this shoare Folkstone in Saxon folcestane Id est Populi Lapis or else flostane whiche signifieth a rocke or a flawe of stone AMongest the places lying on this shoare worthy of note nexte after Douer followeth Folkstone where Eanfled or rather Eanswide the daughter of Eadbalde the sonne of Ethelbert and in order of succession the sixte King of Kent long since erected a religious Pryorie of women not in the place where S. Peters Churche at Folkstone nowe standeth but Southe from thence where the Sea many yeares agoe hath swalowed and eaten it And yet least you shoulde thinke S. Peters Parishe churche to be voyde of reuerence I must let you knowe of Noua Legenda Angliae that before the Sea had deuoured all S. Eanswides reliques were translated thither The author of that worke reporteth many wonders of this woman as that she lengthened a beame of that building thrée foote when the Carpenters missing in their measure had made it so muche too shorte That she haled and drew water ouer the hilles against nature That she forbad certain rauenous birdes the countrey which before did muche harme there abouts That she restored the blynde caste out the Diuel and healed innumerable folkes of their infirmities And therefore after her deathe she was by the policie of the Popishe priestes and follie of the common people honoured for a Sainct And no maruail at all for it was vsuall in Papistrie not onely to magnifie their Benefactours of all sortes but to edifie also so many of them at the leaste as were of noble Parentage knowing that thereby triple commoditie ensued the first for as muche as by that meane they assured many great personages vnto them secondly they drewe by the awe of their example infinite numbers of the common people after them And lastly they aduentured the more bouldly vnder those honourable and glorious names and titles to publishe their pouishe and pelting miracles And this surely was the cause that Sexburge in Shepie Mildred in Tanet Etheldred at Elye Edith at Wilton and sundrie other simple women of Royall blood in eache quarter were canonized Saincts for generally the Religious of those tymes were as thankfull to their Benefactors as euer were the heathen nations to their first Kings and founders The one sort Sanctifying suche as did either builde them houses or deuise them orders And the other Deifying suche as had made them Cities or prescribed them Lawes and gouernement This was it that made Saturne Hercules Romulus and others moe to haue place in common opinion with the Gods aboue the starres and this caused Dunstane Edgar Ethel would and others first to be shryued here in earth and then to sit amongest the Saincts in Heauen But let me now leaue their policie and returne to the Hystorie The Towne of Folkestone was sore spoyled by Earle Godwine and his Sonnes what time they harried that whole coast of Kent for reuenge of their banishment as we haue often before remembred The Hundred of Folkstone conteined in the time of King Edward the Confessour a hundrethe and twentie ploughe landes it had in it fiue Parishe Churches it was valued at a hundrethe and ten poundes belonged to the Earle Godwine before named The Manor was giuen to William Albranc of whome I made mention in Douer with condition to finde one and twentie warders toward the defence of that Castle and it grewe in time to be the head of an honour or Baronie as in the Records of the Exchequer remaineth as yet to bée séene Saltwood THat Saltwood was long sithence an Honor also it may appeare by an auÌ„cient writ directed by King Henrie the second from beyond the Seas to King Henrie his Sonne for the restitution of Thomas Becket the Archebishop to all suche goodes landes and fées as were taken from him during the displeasure betwéene them whiche writ bothe for shewe of the auncient forme and bycause it conteineth the matter of hystorie I wil not stick to exemplifie word for woord as Mathewe Parise hathe recorded it Sciatis quod Thomas Cant. Episcopus paceÌ„ mecum fecit ad voluntatem meam ideo praecipio tibi vt ipse omnes sui pacem habeant faciatis ei habere suis omnes res suas bene in pace honorifice sicut habuerunt tribus meÌ„sibus antequaÌ„ exirent Angliae faciatisque venire coraÌ„ vobis de melioribus antiquioribus militibus de honore de Saltwood eoruÌ„ iurameÌ„to faciatis inquiri quid ibi habetur de feodo Archiepiscopatê° Cant. quod recognituÌ„ fuerit esse de feodo ipsius ipsi faciatis habere valete But if this Recorde of the Kings suffise not to proue the honour of this place then here I pray you a woorde of the honourable or rather the Pontificall dealing of William Courtney the Archbishop who taking offence that certaine poore men his Tenants of the Manor of Wingham had brought him rent hay and littar to Canterbury not openly in cartes for his glorie as they were accustomed but closely in sackes vpon their horses as their abilitie would suffer cited them to this his castle of Saltwood and there after that he had shewed himself Adria iracundiorem as hote as a toste with the matter he first bound them by othe to obey his owne ordinauÌ„ce then inioyned them for penance that they should each one marche leisurely after the procession bareheaded barefooted with a sacke of hey or strawe on his shoulder open at the mouthe so as the stuffe might appeare hanging out of the bag to all the beholders Nowe I beséeche you what was it els for this proude Prelate thus to insult ouer simple men for so small a fault or rather for no fault at all but Laureolam in Mustaceis querere and no better Thus muche at this present of the Place for as touching the first matter concerning Thomas that shall appeare at large in Canterbury following And therefore leauing on our right hand the stately partes of Syr Edward Poynings vnperfect buylding at Ostenhangar let vs sée what is to be said of Hyde Hyde is written in Saxon Hyþe that is the Hauen and called of Leland in Latine Portus Hithinus in some Recordes Hethe THe name of this place importing as it should séeme by the generalitie therof some note of worthinesse and the long continued priuileges therevnto belonging it self being long since one of the fiue principal Portes at the first led me and happely may hereafter moue others also to thinke that it had béene of more estimation in tyme past then by any other thing nowe apparant may well be coniectured Howbeit after that I had somewhat diligently searched the Saxon antiquities from whence if from any at all the beginning of the same is to be deriued had perused the booke of Domesday wherein almoste nothing especially that might bée profitable was pretermitted and yet found litle or in manner nothing concerning
whereas in my fantasie there can be assigned none other certaine boundes thereof then suche as we haue before recited out of the auncient Hystories For euen as in the olde time being then a méere solitude and on no part inhabited it might easily be circumscribed So since being continually from time to time made lesse by industrie it coulde not long haue any standing or permanent termes And therefore what so euer difference in common report there be as touching the same for as muche as it is nowe thanked be God in manner wholy replenished with people a man maye more reasonably mainteine that there is no Weald at all then certainely pronounce eyther where it beginneth or maketh an ende And yet if question in Lawe shoulde fortune to be moued concerning the limits of the Weald as in déede it maye happen vpon the Statute of Woods and otherwise I am of opinion that the same ought to be decided by the verdite of twelue men grounded vpon the common reputation of the countrey thereaboutes and not by any other meanes But bycause I wote not howe the naturall and auncient inhabitantes of this countrey will beare it that a young Nouesse and lately adopted Denizen shoulde thus boldely determine at their disputations I will here for a while leaue the Weald and go foorth to the residue Farley in Saxon farrlega and may be interpreted the place of the Boares or Bulles FArley both the East and West bordering vpon Medwey belonged somtime to the Monkes of Christes Churche in Canterbury to whom it yealded in the dayes of King Edward the Confessour twelue hundreth Eeles for a yearely rent This I exemplifie to the ende that it may appeare that their reseruations in auncient time were as well in victuall as in money and that thereof the landes so leased were called Fermes of the Saxon worde feormian whiche is to féede or yeald victuall Whiche Etymologie of the worde although it might suffice to the proofe of that matter yet to the end that my coniecture may haue the more force I will ad vnto it the authoritie of Geruasius Tilberiensis a learned man that flourished in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde who in his Dialogue of the obseruations of the Exchequer hath in effecte as followeth Vntill the time sayth he of King Henrie the first the Kings vsed not to receiue money of their lands but victuals for the necessarie prouision of their house And towardes the payment of the Souldiours wages and suche like charges money was raysed out of the Cities and Castles in whiche husbandrie and tillage was not exercised But at the length when as the King being in the partes beyonde the Seas néeded ready money towarde the furniture of his warres and his subiectes and farmers complayned that they were grieuously troubled by cariage of victuals into sundry parts 〈…〉 the Realme farre distant from their dwelling houses The King directed comission to certaine discrete persons whiche hauing regarde of the value of those victuals should reduce them into reasonable summes of money The leueying of whiche summes they appointed to the Sheriffe taking ordre withall that he should pay them at the Scale or Beame that is to say that he should pay sixe pence ouer aboue euery pound waight of money because they thought that the money in time would waxe so muche the woorse for the wearing c. Thus farre Geruasius I am not ignorant that Geruasius him selfe in an other place of that Booke deriueth the woord Ferme from the Latine Firma Howbeit for asmuche as I know assuredly that the terme was vsed here amongst the Saxons before the comming of the Conquerour and that the Etymon therof descended from the Saxon language whereof happely Geruasius being a Norman was not muche skilfull I am as bolde to leaue his opinion for the deriuation as I was readie to cleaue to his reporte for the Hystorie Maidstone contractly for Medweys Towne in Saxon MeSƿegestun that is the Towne vpon Medway it is taken to be that whiche in Antoninus is called Duropronis One auncient Saxon boke which I haue seene writeth it thus Maegþanstane whiche is as muche to say as the mightie or strong stone a name belike giuen for the Quarrey of hard stone there THe name of this Towne being framed as the moste part thinke out of the name of the water might easely moue a man to iudge that it had béen long since the Principall towne vpon the Riuer whereon it is situated The rather for that the Saxons in imposing the names of their chiefe places vsed to borowe for the moste parte the names of the waters adioyning as Colchester was so by them called of the water Colne Ciceter or rather Cyrenchester of the water Cyren in Latine Corinius Donchaster of the Riuer of Done Lyncolne of Lindis and to come to our owne Shyre Eilesford of Eile Dartford of Darent Crayford of Cray and suche other Howebeit for asmuche as I finde not this place aboue once named in any auncient hystorie and but seldome mentioned in any Recordes that I haue séene I dare not pronounce it of any great antiquitie but speak chiefly of that whiche it hathe gotten within the compasse of late memorie In the time of King Edward the sixt therefore this Towne was incorporated and endowed with sundrie liberties all whiche soone after it forfeited by ioyning in a Rebellion moued within this Shyre vnder the Reigne of Queene Marie Neuerthelesse of late time the Quéenes Maiestie that nowe is of her great clemencie hathe not onely restoared to the Towne the former incorporation but endowed it also with great Priuilege appaireling the Maior with the authoritie of a Iustice of the Peace exempting the Townesmen from forreigne Sessions and creating the Towne it selfe a Boroughe enabled to haue voice in Parleament In it were foure principall ornamentes of building the College the Bishops Palaice the house of the Brothers of Corpus Christi and the Bridge Of whiche the first was built by Boniface the Archebishop of Canterbury and Vncle to Eleonor the wife of King Henrie the third to the honour of Peter Paule and Saint Thomas the Martyr as they would haue it and endowed with great possessions by the name of an Hospitall but commonly termed the newe woorke This had not stoode fully a hundreth and fourtie yeares but that William Courtney a successour in that Sée and a Noble man as the other was pulled it downe and erecting a newe after his owne pleasure gayned thereby the name of a founder and called it a College of Secular Priestes The Palaice that yet standeth was begonne by Iohn Vfford the Archebishop but for as much as he died before he had brought the worke to the midst Simon Islepe the next in successiō sauing one took this matter in hand not onely pulled downe a house of the Bishops which had long before stode at Wrotham but also charged his whole Prouince with a tenth to accomplishe it I
obserueth a thing touching Wreck or rather Varech as the custome of Normandie from whēce it came calleth it not vnworthy the recital that is that of auncient time if a ship were cast on shoare torne with tempest and were not repaired by suche as escaped on liue within a certaine time that then this was taken for Wreck and so vsed along the coast But Henrie the first sayth the booke disliking the iustice of that custome ordeyned that if from thēcefoorth any one thing being within the vessell arriued on liue then the ship and goods should not be seised for wrecke This decrée had force during all his reigne and ought of congruence to haue endured for euer Howbeit after his death the owners of lande on the Sea shoare shewing themselues more carefull of their owne gaine then pitifull of other mens calamities returned to the olde manner Which their vnmerciful couetise as I suppose prouoked king Edward the first by the statute that we call Westminster the first to make restitution of King Henries lawe whiche euen to this daye remayneth in force thoughe not altogether so heauie against poore men afflicted by misfortune of the Sea as that former vsage was yet in déede neyther so easie as Christian charitie would nor so indifferent as the lawes of other countries do afford And therfore I will leaue it as a thing worthy amongst other of reformation when God shall giue time There was at this place a College valued in the Recordes at ninetie thrée pounds of yearely reuenue In whiche king Edward the seconde after the buriall of his father and before his owne Coronation helde the solemnitie of a whole Christmas Motindene of Mod and dene ' that is the proude valley a name imposed as I thinke for the fertilitie I Haue not hitherto foūd any thing touching the house of Motindene in Hetcorne saue onely that the heade therof was called Minister and that the house it selfe was of the yearely value of sixtie poundes Neyther would I haue aforded it so much as paper or place here but only that you might vnderstande with what number of buildings varietie of sectes and plentie of possessions Poperie was in olde time prouided for and furnished No corner almoste without some religious house or other Their suites and orders were hardly to be numbred and as for their landes and reuenues it was a world to beholde them I finde that the yerely extent of the clere value of the Religious liuings within this Shyre amounted to fiue thousande poundes Bishoprickes Benefices Friaries Chaunteries and Sainctes offerings not accounted whiche thing also I doe the rather note to the ende that you may sée howe iuste cause is giuen vs bothe to wonder at the hoate zeale of our auncestours in their spirituall fornication and to lament the coldenesse of our owne charitie towardes the maintenaunce of the true spouse of Iesus Christ For if euer nowe moste truly is that verefied which the Poet long since sayde Probitas laudatur alget Canterbury is called in Saxon Cātparabyrig that is to say The citie or court of the men of Kent whiche also agreeth with the Brittishe worde Caer Kent signifying the Citie of Kent It is termed in Latine diuersly of some Doruernum and Daruernum of others Durouernum of some Dorobernia and of some Dorobrinia All whiche names Leland coniectureth to proceede eyther of the Riuer called Stowr as we haue shewed or else of the Brittishe worde Dour whiche signifieth water bycause the countrey thereaboutes is plentuously stored therwith One other late writer taketh it to be called Daruernum as if it were Dour ar guerne that is the water neare the Fenne or Marish TO the ende that confusion auoyded eche thing may appeare in his proper place it shal not be amisse to part the treatise of this Citie into twaine whereof the firste shall conteine the beginning increase and declination of the Citie it selfe The seconde shal set foorth the erection and ouerthrowe of the Religious houses and buildings within the same The authour of the Brittishe storie affirmeth that one Rudhurdibras or as some copies write it Lud Rudibras a King of the Britons almost nine hundreth yeares before the Incarnation of Christ builded a Citie whiche he called Carlem or as Henrie of Huntingdon in his recitall of the cient Brittishe Cities nameth it Caer Kent that is to say the Citie or rather the chiefe Citie of Kent For in the processe of the same Hystorie it appeareth in déed that at suche time as Vortiger King of the Brittons intertained the Saxon Captaines Hengist and Horsa he soiourned at Canterbury the heade Citie of all that countrie and that prerogatiue it reteined in the time of the Saxons them selues also For by the testimonie of Beda and Mathewe of Westminster it was when Augustine arriued in Kent Caput Imperij Regis Ethelberti the chiefe place in all the dominion of King Ethelbert To this Augustine the sade King gaue after a manner as I coniecture the Lordship or royaltie of the same citie For I reade as I haue before shewed that he gaue him his owne Palaice and builded another for him selfe at Reculuer and it is to be séene in the auncient Saxon lawes that of olde time the Archebishops had their Coynage within the Citie I finde also in the booke of Domesday that King Edwarde the Confessour had onely one and fiftie Burgesses whiche yealded him rent within this Citie and two hundreth and twelue other persons owing him suite and that the Castle of Canterbury and the residue of the inhabitauntes were subiecte to the Bishop and the Religious houses Howbeit the Bishops were neuer absolute owners hereof till the time of King William Rufus who as the Annales of Sainct Augustine say Dedit ciuitatem Cantuariae Anselmo ex solido quam Lanfrancus tenuerat ex beneficio This Citie since the vnion of the Kentishe kingdome to the West Saxon hath béene chiefly maynteined by two things Firste by the residence and hospitalitie of the Archebishop and Religious persons and then by the liberalitie and expence of such as either gadded to S. Thomas for helpe and deuotion or trauailed towardes the Sea side for their priuate affaires and businesse Amongst the Bishops Theodore a Grecian borne and the seuenth and last of those that came out of Italy Lanfranc the first Norman aduaunced by the Conquerour and Simon Sudburie that liued vnder King Edward the thirde haue béene the most beneficiall vnto it Of the whiche Theodore by licence of Vitelianus then Pope founded within the Citie a Schole or College wherein he placed Professours of all the liberall Sciences which also was the very paterne to the schole that Sigbert the King of Eastangle afterwarde builded but whether that were at Cambridge or at some other place besides within his kingdome I leaue to Doctour Caius of Cambridge and Maister Key of Oxforde to be disputed and to indifferent Readers to be adiudged The Reuerend father Mathew
end that by his helpe she might take him vp and cast him againe into the Riuer The Clerke obeyed arose and waited on her toward the Churche but the good Ladie not wonted to walk waxed wearie of the labour and therfore was inforced for very want of breath to sit downe in a bushe by the way and there to rest her And this place forsooth as also the whole track of their iourney remaining euer after a gréene pathe the Towne dwellers were went to shew Now after a while they go forward againe and comming to the Churchyard digged vp the body and conueyed it to the water side where it was first found This done our Ladye shrancke againe into her shryne and the Clerke peaked home to patche vp his broken sléepe but the corps now eftsoones floted vp and downe the Riuer as it did before Whiche thing being at length espyed by them of Gillingham it was once more taken vp and buried in their Churcheyard But sée what followed vpon it not onely the Roode of Gillingham say they that a whyle before was busie in bestowing Myracles was nowe depriued of all that his former vertue but also the very earth place wher this carckase was laide did continually for euer after setle and sinke downeward This tale receaued by tradition from the Elders was long ones both commonly reported faithfully credited of the vulgar sort which although happely you shal not at this day learne at euery mans mouth the Image being now many yeres sithēce defaced yet many of the aged number remember it well and in the time of darkenesse Haec erat in toto notissima fabula mundo But here if I might be so boulde as to adde to this Fable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fabula significat I would tell you that I thought the Morall and minde of the tale to be none other but that this Clerkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Talewriter I say and Fableforger being eyther the Fermer or Owner of the offrings giuen to our Lady of Chetham and enuying the common haunte and Pilgrimage to the Roode of Gillingham lately erected Ad nocumentum of his gayne deuised this apparition for the aduauncement of the one and the defacing of the other For no doubte if that age had ben as prudent in examining spirits as it was prone to beleue illusions it should haue found that our Ladies pathe was some such gréene trace of grasse as we daily behold in the fields procéeding in déed of a naturall cause thoughe by olde wiues and superstitious people reckoned to be the daūcing places of night Spirites whiche they call Fayries And that this sinking graue was nothing els but a false filled pitte of Maister Clearks owne digging The man was to blame thus to make debate betwéene our Lady and her Sonne but since the whole Religion of Papistrie it selfe is Theomachia and nothing els let him be forgiuen and I will go forward Alfred of Beuerley and Richard of Ciceter haue mention of a place in East Kent where Horsa the Brother of Hengist was buried and which euen till their dayes did continue the memorie of his name Wée haue in this Shyre a Towne called Hor smundene whiche name resolued into Saxon Orthographie is Horsgemyndene and soundeth as muche as the Valley of the monument or memoriall of Horsa But for as muche as that lyeth in the Southe part of this Countrie toward Sussex and for that I read that Horsa was slaine at Ailesford as you shall sée anone in an encounter wherein he ioyned with his Brother Hengist again the Britons which at that time inhabited Kent it is the moste reasonable to affirme that he was buried at Horsted a place lying in this Parish toward Ailesford and nowe yet knowen by the same name whiche signifieth the place or stéede of Horse This Horsa and his Brother Hengist both whose names be Synonuma and signifie a Horse were the Capitaines and chiefe leaders of the first Saxons that came in aide of King Vortiger as we haue before shewed And after the death of Horsa his Brother Hengist neuer ceassed to warre vppon the Brittons till he had driuen them out of Kent and made himselfe King as hereafter in fitte place we will further declare Frendsbury in some Saxon copies freondesbyrig that is the Friendes Court in others frinondesbyrig It befell in the reigne of King Edward the first by occasion of a great long drought of the aire that the Monkes of Rochester were agréed amongst themselues to make a solemne procession from their owne house thorowe the citie and so to Frendsbury on the other side of the water of a speciall intent and purpose to pray to God for raine And bycause the day of this their appointed iourney happened to be vehemētly boisterous with the winde the which would not onely haue blowne out their lightes and tossed their bāners but also haue stopped the mouthes of their Synging men and haue toiled themselues in that their heauie and masking attire they desired lycence of the Maister of Stroud Hospital to passe through the Orchyard of his house whereby they might bothe ease theyr company and saue the glorie of their shewe whiche otherwise through the iniurie of the weather must néeds haue béene greatly blemished The Maister assented easily to their desire and taking it to be a matter of no great consequence neuer made his brethrē of the house priuie therevnto But they so soone as they vnderstoode of this determination called to minde that their Hospitall was of the foundation of Gilbert Glanuille somtime a Bishope of Rochester betwéene whom and the predecessours of these Monkes ther had béen great heates for the erection of the same and therfore fearing that the Monkes pretending a procession intended to attempt somewhat against their priuileges as in déede all orders in Papistrie were excéeding ielous of their prerogatiues they resolued with all their might to resist them And for that purpose they bothe furnished themselues and procured certaine companions also whom the Hystorie calleth Ribaldes with clubbes battes to assist them and so making their ambushe in the Orchyard they awaited the Monkes comming It was not long but the Monkes hauing made all things redy approched in their battell array and with banner displayed and so minding no harme at al entred boldely into the house and through the house passed into the Orchard merely chaunting their latine Letaine But when the Brethren and their Ribaldes had espied them within their daunger they ranne vpon them and made it raine suche a shoure of clubbes and coulestaues vpon the Monks Copes cowles Crownes that for a while the miserable men knew not what way to turne them After a time the Monkes called their wittes and spirites together and then making vertue of the necessitie they made eache man the best shift for himselfe that they could some trauersing their ground declined many of the blowes and yet now then bare off with
of ouerthrowne Houses and Mynsters were called Knolles Miters he returned into England and meaning some way to make himselfe as well beloued of his Countrie men at home as he had béen euery way dread and feared of Straungers abroade by great policie maistred the Riuer of Medwey and of his owne charge made ouer it the goodly work that now stādeth with a chappel Chauntrie at the end died ful of yeares in the midst of the Reigne of King Henrie the fourth Stroude aunciently called Strodes of the Saxon worde Strogd which signifieth Scattered bicause it was a Hamlet of a few houses that lay scattered from the Citie ABout the beginning of the Reigne of King Henrie the third Gilbert Glāuille the Bishop of Rochester of whom you haue already heard foūded an Hospitall at Stroude whiche he dedicated to the name of the blessed Virgin and endowed with liuelyhode to the value of fiftie and two pounds by yeare A name or familie of men sometime inhabiting Stroude saith Polydore had tailes clapped to their breeches by Thomas Becket for reuenge and punishment of a dispite done to him in cutting of the taile of his horse The Author of the new Legend saith that after Saint Thomas had excomunicated two Brothers called Brockes for the same cause that the Dogges vnder the table would not once take Bread at their handes Suche belike was the vertue of his curse that it gaue to brute beastes a discretion and knowledge of the persons that were in daunger of it Boetius the Scotishe Chronicler writeth that the lyke plague lighted vpon the men of Midleton in Dorsetshyre Who bicause they threwe Fishe tailes in great contempt at Saint Augustine were bothe themselues and their posteritie stricken with tailes to their perpetuall infamie and punishment All whiche their Reportes no doubt be as true as Ouides Hystorie of Diana that in great angre bestowed on Acteon a Deares head with mightie browe anthlers Muche are the Westerne men bound as you sée to Polydore who taking the miracle from Augustine applieth it to S. Thomas and remouing the infamous reuenge frō Dorsetshyre laieth it vpō our men of Kent But litle is Kent or the whole English Nation beholdding either to him or his fellowes who amongst them haue brought vpon vs this ignominie note with other Nations abrode that many of them beleue as verely that we haue long tailes be monsters by nature as other men haue their due partes and mēbers in vsual nūber Polydore the wisest of the company fearing that issue might be taken vpon the matter ascribeth it to one speciall stocke and familie whiche he nameth not and yet to leaue it the more vncertain he saith that that family also is worne out long since and sheweth not when And thus affirming he cannot tel of whome nor when he goeth about in great earnest as in sundrie other things to make the world beléeue he cannot tell what he had forgotten the Lawe wherevnto an Hystorian is bound Ne quid falsi audeat ne quid veri non audeat That he should be bolde to tell the trueth and yet not so bolde as to tell a lye Howbeit his Hystorie without all doubte in places not blemished with suche folies is a worthie work but since he inserteth them many times without all discretion hee must of the wiser sorte be read ouer with great suspicion wearines For as he was by office Collector of the Peter pence to the Popes gaine and lucre so sheweth he himselfe throughout by profession a couetous gatherer of lying Fables fained to aduaunce the Popish Religion Kingdome and Myter ¶ Halling in Saxon Haling that is to say the holsome lowe place or Meadowe I Haue séene in an auncient booke conteining the donations to the See of Rochester collected by Ernulphus the Bishop there intituled Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi a Chartre of Ecgbert the fourthe christened King of Kent by the which he gaue to Dioram the Bishop of Rochester ten ploughlandes in Halling together with certeine Denes in the Weald or common wood To the which Chartre ther is amongst others the subscription of Ieanbert the Archbishop and of one Heahbert a King of Kent also as is in that booke tearmed Which thing I note for two speciall causes the one to shewe that aboute that age there were at one time in Kent moe Kinges then one The other to manifest and set fourth the manner of that time in signing subscribing of Déedes and Charters a fashion much differēt from the insealing that is vsed in these our dayes and as touching the firste I my selfe woulde haue thought that the name King had in that place béen but onely the title of a second Magistrate as Prorex or viceroy substituted vnder the very King of the countrie for administratiō of iustice in his aide or absence sauing that I read plainly in an other Chartre of another donation of Eslingham made by Offa the king of Mercia to Eardulfe the Bishop of the same See that he proceeded in that his gift by the consent of the same Heahbert the king of Kent and that on Sigaered also by the name of Rex dimidiae partis prouinciae Cantuariorum both confirmed it by writing and gaue possession by the deliuery of a clod of earth after the maner of seison that we yet vse Neither was this true in Heahbert onely for it is euident by sundrie Chartres extant in the same Booke that Ealbert the King of Kent had Ethelbert another Kinge his fellowe and partener who also in his time was ioyned in reigne with one Eardulfe that is called Rex Cantuariorum as well as hée So that for this season it should séeme that eyther the kingdome was diuided by discent or els that the title was litigious and in controuersie though our hystories so farre as I haue séene haue mencion of neyther This old manner of signing and subscribing is in my fantasie also not vnworthy the obseruation wherein we differ from our auncestors the Saxons in this that they subscribed their names commonly adding the signe of the crosse togeather with a great number of witnesses And we for more suertie both subscribe our names put our seales and vse the help of testimonie besides That former fashion continued throughout vntill the time of the conquest by the Normans whose manner by litle and litle at the length preuailed amongst vs For the first sealed Chartre in England that euer I read of is that of King Edward the confessours to the Abbey of Westminster who being brought vp in Normandie brought into this Realme that and some other of their guises with him And after the comming of William the Conquerour the Normans liking their owne countrie custome as naturally all nations doe reiected the maner that they found héere and reteyned their owne as Ingulphus the Abbat of Croyland which came in with the conquest witnesseth saying Normanni cheirographorū confectionē cum crucib
in setting vp of sumptuous housinge so he spared no coste in garnishing Greenewiche til he had made it a pleasant perfect and Princely Palaice Marie his eldest daughter and after Quéene of the realme was borne in this house Queene Elizabeth his other daughter our most gratious gladsom Gouernour was likewise borne in this house And his deare sonne King Edward a myracle of Princely towardnesse ended his lyfe in the same house One accident more touching this house and then an ende It hapened in the reigne of Queene Marie that the Master of a Ship passing by whilest the court lay there and meaning as the manner aad dutie is with saile and shot to honour the Princes presence vnaduisedly gaue fyre to a peice charged with a pellet in sted of a tampion the which lighting on the Palaice wallranne through one of the priuie lodginges and did no further harme ¶ Blackheathe ADioyninge to Greenewiche lyethe the plaine called of the colour of the soyle Blackheathe the which besides the burthen of the Danishe Camps whereof we spake euen now hath borne thrée seueral rebellious assemblies One in the time of Kinge Richard the second moued as it shal appeare anon in Dartford by Iack Straw whom William Walworth then Mayor of London slowe with his Dagger in Smithfielde in memorie whereof the Citie had geuen them for increase of honour a Dagger to be borne in their shield of armes Iack Cade that counterfeit Mortimer and his fellowes were leaders of the second who passing from hence to London did to death the Lord Say and others in the time of King Henrie the Sixt. These two besides other harmes that vsually accompanie the mutinic and vprore of the common and rascal sort defaced fouly the Records and monuments both of the law and Armourie The parts of Rolles remayning yet halfe brent doo witnesse the one And the Heraldes vnskill comming through the want of their olde Bookes is sufficient testimonie of the other The third insurrection was assembled by Michael Ioseph the black Smith and the Lorde Audley vnder the reigne of Kinge Henrie the Seuenth at whiche time they and their complices receaued their iust deserte the common number of them being slaine and discomfited and the leaders themselues taken drawne and hanged Of this last there remaineth yet to be séene vpon the Heathe the places of the Smithes Tente called commonly his forge And of all thrée the graue hilles of suche as were buried after the ouerthrowe These hillockes in the West Countrie where is no smal store of the like are called Barowes of the olde Englishe word BurgHer whiche signifieth Sepulchres or places of burying which word being a spring of that olde stocke we doe yet reteine aliue The first and last of these commotions were stirred of a griefe that the common people conceaued for the demaund of two subsidies of whiche the one was vnreasonable bycause it was taxed vpon the Polls and exempted none were he neuer so poore The other was vnseasonable for that it was exacted when the heades of the common people were full of Parkin Warber The third and midlemoste grewe vpon a grudge that the people tooke for yeelding vp the Duchie of Angâ—ow and Maynie to the King of Sicil The comming in of whose daughter after that the King would néedes haue her to wife notwithstanding his precontract made with the Earle of Armenac was not so ioyfully embraced by the Citizens of London vpon Blackheathe wearing their red Hoodes Badges and blewe gownes as in sequele the Marriage and whole gouernment it self was knowne to be detested of the countrie Commons by bearing in the same place Harnesse Bowes Billes and other Weapon But bicause I cannot without paine and pitie enter into the consideration of these times and matters I will discourse no farther thereof but crosse ouer the next way to Lesnes and prosequute the rest of the bounds of this Bishopricke Lesnes mistaken as I thinke for LesÆ¿es Leswes whiche signifiethe Pastures I Could easily haue beléeued that the name Lesnes had béen deriued out of the Frenche and that it had béen first imposed at the foundation of the Abbay saying that I finde the place registred in the Booke of Domesday by the very same and none other calling And therfore I am the rather led to thinke that the name is Saxon and there miswritten as many other be by reason that the Normans were the penners of that booke Lesnes for Leswes the word whiche in the Saxon tongue signifieth Pastures and is not as yet vtterly forgotten forasmuche as till this day Pastures be called Lesewes in many places This is my fantasie touching the name wherein if I fayle it forceth not greatly since the matter is no more weightie Concerning the Hystorie of the place only I finde that Richard Lucy a priuie Counselour of the State and chiefe Iustice of the Realme in the time of King Henrie the second founded an Abbay there the temporalties wherof amounted as I finde to seuen poundes sixe Shillings and eight pence But as for the extent of the whole yearely value I haue not learned it Earethe in some olde euidences Eard deriued as I gesse of Aerre Hyðe that is the olde Hauen FOr plaine example that oure Elders before the conquest had their trialles for title of land and other controuersies in each shire before a Iudge then called Alderman or Shyreman of whom there is very frequent mention in the Lawes of our auncestours the Saxons the whiche some yeares since were collected and published in one volume and for assured proofe also that in those dayes they vsed to procéede in suche causes by the oathes of many persons testifying their opinion of his credit that was the first swearer or partie after the manner of our daily experience as in the oath yet in vre and called commonly Wager of Lawe is to be séene I haue made choice of one Hystorie conteining briefly the narration of a thing done at this place by Dunstanc the Archbishop of Canterbury almost a hundreth yeares before the comming of King William the Conquerour A rich man saith the text of Rochester being owner of Cray Earithe Ainesford and Woldham and hauing none issue of his body deuised the same lands by his last wil made in the presence of Dunstane and others to a kinswoman of his owne for life the Remainder of the one halfe thereof after her death to Christes Church at Canterbury and of the other halfe to Saint Androwes of Rochester for euer he died and his wife toke one Leofsun to husband who ouerliuing her reteined the Land as his owne notwithstanding that by the fourme of the deuise his interest was determined by the deathe of his wife Herevpon complaint came to one Wulsie for that time the Scyreman or Iudge of the Countie as the same booke interpreteth it before whome bothe Dunstane the Archebishop the parties them selues sundrie other Bishops and a great multitude of the Lay people
nowe Archebishop of Canterbury whose care for conseruation of learned Monuments can neuer be sufficiently commended shewed me not long since the Psalter of Dauid and suÌ„dry Homelies in Gréeke Homer also and some other Greke authours beautifully written in thicke paper with the name of this Theodore prefixed in the fronte to whose Librarie he reasonably thought being thereto led by shewe of great antiquitie that they sometime belonged The other two Lanfranc and Simon of Sudbury did cost vpon the gates and walles bringing thereby bothe strength and beautie to the Citie Suche was then the firste beginning and increase of Canterbury Let vs nowe therefore sée also what harmes it hath now susteined and to what decay it is falne Besides sundry particular harmes done to diuers of the Religious places the towne it selfe hath often receiued detriment by casualtie of fyre For the author of the additions to the Chronicle of Asserus Meneuensis affirmeth that about the yeare after Christ seuen hundreth fiftie and foure it was sore wasted with fire Againe in the yeare nine hundreth and eightéene Alfleda the mightie Lady of Mercia besieging and burning the citie it self spoyled kylled expulsed the Danes that theÌ„ possessed it In reuenge wherof they afterward about the end of the reigne of King Ethelred did not only besiege take and burne this citie but also put to moste barbarous and cruell death Alphegus the Archebishop for that he refused to charge his farmours and the citizens towardes his raunsome aboue their abilitie and they siue of the Monkes Townesmen and other common people the whole nynes throughout the multitude reseruing on liue the tenthe man onely So that they left of all the Monkes but foure and of the Lay people foure thousande and eight hundreth Where by the waye it is to be noted that this citie and the countrie thereabouts the people whereof be like fled thether for succour was at that time very populous hauing to loose fortie thrée thousande and two hundreth persons in whiche behalfe there want not some I wote well whiche doe affirme that it had then more store of buildings then London it selfe And truely it is well knowne that they were very riche at Canterbury also for not long before by the aduise of Siricius their Archebishop they bought their peace at the handes of the Danes with thirtie thousande poundes of ready money But let me proceede fourthly in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde euen streight after the election of Thomas Becket the Archeshop this citie of Canterbury was wholy consumed with fire And nowe lately and lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the eight it was in some partes blasted with flame wherein amongst other things diuers good bookes whiche a Monke of S. Augustines had brought from beyonde the Seas were brought to ashes I had almoste forgotten a storie in Beda where he maketh Mellitum mendacium mention of Mellitus I shuld haue sayde and reporteth that when as vpon a time a great parte of this citie was touched with fire and that the flame hasted towarde the house of this Mellitus then Archebishop there he commaunded that they shoulde beare him against it euen into the greatest furie thereof And that whereas before it coulde not be quenched by any water though neuer so plentiously poured vpon it foorthwith at his presence the winde turned and at the vehemencie of his prayer the fyre not only ceased to goe any further but also immediatly went out and was extinguished I wote wel this writer is called Venerabilis but when I reade this and a number of suche which make the one halfe of his worke I say with my selfe as sometime did the Poet Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic incredulus odi What euer thing thou shewest me so I hate it as a lye To procéede therefore in my former course and to tell the trueth litle had all these casualties of fire and flame béene to the decay of this towne had not the dissolution and finall ouerthrowe of the Religious houses also come vpon it For where wealth is at commaundement howe easily are buildings repayred and where opinion of great holynesse is howe soone are cities and townes aduaunced to great estimation and riches And therfore no maruaile if after wealth withdrawn and opinion of holynesse remoued the places tumbled headlong to ruine decay In whiche part as I can not on the one side but in respect of the places theÌ„ selues pitie lament this general desolatioÌ„ not only in this Shyre but in all other places of the Realme So on the other side considering the maine Seas of sinne and iniquitie wherein the worlde at those dayes was almost whole drenched I must néeds take cause highly to prayse God that hath thus mercifully in our age deliuered vs disclosed Satan vnmasked these Idoles dissolued the Synagoges and raced to the grounde all Monumentes of building erected to superstition and vngodlynesse And therefore let euery godly man ceasse with me from hencefoorth to maruail why Canterbury Walsingham and sundry suche like are nowe in these our dayes become in manner waste since God in times paste was in them blasphemed most And like the souldiours of Satan and superstitious Mawmetrie howle and crye out with the heathen Poet. Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. The Gods eche one by whose good ayde This Empire stoode vpright Are flowne their entries and their altars eke abandond quight For séeing God in all ages hath not spared to extend his vengeaunce not only vpon the persons but vpon the places also where his name was dishonoured striking the same with solitude and exterminion as we reade of Sodome Ierusalem and others Howe then shoulde he forbeare these harborowes of the Deuill and the Pope whiche in horrible crimes contended with Sodome in vnbelief matched Ierusalem and in folly of superstition excéeded all Gentilitie By the iust iudgement of God therfore Canterbury came soudenly from great wealth multitude of inhabitaunts and beautiful buildings to extreme pouertie nakednes and decaâ— hauing at this day Parishes more in number then well filled yet in al not aboue twelue in whiche plight for pitie I will leaue it and referring you to the statutes 32. and 33. of Henrie the eight prouided for the reedifying of decayed houses aswel in this Citie as also in Rochâ—ster Feuersham the Fiue ports I will tourne me tâ— the Hystorie of the religious buyldings There was iâ— Canterbury within the time of late memorie besides others two houses of great estimation and lyuelyhoode the one being called Christes church and the other Saint Augustines the Monkes of the whiche places were as farre remoued from all mutual loue and societie as the houses themselues were néere linked together either in regarde of the time of their foundation the order of their profession or the place of their situation And therfore in this part it might wel be verified of them
which was wont to be commonly said Vnicum Arbustum non alit duos Erythacos For in déede one whole Citie nay rather one whole Shyre and Countrie could hardly suffice the pride and ambitious auarice of such two Religious Synagogues The which as in all places they agréeed to enrich them selues by the spoyle of the Laitie So in no place they agréed one with another But eche séeking euerie where and by all wayes to aduaunce them selues they moued continuall and that moste fierâ— and deadly warre for landes priuileges reliques and suche like vaine worldly préeminences In so muche as he that will obserue it shall finde that vniuersally the Chronicles of their owne houses conteine for the moste parte nothing else but suing for exemptions procuring of reliques strugling for offices wrangling for consecrations pleading for landes and possessions For proofe wherof I might iustly alledge inumerable brawles stirred betwéen the Religious houses of this Citie wrastling sometime with the Kings sometime with the Archbishops oftentimes the one with the other â—l which be at large set forth by Thomas Spot the Chroniâ—ler of S. Augustins But for asmuch as I my self delighâ— litle in that kind of rehersal do think that other men for the more part of the wiser sort be sufficiently persuaded of these their follies I wil lightly passe theÌ„ ouer labor more â—argely in some other thing And bycause that the Monasâ—erie or Priorie of Christes Churche was of the more fame I will first begin with it After that Augustine the Monke whiche was sent from Rome had found suche fauour in the sight of King Ethelbert that he might fréely Preache the Gospell in his Countrie he chose for assembly and prayer an olde Churche in the East part of this Citie whiche was long time before builded by the Romanes and he made therof by licence of the King a Churche for himselfe and his successours dedicating the same to the name of our Sauiour Christ whereof it was called afterward Christes Churche After his death Laurence his successor brought Monkes into the house the head whereof was called a Pryor whiche woord howsoeuer it soundethe was in déede but the name of a second officer bicause the Bishop himselfe was accompted the very Abbat For in olde time the Bishops were for the moste part chosen out of suche Monasteries and therefore moste commonly had their Palaces adioyning and gouerned as Abbats there by meanes whereof it came to passe that suche Abbies were not only muche amplified in wealth and possessions but also by fauour of the Bishoppes their good Abbates ouerloked all their neere neighbours as hereafter in further course shall better appeare I finde not that any great coste was done vpâ—n this Churche till Lanfrancs dayes who not only buided it almoste wholy of newe and placed Benedictâ— Monkes therein the number of whiche hee aduaunced from thirtie to one hundreth and fourtie but also erected certaine Hospitals whiche hee endowed with one hundreth and fourtie poundes by yere and repaired the walles of the Citie it selfe And here by the way it is to be noted out of Mathewe Westminster that there were Monkes in this house euer since the time of Laurence the second Archebishop although some reporte that Elfricus was the first that expulsed the Seculer Priestes and brought the Monkes in place Not long after Lanfrancs time succéeded William Corboile during whose gouernment this lately aduaunced building was blasted with flame but he soone after reedified it of his owne purse and dedicated it with great pompe and solemnitie in the presence of the King and his Nobles After him followed Theobaldus whome Pope Innocent the second honoured with the title of Legatus natus and then commeth Thomas Becket the fift in order after Lanfranc by whose life death and burial the estimation of this Church was aduaunced beyond all reason measure and wonder For not withstanding that it had beene before that time honoured with the arme of S. Bartholmew a Relique that King Canutus gaue with the preseÌ„ce of Augustine that brought in Religion with the buriall of eight Kentishe Kings that succéeded Wightred and of a great number of Archebishops after the time of Cuthbert Likewise afterward with the famous asseÌ„bly at the homage done by the Scottishe King William to King Henrie the second and at the Coronation of King Iohn with the seueral Mariages also of King Henrie the third and King Edward the first and finally with the interrements of that Noble Edward called commonly the Blacke Prince of King Henrie the fourth yet the death of this one man not martyred as they feigne for the cause only and not the death maketh a Martyr but murdered in his Churche brought therevnto more accesse of estimation and reuerence then all that euer was done before or since For after his death by reason that the Pope had canonized his soule in Heauen and that Stephan Langton had made a Golden shrine for his body on earth and commaunded the Annuall day of his departure to bee kept solemne not only the Lay Common sort of people but Bishops Noble men and Princes as well of this Realme as of forreigne partes resorted on Pilgrimage to his tumbe flocked to his Iubile for remission In so muche that euery man offering according to his abilitie and thronging to see handle and kisse euen the vilest partes of his Reliques the Churche became so riche in Iewels and ornaments that it might compare with Midas or Craesus and so famous and renowmed euery piller resounding Saint Thomas his miracles praiers and pardons that now the name of Christ was cleane forgotten and the place was commonly called Saint Thomas Churche of Canterbury I passe ouer the stately buildings and monuments I meane Churches Chapels and Oratories raised to his name the lewde bookes of his lyfe and iestes written by foure sundrie persons to his praise The blasphemous Hymnes and collectes deuised by churchemen for his seruice and sundrie suche other thinges whiche as they were at the first inuenâ—â— to strike into the heades of all hearers and beholders more then wonderfull opinion of deuotion and holynes So now the trueth being tried out and the matter well and indifferently weighed they ought to worke with all men an vtter detestation both of his and all their hypocrisie and wickednesse For as touching himself to omitte that which truely might be spoken in dispraise of the former part of his lyfe and to beginne with the very matter it selfe whervpon his death ensued it is euident bothe by the testimonie of Mathewe Paris a very good Chronicler that liued vnder King Henrie the third and by the foure Pseudo Euangelistes themselues that wrote his Iestes that the chiâ—fe cause of the Kings displeasure towardes him grew vpon occasion that he opposed himself against his Prince Gods lawfull and Supreame minister on earth in maintenance of a moste vile and wicked murther The matter stoode thus Within a fewe of
necessitie of the hoat Monkes esteemed at twelue pounds by yeare The White Friers translated by one â—ohn Digge to the Isle of Bynwhite lately the house of one Rolph And S. Myldreds in the South side of the Citie long since but not lately an Abbay There is extant in Canterbury also the auncient and stately Palaice of the Archebishops not that whiche King Ethelbert first gaue to Augustine at Staplegate for it was but a meane dwelling house answerable to his smal company and first beginnings but the very same which he secondly bestowed on him wheÌ„ he left Canterbury and went to Reculuer which was his owne and his predecessours the Kinges stately Court and Palaice This house by that time Hubert the Archebishop had aspired to the Sée was decayâ—d either by age or flame or bothe Who therfore puled downe the most part of it and in place thereof layde he foundation of that great Hall and other the offices â—hat are nowe to be séene But by reason that he himselfe wanted time being preuented by death and some of his followers lacked money hauing otherwise bestowed it lauishly to perfourme the worke it rested till the dayes of Boniface who both substantially and beautifully finished it Lastly a litle without the East wall of the citie stood S. Martines where was somtime an auncient Church erected by the Romanes in which before the comming of Augustine Bertha the wife of King Ethelbert hauing receiued the Religion of Christ before him was accustomed to pray In this smal Oratorie Augustine by the Kings permission celebrated diuine seruice administred the Sacraments vntil that by further taste of the Kings fauour he obtained larger roome to build his Monasterie vpon And this Church was long time after euen vntil the comming in of the Normanes the Sée of a Bishop who alwayes remaining in the countrie supplied the absence of the Metropolitane that for the most part followed the Court and that as wel in gouerning the Monkes as in perfourming the solemnities of the Churche and exercising the authoritie of an Archedeacon Godwine was the last whiche sate in that chaire after whose death Lanfranc being as ielouze of a partner in his spirituall Ierarchie as euer was Alexander in his temporall Empire refused to consecrate any other affirming plainly that Two Bishops were to many for one Citie Neuerthelesse bycause he néeded the helpe of a substitute he created in place therof one of his Chaplaines Archedeacon of Canterbury Hakington BAldwine an Archebishop of Canterbury vnder the reigne of King Henrie the seconde minding to aduaunce the estimation of Thomas Becket his lately murthered predecessour and withall to make him self memorable to posteritie thought this one waye the best for obtaining his double desire namely to build some stately Churche Monument and to matche in the patronage thereof Thomas that Prototraitour and rebell to his Prince with Stephan the Protomartyr and true seruaunt of Almightie god For which purpose and to the ende that his acte might haue the more countenaunce and credite he obtained a licence from Pope Vrban in this fourme as Mathewe Parise reporteth it Presentium tibi authoritate mandamus vt liceat tibi Ecclesiam in honorem beatorum Stephani Thomae martyrum constituere idoneis eam ordinare personis quibus beneficia quae ad eorum sustentationem constitueris canonicè debeas assignare Item mandamus vt quarta parte oblationum reliquijs Sancti Thomae monachorum vsibus concessa quarta fabricis ecclesiae deputata quarta pauperibus deputata quartam portionem reliquam liceat tibi in alios vsus pro tuae voluntatis arbitrio erogare c. This done he pulled downe an olde timber Chapell that stoode at Hakington and raysed in place therof a faire Church of hewed stone But for as much as not only the charge to furnish that present building was fetched froÌ„ S. Thomas offering at Canterbury much to the decay of the Monkes gaine but also the yerely maintenaÌ„ce therof was to be drawn from the same Hanaper to be bestowed vpon certaine Seculer Chanons a sort of religious persons that the monks despised who yet might happely in time to come be made equall with the Monkes themselues in the election of the Archbishop to the generall discredite of their holy order and vtter violation of their former Priuileges therefore the Couent of Christes Churche thinking it fit to withstande suche beginnings complayned hereof to Pope Innocents holynesse for Vrban was then deade and were so well hearde in their suite that the Archebishops building was countermaunded and he with forced patience contented to cease the worke Neuerthelesse hauing hope that if the thing were by great distance of place remoued out of the Monks eye he might with better quiet bring his desire to the wished effect he attempted the like platfourme at Lambhithe his owne house neare London But before he had finished that worke he went into the holy Lande with King Richarde the first and dyed without returne in whiche meane while the Chapell of Hakington being destitute of her Patrone was quite and cleane demolished Hubert succéeded Baldwine in the Sée and put his hande to perfourme the building at Lambhithe that his predecessour had begonne but the Monkes fearing still the former inconuenience intercepted the whole profits of Saincte Thomas offering renued their suite at Rome and féeding the Pope with that whiche should haue maynteined the building made his holy eares so attentiue that he became wholy of the Monkes deuotion and compelled Hubert at his owne dispence and to his great dispight to Mauger his Myter race that Chapell also and to make it equall with the grounde And thus you may sée howe the enuious Monkes hindered the felicitie of Hakington whiche otherwise by this kynde of spirituall robberie might in time haue proued as famous as Boxley Walsingham or any other Den of Idolatrie whereas then it was with muche a doe and great difficultie obteined that a poore Chapell serued with a single Syr Iohn and destitute both of Font and Churcheyard might remaine standing in the place Howebeit since that time it is become the Parish Church there Harbaldowne by Canterbury SVche hathe béene the nature of man euen from that time in whiche not contenting himself to abide man but aspiring by knowledge of good and euill to become God he defaced the Image of his Creator to the similitude of whome he was created that he hath continually euer since and that in matters concerning God more trusted his owne witte then the wisedome of God him selfe better liked his owne inuention then Gods holy institution and preferred wil worship deuised of his own braine before reuerent religion inioyned by the mouthe of the Almightie And suche also hathe béen the continual craft of Sathan his sworn enemie that séeing him thus addicted to vanitie and rebellion he hath laboured from time to time to féede his euill humour suggesting innumerable and those
head shoulders others vsed the staues of their crosses behauing themselues like pretie men others made pykes of their banner poles And others flying in to their aduersaries wrested their weapons out of their hands amōgst the rest one sauing his charitie laide lode vpon a married Priest absoluing him as mine author saith A culpa but not A paena Another draue one of the Brethren into a déepe diche a third as big as any Bul of Basan espied at the lēgth the postern or back doore of the Orchyard wherat he ran so vehemently with his head shoulders that he bare it cleane downe before him and so both escaped him selfe and made the way for the rest of his fellowes who also with all possible haste conueyed them selues out of the iurisdiction of the Hospital and then shaking their ears fel a fresh to their Orgia I should haue said to their former Orisons After this storme thus blowen or rather born ouer I do not meruail if the Mōkes as the reporter saith neuer sought to carrie thir procession through Stroud Hospital for auoiding of the winde for indéed it could not lightly blow more boisterously out of ani quarter And thus out of this tragical hystorie arose the bywoord of Frendsbury Clubs a terme not yet forgotten The land of Frendsbury was long since giuen by Offa the King of Midle England to Eardulph then Bishop of Rochester vnder the name of Eslingham cum appendicijs although at this day this other beareth countenance as the more woorthie of the twaine The benefice of Frendsbury togeather with that of Dartford was at the suite of Bishop Laurence and by graunt of the Pope conuerted to an appropriation one amongst many of those monstruous byrthes of couetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the dark night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the Gospell to the great hinderance of learning the empouerishment of the ministerie and the infamie of our profession Rochester is called in Latine Dorobreuum Durobreuum Dorubernia and Durobriuis in Brittishe Dourbryf that is to say a swift streame in Saxon Hrofesceastre that is Rofi ciuitas Rofes citie in some olde Chartres Rofi breui SOme men desirous belike to aduaunce the estimation of this Citie haue left vs a farre fetched antiquitie concerning one péece of the same affirming that Iulius Caesar caused the Castle at Rochester as also that other at Canterbury and the Towre at London to be builded of common charge But I hauing not hitherto read any such thing eyther in Caesars own Commentaries or in any other credible Hystorie dare not avow any other beginning of this citie or castle then that which I find in Beda least if I shuld aduenture as they do I might receiue as they haue I meane The iust note of more reading industrie thē of reason or iudgement And although I must wil fréely acknowledge that it was a Citie before that it had to name Rocester for so a man maye well gather of Beda his wordes yet seing that by the iniurie of the ages betwéen the monuments of the first beginning of this place and of innumerable suche other be not come to our handes I had rather in suche cases vse honest silence then rashe speache and doe preferre plaine vnskill and ignorance before vaine lying and presumptuous arrogance For truely the credite of our Englishe Hystorie is no one waye somuche empayred as by the blinde boldnesse of some which taking vpon them to commit it to wryting and wanting either throughe their owne slothfulnesse or the iniquitie of the time true vnderstanding of the originall of many things haue not sticked without any modestie or discretion to obtrude newe fantasies and folies of their owne forgerie for assured truthes and vndoubted antiquitie As for examples of this kinde although there be at hand many in number and the same most fond and ridiculous in matter yet bicause it should be both odious for the authors tedious to the readers and grieuous for my selfe to enter into them I will not make enumeration of any But staying my selfe vpon this general note I will procead with the treatise of the place that I haue taken in hand the which maye aptly as me thinketh be broken into foure seuerall portions The Citie it selfe The Castle the Religious buildings and the Bridge The Citie of Rochester tooke the name as Beda writeth of one Rof or rather Hrof as the Saxon boke hath it which was sometyme the Lorde and owner of the place This name Leland supposeth to haue continuaunce in Kent till this our time meaning as I suspect Rolf a familie well inough knowne What so euer the estate of this Citie was before the comming in of the Saxons it séemeth that after their arriuall the mayntenaunce thereof depended chiefly vpon the residence of the Bishop and the religious persons And therefore no meruaile is it if the glory of the place were not at any time very great Since on the one side the abilitie of the Bishops and the Chanons inclined to aduaunce it was but meane and on the other side the calamitie of fyre and sworde bent to destroye it was in maner continuall For I read that at suche time as the whole Realme was sundred into particular kingdomes and eche parte warred for superioritie and inlarginge of boundes with the other Eldred then King of Mercia inuaded Lothar the king of this Countrie and findinge him vnable to resiste spoyled the whole Shyre and layd this Citie waste The Danes also whiche in the dayes of king Alfred came out of Fraunce sailed vp the ryuer of Medwey to Rochester and beseiging the towne fortified ouer against it in suche forte that it was greatly distressed and like to haue ben yelded but that the king Paeonia manu came spéedely to the reskewe and not onlye raysed the siege and deliuered his subiectes but obtayned also an honourable bootie of horses and captiues that they besiegers had left behind them The fame people hauing miserably vexed the whole Realme in the dayes of King Ethelred came at the laste to this Citie where they founde the inhabitaunts ready in armes to resiste them but they assayled them with suche furie that they compelled them to saue them selues by flight and to leaue the place a pray to their enemies The whiche was somewhat the lesse worthy vnto them bycause King Ethelred him selfe not long before vpon a displeasure conceiued against the Bishop had besieged the Citie and woulde by no meanes depart thence before he had an hundreth pounds in ready money payd him And these harmes Rochester receiued before the time of king William the Conqueror in whose reigne it was valued in the booke of Domesday at .100 s̄ by the yere after whose dayes besides sundry particular damages done to the citie during the sieges layd to the castle as shall appeare anon it was muche defaced by a great fire that hapned in the
at the Sea. The College The value of the Religious houses in this Shyre The Citie when it began The olde Schole at Canterbury The decay of Canterbury and other places Continuall contention betweene the two great houses in Canterbury Christes-Churche in Canterbury Thomas Becket the Archbishop his hystorie Saint Augustines The deade in old time were buried out of the Cities Popishe braules S. Maries in Canterbury The Saints and Reliques at CaÌ„terbury S. August Thomas Becket had two heads S. Gregories in Canterbury S. Laurenceâ— Hospitall S Iames Hospitall S. Sepulchers White friars S. Mildredâ— The Bishops Palaice S. Martines was a Bishops See. S. Sepulchres by CaÌ„terbury The Monkes coÌ„tend with the Archbishop and do preuaile The vanitie of Man and the subtilty of the Deuill be the cause of Idolatrie Saint Thomas Beckets Relique The olde manner of nameing men Maude the Empresse true Heire to the Crowne Bartholmew Badelesmere Thomas Colpeper The Pryory at Leeds By what meanes the Archebishops chair came to 〈…〉 The Deanrie of shorâ—ham A Popishe myracle Monkes contend for the electioÌ„ of the Bishop SaÌ„int Cuthbertes feast why holdeÌ„ double Bishops Sees are translated from Villages to Cities The Catalogue of Rochester Bishops The Harborowe of the Nauie Royall The benefites that God hathe giuen this Realme in the Reigne oâ— Queene Elizabeth A barbarous crueltie executed vpon Straungers Excessiue drinking and how it came into England Great troupes of seruing men came in with the Normanes The cause of the Conquest of Enlande Harold the King. The vncurtesie of the English natioÌ„ toward straungers Busyris was a tirant that sacrificed straungers and was therefore slaine by Hercules Our Lady the Rode of ChethaÌ„ Gillingham Horsted borne in Ailesford Hengist Horsa two famous Capitaines A religious Skirmish betwene the Monkes of Rochester and the Brethren of Stroude Friendsbury clubbes Eslingham Appropriations of benefices The Citie The Castle S. Andrews Church in Rochester Priests had wiues in England of olde time Saint William of Rochester Saint Bartholmewes Hospitall Rochester Bridge both the olde the newe Syr Robert Knolles a valiant Capitaine The Hospitall The beginning of this scoffing by word Kentishe tailes Angle Queene Many kinges at once in Kent The olde manner of Signing Sealing of deedes Fernham The Danes compelled to take the Thamise The Danes are chased from Otforde Earle Edrie an infamus traytour A noble example of Kinge Edmunde Ironside The names of Townes ending in ing The Abbay The Solaces of Solâ— life The Castle The Cleargie was law lesse The Pryorie at Tun-Bridge The Low the of Tunbridge 42. H. 3. The Archebishop hath an Earle to his Butler The Rooâ—â— of Asherst was a growing Idole The masters of the nauie Royal. Alphey the Archbishop was cruelly slaine A popish minde 32. Shyres in England Great suÌ„mâ— of money paied to the Danes The Priorie of Shene The frierie The Palaice The rebellion of Iack Straw The rebellion of Iack Cade The rebellion of the black smith Lord Richard Lucy The ancient manner of the triall of right to Landes Wager of Lawe Hengist Horsa The beginning of the Kentishe Kingdome Orpenton the course of Cray water Mesopotamia signifieth a couÌ„try encompassed with riuers Rochester castle beseiged Princes may wooe by picture and marye by proctor The Abbay The old maner of Tourneament The occasion of Iacke Strawes his rebellion The courâ—â— of the riuer of Derent The name of Portreue whereof it commeth The name of Sherife London had a Portreue The office of a Reue. A learned age in which priestes had more latine theÌ„ english and yet almost no latine at all The order of this description The Manour The church of S. Hildeferthe The auncient forme of a Testament The auncient estate of a Gentleman and by what meanes gentle was obteyned in the olde time The degres of Freemen Earl Thein and Churle Alderman ShiremaÌ„ c were names of offices Wisdom is more profitable when it is ioyned with riches Merchandize and Husbandrie 1. The worship of many Gods. Saint Edith and her offering The olde newe Romanes agre in many points of religion S. Thomas Beckets spiteful miracles S. Bartilmew of Otford and his offering The Palaice at Otford Cardinall Morton Erasmus doth misreporte the cause of the contention between the King and Thomas Becket The Manor of WinghaÌ„ Reigate Castle in Surrey The Schole and Almes house The Town The name Gauelkind wherof it arose To shift laÌ„d is an olde terme The antiquitie of Gauelkind custome The diuisioÌ„ of this discourse What lands be of Gauel kind nature Some Knight fee is Gauelkinde Auncient Knight fee is not of the nature of Gauelkynd The change of Gauelkind tenure is no chaÌ„ge of the nature of Gauelkind A contrarie vsage changeth not the nature of Gauelkinde HeaHbeorg in Saxon is a high defence and the customs of NormaÌ„die that cal fieâ—e or fee de Haubert whiche oweth to defend the laÌ„d by full armes that is by horse haubert target sword or helme and it consisteth of 300. acres of land which is the same as I suppose that we called a whole Knights fee * The custome of Gauelkind is vniuersall in Kent The reason of Gauelkinde Custome What thinges shal ensue the nature of the land Rent Remainder Voucher Condition Attaint and Error No battail nor graund Assise in gauelkinde Forfaiture in Felonie Cessauit in Gauelkind Tenant by the Courtesie Tenant in Dâ—wer The difference betweene coÌ„mon Lawe and Custome therin Dower of chattels Partition of chattels Partition of chattels London Partition of Gauelkinde lands Astrâ— what it meaneth Gardein after the cusâ—ome Sale is at 15. yearâ—â— Sale good at 15. yeares No villains in Kent Apparance Câ—men Chase and driue out Attaint Chaunging of wayes Goppies These wordes betweene the starres were taken out of an other olde copie Free men Esechator Giue and sell landes without licence Plede by writte or pleinte Appeare by Borsholder No eschete for felonie but of goods only Dower of the one half Flying for felony causeth forfeiture Partition amoÌ„gst the heirs males The Astre Curt in other copies One suite for all the parceners Partition of goods Custodie of the heire in Gauelkind Sale at xv yeres of age Dower of the one half Forfaiture of Dower Tenant by the courtesie of the one halfe The discent of Gauelkind changed Forfaiture by Ceslauit or Gâ—uelate No oathe but for fealtie Essoignes No battail nor graunâ— assise in Guelkinde landes A Table conteining the principall places and matters handeled in this Booke A Angles or Englishmen Page 2 Archebishopricke of Canterbury Page 62 Archebishops contend for the primacie Page 65 Archebishops all named Page 70 Armour Page 112. 211. Apledore Page 146. 162 Aile or Eile a Riuer Page 177. Correction of adulterie Page 180. Appropriations Page 292 Ailesforde Page 321. Asheherst Page 333. Adington Page 258. Aldington Page 149. B Brytones or Welshmen Page 1. 12. Borsholder what he is Page 22 Bridges of stone Page
Sainct Augustines and fearing that he shoulde be deceiued of the bodye of Bregwine as Aldhun his predecessour had béene beguiled of Cuthberts before he came appoynted with armed men determining to take it awaye by force if he might not by faire meanes obtaine it But the craftie Monkes of Christes Church had buried the body before he came so that he was driuen to depart home frustrate of his desire and to séeke his amendes by action in the lawe Notwithstanding bycause they perceiued hereby that he was a man of good courage and therfore very méete in their opinion to be their Captaine they shortly after chose him Archebishop in hope that he woulde haue mainteined their quarrell but he neuerthelesse tooke suche order that he was buried in S. Augustines with the rest of his predecessours Thus you sée howe soone after the foundation these houses were at dissention and for howe small trifles they were ready to put on armes and to moue greate and trouble some tragedies Neyther doe I finde that euer they agréeed after but were eyther at continuall brawling within them selues eyther suing before the King or appealing to the Pope and that for matters of more stomacke then importaunce As for example whether the Abbat of Sainct Augustines should be consecrate or blessed in his owne Churche or in the others whether he ought to ring his belles to seruice before the other had rong theirs whether he and his tenaunts ought suite to the Bishops Courte and suche like wherein it can not be doubted but that they consumed inestimable treasure for maintenaunce of their moste peuishe and Popishe pryde and wilfulnesse If any man delight to knowe the particulars let him reade the writing of Thorne and Spot their own Chroniclers as for my selfe I thinke it too long to haue sayde thus muche in generall and therefore will haste me to the rest After the death of Ethelbert Eadbaldus his sonne at the instance of Laurence the Archebishop builded a faire Churche in this Monasterie whiche he called Sainct Maries In whiche place many yeares after if at the leaste you will beléeue Thomas Spot Sainct Dunstane sensibly hearde and sawe our Lady Sainct Adryan and a sorte of Angels singing and dauncing together After Eadbaldus King Canute the great Monarch of this Realme Egilsine the Abbat the fled for feare of the Conquerour Scotlandus whome the same King put in Egelsins place Hugo de Floriaco that was of kinred to king William Rufus by him made Abbat were the persons that chiefly increased the building some bestowing Churches and Chapels some Dorters and dyning places and others other sortes of edefices The Saincts whose deade bodies and reliques brought to this church great veneration and gaine were these specially Adryan Albin Iohn c. religious persons Eadbald Lothar Mul Wightred sometimes Kings S. Sexburg S. Myldred of Thanet whose body was giuen then by King Canute And Sainct Augustine their founder him self Of this last man to let slip a many of others this one myracle they reporte that at suche time as the Danes entred Kent and spoyling this Citie ransacked almoste euery corner thereof this house of Sainct Augustines onely of all other was neuer touched By reason say they that when a Dane had taken holde of Sainct Augustines Pall or cloake wherewith his tumbe was couered it stacke so fast to his fingers that by no meanes possible he coulde lose it till he came and yealded himself to the Monkes and made sorrowfull confession of his faulte Much like to this it is written that at the ouerthrow of Carthage the hande of one that woulde haue spoyled the God Apollo of his Mantel was founde amongst the fragments This our good felowe was not so cunning belike as Dionysius for he tooke a goldeÌ„ cloke â—rom Iupiter and had no hurt at all thereby But eyther this our Pall was weaued Ex auro Tholosano or els which I rather beléeue this Canterbury tale was forged A rabula Romano Besides all these the Monkes séeing howe litle their reliques were estéemed in comparison of Thomas Beckets and beleeuing as the Romanes somtimes did of Dea Pessenuntia that their house should be highly aduaunced if they might get thither so glorious a God as he was they made a foule shift for a péece of him also There was a Monk of Christs Church called Roger who had in charge to kéepe the Altar where Becket was slaine This man they chose to their Abbat in hope sayth mine authour that he woulde bring somewhat with him in whiche doing they were not altogether deceiued For he conueyed to them a greate part of Thomas his bloude that was shed and a péece of his Crowne that was pared off But here by the way marke I beséeche you the grose iugling that these slow bellyed syres vsed to delude the worlde withal Erasmus in his Colloquies writeth that the whole face of S. Thomas being sumptuously set in golde was religiously kept within a Chapell beyonde the highe altar and that they tolde him the rest of the body lay in a shryne of golde and of great Maiestie which they shewed besides But the truth is that at suche time as the late godly and most Christian Archebishop Cranmer and the wise and noble counseler Cromwell were at Canterbury in commission for defacing of this Shryne they fouÌ„d an entier body and complete in all his partes within the same as some yet on liue and then present can testifie so that eyther this their great God was a bishop Biceps and lacked but one head more to make him Cerberus or Chimaera or else whiche is most certaine these Monks were marueylous and monstruous magnifiers of suche deceiuable trumperie and wanted nothing at all to make them Cretenses or Cecropes But to my purpose againe as touching the priuileges possessions estimation and maiestie of this house it were too muche to recite the one halfe and therefore I will onely let you knowe that of auncient time the Abbat had allowance of a Coynage or Mynte within him selfe by graunt of King Ethelstane That he had place in the general couÌ„sell by gift of the Pope Leo That the house had fiue Couents conteining in all sixtie fiue Monkes And finally that besides iurisdiction ouer a whole Last of thirtéene Hundreds it had possession of liuelyhoode to the value of eight hundreth and eight pounds by yeare Nowe besides these two great houses there were in Canterbury some other also of lesse note As S. Gregories a Churche of Chanons belonging to the Hospital that Lanfranc built whiche was fired in the time of King Stephan and valued in the Recordes at thirtie poundes by the yeare The Hospital of S. Laurence edified by Hughe the Abbat of S. Augustines for his sicke Monkes and rated at twentie poundes yearely S. Iames Hospital erected by Eleonor the wife of King Henrie the thirde S. Sepulchres a house of Nonnes prepared belike to serue the
S. Iohn Champneys Iohn Baker Esquier Reignold Scot. Iohn Guldeford Thomas Kempe Edward Thwaites William Roper Anthonie Sandes Edwarde Isaac Perciuall Harte Edward Monyns William Whetnall Iohn Fogg Edmund Fetiplace Thomas Hardres William Waller Thomas Wilforde Thomas Moyle Thomas Harlakenden Geffrey Lee. Iames Hales Henrie Hussey Thomas Roydon ¶ The names of suche as be likewise prouided for E. 6. Ca. Syr Robert Southwell S. Iames Hales S. Walter Hendley S. George Harper S. Henrie Isley S. George Blage. Thomas Colepeper of Bedgebirie Iohn Colepeper of Ailesforde William Twisden Tho. Darrell of Scotney Robert Rudston Thomas Roberts Stephan Darrell Richard Couarte Christopher Blower Thomas Hendley Thomas Harman Thomas Louelace Thomas Colepeper The names of suche as be specified in the acte made for the like cause 5. Elizabeth Cap. Thomas Browne of Westbecheworthe in Surrey George Browne It were right woorthie the labour to learne the particulars and certeintie if it may be of all suche possessions as these men had at the times of these seuerall Statutes for that also wil be seruiceable in time to come Alexander Neuil Norwicus Sir Thomas Moore Knight in the hystorie of King Richard the thirde Mathewe Parker Archebishop of Canterbury in his Preface to the Booke de rebus gestis Aelfredi Regis The Brytaines The Scots pictes The SaxoÌ„s Iutes and Angles The Normans The seuen kingdomes Three sorts of Lawes in olde time The Lawes of our time These thinges be all handeled in the induction to the Topographical Dictionarie The author determined to haue written this treatise in latine Scituation of Kent Kent why so named The Aire The Soyle The Corne The Poulse The Pasture The woods fruits The Cattel Deere and Conyes No mynes The fishe The people Socage and Knightes seruice The Gentlemen The yeomeÌ„ The Artificers The first in habitation of England The errour of those whiche say that the Brytons weare Indigenae That is to say Ryders and to Ride An. mundi 2219. An. ante Christum 1142. Kent the first inhabited part of England Foure Kings in Kent But one King in Kent The first wasseling cuppe The issue of an vngodly mariage The Kings of Kent Ethelbert the King of Kent Eadric the King of Kent First name of Englishmen Beginning of Shires Lathes Hundreds Tythings Bosholder Tithingman Kent keepeth her olde customes Gauelkyn Meeting 〈◊〉 Swanescombe The Lathe of S. Augustines The Lathe of Scray or Sherwinhope The Late of Aylesford The Lathe of Sutton at Hone. Geffray of Monmouth Polydore The order of this description Flamines turned into Bishops LondoÌ„ spoiled of the Archebishopricke The increase of the Archebishopricke ConttentioÌ„ for the Primacie The Archebishoppes place in the generall counsell Wrastling for the primacie The end of the strife for the supremacie The ordre of this description of Kent No snakes in Tanet For Seax in their language signifieth a sword or axe or hatchet The occasion of the building of Minster Abbay For it was called Roma of Ruma a pappe or dugge S. Mildredâ— miracles Ippedsflete Stonor Earle Godwine and his sonnes The cause of Goodwyn Sandes The death of Earle Godwyne 1. Cursed bread The visions of Edward the confessour Epimenides did slepe 75 yeares 1. Loue Ly. or game for the whetstone Richeborow was sometime a Citie Sandwiche is not Rutupi The antiquitie of the Portes Whiche be the Fiue Portes â—â—iâ—â— wâ—re â—â—led 〈◊〉 â—lde 〈◊〉 ContentioÌ„ betweene Yarmouth and the fiue Portes Winchelsey first builded The good seruice of the .5 ports Muris ligneis querendam salutem The priuiledges of the 5. Ports The names of the Wardeins of the Fiue Portes Reliques of great price The auncient estate of Sandwiche Sandwiche spoyled brent The schole at Sandwiche The whole hystorie of the Danishe doings in England The continuance of the Danes in England The Danes all slaine in one night Saint Martins drunkeÌ„ feast Sweyn the Dane Hoctuesday Prouision of armour A Courtlie Sycophant A right popishe miracle King Henrie the 8. fortifieth his Realme Sandowne walmere The towne of Douer Godwine resisteth the King. Douer Castell Iuuenal in the ende of his 4. Satyre Odo the Earle of Kent Fynes the first Constable of Douer Castell and the beginning of Castlegard Estimatioâ— of Douer Castell Hubert of Brough a noble captaine Reparation of Douer Castell S. Martines in Douer ContentioÌ„ betweene the Râ—ligious persons for trifles Longchamp the lustie bishop of Ely. Religious houses in Douer The order of the Templers when it began The Pope and king Iohn fall our for Stephan Langton The Golden Bull. S. Eanswide and her miracles A popishe policie Folkestone spoiled The Hundred The Manor The Pontifical iusice of William Courtney the Archbishop Ostenhangar The Cause of the decay of Hauens in Kent Hyde miserably scourged The shortest passage betweene England Fraunce Thomas Becket grauÌ„teth a petition after his death Lord Wardein of the Portes Shipwey sometime a Hauâ—n towne The HaueÌ„ Limene the Towne Lymne The Riuer Limen now Rother Apledore The holy Maide of Kent Chap. 12. Butler the CoronatioÌ„ Pryorie at Bylsington Thomas Becket The Popes authoritie was abolished in England in the time of King Henrie the second Rumney Marâ—he The three steppes of Kent The order of this description The Danes doe spoile Fraunce England at one time The course of the Ryuer Lymen nowe Rother The first Carmelites in England Kent why so called The Weald was sometime a wildernesse This Benerth is the seruice which the tenaÌ„t doth with his Carte Ploughe The boundes of the Weald Fermes why so termed Townes named of the Riuers The College The Palaicâ— The Schole The Riuer of Medway and wherof it tooke the name The Riuer Aile or Eile The name of Harlot whereof it beganne Odo the Earle of Kent The auncient manner of the triall of right The Cleargie haue in croched vpon the Prince in the punishment of adulterie Abbaies do beget one another The vngrations Rood of Grace S. RuÌ„wald and his miracles For none might enter into the Temple of Ceres in Eleusis but such as were innocent The Natiuitie of S. Rumwald Kemsley Downe The Popish manner of preaching Popish purgatorie is deriued out of Poetrie Doncaster in the North CouÌ„trie The English shepe and wooll King Henry the eight fortfieth his Realme Monkes do contend with the King forceably The names of Townes framed out of the mouthes of Riuers The corruption of our English speach The Riuer called WaÌ„tsume The order of this description The decay of the olde Englishe tongue The Archebishops were well housed Prouision of armourâ— The names of Lathes and of Wapentakes The Priuileges of high waies The order of this description S. Gregories in Canterburi first builded Reliques King Iohn yealdeth to the Pope The Barons warre The Popes reuenue in England A ParleameÌ„t without the Cleargie The traiterous behauiour of Robert of Winchelsey the Archebishop Polidore was the Popes creature King Edward the first claymeth supremacie ouer the Clergie The olde and newe manner of wrecke