild in Essex Allium sylvestre bicorne flore ex herbaceo albicante cum triplici in singulis petalis stria atro-purpurea An Allium sive Moly montanum tertium Clus montanum bicorne flore exalbido C. B. Wild Garlick with an herbaceous striate flower In a corn-field in Black Notley called West-field adjoyning to Leez-lane plentifully This plant is now almost lost in this field H. Alopecuros maxima Anglica paludosa Park The greatest English Marsh Fox-tail-grass Said by Lobel to grow in the moist ditches near the river Thames Argemone capitulo longiore glabro Mor. D. Plot in Hist nat Oxon. Smooth-headed bastard Poppy This was found by Mr. Dale at Bocking K. Atriplex maritima laciniata C. B. Jagged Sea-Orrache On the sandy shores in Mersey-Island near Colchester plentifully also on the sandy shores at little Holland in Tendring Hundred and elsewhere Atripâ—ex angustifolia maritima dentata Hist nost p. 193. An Atrip angustifolia laciniata minor J. B maritima angustifolia C. B. prod At Maldon by the river and on the banks of the marshes plentifully Auricula leporis minima J. B. An Bupleurum minimum Col. Park angustissimo folio C. B. The least Hares-ear At Maldon in the marshes by the river's side plentifully Clematis Daphnoides major C. B. major flore coeruleo albo J. B. Daphnoid sive Pervinca major Ger. Daph. latifolia sive Vinca pervinca major Park The greater Periwinkle Found near Colchester hy Dr. Richardson This plant I have found out of gardens but being native of hot Countries and frequent about Montpellier I suspect it may owe its original to some plants weeded up and thrown out thence Clematis Daphnoides minor J. B. C. B. Vinca pervinca Officinarum minor Ger. vulgaris Park Periwinkle I have observed it in some fields by the road-side leading
and this serves us to make Beer of The inhabitants drive a gainful trade with this into the neighbouring Counties The north and farther part by reason of the floods fens and the many islands made by riveâ—s is call'd the Isle of Ely abounds with rich pastures exceeding fresh and pleasant but however somewhat hollow and spungy by reason of the waters that undermine it which sometimes overflow and drown the greatest part of it a One of the Roman high-ways call'd Erming-streat in the Ely-book runs along the west-side of the lower part and carries us directly to Huntingdon by Royston Royston a town on the borders of this County See Hâ—rtfordshâ—re of some note but of no antiquity b 'T is partly in Hartfordshire and partly in this County which we spoke of before and likewise through Caxton Caxton formerly the Baronage of Stephen de Eschallers from whose posterity it descended to the Frevills in the time of Henry 3. and from them by the Burgoins to the Jermins Nor is Gamlinghay far off the habitation formerly of the Avenells whose whole estate fell by marriage to that ancient family of St. George a family that since Henry 1. has produc'd many worthy Knights who liv'd at Hatley from them call'd Hatley St. George Hatley St. George More westward there is a little river which runs through the middle of this part from South to North to mix with the Ouse beginning at Ashwell and passing with many windings by Shengay Shengay where are the most pleasant meadows of the County formerly a †A Câ—mmandeâ—y Praeceptory of the Knights Templars given by Sibyl daughter of Roger Mont-gomery Earl of Shrewsbury and wife of J. de Raines in the year 1130. a little way off Burne-castle Burne which was anciently the Barony of one Picot Sheriff of this County Barons of Burne and also of the Peverills Barnwell-Hist by one of whose daughters the Inheritance and Honours sell to Gilbert Peche the last of which family after he had advanc'd his second wife's children The King heir to private persons made King Edward the first his heir In those days the English Nobility brought up the ancient Roman custom in the time of their Emperors of making their Princes heirs whenever they were out of favour This Castle was burnt down in the Barons war in Henry the third's time set on fire by one Ribald de Insula or L'Isle and at the same time Walter of Cottenham a great man was hang'd for rebellion It 's uncertain how former writers have call'd this river some by the name of Grant but others Cam which to me seems most probable because 't is so crooked for the Brittish word Cam signifies as much whence a crooked river in Cornwal is call'd Camel and also because old Camboritum Camboritum a town mention'd by Antoninus in his third Journey in Britain stood upon it as I am almost perswaded both by its distance and name and also the great number of Roman coins found nigh the bridge For Camboritum signifies a ford over Cam Rith its signification in British and Gaulish or a crooked ford the word rith in the British language signifying a ford I mention this that the French may better understand the meaning of Augustoritum Darioritum Rithomagus and the like in their own Country However the Saxons had rather use Grant-ceaster Grantcester and Gront-ceaster for our Camboritum and though it retains this name still I can't find the derivation of it To derive it from the Saxon word * Gronna Hovd fol. 251. Flor. Wigorniens fol. 402. Gron The meaning of Gron. a fenny place might be a mistake and yet Asserius more than once has call'd some fenny grounds in Somersetshire Gronnas paludosissimas which is a mixture of Saxon and Latin and 't is well known that a city in West-Friezland in the like situation is call'd Groneingen But let others hunt after the Etymology of it About the year 700 this was saith Bede a little desolate city when he tell us that just by its walls was found a little trough or coffin of white marble delicately wrought with a lid of the same most exactly fitted for it Now 't is a small village part whereof Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln gave to his bastard-son Henry upon condition that all his posterity which have been long since extinct should take no other name but Henry King Henry the sixth of the House of Lancaster and heir to Lacie's estate settled the other part upon his own College call'd King 's in Cambridge Cambridge which town is either a part or a sprig of the ancient Camboritum 't is so nigh it in name and situation Nor am I apt to believe that Cam was ever turn'd out of Grant for this would look like a change too forc'd and strain'd where all the letters are lost but one I should rather think that the common people had kept to the old name of Camboritum or the river Cam though indeed writers more commonly use the Saxon word c It is call'd in Saxon Grantanbryege Grantabriege and Grantebrige Grantbridge This City the other University the other Eye and Stay of the Kingdom this excellent Magazine of all good Literature and Religion stands on the river Cam which after it has most pleasantly sprinkl'd its west side with several little Isles turns to the east divides it into two parts so that 't is joyn'd by a bridge which hath given it that new name of Cambridge Beyond the bridge there is a large old castle which may now seem to have come to its last thred and Magdalen-College On this side the bridge where lyes the far greatest part of the town there 's a pleasant prospect of the form of the Streets of the number of Churches and of sixteen fair Colleges the Muses sacred Mansions wherein great numbers of worthy learned men are maintain'd and where the Studies of Arts and Languages so mightily flourish that they may deservedly be term'd the very fountains of all Literature Religion and Learning which most sweetly scatter their wholesom streams through all the Gardens both of Church and State Nor is there any thing wanting that is requir'd in a most flourishing University were not the Air a little too gross by reason of its fenny situation But perhaps the first founders of it in this place were of Plato's opinion who being of a strong constitution himself made choice of the Academy for his studies a very unwholesom place in Attica the better to keep under the stubborness of the body that it might not too much clog the brain However our Ancestors men of singular wisdom have dedicated this place to their learned studies not without divine direction and have adorn'd it with many noble buildings That we may not seem guilty of the worst sort of ingratitude to these eminent Patrons of Learning or to use Eumenius's words those Parents of
contracted marriage being the first of our Kings since the Conquest that married his Subject But thereby he drew upon himself and her relations a world of troubles as may be seen in our Histories The said Richard Widdevil Lord of Rivers Grafton and De la Mote was by Edward the fourth now his Son in law avanc'd these are the very words of the Charter of Creation to be Earl of Rivers Earls Rivers by the cincture of a Sword to have to him and his heirs males with the fee of 20 l. by the hands of the Sheriff of Northampton And soon after he was with great state and solemnity constituted Constable of England 7 Edw. 1. Câ—nstable â—â—gland I speak out of the original Patent To occupy manage and execute the said Office by himself or his sufficient Deputies for term of life receiving yearly 200 pound out of the Exchequer with full power and authority to take cognizance and proceed in causes of and concerning the crime of High Treason or the occasion thereof also to hear examine and in due time determine the causes and business aforesaid with all and singular matters thence arising thereunto incident or therewith conjoyned summarily and from the Bench without noise or formal judgment having only regard to the truth of the fact and with the King's hand or power if it shall be thought convenient in our behalf without all appeal 2 Moreover about that time he was made Lord Treasurer of England But after his having enjoy'd these honours for a good while he was beat in the battel of Edgcote fighting for his Son-in-law and soon after intercepted and beheaded And altho' this family died as it were and ended in his sons Anthony Earl Rivers being beheaded by Richard the third and Richard and his Brothers dying issueless yet from the daughters sprang very fair and noble branches For from them issued the Royal Line of England the Marquisses of Dorset Earls of Essex Earls of Arundel Earls of Worcester Earls of Derby and Barons Stafford b Behind Grafton is Sacy Forest Sacy Forest a place set apart for game More Eastward the villages lye scatter'd thick every where amongst which these are of greatest note Blisworth the seat of the Wakes descended from the famous family of the Barons of Wake and Estoteville Pateshull which gave name formerly to a noted family Greenes-Norton so nam'd of the Greenes persons fam'd in the last age for their wealth call'd before Inq. 44. Edw. 3. if I mistake not b A Manuscript Collection of Tenures by Serjeanty in the hands of Henry Worsley of Lincolns-Inn Esquire puts this service under Ashby in this County Norton Dany and held in Capite of the King by the Service of lifting up the right hand towards the King yearly on Christmas-day in what place soever he then was in England Wardon Wardon a Hundred which had its Lords descended from Guy de Reinbudcourt a Norman whose estate came by the Foliots to Guiscard Leddet whose daughter Christian bare unto her husband Henry de Braibrook a numerous issue But Guiscard the eldest assum'd his mothers sirname Leddet Shortly after this great estate was divided by females between William and John Latimers of Corby brothers From the last the Griffins in this County had their original as from the first the Latimers Barons Barons Latimer of good antiquity in Yorkshire Higher in the Country northward arises the river Aufona or Avon for Avon in the British tongue is a general name of all rivers call'd Nen The river Nen. by the inhabitants and passes from the west-side of this County making many reaches by the winding of its banks in a manner through the midst of this Province to which it is a continual blessing A very noble river it is and if my judgment be worth any thing garison'd in old time by the Romans For when that part of Britain on this side the river was in the Emperour Claudius's time brought under the Roman Government so that the inhabitants thereof were termed Allies to the Romans when the Britains also beyond the river made frequent incursions into this their Country and carried all before them and these Allies themselves more easily bearing the Commands than Vices of the Romans on every turn conspir'd with those beyond the river then P. Ostorius says Tacitus cinctos castris Antonam Aufonas I would read it if I might be so bold Sabrinam cohibere parat That is if I misunderstand not the place he by placing Forts up and down upon these rivers undertakes to restrain the Britains beyond the river and those of this Province from assisting one another against the Romans What river this shou'd be none can tell Lipsius the Apollo of our age hath either dispell'd this mist or I my self am in a cloud He points out Northampton and I am of opinion that Antona has been foisted into Tacitus instead of Aufona upon which Northampton is seated For the very heart or middle of England is counted to be near it where out of one hill spring three rivers running different ways Cherwell to the south Leame to the west which as it hastens to the Severn is receiv'd by another * 〈◊〉 Avon and this Avon or Nen to the east Of which these †Antâ—â—a two Avons so cross England overthwart that whoever comes out of the northern parts of this Island must of necessity pass over one of the two When therefore Ostorius had fortified the Severn and these two Avons he had no cause to fear any danger out of Wales or the north parts of Britain either to his Romans or Allies who at that time had reduced only the nearest parts of this Isle into the form of a Province as Tacitus himself witnesses in another place c Those great fortifications and military fences to be seen at Gildsborough and Dantrey Gâ—â—dsâ—â—roâ—gh Danâ—â—â—y between the springs of the two Avons which run different ways and where only there is passage into the hither part of Britain without any rivers to hinder it may seem to be some of the sorts which Ostorius erected That at Gildsborough is great and large but this other at Dantrey is greater and larger for being four-square upon an high hill from whence all the Country beneath may be seen far and near and having on the east-side a Mount they call it Spelwell it encloses within a cast-up bank two hundred acres or thereabouts Within which the Country people find now and then Coins of the Roman Emperours certain proofs of it's antiquity They are much mistaken therefore who will have it to be a work of the Danes and that the town under it was thence nam'd Dantrey now well known for it's Inns and had formerly a Religious-house of Augustin Fryers which as 't is reported H. de Fawesly sounded At the head of the Avon or Nen to make a step backwards stands Catesby Catesby that gave name to
Dunnington â—â—nningâ—â—n which Mr. Camden observes was bestow'd upon Hugh le Despenser the younger by Edward the second whose father Hugh le Despenser the elder King Edward the second created Earl of Winchester But 1 Edw. 3. Henry Earl of Lancaster obtain'd a Reversal of his brother's Attainder together with a restitution of his estate of which this castle and manour was a part Afterwards descending to King Henry the fourth it became parcel of the Dutchy of Lancaster and so continu'd till the reign of Queen Elizabeth when Robert Earl of Essex having obtain'd a grant of the Park did in the latter end of that Queen's reign sell the same to George Earl of Huntingdon which now is the inheritance of Theophilus the present Earl of Huntingdon From hence we pass to Ashby de la Zouch Ashby de la Zouch which manour Mr. Camden tells us came to the Hastings and that happen'd upon the Attainder of James Butler Earl of Ormond and Wiltshire after King Edward the fourth recover'd the Crown Sir William Hastings had a grant of it in consideration of his signal Services against King Henry the sixth and his party upon which account he was also made a Baron Chamberlain of the King's houshold Captain of Calice and Knight of the Garter This I take to be the same William that Mr. Camden says procur'd the privilege of a Fair there from Henry the sixth for he cannot mean the market because the town enjoy'd that privilege long before It must be a mistake for Edward the fourth because Sir William always oppos'd the Lancastrian party in favour of the House of York and upon that turn of government procur'd this grant Besides it expresly appears that 11 Edw. 4. he had a Charter for two Fairs to be held there yearly with licence to make amongst other of his houses this of Ashby a castle which was demolisht in 1648. At which time many other noble seats underwent the same fate by an ordinance of the Parliament This manour in a lineal descent from the said William Lord Hastings is the inheritance of Theophilus now Earl of Huntingdon i From the North we must pass along with Mr. Camden to the East-part of this County where Burrow Burrow offers it self being in his opinion the Vernometum Vernometum of Antoninus Mr. Burton speaking of the place barely recites Camden's words without delivering his own judgment but a more distinct account of the place which I had sent me by an ingenious Gentleman very much strengthens the conjecture The double ditch and track of the walls are pretty plain The entrance into it both now and anciently was from the East and by South There are two banks cast up about ten yards in length and five or six in distance one from the other where the Portal appears to have been and where the entrance is partly level from the field adjoyning there being as Mr. Camden well describes it a steep and upright ascent on all other sides The interpretation of a great temple seems to answer the state of the place exceeding well for there do not so much appear the marks of a town demolish'd which Mr. Camden intimates as some particular great building and rather a Temple than any other to which the several adjacent colonies might conveniently resort The hill contains twelve Acres in modern computation and there is in the middle of it a rising ground It is distant near half a mile from the town of Burrow and there is a very pleasant prospect from it especially to the West k Besides the fair Church at Melton-Mowbray mention'd by our Author it had a Chantry for about fourteen Priests situate near the South-east corner of the Church which being repair'd is now the Parsonage-house belonging to the Impropriation of the said Church The market which is upon Tuesdays is the most considerable for cattel of any in this part of England Continuation of the EARLS Some years after the death of Robert Dudley mention'd by our Author King James the first created Robert Sidney Viscount Lisle descended from a sister of the last Robert Earl of Leicester To him succeeded Robert his son who had by the Lady Dorothy daughter to Henry Earl of Northumberland Philip his heir and successor in this dignity RVTLANDSHIRE RUTLAND in the Saxon Roteland is in a manner encompass'd with Leicestershire unless on the south where it lyes on the river Welland and on the east where it borders on the County of Lincoln It is no way inferiour to Leicestershire either in richness of soil or pleasantness of situation but only for its quantity in which respect it is much inferiour being the least County of all England It s form is almost circular and contains within its compass so much ground as a good horseman may ride about in one day Hence it is that the people of this Country have a story of I know not what King who gave to one Rut as much land as he could ride about in a day and he riding round this County within the time specify'd had it thereupon given him and call'd it after his own name But let such fables vanish we will not injure truth with idle fancies In regard therefore that the earth of this County is in many places so ruddy that it colours the fleeces of the sheep and considering that the Saxons call'd a red colour Roet and Rud why may we not suspect that Rutland Rutland why so call'd was so named quasi Redland as the Poet says Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis i.e. There 's commonly an agreement between names and things Several places among all nations have been named from redness Rutlan-Castle in Wales built on a red shore the Red Promontory the Red Sea between Egypt and Arabia Erytheia in Ionia and several other instances evince the same thing There is therefore no occasion to listen to fables for this Etymology a This little parcel of land has made a County but of late days for in the time of Edward the Confessor it was esteemed a part of Northamptonshire And our Historians who writ before the last 300 years mention not this in the number of the Counties b Wash or Gwash a rivulet rising in the west runs to the east almost through the very middle of this County and divides it into two parts In the hithermost or south division stands Uppingham Uppingham on a rising ground from whence it had its name c It is not memorable for any thing besides a well-frequented market and a handsom school which as also another at Okeham R. Johnson a Divine with a laudable design for the good education of youth lately erected out of certain contributions Below this stands Dry-Stoke which I cannot omit in regard it hath been an old seat of that famous and ancient family of the Digbies Digby which 1 I grieve to utter it but all men know it Everard Digby hath now branded with an eternal
of the Graves of the great family of Mansfield in Germany who assert the Antiquity of the family of Mansfeld in Germany and that the first Earl of Mansfeld was at the Celebration of the round Table with our Arthur and that he was born here Our Kings were formerly wont to retire hither for the sake of hunting and that you may have it in the very words of an old Inquisition Henry Fauconberge held the manour of Cukeney in this County by Serjeanty for shooing the King's horse when he came to Mansfeld 9 And the hereditary Foresters or Keepers of this Forest of Shirewood were men in their times of high estimation viz. Sir Gerard de Normanvile in the time of the Conquest the Cauzes and Birkins by whose heir it came to the Everinghams Of which family Sir Adam Everingham was summon'd to Parliaments in the reigns of King Edw. 2. and King Edw. 3. At which time they were seated at Laxton anciently call'd Lexinton where also fleurish'd a great family so sirnam'd whose heirs were marry'd into the houses of Sutton of Averham and Markham Many small rivers spring out of this wood and run towards the Trent the chief of them is Idle â—dle upon which near Idleton in the year 616 the great success and fortune of Ethered a most potent King of the Northumbrians stopp'd and fail'd him For whereas he had formerly always fought with great success here his fortune vary'd and he was cut off being defeated by Redwald King of the East Angles who set Edwin excluded then and depriv'd of the throne of his Ancestors over Northumberland The course of this little river lyes at no great distance from Markham â—â—rkham a small village but yet it has given name to the Markhams a family very famous heretofore both for antiquity and virtue 10 Being descended from one of the heirs of Cressy and formerly from an heir of Lexinton as I lately shew'd the greatest ornament of which was J. Markham who was Lord Chief Justice of England and temper'd his Judgments with so much equity as you may read in the Histories of England that the glory of him will never perish in after ages i He dy'd as appears from an inscription in Markham-Church of S. Silvester's day An. D. 1409. Six miles from hence to the westward stands Workensop â—â— kensop known for its great produce of liquorice â—â—qâ—orice and famous for the Earl of Shrewsbury's house there built in this age by George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury with magnificence becoming the state of so great an Earl and yet not to contract envy To the Talbots it came with a great inheritance from the Lovetofts first Lords of it in the Norman times by the Furnivals and Nevils Of these Lovetofts G. Lovetoft in Henry the first 's time built a Monastery here the ruins of which are still to be seen among very pleasant meadows on the East-side of the town but the West-part of the Church is yet remaining with two towers very fair and beautiful i A little higher upon the same river I saw Blithe â—â—â—the a noted market-town which was fortify'd with a castle as I was inform'd by Bulley or Busly a Nobleman of Norman extract but at this day hardly the ruins of it are visible so destructive is age to every thing But the little Monastery there was built by Roger Busly and Foulk de Lisieurs and this is almost the last town of Nottinghamshire to the Northward unless it be Scroby â—â—roby a little town belonging to the Arch-Bishop of York seated in the very edge of it William sirnam'd the Conquerour Lords and Earls of Nottingham Lib. M. Linton Matth. Paris p. 126. See the Earls of Derby Matth. Paris p. 204. Hoveden p. 373. b. Inq. 6 Ric. 2. made his natural son William Peverell ruler of this County not by the title of Earl but Lord of Nottingham who had a son that dy'd during the life of his father and he likewise a son of the same name depriv'd of his estate by Henry the second for preparing a dose of poyson for Ranulph Earl of Chester About the same time Robert de Ferrariis who plunder'd Nottingham us'd this title in the gift he made to the Church of Tuttesbury Robert the younger Earl of Nottingham But afterwards King Richard the first gave and confirm'd to his brother John the County and Castle of Nottingham with the whole Honour of Peverell Long after that Richard the second honour'd John de Mowbray with this title who dying young and without issue his brother Thomas succeeded him who by Richard the second was created Earl Marshal and Duke of Norfolk and being banish't immediately after he begat Thomas Earl Marshal beheaded by Henry the fourth and John Mowbray who as also his son and grandson was Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Nottingham But the issue male of this family failing and Richard the infant-son of Edward the fourth Duke of York having enjoy'd this title among others 11 By his wife the heir of the Mowbraies for a small time Richard the third honour'd William Marquess of Barkley and Henry the eighth grac'd Henry Fitz-Roy his natural son 12 When he created him Duke of Richmond who both dy'd without issue with this title of Earl of Nottingham And lately in 1597. Queen Elizabeth solemnly invested Charles Howard High Admiral of England who is descended from the Mowbrays with this honour for his service as the Charter of his creation has it so stoutly and faithfully perform'd by Sea against the Spaniard in the year 1588. and his taking of Cadiz in the year 1596. he then commanding by Sea as the Earl of Essex did by Land There are 168 Parish-Churches in this County ADDITIONS to NOTTINGHAMSHIRE THE Antiquities of this County were publish'd An. 1677. by Robert Thoroton Doctor of Physick a native of it with great accuracy and exactness But keeping close to the descent of families and possessions of estates in which he has shown a great curiosity Mr. Camden and he have carry'd on two very different designs Had he given himself the liberty of making digressions upon British Roman and Saxon Antiquities as Mr. Burton in his history of Leicestershire has done his curiosity must needs have discover'd a great many things of that nature which might have been of considerable use towards the improvement of Camden Since then he has confin'd himself to the business of possessions for those matters I refer the Reader thither where he may have ample satisfaction and will go along with our Author in that part of Antiquity which he has principally touch'd upon a Going out of Leicestershire the Foss-way Foss-way which is the best if not the only direction for what we principally look after leads us into the South-part of this County and carrys us along the East of it into Lincolnshire And because Mr. Camden has taken no notice of it the best service that
Throw in a cloth you 'll see it straight ascend For all 's bore upward by the conqu'ring wind But all that 's remarkable in this high and rough little country a certain person has endeavour'd to comprise in these f Hobbs has comprehended the seven wonders in one verse Aedes mons barathrum binus fons antraque binà four verses Mira alto Pecco tria sunt barathrum specus antrum Commoda tot plumbum gramen ovile pecus Tot speciosa simul sunt Castrum Balnea Chatsworth Plura sed occurrunt quae speciosa minus Nine things that please us at the Peak we see A Cave a Den and Hole the wonders be Lead Sheep and Pasture are the useful three Chatworth the Castle and the Bath delight Much more you 'll find but nothing worth your sight 7 To these wonders may be added a wonderful Well in the Peake-forest not far from Buxtons which ordinarily ebbeth and floweth four times in the space of one hour or thereabouts keeping his just tides and I know not whether Tideswell a market town hereby hath his name thereof Hol. As to what he says of the justness of the tides there is no such thing for sometimes it does not flow once in two days and sometimes it flows twice in an hour Those of the Peverels who as I have said before were Lords of Nottingham Lords aâ—â— Earls of Derby are also reported to have been Lords of Derby Afterwards King Rich. 1. gave and confirm'd to his brother John Simeon Dunchâ—â—â—sis Horeden Mat. Par. 204. the County and Castle of Nottingham Lancaster Derby c. with the Honours belonging to them and the Honour also of Peverel After him those of the family of the Ferrars as for as I can gather from the Registers of Tutbury Merivall and Burton Monasteries were Earls William de Ferrariis born of the daughter and heir of Peverel whom King John as it is in an ancient Charter An ancieâ—â— Charter 1 Joan. ‖ Cinrit c. created Earl of Derby with his own hands William his son 8 Who being bruis'd with a fall out of his coach dy'd in the year 1254. and Robert the son of this William who in the Civil wars was so stripp'd of this dignity that none of his posterity tho' they liv'd in great state were ever restor'd to their full honours Many possessions of this Robert were given by King Henry 3. to his younger son Edmund and King Edward 3. so says the original record by Act of Parliament gave Henry of Lancaster the son of Henry Earl of Lancaster the Earldom of Derby to him and his heirs and likewise assign'd him 1000 marks yearly during the life of Henry Earl of Lancaster his father From that time this title continued in the family of Lancaster till King Henry 7. bestow'd it upon Thomas Stanley who had not long before marry'd Margaret the King's mother 9 To him and his heirs males He had for his successor his grandson Thomas begotten by George his son on the body of Joan the heiress of the Lord Strange of Knocking This same Thomas had by the sister of George Earl of Huntingdon Edward the third Earl of this family highly commended for his courteousness and hospitality who of the Lady Dorothy daughter to the first Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk begat Henry the fourth Earl who soon obtain'd very honourable employments and left by the Lady Margaret daughter of Henry Earl of Cumberland Ferdinand and William successively Earls of Derby Ferdinand dy'd after a strange manner in the flower of his youth leaving by Margaret her right name is Alice his wife daughter of Sir John Spenser of Althorp three daughters viz. Anne marry'd to Grey Bruges Lord Chandos Frances espous'd to Sir John Egerton and Elizabeth the wife of Henry Earl of Huntingdon William the sixth Earl now enjoyeth the honour and hath issue by Elizabeth daughter to Edward late Earl of Oxford and now William g See an account of this family in Lancashire under the title Ormeskirke the sixth Earl of Derby of this family a man of great worth and honour enjoys that dignity Thus far of the Counties of Nottingâ—â—â— and Derby partly inhabited by those who in Bede 's time were call'd Mercii Aquilonares The Noâ—thern â—â—cians because they dwelt beyond the Trent northward and possest as he says the land of seven thousand families This County includes 106 Parishes ADDITIONS to DERBYSHIRE a IN the more southerly part of this County upon the river Trent is Repton Repton where Matilda wife to Ralph Earl of Chester founded a Priory of Canons Regular of the Order of St. Austin in the year 1172. And since the dissolution Sir John Port of Etwall in this County by his last Will order'd a Free-school to be erected appointing certain lands in the Counties of Derby and Lancaster for the maintenance of this and an Hospital at Etwall both which are still in a prosperous condition b The Trent running forward receives the river Derwent and upon it stands Derby Derby which had not this name by an abbreviation of Derwent and the addition of by as our Author imagines but plainly from being a shelter for deer which is imply'd in the true name of it Deoraby And what farther confirms it is that 't was formerly a park and in the arms of the town to this day is a buck couchant in a park Which joyn'd to the Lodge-lane still the name of a passage into the Nuns-green as they put the original of it out of all doubt so do they evidently shew the ancient condition of the place When the town was built does not appear but its privileges and ancient charters argue it to be of good antiquity It is exempted from paying toll in London or any other place except Winchester and some few other towns and is a staple-town for wool a very ancient manufacture of this Kingdom There was formerly in it a Chapel dedicated to St. James near which in digging some cellars and foundations of houses bones of a great size have been found And on the north-side of St. James's lane within the compass of ground where the Chapel stood a large stone was made bare which being gently remov'd there appear'd a stone-coffin with a very prodigious corps in it but this upon the first motion of the stone turn'd into dust The Coffin was so cut as to have a round place made for the head wide about the shoulders and so narrower down to the feet On the south-east corner of the town stood formerly a castle tho' there have been no remains of it within the memory of man But that there was one appears from the name of the hill call'd Cow-castle-hill and the street that leads west to St. Peter's Church in ancient Deeds bearing the name of Castle-gate In Allhallows Church there is a monument for one Richard Crashaw of London Esquire who dy'd the 20th of June An.
the same river not far from the mouth it self which Ptolemy calls Seteia for Deia stands that noble city which the same Ptolemy writes Deunana â—â—ana 〈◊〉 and Antoninus Deva from the river the Britains Caer-Legion Caer-Leon-Vaur Caer-Leon ar Dufyr Dwy and by way of preheminence Caer as our Ancestors the Saxons Legeacester from the Legion's camp there and we more contractly â—â—er West-chester from its westwardly situation and simply Chester according to that verse Cestria de Castris nomen quasi Castria sumpsit Chester from Caster or the Camp was nam'd And without question these names were derived from the twentieth Legion call'd Victrix For in the second Consulship of Galba the Emperor with Titus Vinius that Legion was transported into Britain where growing too heady and too formidable to the Lieutenants as well to those of Consular dignity as those who had been only Praetors Vespasian the Emperor made Julius Agricola Lieutenant over them and they were at last seated in this City which I believe had not been then long built for a check and barriere to the Ordovices Tho' I know some do aver it to be older than the Moon to have been built many thousands of years ago by the gyant Leon Vaur But these are young Antiquaries and the name it self may convince them of the greatness of this errour For they cannot deny but that Leon Vaur in British signifies a great Legion and whether it is more natural to derive the name of this City from a great Legion or from the gyant Leon let the world judge considering that in Hispania Tarraconensis we find a territory call'd Leon from the seventh Legio Germanica and that the twentieth Legion call'd Britannica Valens Victrix and falsly by some Valeria Victrix was quarter'd in this City as Ptolemy Antoninus and the coins of Septimius Geta testifie c By the coins last mention'd it appears also that Chester was a Colony Chester â— Roman Colony for the reverse of them is inscribed COL DIVANA LEG XX. VICTRIX And tho' at this day there remain here few memorials of the Roman magnificence besides some pavements of Chequer-works yet in the last age it afforded many as Ranulph a Monk of this City tells us in his Polychronicon There are ways here under ground wonderfully arched with stone work vaulted Dining-rooms huge stones engraven with the names of the Ancients and sometimes coins digged up with the Inscriptions of Julius Caesar and other famous men Likewise Roger of Chester in his Polycraticon c This passage is likewise in the Polychronicon When I beheld the foundation of vast buildings up and down in the streets it seemed rather the effect of the Roman strength and the work of Giants than of the British industry The City is of a square form surrounded with a wall two miles in compass and contains eleven Parish-Churches 2 But that of St. John's without the North-gate was the fairest being a stately and solemn building as appears by the remains wherein were anciently Prebendaries and as some write the Bishop's See Upon a rising ground near the river stands the Castle built by the Earl of this place wherein the Courts Palatine and the Assizes were held twice a year The buildings are neat The Rowes and there are Piazza's on both sides along the chief street 3 They call them Rowes having shops on both sides through which a man may walk dry from one end unto the other The City has not been equally prosperous at all times first it was demolish'd by Egfrid the Northumbrian then by the Danes but repair'd by Aedelfleda * Domina Governess of the Mercians and soon after saw King Eadgar gloriously triumphing over the British Princes For being seated in a triumphal Barge at the fore-deck Kinnadius King of Scotland Malcolin King of Cumberland Circ An. 960. Macon King of Man and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales brought to do him homage like Bargemen row'd him up the river Dee to the great joy of the Spectators Afterwards Churches restor'd Glaber Rodolphus about the year 1094. when as one says by a pious kind of contest the fabricks of Cathedrals and other Churches began to be more decent and stately and the Christian world began to raise it self from the old dejected state and sordidness to the decency and splendour of white Vestments Hugh the first of Norman blood that was Earl of Chester repaired the Church which Leofrick had formerly founded here in honour of the Virgin Saint Werburga and by the advice of Anselm whom he had invited out of Normandy granted the same unto the Monks Now the town is famous for the tomb of Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany who is said to have abdicated his Empire and become an Hermite here and also for its being an Episcopal See This See was immediately after the Conquest translated from Lichfield hither by Peter Bishop of Lichfield after it was transferred to Coventry and from thence into the ancient Seat again so that Chester continu'd without this dignity till the last age when King Henry the eighth displaced the Monks instituted Prebends and raised it again to a Bishop's See to contain within it's jurisdiction this County Lancashire Richmond c. and to be it self contained within the Province of York But now let us come to points of higher antiquity When the Cathedral here was built the Earls who were then Normans fortified the town with a wall and castle For as the Bishop held of the King that which belonged to his Bishoprick these are the very words of Domesday book made by William the Conquerour so the Earls with their men held of the King wholly all the rest of the city It paid gelt for fifty hides and there were 431 houses geldable and 7 Mint-masters When the King came in person here every Carrucat paid him 200 Hestha's one Cuna of Ale and one Rusca of Butter And in the same place For the repairing the city-wall and bridge the Provost gave warning by Edict that out of every hide of the County one man should come and whosoever sent not his man he was amerced 40 shillings to the King and Earl If I should particularly relate the skirmishes here between the Welsh and English in the beginning of the Norman times the many inroads and excursions the frequent firings of the suburbs of Hanbrid beyond the bridge whereupon the Welsh-men call it Treboeth that is the burnt town and tell you of the long wall made there of Welsh-mens skuls I should seem to forget my self and run too far into the business of an Historian From that time the town of Chester hath very much flourished and K. Hen. 7. incorporated it into a distinct County Nor is there now any requisite wanting to make it a flourishing city only the sea indeed is not so favourable as it has been to some few Mills that were formerly situated upon the river d ee for it
Monuments of this kind in Wales some of which we shall take notice of in other Counties In Anglesey where there are many of them as also in some other places they are call'd Krom-lecheu a name deriv'd from Krwm which signifies crooked or inclining and lhech a flat stone but of the name more hereafter 'T is generally supposed they were places of burial but I have not yet learn'd that ever any Bones or Urns were found by digging under any of them Edward Somerset Lord Herbert of Chepstow Ragland and Gower obtain'd of K. Charles 1. the title of Earl of Glamorgan Earls of Glamogan his father the Lord Marquiss of Worcester being then alive the Succession of which Family may be seen in the Additions to Worcestershire DIMETAE a _THE remainder of this Region which is extended Westward and call'd by the English West-Wales West-Wales comprehending Caer-mardhin-shire Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire was thought by Pliny to have been inhabited by the Silures But Ptolemy to whom Britain was better known placed another Nation here whom he call'd Dimetae and Demetae Moreover both Gildas and Ninnius used the word Demetia to signifie this Country whence the Britains call it at this day Dyved changing the M into V according to the propriety of that Language If it would not be thought a strain'd piece of curiosity I should be apt to derive this appellation of the Demetae from the words Deheu-meath which signifie the Southern plain as all this South-Wales has been call'd Deheu-barth i.e. the Southern Part. And I find that elsewhere the Inhabitants of a champain Country in Britain were call'd by the Britains themselves Meatae Nor does the situation of this Country contradict that signification for when you take a prospect of it the Hills decline gently and it dilates it self gradually to a Plain a Seing it was the custom amongst the Romans to retain such names of the places they conquer'd as the ancient Natives made use of adding only a Latin termination it may seem more probable that Dimetia was mâ—de out of the British name Dyved than the contrary But whatever the original name of this County might be I cannot subscribe to our Author's conjecture of the etymon of it for we find no such word in the British Language either in Manuscripts or common use as Meath for a plain champain Country Tho indeed if there were such a word they that are well acquainted with those Counties would scarce allow it applicable to them CAER-MARDHIN-SHIRE THE County of Kaer-Vyrdhin call'd by the English Caer-Mardhin-shire is a Country sufficiently supply'd with Corn very well stock'd with Cattel and in divers places affords plenty of Coal It is bounded on the East with Glamorgan and Brecknock shires on the West with Pembroke on the North divided from Cardiganshire by the river Teivi and on the South with the main Ocean which encroaches on the Land here with such a vast Bay 〈◊〉 that this Country might seem out of fear to have withdrawn it self In this Bay Kydweli first offers it self the territory whereof was possessed for some time by the sons of Keianus a Scot until they were driven out by Kynèdhav a British Prince But now it is esteem'd part of the Inheritance of Lancaster by the heirs of Maurice of London or de Londres who removing from Glamorganshire after a tedious war made himself Master of it and fortified old Kydweli with Walls and a Castle now decay'd with age For the Inhabitants passing over the river of Gwen-draeth vechan built new Kydweli invited thither by the conveniency of a Haven which yet at present is of no great use being choak'd with shelves â—â—hâ—an â—â—an of â—y conâ—â— When Maurice of London invaded these Territories Gwenlhîan the wife of Prince Gryffydh a woman of invincible courage endeavouring to restore her husband's declining state enter'd the field with display'd banner and encounter'd him But the success not being answerable to her courage she with her son Morgan and divers other Noblemen as Giraldus informs us were slain in the field 〈◊〉 of â—or and â—â—eli By Hawis the daughter and heiress of 1 Sir Thomas of London Thomas de Londres this fair Inheritance with the Title of Lord of Ogmor and Kydweli descended to Patrick Chaworth and by a daughter of his son Patrick to Henry Earl of Lancaster The heirs of Maurice de Londres as we read in an old Inquisition were obliged by this Tenure in case the King or his Chief Justice should lead an Army into these parts of Kydweli to conduct the said Army with their Banners and all their Forces through the midst of the Country of Neath to Lochor â—â—iver 〈◊〉 or â—â—s A little below Kydweli the river Towy which Ptolemy calls Tobius is received into the Ocean having passed the length of this County from North to South First by Lhan ym Dhyvri so call'd as is supposed from the confluence of rivers which out of malice to the English was long since demolish'd by Howel ap RhÅ·s â—â—r Afterwards by Dinevor-castle the Royal Seat of the Princes of South-Wales whilst they flourish'd situated aloft on the top of a Hill And at last by Caer-mardhin which the Britains themselves call Kaer-Vyrdhin Ptolemy Maridunum Maridunum and Antoninus Muridunum who continues not his journeys any farther than this place Caer-Mardhin and is here by negligence of the Copyists ill handled For they have carelesly confounded two Journeys the one from Galena to Isca the other from Maridunum to Viroconovium This is the chief town of the County pleasantly seated for Meadows and Woods and a place of venerable Antiquity fortified neatly saith Giraldus with brick-walls partly yet standing on the noble river of Towy navigable with ships of small burden tho' the mouth of it be now almost stopp'd with a bed of Sand. Here our Merlin Merlin or Myrdhin Emris the British Tages was born for as Tages was reported to have been the son of a Genius and to have taught the Tuscans South-saying so our Merlin who was said to have been the son of an Incubus devised Prophecies or rather mere Phantastical Dreams for our Britains Insomuch that in this Island he has the reputation of an eminent Prophet amongst the ignorant common people a Soon after the Normans enter'd Wales this town fell into their possession but by whose means I know not and a long time it encounter'd many difficulties having been often besieged and twice burnt first by Gryffydh ap RhÅ·s and afterwards by RhÅ·s the said Gryffydh's brother At which time Henry Turbervil an Englishman reliev'd the castle and cut down the bridge But the walls and castle being afterwards repair'd by Gilbert de Clare it was freed from these miseries so that being thus secured it bore the tempests of war much easier afterwards The Princes of Wales eldest sons of the Kings of England settl'd here their Chancery and Exchequer for South-Wales Opposite to this city
excellent Library which Alcuin tells us was founded by his Master Archbishop Egelred The Monastery did not lye long till it rose again but the Cathedral lay neglected till Edw. 1.'s time and then it was begun by John Roman Treasurer of this Church and brought to that stately pitch we now see it of by his son John William Melton and John Thoresby all Archbishops nn together with the contributions of the Gentry thereabouts especially of the Percies and the Vavasors as the Arms of those families in the Church and their portraictures in the gate do shew The Percies are cut out with a piece of timber and the Vavasors with a stone in their hands in memory of the one's having contributed stone and the other timber â—â—â—ent p. p. 〈◊〉 1. to this new fabrick The church as we are told by the Author of the Life of Aeneas Silvius or Pope Pius 2. as he had it from his own mouth is famous for its magnificence and workmanship all the world over and for a lightsome Chapel with shining walls and small thin-wasted pillars quite round This is the beautiful Chapter-house where the following verse is writ in golden Letters Ut Rosa flos florum sic est Domus ista Domorum The chief of Houses as the Rose of flowers About the same time the Citizens began to fortifie themselves with new walls adding many towers for a farther security and made excellent laws for their government King Rich. 2. made it a County incorporate and Rich. 3. began to raise a new Castle in it from the ground That nothing might be wanting in the last age K. Hen. 8. established a Council or Senate here not unlike the Parliaments in France The Council established in the North. who were to judge of all suits arising within these northern parts and to decide them by the rules of right and equity This Court consists of a President and what number of Counsellors the King pleases with a Secretary and under-Officers Our Mathematicians have defined the Longitude of York to be 22 deg and 25 scr the Latitude 54 degr and 10 scr Thus far we have been describing the west part of this County and the City of York which neither belongs to this nor any other part of the Shire but enjoys its own Liberties and a jurisdiction over the neighbourhood on the west-side called the liberty of Ansty Ansty which some derive from Ancienty to denote its antiquity others more plausibly from the German word Anstossen implying a bound or limit I will conclude what I have said of this City with these verses written by J. Jonston of Aberdeen not long since Praesidet extremis Artoae finibus orae Urbs vetus in veteri facta subinde nova Romanis Aquilis quondam Ducibusque superba Quam pòst barbaricae diripuere manus Pictus atrox Scotus Danus Normannus Anglus Fulmina in hanc Martis detonuere sui Post diras rerum clades totque aspera fata Blandius aspirans aura serena subit Londinum caput est regni urbs prima Britanni Eboracum à primâ jure secunda venit O'er the last borders of the Northern land York's ancient towers tho' oft made new command Of Rome's great Princes once the lofty seat Till barbarous foes o'erwhelm'd the sinking state The Picts the Scots Danes Normans Saxons here Discharg'd the loudest thunder of the War But this once ceas'd and every storm o'erblown A happier gale refresh'd the rising town Let London still the just precedence claim York ever shall be proud to be the next in fame The Ouse being past York begins to be disturb'd with eddies or that whirl of waters which we call Higra and so marches by Bishops-Thorp Bishops-Thorpe that is the Bishop's Village formerly called S. Andrew's Thorpe till Walter Grey Archbishop of York purchased it and to bilk the King's Officers who are always ready to seise the Temporalities of Bishops when a See is vacant gave it to the Dean and Chapter of York upon condition they should always yield it to his successors Of whom Richard le Scrope Arch-bishop of York a hot man and still hankering after novelty and change was in this very place condemned of high treason by King Henry the fourth for his seditious practices oo Upon the same river stands Cawood Cawood the castle of the Archbishops which King Athelstan gave to the Church as I have been told Over against it on the other side the river is seated Rical where Harold Haardread arrived with a numerous fleet of the Danes From hence the Ouse runs to Selby a pretty populous little town and remarkable for Henry the first 's being born in it Here William the first his father built a Church in memory of St. German who quash'd the Pelagian Heresie notwithstanding like a Hydra it had frequently revived and struggl'd for life here in Britain The Abbots of this and of St. Maries at York were the only Abbots of these northern parts that could sit in Parliament pp At last the Ouse runs directly to the Humber 14 Leaving first Escricke a seat of the Lascelles sometimes to be remember'd for that K. James advanced Sir Thomas Knivet the owner therâ—of Lord Knivet to the honour of Baron Knivet of Escricke in the year 1607. passing in it's way by Drax Dâ—ax a little village formerly famous for a Monastery 15 Founded there by Sir William Painell where Philip de Tollevilla William Newbrigensis is my Author had a castle strongly situated in the midst of rivers woods and marshes and defended it against K. Stephen relying on the courage of his men and the great store of arms and provisions in the place however it was soon reduced into the King's power qq ADDITIONS to the West-riding of YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE without any angular advantages extends into a square of fourscore and ten miles * 〈…〉 p. â—74 adequate in all its dimensions to the Dukedom of Wâ—rtenberg in Germany a Following the river Don we first come to Wortley Wortlâ—y the Issue-male of the family of which name expir'd in Sir Francis Wortley †Sid. Reports 315. who devis'd the greatest part of his estate to Anne Newcomen supposed to be his natural daughter the present wife of the Honourable Sidney Wortley Esq ‖ Dugd. Bar. 2 Vol. p. 445 second son of Edward Mountague Earl of Sandwich slain in the Dutch wars 28 May 1672. who in right of his said wife is Lord of Wortley b Not far from hence is Wentworth Wâ—ntworth Of the family of that name and place was the Right Honourable Thomas Viscount Wentworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland created Earl of Strafford 15 Car. 1. and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter who being beheaded on Tower-hill 12 May 1641. lyeth here interr'd and was succeeded in his Honours by his son William the present E. of Strafford and Knight of the said noble Order c The Don carries us next to
of Parliament annex'd a very great estate to this Dutchy which had fall'n to him in right of his mother 13 Dame Mary who was the daughter and coheir of Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford And in this state and condition it remain'd from that time saving that Edward the fourth in the first of his reign when he had attainted Henry the sixth in Parliament for Treason appropriated it as they term it to the Crown that is to say to him and his heirs Kings of England However Henry the seventh soon broke this entail and so at this day it has its particular Officers namely a Chancellor Attorney Receiver Clerk of the Court six Assessors a Messenger two Auditors three and twenty Receivers and three Supervisors There are reckon'd in this Shire besides several Chapels only 36 Parishes but those very populous and such as for number of Parishioners far exceed the greatest Parishes anywhere else ADDITIONS to LANCASHIRE a THo' Lancaster has given the name to this County yet Manchester â—â—â—â—â—eâ—â—er whether one consider Antiquity number of inhabitants or growth seems to be more considerable And yet for all that it is neither a Corporation nor does it send Burgesses to Parliament tho' perhaps of an in-land town it has the best trade of any one in the north of England It is water'd with the rivers Irke and Irwell but there is no such river about it as Spolden upon which the late Historical and Geographical Dictionary has falsly plac'd it as it hath also it's distance from London which is really 147 miles The Fustian-Manufacture call'd Manchester-Cottons still continues there and is of late very much improv'd by some modern inventions of dying and printing and this with the great variety of other manufactures known by the name of Manchester-Wares renders not only the town it self but also the parish about it rich populous and industrious Sixty years ago there were computed near 2 000 Communicants in the town and Parish since which time the inhabitants are much more numerous proportionable to the increase of trade The Collegiate Church which was built in the year 1422. is a very large beautiful and stately edifice and the Quire is particularly remarkable for it's neat and curious carv d work It is likewise beautify'd with three remarkable Foundations a College a Hospital and a Publick School the following account whereof we owe to the worthy Warden of this place The College was first founded A. D. 1421. by Thomas De la Ware at first Rector of the said Parish-Church and brother to the Lord De la Ware whom he succeeded in the estate and honour and then founded a College there consisting of one Master or Keeper eight Fellow-Chaplains four Clerks and six Choristers in honour of St. Mary to whom the said Parish-Church was formerly dedicated St. Dennis of France and St. George of England This foundation was dissolved 1547. in the first year of King Edward 6. the lands and revenues of it taken into the King's hands and by him demised to the Earl of Derby and the College-house and some lands sold to the said Eaâ—l The College was re-founded by Queen Mary who restored most of the lands and revenues only the College it self and some of its revenues remain'd still in the hands of the Earl of Derby It was also founded a-new by Queen Elizabeth A. D. 1578. by the name of Christ's College in Manchester consisting of one Warden four Fellows two Chaplains four Singing-men and four Choristers the number being lessen'd because the revenues were so chieflâ— by the covetousness and false-dealing of Thomas Herle then Warden and his Fellows who sold away or made such long leases of the revenues as could never yet some of them be retrieved It was last of all re-founded by King Charles 1. A. D. 1636 constituting therein one Warden four Fellows two Chaplains four Singing men and four Choiristers and incorporating them by the name of the Warden and Fellows of Christ's College in Manchester the Statutes for the same being drawn up by Archbishop Laud. The Hospital was founded by Humphrey Cheetham Esquire and incorporated by King Charles 2. designed by the said bountiful Benefactor for the maintâ—nance of 40 poor boys out of the Town and Parish of Manchester and some other neighbouring Parishes But since 't is enlarged to the number of 60 by the Governours of the said Hospital to be taken in between the age of 6 and 10 and there maintained with meat drink lodging and cloaths to the age of 14 and then to be bound Apprentices to some honest trade or calling at the charge of the said Hospital For the maintenance of which he endowed the same with the yearly revenue of 420 l. which is since improved by the care and good husbandry of the Feoffees or Governours to the yearly sum of 517 l. 8 s. 4 d. they having laid out in the purchace of lands the sum of 1825 l. which was saved out of the yearly income over and above the maintenance of the poor children and others belonging to the said Hospital wherein there are annually near 70 persons provided for Within the Hospital and by the bounty of the said Founder is also erected a very fair and spacious Library already furnished with a competent stock of choice and valuable books to the number of near 4000 and daily encreasing with the income of 116 l. per an setled upon the same by the said worthy benefactor to buy Books for ever and to afford a competent salary for a Library-keeper Theâ—e is also a large School for the Hospital-boys where they are daily instructed and taught to write and read The Publick School was founded A. D. 1519 by Hugh Oldham D. D. and Bishop of Exeter who bought the Lands on which the School stands and took the Mills there in lease of the Lord De la Ware for 60 years Afterwards with the Bishop's money Hugh Bexwick and Joan his sister purchased of the Lord De la Ware his Lands in Ancoates and the Mills upon lâ—k and left them in Feoffment to the said Free school for ever Which Revenues are of late very much encreas'd by the Feoffees of the School who out of the improvements have as well considerably augmented the Masters salaries as the Exhibitions annually allowed to the maintenance of such scholars at the University as the Warden of the College and the high Master shall think requisite and have besides for some years past added a third Master for whom they have lately erected a new and convenient School at the end of the other Besides these publick Benefactions and Endowments there have been several other considerable sums of money and annual revenues left and bequeathed to the Poor of the said Town who are thereby with the kindness and Charity of the present inhabitants competently provided for without starving at home or being forced to seek relief abroad The Town gives title to an honourable family Henry Mountague being
and Inis Bovind 〈◊〉 lib. 4. 〈◊〉 Eccl. 〈◊〉 which signifies in Scotch as Bede has explained it the Isle of white heifers though the word is really British This Monastery was soon abandoned by the English who could not live peaceably and easie with the Scots 〈◊〉 â—â—is More inward lies Lough Corbes where Ptolemy places the river Ausoba about 20 miles in length and 3 or 4 in breadth navigable and adorned with 300 petty Islands which produce much grass and Pine trees Towards the sea it grows narrow and runs by Gallway â—â—â—ay in Irish Gallive yet I dare not affirm it so call'd from the Gallaeci in Spain This is by far the most eminent e Galway is not a City nor Bishop's See but is within the Aâ—chbishoprick of Tuam though the Warden of Galway contested the jurisdiction pretending to be a Peculiar City in this County and which in competition with the other cities of Ireland would hardly accept the third place 'T is neat and fair-built with firm stone of an oval form and somewhat tower-like famous for a Bishops See and by reason of its harbour and the road already mentioned just under it well frequented by merchants and enriched by a great trade in all sorts of commodities both by sea and land Scarce four miles from hence stands Knoc-toe i.e. A hill of hatchets under which the greatest body of rebels that had been seen in Ireland The battle of Knoc-toe 1516. were drawn together by William de Burgo O-Brien Mac Nemare and O-Carrall and defeated with great slaughter by that Girald Earl of Kildare who * Per intervalla from time to time was thirty three years Lord Deputy of Ireland On the east at no great distance from hence stands Aterith Aterith in which word the name of the Auteri is still apparent commonly called Athenry enclosed with walls of a great compass but thinly inhabited It has had the honour of giving the title of Baron to the valiant John de Bermingham Bermingham an Englishman of which family was the Earl of Louth These Berminghams are now so degenerated that they hardly own themselves English The Irish families of better note in these parts are the O-Kellies a O-Madden O-Maidins b O-Flagherty O-Flairtes Mac-Dervis c. Clan-Richard Earl Clan-Richard Clan-Richard i.e. the sons or posterity of Richard or the land of the sons of Richard borders upon these and is reckoned within this County They take their name after the Irish manner from one Richard an Englishman sirnamed De Burgo and afterwards came to have great authority and interest in these parts Ulick de Burgo one of this family was by Henry the 8 made Earl of Clan-Ricard whose eldest son now enjoys the title of Baron of Inis Kellin He had a son Richard the second Earl whose children by several venters involved their father their country and themselves in great difficulties Richard who died old was succeeded by his son Ulick the third Earl he had a son Richard the fourth Earl whose untainted loyalty to the English and great valour have been eminent in the most dangerous Rebellions of this Kingdom Arcâ—bish pâ—iâ—â— of Tâ—â—â— The Archbishop of Toam's See lyes in this County which had formerly several Episcopal Sees under it but at present this Province comprises only the Sees of * 〈…〉 Anagchony Duae and Maio. The Bishoprick of Kilmacough which is not mentioned in the old Provincial unless the name there be corrupted as also the Bishoprick of Clonfert are both in this Province and as I am informed c Clonfert is not united to Tuam annext to the See of Toam The County of MAIO THE County of Maio lies upon the Western Ocean bounded on the South by the County of Gallway on the East by Roscommon and on the North by the County of Slego fertile pleasant and well stockt with cattle bucks hawks and honey It is so called from Maio Maio. a little Episcopal City which in the Roman Provincial is writ Mageo At present this See is annext to its Metropolis the Archbishoprick of Toam and the neighbours live under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Killaley in the Barony of Tir-auley Bishoprick of Killaley In Maio if I mistake not Colman Bishop of Ireland founded a Monastery as Bede says for about 30 English that had been educated Monks and brought over by him into Ireland But let him speak in his own words L. 4. C. 4. Colman found a place in Ireland very proper for a Monastery which was called Magio by the Scots and so he purchased a small part of it of the Earl that he might build a Monastery on it with this condition annext That the Monks resident there should expresly pray for the Earl The Monastery with the assistance of the Earl and the neighbours thereabouts was soon finisht and there leaving the Scots in the Isle of Bovind he placed the English This very Monastery is at present filled by English being grown much greater the very same which is usually called In Mago Here things have been very much reformed so that there are now a very regular Convent who are all transplanted thither out of England and live by the labour of their own hands under certain Rules and a Canonical Abbot after the example of the venerable Fathers in great continence and sincerity About the year 1115. this Monastery was repaired and continued in a flourishing state in King John's time who by his Letters Patents confirmed its title to several possessions From hence we meet with no other place remarkable but Logh-Mesk Logh Mesk a large lough full of fish containing two small Islands well fortified formerly belonging to the family de Burgo or the Burks This County is not so eminent for Towns as inhabitants who are either of Irish Original as the O Mailes Ieies Mac-vaduses or Scots transplanted from the Hebrides and the family of the Donells from thence called Clan-Donells who are all Galloglasses Galloglasses and as it were mercenary soldiers armed with double-headed axes and coats of mail * Triaâ—â—i â—â—â—cenarii formerly invited over by the Rebels and rewarded with lands among them or else English as the Burks aforesaid the Jordans descended from Jordan of Exeter the Nangles of Castlough and Prendergest of Clan-morris But the most powerful are the Barks who owe their original and glory to William younger Brother of Walter de Burgo Earl of Ulster He was famous for his bravery in the wars and carried prisoner into Scotland where leaving his wife as hostage he was dismissed and upon his return to Ireland restored After this he valiantly recovered Conaught out of which the English had been banisht in his absence by Phelim O Connor having slain Phelim O-Conor Mac-Dermond and Tego O-Kelly in an engagement and he himself was at last kill'd out of revenge by Cormac Mac-Dermond His Grandson Thomas by his son Edmund
meaning his own body The O-Neals afterwards wrested it out of their hands but they being attainted of treason Sir Thomas Smith Knight and one of Queen Elizabeth's Privy-Council by her permission planted a Colony there an excellent design but very unsuccessful For after great expence his own natural son whom he had set over it was taken by an Ambuscade of the Irish and then thrown to be tore in pieces by the dogs a piece of cruelty for which they afterwards severely suffered being themselves put to death and given to the wolves Above Ardes westward lyes the more southern Clanboy Clanboy the Upper i.e. a Yellow Sept or the family of Hugh the Yellow as they interpret it a woody Country which extends to the bay of Knock-Fergus inhabited by the O-Neals and counted the very utmost part of this County of Down The County of ANTRIM THE next County to Louth northwards is the County of Antrim so called from Antrim a small town only remarkable for giving name to the whole shire which is bounded by the bay of Knock-Fergus Knock Fergus the Lough Eaugh and the river Ban. This bay of Knock-Fergus called Vinderius in Ptolemy took it's name from a town situate upon it which the English term Knock-Fergus the Irish Carig-Fergus that is the rock of Fergus from that famous Fergus drowned there who first brought the Scots out of Ireland into Britain This town is more frequented and famous than any other upon this coast by reason of a commodious haven fortifications though not yet finished a castle standing upon a high rock and has a garison to keep the country in subjection with an ancient palace now converted into a magazine Near this lies Clane-boy the lower Clanboy the Lowâ—â— the habitation likewise of the O-Neals memorable for the death of that lewd rebel Shan or John O-Neal who after many outrages was defeated in one or two skirmishes by 49 Sir Henry Henry Sidney Lord Deputy and reduced to such streights that he was resolved to go and address himself to the Lord Deputy with a halter about his neck for pardon but his Secretary dissuaded him and induced him rather to seek assistance from the Island Scots who under the conduct of Alexander Oge were now encamped here and ravaged the country Accordingly he went to them and was kindly received but put to death soon after with his whole party for the slaughter he had formerly made among their relations The war being thus ended by his death and he attainted with his whole party Queen Elizabeth bestowed this Clane-boy upon Walter D'Evereux Earl of Essex who came hither sent perhaps by means of some Courtiers under pretence of honour for he was made Governor of Ulster and Marshal of Ireland into a Country ever rebellious and ungovernable Where endeavouring with great expence to compose affairs and reduce them to a state of peace and quietness he was at last after many and great difficulties snatch'd away by an untimely death to the loss and trouble of all good men and to the benefit of the O-Neals and Brian Carragh of the family of the Mac-Conells who thereupon got this territory and since that time have been at war with one another for the Lordship of it Near this Knock-Fergus lies a Peninsula joined by a small neck of land to the continent which is call'd the Isle of Magie 〈◊〉 oâ— Maâ—â—â— being four miles in length and one in breadth Here some suppose that the Monastery of Magio so much commended by Bede did stand which I have already mentioned in the County of Maio. Then the Glinnes â—â—â—nnes that is the valleys begin at Older-sleet a bad road for ships and run along a great way by the sea This territory belong'd formerly to the Bissets â—â—â—ts Noblemen of Scotland who for making away Patrick Earl of Athol were banished hither and by the favour of Henry the third King of England were settled in an estate here For John Bisset who died in the beginning of Edw. the first had a great estate in lands here and in Edw. the 2d's reign Hugh Bisset forfeited part of it by rebellion In the last age this was invaded by the 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ni â—â—torâ—s 〈…〉 Coâ— Irish Scots from the Cantire and the Hebrides under the conduct of James Mac Conell Lord of Cantire in Scotland who claimed it as descended from the Bissets Shan O-Neal having cut off their Captain soon repelled them Yet they returned and made cruel ravages in these parts fomenting rebellions in the Kingdom till but very lately 50 Sir John John Perrot Lord Deputy first reduced Donall Goran who was slain together with his brother Alexander in Conaught by 51 Sir Richard Richard Bingham and afterwards Agnus Mac Conell the sons of James Mac Conell to that pinch that they submitted themselves to the Queen of England and upon their humble petition received this Country to hold of her by Knight's service on condition to bear arms for none but the Kings of England and to pay a certain number of Cows and Hawks yearly c. Above this as far as the river Bann the Country is called Rowte The Rowte the seat of the Mac Guillies Mac Guâ—lly a family of no small note among the Irish but pent up in this narrow corner by the outrage and continual depredations of the Island-Scots For Surley-Boy Surley boy also Chairly boy that is Charles the yellow brother to James Mac Conell who possessed the Glinnes did in a manner make himself master of this tract till 52 Sir John John Perrot the aforesaid Lord Deputy having took the castle of Donluse Doniuse strongly situated upon a rock hanging out into the sea and severed from the land by a deep ditch drove out him and his party However he recovered it the year following by treachery after he had slain Carie the governor who made a stout defence Upon this the Lord Deputy sent out Meriman an experienced Captain against him who cut off the two sons of James Mac Conell with Alexander the son of this Surley Boy and pressed him so closely driving away his cattle the only riches he had for he was able to make up 50000 Cows of his own stock that he surrender'd Donluse came to Dublin and made an open submission in the Cathedral exhibiting a petition for mercy Being after this admitted into the Governors lodgings as soon as he saw the picture of Queen Elizabeth he threw away his sword once or twice and fell down before it devoting himself entirely to Her Majesty Being received into favour and protection among the other subjects of Ireland hereupon he abjured both in the Chancery Kings-Bench all allegiance to any foreign Prince whatsoever and by the bounty of Queen Elizabeth had four territories or Toughs as they call them from the river Boys to the Ban bestowed upon him namely Donseverig Loghill and Ballamonyn together with the government of Donluse
Queen Elizabeth had such great hopes of the Earl that out of her Royal clemency upon his penitence and suit for mercy she pardoned him this barbarous and inhuman fratricide notwithstanding the dissuasion of some good men about her There was also somewhat else gall'd him at this time the Lord Deputy had extinguished the name of the Mac-Mahons in the next County and to suppress the power of that great family had subdivided the County among several whereupon the Earl was apprehensive he would go on and serve him and the other Lords of Ulster after the same manner The dissentions between the Earl and 6 Sir Henry Henry Bagnall Marshal of Ireland broke out likewise at this time for the Earl had marry'd Bagnall's Sister by force The Earl complained that whatever he had reduced in Ulster to the subjection of the Queen at the expence of his own blood and labour was no ways advantageous to him but to the Marshal that the Marshal by subornation of profligate vile fellows to witness against him had impeach'd him of high treason that by his instigation he had made 7 Sir William William Fitz-williams the Lord Deputy his bitter enemy and that he had lain in ambush for his life This is certain that all the Lord Deputy had writ upon that subject was believed in the Court of England till such time as the Earl to clear himself writ into England that he would either stand to a fair trial there or here in Ireland upon that point And it is also plain that he and the other Lords of Ulster enter'd into a secret combination and league about this time that they would defend the Roman catholick religion for rebellion is never set afoot now but under the pretence and colour of religious ends that they would suffer no Sheriffs nor Garisons to be within the compass of their territories that they would stand to one another in maintaining their rights and resist the English in any injury they should offer them The first that stood out to give the allarm hereupon was Mac-Gwire a man of a turbulent spirit who ravaged the country about him and enter'd Conaght accompanied with one Gauran a Priest whom the Pope had made Primate of Ireland who exhorted him to depend upon God and try his fortune and success would answer his expectation Yet it happen'd quite otherwise for Mac-Gwire was routed by the valour of 8 Sir Richard Richard Bingham and the Primate himself was cut off with many others Soon after Mac-Guire broke out into open Rebellion and was pursued by the Marshal and the Earl himself under pretence of loyalty who received a wound in the thigh and great applause for his valour Yet at the same time he was so wholly intent upon his own safety that he intercepted the sons of Shan O-Neal to prevent the mischief they might after do him and though the restitution of them was demanded yet he answer'd nothing to that purpose but made heavy complaints of the injuries done him by the Lord Deputy the Marshal and the Garison Soldiers which notwithstanding he dissembled so well that he came afterwards to the Lord Deputy as if he had forget them submitted himself and promising loyalty and an intire obedience return'd again 9 Sir William William Fitz-Williams being recalled out of Ireland 10 Sir William William Russel was made Lord Deputy in his place The Earl voluntarily went to him 11 Exhibited an humble submission upon his knees to the Lord Deputy wherein he dolefully expressed his great grief that the Queen had conceived indignation against him as of one undutiful and disloyal He acknowledged that the late absenting himself from the state was disagreeable to his obedience albeit it was occasioned by some hard measures of the late Lord Deputy as though he and the Marshal had combined for his destruction He acknowledged that the Queen advanced him to high title and great livings that she ever upheld him and enabled him that she who by grace had advanced him was able by her force to subvert him and therefore if he were void of gratitude yet he could not be so void of reason as to word his own ruine promising a perfect obedience to his Lordships commands in every thing and sent his letters to some of the Queen's Council to the same effect entreating earnestly that he might be received again into the Queen's favour which he had lost by no demerit or disloyalty but purely by the false suggestions of his adversaries Bagnal the Martial at the same time exhibited articles of accusation against him that the Earl himself had sent Mac-Gwire with the Primate above named into Conaght that he was in the combination of Mac-Gwire O-Donell and other Conspirators had assisted them in wasting Monaghan and in the siege of Inis-Kellin by his brother Cormac Mac-Baron and his bastard son Con and had seduced the Captains of Kilulto and Kilwarny from their allegiance to the Queen by the terrour of his threatnings Upon this it was warmly debated by the Council whither or not the Earl should be detained to answer this Information The Lord Deputy was for detaining him but 12 But when it was put to question generally most of his Council either out of fear or favour to the Earl were for dismissing him at present and deferring the tryal to another opportunity 13 Pretending certain weighty considerations and that the Articles exhibited were without proof or time whereupon the Lord Deputy in respect to the majority and the small experience he had in the affairs of that state in comparison with them desisted though much against his own inclination and the Earl was dismissed without so much as hearing his accusers The Queen was much concerned at this oversight for his dangerous designs and actions began to appear plain enough to every body by this time and the more because she had cautioned the Lord Deputy to detain the Earl in such case till he answer'd the crimes that were charged upon him As soon as the Earl had got home again and heard of a reinforcement now coming from England and that 1300 veterans who had served under the command of 14 Sir John John Norris in Bretagne were now also transporting thither from Holland as also that the English had some design upon Ballishannon and Belyk two castles upon the mouth of the lough Ern his own conscience flash'd him in the face with light enough to discern which way these proceedings tended so he surprized the Fort upon Black-water which opened a passage into his County of Ter-Oen and forced it to surrender His resolutions however were so various and wavering about the same time that he writ to the Earl of Kildare to offer his assistance against the injuries of the Lord Deputy to the Earl of Ormond and 15 Sir Henry Henry Wallop Treasurer of the Kingdom assuring them of his intention to continue loyal and to 16 Sir
heaps of dead bodies he Knighted the Earl of Clan-Ricard for his valour and brave service in this battle and so returned with acclamations and victory into his camp which he found safe as he had left it For the Spaniards seeing all strongly guarded and having experienced that fallies were always to their own loss kept close within the town with great anxiety of expectation for the issue of the main battle This was a noble victory and of great consequence Ireland then wavering and ready to revolt was hereby retained the Spaniards ejected and the head Rebel Tir-Oen reduced to his holes in Ulster O-Donel driven into Spain the rest of the rebels dispersed the authority of the Queen recovered the dejected Loyalists confirmed and an universal peace established throughout the whole Island soon after Next day the Lord Deputy ordered Bodley the Camp Master General who both in the fortifications and in the battle had behaved himself valiantly to finish the mount and raise banks and rampires nearer the enemy after six days spent in that work D'Aquila sent a Drummer with letters to the Lord Deputy that some person of worth and credit might be sent into the town to treat with him Sir William Godolphin was sent accordingly D'Aquila told him that though the Lord Deputy was his enemy yet he would own him to be a person of honour and desert that the Irish were cowardly rude and barbarous nay false and perfidious too he was afraid That he was sent thither by the King of Spain his Master to aid two Earls but now he question'd whether there was such in rerum natura for this storm had blown one of them into Spain and the other into the north and so both had vanish'd That he was willing for this reason to conclude a peace with him that might be for the interest of England on one side and not to the loss and prejudice of Spain on the other but yet he wanted nothing that could contribute to his defence and daily expected more supplies from Spain to give the English more trouble In short being fatigued and weary of the siege on both sides they came to this conclusion on the 2d of Jan. That the Spaniards should yield up Kingsale the sorts and castles of Baltimore Berehaven and Castle-Haven to the Lord Deputy and so depart with life goods and flying colours That the English should find shipping but should be paid for it to transport them at two voyages into Spain and if they should happen to put in at any port in England that they shall be kindly entertained and that during their stay in Ireland for a wind they shall be allowed all necessary accommodations for their money After some few days stay the wind stood fair and so the Spaniards embarked with great loss and dishonour for their own Country The Earl of Tir-Oen in the mean while fled in great consternation with all the speed he could make thro' unknown by-ways to recover his holes in Ulster with great loss of his men who were many of them drowned in passing the rivers which were swelled with the winter floods From hence forward the Earl grew restless being tormented with continual apprehensions of punishment for those crimes whereof he was conscious and so fearful of every body that he was every day shifting from one hole to another The Lord Deputy laid up his army in winter quarters to refresh them and having thus settled his affairs in Munster returned to Dublin As soon as the rigour of the season was a little abated he marched back with his resolute army towards Ulster making small journeys to strike a terrour into the Country intending now to perfect his old design of penning up the rebels by planting forts and garisons on all sides When he came to Blackwater he carried over his army in floats and having found out a ford below the old fort which was not before known of he built a fort upon the bank and call'd it from himself Charlemont The Earl of Tir-Oen out of fear at this time had burnt his own house at Dungannon The Lord Deputy marched from hence beyond Dungannon and encamped his army till 66 Sir Henry Henry Docwra could come from Logh-Foil to join him After that he made his incursions on all sides spoiled the corn burnt all the houses and villages that could be found made booty of the cattle and had the forts of Logh Crew Logh Reogh and Mogherlecow surrendred to him yet we lost Sir John Barkley a valiant man who was shot in this last of them After this he planted a garison at Logh Eaugh or Logh Sidney and called it Montjoy from his own title committing the charge of it to Sir Arthur Chicester whose great deserts have made him Lord Deputy of Ireland at this time and another at Monaghan whereof he made 67 Sir Christopher Christopher S. Lawrence governor men of great experience and courage who by their continual sallies and excursions made the rebels so uneasie that finding themselves pent in with garisons and streightened moâ—e and more daily in every thing and that they must livâ— hereafter like wild beasts sculking up and down among the â—oods and desarts they began most of them to conform thâ—â—r fidelity to their fortune and tender a submission privaâ—â—ly to the Lord Deputy murmuring that the Earl had broughâ—â—he whole Kingdom into this ruine to serve his own ends that it was necessary for him only and had proved destructive to them The Earl himself was sensible that the fidelity as well as the strength of his party was now infeebled and resolved to be as much before hand with danger as he could being now quite weary of his misery and tender of his own life which will generally find favour in spite of any resolutions Accordingly he writ several letters to the Queen with great submission addressing himself therein with prayers and tears for mercy which the Queen observed to be so sincere that being in her own temper most merciful she order'd the Lord Deputy to give him pardon and receive him in case he desired it As soon as ever he had this news from some of his friends he sent his petition to this purpose pressing the Lord Deputy continually by his brother Arth. Mac Baron and others and at last in February after many refusals and his sincere promise to surrender his life and fortune to the Queens discretion the Lord Deputy upon advice from the Court of England that the Queen who was now of great age was dangerously ill gave the Earl leave to repair to Mellifont which accordingly he did forthwith attended with one or two followers Being admitted into the presence chamber where the Lord Deputy sat in a chair of state with many of his Officers about him he fell down upon his knees in the very entrance all dejected and in a mean condition after he continued a while in this posture the Lord Deputy signified to him to approach nearer
Chancellor representing the Lord's person and this Court the Governor may keep every week as occasion shall require Besides the customary Laws do so impower the Governor or any of the two Deemsters as that in effect they are Courts of Record in themselves If either of these be but riding or walking in the high-way and if any person have cause of complaint against another for debt or any extraordinary business he may procure a Token from the Governor or Deemster to bring the party before him And if the party do either confess the debt or matter or it appear by the testimony of two witnesses upon their oaths that such a debt is due either of the said officers may give their Token for execution to the Coroner or to his Lockman And this is as good and valid as if the matter had in Court received trial by verdict of the Jury or by a Decree in Chancery The Citations in the Courts of this Island are not in the form of a Writing but after this manner The Plaintiff cometh to the Comptroller and entereth his Complaint and taking a Copy thereof he sheweth it to the Governour or Deemster Either of them takes up a piece of blew slate which is common enough in any part of the Island and upon that slate scrapes what mark he pleases This stone so marked is called a Token which being given to the Plaintiff he delivereth it to the Crowner of the place where the Defendant resides and the Defendant having received it is bound to appear and answer It has been an antient custom in that Island that if the Plaintiff find his Adversary present in the Court while the Court is sitting he may take him by the arm and bring him before the Governour and set his foot upon his Adversary's foot and there plead his Cause against him without the formality of summoning him with a Token In these Courts each Party pleads his own Cause vivâ voce so that they have no occasion for any Lawyers Proctors or Attorneys which Custom obtains but in few places of Europe as in Sweden and Denmark From these Courts there lies an Appeal to the Lord of the Island and from him to the King of England but it seldom happens that they have any Appeals All Causes both in spiritual and temporal Courts are prosecuted and ended without one penny of charges They had here an old custom concerning Debts which is now abolished When the Debtor died An antrenâ— custom foâ— the recovery of Debts and was buried and there remained no Writings to prove the Debt the Creditor came to the Grave of the deceased and laid himself all along with his back upon the grave with his face towards Heaven and a Bible on his breast and there he protested before God that is above him and by the contents of the Bible on his breast that the deceased there buried under him did owe him so much money and then the Executors were bound to pay him But in the year 1609 this custom was abolished and such Controversies order'd to be tried according to the form of Law by Witnesses or otherwise In this Island there are several of those round hills The manner of uâ—ns fouâ— in this Isâ— which in the plains of Wiltshire are very frequent and by the Inhabitants termed Barrowes In the midland parts of England they are called Lowes and are commonly held to be places of Sepulture * Descr the Isle oâ— Man p 1â— Mr. James Chaloner during his abode in the Isle caused one of these to be opened in which were found 14 rotten Urns or earthen Pots placed with their mouths downwards and one more neatly than the rest in a bed of fine white sand containing nothing but a few brittle bones as having passed the fire but no ashes left discernible Some of these are environed with great stones pitched end-ways in the earth and some of the Urns found enclosed in Coffins of stone one Coffin containing divers of them The Isle of Man hath ever since its first plantation The Lorâ— of Man been reputed a Monarchical State and whoever is of right Lord of it may not only use the title of King but may cause himself to be crowned with a Crown of Gold * Walsiâ—â— Hypodigâ— Neustriâ— p. 546. though it is not improbable that in their first and original Installations they made use of a Crown of Iron as has been heretofore done by the Kings of England and as Charles the fourth Emperour of Germany was crowned at Milan An. 1334. The Kings of Man have now of a long time waved their title of King and instead thereof assumed the title of Lord but they still retain almost all the Jura Regalia they enjoyed heretofore They have still power of life and death to banish or condemn to perpetual Imprisonment to raise men and money to place or displace any officer in the Island at their own pleasure and all fines and forfeitures in cases of Treason Felony and Felo de se do belong to them The greatest difference betwixt a King and Lord of Man is That the Kings were crowned whereas the Lords now are only publickly proclaimed and installed The Kings created Barons made Knights and Esquires but the Lords never confer any titles of honour The Kings of Man in old times according to the Manks tradition claim'd the whole Island and all the Revenues thereof as belonging to the Crown The Inhabitants had no right to any Inheritance in the Island but were only Tenants at will and held their Lands of the King for the performance of certain duties and and services And this tenure they called The holding by the straw which was first changed into Leases for three Lives during the late Civil Wars thereby to augment the Lord's Revenues the Tenants being then obliged to pay yearly a quit-rent and a fine at renewing The Kings of this Island have at different times been tributaries both to the Kings of England Scotland and Norway and were obliged in token of their subjection to these States to pay a certain Homage at the Coronation of any of the Princes of these Kingdoms They have made many wars in attempts to enlarge their Dominions beyond the Confines of this little Island not only in Venedotia against the King of North-wales especially in Anglesey but also in Ireland where Godred Cron. of Man An. â—147 son to Olave King of Man was crowned King of Dublin and subdued a great part of Leinster but left it not to his successors Likewise for some years by the favour and aid of Magnus King of Norway they had under their subjection some if not all the Islands on the West part of Scotland Hollinsh â— 293. which are called Hebrides and upon this account stiled themselves Kings of Man and of the Islands But Alexander King of Scotland An. 1266. not only recovered these Islands but reduced the Isle of Man it self to his subjection and placed
side there is an ancient fort and a dwelling house built at the charge of the Chamberlans for the fee farm of the Isle was granted by Queen Elizabeth to G. Chamberlane son to Sir Leonard Chamberlane of Sâ—â—rburne in Oxfordshire when he recovered it from the French And under this fort the sand with violent drifts from the Northwest overlaid the land so that now it serveth thereabout most for comes is hardly seven miles from the promontory Le Hague in Normandy and about eight miles in compass The soil is rich and produces both grass and corn very well The Island contains one church and about eighty houses I need hardly take notice of a gyants tooth found here The Gyâ—â—â—oorth 〈◊〉 civ 〈◊〉 l. 15. 〈◊〉 9. which was full as big as a mans fist since St. Austin says he has seen one so large that it might be cut into a hundred teeth as big as any ordinary mans From hence there runs a ridge of high rocks for some way to the westward which 3 Which have their several Eddies and therefore are dreaded c. are dreaded by the mariners who call them the Quasquettes 4 Out of one of the which properly named Casquet there gusheth a most sweet spring of frâ—sh water to the great comfort of the Island fishermen beating up and down hereabout At these to remember incidently that the memory of a well-deserving Patriot may not perish the fleet which John Philipot Citizen of London set forth and manned at his own private charges had a glorious victory over a rabble of Pirates who impeached all traffick taking their Captain and fifteen Spanish ships that consorted with them Which worthy man also maintained 1020 Soldiers at his own pay for the defence of the Realm against the French who sore infested the southern coast in the beginning of the reign of King Richard the second to omit his great loans to the King and other good and laudable offices to his country Under these southward lies Caesarea Câ—sarea mentioned by Antoninus hardly twelve miles distant which the French havve contracted in pronouncing just as they have done Caesaris Burgus in Normandy and as the Spaniards Caesaraugusta in Spain for they call it Gearzey â—â—â—rsey as they do Cherburgh for Caesaris Burgum and as Saragosa is generally spoke for Caesaraugusta Gregorius Turonensis call it Insula Maris quod Constantiae civitati adjacet i.e. the Island of the sea that lyeth to the City Constantia and tells us how Praetextatus Bishop of Roan was confined here Thus Papirius Massonius calls it Insula littoris Constantini because it lies over-against Constantia an old City which seems to be called in Ammianus Castra Constantia â—â—â—ra â—onstanâ—â—â—oritoâ—um and in former ages Moritonium for Robertus Montensis writes thus Comes Moritonii id est Constantiarum unless this be the gloss of the Librarian for Moritonium or Mortaigne as it is now call'd is more remote from the sea This Island is about thirty miles in compass and defended with rocks and quicksands which are shallow places dangerous for such as sail that way The soil is fertil so that the Isle has great plenty of fruit and good stocks of cattle and sheep many whereof carry b They have six horns three on each side one bent towards the nose another towards the neck and the third standing upright between the other two but these now are become very rare four horns The air is very wholesom the Inhabitants are subject to no distempers but * Agues Fevers and those in the month of September which therefore they call Settembers for this reason there are no Physitians to be found among them The Island affords very little fewel and therefore they use a sea-weed instead of wood which they term Uraic Uraic and which is supposed to be Pliny's Fucus marinus Fuâ—us Mâ—rinus produced very plentifully in rocks and craggy Islands This being dried in the sun serves for fire and after it is burnt the ashes is as good as marle or dung for manuring the fields and fallows and does as much enrich them But they are not to gather this but in the spring and in the summer and then only on certain days appointed by the Magistrate And at the times allowed they repair with their Cars to the shore or in boats to the neighbouring rocks with great joy and readiness However the poor people are permitted to take up all that the sea casts up of it for their own uses The midland part of this Isle is somewhat high and mountainous but the valleys under these hills are finely watered with brooks and very pleasant being planted with fruit-trees but apple-trees especially of which they make Cyder The villages stand thick and make in all twelve parishes which have the advantage of many fine creeks for ships the securest of which is that on the south-side of the Island S Hilarius between the towns of S. Hilary and S. Albans which harbour has also a little Isle belonging to it and therein a garison that cuts off all manner of access S. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers that was banished hither is said to be buried here For the town which is dedicated to his name lies just over-against the Island and is reckoned the chief both because of its trade and market and also upon the account of a Court of Justice which is fixed here On the east-side where it looks towards the City Constantia over-against it stands a very strong castle situated upon a steep rock called by the proud name of Mont-Orgueil repaired by Henry the 5th Mont Oâ—gue◠〈◊〉 iâ— to say A p oud thiâ—â— and commanded by the Governor of the Isle who was formerly stil'd The Keeper of the Isle and in Henry the 3d's time had a yearly Salary of 200 l. On the south but at greater distance lies S. Malo which takes this new name from Maclovius a man of great piety being formerly called the city Diablintum and Aletum Aletum in the old Notitia for in a Manuscript of Isiodorus Mercator it is expressly read Civitas Diablintum quae alio nomine Aletum i e The City Diablintum otherwise called Aletum The people apply themselves to fishing but especially to Agriculture The women make great gain by knitting hose which they call Gersey Stockes As for the State and Polity of this Isle whoever the King of England sends to govern it is the supream Magistrate He substitutes a Bailiff who with twelve Jurors chosen out of each parish by their respective parishioners to sit and assist him has the trial of pleas In capital causes he 's to have seven of these assessors with him in civil three only c A very particular account of the Island of Jersey is lately publish'd by Mr. Philip Falle Rector of S. Saviour in that Island Twenty miles north west of this lies another Island which Antoninus calls Sarnia Sarnia and we
year of his Age. MCCCXXIV Nicholas Genevile son and heir to the Lorâ— Simon Genevile died this year and was buried in the Church oâ— the Friers-predicants at Trym Item there happen'd a very higâ— wind on the 12th day at night Item There was a general murrain of Oxen and Kine in Irâ—land MCCCXXV Richard Lederede Bishop of Ossory cited Damâ— Alice Ketyll to answer for her heretical and perverse Opinions and forc'd her to appear in Person before him And being examâ—ned for Sorcery it was found that she had us'd it among others this was discover'd That a certain Spirit call'd Robin Artyssoâ— lay with her and that she offer'd him nine red Cocks at 〈◊〉 Stone-bridge where the High-way branches out into four severaâ— Parts Item That she swept the streets of Kilkenny with Beesoms between Complin and Courefew and in sweeping the Filth towards the house of William Utlaw her son by way of conjuring wish'd that all the wealth of Kilkenny might flow thither The accomplices of this Alice in these devilish practices were Pernil of Meth and Basilia the daughter of this Pernil Alice being found guilty was fined by the Bishop and forc'd to abjure her sorcery and witchcraft But being again convicted of the same practice she made her escape with Basilia and was never found But Pernil was burnt at Kilkenny and before her death declar'd That William above-said deserv'd punishment as well as she and that for a year and a day he wore the Devil's girdle about his bare body Hereupon the Bishop order'd the said William to be apprehended and imprison'd in the castle of Kilkenny for eight or nine weeks and gave orders that two men should attend him but that they should not eat or drink with him and that they should not speak to him above once a day At length he was set at large by the help of Arnold Lord Poer Seneschal of the County of Kilkenny whereupon he gave a great sum of mony to the said Arnold to imprison the Bishop likewise Accordingly he kept the Bishop himself in Prison for three months Among the goods of Alice they found a holy wafer with the Devil's name upon it and a Box with Ointment with which she us'd to daub a certain piece of wood call'd a Cowltre after which she and her accomplices could ride and gallop it wheresoever they pleas'd let the roads be good or bad without either hurt or hindrance These things being so notorious and crying Alice was cited again to appear at Dublin before the Dean of S. Patrick's Church having some hopes of greater favor given her She made her appearance and crav'd a day to answer having given sufficient bail as it was thought However she was not to be found for by the counsel of her son and others unknown she hid her self in a certain village till the wind would serve for England and then she sail'd over but it could never be known where she went William Utlaw being found by the trial and confession of Pernel who was condemn'd to be burnt to have been consenting to his mother in her sorcery and witchcraft the Bishop caus'd him to be arrested by the King 's writ and put in prison yet he was set at liberty again by the intercession of some great Lords upon condition that he should cover S. Mary's Church in Kilkenny with lead and do other acts of charity within a certain day and that if he did not perform them punctually he should be in the same state as he was when first taken by the King 's writ MCCCXXVI At Whitsontide a Parliament was held in Kilkenny where was present Richard Lord Burk Earl of Ulster though somewhat weak and out of order and all the Lords and great men of Ireland who with the people were all nobly feasted by the Earl Afterwards the Earl taking his leave of the Lords and Nobles went to Athisel and there died A little before the feast of John the Baptist he was there interr'd William Lord Burk was his heir MCCCXXVII There happen'd an out-fal between Moris Lord Fitz Thomas and Arnold Lord Pouer. The Lord Moris was seconded by the Lord Botiller and William Lord Bermingham and the Lord Arnold with the Bourkeyns many of whom were â—ain in this fray by the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas and some driven iâ—to Conaught The same year after Michaelmas the Lord Arnold came to assist the Bourkeins and upon the Lord Arnold's calling him Rymour and affronting him with some uncivil terms the Lord Maurice raised an Army and together with Botiller and the said William Bermingham burnt and wasted the lands and territories of the Lord Arnold in Ofath Bermingham burnt also the lands and mannor-houses which belong'd to him in Mounster and burnt Kenlys in Ossory So that the Lord Arnold was forc'd to fly with the Baron of Donnoyl to Waterford where they remain'd a month and then the Earl of Kildare Chief Justice of Ireland and others of the King's Counsel order'd them to parlee However the Lord Arnold would not observe it but came to Dublin and about the feast of the Purification embark'd for England Upon this Moris Botiller and William Lord Bermingham came with a great army and burnt and wasted his lands the King's Counsel began to dread this powerful army and the mischiefs they had done so much that they strengthned their city-guards lest they themselves might be surpriz'd The Lord Moris Lord Botiller and Bermingham hearing of this provision against them sent to the King's Counsel that they would come to Kilkenny and there clear themselves to satisfie them they had no design upon the lands of their Sovereign Lord the King but only intended to be reveng'd of their enemies The Earl of Kildare Chief Justice of Ireland the Prior of Kilmaynon namely Roger Outlaw Chancellour of Ireland Nicholas Fastal Justiciary in Banco and others of the King's Council came accordingly to this Parliament the Lord Moris and Bermingham demanded the King's Charter of peace in the first-place But they of the King's Counsel warily desir'd that they might have till a month after Easter to consider of it Before Lent this year the Irish of Leinster assembled and set up Donald the son of Arte Mac Murgh for their King Whereupon he took a resolution to set up his Banner within two miles of Dublin and march from thence into all parts of Ireland But God seeing his pride and malicious designs suffer'd him to fall into the hands of Henry Lord Traharn who brought him to the Salmon's-leap and had 200 l. of him to save his life from thence he carried him to Dublin to stay in the castle till the King's Council should give farther Orders After this the Irish in Leinster underwent many misfortunes David O Thohil was taken prisoner by John Lord Wellesley and many of them were cut off The same year Adam Duff the son of Walter Duff of Leinster who was related to the O Tothiles was convicted for denying the incarnation of Christ
raised Edmund Crouchback his younger son to whom he had given the estate and honours of Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester of Robert Ferrars Earl of Derby and of John of Monmouth for rebelling against him to the Earldom of Lancaster Eaâ—â—â—â— Lancastâ—â— giving it in these words The Honour Earldom Castle and the Town of Lancaster with the Cow-pastures and Forests of Wiresdale Lownsdale Newcastle under Lime with the Manour Forest and a Castle of Pickering the Manour of Scaleby the Village of Gomecestre and the Rents of the Town of Huntendon c. after he had lost the Kingdom of Sicily with which the Pope by a ring invested him to no purpose and what expos'd the English to the publick scoff and laughter of the world he caus'd pieces of gold to be coyn'd with this Inscription AIMUNDUS REX SICILIAE 〈…〉 having first chous'd and cully'd the credulous King out of much money upon that account The said Edmund his first wife dying without issue who was the daughter and heir of the Earl of Albemarle 10 Of William de Fortibus Earl c. yet by her last Will made him her heir had by his second wife Blanch of Artois of the 〈…〉 Royal Family of France Thomas and Henry and John who dy'd very young Thomas was the second Earl of Lancaster who married Alice the only daughter and heir of Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln she convey'd this and her mother's estate who was of the family of the Long Espee's Earls of Salisbury as likewise her father Henry Lacy had done before with his own Lands in case Alice should dye without issue as indeed it afterwards hapen'd over to the family of Lancaster But this Thomas for his Insolence and disrespect to his Prince Edward the second and for imbroiling the State was at last taken prisoner in the field and beheaded having no issue However his Sentence was afterwards revers'd by Act of Parliament because he was not try'd by his Peers and so his brother Henry succeeded him in his estate and honours He was also enrich'd by his wife Maud daughter and sole heir of Patrick Chaworth and that not only with her own but with great estates in Wales namely of Maurice of London and of Siward from whom she was descended He dying left a son Henry 〈…〉 whom Edward the third rais'd from Earl to a Duke and he was the second of our Nobility that bore the title of Duke But he dy'd without issue-male leaving two daughters Mawd and Blanch between whom the Inheritance was divided Mawd was married to William of Bavaria Earl of Holland Zeland Friseland Hanault and of Leicester too in right of his wife But she dying without issue John of Gaunt so call'd because he was born at Gaunt in Flanders fourth son of Edward the third by marriage with Blanch the other daughter of Henry came to the whole estate And now being equal to many Kings in wealth and created Duke of Lancaster by his father he also obtain'd the Royalties of him The King too advanc'd the County of Lancaster into a Palatinate by this Rescript wherein after he has declar'd the great service he had done his Country both at home and abroad he adds We have granted for us and our heirs to our son aforesaid that he during the term of life shall have within the County of Lancaster his Chancery and his Writs to be issued out under his own Seal belonging to the Office of Chancellor his Justices likewise as well for Pleas of the Crown as for other Pleas relating to Common Law to have cognisance of them and to have power of making all Executions whatsoever by his Writs and Officers And to have all other Liberties and Royalties of what kind soever appertaining to a County Palatine as freely and as fully as the Earl of Chester within the said County is known to have c. Nor was he only Duke of Lancaster but also by marriage with Constantia daughter of Peter King of Castile John of Gaunt K. of Castile for some time bore the title of King of Leon and Castile But by contract he parted with this title and in the 13th of King Richard the second was created by consent of Parliament Duke of Aquitain 11 To have and to hold the same title for term of life of the King of England and Monarch of France but to the general disgust of the inhabitants of the Province of Aquitain who gave it out that their Seigniory was inseparably annext to the Crown of England to the great dissatisfaction of that Country At that time his titles were John son to the King of England Duke of Aquitain and Lancaster Earl of Derby Lincoln and Leicester and high Steward of England After this John Henry de Bullingbroke his son succeeded in the Dutchy of Lancaster 12 Who when he had dispossess'd Richard the second and obtain'd the Kingdom of England he considering that being now King he could not bear the title of Duke of Lancaster and unwilling that the said title should be discontinu'd ordain'd by assent of Parliament that Henry his present son should enjoy the same and be stil'd Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Lancaster and Cornwall and Earl of Chester and also that the Liberties and Franchises of the Dutchy of Lancaster should remain to his said son sever'd from the Crown of England who having deposed Richard the second obtain'd the Crown and conferr'd this honour upon Heny his son K. Henr. 4. afterwards King of England And that he might entail it upon him and his heirs for ever he had an Act of Parliament made in these words We being unwilling that our said inheritance or its liberties by reason of our now assuming the Royal state and dignity should be any ways chang'd transferr'd diminish'd or impair'd but that our said inheritance with its rights and liberties aforesaid should in the same manner and form condition and state wherein they descended and fell to us and also with all and singular liberties franchises and other privileges commodities and profits whatsoever which our Lord and Father in his life time had and held it withal for term of his life by the grant of the late King Richard be wholly and fully preserv'd continu'd and enjoy'd by us and our heirs specified in the said Charters And by the tenure of these presents we do upon our certain knowledge and with the consent of this our present Parliament grant declare decree and ordain for us and our heirs that as well our Dutchy of Lancaster as all and singular Counties Honours Castles Manours Fees Advowsons Possessions Annuities and Seigniories whatsoever descended to us before the Royal Dignity was obtain'd by us how or in what place soever by right of inheritance in possession or in reversion or other way remain to us and our said heirs specified in the Charters abovesaid after the said manner for ever Afterwards King Henry the fifth by Act