Duke of Somerset Earl of Devonshire c. Were Beheaded At Aderly on the top of certain Hills are found Stones in the form of Oyters Cockles c. and near Puckle Church is a Vein of blue Stone At Lessington are Stones that represent Stars of the circumferance of a single Penny and the thickness of half a Crown they grow together in Columns about 3 or 4 Inches long and being singly put into Vinegar they naturaly move and tend towards union The Seats of the Nobility are Badminton and Wallastons Grange seats of the Duke of Beaufort Stowel a seat of the Earl of Strafford Berkely-Castle a seat of the Earl of Berkley's Campden-House in Campden a seat of the Earl of Gainsboroughs Overnorton a seat of the Lord Viscount Say and Seal's Corfe-Court and Cockbury seats of the Lord Coventry Glocester Pallace the Bishops seat It has in it also a great many Parks Forrests and all accommodations for Recreation c. The Reign of Ethelred Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England EThelred began his Reign Anno Dom. 979 he was the third Son of Edgar and came very Young to the Crown for I find that being informed of the manner of his Brother Edwards Death to make way for him to the Crown when he was but ten Years old he not only detested the crime and refused to be made King but wept and complained so abundantly for the deceased that the Queen in a great passion snatched a Wax Taper from the Alter nothing else being at hand and beat him so sorely with it that it gave him an Antipathy against Wax Tapers all his life time he never enduring any to be in his sight so that he may be reputed to be between Ten and Eleven Years Old when he came to the Throne so that the Danes promising themselves great advantages by reason of his Minority Landed in great numbers This King Ethelred by some called Eldred was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Arch Bishop Dunstan not as is said by his good will but he was compelled to perform that Office yet instead of a Benediction he Bann'd him as one that Swam to the Throne in the Stream of his Brothers Blood as he Phrased it speaking also as it were Prophetically of the great losses England would sustain in this Kings Reign and indeed Queen Alfreda being soon sensible of the Blood-guiltiness that cried against her and fearing the fury of the People built two Monasteries of Nuns at Amesbury where she lived a solitary Life till she Dyed The King being but slow in his preparations by which means he got himself the nickname of the Vnready Swane King or chief Leader of the Danes and Olaf King of Norway who assisted him got strong possession of divers of the most fertil Counties being secretly encouraged by Duke Edrick a Treacherous Courtier who discovered to them all the Kings Counsels and Fortified the Towns and Castles casting up works to secure what they gained as they made their Encroachments However at length the King gave them Battel and tho' he cannot be said to lose it the parting being somewhat doubtful on either side yet he lost so many of his People that he could not get together a sufficient Army to oppose them so that to save the rest of his Country from Spoil he was constrained to comply with the Enemies exorbitant demands compounding for his Quiet at 10000 l. Then they raised him to 16 20 30 and 40000 Pounds compelling the People to find them Provisions in their Houses where they were Quartered and to see in many places their Wives and Daughters Ravished before their Faces not daring on pain of their Lives to gainsay it The People calling them Lord Danes corruptly now Lurdane a by-word for a Lazy Fellow But Elfrick Earl of Mercia and Algarius his Son being found contributes and abettors to the Misery of their Country the King caused their Eyes to be put out and they confin'd to certain Limits during Life And now the King plainly perceiving what a miserable condition the Kingdom was in between private Traitors and professed Enemies he resolved to take a violent and speedy course as he thought to end the War at once and thereupon sent secret Messages throughout the Kingdom That upon the Ringing the Allarm-Bell on St. Brices Day the 13th of November Anno Dom. 1002 the People in all Cities and Towns should fall on the Danes as they lay scattered and had no time to get to their Arms or in any great Body and Massacre them and accordingly it was put in execution so that many places flowed with Danes Blood the injured and imaged People not sparing either Sex of that Nation so that Guni-Child King Swane's Sister was slain at Dorchester This Honour if I may rightly term it one the Women by I know not what Tradition totally ascribe to their Sex tho' no doubt both Sexes were Actors in the Danish Tragedy which had been more Bloody had not Duke Edrick given Swane notice tho' somewhat too late in the main of the Design by which means he saved himself and a great many of his followers and storming at his Loss Repaired it with all speed sending for Recruits from Norway and Denmark It was supposed in this Slaughter about 24000 fell but to Revenge it being Recruited the Danes grievously oppressed the Country Burning and Destroying in all places where they came so that although the King to the Impoverishing himself gave them 30000 Pounds for Peace they observed it but a few Days for having wrested a great Sum of Money from Alphegus who Succeeded Dunstan in the Arch Bishoprick of Canterbury and slain 900 Monks and Men in Religious Orders They Stoned the good Bishop to Death at Greenwich in Kent The King seeing these proceedings sent Emma his Queen with his two Sons to her Brother Richard Duke of Normandy and shortly after not able to endure the Destruction the Enemy made followed them But at length Swane was Murthered by his own Men for denying them their share of Plunder or restraining them from their Insolencies over the English However they chose Canute his Son King Of which change Ethelred thinking to make advantage at the solicitation of his Friends returned but perceiving several Treasons hatching against him That his Councells were betrayed by some he confided in and that he was too weak to withstand the Enemies fury he fell into a Melancholly and Dyed as is supposed of Grief and he was Bury'd in St. Paul's London He Reigned 37 Years unless we exclude the time he was absent in Normandy which by some is accounted between two and three Years He was the Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Hampshire or Hantshire HAmpshire is not only considerable for its Fertility in Corne Cattle Fowle Fish and its producing store of singular good Honey but for its commodious Sea-Ports opening to the South for the conveniency of Shipping outward or inward bound especially Southampton Antiently Hamo's Haven It is
gave Birth to the Renowned Robert Devereux Earl of Essex who lost his Head in Queen Elizabeths Reign The next Towns of note are Stanton Lempster Weobly Ludbury Rosse Orleton Pembridg and Wormbridg Marsley-Hill in this County is Celebrated by all Writers for its wonderful Travel on Saturday the 7th of February 1571. which was indeed exceeding strange and surprizing and must not be here omitted It happened thus About six of the Clock in the Evening the Earth began to move with a mighty rooring and bellowing Noise which was heard several Miles off and then it lifted it self up a great height and began to Travel carrying along with it the Trees that grew upon it the Sheepfolds and Flocks of Sheep continuing still thereon and from the place whereon it first stood by seven a Clock the next Morning had gone about 200 Foot and so continued its Travel three Days together and then stood still in its passage it overthrew Kinnaston-Chappel and removed an Yew-Tree growing in the Church-Yard from West to East throwing down also several Houses Trees and Hedges But that which adds more to the wonder is That two High-ways were turned about 300 Foot from their former Pathes the East part to the West and the West to the East Pasturage being left in the place of Tillage and likewise Tillage in the place of Pasturage As for the Seats of the Nobility tho' not many they are mostly of curious Antient Building viz. Goodrick-Castle Penyard-Castle and Eccleswald-Castle belonging to the Earl of Kent Wilton Aconsbury and Dewswell belonging to the Lord Chandois and Hereford Palace belonging to the Bishop of the Diocess There are divers Quarries of Stone found in this County which stand the People in great stead also some Minerals much Fuel is likewise got out of the Ground The Reign of Hardicanute the Third Danish King and Eighteenth Sole Monarch of England HArdicanute the Third Son of Canute by a different Mother viz. Emma Succeeded Harrold Anno Dom. 1040 He was Crowned at London by Elnoch Arch Bishop of Canterbury upon which he laboured to settle his Affairs at home and abroad kept the Seas free from Pirates that for some time before had infested the Coast causing the Danes and Norwegians to build divers Ships for his Service but being of a rough and uneasy temper he was not very pleasing to his Subjects He bore a Mortal Hatred to Harrold his Brother-in-Law and not being capable of expressing it to any effect during his Life he shewed it openly after his Death causing his dead Body to be taken out of the Sepulcher in which it had lain a considerable time and the Head to be cut off and then thrown into the Thames sunk with a great weight of Lead but some Fishermen draging it up with their Nets a while after decently Buried it in St. Clements Church in the Strand for which reason some will have it to take the additinal word Danes as it is now called This Hardicanute is accounted among the Voluptuous Kings taking great pleasure in Banqueting and often gloried he could Eat more at a Meal than any of his Subjects his Table was four times a Day spread with all manner of Delicates that Sea or Land afforded by which riotous manner of living he greatly wasted his Treasure and set an example to his Nobles to do the like so that the Court being Impoverished consults were held to raise an exacting Tax on the Commons which was chiefly counselled by Goodwin Earl of Kent whereby he fell into the hatred of the People and went Guarded a long time after to prevent their fury The Sum raised was 3â—147 Pounds a great Tax in those days and grievously exasperated the People because it was exacted with rigor insomuch that at Worcester they made an Insurrection and slew two of the Collectors which so highly offended the King that he not only caused divers of the Mutineers to be Executed but laid the City in a heap of Rubbish by Fire so that the Innocent suffered among the Guilty which caused other Insurrections but they were presently quieted and many slain With part of this Money the clamouring Seamen were paid off and thereupon a great part of the Fleet laid up and then the King pursued his former pleasures whereupon the Scots much wasted the Northern Borders but being overthrown in a great Battel on the bank of the Tweed near to Barwick they were compelled to sue for Peace which they could not obtain till they had made considerable restitution for the dammage they had done in the English Counties About the latter end of this Kings Reign a terrible Blazing Star appeared for Three Weeks The Sun at noon day seemed of the colour of Blood strange and amazing Voices were heard supposed to proceed out of the Air and many other Prodigies are said to have happened When he had Reigned about two Years being Invited to a Noblemans Wedding held at Lambeth in Surry situate on the South side the Thames he there Eat and Drank so unmeasurably that he immediatly Sickned and being carried from the Table fell into a grievous Surfeit and not admiting his Physitians to Bleed him which they advised as the only Remedy for his Recovery he soon after Dyed and leaving no Issue behind him with him dyed the Danish Monarchy in England and it devolved again on the Saxons For Edward the Seventh Son of Ethelred by Queen Emma having escaped many dangers was sent for upon the Death of Hardicanute from Normandy whither he had retired to save his Life upon the Death of his Brother Alfride and Proclaimed King Remarks on the County of Kent c. KEnt is a very large and spacious County and advantagiously seated being almost wholly invironed with the Sea except its Western parts which borders upon Surry and Sussex Besides the Thames which parts it Northward from Essex its principal Rivers are Medway the Rother and the Stowr It abounds in Fruits Corn fat Pastures and exceeding profitable Marshes for the feeding of Cattle which are bought up Lean from other Counties and sent thither to be made Fat It produces particularly the greatest quantity of Cherries of any County in England c. It is divided into 67 Hundreds containing 408 Parishes 2 Cities viz. Canterbury and Rochester the former being an Archiepiscopal See having the Primacy of all England the latter is likewise a Bishops See It has likewise 31 Market Towns and 4 Rivers more than before mentioned among which Lewisham River is famous for the large store of Fish found in it its Stream carrying about several Mills It sends Members to Parliament 10 viz. Canterbury 2 Maidston 2 Queenbourough 2 Rochester 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Besides which 3 of the Cinque Ports being in this County viz. Dover Rumney and Sandwich do each of them send two Barons up to the Parliament called Barons of the Cinque Ports KENT By J. Seller Canterbury is by some Authors said to have been Built 900
of the Young-Men and Maids about the Reign of Queen Mary the First and is equall'd for Height and Beauty by few in the Nation In short 't is a Town of good Trade and very famous for its Ale which is accounted the best and strongest in the Kingdom Ripton the Antient Ripandunum is a pleasant place here Ethelbald the ninth King of the Mercians slain at Egelwald was by his Subjects Interred and from hence Burdred the last King of Mercia was expelled by the Danes together with his Queen Ethelwith At Melburn John D' Bourbon taken at the Battel of Agincourt in France by our Henry the 5th was kept Prisoner Little Derby was an Antient Collony of the Romans as appears by their Coins and Medals digged up there at sundry times The Seats of the Noblemen are Palsover Castle the Antient seat of the Duke of Newcastle Haddon the seat of the Earl of Rutland Hadwick and Chatsworth the seats of the Duke of Devonshire Berthy the seat of the Earl of Chesterfield Sherley the seat of the Lord Ferrers Sutton c. The Reign of Edmund Ninth Sole Monarch of England EDmund Brother to Ethelstan began his Reign Anno. Dom. 940. He was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames but scarce settled in the Throne before the Danes perswading the People of Northumberland and other Northern Counties to joyn with them advanced against him with a puissant Army to whom he gave a great Overthrow near Northampton and had various success against them in divers other Battels He caused the Eyes of the two Sons of Dunmail to be put out for theirs and their Fathers Rebellion against him and then to quiet his People made many good Laws to restrain Rapin and other Injuries that for want of such boundaries between Princes and Subjects they had sustained in many of the former Reigns and upon these Laws Magna Charta or the Great Charter of England seems very much to be grounded Anlafe the Dane retaining some footing in the Northern parts of England and Southern Sheirs of Scotland Laboured to perswade Indulph King of Scots to break the League he had made with Ethelstan urging that Edmund who now Reigned was a supine Person no ways fit to bear the weight of Government and therefore they might easily gaine their designes in subduing the Kingdom but Indulph would by no means be tempted to break his Oath Whereupon the Dane thinking to do it without his Aid sent for more Forces who Landing in the Humber Elgarine Governor of Northumberland either through fear or hopes of Advancement declared he was descended of Danish Blood and breaking the Trust King Edmund had reposed in him he Joyned such Forces as he could raise with Anlafe whereupon the King sent to Indulph for Aid according to the Articles of Treaty to assist each other in case of Invasion and with all expedition he sent him 10000 well apointed Soldiers with which and his own Forces he fell upon the Danes and Routed them at the first onset making a terrible slaughter in the pursuit In this Battle as the King had commanded the Treacherous Earl Elgarine was taken alive though he would willingly have dyed on the Swords of those that secured him when being adjuged a Traytor to his Country he was drawn in peices by the strength of Horses And after this great Victory he settled the Northern Counties that had been much harrassed and weakened by the Enemy and upon his return granted large Priviledges to St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk rebuilding many ruined places And now the Irish Invading the Western Coasts with many small Vessels were beaten off divers of them slaughtered and most of their Ships Burnt Greater things were in projection to be done by this King had not an untimely Death prevented him for one day seeing a Gentleman that served him and for whom by reason of his Faithfullness he had a singular esteem hard pressed by a Ruffiain in single Combate and at the point to be slain he unadvisedly rushed in to his Rescue and receiving the points of their Swords in his Body whilst he thought to seize them with his Hands he dyed of the Wounds when he had Reigned Six Years and was Interred at Glastenbury being the Ninth sole Monarch of England Anno Dom. 946. He was fifth son to King Edward At his death he left his Brother Edred or Eldred Protector of the Realm commiting to his care Edwye and Edgar his two Sons who were in their Minority Remarks on Devonshire c. DEvonshire by reason of the advantage of the Sea and its many spacious Havens is not only of great account in it self but to its Neighbouring Counties It produces many rich Manufactories and contains divers stately Towns It has in it rich veins of Tin store of Cattle Corn fat Pastures Containing the City of Exon a Bishops See 394 Parishes 33 Hundreds 37 Market Towns and 23 Rivers small and great It sends Members to Parliament 26 viz. Exeter Plymouth Plimpton Totness Oakhampton Honiton Barnstaple Tavistock Ashburton Tiverton Beralston 2 Each and 2 more out of these three Towns Clifton Dartmouth and Hardness and 2 Knights of the Shire in all 26. It is Bounded with Somersetshire Cornwal the Irish Sea and Channel Exeter the only City of this County is of great Antiquity for the Castle called Rugemont was once the Palace of the West Saxon Kings and afterward of the Earls of Cornwal and the Walls and Cathedral were Builded by King Ethelstane and is situate on the River Ex. Torbay in this County some few Miles from the North East of Dartmouth is singularly remarkable for the Descent made here on the 5th of November 1688 by the then Prince of Orange but his now present Majesty King William the Third whom God long preserve with his Forces from Holland to save this Nation from Popery and Slavery which had then bid fair for it but upon his Landing vanish'd like Mists before the Morning Sun Plymouth seated on the River Plym is renowned by being the birth-place of that great Sea Captain Sr. Francis DEVON SHIRE Drake Tinmouth was the place where the Danes Landed when they first Invaded the Western Parts and suffered much by the French in the Year 1690 Crediton was a Bishops See till it was removed to Exeter by Edward the Confessor Hubblestone was the burying-place of Hubba the Dane Brother to Hungar slain in Battel not far from thence In the Parish of Comb-Martin it is Recorded That William Wimondham Refined out of Oar digged there 270 Pound weight of Silver afterward Coined for Elinor Dutches of Bar. The Seats of the Nobility are pleasantly situate in this County viz. Potheridge and Wenbury seats of the Late Duke of Albemarle Chudleigh the seat of the Lord Clifford Baron of Chudleigh and the Lord Bishop of the Diocess his Palace at Exeter The Reign of Edred c. Tenth Sole Monarch of England EDred or Eldred as is said being left Protector of the Realms and Persons of Edwye and Edgar
in a Tinsel splendor of ignominy made her consenting to the latter crime however she enclined to the former yet this unprincely action created him such a hatred in the minds of his Subjects That all except his Flatterers extreamly murmured against him and Bishop Dunstan sharply reproving him for his Vices he Proscribed him as an Enemy or Traytor so that to save his Life he absconded in England a while and then fled into Flanders Of these disorders in Government and Disaffections of the People the Danes taking advantage joyned with the Welsh and Invaded the Northern Borders having many Irish and some Scots as Auxiliaries joyned with them so that most of those Counties being violently Oppressed and finding the King slow to relieve them THE BISHOPRICK of DURHAM By Iohn Seller having united their Forces and expelled the Enemy renounced their Allegiance to him and chose his Brother Edgar King a young Prince of an active Spirit who had assisted them in the War to which with little opposition the whole Nation consented and hereupon Edwye being Deposed Dyed of Grief and was Buryed at Winchester In his time there was a great contention between the Monks and Marryed Priests the former opposing the latter as not capable of Officiating in holy Orders according to the Cannons of the Church of Rome and they again alledging those Cannons were contradictory to the Holy Scriptures so the Controversy was put to the King to determine and in this indeed he gave a right Judgment declaring for the Married Priests which is the only commendable thing noted in his Reign He Reigned four Years and was the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England Remarks on the Bishoprick of Durham c. THE Bishoprick of Durham tho' small in circumference abounds in plenty of all things as Cattel Corn Pastures Fruit-Trees Woods Forests and Parks and is Watered with divers pleastant Streams stored with Fish It has to the North and West many pleasant Hills and is Bounded with Northumberland Westmorland Yorkshire and the German Ocean It has in it the City of Durham which is a Bishops See and is a Palatine having divers Priviledges above many Counties It Contains 118 Parishes 6 Market Towns and 11 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 4 viz. Durham 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire It gained the Title and Priviledge by the great Fame and Renown of St. Cuthberd for the Interment of whom the Cathedral was first Bulded by Bishop Aldwin and much enlarged by Bishop Careleph His Tomb was with much Devotion Visited by Edward Ethelstane and divers other Saxon Kings and by William the Conqueror this Bishoprick was made a County Palatine There is a place called Gallile in the West End of the Church where is to be seen the Tomb of venerable Beda Binchester the Benovium of the Romans was famed for their chief station in the North and many of their Coins have been found in Earthen Vrns upon Digging up old foundations Chester in the Street the Condercum of the Romans is a Place of great Antiquity pleasantly situate and well Inhabited At Nevil's Cross near Durham the Scots were defeated and David their King made Prisoner by one Copeland and carry'd Prisoner to the Tower for which service Copeland received of the King five Hundred Pounds per Annum In this Bishoprick near Darlington are three wonderful deep Pits called Hell Kettles supposed to be sunk by an Earthquake In this Palatine also stands Bernard Castle famous for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots Over the River Weer with which the City of Durham is almost encompassed are two well built Stone Bridges one from the South the other from the North Road leading into the Town This Palatine has a Jurisdiction within it self to Try Criminals and other Matters from which in many cases there lyes no Appeal The Seats tho' few are very Antient and yet Magnificent Structures viz. Durham Place and Aukland Castle the Bishop Seats being the principal The Reign of King Edgar Twelfth Sole Monarch of England EDgar the Second Son of Edmund began his Reign Anno Dom. 959 at which time the Danes wearyâ—d out with War began to think of settling a Peace â—ith the English upon consideration they might rest at â—uiet in some Northern Counties and have other Adâ—antages which considering the uncertainty of the â—en state of Affairs was not thought amiss to be â—lowed them they owning the King their Superiour â—nd to continue as it were his Subjects And so King â—dgar having received the Crown at Bath from the â—ands of Odo Arch Bishop of Canterbury applied himâ—elf to the Government of his Kingdom and recalled Dunstan from Banishment yet by this means some Divines of Oxford Vniversity were Branded in the Cheek and Banished for Affirming The Church of Rome â—o be the Whore of Babylon Monkery an Offensive Contagion Their Vows of Celibacy an encouragement to Sodomy and other Vncleaneness He made very strict Laws against Drunkenness which was very rife in his time causing Cups to be made with certain Pins or Marks and a penalty to such as should exceed the allowed Draught And England being then pestered with Wolves who destroyed much small Cattle and some People he made a Law That those who held Lands of the Crown should Yearly bring in a cerrain number of Wolves Heads under a Penalty of forfeiting their Tenures And Ludwal the Prince of Wales was alloted to bring in three Hundred Wolves Heads Yearly in consideration of the Lands he held in subjection to the Crown of England Whereupon upon such dilligent search was every where made that â—n a few years there was not one to be found in England except such as were kept tame nor ever since has there been otherways any of the breed in this Country tho' Neighbouring Ireland not long since abounded with them This Edgar Yearly rid the Circuit to take notice of the abuses and corruptions of his Judges and severely Punished their remisness in the Administration of the Laws But notwithstanding all these good Qualities he was very much blemish'd with Incontinency not sparing Wives or Daughters where his desires lead him to pursue the enjoyment of his unlawful Pleasures He begat a Daughter whom he named Edith on Wolfe-child a veiled Nun who was afterward for a considerable sum of Money Cannonized by the Pope and attempting to gaine the possession of Odwina a Western Dukes Daughter her Mother whom he solicited to give her into his Arms preferring the preservation of her Chastity to the Kings Anger and all his Golden Promises contrived a Stratagem to defeat him which she effected by laying her waiting Maid in her Daughters Bed with whose wanton toying in the Dark he was so pleased that tho' he discovered the Fraud the next Morning he not only commended the Dutchess but gave his Bedfellow the Reward he had promised the Yong Lady and kept her as his Concubine Soon after this hearing by Fame of the great Beauty of Duke
Sirnamed the Conquerer AFter the Victory obtained at Battel-Field by the Normans over the English and King Harrold Slain as has been mentioned in the former Chapter Duke William designed for London yet taking a great compass wasting as he Marched the Counties of Sussex Kent Surry Hampshire and Barkshire by whose Spoiles he Inriched his Normans Then crossing the Thames at Wallingford and so in the like manner the Counties of Oxford Buckingham c. At Burhamsted he made a stop as being assured by this time the English Forces were dispersed and in no condition to oppose him and hither repaired Aldred Arch Bishop of York Wolstan Bishop of Winchester Walter Bishop of Hereford The Earls Edwin and Morcar with Edgar Etheling the True Heir to the Crown paying Homage and Allegiance to him and entreating him seeing it was not in their power to prevent it That he would take upon him the Administration of the Government and be Gracious in his Clemency to the People of England And so passing to London he was on Christmas-Day Anno Dom. 1066 Crowned at Westminster by Aldred Arch-Bishop of York Being thus settled in the Throne by the Fortune of a Battel he studied how to secure the Realm more firmly to him as knowing the English submitted not out of any hearty good will whereupon he Fortified the Cinque-Ports laying his claim to the Kingdom by Right of Conquest as having indeed no other reasonable one to Pretend to And to secure it he used the following Policy 1. He seized the chief Offices both of Honour and Profit and conferred them on his Normans and as a Recompence to such others as had Aided him in the War 2. He made the Natives give Hostages of the best and dearest esteem to secure their Fidelities especially such as were either Honourable or Potent 3. To lessen the Authority of the Clergy among the People he barred them of all Temporal Command or Jurisdiction 4. He caused the Natives to be Disarmed to prevent Insurrections 5. He debared them from frequent and common Meetings especially in the Night to prevent their confering and Conspiring against him for the Recovery of their common Liberty causing a Bell to be Rung in every City Town and Village at Eight in the Evening whereupon all Englishmen were enjoyned to put out their Fire and Candle and keep within their Houses under great Penalties and this was and is yet called Cover le Feu the raking up or out of the Fire 6. To lessen the Nobility he sent them to his Wars beyond the Seas not to return without orders and little or no Praise or Reward was given them though they Valiantly behaved themselves The like he did with the Meaner Sort whom he found any ways Active compelling them from their Wives and Children to Fight Abroad whilst they Languished at Home for Food and found little support 7. As a strong curb he erected Forts and Castles in sundry places putting Normans as Commanders into them who grievously Oppressed the People yet they durst not openly repine against it because they found there was no Redress to be had from the King but their Complaints were charged upon them as Mutinies and many Punished who privately Murmured at their hard Usage and finding the Clergy were the Richest he fell upon them first taking away the Plate and Ornaments that had been Consecrated to Holy Vses Alledging That Thieves Traitors and Rebels had Lodged them under their Protection to defraud him of his Forfeitures and secretly to support themselves to raise a Rebellion when they saw fit opportunity 8. He caused Laws to be made in the Norman Language whereupon though Ignorant of them many Transgressed who were for the smallest Offence Imprisoned and forced to redeem themselves to their undoing Disallowing the Patents and Grants of former Kings and publishing them to be meerly void so that by this he raised great sums for Renewing them and those that could not raise Money the Normans and other Strangers had their Honours Trusts and Estates held in Fee of the Crown bestowed on them 9. He caused all the Lands to be viewed Measured and Taxed at an unusual value by which means he got great Wealth but Impoverished the People as was chiefly intended by it 10. He Erected many Courts of Judicature for puting in execution his New Laws and ordered his Judges to follow his Court upon his Removes by which means he tired out the English Nation with Extraordinary Troubles and Excessive Charges in the prosecution of their Suits And to make an easie way for more French and Normans to come over if the English should happen to Rebel he layed the Churches Towns nnd Villages next to the Sea Coast in Hampshire waste for Sixty Miles in circumferance under pretence of making a New Forrest for his Pleasure in Hunting where as a Judgment for those Dilapidations and ruining so many Families William Rufus his Son and Successor was slain as in his Reign will more at large appear He Seized likwise all the Forrests and Chaces of England into his hands and made severe Laws against those that should kill or disturbe his Game Punishing them with the loss of Eyes Limbs and the like 11. He gave Territories and spacious Field to his Favorites who divided them into Farms for their particular use and the residue they Leased at Yearly Rents to their Servants thereby creating Mannors and entituling themselves the Lords of them He divided the Lands into Hydes every Hyde containing 20 Acres Eight of which was a Knights Fee the Tenures which he reserved were Knights Service in Capite and those that so held were enjoyned to do him Service in his Wars or to his Person when required for the performance of which he took Oaths of them in Publick Courts and by reason hereof he disposed of the Bodies of the Heirs in Marriage as he listed retained in his Custody and Wardship and converted to his own use their whole Inheritance till they accomplished the Age of 21 Years and by his Example others of great Possessions did the like which has in some cases given a bad Example to this day Thus have I shewed you as in a Map the Model or Description of a rigorous and sharp Government under a Conquering Power to which low Ebb of Misfortunes it ought to be every Good Mans Wish and Prayer this flourishing Kingdom may never sink again But to proceed The Conquerer thinking now he had shackled all secure undertook a Progress to view Dover to give orders for Repairing the Castle and Strengthen more than ever the Sea Coast to prevent Invasions from the Low Countries whither many of the English Nobility were fled and having but a small number with him for his Guard coming near Canterbury he was all on a suddain Surprized by as he thought a Walking Wood For the Kentishmen having notice of his coming at the perswasion of Stigand Arch Bishop of Canterbury a second Judas Maccabeus for his Countries wellfare and
Primate of England so that he and his Successors became subordinate to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury Philip King of France taking advantage of the Kings Absence from Normandy encouraged Robert to make himself Absolute Duke assisting him with Men and Money whereupon the King was again constrained to pass the Seas with a puissant Army being over-eager in laying waste the Country and harassing himself in War being over-heated he fell Sick and hearing that the French King should say in a Scoffing manner He lay a long time in Child-Bed he Replied in a rage That at his Vprising or Churching he would Light so many Candles in France as should Inflame the whole Country And indeed he made his words good for upon his recovery inraged that his Enemies had in his Sickness taken the advantage to waste his Territories he spoiled all the West parts of France Firing the City of Nantz Meux and a great number of Towns and Villages Inriching with part of the Spoil the Church of St. Stephen's in Normandy which was of his own Founding moreover bequeathing in his last Will his Crown and Regal Ornaments to it appointing his Body when he Dyed to be Buryed therein And for the Service done in this War he requited many of his Commanders who had signalized their Vallour with possessions in England to hold them of the Crown one of which Grants for the Antiquity and plain manner of Conveyance exempted from the tediousness now in use I think not amiss to recite viz. I William give to thee Norman Hunter here Who art to me both Leef and Dear The Hop and the Hoptown And all the Bounds up and down Vnder the Earth to Hell and even Above the Earth to Heaven From me and mine To thee and thine As good and faire As ever they were To Witness that this is Sooth I bite the White Wax with my Tooth Before Jug Maud and Margery And my Young Son Henry For a Bow and a broad Arrow When I come to Hunt upon Yarrow In the last Year of this Kings Reign there was found in the Province called Rose in Wales a Sepulcher of 14 Foot Long in which was Buried with much Treasure as the Custom of the Times then were Gawen one of King Arthurs Knights of his Round Table and Bones therein of an exceeding bigness And now as all Kings must come at last to the Grave the Life of this Restless Conquerer grew to a Period for going over to Quiet new Troubles in Normandy he had scarcely Accomplished it before he fell Sick of a Malignant Feaver at Caen in Normandy and after some Languishings Dyed and being a corpulent Man his Belly in a little time Burst and the Stench being great none but a few poor Monks would come near him nor was this all one Ascalinus Fitz Arthur a Norman Gentleman denyed him Burial in St. Stephen's Church saying He had Founded it on his Inheritance violently taken away that it stood upon the Floor of his Fathers House and the Body of no Despoiler should be covered in his Earth however Henry his Fourth Son giving a Hundred Pound Weight in Silver as a recompence he was there Interred but with little or no Ceremony so that he who in his Life time made Nations Tremble being Dead was little or nothing regarded This William the First was Son to Robert the Sixth Duke of Normandy begotten as is said on a Beautiful Damsel named Arlet the Daughter of a Tanner in Honour of whom a Town is called by her Name He began his Reign over England Anno Dom. 1066 on Saturday the Fourteenth of October and Reigned Twenty Years Ten Months and Twenty Six Days being the 21 Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Lincolnshire c. LIncolnshire by reason of its Fens and other Advantagious Pastures produces great numbers of small and large Cattle a good sprinkling of Corn abundance of Fish and Wild-Fowl much Wooll and Leather It is commodiously on the East Bounded with the German Ocean and part of Norfolk so that by reason of its Havens it has a great Trade and very much helped on the North by being Bounded with the River Humber and part of Yorkshire on the West with Yorkshire Notinghamshire and Leicestershire on the South with Northamptonshire and Cambridgshire It is divided into 30 Hundreds containing one City a Bishops See 630 Parishes 33 Market Towns and 9 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 12 viz. Boston 2 Grantham 2 Grimesby 2 Lincoln City 2 Stamford 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Lincoln was Antiently held to be one of the finest Cities of England being of great Antiquity and made by King Edward the Third the chief Mart for Lead Wooll and Leather here was also a great Battel Fought between Randolph Earl of Chester Robert Earl of Gloucester and King Stephen the latter being Overthrown and taken Prisoner It was Besieged by King Henry the Third and taken from the Barrons Wainfleet was the Birth Place of William Sirnamed thence Wainfleet who Flourished in the Reign of Henry the Sixth being Bishop of Winchester He Founded here a Free-School and Magdalen Colledge in Oxford LINCOLNE SHIRE In the Fens are found the Ategen or Godwitt also a foolish Bird called a Dottrell which Cambden says being Hunted thrusts its Head into a Bush and then thinks all is secure tho' the whole Body is seen and so in Moulting time he is easily taken The Reign of WILLIAM the Second Sirnamed Rufus WHen William the First Dyed his Eldest Son Robert was in Germany Negotiating his Fathers Affairs to draw in those Princes to assist him in making a Vigorous War on the French who were now become somewhat Formidable to their Neighbours so that by the favour of his Absence the Conquerers Last Will the furtherance of Lanfrank and Wolstane two Learned Prelates who had great Influence over the Commons and divers of the Nobles William Sirnamed Rufus from the Redness of his Hair or Face was after many hot debates among the Nobles Crowned King at Westminster by Lanfrank Arch Bishop of Canterbury on Sunday the 26th of September Anno Dom. 1087. This William was Younger Brother to Robert but being of a milder Temper and better affected to the English by reason he had in a manner been bred up amongst them and approved by them Robert found himself greatly Agreived that he had been put beside his Right in England tho' the Dutchy of Normandy was left entirely to him but the Title of Duke not agreeing with his great Spirit when he perceived he might have been a King had not loss of opportunity barr'd it he resolved nevertheless to tempt Fortune in a tryal for the regaining what was overslipt whereupon he raised a gallant Army composed of his own Subjects and Strangers Landing them in England with little or no Resistance not doing any damage to the English but being Encamped Commissioners were sent by King William to treat with him about an Accommodation for the preventing the effusion of
Ruins yet remain also Westminster-Hall being 90 Yards Long and 24 Yards and 2 Foot Broad yet when he saw it he said It was too Little by half and therefore he would reserve it for a Bed-Chamber though indeed it is accounted the Largest in Europe and one thing is remarkable tho' there are many Cobwebs in the Windows and in the Glass Lanthorn above the Roof yet on the large and curious Wooden Frame tho' never Swept not any appear which has given occasion to conclude it is made of Irish Oak and that the virtue of the Wood is such no Spider will come near it The King being thus at Ease the French were not wanting to take the Advantage of it especially since Duke Robert was absent Warring in the Holy Land and had left his Dukedom in charge with the King of England whereupon they laid Siege to the City of Constantia in Normandy and pressed it very sorely of which King William having news as he was in the height of Sport Hunting in New Forrest he left all his Company on a suddain and Posted towards the Sea Side where finding a small Bark he leaped into it and commanded the Master to set Sail for any part in Normandy but the Sea running high by reason of a Storm he refused to weigh Anchor laying before the King that the passing at that time was full of danger and therefore intreated him to wait for more favourable Weather whereupon much enraged he commanded him to make no delay for any fear or danger of Tempests For when said he have you ever heard a King was Drowned by a Storm So that the Marriners plying the best of their skill to bear in the Wind they got safely over The French no sooner heard the King was Landed but concluding he had a great Army with him or soon to arrive were so chill'd with fear that Courage failing them in much disorder they raised the Siege and the Besieged in Sallying cut off a great many in the Rear took most of their Tents and Baggage left behind for haste and so the King with a small Train coming thither was joyfully received and having better Fortified and Stored it with Provisions conferring some Honours and Gifts on those that behaved themselves well he returned to England met divers of the Nobility who had raised Forces and were coming to his Aid who scarcely believed he could be there in so short a time or what he related of the raising the Siege could be true till they had it confirmed from many hands In the second Year of this Kings Reign a terrible Earthquake happened and in the fourth such prodigious Lightening and Thunder as did great mischief in divers places and particularly it Burnt the Steeple of the Abby at Winchester rent the Beams of the Roof and cast down the Image of the Virgin Mary breaking one of its Leggs as also the Crucifix and not long after so great a Storm happened at London that it blew down 60 some say 606 Houses and took off the Roof of Bow-Church bearing it a great height in the Air and six of the Beams being 27 Foot Long with the fall run a prodigious depth into the Ground the Streets being then un-paved so that with much labour they were digg'd out In his sixth Year was so great a Scarcity of Provisions and a Pestilence that in Populous Places the Living were hardly sufficient to Bury the Dead In his ninth Year two Blazing Stars with long Firey Trains appeared one in the East the other in the West for twenty Nights seeming to dart Fire one at the other And in the last Year of his Reign the Sea overflowed its Banks in Kent and lay'd under Water all the Lands that had been Earl Goodwin's being about 4000 Acres Drowning much People and Cattel and Demolishing many Villages And to this day has not been Regained That Overflowing is called Goodwins Sands very fatal to Marriners There also rose up a Spring of Water of the Colour of Blood gushing out for 15. days in great abundance at Finchamstead near Abingdon in Barkshire which was held to Presage the Kings untimely Death For he Hunting in the New Forrest where his Father had made such desolation of Churches Religious Houses and Villages upon pretence of Pleasure as the Dogs were at Bay with a Stag and he having spoiled many of them Sr. Walter Terrill one of the Squires of the Kings Body let fly an Arrow which glancing on the side of an Oak slaunted on the King who was pressing on to the Quarry and entered so deep into his Breast that he dyed of the Wound and almost on that spot not long before his Nephew Richard Son to Robert of Normandy was slain by a violent fall from his Horse beaten off by a Bow all which Accidents were looked on as Judgments for the Sacriledge and Waste committed on so trivial an occasion MIDLESEX By John Seller Remarks on the County of Middlesex and the famous Cities of London and Westminster MIddlesex gains the Preheminence of other Counties by reason in it stands the famous City of London The Courts of Judicature and Palaces of our Kings and by reason of the great numbers of Handicrafts for few Manufactures used by the English Nation are here unpractised being in all too many to inumerate This County produces a good sprinkling of Cattle Corn Pastures Parks Chases and store of Deer It is Bounded on the North with Hartfordshire on the West with Buckinghamshire on the South with the River Thames and Surry on the East with Essex It is divided into seven Hundreds viz. Edmonton Hundred Elthorn Hundred Finsbury and Wenslaxbarn one Hundred Goare Hundred Oswelston Hundred Isleworth Hundred Spelthorn Hundred containing 73 Parishes besides those Parishes contained in the Cities of London and Westminster which are 126 viz. 97 within the Walls of London 16 without the Walls but within the Liberties thereof and 7 in the City of Westminster 2 Cities London and Westminster the former being a Bishops See 5 Market Towns and 1 principal River viz. the Thames which washes its South side It sends Members to Parliament 8 viz. London City 4 Westminster City 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire London a City of the greatest Trade in Europe is pleasantly seated on the Banks of the Thames lifting up her lofty Head on gradually rising Hills full of Riches and Beautified with many stately Buildings King Lud who Reigned here a little before the arrival of Julius Caesar much Beautified and Enlarged it if he were not the first Founder calling it after his Name Caer Lud and one of its Western Gates retaines his Name to this day It has a stately Stone Bridge with 19 Arches passing over to Southwark upon which are vast piles of Houses The Tower said to be Built by Julius Caesar and much Enlarged by William the Conquerer is for Strength and Prospect very Famous having a Moat and conveniency to let the Thames Water in and out
a Prisoner to King Stephen's Queen However after this Battel Maud received the Allegiance of all the Counties of England except Kent and Marching to Winchester received there the Crown and other Regalia's and so passing to London she was received in Triumph and now the reports of King Stephen's Defeat and Imprisonment flying into Normandy caused his Subjects there to slight him and incline to Geoffery Husband to the Empress but changed their Minds when they heard the King was at Liberty and had strongly Besieged the Empress in Oxford whither she was Fled upon notice the Londoners consulted to seiz her and deliver her Prisoner to the King because she had refused to confirm to them King Edward's Laws with all their Charters and Priveledges And withdrawing privately from London for fear of a Surprize she posted to Oxford where she had not been scarce five Days ere the King Beleagured the City and pressed it with continual Assaults tho' in the depth of Winter so that the Empress fearing to be Taken dressed herself in White and passing the Thames on the Ice went through the Snow which lay then thick on the Ground to Abingdon where taking Horse she passed to Wallingford-Castle kept with a strong Garison by her Friends and by this time her Brother and Son Henry were Landed at Warram-Haven and from thence came to her with some Forces but she wearied with the various turns and chances of War soon after left England and returned to her Husband who was in Normandy having sent Prince Henry before and so Oxford being Surrendered to the King he went to Lincoln and Summoned the Barons who there Swore Allegiance to Eustace his Son whom he Created Duke of Normandy and Theobald Arch Bishop of Canterbury refusing to Consecrate him was obliged for his contempt of the Kings commands to leave the Land and fly to Normandy whereupon the King seized on his Temporalities but did not dispose of the Arch Bishoprick It is Remarkable that the Kings of England before Stephen refrained going into Lincoln upon the account of a fatal Prophecy pronounced by Merlin viz. When a King enters within Lincoln's Walls His Reign proves Stormy and he Childless falls The Kings Treasure being much wasted in the Wars he Fought he demanded a Subsidy of the Clergy but they refusing it he was extream angry with the Prelates demanding of the Bishops of Salisbury Lincoln and Ely the Keys of their Castles and exacted great Sums of Money from them pretending they were Indebted to the Crown for the Tenures of their Temporalities And now Prince Henry being grown up gathered an Army and Invaded England nor was the King slow to Oppose him but was somewhat retarded by the Indisposition of his Son who fell into a Frenzy of which he shortly Dyed greatly lamented of the King who had no more Children but Sorrow giving place to Anger he caused the Trumpets to sound a Charge against the Enemy but as the two Armies were about to joyn such a Storm of Rain and Hail fell and continued so long that they were forced out of the Field to seek shelter which gave a time for Parly and the King weary of the War and pittying the Sufferings of his People being Childless and not expecting any more Children after many Messages from one to the other a meeting was appointed in which it was firmly agreed That the King should Adopt Prince Henry his Heir to Succeed him in the Kingdom and other his Dominions and in lieu thereof he should quietly enjoy the Crown during the Term of his Natural Life which being Signed and Sworn to all Hostilities ceased and Henry was sent to suppress the Rebellion in Normandy and oppose the intruding French where in his Young Years he shewed himself an expert General and Souldier in driving the Frenchmen out of the Garrisons and Castles they had taken but whilst he was busied in the Wars Abroad King Stephen fell Sick of the Iliack Passion and Dyed in the Monastery of Monks at Dover This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy the third Son of Stephen Earl of Bloyce by Adilicia or Alice He began his Reign on Monday the Second of December Anno Dom. 1135 and Reigned 18 Years 10 Months and 20 Days being the 24th Sole Monarch of England He was Buried at Feversham in Kent in an Abby of his own Founding In his Reign Anno 1136 a Fire began at London-Stone and consumed all before it thence Eastward as far as Aldgate and Westward to St. Paul's Church and the next Year Rochester was destroyed by Fire And in the Third Year of his Reign St. Martin's Church without the Walls and the Hospital with Thirty Nine Houses and much Riches were Burnt In the Last Year of his Reign a little before his Death appeared a plain sign of a Cross in the Moon Remarks on the County of Norfolk c. THis County is pleasantly Situated and receives many Advantages by lying so commodiously open to Sea which Bounds it on the North-East and part of the West on the South it is Bounded by Suffolk and the remaining part of the West by Cambridgshire It produces plenty of Butter Cheese large Cattle Corn Wooll Deer Coneys Sheep and store of Woollen Manufacture It has in it one City viz Norwich a Bishops See it is divided into 31 Hundreds containing 660 Parishes 33 Market Towns and 3 Rivers of note the River Y ar from which Yarmouth takes its Name being the Principal It sends Members to Parliament 12 Norwich 2 Thetford 2 Yarmouth 2 Lynn-Regis 2 Castle-Rising 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Yarmouth lies advantagiously on the North side the River Y ar and has great Trade by Shipping it was Founded by the Danes the better to favour their Landing when they Invaded this Island and has been often Graced with the Presence of many Kings and Princes as William the Conquerer who Fortefied it Henry the Second and Queen Elizabeth Norwich the Antient Venta of the Romans is a City of great Antiquity often Sacked and Burnt by the Danes especially it was levelled to the Ground by them Anno 1004. It suffered much in the Conquerers time for siding with Earl Randdulph The Cathedral was Founded by one Herbert who Translated the Bishoprick from Thetford to Norwich and was the first Bishop of Norwich This City Imploys Thousands of People in the Woollen Manufacture in making Stuffs Bays Says Serges Stockings c. Thetford the Antient Stigomagus of the Romans was the principal seat of the Saxon East-Angle Kings where King Edmund the Martyr was Overthrown by the Danes NORFOLK Lynn is a pleasant Sea-Port Town honoured with the Gift of a Rich Cup by King John and their Charter was enlarged by Henry the Third for their good service against the Outlaw'd Barons and other Priviledges were added in Henry the Eighth's time the Name being changed from Lynn-Episcopi to Lynn-Regis Elmham was Antiently the Bishops See but it was Translated thence to Thetford
of War the King taking by force and surrender all the strong Castles and Fortresses into his hands and Oath of the Justices Mayors and Officers of the several Towns and Forts and having disposed all things to the best advantage and settled the Government in trusty hands he brought away the Crown Robes of State and Marble Chair from Scone in which the Scots Kings had always been Crowned and placed the latter in the Kings Chappel at Westminster and on it there is said to be a Prophetick Latin Distick in English to this Effect Where e'er this Stone is Plac'd the Scot shall find And there shall Rule for there his Reign 's Assign'd This may indeed seem to be verified in the Union of the two Kingdoms under King James the First of the Scotish Line But to proceed As soon as King Edward was returned from his Journey he caused an Enquiry which was termed Troli Baston to be made in all his Dominions of the Misdemeanors and Oppressions of his Officers and others so that the Number of the Transgressors were so many that heavy Fines being laid on them and they like so many full Spunges Squeezed of their Unjust Gains into the Kings Coffers they were plentifully replenished thereby not only to Pay off old Debts but to Recompence such as had at their own Expence faithfully Served him in his Wars and among other Complaints Dr. Langton Bishop of Chester Exhibited one to the King against Prince Edward whom he said at the Instigation of Pierce Gaveston his Loose and Evil Counsellor had forcibly broken into his Parks wounded his Servants and destroyed his Game Whereupon the Prince was committed to Prison during the Kings pleasure and Gaveston Banished upon pain of Death never to return into the Land and Edward Earl of Cornwal Son to Richard King of the Romans Dying without Issue he gave that Earldom to Prince Edward which Title with that of Chester have been since inseparable from the Princes of Wales A Peace being now had in Scotland things remained quiet for a time during which space Robert Bruce one of the Competitors came with divers Nobles to the English Court and was highly Entertained which they did only for a shew whilst they were dealing underhand with the Pope to favour their Cause nor was he slow in it but sent an Instrument in Writing by which he pretended to lay claim to the Kingdom of Scotland as holden of the See of Rome wherein King Edward was peremptorily required to surcease from all Demands of Tenure and Soveraignty over it But he stoutly Answered by his Ambassadors That it did belong to the Kings of England and not unto the See of Rome or to any other requiring him to revoke his unjust Claim for that both he and his Nobles were resolved to maintain his Right therein at the hazard of their Lives and Estates and the Ambassador shewing the Hands and Seals of the Nobles and most of the Prelates of England that had Sworn to this Resolution the old Blade with the Leaden Sword drew in his Horns whereupon Bruce secretly withdrew and raised Tumults in Scotland Yet the King forced him to fly into Norway where he remained till in Edward the Seconds Reign he returned to broach new Troubles But the King upon his Marching through Scotland Dyed commanding in his Last Will That his Son should SHROP SHIRE By John Seller carry his Bones with him till he had utterly Subdued the Rebells and that Gaveston should not be Recalled from Banishment also that his Heart should be carried to the Holy Land and there Buried He began his Reign November 16 Anno Dom. 1272 and Reigned 34 Years 7 Months and 21 Days being the 29th Sole Monarch of England He Dyed of a Dyssentery at Burg upon Sands July 7 Anno Dom. 1307 in the 69th Year of his Age and was Buried at Westminster In the Third Year of this Kings Reign on St. Nicholas Day very terrible Thunders Earthquakes and Lightenings happened also a great Fiery Dragon in the Air and a Blazing Star which much amazed the People In the Year 1288 the Summer was so Scorching that many Dyed of extream Heat yet Wheat was Sold at 2 s. 8 d. the Quarter and all Corn at a proportionable rate but the Year following by reason of the great Rains that fell Wheat was raised to 20 s. a Quarter and so continued near Forty Years which was in those times accounted a great Dearth Anno Dom. 1299 the Kings Palace at Westminster with the Buildings of the Monastery were consumed with Fire and a great Whale coming up the River was struck and taken over-against Erif being 40 Foot Long and proportionable in Bulk c. Remarks on Shropshire c. SHropshire is commodiously situated intermixed with Hills Plains Woods Forrests Chaces c. and produces Corn Rich Pastures Cattle and many other things to the advantage of the Inhabitants It is Bounded with Cheshire Staffordshire Worcestershire Herefordshire Radnorshire Mongomeryshire and Denbyshire It contains 15 Hundreds divided into 170 Parishes and haâ— in it 14 Market Towns and 18 great and small Rivers branching mostly from the Severn which plentifully Waters this Shire and others It sends Members to Parliament 12 viz. Bishops-Castle 2 Bridgnorth 2 Ludlow 2 Shrewsbury 2 Wenlock 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire In Shropshire besides Shrewsbury the County Town a noted Mart for Cloath and Frizes brought from Wales and thence dispersed into divers parts of England There are Remarkable Ruins of some Antient Places which were certainly Towns or Cities of great splendor as Workcester Uriconium the antient Usoconia of which Okenyat is a small remainder Oswalstree retaines its Name from Oswald the 11th King of Northumberland who was here Slain in Battel by Penda King of the Mercians The other Towns of Note are Wellynton Newport Braynton c. At Shrewsbury and other places on the Severn is taken a Fish called a Mort in Taste like a Salmon at Pitchford is a Well whose Water casts up a Scum of Liquid Bitumen and near Oswaldstree is a Vestigia of a Roman Camp The Seats of the Nobility are Pepperhill belonging to the Earl of Shrewsbury Highercal and Eyton to the Lord Viscount Newport Cherbury to the Lord Herbert Baron of Cherbury It has also in it 13 Bridges 13 Castles 7 Forrests and 27 Parks The Seats of the Gentry are likewise very pleasant and there is almost every where great store of Game and abundance of Fish The Reign of EDWARD the Second usually called Edward of Carnarvan EDWARD the Second Succeeded his Father in the Throne but having been brought up tenderly and given too much to Flatterers and loose Company he very early gave the Nobles cause to distast his Government for tho' his Father in his Last Will had strictly Prohibited his Recalling Peirce Gaveston from Banishment a Person who by his evil Example and pernicious Counsels had been the great Debaucher of his Younger Years yet he did it tho'
Sentence caused his Head to be stricken off at the Standard in Cheapside and then with great violence broke down the Tower Gates killing all they found in it and secured that and the City to the use of the Queen and of the Prince her Son The King being Informed of these Proceedings his Heart failed him so that desisting from his intent of raising Forces he Posted to Bristol and Fortified it committing the Defence thereof to the Earl of Arundale and the Spencer's Father and Son entered with him into the Castle which they determined as a last Refuge to defend with all their Strength but within a few days after the City was Besieged Assaulted and Taken by the Queen and Barons who took and Committed the Earl and divers others of Note to safe custody the King and his two Favourites dispairing of Safety there got out to Sea in a small Fisher Boat intending for Ireland but so Providence ordered it that it was thrice when put out driven by the shifting of the Wind near the Castle so that the last time the Lord Beamont Manning out a Vessel seized it and found there the King and the Elder Spencer the other having got on Shore and shifted away for a time These the Queen presented before the Castle which the Garison no sooner perceived but they Surrendered and here the Lord Arundel was Beheaded and the King sent Prisoner to Kenelworth Castle and by the way they contrived to Shave him to Disguise him least being known he should be Rescued when the Impudent Fellow of a Shaver set him on a Molehill and told him That Cold Water must now serve his turn pointing to the Ditch at which Indignity the King burst out in Tears saying There should be Warm Water whether he would or no. The Queen having thus far proceeded determined the Death of her Capital Enemy dooming him to be Quartered Alive which was done and his Head and Quarters set up in divers places she gave a considerable Reward to the Person who brought her the Head Young Spencer soon after was taken with the Lords Baldock and Reading carried to Hereford and Hanged on a Gallows 50 Foot high And thus fell these Favourites who put too much trust in their own Strength and Pollicy little expecting such suddain turns of Fortune to alter their conditions by throwing them from the Pinacle of Honour into the Gulf of Misery and Disgrace which ought to be a Warning to all who undeservedly aspire cautiously to behave themselves Upon this a Parliament was called to settle the disordered Affaires of the Kingdom who Resolved to transfer the Crown from Edward to his Son whereupon three Bishops three Earls two Barons two Abbots and two Justices were appointed to demand in the Name of the Parliament a surrender of it which if he refused they would perhaps take other measures and give it from his Family to one more worthy This he took so grievously that after many complainings of his hard Usage and a confession of his Failures in Government he fell in a Swoon which moved the Lords to pitty him but being brought to himself after some time bemoaning his hard Fate seeing there was no other Remedy he Signed and Sealed the Instrument tendered him by which he passed over his Crown and Right and Title to all his Dominions to Prince Edward his Son whereupon Sr. William Trussel one of the Judges or Justices in the name of the whole Realm renounced Homage to the King in these words viz. I William Trussel in the name of all Men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator do resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee some times and from this time forward I defie thee and deprive thee of all Royal Power and Authority I shall never be tendant to thee as for King after this time SOMERSET SHIRE In this Kings Reign Anno Dom. 1311 The Order of the Knights Templers that Fought so long in the Holy Land was Abolished in all Nations Anno 1318 happened such a grievous Famine That the Poorer sort Eat Dogs Cats Rats and other Unclean things The Prisoners in Goals Murthered divers fresh commers and Eat them and yet many Thousands Dyed for want of this Nauseous Food This was succeeded by a Pestilence and Rot of Cattle Breaking in of the Sea Huge Land-Floods Fiery Armies Fighting in the Air and a Terrible Blazing Star Remarks on Somersetshire c. SOmersetshire abounds in Corn Cattle Wooll Woollen-Cloath Serges and many other valuable Commodities On the North-West it opens to the Irish Sea and for the rest it is Bounded by Devonshire Dorsetshire Wiltshire and Gloucestershire it containes 42 Hundreds 2 Bishopricks viz. Bristol Bath and Wells which are accounted Cities 385 Parishes 35 Market Towns 9 Rivers 45 Bridges 2 Forrests and 18 Parks It sends Members to Parliament 18 viz. Bath 2 Bridgwater 2 Bristol 2 Ilchester 2 Milborn Port 2 Minhead 2 Taunton 2 Wells 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Bath in this Shire is very Antient famed for its Mineral Waters Curing Diseases in many People said to be First found out by Bladud an Antient British King Bath and Wells joyntly together make one Bishoprick tho' Wells is principally esteemed for its curious Cathedral held to be Built by Inas King of the West Saxons At Pen the Britains were Overthrown by Kenwald King of the West Saxons and afterward the Danes by Edmund Ironside Bridgwater is noted for a great defeat given the Danes Anon Dom. 845 And for the Battel of Sedgmore near it beeween the late King James's Forces and the Duke of Monmouth Anno 1685 wherein the latter was totally Routed Glassenbury the Avalonia of the Romans is famed for the Burying Place of Joseph of Arimathea the first Preacher of the Gospel in this Island and here it is thought King Arthur was brought and Buried Cadburn is remarkable for a greak Defeat King Arthur there gave the English-Saxons Banesdown Mons Bandonicus was doubtless some Encampment of the Romans as appears by the Coins found there and on the Top there remains the Ruins of some Noble Castle said to be one of the Palaces of King Arthur tho' some Writers have placed this Town in Cornwal Ilchester is of good repute Taunton for its Memorable Siege in the Civil Wars and Bristol for the great Trade it drives and the many Sieges it has endured On Mendip Hills and several Places on the Shoar of the River Froom is store of Pit-Coal In the Quarrey at Kinghâ—â— are found Spiral Stones in the form of Snails at Ochyhale near Wells is a deep Cave in which are many Rivulets and hollow Recesses The Monument of Stones near Stanton Drew near Pensford is very remarkable being great Tracts of some vast Foundations St. Vincent's Rock is famous for the Stones found there nearly resembling Diamonds being equal to those of India in lustre but not hardness The Seats of the Nobility are Clevedon Court belonging to the
Female and that there was no force in that Law to debar him of such a Right This the King considered prudently and deliberated with Grave Counsel about it who all concluded it was his undoubted Right and the Earl of Arthois who fled out of France for saying upon the French Kings Sentencing his Earldom to Maud Countess of Burgundy By me was he made a King and by me shall he be Deposed vehemently solicited the King to claim and prosecute his Right promising him his Interest to make him many Friends even in the Heart of France But this was laid aside a while by reason of a difference arising between England and Scotland For King Edward sending to David the Scots King who had Married his Sister to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for his Kingdom he Answered That by the Sword he had won the Castle and would keep it and as for the Homage demanded his Father never acknowledged any such Service and if he had King Edward had released it if any such was due and therefore he would not confess any Tenure of the Crown of England This slighting Answer highly exasperated King Edward so that he raised a powerful Army and Marching into Scotland soon subdued the better part of it Fortifying and Garisoning to his own use the Towns and Castles he took and in his return posessed himself of Berwick and caused Edward Bayliol Son to John Bayliol who had been King of Scotland but was deceased there to be Crowned King of Scotland to hold it in Tenure of him and committing to his charge the Government of the Town of Berwick Yet he had not long withdrawn his Army ere the Scots had outed this new King and compelled him to fly into France whereupon King Edward Marched against David who had procured a great many French Forces and Overthrew him with a great Slaughter of his followers and so again having secured that Kingdom more strongly than before he returned in Triumph And now he had leasure to consider how to possess himself of the French Diadem and the firmer to bind the Earl of Arthois to his Interest he created him Duke of Richmond and to carry on the thing secretly till it should be ripe for execution The King by private Messages craved the Advice of the Earl of Hanialt his Wives Father the Lord Beaumont and others who had great Interest in Germany and the Netherlands who all approved it promising their best assistance and that he might have power to command the Nobles and Common People of those Countries when occasion required it They procured him to be created Vicar General of the Empire All this while the French King was Ignorant of their Proceedings being extreamly busy in providing Necessaries for an Army of 60000 Men with which he intended to pass into the Holy Land making his Brother John Duke of Normandy and Regent of all his Dominions till his return but at length having secret Notice of King Edwards Pretensions from some Treacherous Counsellors in England who under-hand were his Pensioners he laid aside his intended Eastern Expedition to defend his own Country yet this Discovery sooner than was wished did not at all amate King Edward nor slacken him in what he Designed but knowing Money is the Sinnew and main support of War by many Politick Devices he got vast Sums from his Subjects and Treasured it in his Coffers till his Affaires should require it so that for a time Money became so scarce among the Trading People That a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Twelve Pence a Quarter of Wheat for Two Shillings and other Provisions proportionable Matters being thus Resolved on and Forwarded he Sailed to Flanders with his Queen where he met and Conferred with a great many Princes of Germany who agreed to assist him and returning raised an Army of 27000 Men with which he Landed in France and to oppose him the French King took the Field with an Army of double the Number but when they were ready to joyn in Battel Jone Countess of Hainalt Sister to King Philip and Mother to the Queen of England by her unwearied Mediation staid their forward Swords by procuring a Twelvemonths Truce whereupon the French King dissolved his Army and King Edward with his returned to England Yet he gave not over his Design for going to Brussells after the expiration of the Truce the German Princes firmly Engaged themselves to his Interest and solicited the Flemings to Confederate in the League but they excused it unless the King would stile himself King of France and quarter the Arms of that Kingdom with his own That so he might be impowered to release unto them a Bond of Two Millions of Florins wherein they stood obliged not to wage War against the King of France These things he actually did and then they consorted with the German Princes who Signed and Sealed an Instrument to be True to King Edwards Interest and thereupon he returned to England to make speedy preparations for the War and found that in his Absence the French Squadrons had Burnt Southampton and Ravaged Hampshire and part of Sussex carrying away much Booty but not doubting they should one day pay dear for it he called a Parliament who Granted him a Fifth part of Moveable Goods and a Third Part of Corn also a great Tax on Wooll which lay heavy on the Meaner Sort. He Borrowed morover of his Rich Subjects and the City of London furnished him with 20000 Marks he Coined much Gold and Silver with the French Arms Quartered with the Lions and so early in the Spring Sayled to the Sluce which he found Blocked up by a Fleet of French Genois Picards and other Nations about 250 Sail and on Board them an Army of 40000 Men these he Encountered and utterly Defeated Destroying all that he seized not to his use sending a Multitude of Prisoners into England which Victory obtained by much an inferiour Number of Ships and Men gained him a large Reputation among the Princes his Confederates and greatly dismayed the French and Marching into Flanders he joyned the Forces of Jacob Dartwell General of the Flemings with those of the Duke of Guelders the Marquess of Muse Earls of Mons Suvians and Hainalt the Lord Tralquemont and many Thousand Germans c. and laid Siege to the City of Tournay which the French King prepared to Relieve but as before by the incessant Mediation of the Countess of Hainalt when the Place was at point of Yielding another Truce was made and the Armies Dissolved to the great perplexity of most that had Engaged Whilst King Edward was imployed abroad the Scots by the Encouragement of the French King Deposed Edward Bayliol and Renounced their Homage to the Crown of England but upon his Marching thither with 6000 Horse and 40000 Foot he Regained what had been Lost and made them Submit Yet he was no sooner retired but David coming out of France with some
Forces raised an Army and Invaded England wasting all before him till he came to Newcastle on Tyne which he closely Besieged when 40 resolute Men of the Garison resolving to surprise him in his Tent ventured in the Night time into the midst of the Scots Camp and though they missed of him because he had that Evening removed his Tent yet they seized the Earl of Murray and brought him Prisoner to the Town which so Terrified the Scots that they soon raised their Siege and Marched farther into the Countrey taking the City of Durham putting all to the Sword they found in it but as they passed by the Castle of Roxbourough that was kept by Sr. William Montague Brother to the Lord Montague Earl of Salisbury then Prisoner in France wherein was the Earls admirable Beautious and Virtuous Lady he Sallied with Forty Horsemen fell in the Rear of the Scots Army kill'd about 200 and took 20 Horses Laden with the richest Spoiles they had taken at Durham Whereupon the Army faced about and Besieged the Castle which was manfully Defended for a long time when fearing it would be taken the Governour when all others refused it broke through the Scots Camp singly on a swift Courser and carried notice to the King of the Distress it was in who hasted to its Relief The terror of whose approach made the Scots raise their Siege a day before he could arrive there yet was he entertained by the Countess of Salisbury in the Castle with great Thankfulness Duty and Respect and was so taken with her exceeding Beauty That he earnestly sued for Enjoyment but the Virtuous Lady first with mild and kind Entreaties and afterward with quick and nipping Reprehensions strove to make him see his own Error but such was his desire her denials so peremptory and resolute That discontentedly he left her and cashiered his Army so returning to London he proclaimed great Feasting and Sports to Recreate his weary Warriers to which resorted divers out of Foreign Nations and in the Justings Sr. John Beaumont was unluckily Slain And after this was finished a Parliament was called wherein he created his Eldest Son Edward Prince of Wales and had four Fifteenths of the Laity and three of the Clergy given him towards â—he support of the War certain Lords and others being appointed by Parliament to see it was employed to no other use and the Year following to encrease desire of Martial Glory in his Nobles and Others according to the Custom of other Countries he ordered an Order of Knighthood which he called The Order of the Garter Some say from the Countess of Salisbury's droping her Garter in a Dance which the King taking up and seeing some of his Nobles smile he said HONISOIT QVI MALY PENSE that is Evil be to him that Evil thinks vowing ere long such honour should be done to that Silken Tye that the best of them should be proud of it and this has eversince been the Motto on the Garter incircling the Arms of England he confined the number to 26 of which himself and his Successors were to be Soveraigns stiling them Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter The Rights and Ceremonies of this Order were Yearly to be Solemnized with Princely Magnificence at the Castle of Windsor where their Atchievements are to be seen in St. George's Chappel many Officers belonging to and attending on these Knights on the Ceremonies of their Installment Soon after this he Levied an Army and sent it under the Leading of the Earl of Derby into Gascoine where he won many Towns Castles and Forts And about this time one Jaques Dartwell a Fleming who from a low condition had raised himself to the highest Command and Power among the People that ever any Man had before him by whom he was esteemed as the only Patron of their Country labouring with the Flemish Lords to gain their consent for the Deposing Loys their Earl as a Fool and unfit to Govern and to place Edward the Black Prince Son to Edward King of England in his stead the Popular Tide suddainly turned upon him from Love to mortal Hatred and though he was warned to shun the danger yet going to his House at Gaunt not doubting but the Storm would blow over and that their former Love to him could not be altogether so soon extinguished but might in time revive yet no sooner had he entered into the House but it was Besieged by the common sort railing at him and reviling him in bitter terms so that thinking by his Authority to appease their Rage he spake to them from a Window but their clamour drowned his Voice and Sticks and Stones flew about his Ears in Numbers soon after they broke in and in a barbarous manner Murthered him This one displeasing fact out-ballancing all the good deeds he had done for that Country through the greater part of his Life in Fighting their Battels and often saving them from apparent Ruin so little stress is there to be laid on popular Greatness and Applause And by this tampering King Edward lost many of his Friends the Flemings altogether enclining to the French Interest who before were at his devotion and several of the German Princes fell off and withdrew their Forces Yet these his Misfortunes so little availed to discourage him that he resolved to pursue his Right with his own Strength and hearing soon after that John Eldest Son to the French King had Besieged the Castle of Aquillon in Gascoyn with 10000 Men which was Nobly Defended by the Earl of Pembrook and Sr. Walter Manney he with 14000 Men laid Siege to Harflew which he Took and gave the spoiles to his Soldiers which were very great He likewise Sacked Cheirburg Mountborough Quarentine and the Castle belonging to it and over-run all Normandy greatly enriching his Army and then pitched his Tents before the City of Caen in which were the Earls of Tankervile Ewe and Guyens and with little loss of Men took and ransacked that great City and the Earls were made Prisoners and so Marched to Lovers which he Took then Entered the Province of Eureux which he Wasted laying in Ashes many Towns Cities and Castles and passing on pitched his Tents within two Leagues of Paris from whence the French King after he had Encouraged the Citizens to stand out manfully if they were Besieged fled to St. Dennis where his Army lay But King Edward finding his Army not sufficient to Besiege so great a City wherein were six times the number of his Men having by the way Overthrown divers Parties of French sent out to observe his Motion and got more Spoiles than his Army knew well how to carry he passed the Soam beating off 12000 French that Guarded the Foard of the River and coming within some Leagues of Cressey he had notice by his Scouts That the French King had drawn out his Army to oppose him consisting of divers Forreign Princes the chief Nobility of France and 150000
their Ransom to pay him 356000 Crowns and swear Fealty to him and his Successors and with this Capital City went the currant of the rest so that he became sole Master of Normandy Upon this the Duke of Burgundy came to King Henry under safe conduct to treat of an Accommodation but whatever the King asked was denied which made him in a passion Swear That he would have the Lady Catharine in Marriage and what he demanded with her or otherwise he would ere long drive both him and his Master out of the Kingdom To which the Duke Replied Those words were easie to be spoke but that he must take much Labour and Toil to make them good After this the Duke reconciled himself to the Dauphin ratified under their Hands and Seals before a publick Notary and King Henry to let the world see he resolved to persist in what he had enterprized created Gascoyn D' Foyes Earl of Longeville Sir John Grey Earl of Tankervile and Sir John Bourchier Earl of Ewe in the Kingdom of France and upon the approach of Captain Bueff with 1500 Men to Ponthoyse the Lord Listendame the Governour with 10000 Inhabitants Deserted it leaving for haste most of their Rich Goods behind them This Place the King Fortified and Marched to Paris which he lay before Three Days bringing a great terror on that City but with his small Army not able to incompass it he Marched back to Ponthoyse John Duke of Burgundy as is said having reconciled himself to the Dauphin yet it being superficial and not hearty he determined in a more submissive manner to humble himself unto him that thereby their Loves taking a deeper root might bring forth the fruits of Unity and Peace but when they met the Dauphin whose Mallice was irreconcileable and whose mistrustful Jealosie did perswade him that the Duke would not be faithful procured him treacherously to be Murthered by the blow of a Battel-Ax in his presence as he was about to kneel and pay him Homage This was looked on by many as a just Judgment because much in the same manner he had caused Lewis Duke of Orleance to be Murthered in the Tenth Year of King Henry the Fourth This made not amiss for King Henry but hastened his advancement for Philip Son to the Murthered Duke was so highly displeased that he not only in his melancholy Anger determined forever to separate himself from his Innocent Dutchess without any other reason or cause than that she was Sister to the Dauphin but as his fury abated her Tears and the sober Advice of his Counsellours brought him to better reason so that for that time his Love continued to her as at first Yet he resolved on Revenge another way viz. By joyning his Interest with King Henry for he was very powerful in Flanders as well as Burgundy and was able to give a considerable check to France but more especially to the Dauphins Interest and to bring this about he laboured to Reconcile the Kings of England and France and in those his endeavours he was the more powerful 1. Because his Wife was Daughter to the French King 2. Because the Lady Catharine who could do all with â—â—een Isabella passionately desired to be Married to King â—enry 3. Because the Queen for depriving her of her Treasure â—â—d some other Affronts put upon her had conceived a morâ—â— hatred against the Dauphin insomuch that she could not â—â—dure to hear him Named 4. Because the Dauphin was more Subtile Cunning â—afty and Revengeful Than Politick Wise or Valliant And Lastly Because the treacherous Murther of Burâ—â—ndy had rendered him Abhorred among the Neighbouring â—rinces and for the most part in France And soon after this by the means of the Duke and Queen of France matters so ripened towards a Peace That it was Agreed King Henry should have an Interview with Charles the French King his Queen and Daughter at Trois in Campaign whither he went accompanied with his Brothers the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester the Earls of Warwick Salisbury Huntington Longevile Tankervile and Ewe and to prevent any Treacherous Surprise drew a Camp of 15000 Men â—ear the Place and so luckey were their Consultations that within a few Days a strict Amity was made and a Peace Proclaimed between the two Kings upon many Articles But the Substance briefly was That the Crown of France and all its Rights after the Death of King Charles and his Queen should reâ—â—in to King Henry and his Heirs forever whereupon 〈◊〉 Married the Lady Catharine with great Pomp and â—â—endour So that the Salique Law of France was at â—s time made void Yet the Pope being solicited to â—â—firm King Henry would not consent to it Howâ—â—er the Articles of Peace and Agreement were Proâ—â—med in both Kingdoms so that King Henry being â—w more at leasure and commanding for the French King as being appointed Regent or Protector of France he pursued the Dauphin from place to place stripping him with little labour of many important Towns Castles and Fortresses and in the strong Town of Moylin on the River Seine they took the Lord Barbason and divers others who were concerned in the Murther of the Duke of Burgundy who being sent to Paris were Tryed Sentenced and put to Death and the Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy Appealing to a Grand Council in which the two Kings sat as Judges against the Dauphin and seven others they were Summoned to appear at the Marble Table in Paris at a fixed Day but failing to do it as likewise in the Parliament soon after called They were Banished the Realm deprived of their Honours Names Titles and Dignities whatsoever and Proclaimed Enemies This greatly perplexed the Dauphin Yet going into Languedock he was succoured and supported with Money Arms and other Necessaries by the Earl of Arminack Almost all France being reduced to Obedience the two Kings and Queens took leave and Henry received in his way to England Homage of all the Nobles of the Dutchy of Normandy and conferring high Honours and Titles on many came to Callis and from thence Sailed for England where he was Joyfully received and the February following Queen Catharine was Crowned at Westminster with great Solemnity The Dauphin upon King Henry's departure began to look up a little and having made the Young Duke of Alanson his Lieutenant the Duke of Clarence was left Lieutenant for Henry who deceived by one Andrew Forgusa a Treacherous Lombard whom he too much Trusted thinking to repress the French Forces was drawn into their Ambush and after a desperate Fight against four to one the English were Overthrown near Blangy yet the French lost 1200 of their choicest Men and of the English were slain the Duke of Clarence the Earl of Tankervile Sir Gilbert Vmphervile the Lord Ross and near 2000 of less Note and taken Prisoners the Earls of Suffolk Sommerset and Perch the Lord Fitz-Walter and others But upon the approach of Sir Thomas Beaufort with a Band of Archers the
brought into England about 12 Years after by William Caxton a Mercer Remarks on Warwickshire c. WArwickshire is an Inland County very pleasantly situate well Wooded and incumbered but with few Hills It is Bounded with Staffordshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire It abounds with Cattle Corn Wooll Cheese Butter pleasant Pastures Fish and Fowl It contains 5 Hundreds in which are 158 Parishes 14 Market Towns 4 Castles 10 Rivers 10 Bridges 13 Parks and 2 Forrests It sends Members to Parliament 6 viz. Coventry City 2 Warwick 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Warwick the Shire Town is of very Antient foundation held to be Builded by Gurguntus a British King 375 Years before the Birth of our Saviour the Castle yet retaining very many marks of great Antiquity and Memorable for the Residence of the Renowned Guy Earl of Warwick where is kept a Vessel called his Pot and usually filled with good Liquor to be Drunk by all comers on memorable Days It is commodiously situate on the River Avon Coventry joyntly with Litchfield make a Bishoprick on one of its Gates called Gifford-Gate is the Bone of a Monstrous Beast fastned said to be that of the huge Boar Guy slew who with his Snout turned up a deep place now called Swanes Mear At Wolney Anno 1469 King Edward the Fourth was taken Prisoner by the great Earl of Warwick and his Forces scattered At Backlow Hill Pierce Gaviston was taken and Beheaded The other Places of Note are Henly Southam Sutton Atherstone Kyneton Rougby Aulchester Bitford The River Tame abounds with Fish and finely branches the Northern part of the County as Avon does most of the rest over which leading to Warwick is a sightly and strong Bridge At Lemington a Salt Spring arises a great distance from the Sea At Newenham or Menhem Reges is a Petrifying Well Snale Stones Star Stones and Cockel Stones are found near Shugbury The Noblemens Seats are Milcot-House belonging to the Earl of Dorset Compton-Place to the Earl of Northampton Newnham Padox to the Earl of Denby Wormleighton to the Earl of Sunderland Comb to the Earl of Craven Ragley and Luddington to the Earl of Conway Hewel Grange to the Earl of Plymouth Ettington to the Lord Ferrers Warwick Castle Knowel and Beuchamps Court to the Lord Brook Fletchamstead and Stonely to the Lord Leigh Wotenwaven and Aln-Lodg to the Lord Carrington besides many pleasant Seats of the Gentry sightful to Travellers The Reign of King EDWARD the Fourth EDWARD Duke of York having prevailed over the Lancastrians and put to death many of his great Enemies Marched Triumphantly to London where he was by the Citizens joyfully received and Proclaimed King on the 4th of March Anno 1461 and the 19th of June following he was Crowned at Westminster but his carriage towards the Citizens afterward made them repent their forwardness to take part with him against King Henry who had always loved them and been their constant Friend Soon after his Coronation he called a Parliament and laboured therein to settle the Affaires of the Kingdom which were much disordered by the Civil War And all former Statutes made in the Reign of Henry which Attainted him and his Adherents of High Treason were Cancelled and made void The Earl of Oxford and Sir Awbrey Vere his Son were in this Parliament Attainted of sundry Treasons and lost their Heads and to strengthen his Interest he conferred Titles of Honour on a great many of his Friends Whereupon seeing little hopes left of King Henry's Recovering his Crown the Duke of Sommerset Sir Ralph Piercey and others submitted themselves to Edward's Mercy and were received into favour but upon notice the Queen was arrived from France in the North and by the Aid of the Scots had raised a considerable Army they secretly fled to her Edward had soon notice of these Proceedings and sent the Lord Montacute before him with a considerable Force himself followed with the rest of the Army and this Lord with such resolution and bravery set upon the Lords Hungerford and Ross that at the begining of the Fight they Cowardly fled away but Sir Ralph Piercey and other stout Commanders who preferred an honourable death before a shameful desertion of their Men fought it out bravely till they lost their Lives in the Field and left the Victory to their Adversary The Lord Montacute flushed with this success and thursting after fame without staying for the King set upon Queen Margaret's Army and after a bloody Fight put her to the Rout and Henry Duke of Summerset William Tallboies who stiled himself Earl of Kent the Lords Ross Mollines and Hungerford Sir Henry Nevel Sir Thomas Wentworth and Sir Richard Tunstal being Taken were in several places Beheaded and 27 others were shortly after Executed in divers manners But after this Overthrow Henry Escaped to Scotland with his half-Brother Jasper Earl of Pembrook Sir Ralph Grey and others and hereupon all the Castles in the North fell into King Edward's hands For this Service done by the Lord Montacute the King would have given him the Earldom of Northumberland but upon that Earls submitting though he had fought against him he restored him to his Lands and Honours giving Montacute in lieu of his Resignation the Title of a Marquess and to encourage his Soldiers and such as had deserved well he bestowed on them great Bounties out of the confiscated Estates of his Enemies causing many advantagious Laws to be Enacted the better to settle him on the Throne by gaining the affection of the People Soon after this King Henry returning disguised into England was discovered taken Prisoner and sent to Edward who committed him to close ward in the Tower King Edward now thinking himself firmly fixed in the Throne by the advice of the Estates after the proposals of several Matches concluded to send his great Friend Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick to require the Lady Bona Daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and Sister to Charete Queen to Lewis the Eleventh King of France in Marriage the Earl was sent over with a very splended Equipage and with many Rich presents to the Lady and was so prosperous in his Negotiation that all things he had in Commission were soon agreed to the Portion assigned and the Instruments for settling her Dowry ratified but this wrought much mischief to King Edward For going to Recreate himself at his Mannor of Grafton he there cast his Eyes on the Beautiful Elizabeth Widow to Sir John Grey slain in King Henry's cause at the Battel of St. Albans and by no perswasions being able to gain her for his Concubine though he had freely granted her her Husbands Estate which she Petitioned to him for so enflamed was he with the desire of Enjoying her and she plainly telling him As she thought her self of too mean a condition to be his Wife so she thought her self much above his demands of being his Concubine and tho' her Life might be at his dispose
about him 6. Friga or Frea was Wodens Queen upon the account of Chastity and other Virtues after her Death they set up an Idol in her Likeness on a Pillar resembling Diana compleatly Armed to the Waste with a Bow and a Sword and to her were often Sacrificed those Females that had Violated their Virgin-Chastity Some Authors allow her to have been Expert in Arms by whose Prowess the Antient Saxons extended their German Territories and to her was Dedicated the Sixth Day called then Frea's-Day now Fryday 7. Seater This Idol was placed in the shape of an Old Man on a Pillar treading with his bare Feet on a Pearch with sharp pricks on its Back holding in his Right Hand a Basket of Fruits signifying Plenty and in his Left a Wheel signifying Time when we ought to be careful in laying up our Stores to prevent Scarcity He was held in his Life time to be a great Prophet and Astrologer telling things to come and Teaching the Saxons the Course of the Sun Moon and Stars and to him they Prayed for Knowledge Wisdom and hopeful Children Spring and Fall they Offered Fruits to him and strewed the way to his Temple with Flowers For his Worship they appointed the Seventh Day of the Week calling it Sater's Day now Saturday They had another Idol resembling the Image of Death with Flowing Crimson Robes holding a Lighted Torch in his Right Hand and a Lion Rampant on his Head by the Left Foot with his Left Hand He was placed on a Tomb or Grave-stone to put them in mind of Mortality and to shew Deaths Obduracy and Inexorableness they called him Flint Before his Shrine which was set in a large place Walled about without any Covering they Executed or Sacrificed Offenders for Extraordinary Crimes by Fire Racks and other Exquisit Tortures Having thus given you a Brief Description of the Original and Manners of the Antient Saxons before their coming into this Island I should now proceed to give you an Account of the Succession of their several Kings here during the time of their Heptarchy or Seven Kingdoms until King Edgar overcoming and subduing all the rest reduc'd it again to a Monarchy But that shall be the business of the next Chapter CHAP. V. The Succession of the Petty Monarchs of the Kentish South-Saxon and East-Saxon Kingdoms with what Remarkably Happen'd during their respective Reigns in Peace and War The Time when they Began and Ended them with the Limits of their Dominions 1. Of the Kingdom of Kent and the Succession of its seventeen Kings HEngist the first Saxon Invader as is formerly noted setled Himself and his People in the County of Kent a Fertil part of England large in Extent bounded on the North with the River Thames by which it is divided from Essex on the East with the Channel on the West with Surry and on the South with Sussex He began to Erect a Saxon Kingdom there Anno Dom. 455 and had during his Thirty Four years Reign continual War with the Britains his Brother Horsa Dying of the Wounds he received in Battel gave Name to a place called Horsa's Tomb now corruptly called Horsted where he was Buried and had a famous Monument erected over his Grave the Ruins of which some Hundred Years since were visible It is held by Authors of great repute those Stones of a prodigious bigness on Salisbury Plain which have created Admiration in the Beholders were erected as a Monument where he caused the British Nobles to be Treacherously Slain by which means he gained his design on this Kingdom making way to its Subjection for indeed they are commonly to this day called Stone Hing or Hengist Stones They appear to have been a Treble Row of Stones circularly placed one within another Twenty Eight Foot long for the most part and Seven Foot broad viz. those that are reared upright besides others of prodigious bigness that lie overthwart from one to another and are fastned with Tenents and Mortises but at this day the Form of this Wonderful Structure is very much defaced some of the greater Stones being either faln or reclining towards the Earth Eske by some called Osea succeeded Hengist in the Kingdom of Kent a Man much inferiour to him in Valour and Conduct therefore to make the People if possible to forget what they were that he might live the more at Ease he Tollerated such of the Câ—nti as would to live among his Saxons on condition they would take upon them the Name or Epithite of Eskins and though he Reigned Twenty Four Years nothing very Memorable is Recorded of him in History for the other Saxon Princes in setling their Kingdoms Screening him from the Incursions of the Britains and making the seat of War in the Northern and Western Counties he had for the most part a Peaceable Reign Octa the Third King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 513 he provided prudent and wholsom Laws for the Goverment of his People Built several Castles on the Sea-Coast and the Inland Frontiers commanded the Pagan Idolatries to be strictly Observed and Christianity to be Extirpated sheding much Innocent Blood on that occasion In his time strange sights were seen of Dragons Lions and other furious wild Beasts Fighting in the Air. In the West of Kent it Rained Wheat and soon after great Drops of Blood upon which ensued extream Dearth succeeded by much Bloodshed between his People and the South Saxon borders about setling their Territories at the latter end of his Reign which continued Twenty Years Imerick began his Reign Anno Dom. 533 He made an Edict That Strangrs should be Curteously Entertained and caused Houses of Publick Resort to be built on the Roads and the Highways to be Mended and made Passable at the Publick Charge building Watch-Towers on the Sea-Coasts and setting Lights in them for the guidance of Saylors He restrained the severity against the Christians and is numbered among the good Saxon Kings in his time was the Second General Council held at Constantinople for all Christendom Anno Dom. 553. He Reigned Twenty Nine Years during which space nothing Memorable of any Warlike Actions are Recorded of him Ethelbert The Fifth King of Kent began his Reign 562 He had not long Reigned before Cheuline King of the West Saxons raised an Army against him to Oppose whom he Mustered great Forces and at Wimbleton both Hosts joyned Battel where Ethelbert lost the day Two of his Dukes and Five Thousand of his People being Slain and this is Recorded to be the first Open War among the Saxon Kings However a Peace was soon after concluded and Gregory Arch-Deacon of Rome seeing some fair Youths of this Island standing in the Market of that City to be Sold he demanded from whence they were and being told from Britain out of a Province called Deira he sighing said when he understood Paganisme predominated Ah it is great pity but their Country should be Delivered Ira Dei from the Wrath of
Arms and Slew him after his Seven Years Second Reign whereupon much Misery ensued to the Kingdom by Usurpers who Tyrannized over the People and Slew whom they pleased at their pleasure Till Alfwald a Prince of the Royal Blood took the Government upon him putting some of the Usurpers to Death and Banished others but he was Murthered by the Conspiracy of one Siga when he had Reigned Eleven Years During these Disturbances and Murthers of Kings many terrible Sights appeared in the Air hollow Groanings and as it were Laments were heard in the Earth in divers places and affrighting Apparitions of Ghosts and Spectrums Haunted the Pallaces and Houses of Noblemen and others Osred the Twenty Fifth King of the Northumbrians Entered upon the Government much distracted and disordered by Intestine Troubles so that wanting Power to keep a steady rein to bridle the unruly People they Justled him from the Throne and Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned about a Year And though this Kingdom is held by some to last much longer Viz. to Anno Dom. 926 yet no Historian I can find making mention of any other Kings I rather chuse to End here than wade into uncertainties which would not only break the Thread of History but leave the Reader to wander in Dark and Doubtful Notions Therefore concluding that some Authors who have alotted so long a time were Mistaken for want of comparing the Continuance of this with the rest of the Petty Kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy from the times they Began till they were reduced under a Sole Monarch I shall proceed to the next which is the Kingdom of Mercia c. 5. The Kingdom of Mercia in the Succession of its Twenty Kings or Petty Monarchs c. The Kingdom of Mercia seized and setled by the most powerful of the Saxon Invaders is accounted the Largest of the Seven It Contained Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Warwickshire Staffordshire Worcestershire Gloucestershire Shropshire Cheshire Oxfordshire Notinghamshire Derbyshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Lincolnshire Huntingtonshire and the County of Rutland so that it was Inclosed by the other six Kingdoms and consequently when the Britains were brought Low and the Saxons Elbowed each other to Enlarge their Territories most exposed to War as will appear in the ensuing Account of the Actions of its Kings in the Succession of Twenty of them for so many Reigned before it ceased to be a distinct Kingdom It was Bounded on the East with the Kingdoms of the East Angles East Saxons and German Ocean on the South with the East Saxon and West Saxon Kingdoms on the West with Wales and on the North with the Kingdom of Northumberland Abounding with Cities Towns Cattle Corn Lead Fruit Pastures Rivers Parks Chaces Woods and Pleasant Rising Hills and Flowery Meadows which soon made them grow Rich and Powerful Crida was the First Saxon who made himself King of so spacious a Country Beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 582. Against him the Britains Warred but with various success sometimes the one and sometimes the other prevailing so that much Blood was spilt But at last the Britains being mightily weakened in a Bloody Battel Carecticus their King immured himself within the walls of Chester But being Besieged by Grummond an Arch Pirate who commanded part of Cridas Forces and the Saxons not being able to force the Walls which were stoutly defended by the broken Army of the Britains retired thither with their King Grummond Invented a Stratagem to Fire the City and drive them out like Bees Smok'd from their Hive or Perish in the Flames which was effected by tying Wild-Fire to the Feet of Sparrows and Swallows who lighting on the Thatched Houses set them on Fire and lay'd the whole City in a heap of Ruins but the British King with a few Followers Escaped by Night to the Mountains of Wales and there soon after Dyed of Grief for the loss of his People and desolation of his Country This Crida Reigned Twelve Years Wibba the Second King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 594. This Man Warred with the Britains and took from them almost all the pleasant Countries they held on his Borders considerably Enlarging what he at first Possessed though not without great effusion of Blood on both sides so that the Dead Bodies lying unburied corrupted the Air and caused a Pestilence that destroyed many Thousands He Reigned Twenty Years Ceorle the Third King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 614 He finding his Kingdom Large sent over for more Collonies to People it and repair the loss of those that fell in the Wars and then having setled his Borders and placed Garrisons on the Frontiers his next business was to provide such Laws as might the better Establish him in his Kingdom especially for The preventing Treason and apprehending Outlawes or those desperate Persons that lurked in Woods Robbing and Murthering such as passed by them Commanding a certain quantity of Land to be Sowed every Year on great Penalties to the Counties where the Land enjoyned lay if neglected He had some Wars with the Britains but nothing considerable to those of his Predecessors He Reigned Ten Years Penda the Fourth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 624 and made great War upon his Neighbours He joyned with Cadwallo the Twelfth King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland and in a Memorable Battel Slew him with Prince Offrid his Son and afterward Oswald who succeeded Edwin And Warring on the East Angles he made great waste of their Country Slaying successively three of their Kings Viz. Sigesbert Eyrick and Anna and being a Pagan he pursued with Cruel Hatred those who Professed the Christian Religion so that The Church mourned his Anger in Tears of Blood he turning the places of Religious Worship into heaps of Rubbish and Slaying as many as fell into his hands that were the Heads or Chief of the Religious Orders Then making War on the West Saxons he defeated Redwald their King in a bloody Battel and Slew him with many Thousands of his Subjects much Enlarging his own Kingdom so that aspiring to the sole Monarchy and having strongly Pushed and Elbowed his Neighbours in the East and West enterprizing the like in the North he was Slain by Oswy King of Northumberland in a pitched Battel with Ten Thousand of his Subjects when he had Reigned 32 Years Peada alias Wedda the Fifth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 665. He was the first Christian King of the Mercians causing the Idols every where to be destroyed throughout his Kingdom Banishing their Priests that refused to be Baptized building Churches and Monasteries but before he had fully brought to pass what he intended in this Matter the Pagan Priests incited his Wife some Authors say his Mother secretly to Murther him when he had Reigned Three Years Wolfer the Sixth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 659 He Warred on the West Saxons and won the Isle of Wight
they had Prophesied Victory should ever attend the Danes wherever it was Displayed in the Field And soon after the Battel was over Hubba was Buryed and a mighty Hill of Stones cast on him as a Monument which gave Name to the place of his Burial which is called Hubblestow or Stone to this day The King pursuing this advantage and for the Encouragement of his Souldiers having shared the Spoiles taken from the Danes amongst them followed the Retreating Enemy and within a while gave them two other great Defeats one at Ethan-Dun the other at Rhoaf-ceaster now Rochester raising the Siege they had layed before it After this they Recruited and brought another Raven Standard to the Field in hopes of better success But near Alesford in Kent they received another great Overthrow so that the Waters in the Ditches Ponds and Rivers adjacent were coloured with Blood and from thence he chaced them into Essex through the Thames in passing which River pursu'd by the Enemy and their own fears many for haste missing the Fords were smothered in the Deeps This however sufficed not the King whose main Aime was to drive them out of the Kingdom and so give Peace and Rest to his tired and distressed Subjects wherefore he Marched to a place then called Beaufleet where Hastinges a Dane who newly arrived with Eighty Ships had fortified and received his flying Country-men and here likewise Fortune was on his side he giving them the Rout and lastly they were quite discomfited at Boultington by Severn and at the Isle of Mesig or Mersey in Essex at the River Ligea or Ley which goeth to Ware and carryed up their Ships but Alfred Trenching and Drying it they could not bring them back whereupon they fled into Northumberland and then to Denmark THE COUNTYE PALATINE OF CHESTER Remarks on the County Palatine of Chester c. THis County is an Antient Palatinate and one of the Pleasantest Counties in that part of England famous for producing Kine of whose Milk is made the best Cheese in the Nation from which the County seemes to take its Name Its Pastures are exceeding Rich and Corn-Land produces extraordinary Crops it abounds with Fish Fowl Sheep and some Goats It is Bounded with Lancashire Yorkshire Shropshire Staffordshire Darbyshire Flintshire Denbighshire and the Ocean It Contains Eighty Six Parishes One City Seven Hundreds Thirteen Market Towns and Nine Rivers and gives denomination to a Bishop of its Diocess It sends Members to Parliament Four viz. The City of Chester two and two Knights of the Shire The City of Chester is famous in many respects as for its Minster Castle and Stone Bridge and has particular to it a Chief Justice for the Entertainment it gave King Edgar who was Rowed in a Barge on the River Dee by Eight Kings whilst himself held the Helm as their Supreame Sovraign It was made a Principality upon Hugh Lupus a Noble Norman being Invested in it by William the Conqueror To be holden as Freely by his Sword as the King himself holds England by his Crown which was the Tenure of all Counts Palatines more like Princes than Subjects as a modern Author has it It s stately Minster was Builded by Leofrick an Earl to the Honour of St. Werburga and in it was Buryed the Body of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Germany and it gave a Title to the Eldest Sons of our Kings who by Birthright are Earls of Chester Calvely is a very Pleasant Town giving Birth to Hugh Calvely a great General against the French in the Reign of Edward the Third Sr. Robert Knowles and divers others of Note Eccleston is Memorable for the Birth of Thomas thence called Eccleston Banbury is a plesant seated Town as also Wrenbury The large Rivers Dee and Mersey Flow very spaciously on its Western part Chester being advantageously situate on the former and Fordestham on a branch of the latter on the East side it has many pleasant Hills with very fertil Valleys Northwich is likewise pleasantly situate on a stream of Mersy over which is a curious Bridge as there is at Dutton Coxton c. The Seats of the Nobility are Clifton alias Rock Savage and Fordsham belonging to the Earl of Rivers Gawsworth and Alford belonging to the Earle of Maclesfield Dutton belonging to the Lord Gerard Barron of Gerards Bonley Dunham Massey the Seat of the Late Lord Delamer Earl of Warrington Besides many stately Houses of the Gentry The Reign of Edward the Elder Seventh Sole Monarch of England c. EDward Sirnamed the Elder Eldest Son to Alfred or Elfride began his Reign Anno Dom. 901. But not long had he been in the Throne ere his Brother Adelwold envying his advancement to the Regal Dignity conspired to supplant him and in order to it raised a Rebellion But finding he was too weak to maintain his Pretensions he fled with part of his Forces to the Danes who were by this time returned and had gotten some strong holds in the North and they for to colour their design made him King in Title tho' not in Effect and with them joyned the Welsh Northumbers and those Scots that bordered on the River Tweed Against these joynt Forces the King Marched and at St. Edmund's Ditch he gave them Battel but lost the day tho' the Danes gained a bloody Victory for in the Fight two of their Kings were slain viz. Chrochrichus and Ethelwald However to put a stop to their further advancing he built the Castle of Hartford and many other strong places and then having recruited his broken Troops with the whole power of the Western and Southern Counties that remained entirly under his obedience he again advanced his Standard and gave the Danes and their Confederates Battel at Wodens-field near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire where the chance of War turning on his side brought him a great Victory There his Rebellious Brother Adelwold with two Kings or chief Leaders of the Danes viz. Covilfus and Healden were slain This Battel was Fought Anno 910. Upon this Edward settled his Northern Territories as far as Northumberland and upon the Death of Eldred who had Marryed Elfleada his Sister he Establiâ—â— her in those Counties that were formerly in the possession of the Mercian Kings before spoken of and Anno Dom. 915 he gave the Danes and their Confederates another great Overthrow killing Turktilus a reputed King with two Earls Virutes and Scurfa the Dukes of Bedford Buckingham c. also Duke Edrick whom the Danes had made King of the East Angles being Vanquished was Slain by his Subjects And then appointing his Sister a true English Heroin who having endured the sharp pangs of Child-Birth had forsook her Husbands Bed saying The Pleasure was not worth the Pain she suffered resolving never more to run the like hazzard as it were in some degree his Partner in the Kingdom she soon made it known that her delight was more in the rough Fields of Battel than in the downey Bed of Love for
attired like an Amazonian Queen she accompanied her Brother in his Wars and mainly assisted him by her Prowess and Counsells being a Lady of great Politicks in Martial Affairs In a Battel against the Welsh she took their Standard slew their General and took his Lady Prisoner whom she used very courteously She divers times chased the Danes and in Person Stormed the Town of Derby Garrisoned strongly by the Enemy she also beat them out of Tamworth Litchfield Watersbury Elderbury and Leicester which she Repaired and Fortified also the Town and Castle of Rincorne She Builded Brimsbury and lay'd a Bridge over the Severn and in a set Battel Overthrew the Yorkshire Forces that were in Rebellion against the King and so having manifested her self to the World as the Wonder of her Sex for Heroick Vertues and set an Illustrious Pattern for their Imitation She Dyed when she may be said to have Reigned Eight Years as Co-Partner with the King her Brother in the one and Fortieth Year of her Age and was Buryed at Gloucester in a Church which she and her Husband had Founded where a stately Monument was erected to her Memory And Henry of Huntington in his Works makes the following Encomium upon her Victorious Elfled ever famous Maid Whom weaker Men and Nature's self obey'd Nature your softer Limbs for Ease design'd But Heav'n inspir'd you with a Manly Mind You only Madam latest Times shall sing A glorious Queen and a triumphant King Farewel brave Soul Let Caesar now look down And yield thy Triumphs greater than his own The King upon the Death of his Heroick Sister â—reatly lamented her loss and retired for a time from â—â—l Business but finding his Country yet Called for his â—id he shook off his Melancholly and took a Progress 〈◊〉 those parts of his Kingdom he had not as yet well â—uieted appointing Governours and making such â—aws as might restrain the Oppression of his People â—nd settling his Dominions to the borders of Scotland â—â—e Welsh also submitted In this Kings Reign John Patrick Erigena a Britain â—rote a Book about the Lords Supper shewing therein â—â—me Abuses the Roman Church had put upon that â—â—crament and how it ought to be worthily Received â—â—cording to our Blessed Saviours Institution and sent â—â—to Rome which so offended the Pope whose Leaden â—ord by this time had so got the Ascendant over the â—eel Ones of Princes that he wrote to the Clergy to â—evail with the King that the Author might be deliâ—â—red into their hands to be Censured as they should â—â—e fit which with some reluctancy being granted â—â—ough the Author proposed to prove it true by Scripture and gave many reasons for what he had done the Clergy in the Popes Name Condemned both him and his Book him as a Heretick and his Book as Erroneous and Heretical when being degraded and delivered over to the Secular Power he suffered Death in the Flames and is worthily accounted amongst the Martyrs This Edward was the Seventh Sole Monarch of England He Reigned Twenty Four Years and was Buryed at Winchester amongst his Royal Ancestors Remarks on Cumberland c. CUmberland extends to the extremity of England Northward as being Bounded that way by Scotland on the East with Northumberland and Westmoreland on the West by the Irish Sea and part of Scotland on the South with Lancashire It abounds in Hills but of no extraordinary height and produces great store of Cattle and a good sprinkling of Corn but not many Fruit Trees At Newlands are Copper-Mines at Refwick Black-Lead and Lapis Calaminaris It Contains one City viz. Carlisle which gives Title to a Bishop Fifty Eight Parishes Nine Market Towns and two remarkable Rivers It sends Members to Parliament six viz. Carlisle two Cockermouth two and two Knights of the Shire Carlisle the Metropolis of the County is very Antient held to be Built by Leil a British King long before the coming of Caesar and is by Ptolomy called Lugovallum it was a flourishing City under the Romans and upon their departure Demolished by the Picts and utterly ruined by the Danes but again Rebuilded by King William Rufus who Built there a strong Castle to prevent the Scots Incursions and by King Henry the first it was made a Bishops See it has been often taken by the Scots but wrested from them again It was Besieged in the late Civil War and made a CUMBERLAND strenuous Defence The other Places of Note are Cockermouth Werkinton Egremond Penroth Keswick and Bampton near which is to be seen part of the Ruins of the Picts Wall which reached from Sea to Sea at East and West At Salkeld in this County upon the River Eden is a Monumental Trophy of Victory consisting of 77 Stones called by the Inhabitants Long Megg and her Daughters one of which to wit that called Long Megg is 15 Foot high from the Ground and the rest 10 supposed to be placed in Remembrance of some Roman Victory The Nobilities Seats are Gray-stock Castle Grumb Castle belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Naywoth alias Noword Castle belonging to the Earl of Carlisle Kirkosward and de Acre Castles belonging to the Earl of Sussex Cockermouth Castle belonging to the Duke of Somerset Rose Castle the Bishops Seate The Reign of Ethelstan Eighth Sole Monarch of England EThelstan Eldest Son to Edward and Eighth Sole Monarch of England began his Reign Anno 925 and was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Adelme Arch Bishop of Canterbury and is held by some to be the first Anointed King of England but I suppose they mean the first Saxon King for it is held by Antient Writers to be used in the Coronation Ceremonies of divers British Kings a great while before Long he had not been Established in his Throne ere Elfried a Norman and one he trusted in weighty Affairs raised a Rebellion against him causing great commotions in the Kingdom but in the end he was taken and his Party dispersed upon which he utterly deny'd he was the occasion of it and laboured to lay it on others whereupon the King unwilling to search deep into the matter least he should create himself powerful Enemies among the Nobility was at that time contented that Elfred should go to Rome and purge himself of the fact upon Oath before the Pope But hereupon not freed from a Jealousie he conceived of Edwin his Brother whom Elfred had accused as a Person aspiring to the Throne he was made away privately with the Kings consent yet tho' too late being better informed he was so grieved that to attone as he conceived for guiltless Blood he caused the Assassines to be put to Death with exquisit Torments and Founded divers places dedicating them to Pious uses as St. Germans in Cornwal St. Petrocus at Bodmyn Plympton Priory Middleton and Michelney c. He Fortified Exeter and quelled the Cornishmen that Rebelled against him and upon Disorders committed by the Scots in the Northern Borders he Marched into that Kingdom gave them
Offended each other in Deed or Word Or since the Parish Clark said Amen Wished your selves unmarried agen Or in a Twelve-Month and a Day Repented not in thought any way But continued true and in Desire As when you joyn'd hands in holy Quire If to these Conditions without all fear Of your own accord you will freely Swear A Gammon of Bacon you shall receive And carry it hence with love and free leave For this is our Custom at Dunmow well known Tho' the sport be ours the Bacon's your own And pursuant hereunto it appears upon Record That â—ichard Wright of Badsworth in Norfolk in the 23d â—f Hen. 6. and Stephen Samuel of Little Easton in Essex â—n the 7th of Edward the 4th and Thomas Lee of Coxhall in Essex in the 2d of Hen. 8. Took the aforesaid â—ath and demanded and received their Bacon Amongst the many Noble Seats in this County That â—oyal House called Audley-End not far from Saffron-Walden justly claims the first place Built by Thomas â—oward Earl of Suffolk Treasurer to King James the first â—hen there is New-Hall a very Noble Seat of the late Duke of Albemarles and Bently belonging to the Earl of Oxford Copt-Hall a seat of the Earl of Dorcets Leez â—riory a seat of the Earl of Manchester St. Osith a â—at of the Earl Rivers Havering a seat of the Earl of â—indseys Park-Hall a seat of the Earl of Angleseys â—oulsham-Hall Moulsham Friery and Bishops-Hall â—ats of the Lord Fitz Walter Gosfield-Hall and Spring-â—lace seats of the Lord Grey of Wark Easton-Lodg â—nd Achdon-Place seats of the Lord Maynard Tolsâ—ury a seat of the Lord Howard of Escrick Lawfield-Hall the Lord Carews Seat It contains likewise many â—urious Parks Chases Warrens and is stored with Fish â—owl and all other Necessaries The Reign of Edward Thirteenth Sole Monarch of England and by some Sirnamed the Martyr EDward Eldest Son to Edgar began his Reign upon the Death of his Father Ann Dom. 975 he was Crowned at Kingston on Thames by Dunstan who had been promoted to the Bishoprick of Canterbury by his Father At his Accession to the Throne a terrible Blazing Star appeared which rising East by South continued visible twenty Nights ushering in a grievous Famin so that the poorer sort were compelled to Eat Grass Leaves and Bark of Trees whereupon many Thousands dyed yet it continued but a Year and then another mischief succeeded which had like to have put the Nation in confusion viz. Several Years past tho' the Popes Cannons prohibited it the Clergy had priviledg to Marry without any hinderance to them in performing their Functions and keeping their Spiritualities But Arch Bishop Dunstan who aimed at the Popedom or at least aspired to a Cardinals-Cap finding it was displeasing to the Roman See because the charge of Wives and Children must of necessity debar the Clergy from sending to Rome such liberal Contributions as otherways they might have done and so hinder Grist from coming to the Popes Mill he to ingratiate himself with that See stired up the Monks and Vnmarried Priests against those that had taken Wives and they dealing underhand with divers unthinking People Tumults arose thereon and much mischief was done For Duke Alfarus encouraging the Married Priests and their party the King with all his Authority had much ado to prevent a General Insurrection At last it was agreed That an Assembly of both Parties should meet and dispute the matter according to Scripture and Cannons and a place for that purpose was prepared in a large upper Room where Dunstan as chief Orator for the Monks had cunningly placed his Chair on a Post or Beam strongly fixed and as some Authors believe had contrived a Device by taking out some Pins to let the Floor fall upon a signal given so the press being very great after a hot Debate had been held for a while and nothing Agreed on Dunstan stamping and saying They shall fall before us c. The Floor first trembled as with the motion of an Earthquake and then fell down leaving nothing but Dunstan's Chair that had been surely seated aloft which being looked upon as and cryed up for a Miracle in the behalfe of the Monks they thereupon carried the day And the Married Priests were left at liberty to Enjoy their Wives but outed of their Benefices This is that Dustan of whom a story goes That to prevent Idleness he was working at the Goldsmiths Trade in a Cell near Glassenbury and whilst he was framing a Chalice of Gold the Devil in the shape of a Beautiful Woman appeared to him endeavouring to Tempt him to Lewdness but he by Inspiration knowing it to be a Fiend Transformed on a suddain as it was peeping over his Shoulder he catched it by the Nose with red hot Tongs and made the Devil rore so loud that all the People in the Village were Affrighted at the horrid Noise and thereupon the seeming Lady Vanished GLOCESTER SHIRE King Edward being thus made away was in a manner privately Buryed at Waltham and afterward his Body removed into the Monastery at Shaftsbury He Reigned 4 Years and was the 13th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Gloucestershire c. GLoucestershire is made Fruitful by the River Severn Branching almost unto all parts of it it contains much Woodland and Gradual Hills Feeding great store of Tame Cattle and Venison It abounds in Corn Wool Cheese and Butter On the North it is bounded with Worcestershire and Warwickshire on the East with Oxfordshire and Wiltshire on the South with Somersetshire and part of the Severn on the West with Herefordshire and Monmouthshire It Contains one City a Bishops See viz Gloucester 30 Hundreds divided into 280 Parishes 27 Market Towns and 12 Rivers It sends members to Parliament 8 viz Cirencester 2 Gloucester 2 Teuksbury 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Gloucester City is the antient Gelenum of the Romans In it Robert Brother to the Empress Maud was kept Prisoner being taken in the War against King Stephen its Cathedral is of Excellent Architecture and much noted for its Whispering Place wherin the least sound may be distinctly heard at a considerable distance It was won from the Britains by Chewlin King of the West Saxons Anno Dom. 570 and in this City a Monastery of Nuns was Founded by Osrick a Saxon wherin 3 Queens of the Mercians were successively Prioresses In Alny-Isle a place near Gloucester was fought the Combate between Edmund Ironside the Saxon King and Canute the Dane and the division of the Kingdom therupon made as in his Reign will further apear Cirencester or Circester was an antient Station of the Romans in it was born the Learned Thomas Rutham some time Bishop of Durham The next places of note are Dursly Cam Todington Yate Westbury Sudly Castle Tewksbury in whose field the Fatal Battel was fought which ruined at that time the House of Lancaster Anno 1471 in which Prince Edward was slain Queen Margaret taken Prisoner and the
Bounded on the North with Barkshire on the East with Surry and Sussex on the South with the Channel and on the West with Wiltshire and Dorsetshire It Containes one City viz. Winchester which is a Bishops See and is divided into 39 Hundreds 253 Parishes 20 Market Towns and 4 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 26 viz. Knights of the Shire two Winchester Southampton Portsmouth Yarmouth Petersfield Newport Stockbridge Newton Christchurch Whitchurch HANT â—HIRE Limington and Andover two each Note That to this County belongs the Isle of Wight As for Winchester the only City it was the Antient Venta-Belgarum of the Romans it is held to have been Founded by Rudhuidibras an Antient British King and was the Royal Seat and Place of Crowning the West Saxon Kings for many Reigns The Cathedral was Built by King Kenwolfe and made the Burying-Place of the Kings Henry the Third was Born in this City and many Men of great fame Southampton was Built out of the Ruins of the Antient Clausentium and after many Devastations Re-Edified in King Richard the Seconds time It 's said to take this latter Name from Hamo a Roman slain there viz. Hamo's Haven or Southampton At Basingstoke was Born John of Basingstoke the first English Author of a Greek Grammar and at Odiam William Lilly first Master of St. Paul's School Other Places in this County are Famous for the Birth of worthy Persons and memorable Transactions as Andover Warblington Hide Illchester Wickham Okely c. Besides the strength of Portsmouth and the Citadel to secure the Coast here are Hurt-Castle and Calshot-Castle standing as it were in the Sea and many other advantages for the protection of Shipping The Rocks afford Samphire and the White Cliffs abundance of Wild Thyme Marjorum and Rosemary The Seats of the Nobility are Basing-House Abbstone and Hackwood seats of the Duke of Boulton Farnborough Place a seat of the Earl of Anglesey Rockborn a seat of the Earl of Shaftsburys Wharlwell a seat of the Lord La Warrs Mottessant a seat of the Lord Sandys Breamore a seat of the Lord Brooks Wolvesey-House the seat of the Lord Bishop of the Diocess The Reign of Edmund who from his Valour and Hardiness was Sirnamed Ironside Fifteenth Sole Monarch of England EDmund Ironside began his Reign in a very troublesome time Anno Dom. 1016 when the Danes had possessed the greater part of the Kingdom taking on him the Crown rather out of pity to his bleeding Country than desire of Soveraignty and indeed did more than could be reasonably expected from him with such slender Forces and little Treasure for immediatly seting up his Standard to recover a great part of the Kingdom at a point to be lost he gave Canute Battel at Penham near Gillingham where he Overthrew him with much slaughter on both sides then he Fought him again with the like success at Sherestane in Worcestershire and likewise in a third Battel near that place notwithstanding Ederick the Traiterous Duke though seemingly siding with the King gave out in the midest of the Battel that the King was Slain upon which Defeat the Danes fled to London and were pursued by Edmund who drove them thence He discomfited them at Oteford in Kent and had clear'd the Kingdom of them but for Edrick's Treachery who in a sixth Battel the King Fought at Assendune near Roachfor in Essex commanding a part of the Kings Army he purposely fled upon which the Souldiers fell into Rout and Disorder so that the King was compelled for his safety to Retreat towards Gloucester whither his scattered Forces resorted to him and after a little Refreshment he caused other Troops to be raised and again displayed his Standard in the Field often Skirmishing with the Danes and slaying great numbers of them sending likewise a Challenge to Canute their King to end the War by single Combate who accepting it the two Kings in the sight of both Armies prepared on the day appointed viz. the 15th of July in a little Island called Olway made so by the winding of the Severn and about ten in the Morning the Combate began both of them having strong and large Swords They had not long continued it and given to each other mighty Blows but the Blood flowed plentifully from their Wounds and Edmund being a Prince of exceeding strength pressed so hard upon Canute that driving him to the Brink of the River he cryed out tho almost Breathless and Faint by effusion of Blood What need is there for us Noble King thus to endanger our Lives The Kingdom is large enough for us both If you will then consent to divide it between us our hands will be strengthened against our Enemies and we shall Live together in Peace and Vnity as Brothers King Edmund pausing hereupon a while considered That if he slew Canute the Danes might not stand to the Award of leaving the Land as having experienced their breach of Truce and that being mostly Pagans they held it but a small matter to break their Word or Oaths with Christians and that other Commanders might come over with fresh Forces to work new Troubles the Country being already very much wasted he at last concluded upon Canute's dropping his Sword in token he Submitted to shake Hands with him and embrace the offer Whereupon King Edmund having the first Lot chose the Southern Eastern and Western Counties as far as the Borders of Yorkshire and Canute then seemed to be contented with the Northern Counties as far as the Borders of Scotland Mutually Swearing to assist each other against all Invaders and for a time they lived Peaceably in Co-Partnership But Ederick the Traytorous Duke perceiving the Danes by reason of the swarms that came frequently from Denmark to be the stronger laboured to ingratiate himself with Canute tho' he held fair with Edmund who would not be perswaded by his faithful Counsellors to take him out of the way tho' his Treasons were apparent And thinking he should merit much of the Dane by destroying King Edmund at least That he should have some part of the Kingdom assigned him he one day as the King was disburdening Nature at the lower end of his Garden conveyed himself by a back way under the Vault and with Impious Hands Thrust a short Spear in at his Fundament and up his Body till it peirced his Heart so that giving an extraordinary Groan he instantly Dyed The Traytor not satisfied with this but desirous to carry some Testimonial of the Regicide with him crept up at the hole and with his Sword cut off the Kings Head and so privately made his Escape to Canute and at his approaching him cryed out Hail Sole Monarch of England Behold the Head of thy Go-Partner Canute inwardly detesting so base a Treachery yet outwardly dessembling his Resentment received it as a Grateful Present promising the Bringer to Advance him above all the Nobles of the English Nation and indeed in one sence he did it as he deserved for
Years before the birth of our Saviour it was given by Ethelbert the Saxon King of Kent to Austin the Monk and his Companions and in their time the Cathedral was Founded in which Eight Kings of Kent lie Buryed It suffered greatly by the Fury of the Danes especially in the Reign of Ethelred when 4200 of its Inhabitants were slain Here King John and his Queen Isabela were Crowned King Henry the Third and King Edward the First Married Edward the Black Prince Henry the Fourth and Queen Joan were Interred here and the Cathedral was long famous in Superstitious times for Pilgrimages made to visit the Shrine of St. Thomas of Becket a Popish Saint and Martyr slain at the Altar in the Reign of Henry the Second Rochester formerly called Roffchester as Builded by one Roff Lord thereof is a very pleasant City it was destroyed by the Danes and suffered much after Rebuilding by two dreadful Fires in the Reigns of King Henry the First and King Henry the Second it has in it many fair Churches and leading to it a curious Arched Bridge of Stone Maidstone a flourishing Town situate on the Medway for a meer Town is reputed the handsomest and best of Trade in all the County Feversham is of great Antiquity very pleasant and commodious in its situation in it King Stephen and Queen Maud were Buried Dover is renowned for its Castle said to be Built by Julius Caesar at his second Landing Queenborough Castle was Built by Edward the Third At Wye J. Kemp the learned Arch Bishop of Canterbury was Born Greenwich is famous for its Park and stately Palace and near it is the New Hospital founded for Decayed Merchants Horstead took its Name from Horsus one of the first Saxon Invaders Tunbridge is famous for its Medicinal Waters and the great resort to its Wells The Seats of the Nobility are Knobl belonging to the Earl of Dorset Penhurst to the Earl of Leicester Bocton-Malberb to the Earl of Chesterfield Hoathfield and Sylom to the Earl of Thanet Chenvening to the Earl of Sussex Lingstead Lodg to the Lord Tenham Leeds-Castle and Grenway-Court to the Lord Culpeper Alington-Castle and Maidstone Place to the Lord Astly Bromly-House the Bishop of Rochesters seat CHAP. X. The Saxons Re-Entry upon the failure of Succession in the Danes and what happened during the Reign of those Kings till the Conquest made of England by William the Norman Conqueror The Reign of Edward called the Confessor Nineteenth Sole Monarch of England EDward commonly stiled the Confessor being arrived in England was received by the People with great demonstrations of Joy and that Flattering Earl of Kent possessed him that he was the chief Instrument of his Restauration tho' indeed like a stanch Courtier he Sailed with all Winds usually adhering to him who was most powerful for certain it is that Leofrick the Earl of Chester moved the Estates on Edwards behalf urging his Right to the Crown as being the true Heir descended from the Antient Saxon Kings under whom the Nation had enjoyed its Rights and Priviledges without Infringments or Invasion He urged his Fathers Merits and the Battels he had Fought against the Danes in the defence of the English Nation and many other things So that they generally concuring with him Edward was Accepted and Crowned at Winchestor by Edsine Arch Bishop of Canterbury yet Goodwin so far insinuated into his favour that he took Edith his Daughter to Wife a very virtuous Lady much affecting a Religious Life so that Ingultus Abbot of Crowland who flourished in her time makes a large Encomium on her Learning Wisdom Humility Modesty and Behaviour In the beginning of this Kings Reign new Troubles arose the Danes Irish and Welsh in a manner all at once Invading the Kingdom doing great Mischief and destroying all before them with Fire and Sword but being met by Alfred the Martial Bishop of Worcester he gave them a great Overthrow In the fifth Year of his Reign there fell so great a Snow in January that covering the Ground and being of a prodigious deepness and continuing so till the middle of March much Cattle and Fowl perished for want of Food And the January following a terrible Earthquake happened causing the Ground to Open in divers places overthrowing many stately Buildings destroying much People and Cattle also at the same time such fearful Lightnings happened That the new sprung Corn was Burnt up whereupon a Dearth ensued and many dyed of Hunger Malcolm the true Heir to the Crown of Scotland flying into England to avoid the Fury of Mackbeth a Bloody Tyrant who had slain the King and Usurped the Kingdom Edward aided him with 10000 Men under the Leading of Syward Earl of Northumberland who by the Mothers side was Grandfather to the Young Prince who Besieging Mackbeth in his Castle of Dunsinane and he attempting to Escape was slain by Maskduff Sheriff of Fife whose Wife and Children Mackbeth had cruelly Murthered and soon after by the Valour of the English Malcolme Sirnamed Conmer was placed in the Scots Throne making a strict League with King Edward and paying him 10000 Marks for the charge of the War After this he Banished Goodwin and his five Sons for being Turbulent in the Government and endeavoring to raise Commotions but about two Years after they were Recalled and received into Favour and Goodwin being one day at Dinner with the King the Cupbearer coming in got a slip and had like to have spilt the Wine but as one Legg failed he recovered with the other and saved both the Wine and his Credit whereupon the Earl of Kent Jestingly said I see one Brother hath helped the other This suddainly puting the King in mind how by his Treachery his Brother Alfride was slain by Harrold the Dane In a heat replied And so would my Brother Alfride have helped me if Goodwin had not been The Earl perceiving the Kings anger which he little expected at that time thinking to excuse himself of so notorious a crime took a piece of Bread and wished it might Choak him if he were any ways concerned in Betraying the Prince into the hands of Harrold and accordingly his Wish was answered for putting it into his Mouth it stuck in his Throat so that it could not be got upwards nor downwards by which means he was Suffocated and Dyed before he could be well removed from the Table which I the rather remark That it may stand as a dreadful warning to all the Rash Imprecators or Evil Wishers of our Age being a Sin too often practised on trivial occasions and I am apt to fear frequently as false in many matters as this of the Earl of Kents which pulled down Gods immediate Judgment upon him and hastily snatched him out of the World The King soon after this falling into displeasure with Queen Emma his Mother abridged her of her Dowry and got her accused of Adultery when by the Law then called Ordealium she was Tryed in the following
County and produces store of large Cattle much Corn plenty of Fowl Fruits Fish wholsom Pastures c. It is Bounded by Darbyshire Notinghamshire Lincolnshire Rutlandshire Northamptonshire and Warwickshire It is divided into 6 Hundreds containing 192 Parishes 11 Market Towns and one noted River It sends Members to Parliament 4 viz. Leicester 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Leicester is pleasantly seated on the River Stower and well compacted being the County Town and a place of considerable Trade it is of great Antiquity as held to have been Builded by King Leir a famous British King for which cause it was antiently called Leir-Cester Lutterworth gave Birth to the famous John Wickliff who was Parson of it and the first English Reformer or Detector of the Errors in the Church of Rome frequently Writing and Disputing against them in the Reign of Edward the Third for which many snares were laid to take his Life by the Romish Clergy but he escaped them and Dyed a natural Death leaving the Candle of Truth Lighted by which John Huss Jerome of Prague Luther and others took their prospect of a happy Reformation that soon after ensued Bosworth is Memorable for the Battel fought near it on Redmore August 22 Anno Dom 1485 wherein Richard the Third was slain by the forces of Henry Earl of Richmond and his Crown found in a Hawthorn Bush which was placed on the Earles Head and he Proclaimed King which put an End to the fatal Feuds between the Houses of York and Lancaster In the West of this County once stood Clycester a famous City in the time of the Romans called by them Bennone though now nothing but a few Ruins of it remain The other Towns of note are Mountsorell Loughborough Waltham on the Woald Ashby-de-la-Zouch Bildsdon Lutterworth Harborough c. At Cole-Overton in the Hundred of West Goscot and other parts of this County great store of Pitcole is digg'd of a Bitumencus Nature very hard and fast about Luterworth are Allomey Veins and Welâ—s whose Waters strained through them are Medicinal and Petrefying so that it is said they turn Straw and Sticks into Stone by reason of their Exceeding Coldness near Belvoir-Castle on a R ck are found Snake Stones Cockle Stones and Star Stones The Seats of the Nobility are Pleasantly Situate viz Garerton one of the seats belonging to the Late Duke of Albemarle Burbage to the Earl of Kent Belvoir-Castle partly in Lincolnshire to the Earle of Rutland Ashby-de-in-Zouch Donington-Park to the Earl of Huntington Broadgate and Grooby to the Earl of Stamford Stanton-Bruâ—nell to the Earle of Cardigan Ashby-Folville to the Lord Carrington Besides these there are iâ— great many fine Houses of the Gentry standing sightly to the Fields and Roads some Parks and store of Ganie at all proper Seasons CHAP. XI An Account of the Norman Original How they came to be called Normans With a Description of the Dutchey of Normandy c. BEfore I enter upon the particulars of the Reign of William the First stiled the Conquerer I shall take the Method observed upon other Turns and Changes of Government viz. To give some Account of these New Invaders who at last laid claim to England by Conquest These Normans so called from the Northern Climes which first produced them were composed of Norwegians Swedes and Danes who finding their Country too straight for them betook them to the Seas to seek their Fortunes and practiced Piracies upon the Coasts of Belgia Frizia and England on the latter of which they Landed under the Leading of Rollo their Duke and became very troublesom to the English Saxons between whom there was great Wars Till at last Rollo Dreaming He sat on the highest Hill in France and a pleasant Spring Issued out of a Rock on which he laid his Head running down in many Streams to which flocked a number of Birds with Red Brests to Drink the Water and then flew to fragrant Groves where they Sung so Melodiously that he was Ravished with their Notes and beneath this Hill he fancied there lay so pleasant a Country that the like he had never beheld in his Life When Waking much pleased with his Dream he sent for a Monk of Crowland accounted a great Diviner telling him his Dream and demanding the Interpretation of it who willing for his Countrys sake to be rid of such troublesom Guests told him at an adventure as is supposed That the Fates had Decreed him to settle his Dominions in one of the most pleasant Countries of France Which he gave creadit to and perceiving England much wasted and impoverished by a tedious War and a Famine that then raged having exacted some Aides and Supplies of Money he Transported his Forces over the Narrow Sea and Warred five Years with such Fury on the French that fearing to lose all Charles their King Sirnamed the Simple gave him his Daughter Gilla in Marriage and as her Dowry the Peaceable Possession of what they had already gained by the Sword which being modeled into a Dutchy they called Normandy which Name through all the changes of that Kingdom it bears to this day This Rollo was great Grandfather to Richard the Fifth Duke of Normandy Elder Brother to Robert Father to William the Conquerer As for a Brief Description of the Dukedom of Normandy once a Patrimonial Inheritance of the Kings of England and to which they now have a Right It is Bounded on the East with the Isles of France at the River Epta which passes by the City of Gisors on the West with Britany the Antient Armorica and a Collony of the Britains from which it is separated by the River Crenon Northward by the Sea on the South with the Country of Mayne and is divided by the River Seine Abundantly Rich in Merchandize through the commodiousness of its Havens and Rivers The People are the most Subtil Apt and Ingenious of all the French Provinces yet Affable Curteous and greatly enclined to Learning Their Manufacture consisting most in Wooll and Linnen Cloth the Country producing no Vines capable of making good Wine unless about Caen a very pleasant City The chief City is Roan very famous for many Sieges as in the Series of History will appear having an Arch Bishop whose Jurisdiction extendeth to the River Oyse and a Parliament till of late that the French King has assumed such a Despotick Power and much lessened its Authority was usually held here for the consulting the good of the Province The other Cities of note are Auranche Argences Alancon Falaise Fecham Newhaven or Haver-de-Grace St. Valery Sileaux Constance Manta St. Michale and divers Walled Towns to the number of Eighty So that when the French by reason of our Civil Dissentions wrested it from us they plucked one of the fairest Jewells out of the English Diadem which in time we may yet hope to regain especially under the Auspicious Reign of WILLIAM the Third our present Heroick and Victorious King The Reign of WILLIAM the First
to rage in their destruction and consumed with Fire all the places in his March making such a desolation as had not been known in that Country for many hundred Years and by so mighty a Terror having Quieted these People he returned with great Spoil and was joyfully received at London Where Assembling the Nobles he desired a Supply to enable him to Marry his Daughter Maud to the Emperour Henry who had demanded her in Marriage which they granted and it was Leavied in the nature of a Tax on Lands being called Aid pur file Marrier and the same custom for the Marriage of the Eldest Daughters of the Kings of this Realm was a long time continued and may yet be practised on the like Emergency At the same time he devised and ordered the manner and fashion of a High Court of Parliament appointing it to consist of the Three Estates of which himself was the Head so that the Laws being made by the consent of all were highly pleasing to the People This happy beginning of a Good Constitution of Government was First Established at Salisbury in April Anno Dom. 1114 some Authors have it 1116. However it has proved by the continuance and great Improvement of Parliaments happy for England to this day seeing to those August Assemblies we owe the well founding of the best constituted Government it the World Soon after this the King hoping in some measure to repair the loss of his Children Drowned as has been recited Married Adilicia Daughter to Godfrey first Duke of Lovain And Pope Calixtus the Second came to him in Normandy in hopes to perswade him not to meddle in matters belonging to Ecclesiastical Affairs but neither Flattery Threats or Perswasion could work the King to a compliance with his desires and at this meeting two Youths Sons to the Earl of Mellent and Servants to the King Disputing with two of the Popes Cardinals with Logical Sylogisms so Nonplus'd them that they were compelled to own their Ignorance About Three Years after Pope Honorius the Second sent Cardinal Cremensis to certifie the abuses of the Married Clergy and to that purpose he made a long Oration in a large Assembly of Priests and others in praise of Chastity and dispraise of Vnlawful Lust for so he termed that of the Married Priests with their Wives but being narrowly watched by some of them he was by a Publick Officer taken in Bed the same Night with a common Strumpet and so loaden with Shame compelled to return to his Master without Success Yet the King preferring Thurston one of his Chaplains to the Arch Bishoprick of York the Proud Priest refused to Swear Obedience to the See of Canterbury which his Predecessors had both Sworn and performed and Appealing to Rome the King permited the Pope to dispense with his Obedience to that See but he proceeding further to give him the Investure of Arch Bishop by delivering him the Pall Ring and Cross the King was so much displeased that he prohibited his return but in the end the Popes Threatnings Menacing nothing but Curses Excomunications and Suspensions he had leave to Enjoy the Dignity of the Archiepiscopal See least evil affected Persons taking advantage of the Difference might raise Commotions to disturb the Quiet of the Kingdom And soon after one Arnold in a Divinity Lecture at Oxford for Preaching against the Pride of the Prelates and Dissolute and Wicked Lives of the Priests was Assassinated and found Dead with near a Hundred Wounds in his Head Face and other Parts In the 27th Year of this Kings Reign Dyed the Emperour Henry the Fifth of Germany not leaving any Issue by Maud his Empress whereupon the King to strengthen his Interest against France Married her to Geoffrey Plantagenet Son and Heir Apparent to Foulk then Earl of Anjou by whom she had Issue Henry afterward King of England Geoffery and William This fair Ofspring enriched the King with the truest endowment of Content for that as he conceived he saw in them the long continuance of his Line in possessing the Crown of this Realm and to make it the more certain and sure to them he took three sollemn Oaths in the space of five Years of all the Nobility and chief Men of the Kingdom That with their best Advice and with the hazzard of their Goods Lands Lives and Fortunes they should Support and Maintain the Succession of his Daughter and her Heirs And so growing in Years he went over to Normandy to do the like there and settle his Affaires but Eating Lamprys at the Town of St. Dennis he Surfeited on them and after a short Sickness Dyed This King was accounted Wise Learned Mild and Just beyond most of his Predecessors more enclined to Peace than War extending his Bounty to such as merited it by Publick Service confining his Gifts within the limits of Thrift and Measure He was a gentle Friend but a stuborn Enemy He had several Children by his Concubins which he promoted to Honours and Places of Trust He Erected the two Bishopricks Ely and Carlisâ—le and Founded the Monastries of Shirbourn Circester the Priory at Dunstable and the Abby of Reading in Barkshire where he was Intered in a stately Tomb. He began his Reign Wednesday the First of August Anno Dom. 1100 and Reigned 35 Years 4 Months and 1 Day and was the 33d Sole Monarch of England In the 16th Year of his Reign great Thunders Lightenings and Hail happened in December doing much harm and the Moon for two Nights appeared of the Colour of Blood in October the same Year the Thames was so Dry that the People passed at the Tower and almost as far as the Bridge to the other side on Foot In the 33d Year of his Reign happened so great an Eclips of the Sun that at Noon-day the Stars plainly appeared and about two days after there was a terrible Earthquake and the same Year happened a dreadful Fire in London which consumed it from the West End of Cheapside to Aldgate and the nex Year Worcester and Rochester were Accidentally Burnt and a little before his Death a Blazing Star with a Bushy Tail of the colour of Blood appeared at South West Twelve Nights successively Remarks on Northamptonshire c. NOrthamptonshire is a pleasant Inland County held to be Situate in the Middle of the Kingdom being mostly Inclosure affording store of Corn Pease Fruits good Pasturs and larg Cattle Sheep and Foul in abundance divers Parks stored with Deer and much Fish It contains in it one City viz. Peterborough which is a Bishops See tho' Northampton is the Shire Town It is divided into 20 Hundreds and in them 326 Parishes 13 Market Towns and 5 Rivers It is Bounded with Cambridgshire Huntingtonshire Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Leicestershire and Lincolnshire sends Members to Parliament 9 viz. 2 Knights of the Shire Peterborough 2 Northampton 2 Brackley 2 Higham Ferries 1. NORTHAMTON SHIRE Oundle or Houndhill is famous for a Well wherein at certain
compel him to more easie Terms but not to be behind hand with them he passed to Callis with an Army taking the Black Prince along with him and so wasted the Countries with Fire and Sword taking many strong Towns and Castles that they became humble Suitors to him for a Peace and submitted to his Terms so that after a short Treaty Articles were Agreed on viz. That the French King for his Ransom should Pay King Edward 500000l and not Aid any King of Scots in any War or Rebellion against England and That King Edward should not take part with the Flemings against France That the Kings of England should be ever quit of their Homage for Territories holden in France and That in Consideration these were performed King Edward in the behalf of himself and Successors Kings of England should renounce and leave the Name and Title to the Kingdom of France and so Hostages being delivered the French King after he had remained more than Four Years a Prisoner was set at Liberty and soon after he came with the Kings of Cyprus and Scots to visit King Edward and pay his respects for the Royal Treatment he had during his Imprisonment but falling Sick at the Savoy he Dyed and his Body was conveyed to St. Dennis in France And now Fortune seemed to turn against King Edward that had hitherto ever been Favourable to him for Peter the King of Castile being driven out of his Kingdom by Henry his Bastard Brother came to the Prince of Wales who then lived at Burdeaux with his Family Imploring his Assistance to Restore him which he did Overthrowing a Spanish and French Army that had joyned the Revolted Castilians with great Slaughter yet he was no sooner retired ere King Peter was again driven out and being taken in his Flight was by the Usurper put to Death but leaving two Daughters the Eldest Married John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and the Younger Thomas of Woodstock King Edwards Sons who laid Claim to the Kingdom of Castile in their Right yet an unlucky Accident crossed all for the Black Prince to Pay his Souldiers Leavying a Tax on the English Subjects beyond the Seas they not only refused to pay it but looking on it to be an Innovation and Oppression they perswaded Charles the new French King to break the League his Father had made and generally Revolting delivered up most of the Cities Towns and Castles into his hands and he growing Proud of his Success sent a huge Navy into the Narrow Seas which was defeated and beaten home by the English and hereupon the King sent the Duke of Lancaster with an Army to Callais from whence he Marched to joyn the Prince at Burdeaux beating the French Kings Army by the way and forced his Passage and soon after another Army was sent to St. Omers under the Leading of Sr. Robert Knowls which took the strong Towns of Vanes and Ruily but there grow-a difference between him and the Lord Fitz-Walter The French King took the advantage of it and fell on the English Army near Paris slaying 1000 and putting the rest to flight and immediatly sent an Army into Cuyan where the Prince being weakly assisted most of the Towns were Lost To Remedy this evil the King called a Parliament wherein the Temporality granted him a large Subsidy but the Clergy complaining of Poverty gave him only fair words and promises of future Aid which made him in his Anger turn them out of all Offices and Places of Trust in Temporal matters And the English Navy going to Relieve Rochel under the Conduct of the Earl of Pembrook was worsted by Henry the Usurping King of Castile who kept the Narrow Seas for the French King the Earl was Taken and divers others whereupon Rochel and many strong Towns Yielded This made John Duke of Britanie fear the French Greatness and offer King Edward his Assistance so that another Army was sent under the Leading of the Duke of Lancaster which greatly Endamaged the French but coming to Burdeaux he found the Prince his Brother exceeding Sick who resigning the Government of King Edwards Territories to his Conduct came for England and tho' Treaties were set on foot by the Mediation of Pope Gregory the Eleventh yet such were the insolent demands of the French that they came to nothing Whereupon the King called a Parliament who refused to Grant him any Aid unless the Lord Latimer and other evil Counsellors were Removed which being done they Liberally supplied his wants But the Black Prince Dying the 8th of June Anno 1376 in the 40th Year of his Age and Buried at Canterbury the King in his Old Age being over perswaded Restored those Officers that had been turned out to the high discontent of his People and having Created Richard Son to the Black Prince Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwal and committed the Regency of the Kingdom in his Minority to the Duke of Lancaster He Dyed on the 12th of June Anno 1377 in the 51st Year of his Reign and about the 65th of his Age and lies Buried at Westminster being the One and Thirtieth Sole Monarch of England In this Kings Reign John Wicklif the First English Reformer of Popish Errors and Superstitions Preached openly and soon after Nicholas Lyryan and Doctor Ockham so that People began to Search the Scriptures and protest against the Abominations of Rome Anno 1339 an Inundation of Water broke down part of the Wall of Newcastle and Drowned 120 People a Serpent at Chiping-Norton in Oxfordshire was found with two Heads and Faces like a Woman the one dressed in the New Attire and the other in the Old by a resemblance of Scales and Pleats having Wings like a Batt and Fiends and Devils and strange Apparitions were seen by Men and spake to them as they Travelled in solitary places and such a Plague happened that 50000 Persons Dyed in London Anno 1366 Peter Pence was ordered no more to be paid to the See of Rome and Dr. Orum Preaching before Pope Vrban at Rome condemned the Papacy and writ an Epistle from Lucifer to the Clergy thanking them for sending so many Souls to Hell c. Remarks on Staffordshire c. STaffordshire is commodiously Situate pleasantly accomodated with Meadows Enclosures Hills Valleys Woods and Champian Grounds abounds in Cattle Corn Butter Cheese Wooll and some Minerals It is incompassed with Cheshire Derbyshire Leicestershire Warwickshire and Shropshire It contains 5 Hundreds and in these are 1 City 130 Parishes 12 Market Towns 5 Castles 13 Rivers 19 Bridges 1 Chase 1 Forrest and 38 Parks It sends Members to Parliamenn 10 viz. Litchfield City 2 Newcastle Underline 2 Stafford 2 Tamworth 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Stafford the County Town Antiently Bitheny from Berteline a Holy Hermit It was Founded by King Edward the Elder and made a Corporation by King John Tamworth is Memorable for the Mercian Kings keeping their Courts there Litchfield is an Episcopal See
might be any hopes to recover and some were recovered for in so suddain an Execution many received Wounds that were not Mortal This famous Victory obtained the King fell on his Knees and caused all the Army to do the like and with up-lifted Hands say Lord Not unto us not unto us but to thy Name be Glory and Honour In this Battel which the King said should be called The Battel of Agincourt to all Posterity because Fought near that Town were slain of the French Charles Lord Delabreth Constable of France Jaques Lord of Dampire High Admiral John Duke of Alanson Anthony Duke of Brabant Edward Duke of Barre The Earls of Marle Vaudemont Blawmount Grand Pree Russey Faulconbridg Foys and Lastrake 25 Lords 8000 Knights Esquires and Gentlemen and about 10000 of the meaner sort The Prisoners of Note were Charles Duke of Orleance John Duke of Burbon The Lords Donuart Fosseux Humiers Roy Cawny Hamcourt Noell Bonciqualt and some others and on King Henry's part of Note were slain Edward Duke of York and the Earl of Worcester Some Historians will have the latter to be the Earl of Suffolk and not above 600 others of all Ranks The King who before the Battel had Vowed to Dye or Conquer and that England should never be at a Penny charge for his Ransom was informed by some of his Noble Prisoners That the French were so confident of the Victory that they had not only disposed of his Person and the spoil of his Camp before hand but also of Places and Offices in England But when Man proposes God disposes The Dead being Honourably Buried and the Soldiers Inriched with the Spoil the King Marched to Callis without any interuption and having settled his Affairs passed into England where he was received by his Subjects with unspeakable Joy Soon after this the Duke of Exeter Captain of Harestew Ravaged the Countries and Overthrew the Earl of Arminiack the new Constable of France with considerable slaughter taking many Prisoners for which he had large Ransoms And Sigismund the Emperor of Germany coming into England laboured to conclude a Peace between the two Kings but not being able to effect it he made one for himself and being honourably attended by the King and his Nobles to his Ships he returned home highly satisfied with his Entertainment Shortly after the Duke of Burgundy made a Peace with King Henry only for the Counties of Flanders and Arthois for which he was suspected as an Enemy to the Crown of France In the Kings absence the French Besieged Hareflew by Sea and Land but their Fleet Commanded by John Viscount Narbon was utterly destroyed by John Duke of Bedford whereupon the Constable raised the Siege by Land and hasted to Paris upon which the French Nobility Quarelled among themselves about the several bad Successes charging the Miscarriage upon one another which made for King Henry's Interest so that he called a Parliament at Westminster declaring publickly his Right and undoubted Title to the Crown of France and the many wrongs the French had done the English Nation which now they had an opportunity to repair in giving him Supplies to enable him in the prosecution of his Wars which they liberally Granted him and it was raised without any murmurings of the People as in other Reigns had happened on the like occasion In the mean while John Holland Earl of Huntington after a sharp Engagement took three Carracks of Genoa and sunk other six that were going to Aid the French and in the Prizes found great store of Treasure and early in the Spring the King Landed a strong Army in Normandy took the Castle of Tonque whereupon the Villagers of that Dutchy fled into their Walled-Towns and he laid Siege to the City of Caen which after many fierce Assaults he took putting to Death the most obstinate who had too long refused his proffered Mercy in holding out against him and the more Wealthy Citizens he put to Fines and Ransoms And now a Quarrel happened between the Queen of France and the Dauphin her Son for she having raked together great store of Treasure he forcibly seized it for the use of the War which so enraged her that she vowed Revenge and procured John Duke of Burgundy to be Protector of the Kings Person and of the Kingdome so that an irreconcileable Quarrel continued among them The Constable and Dauphin labouring to weaken his Interest and he on the other hand supported by the Kings Favour was not wanting to do the like for them Whilst King Henry was Warring in Normandy and took in about 50 strong Towns and Castles reducing the Normans for the most part to his obedience and having appointed Sir Gilbert Vmphrevile Captain of Caen Castle and Sir Gilbert Talbot the like of the Town Sir John Popham Baylif c. and disposed the other Places in Trusty Hands he Marched to Roan where he found the Citizens had drawn a great Trench about it and strongly Fortified it with Towers and Bullwarks and having laid Siege to it at Pontle-Arch he laid over a strong Chain and a Wooden Bridge to hinder any Succours coming by Water keeping likewise that Passage blocked up with a strong Squadron under the Command of the Earl of Warwick and whilst he lay at this Siege the Lord Kilmay with 16000 Irishmen came to him Armed with Darts and Coats of Mail being joyfully received and proved very servicable But the King finding his violent Assaults were repulsed the Garrison being very Numerous incompassed the place to the Landward with a wide and deep Trench impailed at the bottom with sharp Stakes and so well guarded with Archers that they durst not approach it so there being Multitudes of useless People in the City the Famine encreased so sore among them that nothing Unclean was left uneaten nor were those they turned out suffered to pass the English Camp so that many Hundreds with piteous cries lay and died under the Walls and the Siege having continued from Lamas tide till Christmas on New-Years Day they desired safe Conduct for their Commissioners to pass to the King which was allowed but to little purpose for a bold Frenchman so angered him with his vaunting speech wherein he taxed him with unprincely degenerateness and meanness of Courage for Cloistering up the Garrison to Starve them as not daring to let them be at liberty to Fight and sell their Lives bravely in the Field That he resolved not to hearken to any Terms but the Surrender of the City upon discretion Granting them only a Truce of Eight Days to well advise in the matter but nothing being determined the half-Starved Inhabitants with hideous cries and shouts compelled the Governour and Magistrates to a Surrender so that having Four Days more allowed they Surrendered the City and Castle to the King there being Famished during the Siege 5000 and 12000 Starvelings were turned out who many of them dyed in the Fields and Lanes Then he compelled the Burghers for
French hasted out of the Field with their Prisoners and Spoil as having had hot work on it already and not willing to try a second Encounter The King was much troubled at this Overthrow and the death of his Brother but resolving Revenge he sent the Earl of Mountague to succeed him in the Command of the Provinces and assembling a Parliament caused to be laid before them the State of both Nations whereupon to enable him in his Wars the Temporality gave him one Fifteenth and the Clergy two and for Expedition the Bishop of Winchester Advanced 20000 l. and received it again out of the Tax Granted by Parliament whereupon an Army consisting of 24000 Men was Transported under the Command of John Duke of Bedford the King's Brother driving the Dauphin from the Siege of Chartieres from thence the Duke Marched to Paris and was soon joyned by the Duke of Burgundy with 4000 Horse nor was the King slow in following his Army having with him James the Young King of Scots who with his own People Besieged and Took Direux and delivered it to King Henry and so they chased the Dauphin out of all his strong Holds compelling him to take Refuge in Berry whither the King thought not fit to tire his Army in following him but having taken in a great many places repassed the Loire About this time Queen Catharine was delivered of a Son at Windsor which News coming to the King very much troubled him because he had charged her not to Lye-in there but being unexpectedly taken in Labour necessity compelled her to do it The King's Reason for it was grounded on an old Prophecy Predicting No Prince Fortunate that should be Born there Whereupon in a Passion he said to the Lord Fitz-Hugh his Chamberlaine Good God! I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and Win much but Henry of Windsor shall Reign long and Loose all But God's Will be done Soon after this the King having Reduced the Isles of France and almost all other Places fell Sick and unable to Travel whereupon he committed the charge of the Army to his Brother John Duke of Bedford Then calling together his Nobles and sending for the Queen he appointed the Duke of Bedford Regent of France and Lieutenant General of Normandy and his other Brother Humphry Duke of Glocester Regent of England and Protector of his Son's Person Exhorting the Nobles to maintain the Friendship with the Duke of Burgundy and always to be at Union among themselves to be faithful to his Son and Queen and never to conclude a Peace with the Dauphin till he submitted to his Son Soon after this he Dyed August 31st Anno 1422 at Boice Le Vincenois in France of a Burning Feavour and Flux in the 30th Year of his Age when he had Reigned 9 Years 5 Months and 10 Days and his Body being brought over was Buried among his Noble Ancestors at Westminster with extraordinary Solemnity SUSSEX By I. Seller Remarks on the County of Sussex c. SUssex is a very pleasant open County in most parts and much advantaged by its lying open on its South side to the Sea It produces a considerable sprinkling of Corn flocks of Sheep and many Large Cattle Fruit great store and much Pasture-Ground It abounds in Butter Cheese and some Honey Flax and Hops on the West it is Bounded with Hampshire on the North with Kent and Surry and on the East with the Sea and some little part of Kent It contains 1 City viz. Chichester which is a Bishops See 65 Hundreds Parishes 312 Market Towns 17 1 Castle 2 Rivers 10 Bridges and 33 Parks It sends Members to Parliament 20 viz. Arundel 2 Bramber 2 Chichester 2 East Grinstead 2 Horesham 2 Lewis 2 Midhurst 2 New Shoreham 2 Steyning 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Besides the Cinque Ports viz. Hastings 2 Rye 2 Seaford 2 and Winchelsea 2. Chichester in this County is held to be Founded by Cissa a South Saxon and the Bishoprick was Translated thither from Sesley by William the Conqueror at Lewis King Ethelston Coined his Money and a strong Castle was Built there by Earl Warren and a Bloody Battel fought near it between King Henry and his Barons at Pensey or Pevensey the Conqueror Landed when he won England and near Hastings the great Fight was fought between William and King Harold for the Kingdom and the place is called to this day Battel-Field at Buckstead the first Great Iron Guns in England were Cast The Waters in this County produce the best Carp in the Island and on the Sea Coast store of Lobsters are taken Near Walsal are store of Lime Pits Sesley is famed for Cockles near Tenderden Steeple is a Stone that sensibly appears to Grow by the falliag of the Rain The Seats of the Nobility are Arundel Castle belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Buckhurs and Stoneland belonging to the Earl of Dorset part of Bolebrook to the Earl of Thanet Herst Monceux to the Earl of Sussex Cowdrey Battel-Abby and Poynings to the Lord Montague Petworth-Place to the Duke of Sommerset Eridg to the Lord Abergavenny Up-Park to the Lord Grey and Chichester Palace to the Bishop of the Diocess And many sightly Houses belonging to the Gentry c. The Reign of HENRY the Sixth commonly called Henry of Windsor HENRY the Sixth being at the Death of his Father not above three Months Old a Parliament was soon after called and he Crowned at Westminster at five Months Old the Queen holding him in her Lap whilst the Ceremony was performed and likewise brought into the Parliament-House where the Lords paid Homage to him as their Rightful Soveraign a Speech on his behalf being made to them by the Queen Exhorting them to be stedfast and Unanimous in securing his Right and opposing his Enemies c. which they promised to be and endeavour to the utmost Not long after this King Charles the Sixth Dying the French Nobles began to bethink themselves that it stood little with their Honour to be subject to a Prince of another Nation whilst they had a Son of their King amongst them and forgeting their Oaths and Fealty they began on a suddain to grow cold towards the English and seemed desirous to shake off their Yoak of which the Regent giving notice to his Brother in England care was taken continually to send him over Men and Money to compell them if necessity required it to their Obedience but first he used all manner of fair Means minding them if they persevered in their Loyalty the happy conclusion would make them Rich and Fortunate win to them the Love and Favour of their Young King as he grew up and increased in Wisdom and Years c. However the Dauphin got himself Crowned by his Party under the Title of Charles the Seventh and with his small Army took the Field sending the Lord Grandval to Besiege Pont-Melance on the River Seine which he had the fortune to surprize before the
killing the Watch. And now the noble Earl of Warwick Dying the Duke of York a second time was made Regent of France yet the French by Encroachments and Revolts of many Towns encouraged when their Courage failed by one Joan of Arc a Martial Maid who pretended she was sent by Heaven to assist her Bleeding Country and indeed Leading the French Troops she did many brave Exploits till taken by the English after she had received many Wounds they tryed her and burnt her for a Witch tho' great Ransoms were offered for her by the French and this they the rather did not only for that she beat them off from the Siege of Orleance and worsted them in many Skirmishes but because the French conceived a superstitious confidence that whilst she Lived their Proceedings would be successful and prosperous Yet both Potentates in the End on the French recovering Ponthois growing weary of so tedious a War that had wasted their People and Treasure a Conference was appointed at Callice and here they often consulted about Peace but in conlusion adjourned the Negotiation because King Henry's Demands were looked on as unreasonable in Three Points viz. 1. In regard of the great Ransom demanded for the Duke of Orleance 2. For that the peaceable and quiet possession of the Dutchies of Aquitaine and Normandy were required without any Homage or Soveraignty acknowledged to the Crown of France 3. For that the surrendering and yielding up into King Henry's hands all such Cities Towns Forts and Territories in France as the English had at any time enjoyed within the space of thirty Years past was required However tho' the Parley was dissolved yet the Duke of Orleance being brought to Calice tho' King Henry the Fifth on his Death-Bed had commanded he should not be Ransomed he was Ransomed by the Duke of Burgundy and Honourably convey'd to the French Court And now to make way for Calamities at Home as well as Misfortunes Abroad a Quarrel arose between the Cardinal of Winchester and Duke of Gloucester for the Duke being Protector of the Realm making Complaints against the Cardinals Acting many things contrary to the Interest of the King and Kingdome without any Warant or making the King Acquainted with it The Cardinal in Revenge procured the Dutchess of Gloucester to be accused of Sorcery and Witchcraft holding correspondence with Witches to take away the King's Life and tho' most believed there was nothing at all in it yet the Cardinal being backed by the Clergy procured her upon groundless suggestions to do publick Penance twice in the City of London and to be doomed to perpetual Imprisonment and the better to colour the matter some who were pretended to be her Associates suffered the Flames After the refusal of some other Matches as the Earl of Arminack's Daughter c. King Henry by the means and procurement of the Earl of Suffolk Bribed by the French King Married the Lady Margaret whom he received by Suffolk his Ambassador at the Hands of the French King and Reyner her Father Duke of Anjou Titular King of Sicily Naples and Jerusalem tho' with her he had little or no Dowry which made the Match be much disliked by the Nobles and Commons Yet for this Service the Earl was created Duke of Suffolk and stood high in the Queen's favour and they soon found means to dismiss the good Duke of Gloucester from his Protectorship after he had a long time faithfully Served the King and Kingdom And soon after the deposed Protector by the contrivance of his Grand Enemies was Accused in a Parliament assembled by the Queen in the King's Name at Bury of High Treason and committed to the Tower where the next day he was found dead in his Bed to the great Grief of almost all the Kingdom as being a Pious Valliant and Virtuous Prince it was generally concluded he was Smothered for no Wound was found about him But God was not slow in requiring his Blood at the hands of those that were undoubtedly the contrivers of his fall for upon the removal of this great and beloved Statesman Richard Duke of York found an open way to thrust in and set up his pretensions of Title to the Crown making himself strong in Friends and Treasure the better to carry on his designs So that being now Intent on his own Advancement he grew carless of his Command which turned greatly to the advantage of the French for the Truce no sooner expired but they came strongly prepared into the Field and making three Armies took in divers little Towns and this success emboldened them that holding secret correspondence with the Inhabitants of Roan in Normandy they drew an Army before that City whereupon the Citizens compelled the Earls of Sommerset and Shrewsbury to Surrender the place having leave to depart to Caen with all their Goods Soon after Hareflew and divers other places were lost A Rebellion about this time breaking out in Ireland the Duke of Sommerset was made Regent or Lieutenant in Normandy and the Duke of York sent over to quell the Irish Rebells which he easily effected But this dividing weakening the English Strength the Kings Army in Normandy was Overthrown and Caen Lost and soon after all Normandy and now Divisions happened at Home for the Duke of Suffolk the Queens Favourite being Envied by the People they were Instigated by the Duke of York and his Faction to make many grievous Complaints against him upon the miscarriages in Government whereupon he was to please them colourably committed to the Tower yet had his Liberty at will which so Incensed them that making a Fellow their Captain nicknamed Blewbeard they fell into Rebellion but were soon Quelled and some of their Ringleaders Executed the rest were Pardoned Hereupon the King and Queen thinking to reconcile all Differences a Parliament was called but contrary to their expectation the Commons craved Justice on the Duke of Suffolk and upon his Associates viz. James Fines Lord Say and Treasurer of England John Bishop of Salisbury and some others whereupon he was Banished for Five Years but as he Sailed for France being way laid he was taken by an English Man of War brought to Dover and had his Head Choped off on the side of the Ship 's Boat supposed to be done by the Duke of York's contrivance yet he was not Lamented by any but the King and Queen because it was verily supposed he had a hand in the Duke of Glocester's death And now the Duke of York though in Ireland did by his Agents here stir up a Rebellion among the Plebeans whose Ringleader was Jack Cade who falsly Named himself John Mortimer right Heir to the Crown but the King's Forces dispersed them many being Slain and Cade being Proscribed and a Thousand Marks set on his Head it was soon after brought to the King The Duke of York being defeated in this by the Advice of his Friends returned out of Ireland without the King's leave and consulting with
delays without any absolute denyal till the Battel of Bosworth-Field ending his Life set her at liberty to Marry the Earl of Richmond whom this News of Courtship hastened over with such Forces as the French King and his own Friends furnished him with to the Number of 2000 with those he Landed at Milford Haven in Wales and for a time few resorted to him yet no sooner the Welshmen understood he was of the Family of the Tuthers and of their own Blood and might prove an especial Favouour of them if he was advanced to the Crown but they flocked to his Standard from all parts under their Captains John Morgan Rice ap Thomas Richard Griffith and others having by this means gotten a little Army he Marched forward by Sir George Talbot Sir Walter Hungerford Sir Thomas Bourcher and others with Forces they had raised for King Richard This News soon flew to London and much perplexed the King insomuch that he scarcely knew who to trust yet he Levied an Army of 20000 Men and with John Duke of Norfolk and others that he had Obliged by many great Gifts Marched against his Enemies resolving to venture his Crown and Life on the fortune of a Battel and tho' many indeavours were used to withdraw the Duke of Norfolk from his side none could prevail to shake his fidelity however the Night before the Battel to amuse him and to weaken his hand This Distich was fixed on his Chamber Door viz. Jack of Norfolk be not too bold For Dickon thy Master is bought and sold On the 20th of August 1485 The two Armies faced each other near Bosworth in Leicestershire But when King Richard perceived the Lord Stanley who commanded a part of his Forces stand wavering at a distance he sent to him to come immediatly and joyn with him to which he Replied He would do it when he saw his time This so enraged him that he commanded the Son of that Lord whom he had as a Hostage of his Fidelity to be instantly cut off however he was diswaded to defer it till the fortune of the Field had been tried and so both Armies joyning fought desperately none knowing which would be victor till by the Lord Stanly's Revolting and breaking in upon the Kings Battallion with fresh Men he turned the scale when the King perceiving Fortune against him resolving to restore the Battel or Dye in a desperate mood he rushed into the Earls Battel and with his Sword made a free passage till he encountered Sir William Brandon Standard bearer to the Earl whom he slew and then singled out Sir John Cheney whom he tumbled to the Ground much Bruised and Wounded and thus gaining a passage to the Earl they Encountered like enraged Lions and Richard in all appearance had slain him had he not been beaten down by others and slain tho' the Earl had it given out he slew him with his own hands for notwithstanding his many evil qualities all Authors allow him to have been Valiant and of extraordinary Strength so that had half his Army imitated his example it is concluded he had been Victor But such was the will of God to punish him for his many Murthers that at once he lost his Kingdom and Life Upon his fall his Army partly fled and partly revolted the Duke of Norfolk likewise Fighting valiantly was slain and in all about 4000 others The Crown he brought into the Field was found in a Hawthorn Bush and placed on the Earl of Richmond's Head by the Lord Stanley whereupon he was saluted King by the General Voice Among other dead Bodies King Richard's was found Stript and carried Naked and Bloody on a Horse to Leicester where it was two days exposed to the view of the People and then Buried in the Grey-Friers Monastery when at the dissolution of Religious Houses the Stone Coffin wherein his Corps lay was taken up and said now to be a drinking Trough for Horses at a common Inn in Leicester He began his Reign June 22 Anno Dom. 1483 and Reigned two Years and two Months Remarks on Worcestershire c. WOrcestershire produces store of Sheep and large Cattle much Corn and rich Pastures It is pleasently Watered by the River Severn branching in a manner through all the County affording store of Fish as the Parks do Venison It is towards Staffordshire pretty Woody with some rising Hills It is Bounded with Shropshire Herefordshire Glocestershire Warwickshire and Staffordshire It sends Members to Parliament 9 viz. Bewdly 1 Droitwich 2 Evesham 2 Worcester City 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire WORCESTER SHIRE At Eversham King Kenry the Third gained a great Victory over the Barons Kiderminster is of great Antiquity also Sturbridg On the edge of this County at Eckington is a Medicinal Well whose Waters are Restorative In this Shire are Hartlebury Holt and Emsley Castles The Seats of the Nobility are Grafton belonging to the Earl of Shrewsbury Lenwick to the Earl of Craven Feckenham Lodg to the Lord Coventry and Hartelbury Castle the Bishops Seat This Shire contains 7 Hundreds 152 Parishes 1 City which is a Bishops See 12 Market Towns and is Watered with 5 Rivers over which and Branches are 15 Bridges It has moreover 7 Castles 1 Chase 2 Forrests and 16 Parks The Reign of King HENRY the Seventh AFter the Battel of Bosworth Henry hasted to London and soon after his arrival was Crowned King Then calling a Parliament King Richard was Attainted and the Crown entailed on him and his Heirs and the January following he Married the Lady Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to Edward the Fourth by which means the long Warring Houses of York and Lancaster were joyned in one and in the ensuing September she was delivered of a Prince who was Christned Arthur and the King published his Pardon to all that had born Arms against him conditionally if they would Swear Fealty and Allegiance to him which many refused and had their Goods and Estates Confiscated Then he chose Grave and Wise Counsellours of State who by their prudent mannagment of Affairs thorowly settled the Kingdom in Peace and Tranquillity and so proceeding to make large amends to the Duke of Britany and French King for the favours he received from them during his Exile But now whilst all things seemed quiet and Trade began to flourish a suddain Rebellion broke out in the North Headed by Sir Humphry Stafford the Lord Lovel and others who left their Sanctuaries and drew great Numbers to side with them But King Henry raised an Army with much celerity and coming swiftly on them the Ringleaders fled by Night which so amazed the Plebeans that the next Morning they submitted to the Kings mercy However Sir Humphry Stafford and his Brother Thomas were taken out of Culuham Abby in Oxfordshire whither they had fled for Sanctuary and the first Beheaded the latter being spared because he Acted by the Dictates of his Brother This combustion was no sooner over but another more dangerous ensued For one
with this Town all Ireland was reduced for those few places that held out Surrendred mostly of their own accord And the Lieutenant General having settled the Affairs there and returning to England was by his Majesty Created Earl of Athlone and highly Treated by the City of London c. Whilst this time was taken up in Reducing Ireland the Confederates imployed their Arms to recover the Towns the French had taken in Flanders c. And the Duke of Brandenburg was successful in taking Keyserwart Mentz and Bon places of considerable Strength and Prince Waldeck fought the Mareschal D' Humiers at Forg Village where the English under the Command of the Lord Marlborough did Wonders in stopping of the Torrent of the Enemy who suppos'd to have Surprized the Confederate Camp killing a great many of them and making them Retreat But the French ravaging the Palatinate cording to their wonted Barbarity they burnt Newstadt Frankendale Petersham Lambesham Wachenheim Darmstein and afterward Spires Worms Heidleberg were partly burnt and demolished which hastened the King to head the Army in Flanders And by this time the Duke of Savoy took Carmagnole and gave free Liberty to the Vaudois to Live quietly under his Protection The King by divers Marches and Encampments endeavouring to draw the French to a Battel possessed himself of Beaumont in the sight of their Army Commanded by the Duke of Luxemburg and demolished the Fortifications but with the loss of 400 men they took Montmelian but were beat out by the Cannon of the Castle which they in vain for some time had assaulted and Prince Lewis of Baden Commanding the Emperors Forces gave the Turks a great overthrow in Hungary Killing about 23000 men and taking the greater part of their Cannon and Baggage A Person hired by the Duke of Luxemburg to blow up the King's Bombs and fire the Ammunition Waggons being apprehended and Confessing the Attempt which only fir'd three Bombs had his right Hand cut off then being half Strangled was burnt And as the King was standing under a Tree to view the Enemy a singular hand of Providence appeared in his Preservation for he had no sâ—onâ—r stepped aside to give some Orders but a shot from a Cannon rent the Tree in the Place where a Minute before he had stood And now the French Court which had so often aimed at his precious Life and found it difficult to be attempted in a fair Field practised with divers Villains to compass the King's Destruction by Treachery to which end the Sieur Grandvalle had received several Sums of Money for encouragement of the Marquess of Barbesieux the French King's Secretary and brought two others viz. Dumont and Leafdale into the Conspiracy and often they designed to shoot him as he Rode out to view the Troops and the Duke of Luxemburg had Orders to send a party of Horse to fetch them off when this wicked Deed should be done but God prevented it by a timely Discovery for Grandvalle being Apprehended and Tryed by a Court-Marshal was on plain Proof and his own Confession found guilty of Treason and being Drawn Hang'd and Quartered his Head and Quarters were set up on Poles without the Camp And now our Fleet under the Command of Admiral Russel being sooner abroad than the French expected so that on the 19th of May 1692 the Admiral got sight of the Enemy about six Leagues from Cape Barfleur who not thinking us so strong bore down upon him having the Weather-Gage the Wind at South-west and about Eleven in the Morning Tourville the French Admiral engaged ours who bore upon him with the Red Squadron and the Fight continued hot till about three in the Afternoon when the French being greatly Shattered stood away with all the Sail they could make to their own Coast and being closely pursued the Blew Squadron engaged them again about six that Afternoon which continued till ten at Night when they made a retreating Fight wherein some of their Ships blew up and others sunk and Vice-Admiral Delaval getting in under Cape de Wick with Light Frigats Fire-ships and Armed Boats in spite of the Fire the Enemy made from their Ships run them on Ground Capt. Heath laid the Royal Sun of France on board with his Fire-Ship being a French Admiral of 104 Guns and burnt her Capt. Green burnt the Conquerant of 102 Guns and another of 80 was burnt by the boats in which a great many sick and wounded men Perished And Admiral Russel sending Sr George Rook into La Hogue with light Frigats Fireships and Armed boats he burnt 6 that Night and 6 more the next morning 3 of them being Three-Deck-ships carrying from 60 to 70 Guns and one of 56 Guns was overset and lost and others were destroyed in other parts so that about 21 of their biggest Men of War were burnt and of Crafts Frigats and Transport-ships 30 and this without the loss of one Ship on our part and this was also done in the sight of their Land-Army drawn down on the Coast of Normandy to assist K. James in his then Intended Invasion of England And of note on our side were only Kill'd Rear-Admiral Carter and Coll. Hastings of the Marine Regiment This Victory as it much amazed the French caused great Rejoycing in England yet to repair the Disgrace the Duke of Luxemburg besieged Namur to whose Relief the King prepared to March his Army but in the mean while it Capitulated and Surrendred yet the Castle and new Fort held out a great while longer so that they Lost above 5000 men in the Siege and the King having often dared the French to Battel in open Field they as often declining it by Counter-marches and strong Encampments he agreed to Attack them in their Camp at Enghein tho' by the narrowness of the ways the Passage to it was extream difficult This was vigorously attempted and carryed on by the English and Danes with such Courage and Bravery that the French at first were beaten from Post to Post and we were at the point of forcing an entrance into their Camp had they been timely succoured by other Parties that were appointed to sustain them but did not so that from the Hedges Out-works and Cannon advantagiously planteâ— on the Hills over-powering our Men after a hot Dispute they found a necessity of retreating leaving many Gallant Commanders dead behind them tho' the Enemy had little cause to boast their whole Army narrowly escaping an intire Defeat and their number of Men and great Officers killed wounded and taken Prisoners much exceeding ours for 10 or 12 of the old Regiments suffered extreamly so that they owned to lose 500 Officers and about 5000 private Soldiers And soon after the Prince D'Erichment fell on a French Party sent out of Namur of 300 Foot and 200 Dragoons totally routing them and taking 400 Prisoners among which were 30 Officers which were carryed to Huy and in this Encounter the Marquess De Hâ—câ—uincourt was slain and the Duke
But Popes usually blow hot or cold as their Interest Ebbs or Flows and therefore it was no wonder he should so soon change his side But Philip refused to Obey his Mandate returning Answer That no King without the consent of his Nobles Prelates and Common People can Subject his Kingdom to the See of Rome or put it under its Protection it being Committed to them by God and consequently this Kingdom was not holden of the See of Rome nor ought to be Defended or Protected by her This Answer somewhat startled the Pope yet using his old way he sent Guallo his Legate Cardinal of St. Martins to Curse Philip and Lewis his Son and such of the English Nobility as took part with them as also all their other Adherents and Accomplices and tho' the wiser sort little minded this yet the ordinary degrees of Soldiers whose Devotion more directly depended on Fear than Knowledge or Judgment to apprehend any danger that could ensue from such threats were so amazed and daunted that they left their Leaders in the Field and returned home to their Wives and Children c. And the Rascally sort in England hearing divers Noblemen were under this Curse entered into their Houses Fields and Parks Robbing Spoiling and bearing away whatever they could find of value being so far from doubting or disputing with their own Consciences whether they did well in it or not that such was the blindness of those Times they supposed their so doing tended to the Glory of God Almighty and that their Rapin and Violence was well pleasing in his Sight yet this hastened many of the Lords who had little left to subsist on to submit to the King and prostrate at his Feet confess their undutiful Revolt and crave his Pardon Upon this they were received into Favour with gentle reproofs for their former failures and were restored to their Estates and Honours so that the Disorders that had happened were by this means settled and a Peace for a time ensued to the great refreshing of a Nation wearied out with Intestine Broyls The Pope intending to make his Proceedings with King John a President to other Princes Assembled a General Council at Lateran where he caused to be published at large the Assignment of the Kingdom of England to the See of Rome and there Otho the Emperour Peter King of Arragon Raymond Earl of Tholouse were Excomunicated for no other material reason than not submitting themselves and Principalities to the Popes Pride and Insolency to be disposed of at his pleasure Also the Empire Kingdom and Principality appertaining to them were Interdicted on pretended Heresie In this Council Auricular Confession and Transubstantiation were Decreed the Cup taken from the Laity in the Communion c. And it was made no less than Eternal Damnation to such as should speak evil of the Pope and that they who were guilty of it should immediatly when they Dyed descend into Hell without being admitted by the way to call in at Purgatory to take leave of any of their Acquaintance And that no Man should presume to take on him the Imperial Diadem till he was Sworn the Popes Vassal paid him Homage and received that Crown at his Hands But these Princes despised him and his idle Menaces yet he secretly wrought them many Troubles and put their Subjects into Rebellion but in time the Storm blew over with the end of his restless Life During these stirs the Irish fell into Rebellion but were soon Quieted on the Kings going over for at Dublin he was met by Twenty of their petty Kings who submitted and promised him their future Obedience And one Gualter Maxes Arch Deacon of Oxford Preached against the Pride of the Pope and wrote a Book Entituled The Revelation of the Romish Goliah for which the Bishops greatly Persecuted him And the Clergy not being heartily reconciled to the King because he had controuled them in many things as he was in his Progress to settle the Kingdom so long disquieted and out of order Dining at Swinstead-Abby not far from Lincoln one Simon a Villanous Monk who served at the Table being of the Order of St. Bernard Poisoned him by delivering into his hand a Bowl of Intoxicated Wine and Poisoned himself also for company the King compelling him upon suspecting by a suddain pain in his Stomach some Treachery to Drink part of it Too easy a Death for such a Monster in wickedness who considered not that Kings are God's Anointed and that the Affront is put upon Heaven when they are Injured Thus fell King John after a troublesom Reign for the most part when he had Reigned 17 Years 6 Months and 13 Days He Dyed on the 19th of October Anno Dom. 1216. and was Buried at Winchester To palliate this execrable Murther it was given out that he should say holding a Halfpeny Loaf in his hand That if he lived a Twelve-month he would make it at the Rate of Twelve Pence and that he should have Ridiculed the Mass when the Pope had Accursed him upon cuming to the Quarry of a Buck that was Slain in Hunting viz. See how fair and fat this Buck is that never heard Mass in all its Life That when he was vexed with the Rebellious Barons he should send to Mira Mula a prevaling King in Africa for Assistance promising him to turn Mahometan and hold his Kingdom Tributary of him if by his help he prevailed over his Enemies But these seem to be Monkish Stories raised to poison his Fame as well as Body and are Rejected by Authentic Historians In the Ninth Year of his Reign by a New Charter he enabled the Citizens of London for their good Service done him to make their Annual Choice of a Mayor and two Sherifs for the better Government of the City In his Reign London-Bridge was Built with Stone-Arches as still it remains being before only of Timber and a dreadful Fire happening on it taking both Ends by the vehemency of the Wind carrying the Flame in sheets from the one to the other the People that came to Quench it were caught in the middle of the danger and Boats coming to receive them by Water they thronged in a hurry so fast into them that divers Sunk so that in the Thames and Flames 300 are computed to perish OXFORD SHIRE By Ihon Seller He left behind him Four Sons viz. Henry who Succeeded him Richard Elected King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guidio Disany and Three Daughters viz. Isabella Married to Frederick the Emperer a Second to William Marshal Earl of Worcester and a Third to the Earl of Leicester Remarks on Oxfordshire c. OXfordshire abounds in rich Pastures store of Cattle Corn Fruits Fish Fowle Coneys Hares Deer and other things to render it Pleasant and Acceptable being a pleasant Inland County bounded with Glocestershire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Buckinghamshire and Barkshire It contains one City which is a Bishops See and in its 14 Hundreds has 280 Parishes 12
Market Towns and 5 Rivers Isis which gives an additional name to the Thames into which it falls is very much Celibrated in Antient Story It sends Members to Parliament 9 viz. Oxford City 2 the Vniversity 2 Banbury 1 New Woodstock 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire The Antient City of Oxford is renowned for many remarkable things as being the Place of Meeting of divers Parliaments and holding out many Sieges Here Maud the Empress was Besieged by King Stephen and all in White got by Night over the Thames on the Ice This Place King Charles the First made his chief Head-Quarters during the Civil War till it was taken by Sr. Thomas Farfaix King Richard the First was Born here Its Churches are 13 besides the Cathedral most of them very Stately It is Watered almost round and is supplyed within the City by many Conduits on one of which is the Figure of a Queen Riding on an Ox in Brass But the greatest Ornament of Oxford is its being a Vniversity and for the stateliness of its Colledges their Liberal Endowments and the Number of Scholars contained in them it is not except by its Sister Cambridge to be parallelled in the whole Christian World Of the Number of its Colledges the time of their Foundation and their Founders take the following Account An Account of the Colledges in Oxfond 1. University Colledge was founded by King Alfred Anno 872 for 12. Fellows besides other Students 2. Baliol Colledge was founded Anno 1262. by John Baliol and Devorgilla his Wife Parents of John Baliol King of Scots for 12. Fellows c. 3. Merton Colledge was founded Anno 1274. by Walter de Merton Lord High Chancellour of England and Bishop of Rochester This has 19 Fellows 14 Scholars c. 4. Exeter Colledge was founded Anno 1216. by Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter for 23. Fellows c. 5. Oriel Colledge was founded Anno 1337. by King Edward II for 18. Fellows 12 Schollars c. 6. Queens Colledge was founded Anno 1340. by Robert Eaglesfield B. D. for 15 Fellows besides other Students of the Foundation 7. New Colledge was founded Anno 1375. by William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester and Lord High Chancellour of England for 70 Fellows 10 Chaplains 3 Clerks 16 Choiristers c. 8. Lincoln Colledge was founded Anno 1420. by Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln for 15 Fellows c. 9. All-Souls Colledge was founded Anno 1437. by Henry Chicheley Arch Bishop of Canterbury for 40 Fellows besides Chaplains Clerks and other Servants of the Foundation 10. Magdalen Colledge was founded Anno 1459. by William of Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester and Lord High Chancellour of England for 40 Fellows and 30 Scholars besides Chaplains Clerks Choiristers c. 11. Brazen-Nose Colledge was founded Anno 1515. by William Smith Bishop of Lincoln and Richard Sutton Esq for 20 Fellows besides Scholars and Students of the Foundation 12. Corpus Christi Colledge was founded Anno 1516. by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester and Lord Privy Seal for 20 Follows 20 Scholars besides Chaplains and Clerks c. 13. Christ-Church Colledge was founded Anno 1546. by King Henry VIII for 8 Canons and 100 Students besides Chaplains c. 14. Trinity Colledge was founded Anno 1555. by Sir Tho. Pope for 12 Fellows 12 Scholars and other Students 15. St. Johns Colledge was founded Anno 1557. by Sir Thomas White Merchant Taylor of London for 50 Fellows c. 16. Jesus Colledge was founded Anno 1572. by Queen Elizabeth for 16 Fellows 16 Scholars and other Students 17. Wadham Colledge was founded Anno 1613. by Nicholas Wadham and Dorothy his Wife for 15 Fellows and 15 Scholars c. 18. Pembroke Colledge was founded Anno 1620. by Thomas Teisdale Esq and Richard Wightwick B. D. for 15 Fellows and 11 Scholars c. The Seven Halls are Glocester Edmund St. Alban Magdalen Hart and S. Mary Hall besides New-Inn In all which Colledges and Halls there are fair Chappels and Libraries But amongst these is the most famous Bodlean Library which for choice Books and rare Manuscripts falls little short of the Vatican Here is also that curious Piece of Architecture called the New Theater built for Scholastick Exercises with a fair Printing House by Dr. Sheldon a late Arch Bishop of Canterbury The Musaeum built at the Charge of the Vniversity for the Improvement of Experimental Knowledge especially in Physick with a Laboratory furnished with all sorts of Furnaces and other Materials for Chymical Practice a Store-Room for Preparations and another Room fitted up for a Chymical Library In the Musaeum is also to be seen a curious Repository The publick Physick Garden deserves also to be mentioned here for its Stateliness and infinite Variety of choice Plants The Number of Students in Oxford is rickoned to be 3000 whereof 1000 live upon the Revenues of the Colledges In this City was formerly a famous Castle but now of no great Strength being mostly used for a Prison It has several Bridges about it but one more specially of Stone curiously Arched and is a Place of considerable Trade Woodstock was a long time the Country Retirement of our Kings here it was that Henry II built a sumptuous Bower for fair Rosamond his Paramour here Edward the Black Prince was Born and Sr. Geoffry Chaucer Educated At Islip King Edward the Confessor was Born the other Towns of Note are Banbury Chipingnorton Charlbury Bampton Henly on Thames c. Near Evisham in the South of this County are erected Stones called Rol Richstone in the nature of those on Salisbury Plain but not so big which Fabulous Stories have rendered to have been Men Transformed into Stone but most certain they are a Monument of a great Battel fought there by Rollo the Dane near Oxford is the Well Dripa whose Waters distil from a Rock that hangs over it very Medicinal There is store of Oaker Fullers-Earth and Gipsum at Shot-over Garsington and Whitney and Tobacco-Pipe-Clay and Vmber is found near Blanden Cerulam or Native Blue near Blonds-Court the Tera Lapidosa the Colour of Turkish Rusma is found in the Quarries about Tame the Gold-gritty Clay at Hampton Gay The Seats af the Nobility are Cornbury belonging to the Earl of Clarendon Blechington to the Earl of Anglesey Caversham to the Earl of Craven Dichley and Les Rest to the Earl of Litchfield Ricot and Chesterton to the Earl of Abingdon Broughton Shutford and North Newton to the Lord Viscount Say and Seal Water-Eton to the late Lord Lovelace Cuddesden the Bishops Palace There are fine Parks in this County stored with Deer and many large Woods wherein abundance of Hares shelter The Seats of the Gentry are not a few so that put together it is a very fine Inland County Watered in some parts by the Thames c. The Reign of King HENRY the Third AFter the untimely Death of King John Henry his Eldest Son being but Nine Years of Age was Crowned at Gloucester in the presence of