Aelfred his brother humbly beseeching them to come and aide them that so they might give battaile to the fore-named Army which request they also easily obtained For those two brethren slacking no whit their promise having levied from all parts a mighty Army assembled their forces entred Mercia and seeking with one accord jointly to encounter the enemy come as farre as to Snottenga-ham And when the Painims keeping themselves within the defense of the Castle refused to give battaile and the Christians with all their force could not batter the Wall after peace concluded betweene the Paganes and Mercians those two brethren with their bands returned home But after this King Edward the elder built the Village Bridgeford just over against it and compassed the Towne about with a wall which now is fallen downe and yet the remaines thereof I have seene on the South side And within very few yeeres after in King Edward the Confessours time as wee reade in Domesday booke there were numbered in it one hundred and seventy three Burgesses and from the two Minters there were paid forty shillings to the King Also the water of Trent the Fosse dike and the way toward Yorke were warded and kept that if any man hindered the passage of vessels he was to make amends with the payment of foure pounds As for the Castle which now wee see it may bee well of great name in regard both of the Founder and the worthinesse also of the worke for William of Normandy built it to bridle the English and so strong it was as William of Newborough writeth as well by naturall situation as hand labour that it is held impregnable if it may have sufficient men to defend it unlesse it bee by famine Afterward also King Edward the Fourth bestowed great cost in the repairing of it and beautified it with faire buildings whereto King Richard also the Third set to his helping hand Neither for all the changes and alterations of times hath it undergone the common condition or destiny incident to such great Castles being never forced and wonne by assault Once was it in vaine besieged by Henry of Anjou at which time the souldiers lying in Garison set fire upon the buildings joyning unto it Once also it was suddenly surprised by Earle Robert de Ferrarijs in the Barons warre who spoiled the Inhabitants of all their goods The Castellanes report many stories of David King of the Scots prisoner in it and of Roger Mortimer Earle of March taken heere in a hollow secret passage under the ground who because he prised his faith and loyalty to his country lighter than Scotish gold and with a vaste minde designed other mischiefes was afterwards hanged Certes in the first base Court of the Castle wee went downe by many steps or staires with candle light into a Vault under the ground and certaine close roomes wrought out of the very rocke in the walles whereof are engraven the stories of Christs Passion and other things by the hand as they say of David the Second king of Scots who was there imprisoned But in the upper part of the Castle which riseth up aloft upon a rocke we came also by many staires into another Cave likewise under the ground which they call Mortimers Hole for that in it the foresaid Roger Mortimer lay hidden when as being guilty to himselfe of wickednesse he stood in feare of his life As for the position of Nottingham it seeth the North Pole elevated fifty three Degrees and hath the Meridian two and twenty Degrees and foureteene minutes distant from the utmost point of the West whence Geographers beginne to measure the Longitude From hence the Trent runneth with a milde streame and passeth forward by Holme called of the Lords thereof Holme Pierpount whose Family is both ancient and noble and out of which Robert Pierpount was summoned by King Edward the Third unto the high Court of Parliament among the Barons of the Kingdome unto Shelford where Ralph Hanselin founded a Priory and the Lords Bardolph had a mansion but now the seat of the worshipfull stocke of the Stanhopes knights whose state in this Tract hath growne great and their name renowned since they matched with an heire of Mallovell From whence he runneth downe with a rolling streame to Stoke a little Village but well knowne for no small overthrow and slaughter that there happened when Sir John de la pole Earle of Lincolne who being by King Richard the Third declared heire apparent to the Crowne seeing by the comming of king Henry the Seventh himselfe debarred of the hope of the Kingdome heere in behalfe of a counterfeit Prince rebelliously opposed himselfe against a lawfull king and so resolutely with his friends and followers lost his life Not farre from hence is Thurgarton where Sir Ralph D'eincourt founded a Priory and somewhat higher Southwell sheweth it selfe aloft with a Collegiat Church of Prebendaries consecrated to the blessed Virgin Mary a place not very faire in outward shew I must needs say but strong ancient and of great fame Which as they write Paulinus the First Archbishop of Yorke founded after he had baptised the Inhabitants of this Shire in the River Trent and so regenerated them to Christ. Since which time the Archbishops of Yorke have had here a very faire and stately Palace and three Parkes stored with Deere adjoyning thereto That this is the City which Bede calleth Tio-vul-Finga-cester I doe the more stedfastly beleeve because those things which he hath reported of Paulinus baptizing in the Trent neere unto Tio-vul-Finga-cester the private History of this Church constantly avoucheth to have beene done in this very place From thence out of the East Snite a little Brooke runneth into Trent which being but small and shallow watereth Langer a place of name in regard of the Tibetots or Tiptofts Lords thereof who afterwards became Earles of Worcester also Wiverton which from Heriz a worshipfull man long since in these parts came by the Brets and Caltostes unto the Chaworthes who fetch their name out of the Cadurci in France and derive their pedegree from the Lord of Walchervill Now doth Trent divide it selfe neere Averham or Aram an ancient habitation of the Suttons Gentlemen of respective worth and runneth hard under a good great Towne called Newark as one would say The new worke of the new Castle which Castle so fresh and of so beautifull building as Henry of Huntingdon termeth it Alexander that bountifull minded Bishop of Lincolne built which Prelate that I may use the words of an ancient Historian carrying a most brave and gallant minde builded both this Castle and another also with most profuse and lavish expense And because such manner of sumptuous buildings little became the gravity and dignity of a Bishop he to take away the envie and hard conceit of the world for such building and to expiate as it were the offence that grew thereby founded
here in Gordian the Emperours time as appeareth evidently by these inscriptions which I saw hard by I O M. ALA AUG OB RTUT APPEL CUI PRAEEST TIB. CL. TIB. F. P IN G N JUSTINUS PRAEF FUSCIANO II SILANO II COS. DM MABLI NIVSSEC VNDVS EQUIS ALE AUG STE STIP This votive altar also of a rude stone was erected for the happie health of the Emperour Gordian the third and his wife Furia Sabina Tranquilla and their whole family by the troup of horsemen surnamed Augusta Gordiana when Aemilius Chrispinus a native of Africa governed the same under Nonnius Philippus Lievtenant generall of Britaine in the yeere of Christ 243. as appeareth by the Consuls therein specified I O M PRO SALUTE IMPERATORIS M. ANTONI GORDIANI P. F. INVICTI AUG ET SABINIAE TUR IAE TRANQUILE CONJUGI EJUS TO TA QUE DOMU DIVIN EORUM A LA AUG GORDIA OB VIRTUTEM APPELLATA POSUIT CUI PRAEEST AEMILIUS CRISPINUS PRAEF EQQ. NATUS IN PRO AFRICA DE TUIDRO SUB CUR NONNII PH LIPPI LEG AUG PROPRETO ATTICO ET PRETEXTATO COSS. From hence also were altars brought which are erected in the high way by Wigton in the sides whereof are to bee seene a drinking cup or mazar a footlesse pot a mallet a boll c. all vessels appertaining to sacrifice But time hath so worn out the letters that nothing can be read And not farre from hence just by the high street way there was digged up a long rude stone in manner of a columne which we saw at Thoresby with this inscription to the honour of Philip the Emperour and his sonne who flourished about the yeere of our Lord 248. IMP CAES. M. JUL PHILIPPO PIO FELI CI AUG ET M. JUL. PHI LIPPO NOBILIS SIMO CAES TR. P. COS This also with others Oswald Dikes a learned minister of Gods word copied out for me and now is to be seene in the house of T. Dikes Gentleman at Wardal DEO SANCTO BELA TUCADRO AURELIUS DIATOVA ARAE X VOTO POSUIT LL. MM. Likewise another such like altar to a private tutelar God of the place was there found with this unperfect inscription DEO CE AIIO AUR M RTI. ET MS ERURACIO PRO SE ET SUIS V.S. LL. M. Besides an infinite number of pety images statues of horsemen Aegles Lions Ganimedes and many other monuments of antiquity which are daily discovered Something higher a little promontory shooteth out and a great frith or arme of the Sea lieth under it being now the common limit confining England and Scotland serving in times past to make a separation betweene the Romane Province and the Picts Upon this standeth that ancient town BLATUM-BULGIUM happily of Butch a Britaine word that signifieth a separation from which as from the most remote place and the limit of the Roman province Antonine the Emperour beginneth his journies through Britaine The inhabitants at this day call it Bulnesse and as small a village as it is yet hath it a pile and in token of the antiquity thereof besides the tracts of streets ruinous walls and an haven now stopped up with mud there led a paved high-way from hence along the sea-shore as farre as to Elen Borrough if we may relie upon the report of the by-dwellers Beyond this a mile as is to bee seene by the foundations at a nepe tide beganne that WALL the most renowned worke of the Romanes which was the bound in times past of the Romane province raised of purpose to seclude and keepe out the barbarous nations that in this tract were evermore barking and baying as an ancient writer saith about the Roman Empire I marvailed at first why they built here so great fortifications considering that for eight miles or thereabout there lieth opposite a very great frith and arme of the sea but now I understand that at every ebbe the water is so low that the borderers and beast-stealers may easily wade over That the form of these shores hath bin changed it doth evidently appeare by the tree roots covered over with sand a good way off from the shore which oftentimes at a low ebbe are discovered with the windes I know not whether I may relate here which the inhabitants reported concerning trees without boughes under the ground oftentimes found out here in the mosses by the direction of dew in summer for they have observed that the dew never standeth on that ground under which they lye By the same Frith more within the land standeth Drumbough Castle belonging of later time to the Lords of Dacre a station in times past of the Romans Some will have it to have beene EXPLORATORUM CASTRA notwithstanding the distance utterly controuleth it There was also another station of the Romans beside it which now being changed into a new name is called Burgh upon Sands whence the territory adjoyning is named the Barony of Burgh the which R. Meschines Lord of Cumberland gave unto Robert de Trivers but from him it came to the Morvils the last of which house named Hugh left behind him a daughter who by her second husband Thomas de Molton had issue Thomas Molton Lord of this place whose sonne Thomas by marriage with the heire of Hubert de Vaulx adjoyned Gilles-land to his possessions which in the end were devolved all unto Ranulph Dacre who married M. the heire of Moulton But for no one thing was this little Burgh upon Sands more famous than that King Edward the first that triumphant Conquerour of his enemies was here taken out of this world by untimely death A right noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned most princely presence and personage as a right worthy seat to entertaine so heroicall a minde For hee not onely in regard of fortitude and wisedome but also for a beautifull and a personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of royall majesty whom fortune also in the very prime and flowre of his age inured to many a warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the State whiles she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Britain which he being once crowned King managed and governed in such wise that having subdued the Welsh and vanquished the Scots hee may most justly bee counted the second ornament of Great Britaine Under this Burgh within the very Frith where the salt water ebbeth and floweth the Englishmen and Scotish by report of the inhabitants fought with their fleets at full Sea and also with their horsemen and footmen at the ebbe A thing which may seeme no lesse marvellous than that which Plinie hath reported not without wonder of the like place in Caramania This arme of the sea both nations call Solway Frith of Solway a towne in Scotland standing upon it But Ptolomee more truely tearmeth it ITUNA For Eden that notable river which wandreth through Westmorland and the inner parts of this shire
Barons of Northumberland had done homage at Felton to Alexander King of Scots Many yeeres after when Iohn Balioll King of Scots had broken his oath King Edward the first in the yeere of salvation 1297. brought Berwick under his subjection yet within a little while after when the fortune of warre began to smile upon the Scots they surprised it standing for-let and neglected but straightwayes it was yeelded up and the English became Masters of it Afterward in that loose reigne of King Edward the second Peter Spalding betraied it unto Robert Bruâ— King of the Scots who hotly assaulted it and the English laid siege unto it in vaine untill that our Hector King Edward the third in the yeere of Christ 1333. setting valiantly upon it wonne it as happily Howbeit in the reigne of Richard the second certaine Scottish robbers upon a sudden surprised the Castle but within nine dayes Henry Pearcy Earle of Northumberland regained it Scarce seven yeeres were overpassed when the Scots recovered it againe not by force but by money For which cause the said Henry Percy Governour of the place was accused of high treason but he with money likewise corrupted both their faith and fortitude and streightway got it in his hands againe A great while after when England was even pining by reason of civill warre King Henry the sixth being now fled the Realme into Scotland surrendred it up into the hands of the Scot for to be secured of his life and safety in Scotland But after twenty two yeeres were expired Sir Thomas Stanley not without losse of his men reduced it under the command of King Edward the Fourth Since which time our Kings have at divers times fortified and fenced it with new works but especially Queen Elizabeth who of late to the terrour of the enemy and safeguard of her state enclosed it about in a narrower compasse within the old wall with an high wall of stone most strangely compacted together which shee hath so forewarded againe with a counterscarfe a banke round about with mounts of earth cast up by mans hand and open terraces above head that either the forme of these munitions or strength thereof may justly cut off all hope of winning it To say nothing all this while of the valour of the garison souldiers the store of great Ordnance and furniture of warre which was wonderfull He that was wont to be chiefe Governour of this towne that I may note thus much also was alwaies one of the wisest and most approved of the Nobility of England and withall Warden of these East marches against Scotland The Longitude of this towne as our Mathematicians have observed is 21. degrees and 43. minutes the Latitude 55. degrees and 48. minutes And by this inclination and position of the heaven the longest day is 17. houres and 22. minutes and the night but sixe houres and 38. minutes so that that there was no untruth in Serviâ—â— Honoratus when he wrote thus Britanni lucis dives c. that is Britain is so plentifull of day light that it affordeth scarce any time for the nights Neither is it any marvaile that souldiers without other light doe play here all night long at Dice considering the side light that the sunne beames cast all night long and therefore this verse of Iuvenall is true Minimá contentos nocte Britannos The Britaines who with least night stand content Concerning Berwicke have here now for an Overdeale these verses of Master I. Ionston Scotorum extremo sub limite meta furoris Saxonidum gentis par utriusque labor Mille vices rerum quae mille est passa ruinas Mirum quî potuit tot superesse malis Quin superest quin extremis exhausta ruinis Funere sic crevit firmior usque suo Oppida ut exaequet jam munitissima Civis Militis censum munia Martis obit Postquà m servitio durisque est functa periclis Effert laetitiae signa serena suae Et nunc antiquo felix sejactat honore Cum reddit Domino debita jura suo Cujus ab auspiciis unita Britannia tandem Excelsum tollit libera in astra caput Afront the bound of Scottish ground where staid the furious broile Of English warres and Nations both were put to equall toile Now won then lost a thousand turnes it felt of fortunes will After so many miseries wonder it standeth still And still it stands although laid wast it were and desolate Yet alwaies after every fall it rose to firmer state So that for strength best fenced townes it matcheth at this day The Citizens were souldiers all and serv'd in warres for pay But after service long performed and hard adventures past Of joy and mirth the gladsome signes it putteth forth at last And now her ancient honour she doth vaunt in happy plight When to her Soveraigne Lord she yeelds all service due by right Whose blessed Crowne united hath great Britain now at last Whereby her head she lifts on high since quarrels all be past That which Aeneas Sylvius or Pope Pius the second who when hee was a private person was Embassadour into Scotland about the yeere 1448. hath reported in his owne life by himselfe penned and published under the name of another touching the borderers that dwelt there round about I thinke good here to put downe considering that as yet they have nothing degenerated There is a river saith he which spreading broad from out of an high hill confineth both the lands This river when Aeneas had ferried over and turned aside into a great village about sun setting where he supped in a country-mans house with the Priest of the place and his hoast many sorts of gruels and pottage hens and geese were set on the board but no wine nor bread at all and all the men women of the village came running thither as it were to see some strange sight and as our countreymen are wont to wonder at Blacka-Moors or men of Inde so they stood gasing gaping as astonied at Aeneas asking of the Priest what countreyman he was upon what busines he came and whether he were a Christian or no Now Aeneas having bin enformed before what scarcity of victuals he should finde in those parts had received at a certaine Abbey some loaves of white bread and a rundlet of red wine which when they had brought forth the people made a greater wonder than before as who had never seen either wine or white bread There approached unto the table great bellied women and their husbands who handling the bread smelling to the wine craved some part thereof and there was no remedy but to deale and give all away among them Now when we had sitten at sâ—pper untill it was two houres within night the Priest and our Hoast together with the children and all the men left Aeneas and made haste away for they said they were to flye for feare of the Scots unto a certaine pile that stood a great way off
of the river Annan which lost all the glorie and beautie it had by the English warre in the reigne of Edward the sixth In this territorie the Ionstons are men of greatest name a kinred even bred to warre betweene whom and the Maxwels there hath beene professed an open enmitie over long even to deadly feud and blood-shed which Maxwels by right from their ancestours have the rule of this Seneschalsie for so it is accounted This vale Eadgar King of Scots after hee was restored to his kingdome by auxiliarie forces out of England gave in consideration and reward of good service unto Robert Bruse or Brus Lord of Cliveland in Yorke-shire who with the good favour of the King bestowed it upon Robert his younger sonne when himselfe would not serve the King of Scots in his warres From him flowered the Bruses Lords of Annandale of whom Robert Brus married Isabel the daughter of William King of Scots by the daughter of Robert Avenall his sonne likewise Robert the third of the name wedded the daughter of David Earle of Huntington and of Gariosh whose sonne Robert surname The Noble when the issue of Alexander the third King of Scots sailed challenged in his mothers right the Kingdome of Scotland before Edward the first King of England as the direct and superiour Lord of the Kingdome of Scotland so the English give it out or an honourable Arbitratour for to say the Scots as being neerer in proximitie in degree and blood to King Alexander the third and Margaret daughter to the King of Norway although bee were the sonne by a second sister who soon after resigning up his own right granted and gave over to his son Robert Brus Earle of Carrick and to his heires I speak out of the verie originall all the right and claime which he had or might have to the Kingdome of Scotland But the action and suit went with John Balliol who sued for his right us descended of the eldest sister although in a degree farther off and sentence was given in these words For that the person more remote in the second degree descending in the first line is to bee preferred before a nâ—â—erer in a second line in the succession of an inheritance that cannot be parted How beit the said Robert sonne to the Earle of Carrick by his own vertue at length recovered the Kingdome unto himself and established it to his posteritie A Prince who as he flourished notably in regard of the glorious ornaments of his noble acts so he triumphed as happily with invincible fortitude and courage over fortune that so often crossed him NIDISDALL CLose unto Annandale on the West side lyeth NIDISDALE suficiently with corne-fields and pastures so named of the river Nid which in Ptolomee is wrongly written NOBIUS for NODIUS or NIDIUS of which name there bee other rivers in Britaine full of shallow foords and muddie shelves like as this NID is also It springeth out of the Lake Logh-Cure by which flourished CORDA a towne of the Selgova He taketh his course first by Sauqhuera Castle of the Creightons who a long time kept a great port as enjoying the dignitie of the Barons of Sauqhuer and the authoritie besides of hereditarie Sheriffs of Nidisdale then by Morton which gave title of Earle to some of the family of Douglas out of which others of that surname have their mansion and abiding at Drumlanrig by the same river neere unto the mouth whereof standeth Danfreys betweene two hills the most flourishing towne of this tract which hath to shew also an old Castle in it famous for making of woollen clothes and remarkable for the murder of John Commin the mightiest man for manred and retinew in all Scotland whom Roberts Brus for feare he should foreclose his way to the kingdome ranne quite through with his sword in the Church and soon obtained his pardon from the Pope for committing that murder in a sacred place Neerer unto the mouth Solway a little village retaineth still somewhat of the old name of Selgova Upon the verie mouth is situate Caer Laverock which Prolomee I supposed called CARBANTORIGUM accounted an imprenable sort when King Edward the first accompanied with the floure of English Nobilitie besieged and hardly wonne it but now it is a weake dwelling house of the Barons of Maxwell who being men of an ancient and noble linage were a long time Wardens of these West matches and of late advanced by marriage with the daughter one of the heires of the Earle of Morton whereby John Lord Maxwell was declared Earle of Morson as also by the daughter and heire of Hereis Lord Toricles whom I a younger sonne took to wife and obtained by the title of Baron Hereis Moreover in this vale by the Lake side lyeth Glencarn whence the Cunninghams of whom I am to write more in place convenient bare a long time the title of Earle This Nidisdale together with Annandale nourisheth a warlike kind of men who have beene infamous for robberies and depredations for they dwell upon Solway Frish a fourdable arme of the sea at low waters through which they made many times outrodes into England for to fetch in booties and in which the inhabitants thereabout on both sides with pleasant pastime and delightfull sight on horse-backe with speares hunt Salmons whereof there is abundance What manner of cattailestealers these be that inhabite these vales in the marches of both kingdomes John Lesley himselfe a Scottish man and Bishop of Rosse will tell you in these words They go forth in the night by troops out of there own borders through desart by-waies and many winding crankes All the day time they refresh their burses and recreate their owne strength in lurking places appointed before band until they be come thither as length in the dark night where they would be When they have laid hold of a bootie back again they returne home likewise by night through blinde waies onely and fetching many a compasse about The more skilfull any leader or guide is to passe through those wild desarts crooked turnings and steep downe-falls in the thickest mists and deepest darknesse hee is held in greaâ—â—ter reputation as one of an excelling wit And so craftie and 〈◊〉 these are that seldome or never they forgo their bootie and suffer it to be taken out of their hands unlesse it happen otherwhiles that they be caught by their adversaries following continually after and tracing them directly by their footing according as quick-senting Slugh-bounds doe lead them But say they be taken so faire spoken they are and eloquen so manie sugred words they have at will sweetly to plead for them that they are able to move the Iudges and adversaries both he they never so austere and severe if not to mercie yet to admiration amd some commiseration withall NOVANTES GALLOWAY FRom Nidisdale as you goe on Westward the NOVANTES inhabited in the vales all that tract which
the great preparation for the English warre hanging so neere over his head he betooke himselfe into the protection of King Henry the second without trying the hazzard of battell But when as forthwith he brake his allegeance and revolted Miles Cogan was the first Englishman that gave the attempt upon Conaght yet sped hee not in his enterprise Howbeit that King of Conaght abovesaid was driven to this exigent as to acknowledge himselfe the King of Englands Liegeman to serve him faithfully as his man and to pay unto him yeerely of every tenth beast one hide mercateable c. And King John granted that the third part of Conaght should remaine unto him still to bee held hereditarily for an hundred Markes But William Fitz-Adelme whose posterity are called in Latin de Burgo and Burke or Bourke in Irish Robert Muscegros Gilbert Clare Earle of Gloster and William de Birmingham were the first English that fully subdued this country and laboured to bring it to civill government And William Bourk and his lineall posterity being called Lords of all Conaght governed that province together with Ulster for a long time in great peace and tranquility yea and raised thereout rich revenues untill the onely daughter of William Burke sole heire in grosse of Conaght and Ulster both was matched in marriage with Leonell Duke of Clarence King Edward the thirds sonne But when as he abode for the most part in England and the Mortimers his heires and successours looked but negligently to their patrimony and inheritance in Ireland the Bourkes there allies whom they had appointed as overseers of their lands taking the advantage of their Lords absence and presuming upon the troubles in England despising the authority of lawes entring into alliance with the Irish and contracting marriage with them seized upon all Conaght to their owne behoofe and degenerating by little and little have laid downe English civility and taken up Irish behaviour Whereof some who fetched their pedegree from Richard Burke were called Clan-Ricard others Mac William Oughter that is The upper others Mac William Eughter that is The lower even as they who in the countie of Maio were of greatest power and authority affected to be tearmed simply Mac-William as being a name full of honour glory and authority because they descended from William de Burgo or Burke whom I mentioned erewhile under countenance of which name they for a long time tyrannized over the poore inhabitants with most grievous exactions ULTONIA OR ULSTER ALL the land beyond the mouth of the river Boyn Meath the County Longford and the mouth of the river Ravie that stretcheth Northward is counted the fifth part of Ireland called in Latin Ultonia and Ulidia in English Ulster in Irish Cui Guilly that is The Province Guilly and of our Welsh Britans Ultw Which Province was wholly inhabited in Ptolomees time by the VOLUNTII DARNI ROBOGDII and ERDINI A large country bespred with many and those very large loghes and lakes shaded with many and thicke woods in some places fruitfull in others barren howbeit fresh and green to see to in every place and replenished with cattell But as the countrey for want of manuring is growne to be rough so the naturall dispositions of the people wanting civill discipline are become most wild and barbarous Yet to the end that they might be kept within the bounds of their duty who were wont to breake in sunder all bands of equity of honesty and of duty the hether part of it was in times past divided into three counties Louth Downe and Antrim and now the rest is laid out into seven new counties that is to say Cavon Fermanagh Monaghan Armagh Colran Tir-Oen and Donegall or Tir-Conell by the provident care of Sir Iohn Perot L. Deputy who being notable and worthy man well acquainted with the humours and haughty spirits of the Province foreseeing that no policy would serve better to appease the tumults of Ireland than to reduce these parts of Ulster into order and to keepe them downe going thither in a dangerous and ticklish time when the King of Spaine hovered and gaped both for Ireland and England with his gravitie and authority whiles by barring all wrongs hee did cut off the causes and quarrells of warre brought all the Potentates or Captaines of Ulster to this passe that willingly they suffered their Seigniories to bee divided into Counties and Sheriffes to bee appointed for the government thereof But he being within a while after recalled home and climbing still higher unto honours the heavie displeasure and envie of some whom hee was not able to counterpoise and his owne lavish tongue together for unadvisedly he had let flye somewhat against the Princes Majestie which to impaire in word is a capitall matter plunged him headlong ere he was aware upon his owne destruction as I have declared elsewhere more amply THE COUNTIE OF LOUTH THe county of LOUTH in ancient bookes written Luva and Luda called in the Irish tongue Iriel or Uriel if that be not rather a part of this territory situate beyond Meth and the mouth of the river Boyn turning full upon the Irish sea runneth out with a shore much winding into the North the soile whereof is so full of forage and so fruitfull that it soone answereth and recompenseth the husband mans toile and charges Neere unto Boynes mouth is seated Drogheda or Droghda in English Tredagh a fine towne well peopled and frequented so called of the bridge and divided by the river Boyne running through it Unto which King Edward the second for Theobald Verdons sake granted licence for a mercate and Faire the Kings confirmed many and great liberties and among other a Mint Neere unto this standeth Mellifont Abbey founded by Donald a King of Uriel and much praised by Saint Bernard which Queene Elizabeth when as the religious Monkes were before thrust out gave unto Sir Edward More of Kent for his good deserts both at home and abroad in the warres Ardeth seven miles from hence is a dry in-land towne well knowne and above it Dundalk with a commodious haven and in times past strongly walled which Edward Brus brother to the King of Scots who had proclaimed himselfe King of Ireland burnt but hee within a while after was with eight thousand two hundred of his men slaine neere thereabout And in our remembrance Shan O Neale laied siege unto it but straightwaies hee was forced with shame enough to dislodge Eight miles from hence standeth Carlingford a port also of good request and resort neither be there to my knowledge any other places in this county worth the naming This Louth had for Earle Sir Iohn Birmingham an Englishman whom in reward of his martiall valour when hee had discomfited and in a pitcht field slaine that Edward Brus who assuming the title of King of Ireland for a time had made soule work with fire and sword in Ireland King Edward the second advanced to the
doe our Britans still at this day terme by the very same name For them they call Bard who besides the exercise of that function doe especially addict themselves to the skill of Heraldry and the drawing of Pedigrees But whether the Britaines in like manner as the Gaules believed That they were descended from Pluto we have no record to lead us Whereas the Gauls did for that cause determine and end all their spaces of times by reckoning nights and not daies so as the day might in order follow the night the very same have our Britans observed For that which the Latines call Septimana and two Septimanae they terme with-nos that is eight nights and Pimthec-nos that is fifteene nights Likewise both peoples seeme to have framed unto themselves one and the same forme of Common weale and government For ruled they were not by one mans scepter but right as Gaul so Britaine also had many Kings And even as the Gauls in cases of greater waight and danger called an assembly of the whole nation and elected one chiefe governour so did the Britaines also as it may bee gathered out of these words of Caesar The severaignty of command and managing the warre was by a common Counsell granted to Cassivelaunus Neither were these two Nations unlike in manners customes and ordinances For to let this passe that both of them were most warlike and exceedingly given to slaughter certaine it is that in joyning of battels and adventuring of dangers they were one as forward as the other as may appeare by Strabo Tacitus Dio Herodian and others For manners and conditions saith Strabo the Britans are in part like to the Gauls and anon he addeth In fight for the most part they be fierce and cruell like unto certaine Gauls And Tacitus according with him The Britans saith he that were not vanquished by the Romans remaine such as the ancient Gauls were And in another place Next neighbours to the Gauls and like unto them be the Britaines That the Britaines fought armed after the Gaulish fashion Mela doth report The Britaine 's in their wars use a number of Chariots as Strabo writeth like as some of the Gauls The manner was of the one people and the other in time of warre to range their battels apart by severall nations that the distinct valour of them both might more evidently appeare That the Gauls practised this Caesar witnesseth in these words The Gauls being divided by their sundry cities and states kept the fourds and passages Which also Tacitus affirmeth of the Britaine 's in the battell of Carattacus The nations stood by troups and companies before the fortifications The Gauls saith Strabo were of a docible wit and apt to learne as also the Britaines whose wits Agricola in Tacitus preferred before the studēts of Gaul as being now curious to attaine the eloquence of the Roman language whereas they lately rejected the language The Gauls Strabo reporteth to have been of an ingenuous nature and single hearted which Tacitus seemeth to note and observe in the Britans writing that they are ready and willing to endure levies of men and mony and all other burdens imposed by the Empire if wrongfull insolences herein be forborne Caesar reporteth that the Gauls upon an unconstant and variable mind that they carried loved evermore change and alteration in the government The Britains likewise saith Tacitus were variable given to factions and siding By meanes of this inconstancie of the Gauls which Caesar more mildly calleth an Infirmitie so great credulitie crept into their minds that the credulity of the Gauls grew to be a proverbe and one Poet hath written thus thereof Et tumidus Gallâ credulitate fruar And full of this conceit will I Make use of Gauls Credulitie Neither have our Britans as yet therein degenerated from them who most readily give eare even to Milesian fables and either through superstitious hope or like feare doe presently believe most foolish prophesies We read in Strabo that the Gauls grieved exceedingly and tooke to heart the abuse which they saw done unto their kinred That there is the same Sympathie and fellow feeling in our Britans above all other nations it is better knowne than can be uttered and rife in every mans mouth The Gauls as Caesar recordeth according as every one excelled others in noble birth and wealthy estate so kept they about them a greater traine of servants and dependants whom they called Ambacti which was the onely grace countenance and port they carried Neither know our British Noblemen or gentry of Wales at this day any other shew of reputation From whom as it is thought the English have learned to leade after them so great a retinue of followers and serving men in which thing they have not long since out-gone all other in Europe That the British buildings were in every respect sutable with those in Gaul and compassed round about with woods Caesar and Strabo doe shew unto us The Gauls as witnesseth Strabo ware chaines of gold about their necks and Bunduica the British Lady saith Xiphilinus had likewise a golden chaine and was clad in a garment of sundry colours And where at this day is that ornament more in use than in this Isle and among our Britans That Britans and Gauls both adorned their middle finger with a ring Pliny doth report The same Strabo maketh mention of the Gauls that they nourished the bush of their heads and Caesar testifieth that the Britans went with long haire It appeareth in many authors that the Gauls used certaine garments which in their mother tongue they termed Brachae that these were also common to our Britaines this verse of Martiall doth prove Quà m veteres Brachae Britonis pauperis Than Brachae old of Briton poore I passe over that which Silius Italicus writeth of the Gauls Quinetiam ingenio fluxi sed primà feroces Vaniloquum Celtae genus ac mutabile mentis The Gauls though fierce at first soone yield and hold not out by kind A nation given to vanitie of words and change of mind Because these qualities are common to most nations I might adde hereto other particulars wherein these people have jumped just together but I feare me lest malitious evill-willers would wrest them to the detraction and slander of the said nations Besides that saying pleaseth me exceeding well All in a meane and within measure and the argument perhaps which is drawne from common manners may seeme not of the greatest validitie Now are we come to the language in which lieth the maine strength of this disputation and the surest proofe of peoples originall For no man I hope will deny that they which joyne in communitie of language concurred also in one and the same originall And if all the histories that ever were had miscarried and perished if no writer had recorded that we Englishmen are descended from Germans the true and naturall Scots from the Irish the Britons
and the Normans of the other did what they could and left no stone unturned But when he in a pitched field had neere unto Stamford-bridg in Yorkshire slaine his brother Tosto and Harold King of Norway whom Tosto had drawn to take part with him in this war and so obtained a bloudy victorie behold within nine daies after the said WILLIAM surnamed the Bastard Duke of Normandie taking hold of the promises of King Edward late deceased and presuming of his adoption and neere alliance having levied a great armie arrived in England among the South-Saxons Against whom Harold forthwith advanced albeit his souldiers were sore wearied and his power by the former battaile much empaired And not farre from Hastings they encounter and joyne battaile where Harold engaging himselfe into the midst of the medley and fighting manfully lost his life with a great number of Englishmen left slaine in the place but how many they were just hard it is exactly to conceive and faithfully to put downe WILLIAM thus a Conquerour presently with banner displaid marched about in order of battaile by Wallingford to London where being received he was solemnly inaugurated King as unto whom by his owne saying The Kingdome was by Gods providence appointed and by vertue of a gift from his Lord and Cosen King Edward the Glorious granted and after some few lines the story runneth on and saith that the most beauteous King Edward had by adoption ordained him his heire in the Kingdome of England And if we list to believe the Historie of Saint Stephens in Caen of Normandie at his last breath he uttered these words The Regall Diadem which none of all my predecessours ever wore I got and gained by the grace of God only and no right of inheritance And a little after I ordaine no man heire of the Kingdome of England but I commend the same to the eternall Creator whose I am and in whose hands are all things For I became not possessed of so great honour by any hereditary right but by a terrible conflict and with much effusion of bloud I tooke it from that perjured King Harold and after I had either slaine or put to flight his favourers and adherents I subdued it under my Dominion But why doe I so briefly run over this so great alteration of the English state Have therefore if you thinke not much to read it what my selfe with no curious pen haply with as little studie and premeditation howbeit according to the truth of the Historie wrote when being but young not well advised nor of sufficiencie to undergoe so great a burthen I purposed to set forth our Historie in the Latine tongue VVHen Edward the Confessour was now without issue departed this life the Nobles and people of the land were in doubtfull care distracted about the setting up of a new King in his place Edgar surnamed Aetheling King Edmund Iron side his nephewes nephew by a sonne onely of all the issue male of the Saxons line remained alive unto whom by right of inheritance the kingdome was due But considering he was thought by reason of his tender yeares not meete to mannage the State and had beside intermingled his naturall disposition with forrain manners as being borne in Pannonia and the sonne of Agathra daughter to the Emperor Henrie the third who was in so remote a countrie farther off than that he could conveniently assist the young Gentleman either with aid or counsell in these regards hee was lesse affected of the Englishmen who desired nothing more than to have a King as it were out of their owne bodie And therefore all of them for the most part had their eies fixed with much respect upon Harold Goodwins sonne a man for his good parts as well in warre as peace very glorious For albeit he was of noble parentage but by one side and his father for his treacherie and treason as also for pilling and polling had incurred everlasting infamie and shame yet with his courteous affabilitie gentill deportment liberalitie and warlike prowesse he wound himselfe into exceeding great especiall favour with the people For there could not another bee set by him in whom there was more resolute hardinesse to adventure upon danger or more advised policie in the midst of dangers His valour also and fortitude shined out so apparantly in the Welsh warres which heretofore most happily hee had brought to an end that he was reputed verily a man passing well furnished with all vertues required in a soveraigne Commander and even borne to repaire the decaied state of England Moreover good hope there was that the Danes who onely terrified this country would bee the better contented and pleased with him because he was the son of Githa daughter to Sueno King of Denmarke And in case there should arise any other power against him either forraine or domesticall he was thought sufficiently enabled to make his part good with the affectionate hearts of the common people with the alliance also and affinitie that hee had among the Nobility For hee had to wife the sister of Morcar and Edwin two brethren men of exceeding great puissance and Edric surnamed the Wild a man of high spirit and in chiefe authoritie was linked to him in the neerest bond of Affinitie besides it fell out very well for him that at one and the selfe-same time Sueno King of the Danes had his hands full of warre with Sueden and betweene William Duke of Normandy and Philip the French King there fell some dislikes and emulation for that Edward the Confessor during his exile in Normandie had in expresse termes promised unto William of Normandie the Kingdome if hee died without issue For the performance of which promise Harold became as it were surety and bound himselfe with an oath what time hee was detained prisoner in Normandie but with this condition annexed that he might espouse the daughter of the said William of Normandie Whereupon most men thought it the wisest policy to set the Crowne upon William his head to the end that by performing oath and promise the warre that they foresaw now threatned and destruction which alwaies waiteth as a due punishment upon perjurie might be averted and withall by laying Normandie to England the Kingdome under so mightie a Prince might be surely established and the common-wealth very much advanced But Harold quickly preventing all consultations whatsoever thinking it not good for him to linger and delay any whit that very day on which King Edward was enterred contrary to the expectation of most men entred upon the soveraigne government and with the applause onely of such as were then present about him who with acclamations saluted him King without the due complements and solemnitie of Coronation set the Imperiall Diadem upon his owne head By which act of his as being a breach of ancient ordinance he exceedingly provoked and stirred up against him the whole Clergie and Ecclesiasticall state But he knowing well enough
of fame doth sound aloft The Roman Stories eke Much praise and honour both of their Triumphant Caesars speake And Hercules exalted is for taming Monsters fell But Pine-trees hazels low as Sunne the Starres doe farre excell Both Greeke and Latine Annals read no former age his Peere Nor future time his match can shew For this is plaine and cleere In goodnesse hee and greatnesse both surmounts Kings all and some Better alone than all before greater than those to come And this worthy Knight that I may note so much also by the way out of Ninnius the Britan if it be worth the noting was called Mab uter that is A terrible or dreadfull Sonne because hee was from his childhood cruell and Artur which in the British tongue importeth as much as a horrible beare or any yron mall wherewith the Lions jawes are bruised and broken Lo here also if it please you other monuments of this place though they bee not of the greatest antiquitie out of the foresaid William of Malmesburie That quoth he which to all men is altogether unknowen I would gladly relate if I could picke out the truth namely what those sharp pillars or pyramides should meane which beeing set distant certaine feet from the old Church stand in the front and border of the Churchyard The highest of them and that which is neerer to the Church than the rest hath five stories and carrieth in height six and twentie foot Which albeit for age it be ready to fall yet hath it certaine antiquities to be seene that plainly may be read although they cannot so easily bee understood For in the uppermost storie there is an Image in habit and attire of a Bishop in the next under it the statue of a King in his royall robes and these Letters HER. SEXI and BLISVVER◠In the third these names likewise and nothing else WEMCHEST BANTOMP WINEVVEGNE In the fourth HATE WVLFREDE c. EANFLEDE In the fifth which is the lowest a portaict and this writing LOGVVOR WESLIELAS c. BREGDENE SVVELVVES HVVINGENDES BERNE The other Pyramis is eighteene foot high and hath foure floores or stories in which you may read HEDDE Bishop c. BREGORRED c. BEORVVALDE What all this should signifie I take not upon me rashly to define but by conjecture I gather that in some hollowed stones within are contained the bones of those whose names are read without Surely LOGVVOR is affirmed for certaine to be the same man of whose name the place was sometime called LOOVVERESBEORGH which now they call Mont-acute And BEORVVALDE semblably was Abbat next after HEMGISELVS To reckon up here the Kings of the West-Saxons that were buried in this place would be but needlesse Howbeit King Edgar the Peaceable who alwaies tendred peace in regard thereof if there were nothing else I cannot but remember and put downe his Epitaph not unbeseeming that age wherein he lived Auctor opum vindex scelerum largitor honorum Sceptriger Edgarus regna superna petit Hic alter Salomón legum pater orbita pacis Quód caruit bellis claruit inde magis Templa Deo templis monachos monachis dedit agros Nequitiae lapsum Iustitiaeque locum Novit enim regno verum perquirere falso Immensum modico perpetuumque brevi That well of wealth and scourge of sinne that honour-giver great King Edgar hence is gone to hold in heaven his royall seat This second Salomon that was laws-father Prince of peace In that he wanted warres the more his glorie had increase Churches to God to Churches Monkes to Monks faire Lands he gave Downe went in his daies wickednesse and Iustice place might have A pure crowne for a counterfeit he purchased once for all An endlesse Kingdome for a short a boundlesse for a small Beneath Glascon three Rivers which there meete doe make a meere and issuing forth at one litle mouth runne all in one channell West-ward to Uzella Frith first by Gedney or as others will have it Godney more which they say signifieth Gods Iland and was granted to Ioseph of Arimathea then by Weadmoore a Mannour of King Aelfreds which by his last Will and Testament hee gave as a legacie to his sonne Edward and so by that moory or fenny-country Crentmaesh that runneth out verie farre which the Monkes of Glastenburie interpreted to bee the Countrey of Fen Frogges like as the litle Towne Brentknoll there which signifieth Frog-hill From thence Eastward Mendippe hils extend themselves in length and bredth Leland calleth them Minerarios that is the Minerall hills and rightly as I suppose seing they be in old writings named Muneduppe for rich they are in lead mines and good to feed cattell Among these hils there is a cave or denne farre within the ground wherein are to be seene certaine pits and rivelets the place they call Ochie-hole whereof the Inhabitants feine no fewer tales nor devise lesse dotages than the Italians did of their Sibyls Cave in the mountaine Apenninus The name no doubt grew of Ogo a British word that betokeneth a Den even of the like den the Isle Euboea was by such another name sometime called Ocha Not far hence in the raigne of K. Henrie the Eighth was turned up with the plough a table of lead somewhat long which lay long at Lambith in the Duke of Norfolkes house erected sometime for a trophee in token of victorie with this inscription TI. CLAUDIUS CAESAR AUG P. M. TRIB P. VIIII IMP. XVI DE BRITAN This Tribuneship of Claudius here mentioned fell out to be in the 802. yeere after the foundation of Rome when Antistus and M. Suillius were Consuls what time P. Ostorius Governour of Britaine as Vice-Pretour was welcomed thither with many troubles Out of this time give me leave I pray you to frame certain conjectures That in this yeere Claudius erected two Trophees or monuments of victorie over the Britans his owne ancient coine sheweth as a most certaine witnesse in the forepart whereof is this plaine Inscription TI. CLAVD CAESAR AVG. P. M. TR. P. VIIII IMP. XVI P. P. and in the reverse thereof DE BRITAN and there is expressely stamped a triumphall Arch with an Image of one gallopping on horsebacke and with two triumphall pillars What Britaines these were then vanquished Tacitus sheweth testifying that this yeare Claudius by the conduct of Ostorius subdued two Nations of the Britans this yeare to wit The ICENI and the CANGI But forasmuch as the Iceni lay as it were in another climate What if I said this Trophee was set up in token of victorie over the Cangi a smaller nation among our Belga and that those CANGI were seated in these parts For not far from hence is the sea that lieth toward Ireland neere which he placeth the Cangi of whose name there seemeth as yet in certaine places of this tract some shadow to remaine namely in Cannington Cannings pettie countries and Hundreds as also in Wincaunton which
gently runneth which breaking forth almost in the North limit of this shire keepeth his course southward and as Aethelward noteth was sometime the bound betweene the Kingdoms of the West-Saxons and the Mercians upon which many great battels from time to time were fought whiles it is but small he slideth under Malmesbury hill and receiving another streame well neare encloseth the place A very proper towne this is and hath a great name for clothing which as wee read in the Eulogie of Histories Cunwallow Mulmutius King of the Britaines built together with Lacok and Tetburie two Castles and named it Caer Baldon which being at length by heat of warres destroyed out of the ruines thereof there arose as writers record a Castle which our Ancestors in their tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at which time the Saxon petie Kings had their royall palace at Caerdurburge now Brokenbridge a little village scarce a mile off Neither verily was this towne for a long time knowne by any other name than Ingelborne untill one Maidulph an Irish Scot a man of great learning and singular holinesse of life taking delight to a pleasant grove that grew up heere under the hill lived for a time a solitary Heremite there and afterwards teaching a Schoole and with his schollers betaking himselfe to a monasticall life built him a little monasterie or Cell From this time of that Maidulph the towne began to bee called Maidulfesburge for Ingleborne termed by Beda Maidulphi Vrbs that is Maidulps Citie and afterwards short Malmesburies and in some of our Histories and ancient Donations made unto this place Meldunum Malduburie and Maldunsburg Among the Disciples of this Maidulph flourished chiefely Aldelme who being elected his successour by the helpe of Eleutherius Bishop of the West-Saxons unto whom the place of right belonged built there a very faire Monasterie and was himselfe the first Abbat thereof of whom also in a certaine manuscript this towne is called Aldelmesbirig But this name soone perished yet the memorie of the man continueth still for canonized he was a Saint and on his festivall day there was heere kept a great Faire at which usuall there is a band of armed men appointed to keepe the peace among so many strangers resorting thither And right worthy is he that his memorie should remaine fresh for ever in regard not onely of his Holinesse but of his learning also as those times were For the first he was of the English nation who wrote in Latine and the first that taught Englishmen the way how to make a Latine verse the which in these verses hee both promised of himselfe and performed Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas I will be first God lending life that into country mine From Aon top at my returne shall bring the Muses nine This Adelme after his death Athelstane that Noble Prince chose to be his peculiar protector and tutelar Saint and for that cause bestowed very great immunities upon this towne and enriched the monasterie with a large and ample endowments In which he made choise to bee buried and his monument the Inhabitants shew to this day After Athelstane this Monasterie flourished long in continuall wealth and among other famous Clerks and great Scholars brought forth William surnamed thereof Malmesburiensis unto whom for his learned industry the Histories of England both Civill and Ecclesiasticall are deepely indebted The towne also maintained and upholden as it were by the meanes of the Monasterie was likewise fortified by Roger Bishop of Salisburie who in the beginning of the warres betweene Henrie of Anjou and King Stephen strengthned it with walls and a Castle which being once besieged by King Henrie the Second defended it selfe Moreover that magnificent Bishop both here and at Salisburie built houses for receit very large for cost as sumptuous and for shew right beautifull so even and orderly were the stones couched and laid together that the joynts could not be seene and the whole wall throughout seemed to the eie one entire stone But the Castle not many yeares after by K. Iohns permission was pulled downe to the use of the Monkes for enlarging their monasterie who encreased it still continually both in buildings livings and revenue untill that fatall thunder-clap overthrew all the Monasteries of England Then their lands rents and riches that had beene so many yeares in gathering and heaping up together which were as our Forefathers reputed them The vowes of the faithfull the ransome and redemption of sinnes and the patrimonies of poore people were quite scattered and the very Minster it selfe should have sped no better than the rest but beene demolished had not T. Stumpes a wealthy clothier by much suit but with a greater piece of money redeemed and bought it for the townesmen his neighbours by whom it was converted to a Parish-Church and for a great part is yet standing at this day From this Maiduphus Citie or Malmesburie as Avon runneth it commeth to Dantesey that gave name unto the possessions thereof worshipfull Knights of old time in this tract from whom by the Easterlings commonly called Stradlings it came unto the family of the Danvers Out of which Henry Danvers through the favor of King Iames obtained of late the title and honour of Baron Danvers of Dantesey Sixe miles from hence Avon taketh unto him from the East a Brooke which runneth through Calne an old little towne scituate upon a stony ground having in it a faire Church to commend it at which place when great adoe there was betweene the Monkes and Priests about single life a frequent Provinciall Councell or Synod was holden in the yeare of our redemption 977. But behold whiles they were debating the matter the Convocation house wherein the States sat by breaking of the maine timber-worke and falling asunder of the floore fell suddenly downe together with the Prelates Nobles and Gentlemen there assembled with the fall whereof many were hurt and more slaine outright onely Dunstane President of the said Counsell and held with the Monkes escaped without harme which miracle for so that age took it is thought wonderfully to have credited the profession of Monkerie and weakened the cause of married Priests From hence Avon now growne greater Chippenham in Saxon Cyppanham of note at this day for the market there kept whereof it tooke the name For Cyppan in the Saxon tongue is as much to say as to buy and Cyppman a buyer like as with us Cheapen and Chapman and among the Germans Coppman But in those daies it was the Kings manour and by King Elfred in his testament bequeathed to a younger daughter of his Nothing is there now worth the sight but the Church built by the Barons Hungerford as appeareth every where by their coats of Armes set up thereon Directly over against this but somewhat farther from the banke lieth Cosham
from both sides then setting foote to foote as if they fought man to man they maintained fight a longer time But when the English men had most valiantly received their first violent on set the Norman horsmen with full cariere put forward and gave an hot charge But seeing they also could not breake the battaile they retired for the nonce and yet kept their rankes in good order The Englishmen supposing them to flie presently disranged themselves and in disray preassed hard upon the enemies but they all on a sudden bringing backe their companies charged them a fresh on every side with all their joynt forces thicke united together and so enclosing them round about drove them backe with great slaughter who not withstanding having gotten the higher ground withstood the Normans a long time untill Harold himselfe was shot through with an arrow and fell downe dead for then straightwaies they turned their backes and betooke themselves every man to flight The Duke lofty and haughty with this victory and yet not unmindfull of God the giver thereof errected in memoriall of this battaile an Abbey to the glory of God and S. Martin which he called de Bello or Battaile Abbey in that very place where Harold after many a wound and stab among the thickest of his enemies gave up the ghost that the same might bee as it were an everlasting monument of the Normans victorie and therein he offered his sword and royall robe which he ware the day of his Coronation These the Monkes kept untill their suppression as also a table of the Normans gentry which entred with the Conquerour but so corruptly in later times that they inserted therein the names of such as were their benefactours and whosoever the favour of fortune or vertue had advanced to any eminencie in the subsequent ages About this Abbey there grew afterwards a towne of the same name or that I may use the words of the private History of this Abbey As the Abbey encreased there were built about the compasse of the same one hundred and fifteene houses of which the towne of Battell was made Wherein there is a place called by a French word Sangue lac of the bloud there shed which by nature of the ground seemeth after raine to wax red Whence William Newborough wrote although untruely thus The place in which there was a very great slaughter of the English men fighting for their countrey if peradventure it be wet with any small showre sweateth forth very fresh bloud endeed as if the very evidence thereof did plainely declare that the voyce of so much Christian bloud there shed doth still cry from the earth to the Lord. But to the said Abbey King William the Conquerour granted many and great priviledges And among other to use the very words of the Charter If any thiefe murderer or felon for feare of death fly and come to this Church let him have no harme but be dismissed and sent away free from all punishment Be it lawfull also for the Abbat of the same Church to deliver from the gallowes any thiefe or robber wheresoever if he chance to come by where such execution is in hand Henrie the First likewise that I may rehearse the words of his Charter instituted a mercate to be there kept on the Lords day free from all toll and tallage But Sir Anthony Browne Lord Vicount Mount-acute who not long since in that place built a goodly house obtained of late by authoritie of Parliament that this mercate should bee held upon another day And as for the priviledges of Sanctuary in those more heinous and grievous crimes they are here and every way els by Parliamentary authoritie quite abolished For they perceived well that the feare of punishment being once removed stout boldnesse and a will to commit wickednesse grew still to greater head and that hope of impunity was the greatest motive of ill-doing Neither heere or in that quarter nere adjoyning saw I any thing worth relation but onely Ashburnham that gave the name to a family of as great antiquity as any one in all this tract Hastings which I spake of called in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is situate somewhat higher upon the same shore Some there bee that ridiculously derive this name from out of our tongue from haste or quicknesse forsooth because as Matthew Paris writeth William Conquerour at Hasting did set up hastily a fortresse of timber But it may seeme to have taken this new name of Hastings a Danish Pirate who wheresoever hee landed with intent to spoile and raise booties built oftentimes fortresses as we read in Asserius Menevensis of Boemflote castle built by him in Essex as also of others at Appledor and Middleton in Kent The tradition is that the old towne of Hastings is swallowed up of the sea That which standeth now as I observed is couched betweene a high cliffe sea-ward and as high an hill land-ward having two streetes extended in length from North to South and in each of them a parish Church The haven such as it is being fedde but with a poore small rill is at the South end of the Towne and hath had a great Castle upon the hill which over commanded it now there are onely ruines thereof and on the said hill Light houses to direct sailers in the night time Here in the reigne of King Althelstan was a mint-house Afterward it was accounted the first of the Cinque Ports which with the members belonging to it namely Seford Peuensey Hodeney Bulverhith Winchelsey Rhy c. was bound to finde one and twenty ships for warre at sea In what manner and forme if you desire to know both this Port and the rest also were bound to serve the King in his warres at sea for the immunities that they enjoy in most ample manner have heere in those very same words whereby this was in times past recorded in the Kings Exchequer Hastings with his members ought to find at the Kings summons one and twenty ships And in every shippe there must bee one and twenty tall and able men well armed and appointed for the Kings service Yet so as that summons bee made thereof on the Kings behalfe fortie daies before And when the foresaid ships and men therein are come to the place whereunto they were summoned they shall abide there in the Kings service for fifteene daies at their owne proper costs and charges And if the King shall have farther neede of their service after the fifteene daies above said or will have them to stay there any longer those ships with the men therein being whiles they remaine there shal be in the Kings service at the kings costs and charges so long as it shall please the king to wit The Master of every ship shall receive sixe pence by the day the Constable sixe pence a day and every one of the rest three pence by the day Thus Hastings flourished
for that among other matters hee had consulted with a Wizard about succession of the Crowne was beheaded a noble man exceeding much missed and lamented of good men Which when the Emperour Charles the fifth heard he said as it is written in his life That a Butchers dogge had devoured the fairest Bucke in all England alluding to the name Buckingham and the said Cardinall who was a Butchers sonne Ever since which time the splendour of this most noble family hath so decaied and faded that there remaineth to their posterity the bare title onely of Barons of Stafford whereas they were stiled before Dukes of Buckingham Earles of Stafford Hereford Northampton and Perth Lords of Brecknock Kimbalton and Tunbridge There are reckoned in this small Shire Parishes 185. BEDFORD Comitatus olim pars CATHIFVCLANORVM BEDFORD-SHIRE BEDFORD-SHIRE is one of the three Counties which we said the Cattieuchlani inhabited On the East-side and the South it joyneth to Cambridge-shire and Hertford-shire on the West to Buckingham-shire and on the North to Northamton-shire and Huntingdon-shire and by the river OVSE crossing over it is divided into two parts The North-side thereof is the more fruitâ—ull of the twaine and more woody the other toward the South which is the greater standeth upon a leaner soile but not altogether unfertile For it yeeldeth foorth aboundantly full white and bigge Barley In the mids it is somewhat thicke of woods but Eastward more drie ground and bare of wood Ouse where it entereth into this shire first visiteth Turvy the Lord Mordants house who are beholden to King Henry the Eighth for their Barony For he created Iohn Mordant a wise and prudent man who had wedded the daughter and one of the coheires of H. Vere of Addington Baron Mordant then runneth it by Harwood a Village in old time called Hareleswood where Sampson surnamed Fortis founded a Nunnery and where in the yeere of our redemption 1399. a little before those troubles and civill broiles wherewith England a long time was rent in peeces this river stood still and by reason that the waters gave backe on both sides men might passe on foote within the very chanell for three miles together not without wondering of all that saw it who tooke it as a plaine presage of the division ensuing Afterward it passeth by Odill or Woodhill sometimes Wahull which had his Lords surnamed also De Wahul men of ancient Nobility whose Barony consisted of thirty knights fees in divers countries and had here their Castle which is now hereditarily descended to Sir R. Chetwood knight as the inheritance of the Chetwoods came formerly to the Wahuls From hence Ouse no lesse full of crooked crankes and windings than Maeander it selfe goeth by Bletnesho commonly called Bletso the residence in times past of the Pateshuls after of the Beauchamps and now of the Honourable family of S. Iohn which long since by their valour attained unto very large and goodly possessions in Glamorgan-shire and in our daies through the favor of Q. Elizabeth of happy memory unto the dignity of Barons when she created Sir Oliver the second Baron of her creation Lord S. Iohn of Bletnesho unto whom it came by Margaret Beauchamp an inheritrice wedded first to Sir Oliver S. Iohn from whose these Barons derive their pedigree and secondly to Iohn Duke of Somerset unto whom she bare the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond a Lady most vertuous and alwaies to be remembred with praises from whose loines the late Kings and Queenes of England are descended From hence Ouse hastneth by Brumham a seat of the Dives of very ancient parentage in these parts to Bedford in the Saxon-tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principall towne and whereof the Shire also taketh name and cutteth it so through the middest that it might seeme to be two severall townes but that a stone bridge joyneth them together A towne to be commended more for the pleasant situation and ancientry thereof then for beauty or largenesse although a man may tell five Churches in it That it was Antonines LACTODORVM I dare not as others doe affirme considering that it standeth not upon the Romans Military road way which is the most certaine marke to finde out the station and Mansions mentioned by Antonine neither are there heere any peeces of Romane money ever digged up as far as I can learne I have read that in the Brittish tongue it was named Liswidur or Lettidur but it may seeme to have been translated so out of the English name For Lettuy in the British language signifieth Common Innes and so Lettidur Innes upon a river like Bedford in English Beds or Innes at a fourd Cuthwulf the Saxon about the yeere of our salvation 572. beneath this towne so vanquished the Britans in an open pitch field that then presently upon it finding themselves over-matched yeelded up many townes into his hands Neither should it seeme that the Saxons neglected it For Offa the most puissant King of the Mercians choose heere as we read in Florilegus for himselfe a place of sepulture whose tombe the river Ouse swelling upon a time and carrying a more violent and swifter streame than ordinary in a floud swouped cleane away Afterwards also when it was rased downe and lay along by occasion of the Danish depredations K. Edward the Elder repaired it and laid unto it upon the South-side of the river a prety townlet which in that age as we finde in the best copy of Hovedon was called Mikesgat In the time of King Edward the Confessor as we read in that booke which King William the Conqueror caused to be written when he tooke the survey of England It defended it selfe for halfe an Hundred in wars expeditions and shipping The land belonging to this towne was never bided After this it suffered far more grievous calamities under the Normans For when Pain de Beauchamp the third Baron of Bedford had built heere a Castle there arose not any storme of civill war but it thundred upon it so long as it stood Stephen when with breach of his oath he intercepted to himselfe the Kingdome of England first forced this Castle and with very great slaughter of men won it afterwards when the Barons had taken armes against King Iohn William de Beauchamp Lord thereof and one of the Captaines of their side surrendred it unto their hands But a yeere or two after Falco de Breaut laid siege thereto and forthwith the Barons yeelded and the King in free gift bestowed it upon him Yet the unthankefull man raised up a world of warre againe upon King Henry the third He pulled downe Churches to strengthen this Castle and exceedingly damnified the territory adjoyning untill the King besieged it and when after threescore daies he had quelled the stubborne stomackes of these rebels brought this nest and nourse of sedition into his owne hands It will not be I hope distastfull to the reader if I set
a great summe of money and pledges withall of his loyalty that it might not be overthrowne and rased Not farre thence from the banke you may see Mettingham where upon a plaine Sir Iohn sirnamed De Norwich Lord of the place built a foure square Castle and a Colledge within it whose daughter and in the end the Heire of the same Family Robert de Vfford aforesaid Earle of Suffolke tooke to Wife with a goodly Inheritance Now Waveney drawing neerer unto the Sea whiles hee striveth in vaine to make himselfe a twofold issue into the Ocean the one together with the River Yare and the other by the meere Luthing maketh a pretty big Demy Isle or Biland which some name Lovingland others more truely Luthingland of Luthing the lake spreading in length and bredth which beginning at the Ocean Shore is discharged into the River Yare At the entrance whereof standeth upon the Sea Lestoffe a narrow and little Towne and at the issue of it Gorlston where I saw the towre steeple of a small suppressed Friery which standeth the Sailers in good stead for a marke Within the land hard by Yare is situate Somerley towne the habitation in ancient time of Fitz Osbert from whom it is come lineally to the worshipfull ancient family of the Iernegans Knights of high esteeme in these parts farther up into the land where Yare and Waveney meet in one streame there flourished Cnobersburg that is as Bede interprereth it Cnobers City we call it at this day Burgh-Castle Which as Bede saith was a most pleasant Castle by reason of woods and Sea together wherein a Monastery was built by Fursaey a holy Scot by whose perswasion Sigebert King of the East-Angles became a Monke and resigned up his Kingdome who afterwards being drawne against his will out of this Monastery to encourage his people in battaile against the Mercians together with his company lost his life In that place now there are only ruinous wals in forme as it were foure square built of flint stone and British Bricke but all overgrown with briers and bushes among which otherwhiles are Romane peeces of coines gotten forth So that it may seeme to have been one of those fortifications that the Romans placed upon the River Y are to represse the piracies of the Saxons or rather that it was the ancient GARIANONUM it selfe where the Stablesian Horsemen had their Station and kepe Ward at the declination of the Romane Empire in Brittaine Suffolke hath had Earles and Dukes out of sundry families There bee of the later writers who report that the Glanvils in times past were honoured with this title But seeing they ground upon no certain authority whereas men may easily mistake and I have found nothing of them in the publike records of the Kingdome they must pardon me if I beleeve them not untill they produce more certainty Yet in the meane while I confesse that the family of the Glanvils in this tract was of right good note and high reputation Neither have I hitherto learned by witnesses of credite that any one was entituled Earle of this Province severally before the daies of King Edward the Third who created Sir Robert Vfford Earle of Suffolke a man much renowned both in peace and warre the sonne of Sir Robert Vfford Steward of the Kings house under King Edward the Second by Cecily de Valoniis Lady of Orford After him succeeded his sonne William who having foure sonnes that were taken away by untimely death during his life died himselfe suddenly in the Parliament house as he was about to report the minde of the Commonalty And then Sir Robert Willoughby Roger Lord Scales and Henrie Ferrars of Groby the next of his blood and his Heires divided the Inheritance betweene them Afterward King Richard the Second promoted Michael De-la-Pole to this Title and made him L. Chancellor of England Who as Thomas Walsingham writeth imployed himselfe more in trafficke and Merchandise as having beene a Merchant and a Merchants sonne than in martiall matters For he was the sonne of William De-la-pole that first Maior of Kyngston upon Hull and for his wealthy Estate adorned by King Edward the Third with the dignity of a Baneret But when as in the prosperous confluence of so many advancements the mans nature was not capable of so great fortunes he was enforced by his adversaries envy to depart out of his Country and so died a banished man His sonne Michael being restored died at the siege of Harflew and againe within one moneth his son Michael was slaine in the battell of Agincourt leaving daughters onely Then William his brother succeeded whom King Henry the sixt so favoured that hee made him also Earle of Penbroke and then Marquesse of Suffolke to him and the heires males of his body And that both hee and the heires of his body should carry the golden rod having a Dove in the top thereof on the Coronation day of the King of England and the like rod or verge Yuory at the Coronation of the Queenes of England And afterwards hee advanced the same William for his great service and deserts to the honour and title of Duke of Suffolke Certes hee was an excellent man in those dayes famous and of great worth For whereas his father and three brethren had in the French wars lost their lives for their Country he as we finde in the Parliament Rols of the 28. of King Henry the Sixth in the same war served full 34. yeeres For seventeene yeeres together he never returned home from warfare being once taken prisoner when he was as yet no better than a private Knight hee paid downe for his ransome twenty thousand pounds of our English mony hee was of the Kings privy Counsell 15. yeeres and a Knight of the Order of the Garter 30. Hereupon as he stood in especiall grace and favour with his Prince so he incurred therefore the greater envy of the common people and some emulatours being grievously charged with treason and misprisions And therefore called before the King and Lords of the Parliament after he had answered the Articles objected referred himselfe to the Kings order Whereupon the Chancellor by the Kings commandement pronounced that whereas the Duke did not put himselfe upon his Peeres the King touching the Articles of treason would be doubtfull and as for the Articles of misprision not as a Judge by advice of the Lords but as one to whose order the Duke had submitted himselfe did banish him the realme and all other his dominions for five yeeres But when he was embarked for France he was by his adversaries intercepted upon the sea and beheaded He left a son nam'd Iohn De-la-Pole who wedded K. Edward the fourth his sister and of her begate Iohn Earle of Lincolne by K. Richard the Third proclaimed heire apparant of the Crowne whose ambitious minde puffed up and giddy therewith could not containe it selfe but soone after brake out
we may see in the Histories whether by celestiall influence or other hidden causes I leave to the learned But so farre as I could hitherto reade it did never set foote in England before that time Besides these places before named of great name and marke wee must not overpasse neither Melton Mowbray neere unto this Burton a Mercate Towne bearing name of the Mowbraies sometime Lords thereof wherein is nothing more worth the seeing than a faire Church nor Skeffington standing farther off which as it hath given name to a worshipfull Family so againe it hath received worship and credit from the same The River that watereth this part of the Shire is by the Inhabitants about it called the Wreken along which upon resemblance of the name I have sought VERNOMETUM but in vaine This Wreken gathereth a strong streame by many lively Brookes resorting unto it whereof one passeth by Wimondham an ancient habitation of a younger branch of the house of the Lords Barkleis well encreased by an heire of Dela-Laund and so on by Melton Mowbray before mentioned by Kirkby Bellers where there was a Priory having that addition of the Bellers a respective rich and noble Family in their time by Brokesby a seat now of the Villiers of an old Norman race and descended from an heire of Bellers which Brokesby imparted formerly the sirname to the Brokesbies of especiall antiquity in these parts Then the Wreken speedeth by Ratcliffe high mounted upon a cliffe and within few miles conjoyneth it selfe to Soar neere unto Mont-Soar-hill before mentioned Whatsoever of this Shire lieth beyond the Wreken Northward is not so frequently inhabited and part of it is called the Wold as being hilly without wood wherein Dalby a seat of the old Family of the Noels of whom I shall speake elsewhere and Waltham on the Wold a meane Mercat are most notable Through this part as I have beene enformed passeth the Fosse-way made by the Romans from Lewing Bridge by Segrave which gave sirname to the honourable Family often mentioned and the Lodge on the Wold toward the Vale of Bever but the Tract thereof as yet I know not This Shire hath beene more famous from time to time by reason of the Earles thereof have beene very renowned And seeing it had under the Saxons government Earles by inheritance I will first reckon them up in order as Thomas Talbot a skilfull Antiquary hath delivered me a note of them out of the kings Records In the time of Aethelbald King of the Mercians and in the yeere of our Redemption 716. Leofrick was Earle of Leicester whom there succeeded in direct line Algar the first Algar the second Leofrick the second Leofstane Leofrick the third buried in Coventry Algar the third who had issue two sonnes Aeadwin Earle of March Morkar Earle of Northumberland and a daughter named Lucy first married to Ivon Talboys of Anjou afterwards to Roger of Romara who begat of her William of Romara Earle of Lincolne Now when as the issue male of this Saxon Family failed and the name of the Saxons was troden as it were under foot Robert Beaumont a Norman Lord of Pont Audomar and Earle of Mellent after that Simon an officiary Earle of Leicester was dead obtained his Earledome in the yeere of our Lord 1102. at the bountifull hand of King Henry the First which Robert A man for skill and knowledge excellent faire spoken subtile wise and witty and by nature wily who while hee lived in high and glorious estate an other Earle carried away his wife from him whereupon in his old age being much troubled in minde he fell into deepe melancholy After him succeeded from father to sonne three Roberts the first sirnamed Bossu because hee was crook-backed who after he had rebelled against King Henry the First weary of his loose irregular life became a Chanon Regular the second sirnamed Blanch-maines of his lily-white-hands who sided with the young King against King Henry the Second and dyed in the expedition of King Richard the First to the Holy Land the third sirnamed Fitz-Parnell because his mother was Parnels daughter and one of the heires to Hugh Grant-maismill the last in whose right hee was Seneschall or Steward of England and died issuelesse in the time of King John A few yeeres after Simon Montfort descended from a base sonne of Robert King of France who had married the sister of Robert Fitz-Parnell enjoyed this honour But after that hee and his were expelled in the yeere 1200. as wholy devoted to the French Ranulph Earle of Chester attained unto this Dignity not in right of inheritance but by his Princes favour Howbeit afterwards Simon Montfort sonne of the foresaid Simon obtained this honour when Almarik his eldest brother surrendred up his right before King Henry the Third This Simon stood in so gracious favour with King Henry the Third that hee called him home againe out of France when he was banished heaped upon him great wealth admitted him unto the Earledome of Leicester granted to him the Stewardship of England and to honour him the more gave him his owne sister in marriage But hee thus over-heaped with honourable benefits when he had no meanes to requite them such is the perverse wilfulnesse of men beganne hatefully to maligne him yea and did most wickedly molest the good King having so well deserved making himselfe Ringleader to the rebellious Barons and with them raising horrible tempests of civill warre in which himselfe also at length was overthrowne and slaine As for his Honours and Possessions King Henry the Third gave and graunted them to Edmund his owne younger sonne Earle of Lancaster So afterward this honour lay as it were obscured among the Titles of the house of Lancaster and Mawde the daughter of Henry Duke of Lancaster being married to Henry Duke of Bavaria Earle of Henault Holland Zeland c. added unto his other Titles this of Earle of Leicester also For in the Charter dated the five and thirty yeere of King Edward the Third hee is in plaine termes stiled William Earle of Henhault and of Leicester yea and as we finde in the Inquisition made Anno 36. of the said King Edward the Third shee by the name of Dutchesse of Bavaria held the Castle Manour and Honour of Leicester After whose decease without issue that honour reverted to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who had wedded Blanch the other sister of Mawde From which time it became united to the House of Lancaster untill in our remembrance it reflourished in L. Robert Dudley who was by Queene Elizabeth girt with the sword of the Earledome of Leicester and extraordinarily favoured whereupon the States Generall of the united Provinces in their great troubles chose him triumphantly for their absolute Governour and soone after as contemptuously rejected him reserving all Soveraignty to themselves But after a short time he passed out of this transitory life
watereth Eovesham so called as the Monkes write of one Eoves Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester whereas before time the name of it was Eâ—th-home and Heath-field A very proper Towne situate upon an hill arising from the River in the Suburb as it were whereof was sometime Bengeworth Castle at the Bridge head which Castle William de Audevill the Abbot recovered by law against William Beauchamp utterly rased it and caused the place to be hallowed for a Church-yard A Towne this is well knowne by reason of the Abbay which that noble Egwin with the helpe of King Kenred the sonne of Wolpher King of the Mercians founded about the yeere of our Lord 700. knowne likewise for the vale under it named thereof The Vale of Evesham which for plentifull fertility hath well deserved to be called the Garnary of all these countries so good and plentifull is the ground in yeelding the best corne aboundantly But most knowne in elder time by occasion of the great overthrow of the Barons and our Catiline Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester For this man being of a lewd disposition and profound perfidiousnesse hath taught us that which another truly said That good turnes are so long acceptable as they may be requitable For when King Henry the Third had with full hand heaped upon him all the benefits he could yea and given him his owne sister in marriage what other fruit reaped he of his so great bounty but most bitter and deadly hatred For he raised a most dangerous Warre hee spoiled shamefully a great part of England under pretense of restoring the common wealth and maintaining liberty neither left he any thing undone to bring the King under to change the State and of a Monarchy to bring in an Oligarchy But in the end after that fortune had for a good while favourably smiled upon him he was slaine at this place with many others of his complices by the prowesse of Prince Edward and forthwith the sinke of lawlesse rebels being as it were pumped and emptied out of the common weale joyfull peace which hee had banished shone againe most comfortably on every side Upon the same River hard by standeth Charleton the possession sometime of the ancient family of Hansacres Knights but now of the Dinleies or Dingleies who being descended from that ancient stocke of the Dinleies in Lancashire came unto this by hereditary succession More beneath in the primitive Church of our English Nation there was another place wherein religious men lived to God then called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now Flatbury and neere unto it Pershor in the English Saxons language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking the name from Peares which as we reade in that worthy Historiographer William of Malmesbury Egelward Duke of Dorset a man bearing no nigardly minde but exceeding liberall founded and finished in King Eadgars time But what detriment hath it sustained one part of it the ambition of the rich seized upon another part oblivion hath buried but the greatest portion King Edward the Confessour and King William bestowed upon the Church of Westminster Then receiveth Avon a Riveret from the North upon which standeth Hodington a seat of the Winters out of which were Robert Winter and his brother Thomas who when as they were of the hellish damned crew in the Gunpowder Treason let their memory lie damned From thence Avon running gently downe by Strensham the habitation of the Russels Knights by degree of ancient descent in the end out-ladeth his owne streame into Severn Neere to these places on this South side is Oswaldslaw Hundred so called of Oswald Bishop of Worcester who obtained it for himselfe of King Eadgar The immunity whereof when William Conquerour made a Survey and taxation of all England was registred in the Domesday booke after this manner The Church of Saint Mary of Worcester hath the Hundred called Oswaldslaw wherein lye 300. Hides out of which the Bishop of the same Church by ancient order and custome hath all the revenewes of Soches and all customes or duties there appertaining to the Lords victuall and the Kings service and his owne so that no Sheriffe may hold there any action or suit neither in any plea nor in any other cause whatsoever This witnesseth the whole County A place there is about this Shire but precisely where it should be is not certainly knowne called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Augustines Oke at which Augustine the Apostle of the Englishmen and the Bishops of Britaine met and after they had disputed and debated the matter hotely for a good while touching the celebration of Easter preaching Godâ— Word also to the English Nation and of administring Baptisme according to the rites of the Roman Church in the end when they could not agree they departed on both sides with discontented mindes upon their dissenting opinions This Province since the Normans comming in had for the first Sheriffe Vrsus or Vrso de Abtot unto whom and his heires King William the Conquerour granted that office together with faire and large possessions After him succeeded his sonne Roger who as William of Malmesbury the Historiographer reporteth enjoying his fathers possessions through the high displeasure and indignation of King Henry the first was disseized thereof because in a furious fit of anger hee had commanded one of the Kings Officers to be killed But this Sheriffedome was by Emeline this Rogers sister translated hereditarily into the Family of the Beauchamps For she was married to Walter Beauchamp whom king Stephen after he had put downe Miles of Glocester ordained Constable of England Within some few yeeres king Stephen created Walleran Earle of Mellent twin-brother to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester the first Earle of Worcester having given unto him the Citie of Worcester who afterwards became a Monke and died at Pratellae in Normandie in the yeere 1166. As for his sonne Robert who had wedded the daughter of Reginald Earle of Cornwall and advanced the Standard of rebellion against King Henry the Second and Peter his sonne who in the yeere 1203. revolted to the French neither of them used the title of Worcester but onely of Mellent so farre as ever I could yet read For King Henry the Second who succeeded Stephen would not easily suffer that any under him should enjoy the honors received from Stephen an usurper and his enemy For as I finde in the Annales of Waverley Abbay he put downe those imaginary and counterfeit Earles among whom King Stephen had inconsideratly distributed and given away all the revenewes pertaining to the Exchequer Neither to my knowledge was there any one that bare the title of the Earldome of Worcester untill the daies of King Richard the Second For he bestowed it upon Sir Thomas Percy who when he conspired against King Henry the Fourth was taken at the battaile of Shrewsbury and there beheaded Then Sir Richard Beauchamp descended from the Abtots received
afterward this honor at the hands of King Henry the Fifth Who shortly after in the French war lost his life at the siege of Meaux in Brye leaving one onely daughter married to Sir Edward Nevill from whom descended the late Lords of Abergevenny Afterward King Henry the Sixth created John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester But when he presently taking part with King Edward the Fourth had applied himselfe in a preposterous obsequiousnesse to the humor of the said King and being made Constable of England plaied the part as it were of the butcher in the cruell execution of diverse men of qualitie himselfe when as King Henry the Sixth was now repossessed of the crowne came to the blocke Howbeit his sonne Edward recovered that honor when King Edward recovered his Kingdome But after that this Edward died without issue and the inheritance became divided among the sisters of the said John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester of whom one was married to the Lord Roo◠another to Sir Edmund Ingoldesthorpe and the third to the Lord Dudley Sir Charles Somerset base sonne to Henry Duke of Somerset Lord Herbert and Lord Chamberlaine to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Worcester After whom succeeded in lineall descent Henry William and Edward who now flourisheth and among other laudable parts of vertue and Nobility highly favoureth the studies of good literature There are in this Shire Parishes 152. STAFFORDIAE COMITATVS PARS olim Cornauiorum STAFFORD-SHIRE THE third Region of the old CORNAVII now called STAFFORD-SHIRE in the English Saxons Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inhabitants whereof because they dwelt in the middest of England are in Bede termed Angli Mediterranei that is Midland Englishmen having on the East Warwick-shire and Darby-shire on the South side Worcester-shire and Westward Shropp-shire bordering upon it reacheth from South to North in forme of a Lozeng broader in the middest and growing narrower at the ends The North part is full of Hilles and so lesse fruitfull the middle being watered with the River Trent is more plentifull clad with Woods and embroidered gallantly with Corne fields and medowes as is the South part likewise which hath Coles also digged out of the earth and mines of Iron But whether more for their commodity or hinderance I leave to the Inhabitants who doe or shall best understand it In the South part in the very confines with Worcester-shire upon the River Stour standeth Stourton Castle sometimes belonging to the Earles of Warwicke the natall place of Cardinall Pole and then Dudley Castle towreth up upon an hill built and named so of one Dudo or Dodo an English Saxon about the yeere of our Salvation 700. In King William the Conquerours daies as we finde in his Domesday Booke William Fitz-Ausculph possessed it afterwards it fell to Noble men sirnamed Somery and by an heire generall of them to Sir Richard Sutton knight descended from the Suttons of Nottingham-shire whose Posterity commonly called from that time Lords of Dudley but summoned to Parliament first by King Henry the Sixth grew up to a right honourable Family Under this lyeth Pensueth Chace in former times better stored with game wherein are many Cole-pits in which as they reported to mee there continueth a fire begunne by a candle long since through the negligence of a grover or digger The smoke of this fire and sometime the flame is seene but the savour oftener smelt and other the like places were shewed unto mee not farre off North-West ward upon the Confines of Shropp-shire I saw Pateshull a seat of the Astleies descended from honourable Progenitours and Wrotesley an habitation of a Race of Gentlemen so sirnamed out of which Sir Hugh Wrotesley for his approoved valour was chosen by King Edward the Third Knight of the Garter at the first institution and so accounted one of the founders of the said honourable Order Next after this the memorable places that wee meet with in this Tract more inwardly are these Chellington a faire house and Manour of the ancient Family of the Giffards which in the Raigne of Henry the Second Peter Corbuchin gave to Peter Giffard upon whom also Richard Strongbow that Conquerour of Ireland bestowed in free gift Tachmelin and other Possessions in Ireland Theoten hall which is by interpretation The habitation of Heathens or Pagans at this day Tetnall embrued with Danish bloud in the yeere 911. by King Edward the Elder in a bloudy Battaile Ulfrunes Hampton so called of Wulfruna a most godly and devout woman who enriched the Towne called before simply Hampton with a religious House and for Wulfrunes Hampton it is corruptly called Wulver Hampton The greatest name and note whereof ariseth by the Church there annexed to the Warden or Deane and Prebendaries of Windsor Weadsbury in these dayes Weddsborrow fortified in old time by Aethelfled Lady of the Mercians and Walshall a Mercate Towne none of the meanest Neere unto which the River Tame carryeth his streame which rising not farre off for certaine miles wandereth through the East part of this Shire seeking after Trent neere unto Draiton Basset the seat of the Bassets who springing out from Turstan Lord of this place in the Raigne of Henry the First branched forth into a great and notable Family For from hence as from a stocke flourished the Bassets of Welleden of Wiccomb of Sapcot of Cheddle and others But of this of Draiton Raulph was the last who being a right renowned Baron had marryed the sister of John Montfort Duke of Britaine and in the Raigne of Richard the Second died without issue Then Tame passing through the Bridge at Falkesley over which an ancient high way of the Romanes went runneth hard under Tamworth in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marianus calleth it Tamawordia a Towne so placed in the Confines of the two Shires that the one part which belonged sometime to the Marmions is counted of Warwick-shire the other which pertained to the Hastings of Stafford-shire As for the name it is taken from Tame the Riuer running beside it and of the English Saxon word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Barton Court or Ferme-house and also an Holme or River Island or any place environed with water seeing that Keyserwert and Bomelswert in Germanie betoken as much as Caesars Isle and Bomels Isle Whiles the Mercians Kingdome stood in state this was a place of their Kings resiance and as we finde in the Lieger Booke of Worcester a Towne of very great resort and passing well frequented Afterward when in the Danes Warre it was much decaied Aethelfled Lady of Mercia repaired and brought it againe to the former state also Edith King Eadgars Sister who refusing Marriage for the opinion that went of her for holinesse was registred in the roll of Saints founded heere a little house for Nunnes and veiled Virgins which after some yeeres was translated to
and separateth it from Darby-shire holding on his course in a Cleyish channell without any beds or shelves of mud through a soile consisting of the said Lime-stone from whence it sucketh out such fertilitie that in the very middest of Winter the Medowes on both the bankes sides carry a most pleasant and fresh greene hew but if it chance to swell above the bankes and overflow the Medowes in Aprill it battelleth them like another Nilus and maketh them so fruitfull that the inhabitants use commonly to chant this joyfull note In Aprill Doves flood Is worth a Kings good This river in twelve houres space useth so to rise that it harieth and carrieth away with it sheepe and other cattaile to the great terror of the people dwelling thereby but within the same time againe it falleth and returnes within his owne bankes whereas Trent being once up and over his bankes floweth upon the fields foure or five daies together but now come we to the rivers that run into it The first is Hans which being swallowed up under the ground breaketh up againe three miles off Then admitteth he the fellowship of the river Churnet who passeth by De-la-Cres Abbay built by Ranulph the third of that name Earle of Chester by Leike also a well knowne Mercat towne and by Aulton a Castle in times past belonging to the Barons Verdon who founded heere the Abbay of Croxden from whom by the Furnivals it descended to the Talbots Earles of Shrewsbury A little below runneth Teyn a small brooke into Dove which having his head not far from Cheddle the ancient seat of the Bassets who derive their pedegree from the Bassets of Draiton creepeth on in such a winding and crooked chanell that within one mile I was faine to passe over it foure times Neere unto it in Checkley Church-yard there stand three stones upright erected in maner of a Pyramides two of them have little images engraven upon them but that in the middest is highest The inhabitants report by tradition that a battaile was fought there betweene two hosts of which the one was armed the other unarmed and that in it were three Bishops slaine in memoriall of whom these stones were set up But what Historicall truth indeed lieth heerein enfolded I know not as yet As for Blith it hath in this Moreland Careswell a Castler situate upon it which Sir William Careswell built with great ponds having their heads made of square stones and Draicot which gave surname to a family of great antiquity in this County But Dove after it hath received Tine having a faire bridge made over it of most hard stone and defended with piles runneth under Vtcester in ' the Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Vttoxather situate upon the side of an hill with a gentle ascent a towne more rich in gay flowring medowes and in cattaile than faire built which before I saw it the name was so favourable to my conjecture I thought in vaine to have been the ancient ETOCETUM But now time hath taught me more certeinty After this when Dove is now come neerer unto Trent it visiteth Tutbury Castle in times past a large and stately thing which also is called Stutesbury and from an Alabaster hill top on which it stands threatneth as it were the whole country underneath It was built together with a little Monastery by Henry de Ferrars a Noble man of Normandy unto whom King William the First had given great lands and revenewes in this shire all which Robert de Ferrars Earle of Darby lost after he had revolted a second time from King Henry the Third For this Robert when after many troubles which he had raised in the Barons war hee was received into the Kings favour and had bound himselfe with a corporall oth in expresse and formall words that he would continue ever after loyall to his liege Lord yet was the man of such a stirring and restlesse spirit that to break and knap in peeces quite that fortune which he could not bend he put on armes against his Soveraigne and being at length taken prisoner that I may use the very words of the Record according to the forme of his obligation made this great forfeiture both of his fortunes and dignities There is in some place of this shire a lake if Alexander Necham deceive us not into which no wilde beast will in any wise enter but since the place is uncertaine and the thing it selfe more uncertaine I will onely put downe underneath these his verses before which he prefixed this Title De Lacu in Staffordia Rugitu Lacus est eventus praeco futuri Cujus aquis fera se credere nulla solet Instet odora canum virtus mors instet acerba Non tamen intrabit exagitata lacum Of a Lake in Stafford-shire A Lake there is that roreth loud whereby things are fore-showne The water whereof once to take wild beasts were never knowne Let hounds let death pursue apace them for to overtake For all this chase and hot pursuite none enter will the Lake Of another Poole or Lake also in this Country thus writeth Gervase of Tilbury in his Otia Imperialia unto Otho the fourth In the Bishopricke of Coventry and County of Stafford at the foot of an hill which the inborne people of the Country have named Mahull there is a water spread abroad in maner of a Meere in the territory of a Village which they tearme Magdalea In this Meere or Marsh there is a most cleere water and an infinite number of woods beside joyning one unto another which hath such an effectuall vertue in refreshing of bodies that so often as Hunters have chased Stagges and other Deere untill their Horses be tired if in the greatest heate of the scorching Sunne they taste of this water and offer it unto their Horses for to drinke they recover their strength of running againe which they had lost and become so fresh as one would thinke they had not run at all But whereabout this is I cannot yet learne by all my diligent inquiry As for the title of Stafford it remaineth ever since Robert de Stafford whom King William of Normandy enriched with great possessions even untill our time in his line and progeny A family as noble and ancient as any other but upon which fortune hath otherwhiles by turnes both frowned and fawned For first they were Barons of Stafford then five of them Earles of Stafford Ralfe created by King Edward the Third Earle of Stafford who married the heire of Sir Hugh Audley Earle of Glocester Hugh his sonne who died in Pilgrimage at Rhodes and his three sonnes successively Thomas and William both issuelesse and Edmund who married the daughter and heire of Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Buckingham Afterward three of them were Dukes of Buckingham and Earles of Stafford c. as is before shewed By the attainder of the last of them those so great inheritances
Vale underneath along Corve which commonly is called Corves-dale to Sir Foulque of Dinan Afterwards it belonged to the Lacies of Ireland and by a daughter fell to Sir Geffrey de Ienevile a Poictevin or as some will have it of the house of Lorain from whose heires it descended againe by a daughter to the Mortimers and from thence hereditarily to the Crowne Then the Inhabitants in processe of time built in the very bosome of the Towne and on the highest ground a very faire Church and the onely Church they have And so it beganne to be of great account and to excell other neighbour Townes adjoyning And although by King Stephen Simon Montfort and King Henry the Sixth it suffered much damage in the civill Warres yet it alwayes flourished againe and now especially ever since that King Henry the Eighth ordained the Councell of the Marches not unlike to those Parliaments in France the Lord President whereof doth for the most part keepe Courts and Terme here which a man could hardly have seene at any time without Suites whether it were for the great state and authority that it carryed or because the Welshmen are so forward and hote to goe to Law This Councell consisteth of the Lord President so many Counsellers as it shall please the Prince to appoint a Secretary an Attorney a Sollicitour and the foure Iustices of the Counties in Wales Somewhat lower upon the River Temd is seene Burford which from Theodoricke Saie and his Posterity came unto Robert Mortimer and from his posterity likewise unto Sir Geffrey Cornwaile who derived his Descent from Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of the Alemans and his Race even unto these daies hath flourished under the name of Barons of Burford but not in the dignity of Parliamentary Barons whereas it is holden as we reade in the Inquisition of the King for to finde five men for the Army of Wales and by service of a Baronie As for those that I may note thus much by the way who held an entire and whole Barony they were commonly in times past reputed Barons and as some learned in our common lawes are of opinion Baron and Barony like as Earle and Earledome Duke and Dukedome King and Kingdome were Conjugata that is Originally yoke-fellowes When Temd now is leaving Shropp-shire behinde it not farre from the bankes thereof there raise themselves up Northward certaine hils of easie ascent Cleehill they call them much commended for yeelding the best Barly in great plenty neither are they without iron mines at the descent whereof in a Village called Cleybury Hugh Mortimer built a Castle which King Henry the Second forthwith so rased because it was a noursery of sedition that scarce there remaine any tokens thereof at this day also hard by standeth Kinlet where the Blunts flourished Their name in this Tract is very great so sirnamed at first of their yellow haire the Family noble and ancient and the branches thereof farre spread Then saw we on the right hand banke of Severn Brug Morfe commonly but corruptly called Bridg-North so called of Burg or Burrbugh and Morfe a Forest adjoyning whereas before time it was named simply Burgh A Towne fortified with wals a ditch a stately Castle and the Severn which betweene the Rockes runneth downe with a great fall seated also upon a Rocke out of which the waies leading into the upper part of the Towne were wrought out Achelfleda Lady of the Mercians first built it and Robert de Belesme Earle of Shrewesbury walled it who trusting to the naturall strength of the place rebelled against King Henry the First like as afterward Roger Mortimer against King Henry the the Second but both of them with ill successe for they were both forced to yeeld and submit themselves absolutely to the Kings command At the Siege of this Castle as we reade in our Annales King Henry the Second being levelled at with an arrow had beene shot therewith quite through the body had not Sir Hubert Syncter a noble and trusty Servitour to the King interposed himselfe and to save the King received both the arrow and his deaths wound withall Before time also Sir Raulph de Pichford bare himselfe so valiantly heere that king Henry the First gave unto him the little Burgh hard by To hold by service for to finde dry wood for the great chamber of the Castle of Burgh against the comming of his Soveraigne Lord the King Willeley or Willey is not farre from hence the habitation in old time of Sir Warner De Willeley from whose Posterity by the Harleis and Peshall it came to the notable Family of Lacon advanced by marriage long since with the heire of Passelew and of late by the Possession of Sir I. Blunt of Kinlet There be in like manner other Townes and Castles heere and there in this Tract as Newcastle Hopton Castle Shipton and upon the River Corve Corvesham which Walter Clifford had by the gift of king Henry the Second also Brancroft and Holgot commonly Howgate which belonged sometime to the Manduits then to Robert Blunt Bishop of Bath and afterwards to the Lovells More higher are Wenlocke now knowne for the lime but in king Richard the Seconds time for a mine of Copper there But much more knowne in the Saxons dayes for a most ancient Nunnery where Milburga that most holy virgin lived in great devotion and was entombed the which Nunnery Earle Roger de Montgomerie repaired and replenished with Monkes In later times Sir Iohn Winell called also Wenlocke because he heere inhabited for his faithfull service to king Henry the Sixth was by him advanced to the state and honor of Baron Wenlocke and elected knight of the Garter in whose cause he manfully lost his life in the Battaile of Tewkesbury leaving no issue but from his cozin and heire generall the Lawleys of this County are lineally descended A little more West is Acton Burnell a Castle of the Burnels and after of the Lovels made famous by the Court of Parliament there held in the time of king Edward the First This Family of the Burnells was in old time of great name and antiquity very much enriched also by that Bishop aforenamed But it failed and had an end in the Raigne of Edward the Second when Mawde the heire was married unto John Lovell first and secondly to John Haudlow whose sonne Nicholas assumed to himselfe the name of Burnell from whom the Ratcliffes Earles of Sussex and others draw their pedegree Scarce a mile from hence standeth Langley seated very flat and low in a Parke full of Woods the dwelling place of the Leas which may well challenge to be ranged among the Families that are of the better worth and greater Antiquity in this Tract Next unto these is Condover a Manour sometimes of the Lovells but of late the possession of Thomas Owen
Iustice of the Common Pleas and a very great lover of learning But he hath now taken his quiet sleepe in Christ and left his sonne Sir Roger Owen for his manifold learning a right worthy sonne of so good a father This is holden of the King as we reade in the Records In chiefe to finde two footmen one day in the army of Wales in time of warre Which I note heere once for all to this end that I may give to understand that Gentlemen and Noblemen heereabout held their inheritances of the Kings of England by this tenure to be ready in service with Souldiers for defence of the Marches whensoever there should be any warre betweene England and Wales Neere unto this there is a little Village named Pichford that imparted the name in times past to the ancient Family of Pichford now the Possession of R. Oteley which our Ancestours for that they knew not pitch from Bitumen so called of a fountaine of Bitumen there in a private mans yard upon which there riseth and swimmeth a kinde of liquid Bitumen daily skumme it off never so diligently even as it doth in the Lake Asphaltites in Iewry in a standing water about Samosata and in a spring by Agrigentum in Sicilie But whether this bee good against the falling sicknesse and have a powerfull property to draw to close up wounds c. as that in Iewry none that I know as yet have made experiment More Westward you may see Pouderbach Castle now decayed and ruinous called in times past Pulrebach the seat of Sir Raulph Butler a younger sonne of Raulph Butler Lord Wem from whom the Butlers of Woodhall in Hertford-shire are lineally descended Beneath this Huckstow Forest spreadeth a great way among the mountaines where at Stipperstons bill there be great heapes of stones and little rockes as it were that rise thicke together the Britans call them Carneddau tewion But whereas as these seeme naturall I dare not with others so much as conjecture that these were any of those stones which Giraldus Cambrensis seemeth to note in these words Harald in person being himselfe the last footeman in marching with footemen and light Armours and victuals answerable for service in Wales valiantly went round about and passed through all Wales so as that he left but few or none alive And for a perpetuall memory of this Victory you may finde very many stones in Wales erected after the antique manner upon hillockes in those places wherein hee had beene Conquerour having these words engraven HIC FVIT VICTOR HARALDVS Heere was Harald Conquerour More Northward Caurse Castle standeth which was the Barony of Sir Peter Corbet from whom it came to the Barons of Stafford and Routon Castle neere unto it the most ancient of all the rest toward the West borders of the Shire not farre from Severn which Castle sometimes belonged to the Corbets and now to the ancient Family of the Listers Before time it was the possession of Iohn le Strange of Knocking in despite of whom Lhewellin Prince of Wales laid it even with the ground as we read in the life of Sir Foulque Fitz-Warin It flourished also in the Romans time under the same name tearmed by Antonine the Emperour RUTUNIUM Neither can wee mistake herein seeing both the name and that distance from URICONIUM a towne full well knowne which he putteth downe doe most exactly agree Neere unto this are Abberbury Castle and Watlesbury which is come from the Corbets to the notable family of the Leightons Knights As for the name it seemeth to have taken it from that High Port-way called Watling street which went this way into the farthest part of Wales as Ranulph of Chester writeth by two little Townes of that street called Strettons betweene which in a valley are yet to be seene the rubbish of an old Castle called Brocards Castle and the same set amiddest greene medowes that before time were fish-pooles But these Castles with others which I am scarce able to number and reckon up for the most part of them are now ruinate not by the fury of warre but now at length conquered even with secure peace and processe of time Now crossing over Severne unto that part of the shire on this side the River which I said did properly belong to the ancient CORNAVII This againe is divided after a sort into two parts by the river Terne running from the North Southward so called for that it issueth out of a very large Poole in Stafford-shire such as they of the North parts call Tearnes In the hither part of these twaine which lyeth East neere to the place where Terne dischargeth his waters into Severn stood the ancient URICONIUM for so Antonine the Emperor termeth it which Ptolomee calleth VIROCONIUM Ninnius Caer Vruach the old English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee Wreckceter and Wroxcester This was the chiefe City of the CORNAVII built as it seemeth by the Romans what time as they fortified this banke of Severn in this place where the river is full of fourds as it is not elsewhere lower toward the mouth thereof But this being sore shaken in the Saxons warre fell to utter decay in the Danish broiles and now it is a very small country Towne of poore Husbandmen and presenteth often times to those that aire the ground Roman Coines to testifie in some sort the antiquity thereof Besides them I saw nothing of antiquity but in one place some few parcels of broken walles which the common people call The old worke of Wroxceter This Wall was built of rough stone distinguished outwardly with seven rowes of British brickes in equall distance and brought up with arched worke inwardly I conjecture by the uneven ground by the Rampires and the rubbish of the wall heere and there on either side that the Castle stood in that very place where these ruines remaine But where the plot of the City lay and that was of a great compasse the Soile is more blackish than elsewhere and plentifully yeeldeth the best barley in all this quarter Beneath this City that Port-way of those Romans knowne by the name of Watling street went as I have heard say directly albeit the ridge thereof now appeareth not either through a fourd or over a Bridge the foundations whereof were of late a little higher discovered when they did set a Weare in the River unto the Strattons that is to say Townes upon the Streete whereof I spake even now The ancient name of this decaied URICONIUM sheweth it selfe very apparently in an hill loftily mounting neere thereunto called Wreken hill some Writers terme it Gilberts hill from the top whereof which lyeth in a plaine pleasant levell there is a very delightfull prospect into the Country beneath on every side This Hill runneth out in length a good space as it were attired on the sides with faire spread trees But under it where Severn rolleth downe
when his first wife Avelina daughter and heire to William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle was dead issuelesse who neverthelesse in her Will had made him her heire married Blanch of Artois of the roiall family of France to his second wife and by her had Thomas Henry and John that died an infant Thomas was the second Earle of Lancaster who tooke to wife Alice the onely daughter and heire of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne who by her deed passed over unto the house of Lancaster her owne inheritance and her mothers that which belonged to the family of Long Espee who were Earles of Salisbury like as her father the said Henry Lacy had made the like conveiance before of his owne lands in case Alice should dye without issue as it afterward happened But this Thomas for behaving himselfe insolently toward his soveraigne Edward the second and still supplying fewell to civill warres being taken prisoner in the field lost his head leaving no issue Howbeit when this sentence of death pronounced against him was afterwards by authority of Parliament reversed because hee had not his tryall by his Peeres according to the Law and great Charter his brother Henry succeeded after him in all his possessions and honours Hee also was advanced in estate by his wife Maude daughter and sole heire of Sir Patricke Chaworth who brought unto him not onely her owne patrimony but also great inheritances in Wales of Mauric of London and of Siward from whom she descended This Henry left behind him Henry his onely sonne whom King Edward the third from an Earle raised unto the honour of a Duke and he was second man of all our Nobility which received the name of Duke But hee having no issue male departed this life leaving behind him two daughters Maude and Blanch betweene whom the inheritance was divided Maud was married to William of Bavaria who was Earle of Holland Zeland Frisland Henault and in his wives right of Leicester And when as she deceased without children John of Gaunt so called because hee was borne at Gaunt in Flanders fourth sonne of King Edward the third who had married Blanch the other daughter of Henry aforesaid entred upon the whole inheritance and now being for wealth equivalent to many Kings and created withall by his father Duke of Lancaster he obtained also at his hands great roialties for hee having related what noble service he had performed to his countrey at home and abroad in the warres preferred the County of Lancaster to the dignity of a County Palatine by his letters Patent the tenour whereof runneth in this wise Wee have granted for us and our heires unto our foresaid sonne that he may have for tearme of his life his Chancery within the County of Lancaster and his writs to be sealed under his own seale to be appointed for the office of the Chancellour also Iustices of his owne as well to hold Plees of the Crowne as also other plees whatsoever touching common Law also the hearing and deciding of the same yea and the making of all executions whatsoever by vertue of their owne writs and officers there Moreover all other liberties and Roialties whatsoever to a County Palatine belonging as freely and in as ample maner as the Earle of Chester within the same County of Chester is known to have c. Neither was he Duke of Lancaster onely but also by his marriage with Constance the daughter of Peter King of Leon and Castile hee for a time was stiled by the name of King of Leon and of Castile But by a composition he gave this over and in the thirteenth yeere of King Richard the Second by consent of Parliament was created Duke of Aquitaine to have and hold the same for tearme of life of the King of England as King of France but to the universall dislike of Aquitaine repining and affirming that their Seigniory was inseparably annexed to the Crowne of England At which time his stile ranne thus Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster Earle of Derby Lincolne and Leicester and high Steward of England After him Henry of Bollinbroke his sonne succeeded in the Dukedome of Lancaster who when hee had dispossessed Richard the second and obtained the Kingdom of England he considering that being now King he could not beare the title of Duke of Lancaster and unwilling that the said title should be discontinued ordained by assent of Parliament that Henry his eldest sonne should enjoy the same and be stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Lancaster and Cornwall and Earle of Chester and also that the liberties and franchises of the Dutchy of Lancaster should remaine to his said sonne severed from the Crowne of England and to make better assurance to himselfe his heires and successours in these inheritances by authority of Parliament he ordained in these words We not willing that our said inheritance or the liberties of the same by occasion of this present assumption upon us of our regall state dignity should be in any thing changed transferred diminished or impaired will that the same our inheritance with the foresaid rights and liberties thereof be kept continued and held fully and wholly to us our said heires in the said Charters specified in the same maner and forme condition and state as they descended and came unto us and also with all and every such liberties and franchises and other priviledges commodities and profits whatsoever in which our Lord and father whiles he lived had and held it for terme of his own life by the grant of Richard late King And by the tenour of these presents of our own certaine knowledge with the consent of this our present Parliament we grant declare decree and ordaine for us and our heires that as well our Dutchy of Lancaster as all other things and every one Counties Honours Castles Manours Fees or Inheritances Advocations Possessions Annuities and Seignories whatsoever descended unto us before the obtaining of our Regall dignity howsoever wheresoever by right of inheritance in service or in reversion or any way whatsoever remaine for ever to us and our said heires specified in the Charters abovesaid in forme aforesaid After this K. Henry the fifth by authority of Parliament dissevered from the crown and annexed unto this Dutchy a very great and large inheritance which had descended unto him in right of his mother Dame Mary who was daughter and one of the heires of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford In this forme and estate it remained under Henry the fifth and Henry the sixth but King Edward the fourth in the first yeere of his reigne when hee had in Parliament attainted and forfeited Henry the sixth appropriated it as they use to speake unto the Crowne that is to say unto himselfe and his heires Kings of England From which King Henry the seventh notwithstanding forthwith separated And so it continueth having severall officers namely A Chancellor
bigge and large as that it may seeme to match with a city Neither went it for any other but a castle when King William Rufus having raised over against it a tower called Mal-voisin gave assault continually to Mowbray while hee rebelled and lurked there who at length privily stole away escaped by flight The greatest part of the beauty therof was lost long time after in the civill warre when Bressie the Norman redoubted souldier who sided with the house of Lancaster exercised his rage against it very outragiously Since then it hath beene sore beaten with time and the windes together which have blowne by drifts an incredible deale of sand of the sea into the fortresses Hereto adjoyneth Emildon sometime the Barony of John Le Viscont but Rametta the heire of that house sold away the possessions to Simon de Montfort Earle of Leicester In this was borne John Duns called Scotus because hee was descended of Scotish bloud who being brought up in Merton Colledge at Oxford became wonderfull well learned in Logicke and in that crabbed and intricate Divinity of those dayes yet as one still doubtfull and unresolved he did overcast the truth of religion with mists of obscurity And with so profound and admirable subtlety in a darke and rude stile hee wrote many workes that hee deserved the title of the Subtile Doctor and after his owne name erected a new sect of the Scotists But hee died pitifully being taken with an Apoplexy and overhastily buried for dead whiles upon returne of life nature though too late was about to discusse the violence of the disease and hee making meanes in vaine by a lamentable noise to call for helpe after he had a long time knocked his head against the grave stone dashed out his owne braines and at last yeelded up his vitall breath Whereupon a certain Italian wrote thus of him Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificante strophâ Quum non ante virum vitâ jugularit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret All learning taught in humane books and couch'd in holy writ Dan Scotus darke and doubtfull made by subtlety of wit No marvaile that to doubtfull termes of life himselfe was brought Whiles with like wile and subtle tricke death on his body wrought When as her stroke to kill outright she would not him vouchsafe Untill the man a piteous case was buried quicke in grave That he was borne here in England I avouch it out of his owne manuscript works in the Library of Merton Colledge in Oxford and upon their faithfull testimony which conclude in this maner Explicit Lectura c. that is Thus endeth the Lecture of the subtle Doctor in the University of Paris Iohn Duns borne in a certaine little village or hamlet within the Parish of Emildon called Dunston in the county of Northumberland pertaining to the house of the scholars of Merton Hall in Oxford On this shore forward there is nothing to be seene worth relation but the Holy Island whereof I will write in due place untill a man come to the mouth of Twede which parteth England and Scotland a great way asunder and is called the East limit and thereupon our Necham thus writeth insinuating that the hither part of Scotland was called Pict-land Anglos à Pictis sejungit limite certo Flumen quod Tuedam pristina lingua vocat The river Twede a certaine bound Divides * Pict-land from English ground This river breaking forth at a number of Springs out of the mountaines of Scotland wandereth a great while with many a crooked winding in and out among the ranke-riders and borderers to give them no worse tearme whose manner is as one saith to try their right by the swords point But when hee is come hard to a village called Carram waxing a great deale bigger by reason of many waters fallen unto him hee begins to distinguish the Confines of the Kingdomes And when hee hath watered Werke a Castle often assaulted by the Scottish belonging in times past to the Rosses and now to the Graies who by feats of armes have wonne much honour hee is encreased more with the streame of Till a river that hath two names For at the head which is in the innermore part of this country it is called Bramish and upon it standeth Bramton a little village very obscure and almost of no reckoning from whence it goeth Northward by Bengeley which together with Brampton it selfe with Broundum Rodam which hath given name to a stock in this tract of good note Edelingham c. was in King Henry the third his time the Barony of Patricke Earle of Dunbar who also as we read in the book of Inquisitions was Inborow and Outborow betweene England and Scotland that is to say if I mistake it not he was to allow and observe in this part the ingresse and egresse of those that travailed too and fro betweene both Realmes For Englishmen in ancient time called in their language an Entry and fore Court or Gatehouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Higher somewhat standeth Chevelingham now called Chillingham hard by the river which like as Horton not farre distant from it had their Castles belonging to the Greies ever since that those two families of the Greies were conjoyned in one by marriage There lyeth neere unto it Wollover a Barony which King Henry the first gave to Robert Muschampe who bare Azure three Butterflies or Papilions Argent of whose race descended Robert who in Henry the third his reigne was reputed the mightiest Baron in these North parts But the inheritance was quickly dismembred and parted among the females one of whom was married unto the Earle of Stratherne in Scotland a second to Sir William de Huntercombe and a third to Odonell Ford. Then the river of Glen from out of the West augmenteth Till with his waters and nameth the vale that he runneth thorow Glendale Touching this little river Bede writeth thus Paulinus comming with the King and Queen into a Manour or house of the Kings called Ad-Gebrin at this day Yeverin abode with them 36. daies there emploied wholly in the catechizing and baptising during all which time he did nothing from morning but instruct the people resorting to him in the saving word of Christ and being thus instructed he baptised them to the forgivenesse of their sinnes in the river of Glen which was hard by This house was in the time of the succeeding Kings neglected and another made for it in a place called Melmin but at this day Melfeld Here within a little of Brum-ridge by Brumeford K. Athelstan fought a pitched field with Aulase the Dane Constantine K. of Scots and Eugenius or Owein Prince of Cumberland with so fortunate successe that this battaile was most famous farre
it became wholly under the Scots dominion about the yeere of our salvation 960. what time the English Empire sore shaken with the Danish wars lay as it were gasping and dying How also as an old booke Of the division of Scotland in the Library of the right honourable Lord Burghley late high Treasurer of England sheweth Whiles Indulph reigned the town of Eden was voided and abandoned to the Scots unto this present day as what variable changes of reciprocall fortune it hath felt from time to time the Historiographers doe relate and out of them ye are to be enformed Meane while read if you please these verses of that most worthy man Master I. Jonston in praise of Edenborrow Monte sub acclivi Zephyri procurrit in auras Hinc arx celsa illinc Regia clara nitet Inter utramque patet sublimibus ardua tectis Urbs armis animis clara frequensque viris Nobile Scotorum caput pars maxima regni Penè etiam gentis integra regna suae Rarae artes opes quod mens optaverit aut hîc Invenias aut non Scotia tota dabit Compositum hîc populum videas sanctum que Senatum Sanctáque cum puro lumine jura Dei An quisquam Arctoi extremo in limite mundi Aut haec aut paria his cernere posse putet Dic hospes postquà m externas lustraveris urbes Haec cernens oculis credis an ipse tuis Under the rising of an hill Westward there shoots one way A castle high on th' other side the Kings house gorgeous gay Betweene them both the citie stands tall buildings shew it well For armes for courage much renown'd much people therein dwell The Scots head citie large and faire the kingdomes greatest part Nay even the nations kingdome whole well neere by just desart Rare arts and riches what ones minde can wish is therein found Or else it will not gotten be throughout all Scottish ground A civill people here a man may see a Senate grave Gods holy lawes with purest light of Preachers here ye have In parts remote of Northren clime would any person weene That ever these or such like things might possibly be seene Say Travailer now after that thou forraine towne hast knowne Beholding this beleevest thou these eyes that are thine owne A mile from hence lyeth Leth a most commodious haven hard upon the river Leth which when Dessey the Frenchman for the securitie of Edenborrow had fortified by reason of manie men repairing thither within a short time from a meane village it grew to be a bigge towne Againe when Francis the second King of France had taken to wife Marie the Queene of Scots the Frenchmen who in hope and conceit had already devoured Scotland and began now to gape for England in the yeere 1560. strengthened it with more fortifications But Elizabeth Queene of England solicited by the Nobles of Scotland that embraced the reformed religion to side with them by her puissance and wisdome effected that both they returned into France and these their fortifications were laied levell with the ground and Scotland ever since hath been freed from the French Where this Forth groweth more and more narrow it had in the middest of it the citie Caer-Guidi as Bede noteth which now may seeme to be the Island named Inch-Keith Whether this were that VICTORIA which Ptolomee mentioneth I will not stand to prove although a man may beleeve that the Romans turned this Guidh into Victoria as well as the Isle Guith or Wight into Victesis or Vecta certes seeing both these Islands bee dissevered from the shore the same reason of the name will hold well in both languages For Ninius hath taught us that Guith in the British tongue betokeneth a separation More within upon the same Forth is situate Abercorn in Bedes time a famous Monasterie which now by the gracious favour of King James the sixth giveth unto James Hamilton the title of the Earle of Abercorn And fast beside it standeth Blacknesse Castle and beneath it Southward the ancient citie LINDUM whereof Ptolomee maketh mention which the better learned as yet call Linlithquo commonly Lithquo beautified and set out with a verie faire house of the Kings a goodly Church and a fishfull lake of which lake it may seeme to have assumed that name for Lin as I have already shewed in the British tongue soundeth as much as a Lake A Sheriffe it had in times past by inheritance out of the family of the Hamiltons of Peyle and now in our dayes it hath for the first Earle Sir Alexander Levingston whom King James the sixth raised from the dignitie of a Baron wherein his Ancestours had flourished a long time to the honour of an Earle like as within a while after he promoted Mark Ker Baron of Newbottle aforesaid to the title of Earle of Lothien SELGOVAE BEneath the GADENI toward the South and West where now are the small territories of Lidesdale Eusdale Eskdale Annandale and Nidesdale so called of little rivers running through them which all lose themselves in Solway Frith dwelt in ancient times the SELGOVAE the reliques of whose name seeme unto mee whether unto others I know not to remaine in that name Solway In Lidesdale there riseth aloft Armitage so called because it was in times past dedicated to a solitarie life now it is a very strong Castle which belonged to the Hepburns who draw their originall from a certaine Englishman a prisoner whom the Earle of March for delivering him out of a danger greatly enriched These were Earles of Bothwell and a long time by the right of inheritance Admirals of Scotland But by a filter of James Earle of Bothwel the last of the Hepburns married unto John Prior of Coldingham base sonne to King James the fifth who begat too too many bastards the title and inheritance both came unto his son Hard by is Brakensey the habitation of the warlike family of Baclugh surnamed Scot beside many little piles or sorts of militarie men everie where In Eusdale I would deeme by the affinite of the name that old UZBLLUM mentioned by Ptolomee stood by the river Euse. In Eskdale some are of opinion that the HORESTI dwelt into whose borders Iulius Agricola when he had subdued the Britans inhabiting this tract brought the Roman armie especially if we read Horesci in stead of Horesti For Ar-Esc in the British tongue betokeneth a place by the river Eske As for Aesica in Eskdale I have spoken of it before in England and there is no cause wherefore I should iterate the same ANNANDALE UNto this on the West side adjoyneth ANNANDALE that is The vale by the river Annan into which the accesse by land is very difficult The places of greater note herein are these a castle by Lough-Mahan three parts whereof are environed with water and strongly walled and the towne Annandale at the very mouth almost
extended it selfe in old time farre and wide everie way in these parts As for the places herein they are of no great account but the Earles thereof are very memorable Thomas a younger sonne of Rolland of Galloway was in his wives right Earle of Athol whose sonne Patricke was by the Bissets his concurrents murdered in feud at Hadington in his bed-chamber and forthwith the whole house wherein hee lodged burnt that it might be supposed he perished by casualtie of fire In the Earldome there succeeded David Hastings who had married the aunt by the mothers side of Patricke whose sonne that David surnamed of Strathbogie may seeme to be who a little after in the reigne of Henrie the third King of England being Earle of Athol married one of the daughters and heires of Richard base sonne to John King of England and had with her a verie goodly inheritance in England She bare unto him two sonnes John Earle of Athol who being of a variable disposition and untrustie was hanged up aloft on a gallowes fiftie foot high and David Earle of Athol unto whom by marriage with one of the daughters and heires of John Comin of Badzenoth by one of the heires of Aumar de Valence Earle of Penbroch there fell great lands and possessions His sonne David who under King Edward the second was otherwhiles amongst English Earles summoned to the Parliaments in England and under King Edward Balliol made Lord Lievtenant Generall of Scotland was vanquished by the valerous prowesse of Andrew de Murray and slaine in battaile within the Forrest of Kelblen in the yeere of our Lord 1335. And his sonne David left two young daughters only Elizabeth wedded unto Sir Thomas Percie from whom the Barons of Burrough are descended and Philip married to Sir Thomas Halsham an English Knight Then fell the title of Athol unto that Walter Stewart sonne to King Robert the second who cruelly murdered James the first King of Scotland and for this execrable crueltie suffered most condigne punishment accordingly in so much as Aeneas Sylvius Embassadour at that time in Scotland from Pope Eugenius the fourth gave out this speech That hee could not tell whether hee should give them greater commendations that revenged the Kings death or brand them with sharper censure of condemnation that distained themselves with so hainous a parricide After some few yeeres passed betweene this honour was granted unto John Stewart of the family of Lorne the sonne of James surnamed The Black Knight by Joan the widow of King James the first daughter to John Earle of Somerset and Niece to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster whose posteritie at this day enjoy the same Tau bearing now a bigger streame by receiving Almund unto him holdeth on his course to Dunkelden adorned by King David with an Episcopall See Most writers grounding upon the signification of that word suppose it to be a towne of the Caledonians and interpret it The Mount or hill of Hazeles as who would have that name given unto it of the Hazel trees in the wood Caledonia From hence the Tau goeth forward by the carkasse of Berth a little desolate Citie remembring well enough what a great losse and calamitie hee brought upon it in times past when with an extraordinarie swelling flood hee surrounded all the fields layed the goodly standing corne along on the ground and carried headlong away with him this poore Citie with the Kings childe and infant in his cradle and the inhabitants therein In steed whereof in a more commodious place King William builded Perth which straightwaies became so wealthy that Necham who lived in that age versified of it in this manner Transis ample Tai per rura per oppida per Perth Regnum sustentant istius urbis opes By villages by townes by Perth thou runn'st great Tay amaine The riches of this Citie Perth doth all the realme sustaine But the posteritie ensuing called it of a Church founded in honour of Saint John Saint Iohns towne and the English whiles the warres were hot betweene the Bruses and the Balliols fortified it with great bulwarks which the Scots afterwards for the most part overthrew and dismantled it themselves Howbeit it is a proper pretie Citie pleasantly seated betweene two Greenes and for all that some of the Churches be destroyed yet a goodly shew it maketh ranged and set out in such an uniforme maner that in everie severall street almost there dwell severall artificers by themselves and the river Tau bringeth up with the tide sea commodities by lighters whereupon J. Jonston so often now by me cited writeth thus PERTHUM Propter aquas Tai liquidas amoena vineta Obtinet in medio regna superba solo Nobilium quondam regum clarissima sedes Pulchra situ pinguis germine dives agri Finitimis dat jura locis moremque modumque Huic dare laus illis haec meruisse dari Sola inter patrias incincta est moenibus urbes Hostibus assiduis ne vaga praeda foret Quanta virûm virtus dextrae quae praemia nôrunt Cimber Saxo ferox genus Hectoridum Felix laude novâ felix quoque laude vetustâ Perge recens priscum perpetuare decus PERTH Neere to the waters cleere of Tay and pleasant plaines all greene In middle ground betweene them stands Perth proudly like a Queene Of noble Kings the stately seat and palace once it was Faire for the site and rich with all for spring of corne and grasse To neighbour places all it doth lawes customes fashions give Her praise to give theirs to deserve the same for to receive Of all the Cities in these parts walled alone is she Lest she to foes continuall a scambling prey might be What Knights she bred and what rewards they won to knighthood due Danes Saxons fierce bold Britans eke the Trojans off-spring knew Happie for praises old happie for praises new of late New as thou art thine honour old strive to perpetuate And now of late King James the sixth hath erected it to the title of an Earldome having created James Baron Dromund Earle of Perth Unto Perth these places are neere neighbours Methven which Margaret an English Ladie widow unto King James the fourth purchased with readie money for her third husband Henrie Steward descended of the royall blood and for his heires and withall obtained of her sonne King James the fifth for him the dignitie of a Baron More beneath is Rethuen a castle of the Rethuens whose name is of damned memorie considering that the three states of the kingdome hath ordained that whosoever were of that name should forgoe the same and take unto them a new after that the Rethuens brethren in a most cursed and horrible conspiracie had complotted to murder their soveraigne King James the sixth who had created William their father Earle of Gourie and afterward beheaded him being lawfully convicted when he would insolently prescribe lawes to his soveraigne But of men
standing in a docke neere the Tamis to the outside of the keele whereof a number of such little birds without life and feathers stuck close Yet would I gladly thinke that the generation of these birds was not out of the logges of wood but from the very Ocean which the Poets tearmed the Father of all things A mightie masse likewise of Amber as bigge as the bodie of an horse was not many yeeres since cast upon this shore The learned call it Succinum Glessum and Chryso-Electrum and Sotacus supposed that it was a certaine juice or liquor which distilleth out of trees in Britain and runneth downe into the sea and is therein hardned Tacitus also was of the same opinion when he wrote thus I can verily beleeve that like as there be trees in the secret and inward parts of the East which sweat out frankincense and balme so in the Ilands and other countries of the West there bee woods and groves of a more fattie and firme substance which melting by the hot beames of the Sunne approching so neere runneth into the sea hard by and by force of tempest floateth up to the shores against it But Serapio and the Philosophers of later times write that it ariseth out of a certain clammie and bituminous earth under the sea and by the sea side and that the billowes and tempests cast up part thereof a land and fishes devoure the rest But I digresse extravagantly I will into my way againe and since I acknowledge my fault let my confession purchase pardon In the reigne of King Alexander the second Alexander Comin rose up to the honour of Earle of Buquhan who married the daughter and one of the heires of Roger de Quincie Earle of Winchester in England and his Niece by a sonne brought the same title unto Henrie de Beaumont her husband for he in King Edward the third his daies had his place in the Parliament of England by the name of Earl of Buquhan Afterwards Alexander Stewart sonne to King Robert the second was Earle of this place unto whom succeeded John a younger sonne of Robert Duke of Albanie who arriving in France with seven thousand Scottishmen to aide Charles the seventh King of France bare himselfe valiantly and performed singular good service against the Englishmen and that with so great commendation as having victoriously slaine Thomas Duke of Clarence brother to Henrie the fifth King of England at Baugie and discomfited the English he was made Constable of France But in the third yeere following when the fortune of warre turned hee with other most valiant Knights to wit Archibald Douglasse Earle of Wigton and Duke of Touraine c. was vanquished at Vernoil by the English and there slain Whom notwithstanding as that Poet said aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos France thankfully will ay recount as citizens of her owne On whom both titles glorious and tombes she hath bestowne Certes whereas under the K.K. Charles the sixth and seventh France was preserved and Aquitain recovered by thrusting out the English the Frenchmen cannot chuse but acknowledge themselves much beholden to the fidelitie and fortitude of the Scottish But afterwards King James the first gave the Earldome of Buquhan unto George of Dunbar moved thereto upon pitie and commiseration because hee had deprived him before of the Earldom of March by authority of Parliament for his fathers crime and not long after James the sonne of James Stewart of Lorn surnamed the Black Knight whom he had by Q. Joan sister to the Duke of Somerset and widdow to King James the first obtained this honour and left it to his posteritie but for default not long since of heires male it came by a daughter married to Robert Douglas a younger brother of Douglas of Lochlevin to the family of the Douglasses From Buquhan as the shore bendeth backward and turneth full into the North lieth Boena and Bamff a small Sherifdome also Ajuza a little territorie of no especiall account and Rothamay castle the dwelling place of the Barons of Salton surnamed Abernethy Beneath these lieth Strath-bolgy that is the vale by Bolgy the habitation in times past of the Earls of Athol who of it assumed their surname but now the principall seat of Marquesse Huntly For this title K. James the sixth conferred upon George Gordon Earle Huntly Lord Gordon and Badzeneth a man of great honour and reputation for his ancient noblenesse of birth and the multitude of his dependants and followers whose ancesters descended from the Setons by Parliamentarie authoritie took the name of Gordon when as Sir Alexander Seton had taken to wife the daughter of Sir Iohn Gordon Knight by whom he had a large and rich inheritance and received the honour of the Earle of Huntly at the hands of King James the second in the yeere 1449. MORAVIA or MURRAY THe VACOMAGI remembred by Ptolomee anciently inhabited on the further side of Crantz-baine-mountain which as it were in a continued range by hills hanging one by another driveth out his ridge with many a winding as far as to Murray frith where now lieth Murray in Latin Moravia celebrated for the fertilitie pleasant site and commoditie of fruitfull trees By this Province Spey a famous river maketh his issue into the sea wherein he lodgeth when hee hath watered Rothes Castle whence the family of the Lesleys tooke the title of Earle ever since that K. James the second conferred the honour of Earle of Rothes upon Sir George Lesley Concerning this Spey our Poet Necham hath thus written Spey loca mutantis praeceps agitator arenae Inconstans certas nescit habere vias Officium lintris corbis subit hunc regit audax Cursus labentis nauta fluenta sequens Spey raising heaps of sand amaine that shift oft times their place Inconstant he doth change eftsoones and keeps no certaine race A panier serves here for a boat some ventrous swaine it guides Who followeth still the rivers course while downe the streame it glides The river LOXA mentioned by Ptolomee which now is called Losse hideth himselfe in the sea hard by neere unto which Elgina appeareth in which and in Forres adjoining I. of Dunbar of Cumnock descended from the stock of the Earles of March hath his jurisdiction as Sheriff by inheritance But where it is now readie to enter into the sea he findeth a more plaine and soft soile and spreadeth abroad into a Meere full of swans wherein the herbe Olorina plentifully groweth hee hath Spiny Castle standing upon it whereof now the first Baron is Alexander of the linage of the Lindseys like as Kinlosse also a neighbour by sometime a famous Monasterie some call it Kill-flos of certaine flowers miraculously there springing up on a sudden when the carkase of King Duff murdred and hidden in the same place was found hath also for the Lord thereof Edward Brus M. of the Rolls in
to embrace other mens riches who for Christs sake had forsaken their own And the Bishops of Britain seemed no lesse to have despised riches seeing they were so poore that they had nothing of their owne For as we read in Sulpitius Severus three Bishops of Britaine in the Councell holden at Rimine for want of their owne lived of the publick charges The English Saxons also in that age conflowed and resorted from all parts into Ireland as it were to the mart of good learning and hence it is that we read so often in our writers concerning holy men thus Such a one was sent over into Ireland for to be trained up in learning and in the life of Sulgen who flourished 600. yeeres agoe Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi Ivit ad Hibernos sophiâ mirabile claros The fathers old he following for love to read good works Went unto Irish men who were O wonder famous Clarkes And from thence it may seeme our forefathers the ancient English learned the manner of framing their letters and of writing considering that they used the selfe same character which the Irish commonly use at this day And no cause have wee to marvaile that Ireland which now for the most part is rude halfe barbarous and altogether voide of any polite and exquisite literature was full of so devout godly good wits in that age wherein good letters throughout all Christendome lay neglected and halfe buried seeing that the divine providence of that most gracious and almightie ruler of the world soweth the seeds and bringeth forth the plants of sanctitie and good arts one whiles in one nation and other whiles in another as it were in garden beds and borders and that in sundry ages which being removed and translated hither and thither may by a new growth come up one under another prosper and bee preserved to his owne glory and the good of mankinde But the outrage of warres by little and little quenched these hot affections and studies of holinesse and good literature For in the yeere 644. after Christs nativitie Egfrid King of Northumberland with fire and sword made spoile and havocke of Ireland a nation most friendly unto England for which cause Bede chargeth him after a sort in most grave and important tearmes Afterward the Norwegians under the leading of Turgese their Captaine spoiled and wasted the countrey in most lamentable manner for the space of 30. yeeres But when he was once slaine by a train and ambush laid for him the inhabitants fell upon the Norwegians and made such a bloodie massacre of them that scarce any one survived to be a messenger of so great a slaughter These Norwegians were no doubt those Normans who as Rhegino saith in the time of Charles the great setting upon Ireland an Isle of the Scots were by the Scots put to flight After this the Oustmans as one would say Esterlings or Eastmen came out of the sea-coasts of Germanie into Ireland who having entred into certain Cities under the pretence of great trafficke in a short space raised a most dangerous warre About the very same time in manner Eadgar that most puissant King of England conquered also a great part of Ireland For thus we read in a certaine Charter of his Unto whom God of his gracious favour hath granted together with the Empire of England dominion over all the kingdomes of the Isles lying in the Ocean with their most stout and fierce Kings even as farre as to Norway yea and to subdue under the English Empire the greatest part of Ireland with her most noble Citie Dublin After these tempestuous forraine warres were allaied there followed a most grievous storme of civill dissention at home which made way for the English to conquer Ireland For Henrie the second King of England taking occasion and opportunitie by the privie dislikes heart-burnings and malicious emulations among the Irish Princes grew into a serious deliberation with the Nobles of England in the yeere of Salvation 1155. about the conquest of Ireland for the behoof of his brother William of Anjou But through the counsell of his mother Maude the Empresse this project was rejected unto another time Howbeit not many yeeres betweene Dermicius the son of Murchard Dermot Mac Morrog they call him who reigned over the East part of Ireland which in Latin is called Lagenia and commonly Leinster being for his tyrannie and lustfull leudnesse thrust out of his kingdome for hee had ravished the wife of O Rorke a pettie King of Meth obtained aide and forces of Henrie the second King of England to be restored into his kingdome againe and made a covenant with Richard Earle of Pembroch surnamed Strongbow of the house of Clare that he for his part should aide him in the recovering of his Kingdome and that himselfe would assure unto the Earle together with his daughter Eva the said Kingdome in succession after him Hereupon the said Earle having forthwith mustered up and raised an armie of Welsh and English together and joined unto him to accompanie him in the warres the Fitz-Giralds Fitz-Stephans and other Gentlemen out of England and Wales restored his father in law Dermot into his former Kingdome againe and within few yeeres gat by conquest so great a part of Ireland into his owne hands that his power became now suspected to the King of England who by proclamation and that with grievous menaces recalled home the said Earle and his followers out of Ireland and unlesse they obeyed without delay pronounced them traitours and their goods confiscate Whereupon the Earle granted unto the King by covenant and writing whatsoever he either inherited in right of his wife or won with his sword and as his tenant in vassailage received from him the Earldomes of Weisford Ossorie Caterlogh and Kildare with certain Castles Then King Henrie the second having gathered a power together in the yeere of Christ 1172. sailed over into Ireland and obtained the Princely title of soveraigne rule of the Iland For the States of Ireland passed over unto him all their rule and power namely Rothericke O Conor Dun that is The Browne Monarch of Ireland Dermot Mac Carti King of Corke Donald O Bren King of Limiâ—icke O Carell King of Uriel Macshaglin King of Ophaly O Rorke King of Meth O Neale King of Ulster with the rest of the Nobles and their people and the same under their Charters subscribed signed delivered and transmitted to Rome Which was ratified and confirmed moreover by a Patent of Pope Hadrian by a ring delivered unto him in token of his investiture and also by the authoritie of certaine Provinciall Synods This King Henrie afterward delivered up the Seigniorie of Ireland into the hands of his sonne Iohn which conveiance Pope Urban confirmed by his Bull and in testimonie of his confirmation sent him a Coronet of Peacocks feathers broided and embroidered with gold Whom after hee was once established in
Isle Lodhus So obtained Olave the kindgome of the Isles MCCXXXVII On the twelfth Calends of June died Olave the sonne of Godred King of Man in S. Patricks Iland and was buried in the Abbey of Russin He reigned eleven yeeres two by his brothers life and nine after his death Harold his sonne succeeded him being 14. yeeres of age and reigned 12. yeeres In the first yeere of his reigne he made a journey to the Ilands and appointed Loglen his cousin Custos of Man In the Autumne following Harald sent three sonnes of Nell namely Dufgald Thorquill Mormore and his friend Ioseph to Man for to consult about affaires On the 25. day therefore they meet at Tingull and by occasion of a certaine envious quarrell that arose between the sonnes of Nell and Loglen there was a sore fight on both sides wherein were slaine Dufgald Mormore and the foresaid Joseph In the spring ensuing King Harald came to the Isle of Man and Loglen as he fled toward Wales perished by Shipwracke with Godred Olaves sonne his foster child and pupill with 40. others MCCXXXVIII Gospatricke and Gillescrist the sonne of Mac-Kerthac came from the King of Norway into Man who by force kept Harald out of Man and tooke tributes to the Kings behoofe of Norway because he refused to come unto the King of Norwaies Court. MCCXL Gospatric died and is buried in the Abbey of Russin MCCXXXIX Harald went unto the King of Norway who after two yeeres confirmed unto him his heires and successours under his seale all the Ilands which his predecessours had possessed MCCXLII Harald returned out of Norway to Man and being by the inhabitants honourably received had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland Harald like as his father before him was by the King of England dubbed Knight and after he had been rewarded with many gifts returned home The same yeere he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his daughter And in the yeere 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife and Laurence King elect of Man and many other Nobles and Gentlemen he was drowned in a tempest neere unto the coasts of Radland MCCXLIX Reginald the sonne of Olave and brother to Harald began his reigne the day before the Nones of May and on the thirtieth day thereof was slaine by one Yvar a Knight and his company in a medow neere unto the Holy Trinity Church on the South side and lieth buried in the Church of Saint Mary of Russin At that time Alexander King of Scots rigged and brought together many ships meaning to subdue the Iland and in the I le Kerwaray he died of an ague Harald the sonne of Godred Don usurped the name of King in the Ilands all the Nobles of Harald King Olaves sonne hee banished and placed in their stead all the Princes and Peeres that were fled from the said Harald MCCL. Harald the sonne of Godred Don being by missives sent for went unto the King of Norway who kept him in prison because he had unjustly intruded himselfe into the kingdome The same yeere there arrived at Roghalwaght Magnus the son of Olave and John the sonne of Dugald who named himselfe King but the people of Man taking it to the heart that Magnus was not nominated would not suffer them to land there many of them therefore were cast away and perished by shipwracke MCCLII Magnus the sonne of Olave came to Man and was made King The next yeere he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeere MCCLIV Haco King of Norway ordained Magnus Olaves sonne King of the Isles and confirmed the same unto him and his heires and by name unto his brother Harald MCCLVI. Magnus King of Man went into England and was knighted by the King of England MCCLVII The church of S. Maries of Russin was dedicated by Richard of Sodore MCCLX Haco King of Norway came unto the parts of Scotland and without any exploit done turned to the Orkneys where at Kirwas he ended his daies and lyeth enterred at Bergh MCCLXV Magnus Olaves sonne King of Man and of the Ilands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buried in the Church of S. Mary de Russin MCCLXVI The kingdome of the Ilands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots That which followeth was written in another hand and of a later character MCCLXX The seventh day of October a navy set out by Alexander King of Scots arrived at Roghalwath and the next morrow before sun rising a battaile was fought between the people of Man and the Scots in which were slain of the Manksmen 537. whereupon a certaine versifier played thus upon the number L. decies X. ter penta duo cecidere Mannica gens de te damna futura cave L. Ten times told X. thrice with five beside and twaine Ware future harmes I reed of thy folke Man were slaine MCCCXIII Robert King of Scots besieged the Castle of Russin which Dingawy Dowyll held against him but in the end the King won the castle MCCCXVI On the Ascension day Richard le Mandevile and his brethren with other Potentates of Ireland arrived at Ramaldwath requesting to be furnished with victuals and silver for that they had been robbed by the enemies warring upon them continually Now when the commonality of the country had made answer that they would not give them any they advanced forward against those of Man with two troops or squadrons untill they were come as far as to the side of Warthfell hill in a field wherein John Mandevile remained and there in a fought battell the Irish vanquished the Manksmen spoiled the Iland and rifled the Abbey of Russin and after they had continued in the Iland one whole moneth they returned home with their ships fraught with pillage Thus endeth the Chronicle of the K.K. of Man The Processe or course of the Historie following I will now continue summarily out of other Writers WHen Alexander the third King of Scots had gotten into his hands the Westerne Ilands partly by way of conquest and in part for ready money paid unto the King of Norway hee attempted the I le of Man also as one of that number and through the valiant prowesse of Alexander Stewart brought it under his dominion yea and placed there a petty King or Prince with this condition that hee should be ready alwaies at his command to serve with ten ships in his warres at sea Howbeit Mary the daughter of Reginald King of Man who was become the Liege-man of John King of England entred her suit for the Iland before the King of England but answer was made unto her that shee should demand it of the King of Scots for that he then held it in possession And yet her grand-child John Waldebeof for the said Mary married into the house of Waldebeofe sued for his ancient right in Parliament holden in the 33. yeere of King Edward the first before the K. of England as the superiour
they be wealthy Their bodies are died with woâ—d whether it bee for to make a gallant shew or for what else it is uncertaine They pick quarel of warre at their pleasure to satisfie their owne wills and so oftentimes molest one another but principally upon an ambitious desire of rule and soveraigntie and an encroaching mind they have to enlarge their owne possessions Their fight is not only with horse or footmen but also with wagons and chariots harnessed and armed after the Gaul-like manner such as they call Covinos and in those they use axeltrees armed at both ends with hookes and sithes Cornelius Tacitus The Britans neerest unto Gallia resemble likewise the Gaules either because they retaine still somewhat of the race from which they descended or that in countries butting one against another the same aspects of the heavens doe yield the same complexion of bodies But generally if a man consider all it is most likely the Gaules which lay neerest peopled the land unto them In their ceremonies and superstitious perswation there is to bee seene an apparant conformitie The language differeth not much Like boldnesse to challenge and set into dangers when dangers are come like feare in refusing Saving that the Britans make more shew of courage as beeing not mollified yet with long peace For the Gaules also were once as we read redoubted in war till such time as giving themselves over to ease and idlenesse cowardise crept in and shipwrack was made both of manhood and libertie together And so is it also befallen to those of the Britans which were subdued of old The rest remaine such as the Gaules were before Their strength in the field consisteth of footmen Yet some countries there make war in wagons also The greater personage guideth the wagon his waiters and followers fight out of the same Heretofore they were governed by Kings now they are drawne by petty Princes into Partialities and Factions and this is the greatest helpe wee Romans have against those puissant Nations that they have no common counsell Seldome it chanceth that two or three States meete together and concur to repulse the common danger So whilst one by one fighteth all are subdued In another place An usuall manner it was with the Britans to seeke for the direction of the Gods by looking into the inwards of beasts and to make warre under the conduct of women neither mattereth it whether sex beare rule over them Whereupon learned men thinke Aristotle spake of the Britaines where he writeth That certaine warlike nations beyond the Celtes were subject to the government of women Dio Nicaeus out of the Epitome of Xiphilinus as touching the Britans in the North part of the Island They till no ground They live upon prey venison and fruits For of fish although there is exceeding great plenty thereof they will not taste their abode is in tents naked and unshod Wives they use in common and the children borne of them they all doe foster among them the Comminaltie for the most part doth governe most willing they bee to practise robbing In warre their service is out of Chariots the horses they have be little and swift of pace their footmen runne most speedily whiles they stand they bee strongest the armour and weapons that they use are a shield and short speare in the neather part whereof there hangeth a round bell of brasse like an apple that when it is shaken they might with the sound terrifie and maskre the enemies they have daggers also But principally they can endure hunger cold and any labour whatsoever For sticking fast in the bogs up to the head many daies together they will live without food and within the woods they feed upon the barks and roots of trees A certaine kind of meat they provide ready for all occasions whereof if they take but the quantitie of a Beane they are not wont either to be hungrie or thirstie Herodian They know no vse at all of garments but about their belly onely and necke they weare yron supposing that to be a goodly ornament and a proofe of their wealth like as all other Barbarians esteeme of gold For why their very bare bodies they marke with sundry pictures representing all manner of living creatures and therefore it is verily that they will not be clad for hiding forsooth that painting of their bodies Now they are a most warlike nation and very greedy of slaughter content to bee armed onely with a narrow shield and a speare with a sword besides hanging downe by their naked bodies Vnskilfull altogether how to use either corslet or helmet supposing the same to be an hinderance unto them as they passe over the bogs and marish grounds through the hot vapours arising from whence the skie and aire is there most part foggie The rest of the particulars which are very few I will lightly gather and crop here and there Plinie writing of Magicke But what should I quoth he rehearse these things in an art that hath passed over the Ocean also so far as beyond which nothing is to be discovered but aire and water And even at this day verily it is in Britaine highly honoured where the people are so wholly devoted unto it and that with all compliments of ceremonies as a man would thinke the Persian learned all their Magicke from them The same Plinie There groweth an hearbe in Gaule like unto Plantine named Glastum that is Woad with the juce whereof the women of Britaine as well married wives as their young daughters annoint and die their bodies all over resembling by that tincture the colour of Aethiopians in which manner they use at some solemne feasts and sacrifices to goe all naked Againe Their is not a daintier dish of meate known in Britain than are the Chenerotes fowles lesse than wild geese Also The Britaines wâ—re rings on their middle finger Likewise The Britaines manured their grounds with Marle in stead of dung That they inammelled or branded themselves as it were with certain marks which Tertullian termeth Britannorum stigmata that is The Britans marks Solinus sheweth The Countrey saith he is partly peopled with Barbarians who by the meanes of artificiall incisions of sundry formes have from their childhood divers shapes of beasts incorporate upon them and thus having these their markes deepely imprinted within their bodies looke how a man groweth more and more so doe these pictured characters likewise waxe Neither doe these savage Nations repute any thing to signifie their patience more than by such durable skars to cause their limbs to drinke in much painting and colour Dio. The Britaine 's worshipped as their Goddesses Andate that is Victorie and Adraste Caesar and Lucan Ships they had of which the Keeles the footstocks also or upright standards were made of light timber the rest of the body framed of windings and Oyster was covered over with leather Solinus How long soever they held on their
againe Thus they performed in all their fights the nimble motion of horsemen and the firme stabilitie of footmen so ready with daily practise exercise that in the declivity of a steepe hill they could stay their horses in the very full cariere quickly turn short moderate their pace run along the beame or spire of the Chariot stand upon the yoke and harnesse of the horses yea and from thence whip in a trice into their chariots again But by the cōming of Caesar to rescue them in so good time the Romans took heart afresh and the Britans stood still who having conceived good hope to free themselves for ever presuming upon the small number of the Roman forces together with the scarcitie of corne among them had assembled a great power and were come to the campe of Caesar. But he received them even before the campe with a battell put them to rout slew many of them and burnt their houses far and neare The same day came messengers from the Britans to Caesar intreating peace which they obtained upon condition that they should double the number of their hostages whom he commanded to be brought into Gaule And streight after because the Aequinox was at hand hee put to sea hoised saile from Britaine and brought all his ships safe unto the continent of France And thither two onely of all the States of Britaine sent hostages unto him the rest neglected it These exploits thus performed upon the relation of Caesars Letters the Senate decreed a solemne procession for the space of twentie daies although he gained nothing to himselfe nor to Rome but the glorie onely of an expedition enterprized The yeare next ensuing Caesar having gotten together a great fleet for what with ships for convoy of corne and victuals and what with other private vessels that every man had built for to serve his owne turne there was 800. saile and above and the same manned with five Legions and 2000. horsemen he launched from the port called Iccius and landed his forces in that part of the Isle where hee did the yeare before Neither was there an enemie to be seene in the place For albeit the Britans had beene there assembled with a great power yet terrified with so huge a number of ships they had secretly withdrawne themselves into the upland countrey Here Caesar encamped in a place convenient and left two cohorts and three hundred horsemen as a garrison or guard for his ships Himselfe having by night marched forward twelve miles espied the enemies who having gone forward as farre as to the river began to give battell but beaten backe by the cavallery they conveighed themselves into a wood and there lay hid as lodging in a place strongly fortified both by nature and mans hand But the Romans with a Testudo or targnet-roofe which they made and mount that they raised against their fortifications tooke the place and drave them out of the woods neither followed they them with any long pursuit for they were to fortifie the campe in that very place The next day Caesar divided his forces into three regiments and sent them out to pursue the Britaines but straightwaies called them back againe for that hee had intelligence by messengers of such a tempest at sea the night before that his navie was sore beaten run one against another and cast on shore And thereupon himselfe in person returned to the ships and with the labour of ten daies haled them all up to land and enclosed them and his campe together within one and the same fortification and so goeth to the place from whence he was returned Thither also had the Britaines assembled themselves with greater forces under the conduct of Cassivellaunus or Cassibelinus unto whom in a publike counsell of all the Britains the whole government and managing of the warre was committed whose cavallery and chariotiers together gave the Romanes a sharpe conflict in their march wherein many of both sides lost their lives But the Britans after some intermission of time whiles the Romans were busie in fortifying their campe charged fiercely upon those that kept ward before the campe unto whom when Caesar had sent for rescue two cohorts and those the principall and choysest of two legions they most boldly and with full resolution brake through the thickest of the enemies and from thence retired in safety The next morrow the Britans shewed themselves here and there in small companies from the hils but about noone they made an assault upon three legions and all the horsemen sent out for to forage yet beaten backe they were and a great number of them slaine Now by this time were all their auxiliarie forces that had met together departed neither encountred they afterward the Romans with their maine power Caesar then marched with his army to the river Thames and so to the confines of Cassivelaunus Vpon the farther banke of this river yea and under the water they had covertly stucke sharpe stakes and embattelled themselves with a great power But the Romans went and waded over with such violence notwithstanding they had but their heads cleere above the water that the enemy was not able to endure the charge but left the banke and betooke themselves to flight not skared as Polyaenus writeth at the sight of an Elephant with a turret upon his backe Cassivellaunus having now no courage to contend any longer retained onely foure thousand Charioters with him and observed the Romanes journeys and so often as their horsemen went foorth and straied out in the fields for forage or booty he sent out his chariots and kept them from ranging all abroad Meane while the Trinobantes submit themselves unto Caesar and intreated that he would defend Mandubratius whom Eutropius and Beda out of the Fragments of Suetonius now lost call Androgorius and our Britans Androgeus from the oppression of Cassivellaunus and send him unto them to be their soveraign Of them Caesar required and received forty hostages and corne for his army and therewith sent Mandubratius Then the Cenimagi Segontiaci Ancatites Bibroci aad Cassij following the example of the Trinobantes yeeld unto Caesar By whom he understood that Cassivellaunus his towne was not far off fortified with woods and bogs which as he assaulted in two severall places the Britans flung out at a back way but many of them in their flight were taken and put to the sword Whiles these things were a doing foure pety Kings that ruled Kent to wit Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonais by a mandate from Cassivellaunus did set upon the campe where the Romanes navy was kept but by a sally that the Romanes made they were driven backe and Cingetorix one of the said Kings was taken prisoner Then Cassivellaunus having received so many losses and troubled most of all with the revolt of the states sent Embassadour to Caesar by Conius of Arras tending unto him a surrendry Whereupon
Caesar being determined to winter in the continent of France commanded pledges to be brought unto him and imposed a yeerly tribute that Britaine should pay unto the people of Rome But withall he inhibited Cassivellaunus and commanded him to doe no harme either to Mandubratius or the Trinobants And thus with a great number of captives he embarked his army and transported it backe at two severall passages Thus much Caesar of his owne warre in Britain But Eutropius out of some writings of Suetonius now not extant addeth thus much moreover Scaeva one of Caesars souldiers with foure other fellow servitours crossed over sea before in a small barke unto a rocke neere the Iland and by the reflow or ebbe of the Ocean the while was there left The Britans many in number set upon the Romanes being but few howbeit the rest who here and there had been his companions returned in a ship Scaeva tarieth behind still undanted notwithstanding he was overlaid with darts from every side First he made resistance with his pike or massie speare and at length tooke him to his sword and fought alone with many of them When he was weary and wounded and had withall lost his helmet and target after many a stroke with two habergeons he swum unto Caesars campe and craved pardon of his Generall for his fool hardy rashnesse whom Caesar advanced to the honor and degree of a Centurion When Caesar came first into this Isle as Cotas one who then in the campe had the second place hath put downe in a Greeke Commentary of his concerning the Romane Common-wealth of such temperance he was and so far short of the pompe of our age that he had no more servants and attendants ordinarily in his domesticall retinue but three What time as Caesar saith Seneca travelled into Britaine and could not containe his owne felicitie within the Ocean he heard that his daughter was departed this life drawing with her a traine of publike calamities But he passed over this griefe of heart as lightly as he was wont all things else Being returned with conquest out of Britaine he dedicated unto Venus genitrix in her temple a breast-plate made of British pearles Some of his British prisoners he appointed for services in the Theatre and about these rich hangings of Tapestrie there wherein he had woven in colours his victories in Britaine Which the Britans were wont being themselves therein wrought to remove and take away whereupon Virgill Purpureaque intextitollant auleae Britanni Let Britans purple Tapestrie rid wherein themselves are wrought Neither were the Britans appointed to the ministeries and offices onely about the Theatre but also I note it by the way to the Emperors Licter as it appeareth manifestly by an antique inscription of this age wherein there is made mention of a Decurio over the British Licter-bearers Of this victorie of Caesar an old Poet hath thus written Vis invicta viri reparatâ classe Britannos Vicit hostiles Rheni compescuit undas Lo here the mans undaunted heart with navie rigged new He Britans vanquish'd and fell waves of Rhene he did subdue Hitherto may be referred those verses also of Claudian touching the valour of the Romanes Nec stetit Oceano remisque ingressa profundum Vincendos alio quaesivit in orbe Britannos In Ocaan rhode it rested not nor put to sea for nought But Britads in their otherworld for conquest sake it sought Moreover Cicero in a certaine Poeme now lost which hee entituled Quadrigas caried Caesar in poeticall Chariots of triumph through the midst of all praise and commendation for his acts atchieved in Britainc as Ferrerius of Piemont perswadeth us for thus he writeth Pingam Britanniam coloribus tuis penecillo autem meo that is I will depaint Britaine in your colours but with mine owne pencill Howbeit in the judgement of others he terrified onely the Britans with a fortunate fight or as Lucane who nothing favoured the house of the Caesars wrote Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis He sought the Britans and for feare to them his backe he shew'd And Tacitus a right grave and substantiall author writeth That he discovered onely but delivered not unto the Romanes Britaine and Horace implieth that he scant touched them at all when to flatter Augustus hee saith That the Britaine was not medled withall in these words Intactus Britannus ut descenderet Sacrâ catenatus uiâ Or that the Britans heretofore not dealt withall in fight Might chained now the sacred street descend in all mens sight And Propertius Te manet invictus Romano Marte Britannus The Britans yet unconquered by Romanes stay for thee So farre it is off that it should be true which Velleius Paterculus a flattering Historian of the Emperours Court wrote Bis penetrata Britannia à Caesare that is twise Caesar passed through Britaine when as hee scarce made entry into it For many yeeres after this entrance of Caesar this Island was left to the free government of their owne Kings and used their owne Lawes Augustus seemeth of purpose and with good advise to have neglected Britaine when as he called that * Consilium as Tacitus saith that is Policie or a point of state haply because it was thought the best pollicie and safest for the State That the Romane Empire should be kept and held within bounds to wit the Ocean the rivers Ister and Euphrates limits set by nature to the end it might be a State Adamantine for so Augustus himselfe speaketh in Iulian that is invincible and lest as a ship of exceeding great bulke it might not possibly bee well governed and managed but endangered through the owne unweldy hugenesse sinke anone and fall downe at once which usually befalleth unto over-great States or as Strabo is of opinion he despised it seeing neither any cause at all of feare nor hope of much profit from the Britans and yet it seemed that no small dammage would be presented from other nations lying round about the said Island But what cause so ever it was certes after Iulius and the edge of Romane armes turned upon the Common-wealth it selfe Britaine was a long time forgotten even in time of peace Neverthelesse at last Augustus departed from Rome with a purpose to transferre the warre into Britaine At which verie time Isoratius framed this kinde of prayer unto the Goddesse Fortune at Antium Serves iturum Caesarem in ultimos Orbis Britannos Save Caesar now that readie is a journey long to take Against the Britans most remote a conquest there to make But after he was come into Gaule the Britans sent Embassadors unto him to crave peace and verily the British Princes and Potentates having by Embassages and dutifull services obtained his amity dedicated presents and oblations in the Capitol and brought the whole Iland in a manner to be familiar unto the Romanes and as it were their owne so as they could endure taxes and imposts which now
ornaments He suffered Licinius Crassus Frugi to follow after himselfe in this triumph mounted upon a trapped courser with a rich caparison and arraied in a roabe of Date tree worke Upon Posidius the Eunuch hee bestowed a speare staffe without an head upon C. Gavius cheines bracelets horseâ—trappings and a coronet of gold as is to be seene in an ancient marble at Taurinum In the meane time Aulus Plautius went on with the reliques of this war and sped so well in his battels that Claudius passed a decree that he should ride in pety triumph ovant and when he was entred into the City himselfe went to meet him giving him the right hand all the way both going and comming And Vespasian even then shewed by the destinies whom Claudius assumed unto him to beare a part of this British war partly under the conduct of Claudius himselfe and partly of Plautius fought thirty battels with the enemy two most mighty nations and above twenty townes together with the Isle of Wight he subdued For which worthy exploits he received triumphall ornaments and within a short space two sacerdotall dignities with a Consulship beside which hee bare the two last moneths of the yeare Titus also served here in quality of a Tribune under his father with exceeding commendation for his industry and valour for valiantly he delivered his father when he was besieged and no lesse report of his modest carriage as appeareth by a number of his Images and titles to them annexed thorowout the Provinces of Germanie and Britaine The rest of the Occurrences which hapned in Britaine afterward unto the very latter end of Domitian Tacitus who best can do it will declare by his owne words to this effect P. Ostorius Propraetor in Britan was welcomed at his first landing with troubles and tumults The enemies ranged all over the Allies country and used so much the greater violence for that they thought the new captaine was unacquainted with the army the winter also being now began would not come foorth to encounter But he knowing well that the first successes alwaies breed either feare or confidence gathered with all speed his readiest cohorts advanced toward the enemy and having slaine those which made head against him pursued the rest that were dispersed for feare they should joine againe and lest an hatefull and faithlesse peace might give neither captaine nor souldier any rest he went about to disarme as many of them as he suspected and by raising forts and setting garrisons upon the two rivers Aufona and the Severn to restrain and hem in the Britons Which the Iceni first of all refused a strong nation and unshaken with battels because of their owne motion they had sought our alliance and amity And at their instigation the people adjoyning chose a place to fight in compassed about with a rude and rusticall rampire having a narrow entrance of purpose to hinder the comming in of horsemen This fense the Romane captaine albeit he had under his conduct the power of his allies alone without the maine forces of the Legion assaieth to breake thorow And having bestowed his cohorts in rankes setteth the troupes of horsemen in like readinesse to performe their service Then after the signall given they broke open the said rampire and disordered the enemies encombred and penned within their owne hold And they knowing in their owne conscience they were no better than rebels and seeing all passages for escape stopped up shewed great valour and courage in defending themselves In which fight M. Ostorius the lieutenants sonne deserved the honor of saving a Citizen Vpon the discomfiture and slaughter of these Iceni they that wavered betweene warre and peace became setled and were quiet and so the army was led against the Cangi Whose territory they wasted harried and spoiled all over whiles the enemies durst not shew themselves in the field or if privily by stealth they attempted to cut off the taile of our armie as they marched they paid for their craft and deceit Now by this time were the Romanes come well neere to the sea coast that looketh toward Ireland when certaine troubles and discords sprung up among the the Brigantes brought their leader backe being certainly resolved to attempt no new matters before he had setled the old But as for the Brigantes some few being put to death that began first to take armes he pardoned the residue and all were quieted The Silures could neither by cruelty nor faire meanes bee reclaimed but they would needs war and therefore no remedy there was but to keepe them under with garrisons of Legionary souldiers Which to performe more easily the colonie called Camalodunum consisting of a strong company of old souldiers was brought into the countries by conquest subdued for succour and savegard against Rebels and an inducement to traine the Associats to observe the lawes Certaine Cities and States were granted by way of Donation to King Cogidunus according to the ancient custome of the people of Rome that they might have even Kings to be instruments of servitude and thraldome Then went the Romanes from thence against the Silures who besides their owne stoutnesse trusted much in the strength of Caractacus a man whom many dangerous adventures which he had waded thorow and as many prosperous exploits by him atchieved had so lifted up that he carried the reputation and praeheminence above all the British Commanders But he in subtill craft and knowledge of the deceitfull waies having the advantage of us though otherwise weaker in strength of souldiers translateth the warre into the country of the Ordovices and there joyning to him as many as feared our peace resolveth to hazard the last chance having chosen a place for the battell where the comming in and going forth with all things else might be incommodious to us but for his very advantageous Then against the high hilles and wheresoever there was any easie passage gentle accesse he stopped up the way with heaps of stones raised in manner of a rampier withall there ranne hard by a river having a doubtful foord and the severall companies of his best souldiers had taken their standing before the fortifications Besides all this the leaders of every nation went about exhorted and encouraged their men by making lesse all causes of feare and kindling in them good conceits of hope with all other motives and inducements to war And verily Caractacus bestirring himself and coursing from place to place protested That this was the day this the battell which should begin either the recovery of their libertie for ever or else perpetuall bondage And here he called upon his ancestors by name who had chased Caesar the Dictator from hence through whose valour they were freed from the Romane axes and tributes and enjoyed still the bodies of their wives ann children undefiled As he uttered these and such like speeches the generall multitude of the
which were either doubtfull or knowne adversaries were wasted with fire and sword But nothing distressed them so much as famine being negligent in sowing of corne by reason that of all ages they were given to warre for that also they made full account to live of our provision and as all other fierce and stout nations slowly give eare to peace because Iulius Cliassicianus being sent to succeed Catus and at variance with Suetonius hindred the common good with private grudges and had given it out abroad that they were to expect and tarrie for a new Lieutenant who without any hostile rancour and pride of a Conqueror would gently entreat and use with all clemencie such as yielded unto him Withall he sent word to Rome that they should looke for no end of warre unlesse some one or other succeeded Suetonius upon whose overthwartnesse he laid all his ill proceedings and attributed all fortunate successe to the happy fortune of the common weale To see therefore in what state Britaine stood Polycletus one of Neroes freed men was sent for good hope he had that by his authoritie there should not onely be wrought a perfect agreement betweene the Lieutenant and the Procurator but also that the rebellious minds of the Barbarians would be won to peace Neither failed Polycletus being with his mightie hoast burdensome to Italie and Gaul after he had passed the Ocean sea to shew himselfe terrible even to our souldiers also But to the enemies he was but a laughing stocke who whiles libertie was still fresh on foot among them knew not what the power of these freed men was and they made a marvell of it that a Captaine and an armie which had atchieved so great a war should yield to obey slaves But of all these things the best was made to the Emperor And Suetonius being busied still in these affaires for that he had lost afterwards some few Gallies upon the shore and the gallie slaves in them as if the warre continued still was commanded to deliver up the armie to Petronius Turpilianus who now was newly out of his Consulship as unto a man more exorable-unacquainted with the delinquencies of the enemies and therefore more ready to accept of their repentance who neither incensing the enemie nor provoked by him colouring a lazie and idle life with the honest name of peace after hee had dared and done no more but composed former troubles and debates delivered the charge of the province unto Trebellius Maximus But he a man unfit for action and altogether unexpert in war-service by a kind of courteous and mild regiment entertained the country in quiet For now the Britaines also had learned the good manners not rudely to repulse the sugred assaults of flattering vices and the disturbance of civill dissentions comming between ministred a lawfull excuse for his doing nothing But much discord arose among them whiles the souldier accustomed to warfare waxt wanton with ease and grew to be mutinous and he for his niggardly sparing and base taking of bribes was both despised and hated of the armie This hatred of theirs against him was enflamed by Roscius Caelius Lieutenant of the twentieth Legion an ancient enemie of his but now by occasion of civill dissentions they were fallen out farther and brake into more heinous tearmes Trebellius objected ever and anon to Caelius and charged him with factious behaviour and confounding the order of discipline Caelius againe that Trebellius had spoiled and beggered the Legions But in the meane time whiles the Lieutenants thus jarred the modest cariage of the armie was marred and the discord at length grew so great that Trebellius was driven away with the railing of the Auxiliaries also in cohorts and wings sorting themselves to Caelius side was glad as a man forsaken to give place and flie to Vitellius The Province although the Consular Lieutenant Generall was absent remained in quiet whiles the Lieutenants of the Legions supplied the charge in right of equall authoritie But Caelius indeed bare the greater stroke because he was of more boldnesse Whiles the Civill war betweene Galba Otho and Vitellius grew hot Vectius Bolanus was by Vitellius sent to succeed him Neither troubled he Britanny with any discipline The same default continued still against the enimies and the like licentiousnesse in the campe saving onely that Bolanus a good honest harmelesse man and not odious for committing any crime had wonne himselfe love and good will in lieu of obedience and albeit Vitellius sent for aids out of Britanny yet Bolanus made no hast for that Britain was never quiet enough As for the Island that great favour and reputation in warlike affaires which Vespasian had gotten being Lieutenant there of the second Legion under Claudius did easily win it unto him yet not without some stir of the other Legions wherein many centurions and souldiers who had bin advanced by Vitellius were loth to change that Prince whom they had proved already And besides the souldiers of the fourteenth Legion called the subduers of Britain removed from thence by Nero to the Caspian wars and in the quarrell of Otho vanquished were by Vitellius sent backe into Britanny and called away againe by Mutianus letters For all this civill warre no quarrell nor mutinies there were in the Britaine armie And to say a truth during all the troubles of civill warres no Legions behaved themselves more harmelesse either because they were farre off and severed by the Ocean or for that they were taught by continuall service and soulderie to hate the rather all hostility and dealing with enemies Howbeit by meanes of these dissentions and rumours still of civill war the Britaines tooke heart and rebelled through the procurement of Venusius who besides a naturall fiercenesse of courage and hatred of the Roman name was incensed particularly by private unkindnesses between him and his wife Queene Carthismandua This Carthismandua was Queene of the Brigantes of high and noble linag who upon the delivery of King Caractacus whom shee tooke by fraud and sent to furnish and set out the triumph of Claudius that glorious spectacle I meane in manner of a triumph wherein Caractacus was shewed had woon favour with the Romans and greatly increased her strength Whereupon ensued wealth of wealth and prosperitie riotous and incontinent life in so much that casting off Venusius her husband and intercepting his kinsfolke shee joyned her selfe in marriage with Vellocatus his harnesse-bearer and crowned him King which foule fact was the overthrow immediately of her house The good will of the country went generally with the lawfull husband but the Queenes intemperate affections were peremptory and violent in maintaining her minion the adulterer Whereupon Venutius by the helpe of friends which he procured and the revolt of the Brigantes themselves made warre upon Carthismandua and brought her into great extremities Then upon her instant praier unto the Romans for aid our garrisons cohorts and wings were sent to defend her
warre At this time died Vespasian unto whom for these victories of the leaders and his owne vertue under Claudius Valerius Flaccus before his Poeme thus speaketh Tuque ô pelagi cui major aperti Fama Caledonius post quam tua carbasa vexit Oceanus Phrygios prius indignatus Iulos And thou for seas discovery whose fame did more appeare Since time thy ships with sailes full spred in Northerne Ocean were Which of the Trojan Julii erst did scorne the sailes to beare But when that Noble Titus THE LOVELY Deareling AND JOY OF THE WORLD succeeded his father Agricola when summer was once come assembling his armie together those souldiers of his who in marching behaved themselves in modest sort hee commended the loose and dissolute straglers he checked The places for pitching the campe hee designed himselfe the friths he sounded and the thickets he proved first in his owne person not suffering in the meane season any corner in the enemies country to be quiet but wasting and spoiling with sudden excursions and roads But when he had throughly terrified them then would he againe spare and forbeare alluring thereby their minds to friendship and peace Vpon which kind of proceeding many states that stood upon termes of equalitie before that day gave hostages and meekely submitted themselves receiving garrison and permitting to fortifie which he so wisely and with such great foresight and reason performed that nothing was ever attempted against them whereas before no new fortified place in all Britanny escaped unassailed The winter ensuing was spent in most profitable and politicke devises For whereas the Britaines were rude and dispersed and therefore prone upon every occasion to warre hee to induce them by pleasures unto quietnesse and rest exhorted them in private and helpt them in common to build temples houses and places of publique resort commending the forward and checking the slow imposing thereby a kind of necessitie upon them whiles each man contended to gaine honour and reputation thereby And now by this time the Noble mens sonnes he tooke and instructed in the liberall sciences preferring the wits of the Britaine 's before the students of France as being now curious to attaine the eloquence of the Roman language whereas they lately rejected their speech After that our attire grew to be in account and the Gowne much used among them Sâ— by little and little they fell to these provocations of vices to sumptuous galleries bathes yea and exquisite banquettings which things the ignorant termed civility being indeed a part of their bondage In the third yeare of his wars he discovered new countries wasting along till he came to the firth of Taus Which thing so terrified the enemies that although the armie was toiled out with cruell tempests yet durst they not assaile them and the Romans moreover had leasure space to fortifie there They which were skilfull that way observed that never any Captine did more advisedly chuse his places No Castle planted by Agricola ever was either forced by strength or upon conditions surrendred or as not defensible forsaken Many times they issued forth for against a long siege they were stored with a whole yeares provision So they wintered there without feare every garrison guarding it selfe and needing no helpe of their neighbours the enemies assaulting sometimes but in vaine without successe and driven thereupon to despaire For the losses of Summer they were commonly wont before to repaire with winter events but now summer and winter alike they went to the worse In all these actions Agricola never sought to draw unto himselfe the glory of any exploit done by another but were it Centurion or of other degree hee would faithfully witnesse the fact and yield him alwaies his due commendation By some hee is said to have beene somewhat bitter in checks and rebukes and indeed the man was as toward the good of a most sweet disposition so to the bad and lewd persons unpleasant and sower enough But this choler passed away with his words closenesse in him and silence you needed not to feare hee esteemed it more honest to offend then to hate The fourth summer was spent in perusing and ordering that which he had over-run And if the valiant minds of the armies and glory of the Roman name could have permitted or accepted it so they needed not to have sought other limit of Britaine For Glotta and Bodotria two armes of two contrary seas shooting a mightie way into the land are onely divided a sunder by a narrow partition of ground which passage was guarded and fortified then with garrison and castle so that the Romans were absolute Lords of all on this side having cast out the enemie as it were into another Island The fifth yeare of the warre Agricola first taking sea there went over and subdued with many and prosperous conflicts nations before that time unknowne and he furnished with forces that part of Britannie which lieth against Ireland more in hope than for feare For Ireland if it might have beene wonne lying between Britannie and Spaine and fitly also for the French sea would aptly have united to the great advantage of the one and the other these strongest members of the Empire together In bignesse it is inferiour to Britannie howbeit bigger than the Islands of our sea The soile and temperature of the aire the nature and fashions differ not much from the British The ports and places of accesse are better knowne by reason of more commerce and frequenting of merchants Agricola had received before a Prince of that country driven out by civill dissention whom under colour of courtesie and friendship he retained till occasion should serve I have heard him oftentimes say that with one Legion and some few Aides Ireland might bee wonne and possessed that it were also a strength for our British affaires If the Roman forces were planted each-where and libertie banisht as it were quite out of sight About this time died Titus who for these valiant Acts exploited by Agricola was the fifteenth â—ime named Imperator as Xiphilinus writeth and an ancient piece of coine witnesseth with him Then Agricola under Domitian in the summer which began the sixth yeare of his office because a generall rising in armes of all the farther Nations beyond Bodotria was feared passages were all beset with a power of the enemies manned a fleet to search the Creeks and Harboroughes of that ample region which lieth beyond it Which being by Agricola then first taken and emploied as a part of his strength followed after a long and made a goodly brave shew while at one time warre both by sea and land went forward And oft it so chanced that the horseman footman and sea-souldier met and made merrie in the same campe one with another extolling and magnifying each their owne prowesse and adventures making their vaunts comparisons souldier-like the one of the woods high mountaines the other of dangerous tempests and
billowes the one of the land and enemie conquered the other of the Ocean subdued The Britains as by the prisoners was understood were amazed also at the sight of the navie as though now the secrets of their sea were disclosed and no refuge remained if they were overcome Whereupon the Caledonians arming with great preparation and greater bruit thereof as the manner is of matters unknowne having of themselves first set in hand to assault our Castles braved our men and put them in feare as Chalengers in so much that some of our side who would seeme to be wise but were dastards indeed counselled the Generall to retire on this side Bodotria and that the best course was to depart of their own accord rather than to be repelled with shame in the mean while Agricola takes knowledge that the enemies meant to divide themselves and to give the onset in severall Companies whereupon lest hee should bee enclosed about and entrapped by their multitude and skill in the country he also marched with his armie divided in three Which when it was knowne to the enemie they on a sodaine changing advise and uniting their forces together joyntly assaulted by night the ninth Legion as being of weakest resistance and having slaine the watch partly asleep and partly amazed with feare brake into the campe And now were they fighting within the very trenches when Agricola having intelligence given him by Spies what way the enemies had taken and following withall their footsteps commanded the lightest horsemen and footmen to play on their backs and maintaine the skirmish and the whole armie anone to second them with a shout And when it drew neere to day the glittering of the ensignes was seene So the Britaines were quailed with a duple danger but the Romans recovered courage againe and being past perill of their persons fought now for their honour freshly assailing their late assailers And verily within the streights of the gates the conflict was sharpe and cruell till in the end the enemies were forced to flie whilest both our armies contended the one would seeme to have helped their fellows the other to have needed none other to help them and if the bogs and wood had not covered their flight that one victory had ended the warre Vpon this battell so manfully fought so famously wonne the armie presuming that to their prowesse all things were easie and open cried To lead into Caledonia and to find out the limit of Britan with a course of a continued Conquests and even those who ere while were so warie and wise waxt forward enough after the event and grew to speak bigly such is the hard condition of warres If ought fall out well all challenge a part misfortunes are ever imputed to one Contrariwise the Britans presupposing that not valour but the cunning of the Generall by using the occasion had carried it away abated no whit of their stomacke but armed their youth transported their children and wives into places of safetie and sought by assemblies and religious rites to establish an association of their Cities and States together And so for that yeare both parties departed away incensed The same summer a cohort of Vsipians levied in Germanie and sent over into Britan committed a hainous and memorable Act. For having slaine a Centurion and certaine souldiers intermingled among other manciples and set over them for direction of discipline they fled and embarqued themselves in three pinnaces compelling by force the Masters of the said vessels to execute their charge and only one doing his office the other two being suspected and thereupon slaine this strange going out and putting to sea the fact as yet not noised abroade was gazed and wondred at afterwards being driven uncertainly hither and thither and having skirmished with the Britains standing in defence of their owne often prevailing and sometimes repulsed they came at last to that miserie that they were enforced to eat one another first the weakest then as the lot lighted Thus after they had floated round about Britain and lost their vessels for lacke of government they were intercepted first by the Suevians then by Frisians as Pirats and Rovers Now some of them there were that being bought by merchants as slaves and by change of Masters brought to our side of the river grew into a name by giving first notice of so great and so rare an adventure In the beginning of Summer Agricola was deepely touched with a grievous mischance that happened in his owne house for he lost his owne Sonne about a yeare old Which infortunate hap he neither bare out as most of these great men do in the like case vaine-gloriously nor tooke it againe so impatiently with sorrow and lamentation as women are wont and amidst his mourning used the warre as one of his remedies Therefore having sent his fleete afore which by spoiling in sundry places should induce a greater and more uncertaine terrour upon his enemies hee made ready and followed after with his armie joyning thereto some of the valiantest Britaine 's whom by long experience in peace he had found most faithfull and so came as farre as to the mount Grampias where the enemies were lodged before For the Britans nothing danted with the event of the former battell and attending for nothing else but revenge or servitude and being taught at length that common danger must bee repelled with concord by embassages and league made had raised the power of all their Cities and States together And now by this time there were entred into the field the view being taken above thirty thousand armed men besides an endlesse number of youth which daily flocked to them still yea and lusty old men renowned in warr and bearing every one the badge due to their honour at what time among many other leaders Galgacus for his valour birth the principall man seeing the multitude thus assembled hotly to demand battell is said to have used this speech unto them When I view and consider the causes of this warre and our present necessitie I have reason me seemes to presume that this day and this your agreeing consent will give a happy beginning to the freedome of the whole Island For both have we all hitherto lived in liberty besides no land remaineth beyond no nor so much as sea for our safegard The Romane navie thus as you see hoovering upon our coasts so that Combat and armes which valiant men desire for honour the dastard must also use for his best securitie the former battels which have with divers events been fought against the Romanes had their hope and refuge resting in our hands Because we the flower of the British Nobilitie and seated therefore the furthermost in never seeing the coasts of the countries which serve in slaverie have kept even our eies unpolluted and free from all contagion of tyrannie Beyond us is no land beside us none are free us hitherto this very corner and the inward recesse
time as hee served in Britaine under Aurelian tooke to wife Helena daughter of Coelus or Coelius a British Prince on whom he begat that noble Constantine the Great in Britaine For so together with that great Historiographer Baronius the common opinion of all other writers with one consent beareth witnesse unlesse it be one or two Greeke authors of late time and those dissenting one from the other and a right learned man grounding upon a corrupt place of Iul. Firmicus Howbeit compelled he was by Maximian to put her away for to mary Theodora his daughter This is that Helena which in antike Inscription is called VENERABILIS and PIISSIMA AVGVSTA and for Christian piety for clensing Ierusalem of Idols for building a goodly Church in the place where our Lord suffered and for finding the Saving Crosse of Christ is so highly commended of Ecclesiasticall writers And yet both Iewes and Gentiles termed her by way of ignominy and reproach Stabularia because shee a most godly Princesse sought out the crib or manger wherein Christ was borne and in the place where stood that hostelry founded a Church Hereupon S. Ambrose They say that this Lady was at first an Inholder or Hostesse c. Well this good hostesse Helena hastned to Ierusalem and sought out the place of our Lords passion and made so diligent search for the Lords crib This good hostesse was not ignorant of that host which cured the wayfaring mans hurts that was wounded by theeves This good hostesse chose to be reputed a dung-farmer that she might thereby gâ—ine Christ. And verily no lesse praise and commendation goeth of her husband Constantius for his piety and moderation A man who having utterly rejected the superstition of the ungodly in worshipping divers gods willingly of himselfe acknowledged one God the Ruler of all things Whereupon to try the faith and beleefe in God of his owne Courtiers hee put it to their free choice either to sacrifice unto those gods and so to stay with him or els to refuse and depart But those that would depart rather than renounce and forsake their faith to God hee kept with him still casting off all the rest who he supposed would prove disloiall unto him seeing they had abandoned their beleefe in the true God This most noble and worthy Emperor in his last British expedition against the Caledonians and the Picts died at Yorke leaving behind him his sonne Constantine Emperor his successor and Caesar elect Some few daies before the death of Constantius his sonne Constantius rode from Rome to Yorke on post horses and the rest which were kept at the charges of the State hee maimed and lamed all the way as hee went because no man should pursue him and there he received his fathers last breath Whereupon an ancient Orator spake thus unto him Thou entredst this sacred place not as a competitor of the Empire but as heire apparant and ordained already and forthwith that fathers house of thine saw thee the lawfull successor For there was no doubt but that the inheritance duly belonged unto him whom the destinies had ordained the first begotten sonne unto the Emperor Yet for all that constrained in maner by the souldiers and especially by the meanes of Erocus King of the Almanes who by way of aid accompanied him advanced hee was to the Imperiall dignity The souldiers regarding rather the publike good of the common-wealth than following his affections invested him in the purple roabe weeping and setting spurs to his horse because hee would avoid the endeavor of the armie that called so instantly upon him c but the felicity of the common-wealth overcame his modesty And hereof it is that the Panegyrist crieth out in these words O fortunate Britaine and more happy now than all other lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar And now Caesar at his very entrance having first pursued the reliques of that war which his father had begun against the Caledonians and other Picts and set upon those Britans more remote and the Inhabitants of the Ilands lying there the witnesses as one said of the Suns setting some of them hee subdued by force and armes others for you must thinke he aspired to Rome and higher matters by offering fees and stipends he allured and drew to be associates and there were besides of them whom of open enemies he made his friends and of old adversaries his very familiars Afterwards having vanquished the Frankners in Batavia and that with so great glory that he stamped certaine golden pieces of coine whereof I have seene one with the Image of a woman sitting under a Trophee and leaning with one hand upon a crossebow or a brake with this subscription FRANCIA and this writing about it GAVDIVM ROMANORVM Having also overthrowne the Barbarians in Germany won unto him the German and French Nations and levied souldiers out of Britaine France and Germany to the number in all of 90000. foot and 8000. horsemen hee departed into Italie overcame Maxentius who at Rome had challenged to himselfe the Empire and having conquered Italy and vanquished the Tyrant he restored unto the whole world the blessed gifts of secure libertie and as we find in the Inscription of an Antiquitie INSTINCTV DIVINITATIS MENTIS MAGNITVDINE CVM EXERCITV SVO TAM DE TYRANNO QVAM DE OMNI EIVS FACTIONE UNO TEMPORE IVSTIS REMP. ULTVS EST ARMIS that is By instinct of the divine power with great magnanimitie and the helpe of his owne armie at one time in the behalfe of the Common wealth he was by lawfull warre revenged as well of the Tyrant himselfe as of his whole faction Howbeit that he returned againe into Italy Eusebius implieth in these words Constantine quoth he passed over to the Britans enclosed on every side within the bankes of the Ocean whom when hee had overcome hee began to compasse in his mind other parts of the world to the end he might come in time to succour those that wanted helpe And in another place After he had furnished his armie with mild and modest instructions of pietie he invaded Britaine that he might likewise instruct those who dwell environed round about with the waves of the Ocean bounding the Suns setting as it were with his coasts And of Britan are these verses of Optatianus Porphyrius unto Constantine 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 sustollunt signa cohortes From Northern bounds the land throughout where bleak North-west winds blowen Lov 's lawes of peace right ancient and ever during knowen Prest alwaies in their loyaltie for service in thy right With valiant and
souldiers saluted Emperor a valiant man vertuous worthy of the title of Augustus but that against his allegiance he had by way of tyranny usurpation attained to the place Who at the first couragiously vanquished the Picts Scots that used to make many inrodes into the Province afterwards with all the flower and strength well neere of British forces arrived in the mouth of Rhene and procured unto himselfe the whole puissance of the German armies ordained the Royall seat of the Empire to be at Triers whereupon stiled he was by the name of Trevericus Imperator spreading as Gildas saith his wings the one as far as to Spaine the other into Italy with the terror only of his name levied tributes and pensions for souldiers pay of the most fell and savage nations in Germanie Against whom Gratianus having led an armie after five daies skirmishing being forsaken of his owne souldiers and put to flight sent Saint Ambrose Embassadour to treat for peace which he obtained indeed but the same full of treacherous guile For Maximus suborned and sent under-hand one Andragathius riding in a close litter or carroch with a rumour spread abroad that therein rode the wife of Gratian. Unto which when Gratian was come for love of his wife and had opened the said litter forth leapes Andragathius with his companie and slew him outright in the place Whose body for to demand was Ambrose sent a second time howbeit not admitted because he refused to communicate with those Bishops that sided with Maximus Who being lifted up and proud of those things hapning to his mind appointed his sonne Victor to be Caesar dealt cruelly with Gratians Captaines and setled the State in France Theodosius Augustus who governed in the East at the requests or mandates rather of his Embassadours acknowledged him Emperour and exhibited his Image unto the Alexandrines for to be seene in publike place And now having by violence and extortion entred upon the estates of all men with the utter undoing of the common-wealth hee fulfilled his owne greedie avarice Hee made the defence of Catholike Religion his pretences to colour his tyrannie Priscillian and certaine of his Sectaries convict of hereticall and false doctrine in the Synode or Councell of Burdeaux and appealing unto him hee condemned to death although Martin that most holy Bishop of Tourain or Tours most humbly besought to forbeare shedding the bloud of those poore wretches avouching that it was sufficient to deprive such as were judged heretikes and put them out of their Churches by the definitive sentence of Bishops and that it was a strange and unexampled hainous deed that a secular Judge should determine causes of the Church And these were the first that being executed by the civill sword left a foule and dangerous president to posteritie After this he entred Italie with so great terrour that Ualentinian together with his mother were glad to flie unto Theodosius the cities of Italie received him and did him all the honour that might be but the Bononians above the rest among whom this Inscription is yet to be seene DD. NN. MAG C. MAXIMO ET FL. UICTORI PIIS FELICIBVS SEMPER AVGVSTIS B. R. NATIS To our Great Lords C. Maximus Fl Victor Pious Happie Alwaies Augusti borne for the good of the Common-wealth Meane while Nannius and Quintinus Masters in militarie skill unto whom Maximus had committed the infancie of his sonne and the custodie of Gaule gave the Frankners who annoied Gaule with their incursions a mightie great overthrow and forced them to give hostages and deliver into their hands the Authors of the warre As for Valentinian he earnestly besought Theodosius to succour him dispoiled of his Empire by a Tyrant from whom for a good while he could have none other answer but this That no marvel it is if a seditious servant became superiour to that Lord who casteth off the true Lord indeed For Valentinian was corrupted with Arianisme Howbeit wearied at length with his importunate praiers he setteth forward in warlike manner against Maximus who in the same time abode in Aquileia very secure fearlesse For he had before-hand fortified the streits between the mountains with garrisons and the havens with shipping so that with great alacritie and much confidence at the first hee welcomed Theodosius with one battel before Syscia in Pannonia afterwards most valiantly received him with another under the leading of his brother Marcellus but in both of them he sped so badly that he withdrew himselfe secretly into Aquileia where by his owne souldiers as he dealt money among them taken he was and devested of his Imperiall ornaments brought before Theodosius who immediatly delivered him into the hangmans hand to be executed after that he had now worne the purple roabe five yeares Whereupon Ausonius writeth thus in praise of Aquileia Non erat iste locus meritò tamen aucta recenti Nona inter claras Aquileia cieberis urbes Itala ad Illyricos objecta colonia montes Moenibus portu celeberrima sed magis illud Eminet extremo quòd te sub tempore legit Solverat exacto cui justa piacula lustro Maximus armigeri quondam sub nomine lixae Foelix qui tanti spectatrix laeta Triumphi Punîsti Ansonio Rutupinum Marte Latronem This was no place of name but since that fresh desert gave grace Thou Aquileia of cities faire shalt be the ninth in place A Colonie Italian gainst hils Illyrian set For strong wals and commodious haven right well renown'd but yet This passeth all the rest that he his choice of thee did make Against his latter daies who did revengement justly take Of Maximus a base campe-Squire that sometimes knowne to be Had now usurped five yeares past and ruled with tyrannie Right happy thou of Triumph such that had'st the joyfull sight Killing this Robber Rhutupine by maine Italian might Andragathus whose state was now most desperate cast himselfe from shipboard headlong into the Sea Victor the sonne of Maximus was in France defeated taken prisoner and slaine But those Britans who tooke part with Maximus as some writers doe record forcibly invaded Armorica in France and there planted themselves Now Theodosius presently after his victorie entred Rome with his Sonne Honorius in triumph and published an Edict to this effect No man so hardy as to challenge or claime that honour which the bold Tyrant had granted but that such presumption should bee condemned and reduced to the former estate And Valentinian in these words All judgements and awards whatsoever that Maximus the most wicked and detestable Tyrant that ever was hath given forth to be promulged and enacted we reverse and condemne But Saint Ambrose in his funerall Sermon of Theodosius crieth out in these termes That Eugenius and Maximus by their wofull example doe testifie in hell what a heavie thing it is to beare armes against
their naturall Princes To speake in a word this victory was held to be so worthy and memorable that the Romans from thence forward solemnized that day every yeare as festivall There succeeded Theodosius in the West Empire his sonne Honorius a child ten yeares old over whom was ordained as Tutor and Protector Flavius Stilicho a man passing famous for a long time as who being an inward companion of Theodosius in all his warres and victories and by degrees of militarie service advanced unto high authoritie and the Princes affinitie in the end cloied and glutted with prosperitie and carried away through ambition miserably lost his life This man surely for certaine yeares had a provident regard of the Empires good estate and defended Britaine against the invasion of Picts Scots and Vandals And hereof it is that Britaine speaketh thus of her selfe in Claudian Me quoque vicinis pereuntem gentibus inquit Munivit Stilicho totam quum Scotus Hibernem Movit infesto spumavit remige Thetis Illius effectum curis ne bella timorem Scotica nec Pictum tremerem ne littore toto Prospicerem dubiis venientem Saxona ventis And me likewise at hand quoth she to perish in despight Of neighbour Nations Stilicho protected 'gainst their might What time the Scots all Ireland mov'd offensive armes to take And with the stroke of enemies ores the Sea much fome did make He brought to passe his care was such that I the Scotish warre Should feare no more nor dread the Picts ne yet ken from a farre Along the shore whiles I looke still when wavering winds will turne The Saxons comming under saile my coasts to spoile and burne And thus for that time Britaine seemed safe enough from any danger of enemies For in another place that Poet writeth thus Domito quod Saxona Thetis Mitior aut fracto Secura Britannia Picto What either seas more quiet now that Saxons conquer'd are Or Britaine become secure since Picts subdued were And when Alaricus King of the Gothes hovered about Rome seeking meanes to assault and spoile it that Legion which in the marches kept Station against the Barbarians was called from hence as Claudian signifieth when he reckoneth up the aids sent for from all parts Venit extremis legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat fraena truci ferroque notatas Perlegit exanimes Picto moriente figuras The Legion also came which did for British frontiers lie In garrison that curbs fell Scots and doth pursue with eie Those yron-brent markes in Picts now seene all bloudlesse as they die In these daies flourished Fastidius a Bishop of Britaine and wrote bookes of divine learning I assure you Chrysanthâ—s likewise the sonne of Bishop Martian who having beene a Consular deputy in Italy under Theodosius and made Uicar of Britan deserved that praise and admiration for his good mannaging of the common-weale that he was against his will enstalled at Constantinople Bishop of the Novatians who having made a schisme in that Church and calling themselves Cathari had Bishops apart of their owne and sectaries who stoutly but impiously denied that such as after baptisme received fell by relapse into sinne could not returne againe and bee saved This is that Bishop who as wee read in histories of all Ecclesiasticall revenues and profits was wont to reserve nothing for himselfe but two loaves of bread onely on the Lords day When as now the Roman Empire began to decline and decay and barbarous Nations every way made foule havocke of the provinces all over the Continent the British armes fearing least the flame of their neighbours fire might flash out and catch hold likewise of them supposing also that they stood in need of some Generall Soveraign commander to expell the Barbarians addressed themselves to the election of Emperors First therefore they enthronized in the royall seat Marcus and him they obeied as one that in these parts bare the chief soveraignty But afterward having made him away because his carriage was not answerable unto theirs they bring foorth and set up Gratian countryman of their owne him they crowned and arraied in the regall purple and him they dutifully attended upon as their Prince Howbeit upon a mislike that they tooke to him also at foure moneths end they deprive him of his Empire take away his life and made over the Soveraignty of State to one Constantine a souldier of the meanest place onely because his name imported as they thought the osse of good luck For they conceived assured hope that he by the fortunate name of Constantine would likewise constantly and fortunately governe the Empire and dispatch all enemies like as that Constantine he Great had done who in Britaine was advanced to the Imperiall dignitie This Constantine putting to sea from Britan landed at Bologne in France and easily induced withal the Roman forces as far as to the Alpes to joyne with him in his war Valentia in France he manfully defended against the puissance of Honorius Augustus the Roman Emperor the Rhene which long before had been neglected he fortified with a garison Upon the Alpes as well Cottiae and Peninae as those toward the maritime coasts where ever there was any passage he built fortresses In Spaine under the leading and name of his sonne Constans whom of a Monk he had denounced Augustus or Emperor he warred with fortunate successe and afterwards by letters sent unto Honorius requesting to be held excused for suffering the purple forcibly to be done upon him by the souldiers received at his hands of free gift the Imperiall roabe Whereupon he became prouder than before and after he had passed over the Alpes intended to march directly to Rome but hearing that Alaricus the King of the Goths who had sided with him was dead hee retired himselfe to Arles where he planted his Imperiall seat commanded the Citie to be called Constantina and ordained therein that the assemblies for Assizes of 7. provinces should be held His sonne Constans hee sendeth for out of Spaine to the end that meeting together they might consult as touching the State Who leaving the furniture of his Court and wife at Caesar Augusta and committing the charge of all matters within Spaine to Gerontius came speedily without intermission of journey to his father When they had met together after many daies Constantinus seeing no feare of any danger from Italy gave himselfe wholly to gluttony and belli-cheere and so adviseth his sonne to returne into Spaine But when he had sent his forces to march before whiles he abode still with his father newes came out of Spaine that Maximus one of his vassals and followers was by Gerontius set up and advanced to the Empire and having about him a strong power and retinue of barbarous nations prepared to come against them Whereat they being affrighted Constans and Decimius Rusticus who of the Master of Offices was
Poictou encountred them and were a barre that the Gothes possessed not themselves of all France For they sided with Anthemius the Roman Emperour against the Gothes so far forth that Aruandus was condemned for treason because in his letters sent unto the King of the Gothes he had given counsell to set upon the Britans dwelling over the river Loire and to divide France betweene the Gothes and Burgundians These Britans were a kind of people witty and subtile warlike tumultuous and in regard of their valour number and association stubborne in which termes Sidonius Apollinaris complaineth of them unto Riothimus his friend for so himselfe calleth him but Jornandes nameth him King of the Britans who afterward being sent for by Anthemius came with a power of 12. thousand men to aid the Romans but before that they joyned with them being with his owne forces vanquished in open field by the Gothes hee fled unto the Burgundians confederate with the Romans From that time the native Armoricans being by little and little subdued the name of the Britans in these parts where they were newly seated grew so great that generally all the Inhabitants there passed by little and little into the name of Britans like as this whole tract was called Britannia Armorica and of the Frankners Britannia Cismarina that is Britan on this side the sea and thereupon I. Scaliger versified thus Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca jugo The nations Aremorican stout Britan overcame And with the yoke of servitude gave them her ancient name For they turned the edge of their weapons upon those their friends that gave them entertainement as appeareth evidently both by other testimonies and also by these words of Regalis Bishop of Vennes as touching himself and his We living saith he in captivitie under the Britans are subject to a grievous and heavie yoke Moreover in the times succeeding they couragiously maintained themselves and their estates First under petty Kings afterwards under Counts and Dukes against the French albeit as Glaber Rodolphus writeth Their only wealth was immunitie from paiments to the publique Treasurie and plentie of milke Also 500. yeares since William of Malmesbury wrote thus of them A kind of people they are needy and poore in their owne country otherwise also with foraine mony waged and purchasing a laborious and painfull life If they be well paid they refuse not so much as to serve in civill war one against another without all regard of right or kindred but according to the quantitie of mony readie with their service for what part soever you would have them BRITANS OF VVALES AND CORNWALES THe rest of the Britans who pitifully distressed in their own native countrey were put to seeke for their countrey were overlaied with so great calamities as no man is able sufficiently to expresse acccording to the nature of such horrible particulars as being not only molested grievously by the Saxons Picts Scots who made cruel war upon them far neere but also oppressed under the proud and intollerable rule of wicked tyrants in all places Now who those tyrants were and of what quality about the yeare of our Lord 500. have here in few words out of Gildas who then lived and was an eie witnesse Constantine a Tyrant among the Danmonij albeit he had sworne in expresse words before God and the companie of holy Saints that he would performe the office of a good Prince yet in two Churches under the sacred vesture of an Abbat flew two children of the bloud royall together with their Fosters two right valiant men and many yeares before having put away his lawfull wife was foulie defiled with a number of foule filthie adulteries Aurelius Conanus wallowing in the mire of Parricidies and adulteries hating the peace of his countrie is left alone as a tree withering in the open field whose father and brethren were with a wild youthfull and overweening phantasie carried away and by untimely death surprized Vortiporius tyrant of the Dimetae the ungratious sonne of a good father like to a Panther in manners so variably spotted with vices of divers sorts when his head was now waxen hoary and gray sitting in his throne full of craft and guile and the same defiled with Paricidies or murthers of his owne kinred and with adulteries beside cast off his owne wife and filthily abused her daughter unawares and unwitting yea and he tooke also her life away Cuneglasus in the Roman tongue Lanio fulvus that is the Lyon tawney Butcher a Beare sitting and riding upon many the driver of that chariot which holdeth the Beare a contemner of God an oppressor of the Clergie fighting against God with grievous sinnes and warring upon man with materiall armour and weapons turned away his wife provoked the Saints and holy men with manifold injuries proudly conceited of his owne wisedome and setting his hope in the uncertaintie of riches Maglocunus Dragon of the Isles the deposer of many Tyrants out of Kingdome and life both the most forward in all mischiefe for power and malicious wickednesse together greater then many more a large giver but a more prodigall and profuse sinner stronger in armes higher also than all the Potentates of Britaine as well in royall dominion as in the stature and lineaments of his person In his youthfull daies with sword and fire he brought to destruction his Vncle by the mothers side being then King together with many right hardy and redoubted servitours After that phantasie of a violent course of rule according to his desire was gone upon a remorse of conscience for his sinnes vowed to bee a professed Monke but soone after returning to his vomit breaking the said vow of Monkes profession he despised his first marriage and became enamoured upon the wife of his brothers sonne whiles he was living the said brothers sonne and his owne wife after hee had kept her for a certaine time hee murthered and then maried that brothers sonnes wife whom hee before had loved But I must leave the report of these things to History writers who hitherto have falsly set downe that these Tyrants succeeded one after another whereas in truth as we may perceive by Gildas who speaketh unto them severally and personally one by one they all at once and the very same time usurped tyranny in divers quarters of the Island And now to returne The residue of Britans remaining alive withdrew themselves into the westerne parts of the Island naturally fenced with mountaines and inlets of the sea to those parts I meane which now we call Wales and Cornwall The Inhabitants of the one the Saxons named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like as those in Gaule Galweales For Walsh with them signifieth strange and forraine whence also the Wallons in the low Countries and the Vallachians upon the river Dunow had their
name For then begun they to rove upon the coasts of France and England and were by the writers that penned in Latine the histories of England named Winccingi for that they practised Piracie for Wiccinga in the Saxon tongue as Alfricus witnesseth doth signifie a Pirat that runneth from creek to creeke also Pagani that is Painims because as yet they were not become Christians but the Angles themselves in their language termed them Deniscan and often times Heathon-mâ—n as one would say Ethnicks Of these Danes listen to Dudo of Saint Quintins an author of good antiquitie out of the Librarie of John Stow that most studious Antiquarie of the Citie of London which was never shut from me The Danes swarmed from out of Scanza that is Scandia like bees out of an hive in manifold diuersitie and barbarous manner after they had in heat lascivious lust and wantonnesse engendred an innumerable of-spring Who after they were growne to ripenesse of yeares falling to hot contention for goods and lands with their fathers and grand-fathers yea and often times among themselves when they once overflowed and grew so populous that they could have no roome sufficient for to inhabite in the place wherein they presently dwelt having gathered together by lot a multitude of youth and springals after a most ancient custome were thrust out into forraine Realmes to conquer unto themselves lands by dint of sword wherein they might live But in the full performance of dicharging those that should be thus sent out and in mustering up their armies they sacrificed unto THVR whom they worshipped in old time as their Lord for whom they killed not any sheepe oxen or other cattell but offered mens bloud Thinking that to be the most precious holocaust and sacrifice of all others because when the Priest by casting lots had predestinated who should die they were all at once deadly smitten upon the head with oxe yokes and when every one that was chosen by lot had his braines dashed out at one severall stroke laid along hee was on the ground and sought out there was with narrow prying the fibre that is to say the veine of the heart on the left side and having after their manner drawne out the bloud thereof and stricken it upon the heads of their friends speedily they hoise up sailes and thinking that they please their God with such an act they immediatly put to Sea and fall to their ores Moreover there is another manner or rather a most foule and detestable superstition which the Danes used in pacifying their Gods and this doth Ditmarus the Bishop who was of greater antiquitie somewhat than Dudo in these words describe But because I have heard strange and wonderfull things of the ancient Sacrifices that the Danes and Normans used I will not over passe the same There is in these parts a place and the chiefe it is of this kindome called Lederum in a province named Selon where every ninth yeare in the moneth of Januarie after the time in which we celebrate the Nativitie of our Lord they all assemble together and there they kill and sacrifice unto their Gods ninetie and nine men and as many horses with dogs and cocks for the hauks which the Gods sent them certainly perswading themselves as I said before that by the same they should please them About the time of Egbert in the yeare of Christ 800. they first landed on our sea-coasts afterwards with such tumults and hurliburlies as never the like was heard of having for many yeares made foule havock over all England razing cities firing Churches and wasting countries they let out the raines loose to all barbarous crueltie driving harrying spoyling and turning all upside downe where ever they went Thus after they had killed the Kings of the Mercians East-Angles seazed upoÌ„ their Kingdomes with a great part of the Kingdome of Northumberland Then was there a tribute called Dangelt imposed upon the poore people for the repressing of their robberies and outrages and that you may know what manner of imposition this was I would have you to reade these few lines copied out of our ancient Lawes The paiment of Dangelt was at the first ordained for Pirats For by sore annoying the countrey they went on and did what they could to waste it utterly And verily to keepe downe their insolencie it was enacted that Dangelt should yearely be paid that is twelve pence out of every hide of land throughout the whole country for to hire and wage those that might resist and withstand their invasion Also of this Dangelt was every Church freed and quit as also all lands that were in the proper Demesies of those Churches wheresoever they lay paying nothing at all in such a contribution as this because they trusted more in the prayers of the Church than in their defence by force of armes But when as now they assaile and set upon Aelfred King of the West-Saxons he one while by retiring and giving them ground otherwhiles by preassing hard upon them with his victorious forces not only did put them back from his owne country but also having slaine a Danish-petty-king of the Mercians expelled them in manner quite out of all Mercia and his sonne Edward the elder following in traine of his fathers victories when he had put the Danes to flight brought East England to his subjection like as Adelstane his base sonne speedily marching to atchieve victories with great slaughter of the Danes subdued Northumberland and so terribly pursued the Danes that they were forced either to depart the realme or to submit themselves unto him By the valorous prowesse of these Princes England recovered out of the whirlepit of calamities and rested from that bloody warre by the space of 50. yeares But while Etheldred a man of a dull and soft spirit raigned the Danes taking advantage of his cowardise strooke up alarme and sounded the battaile againe and having wasted the country constrained the Englishmen to redeeme their peace yearely with a great sum of monie and so insolently they bare themselves that the Englishmen conspired generally together and in one night murdred all the Danes every mothers sonne of them throughout all England thinking by the effusion of bloud to quench the fire of Danish warre which brake out neverthelesse into a more pernicious flame For Sueno King of the Danes provoked with this slaughter of his people invaded England with a puissant armie and having in a furious and enraged mood made much spoile he put Etheldred to flight subdued the whole Kingdome and left the same unto his sonne Canutus who having encountred in many cruell and sharpe battailes and those with variable fortune fought with Etheldred now returned and his sonne Edmund surnamed Iron-side had two of his sonnes succeeded after him to wit Harald a bastard and Canutus the Hardie After they were dead and the Danish yoke shaken off the Kingdome fell
againe unto the English For Edward who in regard of his holinesse was surnamed The Confessor the sonne of Etheldred by his second wife recovered the Crowne and royall Dignitie Now began England to take breath againe but soone after as saith the Poet Mores rebus cessêre secundis Prosperitie perverted manners The Priests were idle drowsie and unlearned the people given to riot and loose life they grew also through rest to be lither discipline lay as it were dead the commonwealth sick as one would say of an infinite sort of vices lay in consumption and pined away but pride above all whose waiting maid is destruction was come to a mightie head And as Gervasius Dorobornensis of that time speaketh They fell so fast to commit wickednesse that to be ignorant of any sinfull crimes was held to be a crime All which most evidently foreshewed destruction The Englishmen of those times as William of Malmesburie writeth went lightly appointed with their garments reaching but to the mid knee their heads shorne their beards shaven but the upper lip uncut where the mustaches grew continually wearing massie bracelets of gold about their armes carrying markes upon their skin pounced in of sundry colours The Clergie contenting themselves with triviall literature could scarsly back and hew out the words of the Sacrament THE NORMANS LIke as in ancient times out of that East coast of Germanie in respect of us which tendeth Northward the Franks first and then the Saxons grievously annoied both France Gaule and Britaine with their depredations so that in the end the one became Lords of Britaine the other of France even so in these later daies ensuing the Danes first and afterward the Normans succeeding in their place from out of the same coast did the like As if it were fatally given unto that tract by the dispose and providence of Almightie God to conceive still and often times to send out of her wombe nations to afflict France and Britaine yea and to establish new Kingdomes therein These Normans were so called of the Northerne quarter or climate from whence they came for Normans be nothing else but Men of the North in which sense also they are named Nordleudi that is a Northerne people for a mixt nation they were of the most valiant Norvegians Suedens and Danes In the time of Charles the Great they practised roving and piracie in such cruell manner about Frisia Belgia England Ireland and France that when the said Charles the Great saw their roving ships in the Mediterranean sea he shed teares abundantly and with a grievous deepe sigh said Heavie I am at the heart that in my life time they durst once come upon this coast and I foresee what mischiefe they will worke hereafter to my posteritie Yea and in the publique Processions and Letanies of Churches this afterwards was added to the rest From the race of Normans Good Lord deliver us They drave the French to that extremitie that King Charles the Bald was forced to give unto Hasting a Norman Arch-pirate the Earledome of Charters for to asswage the mans furie King Charles the Grosse granted unto Godfrey the Norman a part of Neustria with his daughter also in marriage But afterwards by force and armes they seated themselves neere unto the mouth of the river Sein in a country which before time was corruptly called Neustria because it had beene a parcell of Westrasia For so the writers of the middle time named that which the Germans used to call Westen-rijch that is the West-kingdome and doth comprise all that lieth betweene the rivers of Loyre and Seine Which tooke the name of Normandie afterwards of them as it were the region of Northerne men when King Charles the simple had confirmed it unto their Prince Rollo whose Godfather he was at his Baptisme to bee held in Fee by homage and withall bestowed upon him his daughter in marriage At which time as we reade in an old Manuscript belonging to the Monasterie of Angiers Charles surnamed Stultus gave Normandie to Rollo and his daughter Gista with it This Rollo daigned not to kisse the foote of Charles and when his friends about him admonished him to kisse the Kings foote as his homager for the receit of so great a benefit hee answered in the English tongue Ne se by God which they interpret thus NO BY GOD The King then and his Courtiers deriding him and corruptly repeating his speech called him Bigod whereupon the Normans be at this day called Bigodi Hence also peradventure it is that the Frenchmen even still use to call hypocrites and superstitious folke Bigod This Rollo who being baptised received therewith the name of Robert some writers report to have become a Christian but in shew and colour onely others upon good deliberation and in earnest and they adde moreover that hee was warned so to doe by God in a dreame which I pray you give me leave being a man for all this that doateth not upon dreames to relate without suspicion of vanitie from the credit of writers in those daies The report goeth that as he sailed he dreamed he saw himselfe fouly infected with the leprosie but when hee was washed once in a most cleare spring at the foot of an high hill hee recovered and was cleansed thereof and anon climbed up to the top of the said hill This Dreame when he reported a Christian that was a captive in the same ship with him interpreted it in this wise The Leprosie was the impious worship of Idol gods wherewith he was tainted that the spring betokned the holy Laver of Regeneration wherewith being once cleansed he should ascend up the hill that is attaine unto high honor and heaven it selfe This Rollo begat William surnamed Long-espee of the long sword which he used to weare and William begat Richard the first of that name Whose sonne and nephew by his son carrying both his name succeeded after him in the Duchie of Normandie but when Richard the third was dead without issue his brother Robert was Duke in his stead who of his concubine begat that William whom wee commonly name The Conquerour and the Bastard All these were every one for their noble acts atchieved both at home and abroad most renowned Princes Now whiles this William being of ripe yeares ruled Normandie Edward the holy surnamed CONFESSOR King of England and the last of the Saxons line departed out of this world unto his heavenly country to the great misse and losse of his people who being the sonne of Ladie Emma cosen to William and daughter to Richard the first of that name Duke of Normandie whiles hee remained in Normandie banished had promised unto him that he should succeed after him in the Crowne of England But Harold the sonne of Godwin and Great Master or Steward of King Edwards house usurped the Kingdome whom to dispossesse his brother Tosto of one side
how hard it was for a new Prince and an usurper to maintaine his royall place and dignitie without an opinion of pietie and vertue for to blot out that his offence given and to establish his Scepter did all he possibly could for the promoting of religion and preferment of Churchmen and to beautifie and adorne Monasteries and religious houses Edgar Aetheling Earle of Oxford and all the nobles he entertained with all love and favour the people he eased of theire tributes he gave bountifully a great largesse of mony to poore people and in one word with faire speech and affable language with mild hearing of causes and equitie in deciding the same he wonn to himselfe singular love and no lesse authoritie and reputation So soone as William Duke of Normandie was truly advertised of these newes he seemed to take the death of King Edward very heavily whiles in the meane time he was vexed at the heart that England which hee had in conceit and hope already swallowed and devoured was thus caught away out of his very chawes Forthwith therefore by advice of his counsell and friends he dispatcheth Embassadors to Harold with instructions to put him in mind of the promises and stipulation past but withall in his name to make claime to the Crowne Harold after some pause and deliberation upon the point returneth this answer As touching the promises of King Edward William was to understand that the Realme of England could not be given by promise neither ought he to bee tied unto the said promise seeing the kingdome was fallen unto him by election and not by right of Inheritance And as for his owne stipulation extorted and wrung it was from him then a prisoner by force and by guile in feare of perpetuall imprisonment to the hinderance of the English common-wealth and prejudice of the State and therefore void which neither ought hee if he could nor might if he would make good since it was done without the Kings privitie and consent of the people And a very hard and unreasonable demand it was of his that hee should renounce and surrender unto a Norman Prince a meere stranger and of forrein linage that kingdome wherein hee was invested with so great assent of all sorts With this answere William was not well pleased and he thought that Harold thereby sought starting holes for to hide his perjurie Others therefore he sent out of hand in Embassage about the same matter who should admonish him how religiously hee had bound himselfe by oath and that forsworne persons should be sure of finall perdition at Gods hands and reproachfull shame among men But when as now the daughter of William affianced unto Harold in the covenant the very strength and knot of the foresaid stipulation was by Gods appoinment taken away by death the Embassadours were with lesse courtesie entertained and received none other answere than before So that now by this time there was nothing like to follow but open warre Harold riggeth and prepareth his navie mâ—sters and presseth souldiers and placeth strong garrisons along the sea coasts in convenient places and provideth all things in readinesse which were thought needefull and meet for to beat backe the Normans forces Howbeit the first tempest of warre beside the expectation of all men arose from Tosto the brother in whole bloud of Harold He being a man of a proud hautie and fell heart ruled in great authority a good while over Northumberland but growing outragious in cruelty to his inferiors in pride towards his Soveraigne and in hatred to his brethren was outlawed by Edward the Confessor and so withdrew himselfe into France and now by the advice of Baldwine Earle of Flanders and perswasion of William Duke of Normandie as it seemeth probable For Tosto and William married two daughters of Baldwine Earle of Flanders beginneth to trouble his brother with open warre whom a long time he deadly hated From Flanders hee tooke sea with a fleet of 60. rovers-ships wasteth the Isle of Wight and annoyeth the sea-coast of Kent but terrified at the comming of the Kings navie hee set up saile and directing his course toward the more remote parts of England landeth in Lincolneshire and there harrieth the Countrey where Edwin and Morcar give him battell but beeing discomfited and put to flight into Scotland hee goes from thence to renew his forces and so to warre afresh Now were all mens minds held in suspense with the expectation of a twofold warre of the one side out of Scotland of the other out of Normandie and so much the more because at the feast of Easter there was seene about a sevennight together a blazing starre of an hideous and fearefull forme which turned mens minds already troubled and perplexed as it falleth out in a turbulent time to the forefeeling of some unluckie events But Harold carried an heedfull eie to all parts of his kingdome and the south coast hee fortified with garrisons Lesse feare hee had from Scotland and Tosto because Malcolme King of the Scots was more disquieted with civill dissensions Meane while William much busted in his mind about England casting about what course to take ever and anon communicated with his Captaines about the point whom hee saw cheerefull and full of forward hopes But all the difficulty was how to make money for defraying the charges of so great a warre For when in a publike assembly of all the states of Normandie it was propounded as touching a subsidie answere was made That in the former warre against the French their wealth was so much empaired that if a new warre should come upon them they were hardly able to hold and defend their owne That they were to looke rather unto the defence of their proper possessions than to invade the territories of others and this warre intended just though it were yet seemed it not so necessary but exceeding dangerous beside the Normans were not by their allegeance bound to military service in forain parts Neither could they by any meanes be brought to grant a levie of money although William Fitzosbern a man in high favour with the Duke and as gracious among the people endeavoured what he could to effect it yea and to drawe others by his owne example promised to set out fortie tall ships of his owne proper charges towards this warre Duke William then seeing he could not bring this about in a publike meeting goeth another way to worke The wealthiest men that were he sendeth for severally one by one to repaire unto him he speaks them faire and requireth them to contribute somewhat toward this warre They then as if they had strived avie who should helpe their Prince most promise largely and when that which they promised was presently registred in a booke there was a huge masse of money quickly raised and more than men would ever have thought These matters thus dispatched he craveth aid and helpe of the Princes his neighbours to wit the
Diocesses Lucius the Pope in Gratian insinuateth thus much that the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdictions of the Christians followed the Iurisdictions of the Roman Magistrates and that Archbishops had their Seas in those cities wherein the Romane Presidents in times past made their abode The Cities and places saith he in which Primats ought to sit and rule were appointed not by the Moderne but long before the comming of Christ to the Primats of which Cities c. the Gentile also appealed in matters of greater importance And in those verie cities after Christs comming the Apostles and their Successors placed Patriarks or Primats unto whom the affaires of the Bishops and greater causes ought to be preferred Whereas therefore Britaine had in old time three Archbishops to wit of London of Yorke and Caerleon in Southwales I suppose that the Province which now we call of Canterburie for thither the Sea of London was translated made BRITANNIA PRIMA Wales under the Citie of Caer Leon was BRITANNIA SECVNDA and the Province of York which then reached unto the Limit or Borders made MAXIMAA CAESARIENSIS In the age next ensuing when the forme of the Roman Empire was daily changing either through ambition that more men might attaine to places of honour or the warie forecast of the Emperours that the power of their Presidents which grew over great might be taken downe and abridged they divided Britaine into five parts to wit BRITANNIA PRIMA SECVNDA MAXIMA CAESARIENSIS VALENTIA FLAVIA CAESARIENSIS VALENTIA seemeth to have been the northerly part of Maxiâ—â— Caesariensis which being usurped and held by the Picts and Scots Theodosius Generall under Valens the Emperour recovered out their hands and in honour of him named it Valentia which Marcellinus sheweth more plainly in these words The Province now recovered which was fallen into the enemies hands he restored to the former state in such sort as by his own procuring it had both a lawful governor was also afterwards called VALENTIA at the pleasure of the Prince Now that the son of this Theodosius who being created Emperour was named Flavius Theodosius and altered very many things in the Empire added Flavia we may very wel conjecture for that before the time of this Flavius wee read no where of BRITANNIA FLAVIA Wherefore to make up this matter in few words All the south coast which of one side lieth between the British sea and the river Thames with the Severn sea on the other side was called BRITANNIA PRIMA BRITANNIA SECVNDA was that which now is Wales FLAVIA CAESARIENSIS reacheth from Thames to Humber MAXIMA CAESARIENSIS from Humber to the river of Tine or the wall of Severus VALENTIA from Tine to the wall or rampier neere Edenburgh which the Scots call Gramesdike and was the utmost limit of the Roman Empire in this Island when this last division was in use And now I cannot chuse but note some want of judgement in certaine men who otherwise being very learned doe reckon Scotland in this account which some of them make to have beene Maxima Caesariensis and others Britannia Secunda As if forsooth the Romans neglected not that part of the Island lying under a cold climate and reckoned here those Provinces onely which they governed by Consular Lieutenants and Presidents for Maxima Caesariensis and Valentia were ruled by Consular Lieutenants Britannia Prima Secunda and Flavia by Presidents Now if any man would have me render a reason of this my division and accuse me as a false bounderer and surveior let him heare in briefe what hath induced mee to this opinion Having observed thus much that the Romans alwaies called those Provinces PRIMAS which lay nighest to Rome as Germania Prima Belgica Prima Lugdunensis Prima Aquitania Prima Panninia Prima all which lay neerer to Rome than those that were named Secundae and that these Primae were by the finer sort of writers termed Superiores or higher the Secundae Inferiores or Lower I resolved that the South-part of our Island and neerer to Rome was Britannia Prima By the same reason seeing the Provinces Secundae as they call them were more remote from Rome I supposed Wales was the Britannia Secunda Moreover having noted this also that in the decaying State of their Empire those Provinces onely had Consular Magistrates which lay against the enemies not onely in Gaule but also in Africke as appeareth in the booke of Notices also that in the said Booke Valentia with us and Maxima Caesariensis be accounted Consular Provinces I have judged them being next and exposed to the Scots and Picts to lie in those places which I have spoken of I can doe no other but guesse that Flavia Caesariensis here was in the midst betweene them all and in the very heart of England and so much the more confidently because that ancient writer Giraldus Cambrensis is just of the same opinion with me And thus much of the Divisions of Britaine under the Romans Afterwards when the Barbarians made invasion on every side and civill war daily increased among the Britans the Island as bereft of all life and vigour lay for a time languishing and forlorne without any shew at all of government But at length that part which inclineth to the North became two Kingdomes to wit of the Scots and the Picts and the Romans Pentarchie or five portions in this hither part became in processe of time the Heptarchie or seven Kingdomes of the Saxons For they divided the whole Province of the Romans setting Wales aside which the remnant of Britans possessed into seven Kingdomes that is to say Kent Southsex East-England Westsex Northumberland Eastsex and Mercia But what this Heptarchie of the English-Saxons was and what their names were in those daies in this chorographical table here adjoyned you may if you please behold Considering that in a Chorographicall Table or Map by reason of so narrow a roome those Regions or Counties which these Kingdomes contained could not well and handsomely bee described In this other Table heere rather than by heaping many words together I thinke good to propose and set downe the same that the Reader may once for all have a view of them The Saxons Heptarchie 1 The Kingdome of KENT contained the Countie of Kent 2 The Kingdom of SVSSEX or Southern Saxons contained the Counties of Suthsex Suthrey 3 The Kingdome of EAST-ENGLAND or East-Angles contained the Counties of Norfolke Suthfolke Cambridge shire with the Isle of Ely 4 The Kingdome of WESTSEX or West-Angles contained the Counties of Cornwall Devonshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Southampton Berkshire 5 The Kingdome of NORTHVMBERLAND contained the Counties of Lancaster Yorke Durham Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland and the Countries of Scotland to Edenburgh-frith 6 The Kingdome of EAST-SEX or East-Saxons contained the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire 7 The Kingdome of MERCIA contained the Counties of Glocester shire Herefordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire Leicestershire Rotlandshire
Westminster The Abbat of S. Albans The Abbat of S. Edmonds-Bury The Abbat of Peterburgh The Abbat of S. Iohn of Colchester The Abbat of Evesham The Abbat of Winchelcomb The Abbat of Crouland The Abbat of Battaile The Abbat of Reding The Abbat of Abindon The Abbat of Waltham holy Crosse. The Abbat of Shrewsburie or Salop. The Abbat of Sircester The Abbat of S. Peters in Glocester The Abbat of Bardeney The Abbat of S. Bennets of Hulme The Abbat of Thorney The Abbat of Ramsey The Abbat of Hyde The Abbat of Malmesburie The Abbat of S. Marie in Yorke The Abbat of Selbey The Prior of Coventrie The Prior of The order of S. Iohn at Ierusalem who commonly is called Master of S. Iohns Knights and would be counted the first and chiefe Baron of England Vnto whom as still unto the Bishops By right and custome it appurtained as to Peeres of the Kingdome to be with the rest of the Peeres personally present at all parliaments whatsoever there to consult to handle to ordaine decree and determine in regard of the Baronies which they held of the King For William the first a thing that the Church-men of that time complained of but those in the age ensuing counted their greatest honor ordained Bishopricks and Abbaies which held Baronies in pure and perpetuall Almâ—s and untill that time were free from all secular service to bee under military or Knights service enrolling every Bishopricke and Abbay at his will and pleasure and appointing how many souldiers he would have every of them to find for him and his successours in the time of hostility and warre From that time ever since those Ecclesiasticall persons enjoyed all the immunities that the Barons of the Kingdome did save onely that they were not to be judged by their Peeres For considering that according to the Canons of the Church such might not be present in matters of life and death in the same causes they are left unto a jurie of twelve men to be judged in the question of Fact But whether this be a cleere point in law or no I referre me to skilfull Lawyers Vavasors or Valvasors in old time stood in the next ranke after Barons whom the Lawyers derive from Valvae that is leaved dootes And this dignitie seemeth to have come unto us from the French For when they had soveraigne rule in Italy they called those Valvasores who of a Duke Marquesse Earle or Captaine had received the charge over some part of their people and as Butelere the civill Lawyer saith had power to chastise in the highest degree but not the Libertie of faires and mercates This was a rare dignity among us and if ever there were such long since by little and little it ceased and ended For in Chaucers time it was not great seeing that of his Franklin a good yeoman or Freeholder he writeth but thus A Sheriffe had he beene and a Câ—ntour Was no where such a worthy Vavasour Inferiour nobles are Knights Esquires and those which usually are called Generosi and Gentlemen Knights who of our English Lawyers be termed also in Latin Milites and in all nations well neere besides tooke their name of Horses for the Italians call them Cavellieni the Frenchmen Chevaliers the Germans Reiters and our Britans in Wales Margogh all of riding Englishmen onely terme them Knights by a word that in the old English language as also of the German signifieth indifferently a servitor or minister and a lusty young man Heereupon it commeth that in the Old written Gospels translated into the English tongue wee read for Christs Disciples Christs Leorning Cnyhts and else where for a Client or Vassall Incnyght and Bracton our ancient civill Lawyer maketh mention of Radâ—nights that is to say serving horsemen who held their lands with this condition that they should serve their Lords on horsbacke and so by cutting off a peece of the name as our delight is to speake short I thought long since that this name of Knights remained with us But whence it came that our countreymen should in penning of lawes and in all writings since the Normans conquest terme those Knights in Latin Milites I can hardly see And yet I am not ignorant that in the declining time of the Roman Empire the Denomination of Milites that is Souldiers was transferred unto those that conversing neere about the Princes person bare any of the greater offices in the Princes Court or traine But if I have any sight at all in this matter they were among us at first so called who held any lands or inheritances as Tenants in Fee by this tenure to serve in the warres For those Lands were termed Knights Fees and those that elsewhere they named Feudatarij that is Tenants in Fee were here called Milites that is Knights as for example Milites Regis c. The Kings Knights Knights of the Archbishop of Canterburie Knights of Earle Roger of Earle Hugh c. For that they received those lands or manors of them with this condition to serve for them in the wars and to yeeld them fealty and homage whereas others who served for pay were simply called Solidarij and Servientes that is Souldiers and Servitors But these call them Milites or Equites whether you will are with us of foure distinct sorts The most honorable and of greatest dignitie be those of the Order of S. George or of the Garter In a second degree are Banerets in a third ranke Knights of the Bath and in a fourth place those who simply in our tongue be called Knights in Latin Equites aurati or Milites without any condition at all Of S. Georges Knights I will write in due place when I am come to Windsor Of the rest thus much briefly at this time Banerets whom others terme untruely Baronets have their name of a Banner For granted it was unto them in regard of their martiall vertue and prowesse to use a foure square ensigne or Banner as well as Barons whereupon some call them and that truly Equites Vexillarij that is Knights-Banerets and the Germans Banner-heires The antiquitie of these Knights Banerets I cannot fetch from before the time of King Edward the Third when Englishmen were renowned for Chivalrie so that I would beleeve verily that this honorable title was devised then first in recompence of martiall prowesse untill time shall bring more certainty of truth to light In the publicke records of that time mention is made among military titles of Banerets of Men at the Banner which may seeme all one and of Men at armes And I have seene a Charter of King Edward the Third by which he advanced Iohn Coupland to the State of a Baneret because in a battell fought at Durham hee had taken prisoner David the Second King of the Scots and it runneth in these words Being willing to reward the said Iohn who tooke David de Bruis prisoner and
of the West Saxons built a Castle which Desburgia his wife raced and laid even with the ground after shee had expelled from thence Eadbritch King of the South-Saxons who now had made himselfe Lord thereof and used it as a bridle to keepe the countrey under that he had subdued When Edward the Confessour was King it paid tribute as wee find in the Kings Survey-Booke of England after the rate of fiftie and foure Hides and had in it threescore and three Burgers The Bishop of Winchester held it as Lord and his courts or Pleas were kept heere thrice in the yeere And these Customes appertaine to Taunton Burgherists Theeves Breach of peace hannifare pence of the Hundred and pence of Saint Peter de Circieto thrice in the yeere to hold the Bishops Pleas without warning to goe forth to warfare with the Bishops men The Countrey heere most delectable on every side with greene medowes flourishing with pleasant Gardens and Orchards and replenished with faire Mannour houses wonderfully contenteth the eyes of the beholders And among these houses those of greatest note are these Orchard which had in times past Lords of that name from whom in right of Inheritance it descended unto the Portmans men of Knights degree Hach Beauchamp and Cory Mallet bearing those additions of their Lords For this was the seat of the Mallets that came of the Norman race and from them in short time it fell by the female heire to the Pointzes From among whom in the raigne of Edward the First Hugh was ranged in the rank of Parliament Barons and out of that familie some remaine at this day of great reputation and Knights in their Countrey As for those Beauchamps or de Bello Campo they flourished in high places of honour from the time of King Henrie the Second but especially since that Cecilie de Fortibus which derived her pedigree from the Earles de Ferrarijs and that great Marshall of England William Earle of Pembroke matched in marriage with this familie But in the raigne of Edward the Third the whole inheritance was by the sisters divided betweene Roger de S. Mauro or Seimore I. Meries men of ancient descent and great alliance And hereupon it was that King Henrie the Eight when he had wedded Iane Seimor mother to King Edward the Sixth bestowed upon Edward Seimor her brother the titles of Vicount Beauchamp and Earle of Hertfort whom King Edward the Sixth afterwards honoured first wiâ—h the name of Lord and Baron Seimor to bee annexed to his other titles lest as the King saith in the Patent the name of his mothers familie should bee overshadowed with any other stile and yet afterward created him Duke of Sommerset As you goe from thence where Thone windeth himselfe into Parret it maketh a pretty Iland betweene two rivers called in times past Aethelingey that is The Isle of Nobles now commonly knowen by the name of Athelney a place no lesse famous among us for King Alfreds shrowding himselfe therein what time as the Danes now had brought all into broile then those Marishes of Minturny among the Italians wherein Marius lurked and lay hidden For touching that King an ancient Poet wrote thus Mixta dolori Gaudia semper erant spes semper mixta timori Si modó victor erat ad crastiná bella pavebat Si modó victus erat ad crastina bella parabat Cui vestes sudore jugi cui sica cruore Tincta jugi quantum sit onus regnare probarunt With dolour great his joyes were mixt his hope was joyn'd with dread If now he victour were next day of warres he stood affraid If vanquisht now the morrow next forthwith hee thought it good For to prepare for warre his sword was aye begoard in blood His garments eke with painfull sweat were evermore bestain'd Which well did shew what burden great he bare while that he raign'd And in truth this Isle afforded him a very fit shrowding corner for that by reason of waters partly standing there in plashes and partly resorting reflowing thither which Asserius termed Gronnas Latinizing a Saxon word there is in manner no accesse into it It had sometime a bridge betweene two castles built by Aelfred and a very large grove of Alders full of goates and wild beasts but of firme ground scarce two acres in breadth on which as saith William of Malmesbury whose words these are and not mine hee founded a little Monasterie the whole frame whereof hanged upon foure maine posts pitched fast in the ground with foure round isles of Sphaerick work contrived and brought round about the same Not far from this Isle Parret having received the said river runneth alone swelling with certaine sandy shelfes sometime in his channell by the Hundred of N. Pederton anciently acknowledging the Bluets to have beene Lords thereof who are thought to have brought that name from Bluet in litle Britaine Heere it taketh into him an other river from East to beare him company which openeth it self neere Castle Cary which William Lovell Lord thereof held against K. Stephen in the behalfe of Mawd the Empresse right inheritrix of the Crown of England whose issue male failing in the time of King Edward the Third by heire female it came to Nicolas de S. Maure a Baron of a distinct familie from that which was a few lines before mentioned and shortly after about the time of Henrie the Fift by an heire female againe to the Lord Zouches of Harringworth as a moitie of the lands of Lord Zouch of Ashby de la Zouch came before by coheires to the house of this S. Maures But when the Lord Zouch was attainted by K. Henrie the Seventh for assisting King Richard the Third this Castle was given by the K. to Robert Willoughby Lord Brooke as his lands at Bridge-water to the Lord Daubency and then hee was restored in bloud From Castle Cary this water passeth by Lites-Cary to bee remembred in respect of the late owner Thomas Lyte a gentleman studious of all good knowledge and so to Somerton the Shire towne in times past as which gave the name thereto A Castle it had of the West Saxon Kings which Ethelbald King of Mercia forcing a breach through the wals sieged and kept But now time hath gotten the mastry of it so as that there is no apparance at all thereof and the very Towne it selfe would have much a doe to keepe that name were it not for a Faire of oxen and other beasts which is kept there from Palme-Sunday untill the midst of Iune with much resort of people for that the countrimen all there about are very great Grasiers breeders and feeders of cattell No sooner hath Parret entertained this river but he speeds him apace toward a great and populous towne commonly called Bridg-water and is thought to have taken that name of the Bridge and water there but the old records and evidences gaine say this opinion wherein it is
answered for him at his Baptisme Then Ceadwalla King of the West-Saxons when the said Edelwalch was slaine and Aruandus the petty King of the Island made away annexed to it the Dominion and in a tragicall and lamentable massacre killed every mothers child almost of the inborne Inhabitants and the fourth part of the Isle to wit as much land as contained 300. Hides hee gave unto Bishop Wilfrid The first that instructed the Islanders in the knowledge of Christian religion But these matters Beda will informe you best writing as he doth in these words After then that Ceadwalla had obtained the kingdome of the Gevissi hee wonne also the Isle of Wight which unto that time had beene wholly given to Idolatrie and then endeavoured what he could to make a generall massacre and tragicall slaughter of all the native Inhabitants thereof and instead of them to plant there people of his owne province binding himselfe with a vow although he was not yet regenerate and become Christened and in case he wonne the Isle he would give unto God a fourth part both of it and also of the whole booty Which vow he so paied as that he offered this Isle unto Wilfrid the Bishop who being of his nation hapened then to come thither be present to the use and glory of God The measure of the same Island according to the English mens estimation is proportionable to one thousand and two hundred hides of land Whereupon the Bishop had possession given him of so much Land as rose to three hundred Hides But hee commended that portion which hee received unto one of his Clarkes named Bernwin and his sisters sonne he was giving unto him a priest named Hildila for to minister unto all that were desirous of salvation the word and laver of life Where I thinke it not good to passe over in silence how for the first fruits as one would say of those who of the same Isle were saved by their beleife two young children brethren of the Royall bloud to wit the sonnes of Arvandus King of the Isle were by the especiall favour of GOD crowned with martyrdome For when the enemies approached hard unto the Island these children slipt secretly out of the Isle and were remoâ—ved into the province next adjoyning where being brought to a place called Ad Lapidem when they had committed themselves upon trust to be hidden from the face of the King that was conquerour betraied they were and commanded to be killed Which when a certaine Abbat and Priest named Cynbreth heard who not farre from thence had his monasterie in a place named Reodford that is the Ford of reed hee came unto the King who then in those parts lay secretly at cure of those wounds which hee had received whiles hee fought in the Isle of Wight and requested of him that if there were no remedie but that the children must bee murthered they might yet bee first taught the Sacraments of Christian faith before their death The King granted his petition and hee then having catechised them in the word of truth and bathed them in the fount of salvation assured them of their entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of heaven And so within a while after when the executioner called instantly for them they joyfully suffered that temporall death of the body by which they made no doubt of their passe unto the eternall life of their soules In this order and manner therefore after all the Provinces of Britaine had embraced the faith of Christ the Isle of Wight also received the same in which notwithstanding for the calamitie and trouble of forraine subjection no man tooke the degree of Ministerie and See Episcopall before Daniell who at this day is the Bishop of the West Saxons and the Gevissj Thus much Beda From this time forward our writers for a great while have not one word of Wight unto the yeare of our Lord one thousand sixtie six in which Tostie Hing Haralds brother with certaine men of warre and Rovers ships out of Flanders in hatred of his brother invaded it and after he had compelled the Islanders to pay him tribute departed Some few yeares after as we read in the old booke of Cares broke Priorie which Master Robert Glover Somerset shewed me who carried as it were the Sunne light of ancient Genealogies and Pedigrees in his hand Like as saith this booke William the Bastard conquered England even so William Fitz Osbern his Mareschal and Earle of Hereford conquered the Isle of Wight and was the first Lord of Wight Long after this the Frenchmen in the yeare 1377. came suddenly at unawares under saile invaded and spoiled it and the same French in the yeare 1403. gave the like attempt but in vaine For valiantly they were drived from landing even as in our fathers daies when the French Gallies set one or two small cottages on fire and went their way As touching the Lords of this Isle after that William Fitz-Osbern was forth-with slaine in the warre of Flanders and his sonne Roger outlawed and driven unto exile it fell into the Kings hands and Henrie the First King of England gave it unto Richard Ridvers otherwise called Redvers and de Ripariis Earle of Denshire and withall the Fee or Inheritance of the Towne Christ-Church Where like as at Caresbroke that Richard built certaine Fortresses but Baldwin his sonne in the troublesome time of King Stephen when there were in England so many Tyrants as there were Lords of Forts and Castles who tooke upon them every one to stampe money and challenged other rights of Regall Majestie was by Stephen disseized and expelled from hence Howbeit his posteritie recovered their ancient right whose Genealogie wee have already put downe when wee treated of the Earles of Denshire But in the end Isabell widow to William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and Holdernesse sister and heire of Baldwin the last Earle of Devonshire of that house after much intreatie was overcome to make over by charter all her right and interest and to settle it upon King Edward the First with the Manours of Christ-Church and Fawkeshaul c. For foure thousand Markes Ever since which time the Kings of England held the Isle and Henry de Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke was by King Henrie the Sixth unto whom hee was most deere crowned King of Wight and afterwards nominated The first or principall Earle of all England But together with him this new and unusuall title died and vanished quite Afterwards Richard Widevile Earle Rivers was by King Edward the fourth stiled Lord of the Isle of Wight Sir Reginald Bray took it of King Henry the Seventh with whom he was most inward in Fee farme for a rent charg'd of three hundred markes yearely to be paid Also beside these Lords this Isle had a noble Familie named de Insula or Lisle out of which in the raigne of King Edward the Second one was summoned unto the Parliament by the
gartrisht faire with cockles sets no store Nor Rhodes with Alcal and Elba regard the robes with Crosse Sightly beset so that they count their Orders all but drosse Compar'd with Knighthood this of thine which onely beares the name Cease now to joy cease now at length to wonder at the same All yeeld to one what ev'r thou hast in one is drowned all For greater glorie grow's to thee and honour more doth fall In that there dwels upon my banke and seated is in thee Elizabeth and therewith Tamis seeming to bow his knee And gently crouch obeisance made and then he thus went on Elizabeth of Englishmen sole Goddesse Saint alone Whose praise-worth vertues if in verse I now should take in hand For to comprize on Meliboc an hill that high doth stand I might as easily set the Alps or number all my sand If some I would in silence passe what ever I suppresse Will greater proove than all the rest If I my selfe addresse Her formost acts and travailes old to count I then shall find That those of present times to them will draw away my mind Say that of justice I relate more shin's her mercies lore Speake I of her victorious armes unarm'd she gained more That piety now flourisheth that England feares no warre That none rules law but unto law all men obedient are That neighbour Scots be not enthral'd to Frenchmen rigorous That Irish wild doe now cast of their fashions barbarous That shag-hai'rd Ulster Kern doth learne civility anew The praise and thanks is hers alone What is not to her due Those Goddesses that vices chase and are beseeming best A Prince so rare are seated all and shrined in her brest Religion First puts her in mind to worship God aright And Iustice teacheth to preferre before all gaine the right Prudence adviseth naught to doe rashly without fore-cast Then Temperance perswades to love all things both pure and chast And Constancie her resolute mind doth settle firme and fast Hence justly she ALVVAYS THE SAME claimes and keepes to the last Who can discribe in in waving verse such noble vertues all Praise-worthy parts she hath alone what all ye reckon shall Then happinesse long life and health praise love may her betide So long as waves of mine shall last or streame and bankes abide So long may shee most blessed Prince all Englands scepter sway Let both my course and her life end in one and selfe-same day The rest of Barkshire which lieth Southward from Windsor is shadowed with woods and thickets commonly called the Forrest of Windlesor in which the townes and villages stand but thinne whereof Ockingham is of greatest name by reason of the bignesse thereof and trade of clothing but very full it is of game in everie place Now for as much as we have oftentimes made mention and shall still of the Forrests what a Forrest is and the reason of that name if you desire to know but see you laugh not thereat take it heere out of the blacke booke of the Exchequer A Forrest is a safe harbor and abiding place of deere or beasts not of any whatsoever but of wilde and such as delight in woods not in every place but in some certaine and meet for that purpose and hereupon a forrest hath the name as one would say Feresta that is a station of wild beasts And incredible it is how much ground the kings of England have â—uffered every where to lie untilled and set a part for to empale enclose such deere or as they use to say have afforested Neither can I think that any thing else was the cause thereof but onely the overmuch delight in hunting or to maintaine the Kings houshold although some attribute it to the infrequencie of the people to inhabit the countrey seeing that since the Danes were heere they for a long time afforested more and more and for the maintenance and keeping of such places ordained most straight lawes and an overseer whom they cal Protoforestarius that is Chiefe forrester or Master of the Forrests who should heare causes belonging unto Forrests and punish either by death or losse of limb whosoever killed Deere within any parke or chase But Iohn of Sarisburie shal in his own words tell you these things briefely out of his Polycraticon that which you may marvell more at to lay grins for birds to set snares to allure them with nooze or pipe or by any waies laying whatsoever to entrap or take them is oftentimes by vertue of an Edict made a crime and either amerced with forfeiture of goods or punished with losse of limbe and life You have heard that the fowles of the aire and fishes of the sea are common But these ywis belong unto the King which the Forrest Law taketh hold of and claimeth wheresoever they flie With-hold thy hand forbeare and abstaine lest thou also bee punished for treason fall into the hunters hand as a prey Husbandmen are debarred their fallow fields whiles Deere have libertie to stray abroad and that their pasture may bee augmented the poore farmer is abridged and cut short of his grounds What is sowne planted or graffed they keepe from the husbandmen that bee tenants both pasturage from heardmen drovers and graziers and Bee-hives they exclude from floury plots yea the very Bees themselves are scarcely permitted to use their naturall libertie Which courses seeming too inhumane were the occasion otherwhiles of great troubles and uproares so long untill in the end by the rising and revolt of the Barons there was wrested from King Henry the third the Charter de Foresta wherin those rigorous laws being made void he granted others more indifferent whereunto they are bound even at this day who dwell within compasse of the Forrests And from that time two Justices were appointed for these causes whereof the one overseeth all Forrests on this side the river Trent the other all the rest beyond Trent as farre as Scotland with great authoritie Throughout all this Province or county as wee find in the Survey booke of England The Taine or Kings Knight holding of him as Lord whensoever he died left unto the King for a reliefe all his armour one horse with a saddle and another without a saddle And if he had either hounds or hawkes they were tendred and presented unto the King that hee might take them if he would When Gelt was given in the time of King Edward the Confessour generally throughout all Barkshire an Hide of Land yeilded three-pence halfe-penny before Christmas and as much at Whitsontide Thus much of Barkshire which as yet hath given the title of Earle to no man Within the compasse of this shire are parishes 140. THese Regions which hitherto we have travailed thorow that is to say of the Danmonij Durotriges Belgae and Attrebatij what time as the Saxons bare Soveraigne rule in Britaine fell to the Kingdome of the West-Saxons which they in their language
small trouble and labour about it and when he had hanged all the rest that he found therein he sent the wife and sonnes of Bartholmew aforesaid to the Tower of London Thus Medway having received this rivelet from Leeds fetching about through good grounds rūneth by Allington sometime a castle now lesse than a castellet where Sir T. Wyat the elder a worthy learned knight reedified a faire house now decaied whose son Sr. Thomas enriched by an heire of Sir T. Haut proposing to himself great hopes upō fair pretēses pitifully overthrew himself his state Hence commeth Medway to Ailsford in the old English Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which H. of Huntingdon calleth Elstre Ninnius Episford who hath written that it was named in the British tongue Saissenaeg haibail of the Saxons there vanquished like as others in the very same sense termed it Anglesford For Guortemere the Britaine Guortigerns sonne did here set upon Hengist and the English Saxons whom being disraied and not able to abide a second charge he put all to flight so as they had beene utterly defeated for ever but that Hengist skil-full and provident to prevent and divert danger withdrew himselfe into the Isle of Tenet untill that invincible vigour and heat of the Britanes were allaied and fresh supplies came to his succour out of Germanie In this Battaile were slaine the Generalls of both sides Catigern the Britaine and Horsa the Saxon of whom the one buried at Horsted not farre from hence gave name to the place and Catigern honored with a stately and solemne funerall is thought to have beene enterred neere unto Ailesford where under the side of a hill I saw foure huge rude hard stones erected two for the sides one transversall in the middest betweene them and the hugest of all piled and laied over them in manner of the British monument which is called Stone heng but not so artificially with mortis and tenents Verily the unskilfull common people terme it at this day of the same Catigern Keiths or Kits Coty house In Ailsford it selfe for the religious house of the Carmelites founded by Richard Lord Grey of Codnor in the time of King Henrie the Third is now seene a faire habitation of Sir William Siddey a learned Knight painefully and expensfully studious of the common good of his country as both his endowed house for the poore and the bridge heere with the common voice doe plentifully testifie Neither is Boxley neere adjoyning to bee passed over in silence where William de Ipres in Flaunders Earle of Kent founded an Abbey in the yeare of our Lord 1145. and translated thither the Monkes from Clarevalle in Burgundie Medway having wound himselfe higher from the East receiveth a brooke springing neare Wrotham or Wirtham so named for plentie of wortes where the Archbishops had a place untill Simon Islep pulled it downe leaveth Malling which grew to bee a towne after Gundulph Bishop of Rochester had there founded an Abbey of Nunnes and watereth Leibourn which hath a Castle sometime the seate of a family thereof surnamed out of which Sir Roger Leibourn was a great Agent in the Barons warres and William was a Parliamentary Baron in the time of King Edward the first Neare neighbour to Leibourn is Briling now the habitation of the Lord Abergeveny in times past parcell of the Baronie of the Maminots then of the Saies whose Inheritance at length by heires generall came to the families of Clinton Fienes and Aulton Upon the banke of Medway Eastward somewhat higher after it hath passed by Halling where Hamo Heath Bishop of Rochester built an house for his successors there standeth an ancient Citie which Antonine calleth DVRO BRVS DVRO-BRIVAE and in another place more truely DVRO PROVae and DVRO BROVae Bede DVRO BREVIS and in the declining state of the Romane Empire processe of time contracted his name so that it came to be named ROIBIS and so by addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commeth of the latin word Castrum betokeneth among our ancestors a city or Castle was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now with us more short Rochester and in Latin Roffa of one Rhufus as Bede guesseth but it seemeth unto mee to retaine in it somewhat still of that old name Durobrevis Neither is there cause why any man should doubt of the name seeing that by the account of journies or distance betweene places and Bedes authoritie it is named expressely in the Charter of the foundation of the Cathedrall Church there DVROBROVIS yet thus much I would advertise the Reader that in the printed bookes of Bede it is read Darueruum whereas in the manuscript copies it is termed DVROBREVIS seated it is in a bottome fortified on the one side with a marsh the river the weake walles and as William of Malmesburie saith pent within too streight a roome whereupon in time past it was counted a Castle rather then a Citie For Bede calleth it Castellum Cantuariorum that is the Kentishmens Castle But now it stretcheth forth with large suburbs on the West East and South sides It hath passed through no few dangers and mischances In the yeare of Christ 676. it was overthrowne and laid along by King Aetheldred the Mercian and many a time afterward sacked by the Danes Aethelbert King of Kent erected there a sumptuous Church which also he made more famous with the dignitie of Bishopricke ordaining Iustus to bee the first Bishop of that See But when it fell to decay for very age Bishop Gundulph a Norman about the yeare 1080. reedified it and thrusting out the Priests brought in Monkes in their roomes and when they were cast out a Deane sixe Prebendaries and Scholars were substituted in their places Neere unto the Church there standeth over the river an old Castle fortified both by art and situation Which as the report goeth Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earle of Kent built But it was no doubt King William the first that built it For in Domesday booke we read thus The Bishop of Rouecester holdeth in Elesford for exchange of the land on which the Castle is seated Yet certaine it is that Bishop Odo when his hope depended of a doubtfull change of the State held this against King William Rufus At which time there passed proclamation through England that whosoever would not be reputed a Niding should repaire to recover Rochester Castle Whereupon the youth fearing that name and most reproachfull and opprobrious in that age swarmed thither in such numbers that Odo was enforced to yeeld the place lose his dignitie and abjure the realme But concerning the reedification of this Castle about this time listen what the Text of Rocester saith when King William the second would not confirme the gift of Lanfrank as touching the Manour of Hedenham in the County of Buckingham made unto Rochester church unlesse Lanfranck and Gundulph Bishop of
Sir Walter Clifford in this Castle when the house was all on a light fire hee was killed with a stone that from the top of an high Turret fell upon his head and brained him Neither have I any thing else to be recounted in this wood-countrey beside Newnham a pretty mercate and Westbury thereby a seate of the Bainhams of ancient descent But that Herbert who had wedded the sister of the said Mahel Earle of Hereford in her right was called Lord of Deane froÌ„ whom that Noble house of the Herberts fetcheth their pedigree out of which family came the Lords of Blanleveney and of late daies the Herberts Earles of Huntingdon and Pembroch with others From hence also if wee may believe David Powell in his historie of Wales was descended Antonie Fitz-Herbert whose great learning and industrie in the wisedome of our law both the judiciall Court of Flees wherein he sate Iustice a long time and also those exact bookes of our common law by him exquisitely penned and published doe sufficiently witnesse But other have drawne his descent and that more truly if I have insight therein from the race of the Fitz-Herberts Knights in Derby shire The river Severn called by the Britains HAFFREN after it hath run a long course with a channell somewhat narrow no sooner entereth into this shire but entertaineth the river Avon and another brooke comming from the East Betwixt which is seated Tewkesbury in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by others Theoci Curia taking the name from one Theocus who there did lead an Eremites life It is a great and faire towne having three bridges to passe over standing upon three rivers famous for making of Wollen cloath and the best mustard which for the quicke heate that it hath biteth most and pierceth deepest but most famous in times past by reason of an ancient Monastery which Dodo a man of great power in Mercia founded in the yeare 715 where before time he kept his royall court as is testified by this inscription which there remained long after HANC AVLAM REGIAM DODO DVX CONSECRARI FECIT IN ECCLESIAM THIS ROIAL PALACE DVKE DODO CAVSED TO BE CONSECRATED FOR A CHVRCH And Odo his brother endowed the same which being by continuance of time and the fury of enemies ruinated Robert FITZ-HAIMON the Norman Lord of Corboile and Thorigny in Normandie reedified translating monks from Cranborn in Dorsetshire hither upon a devout mind verily and a religious that he might make some amends to the Church for the losse that the Church of Baieux in Normandie had sustained which K. Henry the first for to free him from his enemies had set on fire and burned and afterwards repenting that which he had done built againe It cannot writeth William of Malmesbury be easily reported how highly Robert Fitz-hamon exalted this Monastery wherin the beauty of the buildings ravished the eies and the charity of the Monks allured the hearts of such folke as used to come thither Within this both himselfe and his successours Earles of Glocester were buried who had a Castle of their owne called Holmes hard by which now is almost vanished out of sight Neither is this towne lesse memorable for that battell whereby the house of Lancaster received a mortal wound as wherein very many of their side in the yeere 1471. were slaine more taken prisoners and divers beheaded their power so weakened and their hopes abated especially because young Prince Edward the only sonne of King Henry the sixt a very child was there put to death and in most shamefull and villanous manner his braines dashed out as that never after they came unto the field against King Edward the Fourth In which respect Iohn Leland wrote of this towne in this wise Ampla foro partis spoliis praeclara Theoci Curia sabrinae quà se committit Avona Fulget nobilium sacrÃsque recondit in antris Multorum cineres quondam inclyta corpora bello Where Av'n and Severn meete in one there stands a goodly towne For mercat great and pillage rich there wonne of much renowne Hight Tewkesburie where noble men entombed many are Now gone to mould who sometimes were redoubted Knights in warre From thence we come to Deorhirst which Bede speaketh of scituate somewhat low upon the banke of Severn wherby it hath great losses many times when he over-floweth his bounds It had in it sometimes a little Monasterie which being by the Danes overthrowne flourished againe at length under Edward the Confessor who as we read in his Testament assigned The religious place at Deorhirst and the government thereof to Saint Denis neere unto Paris Yet a little while after as William of Malmesbury saith It was but a vaine and void representation of antiquitie Over against it lieth a place halfe incompassed in with Severne called in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Alney now the Eight that is The Iland Famous by the reason of this occurrence that when both the Englishmen and the Danes were much weakened with continuall encounters to make a finall dispatch at once of all quarrels the Fortune and destinie of both nations was committed to Edmund King of the English and to Canutus King of the Danes who in this Iland by a single combate tried it out unto whether of them the right of this Realme should belong But after they had fought and given over on even hand a peace was concluded and the kingdome divided betweene them But when streight upon it Edmund was dispatched out of the way not without suspicion of poison Canutus seized into his owne hands all England From Deorhirst Severne runneth downe by Haesfield which King Henry the Third gave to Rich. Pauncefote whose successours built a faire house heere and whose predecessours were possessed of faire lands in this Countrey before and in the Conquerours time in Wiltshire making many reaches winding in and out and forthwith dividing himselfe to make a river Iland most rich and beautifull in greene meddowes he passeth along by the head Citie of this Shire which Antonine the Emperour called CLEVVM and GLEVVM the Britans terme Caer Gloviè the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we Glocester the Vulgar sort of Latinists Glovernia others Claudiocestria of the Emperour Claudius as they imagine who forsooth should give it this name when hee had bestowed heere his daughter Genissa in marriage upon Arviragus the Britan. Touching whom Iuvenall writeth thus Regem aliquem capies vel de temone Britanno Excidet Arviragus Some King sure thou shalt prisoner take in chase or battaile heat Or else Arviragus shall loose his British royall seate As though hee had begat any other daughters of his three wives besides Claudia Antonia and Octavia or as if Arviragus had beene knowne in that age whose name was never heard of before Domitians time and scarce then But let them goe that seeke to build antiquitie upon a frame grounded on lies Rather yet would I
of a sumptuous and stately house which Edward the last Duke of Buckingham was in hand to build in the yeare of our Lord as the engraving doth purport 1511. when he had taken downe an ancient house which Hugh Audeley E. of Glocester had formerly built seven miles from hence Avon sheading it selfe into Severn running crosse before it maketh a division betweene Glocestershire and Sommersetshire and not farre from the banke thereof Pucle-Church appeareth being in times past a towne or Manour of the Kings called Pucle-Kerkes wherein Edmund King of England whiles he interposed himselfe betweene his Sewer and one Leove a most vilanous wretch for to part and end certaine quarrels betweene them was thrust through the body and so lost his life Nere bordering upon this place are two townes Winterburne which had for their Lords the Bradstons amongst whom S. Thomas was summoned amongst the Barons in the time of King Edward the Third From whom the Vicounts Montacute the Barons of Wentworth c. fetch their descent Acton which gave name to the house of the Actons Knights whose heire being married unto Nicolas Points Knight in K. Edward the second his daies left the same to their off-spring Derham a little towne in the Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Ceaulin the Saxon slew three Princes or chiefe Lords of the Britans Commeail Condidan and Fariemeiol with others whom he likewise put to the sword and dispossessed the Britans of that countrie for ever There remaine yet in that place huge rampieâ—s and trenches as fortifications of their campes and other most apparent monuments here and there of so great a war This was the chiefe seat of the Barony of Iames de novo Mercatu who begat three daughters wedded to Nicholas de Moelis Iohn de Boteraux and Ralph Russell one of whose posterity enriched by matching with the heire of the ancient family of Gorges assumed unto them the name of Gorges But from Ralph Russell the heire this Deorham descended to the family of Venis Above these is Sodbury knowne by the familie of Walsh and neighbours thereunto are Wike-ware the ancient seat of the familie De-la-ware Woton under Edge which yet remembreth the slaughter of Sir Thomas Talbot Vicount Lisle heere slaine in the time of King Edward the Fourth in an encounter with the Lord Barkley about possessions since which time have continued suites betweene their posterity untill now lately they were finally compounded More Northward I had sight of Durisley reputed the ancientest habitation of the Barkleyes hereupon stiled Barkleis of Duresley who built here a Castle now more than ruinous and were accounted founders of the Abbey of Kings-wood thereby for Cistertian Monkes derived from Tintern whom Maud the Empresse greatly enriched The males of this house failed in the time of King Richard the Second and the heire generall was married to Cantelow Within one mile of this where the river Cam lately spoken of springeth is Vleigh a seat also of the Barkeleis descended from the Barons Barkeley stiled of Vleigh and Stoke Giffard who were found coheires to I. Baron Boutetort descended from the Baron Zouch of Richards Castles alias Mortimer and the Somerus Lords of Dueley Beverston Castle not farre of Eastward appertained also to the name of Barkeleies but in former times to the Gournois and Ab-Adam a Baron in the time of King Edward the First Hitherto have we cursorily passed over the principall places in this Shire situate beyond and upon Severn and not far from his banke Now proceede we forward to the East part which I said riseth up with hilles to wit Cotteswold which of woulds and Cotes that is hils and Sheepfolds tooke that name For mountaines and hils without woods the Englishmen in old time termed Woulds whence it is that an Old Glossary interpreteth Alpes Italie The Woulds of Italie In these Woulds there feed in great numbers flockes of sheepe long necked and square of bulke and bone by reason as it is commonly thought of the weally and hilly situation of their pasturage whose wool being most fine and soft is had in passing great account among all nations Vnder the side of these hils and among them are to be seene as it were in a row neighbouring together these places following of more antiquity than the rest beginning at the North-east end of them Campden commonly Camden a mercat towne well peopled and of good resort where as Iohn Castoreus writeth all the Kings of Saxon bloud assembled in the yeare of Salvation 689. and consulted in common about making war upon the Britans In William the Conquerours time this Weston and Biselay were in the possession of Hugh Earle of Chester and from his posterity came at last by Nicolaa de Albeniaco an inherice to the ancient Earles of Arundel unto Roger de Somery Neere unto it standeth the said Weston a place now to bee remembred in regard of a faire house which maketh a goodly shew a farre off built by Ralph Sheldon for him and his Posterity Hales in late time a most flourishing Abbay built by Richard Earle of Cornwall and King of Romanes who was there buried with his Wife Sanchia daughter to the Earle of Province and deserving commendation for breeding up of Alexander of Hales a great Clerke and so deepely learned above all others in that subtile and deepe Divinity of the Schoole men as he carryed away the sirname of Doctor Irrefragabilis that is the Doctor ungain-said as he that could not be gain-said Sudley in times past Sudlengh a very faire Castle the seat not long since of Sir Thomas Seimor Baron Seimor of Sudley and Admirall of England attainted in the time of king Edward the Sixth and afterward of Sir John Bruges whom Queene Mary created Baron Chandos of Sudley because he derived his pedegree from the ancient family of Chandos out of which there flourished in the raigne of Edward the third Sir John Chandos a famous Baneret Vicount of Saint Saviours L of Caumont and Kerkitoâ— in France a martiall man and for military Prowesse every way most renowned But in old time certaine Noblemen here dwelt and of it had their addition de Sudley descended of a right ancient English Race to wit from Gorda K. Aetheldreds daughter whose son Ralph Medantinus Earle of Hereford begat Harold L. of Sudley whose progeny flourished here a long time untill for default of issue male the daughter and heire matched in marriage with Sir William Butler of the family of Wem and brought him a sonne named Thomas and he begat Ralph Lord Treasurer of England created by king Henry the Sixth Baron of Sudley with a fee of 200. markes yearely who repaired this castle and enlarged it with new buildings His sisters and coheires were married unto the houses of Northbury and Belkâ—ape and by their posterity the possessions in short time were divided into
ours doth A mighty nation this was as saith Tacitus and after they had betaken themselves to the protection of the Romans never shaken nor troubled unto Claudius his time For then when as Ostorius the Romane Lieutenant raised fortifications vpon the rivers and disarmed the Britans they assembled their forces and made head against him but after that the Romanes had broken through the rampier wherewith they had fenced themselves they were vanquished not without great slaughter In which fight verily they performed many worthy acts and M. Ostorius the Lieutenants sonne wonne the honour of saving a Citizens life When this warre was thus husht scarce 13. yeeres had gone over their heads when a new tempest of warre arose upon these occasions Prasutagus King of these Iceni to secure though it were with the hurt of his own private estate his kinred from calamity ordained by his last will and testament Nero the Emperor to be his heire supposing that by this obsequious service of his let Tacit. speak for me a while his Kingdom and house both should be safe from all injury which fell out cleane contrary so that his Kingdome was wasted by the Centurions and his house by slaves as if they had been subdued by force And now first of all his wife Boodicia who also is called Bunduica was whipped and her daughters defloured All the principall men of the Iceni as though they had received the whole Country in free gift were stript of their goods and turned out of their ancient inheritance those also of the Kings stocke and bloud accounted no better than bondslaves By occasions of which grievous injuries and for fear of greater indignities for so much they had been reduced into the forme of a province in all hast they tooke armes having withall sollicited the Trinobantes to rebellion and others also who had not as yet been inured to bondage These by privie conspiracies agreed to resume their libertie being incensed with most bitter and deadly hatred against the old souldiers planted at Maldon above said Thus began a most dangerous warre to kindle which was set more on a light fire by the greedy covetousnesse of Seneca who about that time exacted with extremitie 400000. Sesterces an hundred times told which amount to three hundred thousand pounds of our money so increased by his biting usurious contracts In this warre that I may be briefe that Boodicia whom Gildas seemeth to call the crafty Lionesse wife to Prasutagus slew outright of Romanes and their associates fourescore thousand rased Caimalodunum their Colonie and the free towne Verulamium The ninth Legion she discomfited and put to flight Catus Decianus the Procuratour but at length she being put to the worst by Suetonius Paulinus in a pitched field with an invincible courage and resolution died as Tacitus writeth by drinking a cup of poison or as Dio saith by sicknesse In the heat of this war Xiphilinus recordeth out of Dio that the Britans especially worshipped the Goddesse VICTORIE under the name of ANDATES which the Greeke booke in another place calleth Andrastes also that in her sacred grove they sacrificed prisoners alive in most barbarous and savage maner And yet the Britans in these daies acknowledge no such name of Victorie neither know I what the meaning of it should be unlesse as the Latins have called Victorie Victoriam à vincendo that is of winning the Sabins acunam ab Vevacuando that is of emptying and making riddance and the Grecians NIKHN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of not yeelding or giving backe so the Britans named it Anaraith of overthrowing For so they terme a mischievous and deadly overthrow But thus much slightly by the way From those times ever since no mention is there in authors of the Iceni neither can any thing by reading be found but that the Romans when their Empire went apace to decay did set a new officer over the sea coasts along these and other countries to restraine the piracies and robberies of the Saxons whom as I have said heeretofore they called Comes of the Saxons shore along Britaine But when the English Saxons now had established their Heptarchie in this Iland this province became part of the Kingdome of East Angles which of the site thereof Eastward they named in their language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kingdome of East English and it had for the first King thereof Vffa whence his successors were a long time called Vff Kines who seem to have been Vassals sometimes to the Kings of Mercia and sometimes to the Kings of Kent Whose offspring being come to an end in S. Edmund the Danes overran this country most piteously for the space of 50. yeares or thereabout afflicting it with all the calamities that accompany the wars untill that King Edward the elder having subdued them united it at length to his owne Kingdom of the West-Saxons But afterwards it had peculiar Presidents and Governors which honorable place at the first comming in of the Normans and a while after one Ralph born in the lesser Britain held a man of a perfidious disposition and disloyall who at a celebration of a marriage in most sumptuous manner wickedly with many moe conspired the death of William the Conqueror but in vaine it was to hope for secrecy and trust among so many privie to the conspiracy For it was discovered and he deprived of his dignity was attainted and the rest beheaded But these things are to bee handled more at large by the Historians and now let us goe in hand with that which belongeth properly to our purpose that is the places themselves What kind of country this was behold how Abbo Floriacensis who lived in the yeare of Christ 970. hath pictured out in these words This part which is called East Angle or East England is renowned as for other causes so in this regard that it is watered almost on every side being on the Southeast and East environed with the Ocean and on the North-east with huge Fennes soked in moisture which rising by reason of the levell ground from the mids in manner of all Britaine for the space of a hundred miles and more doth descend with the greatest rivers into the sea But of that side which lieth Westward the Province it selfe is continuate to the rest of the Iland and therefore passable throughout but least it should be overrun with the often irruptions and breakings in of enemies it is fensed along with a banke like unto a wall and a Trench Inwardly the soile is fruitfull enough and the country of a passing fresh hue with pleasant Orchards Gardens and groves most delectable for hunting notable for pastures and not meanly stored with sheepe and other cattell I say nothing of the fishfull rivers considering that of the one side the sea licketh it with his Tongue and of the other side there are by reason of the broad Fennes and wide Marishes an infinite
Country two Barons of the Exchequer Sergeants at Law a Sheriffe and Attourney an Eschetour c. And the Inhabitants of the said County for the enjoying of their liberties were to pay at the change of every Owner of the said Earledome a summe of money about 3000. markes by the name of a Mize as the County of Flint being a parcell thereof about 2000. markes if I have not bin mis-informed This County containeth about 68. Parishes NOw have I superficially surveyed the Regions of the CORNAVII which together with the CORITANI DOBUNI and CATVELLANI made that Kingdome in the Saxons Heptarchie which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine Writers Mercia of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old English word that signified a Limite for all the other Kingdomes bordered and confined upon it This was the largest Kingdome by farre of all the rest begunne by Crida the Saxon about the yeere of our Lord 586. augmented by Penda who extended the Marches there of every way and within a while after instructed in Christian Religion But having come to the full period within the revolution of 250. yeeres fell at last into the Dominion of the West-Saxons after that the Danes had spoiled weakned and wasted it many yeeres in all manner of barbarous hostility SILURES I Thinke it now my best way before I treat of the other parts of England to digresse a while and turne a little aside toward Wales called in Latin Cambria or Wallia where the ancient Britans have yet their seat and abode neither shall I in so doing as I thinke digresse but directly follow the order of nature For it lieth adjacent to the CORNAVII and seemeth as it were of right and equity to demand that it may be spoken of in due course and place especially seeing the Britans or Welsh the inhabitants thereof enioy the same lawes and rights that we doe and have long since beene engraffed and incorporate with us into our Common-wealth WALES therefore which name comprised in times past before the Conquest the whole Countrey beyond Severn but afterward reached not so farre was when the Romanes ruled in Britaine inhabited by three sorts of people the SILURES DIMETAE and ORDOVICES For these held not onely the twelve Shires as they call them of Wales but those two also beyond Severn Hereford-shire and Monmouth-shire which have beene now long reckoned among the Counties of England And to beginne first with those that we first come unto and which lye next unto us the SILURES according to Ptolomees description inhabited those Regions which in Welsh are called by one name Deheubarth that is the Southpart and at this day by new names Hereford-shire Radnor-shire Brecknock-shire Monmouth-shire and Glamorgan-shire wherein are as yet some remaines also of the name SILURES As for the derivation of that name I have nothing that sorteth with the nature of the Nation But touching the originall of the people Tacitus ghesseth by their coloured faces their countenances their curled haire and their situation over against Spaine that they had their originall from the Spaniards But Florianus del campo a Spaniard flatly affirmeth it who troubleth and toileth himselfe exceedingly to finde the Silures in Spaine and thrusts upon us I know not what of Soloria and Siloria in Biscaie But to speake of the nature of these Silures they were a Nation very great for as wee may gather out of Plinie and Tacitus they seeme to have possessed all South-Wales fierce valiant given to warre impatient of servitude forward to adventure with a resolution the Romanes call it Pervicacia and who would not bee brought in either with faire meanes or soule in all and every of which qualities their Posterity have in no point as yet degenerated from their Ancestours When the Romanes upon an ambitious desire of rule did set upon them they trusting to the strength and prowesse of King Caratacus provoked also and exasperated with a word that Claudius the Emperour let fall who had said These were so to bee destroied and their name to bee extinguished as the Sugambri had beene rooted out aforetime annoied the Romanes with so dangerous a Warre by intercepting their Bands of auxiliary forces by putting to flight that Legion over which Marius Valens was Captaine and by wasting the lands of their Associates that P. Ostorious Propraetor of Britaine being tired with travaile and with the sense of these griefes and troubles gave up his ghost Veranius also Governour under Nero assailed them in vaine For whereas we reade in Tacitus illum modicis excursibus sylvas populatum esse that is That he made spoile and forraied the woods with small outrodes reade in lieu of Sylvas that is woods Siluras that is The Silures as our friend that most learned Lipsius doth and you shall reade aright Yet was not this Warre husht and finished before the time of Vespasian For then Iulius Frontinus subdued them by force and kept them under with Bands of Legionary Souldiers But whereas a Countriman of ours hath wrested this Verse of Iuvenal against Crispine to these SILURES magnâ qui voce solebat Vendere municipes fractâ de merce Siluros who with lowd voice was wont and knew full well Of broken ware his country fish the Sturgions for to sell. As though our Silures being taken prisoners were set to sale at Rome upon my credite he hath not attained to the right and proper sense of the Poet For by that word Siluros he that will reade the place and weigh it well shall easily perceive he spake of fishes and not of men HEREFORD-SHIRE THE County which we call HEREFORD-SHIRE and the Britans name Ereiâ—uc lying in compasse round as it were a Circle is bounded on the East side with Worcester and Glocester-shires on the South with Monmouth-shire on the West side with Radnor and Brecknor-shires and on the North with Shropshire This Country besides that it is right pleasant is for yeelding of Corne and feeding of Cattaile in all places most fruitfull and therewith passing well furnished with all things necessary for mans life In so much as it would scorne to come behinde any one Country throughout all England for fertility of Soile and therefore say that for three W.W.W. wheat wooll and water it yeeldeth to no Shire of England And verily it hath also diverse notable rivers namely Wye-Lug and Munow which after they have watered the most flowring meddowes and fruitfull corne fields at length meet together and in one chanell passe on to the Severn sea Munow springing out of Hatterell hilles which resembling a chaire doe rise aloft and sense this shire on the South-West as it descendeth downe first strugleth to passe through by the foote of the said hilles to BLESTIUM a towne which Antonine the Emperour so placeth that for situation and distance it can bee no other than that which standing by the side of this River is
withdrawne it selfe more inwardly Upon this Bay Kidwelly first offereth it selfe to our sight the Territory whereof Kâ—tani the Scot his sonnes held for a time untill they were driven out by Cuneda the Britan. But now it is counted part of the inheritance of the Dutchy of Lancaster by the heires of Maurice of London or De Londres who making an outroad hither out of Glamorgan-shire after a dangerous war made himselfe Lord heereof and fortified old Kidwelly with a wall and Castle to it which now for very age is growne to decay and standeth as it were forlet and forlorne For the Inhabitants having passed over the little River Vendraeth Vehan built a new Kidwelly entised thither by the commodity of the haven which notwithstanding at this day being choked with shelves and barres is at this present of no great use Whiles Maurice of London invaded these parts Guenliana the wife of Prince Gruffin a stout and resolute woman in the highest degree to recover the losses and declining state of her husband came with displaied banner into the field and fiercely assailed him but the successe not answerable to her courage shee with her sonne Morgan and other men of especiall note as Girald recordeth was slaine in battaile By Hawis or Avis the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas of London this passing faire and large patrimony together with the Title of Lord of Ogmor and Kidwelly came unto Patricke-Chaworth and by his sonne Patrickes daughter unto Henry Earle of Lancaster Now the heires of the said Maurice of London as we learne out of an old Inquisition for this inheritance were bound to this service that if their Soveraigne Lord the King or his chiefe Justice came into the parts about Kidwelly with an Army they should conduct the foresaid Army with their banners and their people through the middest of Nethland as farre as to Loghar A few miles beneath Kidwelly the River Tovie which Ptolomee calleth TOBIUS falleth into the the Sea after he hath passed through this Region from North-East to South first by Lanandiffry so called as men thinke of Rivers meeting together which Hoel the sonne of Rhese overthrew for malice that hee bare unto the English then by Dinevor a princely Castle standing aloft upon the top of an hill and belonging unto the Princes of South Wales whiles they flourished and last of all by Caer Marden which the Britans themselves call Caer-Firdhin Ptolomee MARIDUNUM Antonine MURIDUNUM who endeth his Journeies there and through negligence of the transcribers is in this place not well used For they have confounded the Journeies from Galena to Isca and from Maridunum to Viriconium This is the chiefe City of the country for medowes and woods pleasant and in regard of antiquity to be respected Compassed about very properly as Giraldus saith with bricke walles which are partly yet standing upon the famous river Tovit able to beare small ships although there be now a barre of sand cast up against the very mouth thereof In this City was borne the Tages of the Britans I meane Merlin For like as Tages being the sonne of an evill Angell taught his Countrimen the Tuscans the art of Sooth saying so this Merlin the sonne of an Incubus Spirit devised for our Britans prophesies nay rather meere phantasticall dreames Whereby in this Island he hath been accounted among the credulous and unskilfull people a most renowned Prophet Straight after the Normans entring into Wales this City was reduced but I wot not by whose conduct under their subjection and for a long time sore afflicted with many calamities and distresses being oftentimes assaulted once or twice set on fire first by Gruffin ap Rise then by Rise the said Gruffins brother at which time Henry Turbervill an Englishman succoured the Castle and hewed downe the Bridge But afterwards by the meanes of Gilbert de Clare who fortified both the walles thereof and the Castles adjoyning it was freed from these miseries and being once eased of all grievances and in security endured afterwards more easily from time to time the tempests of warre and all assaults And the Princes of Wales of the English bloud I meane the first begotten sonnes of the Kings of England ordained heere their Chauncery and Exchequer for all South Wales Neere unto this City on the East side lyeth Cantred-Bichan that is The lesse Hundred for the Britans terme a portion of land that containeth 100. Villages a Cantred in which beside the ruines of Careg Castle situate upon a Rocke rising on every side steepe and upright there are many under-mines or caves of very great widenesse within the ground now covered all over with green-sord and turfe wherein it is thought the multitude unable to beare armes hid themselves during the heate of warre there is also heere a Fountaine that as Giraldus writeth Twice in foure and twenty houres ebbing and twice flowing resembleth the unstable motions of the maine Sea But on the North-East side there stretcheth it selfe a great way out Cantredmaur that is The great hundred a most safe refuge for the Britans in times past as being thicke set with woods combersome to travaile in by reason the waies are intricate by the windings in and out of the hils Southward stand Talcharn and Lhan-Stephan Castles upon rockes of the Sea which are most notable witnesses of martiall valour and prowesse as well in the English as in the Welsh Beneath Talcharn Taff sheddeth it selfe into the Sea by the side whereof was in times past that famous Twy Gwin ar Taff that is The white house upon the River Taff because it was built of white Hazels for a summer house where in the yeere of our Redemption 914. Hoel sirnamed Dha that is Good Prince of Wales in a frequent Assembly of his States for there met there beside others of the Clergie one hundred and forty abrogated the ancient ordinances and established new lawes for his Subjects as the Prooeme to the very lawes themselves doe witnesse In which place afterward a little Abbay named White land was built Not farre from whence is Killmayn Lhoyd where of late daies certaine country people hapned upon an earthen Vessell in which was hourded a mighty deale of Romane Coine of embased silver from the time of Commodus the Romane Emperour who first embased silver unto the fifth Tribuneship of Gordian the third which fell just with the yeere of Christ 243. Among these were certaine peeces of Helvius Pertinax of Marcus Opellius of Antoninus Diadumenianus of Julius Verus Maximus the sonne of Maximinus of Calius Balbivus of Clodius Pupienus of Aquilia Severa the wife of Elagabalus and of Sall. Barbia Orbiana which among Antiquaries are of greatest price and estimation as being most rare of all others Now it remaineth that I should relate how upon the river Tivy that separateth this County from Cardigan-shire there standeth New-Castle for so they call
with too much affectation derived our Brigantes from Spaine into Ireland and from thence into Britaine grounding upon no other conjecture but that he found the Citie Brigantia in his owne country Spaine he hath I feare me swarved from the truth For in case our Brigantes and those in Ireland had not the same name both for one cause I had rather with my friend the right learned Thomas Savil judge that as well diuers of our Brigantes as also other nations of Britaine from the first comming of the Romanes hither departed into Ireland some for desire of quietnesse and ease others that the Lordly dominion of the Romanes might not be an eye-sore unto them and others againe because they would not by their good will loose that libertie in their old age which by nature they were endowed with in their childhood But that Claudius the Emperour was the first of all the Romanes who set upon these our Brigantes and brought them under the Romane dominion Seneca in his Play sheweth by these verses Ille Britannos Ultra noti littora Ponti caerueleos Scuta Brigantes dare Romulaeis colla catenis Jussit ipsum nova Romanae jura securis Tremere Oceanum The Brigants such as seated are beyond the knowne Sea-coast And Brigants with blew painted shields he forced with his hoast To yeeld their necks in Romane chaines as captive to be led And even the Ocean this new power of Romane-ax to dred And yet I have been of this minde that they were not then conquered but committed themselves rather into the tuition and protection of the Romanes For that which he Poetically endited the Historiographers doe not mention And Tacitus recordeth how by occasion at that time of certaine discords risen among the Brigantes Ostorius who now made preparation for new warres was hindered and pulled backe which he with the execution of a few easily appeased At which time the Brigantes had Cartismandua a right noble and puissant Lady for their Queene who intercepted Caratacus and delivered him into the Romanes hands Herevpon ensued wealth of wealth and prosperitie riotous and incontinent life in so much as forsaking her Husband Venutius his bed she joyned her selfe in marriage with Vellocatus his Esquire and made him King Which foule fact was the overthrow shortly after of her house and thereby a bloudy and mortall warre was enkindled The love and affection of the Country went generally with the lawfull Husband but the Queenes untemperate lust and cruelty were peremptory in maintaining the adulterer She by craftie plots and mischievous meanes intercepteth the Brother and kinsfolke of Venutius Venutius againe for his part pricked forward with shamefull disgrace by the helpe of friends whom he procured and the rebellion withall of the Brigantes themselves brought Cartismandua into great extremities Then upon her instant unto the Romanes for aide Garisons were set Cohorts and wings oâ— foot and horse were sent which after sundry skirmishes with variable event delivered her person out of perill yet so as that the Kingdome remained to Venutius and the warre with the Romanes who were not able to subdue the Brigantes before the time of Vespasian For then Petilius Cerealis having invaded this Country fought many battailes and some of them very bloudy and either conquered or else wasted a great part of the Brigantes Whereas Tacitus writeth that this Queene of the Brigantes delivered Caracus prisoner unto Claudius the Emperor there is in that excellent author a manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same noted a good while since by Iustus Lipsius deepely insighted in understanding old authors For neither was this Caratacus Prince of the Silures and Ordevices led in pompe at that triumph of Claudius nor yet Caratacus the Sonne of Cunobelinus for so is he called in the Romane Fasti whom Dio nameth Catacratus Of whom Aulus Plautius if not in the very same yeere yet in the next following triumphed by way of Ovation But let others sift out these matters and thereof I have already said somewhat In the Emperour Hadrians time when as Aelius Spartianus saith The Britaines could not be contained under the Romanes dominion it may seeme that these our Brigantes revoited from the Romanes and made a turbulent insurrection For had it not been so there was no cause why Iuvenall who then lived should thus write Dirue Maurorum attegias castra Brigantum Downe with the Moores sheepe cotes and folds Downe with the Brigantes forts and holds Neither afterward in the time of Antoninus Pius was their courage as it may seeme very much abated when he tooke away part of their territories from them because they had made rodes as I have said before into Genunia or Guinethia a Province confederate with the Romanes If I durst by our Critickes good leave who in these daies presuming so much of their great wits are supercriticall me thinks I could heere cleare Tacitus of a fault or two which sitteth close to him as concerning the Brigantes The one is in the twelfth Booke of his Annales where I would reade for Venutius out of the State of the Iugantes out of the State of the Brigantes which Tacitus himselfe seemeth to insinuate in the third Booke of his Histories The other in the life of Agricola The Brigantes saith he under the leading of a Woman burnt the Colonie c. Where truth would have you reade The Trinobantes For he speaketh of Queene Boadicia who had nothing to doe with the Brigantes But the Trinobantes she stirred indeede to rebellion and burnt the Colonie Camalodunum But this Country of theirs so exceeding large which the further it goeth the narrower it waxeth riseth on high in the mids with continued ridges and edges of hils as Italic is raised up with Apenninus which make a partition betweene those Counties into which it is now divided For beneath those hilles toward the East and the German Sea lieth Yorke-shire and the Bishopricke of Duresme and on the West side Lancashire Westmorland and Cumberland all which Countries in the first infancy of the English-Saxons Empire were contained within the Kingdome of the Deiri For they call these Countries the Kingdome of the Nordanhumbers and divided them in two parts Deira called in that age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is neerer unto us and on this side Tine and Bernicia which lying beyond Tine reached as farre as Edenborrough Frith in Scotland which parts although they had their severall Kings for a long time yet at length grew all to bee one Kingdome And that I may note this one thing by the way whereas in the life of Charles the Great it is read thus Eardulph King of the Nordanhumbers that is De-Irland being driven out of his Country unto Charles the Great c. Wee must reade ioyntly Dierland and understand the place of this Country and not of Ireland as some have misconceived EBORACENSIS Comitatus pars Occidenâ—aâ—is vulgo WEST RIDING YORKE-SHIRE THE
the people dwelling thereby gather from hence salt sufficiently for their use And now the River as though it purposed to make an Island compasseth almost on every side the chiefe City of this Province standing on an hill whence the Saxons gave it the name Dunholm For as you may gather out of Bede they called an hill Dun and a river Island Holme Heereof the Latine Writers have made DUNELMUM the Normans Duresme but the common people most corruptly name it Durham It is seated on high and passing strongly withall yet taketh it up no great circuit of ground shaped in forme as one would say of an egge environed on every side save on the North with the River and fortified with a wall Toward the South side almost whereas the River fetcheth it selfe about standeth the Cathedrall Church aloft making a solemne and a sightly shew with an high Towre in the middest and two Spires at the West end In the middest there is a Castle placed as it were betweene two stone bridges over the river the one Eastward the other Westward From the Castle Northward is seene a spacious Mercate-place and Saint Nicholas Church from whence there runneth out a great length North-East a Suburbe compassed on two sides the River like as others on both sides beyond the River which leade unto the Bridges and euery of them have their severall Churches The originall of this City is of no great Antiquity For when the distressed Monkes of Lindisfarn driven hither and thither by the Danes Warres wandered up and downe without any certaine place of abode with the corps of Saint Cuthbert at length heere they setled themselves by divine direction about the yeere of our Salvation 995. But heare the whole matter out of mine Authour of Durham All the people accompanying the corps of that most holy Father Cuthbert came into Dunholme a place verily strong of it selfe by nature but not easily to bee inhabited as being wholly beset on every side with a most thicke Wood onely in the middest was a little Plaine which was wont to bee tilled and sowed with Corne where Bishop Aldwin built afterwards a faire Church of stone The foresaid Prelate therefore through the helpe of all the people and the assistance of Uthred Earle of Northumberland stocked up all the Wood and in short time made the whole place habitable To conclude the people generally from the River Coqued as farre as to Tees came right willingly as well to this worke as after that to build a Church and untill it was finished ceased not to follow that businesse devoutly Wherefore after the Wood was quite grub'd up and every one had their mansion places assigned out by lot The said Bishop in a fervent love to Christ and Saint Cuthbert upon an honest and godly intent beganne no small peece of worke to build a Church and endeavoured by all meanes to finish the same Thus farre mine Authour Not many yeeres after those Englishmen who could not endure the insolent command of the Normans presuming upon the naturall strength of the place chose it for their chiefe Hold and seat of resistance yea and from thence troubled the Conquerour not a little For William Gemeticensis writeth thus They went into a part of the Country which for waters and woods was inaccessible raising a Castle with a most strong trench and rampier which they called Dunholme out of which making many rodes sundry waies for a certaine space they kept themselves close there waiting for the comming of Swene King of the Danes But when that fell not out according to their expectation they provided for themselves by flight and King William comming to Durham granted many priviledges for establishing the liberty of the Church and built the Castle whereof I spake on the highest part of the hill which afterwards became the Bishops house and the keies thereof when the Bishopricke was voide were wont by an ancient custome to be hanged upon Saint Cuthberts shrine When this Castle was once built William of Malmesbury who lived about that time describeth this City in these words Durham is a prety hill rising by little and little from one plaine of the Valley with a gentle ascent untill it come to bee a mount and although by reason of the rough and steepe situation of the Rockes there is no way for the enemy to enter it yet they of these daies have erected a Castle upon the hill At the very foote and bottom of the Castle runneth a River wherein is great store of fish but of Salmons especially At the same time well neere as that ancient Booke reporteth William de Careleph the Bishop who gathered againe the dispersed Monkes hither for the Danes in every place had overthrowne their Cloistures pulled downe that Church which Aldwin had formerly built and beganne the foundation of another of a fairer worke which his successour Ralph finished And after that Nicholas Feruham Bishop and Thomas Mescomb Prior adjoyned a new Fabrique or frame unto it in the yeere of Christ 1242. And a good while after W. Skirlaw the Bishop built at the West end of the Church a faire peece of worke which they call Gallilee whereinto hee translated the marble Tombe of Venerable Bede In which place Hugh Pudsey beganne in times past an house wherein I use the words of an ancient Booke women might lawfully enter that whereas they had not corporall accesse unto the more secret holy places yet they might have some comfort by the beholding of the holy mysteries But that Ralph the Bishop aforesaid as our Historian writeth reduced the place â—etweene the Church and the Castle which had beene taken up with many dwelling houses into a plaine and open ground for feare least either any annoyance by filth or dangers by fire might come neere unto the Church And all be it the City was strong enough by the naturall site yet hee made it more strong and stately with a Wall reaching in length from the Chauncell of the Church unto the Keepe and Towre of the Castle Which wall now by little and little giveth place unto time and never that I could heare suffered any assault of enemy For when David Brus King of Scots had forraied the Country with fire and sword as farre as to Beanparke or Beereparke which is a Parke neere unto the City whiles King Edward the Third besieged Calais Henry Percy and William Zouch Archbishop of Yorke with their Companies of men mustered up in haste encountered the Scots and so couragiously charged them that having taken the King prisoner they slew the most of the first and second battaile and put the third to a fearefull flight neither staied they at most steepe and cumbersome places untill they recovered their owne Holds This is that famous Battaile which our people call The Battaile at Nevils Crosse. For the chiefest of the Scottish Nobility being slaine and the King taken prisoner at this field they were enforced
the Fresian sea and the Scottish sea and the Eulogium Morwiridh Upon this after you be past Tantallon are seated first North-Berwick a famous place sometime for an house there of religious Virgins and then Dyrlton which belonged in times past to the notable family of the Haliburtous and now to S. Tho. Ereskin Captain of the guard whom James K. of great Britain for his happy valour in preserving him against the traiterous attempts of Gowrye first created Baron of Dirlton and afterward advanced him to the honourable title of Vicount Felton making him the first Vicount that ever was in Scotland Against these places there lyeth in the sea not far from the shore the Iland Bas which riseth up as it were all one craggy rocke and the same upright and steep on every side yet hath it a Block-house belonging to it a fountaine also and pastures but it is so hollowed with the waves working upon it that it is almost pierced thorough What a multitude of sea-foules and especially of those geese which they call Scouts and Soland geese flocke hither at their times for by report their number is such that in a cleere day they take away the sunnes light what a sort of fishes they bring for as the speech goeth a hundred garrison souldiers that here lay for defence of the place fed upon no other meat but the fresh fish that they brought in what a quantity of stickes and little twigges they get together for the building of their nests so that by their meanes the inhabitants are abundantly provided of fewell for their fire what a mighty gaine groweth by their feathers and oyle the report thereof is so incredible that no man scarcely would beleeve it but he that had seene it Then as the shore draweth backe Seton sheweth it selfe which seemeth to have taken that name of the situation by the sea side and to have imparted the same unto a right noble house of the Setons branched out of an English family and from the daughter of King Robert Brus out of which the Marquesse Huntley Robert Earle of Wentoun Alexander Earle of Dunfirmling advanced to honors by K. James the sixth are propagated After this the river Eske dischargeth it selfe into this Frith when it hath runne by Borthwic which hath Barons surnamed according to that name and those deriving their pedegree out of Hungary by Newbottle that is The new building sometimes a faire monasterie now the Barony of Sir Mark Ker by Dalkeith a very pleasant habitation of the late Earles of Morton and Musselborrow hard under which in the yeere of our Lord 1547. when Sir Edward Seimor Duke of Somerset with an army royall had entred Scotland to claime and challenge the keeping of a covenant made concerning a marriage betweene Marie Queene of Scotland and Edward the sixth King of England there happened the heaviest day that ever fell to the adventurous youth of the most noble families in all Scotland who there lost their lives Here I must not over-passe in silence this Inscription which John Napier a learned man hath in his Commentaries upon the Apocalyps recorded to have beene here digged up and which the right learned Knight Sir Peter Young teacher and trainer of King James the sixth in his youth hath in this wise more truely copied forth APOLLINI GRANNO Q. LUSIUS SABINIA NUS PROC AUG V. S.S.L.V.M Who this Apollo Granus might bee and whence hee should have this name not one to my knowledge of our grave Senate of Antiquaries hitherto could ever tell But if I might be allowed from out of the lowest bench to speak what I think I would say that Apollo Granus amongst the Romans was the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Apollo with long haire amongst the Greekes for Isidor calleth the long haire of the Gothes Grannos But here I may seem to wander out of my way and therefore will returne to it Lower yet and neere unto the Scotish Forth is seated EDENBUROUGH which the Irish Scots call Dun Eaden that is the towne Eaden or Eden Hill and which no doubt is the very same that Ptolomee named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Winged Castle for Adain in the British tongue signifieth a wing and Edenborrow a word compounded out of the British and Saxon language is nothing else but The Burgh with wings From Wings therefore wee must fetch the reason of the name and fetched it may be if you thinke good either from the Companies of Horsemen which are called Wings or else from those Wings in Architecture which the great Master builders tearme Pâ—eromaâ—â— that is as Vetruvius sheweth two Wallâ— so rising up in heigth as that they resemble a shew of Wings which for that a certaine City of Cyprus wanted it was called in old time as wee read in the Geographers Aptera that is Without Wings But if any man beleeve that the name was derived from Ebrâ—â—k a Britaine or from Heth a Picâ— good leave have he for me I will not confront them with this my conjecture This Citie in regard of the high situation of the holsome are and plentifull soile and many Noble mens towred houses built round about it watered also with cleere springing fountaines reaching from East to West a mile out in length and carrying halfe as much in bredth is worthily counted the chiefe Citie of the whole Kingdome strongly walled adorned with houses as well publike as private well peopled and frequented by reason of the opportunity from the sea which the neighbour haven at Leth affordeth And as it is the seat of the Kings so is it the oracle also or closet of the Lawes and the very Palace of Justice For the high Courts of Parliament are here for the most part holden for the enacting or repealing of Lawes also the Session and the Court of the Kings Justice and of the Commissariat whereof I have spoken already are here settled and kept On the East side hard unto the Monastery of Saint Crosse or Holy ruide is the Kings palace which King David the first built over which within a Parke stored with game riseth an hill with two heads called of Arthur the Britaine Arthurs Chaire On the West side a most steepe rocke mounteth up aloft to a stately heigth every way save onely where it looketh toward the City on which is placed a Castle with many a towre in it so strong that it is counted impregnable which the Britans called Castle Myned Agneâ— the Scots The Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle of certaine young maidens of the Picts royall blood who were kept there in old time and which may seeme in truth to have beene that Castrum Alatum or Castle with AVVING abovesaid How Edenborrow in the alternative fortune of warres was subject one while to the Scots and another while to the English who inhabited this East part of Scotland untill
father to Matthew Earle of Lennox who having sustained sundrie troubles in France and Scotland found fortune more friendly to him in England through the favour of King Henrie the eighth considering that hee bestowed upon him in marriage his Neice with faire lands By the meanes of this happie marriage were brought into the world Henrie and Charles Henrie by Marie Queene of Scots had issue JAMES the sixth King of Britain by the propitious grace of the eternall God borne in a most auspicate and lucky houre to knit and unite in one bodie of an Empire the whole Island of Britaine divided as well in it selfe as it was heretofore from the rest of the world and as we hope and pray to lay a most sure foundation of an everlasting securitie for our heires and the posteritie As for Charles he had issue one onely daughter Arbella who above her sexe hath so embraced the studies of the best literature that therein shee hath profited and proceeded with singular commendation and is comparable with the excellent Ladies of old time When Charles was dead after that the Earledome of Lennox whereof he stood enfeoffed was revoked by Parliamentarie authoritie in the yeere of our Lord 1579. and his Unkle by the fathers side Robert Bishop of Cathanes had some while enjoyed this title in lieu whereof he received at the Kings hands the honour of the Earle of March King James the sixth conferred the honourable title of Duke of Lennox upon Esme Steward sonne to John Lord D'Aubigny younger brother to Mathew aforesaid Earle of Lennox which Lodowic Esme his son at this day honourably enjoieth For since the time of Charles the sixth there were of this line Lords of Aubigny in France the said Robert before named and Bernard or Eberard under Charles the eighth Lewis the twelfth who is commended with great praise unto posteritie by P. Iovius for his noble acts most valerously exploited in the warre of Naples a most firme and trustie companion of King Henrie the seventh when he entred into England Who used for his Emprese or devise a Lion betweene buckles with this Mot DISTANTIA JUNGIT for that by his meanes the Kingdomes of France and of Scotland severed and dis-joined so farre in distance were by a straighter league of friendship conjoyned like as Robert Steward Lord D'Aubigny of the same race who was Marshall of France under King Lewis the eleventh for the same cause used the royall Armes of France with buckles Or in a border Gueules which the Earles and Dukes of Lennox have ever since borne quarterly with the Armes of Steward STIRLING Sheriffdome UPon Lennox North-eastward bordereth the territorie of STERLING so named of the principall towne therein for fruitfull soile and numbers of Gentlemen in it second to no province of Scotland Here is that narrow land or streight by which Dunbritton Frith and Edenborrough Frith that I may use the termes of this our age piercing farre into the land out of the West and East Seas are divided asunder that they meet not the one with the other Which thing Iulius Agricola who marched hitherto and beyond first observed and fortified this space betweene with garrisons so as all the part of Britaine in this side was then in possession of the Romans and the enemies removed and driven as it were into another Island in so much as Tacitus judged right truely There was no other bound or limit of Britaine to bee sought for Neither verily in the time ensuing did either the VALOUR of Armies or the GLORIE of the Romane name which scarcely could be stayed set out the marches of the Empire in this part of the world farther although with inâ—odes they other whiles molested and endammaged them But after this glorious expedition of Agricola when himselfe was called backe Britaine as faith Tacitus became for-let neither was the possession kept still thus farre for the Caledonian Britans drave the Romans backe as farre as to the river Tine in so much as Hadrian who came into Britaine in person about the fortieth yeere after and reformed many things in it went no farther forward but gave commandement that the GOD TERMINUS which was wont to give ground unto none should retire backward out of this place like as in the East on this side Euphrates Hence it is that S. Augustine wrote in this wise God TERMINUS who gave not place to Iupiter yeelded unto the will of Hadrianus yeelded to the rashnesse of Iulian yeelded to the necessitie of Iovian In so much as Hadrian had enough to doe for to make a wall of turfe between the rivers Tine and Esk well neere an hundred miles Southward on this side Edenborrough Frith But Antoninus Pius who being adopted by Hadrian bare his name stiled thereupon TITUS AELIUS HADRIANUS ANTONINUS PIUS under the conduct of Lollius Urbicus whom he had sent hither Lievtenant repelled the Northern enemies backe againe beyond BODOTRIA or Edenborrough Forth and that by raising another wall of turfe namely besides that of Hadrianus as Capitolinus writeth Which wall that it was reared in this verie place whereof I now speake and not by Severus as it is commonly thought I will produce no other witnesses than two ancient Inscriptions digged up here of which the one fastned in the wall of an house at Cader sheweth how the second Legion Augusta set up the wall for the space of three miles and more the other now in the house of the Earle Marshall at Dunotyr which implieth that a band of the twentieth Legion Victrix raised the said wall three miles long But see here the verie inscriptions themselves as Servatius Riheley a Gentleman of Silesia who curiously travailed these countries copied them out for mee IMP. CAESARI T. AELIO HADRIANO ANTONINO AUG PIO P. P. VEXILLATIO LEG XX. VAL. VIC F. PER. MIL. P. III. IMP. CAES. TIT. IO AELIO HADRIANO ANTON AUG PIO PP LEG II. AUG PER. M. P. III. D. CIXVIS At Cadir where this latter inscription is extant there is another stone also erected by the second Legion Augusta wherein within a Laurell garland supported by two little images resembling victorie are these letters LEG II AVG. FEC And in a village called Miniabruch out of a Ministers house there was removed this inscription into a Gentlemans house which is there new built out of the ground D. M. C. JULI MARCELLINI PRAEF COH I. HAMIOR But when the Northerne nations in the reigne of Commodus having passed once over this wall had made much wast and spoile in the countrey the Emperour Severus as I have alreadie said repaired this wall of Hadrian Howbeit afterwards the Romans brought eftsoones the countrey lying betweene under their subjection For Ninius hath recorded that Carausius under Diocletian strengthened this wall another time and fortified it with seven castles Lastly the Romanes fensed this place when Theodosius the younger was Emperour under the conduct of Gallio of Ravenna Now saith Bede they
England of the Kings Majesties Privie Counsell whom King James the sixth created Baron Brus of Kinlosse Thus much for the shore More inward where now standeth Bean Castle thought to bee BANATIA that Ptolomee mentioneth there was found in the yeere 1460. a vessell of marble artificially engraven and full of Roman coine Hard by is Nardin or Narne an hereditable Sherifdome of the Cambels of Lorne where there stood within a Biland a fortresse of a mightie heighth built with wonderfull bulwarks and in times past defended by the Danish forces against the Scottish A little off is Logh-Nesse a very great Lake as reaching out 23. miles in length the Water whereof is so warme that even in this cold and frozen climate it never freezeth from which by a verie small Isthim or partition of hils the Logh Lutea or Louthea which by Aber letteth it selfe forth into the West sea is divided Neere unto these Loghs there stood in old time two notable fortifications the one named Innernesse the other Innerlothea according to the names of the said Loghs Innernes hath for Sheriffe thereof by right of inheritance the Marquesse Huntly who is of great command hereabout But have here what M. Jonston hath written jointly of these two INNERNESSUS INNERLOTHEA Imperii veteris duo propugnacula quondam Primâ—que regali moenia structa manu Turribus oppositis adverso in limine spectat Haec Zephyrum Solis illa orientis equos Amnibus hinc atque hinc cincta utraque piscibus amnes Faecundi haec portu perpete tuta patet Haec fuit at jacet heu jam nunc sine nomine tellus Hospita quae Regum est hospita facta feris Altera spirat adhuc tenuis sufflamina vitae Quae dabit fati turbine victa manus Dic ubi nunc Carthago potens ubi Martia Roma Trojáque immensae ditis opes Asiae Quid mireris enim mortalia cedere fatis Corpora cùm videas oppida posse mori INNERNESSE AND INNERLOTHEA Two mightie forts and holds these were in ancient kingdomes daies The first wall'd fences as they say that hand of Kings did raise Affront with towres oppos'd they stand for one of them regards The Westerne winde but th' other looks the Sun-rising towards On both sides they their rivers have and rivers full of fish One hath an haven frequented aye and safe as heart can wish Such was it once but now alas to wast and desart fields Is turn'd and that which lodged Kings to wild beasts harbour yeelds The other yet draw's breath though deepe and shewes that it doth live But over match'd to destinie at length doth bucklers give What 's now become of Carthage great where is that martiall Rome Where Troy of wealthie Asia the riches all and some No marvaile now that mortall wights to death be subject why Because you plainly see that Townes and Cities great may dye Under the reigne of Robert Brus Thomas Randolph his sisters sonne who in his Countries behalfe undertooke exceeding great paines and most grievous quarrels was highly renowned by the title of Earle of Murray Under King Robert the Second John of Dunbarre tooke to wife the Kings daughter to make amends for her devirgination received this Earldome of Murray with her in marriage Under King James the second William Creichton Chancelour of the Realme and Archebald Douglas grew to great variance and eagre contention about this Earledome when as against the lawes and ancient customes Douglas who had married the younger daughter of James of Dunbar Earle of Murray was preferred to the Earldom before Creighton who had wedded the elder and that through the powerfull authoritie that William Earle Douglasse had with the King which was so great that he advanced not onely him to the Earldom of Murray but also another brother to the Earldome of Ormund and made two cousins of his Earles the one of Angus and the other of Morton But this greatnesse of his not to be trusted upon because it was excessive turned soone after to his owne confusion Under King James the fifth his own brother whom he appointed his Vicegerent in the government of the Kingdome enjoied this honour and within our remembrance James the base sonne of King James the fifth received this honour of Queene Mary his sister but he requited her basely when conspiring with some few of the Nobilitie he deposed her from her Royall estate and kingdome a foule president and prejudiciall to all Kings and Princes Which notwithstanding was revenged for shortly after hee was shot through with a bullet His onely daughter brought this title unto her husband Sir James Stewart of Downe who was also of the blood royall from the Dukes of Albany who being slain by his concurrents left his sonne James to succeed him in this honour LOQHUABRE WHatsoever beyond the Nesse bendeth to the West coast and adjoineth to the Lake Aber is thereupon called Loghuabre that is in the ancient tongue of the Britans The mouth of the Lakes as what lieth toward the North is commonly called Rosse Loqhuabre is full of fresh pastures and woods neither is without yron mines but not so free in yeeld of corne but for most fishfull pooles and rivers scarce inferiour to any country thereabout At Logh-Lothey Innerlothey fensed with a fort and well frequented with Merchants was of great name and importance in times past but being razed by the piracies and warres of Danes and Norwegians it hath lien for these many ages so forlet that there remaineth scarce any shew of it which those verses that I alledged even now doe imply Loqhuabre hath had so farre as I have read no Earles but about the yeere of our salvation 1050. there was a Thane over it of great fame and much spoken of named Banqhuo whom Macbeth the bastard when with murder bloodshed he had usurped the crowne being fearfull and suspicious caused to bee made away for that he had learned by a Prophesie of certaine wise women that his posteritie when the line of Macbeth was expired and extinct should one day obtaine the Kingdome and by a long successive descent reigne in Scotland Which verily hath fallen out accordingly For Fleanch the sonne of Banqhuo who unknowne in the darke escaped the traines laid for him â—led into Wales where for a time hee kept himselfe close and having taken to wife Nesta the daughter of Griffith ap Lewellin Prince of North-wales begat Walter who returning into Scotland with so great fame of his fortitude repressed the rebellion of the Ilanders and with as great wisdome managed the Kings revenewes in this tract that the King made him Seneschall whom they commonly call Stewart of the whole Kingdome of Scotland Whereupon this name of Office imposed the surname Stewart unto his posteritie who spreading throughout all parts of Scotland into a number of noble branches after many honours heaped upon them have flourished a long
it hard by a little Monastery a very narrow vault within the ground much spoken of by reason of I wot not what fearefull walking spirits and dreadfull apparitions or rather some religious horrour which cave as some dreame ridiculously was digged by Ulysses when hee went downe to parley with those in hell The inhabitants terme it in these daies Ellan u ' Frugadory that is The Isle of Purgatory and Saint Patricks Purgatory For some persons devoutly credulous affirme that Patrick the Irishmens Apostle or else some Abbat of the same name obtained by most earnest praier at the hands of God that the punishments and torments which the godlesse are to suffer after this life might here bee presented to the eye that so he might more easily root out the sinnes which stucke so fast to his Countrimen the Irish and withall their heathenish errours But seeing that this place is named in Saint Patricks life Reglis I would deeme it to be the other REGIA that Ptolomee mentioneth and the very situation of it in the Geographer implieth no lesse Besides this Patrickes Purgatory there was another Purgatorie also of Sir Brendan in this Island but since I could not finde out the place take here with you that only which I found namely Nechams Tetrastichon of it Asserit esse locum solennis fama dicatum Brendano quo lux lucida saepe micat Purgandas animas datur hic transire per ignes Ut dignae facie Iudicis esse queant If common fame say true a place of Brendan taking name There is and often times cleere lights doe shine within the same The soules have licence here to passe through Purgatory fire That worthily before that Judge they may at length appeare Where this river Liffer augmented by other waters comming unto it approacheth neerer to the sea it spreadeth out againe into a Lake which Ptolomee called LOGIA and now they usually terme it Logh Foile and Logh Der whereupon Necham hath these verses Logh Der aquis dives Lacus est Ultonia novit Commodus indigenis utilitate placet Logh Der a Lake in waters rich this Ulster knoweth well Commodious and pleasing much those that about it dwell Hard by this there flourished sometime Derry a Monasterie and Episcopall See where in the yeere 1566. Edward Randolph renowned for his long service in the warres spent his life in the behalfe of his countrey to his everlasting fame and gave Shan O-Neal who had then assembled and armed all the power he could possibly against the English such an overthrow as that he could never after recover the losse he then sustained But now of late Sir Henry Docwra knight who in the warres of Ireland quit him so well that with great praise he hath approved his singular valour and martiall skill brought hither first a garison and afterward planted here a Colony to bridle the Earle of Tir-Oens insolent pride and established and settled the same with so good orders that it both standeth in good steed for helpe against the rebells and also traineth the barbarous people to their duties The ROBOGDII placed above LOGIA held all that Northren sea coast of Ireland where O Dogherty an obscure Potentate had great sway Amongst these Robogh a little Episcopall towne retaineth the expresse footings of the old name Robogdii Which should be that promontory ROBOGDIUM unlesse it be Faire Foreland I know not From hence the utmost shores all rockie bend backe againe by the mouth of Swilly Lake which Ptolomee seemeth to call ARGITA Beyond these more Westward were the VENNICNII seated where Mac Rwyn Faid Mac Swyn Netoeth and Mac Swyn Bannigh have great lands and large possessions Among these Ptolomee placeth the river VIDUA which now is called Crodagh and the Promontory VENNICNIUM which they now call Rams-head and the Foreland BORAEUM now S. Helens head Upon the shore as it twineth backe from hence Southerly Calebeg affordeth an Haven and commodious harbour for sailers then appeare the ruins and rubbish of Sligah Castle which Maurice Fitz-Girald Lord Justice of Ireland built about the yeere 1242. when he had made himselfe Lord of this country But Iohn Fitz-Girald the first Earle of Kildare was dispossessed of this castle and a goodly inheritance in this tract fined also in a great sum of money for that hee had raised a civill and dangerous war against the Earle of Ulster Lower yet and not far from the mouth of Logh Earne Donegal that is the towne of the Gallicians of Spaine with an Abby sheweth it selfe whence this county when it was made a county tooke the name There have beene rulers over this territory for these many ages they of the house of O-Donel and those extracted from the same stock that the family of O-Neals neither had they any other title than O-Donel and Lords of Tir-Conell For the getting of which title and that they might be by a certaine election of the people inaugurated with their due complements at a stone beside Kilmacrenan they were at deadly discord and committed outrages one upon another untill that King James not long since by his honourable Letters Patents conferred the honour title and stile of Earle Tir-Conell upon Rory O-Donell the brother of that Hugh the rebell who being fled out of his countrey died in Spaine and this Rory his successour practising new treason against King James his advancer upon the terrour of a guilty conscience fled the realme in the yeere 1607. and died at Rome The ancient inhabitants of this Ulster like as the rest of all Ireland throughout were by one name in times past cleped SCOTI and from hence carried they over with them the name of Scots into the North parts of Britain For as Giraldus writeth about the yeere of salvation foure hundred six sons of Mured King of Ulster seized upon the North parts of Britain whereupon it was by a speciall and peculiar name called SCOTIA And yet it appeareth by the Scottish Annales that this happened long before Also Ferguse the second who re-established the kingdome of Scots in Britain came from hence unto whom Patrick had prophesied by way of divination or Soothsaying in these words Although thou seemest at this day base and contemptible in the eies of thy brethren thou shalt shortly be the Prince and Lord of them all And to avow the credit and authority of this prediction the said writer addeth moreover and saith No long space of time after this Fergus according to the Holy mans prophesie obtained the soveraignty in all that land and his seed reigned for many generations together From his stemme proceeded that most valerous King Edan the sonne of Gabran who subdued Scotland that is called Albanach whose posterity in lineall descent and succession reigneth there still The first Englishman that in the reigne of King Henry the second attempted this countrey was Sir Iohn Curcy who having by force won Downe and Armach
on every side but his enterprise was made frustrate through the valour of the souldiers there in garrison and William Sarfield Maior of Dublin who went forth against him with the very floure of choice Citizens Howbeit the neighbour Countries round about he harried and spoiled in all manner of hostility Then Sir Henry Sidney the Deputy to restraine and bridle the boldnesse of the man came himselfe in person with an army into the field against him and by politicke forecast sent before Edward Randolph an old approved and renowned Coronell with seven ensignes of foot-men and a cornet of horsemen by sea into the North side of Ireland who encamped at Derry by Logh-foil that he might charge upon the backe of the Rebels Which hee fearing came thither speedily with all the power and forces that hee had to remove him But Randolph in a pitcht field gave him battell and there manfully fighting with honour lost his life in his Countries service but gave him withall such an overthrow that never after he was able to make head againe and being elsewhere in light skirmishes foiled and by little and little forsaken of his owne followers hee was minded with an halter tyed about his necke humbly to beseech the Lord Deputy his protection and mercy But being by his Secretarie perswaded first to try the friendship of the Scots who under the conduct of Alexander Oge that is the younger held their standing Summer Campe in Claneboy having sent before hand Surley Boy Alexanders brother whom hee had kept prisoner a long time to prepare the way hee came unto them with the wife of O-Donell whom hee kept was kindely welcommed and admitted with some few into a tent where after they had beene in their cups they brake out into a brawle about Iames Mac-Conell Alexanders brother whom Shan had slaine and also about the honesty of Iames his sister whom Shan had married and cast off by which time Alexander Oge and his brother Mac-Gillaspic being hot set upon revenge after a signall given with their drawn swords set upon Shan and with many a wound hacked and hewed him to death whereby the Province recovered after grievous oppressions and warre the benefits of wished peace Within a while after a Parliament was holden at Dublin where by the authority of all the States of the Realme there assembled Shan was attainted and all the Seigniories lands and goods which hee and his followers had were invested in Queene Elizabeth her heires and successours And a law was enacted that from that day forward no man should assume unto him the name and title of O-Neale And yet shortly after Turlogh Leinigh a brothers sonne of Con-Mor O-Neale aforesaid tooke it upon him by a popular election being a man farre stept in yeeres and therefore more calme and quiet and so much the rather because hee stood in feare of Shan O-Neals sonnes and Hugh Baron of Dunganon the sonne of Matthew although he had given unto the said Hugh his daughter in marriage whom hee notwithstanding quickly after did cast off and repudiate taking another wife This Turlogh being most obsequious and dutifull unto the Queene of England put the English to no trouble at all but hee molested O-Donell his neighbour and the Scots of the Ilands and in an encounter slew Alexander Oge who had killed Shan O-Neale Hugh the sonne of Matthew commonly called Baron of Dunganon who had lived a long time one while concealed in his owne countrey other whiles in England in the retinue of Noble men began now to put himselfe forth and to raise himself out of that obscure condition when Elizabeth had given him command of a company of horsemen in the warre against the Earle of Desmond then in rebellion and assigned to him a pension of a thousand Markes by the yeere In that warre hee acquitted himselfe valiantly in all places against the rebells and at length exhibited a supplication in the Parliament house That by vertue of letters patents granted unto his Grandfather by King Henry the eighth he might be admitted to the title and place of the Earle of Tir-Oen and settled in his ancestours inheritance The title and place of Earle of Tir-Oen was presently granted but as touching the inheritance considering that upon the forfaiture and attainture of Shan O-Neale the Kings of England were invested therein the matter was referred unto Queene Elizabeth who most bountifully granted the same to him for his faithfull service performed and to be performed Yet so as that the country should be first surveied and laied out into severall divisions one or two places fit for garisons reserved and namely the fort at Blackwater that good order might be taken for the maintenance of the sons of Shan and Turlogh and that he should not be permitted to have any authority at all against the noblemen his neighbours without the county of Tir-Oen These conditions he most willingly accepted and rendred very great thanks accordingly promising to perform whatsoever he was able with diligence authority study and endevour in regard of so great benefits received and verily he failed not in his promise nor omitted any duty that might be expected from a most loiall subject A body he had able to endure travell watching and fasting his industry was singular his courage in warre great and answerable to the most important affaires good skill he had in martiall feats and a profound wit and deep reach to dissemble and carry his businesse closely in so much as even then some there were who gave this prediction of him That he was born either to the exceeding good or as great hurt of Ireland And such proofes he made of his valour and fidelity that Turlogh Leinigh at the Queenes intercession resigned up unto him his government upon certaine conditions After whose decease he usurped unto himselfe the title of O-Neal which by law was a capitall crime but excused himselfe colourably because others should not enter upon the farre and promised solemnely to renounce it quite yet laboured hee most earnestly that hee might not be urged thereunto by any oath Not long after when that most puissant Armada of Spaine which had in vaine given the attempt upon England was put to flight many ships in their returne homeward were cast away and lost in the Vergivian sea and many of the Spaniards after shipwracke were cast on shore some of whom Tir-Oen is reported to have entertained and lodged yea and to have consulted and complotted with them about entring into a secret confederacy with the King of Spaine For which practice Hugh Ne Gaveloc that is to say Hugh in the fetters sirnamed so because he had been kept so long in fetters a base sonne of Shan O-Neal informed against him and that upon no light but pregnant presumptions whom the Earle afterward intercepted and commanded to bee strangled but hardly could he finde any one that for the reverent regard of the O-Neals blood would lay
expect him at the Foord of the river hard by Balla-Clinch they call it This Foord is not far from Louth the head towne of the County and neere unto the Castle of Gerard Fleming Thither sent the L. Lievtenant before some of purpose to discover the place who found the Earle at the said Foord and he told them that although the river was risen yet might a man be easily heard from one side to the other Hereupon the Lord Lievtenant having bestowed a troupe of horsemen in the next hill there by came downe alone the Earle riding his horse into the water up to the belly in dutifull and reverent sort saluteth the Lievtenant being on the banke side and so with many words passing to and fro betweene them without any witnesses by to heare them they spent almost an houre Then both of them retire unto their companies and Con a base sonne of the Earles following hard after the L. Leivtenant besought him in his fathers name that certaine principall persons of his traine might bee admitted to a conference The L. Lievtenant assented thereto so they were not above six Then forthwith the Earle taking with him his brother Cormoc Mac Gennys Mac Guir Ever Mac Cowley Henry Ovington and O-Quin sheweth himselfe at the Foord Unto them the L. Lievtenant came down accompanied with the Earle of Southampton Sir George Bourchier Sir Warrham St. Leger Sir Henry Danvers Sir Edward Wingfeld and Sir William Constable Knights The Earle saluteth them every one with great courtesie and after some few words between them passed thought good that certaine Commissioners should the next day following treat of peace between whom it was agreed that there should be a trâ—ce from that very day for six weeks and so forward from six weeks to six weeks unto the first of May yet so as it might be free for both sides after fourteen daies warning given aforehand to begin warre afresh And if that any Confederate of the Earles would not yeeld his assent hereto he left him unto the L. Lievtenant to prosecute him at his pleasure Whiles these things were a doing those letters of the Lord Lievtenant which I spake of erewhile were delivered to the Queen by Henrie Cuffe a man very learned but as unfortunate Which when she had perused through and understood thereby that her Lievtenant with so great an armie in so long time and with the expence of so much money had effected just nothing nor would doe ought that yeere shee being highly offended thereat writeth backe againe to himselfe and to the Councellers of Ireland in these termes That his proceeding answered neither her direction nor the worlds expectation that shee could not but marvell much why the Lievtenant by prolonging thus from time to time and by finding meanes still of further delay had lost those excellent opportunities which he had of prosecuting war upon that Arch-rebell considering that himselfe whiles he was in England advised nothing else but to prosecute the Earle himselfe and none but him yea and in his letters otherwhiles seriously promised to doe the same She expostulated wherefore hee had made those unprofitable journeyes even against his owne judgement when it was found into Mounster and Ophaly whereof he had not certified her nor given so much as any notice before they were undertaken which otherwise shee would expressely have countermanded If his armie were now broken weake and much empaired why undertooke hee not the action upon the enemie whiles it was entire strong and complete If the spring had not been a fit season for to make war in Ulster wherefore was the summer wherefore was the autumne neglected what was there no time of the yeere meet for that war Well shee now foresaw that her Kingdome of England must be impoverished beyond all measure by such expences her honour blemished among forrain Princes and the Rebels encouraged by this unfortunate successe yea they that shall pen the Story of this time will deliver unto posterity that she for her part was at great charge to hazzard her Kingdome of Ireland and that he had taken great paines and had left nothing undone to prepare for many purposes which perished without undertaking if now at length he tooke not a course for the maine prosecution of the war In tart termes therefore she admonisheth both him and the Councellers of the Kingdome to look more considerately to the good of the State and not from thence forward to be transported contrary waies by indirect counsell commanding them withall to write into what case they had brought the Kingdome of Ireland and carefully to foresee that all inconveniences from thenceforth might be diligently prevented The Lord Lievtenant startled or rather galled with these letters speedeth in all hast and sooner than any man would have thought into England accompanied with some men of quality and well and early in a morning comming upon the Queene at unwares while she was most private and in her bed chamber presents himselfe upon his knees unto her who after she had welcomed him with a short speech and not with that countenance as heretofore commanded him to withdraw himselfe unto his owne chamber and there to keepe For the Queene was highly offended with him both because hee contrary to her commandement had left his charge so suddenly without her leave and before he had setled the State and also had treated with the Rebels to her dishonour privately and upon equall termes with condition of toleration of Religion and to her diservice when as the Rebels made profit of all cessations and moreover that hee had agreed upon such a cessation as might every fourteenth night be broken whereas it was in his power by the authoritie that he had to make a finall end with the Rebels and to pardon their treason and rebellion What befell him afterwards in England and how it appeared by pregnant presumptions and some evidence that he aimed at other matters than war against Rebels whiles hee could not finde in his heart to remit private distastes for the publike good and relied too much upon popularitie which is alwaies momentany and never fortunate it is impertinent to this place neither take I pleasure so much as to remember the same The said cessation was scarcely once or twice expired when the Earle of Tir-Oen drew his forces together and addresseth himselfe againe to war Unto whom there was sent from the State Sir William Warren to know of him wherefore he brake the Cessation that was made Unto whom in the swelling pride of his heart he haughtily answered That he had not broken the Cessation considering he had given fourteene daies warning before that he ment to renew the warre and that he had just cause to war a fresh for why he understood that the Lord Lievtenant in whom he had reposed all his hope and whole estate was committed in England Neither would he have any thing to doe from thence forth with the Councellours of
bee made from without the towne of Batiboght unto the Causey of the Mil-poole of Clontarf whereas before time the passengers that way were much endangered But after he had defraied great charges thereabout by reason of a mightie inundation and floud the bridge with the arches fell downe Also Master John Leeks Achbishop of Dublin in the feast of St. Laurence ended this mortall life Then in a schisme and division of sides were elected for to bee Archbishop of Dublin Master Walter Thornbury the Kings Chancellor in Ireland and Master Alexander Bicknore Treasurer of Ireland but Walter Thornbury was drowned and many others to wit about one hundred fiftie and sixe took the sea and the night following were all drowned At the time of the foresaid Walters death Alexander Bicknore expected at home the Popes favour The same Alexander was made Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Miles Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Richard Excester Item the same yeere the Lord Robert Brus overthrew the Castle of Man and vanquished the Lord Donegan O-Dowill on S. Barnabes day And the Lord John Burck heire unto Richard Earle of Ulster died at Galwey on the feast of St. Marcellus and Marcellianus Also the Lord Edmund Botiller dubbed thirtie Knights in Dublin Castle on Sunday and St. Michaels day MCCCXIV The Knights Hospitallers had the lands given unto them of the Templars in Ireland Item Sir John Parice is slaine at Pount Also Lord Theobald Verdon came Lord Justice of Ireland on Saint Sylvesters day Item Sir Gefferey Genevile a Frier died the twelfth day before the Calends of November and was buried in his owne order of the Friers Preachers of Trym who was Lord also of the libertie of Meth. More in the same yeere and upon S. Matthew the Apostles day Loghseudy was burnt and on the friday following the Lord Edmund Botiller received his Commission to be Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCXV On St. John Baptists day the Earle of Glocester had his deaths wound given him and died when many others as it were without number were slaine in Scotland and more taken prisoners by the Scots For which cause the Scots became bold and carried their heads aloft and gat good land and tributes out of Northumberland Item shortly after this came the Scots and besieged the towne of Carlile where James Douglas was squized to death by misfortune of a certaine wall falling upon him The same yeere the Scots not contented with their owne land arrived in the North part of Ireland at Clondonne with sixe thousand fighting men and expert warriours to wit Edward Brus whole brother to Robert King of Scots and with him the Earl of Morreff John Meneteth John Steward the Lord John Cambel Thomas Randolfe Fergus Andressan John Bosco and John Bisset who seized Ulster into their hands and drave the Lord Thomas Mandevile and other liege men out of their owne possessions The Scots entred Ireland first on St. Augustines day that was the Englishmens Apostle in the moneth of May neere unto Crag-fergus in Ulster betweene whom and the English the first conflict was neere unto Banne in which the Earle of Ulster was put to flight there were taken prisoners William Burk John Stanton and many others and the Scots having slaine a number of the English prevailed and had the day The second conflict was at Kintys in Meth wherein Roger Mortimer with his followers was put to flight The third conflict was at Sketheris hard by Arstoll the morrow after the conversion of S. Paul wherein the Englishmen were chaced and the Scots had the better hand And the foresaid Edward Brus soone after the feast of Philip and Jacob caused himselfe to be crowned King of Ireland and they tooke Greene Castle and left their men there whom the Dublinians quickly after expelled and recovered the said Castle to the Kings behoof and finding Sir Robert Coulragh the Keeper of the Castle there brought him with them to Dublin who being imprisoned and put to short diet ended his dayes Item upon Peter and Paul the Apostles day came the Scots before Dundalk and won the towne spoiled and burnt it killing as many as made resistance and a great part of Urgale was burnt by the Scots The Church of the blessed Virgin Mary in Atterith being full of men women and little children was burnt by the Scots and Irish. In the same yeere the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland about the feast of S. Mary Maudlen assembled together a mightie power out of Mounster Leinster and other parts and the Earle of Ulster on the contrarie side as it were comming from the parts of Connaght with an infinite army met all together about Dundalk and consulted among themselves to kill the Scots but how it is not knowne the Scots fled otherwise as hope was they had been taken prisoners Which done the Earle of Ulster with the foresaid Justice and other great Lords tooke in hand after they had slaine the Scots to bring the Lord Edward le Brus quicke or dead to Dublin which Earle followed them in chase as far as to the water of Branne and afterwards the said Earle retired backe toward Coyners which the said Brus perceiving warily passed over the said water and followed him whom with some other of the Earles side hee put to flight having wounded George Roch and slaine others namely Sir John Stanton and Roger de sancto Bosco that is Holy-wood likewise on the part of Brus many were slaine and the Lord Wiliam Burk was taken prisoner the tenth day of the moneth of September and the Earle was defeated neere unto Coyners and then the Irish of Connaght and Meth rose up in armes against the King and against the Earle of Ulster and burnt the Castle of Atholon and of Raudon and many other Castles in the said war of Coyners The Baron of Donell bare himselfe there right valiantly but he lost much goods there and the said Scots manfully chased them as far as to Cragfergus and there on the Earls side they fled and some entred the Castle and valiantly kept it and afterwards came mariners from the havens and Port townes of England and on a night surprised the Scots and slew fortie of them and had away their tents and many things else And the morrow after the exaltation of the holy Crosse the Earle of Morreff passed the seas into Scotland and took the Lord William Brus with him seeking for more warlike and armed men with foure Pirats ships full of the goods of Ireland whereof one was sunke all which time the said Brus laid siege to the Castle of Cragfergus At the same time Cathill Roge razed three Castles of the Earles of Ulster in Connaught and many townes in the same Connaught he burnt and sacked And at the same time the said mariners went to the said Castle and the Lords there skirmished and in the meane time slew many Scots at which time Richard Lan de O-ferivill was by a certaine Irishman
passed over into England leaving behind him Sir Thomas Dale Knight his Deputy-Custos and Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVII Great warre began between the Berminghams of Carbry and the men of Meth because many robberies by the foresaid were committed in Meth. Then Sir Robert Preston Knight and Lord chiefe Baron of the Exchequer set a strong guard in the castle of Carbry and laid forth a great deale of money against the Kings enemies to defend his owne right in regard of his wife Item Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond was made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVIII And in the 42. yeere of the same King in Carbry after a certaine Parliament ended betweene the Irish and English there were taken prisoners Frier Thomas Burley Prior of Kylmaynon the Kings Chancellour in Ireland Iohn Fitz-Reicher Sheriffe of Meth Sir Robert Tirell Baron of Castle-knoke with many besides by the Berminghams and others of Carbry Then James Bermingham who had been kept in the castle of Trim in yron manacles and fetters as a traytour was delivered out of prison in exchange for the foresaid Chancellour the other were put to their ransomes Item the Church of Saint Maries in Trim was burnt with the fire of the same Monastery Also in the Vigill of St. Luke the Evangelist the Lord Leonell Duke of Clarence died at Albe in Pyemont First he was buried in the City of Papie hard by St. Augustin the Doctor and afterward enterred at Clare in the covent Church of Austin Friers in England MCCCLXIX And in the 43. yeere of the foresaid King Sir William Windesore Knight a doughty man in armes and courageous came as the Kings Lievtenant into Ireland the twelfth day of July unto whom gave place in the office of Justice-ship Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond MCCCLXX And in the 44. yeere of the same King began the third pestilence and the greatest in Ireland in which died many Noblemen and Gentlemen Citizens also and children innumerable The same yeere Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond the Lord Iohn Nicolas and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn and many other noble persons were taken prisoners upon on the sixth of July neere unto the Monastery of Maio in the county of Limerick by O-Breen and Mac-Comar of Thomond and many were slaine in regard of which occurrent the said Lievtenant went over to Limericke to the defence of Mounster leaving the warres against the O-Tothiles and the rest in Leinster In this yeere died Lord Robert Terel Baron of castle Knock the Lady Scolastica his wife and their sonne and heire by reason whereof Joan Terel and Maud Terel sisters of the said Robert parted the inheritance between themselves Item there departed this life Lord Simon Fleming Baron of Slane Lord John Cusake Baron of Colmolyn and Iohn Tailour somtime Maior of Dublin a rich and mighty monied man That which followeth was copied out of the Manuscript Chronicles of Henry Marleburgh MCCCLXXII Sir Robert Asheton came Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXXIII Great warring there was between the English of Meth and O-Ferdle in which warre many of both sides were slaine Item in May Lord John Husse Baron of Galtrim John Fitz Richard Sheriffe of Meth and William Dalton in Kynaleagh were killed by the Irish. MCCCLXXV Thomas Archbishop of Dublin died and in the same yeere was Robert of Wickford consecrated Archbishop of Dublin MCCCLXXXI There departed this life Edmund Mortimer the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland Earle of March and Ulster at Cork MCCCLXXXIII There was a great pestilence in Ireland MCCCLXXXV The bridge of the city of Dublin fell downe MCCCXC Robert Wickford Archbishop of Dublin died The same yeere Robert Waldebey Archbishop of Dublin of the order of Austen Friers was translated MCCCXCVII There hapned the translation and death of Frier Richard Northalis Archbishop of Dublin one of the Carmelites order Also in the same yeere Thomas Crauley was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin The same yeere the Lord Thomas Burgh and the Lord Walter Bermingham slew sixe hundred of the Irish and their captain Mac-Con Item Roger Earle of March Lievtenant of Ireland wasted the country of O-Bryn with the help of the Earle of Ormund and dubbed there seven Knights to wit Christopher Preson John Bedeleu Edmund Loundris John Loundris William Nugent Walter de la Hyde and Robert Cadell at the forcing and winning of a most strong Manor house of the said O-Bryn MCCCXCVIII Upon the Ascension day of our Lord the Tothils slew forty English among whom John Fitz-William Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn were killed which was a pitifull mishap In the same yeere on St. Margarets day Roger Earle of March the Kings Lievtenant was with many others slaine at Kenlys in Leinster O Bryn and other Irish of Leinster in whose place and office Roger Grey is chosen Justice In the same yeere upon the feast of S. Marke Pope and Confessor came to Dublin the noble Duke of Sutherey as the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland with whom at the same time arrived Master Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin MCCCXCIX And in the 23. yeere of King Richard upon Sunday which fell out to be the morrow after S. Fetronill or Pernill the Virgins day the same glorious King Richard arrived at Waterford with two hundred saile Item the sixth day of the same weeke at Ford in Kenlys within the country of Kilâ—are were slaine of the Irish 200. by Ieâ—icho and other English and the morrow after the Dublinians made a rode in the country of O-Bryn and slew of the Irish 33. and fourescore men and women with their little children they took prisoners The same yeere the said King came to Dublin the fourth day before the Calends of July where hee heard rumours of Henrie the Duke of Lancaster his comming into England whereupon himself passed over with speed into England MCCCC In the first yeere of King Henry the fourth at Whitsontide the Constable of Dublin castle and many others encountred the Scots at sea before Stranford in Ulster whereupon fell out a lamentable accident for that many of the English were slaine and drowned there MCCCCI In the second yeere of King Henry the fourth Sir John Stanley the K. Lievtenant passed over into England in the month of May leaving in his roome Sir William Stanley In the same yeere upon the Vigill of Saint Bartholomew there entred into Ireland Stephen Scroop as deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland The same yeere on the day of S. Brice Bishop and Confessor the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived at Dublin Lievtenant of Ireland MCCCCII On the fifth of July was the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin dedicated by the Archbishop of Dublin and the same day John Drake the Maior of Dublin with the citizens and men of the countrey slew in battell of the Irish neere unto Bree 493. and were victorious over the Irish. The same yeere in the moneth of September a Parliament was holden at Dublin at which time in Uriel Sir
which after sundry skirmishes with divers event delivered the Queenes person out of perill but the kingdome remained to Venutius and the warre unto us Now when as the state of Rome Citie was for Vespasian governed by Mutianus hee made Iulius Agricola who was gone to side with Vespasian and had behaved himselfe with great integritie and courage Lieutenant of the two and twentieth Legion in Britanny a Legion which slowly had sworne allegiance to Vespasian In which province his predecessour by report seditiously demeaned himselfe For the said Legion was out of awe or rather it over-awed even Lieutenants generall that had beene Consuls Neither was the ordinarie Legions Lieutenant who had beene but Praetor of power sufficient to restrain and keepe it under whether it were through his owne weaknesse or the stubborne disposition of the souldiers it is not certaine Thus being elected both to succeede and revenge hee shewed an example of most rare moderation in making choice to bee thought rather to have found them than to have made them dutifull souldiers And albeit that Vectius Bolanus Lieutenant Generall of Britannie for the time being governed in a gentler and milder manner than was fit for so fierce a Province Yet under him Agricola cunningly conforming himselfe to that humor and not unlearned to joyne profitable counsels with honest tempered the heat of his owne nature that it might not grow upon him still But when as Vespasian recovered together with the rest of the world Britanny also brave captaines good souldiers were sent and the enemies hope was greatly abated For straightwaies Petilius Cerialis strooke a terror into them by invading at his first entry the Brigantes thought to be the most populous state of the whole Province Many battels were fought and some bloudy And the greatest of the Brigantes he either conquered or wasted And whereas Cerialis would doubtlesse have dimmed the diligence and fame of another successor Iulius Frontinus a great man sustained also as hee might after such a predecessor that waightie charge with reputation and credit who subdued the puissant and warlike people of the Silures where he had beside the vertue of the enemie struggled with the streights and difficult places In this estate Agricola found the Province and the wars thus far proceeded in when as about the middest of summer he passed the seas at what time the souldiers as if the season were past attended an end for that yeare of their service and the enemie occasions to begin for to hurt The Ordovices a little before he entred the land had hewed almost wholly in pieces a wing which lay in their borders Vpon which beginning the countrey being awaked as men desirous of warre allowed the example and some staied to see how the new Lieutenant would take it Then Agricola although the Summer was spent and the bands lay dispersed in the Province and his souldiers had fully presumed of rest for that yeare which hindred much and crossed directly his undertaking of warre most men also being of opinion rather to keepe and assure the places suspected all this notwithstanding resolved fully to encounter the danger having gathered therefore the ensignes of the Legions and some few Auxiliaries because the Ordovices durst not descend into indifferent ground himselfe before the voward to give others like courage in the like danger led up in battell-ray to encounter the enemie And having slaughtered almost the whole nation knowing full well that fame must with instance be followed and as the first fell out so the rest would succeede hee deliberated to conquer the Island Mona from the possession whereof as before I have rehearsed Paullinus was revoked by the generall rebellion of Britannie But as in purposes not resolved on before ships being wanting the pollicie and resolutenesse of the captaine devised a passage over For he commanded the most choise of the Aid-souldiers to whom all the foords and shallowes were knowne and who after the usuall practise of their countrie were able in swimming to governe all at once themselves their armour and horses laying aside their carriage to put over at once and suddenly invade them Which thing so amazed the enemie attending for a fleet for shipping for tide that they surely believed nothing could bee hard or invincible to men that came so minded to war Whereupon they humbly intreated for peace and yielded the Island Thus Agricola at his first entry into this province which time other consume in vaine ostentation or ambitious seeking of complements entring withall into labors and dangers became famous indeed and of great reputation Neither abused Agricola the prosperous proceeding of his affaires to vanity or braving in speeches as to tearme it an exploit or a conquest thus to have kept in order persons subdued before or to bedeck with lawrell his letters of advertisement but by stopping and suppressing the fame he augmented it the more whiles men began to discourse upon what great presumptions of future successe hee should make so light an account of such great actions already performed as not to speake a word of them Now as touching civill government Agricola knowing right well the disposition and mind of the Province taught also by the experience of others that armes availe little to settle a new conquered State if injuries and wrongs bee permitted determined to cut off all causes of warres And beginning at home his owne house first of all he reformed and restrained a point of as much hardnesse with many as to governe a province He committed no manner of publike affaires to bond men or freed hee admitted no souldier about his person either upon private affection of partiall suiters or upon the commendation and intreatie of Centurions but elected simply the best presuming the same to be the most faithfull He would see into all things but not exact all things to the rigor Light faults he would pardon and the great severely correct not alwaies proceeding to punish but often content with repentance chusing rather not to preferre unto office and charge such as were like to offend than after offence to condemne them The augmentation of corne and tributes he mollified with equall dividing of charge and burthen cutting away those petty extortions which grieved the subject more than the tribute it selfe For the poore people were constained in a mockery to waite at the barnes fast locked against them and first to buy the corne then after to sell it at a price Severall waies were enioyned and far distant places by the purveiors commandement that the country should carry from the neerest standing-camps to those which were far off out of the way till that which lay open to all and at hand was turned in fine to the gaine of a few By repressing these abuses presently in his first yeare a good opinion was conceived from him of peace which either by the negligence or connivence of former Lieutenants was now no lesse feared than
and chastised the Irish very well MCCCLVI And in the one and thirty yeere of the foresaid King Sir Thomas Rokesby was made the second time Justice of Ireland who tamed the Irish very well and paied as well for the victuals he tooke saying I will eat and drinke out of Treen vessels and yet pay both gold and silver for my food and apparel yea and for my pensioners about me The same yeere died that Sir Thomas Justice of Ireland within the Castle of Kilka MCCCLVII Also in the two and thirty yeere of the same Kings raigne Sir Almarick de Saint Aimund was made chiefe Justice of Ireland and entred into it At this very time began a great controversie between Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh and the foure Orders of the begging Friers but in the end the Friers got the mastery and by the Popes meanes caused the Archbishop of Armagh to hold his peace MCCCLVIII In the 33. yeere of the same King Sir Almarick Sir Amund chiefe Justice of Ireland passed over into England MCCCLIX In the 34. yeere of the same King Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond was made chiefe Justice of Ireland Item the Lady Ioan Burke Countesse of Kildare departed this life on St. Georges day and was buried in the Church of the Friers Minors of Kildare neere unto her husband the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare MCCCLX And in the 35. of the foresaid King died Master Richard Fitz-Ralfe Archbishop of Armagh in Hanault the sixteenth day of December whose bones were conveied into Ireland by the reverend father Stephen Bishop of Meth to be bestowed in S. Nicolas Church at Dundalk where he was born But doubted it is whether they were his bones or some other mans Item Sir Robert Savage a doughty knight dwelling in Ulster departed this life who with a few Englishmen slew of the Irish three thousand neere unto Antrim but before that he went forth to that battell he tooke order that there should be given unto every Englishman one good draught or pot of wine or ale whereof hee had a number of hogsheads and barrels full and the rest he saved against the comming of his friends he caused also to be killed sheepe oxen tame foule crammed fat wilde foule and for venison red Deere that they might bee dressed and made ready for such as returned winners out of the field whosoever they were And he was wont to say a shame it were if guests should come and not finde what to eate and drinke But when it pleased God to give the English victorie he invited them all to supper and they rejoiced with thanksgiving and himselfe said I give God thanks For better it is thus to keep it than to let it run forth upon the ground as some gave me counsell Buried he was in the covent Church of the preaching Friers of Coulrath neere to the river of Banne Also the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland entred England in whose place Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare was made Lord Justice of Ireland by this Charter and Commission as appeareth Omnibus ad quos c. that is To all whom these letters shall come unto Greeting Know ye that we have committed to our sweet and faithfull subject Moris Earle of Kildare the office of our L. Justice of our land of Ireland and our land of Ireland with the Castle and all pertenances thereto to keep and governe so long as it shall please us and to receive at our Exchequer in Dublin yeerely so long as hee shall remaine in that office five hundred pounds for which he shall keep that office and land and he shall be himselfe one of the twenty men in armes whom he shall finde with as many horses armed continually during our foresaid commission In witnesse whereof c. Given by the hands of our beloved in Christ Frier Thomas Burgey Prior of the Hospitall of S. John of Ierusalem in Ireland our Chancellour of Ireland at Dublin the thirtieth day of March and of our reigne the thirty five yeere Also Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond came again out of England Lord Justice of Ireland as before unto whom the Earle of Kildare resigned up the office of Justiceship MCCCLXI Leonell Earle of Ulster in right of his wives inheritance and being the Kings sonne of England came into Ireland as the Kings Lievtenant and arrived at Dublin the eighth day of September being the feast of the blessed Virgins nativitie bringing his second wife Elizabeth daughter and heire of the Lord William Burke Earle of Ulster In the same yeere was the second pestilence There died in England Henry Duke of Lancaster the Earle of March the Earle of Northampton Also on the sixth day of January Mons Doncref a Citizen of Dublin was buried in the Churchyard of the Friers Preachers of the same City unto which covent or brotherhood he gave forty pounds toward the glazing of their Church Item there departed out of this life the Lady Ioan Fleming wife to the Lord Geffery Trevers and the Lady Margaret Bermingham wife to the Lord Robert Preston on the Vigill of St. Margaret and were buried in the Covent Church of the preaching Friers of Tredagh Also the Lord Walter Bermingham the younger died on S. Laurence day who divided his inheritance between his sisters the one part thereof the foresaid Preston had for his share Item the foresaid Lord Leonell after hee was entred into Ireland and had rested some few daies made warre upon O-Brynne and proclaimed throughout his army that no man borne in Ireland should come neere unto his campe and an hundred of his owne Pensioners were slaine Leonell seeing this forthwith reduced the whole people as well of England as of Ireland into one and so hee prospered and strucke many battailes round about in all places with the Irish by the helpe of God and the people of Ireland Hee made also many Knights of English and Irish and among them Robert Preston Robert Holiwood Thomas Talbot Walter Cusacke Iames de La Hide Iohn Ash or de Fraxius Patricke and Robert Ash or de Fraxius and many besides Also he removed the Exchequer from Dublin to Carlagh and gave five hundred pounds to the walling of that towne Item on the feast of Saint Maur Abbat there rose a mighty wind that shooke and overthrew pinnacles battlements chimneys and other things higher than the rest trees without number divers Steeples and namely the Steeple of the Preaching Friers MCCCLXII Also in the 36. yeere of the same King the Church of St. Patricke in Dublin through negligence was set on fire and burnt the eighth of Aprill MCCCLXIV And in the 38. yeere of the foresaid King the Lord Leonel Earle of Ulster entred England the 22. of Aprill and left his Deputy-Justice of Ireland the Earle of Ormond and the same Leonell Duke of Clarence returned the eighth of December MCCCLXV Also in the 39. yeere of the said King the same Leonell Duke of Clarence